I am frustrated. I am frustrated by my house and the amount of 'stuff' we have littered about it. I am frustrated that every surface I look at seems to be covered with 'stuff'. Books, ornaments,glasses,clothes,shoes,papers....stuff.
It distresses me. It makes my mind feel disturbed and messy. It makes me dread people coming to my house.Every time I clear up, it reappears. We are all guilty of its dumping. I cannot blame the children alone, or my husband. I am also a guilty party.
We come home and leave our shoes, coats, bags in the hallway. 'Stuff' is strewn up the staircase.'Stuff' is strewn along the landing. Piles to be taken to the charity shop. Piles to be put in the loft. I cannot bear it.Our house is too small and our possessions are too big. The combination along with four people who have too many outside interests results in... mess. Clutter.
When we moved here 12 years ago we had 12 years less 'stuff'. The house was neat, tidy and organised. For 12 years we have indulged in consumerism in a relentless and enthusiastic maelstrom.Our shameless capitalism has produced a house bulging at the seams with everything one would ever need to live comfortably in the modern world. And it is ghastly.
We are never here long enough to have a good attack of sorting. We are studying, sporting, visiting, buying more 'stuff' that we don't really need.It is a sickness and it is driving me nuts. No sooner do I sort out one room than another is buried in an avalanche of things.Enough is enough.One of these days I am going to wake up and find myself unable to get out of bed because I have been buried alive under a pile of pointless possessions.I will be one of those odd bag lady types who makes a trail through carrier bags filled with old tins of peaches.
I want to be an elegant lady who lives in a house of clear surfaces. The change starts now. This is it. Black bin bag, come with me.... its time to get minimalist before I drown.
10 comments:
*shudder* I'm a minimalist kinda girl so your house sounds like hell on Earth. You need to have homes for everything, and before you buy something you have to ask: do I need it, Will I use it, & do I already have something similar?
Tell your family, that unless they pick up their shit, you're chucking it out!
BBF is a bit 'clutterey' but I'm working on him as we speak...
Put your house on the market (or pretend to) we had the mother of all clear outs when we did. Now it's off the market the untidyness has crept back, but it's still mostly clutter free.
I have started. My kitchen is blitzed, scrubbed, minimalist.One black bin bag full. Next - my lounge.I have forced my children to remove everything that belongs to them from downstairs and put them in their rooms.This house will be sorted if it kills me.
Way to take charge!!!
When you finish, I need some help with mine.
Having a bad memory has forced me to not accumulate. When I do I can't find anything, so might as well not have it.
When I come across something I haven't used (or worn) for a while I attach a little sticker with the date, and next time I come across it I check the date and if it hasn't been used for a year - out it goes. Works for me! :)
I have been doing this for a while now.. Just clearing the clutter, giving to Good Will and now.. Now comes the time for the "Furry Fiance'" to move in with HIS STUFF!! :/
This sounds exactly like the conversation I had with my partner last night. Which went something like - I know you think I'm obsessive but I really can't stand having stuff lying about (evern though quiute alot of it is mine !!), it stresses me out. And you don't like it when I'm stressed do you? I know you hate shops but please can we go and buy some more furniture so we can create homes for the things lying around? I'm not quite sure what I have had to agree to to get him into a shop but whatever it is worked - one small step towards a tidy house!
I think the stuff just breeds when you aren't looking. Seriously at least all of my stuff is in the basement.
~Crystal
so ... not just me then? this thought must be in many of your readers' minds.
I hardly buy anything but we are still cluttered with a phenominal amount of recycling that never gets processed, just sits around in bin bags ... oh, and then there's the dust; where does it all come from? I did the housework just the other week (August, I think.)
My excuse is that I was a war baby,so everything is kept in case it comes in useful. Husband the same, so you can imagine the degree of chaos that reigns in our house! Some people can do tidy, others just can't. Relax and call yourself creative!
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