Sunday, August 11, 2013

Clutter at the Source

For almost a year I have been going through the book, The House That Cleans Itself by Mindy Starns Clark, one room at a time. This has been a humbling experience, because, Mindy sent me 15 copies of the first edition that I mailed to 15 of you who requested them. Some of you are in a Facebook group, The House That Cleans Itself, where we share our messes and successes. After a year you would think that I have it altogether. NO. I DO NOT, BUT AM KEEPING ON IT, FOLKS.

Although I am on the front and back yard officially, I have backed up to work on other areas in the house. Recently I wrote about the rug, and getting help to clean it. Such a relief!

It occurred to me that rooms in my home reflect "clutter at the source". I collect too many magazines, too much material and craft supplies and have too many clothes. There is too much mail in the house that maybe I can eliminate receiving. I need to deal with clutter at the source before it keeps invading our home.

From covers of magazines
Last week I have been tackling the magazines. I laugh as I saw all the magazine covers that promise you YOU CAN DE-CLUTTER or YOU CAN ORGANIZE. We think that we will read these magazines and so they pile up. Some of those subscriptions were "deals" when I bought something and keep coming because they are charged to a credit card. What a bummer! It is no great "deal" to bring magazines in my home that I will rarely read, even if they deal with clutter!

I was so proud of the recycled magazines I put out by the curb on Saturday.

I go through the whole Bible each year with a podcast called The Daily Audio Bible.
This morning I listened to and read along about Nehemiah's depression in Nehemiah 2:4. Like my concerns about our house, Nehemiah was depressed about the walls of Jerusalem. He went back to rebuilt and Scripture takes time to record each section of that famous wall being rebuilt.

I cannot control my husband's dementia, but I can take care of our home, one step at a time. Monday I am mailing letters to some of these magazines to stop them when the subscription runs out IF NOT BEFORE!  


YOU TOO? DO YOU BRING 
TOO MANY MAGAZINES 
INTO THE HOUSE?

8 comments:

  1. Magazines are not my poison ~ but books!!!!! I think I am overcoming it. Even since our move I have passed on more books for the grandchildren.

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    1. We started getting rid of books about five years ago and it continues to invade our home, especially with my dissertation. We have a great place in Plant City where I can trade them in for credit on new books. Then more books can come into the house!

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  2. Oops. Seems you have a new commenter :-)
    You know who I am.

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  3. Very interesting!
    I do have a little tub of magazines in the closet. This reminds me they need to go further. I also have some books I don't need--I was hoping to sell but it appears only one of them has much value on Amazon.com. My biggies are cookbooks and craft supplies & plants. I can make use of most of these things but it would not hurt to dejunk the rest.

    The big thing of course is once its dejunked--not to get more. Ay there's the rub...

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    1. It just feels so good to solve one problem area and resolve to not collect so much again.

      Mary, I got rid of cookbooks in 2000 when I moved to Plant City and married my husband. I told myself that one box of cookbooks was all I needed to move here with and I brought the other cookbooks to church and they went like hot cakes. Then I have added cookbooks selectively. I have Weight Watcher cookbooks now.

      About craft supplies, I keep thinking that "one day" I will use them. I am making quilts for family after all.

      I love how we can store ideas on Pinterest that don't clutter up our home.

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  4. Here I am, long time and no blog reading for me....I'm trying to get back in the groove again, but it's hard.

    I don't subscribe to any magazines and I'm a 'throw away' fanatic..... I throw away everything that isn't attached to the floor.lol!

    Good to hear that you're making progress with your de-cluttering.

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    1. You are one of my social media friends who didn't need that book, "The House That Cleans Itself"! You should be the one writing those magazine articles, Dolores!

      Have you noticed that blogging and Facebook comes and goes for many people? I have. People who wrote all the time several years ago don't write now.

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