Cleaning and organizing closets

[Rubyfruit]

Does anything feel better when it's done?

Me, my husband, my girlfriend and my mom took on the master closet today. It was a complete mess. Everything was basically in the same spot that the unpackers left it in 6 months ago.

Two hours, two bags of trash and one huge bag of clothes for Goodwill later and I can walk into it and actually find what I'm looking for!

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

 

[Azwed]

Me and my roommate have the *in booming God like voice* CLOSET OF NO RETURN

We have been putting stuff in there for 3 years now and nothing ever comes back out. We are going to have to go clean it out when we move over the summer though. That is going to suck.

 

[sigh]

after ten years of children's toys, my closets are in a sorry state

and i live five floors up...

(perhaps i can just drop them off the rooftop deck?)

 

[Rubyfruit]

Azwed,

No, it won't suck! You know what sucks? Thinking about the mess. Opening that closet door to find something. That sucks. In fact, it sucks your energy on a regular basis.

Cleaning it out energizes you.

 

[Azwed]

Last time we tried to open that door we had an avalanche. Had to dodge various objects and dig our way out. The door is buldging and you can see the strain on the hindges.

 

[Guest]

 

[Rubyfruit]

sigh, I hear ya on the toys. They fucking breed at night while we sleep. I'm convinced of it. In fact, they must interbreed because the toys that come out of these clandestine matings are mutants!

Naked Barbie torso with G.I. Joe's legs? The Lego mixed in with the Lincoln Logs? Nintendo 64 games on top of the Gameboy games? Oh sure, they try to look inocent, but I'm on to them.

 

[CarolineOh]

I have a theory, you can call it Caroline's Law of Physics: The amount of stuff you own will increase in direct proportion to how much space you have to put it in.
If you continually built new closets onto your house, they would quickly fill up with stuff. If you rent a storage shed, that will fill up before you know it.
Junk breeds, I tell ya!

 

[Laurel]

I was feeling pretty crappy today, so I did laundry & cleaned up hoping that would make me feel better. But it didn't. Ah well. lol

 

[Rubyfruit]

Caroline, I agree with your theory whole heartedly. I've lived in 600 sq ft apartments, all the way up to 3300 sq ft houses. There is never enough space. Eradicating crap is a constant job. It never ends. I even stopped the paper because I couldn't deal with the build up.

You wouldn't believe the crap that one kindergarten kid brings home from school every day! I love the artwork, but the other junk I could do without. There is a new fundraiser every fucking week it seems. Ack! I wish they'd just say, we need X amount of dollars a month from every student. I'd find a way to pay it goddammit! Just leave me alone with the fucking fundraising. I have no family and very little friends here. We are new to town. I'm not about to take my austic son and his 2 year old twin sisters door to door. Fuck! Ok, I'm over my rant.

Lauralina, I'm sorry cleaning didn't make you feel better. Maybe cleaning MY house, would do it for you?

 

[Laurel]

Lauralina, I'm sorry cleaning didn't make you feel better. Maybe cleaning MY house, would do it for you?

I doubt it. But that was a damn good try! heh heh

 

[Rubyfruit]

It was worth the effort, Laurel. We have a 3-car garage filled with boxes still.

Maybe I should have a "Clean out the Garage Party?"

 

[HotXBunz]

Five of my friends have formed a cyber clubhouse. We are the Mystery Girls (MG's) Our latest thing has been "The Great MG Cleanout" and between the five of us we have thrown out a ton of stuff.

The competition and support keeps us going. I can not look in a drawer, closet or cabinet now where I do not find something else that I can live without.

I agree that we grow to meet what space we have. I have lived in this house with seven people and been fine but now it is just my Honey and I (well until last week) and we feel suffocated at times. I have no problem putting my hands on things. I have had to find obscure items I have had tucked away for years twice this week. I just feel weighted down with stuff.

I know I have done a good job at tossing. My youngest moved back home this week and took over the den. I was able to intregrate everything in there into the rest of the house with only a bit of clutter. I would not have been able to do this four months ago.

I like everything having a place. It keeps my mind at ease but I also found that a lot of my pack ratting is my insecurities running wild. When I feel good I can be ruthless, if I feel shakey, I tuck things away.

 

[Desdemona]

I love the feeling of looking into a newly cleaned closet!

I just did my linen closet the other week. It was a nightmare... every time I opened the door, stuff fell out... tablecloths, blankets, placemats etc.

I broke down and bought some of those vacuum packing bags on TV. It was amazing. Everything is organized and stored neatly on 1 large shelf. It freed up the closet for other uses. Of course, I immediately filled it up.

I'm currently working on my bedrom closet now. I went shopping this weekend so I need some space. Goodwill or a consignment shop will be getting a visit from me very soon.