Other people's stuff

I just found this article called De-Clutter Your House - 10 Easy Steps. It's mostly common sense but for those of us who get easily overwhelmed by clutter (which is pretty much anyone whose house looks like mine!) then you need all the common sense you can get to help you through the "OMG where do I start!" panic attacks. I especially like #4.

4. Start with your own areas first
Tackle ‘your own areas’ first rather than your partners or your children’s. Otherwise it’s too easy to find an excuse not to do it because it’s ‘their’ mess, not yours. Whereas if it’s ‘your area’ then you know it is your responsibility and it will be harder for you to talk yourself out of tackling the problem.

It's easy to focus on the clutter of others and turn a blind eye to our own. I do it for sure and I know many other fellow clutter bugs do it. But then, I also understand *why* we do it. It's *far* easier (emotionally!) to declare someone *else's* stuff to be "junk" and then get rid of it. YOUR books? Clutter. MY books? Valuable resources and great stories we might want to re-read someday! YOUR packed closet? More clutter. MY packed closet? I might wear that again someday! (and that, and that, and that)

I still get rid of my kid's and dh's stuff but I'm not overly stressing about it. If they don't want something gone, I'm not pushing it. I have far too many glass walls in here to be throwing any stones right now.

Of course, what did I get rid of today? Kid's chairs, LOL! I think I mentioned these awhile back. The kids agreed that these (and a table in the backyard) could go so I put them on freecycle in early August but got no takers. Unfortunately, you have to wait two weeks before relisting so it wasn't til last night I could do it. By the end of the night I had an offer and today they were taken :D