I am not technically a hoarder, but I have hoarding tendencies.
What I mean by that is, I may have found uneaten Halloween candy from fifth grade just a few years ago. The worst part of this is, I had saved the best of the candy to savor later. My Recces peanut butter cups had long turned white and the coveted blow pop, soft to the touch.
This is how I have always been. The fear of regret drives me more than I’d like to admit. Getting rid of things stresses me out and I never have quite the right place to put anything, so my life never has the organization I desire.
This flaw is never more obvious than when I move houses, and I move pretty often. Actually we moved again just two days ago. If you are like me, you are in awe of the amount of crap you have stored in all of the nooks and crannies.
To be honest, I knew this was coming, so in preparation, I did three things:
1. I started listening to a de-cluttering meditation while falling asleep.
This is basically a track to hypnotize myself into being more tidy. I do feel more driven to be tidy on the days after I listen to it. The problem still lies in the fact that I don’t have anywhere to put the crap I sort… but it is a start. It was worth the $3 I spent for it.
2. I found the best audio book.
When it came to picking out an audio book to listen to while packing and unpacking, I found the perfect one: The Hoarder In You: How to Live a Happier Healthier, Uncluttered Life. – Dr. Robin Zasio. If you happen to watch the A&E show “Hoarders,” she will be familiar to you.
I think this book would be helpful to anyone. Whether your home is perfectly organized and you cannot relate to anyone who has a clutter problem, or if you constantly misplace items and seem to have more crap than you know what to do with, this book is worth the read. There are people in all of our lives that seem overly attached to their things, and yet aren’t happy with the situation. This book can provide quality insight into the minds of others who struggle with the accumulation of stuff.
Zasio gives simple, step-by-step directions about de-cluttering, which seem highly practical and totally attainable. I think that my two toddlers are likely to complicate the process, but let’s be honest; they never exactly make ANYTHING easier.
3. I scheduled a garage sale for the beginning of August.
This timeline is perfect, because it isn’t in the too far off future that I am tempted to majorly procrastinate, but not too close that I would be setting myself up for failure. It gives me a goal of purging a lot of stuff at one time.
What other tips and tricks do you have for winning the battle over the stuff in your house?
Also, if anyone LOVES organizing, I could use more help, I will supply bottomless wine.
