Goodwill Trip'n

No, these aren't thrifty finds. They're donations. I'm going to drop them off tomorrow (errand day!) and take off before they start laughing. Many of the items are already marked with our Goodwill's signature sharpie. Most of this came from my daughter's walk-in closet but a lot of the clothes are mine. The rest of the closets in our house are only 3 ft. wide. Oh the sacrifice we make for "character". This is the result of just a few hours of sorting through things that were in the way.

For the first time since I quit working to stay home with the kids I've actually made a schedule for myself instead of flying by the seat of my pants. I've tried various plans over the years but got bogged down in perfecting the systems and never made it past the planning stage. When I get to the paper mountain in the office I'm sure I'll be able to fill a large garbage can with journals and loose paper with titles like, "Get Organized 2005!", or "Operation Declutter 1998". Every other page will have notes on decorating themes and projects. The sad thing is the lists are all the same. A few projects have been accomplished but mostly it's the same thing rehashed on a fresh clean sheet, like that would make the difference.

This time really feels different though. My husband and I made up our own plan that will work for us and our family. After two hectic, stressful weeks I realized it's now or never. I have to quit hiding behind the computer screen and shopping bags and deal with life, however messy it is or how tired I am. I've got more accomplished the last two days than I have for the last six months. And it feels good. You may see a little less of me around blogland in the coming months but I'm hoping when I do make the rounds you'll find I'm in more organized Cottage State of Mind. You might even get to see some whole room shots too! Not perfect rooms, but neat, comfortable rooms!

Rednesday ~ Trend Setting

I'm finally getting to link up to Rednesday again. Woo Hoo! Please visit Sue when you're done here to see what everyone else has shared. Her place is always so Cherry... and cheery too!

The Clutter Cat is on patrol, gently reminding everyone that this spot has been reclaimed as usable space. When I clear out enough room in the office this set up will be moved in there. You want to see the office? Too bad, I have a little pride left. I'll share it when it's been reclaimed too!

So this is the corner I shared last week. Much better don't you think. Karen, from Some Days are Diamonds gave me great ideas on getting office paper work organized. Yes, that is a dish drainer holding my files. The beauty is the files stand up, stay separated, and can easily be read and accessed. Plus the limited slots make you simplify your filing and keeps it manageable. If it's not easy, I probably won't get it done! I wanted to give you a link to Karen's cute set up but I couldn't find the right post and she's off to an artists' retreat so I'll ask her when she gets back. Oh, and if you look real hard you'll spot some red in this corner!

I couldn't resist this last photo I found while cleaning. What a trend setter! I know you all love red polka dots! This is me in about 1st or 2nd grade. I'm pretty sure mom made the dress but I'll have to ask her. I still have to wrestle those cowlicks into place every morning. By afternoon they're back. If only feathered bangs would come back in style, I'd be rockin' them!

Happy Rednesday!

Dawn

Perspective, A Happy Ending

Perspective is a funny thing.

Things aren't always what they appear.

Let's play a little word association game. If I said, "perfectionist" you might say, "neat freak". But is there any chance you would say "hoarder"? Not likely. The thing I've been most struck by on the shows about hoarding is that for many it really seems to be rooted in perfectionism.

One lady spoke of her dish collection (gasp! I hear all you tablescapers holding your breath. LOL!).

She bought tons of dishes. Even though no one could possibly come to dinner at her house. Even though she barely had room to make dinner for two. Even though those two had to eat in separate rooms. Why? The dishes were a symbol of the perfect dinner she would make for her family.

The need for that perfect family dinner was so strong it affected her perspective. She could no longer see the stacks of things in her kitchen that actually made it dangerous to cook. She could no longer see the precarious path from the front door, to the one spot to sit, to the stove. All she could see was the Norman Rockwell moment those dishes represented. So the dishes became more clutter.

The good news is she was making progress with the help of her daughter by the end of the show. But it made me wonder.

Where is the point that the perfectionism which drives the "neat freak" to be critical and controlling becomes the perfectionism that drives the "hoarder" to be lackadaisical and disconnected?

I received an advertisement for the Real Simple magazine in the mail recently. It had a Finnish proverb that said, "Happiness is the point between having too little and having too much". Well that makes it real simple! I hung it on my fridge with a bunch of other clutter.

So..I guess it all depends on your perspective.

Any one want some tea?

Have you ever...

brought home old fabric or wall paper books thinking you'll use them for...something?

held on to an item because someone else has one?

put away the nuts only to find 4 more cans in the back of the pantry?

been smitten by something that wasn't the direction you were heading

felt the adrenaline rush while treasure hunting?

kept friends at arms' length because your housework wasn't up to par?

given your kid the present you wanted but never got?

brought home a bathtub just because you could?

thought about bringing a 50 lb chunk of concrete into the house so no one would steal if from the spot where it's sat for 50 plus years?

stopped on the side of the road to pick up friends?

felt like life was passing you by while you're looking for the key?

Hubby and I watched a few episode of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive recently. When the narrator said compulsive shopping was part of the problem Hubby laughed. When they came to the part about possible genetic causes I laughed. We're in big trouble.

I really enjoyed all your comments on the last post. I'm sorry I haven't been by to visit yet. I've been making plans to make sure we don't end up on that show. I got a glimpse of the light at the other end of the tunnel, and it was coming from a fellow blogger's halo! There are angels among us!

And just so you know, Mona, I will save what is truley important and treat it that way. And Garden of Daisies, your imagery of a "dead cat under mountains of garbage in the living room" should keep several of us from continuing to brake for yard sales!

Hugs

Dawn