Definition of the term: Clutter
 

Hello, fellow quilters,
As I have been trying to pare down and de-clutter, I've been reminded of something I read, somewhere along the road. Not sure who said or wrote it first, although I could probably 'google' it and find out. I am using this as motivation: Clutter is just a bunch of delayed decisions. It is helping to keep telling myself to decide. Decide to pass it on, decide to get rid of it, decide to use it. It makes so much sense to me.
Hope you find it helpful, too.
All my best,
lots2do

Oh yes, that's a good one, Lots2do.
When I can't walk in my sewing room I know it's time for some tough action. And my cat also gets mad at me. He likes to lie down in the room and I love him there but when it's bad he lets me know "enough is enough" :)

How funny! A clutter monitoring cat! How helpful. Thanks for making me smile.

Glad you got a giggle. He's the most laid-back, sweet boy ever but that's one thing he really gets mad at me for lol

indeed, this has been on my mind the last few weeks... i really need to declutter!

What does he do?

It's not so much deciding that I don't need/want an item - it's deciding what to do with it next that is really hard for me.

great definition--that is precisely why I have things laying out all over the place--can't decide where they belong....


Rob

He gives me a really dirty look and makes sure I see him searching for somewhere to lie down. As I said he's a big teddy bear so when he is mad I know it :)

I can visualize a cat doing that. LOL

Here's to making more decisions in the coming days. I'm starting with a skein of yarn that's a beautiful color but really not pleasant to work with...into the donation box, it'll go.

Sure understand this...story of my sewing room in one sentence!

Or decide to stop reading the Quilting Board and start dealing with it. LOL

I don't think quilters have clutter in their artistic, crafty, sewing rooms. Maybe they spend so much time in there the rest of their house gets cluttered.

My definition of clutter is all the stuff laying around that ISN'T mine! LOL

My neighbor across the street owns her own cleaning business. She has a perfectly manicured lawn. Her house looks perfect any time I drop by. Her garage is painted white inside, things neatly organized on shelves, room for two cars to park inside. She runs a doggie hotel (pet sitting service) but you'd never know it except that there are dogs there (floors have no visible hair, there's no odor, nothing). Granted, she has no children making messes, but she has a husband and a brother who live there also.

One day I knew she really had no clue of how others of us live. I told her I didn't mind cleaning, but dealing with the clutter is something else. I asked, "What do you do with clutter?"

She looked baffled and, in her thick New York accent replied, "Cluttuh? Whaddya mean cluttuh, like a sawk on the flawr?"

Um, no. I wish I was only talking about a sock on the floor.

Must be something in the air. Decluttering my house has been on my mind a lot too. Sadly, I have been expending all my energy outside on yard work. Love the gardening, don't really mind mowing, etc. but it does take all my extra time these days. House looks like a disaster. Want to get new carpeting, but wondering how and where I'll ever put everything in order to get the rooms cleared out! And then there's the basement. Yikes.

Nothing is free. Even clutter has a cost. It is an opportunity cost. Clutter is whatever is taking up the space, time or effort that blocks your opportunity to use that space, time or effort for a more important or enjoyable pursuit.

zozee that is so funny. I loved it. I saw someone had written on their permanent posting signature place, "You cannot organize clutter". This is so true, but I am giving it my best shot....hahahaha

Just like opinions the definition of clutter varies. I walk into my friends house and her whole house is her sewing area. Her definition and I have to agree is when others use her sewing area for a "catch all' like (as she calls drinking objects) beverage vessels and food containers that should be removed back to the kitchen from whence it came. Bath towels to the bathroom, dropped clothing to the hamper or bedroom. that is clutter. I have to agree with her. there is a difference between clutter and hoarding (a whole "nutha" issue).

That's the clutter I mean. The kind that doesn't have a home and often doesn't have much of a purpose any more. That's the stuff that needs to be considered quickly and moved on out. Sometimes it's tricky here because the two of us have different opinions on what needs to go.

Clutter in my house is paper. I read such good articles I just can't throw them away. Maybe someday I'll find someone to give them to or re-read them myself, which I have done many times. I have boxes of wonderful old stuff and it takes time to go through it a couple times a year and re-read it.

I know what you mean. I have a whole bunch of quilt magazines to go through.

I keep a bag in my closet for Goodwill. I put things in it regularly as I realize I don't have a use for it or that my taste has changed. I get overwhelmed by clutter so I just don't allow it in my home or office. I recently moved and was excited to think I might some other things that could go during the process. Unfortunately I only found enough to fill one half of a small box. I admire those of you who can create despite clutter. It seems more artistic.

I get an email once a week from Home Storage solutions, and it reminds me to tackle one clutter issue.
I don't always follow their advise, but I do it often enough that it really helps.
They say, just 15 minutes a day will make all the difference.
http://www.home-storage-solutions-10...a0fb-303882037

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

Great link! thanks for posting it.

Rob

A dedicated donation box is a great idea. I need to start that habit. Now, where do I put the donation box? :D

~ C

Hah! That's a good one!
I found some good suggestions on The Academic Quilter's blog. I'll try to find a link and post it.

Maybe clutter is like a weed; a plant out of place. DH weeded a flower bed and left a large weed. We went on vacation and it had time to get large with flowers. Looks pretty where it is, now it's a welcome plant.

Your post seems very poetic to me, petthefabric. I started my decluttering yesterday and emptied a big box today. It came from my Mom's house, from my childhood bedroom. Most of it went into the trash but I had fun rereading old letters and the such.
I am so motivated now! Hope this momentum lasts as we are having family members come for an overnight and I probably won't get back to it 'til Monday.

My sister and I work at a food bank once a week and the people we serve need everything. I always have a bag to drop things in and bring to the pantry.
It helps them, and it helps me because I don't need the stuff.
Win win

We have two options here that are thankfully, very convenient. There is an animal shelter with an attached two story farmhouse store. I just have to be disciplined that I drop off and don't go in to shop. Then we have a dump store. Whatever the shelter won't take, the dump store will.

Thanks for reminding us to make decisions, act and enjoy!

You're welcome. Hope it helps.

I'm trying to go through one subscription a month, clip, and file into folders and lg envelopes by category. If it takes longer, ok.. Slowly getting through them.

Good idea. My magazines are on the back burner. Need to get the fabric situated first.