Tidy home, tidy mind!
Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 11:04PM Well over the last few days I have done something that is very unusual for me. When I was much younger and I had my first ever home, I kept it very tidy and clean, mainly because I lived in a Studio Flat and there was no room for junk. I became obsessed at that point with having everything in labels boxes, so I knew where things were.
Of course over time, we start to hoard, we move from one place to another and slowly over time the places get bigger and you start you have more space to hoard and collect... Well I did anyway.
We came over to the US and it was great we had nothing except for what we had in 3 suitcases between us... now 3 years later, I have hoarded again! Yes... I have so much stuff, and multiples of stuff, my friend Sue, took it it upon her when she arrived to clean out my closet and bathroom.
Honestly I thought that she would never come out of the closet alive, let alone the bathroom cupboards!!! Well I have lost 14lbs in the last month so hardly any of my clothes fit, so I had a big clear out session, and my mother will be pleased when a fedex parcel arrives at her house. She never buys herself anything, and I know she loves some of the stuff, so I pack it off to her.
Anyway... I have gone from being Miss Hoarder to Label Queen! Sue started it off... She set me on my way and then with some help, I finished it, with tonight, my office. I have everything in tidy little boxes, and it's labeled!! OOOOOHHH I love it.
What it's made me realize is that we have duplicates of everything, and if you sort out your bathroom you will find that you have 2 of everything, and actually you don't need to keep buying, you can save the pennies (which lets face it is not a bad idea!) and run down your stock and buy things when you need it. :) (Be careful with makeup though it generally is not a good idea to have makeup for over a year!)
What I have always worked by, is a tidy home is a tidy mind. Sometimes we need to give our home a spring clean, and then we start to spring clean our lives... it helps us, declutter all the negativity, issues and problems that we have stored away, and then we can deal with them. Even if it's visualizing all of the issues going in labeled boxes! It really works and is excellent for staying focused.
So if you are bored over the weekend and your not coming to see me in Vegas ;) then start to clear out the clutter in your home, which will lead also to your life!
With love and cyber hugs
Lisa xx
Reader Comments (43)
It is a great idea that we do regularly !!!! Lolol...due to moving often probably but we do like to still do it every now and again, in between !!!
Congratulations and what a wonderful excuse to buy new clothes !!! Whoo Hoo !!!
Enjoy your time with your friends and have a great weekend in Vegas !!! I wish I was there !!! but am just so happy to see you in September !!!!!!!
Love and hugz xx
I admit, I'm a packrat and find it very difficult to let things go, I find reasons like it's sentimental value.... Slowly I'm trying and I love the clear space. It's just a challenge. Thx for the inspiration. Xoxo, Lynn
I am the packrat too as well as being in the same house for 25 years. More is definately not better in the house or the mind. Thanks for the reminder of how clutter plays a role in our lives. WIll not be seeing you in Vegas, but do let us know when you are in the southeast (SC here). I enjoy your posts on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for taking your time to share with us.
Blessings with a hug !!
Hi Lisa,
so very true!! Spring cleaning your home and decluttering is God sent!! It helps so much with the energy flow. More people should do this i think. They will be better for it. And hey Lisa Congrats on losing 14lbs, nice1!! Being healthy is another good thing. Well you take care Lisa. Big hug Marcel :)
How funny was just thinking that i should tidy mine when i made the excuse to log on to your site! Its funny how the universe gets the message accross! I never feel 'in control' when things are untidy Have a gtreat week end Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I have been decluttering for so long now, it is pathetic! When I moved, I noticed that I had so many duplicate items, I thought I would never have to buy many things ever again! It was a shocking experience, because I felt like I had been shopping in a fog when I bought all the stuff, since I couldn't remember doing it! I will make certain to utilize all of the things I found (lots of soaps!) and so many lipsticks (etc)! I have been trying to figure out places to put everything, because the house here is already full of things (when I moved in), so I have double the work! I am tired of it all frankly, because the move from my house was such a HUGE task that lasted many weeks and too many giant dumpsters! I think it aged me many years! I worked so very hard, it was ridiculous!
Anyway, I am trying so hard to fix up my life, but I keep finding my days going by without getting much accomplished! I get really mad at myself, but I try and forgive myself and promise to do better "tomorrow!" I don't think I have enough years left in my life to get done everything I need. Some days I just want to sit on the porch with a cup of tea, or cocoa, and watch the planes taxi down the runway at SFO, while my kitties lie in the warm sunshine. Lazy can be so nice! Well, that was a nice ramble to nowhere!
Take care of yourself and have a blast in Las Vegas! (don't let that buggar from the paper get you down!)
Hugs and love,
Cheryl
PS. Congrats on your weight loss! (I know it isn't easy!)
Hi Lisa
I am a hoarder also, cant get rid of anything that is why I love having an addict, kids will have a great time when I am up in heaven
At least that is where i hope to go when I pass.
I have a special Lisa Williams box.
In it are all my memories of you and all the beautiful cards that our members sent me for my wedding
I love this box.
I am a tidy person I might say, so I don't need to do much cleaning
But thanks for the reminder
Hugs
Chrisje
i love to get rid of clutter! i take stuff almost every week to salvation army. if you want me to take any of your clutter i will. maybe the vibes on your stuff will help my psychic abilities develop.
I completely agree, Lisa!
I'm a quite messy person, and I always misplace things and forget to put them away...
And I have noticed that when my apartment is clean and tidy, I am SO much more happier and relaxed.
I've been struggling with anxiety for some years now, and I can assure you that my anxiety gets a lot worse when it's messy around me - like now.
I'm definitely gonna tidy as soon as I feel a bit better, and hopefully I will feel better as well.
My home gets messy too. lol. I sort of procrastinate cleaning it up. I keep thinking tomorrow and when tomorrow comes I sort of think nevermind tomorrow.
It is the same thing with me and chocolate. Still not able to give it up yet. lol. : )
Lisa,
I just this week went through my closets and gave five big piles of clothes to a friend who sells things on ebay and is in need of cash (recent widow). It felt so good. I plan now to go through some boxes in my basement and give this friend more things to help her out. I get the good feeling of cleansing and she gets some money she needs. It's a win-win situation!
Congrats on the weight loss. I just went to the Dr. yesterday and had lost 10 pounds in 6 months. He was sooooooooooo happy with me. My walking is paying off!
Have a wonderful time in Vegas. Safe travels.
peace...deb t/illinois
Hi Lisa,
Very good idea, last year I started to put clothes in a box for charity every time I buy something if I buy a pair of trousers I put two pair in the box and so on. So in one go I’m clearing and renewing my wardrobe and the charity shop is also being getting help.
Hugs
Being Healthy!!! : )
Much Love <3 <3 <3
hey there Lisa,
Now you are speaking my language :). I am a bit of a clean and neat freak but not nearly as obsessive as when I lived alone. My partner and I are the odd couple. We joke about this all the time. In fact, we bicker constantly over this...too funny! First of all, we don't live in a very big space but I happen to love the energy there and the view is absolutely perfect being near the bridge and the ocean. Most of my stuff is at my other apartment because I can't fit it in our apartment. I am slowly letting go of stuff and realizing that certain items are not important to keep. I have a 1 year rule... if you don't use it in a year then chuck it or give it away any longer. My partner is a hoarder and she literally cries when she throws things away. Although it saddens me to see her this way, I know it is also good for her to purge when she is ready. We tend to emotionally attach ourselves to material things even if they are not being used.
Here is a personal lesson I learned during my Dad's transition...
Every day that I spent with him, he had to let go of another bodily function and adjust to his physical limitations. The most profound moment was when we had to take him to hospice the last week of his life due to complications. When the ambulette picked him up, he waved at everything in his home as they were carrying him out of his home and he said his last goodbyes knowing he was not going to be back. He could not take anything with him to the hospice...not even a piece of clothing. That very moment is a footprint in my mind and heart. To watch another losing everything physical in slow motion, made me realize what is the point on holding on to things so tightly. In the end, you have to let go anyway. Why wait and suffer? I believe this is what the Buddists meant when they refer to detachment. So the practice of this is truly important.
Sorry... I don't know where all this came from but I am happy to share it.
Love~n~Peace,
DreamSpirit
WooHoo!! 14 lbs! Good for you!! Congrats!
You know I have a habit of doing that cleaning and decluttering whenever I am upset about something. I have done that for years.
It does help get rid of the negative feelings. Actually my hubby teases me about it now but it is my way of destressing and letting go of hurt or anger.
I do need to go through my closet again, I have 3 different sizes of clothes in there and it has been a while but my next project is the walk in kitchen pantry. Just bought some containers to work on that again.
My granddaughter is coming for our annual girls shopping trip this weekend and that should be fun. She loves to help me organize too so maybe I can get some help on that pantry. :)
Have a great show and again congrats on the weight loss!
xo Cindy
Hey Lisa,
You so right, I always feel good after a good clean out I agree about the energy it makes me feel somewhat lighter...
Congrats on your your weight loss great achievment
Have a great weekend!
Lara Haidary
You could say I am a neat freak....so when i am abe to clean and declutter it is best to just get out of my way. I get into a zone and I am gone.....Sue and I would be great together.
Much love,
Cindy/cynthlynn
Congrats Lisa in the weight loss & cleaning dept.!!! Thanks for the motivation....I too am a hoarder & desperately need to loose weight as none of my cloths fit. I thankfully got some really good sales the other day to buy some cloths for my upcoming cruise vac. in a few weeks. Now if only I can start getting rid o the clutter...... Love ya
Hi my love, for some reason I lost everything I was typing so here Iam again. Just a quick one though.
Thanks for the post! I for one do not collect thingsI do not hoard!! My head right now is so full of clutter that I really need to get busy and clean out all the garbage out of my head! If I don't I would not be able to go back to being my old self. I really need to talk to someone. I wish it was you! But.....
I will see you on Sunday in Vegas!!
Love ya, Mary
Thank you Lisa for being you!
It's fantastic that you lost those 14 lbs, and what a lovely forever Gift for your Mother..
The thought of "To Sir With Love" just came to mind.(the Song as well) humm... I loved that movie, in fact it's one of my two favorites.
Please please play a fun game in VEGAS for me!! Rock on. ;-)
Witih hugs and love,
ooo
Aaahhhhh, feels like you can breathe better when you declutter....but it's tons of work to do it!!! Ugghhh, my hubby has been on me for months to go through the junk in the garage and get rid of most of it! Just started this week....well, got a small pile done anyway, but it does feel better to get rid of the old...and make room for more new!!!
Congrats on the 14 pounds in a month!!! That's a lot in just 4 weeks!! Care to share your secret....bet it's the unfun diet and exercise thing again, huh?!?!? Well, must get motivated for that too!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Can't WAIT to see you again in October....simply AMAZED and DUMBFOUNDED that you are actually coming to my backyard....Roanoke, VA.....that is 20 minutes from my home!!! I've been submitting Roanoke and Salem to your "places to visit" tab for almost 2 years w/ hope and prayers, although I really thought that when I saw you in Charlottesville in February that it would be the last time I'd get to see you....and I'm just sooooo honored that you have obliged!!!! Over-the-moon w/ excitement!!! Can't wait for Roanoke to experience what I've experienced w/ attending 2 of your other shows....what an honor!!! INFINITE THANKS TO YOU!!!! Big, soft hugs to you!!! :)
Hey Lisa,
Is Sue busy next weekend? She could clear out a few things for me! What a good friend!
I too, am a pack rat. I have so many size 6 jeans that, Let's face it, I will never fit into again. (sob!) Thankfully, there is a community center right around the corner that I can drop things off at. I am mad about books/films/music. Books are everywhere. Does Sue build book cases, by any chance? (HA HA!):)
I just love it when things are all clean and in the perfect spot. I can't remember when that happened last.
So once again, you inspire me! Way to go with the weight lose, Girl! Rock on!
Love Ya's,
Kim
Hi Lisa,
That was a funny blog to read this morning, i had been cleaning out cupboards! I am so anal about my house i get such satisfaction from cleaning it and sorting things out. (my friends think i am so sad!) Im not sure the reason behind it, it makes me feel good, but my husband and i have had 9 different homes in 18 years so i think thats part of it. Last move we were packed and gone 8 weeks after finding out another move was on the card for his job. i couldnt do that if i was a hoarder.....now my husband is a hoarder..of computer items and cables etc...he wont throw any of them away and it drives me crazy lol!
Well done with your weight loss, bet your mum will love her parcel!
hugs xx
Hi Lisa,
I have a terrible problem procrastinating. Thanks to your blog, I'm now motivated to spend the weekend cleaning out my closets. Yes, no more excuses from me....
Oh, wait, I can't do it this weekend... I'll be in Vegas!
See ya soon!