Time Management Team and Clutterbugs' Corner

Hi there, BookandPen (do you write? ) and welcome to the group!

I can very much relate to the paradox of wasting more time the more overwhelmed I am! Guilty here! I'm sure it's mostly that we simply want to escape. My worst thing is that when I don't want to clean up the junk I have because it's draining just to think about it, sometimes I head out to places like thrift stores, bookstores, or craft stores and come home with more things!

And it's definitely harder with other people around. Not that I can't procrastinate very well on my own (everybody has something they're talented about, LOL! ) but sometimes it seems that just when I am more in the mood to accomplish a task, someone in my circle of friends or family will come up with a project or a get-together.

I guess the first place to start is simply to recognize where we're most vulnerable to getting off track. I don't know of any one system to recommend because time management systems are often like weight loss diets. Everyone is different, with different needs. So I suggest to sample several systems and see what you feel drawn to; also if you find one that comes close but isn't "just right," try to find a way to tweak it. Customize it for you.

Hey all!

Just signed up for the forums today, and was thrilled to find this group!

I have always been a pack-rat, though my Mom helped me somewhat amend that by periodically going into my room with a trash bag and cleaning out my drawers when I was younger!

Right now, my biggest difficulty is time management. I have a lot on my plate, and it seems that the more overwhelmed I become, the more time I waste: almost like putting off everything a little longer helps me temporarily forget about it. But everything I have to do is always weighing on me. Has anyone else had this problem? And what time management routines have worked best for you all? I love making schedules, but since I do not live alone, the other members of my family can often derail my little plans for each day (which is not a bad thing, it's just the way it is in a family!)...

I'm looking forward to being a part of this group! Thank you all for the help, in advance! I hope to be of service to all of you!

Yay, akela135! Take no prisoners!

That's not uncommon to keep finding stuff, I'm sure everyone here has experienced it! Especially when moving. Cleaning and packing can seem never-ending. And there is, always, something that you overlook until . . . surprise! there it is staring you in the face.

I still dream about moving because I have moved so much. Hopefully that will end one of these days, it sure does get tiresome. :P

Hey everyone, I made a lot of progress today! I'm actually at my parents place and taking a quick break. I took the 5 boxes I stacked up and got them down to 2 boxes. However it turns out there were a few areas in the room that I forgot I hadn't cleaned or sorted! I guess I had mentally blocked that so I would not become overwhelmed.

I read this wall again before starting so 3Doctors, you'll be pleased to know that I keep saying "Take no prisoners!" every time I being to waver in my resolve.

Sailor Kenshin - yes on Blick - and I hadn't heard of Paper and Ink Arts - lead me not into temptation! It helps that these places have websites and I now have consistent access to the Internet. Still, there's no denying it's fun to leaf through an art catalog. But again - that's temptation to buy more art stuff!

akela135, great plan! I like that idea of doing little projects on the days when one has less time and the big projects on the days with more time. It would seem like "duh, common sense" but sometimes when we get overwhelmed by all there is to do, we tend to forget the basics. Having any kind of a system just really helps.

I feel energized coming off of yesterday so I decided to do a small project a day until the weekend and then on Saturday I'm going to go and tackle one box at my parents house! And if I do a good job I might even go after a second I'm hoping my little successes will make tackling those boxes easier. I feel the weight of them looming over my shoulders. However, no more future talk! I'm focusing on the present and today is old pet supplies!

3Doctors: "Actually, I think there are going to be times for all of us when we enjoy this process and times when we don't. I think we might surprise ourselves. I know I did when I let go of my collection of art-supply company catalogs. "

Was Blick in the collection? What about Paper and Ink Arts?

Howdy! This has always been an uphill battle for me! I have a hard time with clothes (for the last almost 9 years I have been pregnant or losing weight!) and between the change of seasons and the change of body shape/size I have a hard time figuring out what to keep/let go! That isn't my only problem though, I am trying to weed out the kiddos clothes I don't need, but I want to keep enough to not have to buy (too many) clothes when a new kid comes along. I work an outside job full time from home so my time is limited as well!!!

Hi, Sailor Kenshin - you must have slipped in while I was editing my previous post! Welcome to the group!

Actually, I think there are going to be times for all of us when we enjoy this process and times when we don't. I think we might surprise ourselves. I know I did when I let go of my collection of art-supply company catalogs. Sometimes the "tossing bug" bites and it becomes kind of fun! Make a game of it. Let's go! Take no prisoners!

Do you really need that dorky hat?
Or that dead computer?
How about having a garage sale and making a few extra bucks?
Maybe even enough for a little vacation!

Welcome akela135 and TheRealJuliane! This is a great time to begin - spring cleaning time, and Easter Season.

Juliane, I know what you mean about the decision making process. It's sometimes the hardest part. The best things I've found to ease it along are:

1) Take only a very tiny amount of stuff to deal with at once. If you start to feel overwhelmed you may have grabbed too much. Just put some back, and begin again.

2) Look at the stuff you have and think where what is worth keeping will go. If it's papers, have the files ready for them before starting the sorting. If it's books, have a shelf. Art/craft supplies, storage that's accessible - so they will get used. I like clear containers so I can see what's in them.

3) I have thyroid issues too but we can work with the energy we do have the best we can, that's all we can do. Sometimes I decide to take a catnap and before I fall asleep I try to envision myself getting up feeling rested and tackling the whatever-it-is. (I have difficulty getting quality sleep at night so sometimes catnaps recharge me the best.)

4) Don Aslett's book Clutter's Last Stand helps you deal with some of the "What if's" - for instance, he points out that even if you need it later the cost of storing it now isn't worth it. He, or someone, I remember saying that if you really did get rid of something then need it again, all the gains from decluttering will be worth the price of buying a new one.