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Dana K. White

A SLOB COMES CLEAN

Reality-Based Cleaning, Decluttering, & Organizing

 

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Decluttering: The Master Bedroom Saga Part Five (Getting EVERYthing Out!)

October 9, 2012 By Dana White | 15 Comments

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Part five was on day three.

Which shows how big this project really was.

(If you’re reading by email, click here to see the webisode.)

In my journal, I wrote:

Yesterday helped me see that it IS possible to get through this project.But today, I struggle with the donwannas.

This work is physical.  It’s August, and so even though I have the air-conditioner going strong, I still get really hot, dusty, dirty and sweaty.

And I’m kind of tired of this project.

I’m not raring to go.  I’m irritated that I have to go.

Grrrr.

I see a couch full of laundry that needs to be folded.  I would love to spend the morning cleaning off the dining room table for the kids who are starting to have homework.  I’d really like to clean out my medicine cabinet.

But I’m going to keep working on this huge project anyway. I can’t stop now.

This is the point where I stopped before.  When the newness had worn off and the excitement was gone.  It’s why these huge projects scare me so much and why I’ve (rightfully) avoided them for the past three years.

Thankfully I have the deadline of the donation truck and of home groups in a week and a half.

So what did I do on this grumpy day?

Well, I cleared out the rest of everything.  The room was already looking ever-so-much better because I’d cleared out almost everything.

It was just a matter of removing the word “almost.”

The trash went in the trash can, the things I knew I’d never need went in the donation box, and everything else went into the gameroom.

I had committed to removing EVERYTHING so I couldn’t make any excuses.

I saw things that made total sense to leave in the room.  Like a rechargeable flashlight.  THAT was logical to have by the side of the bed, right?

Except that once I made myself pick it up because it counted as part of EVERYTHING . . . I saw that it was unplugged.

Which meant it hadn’t even been charged in months.

At least.

So thinking I should leave it in there because everyone should have a ready-to-shine flashlight by the side of the bed at all times . . . was a lame excuse.

I took all the books off of that bookshelf.

The heavy books.

My goal was to be able to completely remove the shelf from the room.

I’ve shared before that I like to believe if only I had one more shelf, my Slob Problems would be solved.  But it just doesn’t work like that.  So . . . I determined to get that shelf out of my room.  It took all of sixteen sweaty minutes to haul the books to the gameroom.

And then I saw the dust.

Which means that Episode Six will be something about cleaning.  Y’know, since you can’t actually clean until the clutter is gone.

 

__________________________________________

Here’s the reminder that many of you requested!  I’d love it if you would go vote for me in the Circle of Moms Top Home Management Blogs category. You can vote once per day! Think of it as a vote for slobs everywhere!

[Circle of Moms Top 25 Home Management Moms – 2012 – Vote for me!]  I’m sorry.  This contest has ended.

Related Posts:

Read Newer Post (Lame) Excuse: “It’s Just One Hanger . . . “
Read Older Post (Lame) Excuse #7: But I Missed a Day . . .

Filed Under: 31 Days of (Lame) Excuses, decluttering, master bedroom | 15 Comments

Comments

  1. Kristin says

    October 10, 2012 at 7:37 am

    You keep me motivated. I’m at the “isn’t this ever going to get done” phase. Probably because I’ve been working on this, and it never gets done. There is always something or some excuse.

    But yesterday, I had to find paperwork. Really important paperwork, which will affect my son. Guess what? Surprise — couldn’t find it. Ripped through everything, twice. So now I have to go with my tail between my legs and request it from someone I don’t want to request it from. My own fault.

    Reply
    • Nony says

      October 10, 2012 at 8:00 am

      Oh Kristin, I’ve been there. Too many times . . .

      Reply
    • kris says

      October 10, 2012 at 8:54 am

      I had this happen just last week. But, I did end up finding it in a place that one would consider “put away” expect that I have a bad habit of not putting stuff away so I was looking for it amongst all the piles instead of in a place that was logical.

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        October 10, 2012 at 10:03 am

        LOL — glad to know there are others who do exactly what I do. I wonder if there are any “paper issues” support groups.

        Reply
  2. Leslie says

    October 10, 2012 at 10:35 am

    I just cleaned out two of my bookshelves (well, I only have two) and my bedside table. I filled two boxes worth of books and took them to a local used bookstore and got $20 credit to use whenever. I like that trade-off. When I feel like adding something new to read, I have money and I got rid of some stuff. It was a great win-win for me!

    Reply
    • Nony says

      October 10, 2012 at 1:56 pm

      Leslie, I have a tub full of books I took out of our bedroom that are still waiting to be taken to the used book store! (It’s 45 minutes away!)

      Reply
  3. Kristy says

    October 10, 2012 at 11:41 am

    I found your blog a month or so ago, searching the internet for some kind of hope for extreme slobbism. (I think my house was almost ready to be on Hoarders). Like most people, I have my reasons (renovations…emotionally difficult times…insanity). Anyway, I found new hope on your blog. I watched your videos, and today, finally, I have spent the last few hours decluttering my junk room (Yes, having a junk room is a big part of the problem, not to mention that I am starting there because the whole house is now the junk room, and I need the space).

    What shocked me most about day 1 of this journey is that I have had 8 bags of trash and a tiny pile of things that are worth putting in a yard sell. I expected to have tons of good, un-needed things, not pure trash that no one would want!

    So far I have only clean out the doorway!

    Anyway, thank you for so bravely showing your own messy life. I honestly thought I was sick like a hoarder, now I know I just suffer from slob vision!

    Reply
    • Nony says

      October 10, 2012 at 1:55 pm

      Love this comment! And I fully understand that surprise you feel over realizing what was in the piles all along wasn’t what you assumed was in there.

      Reply
  4. heyruthie says

    October 10, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    Nony, I just want to stop being a lurker to tell you that I love this series. I read your blog, and you’re the first person I’ve ever “read” who totally “gets” the slob vision thing. that video that you posted months ago about leaving the cabinet doors open in the kitchen? Classic. Hello, my name is Ruth, and I’m a slobaholic. I’m powerless over my slobbiness, and need the help of a higher power to overcome it! Well, Nony, you’re part of what my higher power uses to motivate me–and He’s giving me an arsenal of various weapons to fight it, actually. Thanks for being part of it. I’m about a year or so into my journey of *REALLY* fighting, and I have SO far to go (4 young kids, ADHD all over the family–including me, and sudden single motherhood this year) but God has used all those things to help me kick-start the journey. I know it will last a lifetime; I’ll never be “over” this. Just ODAT–as they say in recovery groups, or “One Day At a Time.” I’ll be watching for the next episodes!

    Reply
    • Mary Stephens says

      October 13, 2012 at 3:26 pm

      Ruth, keep going, girl. By God’s grace you can make progress. The Lord started me on a journey of laying aside weight this year, and it’s been interesting. It’s covered everything from stuff to habits to ideals and expectations. I have a long ways to go, and I know I’ll need to revisit things I’ve learned over and over, but it does get better and wow – the results can really bring freedom. I like to think of it as making us lighter. 🙂 We don’t realize how much the weights drag us down until we let go of them.

      Hebrews 12:1-2a Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, **let us lay aside every weight**, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…

      Reply
  5. Mary Stephens says

    October 13, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Ok, so now I need to think about the smallish, but neglected pile of magazines on our coffee trunk (yeah, we use an old trunk for a coffee table – great for storing games or blankets). I stopped subscribing to the magazine earlier this year, but there are probably a year’s worth or more of old copies still there (it was six issues a year) and no longer being read. I *might* zip through them and remove any recipes I want and then ditch them, unless I can get my courage up to just dump them! Like you say in the video, there are lots of places to get ideas elsewhere. With the internet now it’s so easy to get recipes and craft ideas on demand, we don’t *need* the piles of old magazines and books. I guess since I didn’t grow up with the internet available I get a sense of security in having books to supply this imagined “need”.

    I know what you mean too about the dirt that accumulates where you can’t clean properly due to the junk sitting around. I have spots like that too. I try not to notice it too often, but it’s still there. :-/

    Reply
  6. Shannon L says

    October 18, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    Catching up today from Oct. 6th. Well, 4 of those days were vacation. I love the comment, “Part 6 of bajillion.” Made me laugh. I can’t wait to see the final results.

    Reply
  7. Shelly Renaud says

    October 22, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Even though I “pinned” this posted sometime ago, I am just now going through the blogs. Nony, I already love ya! I have the books “Living with a Messy” and the program’s flipbook. It worked great and I rocked my home. However, after our home was broken into and trashed, I wasn’t able to get my mind wrapped around an uncluttered, clean home again. There are times it looks good – but it just doesn’t stay that way. Now, I have taught my children to be the same. I hope to find the encouragement that I need here -And a group of supporters that are just like me!

    Reply
    • Nony says

      October 22, 2012 at 8:21 pm

      Welcome, Shelly!

      Reply
  8. meg says

    September 19, 2016 at 3:55 pm

    I found your podcast and website from a friend who struggles to be tidy (her house is way bigger than mine = more hiding places)

    Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I feel like we are kindred spirits. I lover your self-deprecating humor and honesty.

    I am learning so much. Making small steps in the right direction!

    Reply

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