CLUTTER!!!

[jpsimard]

Howdy all,

It’s time to share again! I’m currently living in Prince Edward Island before I embark on a six month stint in Europe. It’s a little scary for me because I wasn’t diagnosed too long ago, so it doesn’t really give me too much time for any CBT before I head off! Anyway, back on track (it’s late, and my meds have obviously worn off for the evening).

I’m house sitting for some friends while they’re in Jamaica living the high life (pun intended). I have always been a messy guy (shocker), with a desire to be tidy. My girlfriend/mate/life partner/? is incredibly tidy. We’ve been living together full time for just over two years now, and as a result of her organizing and constant reinforcement/support our apartment has become a clutterfree zone! But here, out in the country… my friend’s house is a CLUTTER FIASCO.

I had absolutely no idea just how distracting/disheartening/BAD clutter is for my brain! I can’t sit here on the couch and stretch my legs out without encountering something under the coffee table. Two stacks of magazines and one of papers. To my left? A box of cd’s on the ground, a stack of textbooks and a cd spool. To my right? Two stacks of papers, and some flyers. I could go on.

Despite the fact that the house itself is quite cute (if not poorly insulated) and in the middle of the country which I normally find BEAUTIFUL, I find myself stressed out and having difficulty doing any work here. (I’m a musician, and by work, I mean practice). I’m only here for another five days or so, but I couldn’t help but share and vent.

Free your homes from clutter, people!

– Justin

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[nellie]

Well on the bright side at least you’re there in the winter – imagine all that grass cutting in the summer ! I’ve never seen an island so obsessed with perfect lawns Who knew the clutter was all inside ! I guess that explains why I’m so relaxed when I’m there…

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[Anonymous]

Clutter has always been a part of my life and I’m curious to know what it feels like not to have it surrounding me all the time. I think it would probably feel like living in a hotel room. I’m anxious to declutter my life.

Good luck on your trip overseas.

Don’t you hate the evenings when the meds wear off? It feels like someone switched me from 45rpm to 33.3.

My immediate goal is to go to sleep before my legs start twitching and get up before 10am tomorrow and get started on my apartment transformation.

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[Anonymous]

Clutter send me into a tailspin! It took me a while to figure that one out but I finally did. Every weekend I set out to declutter but it doesn’t always happen. When report card writing time arrives for me I make sure I have an antiseptically clean (purged) house to work in.

With the way my brain works, I can’t get myself focussed on the writing because if I look up from my computer and see ‘stuff’ everywhere I can’t do a single bit of work. All I can think is mess, mess, mess. I can’t concentrate!!!! Ahhhh!

jp, my dear daughter out west calls home and reminds me to dust her piano every so often. She misses it so much now that she is out west. If she decides to stay out there she may want to have it shipped out there (you musicians are so attached to your instruments- LOL). Once in a while I go into the dining room and dust it off for her. Other than that, it just makes an excellent surface for sorting my students’ work! (blasphemy to do that I know!!).

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[jpsimard]

Brentitude – seriously, try it. Although, I don’t know if I would go with a “de-clutter EVERYTHING”.

It’ll start off like this: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5o3jc7tL71qzd22s.png

and end up like this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D_Z-D2tzi14/TBpoVLLDgCI/AAAAAAAADGc/iqux8px_V-s/s1600/responsibility12%28alternate%292.png

Sorry, those urls are a mess. Anyway! I’d recommend starting off slow. Maybe try Rick’s weekly challenge #2, which despite my desire to be de-cluttered is still kicking my ass. In the long run, though, I think you’ll find the pay off! Don’t give up!

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Zsasa, I don’t know if I’d ship the piano. Depending on where you live (I’m guessing East Coast, since you used “Out West”), shipping a piano can be both ridiculously expensive and ridiculously hard on the piano. It might be cheaper/better to just buy her a piano where she is! She’ll totally want to play that piano when she comes to visit.

Also, you’re a teacher? Awesome! I’ve been dabbling in teaching as a Substitute here to make some extra money to fund my trip overseas. Gotta say… I love it. It’s definitely a second career choice here.

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[Anonymous]

I am absolutely rabid about dirt or clutter. I cannot stand it. I need everything to be tidy and in it’s place to be able function; otherwise I get very overwhelmed, frustrated, and angry. People comment all the time about how clean my home is, both in positive ways (her house is always immaculate) and negative (You’re too demanding with your kids. Why do you care if their rooms are messy? They’re THEIR rooms.)

When things are too messy I tend to shut down. I don’t know where to start with cleaning it up and so I just tune it out and end up not doing anything, feeling out of control and depressed.

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[Tiddler]

I have a weird relationship with clutter. I can’t find things when they’re out of sight (in drawers, cupboards, files etc) and I pull things out looking for them and there’s that clutter again. But the clutter really does stop me getting anything useful done.

So it goes like this – I have a crumpled scrap of paper with a Really Important Phone Number on it and I leave it on the window sill and my husband puts it in the bin when he’s tidying up then I hunt around for it and cry when I realise it’s gone. My husband is getting better at not throwing stuff away but am I getting better at not leaving Really Important Things around, looking like random crap? Um. No.

I behave totally differently in an organised, clutter free environment. I can spot things that need to be done more easily and am more inclined to just do it as I’m not overwhelmed by everything else. I know what I SHOULD do but I just can’t seem to make that happen in my own environments.

I’ve been trying to ‘get organised’ and created lots of ‘piles’ that are starting to bleed into each other. There’s a random shoe in the middle of them. And a packet of buttons that I know I’m just never, ever, ever going to sew onto my blouse.

Sigh!

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[billd]

clutter? What’s that?

if I have clutter, I’ve been unable to find it amongst all the stuff all over the place.

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[Anonymous]

i comfort myself about clutter by telling myself that at least it is not rotting food. clutter, but not dirty, nor disgusting. although when I was able to clean the other week, it was kind or dirty. there were even some disgusting moments . but still no rotting food or horrible smell.

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[Cat Alberts]

Yes, clutter. So frustrating!!! In the past I have cancelled so many invitations because I felt I had to clean up my (tiny) house, but then could not get anything done. Just sat there staring at the mess, not knowing where to start. And then turning on the tv or pick up a book, and spending the weekend ignoring my suroundings. Not a good thing for my social life…

Once every while I move stuff to a central place with the intent to actually organize, but it hasn’t happened yet. I find that having to make the decision of where to put it, is completely draining.

I did give every drawer a purpose though, so office supplies, drawing supplies, camera’s and make-up and accessories have a place to return to after use. So when my meds are on and I am at home, I do occasionally get an urge to tidy things up. Non ADHD friends just give stuff a place when first moving in, and maintain that decision. I am waiting for my next wave of inspiration to incorporate that.

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