Confessing to a big ol’ mess
Cleaning up the odds and ends of daily life requires a whole new mindset
I'm a slightly messy person. OK -- a totally messy person. Not exactly an embarrassing secret, but it is a reflection of personal habits that can be problematic.
ClutterStompers
Support group meetings: 2 to 4 p.m., second Saturday of every month
Place: Harris United Methodist, 20 S. Vineyard Blvd.
Fee: $10 annually, plus $1 donation per meeting
Call: 723-1673 or 447-9489 or visit www.clutterstompers.com
Also: Professional organizers will give advice, 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 6 at City Mill in Honolulu 660 N. Nimitz Highway (533-3811); and Jan. 7 at City Mill in Hawaii Kai, 333 Keahole St. (396-5151)
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When my car was broken into last December, the police could not figure out which part of the car had been rummaged through, as all parts were pretty disheveled.
How far back does the problem go? I didn't see much sunlight in elementary school. As a rule, if we had messy desks, we couldn't go out for recess.
I am not alone. At the monthly ClutterStompers support group, they have a word for those who adjust to life as messy people -- acclimators -- and according to co-chairperson David Tasaka, there are all kinds of reasons, most having to do with emotional behavior rather than inattentiveness.
He said many people hang onto boxes and boxes of clutter for a connection to the past -- photos, keepsakes and other belongings -- or just in case they should "need something,"
Stop beating yourselves up, Tasaka said.
Many well-intentioned people will be making New Year's resolutions to clean up their acts, and many will fail. "You don't start going clean overnight," forewarned Tasaka. "Shame doesn't work. You go back into your old habits. You have to constantly plan ahead."
Tasaka and Tom Moore started their support group three years ago as fellow clutter-sufferers themselves. "We were both cluttered-challenged," said Tasaka. "We were not making progress on our own and there was no support group. I'm still working on my thing. It comes and goes in phases. When I set a deadline, I get things done."
When they began, only one other person joined their table at Harris United Methodist Church. If every member came to a meeting today, about 250 people would be there.
The group operates with the philosophy of New York Times best-selling author and professional organizer Julie Morgenstern: Organize from the inside out, otherwise neatness will last only in the short-term. "A gentle, consistent approach is needed," said Tasaka. "The shift has to come from wants-to to needs-to."
Tasaka shared the story of a woman who hid her clutter problem by keeping people away from her house for 10 years. "It was just one of those things. She had kept the problem hidden from her family. She had chosen to host a Christmas party, but wasn't sure where to start cleaning. She ended up taking the whole family out to dinner. The lack of organization can really affect your social life. It takes energy to not think about a problem."
A lot of people without a clutter problem have a "civilian attitude," said Tasaka. "They look at the problem and say, 'Here's how you clean up.' "
They don't understand the roots of a clutter-collector's problem, he said. "If you could have it done easily, we would have."
MORGUEFILE.COM
Clutterstopper's David Tasaka said opening at least three pieces of mail a day will help tackle an overwhelming pile of paperwork.
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Rules of organization
Start with the room you spend the most time in. Beginning in one corner, separate pieces into small piles before moving to the next corner, professional organizer Julie Morgenstern suggests. Keep the pieces you treasure or find useful; give away pieces others might find useful and toss out the rest. To make things a little easier, set a day (or two) aside every year to clean the house with other members of your household and sell things you no longer need in a garage sale.
Shelves, shelves and more shelves. If an item can be put on a shelf or into a basket, you'll be cutting down on the visual clutter as well as making use of a space-saving technique. Put the items you use most within the easiest reach.
Make gradual inroads into your pile of mail. Open at least three pieces a day, says ClutterStompers' David Tasaka. The seemingly mountainous pile will disappear by the end of the week.