Bushlady:
It is so nice when our DHs join us in our decluttering isn't it?
I hear of that so often, much better than arguing over things.

I'm so excited! I think I've found a solution to my office file dilemma.

While looking on Pinterest last night, I found a picture of a mini-office using a wooden chest (like a blanket chest or a cedar chest). They put those plastic filing/folder tubby things in the chest and attached a piece of corkboard to the inside lid to use as a bulletin board. Genius!

Well, I happen to have a blanket chest, which I love, and I've been trying to figure out how I will use it in our new home. I took one of my plastic filing things to see how it would work and it fits perfect! I can line those up in a row taking up the whole inside length of the chest. All of my files will have a home! By putting corkboard on the inside lid, I can just open it up when I'm working in order to view my bulletin board and then close it when I'm done and use it as a sitting bench to work on crafts. Hurray! Hurray! I'm going to have practical storage, a place to sit and it's going to look nice. Best part is it isn't going to cost me a cent! Now I just have to figure out an arrangement of the desk/table, shelves, etc. to make it all fit.

Carol, that's marvellous! I love it when things work out like that.

Carol,, That's great! I love that idea! I don't have a chest but i do have a wooden love seat bench that the seat is like a "chest" or "box" with a lid. Right now it has stuff on it...ugh and I debate whether I should take it out of my room and put in more bookcases. The idea was for the "children" to come in my room and sit on the bench and have an idlylic talk or watch tv with us.

More they just laid on our king size bed. But those days are gone...my baby almost 21 doesn't lie on our bed as much. But I do have Grandchildren living down the street. But they just sit on my bed as well. Although DGD could get very creative with the bench seat if I were to let her. Of course, it would need to be cleared off. I had a sweet stuffed bear that is musical that is something I wouldn't let her play with and the things in the bench/chest are probably scrap books or specialty books and such. I haven't looked at it lately.

I also keep a nice big square fluffy pillow on it that I would keep on my bed if DH wasn't sleeping in it during the day. I just don't have a lifestyle where you get up and make your bed and the room stays nice and tidy. Those days went away when we started the business that we own.

So Bushlady--Yes, I'm not sure which trails are worse...cows or the men folk that come in with mud and grease on their boots. LOL!

I sort of saw the writing on the wall when I ended up having 4 sons and they all liked to play outside. Now they are just bigger with bigger boots and toys! And to add to that I have 3 Grandsons...although two of them are still babes.

Okay, now to report, I walked my dog today. First time officially as he was recently adopted. So that was fun.

I did some grocery shopping along with other items needed.
Visited with a friend
Went to a lecture for women's health
Went to a study group
Did the dishes
Babysat Granddaughter
Fixed dinner
Deleted old emails
Wrote emails
Took care of pets
Read a little bit in the manual about my microwave
Listened to some music
Listened to talks on CD/tapes
Practiced more picture sharing on the Internet.
Visited with a sister in law.

Carol:
Great idea and another AHA moment. So glad for you. Started me thinking myself....but wonder if I want the files in the family room, but will see if the plastic file bins fit or not! Thanks for sharing and I am happy that such a great solution was found for you!

Karalin:
How did the dog work out on the walk? You are so kind to adopt him/her.

Well a luncheon and a class were done this week on my goal list. Have another class today, so will wait and then cross them off. Did my branch work too, and finishing up two drawers after I sign off.

Carol, if it is easy to put wheels on the 4 corners of your chest, it could easily roll in front of the bookcase, or to the table for crafts seating.

You know everyone says baby steps, baby steps, but it seems that I start the baby steps and then when I get done with the first step I go to the next step, but then what I did gets messed up and then I have to start all over again and do the baby steps I did, and then go to the next step. Every single room in our house is in use and so it makes it hard to clean every room every day since I am not home everyday to do clean and organize. Since I am in school and clinicals, I don't seem to have time for anything and my classes are 2 days a week and clinicals one day a week and the rest of time, I have to study, write papers, and do clinical homework papers. I feel like I'm going round and round in a circle chasing my tail. What can I do for this chaotic cycle?

Wheretostart, I sympathise with your situation. It sounds like you have an amazingly busy life, and make no mistake, there is no Superwoman! You can only do the best you can and your expectations should relate to your situation.

You will see that different posters have different situations. Some have jobs, some don't. Some have difficult health issues or troublesome relationship problems or depression. Some have small children or teenagers, some have big homes, others are struggling to fit everything into a small place.
Some are young students, or single parents, pet owners, retirees. Some are trying not to shop too much, others are struggling to make ends meet. All of us are trying to create homes that feel and look right to us, homes that are organized so that we can run our lives without panic.

Believe me, this doesn't happen overnight. Not only that, I write from experience when I say that a few days of bad health, overtiredness, failed appliances, family crises, depression can undo all our best efforts in a remarkably short time. Suddenly we are out of control again. We've forgotten to buy milk because we didn't adhere to our usual system of list making, we forgot to take the clothing out of the dryer and now we have to iron, and so on. The counter tops are crowded again, the coffee table has become a clutter magnet, the e-mail in-and-out boxes have filled with messages needing to be trashed.

Amazingly, we get back on track. Babysteps don't help keep a dirt magnet house like mine squeaky clean, but if you are dealing with clutter itself, babysteps do help. Feeling overwhelmed is common, and we all go through it, when looking at the overall picture. Dealing with my clutter, I find it helpful to sort things into different categories without doing any tossing except where it is obvious that something needs to go. If all the photos and albums are in one place, all the craft items or music books or cook books and recipes are in their own place, all the old greeting cards or letters are in one box, then you can take on part of one category later and sort and toss more easily. Every little helps. Two books tossed, is two less crowding the bookshelf. One kitchen gadget (never used), tossed, means a little more space in the kitchen drawer.

As you look around you, decide what you really want to see. Bear in mind that in 20 years time you won't remember if your home was 100% beautiful and organized, but you will remember special people, fun times, career milestones, moments of awe. If you can keep on top of the clutter, a bit of dust isn't going to shock anyone until you can measure it with a ruler! A friend of mine once had a fridge magnet that read "My home is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy"! We all want perfect homes but we are only human.

I wish you well as you continue the struggle with the rest of us. Keep posting if you can find the time. It will get better, but do make sure you look after yourself in the meantime! (((( HUGS )))))

Couldn't have said it any better Bushlady.

Wheretostart
You are doing a lot! Be patient with yourself, and take 10 minutes as a babystep. Don't do anything BIG until you have a space of time to...just start with a drawer and do that, another time another drawer. It gets done. The secret is ETEing things after you do it, and try and keep that up.

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I was so surprised at how much I had to toss in the two drawers I cleaned from the desk! Have more to toss/Donate.

Wheretostart: I agree with you - it is very hard when we don't have enough time to do it all. I struggle with it, myself, as I am physically away from my house for 13 hrs. each working day and often don't have the energy or inclination to do much once I come home.

Baby steps are wonderful when one doesn't have a big chunk of time to do the whole house or the whole room or, even, the entire closet or cabinet. One does one small area at a time, and, eventually, the entire thing gets done.

But, as Diana said it, the secret is ETEing and keeping it up! It won't stay cleaned and organized unless it is maintained and kept up! And that takes both time and effort, and the cooperation of everyone else in the house.

Once you do Step 1 and move on to Step 2, you still need to go back to Step 1, regularly, and do a quick tidy/clean to maintain it. Then, once Step 2 has been done and you move on to Step 3, both Steps 1 and 2 must be given a quick once over, every so often, to keep both maintained.

Ideally, the quick tidy won't take more than a few minutes and will eliminate the need to spend hours straightening things out, later on. Or, they will extend the periods between major cleaning.