So everyone who has read my blog lately knows that I've been thinking about taking out a loan, right? I've finally taken the leap. I found a great loan broker (no, this isn't a paid post) and he hit the ground running. My original mortgage has a high interest rate, so we've decided that re-financing is the way to go. Dealing with money (especially big money) makes me nervous. When he asked when I wanted all of this to happen I said I'd like to just do it and get it over with. That was this afternoon. This guy is some kind of a miracle worker, because he opened escrow for me already, and I just got a call from the appraiser who wants to come tomorrow. Wow! I'm impressed, but when I said "do it now" I thought I'd have at least the weekend to get ready. You know the clutter problem that I've gone on and on about? I'd like to crawl in a hole right about now. I guess I'll just do what I can between now and ten-thirty tomorrow and then put on some bronzer so he won't see me blushing in embarrassment. What else can I do?

Labels: clutter, finance, home, just stuff

I kinda resent y'all trying to steal my thunder. I posted below about decluttering & you each seem to think that you are better than me at burying yourself in detritus. Ah, you are so ill-informed. I was going through my photo files and look what I found! The above is dated June 30, 2005. That's the work table in my office, where I do my books, sort files, pay bills and such. Well, I used to. I haven't actually seen enough space for most of those activities in quite a while. See the large stack of files to the left? There is an almost identical stack in the same place today, just slightly larger. The heap of clutter to the right of the TV? Oh, I wish my camera worked so I could show you that today it's actually two fallen-over heaps supporting each other. That slick-looking roll of something under the left rear corner of the table? That's a large laminated poster called "Bad Bugs" that should be on my wall. It shows identification photos of the more common wood destroying insects, along with damage typical of each species. I love that poster. I really should put it on the wall. Today it's in the back of the supply closet. It's behind the old phones I want to give to the shelter for abused women, and the reams and reams of different colored paper I use when I print notices for the homeowner's association. It's not likely I could get close enough to the wall to hang my poster anyway, so I guess I'll leave it where it is for now. I don't know what the rest of the stuff under the table is. Hey, give me a break! It was almost two years ago. My industry magazines are in racks behind the stack of files, and I see pink receivables binder beside them. My purple binder for my service account log is on the front/center of the table under a single file. Maybe I actually logged that file the day I did the work. That used to happen. I probably thought about turning to my right and taking a picture of my cluttery desk that day, too. And I probably concuded that it was so embarrassingly messy that I didn't want to record it for posterity. Which, of course, means it was much messier than the work table. This was near the launch of an effort back then to tackle my messes and clean them up. It didn't work, as verifiable to anyone who should see that picture and also get a look at the same view today.

So, anyway, no more of this stuff where you come here & whine that your stuff is messier then my stuff. This is one crown I've earned for myself and you're not going to take it away. I am the champion ... when it comes to clutter!

Labels: clutter, just stuff

I haven't blogged about the clutter problems in a while because it would be too embarrassing to say how little I had been doing. I've been working on it the last few days. I won't claim to have made up for lost time. Years upon years of slothful behavior can not be wiped away in mere days. However:

The guest room is clean. That nice queen-sized bed is such a convenient place to pile stuff that I've bought "for later." Also a wonderful place to spread things out when wrapping gifts. We're not talking Christmas here, folks. There was gift wrap I used last summer on that bed. The gift wrap and clutter have been put in their proper places. BONUS: I have scissors! I have tape!

Need to strip the bed & launder the linens in the next few days so it will be fresh and ready in case I ever get guests.

My office is not clean, but:
All reports are in properly labeled folders.
The reports were properly date-ordered and entered into the books.
The reports then properly alpha-ordered for filing.
Filing is still months behind.
All invoices and check receipts for the last month or so were then put into the books and filed away.
New checks opened, entered into accounts and collections.
New checks stamped, added up on deposit slip and ready to deposit.
Supplies for accomplishig all of the above are properly in their place so I don't have to search under and around months of back-filing to find the stapler & the check-endorsement stamp next time.

Okay, even listed item by item it doesn't sound like much, but you should have seen how disorganized my office was. Actually, I'm glad you didn't! I'll try to finish up in here tomorrow, then will have two rooms (guest & office) completely clutter-free. That would be a good thing!

Labels: business, clutter, just stuff

I started this blog as therapy against clutter. I thought that exposing my slovenly ways would humiliate me into attacking the situation and making substantial progress, hopefully before I'm entombed by stuff. It actually worked for a while as I created and worked a plan of attack. But I've gotten derailed and it's at least in part because of blowback from my "solution."

Why did no one warn me how addictive blogging can be? Not just spilling my guts here. That only consumes a small part of my time. It's the links that have developed in these few short months that have led me astray. I have to read some of you everyday. You always have something witty or amusing or interesting to share. Many of you link other interesting blogs that I have to wander over to so I can check them out. Which leads to more wandering ... you all know how it goes, right? My plan for progress has come to a screeching halt and I'd like to divest myself of the blame by parceling it out to all of you. Alas, I know where the the responsibility lies and recognize you as blameless.

I don't have a new solution yet. It's not that I don't know what I need to do, but that I'm not terribly committed to it. The only way to get anything done is to get off of ones backside and do it, but, wow, that's seeming awfully difficult these days. If you'd all write dull stuff for a while perhaps that would lessen my newfound addiction, but I'm not liking that idea at all. Aside from all of the good stuff I'd miss, it would be just wrong to deprive so many others. Maybe I should just keep searching blogs in the hope that I'll eventually find one that serves me up a workable plan on a silver platter. Actually, that sounds like it might work. Keep the good stuff coming! I'll get busy right now making it happen.

Progress since last update: none.

Labels: blogging, blogs, clutter, friends