Hi Everyone!

DebbieH

DebbieH

Cathlete
I just wanted to say a quick hello to you all and say I miss you so much. We decided about a month or so ago to build a new condo (will break ground in the next two weeks!) and have been soo busy with picking out flooring/countertops/cabinetry/paint colors and all that fun stuff that goes with a new home. It has been fun but very time-consuming & exhausting. I think the hard part is over and now, the fun begins. Although, I am trying to get our previous home in order to put it on the market. Whew, what a packrat I am! I need to do a search for whoever here recommended the Flylady site! It has helped tremendously with getting organized and "flinging" stuff! It also led me to a couple other websites that are excellent. Here are the websites for anyone wanting to learn how to organize/de-clutter/detailed cleaning. They are wonderful:

www.flylady.com ("Sink Reflections" book is at Borders-really got me going!)
www.speedcleaning.com (same name for book at the library)
www.sidetrackedhomeexecutives.com (Excellent book you can get at the library-same name by Young & Jones)

Anyway~I just wanted to shout a quick hello and say I miss being here. I read up that Cathe is getting ready to film and post pix! Can't wait!! Hope to check in more often now. HUGS 2 U all!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hi Debbie. I have missed you. I can not wait for the hardcore filming too. I hope you will check more often now.




Mariángeles a spanish terminator junkie.:) :)
 
Wow Deb! What a project!

I'm very overdue for renovations and de-cluttering and will take a look at the websites you recommend.

I recently stayed at my mother's house and could not believe how organized everything was. I started to feel really bad about myself in comparison, but then my DH reminded me that my Mom has been retired for 8 years now and has all the time in the world to organize things.

Even my Mom's jewelry box had one draw for pins, one draw for necklaces, one draw for earrings, and one draw for rings. The thing I couldn't figure out was how she arranged it so that each type of jewelry needed exactly one drawer. Knowing my Mom, she probably threw away anything that didn't fit just so everything could be perfectly arranged!! (And of course the jewelry box itself and each piece in it was magnificently unique and beautiful). Why didn't I get that gene????

Lots of luck with your new project! Keep us posted.

-Nancy
 
Thanks Stayfit and Nancy! Nancy, I can totally relate to not having the "gene"! My own daughter is sooo organized and I am wondering where she got it?? Ha! I do have her hooked on the websites too and she is also learning new things. BTW, the link for sidetracked excutives is wrong and I am too late to edit the post. Here is the correct link:

http://shesorganized.com/index.shtml

They have a great 3X5 card file system that I am implementing and it works!! Also, be sure to pick up "Sink Reflections" at Borders or your fav book store. Very motivating. My sink is shining right NOW! :7 Nice to hear from you both.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hi Debbie: I kinda wondered where you'd been, we miss you here too!!:) What a huge undertaking, so much work but like you say, it is fun too. We gutted our kitchen years ago and even though we lived there for another 5 years I never walked into that kitchen without feeling the freshness and satisfaction of knowing we had done it our way (like Frank Sinatra:p). Isn't it hard to de-clutter?!? Amazing what we can get attached too. I will look at these web sites to get some ideas of where to begin. Thanks Debbie, nice to 'see' you, don't be working to hard, save some energy for Hardcore!! :7

Take Care
Laurie
 
Maybe this isn't my day. Flylady's website was so cluttered, I immediately got overwhelmed! I think my overwhelmed threshold is very low right now. Oy vay!!
 
Hi Laurie!

Thank you so much! My day isn't the same without talking to all my buds here! (In case you haven't noticed...I am not too shy around here! ;-)) Yes, I agree~de-cluttering has always been a major problem for me but these new ideas have truly worked! I even got my HUGE walk-in closet organized and that is saying a LOT! I also just finished preparing my winter session for my instructors and you, being an instructor, know all about time/energy put into that. Whew, it is done and now I can concentrate on my house. Thanks for the reminder not to burn myself out. I am on my way to having my injury almost healed and looks so forward to Hardcore. I think I will be ready just in time! Thanks for talking with me Laurie.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Ha Nancy!

You are too funny. There IS tons of stuff there. I would recommend getting both "Sink Reflections" and "SideTrackedHomeExecutives" books and go from there. They explain the processes in the books. I, too, was overwhelmed when I first started reading everything. I copied off LOTS of the tips/ideas/essays and such from the site and put them in a binder to read when I could absorb it better. The 3X5 system totally blew me away at first and I couldn't figure out how to start, so I went out and got the supplies (listed in the sidetracked book) and then, followed along step-by-step to figure it out. It clicked and I'm on a roll! Let me know if I can help more. Take "baby-steps" & soon you will be FLYING! http://www.mega-content.de/smilies/smilies_Picture/engel/5.gif[/img]
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! A new condo - how fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carol
:)
 
Hi Debbie!! I miss you too:) I am so happy for you. I know it is so time cusuming but in the end it will be well worth it;-).

BTW can you send me your email address because my computer crash a few weeks a ago and I lost everyones email address. TIA:)
 
Yes Carol...it IS FUN! Barbara~yes, I know it will be worth it. We are both so excited already! Here is my E-mail. It won't preview right? Just use the last part of the link from DLH on.:

[email protected]

You should be able to click on my E-mail icon too or PM me. Have a great weekend everyone.
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hi Debbie,

I thought I had noticed you weren't as present as usual & was wondering if you were busy with your business.

A new home! How cool! I truly envy you...I love to move. I tried the Flylady sight when it was mentioned here, & I felt overwhelmed too. But I hadn't forgotten about it. Now that I know it worked for you, I'm going to give it a try. Thanks for all the leads & info!

Let us know how things progress...I shall live vicariously. LOL

Ruth ;-)
 
I love FlyLady! I have Sink Reflections book, the Saving Dinner one...it is grrreat...and "Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui" it is awesome!

Best wishes in your new condo!
 
Hey Debbie!

Congratulations on your new place! I love all that remodeling, or in your case, modeling, kind of stuff. Keep checking back when you have time; you're almost at 4 thousand!

I'm a bit of a neat organized freak. Have you ever been to the Container Store? It's awesome. They don't have too may stores,but the website is just as good: http://www.containerstore.com
 
Ruth, Jen and Gina!

Ruth~Don't give up. There is sooo much info at the sites that it IS overwhelming but the books break down the steps for us "babies"! You start out just implementing "baby" steps and then, once the de-cluttering is done, you have a system set up that keeps it that way by using their tips. Let me know if you get the books. I would loan them out but I refer to them constantly. I wasn't able to find Sink Reflections at the library, but the other two were there if you want to take a peek before buying. After reading them, I liked the ideas, so I went out and bought my own copies. Keep me posted.

Jen, I am thinking about getting "Saving Dinner" also. I have it reserved at the library for about a month now and it still has not come in. I am told it is VERY popular. I'll probably just buy my own copy. I tried two of the recipes so far and liked them both. (off the website) What kind of a system does the "Clear Your Clutter" use? Is it tips? I think I saw it at the libaray but didn't pick it up. Thanks for your best wishes! We can't wait!

Gina~You just HAD to remind me of the big 4,000! OH MY! I am going to go check out the Container Store and see what that is all about. I don't THINK we have them here??? Thanks for the link. We have all our "stuff" organized in about 30 big Rubbermaid tubs in our basement storage area. (Such as, vases all in one, stationary,pads,paper all in one, blankets all in one, of course, Christmas in about 4 or 5 and so on. They are all labeled. That has helped me get organized down there for things we don't use daily. I'll go see what your container site is all about. Thanks, nice to hear from you.

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
I'm thinking that the only way I can get rid of the clutter in my house is if, when I'm tossing 27 things, one of them is my DH. Does anyone else have a DH who doesn't like to throw anything away? He's such a packrat. x(

Deb, how I wish lived closer and could come to our Catheite dinner this week!

-Nancy
 
All the gazillion copies of "Saving Dinner" at my library were checked out FOREVER. I just went ahead and bit the bullet and bought my own copy.

The "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" book is basically a book that goes into detail on why clutter is bad for your spirit...and the different ways and attitudes that need to take place to keep it out of your life and house. I do think it is something I will refer to again and again for attitude adjustments. I am a pack rat! As the flylady says, you don't need an organizational system for things that you love!

I am not so much a Feng Shui person, I didn't know much about it, this was the first book I had read that had that as a subject. The author gets a little "out there"near the end, but it didn't bother me.

I used to think that as long as you had room for it, keep it! The clutter book explains why it is detrimental to us (physically, emotionally, spiritually) to keep the clutter (things we do not love nor will likely ever use, or are broken) and how great it will be to have it out of our lives forever! She covers the very basics of Feng Shui on the way ...if your library has it, that would be great. My library didn't even have it registered at all. I think it might be fairly new.

Best,
Jen
 
RE: Ruth, Jen and Gina!

Hi Debbie,

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I will probably go ahead & buy the books...I can usually get almost any book online cheap! LOL

That's what I need...baby steps. The site did overwhelm me, but I knew I would come back to it eventually. You are my kick in the butt!

My main problem is DH...yes Nancy, I have a packrat DH too. It is SO hard to get rid of anything around him. But even worse...his Mother is the biggest packrat I've ever met. When she lived in her house, it was so full of junk you had to clear a path to get through a room. I am NOT exaggerating! (SP?) She had stuff there from the 1940's & up. Now that she has moved into assisted living, guess who's storing all her stuff until it can be "sorted"? It's all been here for 2 years. I think it was the main component in the depression I went through this summer.

I just gave up & didn't bother with the house, & now I'm paying for it. Things have GOT to change!

Ruthx(

p.s. Nancy, what's a Catheite dinner? Sounds so fun!
 
RE: Ruth, Jen and Gina!

Ruth,
I can't believe you are living with your MIL's clutter! Find a storage facility, put all her stuff in it, and have the bills sent to her. DO IT NOW. Clutter makes me depressed too. I feel out of control and overwhelmed by my life. I told my DH yesterday that our NYC apartment can't store stuff he doesn't use. I said there is a cost to keeping things that you don't use, and that his stuff is going to a storage facility. Since he's on the cheap side, once he starts getting the bills he'll understand that there is a cost to keeping things, aside from his wife's sanity.

The Catheite dinner is our group of NY Catheites who get together from time to time. There are 5 of us, but we consider Debbie to be an honorary 6th member of the group.

Sigh. Flylady is now cluttering up my email inbox with 10 notices a day regarding things having to do mostly with cleaning. I don't clean. That's what the maid is for. I just want to avoid clutter. :(

-Crabby Monday Morning Nancy
 
Hi Debbie,

A new condo?? How exciting!! You will have to post some pictures when it is finished...

Have a great day!!

Beverly
 
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