I am Buried Under Eight Years of Clutter (coffee contest continues)

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Winner is: Bonnie – email me please Bonnie @ kim (@) mommyknows (dot) com to claim your prize.

Before I sold thebabymarketplace, I was always busy. I had an excuse for NOT keeping a tidy and organized house (or so I told myself). Well the excuse is sold (thank GOD) and all I am left buried under eight years of clutter.

I gave myself the summer off (buying time). Finally late last week, after much procrastination, I started tackling the kid’s rooms.

Bursting
Georgia’s room ‘was’ bursting with ‘stuff’ (dreaded stuff … it’s suffocating me). Every nook and cranny of her closet was full and overflowing.

When the drawers are full
You thought I was kidding, didn’t you? When all the closets and drawers were full, I started piling clothing she’d out grown on the toy bins. You’re probably thinking that tower of clothing fell over a lot, right? Well it DIDN’T … because I am talented like that!

Which makes me wish I had more useful talents, the chances of me getting a full-time clothing-stacking job is pretty slim. Then again, work is over-rated, hence, my retirement.

What have I done?
This is the part of the cleaning and organizing job that I hate. The middle part, where you’ve pulled out and emptied every shelf, drawer and skillfully arranged clothing pile; and you realize that you’ve 10x the amount of work you anticipated and 10x the crap! Just don’t give up.

Holy fricken’ crap, was I on crack? What child needs than much stinkin’ stuff?! “NO MORE”, I say.

Looking a little better
Just a few hours later, some sweat and a few difficult decisions (goodwill? ebay? garbage? back in the closet?) later, and things are really looking UP and empty. Bliss!

Goodwill
A nice pile of ‘gently used’ stuff for goodwill. This is where the handy-dandy Mr. MK comes in. I only take trash and recyclables as far as the door.

Ready to ship
I also managed to sort all of the ‘like new’ items into boxes for ebay. Georgia had so many clothes that were barely worn. Gorgeous clothing that could use a good home. It took me about 4-5 hours to clean out her room, and about 8-9 hours to get the first auction up on ebay. NOT because I am clueless, but because it is so large and I wanted to be thorough and precise. If you are looking for quality girls clothing in size 2T – 3T –> check out my auction. This auction is for about $2500+ clothing, auction starts at 99 cents with NO reserve. Would you tell your friends?

Several more to come in the next couple of weeks. I am ashamed of myself for even having that much stuff.

My office area is next, I want to crawl under a rock.

All comments and back-links for this post will be entered to win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card (includes shipping and handling) in my ‘Have a Coffee on Me’ Contest. If you comment and blog about the contest you’ll receive two entries (too easy). I have a whole ‘schwack’ of Gift Cards to give away, so make sure and come back often for a chance to ‘have a coffee on me’.

MK xo
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29 Comments

Cindi · September 24, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Hello! I can so identify with you. I become so overwhelmed because I don’t know where to begin! You did very well. I am impressed. My “stuff” is starting to make me claustrophobic. Good luck with the rest of your purging!
Cindi

naomi · September 24, 2008 at 12:11 pm

Geez, I wish Georgia was bigger than Roo… I bet her hand-me-downs are choice!

naomi’s last blog post..I’m Registering for…

zeghsy · September 24, 2008 at 12:18 pm

my clutter has finally pushed me to the breaking point. we either burn the place down and start over OR i finally buckle down and clean it out. *sigh*

zeghsy’s last blog post..she is SO right…

Anastasia · September 24, 2008 at 12:24 pm

Hello! You did great job. How long did it take you?
I am planning to organize my closet as well but probably after renovation. :)

Hannah · September 24, 2008 at 1:06 pm

Wow, stacking clothes like that takes serious skillz, Kim!
You did an awesome job with that sorting and decluttering. Wanna come here and do my boys’ clothes now??

I don’t mind the sorting but it’s the photographing and putting up for online auction that I HATE! I’m much more likely to just give it all to charity, so much easier … but then I think “hmm, I could make some money on this” and my greediness takes over, ROFL!

Hannah’s last blog post..Four years old

Safire · September 24, 2008 at 1:28 pm

How do you get it all done? I start in on something like this, and 6 months later, the relocated piles of stuff are still in the house! Arg!!

And I totally wish that your daughter was bigger than mine. I would be bidding on that auction!

Safire’s last blog post..5 Months Old

Michelle · September 24, 2008 at 1:28 pm

Wow! I hate de-cluttering as well. I have to do the same really soon of all our cupboards and closets. UGGH!

I wish I could go to your goodwill, that looks like a pretty nice box of things you’re donating.

Susy-Q · September 24, 2008 at 6:05 pm

I wish Georgia was a boy. That way I could by up a whole bunch of clothes for my son!

Bonnie · September 24, 2008 at 6:19 pm

I did this last week for Alexandra. Gave all of her clothing and shoes to the Assistance League of Austin to clothe low income families. Felt good!!!!!

Bonnie’s last blog post..Paging Dr. Jack

Noreen · September 24, 2008 at 10:49 pm

I have been tackling my daughter’s closets too! I got through one, started the next one and have not finished it for a few days now!!

Noreen’s last blog post..Win a $50 Gift Certificate from Tiny Prints

Deb · September 25, 2008 at 7:26 am

Gosh! I wish I could bid on that auction of yours!! Her stuff is gorgeous…and my daughter is almost 18months – perfect size. But alas, the lack of funds prevents me. :( Good luck with it!

Deb’s last blog post..4 years young!

mama k · September 25, 2008 at 9:38 am

Sigh. I gave up on the Ebay thing. I realized that I would just procrastinate. So good for you for listing it! So it’s storage or Goodwill for me! So freeing.
Oh and Freecycle is da bomb. People come and pick it up from your house! How easy is that. Do you have something like that in CA?

mama k’s last blog post..Notebook Experiment: Dryer Balls

Jamie · September 25, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Hey, I am totally doing the declutter thing now myself! I’m sure that the clothes I got rid of aren’t nearly as nice though. Doesn’t it feel amazing???

Jamie’s last blog post..What brings small children to their knees in gratitude?

Ann · September 25, 2008 at 2:59 pm

I know it’s a pain to start decluttering but finally after it’s done, doesn’t it just feel great?!?! You did great! I’m checking out the auction after I’ve posted this message.

Lisa · September 25, 2008 at 4:54 pm

Good Job!!!! I also need to declutter.

Pat · September 26, 2008 at 6:14 am

I don’t even want to think about organizing any rooms right now. You’ve done enough for the both of us this year, I say. LOL The way it’s looking right now, someone is getting a great deal on those clothes on ebay. Hope you get some battling snipers at the end of the auction.

Pat’s last blog post..Garden Reflections

Ashley · September 26, 2008 at 8:33 am

Our clutter has a habit of taking over too! I’ve had talks with it, threatened time out and even the dreaded mother visit (my Mom is like a clutter garborator). Anyways, our last move saw most of our clutter pack it’s bags into some very lovely blue recycle bags and head off to the Sally Ann, someone else can surely use the things that were hanging around my daughter’s room, my room, my living room, more than all those dust bunnys did.

Great idea, having the auction!

Ashley’s last blog post..Rain and Rain and Rain

Christine L. · September 26, 2008 at 8:33 am

I’m in the process of doing the same in my kids’ rooms. Blech!
I just got a couple bins of hand-me-downs from friends for my daughter, or I would have been all over your auction for her! (Georgia has the nicest clothes!) And that’s the size she’s wearing right now!
Now I have to get organized enough to put my stuff up on ebay!!

jenn · September 26, 2008 at 6:35 pm

oh my, I so know that feeling! I try and do this to my boys rooms at least twice a year.. right at summer, right at winter. UGH frustrating, and I always wonder how the heck they accumilate so many things!!! man oh man I wish I hada girl, cause Id be snatching some of those clothes up quicker than my kids can eat a reeses cup!

Ernesta · September 26, 2008 at 7:34 pm

WOW! Impressive amount of clearning and tidying up! I went thru 2 years of my daugthers’ clothes and somehow still ended up with a bin of clothes I just couldn’t give away – too sentimental! I wonder what she’ll think when she’s 22 and I give her a bin of baby clothes!

tigerlily · September 28, 2008 at 11:24 am

Major round of applause! Way to go with the decluttering…I’ve been buried under ours for several YEARS now. (And good luck with your auctions. I don’t have girls or I’d come scoop some things up.) :)

tigerlily’s last blog post..super-fab

katie · September 29, 2008 at 7:22 pm

i wish i had a little girl! don’t be so hard on yourself though…u have a store…what little girl wouldn’t have an awesome wardrobe?! what a job you tackled! i would have just made mr. mark build an addition. i’m such a pain!

Ashley · October 2, 2008 at 10:56 am

Thanks for the post – knowing that someone else can overcome clutter problems gives me both hope and motivation (and I need both of those!)

Best of luck with the office.

Take caare!

Las Estacas Morelos · October 5, 2008 at 1:00 am

You really did a great job organizing that stuff! I guess that’s one particular job that only mom’s can do :)

-M from Mexico

Kirk · October 7, 2008 at 9:56 am

that looked quite tidy compared to my room, that would be like just a weeks worth of clutter… so yes i’m a slob.. :)

Mac@Motorcycle Fairing · October 31, 2008 at 8:01 am

I’ve been there. having 2 kids is overwhelming and tiring, so at time the house was a mess. Now they can help a little bit more but still, there is always a lot to do.

Richard Mongler · January 2, 2009 at 11:49 am

Sounds like you don’t move that often. When you move, most of that gets thrown out.

Dominic · January 10, 2009 at 3:43 pm

Oh yes, cleaning can be a chore…but you feel so good when you’re finished :)

Pressure Cooker Reviews · July 19, 2011 at 6:48 am

You should see the person next door to me, they hoard teddy bears lol hundreds of them

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