Saturday, November 16, 2013


Begin the Journey: Clear the Path




After much thought and careful planning, I have finally began my journey through Clutter Jungle. The path wasn't clear. The only thing that was clear, was that it was a jungle. There was no mistaking it.

What is a jungle, anyway? I googled it and this is what I found:


1. Land densely overgrown with tropical vegetation.
2. A dense thicket or growth.
3. A dense, confused mass; a jumble.
4. Something made up of many confused elements; a bewildering complex or maze
5. A place characterized by intense struggle for survival
6. Slang A place where hoboes camp.

Only 2 things in these definitions are not true of my jungle:

1. No plant has every survived for long in my house, with the exception of the sweet potato I found in a Wal-Mart sack the other day. I had bought it several months earlier and forgot about it. The branches growing from it were over a foot long.
2. Hoboes do not camp at my house. However, there are several wild cats in the yard.

Now knowing full well that my home is truly a jungle, I armed myself with the tools I will need for the trip and locked procrastination in the car. (There was no closet or room in the house with any spare space for him.)

If you are have decided you are brave enough to go on this journey with me, I advise you to do the same. Grab your tools and let's enter the jungle!

Tools you need:

1. Trash can
2. Clothes basket
3. Toy box

 I am starting with only 3 tools, because anymore than that is just - well, clutter! These 3 tools are basic. Just the name of the tool tells you what to put in them. Concentrate on these 3 things: Trash, clothes, toys. Don't become bogged down with fear of what is in the darkness around you. All we want to do right now is to clear the path.

When one container is full, put it where it should go. Put the trash in the collect dumpster outside or wherever you keep it. Assume all clothes found in the floor to be dirty. Start the washer and put them in it. Toys go in the kid's bedroom to be dealt with by your children, or even better, used a card board box and tape it shut, then continue on with another one. Continue adding containers as needed. Don't forget to dry the clothes you washed and put them away properly before the day is over.                                    
At the end of the day, put the day and date on a page in your notebook and write down each thing you accomplished. Save this to read when you get discouraged with your progress.

Continue this practice for a week. Don't forget to record your progress everyday. This may be the most important thing you do. When you feel your path is sufficiently clear, read my next set of instructions. If you happen to get your path cleared before I do, just keep yours maintained until I catch up with you. Please be patient, my path is pretty dense. In the meantime you are building good habits.

Oh, I almost forgot procrastination. You might should let him out of the car for awhile, but don't forget to put him back when you are ready to work. He will just get in your way if you leave him out.

Talk to ya later!

1 comment:

  1. Apologies for the text background color. I seem be having trouble figuring out how to design my blog. Anyone know how to to get rid of the text background?

    ReplyDelete