tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post8247167207051348091..comments2024-02-23T02:03:23.020-07:00Comments on The Eco Cat Lady Speaks: Chaos Control Part 3: Grouping Like with LikeEcoCatLadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-80702439432298708012016-10-16T00:22:06.184-06:002016-10-16T00:22:06.184-06:00Well, they don't call me "Cat, The Organi...Well, they don't call me "Cat, The Organizer of Glue" for nothing! <br /><br />Lest you think I've succeeded in taming all of the clutter though, I have to admit that I spent the better part of an afternoon searching for a gallon of brown paint that I'm SURE must be SOMEWHERE. Alas, since I've run out of places to look, I'm forced to conclude that perhaps I already used it... even though I could swear I didn't. Oh well, I think I see a trip to the hardware store in my near future. At least I know where my glue is though! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-29414388427903679292016-10-15T14:01:39.029-06:002016-10-15T14:01:39.029-06:00You're right -- I have numerous types of glue ...You're right -- I have numerous types of glue all over this house and I can never find the right kind when I need it. If nothing else, you've inspired me to organize my glue collection this month. (I like to keep my goals small and achievable.) I love hearing and seeing how you organize things, and as usual, your article made me think. Eliza Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15983577132723952685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-81034768505757392972016-10-11T14:37:04.789-06:002016-10-11T14:37:04.789-06:00I think you've hit on the issue I struggle wit...I think you've hit on the issue I struggle with - I want things to be convenient (hence the tape measures scattered throughout the house... which I have too) but I also want to be able to find things easily and not have to go on a hunting expedition every time I need something.<br /><br />I don't think I've quite figured out how to strike a proper balance between those two strategies, but hopefully it will get better the more I focus on it.<br /><br />At least I've grasped that idea that I do need an actual system. So now, I guess, I'm just working on parameters. EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-6162758082760693982016-10-11T14:32:14.921-06:002016-10-11T14:32:14.921-06:00You know, some part of me has always known that I ...You know, some part of me has always known that I should "put things away" after I use them. My problem has always been that figuring out where "away" ought to be! <br /><br />Good luck with your cleansing! :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-80766352448181825852016-10-11T14:29:57.516-06:002016-10-11T14:29:57.516-06:00I'm laughing out loud at the idea that anyone ...I'm laughing out loud at the idea that anyone might call me "organized!" It's definitely a work in progress, but I have to say that I am enjoying not having to waste so much time searching for things. :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-47081490787389451892016-10-10T22:23:46.631-06:002016-10-10T22:23:46.631-06:00I can't say that I'm a great organizer eit...I can't say that I'm a great organizer either. I'm the "keeper" in the family. With both parents dead, I keep all the photos, widgets, gadgets that my parents owned. Now my mother always had too much furniture in her house and I'd often tell her that "less was more", but I think she and my father both lived through the depression, so having "things" was good in her mind. I have: count them-23 measuring tapes from my father. I have them placed neatly in a row in the garage, but like you I have also one in the house in a "tool" drawer so I don't have to go all the way out to the garage to get it. I am looking for a good storage system for sewing stuff. And I know I've been guilty of buying more than one '"sizer" for determining the size of knitting needles and the like, but I like you feel if I don't see things, then the odds are, I won't use them. I do admire friends of mine though who bring a plastic container carrying all their paraphernalia for a particular hobby. So they can "change" hobbies in an instant, since all relevant items are in the container. They do multiple hobbies: egg carving, spinning, weaving, felting, etc.. There's no one solution to organizing.Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15896561549098800689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-521136342755967222016-10-10T17:20:30.063-06:002016-10-10T17:20:30.063-06:00Sorting by type and function, rather than "th...Sorting by type and function, rather than "the room or drawer it was last in" makes a ton of sense. We're still cleansing, so maybe we can steal your idea and put, say, all the pens in one place, all the tools in one place, etc.<br /><br />Glad you're trucking on with the great purge!Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-87801178406331725582016-10-10T17:08:13.200-06:002016-10-10T17:08:13.200-06:00I love how organized you are. If I don't keep...I love how organized you are. If I don't keep my keys, wallet and phone in exactly the same place I will lose them and lose my mind. For 2017, one of my goals is to get better organized and clean up closet. I have too much stuff and need to get better organized. Thanks for the tips.Mustard Seed Moneyhttp://mustardseedmoney.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-72782106217757488692016-10-10T11:36:49.018-06:002016-10-10T11:36:49.018-06:00I lose EVERYTHING if I can't see it. Sigh. And...I lose EVERYTHING if I can't see it. Sigh. And maybe your family members aren't just habitually disorganized, maybe they need a different system. Just a thought. :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-60173699217599205832016-10-10T11:35:39.816-06:002016-10-10T11:35:39.816-06:00Well, I'm afraid I still have a bunch of boxes...Well, I'm afraid I still have a bunch of boxes that are just a mish mash of junk, so my work is far from done! But it's all starting to feel more possible.<br /><br />My next adventure will be swapping out the clothes since the seasons are definitely changing. We'll see how that goes!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-73998436258450849232016-10-10T11:33:32.411-06:002016-10-10T11:33:32.411-06:00I'm still not sure what it is about labeling t...I'm still not sure what it is about labeling things that gives me that reaction, but it is interesting!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-48516472773702173722016-10-06T09:48:34.839-06:002016-10-06T09:48:34.839-06:00Laughing at your picture of the cat with glasses. ...Laughing at your picture of the cat with glasses. I've "lost" my glasses in this way more than once!<br /><br />I am relatively organized ... my other family members, not so much. Wish I had a magic wand to wave over them and make them have tidier habits. Sigh.Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-16621502230040629592016-10-06T04:55:48.138-06:002016-10-06T04:55:48.138-06:00I'm with Cheryl saying she feels horrible abou...I'm with Cheryl saying she feels horrible about all the work those evil carpet beetles created! The very thought of having such an uphill battle...<br /><br />Your organising looks amazing (and beetle proof!)I really like the idea of your bike grab bag. I also forget the 'little things' that I need for a specific purpose (like a bike ride.) <br /><br />Also love the idea of dividing things by purpose or task more so than by 'item' (e.g. your bike parts for cleaning separate from tyres/tubes.) <br /><br />I used to be blissfully happy having minimal stuff and no real need for 'organisation' strategies. But with a child with ADD things get really impossible to manage if we don't classify, label and sort things clearly in the house. Our laundry / garage look almost identical to your boxes!Fionahttp://www.declutterer.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-60862800050700896792016-10-06T04:43:15.165-06:002016-10-06T04:43:15.165-06:00Love that quote! ('that sometimes not getting ...Love that quote! ('that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.') That is a powerful reaction to the labelling...eek, makes me wonder as a school teacher what we might be doing to kids with our labels, filing and whatnot!Fionahttp://www.declutterer.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-79091971487787569182016-10-05T11:49:45.775-06:002016-10-05T11:49:45.775-06:00Ha! Don't feel bad yet, I haven't even sta...Ha! Don't feel bad yet, I haven't even started to rip up the carpet! :-)<br /><br />You know, the lady across the street from my parents (dad & stepmom) died a few years back, and apparently the fallout was enormous. I think she might have been a bit of a hoarder, but in any case, they had to bring in several of those MAC truck sized dumpsters to deal with it all. The whole thing lit a fire under my stepmom and she's been on a massive purging spree ever since.<br /><br />Of course, there is the easy way out. When my mother died, my brother & I decided that trying to coordinate dealing with her stuff from across the country was not a feasible option, so we just hired a company to come in and do an estate sale and basically deal with it all for us. EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-61142530067675007182016-10-05T11:39:14.624-06:002016-10-05T11:39:14.624-06:00Ha! I sorta see the carpet beetle thing as karma, ...Ha! I sorta see the carpet beetle thing as karma, and it reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from the Dali Lama: Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.<br /><br />Anyhow, the suggestion to put labels on the bins in interesting. My initial reaction is an emphatic and emotionally filled "NOOOOOOO!!!" Which is sorta interesting, don't you think? Why should something as benign as a label on a box illicit such a strong negative reaction? Not sure if that's coming from some sort of emotional connection I have between labeling things and work/school, or if it's just completely random. Probably worth exploring my reaction though, in either case. :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-68490452955086912552016-10-05T07:40:25.533-06:002016-10-05T07:40:25.533-06:00I am still feeling horrible thinking about all the...I am still feeling horrible thinking about all the work that resulted from those evil carpet beetles but the amount of organizing you have done is really amazing. I am totally with you on how things like glue and tape can be dispersed all through the house depending on their use. I have similar piles of tapes, glues, batteries, light bulbs, tools, cords, and the never ending assortment of cleaning products that seem to congregate in various rooms according to their usage. I think my kids are hoping I "downsize" long before my eventual demise so they don't have to sort through the cupboards, closets, drawers and bins to deal with all the "stuff". Cperzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09062444081488414888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-71972055844292400782016-10-05T05:39:28.233-06:002016-10-05T05:39:28.233-06:00I think the really annoying carpet beetles were se...I think the really annoying carpet beetles were sent to you for a reason--to help take the chaos out of your life. Or organizing is the silver lining to the difficult carpet beetle problem. Or some such saying like that.<br /><br />Anyway, we are organized something like you are with like things being together. We have a tape and glue basket, a shelf with light bulbs, extension cords, and batteries, etc.<br />Are you labeling your boxes? I do this with some of them. Even though you can see through them, I still find a label useful. Especially for things we don't use everyday. It's an extra visual that helps. My labels aren't fancy. I usually just use a sticky note.<br /><br />Although we are somewhat organized, entropy is always trying to creep in. So we have to reorganize from time to time. <br /><br />Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.com