Wednesday, August 6, 2008

"those neighbors..."


Have you ever had "those neighbors"? The ones that just seem a little odd??? Just not quite like everyone else? Well, I think I just realized that my family is actually "those neighbors" in this nice neighborhood. I mean, I guess sitting in your garage (in the intense heat) for days sorting stuff and throwing a lot of it into the LARGE dumpster on my driveway just sort of seems normal to me. But, it seems that it really might NOT be considered normal by others... who knew? Oh well, there is light at the end of the tunnel - still TONS to do, but we are pricing, stacking, still sorting and organizing what we are keeping. AND, I am trying to arrange a charity to come immediately after the sale to pick up ANYTHING that does not sell. I am totally not keeping ONE single thing. I mean, really, if I had it in a box to sell for a nickel or a quarter, there is no good reason to ever touch any if it again, right?? Am I known as a freak to those of you who read this, too??? Oh well. I love it. I love it all being sorted and gone - heck, my 84 year old Grandma even is having Neil and Dad come by tonight (while I have the dumpster) to pick up and FINALLY get rid of an old chair she has had forever. Just seeing a dumpster sort of makes people want to throw stuff away. I hope it inspires you to purge a little - if only to make it easier to locate what you use and love in your memory keeping.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

what kind of a MOTHER ARE YOU??? lol

Rachel said...

I heard about your cleaning and purging..man how much stuff do you really have in your house that you're still throwing things away??haha

So you're "those" neighbors...we have them in our area too and I'm afraid I might be THEM as well!!

Yvonne said...

Cleaning and purging? Yikes, I need that done, too but maybe not as much as, ahem, should I say whom? LOL!

Jeanne said...

Oh, those darling children dumpster diving???? How much stuff do you have, Kristi???

scrappyljm said...

Hey, Kristi! We all can use a little "purging" I think. You should see my garage.... LOL! You've inspired me to call for a bulky pickup. You're such an enabler..... ;-) :-P xo Linda

Anonymous said...

Wow, you MUST have a lot of stuff to need a dumpster. I just ordered an on-line book called "De Cluttering Fast". Let me know if you need the link! Good luck! And I wish I was there to hit your sale :) ~Tanya

socolvin said...

Wow. I never thought I would be inspired by a dumpster, but in a weird way, I am. I wish I could stop by for your sale! Good luck purging!

Latharia said...

Thank goodness you're getting rid of all the junk in your house! Is this part of a one-time purge? Are the children for sale as well? Good luck keeping your space clean!

Anonymous said...

I cleaned a couple of months ago and let my kids have a yard sale and keep the profits! No more overflowing kitchen with chickens, no more cookie cutters in the shape of golf clubs and pineapples and other weird shapes.... hello cupboard space. Who really needs 20 tablecloths and matching napkins, or 10 sets of sheets for one bed?????? We do have a washer and dryer afterall!!!! I won't even go into how I have more scrapbook supplies than some of the stores I go to!!!!! And really cool, all of those plastic storage containers no longer jump out all over the place evertime I open "that cabinet" in the kitchen. There is nothing like a false sense of control!!!!!

Renn

Anonymous said...

Kristi,

After taking your class at CKU a few years ago I would have NEVER believed that you would need a dumpster to help with clutter control...lol!

But then again you presented yourself to be a normal gal. Thanks for inspiring me to get myself in gear and find a dumpster of my own.

Hope the sale goes well and gives your crew some extra CASH, best of luck!

Anonymous said...

oh my gosh! Are you a pack rat too? When I moved a little over a year ago I was floored at all the crap I had. I dumped a lot of it but had a bunch I needed to go through and it's slowly being going through. I always say "Hi my name is Lisa and I'm a pack rat". My pak rat habits have saved me at work a few times though. My bosses know if they ever need to find something just ask me if I have it...chances are I do!

hhockman said...

I say good for you! I need to do it too. If you are "one of those" neighbors, than I'm sure I am as well. I love to have stuff organized, but never feel like doing the work. We have so little space where we are right now, though, that I seem to be "purging" every time I put clothes away. I'm not sure I quite need a dumpster though... ;)

LisaW said...

Well personally, I think you should leave the dumpster in your driveway as kind of a reminder to not let so much stuff back up.

And to make it more aesthetically pleasing to your neighbors you could alter it. Maybe you could embellish it with some giant letters that have been glittered and covered with bling.

Or I'm thinking you could alter each side for a different season. Just make sure whatever you do that you modge podge it so it stays in great shape. Then you could have the trash company come quarterly to empty it and while they're at it rotate it so a different side would be visible from the street and be like a new one just showed up.

Or even another idea would be to offer dumpster altering as your next online class. I would be the FIRST on in line to sign up for a class like that.

Really all these wonderful possibilities are swirling around in my head. Man...I have the BEST ideas. But if you want you can use this as your own and it will be our little secret.

Oh and one final idea, I'd submit it for publication because I don't think I have yet to see one single altered dumpster. I just hope that if it gets picked up that they don't ask you to mail it in so they can photograph it because that could get a little costly. I wonder how much they would pay for a project like that?

laurensmom22 said...

Holy cow! A dumpster! I would say, wow, how did you get so much crap, but I probably have even more crap. So, can you send the dumpster my way when you're done?

The Firth Five said...

Wow, can you come over to my house? I am in dire need of cleaning and purging!!!

Anonymous said...

I loved your class at CKU San Jose in June 2006 and your class at Scrap Etc in April this year.

Since you have to be the most organized person I know, I can't believe that you would need a dumpster. lol...

I am not showing this post to my bf, or he'll order one for us.

Good luck with the sale!
Josiane

Anonymous said...

good luck just helped a friend with her purge a couple wks ago in 100 degree weather. not fun. mariana

Anonymous said...

Wow! I think having a dumpster in my drive way would totally make me clean and organize! Maybe I'll ask my husband if we can get one! ha ha!

Connie F. said...

You really must have a lot of "Stuff" to need a dumpster!!! But then again, who am I to talk---I need one parked in my driveway too! My husband is always threatening that he is going to "clean up" for me while I am at work and get rid of some of this "crap" I am keeping!!! I always think I might need it someday---but you have made me realize it is time to confess that I too am a "Junkie" and need help!! Would you be my sponsor???

Anonymous said...

Wow! That is a lot of stuff! I was ALMOST inspired to do some purging, but thankfully I ran out of hours in the day. These dumpster posts are so funny. But I remember how funny you were at Atlanta CKU so that does not surprise me!

Anonymous said...

How is the purging going - it might take you days...when did you say your garage sale was? LOL Good luck with it all :) TanyaS

Anonymous said...

Wowsers Kristi....I thought you
were the most organized person I know. Then I see the dumpster and think...hmmm there are secrets in them closets to need a dumpster. I have tons of crap and I don't need a dumpster.

Good luck with the purging.

You can come to my house when you are done.

Hugs,
Laurie Guidry

JoanJ said...

Kristi - I can IMAGINE the speed with which you are organizing -- about as fast as you can speak which is lightening FAST. I hope you come back to San Jose some time, I love listening and talking to you! Joan J

Anonymous said...

Wow! I didn't realize you had that much stuff unorganized in your house

Anonymous said...

Any progress with that dumpster? I can't imagine having enough stuff to fill one, but think of how nice it will look when you are done! Are you doing before and after pics? tanya

Georgia said...

This looks like something from Clean House!! LOL