Clutter and Chaos

It all started as a little clutter. It just kept growing until it was total chaos. As I searched for the cure to what was ailing me, I found out about the FlyLady. That is when I first fully understood what the clutter had become. It was not just the simple chaos that I believed it was. Flylady.net website opened my eyes. FlyLady informed me that my clutter had turned into “Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome” or CHAOS. Okay, it is true; my clutter was out of hand. But was this cute little fairy save me from my illness?

It all started quite simply. I have always had too much stuff. I was great at keeping it under control though. Slowly, it began growing. I moved several times and each time, there was another box that I just did not quite ever get to unpacking. Marriage brought yet another home full of stuff into my life. When we moved a larger home full of stuff into an already cramped smaller home full of stuff, it spiraled out of control.

I knew I had to get it under control. I just did not have a clue how. My dear sweet husband knew just how he would deal with it. Fortunately for my “stuff” I was tough and stood my ground as I fought for the right to keep it all. He continued to remind me that if I had not used it in six months, there was no need to keep it. Never mind the fact that he had a welding machine in his “shop” that went months without being used. Admittedly, it would cost considerably more to replace his welding machine than it would to replace my deviled egg platter or to wait and buy yarn at full price instead of stockpiling it for years on end just because it was on sale. Maybe, he was right. The clutter was out of control. Even I felt like I was being smothered by it all at times. Not to mention all the time it took to find something at times.

So, it was time to give in. I subscribed to the Flylady.net email list of reminders. With someone telling me to get off my behind and get it cleaned out, surely I could get control over the clutter and free my life and my home from the chaos of it all. Besides, it would be nice to be able to invite someone over without having to tell them to step high as they walked through the door. The success stories abound on the website. I am used to having lists of things to do since my mother used to give me one each week. I knew this would work!