You opinions please...

[CEK40]

Good Morning to you all...

Let me first start by saying thank you to all of you and all your wonderful "Budget Board" tips and information. I really enjoy reading them

I have a couple things that I would like to get your opinions and imput on if you would be so kind to do so. So here is a brief history of where I am coming from.

Let me start off by saying that I am not a "horder" in any way. Just at this point in my life for some reason very unorganized, which for me is totally out of character.

I am in the process of getting getting rid of clutter and debt in my household and life. In the past 6 years I have had a number of "Life Stresses" that have come back to back and have caused me to become less organized (and I used to be almost compulsive when it came to organization) and I seem to have more "stuff" that ever before that I truly don't know what I should do with it. We have things packed up where we have been doing renovations to our home for the past five years (real so subject with me at this point). Then there are things that came from my parents home after they passed away within a year of each other , some belongs to my children that have since moved out and now my daughter and her fiance are back home again while they finish college with their stuff. A lot of their things they are not using while they are here we have packed up till they move out. Then there is the stuff that my husband accumulated after 34 years working as a police officer, (awards, plaques, citations, etc.) Then I have my photography things, photographs, frames, camera and equipment. This is the clutter part of my delimma.

I also have some things that I have collected that are "Disney" related they are packed up and I wonder do I keep them or not??

The financial part is not to to bad, just about in the same "financial boat" as everyone else with the ecomony and stock market in the shape it's in.

So with that small version of my life today, my questions are, what what organization methods do you use? Do you find any help from the "professionals" like Peter Walsh and Julie Morgenstern? Then for financial wisdom how do you compair Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman? Do you use any special methods to keep track of your finances?

If there are any other organization and finance tips or helps you have I would LOVE to read them, and let me thank you in advace for reading and posting.

CK in VA

 

[disneymama83]

Hello! Try this website flylady.org. It is a wonderful website for those that want to declutter and become more organized. It is all about baby steps so you don't become overwhelmed. I highly recommend the site and Flylady's book(listed on the web, but you can buy used in ebay. Very positive and encouraging website and it is totally free.


I hope all works out well for you and I'm sorry to hear that you've had a rough couple of years

 

[Kika]

I haven't used Flylady myself but know others who seem to like her. My best organization tips are:

• don't try to do everything at once...tackle a room (or a section of a room, or even just a drawer or a closet) one at a time
• regarding clothes, if it's something that you haven't worn in the last year or two, toss it
• read and/or toss junk mail right away each day
• toss what you can; it sounds like a lot of the stuff you have has sentimental value, but toss the things that you can part with

I'm not as organized as I once was (in my pre-kid days), but I am trying.

Regarding financial advice, I love both Suze and Dave. I call them "my financial advisors". I watch or tape Suze every Saturday and listen to Dave's radio program on an almost daily basis. They both are very similar in their advice regarding the important stuff. They differ on just a few things. For example, Dave recommends a 3-6 month emergency fund, and Suze recommends an 8 month emergency fund. (Given the amount of time it takes for someome that is unemployed to find a job these days, I would recommend following Suze's advice on that topic.)

Good luck!

Edited to add: I just saw that there is a whole thread on here titled "Please tell me your best organization tips!". Very cool; I'm going to check it out myself!

 

[elcodfish]

Try flylady.net, I get the e-mails and they are very helpful! One of the things she has you do is set a 15 minute timer, it is AMAZING what you can accomplish in 15 minutes! Even if you just tackle 1 box box a day, it will quickly add up!

As for your husband's plaques, I would take pictures of all of them and see if he would be ok with getting rid of some. A police officer friend of mine has BOXES of stuff he has been awarded, no way he can display it all! Also, don't use guilt or sadness make you hold onto things, if you don't love, need it, use it, get rid of it!!! Speaking from experience, keeping that plastic mug because your dad used to drink ginger ale out of it everyday, doesn't make me feel good. I didn't want to use it because it was my dads, I have 1 million other glasses and it was just a space holder. I have pictures as a reminder and his watch, everything else can go!!!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I agree with flylady. If you also need some accountability or personal encouragement we have a 2011 decluttering thread going here on the budget board you might want to take a look at.

As far as the Disney things, you have them packed away right now, do you miss them? Do they have sentimental value? You don't have to keep them just because you like Disney or because they remind you of your trips. If they are clutter give them to someone who they will bring joy to or sell them on ebay if you need some cash.

There are websites that buy cd's, if you still like them could you burn them onto a computer and sell the cds?

Cash4books.com is a reputable book-buying site and that would get all of your book clutter out at once. Abundatrade is another reputable site.

Choose one area/room to go through at a time. If you only have 10 minutes, clean out the medicine chest or a bookshelf or do one dresser drawer at a time. If you have an entire day, choose a room, but take frequent breaks so you don't get burnt out.

 

[Leshaface]

Not much help here, just wanted to say how truly sorry I am about the loss of your parents

And I also agree with the other posters about flylady! Take 15 minutes a day and start somewhere!

 

[mrsklamc]

I'm going to be the dissenter- I don't personally care for flylady- but I know there are people she has worked wonders for.

I prefer Peter Walsh- and since I personally am a very auditory person, the audio book is great for me. Whenever I'm tempted to keep something I shouldn't I have very accurate recall of a fabulous accent saying things like "'Wish' clothes exist for one reason- to mock you."

(regarding clothing you wish fit you, but doesn't.)