Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!dreaderd!not-for-mail From: dsaklad@zurich.ai.mit.edu (Don Saklad) Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter,alt.recovery,alt.support Subject: alt.recovery.clutter FAQ -Decluttered format Date: 12 Jan 2001 11:25:46 -0500 Organization: MIT AI Lab Message-ID: <93nb6a$2dg$1@nestle.ai.mit.edu> Lines: 797 NNTP-Posting-Host: nestle.ai.mit.edu X-Trace: dreaderd 979316748 29569 18.43.0.45 Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.recovery.clutter:27344 alt.recovery:43200 alt.support:16780 You are not alone. Cluttering/messiness is a real problem, and can be a serious one. alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization. You may want to also try one or more of these email lists: Decluttr@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Very active. To subscribe, send the message to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Subscribe Decluttr Your Name Put this in the body of the message (the Listserv software ignores subject headings) and don't put anything else in the message (this includes your signature). Note: "Decluttr" with one e Messies@smartgroups.com Very active. To subscribe, send the message to messies-subscribe@smartgroups.com A couple of quieter web-based mailing lists are at the Messies Home on the Web http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/3337 ( Or go to http://www.onelist.com ) One with a Christian emphasis, one general. ClutterersAnonymous@onelist.com (not affiliated with Clutterers Anonymous) Send any message to ClutterersAnonymous-subscribe@onelist.com MessiesAnonymous@onelist.com (not affiliated with Messies Anonymous) Send any message to MessiesAnonymous-subscribe@onelist.com H/C (Hoarding/Clutter) Contact Paula Kotakis - disi@igc.org For "Hoarders and/or Clutterers with OCD [Obsessive Compulsive Disorder], a basic knowledge of CBT and a strong desire to improve their living spaces" On IRC: Date: Thursday, 6 April 2000 From: Shaira Goldstein Here are the times for #clutterers on newnet: M-F PST after 6:00 p.m., SAT-SUN after 1:30 p.m. PST. Q: What is clutter? A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper.... We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996. Q: Is cluttering a real problem? A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem. Q: Does cluttering go together with ___? A: Clutterers are more likely than average to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, fibromyalgia. But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them. Q: It's not me who has the problem; it's an elderly relative. A: If you're in Minnesota, get in touch with Ruth Kildow of the Minneapolis Office of Senior Services 350 South 5th St., Room 11-B Minneapolis MN 55415-1314 She did her master's thesis on this subject, and has a good deal of practical experience. Your local government may have a similar agency. (Note: It makes a difference whether this is something that's started recently, or if the person has always been this way.) Organizations for clutterers If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm particularly interested in groups outsidethe US. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups. Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given. Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization is at PO Box 91413 Los Angeles, CA 90009-1413 Website http://www.clutterers-anonymous.org The website has a list of meetings; it does not have contact phone numbers. For a recorded list of meetings, call (310) 281-6064 For pamphlets and other information, send a long first class self-addressed envelope with twice the minimum first-class postage. (Nothing said about writing from outside the US for information. You should be able to use International Reply Coupons, but I don't know how many would be needed. My guess is 2 from Canada or Mexico, 4 from elsewhere.) For the information needed to start a meeting, suggested donation is $5.00 US. Note: I'm only listing meetings which have okayed having their phone numbers on the Net. For times and places of others, see the Clutterers Anonymous website. Minnesota: Roseville, 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 10 AM. Contact: Pat 651-644-1139 St. Christopher's Church, room 128 2300 Hamline Ave. (Hwy. 36 & Hamline) St. Louis Park, Second Saturday 12:15-1:15. Contact: Pat 651-644-1139 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 8115 Highway 7, Hwy 7 & Texas Ave., across from Knollwood Mall. South Minneapolis, alternate Thursdays, 7 PM. Contact: Dan G. 612-821-3934 Anodyne Coffeehouse, Nicollet Ave. S. and 43rd St. Washington: Seattle Monday 10 am St. Paul's, 6512 - 12th Ave NW Ruth 763-8398 Messies Anonymous 5025 SW 114th Ave. Miami FL 33165 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free Internet info@messies.com. Website http://www.messies.com This list is _very_ incomplete; I will list other meetings if they give me the information to list here. Dallas, Texas Messies Anonymous. Day and evening meetings. Evening meetings are the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, 7:00-8:30 pm. Day meetings are the 1st and 3rd Tuesday, noon-1:00 pm. Meeting place: Highland Park Presbyterian Church Room H110 3821 University Blvd., Dallas, Texas. 7:00-8:30 pm. Contact: Jane K. at (214) 368-7205 email: janek82@juno.com or Dorothy P. at 972-495-1950 Dorothy P. email: dspool@hotmail.com WA: Aberdeen, Evelyn, (360) 533-1813 Greater Seattle Area: [I'm told the contact number is disconnected.] "We have an active MA group here (the Greater Seattle area)..... Our meetings are the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. Our contact phone number is: [Sue at] 206-824-2728." "If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice Change: You can now ask from the website. Passed on by Lori Burkart 'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month (2nd and 4th Mondays, 3-4 p.m.) 'The flyer reads: "For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group" '"Twice a month, starting Nov. 1997: 2nd Mondays .... 4th Mondays at Canon Kip, 705 Natoma (@ 8th St.) '"[note: the Association is responding to the problem of evictions due to Hoarding problems]"' alt.recovery.clutter (BRADFORDMC) Sun Jan 18 1998 "I saw the original post of the San Francisco....group meetings and attended my first meeting at the Madrid Hotel. Due to parking restrictions and space considerations in that area the plan for the 2nd Monday in February is to meet @ the Canon Kip location, 705 Natoma@8th Street (S.F.) I find the support mutual and encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in the area to attend. I also am interested in the possibility of starting a meeting in the east bay. One other person at the meeting lives in Berkeley. Due to a vision problem, it would be much easier to attend meetings closer to home. Anyone else interested?" Date: Monday, 25 October 1999 Louis Dan, as for our Hoarders and Clutterers support group (facilitated by myself as an employee of the Mental Health Association), the contact number is (415) 882-6237. We meet each second Monday of the Month, and the fourth Thursday of the month. Our next meeting is Thursday, October 28 from 6-7 p.m. at 705 Natoma Street, on Eighth Street between Mission and Howard, at the Canon Kip Center. Useful Books, etc. Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good Housekeeping THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living. MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead? Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981) The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983) The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985) Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993). SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). The sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is: Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc. PO Box 5364 Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091 http://www.shesintouch.com "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at $10.99 US, $15.99 CAN, 7.99 UK). "Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2. Wed, 25 February 1998 MRS BONNIE J RICE Home Organization Booklist Online Dan, It's official, I've moved my website to http://getolife.hypermart.net and am hoping to provide more interactivity with the new site. I'm working on making the site more helpful. Any ideas would be appreciated. I just finished reorganizing my home organization book list into categories instead of by author. If you are looking for the perfect book on meal-planning or paper handling or clutter control, you can actually go to that section of the list. Many of the books can be ordered through Amazon directly from the list and some of the authors have websites of their own that are linked to the list. http://getolife.hypermart.net/booklist.html [2/99] ... anyone who has taken the home organization class and wants to join a support community on excite (you need to join excite which might be a hassle to some) please let me know and I'll send you an invitation that will get you in. It's a closed community so we won't have spam or other inappropriate things there. Friday, 23 Jan 1998 ttista cleaning tools I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really. He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products. http://www.cleanreport.com Friday, 27 February 1998 Stella Sloop SHE Online... For those of you who have been wondering what in the world the SHE Online thing is all about, and for those who may have been too late to take advantage of it this past time, here's hope: from the Get O message board of AOL Re: March Is Clean Sweep Month! (Get O CEO) 27 February 1998 'Kim asks if the Delphi service (new home of SHE's Online and 21 Days to SHE) is another service like AOL. 'Kim, yes and no. Yes, you can get Internet access through Delphi. No, it's not necessary to have a paid account to visit Custom Forum 222, the Get Organized Board, on the World Wide Web: http://www.delphi.com/mc When it asks "Go to Forum by Number", type in 222. 'All you do is sign up for a FREE membership at the log in page. Don't worry, you can't miss it. Pick a username and a password. and you're up and running. 'In format, Delphi is pretty nice. Messages are threaded, and easy to read and to post. There's no length limitation like the Slob Sisters Online message board. And since blessed Delphi permits me to retain copyright,it's JUST the place to post the 21 Days essays--don't miss out!...' http://www.organizedhome.com Sat, 11 April 1998 Mycala W Shaulis Kitchen Web Link http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house. Sat, 11 April 1998 Josie Morgan Financial Info: What to Keep I ran across this link while working on our taxes today: http://www.quicken.com/saving/frugal/ It is an article by Jane Bryant Quinn on how to organize financial records-- it covers what to keep, how long to keep it, and logical ways to organize it. Wed, 27 May 1998 - updated 26 February 2000: OrganizeWize -- now GET ORGANIZED Now that I'm getting more content to my pages I was wondering if you would add Organize Wize to your FAQ. I have added a printable form that helps for setting goals called Daily Active Enforcement (DAE) Goal page and info on how to get started decluttering (or achieving any goal) called "Charting the course". Added 2/26/00 "FREE planners, organizers, free software for home, office, wedding, pregnancy, holiday and budget" GET ORGANIZED http://www.organizetips.com Thu, 18 June 1998 Balance Check DECLUTTR: change of site address - balance check - FAQ Home page: http://members.aol.com/balanceck/ DeCluttr FAQ: http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/faq_clutter.html DeCluttr FAQ - SHORT: http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/faq_short_decluttr.html Clutter Books: http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/books/clutter_books.htm Clutter Links: http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/Links/links_categories_clutter.html#clutter Sun, 26 July 1998 Jeannie Weeks ...Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at http://www.wecosoft.com/tips.html.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join! Jeannie Weeks Wecosoft http://www.wecosoft.com ICQ#2837260 Chore Genie on AOL Sun, 18 Oct 1998 The Roberts Family I'm pleased to announce that I've added 3 pages on decluttering to my web site (all decked up in fall colors). More will be forthcoming, of course: http://www.pongo.com/~webpages/andy alt.recovery.clutter "SaraB" Web Site Thu Mar 18 1999 http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/ This is the website by Julie Morgenstern (duh...) of Organizing from the Inside Out. Just found it last night. I especially liked her "challenge" section. alt.recovery.clutter "Terry Voss" Neat Link! Tue Mar 23 1999 Online Organizing Expo: http://www.organizedtimes.com/expo2.htm Just found it myself, so I'll be exploring. Looks good, though. Mon, 28 Jun 1999 Katrina Ancel organizing Link Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Organizer Web Ring... tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic. http://www.organizerswebring.com/ Fri, 9 Jul 1999 Katrina Ancel Free Organizing Guide from Julie Morgenstern Get a free guide on the ten most common pitfalls when organizing and how to avoid them.. from TaskMasters the company owned by Julie Morgenstern author of "Organizing from the Inside Out" http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/task_masters_history.html alt.recovery.clutter From: naomiy Found a neat web site! (Pun intended) Date: Thu Aug 19 1999 Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here! Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: I found another organizational site Hello everyone, One of my favorite Web sites is http://www.thathomesite.com I received notice from them that they have a new forum-- Organizing your Home. It looks interesting. Oh, and no, I have no connection with this site! Paula Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: New OneList Community I've just launched a new OneList community that might be of interest. It's called 2BeClutterFree and it's intended as a support group for the clutterer/messie/housekeeping-impaired person who's actively trying to get control of his/her life back. All ages, genders, etc. :-) are welcome. Humor is also welcome, flame-wars aren't. If you're interested, please proceed to http://www.onelist.com If you misplace the list name [which has happened to me on other occasions], look under the category Health:Support Groups Hi - I've created a little web community dedicated to simple living. I have a great section on clutter control - and thought maybe some members here would like to check it out! :) http://communities.msn.com/SimpleLiving&naventryid=116 I ...have a brand new website called the Clutter Control Center. It is completely free (of course!) and I am trying to get people involved who can contribute to the bulletin board, chat, etc. I could use some "experts" to give advice, etc., but with a sense of humor. After all---if you can't cry over the mess, you might as well laugh! Also looking for ideas to expand the page, etc. Could sure use help! The Clutter Control Center: get control of that housework! http://msmoo.simplenet.com/slobbies/index.html Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 10:20:31 -0500 (CDT) Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: Messies Anonymous Posting Forum Website Address The Messies Anonymous Posting Forum is at the Cybermom.com website in the Forum named Household Helpline Stroll down to bottom of the messages list until you see MESSIES ANONYMOUS- JULY. This is the current active posting site. When July is over with, they will start a new topic titled MESSIES ANONYMOUS- AUGUST with a new message and etc. Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: Messie Anonymous Web Ring reginabrown wrote: http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=messies;list Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: Yahoo's Search Page Results For Messies, Clutterers, and Packrats Yahoo Clubs I had trouble with the previous link and could not connect to the web page. Sorry about the trouble with the link. Here is a new web link you might want to follow to get to the clubs.---> http://clubs.yahoo.com/?myclubs to get to the Yahoo Clubs search page. Click on the Family & Home link and continue on. Here is the path to show you how to get to the clubs---> Home > Family & Home > Home and Garden > Homemaking (37) The clubs are in the Homemaking section which has 37 different type clubs. Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter Subject: Re: Julie Morganstern on PBS! ... we've just put up a brand new Idea Exchange bulletin board on Julie's site: http://juliemorgenstern.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi.... Sincerely, Carol Crespo Webmaster Subject: Re: New Don Aslett Book "Lose 200 Lbs. This Weekend: It's Time to Declutter Your Life!" In the Introduction, Don says, "I had four books on clutter now and forty-five years of experience cleaning it up. Every day and week new "trash and trauma" stories about clutter arrived, ideas and solutions, disaster and salvation accounts, more and better information on coping with and coming to terms with clutter. I knew by now, too (because youkept telling me), that clutter sufferers need regular doses of dejunking therapy," and it was time for a new decluttering guide." Editorial comment: This NG is a regular dose for me. The book has two missions: 1.) to convince and help you to dejunk NOW, and 2.) to develop a thread from "Clutter's Last Stand" on the mental and spiritual aspect of clutter. I do enjoy his approach. The humor helps me not to take myself too seriously. Carolyn Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 Subject: Re: info on web While cleaning out my 2 boxes (see earlier post) I found a post that I printed out on 10/30/99 from Paula who suggested Organizing for the Creative Person Now a year later I search the web for that title and found this link, excerpts from the book, better later than never! http://www.danielofficeproducts.com/tips/two.html Date: Thursday, 9 November 2000 Dear Dan, Would like you to look at my site http://www.clutter-recovery.com It has affirmations and some observations about cluttering as an emotional, spiritual and psychological challenge. Also excerpts from my upcoming book StopClutter From Stealing Your Life. Thanks, Mike Nelson -- Dan Goodman dsgood@visi.com http://www.visi.com/~dsgood/index.html Whatever you wish for me, may you have twice as much. From: dsgood@visi.com (Dan Goodman) Subject: alt.recovery.clutter FAQ Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter, alt.recovery, alt.support Lines: 526 800 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 15:34:38 CST Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.recovery.clutter:26308 alt.recovery:43170 alt.support:16745 Newsgroups: alt.recovery.clutter, alt.answers, news.answers Subject: alt.recovery.clutter FAQ Followup-To: alt.recovery.clutter Organization: Vector, MPLS, MN Sender: dsgood@visi.com Summary: Describes newsgroup alt.recovery.clutter, and other resources. Posting-Frequency: monthly Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter Last-modified: 2000/12/26 Version: 9.6 From: dsgood@visi.com (Dan Goodman)