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Hi! My name is Barbara. Nickname: Babs I live in Dallas, married, no kids. I am the assistant Director at a child care center. My question is this. I have been reading lots of magazine articles and books on de-cluttering and organizing. I also read here everyday, although i don't post much. I am trying to clean up our house, but I am confused. Some things say I should just start with a room and take everything out of it that doesn't belong, and go put it in the room where it does belong, and then after the room is cleared of what doesn't belong organize that room. The thing is I get sidetracked when I go to put one item in a different room. I see something in there that needs doing and start it. I am really bad at starting things and not finishing them. Other things say I should organize and clean and declutter as i go, no matter what room it is. My big dilemma is this: i have TONS of teaching materials and children's books and other magazine articles and stuff that I am saving and use at the school. I am trying to organize all of my stuff so that all of my dinosaur theme stuff is together, farm animals theme, etc. I have some big tubs where all of the children's books and teaching ideas for each theme will go. But right now all my stuff is spread out all over my house and in my car. Do I start in my office and organize it first, and then add things from the rest of the house into it, or do I go around and get everything and put it in the room and then try to do it? I am just tired of having stuff stacked everywhere and want to get it all organized. Does this all make sense? I will be off work tomorrow and want to tackle the house. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Hope not to be a lurker anymore. Babs PS we have NO extra storage space at the school for me to keep the stuff there.

I would organize all that is in there NOW, then go around the house and bring more in.  Otherwise, you will have no place to go with the stuff you bring in and end up with a 'dumping zone' of a room.

Hi Babs, and welcome! I used to be a school librarian so I know exactly what you're talking about.  You'll get lots of suggestions from folks here, but what it all boils down to in the end is that you have to come up with something that works for you.  Some techniques that you will find work for one room, while others work for another room. It's so hard for someone to just say do it this way when we are really clueless about your situation. Do you do a lot of themed units and centers?  I think I would stick to that for right now, since you so obviously use it for the money job.  If the large plastic stackable bins work for you, go get a bunch and go at it, using them just for school stuff. If you think a couple of filing cabinets would work better, go get them.  If you  know you do dinosaurs, space and the rainforest, make temporary labels on three of the containers and work on filling them up from around the house.  While you're searching out those three topics, gather the rest of the topic stuff on the kitchen table or someplace central to go through later. I am so anal that I actually color coordinated my bins.  I use green for my quilt and craft things, purple for the clothing for my foster children, and red for Christmas things.  I need another couple of colors

Hi! My name is Barbara. Nickname: Babs I live in Dallas, married, no kids. I am the assistant Director at a child care center. Dallas?   See http://www.messies.com for Messies Anonymous meetings

Thanks Dan, I posted on the yahoo group for messies to see if there is a group in my area. There is NO group for clutter-recovery in Dallas. Just Austin, Houston and Galveston. Thanks for the tips! I'll keep you posted. Babs

Thanks Dan, I posted on the yahoo group for messies to see if there is a group in my area. There is NO group for clutter-recovery in Dallas. Just Austin, Houston and Galveston. Thanks for the tips! I'll keep you posted. Welcome. If there isn't a group, it's possible to form one.  And fairly simple. Remember, the 12-step model was designed to be run by people with severe hangovers....