Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 1996/09/26
Version: 3
 
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 organizations. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any 
organization, nor does it speak for any organization. (This FAQ is 
written by a member of Clutterers Anonymous [CLA], which may introduce 
some bias.) 
 
You may also be interested in the mailing list 
Decluttr@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU.  To subscribe, send this message to 
listserv@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU:  Subscribe Decluttr Your Name.  
 
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 clutter 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: Can't the problem be solved with a bit of willpower? A: That's all 
some people need to give up drinking. There are others who can't do it 
that easily, and organizations to help them.  
 
Q: It's not me who has the problem, it's my elderly mother/father. A: 
Minneapolis has an Office of Senior Services -- and someone there who 
did her masters thesis on cluttering. (Kildow, Ruth. Compulsive 
Hoarding Among Elderly Clients. 1993.  University of St. Thomas, St. 
Paul, MN.)  Other cities would have the same services, not necessarily 
under the same name.  
 
Organizations for clutterers: 
 
Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization is at PO Box 25884, 
Santa Ana, CA 92799-5884. For information, send a long first class 
self-addressed envelope with twice the minimum first-class postage 
(currently, 64 cents). (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.) No telephone number or Internet 
address given. Clutterers Anonymous (CLA) is a 12-step organization. 
Note: The WSO is staffed by volunteers, and their PO box is sometimes 
cluttered; so you may need to be patient.  
 
California:    Carlsbad, Barbara, 619-434-9764
               Orange, Larry, 714-494-0694
               Orange, Sue Ellen, 714-542-2183
               San Diego, Adele, 619-278-0621
               San Juan Capistrano, Lynette, 714-498-9770
               San Pedro, Eve, 310-514-1616
               Simi Valley, Samantha, 805-583-5011
               South Bay, Valerie, 310-542-9978
               Westchester, Charles, 310-978-0799
Illinois:      Chicago (North Side), Carmine F., 312-282-8117
Massachusetts: Beverly, Deborah Mary, 508-921-7353
Michigan:      Southfield, "Dustbuster", 810-643-4901
Minnesota:     Minneapolis, Dan G., 612-871-5461  
                goodman@freenet.msp.mn.us 
New Jersey:    Clark, Linda S., 908-382-5396 
               Union, David, 908-964-6691
               Wayne, Linda D., 201-628-1539
 
If there's no local meeting near you, you can subscribe to the 
quarterly newsletter for $2.00 per year. Mark your envelope 
"Newsletter subscription".  
 
Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165.  305-271-8404. 
Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free.  
 
"Messies anonymous does have meetings, but only in areas where someone 
has organized them. 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. I was surprised at how non-commercial 
this organization is." 
 
Bonnie Rice
 
From: Cynthia Townley Ewer <cynthiae@ix.netcom.com
On Prodigy:
        Home and Garden Topic
        Home Organization Subject
 
On Delphi:
        Custom Forum 222
        (Database and Forum)
 
on AOL: the Franklin/Quest Forum. This is a Franklin-sponsored Forum 
where Franklin planner devotees and wannabes swap forms, ideas and 
support--AND you can ask Franklin reps questions about their products.  
A must for the Frankophile.  
 
Useful Books 
 
"Both books are by Sandra Felton, and they are sort of geared towards 
women, but my husband has been devouring them and finds them to be 
helpful as well: 
 
"THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good Housekeeping 
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering 
Catastrophic Living.  
 
"Excellent resources..for those of us who look at the huge mess our 
house/apt is in and say "oh god.. where do I possibly BEGIN?" 
 
"--TEhanna"
 
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
Sandra Felton, Meditations for Messies
 
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981) The 
sisters' first book, SHE (for short) outlines the use of a 3-by-5 
cardfile system to move from "pigpen to paradise". Written at the end 
of the '70s, this is definitely a "Becky Home Ec-ky" presentation--but 
it contains the best description of what we Get O (short for Get 
Organized) types call SHE Classic. Readers learn to corral household 
management, clutter control, and cleaning using a 3-by-5 tickler 
system. Get O Rating: 5 
 
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen 
(Warner 1983) A kitchen book, companion to SHE. I believe the kitchen 
book is out of print, and it's not quite the blockbuster for the 
terminally sidetracked that SHE was. Still, it provides a way out of 
messy, disorganized kitchens and pantries, and offers help for menu 
planning and meal prep. Get O Rating: 3.5 
 
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985) 
Also out of print, and it's too darn bad, too! The Happiness File (or 
HF to us diehards) was the book that made the system work for me. It 
shows how to use the basic SHE cardfile to achieve personal growth. A 
month-by-month guide focuses on different areas for growth and order--
and this, IMHO, is their best book. Even though it's out of print, 
this one is largely available in public libraries. Get O Rating: 5+.  
 
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).  GYAT, 
as it's known, is a streamlined version of the Sisters' earlier works. 
It introduces a stripped-down version of the cardfile, touches on some 
of the HF issues, and reprints much of the earlier, ill-fated "I'm OK" 
dogburger. New publisher onboard, this book is the first effort of the 
Sisters' new careers as "media celebrities".  Some readers like the 
SHE Lite treatment, others find it doesn't work for really stubborn 
Sidetrackers. Get O Rating: 3.5 
 
The sisters published a newsletter for about 15 years, phasing it out 
a year or so ago. However, 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, but I've not checked in lately to see what they have. Address 
is: 
       
       Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
       P. O. Box 5364
       Vancouver, WA   98668
       (206) 696-4091 [note -- area code may now be 360]
 
Other products available (at least in the past) are preprinted cards, 
and QVC sells a "Slob Sisters" set of video and audio tapes.  
 
CEO (Cynthia Ewer, Organized)
 
From: Pat Welsh <pwelsh@NWU.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list DECLUTTR <DECLUTTR@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Subject: feng shui
 
Feng Shui Warehouse
P.O. Box 3005
San Diego, CA 92163-1005
 
inquiries: (619) 297-9819
orders: (800) 399-1599
fax: (619) 297-9831
 
Ask for their free catalog: the Feng Shui Warehouse carries both 
expensive and *inexpensive* (i.e., bells for US $2.50, bagua mirrors 
for $5.00) items to bring more harmonious energies to your 
home/workspace/car/ body...and carry books, audio cassettes, and video 
tapes explaining this Asian system of energy transformation.  (They 
even have a few items blessed by a feng shui grand master).  
 
Additionally, you can subscribe to their magazine: Feng Shui/a journal.
 

--
Dan Goodman
dsgood@visi.com
http://www.visi.com/~dsgood/index.html
3010 Hennepin Ave. S. #109, MPLS MN 55408
