h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some people may remember that I am a borderline compulsive clutterer. My problem is mostly with paper. I don't know what to do with it so it accumulates. But my chair is in a class of it's own. It is an oversized chair covered in denim. It's not quite a chair-and-a-half, but it has these really oversized arms which can accommodate a lot of junk.

So what's on the arms of My Chair right now? On my right I have the remote to the TV and the remote to the stereo; a spoon; a couple of clean napkins; an Amazon receipt; my Public Radio membership card; the temple of the glasses I broke last week; a microfiber cleaning cloth and a smartphone case.

On the left side of the chair there's a cereal bowl; a tissue (I could throw that out); an empty box of Nerds (also could throw that out); < I attempted to throw both items out and missed the trash bin on both shots. >; there's a portable landline phone with no charge; a smartphone plugged into the charger; another reversible smartphone case (purchased to replace the one on the right arm of the chair when I thought I'd lost it); 2 Drs appointment slips and an external hard drive.

That I know of, in between the cushions, a copy of To The Point: The Newsletter of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America; a receipt for knitting needles; an empty eyeglass case and next to me an Angels (baseball) snuggie; a large fuzzy pillow on my right, a smaller fluffy pillow on my left.

Right now I'm watching Four Weddings and a Funeral. Never seen it. It's pretty funny.

Sounds like you live there! Is there a room around the chair?

The room is embarrassingly disastrous.

It sounds like fun. An adventure of sorts. In fact it sounds like my friend N's car, which routinely contains hats and books and garden implements and old rotary telephones and dog toys and tax returns and hairbrushes in startling places.

My car is far from pristine, but it's much better than it would be if I didn't have to have passengers regularly.

haha hellboundforjoy, that journal was a pleasure to read. It sort of reminded me of why I wrote my 'What's in my Fruitbowl' journal, which is used as a similar receptacle to the arms of your chair.

Reading that other people have bits and pieces around them like this makes me feel a helluva lot better.

Clearing Clutter is indeed a difficult problem.

h2g2 has only a small section in the house cleaning tips entry A4115044 on the topic, but there is lots of advice online.

Sadly most of it seems to be written by soul-less people who don't understand the complex psycological issues behind collecting clutter. They pretty much suggest just throwing it all out and it isn't that simple.

Mummy made this for me when I was three , these remind me of the love of my life , this old towel is a family heirloom , hard times are on the way and I won't be able to afford new things so I need to keep old ones. etc etc etc.

I did start clearing some of my things out , then got upset because I couldn't remember if I threw them out or lost them amongst the clutter. Someone at h2g2 has helpfully told me that keeping a list Doesn't Work so I won't bother with that extra effort. Helpful place is h2g2.

My current plan is trying to keep the papers and smaller items in boxes. So at least it looks a bit tidier.

If you're thinking of boxes, Ikea, do a very reasonable range. I seem to have an assortment of them. I daren't take the lids off them though. You should also read Ivan's journal here, which warns of the Danger of the Box: http://wsogmm.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F1697644?thread=8284322 If you can think of an up to date subject for an Entry of any household or lifestyle advice, I'd be really glad. You're correct to think that this is the sort of thing people search online for. Lanzababy

The word I was searching on is one mentioned in the first post "Clutter". Clutter seems to mean something in computer code so you get search findings for that as well.

I didn't remember hellbound was a borderline compulsive clutterer if indeed I ever knew this but I can identify with it.

The solution is obvious which is just to throw all your stuff in the bin with or without the box but this would bring on anxiety worse than the suffering involved in looking at the clutter. So it is an emotional problem not just a household advice issue.

It is an emotional issue as much as I hate to admit it. My brother visits from out of town sometimes and he plops down in my chair and knocks all the stuff off the arms. It drives me nuts. Can't he see that stuff is there for a reason?!?

If there is still room for your brother to sit on your chairs you are not that bad yet.

I have read the news that you won the prize book for Journal Posting.

Very Well Done.

Make a resolution not to put it anywhere near The Chair.

Have you seen this weeks new h2g2 entry about the Collyer brothers.
They were very extreme compulsive clutterers.