Interview by Kathi during her How to Master Your Muck book tour.
(Transcription)
Kathi: Okay, here I am in Daytona still, and I am asking this woman right here, “What’s your muck?” and you said you knew already what it was.
Woman: Well, my muck is too much stuff in my house.
Kathi: Hmmm. Okay.
Woman: That would be my muck. And I also have a large family and I don’t have… I have about a 2000-square foot house.
Kathi: And how many people live in your home?
Woman: Eight.
Kathi: Eight? Okay, so that’s…
Woman: Four bedrooms. So when you have too much stuff that you don’t need… And so I have tried all kinds of different things. I think I’m doing better than I ever did as my girls have gotten older, but it’s still very difficult.
Kathi: And how do you control… What are some of the things you found effective for controlling all the stuff? That’s a lot of people.
Woman: I quit going to garage sales.
Kathi: Yeah, that’s a big one.
Woman: No, I really did and now I just clearance shop. And, so I did. I found that I would… This is such a good deal because I’m such a frugal person too that I was like, “Oh, this is such a great deal” but I didn’t really need it, so I found that if I didn’t go then I didn’t… It was easier if I just went and bought what I needed. And I did use the… When I do a room, I only try and do a room at a time when I do…
Kathi: Organizing?
Woman: Organizing and I do like the three boxes for give away, put away, and throw away.
Kathi: Perfect! Good job!
Woman: That has really helped me. It doesn’t take…
Kathi: Where did you learn that from?
Woman: FlyLady.
Kathi: Yeah, she’s good.
Woman: Yeah, but it doesn’t take long before it piles up again, and that is what’s hard. I think it’s a really important thing and I’m still working on this and I have six kids and the oldest one is 21, is to teach your children how to pick up after themselves.
Kathi: Absolutely.
Woman: It’s really important.
Kathi: And take things home as opposed to putting them away.
Woman: Yes.
Kathi: So everything has a home, everything clear.
Woman: Everything has to have a home and that’s a big problem for me. My husband says that to me all the time, “I don’t understand why you have.” I have neat piles.
Kathi: Okay.
Woman: But he’ll say, “Why can’t you just put this somewhere. It has to have a home.” But I am limited on space.
Kathi: Lots of decision making perhaps.
Woman: Yes, it is. Do I really need this? Like I am a book person. I love books, so I have so many books and it was really, really hard for me. I’m like one of those people that was on one of the shows where they hoard things and they really… But I know I’m not. I mean I love books and I’m like… But he’s like, “You’ll never read this ever again probably.” And I’m like, “Yeah, but it was such a good book.” So I had to learn to let go.
Kathi: Libraries. Libraries are a good thing.
Woman: And I use the library all the time.
Kathi: Yeah, so that is what you do.
Woman: And I also found that I get great pleasure out of giving people things. Like Freecycle and things like that, so I started giving things away.
Kathi: Nice.
Woman: And it feels good to purge those things and give them away.
Kathi: You’re passing on your good, really, whenever you’re donating and giving.
Woman: Yes.
Kathi: And it all comes back to you anyhow.
Woman: Yeah.
Kathi: What goes around comes around.
Woman: I agree.
Kathi: Which is beautiful. You learned some good stuff.
Woman: Yes.
Kathi: Thank you so much.
Woman: You’re welcome.
