The Rebirth of Social Darwinism
And then watch this:
Mother of 15...
The government Reich wants is really working well, isn't it?
As a conservative, I can tell you that this is what those with a government mindset want. (That's what most of the genuine conservatives I know, do NOT want.) A government mindset tends to think that someone else--some government elitist--knows what is better for you than you can possibly know yourself. You don't feed your kids what Michelle wants them to eat--even though she eats a lot of garbage herself--the government can take them and choose what they will eat. You don't give your money to the right charity? They'll take it in the form of taxes, and give it to who/what they want to give it to. When I was growing up--back in the fifties and sixties that Reich is so negative about--people tried hard to treat people as they wanted to be treated themselves. (People actually had the mentality to teach their children that.) Someone was struggling with an illness and couldn't afford medical care? The doctor DID treat those patients in most cases and the community of people who knew them, gathered around, did fundraisers, helped the family survive the tough times. Some kid didn't have shoes to wear to school? Some neighbor or caring teacher noticed and shoes magically appeared. Yes, people fell through the cracks from time to time, but no more (and probably a whole lot less) than they do now, with the government playing I'LL BE THE BIG TIME PROVIDER. With the government playing GOD, people step back and assume that they do not have to do anything. GOD (some distant bureaucrat who has no idea of the reality because they ARE so distant) will take care of that. Just fill out all these papers and everything will be all right. It's upside down now. This is one of the few countries in the world (hmmmm, wonder if THAT is why everyone wants to come here so badly they will do almost anything, legal or illegal, to get here?) where you can be born in poverty and work hard, save, be smart, get a break or two, and die rich, leaving a whole lot to your kids (and the GOVERNMENT.) Hope it stays that way.

This is where all the junk lands when anyone comes into the house from the garage:

And this is part of the problem.   What to DO with all this stuff?  For example, what about all of these keys?

Wish me luck.

Again, I didn't do a 'before'  picture, but here is a little more progress:  The coat closet.
Yeah, you can't tell how bad this was except by the sagging middle of the top shelf.  It's still sagging because of the weight of so much there for so long.  But I can tell a difference. And I'm feeling good.  The top shelf was packed with 'stuff', the coats were crammed in so tight you had to fight to get one out. The floor beneath the coats used to be lined with things. Now there are still more coats here than the two of us will probably wear in the next three years, but it's much better.  All that is on the floor is Lucy's dog food, the leaf to the table in the family room and a folding chair.  I've put two boxes in the car of things to take to Salvation Army or Goodwill, taken a whole lot out in the trash, and I'm making progress.

This is the project that got me started before I decided to do this project:  
It's the laundry closet. I decided to start here and work myself around the house, one closet, one room at a time. (It felt more manageable that way and this was a small project that let me feel like I was making progress right away.
If you don't think it is progress, you should have seen the top shelf before I cleaned, tossed and organized it. (The top of the washer and dryer were a bit (understatement) tacky, too. Now everything is in boxes that are easy to get down and get access to. I know where and what everything is.  (FYI--and this is my first 'tip': the plastic bag hanging over the dryer is my dryer-ate-one-of-the socks bag.  I stick singles that I find while I'm folding in the bag and once every month or so, I go through and match them up.  Been doing that for several years and it has helped eliminate the one sock here and one sock there, floating around, lonely, in our drawers.  I'm quite pleased with myself over that one!)
You would appreciate this more if I'd taken a before picture.

This is going to be the most embarrassing thing I've ever done...and worse, I'm doing it to myself.  On purpose.
Why? Because I've been promising myself for at least 5 years that I would get through, get rid, get organized, get out of this mess I've created, mostly by just living.  And now, my problem is reaching crisis level.  No, I am not a hoarder; but my son-in-law says that I am borderline.  And that is going to be the last time I use the 'H' word.  (Maybe.)
The crisis is: I'm not getting any younger; things that I didn't know could creak, creak when I get up in the morning.  My stamina is not what it used to be. I'm in great shape, compared to some that I know, but after a major surgery last year, Dan having cataract surgery a month ago and again, on the other eye next week,  my parents death in the last couple of years--and they were great examples to me of how to do things right, my brother-in-law's near death experience this week, (Thank God, he's doing better but he's still in serious condition.) I have come to the realization that I don't have forever.  (Yes, I've known for years that I'm mortal. Knowing and accepting that as a for-sure-it-is-coming-fact-of-life are two different things.)  So it is time to clean up my mess before I can no longer do it myself.
Here's an example of my problem: 
Notice the name of these books? Yeah, (as anyone who knows me will know) when Borders had their final sale a month or so ago, I had to go and...I HAD to buy books while they were CHEAP and these three pertain to this BIG PROBLEM I've been contemplating for a while.  So, of course, I HAD to buy them. When would I ever get a chance like THAT again, at THAT price?  So they have joined a lot of the other books I have, sitting on the edge of one of my bookcases,  cluttering up my life.   (Hopefully, when I get around to reading them, they'll help.)
Here's another example of my problem:
You probably can't tell much about this photo because it is a group of baskets, sitting in a box, with something on top of them. (I think it's a file but don't know for sure without going to check. Not that important right this minute.) Nothing too weird about that, right? Except the point of buying these baskets was to help organize my office the last time I decided I had to do something.  And now, they are just part of the clutter--as you will see when I finally have the courage to post a "before" picture of my office.  (Or as you may be able to tell if you study the background of this photo too closely.  Don't do it.  I warn you!)  But posting a picture of that BIG PICTURE nightmare is not going to happen until I'm ready to tackle that project with enough time to make progress.  I'm just not ready for that embarrassment now.  But soon. I'm gearing up!
So here is my new New Year's Resolution, a few months early, and pretty much, the same one I made in 2005, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10 and 11.  (Time passes quickly, doesn't it.  That's one MORE problem.) But this time, I'm going to embarrass myself totally if I don't actually get after the project and just do it.  I'm going to clean up this mess I've made of my little corner of the world. I'm doing it publicly this time so I'll have someone, besides my-lily-livered, can-always-find-some-excuse, or something-more-'important'-to-do-self to answer to.
And that is where you come in, dear reader. What I need from you is encouragement, and jeers if I don't make progress, cheers when I do. (It wouldn't hurt my feelings if you also admitted that YOU have a little bit of clutter you don't want to leave for your kids to plow through.) Wanna join our project with a downsizing, clean-up, I CANNOT DO THIS TO MY KIDS project of your own?  Let me know.
Looking forward to hearing from you...