Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sorting Saturday - A Hoarder's Paradise

A hoarder's paradise is what our guest room has started to look like since I began sorting through the Archival Closet. You see, new treasures of all kinds keep making their way into the guest room as they are discovered in the course of cleaning out the Family Home. They get piled in a very orderly fashion on the guest bed. In the meantime the contents of the Archival Closet, which is also located in the guest room, are being sorted on the guest room floor and other parts of the house. So between all of this "stuff" and the archival materials that have been purchased to house this collection, we I have a bit of a mess on our my hands!

The other day, Husband went into said guest room, looked around, came back out and said it was starting to look like the TV show Hoarders (ouch)! Well, maybe not quite that bad but he does have a point. I mean, if we were to have unexpected company, there would be some major scrambling (and panic) to get that room in order.

So, the Sorting Saturday mission was to get the top of the bed cleared off. As in find permanent homes in the files, or wherever, for those items. Done. Mostly. At least now someone can sleep in there.

Slowly the documents and artifacts are making their way into their new homes in boxes labelled according to family. It's a slow and sometimes painful process but we are getting there.

What I am now beginning to realize is that all of this "stuff" is not going to fit in the Archival Closet. So the next challenge is to figure out a way to utilize the limited space in the Archival Closet more efficiently. Stay tuned.

© 2010, copyright Michelle Goodrum

6 comments:

  1. I guess husband wouldn't accept the story, "Guess what? I've been talking to the executives of 'Home Improvement', and with their advice, we now have an ARCHIVAL ROOM"?

    Good luck, and keep plugging along. I look forward to hearing the solution.

    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know I relate. I have not even started trying to figure out where to put all the stuff from Man's mother's home. Papers, photos, and 3 pieces of furniture. And, the 3 pieces of furniture are the least of the problem. GULP!

    I'll be reading and watching to see your solutions, I need ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am going thru the exact same thing with my mother's papers and things...she passed on July 21st, 2010.

    It's a very difficult and detailed task and I am trying to figure out the best way to organize, preserve and archive everything...it's not easy and I tend to want to hold onto everything because it's of her and her memory. I know I don't have enough space for everything.

    I am looking forward to hearing more of how you are doing. Thanks for a great post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kim, I can only dream! Actually, after the nest empties out maybe we can have an Archival Room.

    Carol, Looks like we're in this one together. I'm reading and watching to see YOUR solutions too!

    Gini, I remember similar feelings after my dad died a number of years ago. A neighbor who had also been through the same thing, advised that there's no rush. Nothing is going anywhere. Waiting to go through some of those more emotional items has been easier. Time does heal wounds - somewhat - not totally.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm watching for everyone else's solutions too, although I have just bought a large 4 drawer filing cabinet which should store most of the "heaps".

    ReplyDelete
  6. I, too, will be looking forward to seeing what you come up with for organization. Seems like we all have that in common - too many "treasures" and not enough space!

    ReplyDelete