Comments for Sparkleize the way you live

Comment on Borrowing instead of buying by SS

SS — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:37:04 +0000

Neighborgoods sounds like a great idea and I hope it takes off in the Triangle.

When I lived in Berkeley years ago, the local public library had a “tools library” where local residents could go borrow power tools when needed instead of buying their own.

Comment on Borrowing instead of buying by Crystal

Crystal — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:30:41 +0000

Hooray, thanks so much Micki! I can’t wait to use this and tell my friends about it. Checking it out now…

Comment on Borrowing instead of buying by Micki Krimmel

Micki Krimmel — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:05:05 +0000

Thanks, Crystal! You obviously get why we built NeighborGoods in the first place and we’d love for you to try it out. I created a group just for Sparkleize here: http://neighborgoods.net/groups/sparkleize. You can share that link and invite all your friends. It gets you passed the need for an LA zip code. Once you sign up, I’ll make you an administrator so you can manage the group yourself. Let me know if you have any feedback or if we can help you grow your group! micki@neighborgoods.net

Comment on Help for family and friends of compulsive hoarders by Crystal

Crystal — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:38:54 +0000

Jessie, thanks very much for your comments. I’m so glad the resources were helpful.

Readers, if you’re interested in reading more, I just came across this interesting article from today’s NY Times about hoarding.

Crystal

Comment on Help for family and friends of compulsive hoarders by Jessie

Jessie — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:54:47 +0000

You have done a terrific job of rounding up information and resources on this topic. My mother suffers from years of depression and chronic disorganization that finally escalated into full-blown compulsive hoarding after her last child left for college. We, her children and our spouses, have gone back twice in the past seven months to help her with the process of getting therapy and sorting through all the stuff.

My mother is nowhere near as bad as a lot of the people on the A & E show, she is not living in squalor - yet. But if we did not step in to help her, who knows what would have happened.

I have read the book you recommended and it is an excellent resource. I also liked Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding by Fugen A. Neziroglu, Jose A. Yaryura-Tobias, Jerome Bubrick.

I’ve done a lot of research myself, but was interested in finding my mother an online support group and possibly some one who would work through a Treatments That Work workbook, by the same researchers who wrote the Buried in Treasures book that you mentioned (there is also an accompanying therapist’s book to go along with that one). So, I’m grateful for the links you have posted about groups, and I’ll try those first.

Thanks again for the info!

Comment on How to set up your own rain barrel by sje

sje — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:39:54 +0000

hope you don’t get heavy down pours there - looks like the overflow is a tad undersized and would allow the water to overflow over the top - we like the winter - summer built in diverter and integrated filter of this 80 gallon rain barrel http://www.aquabarrel.com/product_rain_barrel_complete_80gal.php

Comment on Cleaning vs. Organizing by Stef

Stef — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:18:45 +0000

I didn’t realize there was a difference between cleaning and organizing until my husband straightened me out. We were doing what I thought was cleaning in our children’s bedrooms, and after hours of sorting and putting everything away, I proclaimed that it was clean. He corrected me, and said that we hadn’t even started cleaning yet. All we had done was organize. We were too worn out to clean at that point, and before we got around to it, we had a ton of organizing to do again! We were caught in a vicious cycle. Last year, I discovered the key to keeping the kids’ rooms organized. It is decluttering. I could go into detail, but there is an article that says it better than I can here: http://www.ehow.com/how_5670867_keep-child_s-bedroom-clean.html?shared=true
This system saved me! My kids can keep their own rooms organized now, and we can actually clean their rooms!

Comment on Buying wrapping paper after Christmas by Charlotte

Charlotte — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:17:23 +0000

I like to do this…the problem is storage. I buy the paper on sale, put it away somewhere, then panic a few days before Christmas when I’m trying to get everything ready and forget that I bought the paper, run out and buy some paper, and then…well, you get the picture. Gotta work on that!

Comment on Another green idea for reducing clutter by Crystal

Crystal — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:29:34 +0000

Donna, thanks so much for your comment.

Wow, this new technology could really make it easier for people to recycle. I’d sure love to toss junk mail in the mixed paper bin without first trashing the plastic window envelopes. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for a change in technology in Durham.

Folks, per Donna’s comment, let’s all check our local recycling Web sites to see whether plastic windows are allowed in our specific area.

Comment on Another green idea for reducing clutter by Donna N-W

Donna N-W — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:11:09 +0000

Hi, I just wanted to let you know that the envelopes with the plastic windows can be recycled in some areas. New technology allows them to sort it out later. Orange County (NC) website doesn’t say anything about the windows, positive or negative; Durham, NC says no windows. They both have extensive lists of what can and can’t be recycled and options for things they can’t recycle like athletic shoes that are too bad for a thrift store (Nike makes courts and tracks from them).