Decluttering, Unmessing

alt.recovery.clutter FAQ

2006-08-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2006/07/31
Expires 2006/08/26
Version: 12.04

02/06 Thanks to Don Saklad for suggestions on reorganizing the LiveJournal communities
listing.
02/06 Unclutter list replaces Decluttr list
02/06 Thanks to Don Saklad for catching a dead link.
3/05 Inactive LiveJournal community deleted. Thanks to Don Saklad for catching it!
1/05 Changes: Information on San Francisco area self-help group updated.
Thanks to Jeri Dansky for checking links -- something I should have done long since!

If there's something you think should be added, please let me know.
If you see something which needs changing, please let me know.

alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization.

You may want to also try one or more of these email lists:

DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. To subscribe, send any message to DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. This seems to be the liveliest one just now.

The Unclutter list (unclutter@yahoogroups.com) has replaced the Decluttr list. To join: If you don't have a Yahoo account, send an email to unclutter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. If you do have a Yahoo account, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unclutter to subscribe.

Freecycle is a set of local mailing lists for people who have stuff to give away and people who want stuff. At http://freecycle.org there's a directory of local Freecycle mailing lists for every continent except Antarctica.

LiveJournal (http://livejournal.com) communities listed as interested in decluttering:
anticonsumerex - Financial Freedom Shall Be Ours!
http://livejournal.com/community/anticonsumerex
clean_gweep - Do not mess with the Gweep armed with the broom.
http://livejournal.com/community/clean_gweep
clutterers_anon
http://livejournal.com/community/clutterers_anon
flyladies - Flyladies and Flybabies Community
http://livejournal.com/community/flyladies
frugaluxe
http://livejournal.com/community/frugaluxe
it_all_goes
http://livejournal.com/community/it_all_goes
organize - Let's Get Organized
http://livejournal.com/community/organize
organizedlife - Organized Life
http://livejournal.com/community/organizedlife
pagans_fly
http://livejournal.com/community/pagans_fly
stonesoupswap
http://livejournal.com/community/stonesoupswap
goal_posts; focus is on overcoming procrastination
http://livejournal.com/community/goal_posts

Q: What is clutter?
A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper....We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996.

Q: Is cluttering a real problem?
A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem.

Q: Does cluttering go together with ___?
A: Clutterers are more likely to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them.

Organizations for clutterers

If you can't find a local group, call your local self-help phone number (if you can't find it easily in the phonebook, ask your local library for help finding it).

If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups.

Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given.

Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net phone: (310) 281-6064; recording, you can leave messages. CLA, PO Box 91413, Los Angeles, CA 90009-91413. CLA East: (866) 800-3881, http://www.claeast.org. Twin Cities MN info: (612) 821-3934 or dsgood@iphouse.com. 12-Step group.

There's now also a Clutter-Anon group (for families, etc. of clutterers) in Southern California. If you're in that area, or want to set up a local meeting, get in touch with them through CLA's WSO.

Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165. 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free. Internet: info@messies.com. Website: http://www.messies.com Uses the 12 Steps, but doesn't adhere to all guidelines. (Founder isn't anonymous.)

"If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice
Change: You can now ask from the website.

Clutterless. http://www.clutterless.org Not a 12-step group, but uses some things from the 12-step tradition.

If there isn't a group in your area: Messies Anonymous has online meetings, and Clutterers Anonymous may have one soon. Clutterers Anonymous has a phone meeting.

The purpose of http://meetup.com is to set up and help local groups of many kinds. Nowhere near all are active. Some of the Declutter meetups, and one of the Messies meetups, look promising:

Northern Virginia Declutter Meetup Group Fairfax, VA
Toronto Declutter Meetup Group
Calgary Declutter Meetup Group
Cleveland Declutter Meetup Group
St. Pete-Clearwater Declutter Meetup Group
San Diego North County Declutter Meetup Group Escondido, CA
Northern Virginia Messies Meetup Group
[Revised 05/04/05]
Note: Meetup began charging a monthly fee to organizers in May 2005. Some meetup groups moved elsewhere. Some organizers dropped out, and were mostly not replaced. Others started collecting donations or established attendee fees.

Passed on by Lori Burkart
'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month....

'The flyer reads:
"For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group"

Subject: RE: Hoarders and Clutterers Support Group
From: "Mental Health Association of San Francisco"
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:31:26 -0800

Dear Dan,

Our support group does still exist and meets the 2nd Mondays and 4th Wednesdays of every month. The time is always 6-7pm. The location is 870 Market Street, Suite 622 S.F. CA 94102

However it is important to note that the suite location is subject to change because of availability. For that reasons please call first to find out the suite number prior to arriving, or they will be a sign posted outside of suite 928 advising of the location.

Antonio is the staff person who runs the group; please call him if you have further question at (415) 421-2926 ext. 306
Thanks

Donice Carter
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
870 Market Street, Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-421-2926 (phone)
415-421-2928 (fax)
www.mha-sf.org

Informal: Minnesota; around St. Louis Park/Edina/Golden Valley --someone who can't currently get to the CLA meetings would like to meet informally. Call Zola at (612) 921-4917.

Useful Books, etc.

Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good
Housekeeping
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living.
MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES
Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead?
Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985)
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).
(....) SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). the sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is:
Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
P. O. Box 5364
Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091
http//www.shesintouch.com
"Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at 10.99US, 15.99CAN, 7.99UK).
"Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2.

Fri, 23 Jan 1998
ttista
cleaning tools

I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really.

He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products.

[new: http://www.cleanreport.com/]

Sat, 11 April 1998
Mycala W Shaulis
Kitchen Web Link

http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html

It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house.

Mon, 28 Jun 1999
Katrina Ancel
organizing Link

Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Web Ring...tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic..

http://www.organizerswebring.com/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

While this is a ring of Professional Organizers, you might also want to note the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers, at
http://www.napo.net/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

Link doesn't work on this one - looks like it should be
http://www.wecosoft.com/geniescorner/index.asp instead:

[...] Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at [see abovel.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join!

alt.recovery.clutter
From: naomiy
[1] Found a neat web site! (Pun intended)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999

Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com./

A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here!

alt.recovery.clutter FAQ 10/26/05

2005-10-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2005/10/26
Expires 11/26
Version: 10.10

Latest version will be posted at http://www.livejournal.com/community/clutterers_anon/ and http://decluttering.blogspot.com

10/05 Decluttr list to move
7/05 Added Freecycle
5/05 Added one LiveJournal community.
3/05 Inactive LiveJournal community deleted. Thanks to Don Saklad for catching it!
2/05 Changes: Meetups added
1/05 Changes: Information on San Francisco area self-help group updated.
Thanks to Jeri Dansky for checking links -- something I should have done long since!

If there's something you think should be added, please let me know.
If you see something which needs changing, please let me know.

alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization.

You may want to also try one or more of these email lists:

DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. To subscribe, send any message to DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. This seems to be the liveliest one just now.

The Decluttr list. Currently, Decluttr@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. However, St. Johns will stop hosting this and several other lists by February 1, 2006. At this point, Yahoogroups seems the most likely place to move. For now: To subscribe, send a message to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU: Subscribe Decluttr Your Name. Put this in the body of the message (the Listserv software ignores subject headings). Note: "Decluttr" with one e.

Freecycle is a set of local mailing lists for people who have stuff to give away and people who want stuff. At http://freecycle.org there's a directory of local Freecycle mailing lists on every continent except Antarctica.

LiveJournal (http://livejournal.com) communities listed as interested in decluttering:
anticonsumerex - Financial Freedom Shall Be Ours!
clean_gweep - Do not mess with the Gweep armed with the broom.
clutterers_anon
flyladies - Flyladies and Flybabies Community
frugaluxe - frugaluxe
it_all_goes - it_all_goes
organize - Let's Get Organized
organizedlife - Organized Life
pagans_fly - pagans_fly
stonesoupswap - stonesoupswap
goal_posts; focus is on overcoming procrastination

Q: What is clutter?
A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper....We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996.

Q: Is cluttering a real problem?
A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem.

Q: Does cluttering go together with ___?
A: Clutterers are more likely to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them.

Organizations for clutterers

If you can't find a local group, call your local self-help phone number (if you can't find it easily in the phonebook, ask your local library for help finding it).

If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups.

Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given.

Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net phone: (310) 281-6064; recording, you can leave messages. CLA, PO Box 91413, Los Angeles, CA 90009-91413. CLA East: (866) 800-3881, http://www.claeast.org. Twin Cities MN info: (612) 821-3934 or dsgood@iphouse.com. 12-Step group.

Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165. 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free. Internet: info@messies.com. Website: http://www.messies.com Uses the 12 Steps, but doesn't adhere to all guidelines. (Founder isn't anonymous.)

"If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice
Change: You can now ask from the website.

Clutterless. http://www.clutterless.org Not a 12-step group, but uses some things from the 12-step tradition.

If there isn't a group in your area: Messies Anonymous has online meetings, and Clutterers Anonymous will have one soon. Clutterers Anonymous has a phone meeting.

The purpose of http://meetup.com is to set up and help local groups of many kinds. Nowhere near all are active. Some of the Declutter meetups, and one of the Messies meetups, look promising:

Northern Virginia Declutter Meetup Group Fairfax, VA
Toronto Declutter Meetup Group
Calgary Declutter Meetup Group
Cleveland Declutter Meetup Group
St. Pete-Clearwater Declutter Meetup Group
San Diego North County Declutter Meetup Group Escondido, CA
Northern Virginia Messies Meetup Group
[Revised 05/04/05]
Note: Meetup began charging a monthly fee to organizers in May 2005. Some meetup groups moved elsewhere. Some organizers dropped out, and were mostly not replaced. Others started collecting donations or established attendee fees.

Passed on by Lori Burkart
'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month....

'The flyer reads:
"For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group"

Subject: RE: Hoarders and Clutterers Support Group
From: "Mental Health Association of San Francisco"
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:31:26 -0800

Dear Dan,

Our support group does still exist and meets the 2nd Mondays and 4th Wednesdays of every month. The time is always 6-7pm. The location is 870 Market Street, Suite 622 S.F. CA 94102

However it is important to note that the suite location is subject to change because of availability. For that reasons please call first to find out the suite number prior to arriving, or they will be a sign posted outside of suite 928 advising of the location.

Antonio is the staff person who runs the group; please call him if you have further question at (415) 421-2926 ext. 306
Thanks

Donice Carter
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
870 Market Street, Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-421-2926 (phone)
415-421-2928 (fax)
www.mha-sf.org
'"Twice a month, starting Nov. 1997:
2nd Mondays ....
4th Mondays at Canon Kip, 705 Natoma (@ 8th St.)

'"[note: the Association is responding to the problem of evictions due to Hoarding problems]"'

alt.recovery.clutter
(BRADFORDMC)
Sun Jan 18 1998

"I saw the original post of the San Francisco....group meetings and attended my first meeting at the Madrid Hotel.... I find the support mutual and encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in the area to attend. I also am interested in the possibility of starting a meeting in the east bay. One other person at the meeting lives in Berkeley. Due to a vision problem, it would be much easier to attend meetings closer to home. Anyone else interested?"

Informal: Minnesota; around St. Louis Park/Edina/Golden Valley --someone who can't currently get to the CLA meetings would like to meet informally. Call Zola at (612) 921-4917.

Freecycle (http://freecycle.org) can be very useful: "The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a local volunteer moderator (them's good people). Membership is free...."

Useful Books, etc.

Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good
Housekeeping
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living.
MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES
Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead?
Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985)
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).
(....) SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). the sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is:
Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
P. O. Box 5364
Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091
http//www.shesintouch.com
"Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at 10.99US, 15.99CAN, 7.99UK).
"Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2.

Fri, 23 Jan 1998
ttista
cleaning tools

I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really.

He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products.

[new: http://www.cleanreport.com/]

Sat, 11 April 1998
Mycala W Shaulis
Kitchen Web Link

http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html

It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house.

alt.recovery.clutter
"SaraB"
Web Site
Thu Mar 18 1999

http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/
This is the website by Julie Morgenstern (duh...) of Organizing from the Inside Out. Just found it last night. I especially liked her "challenge" section.

Mon, 28 Jun 1999
Katrina Ancel
organizing Link

Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Web Ring...tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic..

http://www.organizerswebring.com/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

While this is a ring of Professional Organizers, you might also want to note the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers, at
http://www.napo.net/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

Link doesn't work on this one - looks like it should be
http://www.wecosoft.com/geniescorner/index.asp instead:

[...] Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at [see abovel.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join!

Fri, 9 Jul 1999
Katrina Ancel
Free Organizing Guide from Julie Morgenstern

Get a free guide on the ten most common pitfalls when organizing and how to avoid them..from TaskMasters the company owned by Julie Morgenstern author of "Organizing from the Inside Out" http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/task_masters_history.html

alt.recovery.clutter
From: naomiy
[1] Found a neat web site! (Pun intended)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999

Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com./

A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here!

alt.recovery.clutter FAQ 7/26/05

2005-07-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2005/07/26
Expires 08/26
Version: 10.07

Latest version posted at http://www.livejournal.com/community/clutterers_anon/ and http://decluttering.blogspot.com

7/05 Added Freecycle
5/05 Added one LiveJournal community.
3/05 Inactive LiveJournal community deleted. Thanks to Don Saklad for catching it!
2/05 Changes Meetups added
1/05 Changes: Information on San Francisco area self-help group updated.
Thanks to Jeri Dansky for checking links -- something I should have done long since!

If there's something you think should be added, please let me know.
If you see something which needs changing, please let me know.

alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization.

You may want to also try one or more of these email lists:

DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. To subscribe, send any message to DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. This seems to be the liveliest one just now.

Decluttr@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU: Subscribe Decluttr Your Name. Put this in the body of the message (the Listserv software ignores subject headings). Note: "Decluttr" with one e.

At freecycle.org is a directory of local Freecycle mailing lists -- on every continent except Antarctica. List what you have that you want to give away. (Or what you want to have.)

There are a bunch of other mailing lists, but the ones I know about don't seem very active. If there's one you want to see listed here, tell me.

LiveJournal (http://livejournal.com) communities listed as interested in decluttering:
anticonsumerex - Financial Freedom Shall Be Ours!
clean_gweep - Do not mess with the Gweep armed with the broom.
clutterers_anon
flyladies - Flyladies and Flybabies Community
frugaluxe - frugaluxe
it_all_goes - it_all_goes
organize - Let's Get Organized
organizedlife - Organized Life
pagans_fly - pagans_fly
stonesoupswap - stonesoupswap
Also goal_posts

Q: What is clutter?
A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper....We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996.

Q: Is cluttering a real problem?
A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem.

Q: Does cluttering go together with ___?
A: Clutterers are more likely to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them.

Organizations for clutterers

If you can't find a local group, call your local self-help phone number (if you can't find it easily in the phonebook, ask your local library for help finding it).

If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups.

Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given.

Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net phone: (310) 281-6064; recording, you can leave messages. CLA, PO Box 91413, Los Angeles, CA 90009-91413. CLA East: (866) 800-3881, http://www.claeast.org. Twin Cities MN info: (612) 821-3934 or dsgood@iphouse.com. 12-Step group.

Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165. 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free. Internet: info@messies.com. Website: http://www.messies.com Uses the 12 Steps, but doesn't adhere to all guidelines. (Founder isn't anonymous.)

"If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice
Change: You can now ask from the website.

Clutterless. http://www.clutterless.org Not a 12-step group, but uses some things from the 12-step tradition.

If there isn't a group in your area: Messies Anonymous has online meetings, and Clutterers Anonymous will have one soon. Clutterers Anonymous has a phone meeting.

The purpose of http://meetup.com is to set up and help local groups of many kinds. Nowhere near all are active. Some of the Declutter meetups, and one of the Messies meetups, look promising:

Northern Virginia Declutter Meetup Group Fairfax, VA
Toronto Declutter Meetup Group
Calgary Declutter Meetup Group
Cleveland Declutter Meetup Group
St. Pete-Clearwater Declutter Meetup Group
San Diego North County Declutter Meetup Group Escondido, CA
Northern Virginia Messies Meetup Group
[Revised 05/04/05]

Note: Beginning May 2005, Meetup will be charging a fee to organizers. One result is that organizers of some meetup groups are moving their groups elsewhere; others have started collecting donations or establishing fees, and others are dropping out.

Passed on by Lori Burkart
'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month....

'The flyer reads:
"For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group"

Subject: RE: Hoarders and Clutterers Support Group
From: "Mental Health Association of San Francisco"
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:31:26 -0800

Dear Dan,

Our support group does still exist and meets the 2nd Mondays and 4th Wednesdays of every month. The time is always 6-7pm. The location is 870 Market Street, Suite 622 S.F. CA 94102

However is important to note that the suite location is subject to change because of availability. For that reasons please call first to find out the suite number prior to arriving, or they will be a sign posted outside of suite 928 advising of the location.

Antonio is the staff person who runs the group; please call him if you have further question at (415) 421-2926 ext. 306
Thanks

Donice Carter
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
870 Market Street, Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-421-2926 (phone)
415-421-2928 (fax)
www.mha-sf.org
'"Twice a month, starting Nov. 1997:
2nd Mondays ....
4th Mondays at Canon Kip, 705 Natoma (@ 8th St.)

'"[note: the Association is responding to the problem of evictions due to Hoarding problems]"'

alt.recovery.clutter
(BRADFORDMC)
Sun Jan 18 1998

"I saw the original post of the San Francisco....group meetings and attended my first meeting at the Madrid Hotel.... I find the support mutual and encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in the area to attend. I also am interested in the possibility of starting a meeting in the east bay. One other person at the meeting lives in Berkeley. Due to a vision problem, it would be much easier to attend meetings closer to home. Anyone else interested?"

Informal: Minnesota; around St. Louis Park/Edina/Golden Valley --someone who can't currently get to the CLA meetings would like to meet informally. Call Zola at (612) 921-4917.

Freecycle (http://freecycle.org) can be very useful: "The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a local volunteer moderator (them's good people). Membership is free...."

Useful Books, etc.

Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good
Housekeeping
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living.
MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES
Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead?
Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985)
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).
(....) SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). the sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is:
Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
P. O. Box 5364
Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091
http//www.shesintouch.com
"Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at 10.99US, 15.99CAN, 7.99UK).
"Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2.

Fri, 23 Jan 1998
ttista
cleaning tools

I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really.

He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products.

[new: http://www.cleanreport.com/]

Sat, 11 April 1998
Mycala W Shaulis
Kitchen Web Link

http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html

It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house.

alt.recovery.clutter
"SaraB"
Web Site
Thu Mar 18 1999

http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/
This is the website by Julie Morgenstern (duh...) of Organizing from the Inside Out. Just found it last night. I especially liked her "challenge" section.

Mon, 28 Jun 1999
Katrina Ancel
organizing Link

Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Web Ring...tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic..

http://www.organizerswebring.com/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

While this is a ring of Professional Organizers, you might also want to note the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers, at
http://www.napo.net/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

Link doesn't work on this one - looks like it should be
http://www.wecosoft.com/geniescorner/index.asp instead:

[...] Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at [see abovel.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join!

Fri, 9 Jul 1999
Katrina Ancel
Free Organizing Guide from Julie Morgenstern

Get a free guide on the ten most common pitfalls when organizing and how to avoid them..from TaskMasters the company owned by Julie Morgenstern author of "Organizing from the Inside Out" http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/task_masters_history.html

alt.recovery.clutter
From: naomiy
[1] Found a neat web site! (Pun intended)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999

Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com./

A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here!

alt.recovery.clutter FAQ 6/26/05

2005-06-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2005/06/26
Expires 07/26
Version: 10.06

Latest version posted at http://www.livejournal.com/community/clutterers_anon/ and http://decluttering.blogspot.com

6/06
5/05 Added one LiveJournal community.
3/05 Inactive LiveJournal community deleted. Thanks to Don Saklad for catching it!
2/05 Changes Meetups added
1/05 Changes: Information on San Francisco area self-help group updated.

Thanks to Jeri Dansky for checking links -- something I should have done long since!

If there's something you think should be added, please let me know.
If you see something which needs changing, please let me know.

alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization.

You may want to also try one or more of these email lists:

DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. To subscribe, send any message to DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. This seems to be the liveliest one just now.

Decluttr@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU: Subscribe Decluttr Your Name. Put this in the body of the message (the Listserv software ignores subject headings). Note: "Decluttr" with one e.

At freecycle.org is a directory of local Freecycle mailing lists -- on every continent except Antarctica. List what you have that you want to give away. (Or what you want to have.)

There are a bunch of other mailing lists, but the ones I know about don't seem very active. If there's one you want to see listed here, tell me.

LiveJournal (http://livejournal.com) communities listed as interested in decluttering:
anticonsumerex - Financial Freedom Shall Be Ours!
clean_gweep - Do not mess with the Gweep armed with the broom.
clutterers_anon
flyladies - Flyladies and Flybabies Community
frugaluxe - frugaluxe
it_all_goes - it_all_goes
organize - Let's Get Organized
organizedlife - Organized Life
pagans_fly - pagans_fly
stonesoupswap - stonesoupswap
Also goal_posts

Q: What is clutter?
A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper....We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996.

Q: Is cluttering a real problem?
A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem.

Q: Does cluttering go together with ___?
A: Clutterers are more likely to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them.

Organizations for clutterers

If you can't find a local group, call your local self-help phone number (if you can't find it easily in the phonebook, ask your local library for help finding it).

If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups.

Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given.

Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net phone: (310) 281-6064; recording, you can leave messages. CLA, PO Box 91413, Los Angeles, CA 90009-91413. CLA East: (866) 800-3881, http://www.claeast.org. Twin Cities MN info: (612) 821-3934 or dsgood@iphouse.com. 12-Step group.

Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165. 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free. Internet: info@messies.com. Website: http://www.messies.com Uses the 12 Steps, but doesn't adhere to all guidelines. (Founder isn't anonymous.)

"If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice
Change: You can now ask from the website.

Clutterless. http://www.clutterless.org Not a 12-step group, but uses some things from the 12-step tradition.

If there isn't a group in your area: Messies Anonymous has online meetings, and Clutterers Anonymous will have one soon. Clutterers Anonymous has a phone meeting.

The purpose of http://meetup.com is to set up and help local groups of many kinds. Nowhere near all are active. Some of the Declutter meetups, and one of the Messies meetups, look promising:

Northern Virginia Declutter Meetup Group Fairfax, VA
Toronto Declutter Meetup Group
Calgary Declutter Meetup Group
Cleveland Declutter Meetup Group
St. Pete-Clearwater Declutter Meetup Group
San Diego North County Declutter Meetup Group Escondido, CA
Northern Virginia Messies Meetup Group
[Revised 05/04/05]

Note: Beginning May 2005, Meetup will be charging a fee to organizers. One result is that organizers of some meetup groups are moving their groups elsewhere; others have started collecting donations or establishing fees, and others are dropping out.

Passed on by Lori Burkart
'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month....

'The flyer reads:
"For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group"

Subject: RE: Hoarders and Clutterers Support Group
From: "Mental Health Association of San Francisco"
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:31:26 -0800

Dear Dan,

Our support group does still exist and meets the 2nd Mondays and 4th Wednesdays of every month. The time is always 6-7pm. The location is 870 Market Street, Suite 622 S.F. CA 94102

However is important to note that the suite location is subject to change because of availability. For that reasons please call first to find out the suite number prior to arriving, or they will be a sign posted outside of suite 928 advising of the location.

Antonio is the staff person who runs the group; please call him if you have further question at (415) 421-2926 ext. 306
Thanks

Donice Carter
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
870 Market Street, Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-421-2926 (phone)
415-421-2928 (fax)
www.mha-sf.org
'"Twice a month, starting Nov. 1997:
2nd Mondays ....
4th Mondays at Canon Kip, 705 Natoma (@ 8th St.)

'"[note: the Association is responding to the problem of evictions due to Hoarding problems]"'

alt.recovery.clutter
(BRADFORDMC)
Sun Jan 18 1998

"I saw the original post of the San Francisco....group meetings and attended my first meeting at the Madrid Hotel.... I find the support mutual and encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in the area to attend. I also am interested in the possibility of starting a meeting in the east bay. One other person at the meeting lives in Berkeley. Due to a vision problem, it would be much easier to attend meetings closer to home. Anyone else interested?"

Informal: Minnesota; around St. Louis Park/Edina/Golden Valley --someone who can't currently get to the CLA meetings would like to meet informally. Call Zola at (612) 921-4917.

Useful Books, etc.

Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good
Housekeeping
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living.
MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES
Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead?
Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985)
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).
(....) SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). the sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is:
Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
P. O. Box 5364
Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091
http//www.shesintouch.com
"Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at 10.99US, 15.99CAN, 7.99UK).
"Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2.

Fri, 23 Jan 1998
ttista
cleaning tools

I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really.

He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products.

[new: http://www.cleanreport.com/]

Sat, 11 April 1998
Mycala W Shaulis
Kitchen Web Link

http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html

It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house.

alt.recovery.clutter
"SaraB"
Web Site
Thu Mar 18 1999

http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/
This is the website by Julie Morgenstern (duh...) of Organizing from the Inside Out. Just found it last night. I especially liked her "challenge" section.

Mon, 28 Jun 1999
Katrina Ancel
organizing Link

Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Web Ring...tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic..

http://www.organizerswebring.com/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

While this is a ring of Professional Organizers, you might also want to note the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers, at
http://www.napo.net/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

Link doesn't work on this one - looks like it should be
http://www.wecosoft.com/geniescorner/index.asp instead:

[...] Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at [see abovel.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join!

Fri, 9 Jul 1999
Katrina Ancel
Free Organizing Guide from Julie Morgenstern

Get a free guide on the ten most common pitfalls when organizing and how to avoid them..from TaskMasters the company owned by Julie Morgenstern author of "Organizing from the Inside Out" http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/task_masters_history.html

alt.recovery.clutter
From: naomiy
[1] Found a neat web site! (Pun intended)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999

Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com./

A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here!

South Minneapolis Clutterers Anonymous Flier

2005-04-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Clutterers Anonymous Meeting in South Minneapolis

1 pm, second Saturday of each month.

Pillsbury House, 3501 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis. On the #5 bus line.

For information, or to make sure a meeting hasn't been rescheduled, email dsgood@iphouse.com or call 612-821-3934.

April 9, 2005
May 14, 2005
June 11, 2005
July 9, 2005
August 13, 2005
September 10, 2005

"It's in here somewhere." "It might be useful someday." "I can't just throw it away." If you have too much stuff, or if what you have is disorganized, you may be a clutterer.

Other Twin Cities CLA meetings:
St. Paul: Every Sunday, 3-4 pm, Black Bear Crossings on the Lake (Como Park Pavilion), 1369 N. Lexington Parkway. Contact: Mary, 612-789-1651.
Roseville: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday, 10-11:15 am, St. Christopher's, Room 220, 2300 Hamline Ave (Hamline and Hwy 36). Contact: Wanda, 651-483-2440

For information on Clutterers Anonymous in general, see http://wwww.clutterersanonymous.net.

Q. Is this a real problem?
A. Anything that can get you evicted, get your house condemned, or get your children taken away from you, I would say is a real problem.

Q. Is Clutterers Anonymous a twelve-step group?
A. Yes.

Q. Are there other groups which deal with this problem?
A. Yes, but not active in the Twin Cities.

Messies Anonymous uses the Twelve Step model, but the founder doesn’t maintain anonymity and there are other differences. (This bothers some people, doesn’t bother others.) http://www.messies.com

Flylady has taken the SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) model and made it into something very much her own. http://flylady.net

Clutterless takes from various self-help group models. http://clutterless.org

Meetup.com is devoted to fostering local gatherings of people interested in just about anything, anywhere in the world. It has "Declutter" and "Messies" topics. The Minneapolis "Declutter" group is close to being active. The Minneapolis and St. Paul "Messies" groups aren't active.

alt.recovery.clutter FAQ

2005-03-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Archive-name: alt-recovery/clutter
Last-modified: 2005/03/24
Expires 4/26
Version: 10.04

Latest version posted at http://decluttering.blogspot.com.

3/05 Change: Inactive LiveJournal community deleted. Thanks to Don Saklad for catching it!
2/05 Changes Meetups added
1/05 Changes: Information on San Francisco area self-help group updated.

Thanks to Jeri Dansky for checking links -- something I should have done long since!

If there's something you think should be added, please let me know.
If you see something which needs changing, please let me know.

alt.recovery.clutter is a place where people who have cluttering as a problem can discuss methods of dealing with it, share Experience, Strength and Hope, recommend books on decluttering (and ways to keep them from becoming part of the clutter) and get contact information for self-help groups. alt.recovery.clutter is not affiliated with any organization, nor does it speak for any organization.

You may want to also try one or more of these email lists:

DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. To subscribe, send any message to DitchThatClutter@yahoogroups.com. This seems to be the liveliest one just now.

Decluttr@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU: Subscribe Decluttr Your Name. Put this in the body of the message (the Listserv software ignores subject headings). Note: "Decluttr" with one e.

There are a bunch of other mailing lists, but the ones I know about don't seem very active. If there's one you want to see listed here, tell me.

LiveJournal (http://livejournal.com) communities listed as interested in decluttering:
anticonsumerex - Financial Freedom Shall Be Ours!
clean_gweep - Do not mess with the Gweep armed with the broom.
flyladies - Flyladies and Flybabies Community
frugaluxe - frugaluxe
t_all_goes - it_all_goes
organize - Let's Get Organized
organizedlife - Organized Life
pagans_fly - pagans_fly
stonesoupswap - stonesoupswap

Q: What is clutter?
A: "Clutter is anything we don't need, want, or use that takes our time, energy or space, and destroys our serenity. It can be outgrown clothes, obsolete paper....We may be selective in some areas, but not in others. Objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers; neatly stacked or stowed in storage." The Twelve Steps of Clutterers Anonymous, CLA WSO Literature Committee, approved February 1996.

Q: Is cluttering a real problem?
A: Anything that can get you evicted, get your children taken away from you, keep you from inviting people into your home, get you charged more by retailers and the tax authorities because you can't find the paperwork needed to pay them on time, is a real problem.

Q: Does cluttering go together with ___?
A: Clutterers are more likely to have one of these: clinical depression, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But none of these invariably goes together with cluttering; and cluttering doesn't invariably go together with any of them.

Organizations for clutterers

If you can't find a local group, call your local self-help phone number (if you can't find it easily in the phonebook, ask your local library for help finding it).

If there's an organization or local meeting not listed here which you think should be, please let me know. I'm also interested in people's experiences with groups.

Where a phone number is given, please call first to make sure the meeting is still at the time and place given.

Clutterers Anonymous World Service Organization: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net phone: (310) 281-6064; recording, you can leave messages. CLA, PO Box 91413, Los Angeles, CA 90009-91413. CLA East: (866) 800-3881, http://www.claeast.org. Twin Cities MN info: (612) 821-3934 or dsgood@iphouse.com. 12-Step group.

Messies Anonymous: 5025 SW 114th Ave., Miami, FL 33165. 1-800-MESS AWAY Quarterly newsletter $5 per year -- sample newsletter free. Internet: info@messies.com. Website: http://www.messies.com Uses the 12 Steps, but doesn't adhere to all guidelines. (Founder isn't anonymous.)

"If you write to the address for the newsletter and include your city and state, you will receive a list of others in the area who have asked for the same information OR the name and number of the person who has organized such a group--if there is one. You will also receive as much information and support as you might need if you want to start your own group." Bonnie Rice
Change: You can now ask from the website.

Clutterless. http://www.clutterless.org Not a 12-step group, but uses some things from the 12-step tradition.

If there isn't a group in your area: Messies Anonymous has online meetings, and Clutterers Anonymous will have one soon. Clutterers Anonymous has a phone meeting.

The purpose of http://meetup.com is to set up and help local groups of many kinds. Nowhere near all are active. Some of the Declutter meetups, and one of the Messies meetups, look promising:

The New York City Declutter Meetup Group
The Northern Virginia Declutter Meetup Group Fairfax, VA
The San Diego North County Declutter Meetup Group Escondido, CA
The Topeka FLY-Babies Meetup Group Topeka, KS
The Alameda County Declutter Meetup Group Oakland, CA
The Northern Virginia Messies Meetup Group

Passed on by Lori Burkart
'A Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group has been formed in San Francisco and meets twice a month....

'The flyer reads:
"For Mental Health Consumers who have too much stuff and want help, the San Francisco Mental Health Association's Consumer Housing Group presents a Hoarders' and Clutterers' Support Group"

Subject: RE: Hoarders and Clutterers Support Group
From: "Mental Health Association of San Francisco"
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 09:31:26 -0800

Dear Dan,

Our support group does still exist and meets the 2nd Mondays and 4th Wednesdays of every month. The time is always 6-7pm. The location is 870 Market Street, Suite 622 S.F. CA 94102

However is important to note that the suite location is subject to change because of availability. For that reasons please call first to find out the suite number prior to arriving, or they will be a sign posted outside of suite 928 advising of the location.

Antonio is the staff person who runs the group; please call him if you have further question at (415) 421-2926 ext. 306
Thanks

Donice Carter
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Mental Health Association of San Francisco
870 Market Street, Suite 928
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-421-2926 (phone)
415-421-2928 (fax)
www.mha-sf.org
'"Twice a month, starting Nov. 1997:
2nd Mondays ....
4th Mondays at Canon Kip, 705 Natoma (@ 8th St.)

'"[note: the Association is responding to the problem of evictions due to Hoarding problems]"'

alt.recovery.clutter
(BRADFORDMC)
Sun Jan 18 1998

"I saw the original post of the San Francisco....group meetings and attended my first meeting at the Madrid Hotel.... I find the support mutual and encouraging. I encourage anyone interested in the area to attend. I also am interested in the possibility of starting a meeting in the east bay. One other person at the meeting lives in Berkeley. Due to a vision problem, it would be much easier to attend meetings closer to home. Anyone else interested?"

Informal: Minnesota; around St. Louis Park/Edina/Golden Valley --someone who can't currently get to the CLA meetings would like to meet informally. Call Zola at (612) 921-4917.

Useful Books, etc.

Sandra Felton. THE MESSIES MANUAL: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good
Housekeeping
THE MESSIES SUPERGUIDE: Strategies and Ideas for Conquering Catastrophic Living.
MEDITATIONS FOR MESSIES
Alcoholics Anonymous TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS
Don Aslett: Clutter's Last Stand, Not For Pack Rats Only, How do I Clean the Moosehead?
Stephanie Culp: How to Organize, How to Simplify Your Life
Young and Jones, Sidetracked Home Executives (Warner 1981)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters Catch-up on the Kitchen (Warner 1983)
Young and Jones, The Sidetracked Sisters' Happiness File (Warner 1985)
Young and Jones, Get Your Act Together (Harper Collins 1993).
(....) SHE and GYAT can usually be found at large chain bookstores or Christian bookstores (these are not "Christian" publications, per se). the sisters themselves peddle a variety of SHE items.... Address is:
Sidetracked Home Executives, Inc.
P. O. Box 5364
Vancouver, WA 98668 [360] 696-4091
http//www.shesintouch.com
"Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (Publisher: Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH. The cover lists it at 10.99US, 15.99CAN, 7.99UK).
"Lighten Up! Free Yourself From Clutter," by Michelle Passoff, Harper Collins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0-06-095265-2.

Fri, 23 Jan 1998
ttista
cleaning tools

I follow Don Aslett's book Is There Life After Housework. You can get his catalog 1-800-451-2402. I use his mop, it's called a scrubbee doo. really.

He explains how to use the right cleaning tools, and cleaning products.

[new: http://www.cleanreport.com/]

Sat, 11 April 1998
Mycala W Shaulis
Kitchen Web Link

http://www.123sortit.com/toc.html

It covers not just the kitchen, but virtually every room in the house.

alt.recovery.clutter
"SaraB"
Web Site
Thu Mar 18 1999

http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/
This is the website by Julie Morgenstern (duh...) of Organizing from the Inside Out. Just found it last night. I especially liked her "challenge" section.

Mon, 28 Jun 1999
Katrina Ancel
organizing Link

Thought I'd pass this one along..it is the Professional Web Ring...tons of info on getting organized at the home site, plus since it's a ring they link to other sites on the topic..

http://www.organizerswebring.com/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

While this is a ring of Professional Organizers, you might also want to note the site of the National Association of Professional Organizers, at
http://www.napo.net/

Jeri Dansky
Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:51:49 -0800

Link doesn't work on this one - looks like it should be
http://www.wecosoft.com/geniescorner/index.asp instead:

[...] Chore Genie is a shareware application that helps to schedule your household chores, includes a menu-builder and a to-do list.... We offer tips and worksheets for getting started, which can be viewed on our web site at [see abovel.... We even have an email loop anyone can join by sending me a request to GenieMail@wecosoft.com. The email loop has tips for using the program as well as general topics for staying motivated, getting started and anything else that is on topic. Anyone is welcome to join!

Fri, 9 Jul 1999
Katrina Ancel
Free Organizing Guide from Julie Morgenstern

Get a free guide on the ten most common pitfalls when organizing and how to avoid them..from TaskMasters the company owned by Julie Morgenstern author of "Organizing from the Inside Out" http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/task_masters_history.html

alt.recovery.clutter
From: naomiy
[1] Found a neat web site! (Pun intended)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999

Check out: http://www.organizedhome.com./

A bit advanced for some of us maybe, but there are lots of good resources here!