Clutter attack!

My life was fairly organized when I was single.  Then I added JM into the mix and clutter began to creep in.  He is quite the pack rat.  He is also afraid to throw anything away that may at some point be important to me.  That part is my fault...a few fits after throwing away my Bath and Body Works coupons and I create a monster.  The clutter was starting to make it's way into my life but then we moved into the house and had lots of room and doors to shut when the clutter was too much.

Then Ali came and everything was turned upside down.  Anything I try to organize is 'unorganized' the minute I turn to the next project and she tries to imitate Mommy.  But I thought I was starting to get the hang of it until...

I went crash in a Walmart parking lot.  Now I sit here all day and watch as the clutter piles up and threatens to overtake my existence.  I had my house where at least I knew where things were.  JM and my family, for the most part, know where I keep stuff or why I do the quirky things I do.  Other people, who think they're helping, are putting things whereever they think make sense and totally unraveling all the routines and procedures I have in place.  Also, I never realized I'm the only one who gets and goes through the mail.  I keep reminding JM to get the mail and then I discovered our mail basket (it's been a few days since I've been in the kitchen) is overflowing onto the counter (which now means clutter on the counter!!!) and my OCD gets kicked into overdrive.  I'm not blaming JM.  By far, I know I'm the one who's made him afraid to throw out anything. 

I'm also ordering more online at this time.  I might not be able to drive, but my fingers can still type in http://www.6pm.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/!  A few months ago I started boxing up all of Ali's old clothes and such (thinking we'd have a break in between kiddos).  I was keeping every single box that came through our house so JM was under strict instructions not to throw away boxes.  God love him, he is still so scared straight that as I'm sitting here now on my couch, there are 7 boxes in my view.  Yep.  7 big old cardboard shipping boxes.  Either empty or filled with the clutter from the dining room table that was thrown in before Thanksgiving dinner.

So I decided today I'm going to start my attack.  My first order of business was to go through the insane amount of mail.  I actually filled our indoor recycling bin.  It was absolutely ridiculous.  Catalogs and ads from stores I've never even heard of, more or less signed up for.  I know Ali hasn't signed up for anything and she's suddenly getting American Girl magazines (which totally freak me out...dolls that look like you?!?). 

I did some research and decided my first order of business is to declutter my mail.  It's easy and I can do it sitting ;-)  I found https://www.catalogchoice.org/.  You put in your address and any names that appear on mail for your residence...even 'current residence'.  Then you can either go through all the companies names or search for ones and it walks you through 'unsubscribing'.  I took all the catalogs I don't want and looked them all up on the website and submitted forms for every single one.  The website even generates a generic email address for you so that you aren't giving out your email address and possibly, accidentally, subscribing to something else.  Then it gives you another little form to copy and insert explaining what you want cancelled.  So easy!  And I'm thinking this time of year is the perfect time to attack because every company and their mother is sending out catalogs for Christmas. 

I haven't decided which decluttering I'm going to attack tomorrow, but I'll let you know.