# I cleaned up my room... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 2000, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756 "2000-10-21T04:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/1 "2000-10-21T04:33:26Z")
Well, cleaned isn’t really the proper work. I tore it apart and put it back together again. A big part of the reason it was a mess was that I’m a packrat, and I ran out of places to put stuff, as it devolved to junk and finally to crud. My church had a rummage sale, and afteward, when I came to clean the church, Father Francis invited me to go through the stuff that was left and take whatever I wanted. I took a filing cabinet. I also grabbed some old baskets. The following night, the fun began. I dumped drawers, threw away a whole bunch of stuff that I couldn’t believe I had saved- old receipts from Walgreens, employee manuals from former jobs, church bulletins from two years ago. Yeesh. Then I started organizing- tax stuff, W2’s, church-related materials, stuff related to my current job.Into the filing cabinet. This freed up an incredible amount of drawer space. I also got some small stackable storage bins,some plastic baskest, to throw little stuff, sorted by category, into so it wouldn’t be floating around loose in the dresser drawers. The whole process took about a week, about two hours a night, a lifetime’s worth of accumulated nothing. The end result- a nice, tidy bedroom, with plenty of places to put stuff. I even had a couple of the plastic storage boxes left over. They’re under my bed now, waiting to be filled with little stuff. I figure, once they’re full, before I get to the point where once more I run out of places to put stuff, I’ll dump them out onto the floor, and once again ask the question, "What the hell am I saving _this_ for? ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/2 "2000-10-21T04:39:51Z")
**Thea** , you are my “Today’s Personal Hero”. I’m a lifelong packrat. Taken in conjunction with my love of books and CD’s, the amount of paper I encounter as a result of my profession, and the propensity for buying stupid little things, I can barely walk in my room. I dream of cleaning it someday, but so far, someday has not arrived. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/3 "2000-10-21T04:46:36Z")
Hmmm. Funny. I just cleaned my room the other day, when my garbage pile had gotten big enough that I had to turn sideways to get out of my room. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/4 "2000-10-21T12:43:07Z")
Thea! I should take a picture of all the trash that needs to go out following my recent cleanup! Does that feel great or what?? Apparently if you do this every six months or so it won’t be as bad. I’m still on the 5 year plan myself 🙂 Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/5 "2000-10-21T12:46:50Z")
I asked for a dumpster for a month. Otherwise it is just so overwhelming. I have way too much stuff. Thea Logica, you are my new role model. -----🙂 —////\\ ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/6 "2000-10-21T14:46:57Z")
If you plan to move to another country in 7 months, that is helpful too… You could practically not see my floor in years and “tidy the room” meant to squeeze all the stuff into a drawer for me. Then I realized I couldnt take all that crap with me anyways, so I just through all the damn stuff away. Now half my drawers are empty. 🙂 You wouldnt believe what I found… I can tell you some of it didnt look nice… 8) The navy would be proud of us hehe Uncle Sam wants you to tidy your room! uhm… sure… random. sorry. b dodgy ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/7 "2000-10-21T15:11:18Z")
I just cleaned. My apartmentmates usually do some serious cleaning every week but that still leaves my own room a mess. Usually I clean when I’m trying to impress a girl, but that applies mainly to the floor and of course the bed (i.e. I actually bother to make the bed); the desk, however, will probably look this bad until I move out. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/8 "2000-10-22T04:01:50Z")
So, after ten months of semi-regular posting, I have become a role model for my fellow Dopers- not for my intellectual prowess, not for my general tolerance of people who do not share my opinions or religious beliefs, not for my uniquely warped sense of humor, but because I cleaned up my room. :rolleyes: OK, I’m going to pick up the box that until a few minutes ago contained a Big Mac and (dramatic pause) \*\* throw it in the trash can!\*\* No applause, just throw money. ---
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/9 "2000-10-22T04:11:14Z")
Wow! Thea, you’re so awesome! Can I be in your fan club? As Lola mentioned in another thread, I have a perpetually dirty room. It hasn’t been totally clean in years. There’s nothing really “dirty” in the room but there’s so many papers and books lying around to trip on. I usually pile everything into neat little piles, but even the piles get overwhelming. Now, if I had _room_ for a filing cabinet…that would be great! ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/10 "2000-10-22T04:13:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thea Logica \* > \*\*So, after ten months of semi-regular posting, I have become a role model for my fellow Dopers- > > not for my intellectual prowess, > > not for my general tolerance of people who do not share my opinions or religious beliefs, > > not for my uniquely warped sense of humor, > > but because > > I cleaned up my room. > > :rolleyes: > > No applause, just throw money. \*\* Find your lot in life… that’s what my mother always used to say. Then she was eaten by the suspicious pile of unclean clothing by the door. \ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/11 "2000-10-22T04:32:40Z")
Um, Welfy, if you got a filing cabinet, you could then put the piles of papers _inside_ it. Then the piles would be taking up primarily vertical, rather than horizontal space, and, _voila_, more room. Also, you could put a couple of stackable crates on top of the filing cabinet. Then you could use them as bookshelves. I actually had a “bookcase” for a while that consisted four milk crates stacked on top of one another. I thought it was the coolest thing… I also have a small bookshelf next to my bed for books that I either haven’t gotten around to reading yet, or which require frequent re-reading. I put a basket on top of it for the books I’m currently reading. (I’ve been known to have as many as three books going at a time.) ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/12 "2000-10-22T05:01:47Z")
…and out daughter actually says she likes her room “cluttered and messy… it’s more fun, you know.” She’s pretty bright for a 4 year old… Thea, I envy you, and you have inspired me… I am going to pick up a filing cabinet and several milk carton boxes and start going through 7 years of packrat-ness… **sending in my virtual dues for the Thea Logica fan club** ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/13 "2000-10-22T13:37:17Z")
Thanks a lot! I was settled down with a cup of coffee, “Breakfast with the Arts” on A&E (Daniel Barenboim and Beethoven) and a morning of SDMB. I’m not going to do much today, just relax and read some postings. Then I found your thread. And looked around the house. And at the cat so comfortable on the stack of newspapers (the stack she didn’t knock over already). And at the empty CD cases scattered about. And the books on the floor. And the area rug that definitely needs some personal lovin’ from the vacuum cleaner. And realized I haven’t sat on the couch for a week (haven’t been able to, with all the fabric and pattern pieces ‘arranged there’. You just **had** to ruin my day of doing absolutely nothing productive by inspiring me to clean up the house. I can only say…THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME GET OFF MY LAZY BUTT! 😃 I’m off to Office Depot to buy a filing cabinet and (another) bookcase (number 6), and shall name them after you. I shall check in later with a full report. Bye! ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/14 "2000-10-22T13:38:35Z")
…But I’m leaving the TV on (for awhile). I enjoy Barenboim’s interpretations of Beethoven. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/15 "2000-10-22T15:18:11Z")
you have inspired me. Imagine your bedroom, and multiply that by a whole apartment. And you have the squallor that I live in. Feh. As soon as this song downloads from Macster, I’m cleaning, too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/16 "2000-10-22T18:06:35Z")
Ye Gods- I’ve inspired a generation! Remember kids, throw away a lot of stuff, and you will have plenty of room for new stuff! Also, I’m a book freak. I periodically go through my bookshelves. If I haven’t re-read a book in a couple of years, don’t use it for at least semi-regular reference, and don’t think I’ll be wanting to read it again anytime soon, it goes into a pile, the pile goes into a bag, and the bag goes to a used bookstore, where I sell them and get money to… (everybody sing along now…) **BUY MORE BOOKS!** ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/17 "2000-10-22T18:14:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thea Logica \* > \*\*So, after ten months of semi-regular posting, I have become a role model for my fellow Dopers- > > not for my intellectual prowess, > > not for my general tolerance of people who do not share my opinions or religious beliefs, > > not for my uniquely warped sense of humor, > > but because > > I cleaned up my room. > > :rolleyes: > > OK, I’m going to pick up the box that until a few minutes ago contained a Big Mac and (dramatic pause) > \*\* throw it in the trash can!\*\* > > No applause, just throw money. \*\* ::tosses her a sackie:: Nice job. I wish I were that diligent towards my room. My desk is a bit cluttered. Library books, papers, couple of school books, books i never got around to reading…yech. But other than that, its not so bad. if you walked in and looked around, you wouldn’t say “EW” unless you were an anal retentive freak. Its all the books and CDs… i need places for them dammnit. my rooms not big enough. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cleaned-up-my-room/37756/18 "2000-10-22T18:17:16Z")
One room down!!! Wohooo!! The bedroom is clean! I found a shirt I thought was lost! I found two books I forgot I was reading! The cat has a new place to sleep! (On top of the pile of books that were next to the bed, but are now in the liing room waiting for their temporary quarters on the bookshelf…til they migrate back next to the bed…) And the best part… I HAVE A FLOOR!!! ::performs dance o’ joy in honor of my new mentor, Thea Logica:: Gawd, I love the smell of Windex, Carpet Fresh and Pledge (Lemon, of course). Now, for the bathroom… Lysol and Windex (well-ventilated, of course).