• Cure Clock: 5 Weeks Remaining
• Assignment: Read pp. 129-153, clean living room, purge books and media
• Flickr Pool: Northwest Fall Cure Pool
This week we focus on going through and getting rid of books, magazines, CDs and DVDs that we no longer read, watch or need. Since most of us store these things in our living rooms, and since living rooms are often the center (at least the "public" center) of our homes, decluttering media has the potential to effect one of the most significant positive changes of the Cure process. Paper in particular generates dust as it degrades over time, marring the crisp, clean look and feel many of us are going for.
So don't hesitate — dig in, give away, and unsubscribe!
>>Northwest Fall Cure Flickr pool
Weekly Assignment (Deep Treatment):
Mr_Yuko created this spacious and functional landing strip by replacing the small chest of drawers that used to be here with a larger one from another room.
Weekly Assignment (One-Room Workout):
Aquarabbit recently moved and has staged her books on the floor, but out of the boxes. She's similarly leaned her artwork against the pile of books, both for viewing and to motivate her to hang it.
Discussions & Useful Links:
Neeecole's before shot of her second living room / "man" room / guest room displays her bookshelf and a vintage popcorn machine.
Previous Northwest Fall Cure 08 Posts:
The Fall Cure on the other AT sites:
General Info:
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
The World's Ugliest Condo: The Big Bathroom Reveal 
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Homesteaders' Cocktail Recipe: Lovage Simple Syrup
Comments (6)
Any ideas about how to stop catalogs that come addressed to the previous tenants of our apartment? At first it was kind of cool to flip through them, because they seem to have had more high end tastes than we do and there were lots of cool things to look at or aspire to. But really, the last thing I really need is an endless stream of junk mail trying to sell me things I can't afford!
I worked in a CD and bookstore during my college years and both books and music have always been REALLY important to me and hard to get rid off. Over the past month i started burning everything to my computer and backing it all up. I was AMAZED at how much room it cleared up. Now with everything on my computer I am listening to music I completely forgot about, not to mention sending my music collection to an old college roomie made her day!
Finally! Something at which I can excel. We don't keep books after they're read. We throw out old magazines/catalogs when the new one arrives, finished or not; there's no way you can keep up with Harpers and New Yorker so read the best stuff first. I even (gasp) toss junk mail unopened as it arrives. We pay bills electronically when we can and pay the others as they arrive.
Most paper is not problem for me. But I do have a huge collection of fiber art books. Maybe I can purge 10%-20% of those. Nah....
lurker, I tend to call phone numbers on the catalogs to unsubscribe. There are some paid services that will do it for you. Regarding this general topic, someone mentioned here on AT that they use titles to track how catalog lists disemminate, i.e.-- add a Duchess here or an Esquire there to see how your name is being passed around.
quiltmaster, I am the opposite. When paper sees me, I am the destination. I love books and magazines. Okay, bills, not so much. I really indulge myself with media and love to reference the favorites. Having said that, I think that the AT Home Cure 10% rule is a great one, ie.-- have at leat 10% of space available for new things to reside on your book/media shelves.
not only does paper disintegrate, it also absorbs the odors of your home. especially cardboard boxes. and they give off their own musty scent over time as they break down. get rid of (meaning recycle) as many cardboard containers as you can and replace them with metal boxes/tins or plastic storage containers. cleaner and less smelly. ick.
Since having our son we've had to be very organized with our books and CDs. We used to have them all in open shelving but realized that if we wanted to keep any of them, something had to be done. Now we keep it all behind closed doors in white, low level cabinets and it makes the living room so much calmer to be in. We display artwork on the wall above to create some interest though!
http://www.notyourgoddess.blogspot.com/