Decluttering!

[merryone]

There's nothing quite like seeing someone else's clutter, to make you think OMG don't ever let me get like that! I know I've got too many clothes, shoes and handbags, half of which I hardly/never wear, piles of make up of which only a fraction is used, bathroom shelves jammed pack full of fragrances, bath products and skincare...I went to see a mate last week, and yes she is a bit of a hoarder, she's got a whole wall full of old 45's that she doesn't play cause she's got nothing to play them on, old videos?! - same, and of course umpteen dvds, and cds..another one with too many clothes and shoes, but she also has a lot of nick nacks....shelves and units covered with bits and bobs picked up from here and there, programmes, old tickets and flyers from literally ever gig or night out she's had!...and she's even got beer bottles as ornaments, cos they've got funky or meaningful labels, and need I say there's an awful lot of dust!!!! She's not in a good place at the moment and this has made her living space a lot worse as she's doing the bare minimum..like washing up a plate as and when she needs it, emptying the bin when it actually starts to overflow! I just wanted to say please let me help you get rid of some of this stuff it's really bogging you down! Anyway, I didn't 'cause we had other stuff to talk about, but when I got home, I started to have a look around myself and thought if I can't help her I can do something to help myself! So I bagged up loads of clothes and shoes that I never wear, and various other bits that I don't use and never have to be honest and donated them to a charity shop.
One of the biggest shocks was the stuff cluttering up the bathroom - Fairly recently I bought a skincare set from IW ...It had everything in it and it was half price...it still cost me about £50 though. It contained a day cream, a night cream (great) Then there was an eye cream, a cream specifically for under your eyes, an eye serum, a face serum, a neck serum, a collagen face serum and a collagen gel - guess what -for your eyes again!!!! Only the day and the night creams had actually been used, so everything else went in the bag....bathroom shelves look so much better now, but what a waste of money, and what a fool I am!!! I'd have been happy paying a bit less and getting the day and night cream, maybe a face pack, body lotion and or hand cream!!!

Now I've got rid of a lot of useless clutter I'm determined to try and keep it that way and not buy these "bargains" when my moisturiser runs out I'll buy another moisturiser to replace it..end of!!! Still got the bug, just want to declutter even more...I know you have to be ruthless sometimes when it comes to chucking stuff out...but has anyone got any tips?!

 

[maymorganlondon]

Well done on starting the decluttering. I keep digging stuff out and putting together bags ready to go to the charity shop but so far the latest bags haven't made it out of the house. You are so right about how debilitating it is being surrounded by junk.

It's easiest to start with stuff that has no emotional strings attached, I find. Clothes, shoes and gadgets. Books, music, photos are a nightmare for me.

I don't do car boots and am not savvy enough for eBay, besides it means the clutter staying around even longer! I do try to gift aid my items, so even if I am not making money, a good cause will benefit.

I will report back on my progress, and perhaps others may join in? A bit of mutual support may be just the ticket?

 

[merryone]

I know what you mean....I'd never chuck old photographs away, photographs now are least easier to manage, being on phones and computer no more bulky albums, packets of photos everywhere...but other memories.....like a programme from a gig or show, though I tend not to buy them now, cause they're ludicrously overpriced, you've read them usually before the show's even finished or on the train home and then if you're honest they just add to the clutter...and let's face it do you need a printed reminder of everything you've seen, and I think I can honestly remember every gig I've been to anyway, and if I didn't ...it can't have been worth remembering anyway!!!
My biggest problem is mail...well my husband's mail...I'll open mine straight away...deal with it as soon as I can then shred it, or shred it immediately if it's no important. I've got a filing system, but he never uses it cause he says he'd forget to go through it, he doesn't open things straight away, so consequently there's piles of mail dotted around, and often carrier bags full of mail that he "promises" to deal with...inverably this doesn't happen. He does recycle obvious "junk mail" I'll give him that, but that's about it.
The other big problem is the amount of stray leads and cables we've got cluttering up our drawers, I've even got a bag full...and it's got to the stage where I haven't a clue what's what or whether we even own the appliance/gadget that it goes with anymore lol. Tempted to just throw the whole lot out lock stock and barrel...if they've not been missed for a year, it's highly likely we don't need it...right I'm on it today!!!
Recycling...this is one of the problems my mate has - She's got a wonderful big kitchen which has enough room to house a table and chairs...but instead of that she's got about 3 or 4 hideous crates full of recycling, not only does it look absolutely horrible, in the summer the stuff that hasn't been washed out sufficiently eg, cat food tins start to fight with the cat litter tray to see what can make the worse smell....and yes the cat litter tray is in the kitchen! Like me she doesn't have a garden or back yard to put such things!
I don't have a cat, so I don't have a litter tray to contend with, but I'm proud of my recycling system...the main box remains outside tucked around the side of the bay and indoors I've stacked some attractive looking baskets on top of the cupboard in the hallway and the recycling is sorted into these boxes and put outside on the appropriate day, anything that's really big and cumbersome such as large cardboard boxes I take to the communal recycling bins in the next street...Unfortunately the public bins are very limited in what they'll take, think there's one for cardboard and one for glass and that's it!
Finally one tip I have with books is this....if it's a reference book, I'll keep it, though I've thrown out some obsolete stuff like road maps,guinness book of records 1992, but I'll look and think....am i gonna read it again....lf it's a definite no, then it goes, does it have sentimental value? does it look attractive on the shelf - if it doesn't match that criteria then out it goes!

 

[merryone]

Come on "declutters" some ideas please lol! I just had one....We've all got a "junk drawer", I sadly now have a couple of kitchen drawers full of miscellaneous crap and also some cupboard space which is almost full to the brim with carrier bags/bags for life...gonna have a good cull of those and just use one of those hanging bag holders, bags for life can live in the boot of the car ..inside this cupboard Im gonna pop one of those slimline plastic chest of drawers, and guess what i'm gonna put in those drawers? You've guessed it - miscellaneous crap, not only will it free up the kitchen drawers for their intended use, the crap will be hidden and easily rummaged through...genius lol!

 

[iloveshopping]

I'm a hoarder too. Recently though I have taken to filling up small carrier bags of clothes and taking them to the charity shop. One a week gets rid of a fair amount. Also I chucked out most of my books except for about 2 cookery books and a couple of art books.

 

[DunmowDizzy]

I've not had a day off for over a week and next one is next Saturday, however early shift tomorrow so promise to declutter something in the afternoon and report on here. The secret is little and often isn't it or you lose momentum?

 

[maymorganlondon]

I put some of my clothes "up" a while back now. If I get to 12 months without getting any out, all of them will be put in the charity bag for someone else to get the benefit. I've got 3 months left to go...!

Definitely it's attritional. You never stop weeding and sorting to make space for newer stuff that comes into your life. Plus what we need changes over time.

 

[mediastar]

I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia in October last year, part of my problem is organisation, so I ooze mess, I hate it! I should love to be one of those tidy types, but I am so exhausted with work, I have nothing left for home, I was better when I temped, it used less of my focus, so I had more energy left after work and at weekends. Some weekends, I don't realise I haven't had a drink all day.... I was sensible this weekend just gone, but there were still things I wanted to do that I didn't!

 

[merryone]

I've not had a day off for over a week and next one is next Saturday, however early shift tomorrow so promise to declutter something in the afternoon and report on here. The secret is little and often isn't it or you lose momentum?

Totally agree with that - I've always been a blitzer....ie let the place get into a right pickle before I snap and think something's gotta be done, have a good blitz, keep it up for as long as I can, then lapse back into my old ways....that really needs to change!
I'm still at it though! Went through the junk drawers...actually cleaned the inside of the drawer itself, then threw away quite a lot, the rest I organised as best as I could into small clear freezer bags, so now you can see what you need at a glance and kinda rummage through without having to actually open the bag until you find what you need......Was gonna put plastic lock n' locks in the drawer but I tried that before and it didn't really work cause you couldn't get that many in, and because of that they all got filled with clutter and ended up spilling over and getting disorganised..but the plastic bags seem like quite good plan, you can fit in loads and like I say, they make it really easy to see what you want at a glance!

 

[merryone]

I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia in October last year, part of my problem is organisation, so I ooze mess, I hate it! I should love to be one of those tidy types, but I am so exhausted with work, I have nothing left for home, I was better when I temped, it used less of my focus, so I had more energy left after work and at weekends. Some weekends, I don't realise I haven't had a drink all day.... I was sensible this weekend just gone, but there were still things I wanted to do that I didn't!

I haven't even got an excuse, not saying you're making excuses...you know what I mean....I'm just tired and unmotivated most of the time. I don't do this sort of thing often enough, though this should read, once I've had a good blitz, I find it extremely difficult/tiresome to keep up the good work. I'll be honest....I hate housework, and working full time I'm generally far too tired to bother too much..however I'm off this week, and so far keeping on top of things is actually a lot of hard work. Some people seem to spend their whole lives scrubbing and cleaning...and don't know how they do it! But perhaps like me they blitz only when they know guests are coming!!!

 

[May]

I sometimes when I ve got a mad mad moment ....
Take one cupboard at a time ...rather than take the whole house in one go ..( I don't live in a mansion btw lol ) ...it can be overwhelming ... as I get older my motivation decreases but I do get a few bits and bobs sorted ....I've googled inspirational tips before too ..always helps me ....right now ..where can I start ..great post Merryone and everybody :mysmilie_14:

 

[Letz-be-avenue]

Great thread, i want to sell my house this year but seem to find it hard to get it as i would like it to put it on the market, as I live on my own and am useless at Diy, things just get left and I put up with things, like a cupboard door half hanging off etc, it took me months to try and fit a new letter box when my old one gave up the ghost! But I do try to have a regular de-clutter and only tackle a bit at a time so I don't get disheartened, I do love my books and have far too many I insist i will read one day but some are going to have to go, I agree that when you work full time or even if you don't sometimes it is hard to motivate yourselves to do it no matter how therapeutic people might tell you it is.
I also find it hard to part with clothes that I rarely or have never worn in the hope or belief that I will wear them one day.
I have even kept clothes for the bizarre reason that if I lost my job I would need them as I wouldn't be able to afford to buy anymore, well last year I did lose my job as I was made redundant and ended up with a job where I earn so much less (not that i am complaining) and I still haven't worn them, so am going to have a sort out this week bit by bit and take a big pile to the charity shop where they will be of much more use!

 

[maymorganlondon]

I put a bunch of camisoles to one side, but having worn one or two recently, I have recognised I put them to one side for good reason. They have been laundered and are now heading for the next charity bag :mysmilie_59:

I'm another one who works fulltime (and the rest) and have precious little motivation to get stuck in at home after a day that can finish after 7pm.

The declutter is important though, as decluttering is supposed to help with health issues such as weight and sleep. I keep reminding myself of this!!!

I've a great big "to-do" list once the clutter is under control, so have to press on, even if it is a little bit at a time.

 

[merryone]

It's so true, when you get rid of clutter it literally makes you feel "lighter"...My laundry basket was full to the brim, there was also a laundry bag sitting on top also full to the brim....I was washing clothes two or three times a week and of course washed laundry =ironing! My ironing basket became so full that I had to put the overspill into a basket and keep it inside the bath 'cause there was nowhere else for it to go. I actually went through all of the baskets and found stuff that wasn't even worth keeping...odd socks, faded old tee shirts, a work uniform that we don't even wear any more!!!!! Anything from the ironing pile that was in good condition that I didn't want I put into the charity bag, anything tatty and from the washing basket I threw out I am now aiming to do one, maybe two loads a week (if I've got enough whites for a full load) and one session of ironing...so far it's working a treat. I'm down to one laundry basket and an empty basket for the ironing.....result!!! Also paired up all the socks and discarded anything odd, crispy or holed and still there's plenty left! It's just such a nice feeling waking up, getting out of bed and walking a clear path to the kitchen without slipping on magazines, tripping over pairs of shoes, discarded clothing and just seeing piles of clutter everywhere. And if I do manage to keep on top of it, when I get back from work of an evening, I won't have too much to do, and I can just flop down on the sofa and have a quick whip round before I go to bed!

 

[DunmowDizzy]

Just remembered I promised to report back. I have had a tricky week emotionally for a couple of reasons including tiredness but have still managed to fill an enormous bag and take to Oxfam and sort through my Bobbi Brown cosmetics which were dispersing to various bags etc. Many of the clothes I bought during my stressful years are too big now as I'm losing the weight that I inevitably put on by emotional eating at that time. So much of my focus has been on trying on these items and purging them many are unworn still labelled but decided not to sell as this will slow down or even halt the process. I also feel I may think more about what I buy in future if I see how much money I wasted. However, it did distract and comfort me at a difficult time so there was value in that. If charity shops will benefit too then even better! Hope to do even more this week, not at my best still but focusing on this will help and if I can see results then could make a big difference.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I don't have a sentimental bone in my body so don't have problems chucking out old photos etc but still the clutter takes over no matter how many blitzes I have.

I have just spent 5 months clearing the paperwork alone from my late fathers home,( a terrible hoarder) and that was before it even came to household junk. It just became too much for me so I paid a company to come in and clear the rest and it was worth every pound (a lot of pounds!) as it was really getting me down to the point I felt unwell with the stress.

I used to come home every weekend and vow to sort my own rubbish out but have absolutely no free time to do so, but I am determined to do a full top to bottom clear out before 2017 is out!

 

[merryone]

Still keeping up with it, but I know I've really got to go through all the cupboards and weed out all the "useless gadgets" and weed out any chipped crockery, warped baking trays, knackered casserole dishes that sort of thing, it is nice having a clear house, but knowing the cupboards and drawers are stuffed full of junk takes the edge off a bit! Got a day off tomorrow, if I'm feeling engergetic might make a start. I have actually "done" a few drawers, but that's the tip of the iceberg, and I really need to sort out all the crap that's stored under the bed. For a start I know there's an exercise machine I've not used for about 5 years!...bit heavy to lug down to the charity shop but if I put it beside one of the recyling bins up the road and someone's sure to take it...can't be bothered with trying to put stuff on Ebay to be honest!

 

[DunmowDizzy]

My overflowing Recycling bin will be emptied in the morning to refill again. Will have a go at paperwork,magazines then tomorrow. Will do an hour, that is enough for anyone! I don't have a lot of junk, broken stuff etc. That I find easy to bin. I have a lot of good stuff, often quite pricey. I was thinking earlier I probably should be selling to build up a buffer in my account as I am very dependent financially on DH which is limiting my confidence and life options. But the clutter is doing that too and selling would slow down the decluttering so I'm still thinking donating is the way to go.

Currently decluttering a few cans of ready mix Gordon's G&T that have been languishing in the fridge as they are full fat Tonic. ������

 

[merryone]

My overflowing Recycling bin will be emptied in the morning to refill again. Will have a go at paperwork,magazines then tomorrow. Will do an hour, that is enough for anyone! I don't have a lot of junk, broken stuff etc. That I find easy to bin. I have a lot of good stuff, often quite pricey. I was thinking earlier I probably should be selling to build up a buffer in my account as I am very dependent financially on DH which is limiting my confidence and life options. But the clutter is doing that too and selling would slow down the decluttering so I'm still thinking donating is the way to go.

Currently decluttering a few cans of ready mix Gordon's G&T that have been languishing in the fridge as they are full fat Tonic. ������

Difficult one that, you've got servicable stuff, but nevertheless it's stuff you don't use, ok it may be tucked away in cupboards, under the bed, at the bottom of the wardrobe and doesn't necessarily make the place looked cluttered, but open that cupboard door to retrieve something that you really need, first you're met with a horrid looking mess and secondly unless the item you want is in reach, you have to drag everything out to get it, then try and put it all back in again, by the time you've done that you've sapped a lot of energy and time that you could have used with the item you were looking for!!! Unless the chaos is completely organised, things are likely to get damaged, and parts mixed up and lost. We have three very large kitchen drawers, which over time have been filled up with crap, so much so that the main cooking pans that we use have to remain on top of the hob, cause there's no room to store them....they look ok, cause they're good pans and match the colour scheme but a clear hob would just make the kitchen look so much tidier, there's no room in the kitchen cupboard for the nutribullet, yes, I use it regularly enough, but having it permanently on the worksurface does give the kitchen a more cluttered appearance. Like I said I'm gonna literally empty every drawer and cupboard in there today and see if there's anything I can get rid of. Like you said, I've kept stuff on the basis of having spent good money on it, and thinking I can't afford to part with this, I could actually make money from this, but the effort required to organise a bootsale, advertise in local paper, do Ebay is a "biggie", especially if you've never done that sort of thing before. It just makes the whole decluttering process a lot more hard work, and time consuming....But donating to charity, or even putting it outside for someone else to take is worthwhile as you know others will benefit, and your own living space will immediately feel and look so much better....Right I'm on it lol! Hope you enjoyed your G&T's!

 

[iloveshopping]

BTW most of the charity shops take clean clothes that are too old to sell. I put them in a separate bag and tell them it is the rag bag.