MSE versus Declutter

Sharra · 9 March 2007 at 8:16PM

I would love to know how everyone manages to do both these things. I find my house filling up with spare stuff 'so I can save money'.
I have my mum's old kettle sitting in the kitchen 'cos it still works and mine might die one day' - ditto toaster. I have stacks of towels that I was given, and for the same reasons I won't throw them out. We have loads of left over bits of wood lying around 'cos they might be useful one day' too....and the list goes on!
Should I just be ruthless and get rid of the spares so I can declutter, or is it sods law that as soon as I do, I will need them?
What do other people do?

lil_me · 9 March 2007 at 8:24PM

Find somewhere to hide the clutter

I use under beds, airing cupboard, bottoms of wardrobes etc. If it's useful, it's not clutter. If you'll never use it , for example with kettles they sell them for £5 in Argos/Tesco, when your breaks will it still work, I would probably get rid, but wth the towels can use a vacuum pack bag make them smaller and place them somewhere. Wood, depends, if it is useful and will be used within the next year I would keep it, if not I would probably throw it out.

otterspasm · 9 March 2007 at 8:52PM

I have the same dilemma. It's a tricky balance to get I think. I tend to get rid (sell on ebay, Car boot or charity shop) thnigs which I haven't used for a year or two or if I know I'll never use them. Having said this I recently gave a second toaster which I had kept as a spare for 2 years to a friend and 3 DAYS later mine started playing up! Can't win them all!:rolleyes:

Agutka · 9 March 2007 at 9:01PM

Sharra wrote: »

I would love to know how everyone manages to do both these things. I find my house filling up with spare stuff 'so I can save money'.

I am soooooo the same! That is precisely how my house never empties. I'd love to know how people manage.
Having said that, I do have moments when I tell myself I'm being silly, throw stuff out and have never yet missed anything. So maybe ruthless is the way to go. How much money can this possibly waste? It's not like you're got a spare house or car or HD telly...
And having a clear house (should I ever manage it) is supposed to be better for your wellbeing mental and physical, so has to be worth it right?

exlibris · 9 March 2007 at 10:45PM

Have a look at your own towels. Are any getting threadbare and can be turned into cleaning cloths, face cloths, smaller towels etc?
If so you can have an enjoyable time changing them into other useful items and then you will deserve the 'new' towels you will replace them with!

I have piles of things! Having broken up 3 old rellies houses when they passed on and being a great comer-inner I too have a houseful. Must say though that I have not bought a towel or sheet for over 10 years!

hazzie123 · 9 March 2007 at 10:46PM

If in doubt,chuck it out!

rach · 9 March 2007 at 11:20PM

i have started to be quite ruthless! i've decided that i'd rather give it away/sell it, and let someone else use it than have it cluttering up my place. having found out that the local homeless shelter was desperate for sheets and bedding i felt doubly good getting rid of some old stuff i never used!!!

Quasar · 10 March 2007 at 1:39AM

I have lots of BOGOF stuff, bargain thingies etc. I live in a small flat that has no cupboards...

:(:(

Anastacia · 10 March 2007 at 12:09PM

I freecycle it out when there is too much and freecycle it back when i need it. My house is still incredible full though as it is mini.

If i had enough space i kid myself that i could be like Amy Dackyn(or somthinglike it) and have labelled boxes stored in the attic, and a plan of how to get to them. Ah,well.

Gingham_Ribbon · 10 March 2007 at 12:19PM

I money save to make my life better. I declutter for the same reason. I don't store things that get in my way because it defeats the purpose for me. We have a small house and our attic was where we stored things that might come in handy. But that's a whole room and we need it as a bedroom. So we ditched most of the stuff in it to friends/charity shops/the tip and feel much better for it too.

anniebooklover · 10 March 2007 at 4:42PM

Like others have said, I would donate to charity, give to someone you know who needs, freecycle, chuck, etc. the cheaper stuff that can easily be replaced. Yes, you may need to replace your kettle but it may only cost around £5-7 to replace it. In the meantime you spare kettle, iron, toaster, etc. could be helping a previously homeless person to set up their first home.

I would keep the more expensive "spares", room permitting.

As for towels, I was told off by someone (on this site) for buying new cloths for washing up when I admitted that I never threw out old tea towels. They were right of course but I'm too stubborn to admit that on the thread :rolleyes: . Your surplus towels could become your washing-up cloths, polishing cloths, dusters, floor cloths, etc.

As for de-cluttering, if I haven't found a use for it in the last 12 months, I get rid.

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MSE versus Declutter

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