Decluttering 2012, this year, definitely ...

[charlies_mum]

Yes, it's another new year and I'm ashamed to say that I am still not decluttered.

In April I took a storage facility, and yes, you've guessed it, I've filled that as well I do buy and sell for a living, so suppose I sort of have an excuse

The dining room was tidied for Christmas and it looks lovely, and I have uttered those words again "It is never getting like that again", but time will tell ...

Happy New Year to all fellow declutterers, 2012 could be the year I finally achieve it

[Fruball]

Me too!!! Its a disaster area in my house! Most of it is good enough to ebay... but this darned board takes up too much of my time so I don't get it done!!!

I have started my great declutter today

[minipenny]

I seem to just move clutter from one room to the next lol! Good luck to all de-clutterers!!!!

[lostinrates]

Oh, us too. We keep saying we'll sell stuff on ebay and take what doesn't sell to the charity shops (I already have taken a load of stuff to the charity shop every few weeks). I made dh watch the show about the OCD hoarder on channel four a couple of weeks ago and said I dread that we might turn into him, so its going, THIS YEAR, and if we don't arrange to sell it then its gifted.

e.g. shoes of mine I won't wear, or, haven't every worn......got to go. (otherwise no room for NEW shoes)

[Fruball]

Oh that hoarder programme!!! I have saved it on Sky+! I was laughing most of the time, altho it did upset me too. Felt very sorry for that chap. Wonder if they will do a follow up programme? I am going to email Ch4 and ask them... If enough people ask, I am sure they will

My DS watched it, mostly with his mouth wide open! He was horrified and I think he could see a bit of him and me in it IF we don't sort out our stuff!!!

If I am totally honest The carp on one side of my bedroom is now half way to being bed height... If I carry on as I am, its going to hit window ledge level For gawd's sake don't quote my post as I may be back to delete amend my post later

It doesn't help that the kids dump stuff in there.... Reminds me, I bought a latch hook so I AM going to screw that in today so they can't get in my room!!! Then I stand a half reasonable chance of getting it straight.

Declutter started today with the kitchen and, now I remember, I decluttered the dining table last night

[Fruball]

It wasn't me! My bedroom is a minimalist, clutter free zone. A HAVEN of TRANQUILITY

[Cat501]

Iol sorry Frugal, I shall declutter the post.....it's just nice to read that someone has a bedroom even HALF as cluttered as mine!

[lostinrates]

Originally Posted by Frugal

Oh that hoarder programme!!! I have saved it on Sky+! I was laughing most of the time, altho it did upset me too. Felt very sorry for that chap.

I think in fract he came over a LOT better than some of his rather small minded neighbours...but nonetheless I do not want to be like Richard. DH wanted to keep the box a gift came in and I just barked ''richard'' at him. I think its the first year all the wrapping paper has been delt with before the twelth day. we keep stuff. we like stuff.

Part of the issue for us is we had stuff in storage while I was first ill then we lived over seas then lived with my family.....when my stuff went into storage first I was in my early twenties and might conceivably have worn pink plastic stilettos. The chances are at best slim now....but they remind me of times when I did wear them.......

I've been ruthless in the past: I have little stuff from childhood, but dh has old school books etc. if it ended with a few old school books we'd be ok, but we just keep stuff ''in case its useful'' and it never is, or is never finadble when it would be...so its GOING.

[BabyBoots]

Good luck and lots of motivation to all declutterers in 2012!

I have been decluttering since moving out of my old 4 bed home almost exactly 3 years ago, after splitting from my ex. I bought my own 2-bed place 18 months ago, and after so long, I'd finally de-junked enough to get a bed in my 2nd bedroom for Christmas guests. I've been so chuffed, it looks great now it's not full of boxes.

There's still some decluttering to go though. Boxes of photos, albums and frames to sort out, 2 boxes of mementos, 2 boxes of general goodness-knows-what, the worksurface of doom by the dining table and then a general clothes chuck out. it will take a long time, but it's great finding a home for everything, or getting rid! It feels particularly good at this time of year too.

[Aarons mummy]

Decluttering is fabulous, although once you start you may not stop! My plan is to declutter the shed as soon as possible, all the things I had arranged to be given away through freecycle and what not and people never turned up shall be going to the charity shop pending the car situation and if not binned. need to realise that if people don't want it then there's no point holding onto it until someone who does comes along.

[Buffythedebtslayer]

I am in, I was only the old one for a while and did make some progress.

Not much tho.

I am just so lazy!

I shouldn't laugh, it is making my life quite the disaster.

xxx

[wit40iwtwan]

YUP - count me in - my problem is paperwork... I seem to have several files and folders of stuff and receipts which I am sure I no longer need! I dont even want to go under the stairs or attempt the junk in my son's bedroom... but as we want to buy our own house this year I have told everyone we wont be moving junk. Does anyone have any suggestions around where to start? Do you start with worst mess or the least mess... I'm leaning towards quick success so thinking least as then I will be encouraged to move to the next room! thoughts?

[BabyBoots]

wit40iwtwan - why not start with the easiest and work up? It's easiest to start with the place with the least sentimental junk (you might dither over old photos and baby clothes). How about the hallway or the bathroom? Or start by getting an alphabetical concertina file for your essential paperwork and shredding the rest? No-one gets sentimental about old electric bills ;o)

[Buffythedebtslayer]

Originally Posted by wit40iwtwan

YUP - count me in - my problem is paperwork... I seem to have several files and folders of stuff and receipts which I am sure I no longer need! I dont even want to go under the stairs or attempt the junk in my son's bedroom... but as we want to buy our own house this year I have told everyone we wont be moving junk. Does anyone have any suggestions around where to start? Do you start with worst mess or the least mess... I'm leaning towards quick success so thinking least as then I will be encouraged to move to the next room! thoughts?

I have pondered this a great deal. My problem is that I want to gut the whole house from loft to shed and have the instant result of a minimalist calm life style.

This I think should take maybe three days? five including runs to the charity shop and tip. plus burning time in the back garden of all the paperwork I never got round to shredding. Hmm maybe six.....

Of course this is ridiculous.

It would realistically take months. A year even. We moved here 10 years ago, my parents brought with them all the stuff from their previous house (26 years). My parents were meant to move abroad but that never happened. So now it is Mum and I plus "stuff"

The loft is a death trap,we have three sheds all full (mine is full of stuff I am going to e bay. Honest I am going to e bay really really really I am) and things for my house plus pet cages, odd bits of furniture and garden stuff. oh and old bank statements.

My room is rammed full (2 gerbils, 1 hamster, 3 guinea pigs and 2 fish tanks) it is insanity. Certainly is when you look at it like that!

My original point - cos you know there was one! I want everything to be perfect and finished and the rational part knows that isn't going to happen. However the rational part of me is TINY! and wins no arguments with the stroppy I am sick of living in a mess and it's all going to get sorted TODAY insane part of me.

So i am in a cycle, BIG TIDY UP= boxes of stuff as opposed to piles, boxes pile up, boxes go in the shed, shed gets full up, BIG TIDY UP = boxes etc etc...............

I think the key is a routine. A system, not neccessarily Fly lady but some thing like that, that fits in with you. Hanging up clothes, feeding furries, bed early...........

And maybe aim for a drawer a day or a cupboard a week. I might pick one weekend each month when I go to the Tip or the charity shop.....................big dreams me!

xxxxx

[luxor4t]

I'm in. The through room has to be redecorated - which means stripping the walls. To get to the walls we have to move the furniture and empty the bookcase & cupboards. Oh dear!

[Hardup Hester]

I made a start on the study today, I've cleared all the paperwork & bagged up all the books that we now have on our Kindles, they are going to the CS tomorrow.
I have also thrown away a work top as I bought a new one from the CS. Last week I threw away 8 pairs of knickers & replaced them with new.
Hester

[tigerfeet2006]

If any one has an eBay app then apparently it is incredibly easy to list things on it. I have just had a quick look and it definatly does look easy, I have some things I want to list over the next week so will report back once I have if it is as easy as I have been told.

[charlies_mum]

Originally Posted by Hardup Hester

I made a start on the study today, I've cleared all the paperwork & bagged up all the books that we now have on our Kindles, they are going to the CS tomorrow.
I have also thrown away a work top as I bought a new one from the CS. Last week I threw away 8 pairs of knickers & replaced them with new.
Hester

This is another problem. I love books and have hundreds, but don't want a Kindle. Think I would need to live to be about 200 to read them all

[miffy257]

I really need to join in this year. Have a massive pile of paperwork that needs sorting but I keep finding any excuse not to do it. Managed to declutter the kitchen cupboards in october and have managed to keep it fairly tidy as there is more room for stuff in the cupboards. Will make a start on the paperwork this weekend.

[thriftwizard]

Please may I join in too? I also buy & sell so I know exactly how hard it is, when you see something at an advantageous price that you know you're going to be able to move on profitably. But it takes up room in your home & needs to be looked after, even if it's only temporarily!

I have almost 20 years-worth of large-family clutter to cut down to size before trying to sell our house & move to somewhere with a bigger garden, a long-cherished dream . Even if that doesn't come off, I really need to get it sorted for my own sanity's sake; I can't even run the hoover round in a spare 10 minutes as there are so many things littering the floor, or wipe the kitchen worktops because there are so many jars etc. in the way. Some of it comes down to inadequate storage (e.g. tiny spice rack, when I use herbs & spices every day) & lack of planning, some of it comes down to different expectations & methods of dealing with things between OH & I, and most of it comes down to just having too much stuff & being terminally bad at getting rid of the stuff that isn't serving any sensible purpose any more! So 2012 needs to be the year I get a grip on it.

I've made a good start today, clearing & organising the shelves in the living room, but am all too aware of my tendency to get very easily distracted from tasks I really don't want to have to do, even though I do actually want them done!

Onwards & upwards...!