The cost of clutter? Updated :)

Prudent

My dd is a bit of an accumulator and hoarder.

Just now I am thinking of a house move to reduce my commute. I am always having a de-clutter (very theraputic ) and don't have a huge amount of 'stuff'.

We currently live in a three bed house and have a large floored loft area -which dd has half of filled with stuff- and a garage etc which is used for stoarge.

I have seen a two bed lower conversion/ flat that I love, but we simply couldn't store all dd's stuff there. It is on the market at £87,000

Our current house is worth £130,000 - £140,000. It looks like I will have to buy similar to store all her stuff.

Just curious - but what is a rough monthly cost of all this extra? I could buy the flat cash just now, but will either have to sell here (and loose any potential rent @£600 month minus costs) or take a mortgage on the extra amount.

moanymoany

Prudent, prudent, get a grip girl! I am assuming your dd is an adult. It sounds to me that you are making a huge sacrifice for her rubbish! You have brought her up to adulthood - it is over to her to deal with these things herself.

If these possessions are so important to her, she will be willing to pay to store them in a commercial storage facility.

Have you talked to her about it? I know from experience that young adult children can be 'unthinking' when it comes to their parents storing the stuff they don't want to dispose of but claim their current accommodation is too small to take.

Prudent

moanymoany wrote: »

Prudent, prudent, get a grip girl! I am assuming your dd is an adult. quote]

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Yeah I know, I know.. I do keep telling myself the same.

She isn't yet at the stage of leaving home. She is 16 and has a couple more years at home. She has a decent size bedroom, half the loft, space in the garage. She did have stuff in the spare room, but I put that up to the loft yesterday when I was having a de-clutter in there.

She simply insists she has parted with enough and I can't make her get rid of anymore. The 'essentials' include a collection of 400 panda themed items - mainly cuddly.

Old_Git

tell her you are moving and she and the 400 pandas will need to contact shelter

aliasojo

I know the thread subject matter is not really about your daughter's tendancy to hoard things but I dont think you're doing her any favours by letting her become a fully fledged hoarder at such an early age. Especially if her hoarding is serious enough to warrant affecting house purchase decisions.

If she cant let go now , what will she be like when she's 40! :rolleyes:



*stands up and clears throat*

"Hello, I'm aliasojo, I'm a hoarder"

(other horders in the hoarders anonymous group clap :rolleyes: )

:rotfl:

I'm speaking from experience, I collected all sorts when I was young and I've struggled with clutter all my life as I hate throwing things out. My Father was exactly the same.

Clutter should never become so large that it affects other areas of your life, if it does, then you really need to see it for what it is and change things. Should you really make serious life decisions by taking stuff stored in boxes in lofts etc into consideration?

At 16, you are old enough to understand the logic behind making good decisions. You might not like it mind, but that's life. Is her stuff worth selling on eBay maybe, she might be more inclined to go along with it if she thinks she could get some sort of payback by selling. Will she be wanting to learn to drive soon.....maybe you could encourage her by planting thoughts of bigger stuff like cars and driving lessons.

Of course if you're happy to leave her collections alone, then ignore all the above and I'm sorry but I can't advise on the house buying thing.

Prudent

Old_Git wrote: »

tell her you are moving and she and the 400 pandas will need to contact shelter

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Prudent

Aliasojo, the ebay idea is great. I might tempt her with some cash That's if she can find my digital camera that I swear is lost somewhere in her clutter ....

LittleMissAspie

Or you could do what my boyfriend's mum does - throw the stuff in the loft away safe in the knowledge that they'll never even notice!

I must admit to having taken a big box of stuff to my parents' house to store there until we get our own place. They weren't best pleased but my mum fitted it in my wardrobe (yes it's still MY room even though I haven't lived there for 6 years!). I think we are doing pretty well on the clutter front as two people in a 1-bed house.

Rabiddog_2

Kids in Africa would LOVE those 400 pandas ... so de-clutter AND do a good deed. Your DD can hardly refuse can she?

clutton_2

tell her that when you move - she can only take with her enough stuff to fill her bedroom in the new house - if she wants to live with boxes up to the ceiling and then needs to sleep in the garden/pavement/shed - thats her choice !!

who is the adult here ?

whose house is it ?

who pays the mortgage ?


you are being manipulated by a teenager - take control !!!!

poppysarah

Clutter will still be there in 30 years time if you don't shift it now.
You have to be firm. She should be allowed to keep a box of memories but bags of old toys and junk aren't needed.