The Great Declutter - 18 months on

benjacksmum

Really inspiring thread and I've decided that 2009 will be our year to de-clutter too. We are quite literally drowning in the stuff and I am fed up of searching for important items that are covered and lost amongst the rest of the 'stuff'! If it was clear in the first place they would be found within seconds! I don't think I appreciate the amount of space that there is to be had in our house as we can't see it for all the rubbish in the way! Loads of it can be ebayed so I will try and ebay a few bits a day and throw, freecycle or recycle a few bits a day too. Hopefully by doing this throughout 2009 I should be able to reclaim the eaves, garage and cellar of my house back from the clutter monster! All the money raised through ebay will then go into our holiday fund as we haven't had a holiday at all since Feb 2006!

Good luck to everybody else in 2009!

teacup_2

Its funny when you get a new year, you feel like decluttering & simplifying your life. A new year is always a good time to take stock and start a fresh.
I started decluttering last year and pleased with where I am , but I do think you have to do it over every so often to get where you want to be. I want to do cupboards & wardrobes. be able to open them without things falling out!, . I want to feel organised and not be searching for things, I think if I added up the time I spent looking for things, I would have a spare few days!. So I am going to do LIST!:j

rosieben

I was so bored with the dire tv schedules on christmas day evening that I found myself decluttering my wardrobe I got rid of 2 black bags of rubbish (stuff not worn for years!) and sorted out some 'keeps' into an under bed crate. I now have room to hang the clothes that I do wear! Today I want to finish sorting through drawers, hang the rest of my tops etc. Its so nice to open the wardrobe door now :dance:

All of that means I've emptied some drawers, so now I can unpack the last of my personal stuff - maybe I'll find my gloves before the winter's end after all!

This might not seem much to you, but I've been at a complete stop with this room. I have a very small house and the only storage space I have is along one wall of my bedroom, currently such a jumble with art/craft stuff, fabric, christmas decs etc., nightmare!! This first step of getting my clothes and personal stuff sorted has cleared the brain block I had, and now I can see a way through sorting the rest of it. 40% has to go and my target date is end January!! I have to do it now I've written it, right?

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Lalaladybird

My dh and I live in a small flat with our dd, there is not too much clutter :obut because the place is small it gets in a mess quickly (and I feel like I am constantly tidying/cleaning up/looking for things:rolleyes:).

The problem is, and it is driving us both mad, is that we are constantly hunting for our things...."have you seen my hairbrush/keys/purse?" "where is my jacket?" "where is that remote control?" The answer is always the same "I don't know!" followed by "aaaaah I hate this place!" We both say these things all day long.

Surely living in a small home doesn't need to mean living like this. I think we have bad storage, DH says I'm just messy

Now, it is not money saving to live like this because if I am hunting for my keys, I run out of time to pour myself a bottle of water from the tap to take out and end up buying one, for example.

"Getting organised" featured on a lot of OSers new years resolutions. Does anyone who is naturally organised have any tips or storage suggestions they can pass on?

I wasn't sure where to put this thread but I hope I can get some of the wonderful OSers great advice:D

Lala xxxx

SunnyGirl

Good Morning!

We live in a fairly small 3 bed semi with myself, dh, 3 children - 2 adult sized teens - 2 dogs & 6 cats so space is always at a premium here Also my dh is a shocking hoarder :eek: I use storage boxes under the beds for summer clothes/winter clothes in the childrens rooms & we've bolted 2 x 5 drawer chests together in the boys rooms so they only take up the space of one on the floor. My daughters room has 3 shelving units screwed to the walls & she uses the top of her wardrobe to store hairdryer, straighteners etc. Our room has 2 bedside tables, a 5 drawer chest & a double wardrobe in it & everything is put away daily to stop it looking too cluttered. We also have 2 tall, thin shelves above the bedside tables for our books.

Downstairs I have a welsh dresser in the living room that has 2 drawers which contain phone chargers, batteries, playing cards & clothes brush, hats, gloves & scarves - in the summer it's sunglasses, sun cream etc - everything we need before going out really. The cupboards in it have glasses, vases, serving bowls etc. Under the computer desk (scavenged from dh work) is the washing basket, a small Ikea cupboard with pans in it and the bag of cat litter. I also use baskets in the kitchen (just white ones from Wilkinson's) for stuff like medications that need to be taken daily, glasses cases & keys. The notice board is invaluble for stuff that's yet to happen - I put, say, hospital appointment letters on it & also write the date on the calendar. When we set off for the appointment I put the letter in my bag then bin it as we walk out of the hospital afterwards.

I have to have a place for everything or the house would be quickly over run. I use collapsable storage crates, toy boxes, baskets etc so that I know where everything is. Look at going up the walls, under things etc. Sorry for rambling on for so long hope this helps.

topher_2

Have a look at http://unclutterer.com/

It has some interesting articles, also http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ sometimes has some useful ideas/tips

Hope the above helps!

Edinburghlass_2

Or try the weekly Flylady thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1369839&page=40

or declutter here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1157657&page=13&highlight=declutter

Both of which I really, really need to join in 2009!

Gers

Try making a place for everything and then use it - we have a set of hooks on the wall right by the front door for keys. It's actually an old childhood hook for coats so fairly small.

If keys are not hung up as soon as we get in the house then they are lost for days, under post, under newspapers, in bags, in coat pockets etc - can't bear it!

Small step but very effective.

Gigervamp

We have a small table in our hall and hubby puts his car keys, stereo and mobile phone on there. Usually! When he doesn't, he loses them!

CRANKY40

I have a huge house, and dh is always wandering round looking for his things.

My solution is to give everything a "home". If you put things back in the same place every time you use them, then you will always know where they are.

We also have the key hook thing, which dh put up. It still doesn't mean he finds his keys straight away.....but that's his own fault.