How do I get them to throw stuff out?

mambo69

We live in a small end terrace, kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms box room and a shower, however we have enough stuff to fill a mansion

sadly my wife takes after her dad where everything is kept, i found a bag of receipts last week from 2007/8!

Every so often when she is on nights I bag up old clothes and the kids old toys (6 and 3 1/2 boys) and they magically disapear, and oddly no one every notices :-)

How do I motivate my wife to join in? We used to have a dresser and a small unit in the bedroom, probabaly 7 drawers all in, plus under bed storage and a wardrobe. Clever me goes out and gets 3 units, so now we have 15 draws, yet the floor resembles a jumble sale.

Lotus-eater

You probably don't, unless you try throwing a hissy fit and demand that something is done.

Keep doing the disappearing at night routine, I'm sure that's what my OH does to me

scheming_gypsy

with a lot of blood, sweat and tears... Although you'll probably give up before you manage it.
she's inherited it off her dad who either did it for a reason or inherited it from his Dad. There's usually some reason it was done and then that got drilled in to everybody down the line.

Or decide it's time to decorate but there's too much crap, if she wants it doing she's got to get rid of the junk

Errata

One in = one out !

balletshoes

I don't know if you'll ever get her onboard, I have a semi-retired work colleague who's husband still had rolls of carpet from 3 houses (and 20 years) ago in his garage when they last moved house. He keeps everything, even shop tags cut off clothes he's bought.

2 or 3 times a year my colleague tells him he's got 2 weeks to clear out the garage/loft/spare room/receipts drawer, otherwise she'll arrange to get the lot taken away (and he'll be paying for it).

I'd just carry on doing what you're doing, and do it as often as you like.

gemmatron

my husband hoards stuff too, so i have to throw things out without him noticing or he goes really really mad! Go for the easy life and keep doing what you're doing!

LillythePink

My mum is exactly the same - even though they downsized from a three bed place to a one bed wing - their bedroom is full to bursting of crap (ok - my mum wouldn't call it that as it's her craft stuff) but it's full!

She made a big thing about clearing out a load of stuff when they moved out - four one ton bags and she was proud - heck when we moved house we filled a skip!

The rest of the place is ok - her kitchen is full of stuff on the worktops - every kitchen gadget you can think of - but she has nowhere to work in there.

If you are sick of it, then just book a day off and chuck it all out - give her a bit of notice though - say you have two weeks to sort it out or it will go.....and stick to it!!!

Good luck

sooz

Watch the worst hoarder on tonight with her.
Tell her you don't want her to get like that.;)
Offer incentives & help to clear out stuff.
How about redecorating the bedroom? Everything out first, & only nice & used stuff to go back in once it's painted.
If that works, then move onto other rooms.
For the kids, I encourage them to sell their stuff that they no longer use. NCT, toy sales, car boot, yard sale. They get to keep the money, & this is encouragement enough for them

pulliptears

Have to say don't think I'd be best impressed if my other half took it upon himself to get rid of my things without my knowledge. There are better ways to do things than dishonestly going behind her back.

Gigervamp

pulliptears wrote: »

Have to say don't think I'd be best impressed if my other half took it upon himself to get rid of my things without my knowledge. There are better ways to do things than dishonestly going behind her back.

I don't like that idea either, but what would you suggest?

pulliptears

Gigervamp wrote: »

I don't like that idea either, but what would you suggest?

Discussion would be the first option, ultimatum the second. Throwing out things that your OH has purposely kept, for whatever reason, is wrong I feel.

Perhaps OP's wife feels a bit daunted by it all and doesn't like to admit it. Perhaps the promise of decent storage or new wardrobes would do the trick? Perhaps encourage her to sell on eBay and make some money for a special treat?