Enough is enough - the great declutter

icandream

beemuzed wrote: »

Hi folks - room for one more? Having just helped my brother clear my late mother's small house I realise what a nightmare ours would be for anyone to try to deal with. Been here 25 years and the attic still has boxes that moved here with us. Place is very cluttered, and all cupboards and drawers are stuffed full. Paperwork - yes I keep it, but exactly where? Who knows? Where do I start? I work full-time, and spend most evenings sitting shattered waiting for bedtime. Could do more at weekends, but then it'd the normal round of washing, shopping, etc. I need help.

Hi beemuzed. We all suffer it, I'm beginning to realize. I so relate to what you are saying. But as the others say, start small. Start with just one thing, that perhaps takes 10 mins. Part of the reason I'm tackling the problems now is because a couple of years ago I had to help my mum sort through the family home of years and years, after dad died and she had to move. We are still sorting stuff, and it's been incredibly hard. But it has opened my eyes. She kept everything - everything! I don't want my children to go through the same thing. Parts of it were fun. And eye-opening. Parts were sheer disbelief (all my birthday cards, up to the age of 9 - from everyone who sent them! Straight in the recycling!). I do know about the shattered bit, but I find the decluttering is helping to clear my mind. I got a lot of inspiration when I begun from Ceridwen's thread on simplifying life, and still go to it every time I log on to check on calming thoughts - have you looked at it? It has really helped me, and continues to.
djbd1973: glad you enjoyed the sausage roll. Isn't it funny how tastes/smells transport us back!
Pigpen: :eek:

penguin83

Hi everyone :hello:

Have just spent ages reading this thread and I am feeling really motivated. Our 3 bed house is groaning under all the stuff we have and we have only been here 3 years!

Yesterday I did the hall and I can now fully open the front door without having to squeeze through it!

Todays job is the kitchen including the cupboards which is going to be fun! I think there are tins of food that we moved here with! I will post back later to let you know how I've done.

Well done everyone - you have all inspired me x x x

pigpen

TOdays aim..

2 binbags for charity shop
2 binbags of rubbish (that should fill the first wheelie bin)

I have ebay stuff finishing today too.. whatever doesn't sell if going to charity shop on top of the 2 binbags! 11 things selling so far..

ceridwen

thanks icandream for yr comment earlier re coming to my thread.

I'm still at the decluttering - about to head back into the loft again, and I can think of a few things that can go straight off. Got my boxes ready to decant the remaining stuff into. Filled one box yesterday with spare mugs and glasses (as they are something that get broken frequently - so I reckon I'll work my way through them before I'm through). Brandy glasses are about to go to charity shop though (just how often do I drink brandy?!) and smaller mugs ditto (I only ever use standard-size ones) and the odd stemmed wineglasses in various sizes straight in bin - as I use only ones without stems these days (break a good deal less easily). Oft I go - must stop prevaricating!


edit: 12 minutes later - just how many dustsheets for decorating does one person need - thats 2 dustbin liners down...off I go again.

Tibbie's_mum

Finally got round to chucking out the large number of wine glasses which were chipped at the rim, why was I keeping them???? What's wrong with me?????? And a chipped mug!!!! Okay, it was a Winnie the Pooh mug, but that's still no excuse!!!

Must keep flinging, no matter how small....babysteps.

ceridwen

On a roll here...just how many decorating clothes does a gal need? Half of them gone and a teeshirt to recycle to charity shop. Food processor just gone. Back for more....

pigpen

ceridwen wrote: »

On a roll here...just how many decorating clothes does a gal need? Half of them gone and a teeshirt to recycle to charity shop. Food processor just gone. Back for more....

None.. you make someone else do it!!!

boddy

Im in to join the great decluttering. It struck me a few years ago when I had to sort mums home out. She moved into a nursing home. There was loads of clutter and stuff to sort.

Just remembered earlier that I decluttered the kitchen last year. Crockery I never used etc. For me its books and the spare room I need to tackle. The spare room is used to store stuff Ive not got room for elsewhere. Its also the place where I have xmas presents I have been bought but dont like and I feel guilty. Im grateful for the present but know I wont use them. So my plan is to take them to a charity shop in the next town. Reason being is I know my Aunt browses the charity shops here. Another area Ive realised is the bottom of the wardrobe which has a pile of files from various courses etc Iv done over the years. Have made a start with the bookcases downstairs and trying to be ruthless. Im quite inspired by this thread.

taffy1969

Hi all. Had a very good morning. My house is sparkling! Won't be soon picked up girls from my sisters at luchtime so I'm sure they will get it 'back to normal!'. DD1 ran upstairs when we got in and said 'oh mummy our bedroom looks lovely - what did you throw away?' I said no toys just rubbish and I put the toys where they are supposed to live! Bet it won't look like that for long!
Just having a little surf then its 2 kitchen cupboards left to sort, junk one and the dreaded under the sink one!!!!!!
Was going to clean the car this afternoon but the feeling is wearing off pretty damn quick now I'm back indoors!! (out of sight out of mind!!!)

beemuzed

Thanks for the replies! I admit I often do read Ceridwen's simplifying thread and have added several of her suggested sites to my favourites. I do know really that it is doable - it just seems overwhelming and logging on here and sitting for the evening generally wins out over actually doing anything!
Ok, well this w/e I have managed to clear all the junk which was on our bedroom floor, and hoover it properly. Have also been through my clothes shelves - they now look tidy and I have a large sack ready for the next Bag2School collection. My next task is some very overdue paperwork which has been hanging over me for almost a year (it's AGM paperwork for the society I'm secretary for, and has to be finished before Wednesday - I promise that this year I'll deal with it within a week of the wretched AGM!!). Won't list any more until that's out of the way - too much and I know me, I'll just give up completely. So, please feel free to administer hefty kicks!