For those who completed decluttering/dehoarding, how long did it take?

vikki_louise

Our family has dedicated 2013 to clearing out the house, so much has left but you would never know it!
Has anyone got any success stories to share with those of us still battling the tide of 'stuff' :beer:

carefullycautious

Only successful in that we downshifted from a three bed house to a two bed flat and now to a one bed bungalow.

I can honestly say that everything went to charity shops.

Excess clothing
Books CDs
Electrical equipment no longer used
Leather 3 piece unable to fit my bung
Garden tools bikes patio furniture and all the other detritus of life

We have paired down as we do not have any storage space and I can't state how liberating it has been

We say to ourselves what on earth were we doing we all that junk. It has also made us realise where our money has gone over the years. If I had my time over again I would definitely do it differently and not fill my home with needless items. The beauty of the computer is being able to store books and music and having access to all the info we need.

I would say it was harder getting my hubby to let go and we have done this over a period of 7 years. But he now realises that we can live simply with fewer possessions.

Good luck

Goldiegirl

Well, I've been decluttering for about 4 years, and it's still a work in progress.

Most of the things I need to work on are in the loft and garage, and as I sell my things on eBay, it does take time to work through things.

All the 'stuff' has been accumulated over many years, so it can't all be decluttered quickly.

I think I'll need at least a couple more years to clear the things I want to remove from the loft, then I'll move on to the garage.

So the 7 years mentioned by carefullycautious is very reasonable.

Don't be downhearted, just keep plugging away at it, and you will eventually notice a difference.

[Deleted User]

It is a continuous work in progress. Anything I don`t want goes to dd if I think she would use it eg latest was a good sebo vac cleaner, only yesterday, as I bought a smaller and more powerful miele more suitable for the stone floor downstairs, it takes up less space so was a bit of a de clutter, whilst also helping dd and her family. Last week, two lots of washed clothes and books to a cs, so a bit more space which I have refilled from my store of clothes bought from sales in the past, the type of clothing, like good wool tops that never age, so another teeny space made free.

The only time we did it quickly was when we downsized house and had to empty unused stables and a loft and went from a 4 bed detached with large garden to a 3 bed townhouse with no garden. Most then went to charity, including animal rescue. It never affected me mentally as it all went to good homes

DH and I have some very good hobbies so decluttering does not really happen in fact. I cleared my study and soon bought wool fleeces to process and spin into yarn. Those washed locks are stored in my study now and they are bulky, same for all my sewing stuff and my 3 machines, overlocker, sewing machine and coverstitch and my 3 spinning wheels which all do different jobs. I reached a point where I accept that I will never be clutter free, as long as I am able to make lovely things

Knick knack clutter is something I don`t have, no dusty ornaments, just nice things like family photos and sound equipment etc. Books are gradually being bought as downloads but I have lovely books that I will never get rid of. I have a lot of kitchen gadgets but use them all at some time or other, including my ice cream maker and spiraliser etc

The most I can really do is to remove a wardrobe item, when I want to add something new. So maybe I have reached my limit, for now. We are now in a 4 bed with a garden and allotment, I always cook from scratch and make raw food and veggie food as well as normal cooked meat meals so need lots of stuff oh well

TudorRose

I did a complete declutter in the space of 3 months when I moved house earlier this year.
The majority of it went to local charity shops.
When I got to my new house I sorted through what I had taken with me & there was loads more to go to charity shops when I realised that stuff I had taken with me did not suit my new house.
I am now determined to live with minimal 'stuff'.
One of my best buys has been a kindle. I love reading but now I can indulge my habit without cluttering the house.

As previous posters have said, it is a very liberating feeling when all/most of the excess is gone.
I have not missed anything that I have got rid of but I do feel that I needed the deadline of the house move to make me do it otherwise I would still be sitting surrounded by all the cr!p.
Good Luck to anybody trying to do the same. It is worh it.

JulieGeorgiana

When I moved we did a huge declutter, and I didn't even think we needed one...

But most of it was stuff I was waiting to 'sell' and never got around to doing anything with.

When we moved we finally just gave it all to charity, and it made such a big difference... Since them we give ourselves a month to sell anything, and if we don't get around to it, then it goes to charity.

Otherwise you end up moving your clutter from room to room and never get it done.

And we decluttered in about 4-6 weeks in the end x

Newly_retired

We have been working actively on this for about 4 months prior to house move.
About 30 trips to the tip/recycling centre, at least 5 to charity shops, with more to come.
Apart from a cupboard of photos and memorabilia, to sort later, I have more or less got down to what I want to keep.
DH has filled about 20 boxes so far of things to keep, related to his hobbies.
So no hope, really!