2014 decluttering thread (part 3)

charlies_mum

Most of us have too much 'clutter' in our lives, and this is the thread where we share tips for decluttering and keep each other motivated.


Whether you just want to declutter, or make some money by selling your unwanted clutter, please feel free to join in.


Another new year, and hopefully this will be the year I become minimalist

Own_My_Own

charlies_mum wrote: »

Apparently poor Pink has been having problems sorting all this out, and it's easier to start a new thread, so here it is

Not done much today due to back problems, but am really determined to kick back in soon

Happy decluttering, think I might become best friends with our local charity shop this year

X

:rotfl: just posted on the 2013 thread that the 2014 merged thread was unlocked

Swans1912

Ooooh a shiny new thread

Pink.

I am so sorry everyone, but hopefully we will all be able to find the thread now


Thank you Charlie's_mum for starting the thread again and also thank you to Dolallydilly.


I might actually join you this year, but I'd need a bit of bullying because I am the worst hoarder in the world. My lovely husband used to be a thrower, but I think he's joined the ''if you can't beat them join them'' club.


This year I reached 50, I have found it the most liberating/possibly happy time in my life. So maybe it's time to get chucking some of the baggage that I don't need any more..


Good luck to everyone trying to declutter. Please feel free to give me a kick when you feel like it.


Pink

charlies_mum

Welcome aboard Pink, dh and I are both prone to bulk buying and hoarding, so we need to be really strict this year.

I does make me feel better when I watch the hoarding programmes as at least we can sit on the sofa and get into bed, but some of the other rooms are pretty full

Sally_A

Do you reckon it would be possible to clear a tonne of clutter in a year? ie. 1000kg or approx. 3kg a day?


I'm a hoarder, but when I do have a clean out, I need to measure the effectiveness, and sort of turn it into a game.


Excess mugs and crockery can be dumped in the works "kitchen"; and we also have a "library" ie. books we don't want to lose for ever, but probably won't read again.


I have a "pit of no return" in one of the wardrobes, this is the lower half of a room high cupboard, that opens up midway above the dresser, probably a cubic metre of tat easily which I intend to investigate.


Paper will be scanned and backed up on a USB stick.


Anyhow - that is my 2014 goal.

rosieben

Yay, thanks for the new thread charlie_mum :j

I've done NO decluttering since before Christmas. I need to get stuck in from Monday (I'm out most of the weekend) and my target date to finish major decluttering is Easter so that's 18th April.

I'll spend some time this weekend planning which areas to tackle first.

Here we go .....

Sally_A

OK, how do I get my signature to show?


Have added 0/1000kg in the UserCP.


Haha...it's there!!! and if I'm slacking, hubby must weigh around 80kg ;-)

Lilyplonk

Evening everybody :wave:

Great to see so many new people posting on this thread and good to see it finally sorted out for this year - well done to charlies_mum and Pink :T.

The weather has turned really cold again here today - so it's back to sitting underneath fleece blankets, heating turned up a little bit and candles lit - all adds to a 'warmer ambience' .

I stayed with DD yesterday evening and had a great time decluttering her fridge this morning :rotfl:. Her bins and recycling are getting collected tomorrow for the first time since Christmas - so it'll probably take the guys much longer than normal to get around to them. They've been known to arrive around 8.00pm for the recycling on some occasions :eek:.

My own 'chuckouts' for the past two days are:

6. Box of Semolina - ood May 2013.
7. Airtight box of broken pieces of Tortilla Chips
8. 3 seed catalogues into recycling
9. 2 Spring Fashion Catalogues into recycling
10. 2prs old gloves into CS bag
11. Old woolly scarf into CS bag
12. Empty choccie box into recycling :drool:

I've also done a couple of Inventories for myself. One for the 2 food cupboards and another for the fridge/freezer. Will have to do another for the 'chest freezer'. I've REALLY got to tackle the freezer contents - they are OUT OF CONTROL - and it's all my own fault. I'm just not able to walk past the 'whoopsie shelves' without checking for freezeable bargains .

Now that I've had a bit of a 'sort out' in the food cupboards, the remains of my 'Christmas Food Stash' is getting transferred out of the plastic crates and into the nicely cleared spaces .

Christmas presents have been tidied away into 'their permanent homes'. Going to have to do another Inventory for toiletries and face creams etc.

VfM4meplse

I don't find a written inventory to be helpful, I know exactly what I've got and where it is although it doesn't stop me from buying more. I have a fear of running out of toothpaste, for example.

Has anyone given any thought to clearing other people's junk out?

I say that as its so much easier to "see the dirt" and make a quick judgement about other people's mess, but not your own. I am happy to let stuff lie around in my own home but get an overwhelming urge to clean in other people's houses

Sally_A

Me too VfM, did actually think about offering my services, on the proviso I would keep their bags of junk for 6months, so they had a chance to relent, before it was donated/binned.


Saying that, if a tidy freak turned up at mine trying to chivvy me into rash decisions, they would have been bound and bagged up for 6 months before disposal.