Declutter

Mrs_Thrify

Decluttering is very hard to do!
Hi all, just a chat needed...I have my house for sale, but have lived in the house 18 years and colleted - as we do! Now having to throw out/give away lots of things. Trying to make the house more desired. I have made a big pile for the dump. I know, need to let go and move on. I can easly let things go as I am not the hoarding type - but once the house looks bear, I hope I shall not need the things that are gone. It's a line we all walk .
No garage to store things in. Prehaps I need to sort the attic out and store a few faverotes up there?

It's good to chat...:D

miss_phish

HI Julie, it is SO hard to do but SO worth it!

I moved house 5 times in 18 months and each time had to have a sort out - I can't imagine what it must be like with 18 years worth of stuff around!!

A fried of mine in her 50/60's recently lost her partner of 10+ years suddenly. As she was clearing his things out to share amongst his children she was shocked by how little he owned. 99% of the stuff in the house was hers.

He was a great man, always full of tales and information, advice and concern but everything he was was inside him. He was an absolute pleasure to know and now knowing how lightly he travelled has made me view possessions so differently. Be ruthless Julie, if you miss a practical thing you can always buy another and if you miss a sentimental thing you still have your memories.

Enjoy the process!

xx

Running_Horse

Went on the market and came back off again in 2006; we put 30 boxes full of stuff in the attic, and the house was so bare one viewer asked if we still lived there! Went back on the market in 2007 in a bit of a rush, and decided not to be so ruthless, and sold despite not having packed all the rubbish away yet. You want to sell, but still have to live.

franklee

Do you have a digital camera? I've found photographing things, as a group for example, is quite useful before they are boxed up and put away. Also make good notes of what is in the box.

As for the de-clutter I found it best to do in several passes. Once the first lot of obvious stuff has gone then it's easer to get rid of more of the maybes in the second or third pass. Over time it gets easier to let more go so don't try to do it all at once.

If things will be useful for others then don't forget charity shops or charities that collect household goods and furniture for redistributing amongst people on low incomes. If things are going to be reused you may find it easier to let them go.

There is also freecycle, but I've not tried that yet.

Finally as this is MSE, think of the money you will save in not having to transport things when you move. That has been a big motivator for me to do better at this. Also you will enjoy the space in your new home more if you have plenty of room to move and there will be less to rearrange and keep clean when you've moved.

PasturesNew

On the matter of cost of moving, I recently sold my house and decided to get rid of everything I owned. In the end I gave most to charity, with the really old tat going to the dump. I walked with 2 pairs of jeans and a few T shirts... and a laptop of course

I'd moved before and put stuff in storage, not knowing how long it would be there - and upon taking it out of storage I discovered that the cost of the removal, storage, delivery was greater than the value of the old stuff I'd kept. If I'd done it before I'd have been able to buy brand new again cheaper. I figure I've saved myself £2000-3000 over the next 2-3 years by being ruthless. And I've not missed anything. It's nice to start again.

Mrs_Thrify

Hi all, thank you for all your replys. I do have a strategy! of sorts! I have been throwing out on and off for weeks:rolleyes: . I started off with a car boot sale. Sold some toys/equipment to friends, (use to child mind). Took 5 carrier bags of clothes to the charity cloths bin. Many car loads to the local tip....
I have also changed some curtains for ones I found in the loft. Need to keep throwing, I think. After all we only need 1 kettle , iron etc... and empty spaces will apear! maybe the house will improve enough for a sale :rolleyes: .
Also will have less to pack.

regularsaver1

saw a tv programme today where some buyers had literally de-cluttered everything but had made it so bland in the process with no personality at all - so make sure it still has some character and is inviting

Mrs_Thrify

Hi, regularsaver. One thing you can say about my house is we have plenty of things.

Every birthday and Christmas we get a whole stack more!
Today I invited a friend around to take the wendy house in the garden away.
To the tip went old pots of paint, saucepans (have to many), old kettle and iron.Other things.
Oh is giving a friend some unused things for his carboot sale.
I can say lots of effort going on.
On the homely side, I seem to always have a gift of fresh flowers on the dine-ing room table. I home bake too.
I was thinking ,with a lot of moving beds around, I could paint all 3 bedrooms white for a neutral colour at the moment 1 yellow, 1 lilac and 1 blue.
Downstairs is all cream with white cielings. Best wishes...

BettiePage

julie_d wrote: »

I could paint all 3 bedrooms white for a neutral colour

That might be a bit harsh/cold???

reformedEffortMaker_2

I know its already been mentioned, but I cant recommend freecycle
http://www.freecycle.org/
enough for when you want to get rid of stuff, i get such a warm glow when people come and collect stuff (you dont even have to drag it to the charity shop!).
I have got rid of tables, wardrobes, old computer bits, books, picture frames, storage boxes-even light bulbs! and received a brand new fridge, a lawnmower and dining table chairs. When it works, I think its a fabulous concept

clutton_2

freecycle is the best thing since - well since materialism was invented !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you use their email service to put - for example


WANTED dining room table and three chairs Newbury

or

OFFERED - childrens wendy house Chester

so if you want to get rid of stuff - folks come and collect it. and if you want stuff you got and collect it. i have got tons of stuff for my single parent tenants who were in dire straits and i also have got great things for my house.


the whole idea is to stop stuff going into landfill sites if someone else can use it.

in the Bristol area a few months back a TV doc showed a young couple filling their new house (FTBs) with free cycle stuff - BRILLIANT !!!!


p.s. PASS IT ON !!!! please