I Need To Clear My Flat Out

Cat123456

Hi all,

I posted before on a similar vain and find myself needing help again!

I managed to clear out in total about 30 bags of "stuff" from my flat. Lots of which were clothes and stuff to go to charity shops and a few bags of rubbish.

This year has been an odd one and I've noticed the amount of stuff in the house becoming a problem again. I've also got a monica cupboard (basically just a room full of random household stuff) that is in dire need of sorting.

I need to pull my socks up just clear it quick but don't know where to start. Has anyone ever just pretty much halved the amount of stuff they own in a few weeks?
I really just want to get it sorted so I can be proud of my home again!

Thanks in advance all

GreyQueen

Hi Cat,


I didn't see your earlier thread, can I ask if the need to clear out is because the living circumstances are dragging you down or is there something external driving the process? Such as an upcoming move or pressure from others including perhaps from a landlord.


The reason I ask is that 'need' can be very subjective and, depending on the driver behind the 'need', the answers I might give could vary.

Pollycat

Taking a quick look at your earlier thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5909336

Cat123456 wrote: »

Hi all,

If this is posted in the wrong place I do apologise.

My flat is full of stuff. Like stuff upon stuff upon and I just don't know where to start with getting rid of it. I recently got rid of some bags of clothes but feel like I haven't made a dent. I've tried only keeping things that bring which joy which is most things in a small way. I find I'm better when I'm strict with myself but currently find myself at a loss due to the sheer amount of stuff. Sick of feeling like I'm fighting a losing battle with it.

If anyone has any advice it's appreciated!

Thanks in advance

I'd ask if hoarding is a problem.
Or maybe buying stuff you don't particularly want/need.
You sound like you're in a similar place now to just under a year ago.

Maybe ask yourself why - after clearing out 30 bags of 'stuff' - you have the same problem.

You had some great advice on that thread which is still valid.

Is anything eBay-able?
It will mean you can't get rid of it as quickly as bagging it up and taking it to a charity shop but you could make some money.
Otherwise, why not just bag it up and take it to a charity shop?
If transport is a problem, do it one bag at a time.

Cat123456

So my reason for a clear out is a few things. I've been unwell and my usual upkeep on the house hasn't been there the last few months as at points I physically haven't been able to do anything.

My overriding reason is a friend of mine has found themselves between properties, I've offered my sofa for a few weeks until they're back on their feet and I feel my flat has far too much stuff for 2 people to stay here comfortably and to be fair it's a kick up the butt for me to get the flat sorted again.

I gave away so much last year and had to do something similar again this year and I can't just keep giving things away for free as I could do with the money. I don't really think I have anything worth putting on eBay. Most of it would probably do well at a car boot but I just can't get to one

MovingForwards

If it's clothes and you are on Facebook join a couple of local selling groups / market place and advertise bundles of things.

Advertise bundles on Gumtree.

You can do that with other things too.

But, you must get to the bottom of why you have done this so you are not in the same situation a year from now.

Items do not magically appear, I (now) live by the one in / one out rule. If I buy a dress / top etc then one of my old ones goes. Buy a book, an old one goes.

trailingspouse

Presumably you have bought all of this extra 'stuff' at some point, and for some reason? So rather than getting rid of 'everything' try to do it in a more considered way.


First of all, get rid of everything that doesn't work/is broken. Everything.



Then get rid of all the clothes that don't fit, and all the clothes that you don't actually like.


For consumable items that won't go off, put like with like and then just work your way through them.



- you only really need one of most things, so if you have more than one, keep the best and get rid of the rest (sell/give away, whatever is easiest for you).


And finally - and I think this is the most important stage of all - don't allow yourself to buy more 'stuff'. If you get the urge to do so (and you will), ask yourself three questions
- do I already have one?
- where will I keep it?
- would I rather have that item in my house, or that money in my pocket?

Pollycat

Cat123456 wrote: »

So my reason for a clear out is a few things. I've been unwell and my usual upkeep on the house hasn't been there the last few months as at points I physically haven't been able to do anything.

My overriding reason is a friend of mine has found themselves between properties, I've offered my sofa for a few weeks until they're back on their feet and I feel my flat has far too much stuff for 2 people to stay here comfortably and to be fair it's a kick up the butt for me to get the flat sorted again.

I gave away so much last year and had to do something similar again this year and I can't just keep giving things away for free as I could do with the money. I don't really think I have anything worth putting on eBay. Most of it would probably do well at a car boot but I just can't get to one

At the risk of possibly sounding unsympathetic, being unwell doesn't mean that the amount of stuff in the house becomes a problem again.
Maybe something to think on once you've done your next clear out.

If you want to sell your unwanted stuff, you're going to have to accept that it's not going to be as easy and quick as stuffing things into a bin liner and taking it to the nearest charity shop.
It might be hanging round for a while.

Are you sure you have nothing that will sell on eBay? I've seen some pretty odd stuff that people are bidding on.

If you decide that getting rid is better than getting some money for it, could your friend help with sorting out some of the unwanted stuff?
Maybe a Saturday where you spend a couple of hours, then pop out for a coffee and lunch, have another couple of hours then treat yourselves to a takeaway and bottle of wine?
If she's a good enough friend to put up for a short time, she should be willing to help.

PasturesNew

I decluttered to put my house up for sale. I had saved all sorts of things "in case they come in handy", including small bits of furniture, the back/bottom cushions from a sofa I'd thrown out, too many plastic takeaway containers kept "in case".

I had a major clear out...

It was tough to keep going. I think my best piece of advice is: sort out, but do NOT keep it "until the bag's full", but get things out of the house a few items at a time. If you stack up stuff, waiting for more of the same to join it, before you take "the whole lot to the charity shop", or "the whole lot to the tip", you might run out of wind and simply never get round to it. There's a great deal of satisfaction in just getting 1-5 items out of the house. "Every little helps" as they say and I found that to be true.

My second best piece of advice is: "Try to get rid of the larger items first, the heavier, the larger, the most awkward" else they'll just be annoying and daunting.... you'll just see them all the time and they're your biggest barrier to cracking on.

Also, sometimes it's best not to fool yourself that "somebody might buy that" and to try listing items for sale. My stuff wasn't wanted by anybody. Ditto taking things to charity shops, you never get round to it, and/or they don't want that. Ditto taking 2-3 things to the local auction room, they don't sell.

Just take everything to the dump..... I wasted a lot of time trying to work out what could be sold, what could be auctioned... turned out I was wrong on all that. Head for the tip, you know your stuff is dated/rubbish really and nobody else will want it in case it "comes in handy".

Moving forward, I knew that the phone could ring at the drop of a hat, with an agent saying "I have somebody in the office who wants to see your house, can they come along in 2 hours?" - so, having cleared it, I kept the house what I called "1 hour ready", so I kept on top of washing, tidying, cleaning, clearing after that so my house was always "1 hour ready" - which meant it'd only take me 1 hour to do the final re-jigging of items, clearing away of washing up, quick vacuum round, arrange the curtains/cushions/mats, change the front door mat over and get myself out of the house .....

"1 hour ready" means you are forever then picking at items to put them away, but it does work in the end.... although, having received an offer, I'm now sitting here surrounded by "stuff I've got out and not bothered to put away as there won't be that 1 hour call" ... it's a tip again

Pollycat

Re eBaying:
I usually let an auction relist for 3 or 4 times - so 5 weeks maximum - then end the auction and charity shop it.
But I'm talking about good condition clothing from M&S/Per Una, Next, Monsoon etc and footwear with minimal wear.
And I do have room to store things whilst they are listed.

I think the OP needs to decide which is more important to her:
clearing stuff out or
making money from it

I've made over £700 pure profit - i.e. taking off listing fees and postage - from eBay since November last year.

London_Town

PasturesNew wrote: »

"1 hour ready" means you are forever then picking at items to put them away, but it does work in the end.... although, having received an offer, I'm now sitting here surrounded by "stuff I've got out and not bothered to put away as there won't be that 1 hour call" ... it's a tip again

This sums up my problem completely. My biggest failure is not putting things away properly. Clean laundry is the worst for this! It may sound a bit cheesy, but that old saying "a place for everything and everything in its place" is pretty spot on really.

I'm currently trying to focus on removing items from rooms in which they shouldn't be. My dry laundry comes in from the garden and stays in the dining area for days, when it should go straight to the bedroom. My Christmas decorations stayed in the spare room until June, when they should have returned to the loft in January.

The "1 hour rule" is a great system for any visitors too. I'm not the sort of person who can invite someone in, or over on a whim. I need to plan ahead and tidy up. My house is very clean, but too cluttered. I'm sick of saying "please excuse the stuff in the corner" or whatever.

bexster1975

Hello Cat

I didn't read your original thread, so will simply start from this one. There are already lots of great people here, offering great advice. I think it's important to remember that most of us struggle with clutter at some point/t some extent. That doesn't mean it's ok, or you should leave it. It seems clear you do not like the disorganisation. I agree with pollycat re: big items going first. More than that they stop being an obstacle, they actually clear so much space in one easy move that it often offers the motivation needs to continue. I have had ( and to some extent still do) have "just in case" stuff. Now it is mostly restricted to replacement consumables in my " shop" in the spare room wardrobe. I think the level of " clutter" and what you define as clutter, is really personal.

Know this is so anti-MK, but could you start with just getting the living room straight for your friend? It was very kind to offer your sofa for a short while.

I like the idea of tidying like your property is on the market ( slightly terrified at that idea as it may be me actually doing that in the next 12 months :eek:). But it would definitely keep me on top of stuff if I knew I needed to be " 1 hour ready".

Bexster