Decluttering my flat

SuzeQStan

I wish we had a re use shop at our tip 🙏🏻

Rosa_Damascena

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878594#Comment_81878594

Advise rather than seek permission. Throwing out replaceable junk isn't going to cause any harm to an otherwise untraumatised child. They will need to take it with them when they grow up and make their own way in the world, its a question of now or then.

Rob5342

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81875251#Comment_81875251

Put everything you have a question over in the garage, go back and get anything you find you need and then after a month throw everything else away.

weenancyinAmerica

I still haven't recovered from my mother throwing away my teddy bear when I was five. I'm 78 now and still have trouble passing other teddy bears to new homes.

florianatwobob

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878967#Comment_81878967

I think a discussion is needed. My grandma ‘rehomed’ my dad’s toy fort and soldiers whilst he was in the navy. He came home on leave to find it given to one of the young lads in the Close. Dad loved his fort and was still upset about it in his 70s. Dad wasn’t a traumatised child but that hurt him.

wort

Re shredders , if you put ripped papers in water , leave for bit then they go mushy you squeeze them out and bin them .
someone would struggle to read anything on them . I often do this.

Rosa_Damascena

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879869#Comment_81879869

I am waiting for the summer to do this, I have bagfuls!!

Valli

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81875642#Comment_81875642

Brilliant suggestion - another option is donating to a local scrap store, if there is one - they'll take craft supples etc.

Our local TRANSITION group run a Crafter's Market once a year where people sell their unwanted craft items - not finished goods.

textbook

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878594#Comment_81878594

If I talk to him, he'll say everything is valuable and don't throw anything out! What am I supposed to do? I can't keep it all.

Maybe some cuddly toys are more important than a dinosaur he never played with. Tricky. I haven't got room. Maybe some in garage

kimwp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81875251#Comment_81875251

Pick one thing to do and just do that thing until it's done. It's difficult to get rid of things on the basis that it may be useful - most of the time it's better to get rid of them and get new if needed than have a while room taken up of stuff that might be needed.

Sounds like you've identified craft stuff, toys and old documents.

1. Collect all the old craft stuff and donate it to local school/clubs.

2. Collect the toys unwanted, sort by age and donate or advertise on Freecycle etc. selling things is a pain, but people will take stuff for free (unless you are inclined to spend the time to make some money)

3. Once you have done that, collect all the documents. There are firms that will shred documents for you. Decide if it's worth getting a shredder or paying one of these firms.

Ps, I recommend watching Stacey Solomon's TV show "sort your life out". Might have done tips for taking to your son about choosing which toys he really loves.