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How sparse do you like your home to be? I have embarked on a decluttering mission and now I don't want to stop until I get round the entire house. I suspect though that once I do, I'll want to go round again and simplify even more. There are already places I feel I could go back to and be more thorough (ruthless?) but I am trying not to become distracted from tackling some of the harder projects e.g. paperwork.
So far I have ditched carload after carload of goods to the op shop, box after box of papers to recycling, and at least three surplus rubbish bags to the curb.
I'm already finding a sense of relief/release from shedding so many trappings of the past and I'm hoping it will free me to pursue new paths in the future.
I have inspired/bribed my 13yo dd to sort out her room shelf by shelf and she is doing it without complaint, in fact I think she is secretly enjoying it too.
awakenedsoul
7-16-14, 12:18pm
It's nice to have extra space. I need to set aside a few hours a week for decluttering. I don't have too much, but it has accumulated over the past year. It really makes a difference in how you feel to get rid of old stuff. Fortunately, my house is tiny, so there's not much space for clutter.
That's great that your 13 your old dd is doing her part. Keep up the good work!
Decluttering for me is very much a multistage process. I just don't see a lot of things until I get other things out of the way.
I am like Aroha in that I really enjoy a very Spartan kind of living space and get a real rush from getging rid of things (not that I have anything left to get rid of :-)!). I find it very freeing and really like the minimalist look. Makes cleaning a breeze too - a task I abhor.
flowerseverywhere
7-16-14, 2:18pm
Last time we moved we got rid of so much stuff. People remark how clean my house is but in reality is is just uncluttered. We are moving again and this tile I labeled boxed one, two and three. The first boxes packed were threes, thing we don't use on a regular basis. Two's were likely to be used in a month and one's, yet to be packed, every week. Needless to say I a not missing any of the threes. Also, it is a great incentive to not buy anything.
By by the way, we can packed and unpack all our belongings, including the garage and kitchen, in less than three days each. Very freeing.
Decluttering for me is very much a multistage process. I just don't see a lot of things until I get other things out of the way.
This is how my decluttering went and still goes for me, too...about every six months or so I go through a big decluttering phase and I see even more ways to pare down. Just finished an art installation project and now see where I can declutter in my studio to help me focus on my next project.
Bit by bit over time really makes a big difference.
Packratona!
7-16-14, 9:46pm
We are doing major decluttering now that we are both retired. What seems to work for me is to completely empty a whole room, deep clean and paint it, then declutter the stuff that was in it before moving it back in. Rinse and repeat for next room.
mschrisgo2
7-17-14, 12:56am
My daughter got new carpet installed in her apartment. She and the kids have been there 9 years, so the little boys have grown into teens. Because of lack of space to move things to for the carpet changing, they did it over 3 days. So she and the kids, with help from a couple more of us, emptied a couple of rooms each day, then after the carpet was in, put back only what is pertinent now. A huge amount of stuff went out on Freecyle, and lots more pure trash into the dumpster. When the carpeted rooms were all done, she and I did the kitchen, emptying and cleaning and evaluating everything. The boys did the bathrooms. In 5 days her entire 1600 sq ft apartment was totally cleaned and decluttered.
Wow it seems there are as many approaches to decluttering as there are households! Thanks everyone for your comments and support, I can see that I am not alone which is nice as it's very tempting to give up when the going gets tough. My project is obviously not boing to be a one, three or five day blitz. But I will get there.
I don't have too much, but it has accumulated over the past year. Yeah, mine has accumulated over 28 or even 50 (still have a baby gown and Plunket book, lol) so I indeed "do" have too much.
Decluttering for me is very much a multistage process. I just don't see a lot of things until I get other things out of the way. this happened to me - now I notice the curtains without hooks, grime on the sofas, unused kitchen tools...That's why I think I will never be done, I'll just have to go round again
I am like Aroha in that I really enjoy a very Spartan kind of living space and get a real rush from getging rid of things (not that I have anything left to get rid of :-)!). I find it very freeing and really like the minimalist look. Makes cleaning a breeze too - a task I abhor.I don't know that I actually SAID I enjoy a Spartan kind of space, I'm still trying to figure out "my" look. But yes, I can relate to the sense of freedom and easy (er) cleaning.
People remark how clean my house is but in reality is is just uncluttered. By by the way, we can packed and unpack all our belongings, including the garage and kitchen, in less than three days each. Very freeing. Awesome, flowers everywhere. I'd love to reach that point.
Bit by bit over time really makes a big difference.Thanks, I need to know this when I am feeling stuck.
We are doing major decluttering now that we are both retired. What seems to work for me is to completely empty a whole room, deep clean and paint it, then declutter the stuff that was in it before moving it back in. Rinse and repeat for next room. Pakratona, I like the "we". My dh is not into this at all. I would love to do our bedroom this way one day as it certainly needs redecorating.
emptied a couple of rooms each day, then after the carpet was in, put back only what is pertinent now. ...In 5 days her entire 1600 sq ft apartment was totally cleaned and decluttered. Impressive!
The decluttering challenges round here are getting more tedious.
Yes, it was time to tackle my filing cabinet. Lots of shredding was done today, now I can open the drawer without fear of the cabinet toppling over, and I won't need to buy fresh hay for my chickens' nesting boxes :) The cabinet still takes up just as much space though.
By comparison, daughter yesterday tossed shoes and outgrown dress ups. Only took moments and the outgoing pile was gratifyingly large. Here's hoping i can find something more fun or at least less tiresome to declutter tomorrow.
Oh, yes, Aroha filing cabinets are NOT satisfying, but necessary.
Teacher Terry
7-18-14, 5:59pm
At first I found decluttering hard but the more you do it the easier it becomes. I used to have too many nik-naks, etc and collections. I bought a small curio cabinet & the things I like the most are in there & they only need to be dusted once per year. As far as my collections I just kept 3 from each one that I really love. In regard to clothes when I buy an item I donate another item in my closet. I think when you have too many things your eye can't focus & you miss the really beautiful things. Also I do not like a too minimalist style because to me it feels cold & uninviting. I also find that when I am thinking about buying something I ask myself if in a few years I will be hauling it to a thrift store. When I want to buy something I wait a week to see if I still want it & most of the time it is long forgotten.
Terry, thanks those are good points and encouraging.
Today I took everything off the worst shelf in my music cupboard and sorted through. Some books to the op shop, a whole box of papers for recycling, all my Christmas music in the same box (duh) and popped it back in neatly. There was a lot of random stuff there too which I biffed for the most part, and a few items that I shoved back on the next shelf to delay my decision. I know, I know, that's not how decluttering is meant to be done. But it's so tiring, I am really sleepy now and it's not that it's physical it's just the weight of making all those decisions at once.
Also some underwear and clothes, that was much much easier, even though not so very long since I did my drawers. I think for that reason I knew just what I wasn't likely to wear again.
And yay, I found a pair of jeans I forgot I had and wore them today :)
happystuff
7-19-14, 1:27pm
I absolutely LOVE hearing everyone else's decluttering and organizing stories! Very motivating! Thanks!!!
I JUST got back from donating to the thrift store a bunch of stuff that was declutter last weekend. We put an entire bookcase out on our sidewalk last weekend for free (sadly, still there) and all the contents moved and condensed or donated. I'm happy to say that MOST of the books/items belonged to dh and he did a great job of going through them! We also decluttered more of my son's items - always hard, but this time not too bad. We had all his sports trophies on a sofa table in the family room. I took all the nameplates off - dated the back if needed and will put them in a scrapbook. The trophies all got donated and the table was moved. In it's place I relocated another two bookcases that were in our hall. WE CAN NOW WALK THROUGH THE HALL!!!! Everyone in the household has commented how nice it is!
Anyway, my point is, I'm just loving the space and organization that is happening around here - albeit, slowly. Unloading the carload today just makes me want to do even more - LOL! Very motivating.
Gardenarian
7-19-14, 1:38pm
I agree, these stories are very motivating!
Aroha, my dd is 15 and has a hard time with organizing and letting go of stuff. Any tips to encourage teens?
WE CAN NOW WALK THROUGH THE HALL!!!! Everyone in the household has commented how nice it is!
Anyway, my point is, I'm just loving the space and organization that is happening around here - albeit, slowly. Unloading the carload today just makes me want to do even more - LOL! Very motivating.
Well done happystuff, some decluttering is more emotional and harder than others, but I'm glad that you are making progress. I'm like you on unloading the car, sometimes I just have to get rid of what I"ve already worked through before I can continue the effort. But once it's gone, away I go again.
I agree, these stories are very motivating!
Aroha, my dd is 15 and has a hard time with organizing and letting go of stuff. Any tips to encourage teens?
Hi Gardenarian, well you can try yelling at the oldest child and hope the younger ones fall into line because they don't want that to happen to them. this may or may not result in tidiness but is not the best for family relationships so I don't recommend it. Or you can try training them from before the age of two so it's second nature by their teens, I have seen this work in other families but unfortunately I left it too late. I then tried telling her that she may believe it's her room but it's actually my house and I don't like the way she's keeping it. This also did not achieve the desired effect because she clearly did not have the necessary habits in place.
So what is finally working now: First I made a concerted effort myself in other parts of the house. By this time her room was starting to look even more obviously in bad shape than before because of comparison. Then I snuck into her room and took out the things I had stashed there. Then I just decided to turn the decision making over to her. I laid a large table cloth over her (unmade) bed, took down tray of assorted belongings from the cupboard and spread them out. Placed the tray on the floor at one end of the bed, a basket at the other end, and wrote a sign "Dilemma - do I love this? Yes, tray. No, basket." I let her find this mess of her own accord and she dealt to it so that she could get into bed. I gave her a treat that I happened to have on hand.
I do the actual ditching i.e. putting the things in the rubbish, recycling or taking to the op shop. I merely ask that she decide what to keep and what can go.
It's school holidays so I just kept doing the same thing each day and bought some of her favourite lollies so she could have one each time she did a batch of decluttering. She pretty soon got into the swing and became quite ruthless. I think it helps that she has been at high school six months, and really has grown up a lot. she can see a lot of her belongings as things she "used to love" but doesn't need in her life any more. She will stop though if I don't keep it going, and I know that I'm going to have to be persistent about putting things back in their places, but this should be more manageable once we have finished this phase.
With my older dd (21) who has actually left home, I had another inspiration (this came to me after prayer) and I wrote little love letters to her on behalf of her stuff and she responded to them in kind. Like this:
Dear M, We admire you a lot because you are so smart and educated, and we very proud to have played a role in helping you to study and learn while you were growing up. But we really feel that our usefulness to you is now in the past. You don’t need to give us another thought (in fact we know you probably don’t). We just want you to know that we would be more than happy to be recycled as egg cartons or packing boxes. It would make us feel useful again. Truly. With fond respect, your numerous school books. And her reply: Dear School Books, I thank you for your help in my education, I am glad to have known you, but I believe it will be for the best if you find a new path in life now. Yours truly,
I'm still waiting for her to come home and follow through with the rest of her packing so I'll let you know after next week how she gets on.
Hope some of these ideas help. Maybe your daughter's belongings/subjects could petition her as their queen/princess/ruler for more space, care, attention, eviction of the overstayers, illegal aliens etc.
Any tips to encourage teens?
My experience with then 16 years old daughter & overstuffed, cluttered and extremely messy bedroom: We sat down and talked about "her" room, how does the environment there make her feel and how does she like the rest of the apartment which is uncluttered and tidy. It came out that she did not really enjoy living in messy room but had so much stuff that she could not even imagine how to organize it and where to start and she promised that if she gets some help she would "do something with it". My husband promised that if the room looks like a human dwelling, he would install a large cord net on the wall which she wanted to hang photos and postcards on.
So some time later during a rainy weekend when my husband was at work we spent pretty much all weekend in her room and took every single thing one by one and either decided to recycle, donate, give to someone or keep it. She had fun trying a lot of her clothes on and posing in front of mirror trying to decide if she is ever going to wear it again. We played her favourite music, constantly chatted (exhausting for me) and had meals as a "picnic" of her top favourite dishes on random free spot on the floor of her room. Results were amazing and she said it was a fun project and she actually started to spend more time in her own room.
Now almost two years later her bedroom is far from perfect but it is so much easier to keep it manageable without piles of clutter.
Meri, it's great that she allowed you to help her and that you had such a good time together. I'm interested to know whether she changed her habits afterwards, and how she now manages her belongings two years down the track. Did she need/accept help with that as well? Cos I'm thinking once my dd goes back to school tomorrow she will surely continue her usual (untidy) routines which is one of the reasons we got into such a state in the first place.
My mother has always kept everything. Maybe the best thing I did was tell her that I'd started an antique mall booth. She brought a truck load of items for me to add to my booth. At least she is finally going through things. The bonus was when she said "if it's stuff you can't sell or doesn't sell....I don't want it back. Please donate or dump." Course now I have a stack of boxes to go through in the corner of our studio but that is just temporary.
I decluttered my vintage china today. I keep a few items that i love and use regularly and the rest I've decided can go. It was a bit of a worrying responsibility, I was scared some of it may actually be valuable so I googled and found almost an exact replica of the ugly shell cup with gold leaf that my Aunty left me. It could be 100 years old, and may be worth 15 pounds (the one I saw was on a British site). I decided not worth my shelf space or worry about perhaps breaking it. Perhaps someone who truly appreciates it (how likely is that?) will find it in the op shop. Same with the royal albert and royal doulton. Those names have such a ring to them but I don't love it enough to keep it and the money value just for a cup and saucer set is not great enough to make me feel bad about donating. In fact, makes me feel good to donate something that may actually bring some money in for charity, unlike the clothes that will be lucky to fetch a dollar.
I like my apartment to be pretty sparse. I've been increasingly restless the past few days, so I channeled that energy into clearing out some old clothes and papers. Have a pile of stuff by the shredder to take care of later.
I'm interested to know whether she changed her habits afterwards, and how she now manages her belongings two years down the track. Did she need/accept help with that as well? Cos I'm thinking once my dd goes back to school tomorrow she will surely continue her usual (untidy) routines which is one of the reasons we got into such a state in the first place.
I am afraid there is no force in universe that would turn her into a tidy person :) She still leaves her clothes and stuff wherever she drops it but to her credit I must say that every now and then she looks at her room and decides that it looks terrible. And since she does not have to rearrange stacks of sweaters that she used to wear in second grade every time something needs to be put into the wardrobe, cleaning and tidying up her room is so much easier. She usually takes care of her room herself now but asks for help and advice when she wants some.
I think the main thing that has changed is her attitude - she sees that it feels good to have some free space she can use and that she does not really miss her childhood things. Now she is much more willing to go through her clothes at the end of season and send the pieces that no longer fit to her younger sister instead of keeping them.
Packratona!
7-21-14, 8:08am
What really motivates: Read all Don Aslett's books: Clutter's Last Stand, Not for Packrats Only, etc. They are fun to read, and really motivate. If you homeschool, assign them for assigned reading, the kids will love them and also clean their rooms when they are done!
i read those Don Aslett books years ago, it was the first time I heard of decluttering. They were indeed inspirational and I did some decluttering but now I wish I had applied the process a LOT more thoroughly. I am getting quite exhausted this week from my efforts. Please tell me this process is worth it.
This morning was more photos, but there are still too many, maybe I should just bin the lot. Then my sewing suitcase. Again I parted with lots but there's still plenty left and I wonder if I should keep any of it at all.
Maybe I'll feel better when I've had some lunch.
I guess I did feel better after lunch because I went on to declutter and then clean the bathroom. So, one room done :)
I dared venture into the laundry today, tossed a few very odd items, and ventured out again so as not to become overwhelmed. I returned some books and tapes to my daughter's former music teacher, so that's a few more things leaving the house. One day perhaps it will be sparse.
All in all, not a great decluttering day, but I did get some laundry done and bedding aired in beautiful winter sunshine.
Blackdog Lin
7-23-14, 9:47pm
Aroha - try to think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. :) A little here, a little there.....you will get there. Eventually. Stay with the (your) program! You can do this!
DH was looking tonight for something he knew he purchased last year, to help with his tomato-canning. Couldn't find it. I ended up tearing apart the cabinet that holds the plastic-ware (Tupperware and such) to look for it (we ended up finding it BEHIND the kitchen drawers) and realized boy! talk about something that needs decluttering. It's the cabinet that I open very very quickly while simultaneously shoving in the clean piece of plastic-ware and then closing the door immediately and pressing hard so that it doesn't stay gapped open.....anyone else have a cabinet like this?! :)
It is now on my list for tomorrow. I have gotten too used to the clutter in that cabinet, and need to take care of it.
Oh yes, Blackdog Lin, my plastics drawer was just like this. It was one of the first areas I decluttered when I first started on this lark.
Thanks for your encouragement, I have never been much of a marathoner, which may be one of the reasons this is starting to drag for me. Also, it's hard to know when you've finished. I could just stop now and things are already a lot better than when I began. On the other hand, I'm still finding stashes and piles that need dealing to.
Unfortunately it does seem to be the kind of task that has no end, how do you know when you really are done?
Hi,
I don't think it's question of being "done" You might be done with the initial phase in that sense that you have created uncluttered and organized environment in your home but I think that what matters the most is what follows after that. As the life evolves and depending on ever changing conditions and requirements your view of what feels just right might change and then you will act upon that day by day. I would call it maintenance phase, probably. Just maintain your home the way you would like to have it. It might be that you decide to get rid of some stuff every now and then, it may be that you decide to add some stuff that would bring value to your life. From this point of view you are done when you are done living. Until then you just continue modeling the space you occupy be it by decluttering, reorganizing or re-evaluating your belongings.
Relax, it's not a race to be finished, it's part of your journey and you'd better enjoy it.
Just maintain your home the way you would like to have it.
It might be that you decide to get rid of some stuff every now and then, it may be that you decide to add some stuff that would bring value to your life.
From this point of view you are done when you are done living.
Meri thankyou for these wise words. Very good food for thought here as I go about my day. I really appreciate your input.
Well if this isn't timely-
I am tearing this house apart. We really don't have a lot of stuff, by what is the standard, but it's way too much for me. I realized I am not really the decorating kind of person. I pulled a bunch of stuff and put it all in some bins for our community yard sale this September. I am shocked at how much I have to sell for living what I thought was quite sparse. :)
My approach is mostly at night, because hubby is working nights right now and I can concentrate on that task with no interruptions or questioning. My desire end result is simple, clean, mostly white, bright with very little clutter out and about. I do want to do a picture wall up the stairs and I have curtains to by for the house (we need them). Other than some painting that needs to be done, once this yardsale is over, I can truly say I have reached a good stopping point. Just in time for the holidays. ;)
My "spring" cleaning is late this year and that's my priority this week and through the end of the month. Just finished one major art project and before I tackle the next I'm cleaning and decluttering my studio and all other areas I will be neglecting in the coming months.
I find it is an on going process. When things are finally organized and decluttered, things change and those CDs are no longer convenient to keep around in their individual boxes. I've moved from being a jewelry designer to a fiber & metals artist so my tools and equipment requirements have changed.
This website has a printable calendar that I use as a general guide to go through the house organizing and decluttering. It's easy to adjust for your own home. For me, I don't have a garage but my studio/office always needs something organized.
http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/declutter-calendar.html
Now if I could just figure out how to organize and declutter my digital life, it's as bad as ever!!
GreenMama and Dhiana, what role models of decluttering you are. Thanks for chiming in, it really does help to know that others actually do this too.
My dd came home and took away two huge suitcases of belongings, discarded a heap more, and has left the remainder neatly stacked in just two plastic bins. I can live with hiding those away for a few months, at least I have my room back. More than that, I am pleased that she has been able at 21 to part with so many certificates and nik naks etc in order to start her adult life with the freedom to up and go wherever and whenever she should decide without being hampered by these things. (She probably still does have too much but she will discover that on her own, not here :) ).
So with that task dealt to, I will have to renew my own efforts tomorrow. Progress is definitely happening though.
happystuff
7-27-14, 1:10pm
Have been continuing with the cleaning/decluttering. This weekend was more of organizing and "finding a place" for things since the big donation drop last weekend. Have to say I'm really happy with the space I'm ending up with! Really motivating to continue!!!
I have enough to have quite a yard sale. Hoping to make enough to cover my son's back to school needs.
We are seriously considering downsizing, hoping to find something more cottage like with a little land. I have started to focus on that for my "decore", though I am not much of a decorator. I am thinking simple, white and black with some modern urban touches. I really like the new show Fixer Upper on HGTV. Very much my style. : )
So this has resulted in getting rid of a lot more items than I thought I was going to but I am enjoying myself. And the great thing is I have some blankets and towels for my petcare business. :)
Happystuff, that's so exciting. Your sense of motivation is contagious, I'm looking forward to having "a place for everything".
GreenMama, good luck with your yard sale. I will also be interested to hear how you get on with developing your decorating style. I think I don't have much of a style also, I know what I don't like (black, and to a lesser extent white, haha) but never been sure of a "look" I want to achieve. I do know that wall-to-wall-possessions is not it.
Well I just received a brand new saucepan set for my birthday, all shiny and with handles attached! So off to declutter my burnt and broken ones :)
I am thinking simple, white and black with some modern urban touches. I really like the new show Fixer Upper on HGTV. Very much my style. : )
I like this show too, GreenMama. I have to admit I was prejudiced when I saw it's set in the Waco Texas area, but Joanna who is 1/2 of the custom home remodeling husband-wife team is really amazing.
I have been on a mission to live on less for about five years. I started when the moving van showed up and I had to put every thing away. I am single and live in a two bedroom house. It has a nicely sized kitchen, a living room and a dining room and no garage. It is also on a half acre plot. The yard is hugh, but that is another story.
I have cut what I owe by 60 to 70 percent. I have totally downsized the master bedroom. All of my clothes except for outerware fit in one closet and I have nothing on the closet floor. I got a shoe cabinet for free. I will only keep the amount of shoes that will fit in the cabinet! I purge the entire room from drawer to closet and got rid of everything I did not use or was a duplicate!!
My spare bedroom is a guess bedroom and not a junk room. There is even space in the closet for guest to hang up clothes.
I am currently purging the kitchen. I purged and re-organized at the same time. I pulled every thing out of the pantry and sstarted over. I lowered and raised shelves so things would fit properly. I got rid of every duplicate kitchen utensils, pots, and bowls that I did not use. I put all the tea in the drawer under the tea kettle. It feels good. Things in my house are scared because they thing they will disappear next.
My goal is to be able to clean my entire house in two hours instead of two weeks. I want to spend my time doing other things. I will post pictures when I am done. If I figure out how.
My goal is to be able to clean my entire house in two hours instead of two weeks. I want to spend my time doing other things. I will post pictures when I am done. If I figure out how.
This is a great goal Onyons and sounds like you are well and truly on the way if not almost there already. I look forward to seeing pix. Your house sounds peaceful.
I love what you said about your things being scared they will disappear next :) I think my daughter feels this way, I had her home for the weekend and made her declutter her old room (she has left home now) and then she text me a few hours later having suddenly remembered her summer clothes in the wardrobe. "They're important and I'll come for them" I reassured her they were safe for now but I think she was worried I would donate them to the op shop in her absence.
... and a few items that I shoved back on the next shelf to delay my decision. I know, I know, that's not how decluttering is meant to be done. But it's so tiring, I am really sleepy now and it's not that it's physical it's just the weight of making all those decisions at once.
Well, that's what has to be, then.
I don't get down on myself unless the clutter spills into an already decluttered area. That means I declutter like I prepare to move, starting with the far rooms of the house and sweeping things out through the garage to Goodwill, friends, or trash. And I have to work fast, before the wife or daughter start undoing what I've done. :doh:
Blackdog Lin
7-30-14, 9:45pm
Enjoying all the decluttering posts.....but wanted to thank you Aroha for starting the thread, which got me to thinking about the "plastics" cabinet, which got me to finally today getting the job done. A drawer easily opened with nothing but useful lids in it, a cabinet that one can open and close without a deluge of plasticware falling out of it, and a sack of the rest ready to pass on to family and friends who might be able to use it (Goodwill for what doesn't get given away).....it's wonderful, and I feel very very good about getting it done.
Thanks. Slowly but surely.....
Blackdog Lin, I started the thread looking for some encouragement and it seems that lots of people have a good handle on this already, I'm glad it motivated you to deal to those plastics.
My efforts have slowed down a little, but I am determined not to give up. I cleared out my top dresser drawer of old and/or unused makeup and perfumes, jewellery, random items, and even two surplus hairbrushes. Then I made some dividers so that I can separate socks etc. It's a lot tidier now, and though only one small shoebox left the house it probably contained about 40 items that I no longer need to worry about.
Persevered with some more decluttering today, filled half a bag of rubbish and sent a tiered plastic trolley and small box of bits and bobs to the op shop. Now I have a clean drawer in my bedside cabinet and the top laundry shelf is clear. What I mind most about this is it's so time consuming.
Do you keep a sewing drawer? After going through mine today i'm starting to reassess what to keep. I do sew, but not as often as I used to. There are so many potentially useful thingummies - elastic, zips, hooks, needles, threads, buttons. Trying to decide whether to keep a good stock (some things are expensive to buy) or to pare it right back to scissors and pin cushion. How do you tackle this one?
I'm so glad this thread exists. My house is not bad at all, but it could really use a real refresher. My husband would be content never having to change anything in the house or in his life ever again, but it just bugs me all the stuff I see that needs to be dusted or taken out of the house or replaced, etc. I suppose like a lot of you say, it's a step by step thing. A little here and a little there. I just wish my husband would step and actually realize that I want our house to be comfortable and easy to clean and overall a nice place to be, but up to now, he doesn't really get that (and if he does, he doesn't want anything to do with it). so I have to go about it all myself.
Hello OwlGirl, it's tough when you're doing a mission like this on your own. I guess one person getting things done is better than nobody. I can certainly see an improvement here and I haven't even touched my husband's stuff. (Yet).
I can see the things that need fixing or replacing now, I will start by doing those I can manage (mend curtains, paint windowsills) and strategically ask him to tackle the ones that I can't and then see where that gets us. Right now our toilet flusher is causing no end of irritation, I'm hoping that will become annoying enough to jog him out of lethargy and into doing something, as he can be quite "handy" when the right mood strikes.
Blackdog Lin
8-8-14, 8:38pm
I need to add thanks again for the thread: been doing more decluttering, thanks to y'alls inspiration. After getting the plastics cabinet done, and doing my old bag of purses (picked out 6-8 of the better ones and hung them up on shower curtain rods in my closet to stay nice, per a Pinterest idea I saw), I decided to finish the shelves where the purses were and went through ALL the old freebie totes and satchels and gym bags. Culled 60% of them, only keeping 4-5 that I could see we might actually use in years to come.
(1) I have one big-a** pile of stuff ready to go to Goodwill; and (2) my closet looks plumb empty, wonderfully so, with all the upper shelving cleaned off and mostly empty.
Wed. I started on my closet; emptied one side of a walk-in, put clothes on the bed and the rest on the floor. OMG!!! How did all that stuff fit in there??? Did the other half...just as bad. Didn't get rid of too much but am relocating my books from massage school that I never used. This freed up space in a trunk kept in the closet for other stuff. So it looks better.
Today I went through 30 years of photos and weeded out fuzzy/blurry/dark/light/mystery ones and kept the rest. Many years ago I was bored and filed them all away with numbers and labeled dividers so I could easily see when they were taken.
Most of this was easy for me. The tough part will be going through stuff stored in my cousin's basement, which couldn't be brought here when we moved. Lots of childhood stuff, books, etc.
Wed. morning I stopped at the library wearing my favorite sandals, which are at least 15 years old. They were split and disintegrated, breaking off as I walked. They had to go though it broke my heart. That started the ball rolling that day.
Blackdog, yay for the empty closet shelves, what a wonderful feeling. Pony, it's sad to lose a favourite pair or sandals but after 15 years I think you are justified in acquiring some new favourites. Well done on the photo sorting, that is a real mission and one I have just attempted also. I still have too many and will have to tackle it again. I hope you will find the childhood stuff is easier than you are expecting. Not sure how old you are - I am 50 and the childhood stuff was dead easy, in fact should have been done years ago. At least my 21 yo has done a better job of leaving childhood behind her in preparation for adulthood.
Thankyou both for joining me on this journey. It is very random, yesterday I found fishing gear in two different spots (laundry shelf and stationery drawer for goodness sake). I don't even fish. Today I found golf clubs and I don't even golf. I confess I haven't even ditched these things yet. Having rediscovered them I'm now toying with actually making use of them. Decisions, decisions...
Blackdog Lin
8-9-14, 10:32pm
Aroha: oh my I LOL hearing where you found fishing gear. Been there done that. How DOES all this stuff end up where it does?!!
Let the stuff go, is my advice. Focus on your decluttering. Later if you decide you do indeed have an interest in golf, or fishing - well, there's always friends and family and Goodwill and Craigslist and.....you get the idea.
Aroha, I just turned 48. It's interesting that I'm doing this now because when I was 28, I went through a depression lasting about 8 months, perhaps due to leaving one part of my life behind and growing up and moving forward. So maybe this current decluttering bug is a sort of mid-life thing.
I have a lot of nice collectible tchochke stuff. Since moving here, I have a small space to display them so I rotate what I have every month or so. This way I can enjoy all I have but not all at once and so appreciate it all more. Right now it's my summer-themed Wee Forest Folk mice : )
During my cleanout I found a never-used photo album. What I may do is choose 30 favorite photos each of my departed horse, dog and cat and keep them here so I can flip through it and see them all in once place.
Next on my list is a container full of stuff from my trips to London: photos, brochures, theater programs, etc. Probably won't get rid of much there, but I did save lots of shopping bags. I think just the Harrod's bags will stay.
How DOES all this stuff end up where it does?!!
Well presumably I put it there. Clearly I was not thinking straight at the time.
Aroha, I just turned 48. It's interesting that I'm doing this now because when I was 28, I went through a depression lasting about 8 months, perhaps due to leaving one part of my life behind and growing up and moving forward. So maybe this current decluttering bug is a sort of mid-life thing.
I have a lot of nice collectible tchochke stuff. Since moving here, I have a small space to display them so I rotate what I have every month or so. This way I can enjoy all I have but not all at once and so appreciate it all more. Right now it's my summer-themed Wee Forest Folk mice : )
During my cleanout I found a never-used photo album. What I may do is choose 30 favorite photos each of my departed horse, dog and cat and keep them here so I can flip through it and see them all in once place.
Next on my list is a container full of stuff from my trips to London: photos, brochures, theater programs, etc. Probably won't get rid of much there, but I did save lots of shopping bags. I think just the Harrod's bags will stay.
Pony, I hope this round of decluttering brings you a happier outcome :) Having your treasures and photos where you can appreciate them is a great idea, that's the whole point of having them after all.
I was not going to tackle the garage yet but I dabbled in there today and pitched a variety of children's sports equipment belonging to my adult daughters who were both more into the arts in any case. It's really a crime to have held onto hockey sticks and the like when other children could have been using them all this time, I hope now that someone will pick them up for a song and put them to the use they deserve.
For myself I found a pair of gumboots that are better than the ones I have been wearing so ditched those instead :)
Wed. morning I stopped at the library wearing my favorite sandals, which are at least 15 years old. They were split and disintegrated, breaking off as I walked. They had to go though it broke my heart. That started the ball rolling that day.
Pony mom, I had a similar experience earlier this year. My Birkenstock shoes finally gave out after 25 years of faithful service. There was no longer enough solid cork to resole and retap onto, and the leather restorers I used on the uppers finally went on strike in disgust. ;) Several other items trickled out along with it, and I'm still finding flotsam and jetsam to sweep into the garage for the next donation run ....
Now that those beloved sandals are gone, honestly I don't miss them...yet. Out with the old to make way for the new.
Aroha, in my area there used to be a store called Play It Again that sold used sporting equipment, maybe on consignment. I know my local tack shop sells used horse equipment and clothing on consignment; maybe there's something similar near your town. Even losing a bit of commission was worth just getting rid of my stuff.
Thanks for the thought, Pony mom, but honestly my sports gear owes me nothing and I am happy to donate it to the hospice shop. If they make a buck to help look after the dying then well and good, and even better is that at least someone is using the gear. I considered advertising the bird cage because I see they might fetch $20 but the time taken to dispose of it will keep me from my true mission of decluttering. I just want the breathing space.
To that end back in the garage today. Found lots more cardboard and plastic, and it's dawned on me that the packaging from everything my husband ever buys always gets piled on top of everything else. Recycling day tomorrow so it will all be gone.
I wish I had never ventured into the garage, it's scary in there. I'm sure there are people who live in a more cluttered state than we do, but right now I'm feeling like we are the greatest hoarders who ever lived.
Today, in addition to our weekly recycling and one bag of rubbish, the truck collected two cartons of cardboard packaging, three huge bags of plastics, and an extra sack of rubbish. I am so grateful for that, but already I have filled another rubbish sack and started another recycling box.
Seriously I'm beginning to doubt my ability to conquer this on my own, I've been going for almost two months and the end is not yet in sight.
Aroha, your clutter didn't magically appear all at once. Take photos so you can compare the befores and afters.
My London box clearout wasn't a huge success. But going through my theater programs made me realize just how many talented actors I've seen in person. I saw David Suchet and Micheal Sheen in Amadeus! Just about all of the shopping bags stayed too. Oh well, I'm just not ready and may never be ready to get rid of some of it.
I did throw out a cute pair of leopard bikini underwear that immediately gives me a wedgie : ) For the next month or two I'm going to try to stay out of stores and, my biggest challenge, thrift shops. Oh, the bargains I'll miss. But I have enough clothes for my current life and job but I could use a pair of black flat shoes. But my life isn't over if I don't.
Pony mom, those programmes obviously still bring back great memories for you and that has to be a good thing. I agree staying away from the shops is the best strategy both for not spending money and for keeping clutter away. Funny how those things go hand in hand.
I am going back through the areas I first tackled nearly two months ago. I just knew I had kept too much. I am thinking of taking photos when I'm done, for home inventory purposes, but I don't think I want to take before photos at all.
Still finding nooks that escaped decluttering on the first round. Christmas decorations. Four shoe-boxes' worth are going down.
What I have left is my small carved nativity set, a string of lights, fabric bunting I sewed last year, a handmade stocking each, a foot-high glittery tree and a few attractive (to me) ornaments all of which fit in one decorated shoe box. Possibly still more than I now want, but we'll see.
I also have a London box, and it's quite big because I live in Paris and often hop on the Eurostar to go to my favourite city. And I also keep the theatre programmes (my favourite must be the one with Benedict Cumberbatch before Sherlock Holmes made him a star ;)!
Seriously, I also wonder sometimes whether I'll be able to conquer the clutter. I have made great progress lately but I am unhappy that I am spending so much time decluttering/cleaning.
Marion, I'm with you, this decluttering seems to take a lot of time and even when you can see some progress it can feel never-ending.
I'm so glad you are making progress though, let's celebrate every useless thing that leaves the house and every delayed decision finally executed.
The longer this takes the more determined I become not to let the clutter creep back in future, I'd certainly rather not have to do this again.
I've certainly enjoyed reading your blow by blow accounts of your total house declutter, Aroha. You've done a fantastic job.
Thanks for the encouragement, Aroha and also thank you for starting this thread, it does help to read it and commiserate with fellow declutterers ;)
Pony mom, I had a similar experience earlier this year. My Birkenstock shoes finally gave out after 25 years of faithful service. There was no longer enough solid cork to resole and retap onto, and the leather restorers I used on the uppers finally went on strike in disgust. ;) Several other items trickled out along with it, and I'm still finding flotsam and jetsam to sweep into the garage for the next donation run ....
jrb, 25 years is exceptionally good going!!! Good luck with your donation run, I know how it feels when you have do it quick before anyone retrieves anything. Once I was putting stuff in a miniskip and before it could get picked up my dh (dear hoarder) pulled things out and stashed them under the hedge. I was wild.
I've certainly enjoyed reading your blow by blow accounts of your total house declutter, Aroha. You've done a fantastic job.
Thanks, I think. It's hard to imagine that anything as mundane as throwing away rubbish can make enjoyable reading but there you go.
Thanks for the encouragement, Aroha and also thank you for starting this thread, it does help to read it and commiserate with fellow declutterers ;)
I accept your commiseration and extend mine to you. We're all in this together.
You have all inspired me! Yesterday and today I managed to clear out many files in the filing cabinet- 2 drawers where i would LOVE to have only important useful items easily retrievable.I'm on my way- still some more to do. I then cleared out 4 drawers of stuff, paperwork, employment evaluations, observations, certifications and now have TWO yes TWO empty drawers in that desk. The recycle bin is filling and the shredder is getting a workout, but oh my what a great feeling. I also pitched sympathy cards - not too hard as I had read them and was comforted by them at the time, now , not necessary. Thank you all for your stories, it helped me get started.
nswef, you're on a roll!! Well done, I think the paperwork is one of the hardest areas to declutter - so many decisions in each stack. Enjoy your empty drawers and keep up the good work.
Thanks Aroha. Paper seems to multiply rabbit like in my house. My goal is to have a space in the filing cabinet so that my computer desk is generally always clear, but I can reach all the paper stuff I seem to need.
My decluttering has taken an unexpected and profitable turn. Today I took a microwave to the metal recyclers who paid me $2.50. I promptly returned to my scary garage looking for anything else that might be acceptable and offloaded the bike, vacuum cleaner and beach umbrella, which fetched another $3.50.
I then realised they would also take the likes of car batteries, but I wasn't about to make a third trip in the same day. I will bide my time collecting all the potential candidates into one spot and try to get rid of them in one swell foop.
Now I have a fresh focus, on with the decluttering.
Not really mine, but assigned my daughter to tidy her dressing table top. i think I counted more than forty items on there, I'm not sure what she did with them all but it looks a lot better now. For my part I sifted through some music and persuaded myself to part with about 20 books.
Funny coincidence today, both my grown up daughters living in two separate towns, contacted me wanting their stuff. Hooray.
The daughter who took away as much as she could manage a month ago has now commissioned a friend to fetch the rest of her belongings in his car when next he comes up to visit his family.
Meanwhile, we are going to visit our eldest daughter next weekend and she asked us to bring her one remaining box.
So that will be some huge outgoings in a short space of time and will hopefully get me rolling on my own belongings again. And even perhaps clear enough space so I can tackle some decorating projects.
Ok, time to ramp up the decluttering again in light of today's news. Middle daughter, instead of taking away more belongings, now will probably come home to live for a few months.
This is good news, really, but not without its complications, given that I have already invited an overseas guest to stay for undetermined period of time. I need to make sure the house, and specifically their bedroom, is not so full of things that there is no room for people.
Teacher Terry
9-1-14, 6:29pm
I decluttered my office yesterday. Since I did a big declutter a # of years ago I try to do this every 3 months or so not to let it build up. It is much less of a job that way. I know you will enjoy having more room/space & less stuff. I understand about the kid issue. My 3 boomeranged for awhile in their early 20's.
I was able to get through some more clothes I kinda forgot about (rolls eyes) and I mopped all my floors with a new cleaner and LOVE THEM!!!!
I have four bags of books, two boxes of household goods, and a huge bag of clothes ready to donate. Also a box to ship to a friend. And then I'll start all over again.
Blackdog Lin
9-1-14, 9:42pm
My update: thanks to y'all and this thread my closet is all but done. I pared down the underwear drawer and the (white) socks drawer in the chest-of-drawers last week. Down to 2 more drawers - 1 (colored) socks drawer and 1 junk drawer. I have been wonderfully ruthless with my culling: the heck with sentimentality and nostalgia, if it hasn't been worn in years its got to go! (examples: one beautiful steel-blue suit, never worn with tags still on it, perfect for a mother-of-the-groom ensemble.....only that kid of mine is NEVER going to be the type to have a wedding where I would need such a thing and I need to accept this. Nor am I ever gonna be invited to an estate wedding where I stand around looking classic and sipping champagne. But it sure was beautiful and classy. sigh. And 2 pretty crocheted circa 1974 triangle shawls w/fringe. I always knew I would look so cool in them again someday - well, someday hasn't come in the last 40 years so out they went.)
I figure as long as I'm in this mood I'd better run with it. Plan to have the closet all finished by end of this week. Then on to DH's closet!
I decluttered my office yesterday. Since I did a big declutter a # of years ago I try to do this every 3 months or so not to let it build up. It is much less of a job that way. I know you will enjoy having more room/space & less stuff. I understand about the kid issue. My 3 boomeranged for awhile in their early 20's.
Thanks for the encouragement Teacher Terry, I can see that regular decluttering will always be necessary and hope I can manage to keep on top of it. I don't mind the boomeranging much but it's a bit unsettling. Are your offspring settled now?
I was able to get through some more clothes I kinda forgot about (rolls eyes) and I mopped all my floors with a new cleaner and LOVE THEM!!!! I've discovered it is possible to "forget about" all sorts of things! Good work on the floor.
I have four bags of books, two boxes of household goods, and a huge bag of clothes ready to donate. Also a box to ship to a friend. And then I'll start all over again. Go Jane.
I'm starting over too and cannot believe the things I let slip through the first round. It's a little easier to roll my eyes at them and toss rather than just agonise.
I have been wonderfully ruthless with my culling ... someday hasn't come in the last 40 years so out they went.
Blackdog Lin that's awesome and I'll do my best to follow in your footsteps. As for your DH's closet, will you do it for him, ask for his input or let him do it? Any advice welcome as I fear my DH is almost a genuine hoarder.
Teacher Terry
9-2-14, 8:03pm
Yes my kids have finally made it to the settling stage of life. When we bought our old house 2 years ago there was a tiny bedroom attached to the master. So we turned this into a walk in closet which is awesome. However, due to DH it has become a disaster zone. Today I decluttered that & it looks great. My DH is such a saver-ugh! It actually only took me about an hour.
Teacher Terry: A closet question.
I'm in the same situation with a tiny bedroom attached to the master. I'm wanting to put a doorway in so I can make it the master bd room closet, but I understand that there's a building permit required. Did you have to do that for your remodel?
Blackdog Lin
9-5-14, 7:34pm
Aroha: I consider my DH also a borderline hoarder. As for his closet, I'm only gonna do the shoes and clothes. He doesn't care about these things. All his "crap" will stay - I will leave it alone - and hope to die first so that I will never have to deal with any of it.
:)
Teacher Terry
9-7-14, 5:09pm
Lainey, we did not get a building permit for any of our remodeling. We decided not to put a door on our closet and instead used lightweight curtains that you can't see thru that match our bedroom curtains. You don't have to pull them back to go thru which is nice. Also I figured my hubby would never shut a closet door so the door is always closed so to speak.
I think you only need a permit if you're going to tamper with a load-bearing wall, but you could call or go on-line to be sure.
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