Clutter free help please

Do I love it, Do I want it, Do I need it?

If only DD would clear out her stuff we could put the Christmas decorations in her wardrobe.
Or downsize

But it might come in useful!!

One way that I'm really lucky is in not storing anything in the loft. Many years ago we upgraded to 10" of insulation up there and the installers just rolled it out right over the boarded walkway! That prevented us from refilling it with junk! I do blame the clutter in certain rooms on the loft being off limits though. The Christmas decorations used to go up there and now it's difficult to find a home for them.

That might not have been very helpful.

Don't charity shop stuff too quickly. I have today taken out of the bag, two giraffes, a candle holder, and a small 'leaves set in glass' hanging ornament. And a wooden duck. Can't understand why I thought I didn't want them. Guess it was an after Xmas thing. (I have been thinking the living room was looking a bit bare. Better now. )

Such good suggestions from Gransnet on decluttering. One small tip I can add is that once you pick something up to deal with it don't put it down again until you have dealt with it and you have put it in its final destination.

Keep a hole punch and lever arch files to hand for immediate filing of papers then have the triage bags or boxes ready for: dustbin, give away, recycle, sell.

Walk around your house and take a realistic look at what you do have space for. Plan out what the storage place is going to be for each kind of item for all the things that cause your clutter such as clothes, coats, footwear and accessories, memorabilia and photos, Christmas decorations, books, important papers and instruction leaflets, display of ornaments and knick knacks, office stationery, vacuum cleaner and cleaning materials, fabrics and hobby equipment, extra crockery, linen, cutlery and glassware, luggage and suitcases, newspapers and magazines. Then you will be able to step back and work out what you have got room for and this will help you decide what to keep.

If you have a lot of things that are kept just in case they will come in useful or for various projects just remind yourself that you really can't store them any more and that someone else will use them. Then be ruthless!

Also as I found with my Morher's house when I cleared it, piles of things that don't get used deteriorate, attract dust, vermin and insects and just go out of fashion and not in a good way so they end up going to landfill.

Marie Kondo's book inspired me to send 2 bags of clothes which didn't 'spark joy' to a charity collection and to have just one drawer of neatly folded tops, very easy to see. More room in the wardrobe so that I can see what I have!
Flylady's website encourages 'baby steps', routines, a big clear calendar and 'you can do anything for 15 minutes.'
Must go and tackle a 'hot spot' (those flat surfaces which attract oddments), Flylady again.

Two bags sorted for the clothing bank (admittedly tip of the iceberg but it's a start) and the recycling bin is now half full (it was emptied a few days ago). Yip! Yip! I'm going to take a photo before I go any further so I have evidence to help prevent me from going back.

My husband and I have just finished clearing out our loft. We started this job last summer. Husband would bring down two boxes a week and that was our weekend for a good few months, it has been so worth it. We now really just have our Christmas things up there, and two or three boxes and bags which belong to our adult children , so it is their stuff to sort out anyway.
I wish we had done this years ago, but husband was reluctant. I insisted that I did not want our adult children left with the loft to clear. Husband and I had done the house clearing for three aged parents , after they died. My mothers house was small and she did not have much. My in-laws who were lovely people but came from and had themselves,large families ,it was a nightmare. They never threw anything out. I vowed I would not be leaving all that for my own children to do. So now it is done. I have not flung photographs out, BUT, they are all condensed now into albums in just one box, what a difference. We threw out loads, some of the people we did not even know, and there were other photos where they would have meant nothing. I wrote on the back who was who, along with date,time and place. The children may not keep them all but they will have alot less to go through. I feel relieved now it is done, and I am now starting the top of the house and working my way down. Yes, it will take time but will be worth it in the end.

Might take a bit of time to galvanise you as the decluttering one is quite anecdotal but there is some sound stuff in there. I did identify with her so that helped.
Bloody autocorrect! But what drives me mad is although I check the post over - & it still contains rubbish.

I hate it when my auto correct puts ill instead of I'll and I don't notice

Thanks grannyjack. I just bought both those books for my kindle fire. I desperately need to declutter. Now Ill sit around reading them but maybe Ill be galvanised into action! I know I'm just bone idle rather than hanging on to stuff for sentimental reasons but I'm also happier when things are tidy. Discipline! That's what I really need...

Forgot to mention that my big declutter was stimulated & assisted by a book. No not written by Marie Kondo - I don't thank socks! But by Cynthia Friedlob called 'Sorting it out - one disorganised woman solves the problem of too much stuff' I certainly identified with that at one point but not now!

She has also written another book about dressing yourself at a certain age 'How to get dressed without driving yourself crazy'.

Although Cynthia is from the US I like her down to earth approach.

Hi, I find charity shops just throw items away. Go round the back of one and have a look. I have a page on my pc I can print that says PLEASE HELP YOURSELF. What ever I have I don't need, I wait for a dry day and put it outside. You'd be amazed at what goes. I do live on a road that's quite busy. I really really like to recycle and this is the ultimate recycling, no car needed or picky charity shops. My last success, after two dry days and a box of things, the last item, a small sheet of glass I maybe bought for a picture, was taken to be used by someone. Brilliant.

Hi, I find charity shops just throw items away. Go round the back of one and have a look. I have a page on my pc I can print that says PLEASE HELP YOURSELF. What ever I have I don't need, I wait for a dry day and put it outside. You'd be amazed at what goes. I do live on a road that's quite busy. I really really like to recycle and this is the ultimate recycling, no car needed or picky charity shops. My last success, after two dry days and a box of things, the last item, a small sheet of glass I maybe bought for a picture, was taken to be used by someone. Brilliant.

And little I ever price check on eBay is worth the effort of selling it so it goes to friends or charity. Did get rid of an old camera for £50:Buyer was thrilled
Gave my hairdresser DH telescope which had languished in our loft for 30 years He was thrilled too
The 35 year old cross country skis went to the tip-somehow dont think I'll be risking them again
It's very liberating

I read somewhere if it won't cost more than £20 and take more than 20 minutes to replace it, just ditch it .I have got rid of a couple of things and wished I hadn't, but on balance nothing really important and it's not hard to buy a new red jacket !
I like the William.Morris diktat
'Keep nothing in your houses unless you know it to be useful or believe it to be beautiful (to which I would add 'or has great sentimental value ') Regarding the latter ,again I took the advice to buy a beautiful box and prune your collection to a size which would fit it .Have managed to throw away over well over 100 wedding cards.I kept a few which said especially nice or touching things Can't quite do the baby ones yet though .
Marie Kondo has made a fortune from her book but I'm not sure she's saying more than the above .You are supposed to thank items for the use/pleasure you have had from them before discarding anything which does not 'spark joy'It's a bit woo for me .....

Lots of our stuff is boxed up because of refurbishing.

I am not going to unpack it all when we have finished.
Repeat
I AM NOT going to unpack it all

I may convince myself soon

I am overwhelmed with it all @ the moment. Paperwork is my biggest problem I walk into my living room & I don't know where to start. I just move things from one place to the other. My shed & spare bedroom also want sorting out.

Do you have a local selling site (maybe on Facebook)? I've made a few pounds by selling things I didn't want. People will usually collect, so you don't need a car and you don't need to stand around in the cold like in a car boot. I've keep the money separate and buy myself a treat every so often. I have a rule to get rid of something every time I bring something into the house (admit I don't always keep to it).

Declutter was my New Years resolution this year. We started at the end of last year. I have our belongings and various elderly family members belongings. We boxed everything up as it all needed cleaned before it could be dealt with. For a number of years now we have lived with piles of boxes that are moved about as space is needed. It feels quite overpowering at times. Last year the declutter began but at times felt quite overwhelmed with it all. But, a wonderful feeling seeing cleared areas.

Still have difficulty clearing out books but there is plenty other clearing out which can be done. Emotional ties to objects have caused the most difficulty. If I die daughter is going to have to deal with it all - that thought helps give me clarity at times.

We have a rule - 2 things out each day. It's working and most days more goes out.

DD's partner's mother has a firm which helps people to declutter (not in this country). I wonder if she knows that DD has left most of her junk possessions at our house but is probably busy acquiring more? They are two opposite ends of the spectrum

anniebach I am like you, I do want to get rid of a lot of stuff, then I look at it and think 'so and so gave me that' or 'that belonged to my mum/mil/aunt/dad' etc.
However, I have just thrown out 3 or 4 pairs of old curtains (perfectly good, not worn or faded), when we decorated I made new ones and room by room they got put in a box in the attic. I kept thinking, I may use these again but I never will! Plus all the baby stuff we accumulated for the DGD (youngest is now 4). It's all going to the charity shop tomorrow, a few bits to a friend.

Some charity shops will collect larger items, furniture etc.

Our loft needs sorting - again

I would just like to endorse Conni7's suggestion of freegle. If you can't find a local freegle group, you may find something if you search for freecycle. It's a great way to get rid of unwanted stuff knowing that somebody else is going to be delighted to receive it.