30 bags in 30 days decluttering method

Good quality used clothing can go to a homeless charity. Coats, jackets, hats, socks, gloves, scarves especially welcome. If your clothes get wet and you’ve no home, you can’t get them dry.

We are lucky, a local garage acts as a collection point.

I'll join you Guesswhat though it will be small bags and every other day as I have moved loads of times and decluttered every time. Still, things multiply in the night I reckon so I still have stuff to get rid of. We have a lovely local charity shop which takes absolutely anything. Run by a mum whose daughter died of cancer; she raises money to donate to teenagers with cancer. It incorporates a café and is one of my favourite go-to places.

I’m at the other end of all you ladies: I can’t bear stuff.
I use my urge to get rid of stuff by sorting in a charity shop.

Today I have to take a mountain of books ( donations) to the tip. We have so many and non of the 3 charity shops near us want them.

Please remember that charity shops have to pay for rubbish to be taken away. Our skip costs £60 per lift. We sometimes have 2 a week.

I am presently in the middle of a clear out I hate clutter so I do this at least twice a year. Doing a bit each day one drawer or a cupboard but keep going until you are finished. You do have to be a but ruthless. Would hate to keel over unexpectedly and someone else have to sort through mounds of unnecessary belongings.
My husband is really bad at recycling or clearing out his clothes even stuff he is unlikely to fit in again. Now he really doesn’t have a Scooby what he has got so I put a few bits to charity every so often

I’m not going to sell things, as it would take even longer to sort them. Some of my old clothes were expensive but if they don’t fit they have the same status as cheaper ones - they are clutter. We have a ‘boutique’ charity shop that sells things at a higher price than the others and specialises in more expensive items, so I use that for better things. Someone gets a bargain and the charity gets a bit more money. The British Heart Foundation will collect boxed items such as books. You can organise a collection online.

I think a problem for many older people is that we were brought up to keep things ‘just in case’ and didn’t get replacements as often as happens now. I know I am a clash of the two value systems . I do buy new things, but I also hark back to when I knew that if I got rid of something I wouldn’t get another for some time. My children are far more ruthless about getting rid of ‘stuff’, as they’ve always had a lot more than I did.

I also get overwhelmed by tasks like sorting out. I wonder if I have ADD. I know it’s fashionable, so I fear bandwagonitis, but I do have a lot of the traits. Either way, I find it very difficult to get going and to keep at it when I do.

Right. I’m off to tackle that sideboard!

MayBee70 - can you promise yourself to list an item a day?
That will surely be start, even if they are only books?

When my (new) garden was overgrown and I was exhausted I found I could make myself pull 10 weeds a day. It made a tidy area in no time at all and felt like I was achieving something.

Gingster

I’m not a hoarder but Dh is. He has two rails of clothes that he hasn’t worn for 10 years at least. What can I do about that?
Every so often I say, ‘let’s have a clear out’. Last week he through one hoodie away! 😤

Send them off to the charity shop if he hasn’t worn them for 10 years he will hardly miss them

Gingster

I’m not a hoarder but Dh is. He has two rails of clothes that he hasn’t worn for 10 years at least. What can I do about that?
Every so often I say, ‘let’s have a clear out’. Last week he through one hoodie away! 😤

I think me might both live with the same person

I really should do this. Being a seamstress in the past and still a keen crafter I do get lots of 'stuff' given to me, fabric, knitting yarn, buttons.....you name it, I am given it. Some of it does get used, but not much really. The last fabric donation was a part used roll of curtain fabric from the 1970's, loads of fabric still on the roll and as it was a plain colour and perfect for scenery it was immediately gifted to a local am dram group.
I have clothes that I have not worn in several years too, particularly summer ones which are packed away at present........I can see this challenge extending way beyond 30 days.
I might consider a 'swap-shop' project with local crafters too.

Good luck to you all. Our first declutter was 2006, we moved from the family home. Then 2010 when we moved again. Then I was widowed in 2015 and more de-cluttering. 2019 I moved and the big de-clutter took 3 years prior to that. Even yesterday I took a bag of goodies to my charity shop

It is on-going. The de-clutter from a long-time family home is the worst. I don`t sell stuff, I give it away and that helps me to feel good about getting rid of things that cost money to buy or make

My tip is to keep a shopping trolley in the hall, put items in there which you are not sure about and leave it there for a few days

My daughter and her friends sell lots of children’s clothes and toys on the village Facebook page.
Even things which aren’t in the best condition she’ll offer for free, and it always goes.
Not something I want to get involved with, but works for her.

The British Heart Foundation will collect furniture, homeware and electrical items ....... details on their website.
Sounds like a great idea Guesswhat ....... Good Luck to all who are joining in

Gingster

I’m not a hoarder but Dh is. He has two rails of clothes that he hasn’t worn for 10 years at least. What can I do about that?
Every so often I say, ‘let’s have a clear out’. Last week he through one hoodie away! 😤

I have a husband like that. I don't have an answer unfortunately.

This is my nightmare too
Get too attached to things from the past especially clothing that remind me of nice holidays etc
It doesnt worry me but drives H nuts
Especially since retired and he has to
Look at it more
I understand this but I’m always on the run these days with GC etc so tricky to find down time to achieve
Has anyone found any you’d sites to sell good stuff eg is Vinted any good ?
Grateful advise

I’m not a hoarder but Dh is. He has two rails of clothes that he hasn’t worn for 10 years at least. What can I do about that?
Every so often I say, ‘let’s have a clear out’. Last week he through one hoodie away! 😤

Our local lady is Ukrainian and is collecting good quality (washed and clean) Winter clothing here, especially for children and babies. Obviously new or nearly new is preferable, but her argument is that people are freezing and nearly new is easier to obtain.
Our local truck left last Monday, also carrying ex Army clothing donated by local ex Army people and a local Army and Navy Store.

The Ukraine collections here stipulate new clothing only. Ukraine was my first thought.

If it’s good Winter clothing, please go online, many people are collecting to send goods to The Ukraine, people are in desperate need of a Winter Clothing, shoes, socks, blankets etc.

I’m sure I could join this, or at least a bag every other day. As previously mentioned, it’s a problem parking anywhere near any of my local shops, then many aren’t taking donations and (genuinely) my stuff is too good to just throw away.

Also, as Grammaretto said above, you sort things out, and then have to drive around a lot of charity shops before you find one accepting donations, so it’s often just left in my car, and eventually thrown away.

There was something similar on here a few years ago, I did get rid of quite a few odds and ends, but I’m not really a hoarder, clothes ruthlessly culled twice a year, and children’s toys disposed of if they aren’t played with.
My problem is my daughter and three children lived with us for several years, and although she has moved, all their stuff only seems to be moving as they find they need it.

I think this a great idea Guesswhat and I think you and I have a similar mindset to Maybee70.

I host volunteers via www.helpx.net
and have asked them to help me with clear outs occasionally.
This has been quite useful although I need to check and rescue things sometimes.
I find that watching what others consider rubbish or collectable quite revealing.

Unfortunately our local charity shops are so full we have to make appointments and clothes nearly always go straight to wastesaver where the fabric is pulped to make carseat covers etc.

I just find the whole process exhausting but
a small bag a day ought to be possible

I do regularly fill bags for dogs home Ukraine charities etc. I think it’s a good idea to be more organised the way you plan on doing it. However I do fill bags and put them in my car boot when DH is not around. He is old school ‘if it ain’t broke’ he is reluctant to give anything away apart from woollies for Ukraine.
I won’t keep a daily record but I will start on emptying my airing cupboard this week I have lots of bedding I never use. I also have a ridiculous amount of crockery which is not used anymore.
That’s the start of my clearing out I imagine it will take a week but cupboards and shelves will have a lot more space in them.

My son gave me some cardboard that didn’t fit in his recycling bin with the words make sure you actually put them in your bin, mum. I have saved lots of cardboard boxes from deliveries with the intention of using them to post things that I sell on eBay. I’m just overwhelmed by it all, though. I can’t really afford to give things to charity shops if I can sell them.

MayBee70
If your knickers are new, bag them carefully and label "new" or "washed but never worn".
I bought a pack of 5 or 6 recently and washed them all, only wore 1 and they didn't fit properly. I figured the charity shop would either believe me or they wouldn't - either way I felt I'd made an effort.

I will try this 30 bags but it may be 60 days as I'm working.
I really do need to do something though!