30 bags in 30 days decluttering method

Yes Pittcity I'm one of those who does have things in labelled boxes. I'm not necessarily very tidy but I know what I have, where most things are and can put my hands on something within 5 minutes of being asked for it. I would love to have made a living from being a "professional" organiser of people's possessions and helped them sort out their homes (like Dilly on the Stacey Solomon programme). That said, I do still hoard some items as I'm from the "might come in useful" generation - my garage is full of odd pieces of timber and I can't bring myself to throw away a plastic container. Why spend money buying more plastic items for storage and seed sowing?? I also can't throw away anything with family history connections and sometimes I think we get too obsessed with just chucking out old stuff that is part of our past. After all, if it's organised and you have room for it, then keep it. I'm glad I still have items that belonged to my great grandparents.

A last word on books - a rural village close to where I live, with no local library nearby, had the wonderful idea of using their decommissioned phone box as a drop off place for surplus books and magazines. Anyone can help themselves to whatever they want to read and either keep it or return it when read.

Good luck to all the declutterers.

Amalegra
I do that, but what’s worse I work in the charity shop and I probably put them on the rail 😱

I've only just had a clear out. I've got things to sell on ebay and lots of stuff have been taken the the animal recue as they've got a charity shop.
I must sort the kitchen drawers out next. Goodness knows what I'll find in them. I've done the cupboards and thrown out of date tins away and things I don't use.
I must admit I'm a bit of a hoarder and keep things thinking that might come in handy one day.

Ha! This lot for the bin! Feeling virtuous 😎

One down, 29 days to go. Textile recycling bin next. There's one in the village.

What a great idea! I’m going to join in too. This is the nudge that’s inspired me so thank you Guesswhat

Can’t always get to the charity shop but I’m happy to post on Olio or Freecycle, then if the items don’t go I’ll make the effort to drop them off. Much easier for people to come to me when I’m stuck at home.

Started today, flattened half a dozen big boxes and gave them to a neighbour whose friend is moving house. Got them out of the way and saved my recycling bin from getting filled up.

Clothing and shoes will probably go onto Vinted - which I’ve found to be very good once set up - or Facebook Marketplace which can be good if you can stand up to the hagglers who want everything for nothing!

Definitely need to do something like this, hard to part with stuff.

I've done a similar thing, 40 bags in 40 days, and first time I did it in Lent
It worked really well, I divided a piece of paper into 40 squares and every time I did a carrier bag full crossed one off, it doesn't have to be done every day, sorting through clothes often gave me a charity bag full of. Clothes which I counted as 2 carrier bags. Other days it took longer as things were a lot smaller so it sort of evened out.
I found it helpful.as it sort of got my decluttering muscles going and helped me think about it
It doesn't want to become a chore cos if it does you will not want to do it
30 or 40 carrier bags fill is quite a lot of things, I then tried a bit of reorganisation and that so often Leda to a bit more deckuttering. I got. Some shelves to put inside kitchen cupboards which meant less wasted space and I was able to have things better to hand.
I keep a bag for the charity shop and drop off as necessary. Obviously nothing unsaleable/rubbish. If I get something that works better for me I'll get rid of the old one either to someone else or the charity shop.
For various reasons I have a lot. Of old bathroom. Items, and have gone through them and am not buying any more until I need to. Some that I don't like or are say for a hair color I no longer have/want have been passed on, someone was delighted with the box of red dye I thought was now the wrong color, to a good cause or repurposed, eg bleugh cheap shower gel into handwash bottles, or filling up small bottles for when going away. Or for cleaning the bath out maybe.
If you do the decluttering little by little you have time to rehome/repurpose, and wanting to make sure stuff goes to a good home is one barrier to decluttering. I also try and do it going along, I'll think of some summer clothes that's not worth storing away, time to repurpose as rags, or if I've been too soft, I'll do the same when I unpack them for use.
As a he keeper I would say if you have egg boxes please reach out to your local hen keepers, obviously I don't buy eggs so rely on either buying egg boxes or getting them from other people. Offer clean washed Jars to the jamming community, offer gallon bottles of water to people like me who take water down to hens every day, better than me buying them if they already exist, useful for camping too. It is surprising what is useful to their people.
Someone offered on our local community group her late mother's craft items or she'd be taking them to the tip
I offered and picked them up. Lots of stuff to sort through. Useful fabric, tapestries started on frames, new tapestries, wool, and quilting supplies, including a nearly complete patchwork quilt
I sorted it into categories, took bits I thought I might use, including the quilt. Some of the tapestry patterns were nice but I thought I have others I need to finish and if I do finish them what will I do with them. I pulled one out as was unsure and thought it can always go another day. So I took stuff bagged up in categories on several trips, they all got sold, I kept an eye on them and was so pleased to go in one day and they had all gone on to new homes. Some locally make bags out of unwanted furnishing fabrics and I almost kept them to do likewise but released them so someone else could and that way the original shop got some income from the fabric
Having chucked out stuff in the past that I regretted I hang onto stuff I'm not sure about, and I plan to write down what I want to happen to various collections if my children don't want them and notes on stuff that has a value so try and sell it.
Maybe this doesn't help. If you are a true hoarder with narrow corridors through the rooms obviously
As for tools, some. Organizations take hand tools and send them overseas, power tools if they work or would work with a new battery are of use to someone, either a library of things or someone just starting up in life
An elderly widow I knew spent a long time disposing of her late husband's tools etc and was delighted that many of them went to someone just starting up. In his industry

This is wonderful. Just the encouragement I need. I will start after lunch. I need to carry on after the 30 days though. Good luck to you all and thank you.

If you have any toys games or children's books, you could try getting in touch with your local hospital and the children's ward. Our local were so appreciative of my stash of games and gaming machines.

Lots of interesting comments here. I always keep a box/bag near fr door for charity collections from house... just try not to review stuff once bagged. If buying new shoes, try and dump some other pair. If putting item into attic, try and remove some other item. I recently had to clear my parents house of contents and there were 13 charity destinations for things including a sewing machine, DIY tools and garden tools. British Heart were the most obliging for taking the old fashioned sideboard etc. The local 'freegle' site generated a lot of interest and all items offered were taken... and collected from the address.

I decluttered in lockdown. 9 bags went to the charity shop. Now l go through every couple of months. Today l took 2 bags into the local hospice shop. Rule now is, if l buy something new something goes I to the charity bag. Working well for me

I started decluttering three years ago-before the pandemic. I’m still at it, I’m not in a race, but my house is looking amazing. I can’t describe how my feelings of overwhelm have lessened. I can find things easily, a place for everything and everything in its place. I started by watching Minimal Mom on YouTube, then Cas at Clutterbug. They’ve given me constant encouragement as I’ve watched their videos, I’ve never paid for a course or anything. They’ve really helped with the emotional side of decluttering and guilt. Cas has a quiz that identifies your type of organisation, when I did it I just couldn’t believe how it described me exactly. The way I feel now, I don’t want my grown up family to have too big a job to do when anything happens to me. It’s just happened to a family member who has had to clear his Mum’s house, it’s an awful time. The process is entirely therapeutic for me, so I wish you lots of luck in your endeavours.

lizzypopbottle

One down, 29 days to go. Textile recycling bin next. There's one in the village.

Just been to ours with 4 bags full does that court as four days?
Christmas paper and ribbon drawer tomorrow,

I sorted out a full black bag of clothes to go to the charity shop early last year.

It's still in the boot of my car...

If you're worried about getting bulky stuff out of your loft, try putting it in a duvet cover, and lowering it down gently. Much safer than trying to hold it when you're on a ladder.

I always have a charity shop bag on the go and still there is more . I just got rid of loads of clothes when I realised I couldn’t access what I wanted easily from my wardrobe draws and my ironed and folded stuff was getting creased because too much stuff . I like my clothes but some don’t owe me anything as had them 20 years and worn regularly I too am on a don’t buy any more until used up snd my husbands and with food . This sounds nerdy but actually put the date I bought them on in black felt tip and now the price to compare with a year ago and it’s amazing how much stuff has increased -a lot by 30% too . If it’s not used - out it goes to be recycled or given away . Been told a few times no more toys especially plastic so just get the grandkids useful new clothes and books now a days and daughters in law mostly vouchers . My husband got a £50 Film voucher for Xmas - no clutter , useful anx even using the used plastic card cut into strips to clean my penny whistle . I try .

Where we live Diabetes’s Society collect from the driveway once a month,maybe phone them——— I look at stuff and say “would my children like this,if NO out it goes,don’t want them
to have to clear out my stuff.Good luck everybody,start slowly
& think how lovely a tidy house will be,less work in the future.

DH died 8 months ago. Been having a clear out since and have easily exceeded 30 carrier bags. Would the "stuff" from a 30'x10' workshop plus an 8x10 garden shed count?

tattygran14

If you're worried about getting bulky stuff out of your loft, try putting it in a duvet cover, and lowering it down gently. Much safer than trying to hold it when you're on a ladder.

Where have you been getting tips tattygran? That's how I was cleared out by a burglar in my last house it was his Trade mark, he took your cover off and then systematically went around your house. I used to lower things from the tiny mezzanine on the stairs in the other house or shove a big box down an old carpet with DD standing at the bottom to catch it.
Only joking but it is true and your tip is a good one.

My husband was a great clearer out and I tend to be more of a hoarder and get very anxious about letting anyone else sort my stuff out. So we had a scheme where he sorted through a drawer or cupboard but put all the stuff to go for me to look through. I then rescued things like the hoover bags or the spare or extra bag or whatever, but basically was happy for stuff to go when I had had a quick look over . Sadly I am now a widow and moved last year so that at present it is an effort to just get through each day but I know there are lots of things that I should get rid of, and hope that when the weather improves I will feel up to getting started. I do recycle stuff and get rid of the everyday stuff but it is the things that I have brought from my house which I just cannot sort out right now.

I’ve never been a hoarder fortunately. When I’ve done with it off it goes. I always prefer to give to charity or use freecycle rather than just tip. My motto is ‘use things, love people’ it’s just stuff. Memories are in our hearts not stuff.

alcohol. I never drink it, don`t like it and off it went this afternoon. Down the sink. Empty bottles out with the recycling.

Doodledog

I've just binned two lever arch files of notes from university in 1986 . I resisted the temptation to read through them all (they were all hand written) but glanced at the exam papers, complete with notes and scribbles, and rings around the ones I (presumably) answered. I have no idea why I kept them, but they must have been in three houses, unopened.

I got rid of mine - and my A Level ones a few years ago. I think Id kept them because they represented years of my work - and in some ways also lost hopes for the career I'd trained for and never really had. Even though I had decided I didn't like it!!

Yes, I think I kept them at first because they represented a lot of work, but for 30odd years? If I ever need to look something up now, I’m sure google will help me.