De-cluttering, the never-ending process

Grammaretto, in your shoes, I would get a company in, a proper de-cluttering company, they are about. It is a huge task with 43 years worth in it. Count it in your essential moving costs

Has anyone used a decluttering company?

I can understand how they clear out Hoarder Next Door piles of newspapers and manky takeaway cartons, but in less horrific situations where there are just too many possessions in cupboards and on surfaces, rather than piles of things all over the floor or anything unsanitary how do they know what is a treasured item and what is junk?

There is a company near me who work with you to help you sort. They charge £220 a day (outside of London) but you have to get rid of the items yourself after they have been sorted. I can't see the point, really, as all the decisions about what to keep and what to chuck are ultimately yours - it seems to be basically paying for someone to sit with you and cheer you on. I may have got that wrong though, so would be interested to hear from anyone who has used a decluttering service.

In the main it is not my stuff I want to get rid of! Yes, I could do with sorting some drawers, books and paperwork, but the main work is to disperse my late husband’s possessions. He was a collector, a DIY “expert”, into anything electrical and electronic, and a hoarder. I reckon he could not bear to have any empty space. House, loft, garage.

At least I have been able to get rid of enough furniture to get the bedroom redecorated, so that is a clear space, apart from a few bits of mine that need sorting. Sadly I think latterly he himself became overwhelmed with the enormity of the task, and finally too unwell to deal with it, so I have to. His son has been no help at all, even though he is a beneficiary and co- executor.
It is a long journey. I will miss my first targets of the end of October for some areas, but there is no rush, just for my peace of mind. I try to balance getting money for what is valuable with disposing of other things to anyone who will take them. Everything is of value to someone! ( Not so easy to pair up. ). Some will go to specialist auctions, a lot will go to a general auction where anything sells, even if it makes very little. As little as possible must go to landfill.

Doodledog,Idon't know anyone who has used a decluttering service but heard plenty say they need help, as it's too overwhelming.
I can recommend watching The Minimal Mom and/or Clutter bug on you tube. They have a go easy approach and can do methods . Fantastic tips for getting and staying on top.
Often watch an episode to get me in the 'sorting' mood

I actually acquired something through Freecycle which had been decluttered by a professional company.

She, the declutterer, said it was partly counselling. She charged a fee and discussed the situation with her client and then sold or gave away items. She had an unmarked van so snoopy neighbours couldn't see what was going on.
This would have been 20 years ago, long before the TV programmes.
Little did I know then that I might want her services myself. 😊

Like you Cabbie most of mine belonged to my late DH. Books in his case and records.

Mr A is my problem too when it comes to decluttering - I have culled many of my books and collections but just cannot get him to do the same. Partly I think because many are first editions that at one time would have been worth a lot of money, and he's finding it hard t get to grips with them being almost worthless now. We also have piles of his old games and toys, none in good condition. I keep suggesting chucking it all in an auction even if it makes nothing, at least it will be gone. In general I do what Doodledog does - start making noises about getting rid of something, ignore the sulks, give him time to think about it and adjust, then come back to it with a time. Works aout 50% of the time.

They are exasperating aren’t they . I have got the collection people coming tomorrow and have at least 6 bags of DVDs to go out. All of them mine. I have finally decided that anything we really want to see can be found on TV somewhere even if we have to pay to rent it. We both enjoy film and had an extensive collection. I say had - Mr D still does. He point blank refuses to let his go, so now all the DVDs in the house are his, they still clutter the place up, and if I want to see something that isn’t available, tough😡.

Doodledog We had a huge collection of DVDs too, as we both enjoy films. I learned how to rip them to a hard drive so we could watch them still but not have the physical DVDs. We've given over 500 so far to various charity shops (a lot of charity shops 😁). It was the only way I could get Mr A to get rid of them. It's actually really good because we can just cast it from a PC without getting up. Still got about 500 to go, but I'm getting there.

Too late - the bags go out tomorrow .

Fancythat
You've only ever moved house once? Was that when you got married and moved from your parents to your married life?
Wow! I'm truly gobsmacked, I don't think I know anyone, at all, that has only moved once!!

The book fair held in our Borders town each year for charity, raised over £8000 this time. Unfortunately I hadn't got my act together and missed the donation days and the fair itself.

We decluttered the house during lockdown but are still working on the garage, loft and shed😫We have boxes in the garage for donate, sell, bin or free cycle.I usually send photos to the children of anything we think they may want and this week DD2 has requested several items.Like others we are very aware of sending stuff to landfill so really try to find new homes for things.

It was a moment of joy this week when putting the cushions from the patio furniture away I was able to put them immediately in their winter home in a space created just for them during our lockdown de clutter!

Ali08

Fancythat
You've only ever moved house once? Was that when you got married and moved from your parents to your married life?
Wow! I'm truly gobsmacked, I don't think I know anyone, at all, that has only moved once!!

Yes, that is correct.

I know someone who never moved in her life. When she married she lived in with her mother in her childhood home, then stayed on after her mother died and lived there until she died herself. Nearly 90 years in the same place.

My DH has never moved.
He is a bit fed up of the place!
He is not 90 though.

Three of my siblings have never moved since they got married. I could not have done that personally, I think I have moved 8 times and 3 since the family home, 2006

I learnt from the family home move I now never keep anything in my loft. When downsizing the family home, the loft was the last straw

I am happy to report that I am still bumbling along with the de-cluttering, have just offered 8 new clip top kilner jars to my dds, if they don`t want them then it will be cs. They are new but just sitting in a cupboard now

fancythat

Ali08

Fancythat
You've only ever moved house once? Was that when you got married and moved from your parents to your married life?
Wow! I'm truly gobsmacked, I don't think I know anyone, at all, that has only moved once!!

Yes, that is correct.

I know someone who has only moved once, one of my relatives, from her childhood home to her married home a couple of streets away.

We've only had three houses since we got married - we've been in this one for 25 years. I think that has a lot to do with collecting clutter. Moving does make you go through your things, whether you are ruthless with them or not.

I would find the idea of moving very stressful, but maybe when I've got rid of a lot of things it will seem less so. I'm not looking to move for the foreseeable future, but a (rare) bungalow came up for sale near me recently, and it crossed my mind that in maybe ten years we might want to look at one like it. It would be good to get to the point where we could move relatively easily if we wanted to.

personally I would not have a bungalow, running up stairs is probably the only exercise I get on bad -weather days. I puposely don`t dawdle going up stairs

Anyway it is a bad- weather day today and I have made good de-cluttering progress this morning. I have managed to re-home everything that is leaving my kitchen andI could have a week off next week, knowing that I am on target wrt 3 a day. Nice happy feeling tbh

I never used to dawdle going upstairs, karmalady.

I don't dawdle now either but cannot run.

Never say never, is how I see it. Not yet, but who knows how able we will be in ten years? (I'm talking about the Dogs here, not in general.)

I'm waiting for the collection people to arrive, then I'm heading upstairs to start where I left off yesterday. I also like the three items a day idea, but it's too slow for me just now. I need a minimum of three binbags to go every day until the decorators have been, then I will continue by trying the three items a day routine. It will be a New Year resolution, I think, as when I get the house to myself again it will be nearly Christmas, and I'll be busy with that. It will be nice to be able to just enjoy living in a non-cluttered space (apart from the tree and Nativity ornaments ) for a while, then I will get back on task.

Never used a declutterer however did know someone who was inspired by the tv shows because of her own love of tidiness and organisation. Who was going to change careers to set up and do this. Not sure how it panned out as this was 10+ years ago.

It's interesting, but I just don't see how it can work. As I said, if someone can't see the floor in their house for actual junk then someone can sweep in and clear up, but otherwise the householder will have to do it themselves really.

I would have loved to go away for a while and come back to an organised house with only things I love or need in it, but there would be a very high risk of the declutterer getting things wrong. If I have to be there whilst someone stands over me and asks about every item, then I have to get bags to the tip or charity shop myself, then what would I be paying for?

Doodledog

We've only had three houses since we got married - we've been in this one for 25 years. I think that has a lot to do with collecting clutter. Moving does make you go through your things, whether you are ruthless with them or not.

I would find the idea of moving very stressful, but maybe when I've got rid of a lot of things it will seem less so. I'm not looking to move for the foreseeable future, but a (rare) bungalow came up for sale near me recently, and it crossed my mind that in maybe ten years we might want to look at one like it. It would be good to get to the point where we could move relatively easily if we wanted to.

Although not a regular on here, I do have a look occasionally. I’m a regular chucker outer, if it’s not been used in a year it’s recycled.
But, I agree Doodledog about moving. We lived in France for four years, but only March to late October, meanwhile, our house was on a short term rental, fully furnished. That really focused our heads on sorting out any clutter and the habit has remained.
We’re in a three bed semi, with no garage, so few hiding places!

It's a mindset really, isn't it? Mine has been to hang onto things 'just in case', but I'm hoping to shift it.

The collection people came, and I counted out 16 binbags . There have been more that have gone to the tip, too. It's amazing how many surplus items one house can hold. Oddly, things don't look much different though. Most of the things were in cupboards and drawers.