Help me declutter

Me too! Same boat....

I might need it someday .. if that is the issue I remind myself I can buy it again if that is truly the case.

So very difficult. I'm sentimental and people over the years have given me things that I just can't part with. But, I'm starting to find good homes with some of the items with my nieces and nephews. So that is a start.

I think it might be a wee bit easier with me as I'm older than you, but if I haven't used in it 5 years, what are the chances of me using it again, so I'm doing better in the let go of stuff that I might use. Usualy someone else has it and if I really needed the item, I could probably borrow it.

When I retired, I did a pretty big purge because while working I never had time to really clear out cupboards, closets, drawers etc. Then about 5 years ago I did another smaller purge. I am currently starting a new purge. This one I feel will be a big one. I need to get rid of my junk that I know my son would not want me to pass on to or leave him to deal with it.

I think with age, it gets easier, so you might still struggle with it since you are still fairly young and have boys that "just may" need that. lol Good Luck!

This is the first step. The other thing that helps is to remember that the space I'm freeing up is more valuable to me than the old stuff. You have to set your priorities - space or stuff.

come join us on the decluttering thread - I find that encouragement helps and so does hearing what other people are doing.

I've been actively decluttering for a little over a decade now. And I think that's the first lesson - it's not a once and done process, you have to maintain it AND every time you go back through the stuff, there's more that you'll be willing to let go.

If you haven't read Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K White - I reccommend it. My biggest take away from it was containers - deciding that x type of item will live in this specific spot and only keeping what fits there. So if you have a bookcase or bookcases - put all your books there...if you have more books than fit, then get rid of your least favourite, duplicates, already read and won't read again, no longer want to read etc...until they all fit the container (bookcase(s)). Then if you find or want to get more books, you have to get rid of others in order for them to fit.

She also has a good process for NOT making a huge mess as you go - which may or may not be important to you.

"I might need this someday" - will you be able to find it 'someday' or will you just find it easier to buy a new one or use something else? If it's easy and inexpensive to replace - let the stores store for you.

If its sentimental - can you take a photo and do a scrapbook page about it? and then maybe let it go? to a family member or someone who can use it and appreciate it? If it's something that you want to keep - find a place for it - put it on display not in a box.

Don't save stuff for 'special' or 'good' or ... use the stuff....light the pretty candle, set the table with the good dishes, wear the pretty nightgown, use the nice things- you deserve them.

You can do this!

editing - also remember that you've already spent the money on the things - that's a sunk cost.  So 'it was expensive' or 'I feel guilty that I never got around to (this project/book/etc...)' and so on - it's okay to say, I got my pleasure out of buying it but it's time for it to leave. 

I hate clutter and I hate getting rid of stuff that I may need again.

My solution is to designate a space for said item(s). Take sheets—I need a set for each bed, but sometimes it’s good to have two sets, plus I have flannel sets for many of the beds. I have a drawer where I keep them. When the drawer is full, I purge sets. I do this with towels, winter gear, craft supplies, etc. And the container can be a closet, cabinet, drawer, bin, etc. So I’m “allowed” to keep the items as long as it fits in the space.

You have to want free space more than you want the stuff/clutter.
The point isn't if it's still good or if you might use it - the point is...if you don't have enough space to keep it then you have to get rid of it.

To not have clutter, every item needs to be stored somewhere...when you run out of storage room then you HAVE to get rid of all things that don't fit into the space you have available.
For example if you only have enough space to put away 10 pairs of shoes...then you can't have 12 pairs. 2 need to go. It doesn't matter that those 2 pairs are still good/wearable...if you can't put them away, then they become clutter. You don't want to live in clutter - so you need to let them go.

Do you have a FB local give and receive sight? For items that I know I don’t want/need/use but still seem to be hanging on to, I list the item there. There’s something about giving it to someone local who truly wants it that makes it so much easier to part with.

There are some things I want in the boxes like expensive purses that I'm going to sell and some china that was hand painted and handed down. I just don't have any place to put it in my house. I really just need to do it but I end up putting it off every year!

Whenever I go on vacation, as I sit in a nice decluttered hotel room, I think to myself, I can declutter when I get home. I don't need all that stuff to be happy or fulfilled. Then, when I get home ... my tune changes. Like others here, the craft/art stuff is the hardest for me to deal with. I've been able to pare some of it down. I know I don't scrapbook anymore, I just have projects I want to finish. I kept things for those projects and got rid of everything else. Of course, I probably still kept too much, and I still haven't finished those projects. I prioritized what art I like to do, and kept those things and donated stuff further down my list. Clothing and house stuff is pretty easy for me to let go off. Oh, and books ... I feel like those are so "precious", especially older ones that are out of print. I have a really hard time letting books go.

I can't think of the term now, but I've heard someone describe the things you hold on to for your "fantasy" life. Like, you want to someday be the hostess that has all the holiday parties at your house, and you have all these dishes and decorations, but you live in a tiny home that can't hold that many people. But, someday, you'll have those parties so you keep all the stuff. Or you want to be a full-time quilter, so you have tons and tons of fabric, but you don't even have time to start any projects. That is the type of clutter that you really have to think hard about releasing to someone else. Will you ever truly live that life you fantasize about.

I really connected with Peter’s way of thinking, and made tons of notes in the margins the first time I went through it. I still add them but it’s less frequent I’ve read his first one so many times. One of the things I include is items to get rid of that come to mind as I read a particular passage, and often why. You could decide to get rid of things as they occur to you, maybe each chapter or a certain number of items. And it’s super important that the items leave the house immediately. Trash out that night. Items to donate in a reasonable size box which goes to your car as soon as it’s full.

And after you get started and you start seeing/living with the results it will really motivate you.


And even if you do, by that time will you still love the style/function of what you’re holding onto.

This was a hard area for me because it’s hard admitting that your life didn’t turn out like you wanted and there are dreams you have to let go of. But once I did that, it was so freeing and I really felt like a mental weight was lifted.

I laughed also as I looked around my craft room and realise that there are pens on each of the three desks (sewing, computer, scrapbook) but each is in a container and I have weeded them down to ones I actually like and use....no more generic pens with someone's logo on them - and each desk has a different mix of pens - the sewing desk has my sharpies and highlighters; the computer desk has my writing pens; and the scrapbook desk has my journalling pens and ONE writing pen. But I don't have loose pens elsewhere in the house (except one sharpie in the kitchen that is used in the kitchen)

The container method has been mentioned a couple of times. It's useful for stuff you keep buying but don't have room for. I'm still trying to get DH onboard for cleaning supplies.

Swedish Death Cleaning is another approach. It sounds morbid, but it's not. Basically, you look at your stuff as if you are your kids trying to go through it after you're gone. Would you want to deal with the stuff? You keep stuff that's meaningful and/or useful to you. Get rid of anything you'd be embarrassed to have people find.

I'm trying to whittle down my stuff and these two methods seem to work for me.

Give yourself an allotted space for your stuff. When you reach capacity, it goes. I also will put stuff I think I might want later in a box and date the box. If I don't go get it in that 6 months, it goes to Goodwill.