[JoIsMe]

Hi

We need to declutter. We are bad at it. Everything is either essential, or has memories attached to it etc.

So, I need tips, ideas and anything to help us throw stuff out (eg throwing baby stuff, we wanted another baby but after three years of trying its very unlikely to happen so I need to throw out all that stuff).

Thanks

[Escapin]

Would you consider joining Freecycle? That way things are going to real people who will use them, not just the rubbish tip?

Or maybe start an online journal, where you can photograph things and write down why they are important, and them you can let the 'thing' go?

[Frau Farbissina]

Not easy, I know. Would you consider donating all the baby items to a women's refuge? If you could look at websites/ call local ones in your area and you may find one that is on need of such items.( I know of one in canberra if you're here.)

Hold on to the items that are sentimental and keep them together in a memory box.

Throw/recycle/donate what you can. There are charities that will pick up large furniture items that you donate. There may be a freecycle set up in your area where you can basically advertise items you have for free and people interested would contact you and arrange to pick them up.

Once you've got left what you want to keep, find a home for everything . Let everyone in the household know where it is and try to stuck to putting them back where they belong.


Good luck. I know it's not easy and overwhelming. I feel like I am in a permanent state of "must declutter!"

This post has been edited by Frau Farbissina: 17/12/2012, 11:19 AM

[amabanana]

It's hard to throw out things with sentimental value. Some suggestions that I read once included making a quilt out of your favorite baby clothes and taking photos of things that have memories attached and making a memory book. Often it is not the object itself that is important but the memory it brings up for you. Having a photo helps you retrieve your memory and so you can (in theory!) get rid of the object. Same with the blanket. Get rid of boxes of stuff and replace it with a small blanket or throw for the couch.

Once you start I'm sure you'll find it very freeing and find it hard to stop.

[PurpleNess]

Not sure if this will help but start one room at a time, get three large boxes & mark
Keep
Throw
Donate
& the only thing for it is be ruthless, perhaps call in a more impartial 3rd person who can guide you and rationalise with you about hoarding.

Also get a skip bin.

Agree with PP you may actually find it cleanisng & liberating once you get started.

I keep all my photos and letter & cards for special occasions, everything else goes, so maybe set your self some boundaries & be specific.

Good Luck

[Old Grey Mare]

As an incurable squirrel I know exactly what you mean. We had our house repainted earlier this year and moved entire contents into the garage. We hired a rubbish skip and ruthlessly threw away anything we hadn't used/seen/thought about for ages. When time came to move everything back inside we got another skip and filled that as well. I got rid of wedding presents we had never used (married 25 years!) old toys, books I would never read again, jigsaws with missing pieces etc. I would advise you not to get too caught up in keeping stuff to donate as charities are overwhelmed with donated goods (I read on the weekend that Lifeline spend $55 000 each year on rubbish tip fees). Happy disposing!

[JoIsMe]

Thanks for hints. I like the idea of taking photos or making a blanket, as you are correct, it's the memories more than the object.

Old Grey Mare, our households sound similar. I think our problem is, is that we don't want to get rid of stuff that someone else could use, but everyone we know doesn't need our stuff and charities in Canberra don't want electrical stuff . Skip is coming this week (we pulled out our kitchen) and I don't want to miss that opportunity.

Frau Farbissina please let me know of the refuge as we are in Canberra.

This is a pre-moving declutter and my aim is that we move, everything will have a place as built in storage is better in our new house. The biggest issue is that we have too much stuff.

[75etd]

Visit my house. My Mum moved in a while ago with more stuff than we did-family of four-which included only two pieces of furniture. It has really encouraged me to go mad with my stuff. Think about whether you will ever need it, does it really hold any significance memory wise or is it just another memory, does it cause you more stress to keep it than to replace should you ever need it.

My Mum collects s**t-beer mats, milk bottle tops, cards, stamps, coins, books, linen, kids toys, all my school books from grade 1 to 12 (and gets upset that I don't want them!) etc. it is so overwhelming I just want to throw it ALL out.

[eyesabove]

An awesome resource for decluttering:

http://simplemom.net/

Check out her ebook (also an actual book) Organised Simplicity. Its a plan for every room of the house and how to declutter and clean successfully. I love it.

[Myprincesses]

Are you on Facebook? There are heaps of buy, swap and sell sites there linked to towns/regions. Anything that is too good to throw out but you don't need take a photo and list it to either giveaway or for a few dollars. You just don't know who maybe looking for that item. That way you know those things that are too good to throw away are going to someone who will use it.

We are about to move again today. With each move we go through everything and get rid of the things we know we won't need in the next place, any clothes we have not worn in the last 2years (you know you won't wear it), anything broken, or anything our girls have grown out of. Of course nothing special is kept in a small box.

Mind you last night we discovered a large box of Vases I had totally forgotten about. Can't do anything today but once we move these will be sorted too. I don't think we need 12 vases espcially when we all get hay fever any asthma! They are too good to throw out so I will be listing them on face book at our new location.

Good luck with it.