Organizing/De-cluttering -- needing advice

dixiech1ck

Calling on my friends again for some help/advice: I'm severely overwhelmed. It takes me nearly 45 mins to get to work, nearly an hour to get home everyday, which is why I try to workout at lunchtime. By the time I get home, I'm spent. My apartment is a mess -- I have clothes that are just too big still in my closet (but too nice to just donate away, like suits and dresses). I've still got my Christmas tree sitting in my living room in a bag.. does anyone have suggestions for websites or books/articles on organizing your life, stripping down and becoming clutter-free? I keep things for sentimental reasons, I keep things because I think I'll need them later. Then I'm like "Why do I have 40 to-go containers, with missing lids, that I'll never use?" Any advice, help or guidance would be appreciated. Co-worker suggested Real Simple magazine/website, but I know you guys are a creative bunch. Spill some good suggestions!

yarwy

bump for later...need these answers myself...lol!!!

SoDamnHungry

I'm in the process of decluttering as well. If it's gross, toss it. If you will never use it, toss it. I have a pile for things that have no place. I just throw stuff onto it if I can't part with it, then go through it a few weeks later and find I'm able to part with stuff I couldn't a month ago. The most important thing is to start getting rid of things. You'll have anxiety while you do it, but feel so much better after it's gone.

nicoled6842

Things that I only use seasonally, or less than once a month I put into large rubbermaid bins. I get the 30 gal, because its large enough to hold what I need it too, but not to bulky to store and move. I label the top and sides of each one with duct tape and a sharpie (so if I do need something, its super easy to find) It's alot of work to do at first but it makes everything look neat and is accessible. I just organized my to-go containers yesterday (all 3 horrifying cupboards) The ones that didnt have lids, if they were in good condition (not stained, melted from the microwave etc) I kept one or two just in case i wanted to use them at home (you can also use them to store small things in like paper clips, hair ties, pens/pencils if you have a tall one) Once I sorted them I nested them in the cupboard with the lids under/on the side. If you need to get new ones with lids, I recommend the dollar store, because you can find nice ones that dont leak for a fraction of the cost. Especially the single serving size.

jdim1093

One room at a time. Baby steps, just like your weight-loss journey! Find one small thing you can do today to point you in the right direction of your ultimate goal. Then, eliminate all excuses preventing you from doing that one small thing. Then do it. Do it for a month. Then find the next small thing. You are living, documented proof that a person can change her life. You did it for losing weight and becoming healthy. Now do it for de-clutter.

dixiech1ck

All good ideas! Thanks everyone-- and keep 'em coming.

tararocks

oh i feel your pain, i feel very similar...especially as i try to tackle my disaster of a house for my daughters first slumber party tomorrow...along with all the other things of daily life. I readily admit i dont mind if my hosue looks lived in, id rather spend my days off doing anything but cleaning and organizing, but there is also a very calming feeling to walking into a neatly organized clean home...so that is what i am working towards...i have little problem throwing things away..my husband however is a hoarder...it usually takes a freak out form me and i just start throwing things away. i dont feel bad about it. I used to save all of those extra buttons that came with clothes, and the threads, and when something chipped off of a toy i saved it to fix...but you know what, when i neeed that button i could never find it, those toys? they never got fixed...so i am trying to get to a point where i start throwing more things away.
for your clothes, what about a consignment shop? it isnt just donating them with nothing out of it, but it also gets it out of your house and helps someone get a deal. Or what about donating it, not jsut to a shelter or charity but locally here we have a dress for success program to helped woman with interviews, business professional clothes, interview skills, completing applications etc. would you feel better about donating to a cause like that where they would be used for their real purpose?
i like the container store website, because it gives me inspiration...it may not force me to make progress, but it does let me get ideas which in turn sometimes inspires me...good luck!

KrystalLight03

I am the queen of organizing, so allow me to impart some of my wisdom on you. lol.

First, I think a great website for organization inspiration is http://www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com This lady is a genius.

Now, I think the practical way to approach your apartment situation is to make a list of things you would like to accomplish that day. It can be very overwhelming to look at a master list of all the things you have or want to do, but if you say "Today, I am going to clean out this drawer and put away the Christmas tree." it is a much more attainable goal.

My biggest tip for people who want to clean out spaces is to do the 21 item rule. Almost every cluttered space has at least 21 items that can be thrown away, recycled, or donated. You just need three bags/containers, pick up each item one by one, and analyze it. Is it broken or malfunctioning? That goes in the throw away or recycle bag. Have you used it in the last year or do you plan on using it in the next month? If yes, keep it. If no, donate it or set it aside to sell (Craigslist, ebay, consignment shops, garage sale, etc.). Keep doing this until you're down 21 items. If you're being honest about things, you may even have more to purge. Purging is scary because you think about what you're losing, but once you have a clean, fresh space you'll be shown exactly what you're gaining.

LisaM_9

For the clothes - There's a chain by me in Chicago called Clothes Mentors - they actually do buy nicer clothes, jeans, jackets all that and resell. I have bought replacement suits and stuff there for huge discounts and good shape. You should see if there's something like that around you.

And for tackling the whole place, just pick one area for the week even, and do little bits slowly. Do a toss, give away, or sell... and look online to see where you can sell things if it's worth the time for you.

You can do this! (BTW ... I have lots to still do! I am doing it it very small chunks) my goal is each month to get rid of stuff either toss or give away or sell and doing it. Just take your time it will happen!! :happy:

wormy80

bump

HappyNinjaStar

Here are the rules I stick to for decluttering:

1) For all items, if I haven't used it in 2+ it can be tossed/donated/sold
2) For seasonal items, store in a box, clearly labeled, and create a spreadsheet that lists in detail what is in the box, so you don't have to go digging in boxes
3) For nice clothes that are too big, save if you are planning to have kids, otherwise a) donate or b) sell (ebay and nice thrift shops are the place to go for nice items)

If you do this at least once a year (I tried to do it twice a year), you'll stay relatively clutter free.

dance_fit

I love organizing books and websites. I usually find Some books I really liked were:

When Organizing isn't Enough, SHED your stuff, change your life by Julie Morganstern
Organizing from the inside out by Julie Morganstern (I started with this one, but felt SHED was great for having too much stuff, this one is good though for setting up your own organizing systems, instead of adopting someone elses.)
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - her first month was devoted to organizing. It's kind of neat to see some of her tips/techniques. Like keeping one empty shelf or spending 15 min before bed.

Unclutterer.com is good website and she also has a book Unclutter Your Life in One Week. I thought that it had good advice, but was too overwhelming because she has you going through 2 areas of your home/life each day and I just didn't have time for that.Monday was going through your wardrobe, half of mine was in the dirty clothes hamper, which sort of defeats the purpose.

Unf*ckyourhabitat.tumblr.com (replace the * with a u) is pretty cool. Goes by a 20/10 system for getting things done - 20 min work 10 break; encourages you to make your bed everyday; and get things ready for tomorrow at a reasonable hour.

Flylady.net is one alot of people use. But I find all of her systems too time consuming for someone who works outside of the home. She has some decent "rules" though. And I like the idea of just working on something for 5 minutes or 15 minutes.

You'd be amazed at what you can accomplish in just a few minutes a day.

Also, don't be afraid to donate some of your nicer clothes especially if they are too big for you! (Congrats on that by the way) You could see if there is a local woman's shelter by you. Or an organization that helps women with job placement - many of those need nicer clothes/ suits to help women who are going on interviews and may not have access to appropriate attire due to financial or home situations.

Justacoffeenut

I pm'd you but bump for more ideas.

dixiech1ck

Thank you thank you thank you! I'm sure I'm not the only one, and now I know I'm not. Hopefully this helps others as well!

Ge0rgiana

http://flylady.net

DEEDLYNN

www.flylady.com Lots of information, but if you get into her system....you will have clutter, organizing, and cleaning BEAT!

cmriverside

Definitely Flylady. She has organizing down to a fine art. And she tells you step by step what to do.

dawncolleen0120

http://flylady.net

Agreed. I've used FlyLady.net for YEARS. She has a wonderful system and can walk you right through it.

Jesea

I've gotten a ton of great organizing ideas from Pinterest! As well as great ideas for how to use the clothes I have to get the look I want, new workout routines, great recipes...I could go on and on!

dalgal26

PINTEREST!!!!!

It has given me so many great ideas and solutions to my clutterbug problems.

I always say "I am 1 rubbermaid tub from bing a hoarder!" :flowerforyou:

Its_My_Time

GREAT QUESTION!! I REALLY need to do the same!! I have stuff in my hall closet/shed/garage which I need to go through. I serioulsy don't even want to look in the boxes and just toss them! Lol, cause if I haven't missed it I must not need it right?? LOL! I surely can use some help in this area too!

jennifer_417

A couple of tips:

If it seems too overwhelming, just do a little bit at a time. Tell yourself you'll do 15 minutes worth of work, or specific small tasks, like putting the Christmas tree away, and that's all you'll do for that day. You'll be surprised what a big impact you can make in a short amount of time. You can do anything for 15 minutes, right?

Craigslist! I've bought clothes from Craigslist before with no trouble...it's great for people who are looking for specific sizes and styles and don't want to go to a store.

elisabeisme

I keep a fixed number of hangers and shoe boxes in my closet. If I want to bring something new in, then something has to go. It makes one of those nice tidy closets where it's easy to see everything. if you already have too much jammed in there, you can still implement this system.

1. Take handfuls of clothes out of your closet and put them on your bed until you have the right volume of clothes left hanging in the closet. The hangers should be loose enough that you can slide them around a bit to look at the clothes and nothing is being scrunched or wrinkled. One rule of thumb is one inch per hanger (12 hangers per foot of rod space), but I find my closet is perfectly comfortable with 16 hangers per foot. Don't worry if some of the clothes you are removing are clothes you want to keep. The first step is just to figure out the right volume of hangers.

2. Next, play a trading game with yourself between the bed and the closet. If there is something you like on the bed, then trade it with something that you like less in the closet. Keep swapping until you can't see any more trades.

3. Next, look at the hangers in the closet and make sure they are the nicest, newest hangers. If not, swap out hangers from the bed into the closet.

4. Finally, sort the clothes on the bed into trash/recycle versus eBay/donate.

The reason this strategy works is that it is based on having the appropriate amount of stuff in your life. You are picking your favorite things, rather than having to decide over and over again on each item if it should be kept. It feels inclusionary (I get to keep this) rather than exclusionary (should I throw this away?).

You can do the same thing with plastic shoe boxes. You can also do this with bags, belts, scarves, etc. by fixing the number of items allowed per hook. Also works in drawers too. Take stuff out until the right volume is left, then play the swap game. Also works with CDs, videos, bookshelves, etc.

seniorfaye

I agree with Pinterest and flylady.net...I love the missions every day to do..Now just to get them done like I'm suppose to.

deb54

Bump for later !

AddieOverhaul

I have wayyyy too much stuff. I've lived in the same city my whole life, so I've never had to do a big purge - I just take it all with me when I move. Top that off with being overly sentimental and a clothes lover and it's a recipe for an overcrowded home. My biggest issue is it feels like I am constantly having to tidy/clean my bedroom.

I alone have three closets full of clothes, plus a rubbermaid bin of offseason clothes in the garage. Ridiculous.

A few weeks ago, after reading some simplifying blogs, I was inspired to go around my place and pick out 50 items to get rid of. I got on a roll and ended up with more than 100 items. I donated the non clothes item to a foundation that picks up your household item donations from your front porch - so easy. The clothes that were too big for me I posted on Craigslist and ended up giving them to a single mom who couldn't afford to buy herself new clothes. they fit her perfectly and it made me feel good to help out.

Now I just need to get a bit stricter and keep going - because there is still way too much stuff!

I suggest doing an initital go through where you just grab anything you know you don't really need to keep and get rid of it like I did. Then, whenever you have a half hour or so, pick a drawer or a closet and go through it. Once you get rid of allt he stuff you don't use, then you can focus on better organizing what's left. Good luck!

cocotreasure

Bump for later! Thanks