Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?
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Gingergal12 wrote: »Love this thread! I’m getting ready for a garage sale this weekend. I am finally going through boxes we packed when moving here 10 years ago. I convinced my 23 year old son to sell video games and boyhood stuff. Feeling very empowered and have been on point with my weight loss quest this week
Great! Hope the garage sale goes well. Be prepared to throw out, give away, or recycle the stuff you decided you didn't need that doesn't sell. No takies-backsies!
One thing I was going to mention in here (unrelated to the above but no need for a new post) is that I read an article a few years ago that I've always remembered.
It was by a woman in her sixties who'd been left the estate of her remaining parent, full of clutter.
So much stuff she couldn't find room for. She already had too much stuff of her own.
It made her realise she would never want to burden her child with so much stuff, so many things. She then did lots of work and kept only her necessities.
Since reading that, I don't want my house to ever be in a state where it would be a nightmare for my next of kin.
I also want it to be lovely for living in.
Sad to say but that's my parents right there. They have a huge house and it's filled with crap. My brothers and I shocked my dad recently when we told him, that the day he died and we had to clear the house, we'd both need to take one month unpaid leave just to get that house empty. That's 3 of us. And we're counting on intermittent help from their wives.
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I grew up in a spotless house. My mom would stay up late cleaning many nights. I think it set an unrealistic expectation for me as an adult. My brain got wired to think it was the way you live .... with zero clutter.
When I got married, I saw that my spouse was messy and loves clutter; i think it makes him feel good. The clutter chokes me. It can be very hard on me emotionally to live in clutter. Our dresser in our bed room is cut in half- his side is covered in receipts, papers, and everything , and my side has a picture frame and a candle. I'm sorry to vent. He's not wrong for being that way, because that's how his brain is wired.
But for me, it's a source of discomfort seeing that junk in piles all over.
I just needed to express myself on this thread. I wont complain further, but i dream of having a clean house with only items we treasure instead of thousands of pieces of junk that isn't valued but still kept.
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Sorted my spring clothes and got rid of the winter clothing that I didnt wear this season. Even though I said to myself, "I really like this sweater." I also said to myself "You didnt wear it once this winter." So, I bagged everything for donations.6
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I can totally relate to this idea, just from a different perspective at the moment.
We are building apartment in my husband's family house and at the moment we live partially at my mother in low part of the house, partially at my parents.
I am enjoying and I am grateful for the opportunity to have a place of our own, but in the same time I feel so overwhelmed with all decisions we have to make, design options, budgeting, searching for right people for the job, etc.
More so, since this is an apartment in a family house, when this is done, there will be some other work to do to fix the yard, etc.
I feel like a fell into same housing trap that I thought that only fool people fall.
I gained around 25 pounds last few months.
In the same time my parents need help in another part of country, so it's extra challenging to make it all work.
I remember how good I was feeling when I was a student in a student campus having nothing more then bed, desk, few books for the semester and just enough clothes to fit into one suitcase. It felt so great! And I was around 40 pound lighter then I am now.
I am sorry for this little rant..I just wanted to say there is definitely some link between gaining weight and feeling overwhelmed, so it makes much sense that decluttering would help with letting go pounds too.
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As far as I'm concerned, ranting is a decluttering of the soul. You remove the excess stuff weighing you down before it has the time or opportunity to fester.
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ladyreva78 wrote: »As far as I'm concerned, ranting is a decluttering of the soul. You remove the excess stuff weighing you down before it has the time or opportunity to fester.
Wooow, that is really an awesome and compassionate thought! Thank you!8 -
JulieAL1969 wrote: »I grew up in a spotless house. My mom would stay up late cleaning many nights. I think it set an unrealistic expectation for me as an adult. My brain got wired to think it was the way you live .... with zero clutter.
When I got married, I saw that my spouse was messy and loves clutter; i think it makes him feel good. The clutter chokes me. It can be very hard on me emotionally to live in clutter. Our dresser in our bed room is cut in half- his side is covered in receipts, papers, and everything , and my side has a picture frame and a candle. I'm sorry to vent. He's not wrong for being that way, because that's how his brain is wired.
But for me, it's a source of discomfort seeing that junk in piles all over.
I just needed to express myself on this thread. I wont complain further, but i dream of having a clean house with only items we treasure instead of thousands of pieces of junk that isn't valued but still kept.
@JulieAL1969 Hugs.
Our house still isn't perfect. I had to start somewhere, and bit by bit I did my own stuff which made a huge transformation.
Then I worked on our shared spaces.
I don't think spouses realise some things are neither person's responsibility - I was leaving stuff for him to tidy, and he was leaving stuff for me.
So I just took ownership and found places to put these things away, or threw out the crap. He appreciated that. (Although there's a running joke as to if I can remember where the new home for an item is. )
Then two thirds of the house was mostly tidy.
He's since been tidying his own things bit by bit. Still needs to do more, but we're getting there.5 -
I hope I'm not repeating myself here, and I know it's sort of random. But I wanted to say for anyone who may be dealing with (future or present) clearing out a very cluttered/full home of loved ones who pass...do consider auctions!
I know it may vary from place to place, but when my in-laws passed away my husband and I did one thoughtful pass through their home and took out about 3 boxes full of sentimental items that we wanted to keep or disperse to extended family members. My husband then called a local auction house and they did a complete auction of everything for a very affordable sum. They wouldn't include clothing so I bagged all of that up and donated it to a charity thrift shop.
My in-laws didn't have some valuable estate full of antiques. It was a typical middle class home with plenty of junky collectibles, twenty year old furniture and boxes full of craft supplies and holiday decorations. But the auction house was more than happy to do this despite the items not being high dollar (they just earned a percentage) and people showed up and bought all of the stuff, much to our surprise. A cat tree that was pretty shredded went for twenty bucks. It was good.13 -
This summer, I'll have time off of work. And I plan on really being ruthless with old belongings and things in my basement. They are down there because I simply don't need them or I'd be using them.
Some of you know the FLY Lady philosophy; I like her tip of breaking down your house in zones and cleaning zones. But always clean and shine your kitchen sink every day.
Others probably like The Life Changing Art of Decluttering. I like her idea of "does this spark joy." If it doesn't donate or throw it away.4 -
This is cool. I cut and pasted, because I know if I'm on my mobile, I don't like clicking links in MFP Community and losing where I'm at.
https://zenhabits.net/18-five-minute-decluttering-tips-to-start-conquering-your-mess/
For those who are overwhelmed by their clutter, here are some great ways to get started, five minutes at a time.
1. Designate a spot for incoming papers. Papers often account for a lot of our clutter. This is because we put them in different spots — on the counter, on the table, on our desk, in a drawer, on top of our dresser, in our car. No wonder we can’t find anything! Designate an in-box tray or spot in your home (or at your office, for that matter) and don’t put down papers anywhere but that spot. Got mail? Put it in the inbox. Got school papers? Put it in the inbox. Receipts, warranties, manuals, notices, flyers? In the inbox! This one little change can really transform your paperwork.
2. Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t seem to like it when you try to expand the no-clutter zone to their house, and start hauling away their unused exercise equipment and torn underwear when they’re not at home. Some people don’t appreciate simplicity, I guess.
3. Clear off a counter. You want to get your house so that all flat spaces are clear of clutter. Maybe they have a toaster on them, maybe a decorative candle, but not a lot of clutter. So start with one counter. Clear off everything possible, except maybe one or two essential things. Have a blender you haven’t used since jazzercise was all the rage? Put it in the cupboard! Clear off all papers and all the other junk you’ve been tossing on the counter too.
4. Pick a shelf. Now that you’ve done a counter, try a shelf. It doesn’t matter what shelf. Could be a shelf in a closet, or on a bookshelf. Don’t tackle the whole bookshelf — just one shelf. Clear all non-essential things and leave it looking neat and clutter-free.
5. Schedule a decluttering weekend. Maybe you don’t feel like doing a huge decluttering session right now. But if you take the time to schedule it for later this month, you can clear your schedule, and if you have a family, get them involved too. The more hands pitching in, the better. Get boxes and trash bags ready, and plan a trip to a charity to drop off donated items. You might not get the entire house decluttered during the weekend, but you’ll probably make great progress.
6. Pick up 5 things, and find places for them. These should be things that you actually use, but that you just seem to put anywhere, because they don’t have good places. If you don’t know exactly where things belong, you have to designate a good spot. Take a minute to think it through — where would be a good spot? Then always put those things in those spots when you’re done using them. Do this for everything in your home, a few things at a time.
7. Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. When I’m decluttering, I like to take a moment to take a look at a room, and think about how I want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong in the room but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces? Once I’ve visualized how the room will look uncluttered, and figured out what is essential, I get rid of the rest.
8. Create a “maybe” box. Sometimes when you’re going through a pile of stuff, you know exactly what to keep (the stuff you love and use) and what to trash or donate. But then there’s the stuff you don’t use, but think you might want it or need it someday. You can’t bear to get rid of that stuff! So create a “maybe” box, and put this stuff there. Then store the box somewhere hidden, out of the way. Put a note on your calendar six months from now to look in the box. Then pull it out, six months later, and see if it’s anything you really needed. Usually, you can just dump the whole box, because you never needed that stuff.
9. Put a load in your car for charity. If you’ve decluttered a bunch of stuff, you might have a “to donate” pile that’s just taking up space in a corner of your room. Take a few minutes to box it up and put it in your trunk. Then tomorrow, drop it off.
10. Create a 30-day list. The problem with decluttering is that we can declutter our butts off (don’t actually try that — it’s painful) but it just comes back because we buy more stuff. So fight that tendency by nipping it in the bud: don’t buy the stuff in the first place. Take a minute to create a 30-day list, and every time you want to buy something that’s not absolutely necessary (and no, that new Macbook Air isn’t absolutely necessary), put it on the list with the date it was added to the list. Make a rule never to buy anything (except necessities) unless they’ve been on the list for 30 days. Often you’ll lose the urge to buy the stuff and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and clutter.
11. Teach your kids where things belong. This only applies to the parents among us, of course, but if you teach your kids where things go, and start teaching them the habit of putting them there, you’ll go a long way to keeping your house uncluttered. Of course, they won’t learn the habit overnight, so you’ll have to be very very patient with them and just keep teaching them until they’ve got it. And better yet, set the example for them and get into the habit yourself.
12. Set up some simple folders. Sometimes our papers pile up high because we don’t have good places to put them. Create some simple folders with labels for your major bills and similar paperwork. Put them in one spot. Your system doesn’t have to be complete, but keep some extra folders and labels in case you need to quickly create a new file.
13. Learn to file quickly. Once you’ve created your simple filing system, you just need to learn to use it regularly. Take a handful of papers from your pile, or your inbox, and go through them one at a time, starting from the top paper and working down. Make quick decisions: trash them, file them immediately, or make a note of the action required and put them in an “action” file. Don’t put anything back on the pile, and don’t put them anywhere but in a folder (and no cheating “to be filed” folders!) or in the trash/recycling bin.
14. Pull out some clothes you don’t wear. As you’re getting ready for work, and going through your closet for something to wear, spend a few minutes pulling out ones you haven’t worn in a few months. If they’re seasonal clothes, store them in a box. Get rid of the rest. Do this a little at a time until your closet (and then your drawers) only contains stuff you actually wear.
15. Clear out your medicine cabinet. If you don’t have one spot for medicines, create one now. Go through everything for the outdated medicines, the stuff you’ll never use again, the dirty-looking bandages, the creams that you’ve found you’re allergic to, the ointments that never had an effect on your energy or your eye wrinkles. Simplify to the essential.
16. Pull everything out of a drawer. Just take the drawer out and empty it on a table. Then sort the drawer into three piles: 1) stuff that really should go in the drawer; 2) stuff that belongs elsewhere; 3) stuff to get rid of. Clean the drawer out nice, then put the stuff in the first pile back neatly and orderly. Deal with the other piles immediately!
17. Learn to love the uncluttered look. Once you’ve gotten an area decluttered, you should take the time to enjoy that look. It’s a lovely look. Make that your standard! Learn to hate clutter! Then catch clutter and kill it wherever it crops up.
18. Have a conversation with your SO or roommate. Sometimes the problem isn’t just with us, it’s with the person or people we live with. An uncluttered home is the result of a shared philosophy of simplicity of all the people living in the house. If you take a few minutes to explain that you really want to have an uncluttered house, and that you could use their help, you can go a long way to getting to that point. Try to be persuasive and encouraging rather than nagging and negative. Read more about living with a pack rat.
“We don’t need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it.” – Donald Horban
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I definitely have a problem with 2, keeping my no-clutter zone clear!
It's because it's MY no-clutter zone, but my husband's place to dump his work stuff. Need to work together on this.9 -
Pro Organizer Tips: What NOT To Do When Decluttering Your Home
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/pro-organizer-tips-what-not-to-do-when-decluttering-your-home-168836
Organize First; Buy Second
Do not go out and buy a ton of storage pieces and supplies before you sort through your home. All of those pretty bins, boxes and baskets at The Container Store are very enticing, but they won't do you any good unless they fit the space (on the shelf, under the bed, in the closet); hold what you need them to hold, and function properly for your particular space.
I recommend cleaning out first, assessing what containers you REALLY need, and then buying a few bins to start. You can always add later, but you don't want a bunch of empty containers cluttering up your home while you figure out where you might use them.
Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Do not set aside an ENTIRE day to organize your WHOLE house. Very few people have the energy and/or focus to spend 8 hours organizing. You'll likely become frustrated and less efficient as the day progresses. It's much better to spend a few hours — 2 or 3 — on one project or space. This way you'll feel motivated to do more, not be burned out by the process.
Complete Each Task — Completely
Of course you will need to sort things into categories (e.g., toss, recycle, donate, give to friend, put in deep storage). But here's the crucial part: Once you have decided where something is going to go — take it there. Never keep bags for charity or boxes for friends in your home to deliver later. Do it now. Finish the process. Take the bags and boxes out to the trash or recycling immediately. If you're donating something or giving something to a friend or family member, put the items in your car or make arrangements for dropping them off. You've done so much work getting this stuff ready to take out, complete the deal!
Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
Do not think that once you've organized your space, that you are done. You'll feel like a failure when you have to clean it up again in a month. Realize that while you have created a new, efficient, and logical system for processing and managing incoming and outgoing items, you are not done. There is no autopilot. You should expect regular upkeep, but just be glad that the new system is far more efficient than the old one.
Good Enough is Enough
Very few people have closets and drawers that resemble those in catalogues. Trust me. I've been in a lot of houses and apartments and even after we've totally reorganized a space, it doesn't look like an ad for The Container Store. It looks great and works properly, but it is a space that is used by an actual human being, not one that has been carefully staged by a team of stylists and marketers for a non-existent resident. You will ultimately be disappointed if perfection is your goal. The goal is to set up a space that works well for your needs. That is success.5 -
@Orphia
Those are some good tips! I especially like the 'good enough is enough'. It was hard learning that, but somehow everything seems more rewarding if you aim for something that's manageable long term (just like weight loss ) 3 -
2. Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t seem to like it when you try to expand the no-clutter zone to their house, and start hauling away their unused exercise equipment and torn underwear when they’re not at home. Some people don’t appreciate simplicity, I guess.
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I definitely have a problem with 2, keeping my no-clutter zone clear!
It's because it's MY no-clutter zone, but my husband's place to dump his work stuff. Need to work together on this.
I so relate.My husband seems incapable of leaving a space free He just sees is as room to move stuff too No matter how much it is a designated area that is unoccupied for a limited time only.
The bread drawer in the freezer is always fully the time we buy new. Same for the area where we keep the half bread in use. Even where we keep our bathing robes We have five hooks I have two he has three and if my bathrobe is in the laundry is quite quickly filling mine that is empty for 2 whole hours!
The only way to deal with it is to ensure something small is in that space/on the hook etc.It only needs to be tiny and easy for me to move.
In case of the freezer I move some stuff out of one of the other areas Even if it is just a box of frozen fruits or something then he won't fill it up as much. My hooks? I put a t-shirt on it while the bathrobe is in the laundry. Alternatively I clear ALL his stuff in one go and move it to the laundry basket.6 -
Love these organizing tips!2
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bump1
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Today, I found a space for the cat food in a cupboard so now I have a clear side table.
It all happens bit by bit.11 -
Got home today! Tomorrow I plan to start going through my kitchen cupboards. I'm looking forward to it
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I just finished listening to the audiobook of Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight by Peter Walsh. A really good take away for me was the idea that once I designate a place for a certain type of item, when that place is full I cannot have any more of that type item. For example, in order to organize my shoes, I bought 50 clear plastic shoe boxes and filled them up. They fit in my closet and that is all the room I have for shoes. If I simply must have a new pair (it happens) I have to let go of a pair that I have. The bottom line? Infinite amounts of stuff just won't fit in my finite space.9
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Are you allowed to dump stuff in front of Goodwill during non-operating hours?1
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I'm considering getting rid of most of my art supplies. I just can't really do it anymore. I have problems with my hands, and I don't have time/ my interests have moved elsewhere. I have a bunch of canvases and other art supplies. I'm thinking about keeping a set of pencils and a sketchbook, and donating everything else. IDK, it was such a big part of my life for a long time, but now it is all just sitting in my closet not being used.
In a few years, I may have time, and then I can have fun buying new stuff if I want to.5 -
I'm considering getting rid of most of my art supplies. I just can't really do it anymore. I have problems with my hands, and I don't have time/ my interests have moved elsewhere. I have a bunch of canvases and other art supplies. I'm thinking about keeping a set of pencils and a sketchbook, and donating everything else. IDK, it was such a big part of my life for a long time, but now it is all just sitting in my closet not being used.
In a few years, I may have time, and then I can have fun buying new stuff if I want to.
Sometimes local schools would LOVE to have your art supplies. Either the teachers can use them in class, or they can get them to a student who may enjoy art supplies.8 -
JulieAL1969 wrote: »
I gave away two fish tanks I wasn't using to a school. They often use them for small animals or terrariums.
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I am looking forward to reading here..Thanks OP!!2
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JulieAL1969 wrote: »I'm considering getting rid of most of my art supplies. I just can't really do it anymore. I have problems with my hands, and I don't have time/ my interests have moved elsewhere. I have a bunch of canvases and other art supplies. I'm thinking about keeping a set of pencils and a sketchbook, and donating everything else. IDK, it was such a big part of my life for a long time, but now it is all just sitting in my closet not being used.
In a few years, I may have time, and then I can have fun buying new stuff if I want to.
Sometimes local schools would LOVE to have your art supplies. Either the teachers can use them in class, or they can get them to a student who may enjoy art supplies.
Good idea! I'll ask around and see if I can donate them to one of the local schools.6 -
I have been talking about going through my cupboards since I got home but my yarn stash has been all I can focus on. I had 1 1/2 dressers plus 2 trash bags full of yarn. Not to mention shopping bags strung throughout the house. I finally pulled all the yarn I won't use into the spare bedroom and sorted it. I've been making pet mats for a couple months and realized that I have gotten rid of 1 trash bag of yarn! I'm going to donate the mats to a shelter when I have 10 made. I've been decluttering and didn't even realize it. LOL17
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I LOVE THIS POST! Very inspiring, OP - gave me some motivation and helped me remember where I've come from!
Two, almost three years ago now, I had a shift. I cut out drinking year one. I cut out smoking year two, and this year I've cut out relationships that no longer serve me. In that time I've also managed to let go of a lot of stuff - clothes, shoes, trinkets, school supplies, etc. And also, habits - no more going out every weekend, or having to see every concert that strikes my fancy. No more wanting for the weekend and wasting the week. I planted my roots firmly with my family and started cultivating a better relationship with myself first, and then with my partner. I realized that stuff does not fill me up - it just fills up my house. I can't pour from an empty cup so I had to find out what actually did fill me. It was fresh air. It was heart to heart talks with my partner. It was waking up early and earning overtime to save for a house. It was playing with my dog till we were both dog tired. I tripped - I stumbled - I got back up and I'm back at it! Do I have plenty more stuff I could still do without? Sure do! Will I continue to press on in the directions of my dreams? Sure will!35 -
I started my minimalism journey about 2 years ago. My mantra is get rid of stuff that does not being me joy. Every object, every piece of clothing, every person is held to the same standard. Some examples:
1. Sitting on my couch on a rainy day binging on Netflix make me happy so I keep the couch and the TV and the Netflix subscription. I got rid of an end table because it served no purpose, other to look nice.
2. I love to cook so the pots and pans stay, but only the ones I use frequently.
3. I have a memory box for each of my grown children. I only kept the stuff that really mattered, things with a memory attached.
4. I only use 2 glasses and a coffee cup at my house, but I enjoy having company over so I have enough wine glasses, drinking glasses, and coffee mugs for my friends and family. That's about 20 total, not the 50 or more in most people's cupboards.5
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