Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?

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  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,131 Member
    I also have clothes that I haven't' worn in a long time ( a couple of them never...), but so far I have been enable to give them up. I think that I may change that approach as the summer comes. They are nice one and I have a boutique in mind that mainly provides clothing for business people but it has been closed for several months due to COVID .

    I have a large closet, and I organized everything so the extra items don't clutter the space. Maybe that is the reason why they are still hanging in there. In the back of mind there is still hope that someday I will be wearing them again. Wishful thinking :| .

    I also have lots of nick-knacks that I need to get rid of but I heard that donation places don't take them anymore because they can't sell them. I live in a gated community and garage sales are not allowed, even without the pandemic floating around. If any of you have any ideas about what to do with them, please let me know.

    My kids are not interested in practically anything that I have. Their taste is totally different, and I understand and respect that.

  • emmclean
    emmclean Posts: 297 Member
    I'd highly recommend checking out Emma Gleeson's writing on decluttering - full disclosure, she is a friend of mine, but I only found out about her specialism in this area years after we met when it wasn't her main work. Her approach to tackling the consumer mindset so many of us are beholden to has been really valuable for me.

    Stuff Happens! New book out end of Feb (not sure how it will be available outside Ireland though!): https://emmagleeson.com/stuff-happens

    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/stuffhappensemma/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/emgleesondublin

    Enjoy!
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,155 Member
    KeriA wrote: »
    last weekend our youngest who is a young adult who lives with us decided we were going to clean out the fridge. It feels very nice knowing what food is there and having space for things you want and need.


    I bought fridge liners (cloth) at TJMaxx and they get so dirty, so today you inspired me to wash them and clean my fridge. I also need to stop buying veggies that I just don't eat..... I hate throwing them away. Grrrr
  • snoo61
    snoo61 Posts: 549 Member
    RubyRed427 wrote: »
    What do you do with cards from special people? I can't save all of them and they mean something only to me, so not sure what to do?

    @emmclean Thanks for the tip. I will check her work out.

    I went to my sister's house. Her house is overwhelmed with clutter but her husband just can't part with anything. I feel badly for her- she said well if I keep hounding him about the clutter, it's like a cancer on our relationship. That's a battle- when one person is neat and the other messy. I live alone- so I have total control. Just ramblin'

    I was in the same boat. Now I only keep the most recent ones, and certain special ones. But only from certain people.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    I used Marie Kondo's methods to do a huge declutter about 5 years ago- something like 55 bags of stuff went to Goodwill.

    I didn't pare my books down heavy at all, just got rid of old college textbooks and books I didn't enjoy or books that I started reading and then didn't like. I still have tons of books and I always will.

    But, my life is still pretty cluttered, because that's the way I enjoy it.

    55 bags to Goodwill is very impressive! And "cluttered" is really more about how you define the decorating style you are going for, whether you have made room for where your life is NOW, and where you plan to take it. Not everyone is a minimalist.

    I'd be more interested to know if .... in the 5 years since, the volume of "your clutter" has basically remained stable. If so, then you succeeded by what I gather is her basic definition. You have found YOUR correct equilibrium point.

    I just discovered Marie Kondo's methods on audiobook from the library, and turns out there is a season of her on Netflix. Now I am watching something called "the Home Edit" which is a company apparently started and run mostly through Instagram. The shows are more "do your closet OR garage OR kitchen for you" than a guiding you though a whole house (Marie) and is heavier into "use product to contain".

    But I see big similarities in Marie's "keep only what sparks joy NOW ... set-up to support your CURRENT 'vision of a best life' / a designated place for everything, and keep everything in its' place"; and tHE's "define space-goals / edit / collect / contain" plan. They aren't REALLY so different.

    They both are into "define zones, and when the content starts encroaching on the one beside it, time to see what can be parted with" (like when the "gonna sell this" is spreading into "home gym area", it means either get on with the sale, or take at least part of it to a donation centre. )

    I may not do things in Marie's suggested order, but I am starting to try out what her folding does for my drawers, putting all my sewing things together in one place - and contemplating the kitchen drawer of 'rarely if ever used preparation utensils'. And the big blender is going as soon as there is a drop-off place open to take it to!


  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,155 Member
    I used Marie Kondo's methods to do a huge declutter about 5 years ago- something like 55 bags of stuff went to Goodwill.

    I didn't pare my books down heavy at all, just got rid of old college textbooks and books I didn't enjoy or books that I started reading and then didn't like. I still have tons of books and I always will.

    But, my life is still pretty cluttered, because that's the way I enjoy it.

    I don't have much left where I'm like, "why do I still have this?" I keep a basket by my front door and as I come across things I'm done with, they go in there and go to a thrift store when it's full.

    I now use little things to trigger when I declutter- if I go to a book store or order some books, I'll do a peek through my shelves for anything that doesn't bring joy anymore.

    I probably have more sentimental paper items than a lot of people, but, I scanned a ton of them and have them all piled in a few gasketed boxes under the bed. That way they aren't attracting silverfish or anything gross.

    I went through my fabric this year and aggressively trimmed back. I used to own a ton of it when I worked in a public library doing the craft program for teens. But, I just use different materials when I'm crafting for myself. I finally purged all of that this year.

    BUT, I will always be that person with furniture along most walls and metal shelving in my closet covered in bins.. lol

    The important thing is that you are able to vacuum and dust without it being too much hassle to do regularly.

    It's important that you feel comfortable in your surroundings and you do.

    I think because my mom was such a neat freak, my brain got used to that. I am not as nearly as neat as her. She's the kind of person where she has just a few pencils and paper in a drawer, no junk drawer at all, no pantry, just fresh food in the fridge, etc. I thought her perfume was bleach! She always smelled like it. Poor lady- cleaning all the time when we were kids. Now, I see how that perfectionism can be somewhat detrimental. Anyway ....

    I do love Kondo's method of keeping what brings you joy. I watched her Netflix shows. I sometimes think that objects give off a vibration so I want to keep my shelves a little open, some space between things.

    I am a lover of books; I recently donated a bunch but I did keep the ones that I won't necessarily read again but I sure loved them!

    Ahhh you did crafts with teens; how wonderful!
  • mssue18
    mssue18 Posts: 117 Member
    Yesterday I started working on my bathroom. I had old cleaning supplies I didn’t know I had. How long can you keep laundry detergent and Lysol bathroom cleaner? I figure it doesn’t go bad does it? Any way I opened up a little more space in my bathroom. I have much more to sort thru and get rid of but it felt good to get started doing something yesterday.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,155 Member
    mssue18 wrote: »
    Yesterday I started working on my bathroom. I had old cleaning supplies I didn’t know I had. How long can you keep laundry detergent and Lysol bathroom cleaner? I figure it doesn’t go bad does it? Any way I opened up a little more space in my bathroom. I have much more to sort thru and get rid of but it felt good to get started doing something yesterday.

    Maybe put the overflow items in the basement. I find it so much easier to clean when my supplies are streamlined. I don't believe they expire.
  • Midnigh
    Midnigh Posts: 56 Member
    RubyRed427 wrote: »
    What do you do with cards from special people? I can't save all of them and they mean something only to me, so not sure what to do?

    @emmclean Thanks for the tip. I will check her work out.

    I went to my sister's house. Her house is overwhelmed with clutter but her husband just can't part with anything. I feel badly for her- she said well if I keep hounding him about the clutter, it's like a cancer on our relationship. That's a battle- when one person is neat and the other messy. I live alone- so I have total control. Just ramblin'

    I have a lot of cards and memorabilia that I've saved over the years too. I've kept them thinking when I'm much older, it'll be fun to go thru them all while sitting in my rocking chair! lol

    My hubby doesn't like to part with things either. He turns 70 this year and he still won't part with his college textbooks or "nik naks" from his days in Japan while he was in the Air Force. I packed up a couple boxes of his treasures and put them in the garage a few years back. He never noticed they were gone! I won't toss his stuff but as least they aren't cluttering the inside of the house any longer!
  • Whatsthemotive
    Whatsthemotive Posts: 145 Member
    I have a real desire to de clutter but I don’t have that much control over my household. My husband has a lot of trouble letting things go. He’s been known to actually take things out of the trash. And they were my things, not his. But we have been able to improve. He really tries.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,364 Member
    I will be applying "keep only what brings you joy" to my sewing patterns. Keeping only those that are sized to my current measurements, and FROM that pile, keep only those that will make up into something I would wear at this point in my life (some patterns have been in my possession for a very long time - and I am just not the person who would wear "that" in my current life any more.)

    Any suggestions for re-homing for sewing patterns? Particularly never-used ones? I have heard of modge podging onto a wall as a decorating choice. (I am not enough into sewing myself for that, and haven't landed on a designated "forever sewing place" yet either) .
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