Has anyone succesfully changed from hoader to minimalist? or do any minimalists have any tips?

[PerkinWarbeck]

just wondering really.

Actually, I don't think my hoarding is worse than most people's, but with a smaller than average home, and no built-in storage, loft, or garage, I really need to get on top of all this bloody Stuff.

[DistractionTechniques]

IME the key is plenty of storage and a place for everything. Ruthlessly remove all unnecessary Stuff from your house.

[desperatehousewifetoo]

I'm the last person to give advice on minimalism as I am more towards the hoarder type of housekeeping too.

A friend of mine put all their cds and dvds into holders and threw away the boxes. Couldn't bring myself to do that personally.

I leave lots of stuff at my parents house, too. Much to my mum's dismay

[Majeika]

Sort out your wardrobe and GET RID of stuff you havent worn for a year or clothes you are threatening to diet to get into!

Sort out broken toys when kids are at school.

Get rid of things that are not useful.

Sort out lotions and potions and get rid of things that you dont use or are out of date.

Magazines that have been read recycle

Things you could make money on - EBAY.

Freecycle other stuff.

Lots of stackable boxes in cupboards.

Get your school to do BAGS TO SCHOOL where they come and collect all the clothes you dont want and pay you for stuff by the kilo. Easier than a jumble sale and a good fundraiser. We made £200 at the last one.

[tigermoth]

I am in the process of changing from hoarder to minimalist.

What motivates me is that minimalists need to do less dusting and cleaning.

The more stuff you have, the harder it is to keep it clean and tidy IME. And as for decorating - impossible!

I hate housework but am itching to slap some paint on our walls. So am very motivated to throw out stuff at the moment.

[PerkinWarbeck]

having a wee bathroom blitz now. my medicine cabinet looks like it belongs in the 1940s house at the Imperial War Museum .

desperate housewife, I think someone else's loft could be the answer to my prayers - minimal house without the pain of parting with Stuff.

[tigermoth]

My tip:

When you spot something you need to get rid of but you can't quite bear to throw away, put it in your car boot for a while. See how you feel without it in the house - do you really and truly miss it?

If not, it is to hand when you drive past a communal recycling bin, or charity shop. Or if you really can't part with it, bring it back to your home only once you have found a place for it.

Works for me!

[friendlyedjit]

Tigermoth- good tip re car. Have done that last few days with 3 bin liners of books I wasn't keen on letting go. Had them in car, local charity shop closed. By the end of day 3 realised their loss from the house hadn't affected my life, and now they're out of car am feeling empowered and ready to take on the next several bin liners!!
Oh but it is hard...........and I had to be really careful when dropping those books off that didn't come back with 4 bin liners full!!

[cheeset]

Clothes
If you haven't worn it in 6 months-recycle it. Mine goes directly in the boot of my car and as and when, I drop off at the charity shop.

Stuff

Anything around the house that has been left/hasn't got a home, go round with a bin bag, chuck it all in and sort immediately. That way, the house looks tidy immediately and will give you more incentive to sort the crap out.

Mens Bits and pieces

Find them a cupboard in the house to chuck their stuff in. If it doesn't 'fit' it goes in the garage. Tough if they cant find it!

Kids Stuff

The little stuff drives me mad! I have things that are complete stay, and incomplete stuff goes straight in the bin.

I am ruthless in my house, this ' stuff ' drives me mad and I resent having to thinking about it IYKWIM?

[PerkinWarbeck]

great tip tiger. I am trying to do something similar. Our flat is on the market so we're boxing up odds and ends, and I have informed DH that each item will be careful scrutinised before being readmitted to the home.

[cargirl]

Im also in the process of changing from hoarder (has taken several years) once you have decluttered an area you feel so much better for it you are encouraged to do more.

I would box stuff up, one to sell, one to store after 4 months revisit the storage one and you will be happy for 99.9% of it to go - honest!

[PortBlacksandResident]

Friendly - i can get rid of anything in my house but books.

Oh no - never books.



Just today i've put my diaries from the last 12 yrs in the attic (to do diaries not bleed your heart out ones). DH thinks i should bin them now and i know i will one day - but attic is a good halfway house for now.

What does everyone do with all the stuff that comes home from school at the end of terms?

[friendlyedjit]

I stepped away from the computer and have decluttered the dressing up box! Another bin liner for the textile recycling container.

PortBlackandResident- am moving away from my books and having alternative focus for a day or so to recover from the trauma!!!
Will be beside myself by the time I get to "the vinyl".

[Anna8888]

Yes, I veer towards minimalism (if by minimalism you mean reducing my material possessions to the minimum).

Good, high performance (but not over abundant) storage, ruthlessness and regular tidying/recycling/throwing are a necessity.

[onceinalifetime]

I am also in the process of trying to dump a lot of stuff. For things that are potentially worth something, I'm doing the following:

• listing books on Amazon - very quick to do and listings stay there for 60 days

• 10 items a week on ebay - going to try and keep doing this until Christmas with dual purpose - money for more crap presents and space for them once they're bought

[isaidno]

I would love to be a minimalist, and have been better at chucking stuff out.
My problem is I keeping buying more stuff.

[desperatehousewifetoo]

Can't put stuff in the boot of my car as that is full of scooters, bike and buggy.

Maybe I could sneak them into dh's car

[onceinalifetime]

But is a minimalist somebody who has loads of storage and everything neatly put away or somebody who actually has less stuff?

[PortBlacksandResident]

And Tapes..............what to do with old tapes that may have the occasional song on i haven't got anywhere else?

But probably haven't.

[DistractionTechniques]

Download the songs from the internet and burn them onto a CD. Dump the tapes.

[maidamess]

CHUCK THEM!! I'll come round and do it for you.

I have recently done what desperate mentioned and binned all the DVD cases, putting the disks into wallets. What took up 3 big shelves now takes up 6 inches.

I am sensing a gap in the market for House Doctoring...maybe I should ditch my teaching ambitions and become a declutterer instead!

[desperatehousewifetoo]

Oh, I'd happily de-clutter someone elses house, it's just my own that is difficult to do! All that stuff that might one day be useful.

Actually, I should go through my wardrobes again and look for all the old work clothes that I kept because they were too expenive to throw out. They would be sooooo out of fashion now!

Or maybe I should be like my dad and hope they might come back into fashion one day (and still fit).

[Jacaranda]

I am about to merge 2 homes into one. I am moving back from abroad into a new house and bringing all our belongings from our UK home (abut to be rented out) to new house too!

The new house is no bigger than the other 2 so I am going on a serious decluttering spell. Apart from anything we only have limited space to bring stuff home from abroad so I can't pack the whole house.

Anything broken, incomplete, naff (many naff plastic toys can be bought out here) are going in the bin. My wardrobe is going to be severely reduced.........I just haven't got round to starting yet!!!

[tigermoth]

Glad you like my tip about bunging stuff in the car boot. It really does work for me!

[desperatehousewifetoo]

I find that keeping dh's wardrobe to a bare minimum leaves more space for my stuff too