De-cluttering advice needed

[Mercy]

I can't decide how or where to begin and I wondered if anyone could help me.

Should I

Do one room at a time?

Do the rooms/areas which need less de-cluttering? (and supposedly motivate me to continue)

Do the bits that irritate me the most?

[misdee]

if you have piles of paperwork lying around, like i always do, then do those first.

one room at a time. 3 boxes/bags. one for charity, one for bin,one for keeps. be ruthless.

[WowOoo]

Oh crikey, I don't know where to start either. So we need to decide and get on with it!

I am going to tackle the kitchen properly later and only bother with that until later.

I need to sort out another corner of the house...boxes of paerwork ARGH. But, I'm just going to see how I feel this evening and if not make a slot for Wed to do some of it. And I need to rope dh into helping me deal with some paper, so a nice dinner may be in order............................

Spoilt by a huge pile of paperwork:
'Do you want this/Do we need to keep this/ What the heck do I do about this?'

I would say do the worst and most important first. SO it's kitchen a go go for me. Good luck!

[WowOoo]

IT makes NO SENSE.

I am going to do kitchen very soon and paperwork boxes this evening.

That's better.

[CharleeInChains]

I am just going to hoover my longe then declutter my shelving unit which gets used as a dumping ground.

There i a nice man in my bathroom at the moment laying a new floor and putting new bath panels in so when he is done i will unclutter my bathroom whilst putting everything back.

I really need to do my kitchen cupboards, i need somethign to keep them tidy though or i sort them out, only for them to get messed up again within days by me rummaging at te back to find something!

[sunnygirl1412]

For me, the hardest part of decluttering is prying myself away from the 'puter and getting started!

We got rid of loads of clutter when we moved house in the spring and again in the summer, but somehow we seem to have just as much - if not more!! I'm convinced it breeds behind my back, every time I leave a room.

What I need is that Life Laundry programme, where the entire contents of your house go outside onto a tarpaulin, and you only let back into the house the stuff you want to keep. Mind you, it's raining today, so probably better not try it now!

[CharleeInChains]

I seem to declutter every weekend, then by the next one its full of crap again. im not sure how to tackle it so it stays uncluttered for a while at least!

I did the boys room this weekend and put a bloody huge lot of little People stuff on ebay but its not selling. It wiull probably dissapear back into thier room untill i next decide to declutter!

[jenaegi]

So glad I'm not the only one...never know where to start and even when i get around to it everything is back to square one within the week...must just be a clutter queen
Good luck, sorry no help!

[Earthymama]

We've had a horrendous year, my mum was very ill, she spent many months in hospital, in a revolving door situation. She died a few weeks ago and I've been sorting all her things out.

Also we've had a leak in the kitchen which I thought I'd sorted (but was so busy runnning to the hospital and trying to sort a care home that I was not focusing on home). We had to replace the kitchen base units and also the living room floor.

This was all due to happen in Sept but my mum died and we postponed. (The workman turned up the week after the funeral and refused to start as I was in such a state).

So we had to empty the dresser, the bookcases, the kitchen cupboards and live in a tip for a few weeks.

It's finally done and I'm in the process of putting things back and hopefully de-cluttering at the same time. Sadly my hoarder gene is deeply embedded and I have to fight the impulse to say 'Well, it might come in handy'.

DP thinks that I'm the only one who hoards but has been known to go through the charity bag saying, ooh no, that's useful!!

Sorry for long rant but my question is do I need 4 TVs, 2 floor length mirrors, 6 cushions from last colour scheme, the curtains from my last 2 colour schemes, to keep all the books by favourite authors!!

I DO know the answer and have advertised the guitar, TV hideaway cabinet, Mother's walking support, and her table top cooker. I'm going to cantact a TV shop that sells second hand sets today.

Why is it so hard!!

[Mercy]

So sorry for your loss Earthymama

I can't really do the dc rooms right now as I need to buy more storage - I think that's half the reason I've got into this mess. For example, my ironing basket is sky-high and apart from the fact I don't really like ironing, I haven't got enough drawers/cupboards to fit all the clothes in once they are ironed.

I like the sound of your 3 bags method misdee!

[katch]

Focusing on selling the stuff can be a way of hanging on - as I know only too well. Fair enough with big things, but you'll free yourself up much more quickly if you tell yourself you've had the use of the things, it's time for them to serve someone else, whether that's by being useful again, or raising money for a charity.

[WowOoo]

Ah, Earthy sorry. It is so hard, but you have to be a bit ruthless with yourself.

Stuff of my mum's that really was useful is wearing out and I've had to throw stuff. It is actually very liberating not to hang on to a manky tea towel though. But I can't help thinkng of all the stuff that went to charity that I want back! (meany)

How did you get on Mercy? The kitchen is done and I have also gone through a little paperwork too.

If you find the answer to keeping books by your favourite answers please tell me. There are shops that I could buy them again if I really need aren't there??!!!!

[missingtheaction]

Freecycle is even easier than charity shops - people come and collect the stuff from you. And don't be shy - you'd be amazed what people will take.

[Mercy]

I can't believe it's taken me so long to achieve so little

I've sorted out the (tiny) hallway - got rid of outgrown shoes, hung up coats or put them in wardrobes, found a box for all the hats, gloves etc

Also tackled the magazine rack (and the huge pile of newspapers, catalogues and assorted crap next to it)

It's amazing what bits of rubbish or missing items turn up, I think I'll be doing this until Christmas tbh!

[WowOoo]

MadamD, you are right. Good to do paperwork first or in my case whenever I get peace and quiet.

I set an alarm and got up 30 mins earlier today too.

Mercy sounds like you made a good start. It's just neverending and makes me want to SCCCREEEEAM sometimes.

Everything should have it's place yes, yes, yes. If only I could remember where it was, get dh to agree, comply and remember too...