Tell me how to sort my house out please

[EyeballshasManBoobs]

Small house, shedloads of crap. We have far too much stuff, every room is creaking under the weight of it. So I need to clear the crap and then give the place a damn good clean. But when? I work part time, knackered in the evenings, dd very full on so impossible to get anything done when she's around. But it's really getting me down, everywhere I look is a mess

I've tried boxes for junk/tip/keep but it seems we need to keep everything . Help!

[nomorecake]

do you have a loft? or a shed? can you do a car boot sale for any of it?

maybe you just need to be a little more ruthless, anything that hasnt be used in 2 years must go, either sale or tip or charity shop.

maybe you can work on one room at a time when dd is sleeping.

it can be so overwhelming but, small steps and bit by bit you'll get there.

(i'm very bad for shoving all the letters, papers, junk mail, bills, statements etc on an overflowing desk, but it so satisfying when i've binned or filed it all, and all there is a clean surface! about once a year!!)

good luck!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Okay, buy one big plastic box. Put stuff in it - on day one fill it with stuff. On day two sort through the stuff and chuck away as much as possible. On day three put the rest of it away. Repeat endlessly. If ambitious buy two boxes.

Do one room first. Don't go elsewhere till that room is clean - pick a small room but one you can sit in comfortably when the mess gets too much.

You can do this. But start small. If you see improvements you'll keep at it.

[LovingTheRain]

Eyeballs i know how you feel. Have decluttered my house before and being ruthless is the key!

Have baskets/boxes/bags etc with each family member's name labelled on. Put everything that belongs to each member in their basket and then go through them one at a time with said family member.

Focus on one drawer/cupboard at a time. Have your bin bag ready and bin anything you don't really really want/need/use.

I lvov decluttering, if i lived near to you i'd come and help

[LovingTheRain]

love*

[Shitemum]

LovingTheRain - would you like an all expenses paid week or 2 in the south of Spain?

Am moving back to UK in 6 weeks and have 20 years worth of junk to sort through...

{spends yet another night on MN instead of using child-free time wisely}

[mamas12]

Wow couldn't we start up a mumsnet business here with roaming de clutterers going to each others houses to help out.
I would love for a couple of you lot to come to mine to sort it out with me,
I once had some help from two women who when I said I wasn't able to put my sons bed together as I was waiting for my brother to come down and help, spontainiously offered to do it with me and it was fantastic.
We did it in no time at all and even tried it in two seperate sides of the room to see which was best use of space etc.
No grumbling just practical placing to see where it would be best to put it.
If I pay for you to come to mine I would do it for one of you!!

Shall we?

[EyeballshasManBoobs]

Oh yes please. Crack team services required in exchange for copious amounts of tea and cake. Would be fab. Then the assistee would join the team and go on to the next job. Bugger Kim and Aggie.

Me first!

[mamas12]

No me first, it's my idea! Who's up for it???
lol at crack team
I would be a bit cracked myself, help I'm droqning under my own crap here.

[mamas12]

What the hell is droqning?

I mean drowning, Said I was cracking up

[EyeballshasManBoobs]

Feck orf, it's my thread!

[nkf]

Babysteps as that mad old bag, Flylady says. Chuck, chuck and chuck some more. A friend of mine who is a hoarder has got people in to help.

My weakness is hanging onto things for sentimental reasons. I'm ruthless with paper But anything to do with the children I get all weepy about.

[mamas12]

Ok eyeballs you first but me second!!!
Chucking okay but where to start, it's every bloody room! I do neanother bod to be here.
Come crackteam where are you?

[LovingTheRain]

[nkf]

Flylady - and yes she is very strange if indeed she exists - suggests you do 15 minutes. Or you do jsut one thing. Say a shelf. Or a drawer. Or you (very quickly) throw 27 things into a bag and bin them.

When a house is very cluttered, it can be hard to start. YOu have to do it slowly. We don't have a large place so I have to be ruthless. There just inn't the place for clutter.

[LovingTheRain]

My house looks like a tip today. Anyone fancy swapping for a day?

[purpleflower]

I'd love this, an exchange would work well with me. I'm good with other peoples crap but not my own

[posieparker]

How much would you pay for a declutter? I'm thinking of starting a small business.....not that I'm any good!! I just think so many people have cleaners when tidying is just as neglected!

[nkf]

I've heard of people charging up to £90 an hour. I think it's a bit of a strange thing to pay for myself. I think it's doable unless you are cluttered up because of emotional problems.

[mamas12]

omg posie where are you? I would pay.
I did have a cleaner becasue as it's just me and dcs it was essential but financially can't afford her anymore boo hoo. But for a one off sort out once a month or something I could well afford and need .

[mamas12]

This is also good as a non judgemental wasy for me to do this as when I have asked for help from sis she does get 'how the hell did you let it get this bad' syndrome and makes me feel worse and how can you ask a friend??

[LovingTheRain]

sounds like a good idea posieparker. I love decluttering, maybe i should do something like that too!

[LovingTheRain]

If i lived close to any of you ladies, i would come and help you for free. I love decluttering! Anyone in/around Herts?

[posieparker]

There's a website from a company in Liverpool (?) called Angels.......perhaps I should franchise??

note to self: prepare pitch for dragons!!

[epimum]

hello ladies, can i join your thread i love decluttering to,
eyeball my house was a bombsite before i started to come on here, i found by posting my to do list on here i felt i had to get it done!!
anyway my house is tiny and cluttered to so we had a skip delivered today and the whole family has helped filling it, my house feels like it can breathe again!!!!!
we have almost filled the skip and we've only had it 3 hours
my ds was fasinated watching the lorry deliver it, anyway good luck im of to do some more decluttering