This Christmas will be different...

[sohackedoff]

My home is really messy. Really, really messy. Too much stuff, too little space and I swear we have poltergeists. Having been dabbling at decluttering but stuff just keeps coming in faster than it goes out. Family all coming to mine at Christmas and it would be nice if it didn't look like I've just been burgled. I have form for starting stuff and not finishing it, so I plan on posting each day my list of to do's for the next day and say what i managed to get done. So, tomorrow i will:

Wash down two living room walls
Put away box of RC in living room
Declutter kids shoes,
& Tupperware
Clean bathroom
Clear kitchen table

If there is anyone who fancies themselves as a cleaning-dom then you are welcome to berate me if I fail.

Anyone else struggling?

[LilQueenie]

Me. Too much stuff and cant keep it tidy because DP lets DD run riot when I'm not around. I feel like dumping the lot and starting over but I can't afford to.

I do try little tricks to motivate. For example. Take a pic of the area then set timer on phone for 15 mins or so. Put music on and go for it. Split the room into bits then do a bit at a time. When timers up take another pic. The noticeable difference spurs you on. This week my hall has been clear for about a month. I have half the bedroom done. (floor was not to be seen for kids toys, clothes and stuff no longer needed) This was over a few days.

I also like to light a yankee candle and open the windows. A clean scent makes so much difference. Also linen spray. The current one is magnolia and I spray the bed linen every day to stop that slept in aroma.

I'm now on the look out for a scent to go in the hoover but I'm not sure where to start as its the bagless type.

[loismustdieatyahoodotcom]

Sorry was lurking as I'm also decluttering, put some essential oils on the filter of the vacuum or on a cotton wool bud and top into the tank.

[loismustdieatyahoodotcom]

Drop into he tank*

[loismustdieatyahoodotcom]

Ffs the*, it's been a long day

[sohackedoff]

I'll try the timer thing. Thanks

Sounds like you're making good progress.

Sure I read on here about putting essential oils onto cotton wool ball in your hoover to make it smell nice.

[LilQueenie]

Thank you I have essential oil somewhere. I'll try that.

I'm making progress but have a day in between where nothing gets done. It's as much my mindset as anything. I'm also lacking in energy too. Really need to take better care of myself.

[Akire]

Sounds like big to do list for one day! You do remember Tupperware will fall out cupboard try to kill you? Then you have to sort 50 lids and pits and NONE of them will fit anything!!!

[LilQueenie]

Ok I'll make a list for today.

Put away all washing in bedroom (whole basket of odd socks
declutter and clean mantle piece
declutter and clean tv table area
empty and clean sink
clean part of the living room

I'm dreading the washing.

[sohackedoff]

Managed to get everything done but the Tupperware, which appears to be all over the kitchen.

Tomorrow I will:

Empty the three baskets that have taken root on the landing full of clothes and RC
Declutter hats, scarves and gloves
Clear kitchen windowsill
Wash another living room wall

[PassiveAgressiveQueen]

When you declutter, does it leave the house?

Ok my thoughts you have to get really mean about clutter entering, every time ask, what am i going to get rid of for this?
Once your kids are 5 years old you can ask them the declutter question as well.

Pick a small area, a single cupboard or chest of drawers, by the end you need spare space in it for other cleaning projects.

We recently had to empty our bedroom for new carpets, i threw away 2 bin bags of memory crap whilst emptying and another bag on the refilling. And just made £40+ on ebay.

[PassiveAgressiveQueen]

And it is only christmas, it doesn't really matter

[sohackedoff]

Yep when I declutter it leaves the house. I stick it in the boot of my car and when box is full it's off to charity shop. I probably go 4/5 times a month.

My kids aren't under 5s. Just messy.

Can't face more coming in at Christmas if I'm not on top of this lot!

[PassiveAgressiveQueen]

For the last few years i have told everyone who buys me gifts "my house is really full I am spending all my time trying to get rid of ornaments etc, I love this food, could you buy me a really fancy version of it please?"
If they then ignore you and buy an ornament/ keepsake/ tat you can charity shop it next day, as they have put no thought into what you might like.

And i make my kids clear out an amount of space equal to the average santa offerings each november for poor children, as christmas is about thinking of others.

[ppeatfruit]

Talking about essential oils, when I clean our leather suite I use a micro fibre cloth with drops of lavender or mint ess. oils It then smells lovely in the room and no one notices the clutter DH is horrific with clutter he keeps SAYING he's going to declutter but doesn't get much further than putting some stuff in plastic bags .

[Peach9876]

I really need to declutter. DP and I (yep just the two of us) are in a 3 bed house. Ok so one room is more of a box room, and there is NO storage. But even so, you cannot move for junk.

But I fear I am a hoarder. I have about 100 beanie babies from my youth that I just cannot part with. Then I also have more teddies, most of which DP bought me or from my childhood that are actually significant. It was hard enough throwing out clothes that haven't fit in about 10 years! I seriously have an issue.

[ppeatfruit]

I have been decluttering recently and I think to myself "Is there anyone else who could use,\ wear these clothes?" The same with toys, trinkets etc. It works ! Not for dh but it does work for me

[sohackedoff]

I'd been holding on to some too small clothes from way back, in the hope I'd lose sufficient weight to fit them again. But you know what? If I lose 3.5 stone, I think I'll want new things. So I charity shopped them.

I actually own very little "stuff". I have no collections or things from my childhood. My Achilles heel is stuff from my children's childhood (still ongoing) and general paperwork. Our house (it doesn't actually feel like a home) is so choc full of old memories we can't actually use it to make new ones. So Christmas is my line in the sand. It will be a home by then.

[ppeatfruit]

I got quite strict with the dcs memorabilia; we have a spring box file for each child. Their best artwork etc. But don't get me started on the very large specific file shelving for all our photos.(showing my age there ) Though dd2 s artwork she did for exams is still in our box room.

[sohackedoff]

Well I didn't get everything done, so today I will:

Declutter hats etc
Finish sorting baskets on the landing
Get rid of glass recycling

It will be done!

[sohackedoff]

Done the hats, gloves and scarves. Put the summer ones away for next year. Half a dozen odd gloves of course...

As I'm going through stuff I'm obviously coming across lots of stuff that doesn't belong where it is but doesn't actually have a home yet and I can't find homes for yet because everything is just all mixed up. What should i do with this random crap until I have cleared space so that things do have a place? Start a box of RC? Or do people plan their designated area in advance?

[Thomasthetank456]

I struggle with where to put the things that didn't belong. Starting trying to clear draw/cupboard a day anything that doesn't belong in that area gets out where it should go even if that draw has not been cleared yet.

This way when I come to set that area most I know how much space is needed and helps keeps areas already done tidy.

When I don't do this I just end up with ramdom bags of crap every where that never get sorted

[fitzbilly]

Well done on de cluttering, I did this years ago and stuck with it, note house is lovely and easy to tidy and keep clean!

Ask yourself if you need the random crap? If not, get rid of it. Have one small temporary place to put the things you think you need to keep until you find a permanent home for them. If they stay in the first temporary place for one a week then chances are you don't need it.

[sohackedoff]

Can identify with the random bags of crap everywhere! Looking forward to the time when everything has a place and easy to clean.

[PassiveAgressiveQueen]

Designate a place for it, and put it there, make the odd gloves into pairs and throw away extras

[ppeatfruit]

I have a good excuse to declutter today. DH is taking a chest of drawers to our dd2 across the channel. It's full of stuff we really don't need. But if I ask him he'll say we do!!!!!! I'm going to empty it into a couple of boxes on wheels and bags (oh dear) and recycle clear when he goes away.