to think “decluttering” isn’t actually that simple if you want to dispose responsibly?

Great post from @HazelMember but I can relate to yours @TonTonMacoute.

Decluttering things with emotional meaning is so hard, when I cleared my parents’ house I brought home so many things that I just cannot dispose of. Old books, papers, photos, etc. They now take up the space that I made decluttering my own “things”. I have bought one nice large box I have space for and have committed to sorting just into that. When I go, the contents will become meaningless.

Other than that, I have developed more of a one in one out mentality, with limited storage it has become easier. I buy good quality used clothes as first choice where I can - I do like a bargain so win win.

And people die and leave their relatives all their possessions to dispose of. In fact my dad declutters by giving me all the old crap he doesn't want any more and he's still with us.

Its a bit simplistic to say 'Just don't buy so much stuff'.

Bang on the money, we're in the process of a gradual on going Swedish death clean. It feels so good not to have so much stuff and very freeing mentally.
Having too much stuff around in our old 3 bed terrace was like having mental constipation, we were stressed, tired and generally feeling a lot older than our years.
We downsized to a lovely 2 bed detached bungalow and life is so much easier as we had no choice but to clear out stuff before we moved.
I look at a lot of tat in shops and think landfill in a few weeks. i.e for valentine's day and easter.

I put anything that can be reused in a clean box by the side of the path. It’s always gone by the time I look next (people have to walk down our street to get to a local primary school). If you have any level of footfall in your street you could do that.

Yup, ideally the take home message is declutter and don't buy more! Accepting that your stuff is mostly going to landfill or incinerator and most people don't want it should be a wake up call

Pop it all on a free giveaway app, like Olio. Post on a Thurs/Friday and most will likely be collected over the weekend. I find it amazing (& really satisfying) what other people will collect. I've given away everything from a greenhouse right the way to packaged food which we don't need and everything in between.

I think we must be lucky as it’s pretty easy in our city. Recycling is just all recyclables into an orange bag and you can put as many out for weekly collection as you like so that takes care of all paper, glass, cardboard etc. The council will collect 5x large/bulky items every 2 months free of charge the it’s £5 per collection for any extras. The locals will take anything you put out front that isn’t nailed down so working electrical/furniture/kids toys etc that are still good will be gone within 20 seconds of putting them out.

So once you get started with decluttering it’s pretty easy to dispose of the output.

Take the whole lot to the local recycling site, they have separate bins for everything including textiles and shoes.

I watched a reel the other day where someone was ‘decluttering’ by putting all the stuff she didn’t want into a black bag and into her bin! There was a few bits for the charity shop but absolutely nothing was being disposed of responsibly. I try to frame it as the longer it takes to get rid of something, the more considered my purchases will be in the future.

You are aware people can still read your other post I presume.

just this week I have had a skip taken away full of clothes (so.many.clothes), indoor furniture, old blinds and curtains, garden chairs, handbags, all my stilettos (goodbye my 20s), cushions, random bits of home decor, broken suitcase

I am an avid declutterer but find it tiring. I listed 20 items on Vinted today and it took more than 2 hours. That’s not including the time I will spent in posting and sending.

It’s made me consider the whole cost of owning things; not just the initial financial cost but then the emotional cost of things hanging around that don’t serve my family. Then the further cost in disposing of things. It’s made me consider what is allowed to take up time and space in our home.

Other than Vinted:-

• Any workwear items I try and donate to a local charity who provide interview clothes for people returning to work;
• Try FB marketplace for larger items. We’ve had appliances taken for free and sold furniture;
• Batteries to local electrical shop or supermarket. I think even Lidl and Aldi have battery boxes;
• Home decor is usually accepted by charity shops over clothing donations;
• Bundles of clothes seem to sell well on FB marketplace. Some shops also do a clothing return system so you get a voucher for donating old clothes; I know John Lewis and M&S both have schemes.

It does take time and effort! Better to do it slowly and carefully than just chuck the lot.

Boots is good for recycling if you have the recycling at boots app you can earn £5 when you recycle

Stick it on olio people always come to get free stuff from your door

The point is that eBay etc aren’t quick, donating is not straightforward and recycling is limited so the logistics of getting thise piles out of the house and dealt with takes longer and takes a lot of headspace if you don’t want it to end up in landfill.
OP is right. It can take ages if you are trying to minimise landfill and be environmentally responsible

If you say so, dear

Charity shops arent interested in my old worn Tesco dresses with yellowed armpit sweat marks... honestly. Or my battered stilettos with missing diamentés.

Broken suitcase anyone?? Bit of duct tape and it'll meet you on the conveyor belt in Italy just fine...?

Yes, I find it's increasingly difficult, especially with charities. Recently one that I'd used previously had a notice on the door saying they weren't accepting anything further that particular day. Others wouldn't take bedding such as duvets or pillows. And we no longer have local recycling bins. But my local Sainsbury's takes soft plastics and used batteries. And Waitrose has bins for textiles - and I think shoes -in good clean condition. I forget what M and S takes. One of my local computer repair shops will take some old electronic stuff. As you say, it's complicated to get rid of all.

In my borough you can take things to the tip - now renamed as Recycling Centre or something like that - and they will recycle whatever they think can be recycled or that you've separated and earmarked as recyclable.

How irresponsible & uncaring of you!

disgraceful

Our local tip has something for all of the things you list, including big charity collection things for clothes.

Put it on fb marketplace for free if charity shops don’t take it. I remember when I left my abusive ex and had absolutely nothing and there was help for white goods and Christmas presents but nothing in the charity shops for bedding etc. A lady in the pub I was working in timidly came up to me and said I do t want to offend but I’ve had a clear out of my mothers house and there is so much stuff I can’t donate but before I hire a skip do you want to pick it over. I got a tatty armchair, duvets and sheets, pots and pans, plates cutlery (none of it matched so wasn’t able to donate). Saved me a fortune and I was sooo grateful. Then years later when I had replaced it all with better stuff I put the lot on fb, there were quite a few time wasters but then a woman going through what I went through said she would take anything for the kitchen and did I have bedding so I gave her the lot and when I dropped it off and saw what she had I decided I’d get my dd a new bed so hers could have a bed. It’s a good feeling

I have no idea. In any case it rained quite a lot so whatever was in there was ruined anyway

Strongly agree OP.

Even if a person just wanted to bin items they would be severely restricted due to bin sizes and limited collections.

Our village library takes small electricals

Do they sort the contents of the skip?

So true and you don't want to throw perfectly good stuff out as it's such a waste and bad for the environment so I might have to wash teddies etc before going to the charity shop or going through boxes trying to make sure I have all the jigsaw pieces or all the bits of a certain toy. It's hard work.

Yes, the amount of 'seasonal' tat is really worrying. Different decor being encouraged for all seasons and public holidays. It's really picked up over the last few years.