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AMA
Original poster

We just hired a declutterer AMA!

54 replies

drspouse · 23/05/2023 16:12

OK a bit niche but it wasn't like Sort Your Life Out.
Our DCs are very random and the house was getting us down and we are due to spend a little while abroad with a housesitter coming in (we were thinking we might have a family come in but thankfully it's just a single adult) so we (well, I) decided to give it a go.

OP posts:
CornedBeef451 · 24/05/2023 16:05

@Yesterda123 I would love to be a declutterer too. My friend let me go through her massive cupboard with her last weekend, it was so much fun!

FernGully43 · 24/05/2023 16:29

Did she get tough if you refused to get rid of too much stuff? My DH would likely want to keep everything and would find it difficult to bin so much

Original poster
drspouse · 24/05/2023 17:04

FernGully43 · 24/05/2023 16:29

Did she get tough if you refused to get rid of too much stuff? My DH would likely want to keep everything and would find it difficult to bin so much

We are both quite good at binning stuff (just lack time/motivation/organisation to do so.
I was very open to new ways of organising things as well (which was really helpful for me). DH has been round the house grumping he can't find stuff (he just isn't looking I say).

OP posts:
BornAWoman · 24/05/2023 20:11

When you say it was room-based, how did you both go about tackling the room?

Wishing4sunshine · 24/05/2023 20:15

Yesterda123 · 23/05/2023 16:26

I would LOVE to be a paid declutterer!

Ah, me too! Would be my dream

Mumoftwoboysaged4and5 · 24/05/2023 20:16

Was her name Marine? If so she’s brilliant 🤩

brassbells · 24/05/2023 20:27

Please could you explain the process of decluttering in detail?

And any TIPS you could share please?

Also, all of the questions she asked you to consider?

Apart from have you used in the last day/week/month etc?

brassbells · 24/05/2023 20:28

We need to declutter the upstairs "junk" room next week so need all of the TIPS possible to actually get on with it

frustratedashell · 24/05/2023 20:31

Great thread. I'm a declutterer so it's interesting reading! I've not had much business lately, but it's a side job.
I'm interested to see she charges £40 an hour, I charge £33.

frustratedashell · 24/05/2023 20:34

The way I work is to go through stuff with the client. We decide what to keep, bin or recycle. Sometimes they need a bit of persuasion, but I usually say before I take them on that they need to be willing and ready to part with stuff. As part of the process I also clean, as usually cluttered places can't be cleaned.
I support the client through the process, it can be emotional

Hiphopopotamus · 24/05/2023 20:44

@frustratedashell you sounds great! Whereabouts (roughly) in the country are you based?

brassbells · 24/05/2023 20:48

Great thanks is there a trick to getting me to part with "stuff" quickly and not be a "that might be useful one day" kind of thing

SophiaElizabethGrace · 24/05/2023 20:50

I'd love to declutter and be paid for it

Rainbowsandbutterflies1990 · 24/05/2023 20:54

How much does this cost? And is it the same as a professional organiser?

frustratedashell · 24/05/2023 21:03

@Hiphopopotamus I'm in Sussex

Original poster
drspouse · 24/05/2023 21:04

brassbells · 24/05/2023 20:28

We need to declutter the upstairs "junk" room next week so need all of the TIPS possible to actually get on with it

I did DD's room without her and her method really helped:
Start in one corner.
Take everything out and decide if it's keep in there, goes somewhere else, recycle, donate, bin or go through later (e.g. paperwork, electrics that may or may not work). Baskets and big bin bags are your friend.
Also think about: what needs to be together, what really needs to be elsewhere, more convenient, you don't use it much so you can put it further away. I tend to be OK at deciding what to get rid of but a bit stuck in a rut about reorganising and DH is worse than me!

OP posts:
frustratedashell · 24/05/2023 21:10

@brassbells it's not so easy to do it alone. . I would suggest you get the kids out of the house, they want to "help" !
Go room by room or drawer by drawer. Have 3 boxes or bags, 1 for rubbish, 1 for selling, 1 for stuff to keep. Clean the area you've cleared and put the keeping stuff back tidily. Or put it aside if you have the same sort of stuff in more than one area.
You need to be ruthless. Are you keeping bank statements from years ago? Are you keeping receipts or instruction manuals from things you don't have anymore? Why are you keeping them?

BornAWoman · 24/05/2023 21:24

I struggle with You need to be ruthless.
What do you mean by it?

ruth·less
[ˈruːθləs]
ADJECTIVE

  1. having or showing no pity or compassion for others:

I have read Marie Kondo and lots of similar stuff.

brassbells · 24/05/2023 21:30

Thank you so much guys

We have a new shredder and a new filing cabinet so that has helped with paperwork so far as we did have old bills and bank stuff from years ago

So paperwork will be easier to sort now - thank goodness

It is the rest of the stuff like the "just in case" stuff that are hard to decide on

Also, the emotional things from my family that will be very hard to decide on cos I will want to keep it all

Like the idea of 3 boxes - thank you

frustratedashell · 24/05/2023 21:47

@BornAWoman ruthless as in do you really need to keep it? Ask yourself why. If you have clothes of a deceased relative , for example, you can get a shirt or jumper made into a cushion. You don't need to keep them all. One thing I would suggest is ,if you're giving old clothes of a loved one who has passed away to a charity shop that you take them to a town a few miles away. Years ago when my grandfather died my Mum took his clothes to the local charity shop. A week later she saw someone wearing her Dad's old suit. That can be upsetting.
I have read a Marie Kondo book and found it OTT.

@brassbells sounds like you've got a good start re the paperwork. Good luck!

allgrownupnow · 24/05/2023 21:59

This is an interesting book by a declutterer, with insights into the emotional side of it.

The Secret Life of Clutter: Getting clear, letting go and moving on by Helen Sanderson
amzn.eu/d/1hua4NL

BornAWoman · 24/05/2023 22:02

@frustratedashell , thanks.
I have too much stuff. A lot of it fits into the following categories:

  • stuff I've listed on an auction site but isn't selling
  • stuff I might regret getting rid of
  • upcycling projects
  • things that might come in handy
  • books
  • clothes including ones I like but don't wear often (good coat, LBD, etc)

With clothes and household linen, I think 'what I have space for' might be the way to go.

Attempts at decluttering has me in tears/panic because I see a big muddle of 'stuff'

BornAWoman · 24/05/2023 22:04

I don't find Marie Kondo too OTT but I'd find joy in just about anything

AWafferthinmint · 24/05/2023 22:08

What are the best techniques you took from it? Also, do you have before and after pictures!

Hepwo · 24/05/2023 22:18

Fun!

I used to do this with my kids. They had the dining room as a playroom/TV room etc and everything would be scattered chaos quite regularly.

So I would go in with bags and play "keep or chuck?"

They obviously didn't want to play with me and didn't want to tear their eyes from the game they were playing and on to the item I was holding up, so I would say "chuck then?"

They had to join in! It was a good method. Play keep or chuck with any family member, they will soon join in when they realise you are serious.

I recommend it.

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