So much stuff - how can I organise it all?

[WrongSideOfHistory]

I have a house full of stuff.

There are a lot of toys that are slowly being reduced (more so as we approach Christmas).

I have a lot of magazines that I've decided I probably need to throw out.

How can I organise the rest of my stuff so that my house doesn't look such a mess??

Any advice would be great please

www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/shelving-units-systems/kallax-shelving-unit-oak-effect-art-10325678/

And then fill each of the holes with the fabric storage boxes they do. Or put doors on them.

Thanks @nornironrock - I already have a (filled!) 5x5 unit

Don't organise it, bin it! Sounds like you have just too much stuff.

What other kind of stuff is there?
Toys, magazines, what else?

As an aside I’m always a bit confused when people say they have ‘piles of magazines’ why do you keep them? On the very rare occasion I have them (only when I’m in hospital really) then I read them and when I’ve finished they go in the recycling
What are you keeping them for?

It's just stuff - lots of toys (big age gap so for different ages, bedrooms not big enough for them to all go in there), nothing ever gets put away (drives me crazy) so there's craft stuff everywhere, headphones and computer stuff with no home, clothes that get dumped on the floor, Christmas presents that need wrapping, stuff for charity/loft/eBay that's still not organised.

It just goes on!

@DonaldDucksTowel - I get them free, they're in a pile on the floor until I read them, then they go in the recycling. I'm starting to think I just need to dump them!

You need to read Marie Kondo the life changing magic of tidying. You have too much stuff. Yes just dump the magazines in the recycling.

Just dump them, go on you’ll feel liberated

You also need to think about storage and where you use the stuff connected with it. So my mum had one laundry basket on the landing. I rarely put anything in it. My kids have a laundry basket in their rooms because thats where they get undressed.

Why does the computer stuff not live by the computer?

I'm in the same position. I've been to ikea and got a load of big blue 40p ikea bags. Going to use them in each room, and as a first pass, throw everything related into separate bags. Then, once everything is together, I can go through it one bag at a time... at least that's the theory!

In ds1's room, I've put all the clean clothes I found in one bag, (dirty ones went in the laundry!), another with toys he doesn't play with any more, another with stationery, another with books and comics, another with toys he does play with and so on.

Next step is to get him to go through the things in cupboards and drawers to weed out the stuff in them that he has grown out of or doesn't use or want, to make some space in order to sort the stuff he wants back into them. Hopefully that will clear the floor so that he is then able to put stuff away from here on in...

And then repeat in all other rooms!

I think I'm going to do that - and dump the art stuff random scraps of paper all over the place. Any other tips?

@redexpat this is some of the problem, we have a couple of laptops that are stored away on a shelf - no real home for all the computer stuff

What sort of magazines do you have? The arty stuff? Do you have a nursing home within your area?

Most nursing homes have an activity co-ordinator or similar title and would love that sort of stuff, the magazines can be used for cutting out and collages etc.

Our problem is too much stuff. I have asked the kids to reduce the amount of toys, stuff that is broken or not played with. Problem is every item I suggested became their favourite thing ever. So I bagged up a whole load of stuff and chucked it in the garage, they didnt even notice!

I took to the charity shop all the clothes I was going to slim into (little danger there😕) now my wardrobe is pretty bare but I wear everything and no more scrabbling for clothes.

I also have a time out pile, things that end up on the side and I.just move from place to place go in the pile (in the garage) then if its not fished out then every few months it gets donated. Still a work in progress however!

Once you start it actually becomes pretty easy to be ruthless!

It definitely gets easier the more you do it. Maybe set yourself a goal - 10 items minimum a day?

Ok I'm just sorting through the last of the magazines- I reckon I had a pile about 4ft high altogether.... they're all going in the recycling.

Then I'll sort out the arts and crafts stuff.

Hopefully that'll help a bit

I find with craft materials they can become such a burden of unfinished projects I’ll never get round to. It can be overwhelming. This year I pretty much cleared out the lot except the materials for my Christmas cards- I took the rest in a big bag round to school/nursery. It was such a relief, and then I’ve sat and made my 20 or so cards without the chaos of all those bits of unusable and unfinished projects around me.

Its more the kids craft stuff really - they love doing that kind of thing, it's just so messy.