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Original poster

Help, I can't stand the clutter.

40 replies

Roaringlogfire · 27/12/2021 22:04

I always hate clutter but this time of year really stresses me out. We live in a small house with just enough cupboard space for our possessions so there is absolutely no room for Christmas gifts and paraphernalia.

Secondly, I feel like I'm constantly decluttering but it never gets less. Like bailing out a boat with a hole.

How do others have a minimal house with children (mine are teens) I can't decide if I'm rubbish at decluttering or
I buy too much. I am going to try to avoid buying stuff in 2022. How does everyone else have a minimalist house?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 27/12/2021 22:07

Very good storage making use of the height of rooms and ruthless decluttering.

SaveUs3rname · 27/12/2021 22:11

Within reason, if it hasn't been used for a year then it goes to charity. Also, sounds awful, but presents that I know I won't use also for straight to charity. I don't hold onto things feeling guilty, I let them go straight away.

Tulips21 · 27/12/2021 22:11

Ruthless decluttering.
We are 4x Dc and 2xadults in a small 3 bed..!
We do have good storage (Understairs and 2x cupboards but I also cant stand clutter - I do feel I constantly have to keep on top of it though

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Original poster
Roaringlogfire · 27/12/2021 22:15

Sounds like ruthless decluttering is the answer. Do you also make a conscious effort to not buy stuff to keep this problem at bay?

OP posts:
00100001 · 27/12/2021 22:17

Declutter before and after Christmas.

Just be ruthless.

Any duplicated uses get ditched. Eg. If your kids have (say) 2 pairs of sliders, keep the nicest. Or if you have 8 sharp knives, cut it down to four...

If you have books that just look pretty on the shelf, get rid. The only books we have are those being read, to be read, sentimental, or will be read again regularly. So, like, DS has his copies of Harry Potter, LOTR, Wind in The Willows etc as he re-reads them. He also has copies of some childhood favourites hes saving (they're in the loft!). So we have around 40 books in the house "on show", mostly in bedrooms, with the 'being read' ones out and about... No point keeping hundreds of them just for the look of it.

Chuck all DVDs and CDs and the like.

Get rid of all cookbooks.

Have a good sort through your clothes. Again, be ruthless.

00100001 · 27/12/2021 22:19

Definitely worth delaying any buying of "stuff".

For example, I always look longingly at the bik Kenwood style food processors at John Lewis etc. But every single time, I tell myself, I've got got age of 39 and never ever needed one yet. And still have managed to make bread, cakes pasta etc.

If you covet something, add it to a wishlist...and then wait...

RandomMess · 27/12/2021 22:20

Hell yes nothing is bought.

We have no CDs DVDs only a handful of books. No tat.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 27/12/2021 22:35

Clear out at least twice a year. Rule that you cant bring anything into the house without getting rid of something.

Pallisers · 27/12/2021 22:37

ruthless decluttering
everything has a place
but my secret weapon is a big basement.

shade78 · 27/12/2021 22:38

I absolutely feel the same way as you. I don’t want to open my own presents- how can anyone open anything when there’s already stuff everywhere! I have a 3yo which means high surfaces are covered with things we don’t want her to have! Declutter and regift, it sounds awful to say but sometimes I think if I don’t declutter as I go, my poor kids will have to do it when I’m gone. Makes me brutal with that bin liner. Good luck 🤞

fallfallfall · 27/12/2021 22:38

for EVERY one item that comes in the house (non food) TWO must go.

Rizzoli123 · 28/12/2021 01:05

Sounds like mine at the minute. Every room in my house is like a tip. Everyone else isn't helping. Fil still have after effects of covid, mil in hospital, husband is worried about mil and dosent feel like doing anything. So falls to me. I don't mind but its just sooooo much.

I get the really useful boxes and put all toys in thoes and use the IKEA kallax shelves to store them in

ratussbaguss · 28/12/2021 01:18

Have you got somewhere (garage/shed/parents house) where you could put a bunch of stuff you're not sure about and then if you don't need it within say 6 months, it can go completely?

DeeCeeCherry · 28/12/2021 01:37

You've got too much stuff. Agree with ruthless de-cluttering.

Lots of us have far more clothes and shoes that we'll ever be able to wear in our lifetimes. Theres no point.

3 years ago I did a ruthless de-clutter and also resolved to only buy clothes I love, and actually need. So I rarely buy clothes. Books are also gone, if I want a book I either borrow from library, or use Libby app to read.

Go through kitchen cupboards as well, get rid of containers etc that you dont need. Generally just put stuff away as you go along, and make sure you have good storage for the teens stuff

You'll be surprised how much happier you are and how much clearer your head is when you unclutter your home.

caringcarer · 28/12/2021 02:26

I now do a 1 in one out. So I bought a new cake tin. Threw my old one out. I noticed a couple of T towels look ragged so I buy more then throw them out.

workwoes123 · 28/12/2021 06:24

Four of us in a 2-bed flat here, though we do have a loft and a cellar for the overspill.

Definitely a 1-in-1-out policy. I got a bonus at work this Christmas so am splashing out on new towels / shower curtain - the old towels will be sent to charity / turned into rags / re purposed, not kept « in case».

And buying those new towels was hard! I really think hard before any purchase and tend to put it off until I’m really sure we need it.

Kitchen stuff has a tendency to pile up. One solution I’ve found is to stop being so international, for want of a better word. We amassed a range of ingredients which allowed us to put together British, french, Chinese, Thai, tex-mex, Indian etc meals quite easily - but that means having a huge range of condiments, spices, specific utensils to hand, which take up a lot of space. So I got rid of loads and focused on french / Mediterranean food. It has crept back up though and DHs dedication to home made muesli (bags and bags of nuts / seeds / dried fruit stashed everywhere 🙄) doesn’t help.

Reading Marie Kondo helped kick start me on this.

Agadorsparticus · 28/12/2021 06:30

A huge declutter and decent storage, eg all of us have ottoman beds to maximize storage space.

Wrongaddress · 28/12/2021 07:03

Yeah 4 of us (2 adults, 17 yo and 3 yo) in a 2 bed terrace. Wish I knew the answer, house is cluttered and feels tiny. Doesn't help that the 3 yo sleeps with us so all his toys are downstairs

FindingMeno · 28/12/2021 07:19

Keep going round reassessing once you've settled down on how things are after previous rounds of decluttering.
It's amazing how much more you realise you don't need.

HopeYourHighHorseBucks · 28/12/2021 07:54

Like PP have said, be ruthless. When I de clutter I have to do it quickly, rather than thinking about it. If I haven't used it in ages or at all, straight In the bin/charity bag and out the door. I could easily talk myself out of throwing an old egg cup.... just in case i need it.

Wenjie · 28/12/2021 07:59

I didn't get stressed out last year, but we didn't have as many gifts. I got very stressed out this year. I still am, honestly. But most of the gifts that stress me out are for younger kids. What gifts did your teenagers get that are stressing you out?

HopeYourHighHorseBucks · 28/12/2021 08:01

Also good if you have room under beds. My tree goes back in its box under my 3 year olds bed, I have bed sheets, towels etc in an IKEA box slid under mine. You can't see them when pushed right back and frees up space in cupboards/wardrobes.

My 3 year olds bed has a big base that touches the floor and doesn't leave a gap underneath but for stuff like a Christmas tree that gets pulled out once a year, I just lift it up and slide it under, it doesn't touch the slats. Same thing can be done with shoes that are only worn on occasions or winter boots etc.

Fallagain · 28/12/2021 08:05

What Christmas stuff do you have? I get rid of Christmas cards after boxing day and we only have a tree and a wreath for decorations. The rest of my house is a fucking bomb site. I’m constantly decluttering but I feel like I’m not getting any where fast, young kids and DH with hoarder parents mean he has a skewered idea of normal.

MotherWol · 28/12/2021 08:31

Think of decluttering as an ongoing process rather than a one and done thing. I’ve cut right down on the stuff coming in - only buy clothes when they’re needed, toys only at birthdays and Christmas, books from the library - but there’s still stuff to deal with.

We get given a lot of hand me downs from family, and my mum’s am over-gifter so I always have a donate bag on the go. DH has a shopping habit, and I’m still looking for good solutions to that. Let everyone know you want stuff you’ll actually use up for gifts. Stop shopping as a leisure activity.

Original poster
Roaringlogfire · 28/12/2021 08:33

Thank you, everyone. Sounds like some of you are way more ruthless. I definitely still have just in case items and I'll 'save thos for x's children's items.

I definitely don't want more storage, I want to keep what I've got but it to be less full and as the loft is groaning, I need to sort out that.

I think part of the problem is the guilt. I want to either sell on, give to charity, pass on and avoid land fill if possible. This all takes time. It just feels like constantly have bags on the go waiting to be dealt with. My children are now the same height as me so am hoping they have stopped growing out of things at least.

I know deep down that I must be more strict with what we buy. I keep saying I'll stop but often find a justification. I am going to try really hard this year by keeping a note of what I buy and make do more.

I don't want to spend the rest of my life shuffling objects about!!

OP posts: