A year (well 361 days) to sort my house out

[SparrowSally]

House has too much stuff in it that doesn't get used. The thought of sorting the house out completely overwhelms me, so I'm going to try and sort out a black sack of stuff to chuck every few days. I'm starting in the loft, as I'll be able to use the room for storage as I work my way down. This time next year, I'm hoping for a cleaner, decluttered home!

Good luck. Try to take it easy on yourself. If you haven't completed it by the end of the year, just keep going.

Good luck!! I'm doing the same because we're renovating our house in spring and I refuse to move shit out of rooms and then back again. So far made £70 on Vinted selling bits of clothes and given away lots to charity shops/ freecycle group on Facebook! It's daunting at first and I get easily overwhelmed but it feels good to get rid of stuff 💪

When you fill one bag, get it out of the house immediately. Either in the bin or the recycling, or in the car to go to the charity shop/dump.

This hint helped us a lot when we were clearing a house last year.

Good luck, doing the same here

I've been doing this over the last year. It's great to see things finally getting sorted. I still have more stuff than I'd ideally like but it's better than it was and dh is slowly coming around to the decluttering idea and eliminating his own junk!

Set out 4 big boxes in your loft. One for rubbish, one for recycling, one for charity, one for stuff to be sold. Only put stuff in the selling box that is really worth selling. Once you have a full box, get it out of the house ASAP.

I'm trying to do similar. I took a car load to the dump/recycling this week and it felt great! I just have to keep up the momentum!

Same here! I’ve been at it on and off for a while and sometimes do quite well selling things (delighted to say I’ve just got rid of all my kids school uniform from last year) but it is relentless in my house at least.
I’m away for a few days but have several bags of stuff ready to go when I get back and big plans to get to work on several areas. We are aiming to move so a good in entire to keep going.

Honestly I'd start with the downstairs rather than the loft. Declutter one room at a time.

I've started in our kitchen/family area. Two bags of toys gone yesterday. Another listed on FB today. If they don't sell in a week then I'll donate to charity shop.

Have an exit strategy. As in, before you start clearing anywhere, work out where it’s going (tip: ideally not the loft!)

I had a similar idea to you. I was going to start at the top and work down. Then I decided to work where would have most impact first (DC’s rooms!) Once their rooms were clear, I was a bit jealous, so I did mine…

Now my upstairs is beautiful, but my dining room is full of crap and I WISH I’d planned where it was all going better!

Start with your bedroom so you have somewhere relaxing to sleep
Good luck and don't put pressure on yourself just start and keep going
Once you see a difference it will spur you on

Check out a Slob Comes Clean. Her method is so effective and has genuinely changed my life after being cluttered and messy my whole life. There are podcasts or the books are good.

I think it works because the women doesn't like cleaning or organising, whereas most so called declutters/ organisers are naturally tidy people who don't appreciate that the struggle is real.

Food for thought! I thought I'd start with the loft as it's the part I'm dreading the most. Didn't want to do everywhere else, and then decide not to bother with it as it's out of sight.
May add in a daily black sack for the bedroom?

Good luck OP!

I started with my bedroom when I became minimalist many years ago. It gave me a clean, quiet and peaceful space at the end of the day which I loved and kept me moving forward.

Come and join us on the decluttering thread in housekeeping.

Excellent goal op.

i must do this too.

Paper work is my biggest issue. Have decide to destroy it somehow. I probably don’t need statements from 10-15 years ago..

In articles I’ve read about decluttering they reckon to start with easy wins. Is the loft an easy win? Or are you determined to get it done regardless?

I am actively avoiding my loft so far.

I think it's good to start with the loft - there's already a ton of stuff that the OP wasn't using day to day that can he easily ditched. And it's logical to have a cleared space ready for things like Christmas decorations, that she will need, but not all the time!

I've taken a car full of black bags to the tip today, and have taken 4 sacks of clothes to charity. I'm still planning on sorting the loft, as eldest has now asked to move into it once it's sorted (it is converted!). Should keep giving me the push to sort it!

Well done OP. And having a child wanting to move into it, is a great incentive to clear the loft!

Plus a bit of extra peace and quiet is an added bonus!!

Definitely a good incentive to clear the loft!

Today I had a good tidy up at work and recycled some old papers. Some from 2018! It’s been bugging me for ages so I stayed behind to do it. Organised some, recycling bin for the rest. If I can do that at home I’d be happy.

Schedule one day a week for a trip to the tip. Don't be tempted to hang on to things in the hope that they will sell if you're not sure - either donate them or dump them.
(I had to clear a house of eighteen years of crap when I moved the last time and this was the only way I managed to do it - XH had buggered off, taking only the 'family silver', his own possessions and anything else of value. The rest of the detritus was left for me to deal with.)

Now that makes a difference it being a proper room rather than an empty loft space.

You could sign up to the Olio app. You'll be amazed at how much stuff you think is junk is snapped up by other people.

This weekend is being spent sorting furniture into rooms, so that we can sort around them knowing what space we have to play with.
DH is sorting the loft, so that DS can properly 'move in!'
I'm about to donate 5 bags to charity, and the same again of toys to be given away locally.