I've just had a massive declutter

[MissDecember]

Long time overdue and I said last night to myself tomorrow I will have a big declutter.
So since 9.30 this morning I got stuck in.
Room by room draw by draw
I got brutal today.
Box's and bags that have just been sitting for months have been tipped.
Draws being pulled out and emptied without thinking should I keep that.
No looking through it just binned.
Gone through my clothes surprisingly I only wear 7 outfits.
Bagged the rest and sat them outside.
Huge sign saying free they are now gone.
Along with tables chairs bedding kitchen stuff.
Other crap still a few bits left if not gone by tonight tip tomorrow.
Two runs to the tip so far.
I'm surprised at the crap I had and didn't need.
No storing in boxes I just binned and tipped.
I'm shocked with the space I have now.
I had 14 cups and mugs now I own 4.
3 duvet I mean why I use one.
A lovely couple came by and had them from the front garden.
I don't know what came over me to do it I was getting overwhelmed with clutter.
My friend said to sell what I don't want and to store the rest but to me it's still there in boxes and waiting for it to be sold.
I did read on here a comment of someone that got brutal with decluttering.
So I thought I'll do the same.
It feels so good to have soooo much less now.
I now have just a kettle on my kitchen side unlike a few hours ago 😂.
I still have one more tip run to do but gosh I feel free.
Everything I own now I can put in to my car.
I'm now a minimalist and I will try to stay as one with no more shopping unless I really need something.

Oh wow! Well done you.

are you in London? Used to love the way things put outside on the pavement just got picked up! When we were preparing to leave London we got rid of a lot of stuff that way, even random wires and DIY materials, DC1, usually always active, would sit by the window and watch for ages to see what had gone.

I think one has to really want it to go as far as what I have and I really wanted it.
No regrets at all.

Student areas are a bit crazy when the landlords empty out everything. I think it should all be recycled via the places that help those with nothing.

I am feeling faint at the idea of just throwing so much away.

I’m a “get ridder” too. All my clothes go to the charity shop. Stuff that’s not sellable to the recycling bins at the tip. Enjoy your space!

I think you have inspired me to organise a free car boot sale. So no charge for cars but just one rule, everything is given away for free.

I'm all for decluttering, OP, but surely you need more than 4 plates and cups? Even by myself at home I'd use more than that per day.

@MissDecember

donyoubhave a partner/children?

is there anything you're sentimental over??
a 'shoe box' of photos?? I have more like a box room of photos! Sentimental is my middle name

Kinda what I have been doing today a free car boot sale outside my home.
So much gone and I'm quite happy with knowing it's going to be used.

I don't have a partner my son moved out last year.
So just me now.
I'm not sentimental at all never have been.
But things just kept coming in here and there.
And with a busy life I just kinda didn't see it for a year.
Now it's gone.

Oh wow @MissDecember I really needed to read this today. I can't thank you enough for it. I'm due to move house the week after next and have spent the day shuffling stuff around but not actually throwing much out or putting into boxes.
My partner and I are combining houses so will have double the amount of belongings unless we are brutal like you have been.
I was paralysed by not knowing how to get rid of things - is it good enough for the charity shop or should it be binned or have they still got some life in them. Could. Not. Make. A. Single. Decision.
Love your idea of putting things out for people to spot.

A thousand thank yous.

It's just me and I always wash up as soon as I'm done.

@RabbitsRock I sell packages of 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours.
3 hours is £120. 12 hours is £408.

This is interesting as my previous attempts failed due to the sentimental thing.

but boundaries blur...I'm starting to forget who gave me certain things, at which point I chucked it last week.

i live alone, down to two visitors, and somehow still have 12 bowls! 6 cups though.

Was due to declutter more tomorrow, you've inspired me to do better at it though.

I only have three visitors that come to my home and never all together I just couldn't see the point in having 14 cups.

Well done op. I have done whole house declutter in 2019 and again 2023. I had to go thru some of DH while he was at work but I wasn’t and now both DC out of house. You have a huge jumpstart on the process and I’m confident you won’t really miss a single thing. Maybe a musing once in awhile about something but not really missing anything. And you did give to charity…others around you benefiting from your largess. If you need something you can buy a “new” one. I’m on the backend now…deliberating every purchase not in a painful way but more in a “that’s pretty but do I need it?” way. And I wear my clothes a lot more and feel less guilt when I donate them because I did in fact get my enjoyment out of them. I don’t know anyone who wears out clothes now. Congratulations and you can enjoy cleaning now more too..less to do easier to do. Stuff takes time and energy and now you can direct those to something else. I’m jealous of your energy OP. 😊

It's a good feeling

You can't take any of it with you when you're gone. I feel sorry for people who have to do house clearances when family members die. Too much pointless clutter to wade through which nobody ever wants

Charity shops even turn stuff away

Very true comment.

I've been trying to de clutter for the past year. It's very hard to get rid of things so I've been selling on eBay. But the items are taking forever to sell. Most of the stuff are brand new with tags and I feel it would be such a waste of money if I gave them away.

It’s such a lovely high isn’t it? I do this once per summer over a couple of weeks when I’m off work. I usually tackle a room per day and everything salvageable gets moved to a spare nook by the front door, photographed and listed in Marketplace either for sale or for free. DH was the hardest to get on board as he’s a hoarder but after 4 weeks last summer we’d amassed nearly £1000 which we used to redo our wardrobes and he was thrilled. Will have to do it again this summer.

Day two and finally all done.
Done the last tip run this morning 😁.
Everything is cleared lots of things were given away on my free boot sale out front.
Woke this morning with a bran new feeling.
Only downside is I bloody ache now feeling like I've been working out for a week.
But so worth it.

This is amazing and inspiring well done OP!

Not surprised you ache, that was hard work!

So impressed. Am enjoying the sun - a rarity these days it seems - but got a list of stuff to shift today, won't take long. Then will see how the tiny lounge/kitchen can be arranged to look better.

There's something in timing. I wasn't ready to let go of stuff before.

With ornamental stuff gone, I'm debating getting one of those mini orchids in a glass vase to put on the table, but I've no idea how to look after those.

I hate clutter can't stand it.
I like the empty look.
Being raised by a mother that had nothing but crap and couldn't see table tops.
Walls filled with pictures.
Every cupboard and drawer had something stuffed in it.
I became an extreme minimalist.
Having less is having more I have nothing to lose if shit hits the fan.

I did this as a cleanse after my husband left and i am currently on bin bag 26 😂 (horder)

Just keep going 💪.