to ask you all if you think I will be happier if...

[DuelingFanjo]

... I get ruthless with my stuff and throw loads away?

I live in a very small house which has got smaller since my son was born. Add to that the fact that left a much bigger house to move here and have already de-cluttered once, so the stuff I have is the stuff I couldn't bear to part with plus I married a man who also has a load of clutter.

My clutter consists of many books, clothes, shoes, things people have given me. His clutter is clothes and a load of computer and geeky stuff. I am 41 and I still have stuff I had when I was a teenager.

One of the things in life that worries me the most is what people think of my house when they come round, to the point that I don't like inviting people round. Since I had my son there has been a need for more people to visit like health visitors, DH's family and I am really aware that I just can't have my ante-natal group round with their babies.

Has anyone ever gone from being a hoarder to living a more minimalist lifestyle? How did you do it, were you just ruthlessand throw everything out and did it make you happier?

Start with stuff that doesn't have sentimental value but that you think might be useful one day (it never is). Be brutal.

Then the stuff you keep because it's technically of some value, but actually in reality it isn't to you because you don't use it! Tip - if anything IS actually of value, sell/ebay it.

See how far you get towards non-clutter by doing that. When it comes to sentimental stuff I'm not the best person to ask - I do keep my memories! I think the trick here though is not to invest EVERYTHING that you just happen to have had for ages with sentimental value. I used to do that. Then started getting rid of old cushions/clothes/kitchen stuff that I once couldn't imagine not being there and discovered I felt much better making a point of MOVING ON in these small ways . And then you feel better too about keeping the genuine memories - I have boxes of letters and cards, and to me books and records (yes the old vinyl) are sacrosanct. But I think that's fine, because they are generally lovely and add to the furniture in a good way. Piles of old magazines - not so much!!

Start small and work up. You'll get braver as you feel the good effects!

LineRunner, why do you need 5 bibles? :o

What I've noticed about the stuff which "might be useful one day" is that sometimes it will be useful. But by the time you need it, you've had it so long that you can't find it, and end up needing to buy a new one anyway.

Or is that just me?

Well, obviously there's the King James version, the Good News, the one your grandma is holding in her wedding photos, the one your mum gave you for your confirmation...

Our church recently held a lovely exhibition of bibles so I got to see how many people do hang on to them for sentimental reasons.

yes you will be

i cleaned out the spare room recently - completely blitzed it - pulled all the built in desk out. Got rid of about 10 bin bags full of crap - dont know how it all fitted in there

afterwards painted and put down new carpet, and felt like a new woman. She didnt turn up so I just enjoyed the new decor

A friend who was a complete hoarder had her house catch fire a few years ago. Although it was traumatic at the time, she now says it was in the main good as it meant she was left with very little useable stuff. A forced decluttering!