To want to declutter the whole house (including loft and garage)

[Igotthisjustabout]

Just that really. Always feel a bit stressed after Christmas at the amount of 'stuff'. Especially food. It makes me feel greedy.

De cluttering is wonderful. Tough at times, but cathartic and leading to calm joy. I found MK v helpful, but there are many ways to put stuff in bins/ recycling/ regifting/ etc. Enjoy!!

I did my kitchen yesterday. Threw away the rusty baking tins, packed up 678753257 glasses for the charity shop etc. Tomorrow I shall be tackling the hell that is the spare room wardrobe and the towels. I acquired shed loads of stuff after my Mum died last year so I really need to be ruthless.

@Moraxella I don't believe in luck. Good job as I'd be working through the night and all day tomorrow until midnight!

I love having a good clear out, makes me feel like a ton of weight has been lifted from my shoulders. This year especially, all the Christmas clutter and decs was making me feel almost claustrophobic.

I’ve actually already made a good start n the clear out over the last few days

I've started. Did a wardrobe clear out today, will do my dressing table, shelves and drawers tomorrow, then start doing the kitchen a couple of cupboards at a time. Our flat is small with not enough storage space, it really doesn't take much extra stuff to make it feel overcrowded and claustrophobic, so I have regular clear outs and send bags of stuff to the charity shop.

I did some cupboards today. Threw out lots. Always feel like this after Christmas

This is our dining room at the moment 🤦🏼‍♀️ TBF it looks worse than usual because of IKEA and cardboard boxes. DH will be putting the new Kallax together tonight and then my life will become an ocean of serene tranquility

Do it. Marie kondo

Got a new Welsh dresser for Christmas from my mum, which I love... But it left us with one day just before Christmas which was utter chaos. Needed to get rid of the bookcase/change table in baby DS2's room and put the 4x4 kallax unit that was in the kitchen in the bedroom so the dresser could go in its place... Then some serious decluttering and downsizing needed to be done. Also stupidly picked that day to empty the "hardware/Christmas" cupboard on the upstairs landing and install new shelving, because it needed to be done in December while the Christmas decorations were out of it, and a bunch of the kitchen stuff belonged in that cupboard... Etc, etc, etc. So upstairs landing, baby's room, our bedroom (where we put the cot while moving furniture), and kitchen were all utter chaos that day. And how much can you really get done with a 3 year old and a 7 month old baby?

But, it's all done and I feel awesome now. Took all of the decorations down on 27th December too (except for the outside lights which can stay until after NYE), to check if they all fit in the new cupboard (they do!) and to free up space for all of the toys DS1 got for Christmas.

Every day I'm doing a little bit more and I feel like I'm finally starting to get on top of it. :)

I’m new to the whole Kondo thing but got the books for Christmas and genuinely feel it could change my life. Also means I’m happy to accept it could take months rather than stressing that I don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Did clothes for me and dc this week - 6 bags gone to the charity shop and everything folded in drawers in a very satisfied way. I haven’t had a floor-drobe since I did it, which is amazing for me.

Does take months, took me a good 6 months I think. But has totally changed my mindset and 5 years on my house is still clutter free

I’ve never told anyone this but I’m terrified of the Christmas decorations and I dread the day they have to come out a previous poster nailed it when they said that it can be quite claustrophobic this time of year, I’m so tense it’s unreal. DH made them stay up longer than usual so I’m currently in limbo but they’re all going away tomorrow

There is a great thread you might all enjoy:

Decluttering one thing a day part 10 - the countdown to a clutter free Christmas www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3760076-Decluttering-one-thing-a-day-part-10-the-countdown-to-a-clutter-free-Christmas

Really helps keep me on the straight and narrow!

Ha @Igotthisjustabout that’s what I meant! I’ve got a baby in a sling and I’m powering through my disaster zone house! I hate the thought that if it’s not in my house, it’s in landfill. We all clear out clutter and landfill gets another 3000 bin liners 😔😔

I ordered a bulk load of big Lego storage boxes when it hit me how much tat DD had amassed. They are fantastic. I'm permanantly decluttering!

I've sorted out the airing cupboard and have vacuumed bags for the wardrobe tomorrow.

I love a declutter after christmas.

2020 is the Year of the Great Declutter.

I have reached my tat threshold. My mental health is suffering because of the amount of crap strewn around the house. Letting go is not the issue. The problem is doing so responsibly. However - DH is onboard now so that will make a huge difference.

Which reminds me - I need to sort DD's dressing up box, literally right this second.

We moved from our house to our boat this year and the amount of 'stuff' we had was overwhelming, despite liking to think of myself as a bit of a minimalist. I had read pretty much everything there was to read on minimalism and Marie Kondo and decided to treat myself to some time with a Marie Kondo consultant. It was probably some of the best money I have ever spent. After doing every single item of clothing I own with her in a few short hours I was then able to get on and do the rest of the house on my own. I binned about 20 full bin liners of rubbish, had furniture collected for charity and donated over 30 full bin bags of all sorts to charity. Best feeling ever. We now live with just what we need and as we don't have the space anymore live by a strict one in one out policy. Don't mean to sound smug happy but for me it's the best feeling to have empty drawers and spaces, know exactly what I have and where and no crap cupboards or drawers stuffed with 'stuff'.

Isn't it easier to just not buy stuff in the first place?

Going forward sure, but what do you suppose people do with the things they’ve already bought and have in their houses now?

I got massively into Marie Kondo this year. Iove the folding, and how it's not about getting rid of the most stuff (like other forms of minimalism), but about keeping things you appreciate.

I really want to give it another go - but I'm nearly 41 weeks pregnant! I'm filled with energy for tidying, until I actually stand up and then think better of it.

Pugwash very inspiring!

We’ve had a go today, I’ve cleared two bedroom corners and two 3 drawer cabinets, it’s a knock on effect isn’t it, so as you chuck out you can put more stuff away. Addictive too, didn’t want to stop once we started.

Utility room is next, to be followed by the conservatory. Then the bookcases. Then the rest of the house. The bathroom was done recently when I bought a lot of storage drawers.

Slowly but surely this is the year that all the crap goes. DD is now 11 so finally prepared to let go of a lot of toys. Yay!

Today yielded 3 carrier bags for the bin and 3 for the charity shop.

Christmas decorations won't come down until twelfth night but have spent all afternoon decluttering. So far I have purged the two kitchen drawers of death, plus the kitchen cupboard of doom. I went through my home admin tray and chucked/filed every scrap of paper in there (there was correspondence in there from April!). As DD is at her boyfriend's I have purged her bedroom of all the post Christmas miscellaneous tat, scrap paper, empty bags, food packets and general JUNK! Her room is actually beautiful with lovely furniture and soft furnishings but you can't appreciate it for ALL THE STUFF!

Have run out of steam now but tomorrow intend to clean the carpet in DD's room and repaint her windowsill and dressing table top as they're both stained with make up.

@Moraxella I completely agree. Have just found a dog rescue place to take the towels to. My goal is to charity shop / recycle most of it. Moving it from my house to a landfill doesn’t make me feel good at all