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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

73 replies

Igotthisjustabout · 30/12/2019 17:46

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

OP posts:

Original poster

Igotthisjustabout · 30/12/2019 20:48

@mindproject I completely agree. I have asked people not to buy me things as I feel I have everything I need. People want to though so I don’t want to be ungracious / ungrateful. It’s a tricky one...

OP posts:

TidaQuel · 30/12/2019 20:57

I’m with you! Although already back at work so will be limited to weekends mostly.
I managed to get rid of a load of stuff from the loft just before Christmas but have an absolute ton of stuff up there to shift. Lots of toys and old paperwork in cupboards too!

thespellhasbeenbroken123 · 30/12/2019 21:32

I'm going to do one room a week
That's all I can manage with two kids who are fecking hard work
Anyway

One room a week, every cupboard and drawer to be sorted etc

My problem Is I am SOOOOO sentimental
cannot get rid of anything to do with the kids so that's something I need to work on really!

I am also going to really try and stop buying stuff, my hobby is bargain hunting and charity shop shopping so I need to stop bringing more shite into this house!

stella47 · 30/12/2019 22:56

Can anyone suggest how to get rid of furniture that the charity shops won't take? I've got things that won't fit in the car and don't have the right fire labels for the charity shops - I could leave them in the yard/street for council to take away, but then they'd be unusable so it seems such a waste. Thank you for any suggestions

LucaFritz · 30/12/2019 23:01

I do the Marie kondo method and it works!
Just ask yourself as you go round the house do you like it do you use it regularly or would you miss it ? Answer no to more than 1 of them and into a box for the charity shop it goes! I decluttered loads of my old junk to make way for baby things and it feels so much lighter if that makes sense like im not constantly tidying things away or fretting about that box of junk in the spare room

TidaQuel · 30/12/2019 23:02

Can you give them away? Freecycle? Gumtree? Or contact a local homeless shelter, as people are given housing they’re often in need of items

LucaFritz · 30/12/2019 23:02

Stella47 offer them on freecycle or for free on Facebook or schpock etc someone will come and take them away

Cherrysoup · 30/12/2019 23:11

The main house looks good, but the conservatory and loft are a sight to behold! I can highly recommend replacing the kitchen to help you chuck out stuff you haven’t used for years! I went to the tip yesterday with the laminate that had been ripped up and had festered outside the back door for weeks. 20x10 kitchen made for a lot of laminate to be dumped!

Soontobe60 · 30/12/2019 23:30

Ahhh I love a good tip run! I've done 2 so far since Christmas. As I've just retired my loft is full of all the teaching stuff I've accumulated over the years. I'm starting some tutoring so will need to keep some stuff. On Saturday I went through everything I brought home, plus sorted out a couple of big boxes and a rail of clothing in the loft then along with all the cardboard boxes from TVs, laptops, Amazon deliveries etc went to the tip. Most of it went into recycling, only one small box for landfill.
Today I went through my filing cabinet, boxes of paperwork from the houses we have owned over the years, and a load of other random boxes. So the car is now loaded up ready for another tip run in the morning. It's all recyclable. On Thursday I intend to finish in the loft ready to put up shelving to make a home office up there (I just hope the wifi signal reaches🤣) And take down the tree.
As we've only lived here 3 years and have gutted the house in that time, the rest of it is quite clutter free. But once DH returns to work next week, I'll go through the kitchen cupboards again, plus freezer.

Nothing gives me more satisfaction than having a good sort out!

stella47 · 30/12/2019 23:37

Those are all brilliant ideas, thank you !

Howdidido · 30/12/2019 23:42

We did this with the kids yesterday. Something about Christmas makes me want to get rid of stuff! Basically said no more clutter. Anything that doesn't have a place to live goes

Howdidido · 30/12/2019 23:42

Oxfam will apparently take all material- nothing goes to landfill.

Original poster

Igotthisjustabout · 31/12/2019 16:56

@stella47 if you live on a busy street, could you put a sign out the front saying you have free furniture? If not, definitely market place on Facebook and local selling sites

OP posts:

Namethecat · 31/12/2019 18:01

To the people who say they want to get rid of stuff but feel sentimental about it. Take a photo of the item, so it is not completely gone .
You will be happy to delete it in a few months .

SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing · 01/01/2020 02:08

"To the people who say they want to get rid of stuff but feel sentimental about it. Take a photo of the item, so it is not completely gone"

This is really useful when you have to get rid of lots of small baby and toddler clothes. It's really hard to part with them (keep the special ones) but its much easier if you have a picture. Daft, but it helps.

PhilCornwall1 · 01/01/2020 05:11

I can't stand clutter, it really gets to me. The trick I use is, if I have something and I'm undecided on what to do with it, I give it a 2 month "shelf life". If it doesn't then get used, it's through the door. I do it throughout the year, so can remain pretty much clutter free.

Northernsoullover · 01/01/2020 06:25

I'm halfway through a monster declutter.. I ran out of steam yesterday so the house looks worse than ever. I'm with the poster who said its not the letting go its the doing so responsibly. If it wasn't for that I'd happily hire a skip and purge the house.
As it stands the tip is 3 miles in one direction and charity 3 miles the other. I've given myself until tomorrow to complete my mission. Wish me luck.

Chottie · 01/01/2020 06:35

@stella47

To get rid of unwanted furniture that you can't take to the charity shop, check your local FB pages. Our local FB group has a recycling section where you can post to give away anything. I've passed on a Christmas tree and a BBQ this year. Lovely to think someone else is enjoying them and they have not gone into landfill.

Ragwort · 01/01/2020 06:43

I manage a charity shop and am so grateful when people have a de-clutter and pass things on.

But some things are just not suitable for charity shops so please be careful about what you donate, broken toys etc even if you write ‘just a couple of bits missing’ on the box it’s very unlikely that it can be sold.

How, I find that very hard to believe, trying to recycle unsaleable donations is not easy.

Ragwort · 01/01/2020 06:46

How just re-read your post, yes all textiles can be recycled even if not suitable for sale.

Northernsoullover · 01/01/2020 09:51

I always put my tatty stuff into a separate bag and label it 'rags' for the charity shop.

PineappleDanish · 01/01/2020 10:01

The January clear out is the worst part of volunteering in a charity shop. We are very grateful for good quality donations at any time of year. Tatty textiles marked as rags would be amazing and yes we can recycle them all.

Bur please be discerning. Ask yourself "Would I pay money for this?" If you wouldn't, please just bin it. Charities have to pay to dispose of your broken toys, doll which has been given a haircut, toy cars missing wheels, empty DVD boxes....

incognitomum · 01/01/2020 10:07

I've been decluttering for months in between work.

It's great where I live. You put anything decent on Facebook freebie page and then just in back lane and poof! It's gone

And there's a charity shop 2 minutes walk away.

No excuse for me really is there

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