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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to in the contents of my house right now and start again????

48 replies

hidinginthenightgarden · 22/02/2020 15:45

It's horrific!!! We have two kids 7 & 4 with awful amounts of stuff in a tiny house. On top of this we are starting a business so there is extra stuff in our tiny house. I feel like i'm suffocating. I need to purge!!!
Anyone else the same?

OP posts:
TheJoxter · 22/02/2020 15:46

Yeah I’ve been feeling the same recently! Just need to find the time and energy

StinkyWizleteets · 22/02/2020 15:49

Me. I hate it but it’s too out of control. My very clingy since birth toddler doesn’t give me 5 mins to pee let alone clean and tidy and de clutter. My 10yr old is on course to be a hoarder like her dad. I gave up. I hate it. I’ve no good advice. Sorry

Original poster
hidinginthenightgarden · 22/02/2020 15:54

If I didn't have a tiny car I would shove it in their and unload next time I pass the tip but that is rare and my car is too small!
No one wants stuff on facebook these days either,

OP posts:
HillAreas · 22/02/2020 15:59

I’m with you OP. I full on ugly cried yesterday* because I couldn’t find something for all the bloody stuff in this house. Christmas has a lot to answer for. I’m getting the bin bags out this weekend. Too much stuff is a burden I could be doing without.
*DS wouldn’t stop screaming, I think I was slightly on edge anyway

PegasusReturns · 22/02/2020 16:01

Get a small skip bag and stick it all in there - be ruthless you’ll feel so much better!

SinkGirl · 22/02/2020 16:02

I feel the same! Want to bin the lot!

Dinosauraddict · 22/02/2020 16:03

There is an old broken microwave sat in my kitchen waiting to go to the tip. I can't take it as I don't drive. I can't even lift it as it's a large heavy one and I'm 9 months pregnant. I know how you feel.

BlueJava · 22/02/2020 16:05

Marie Kondo your house - I never thought I would but 18 months ago I did! I had a massive turn out of everything, I now ditch "stuff" as soon as it's brought in if we don't need it (e.g. by DM or MIL), we don't buy anything unless it's to replace something or we know where we'll put it, massively cut down on "things" for presents (e.g. kids had ski lessons for Xmas - no mess!). It's actually saved us money as well as really cut down the time cleaning (because we don't have to tidy up first). I really recommend her book, it's been revolutionary. When I did our I got the DCs involved in ebaying stuff (teens), used facebook to sell/give away, stuff went to charity shops and finally the tip if it couldn't be re-used.

LannieDuck · 22/02/2020 16:12

Yes, I want to reduce the contents of our house by at least 50%, but most of it is the kids', and I find their rubbish treasures so emotionally hard to get rid of.

TannatTart · 22/02/2020 16:15

We have just sold the family home and are moving to an apartment that is almost half the size. I’ve been purging all the random tat that had been stashed in the closets and forgotten about, and I feel lighter with every load that goes to Goodwill.

MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals1 · 22/02/2020 16:17

I love decluttering! I had a good clear out over christmas and it made me feel so much better. I now have a pile of things that I want to donate/sell/get rid of :)

BallisticPuppy · 22/02/2020 16:18

Yep, due to timings we had to move before we could clear out. Every box I unpack there’s about half of it that’s going to charity or the tip.

We have a charity that will collect if you have enough. So get some big ikea type bags and start sorting.

Eeyoresstickhouse · 22/02/2020 16:18

I have just had a purge on my 3 year olds toys this afternoon. Got a few carrier bags full out of the lounge so I am happy with that. Will try and slowly remove more and more when 3 year old is not around. But most things we have kept is stuff they play with a lot. We have a kallax tv unit so it all fits just about in the boxes. It was starting to spread and getting piled up next to the unit though which I hate.

Although her latest love is polly pocket and I have to say I can get onboard with this toy. It fits all nicely into a hand sliced container and very easy to store!

Need to do our bedroom next and keep on top of it more.

WhatHaveIFound · 22/02/2020 16:21

We are slowly working through our clutter and took nearly 20 bags of books to the charity shop recently. Our long term plan is to move from a 4 bed house to a 4 bed flat (neither of us like gardening) so we're getting ahead on the decluttering.

I look at my parents house and am overwhelmed by the task i'll have when they both pass away. My dad has 30+ work shirts in the wardrobe despite the fact he retired nearly 25 years ago. I keep suggesting they should get rid of stuff but instead they buy more and more cupboards to put things in.

Coulddowithanap · 22/02/2020 16:22

I think the same. Everytime we've been on holiday in a caravan we manage to survive with just enough plates, cups, couple of pots and pans, small selection of toys for the kids and a tiny wardrobe, yet I find it so hard to live in out house crammed with all and sundry.

IndecentFeminist · 22/02/2020 16:30

How ruthless are you? Unless the answer is very, get cracking. Anything broken, unloved or unplayed with get rid of. The former can be thrown, the latter two hidden for a little while to see if they miss it before going to a charity shop.

Liland · 22/02/2020 16:41

I really struggle with this. I keep stuff because when I throw it away after having it hang around for years, I then typically need it a week later! I keep thinking I need to solve this, but now I am instead redecorating my 12 month olds bedroom. What is wrong with me?! There's just so much damn stuff, and this flat is massive - it's going to be awful when we start looking for our forever home in a few years.

HighDefinitionComfy · 22/02/2020 16:47

I got so desperate I ordered a skip for my clutter; still made bugger all difference though

Itwasntme1 · 22/02/2020 16:58

I spent a week last year decluttering. Filled the car every day with bin bags for the dump. It all just builds back up again. I don’t know where it all comes from😊.

My clutter falls into three main categories, books, paper (work and home stuff) and clothes.

I am not sentimental and throw out stuff regularly, but it all just piles back up again.

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 22/02/2020 17:00

i am playing the long game with decluttering.....I had a blitz last year and didn't get totally finished, but am at it again

Also sort of replacing some stuff, butupgrading, so instead of eight shitty flat pillows, I have four nice fat one and they are under the bed in a vac bag.

I am mostly starting with the bedrooms/bedding/linen

The whole house needs a lick of paint too, so that's looming over me as well

bah!

Satsuma2 · 22/02/2020 17:07

Don't forget Freecycle to get rid of things. People are in need of all sorts of things, people who have been homeless or left an abusive relationship with just the clothes on their back. Before throwing stuff away try on Freecycle, saves it going to landfill.

Ostanovka · 22/02/2020 17:32

Yes to the caravan holiday minimalism being perfect!

KittenVsBox · 22/02/2020 17:38

YANBU to want to reduce the amount of stuff you have, but totally starting over is hard going.
Last year we moved country. Our entire possessions fitted in 8 suitcases and 10 boxes (between 2 adults and 2 kids). We have spent so much on stuff. And often expensive because we get told we need X tomorrow at school (spotty teeshirts, wellies etc etc) and have to go buy then there and then.

Reduce: go for it.
Start over again: unless you are made from money.....

Piecrust32 · 22/02/2020 17:43

I am doing this now! 4 kids and a hoarder ex (you wouldn't believe what he filled the house with)

Now ex has gone I've been on a massive declutter.

Kids have a storage box each for their toys, I've sold furniture we dont need /use
Same for clothes/books/toys/games

I've been ruthless - but since doing it, my anxiety and depression has improved massively, I'm no longer embarrassed by my house.
It was quite overwhelming to begin with but now I can see progress I'm so happy I carried on

twoshedsjackson · 22/02/2020 17:46

A few years before I retired, the school building was renovated and expanded. We were obliged to spend a year in temporary accommodation. We were given as many containers as we asked for, just reminded that each one would cost the school £1, so it was a good chance to be ruthless. Teachers can be shockers for "It might come in useful", but I had to be really thorough with what I actually needed through the coming school year, what could be junked, what could be stored for future use, when a new group of classes came through.
We worked through that (including the "might come in useful" of several predecessors) and off it went into storage.
A year later, I had to unpack the containers, and look critically at how much I had actually missed during the year. Looked at from this new perspective, more went.
I so agree with PP's about "holiday minimalism".