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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To bin EVERYTHING and just start over?

97 replies

readingismycardio · 02/11/2021 16:16

Just kidding, obviously, I wish I could!

Recently I realised I have too many objects (clothes, shoes, accesories, bags, anything really), and giving that we're moving next year from a one bed to a three bed (yay!) I want to declutter massively and only take with us things that we actually use and love. So this year, the decluttering has started, I binned, I sold, I donated a shit ton of clothes, bags, perfumes, books, etc, but I still feel like I'm not done with it.

I am in no way aspiring to be a minimalist, but I do like my house to be tidy.

Did you ever feel like you are tired of SO MANY THINGS? What did you do?

Rant over, thank you

OP posts:
TotallySuper · 02/11/2021 16:17

Following with interest as I feel like I regularly do this and yet there is still stuff everywhere 🙃

Justcannotbearsed · 02/11/2021 16:18

Have a massive clear out. We had to move before we could do a clear out and now the old house is just full of the same crap. I just can't get motivated to clear it out.

I have so much stuff kept just in case. Which I then can't find so I might as well have chucked it out.

Original poster
readingismycardio · 02/11/2021 16:19

@TotallySuper

Following with interest as I feel like I regularly do this and yet there is still stuff everywhere 🙃
I know, right???? I donated BAGS, full bags, sold bags, donated massive boxes of books to a friend of mine who helps children through an association, and still I feel like I want to bin everything. I'm definitely tired and this is not my best year either, but still...
OP posts:
TeapotCollection · 02/11/2021 16:22

We’ve got way too much stuff too!

I don’t have the answer but we are going to have a massive clear out over the winter. We’ve got a mountain of DVDs that’ll probably end up in the bin, which is a shame but they’re just gathering dust

RantyAunty · 02/11/2021 16:30

I'm in the middle of this right now. I'm moving country.

All the stuff accumulated is overwhelming. It doesn't help I have ADHD so it's going slowly.
I am planning to bin everything except what will fit into 2 suitcases.

Tryingtogetitright · 02/11/2021 16:35

Highly recommend Dana K White's book - Decluttering at the Speed of Life. I have ADHD and the method is working for me. Still have hidden clutter to tackle but the house feels so much tidier and I have a different mindset. I read it in two days and the initial blitz took hours rather than days - it was a revelation!

Summerfun54321 · 02/11/2021 17:07

Ooh I’m going to get that decluttering book thanks @Tryingtogetitright !

PermanentTemporary · 02/11/2021 17:10

Feeling increasingly loaded with old people's stuff. I suspect that I think I would disappear as a person without the things to mark out my territory.

TotallySuper · 02/11/2021 17:12

@TeapotCollection

We’ve got way too much stuff too!

I don’t have the answer but we are going to have a massive clear out over the winter. We’ve got a mountain of DVDs that’ll probably end up in the bin, which is a shame but they’re just gathering dust

Don't bin them take them to a charity shop
loveliesbleeding1 · 02/11/2021 17:13

I’ve been slowly decluttering every room in the house since January and it’s so much easier to clean now.The thing I struggle with is sentimental items,so I’m putting some in boxes in the attic until I can imagine life without them!

WTF475878237NC · 02/11/2021 17:17

I have so much stuff kept just in case. Which I then can't find so I might as well have chucked it out.

This made me laugh. I can imagine doing the same so I have just kept it all Grin

hotmeatymilk · 02/11/2021 17:19

YABU to bin unless you mean recycling bin.

FlowerArranger · 02/11/2021 17:25

The thing I struggle with is sentimental items,so I’m putting some in boxes in the attic until I can imagine life without them!

Sigh. I could THEORETICALLY make do with about 50 items of clothing and half a dozen pairs of shoes. I have already got rid of tons of books and 'things that might come in handy one day but let's face it I'll never use or need'...

But the memory box stuff...... I'll need to be ruthless... but what DOES one do with one's parents precious pre-war 80 piece fine porcelain dinner service. (Yes, I've tried - you can't even give this stuff away...)

RealBecca · 02/11/2021 17:25

Love a clear out. I have yes, no and maybe piles. The maybe piles go in a binliner and if i havent taken them out in a month goes straight out the door without another look.

My mantra is "items aren't memories"

RealBecca · 02/11/2021 17:28

Oh and i dont let it in. Parents often try "weve found this, do you want it?" No, get rid. Because once its in the house i will feel too harsh to throw it out! So now i dont let the clutter in. Id rather have space than stuff.

Barnowl25 · 02/11/2021 17:30

@RealBecca I love that 'items aren't memories' I am going to start chanting that in my head while I clear my house of piles of crap.

DuneFan · 02/11/2021 17:30

It's an iterative process and for me I need a good few passes over each area before feeling "right sized". The Marie Kondo all in one is not for me (although her book is a good read).

Are you also controlling things coming in? No amount of decluttering will work if more is coming in than going out . . .

Peppapigforlife · 02/11/2021 17:31

İ helped a family move house once. There were about ten of us involved in the move. As we were putting all the stuff into the house, there was a sign outside advertising a boot fair on a field opposite. İ was telling them 'its deffo a sign', but they just laughed and didn't get it. As we walked into this lovely new house, all freshly carpeted and bare, i said to myself that when I eventually got my own private place, i would keep it bare and just have mattresses on the floor and fairy lights everywhere. Not ruin it with all my crap. Now I've got my own place and guess what, I've ruined it with all my crap 😂 I don't understand why, I've backpacked and gotten rid of all my stuff before, but for some reason I've just collected more and more and can't bear to let things go. i know I'm not as bad as some people, or as bad as İ was pre travelling, but i can't figure out how all my previous clear outs hasn't solved the issue!

needtogetfit21 · 02/11/2021 17:31

I'm always decluttering - always have a charity bag on the go and got the odd thing up for sale (and if it doesn't sell it goes to charity) as well as a recycling spot

Today I came across some protein powder I used to have , it had a tiny bit left and I've been thinking for ages I must have it. But I can't bring myself to so I've asked my brother if he wants it, he said yes so it's beside the door. Ready to go when we next see each other

We're in a new build and I refuse to buy anymore storage. We make do with what we have so I clear things out as I go.

I did go through my wardrobe one day recently as that had got out of control - so I took everything out. Then assessed everything before putting back in and allocating to charity pile

FindingMeno · 02/11/2021 17:32

The other part of this is to address future buying.

TrulyPistoff · 02/11/2021 17:34

@Summerfun54321

Ooh I’m going to get that decluttering book thanks @Tryingtogetitright !

Nooo, don’t get that book - no matter how good you’ll have yet one more item to clutter your house. 😂

Raera · 02/11/2021 17:34

@TeapotCollection

We’ve got way too much stuff too!

I don’t have the answer but we are going to have a massive clear out over the winter. We’ve got a mountain of DVDs that’ll probably end up in the bin, which is a shame but they’re just gathering dust

Asda are selling pre owned DVD's and CD's www.insidermedia.com/news/national/musicmagpie-partners-with-asda
caramac04 · 02/11/2021 17:41

Oh the times I wish I had the courage to just hire a skip and get rid of so much crap!
I wouldn’t do this as it’s wasteful and bad for the environment but I would love a stylist to help me with a capsule wardrobe so that I wouldn’t have so much unworn stuff and be such a scruffy looking bugger all the time.

Somuddled · 02/11/2021 17:44

You have to get rid of suff for sure but the key is to prevent stuff coming in in the first place. How often do you go shopping? I go about 4 times a year. And only online shop for specific occasions. It has massively helped with the amount of stuff!

violetanemone · 02/11/2021 17:47

Did you ever feel like you are tired of SO MANY THINGS? What did you do?

I guess the simple answer is to declutter, and then stop buying so much stuff!

(The latter is important because otherwise it will all just build up again).

I have stopped buying any clothes which I don't think will last 5+ years and get worn regularly. With bags, I make sure I really really want them, and again usually buy something good quality when I have the money, and then use it to death.

It's very hard to exercise judgement like this with everyday purchases as it takes quite a lot of foresight and effort! But we can only do our best.

Also, I invested in a Kindle, so I am not buying as many paperbacks as I used to. That is a big one for me!

My partner still buys BluRays so they clutter up our shelves, but I think we are all moving towards digital-only media eventually which will be another big step.