Stuff is too hard to get rid of

[Clutterbusting]

I want to be free of my stuff. I’m drowning in it. My house is a mess and all that happens when I have a sort out is it gets moved about. I spend money on storage solutions when I need to just get rid.
I want to but where to? Charity shops are picky and I have A LOT to shift. Selling takes too long and I can’t be wasteful so a skip is out. What can I do?
AIBU to think this is just too hard?

Post it all
On Facebook as free and people flock to have it

Where do you live? Could you ask someone to help you out.
Good luck I'm sure you'll do it

Highly recommend watching Marie Kondo and Consumed on Netflix to get you in the zone. So satisfying watching people get happy after getting rid of clutter . Good luck it’s not easy x

@GinIronic

Anything left outside a charity shop where I volunteer gets binned.

We have to sort through it. It’s a selfish thing to do. If it rains or someone’s been rifling through. We also have to pay for waste removal.

If it is impacting your mental health, get a skip.

@Anordinarymum

How can a charity shop be picky when you leave the bags of stuff outside?

@Anordinarymum

They don’t like that around here, if people leave stuff outside shops they put posts on social media saying this is fly tipping please collect your stuff and take to the tip or they review cctv and report it.

My mum always said that If you hadn’t used it in 6 months or forgot you had it, bin it.

If charity shops dont want it then its probably rubbish.

a few suggestions, shove things on free sites, see if theres any takers.
put stuff outside with a sign saying its free.
look for charity bins and put it in that.
look for recycling points and put it there.

I was having a clear out before the pandemic, I still have not finished, I put clothing and shoes in charity bins, contacted the salvation army about the kids stuff (they wanted toys and things). I cut the unwanted furniture up into little bits with a hacksaw and chucked it in the bin, I gave DVDs and stuff to shops.

I get loads of charity bags through my door so l use them.

Contact the local hospital as wipeable toys can be donated

@Anordinarymum

How can a charity shop be picky when you leave the bags of stuff outside?

Basically fly tipping then.

I've got the same problem, and have been getting rid of stuff for years! I take some of it to the charity shops (usually Emmaus), sell some on eBay, give some away, and if all the above fail, throw it away!

In my town there is a Facebook reuse/recycle page. You just take a photo of an item, write a description and post onto the Facebook page. Anyone interested then agrees a date and time to collect and you place it outside your property. It works very well, especially if you don’t people coming into your home.

This past week I've put stuff on the local (town) re-use site. Honestly, someone has picked up plastic drawers, teddies, and kids clothes. Within the day, just try, think of all the times you've wanted or needed and if only somebody was giving it away ...

Well done for making a start, OP.

It is really helpful to have an exit strategy for clutter at the start, put it into black bin bags if you feel people may judge you when you see it. It is fine to throw things away.

I haven't read the full thread, sorry! But agree with the poster who said watch Sort Your Life Out on BBC, also The Minimalists on Netflix and they have a fab podcast too. Marie Kondo is lovely to watch, but can take too long for some people... it's more about organising the stuff rather than getting rid.

Swedish Death Cleaning is an interesting concept too and you should think about the impact on your family etc when they inherit your stuff and if it's impacting their lives and happiness just now.

There's a good little book on amazon called 'How to Keep House While Drowning: 31 days of compassionate help' which is a great start when you're feeling overwhelmed.

Good luck! Start small, set goals and go for it!

@Anordinarymum

How can a charity shop be picky when you leave the bags of stuff outside?

You aren't supposed to do this.

We have a Liverpool page called Mummyshare. You post pics and people collect! Anything gets snapped up!

I'm a hoarder, mine comes from 3 occasions of losing a lot of my treasured items. It's taken me 10 years to have the realisation why I hoard so now its about working on it. I'm getting there but it is a slow process. First it's the actual decision making on wether I need it. If not, and I just want it then why do it want it. Was it from someone special? Is it a useful item or just a decorative piece? If it's decorative then does it have a place to be?
If it doesn't fit any of those parameters then I think about where it could go. Would a friend like it? If not then would a charity like woman's aid or likewise like it? If not then charity shop or see if any of the homeless shelters would like it. Xx

Facebook free groups
Do a jumble sale / garage sale / Table top / car boot sale
Sell super cheap

Leave outside house with ‘free, take me’ stickers
Bring in , at night, if raining etc

BHF have taken loads of stuff from multiple houses for me, they've never turned anything down.

So glad to find this thread some fab advice. I'm on a mission to declutter our house this year after falling into the storage trap. Find it so hard to let get rid of sentimental stuff cards pictures stuff the kids made etc. When my mum died I still lived at hoke and basically boxed all practical stuff up and took it with me to my first house. Looking back this was the wrong way to deal with it but I couldn't face the sorting and it's turned me into more of a hoarder

Book a slot at your nearest recycling centre and take everything there. The one near us has an adjacent charity shop (fundraising for a hospice) and they get the pick of the best stuff. It saves you the chore of sorting through everything, plus it benefits those who may need it.

I had a hoard of beautiful, worn once or twice, high heeled shoes and boots, and deliberated about photographing them and eBaying/Facebook Marketplace selling them, but didn't have the time nor the inclination. The reason for getting rid was because after a car accident and a fractured pelvis, I can no longer walk in heels without looking ridiculous

Anyway, I took them, boxed, to the recycling centre and was delighted to see them sold to raise a considerable amount of money for the hospice.

I am virtual signaller, aren't I?

I use Vinted, Freecycle, Olio, facebook selling pages and free facebook groups to get rid of stuff. We also have a page ran by a local foodbank, people can post their unwanteds for free for others for free

Where I live that's classed as fly-tipping and you get fined

I need to have a big clear out too, I am a hoarder and have a habit of starting new hobbies and getting fed up after a few weeks, I have loads of unfinished craft projects and a ton of crafting supplies. I sell clothes on vinted but it seems to take forever. We accumulated loads of jigsaw puzzles during lockdown that I now need to get rid of as well as old toys and clothes 😬