How to declutter

[Totallyexhausted1]

I’m really struggling to declutter my home before we move soon. What are your best tips please?

If you're moving soon, I'd declutter as you pack. Pick it up and think about if there's a place for it at the new house. If it's currently in a cupboard / garage etc and you've not used it in 12 months, why is it moving house with you? Paperwork etc, how much do you actually need to keep?

Have a box for stuff to come with you, a bin and a charity bag. Do regular trips to the charity shop so you can't go back through them

Books you can sell online through Ziffit and similar. Don't keep anything that will take ages to sell.

My tip is .. do you want to shift and sort the same items for years to come. Use valuable storage. Make your home look messy and waste money buying items you cannot find?

Or do you want a clean organised home.

Make sure stuff for charity goes out that day. Photograph
things and dump the original.eg kids art

Keep a box of special things (one box per child) dump excess.

@SleepingStandingUp thanks. Makes sense. I think I’ve spent too long trying to declutter rather than pack

Amazing!

Wow thank you everyone. Apologies but I’m logging off now so won’t read anymore till morning. But please keep the ideas coming. I didn’t even think of taking a photo of he artwork and getting rid of. I’m so bad at keeping my home organised.

Have three containers, throw away, put away, give away. Depending on how long until you move, spend 15 - 30 minutes per day if you can so you don’t get overwhelmed just focusing on one area. Ask yourself, is it useful? Is it beautiful? When is the last time I used it? Try and make quick decisions. Think of the time and space you are saving by not unpacking it at other end! Good luck.

For short and very inspiring videos, watch Joshua Becker on youtube. Choose the ones which apply best to you.

Start with easy quick wins. Take a rubbish bag and throw out pens that dont work (or simply that you dont like using), happy meal/party bag toys which are never touched, all those random bits and pieces which arent used.

Donate DVDs and books which wont be watched/read again. Even if you enjoyed them at the time. If they're not going to be used again pass them on for someone else to enjoy.

Go through DC clothes and get rid of* anything that is too small or verging on too small.

Go through your clothes and get rid of anything which is holey, stained or doesn't fit. Get rid of things that are in perfect condition but you just dont wear cos they aren't comfortable/don't suit you etc.

When are you moving? I did a massive declutter before moving last week and was so so grateful. Even so, i continued the declutter as I packed boxes.

*when I say get rid of I mean donate, recycle or bin depending on condition

There is a company I've read about (quick Google might find it) where you send the original kids artwork off and they copy it and make a framed montage.

Get a skip for a few days and fill it. Then get another one.

I did the drawers and wardrobes one by one. I am sure we'll find stuff when we unpack, that should have been binned as well.

I’ve just read (well listened on audible) “Decluttering at the speed of Life” by Dana K White and I’ve found it so helpful. It’s enabled me to tackle some clutter black spots that previously defeated me.
She really gets the emotions that lead to having too much clutter. I’ve heard her tips work well for people with ADHD and I really see why.

One thing I really like is it is about dealing with clutter without making more mess. So unlike Marie Kondo, you don’t get everything out and look at it. She also has some tips about decluttering for a house move around being aware of the size of your new rooms and only taking what will fit into new space and how you make decisions.

Piles for :pack for next home, sell , give away, throw away.
I gave lots away via my local Facebook group. It made me really happy to see items being loved and used and I met some nice people too.

We got rid of a lot but still when the moving lorry came it wouldn’t all fit in . It was totally daunting. Free yourself from clutter in your new home.

Start now with books. Do you want to keep them or copy you donate to charity store? Then I go through cooking trays etc if moving I would throw old ones out and get new. Linen I look through linen once a year and tea towels stained or looking tatty get thrown and I get new ones, same with towels. Just pick one area at a time. I pick things I can sort in 2 hours or less. Then it gets completed. Last week was shoes. Took about 2 hours but threw out 3 old pairs of slippers, 2 pairs of trainers and 3 pairs of shoes. Now much neater on shoe rack.

I would just do the keep, throw, donate boxes now.

just speed through each room looking for obvious stuff to throw or donate. That will reduce what you have to pack. Then pack straight away anything remaining that you need to keep but not needed right now before you move ie winter clothing, books above child’s current reading level

when you move. Have constant donate bag somewhere. Then if child outgrows something that you don’t want to keep, you can put in straight away and then take bag to charity when full