To want to dump all of our belongings?

[IvorCutler]

Not all of them but seriously 70% of them. Clearly I am being unreasonable but our apartment is so full of sh*t and I’m done. I’m done with being sentimental. It’s counterproductive. I’m miserable and depressed living with so much stuff around us that we don’t need.

This has been brought to the fore today because we’ve a leak/damp problem and literally everything I have moved to allow the plumber access has a stain behind it (new problem, I’m not living in filth). Our bedroom and hallway is now jammed with masses of stuff. I want to cry and I want a skip.

Do it. If you're not using it, get rid of it. Can you transport it all to a charity shop? Or list it on vinted/eBay?

Why not. One of our single friends did just that. Hired a skip, emptied his house keeping just the bare essentials and has kept it not quite minimalist but close.

my mantra is, if it isn’t useful, then it has to elicit a smile, if neither applies, then out the door it goes.
I cull items as I spring clean once a year. Maybe see this as an opportunity to de clutter - may even raise some funds toward the plumbers bill.

I absolutely hear what you are saying - I've got a box to go the charity shop this weekend and probably enough crap to fill another 50 - I said this was the year it was all going.

If things are being kept for memories don't keep them. Your brain keeps memories, not physical items.

Join us on the decluttering thread in Housekeeping. Lots of great ideas for thinning out the clutter.

I also recommend A slob comes clean's decluttering method. Decluttering will never be stress free but I've found her container concept method super helpful to get me to let go of things.

If it's not beautiful or useful - get rid.

I'm nearly done decluttering our flat, just dropped another bag for life off at the local BHF charity shop. I think there's been about 16 bags for life worth of stuff that's gone out already.

The flat feels so much calmer, it's definitely worth doing it!

...I started weeks ago btw, and yes the temptation to get a skip and just dump everything in there was OVERWHELMING. But everything has either been recycled, donated or given away. Taken a while but it's been worth it for that feeling of calm when I get up in the morning.

I do a clear out twice a year, once at the start of spring and once now, just as we head into September. I’ve taken bags of clothes to the charity shop and dumped anything we don’t need. It’s liberating… if not exhausting! Started packing things up last night and started again clearing and sorting this morning, only just sat down! Worth it though.

I’m really glad I posted! Thank you all. I think I’m
going to get stuck in this evening.

I love the keeping memories in your head mantra. It’s liberating.

If I haven't used it in a full year, it goes. So far I've not had to re-buy anything.

Today I went through the utility and ditched two full black bin bags of unused (and therefore unwanted) crap.

I wouldn't mind but I had the world's biggest declutter a year ago. It's amazing how much unwanted gubbins has managed to sneak into the house despite my best efforts. Well - the 2022 Declutter has started! Next week - the kitchen and I know an awful lot of stuff has hidden itself away in there.

I have just discovered Ziffit for old kids DVDs that the charity shops won’t take. Small steps but if you have things they’ll take then why not!

Charity shop or bin if not good enough, stuff you don't want. Take photos of sentimental stuff and email them to yourself.

YANBU. I fantasise about doing this all the time!

I hear you OP. For the last decade I have regularly decluttered - pretty much every year - but still ended up acquiring stuff.
To cut a long story short, in the end I started a low buy year and only bought what really needed replacing. This stopped the traffic of stuff coming in to my home. I realised what I actually used and what I didn't need any more. I got into a load of YouTubers who live more intentionally which inspired me further, not just with decluttering but other areas of my life.

Don't expect to have it all done in a day, a month or even a year. There's a reason for your accumulation and once you have this figured out it will become easier.

I am on a roll! But I nearly threw out my wedding dress 🙈 thank goodness I opened this bag. Thought it was empty!

Really feeling quite proud of myself. I’ve emptied these!

I’m going to join the decluttering thread