Please help, overwhelmed with mess!

[whatdodos]

Can I please have any tips and tricks from anyone to help me sort my house out? I live with one toddler DC in a smallish two bed with a garage. My house isn't filthy but we have SO much stuff and I can't clean everywhere properly because I have no room to put anything anywhere. I'm feeling really overwhelmed and it's really getting me down that my house is in such a state. Every drawer and cupboard is full and I'm constantly losing stuff because of it and all the surfaces and under furniture is dusty/crowded. PLEASE HELP!!

How do I get started??? I want to cry.

For full disclosure I work full time but I'm off this week. I have 2 hours to myself this week for DC's first day of school so want to make a dent in it then. Thank you!!!

Marie Kondo book is great

Once you start decluttering, it inspires you to continue

Two people dont need much stuff

We always have a carrier bag by the front door. Anything for charity goes in the bag. When it's full, the bag goes to charity shop

Here's a lovely, kind video on cleaning a home where there was a certain amount of hoarding.

Be kind to yourself, @whatdodos

The best thing for me was Dana K White’s container concept. For example kitchen utensils go in one pot/drawer, and once full you get rid of everything else. Even better if it’s not full as it means things are easier to get in and out. And see your whole house as different containers, so you end up keeping your most used/favourites and getting rid of everything else.

Thanks everyone again! Today I managed to do the living room in a few hours. I kept everything I want to keep into a giant container, chucked the rest in a bin bag (nothing worth going to a charity) and I put the container in the garage and will give everything a rightful place. Most of it is toys and the garage has actually had a flooring put down and walls with shelves etc as a play room for DS (it has an internal door) so it honestly wasn't that bad but I know the worst rooms are yet to come (my bedroom I seriously struggle to let go of things especially as i had a few family members pass away young while in was a child so I keep all the cards/gifts/teddies they've given me. I feel better already

Glad to hear you made progress with it!

With the sentimental stuff, if you're keeping it purely because X gave you it, especially things like birthday cards. Would it be helpful to take pictures of them and make a photo book if you don't want to keep the actual thing itself?

@whatdodos Yay! Well done!

@TimeForTeaAndG That's my downfall, sentimental stuff.. I might try taking pics too. :-)

Well done I’m doing drawers next.