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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel this overwhelmed by decluttering

61 replies

Wowz · 15/04/2023 19:01

Put an offer in on a house, just going through the process at the moment. Thought I would be organised and have started to declutter. I'm going room by room. So far I've done the kitchen, every cupboard, onto of the cupboard, freezer, drawers, the lot. I really enjoyed doing it at the time but then when I finished and realised how long it took me, I just want to cry at the thought of doing the rest of the house. I work part time and the days I'm not at work I have a 2 year old wanting my attention and putting items back into cupboards and draws.

AIBU to just give up, take everything to the new house and hide it in a shed?

OP posts:
Babsexxx · 15/04/2023 19:04

Lol there’s no way I’d stress with a 2 year old decluttering as when you move can’t you get a skip? Chuck what’s rubbish in the bin boxes for charity done!

thatcrookedsmile · 15/04/2023 19:05

I packed it all up and brought it with me. Since then I've gotten rid of so much but it doesn't seem like it. we hoard such rubbish its unbelievable.
if you can manage getting rid before hand do it. Be ruthless! don't be like me and carry in boxes of worthless junk

Clarich007 · 15/04/2023 19:05

Well done for making a start. I feel the same, clean one room, then it hits me how much work is still to do. In my case I asked for help from family and it was so much easier. We quite enjoyed in the end. Would that be possible.?
Hope it works out well.

Purpleboat · 15/04/2023 19:05

Definitely worth doing, otherwise it will never get done and the cost will be the space the boxes take up forever. Can you chunk it up and view it as a room at a time? This might make you feel like you’re getting through it faster.
Do you have a DP or anyone who can watch your DC, even if it’s an odd hour it’ll be amazing how much you can get through. I feel your pain, it’s an awful job. Sending you positive thoughts. Good luck with the move.

Clarich007 · 15/04/2023 19:06

PS, don't take it with you!!

LammasEve · 15/04/2023 19:08

It's a nightmare, decluttering. We've started and this week I just thought, fuck it, and filled about 30 boxes with stuff that needs sorting but I can't be arsed with. We've got a storage unit, all the boxes have gone in there to be thought about nearer moving date. Or, more likely, moved as they are and chucked in a shed!

KisstheTeapot14 · 15/04/2023 19:08

Have you been watching Stacey and co?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00116n4/sort-your-life-out

People with excess stuff after moving almost never deal with it.

Better to do it now. Can someone come over and entertain your little helper?

Sort Your Life Out

Stacey Solomon helps families transform their homes with a life-changing declutter.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00116n4/sort-your-life-out

Original poster
Wowz · 15/04/2023 19:10

DH did look after children today which helped, and I am ruthless, I'm not the sentimental hording type. It's just taking so much longer then I thought it would

OP posts:
EarringsandLipstick · 15/04/2023 19:10

I think you sound like you've done loads so far!

I think you can only keep going. I am decluttering too - I find it takes ages to make progress, then it reaches a critical point when it goes a lot quicker & you're in the flow.

I also think just keeping going in small doses is best; I took some extra leave at Easter, fully confident that I'd make huge progress - but I did almost nothing. With full days ahead of me, it seemed too much of a task; with odd hours, it's a lot more manageable if very slow.

Definitely do not bring it with you.

PartingGift · 15/04/2023 19:11

For me the kitchen was the hardest part to declutterapart from all the shit in the attic that my other half had hoarded up there without me knowing, so at least you've (hopefully) done the hardest room.

The bathroom was the easiest, so maybe try that one next?

Can you book your two year old into an extra day at nursery so you can focus on getting it done? We left it to the last minute last time we moved, it was done but I wouldn't recommend it!

CurrentHun · 15/04/2023 19:11

Can anyone come in and help you? Best to move without lots of things you don’t want if you possibly can, because it’s such an expensive hassle. You’re not wrong to feel overwhelmed though- it can be really hard at the best of times and is always very difficult with children around!

PartingGift · 15/04/2023 19:12

Also, now that the weather is nicer, if there's stuff that you want to get rid of and aren't bothered about selling or donating, then just leave it out front with a note on saying "take me".

Original poster
Wowz · 15/04/2023 19:12

PartingGift · 15/04/2023 19:11

For me the kitchen was the hardest part to declutterapart from all the shit in the attic that my other half had hoarded up there without me knowing, so at least you've (hopefully) done the hardest room.

The bathroom was the easiest, so maybe try that one next?

Can you book your two year old into an extra day at nursery so you can focus on getting it done? We left it to the last minute last time we moved, it was done but I wouldn't recommend it!

This is DH idea, he keeps telling me to leave it, but it's stressful now even though I've got plenty of time, I dread to think how I would be if I only had a week to do it. I might take a day leave while DD is in childcare, good audio book and crack on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wowz · 15/04/2023 19:14

PartingGift · 15/04/2023 19:12

Also, now that the weather is nicer, if there's stuff that you want to get rid of and aren't bothered about selling or donating, then just leave it out front with a note on saying "take me".

We live at the bottom of a cul-de-sac so no one comes past. I will put some of the items in local notice board though on Facebook. On the plus side I've made £100 so far just selling bits and pieces really cheaply.

OP posts:
Riapia · 15/04/2023 19:23

The biggest problem is deciding which is clutter and which is junk.
Clutter you find room for, junk you throw away.
Of course clutter will become junk at some point.
😁😁

Georgyporky · 15/04/2023 19:34

I had to have a very fast move a while ago. Every box was labelled with the room, & "now/soon/later". e.g. kettle=now, saucepans=soon, pastamachine=later.
6 years later, I hadn't even opened the "later" so they went straight to a charity shop !

Unsure33 · 15/04/2023 19:38

We downsized by quite a considerable amount and the house move became very stressful . We did get rid of a lot of stuff . But I wish we had done more . Still working our way through stuff now as we have much less storage space . Do what you can is my advice .

WonderingWanda · 15/04/2023 19:39

I want to sell my house but can't bring myself to declutter it enough to sell. I can imagine we'd need a out 4 removal vans with all the rubbish we have in here. I've just wasted my entire Easter holiday not doing it.

Stripedbag101 · 15/04/2023 19:45

I did a bit of decluttering before I put the house in the market but got ruthless when packing.

to pack you have to touch everything you own - I refused to move boxes of clothes form one loft to another so it all went. I confess I didn’t wash things for charity shops - just dumped it all in material recycling centres. I filled my car with rubbish every night for two weeks and went to the dump daily! Bit that crap wasn’t coming with me

fyn · 15/04/2023 19:53

I’m currently doing the same with a two year old and a five month old. It’s impossible and makes a huge mess! As a result my mum has come to stay to watch them whilst I declutter and my husband does charity shop/tip runs. We’ve got absolutely huge amounts done!

DonttouchthatLarry · 15/04/2023 20:00

We cleared MIL's loft over the Easter weekend - not only had she taken one loft full of stuff 3 hours to another house but the man she bought it off had left all his stuff in there too! (I know her solicitor should have made him move it/charged him but FIL had just had a stroke and it was stressful enough for her just packing and moving).

From his birth certificate, school books, work stuff, OU folders - I spent 2 days sorting and chucking that man's stuff out - he'd obviously not decluttered when he moved there either! Don't be like Trevor 😉

Original poster
Wowz · 15/04/2023 20:02

DonttouchthatLarry · 15/04/2023 20:00

We cleared MIL's loft over the Easter weekend - not only had she taken one loft full of stuff 3 hours to another house but the man she bought it off had left all his stuff in there too! (I know her solicitor should have made him move it/charged him but FIL had just had a stroke and it was stressful enough for her just packing and moving).

From his birth certificate, school books, work stuff, OU folders - I spent 2 days sorting and chucking that man's stuff out - he'd obviously not decluttered when he moved there either! Don't be like Trevor 😉

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 if DH tries to tell me to leave it again, I'm so going to tell him not to be a Trevor

OP posts:
Jagoda · 15/04/2023 20:03

Do you have any friends/family who enjoy decluttering? I absolutely love it and often get called in to help out.

YummyCookie · 15/04/2023 20:03

We are currently decluttering. We've ordered a skip! 2 bags on the go, one for the skip, one for the charity shop. Although at a standstill until the skip comes.

Original poster
Wowz · 15/04/2023 20:06

Friends don't live close and all work and have their own children. May have to try and rope MIL in to help, but she gives into her son too easily who's attitude to everything is that it may come in handy one day 🤨

OP posts: