Decluttering inspiration

[pollyhilly]

Ive really lost control of the stuff in my house. It’s surface level tidy but every drawer and cupboard is full of stuff. There is so much I could get rid of - clothes, toys, books, things that haven’t been used in years. But it’s so overwhelming. It’s not even the thought of getting it all out, it’s getting it out and having to decide what to keep, what to bin, what to sell and so on. It feels insurmountable because literally every room (mine, kids, kitchen, living room) is the same.

I have very little free time between work and kids as well. I watch videos on social media of people in perfect small family homes that are just super organised and only seem to be full of useful stuff. Our house is quite big but that’s not necessarily a good thing because it’s more space to fill. I’ve always struggled with this sort of thing and dream of a small cosy home where everything is kept on top of and nothing is junky.

I need some tips and motivation to get going with this. Dd is unwell and just chilling on the sofa this morning so this could be a perfect time to make a start.

My tips are:

1. Work out your space for your stuff. You have one games cupboard. ALL games go there. You have one wardrobe so ALL clothes go there. That's your space so declutter accordingly. If it doesn't fit, you make a choice about what goes.

1. Take all the stuff out of that space and repack it in line with rule 1.

1. Touch it once. Keep or don't keep. Don't get bogged down in whether it's recycling or charity until step 1 & 2 are finished. If needs be, ask a partner or friend to decide and then take it away straight away.

1. If you really aren't sure about keeping something, put it in a bin bag, tie it up and take it away from the space. If you haven't gone to get it.after a month, you probably won't need it and you probably wont remember what was in it anyway.

Remember that deciding and getting through the guilt is the hardest part so don't put yourself through the upset more than you need to by double handling. Decide and ditch it.

1. Can you replace it un under 20 minutes for under £20? Off it goes.

Sell it as it.

Eta- but clearly advise on the flaws. If someone doesn't want a repaired item then they wouldn't have wanted it anyway.

And remember that if you're doing a lot of decluttering, after a while you'll get sick of endlessly dealing woth facebook, vinted etc and you'll just want it all gone so remember that you're getting rid of it for peace of mind so just list it as is and accelerate the peace of mind.

My top tip is - if every time you see a particular item you ask yourself whether you should get rid of it, get rid of it.

This may seem obvious to most but it has taken me many years to realise it.

When getting rid of old clothes, don't forget to check the pockets. I sorted some stuff out a few weeks ago, and found £18!

Yes! The universe gave me a tenner from a bag I was donating 🥳

I found 50 euros in a purse today!