I have been lurking on this thread. I feel very inspired by how posters are clearing out their houses and I want to join in. Certainly look enough to tackle my spare room aka the dumping ground. !
Over the last few months I have thrown a lot of children's clothes but honestly, stuffed a lot in the attic too and I worry that I kept far more than I should of. I am going to get DH to drag it down next weekend and this time anything I don't completely love and is in excellent condition will be thrown.
I did the kitchen cupboards two months ago and threw a lot of glass, plastic things I didn't use and whilst it was hard...I didn't miss a thing so I chucked the right stuff. Which is a big concern for me, that if I chuck something I will miss it and can't replace it :(
The living room is meh, OK. Covered in toys. Some clean clutter on surfaces and one massive box of paperbox I need to deal with. I like the suggestion to photograph the bills and the paper can be binned. I also decluttered the hall and cupboards recently so that area is OK. Just one cuboard to attack in the bathroom.
The kids room is lovely, clean and tidy. But I work on that regularly I want to get all rooms in the house like that one.
Our room is clean clothes central, I need to throw out all the too small/too large clothes and just keep the half a dozen items which fit me and worry about what size I will be in the future in the future. So our bedroom will be a future task. Loads of stuff under the bed. But organised and neatly packed in suitcases etc. So won't too long once I get around to it. I hope.
But oh lordy, the spare room is going to be a challenge.
- It has a double bed which DH sometimes uses, so made up with sheets etc
- Two small beds (got a new bunkbed at the weekend) with mattresses, just stacked on others things.
- Three 8 foot high bookshelves, crammed with many many books, including 50 teenage annuals
- Deflated water pool (from three failed home birth attempts) and all other stuff, pump etc.
- A massive solid oak coffee table with mechanism to allow the top to lift and lock at a proper eating height. Used in our last house as we had no dining room.
- Air purifier unit
- 4 massive crates of craft stuff and various loose stuff which need rationalizing
- Nursing chair and stool
- Two stair gates and extension panels
10. A full size running machine.
11. Loads of computer bits aka DH's treasure and DIY bits screws, hammers
12. 5 bags of clothes some of which were meant to be in the attic and most of got pushed out of the way.
13. I assume some rubbish, not much mind just odd bit of paper so far.
After reading this thread this morning. I bravely started clearing out. I can now get 3 metres into the room and I am fairly sure what I can get rid of. So I need to keep chipping away at it.
I aim to move DD1 and DS and maybe DD2 in a few months into this room so it needs dealing with.
I am going to move 1. into box room where the children sleep atm. Sell 2, 5, 6,10. 4 we'll keep as a paddling pool for summer. 8 going to DSis. 9's need putting up again for DD2. 12 needs sorting with stuff in attic and 99% needs throwing.
As for 3. I am also going to try and sell my collection of annuals and some of my beloved books but now I have a kindle I don't read the paper books anymore, there is no need to keep them. I am just don't know if I will EVER be ready to get rid of my books.
Craft stuff (7) I have decided to give myself the small white children's wardrobe (they have a new one coming) and I going to limit myself to keeping what fits into it.
Like pp mentioned I have a lot of memory stuff, things I want to keep but I'll get my mother around to help me chuck that stuff. She lives in a perfectly minimal home and is excellent at getting rid of things.
Off to look up how to sell things on ebay. :)