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Original poster

Your biggest decluttering tip

52 replies

1AngelicFruitCake · 19/08/2016 21:03

What's your biggest decluttering tip that helped you actually do something about the clutter?
(If possible try to avoid 'Just do it' and 'Hire a skip'!)

OP posts:
barefootbird · 22/08/2016 15:45

My biggest thing was to stop keeping stuff out of guilt, I had the mother of all clear outs after I cracked that!

Unwanted gifts went, kitchen equipment that I hated but felt that I should keep because it had been expensive at the time, clothes that were perfectly functional but made me feel dour, toys that DH's grandmother had kept for decades in her garage and then presented to us for our DC's, furniture that had been a bargain...

The other thing with furniture/big items was that I would take whatever it wasas that I was undecided about out of the room and see what it was like once the item had gone.

Trills · 22/08/2016 15:48

Don't have children.

They encourage you to acquire stuff.

And then other people give you more stuff.

And then they moan when you get rid of the stuff, even when they haven't used it for years.

Sosidges · 22/08/2016 15:58

That is very true trills. 10 years ago we were thinking about selling our house. The wailing from the kids was unbelievable. The had not lived at home for 15 years.

plutoisnotaplanet · 22/08/2016 16:00

It's daft but stick postit notes on things you're wondering whether to throw out. If the postit note is still there in 6 months because the item hasn't been touched, bin. Works well for -Dp's-- kids toys.Also works well for clothes!

Similarly, tie shoelaces together of shoes or clip them together with a peg. If the laces are still tied or the pegs untouched 6 months down the line, bin the shoes!

sleepyhead · 22/08/2016 16:05

Once you've decided to get rid of something, get it out of the house as quickly as possible.

The number of times I've found bags of clothes that I've weeded pushed the the back of a cupboard because I didn't get round to going to the clothes bank/charity shop is embarrassing Blush.

TheBitterBoy · 22/08/2016 16:15

One tip that really helped me with kitchen clutter is 'no gadgets that only do one thing'. This meant I cleared a whole drawer of cherry stoners, Apple corers, egg slicers, garlic crushers. It's amazing how many of these fiddly to wash and store items can be replaced by a decent sharp knife.

HerdsOfWilderbeest · 22/08/2016 16:34

Oh, and you can empty the whole dishwasher and fill it up again in an advert break!

SunshineHQ · 24/09/2017 12:50

I laughed at the buying a certain set of china with DS every Saturday story ....... ALTHOUGH could you ask your friend to keep an eye out for some Wedgewood Midnight dinner plates for me - desperately need a couple more due to breakages, and can’t find them anywhere.

It also reminds me of my younger sister who aged 8-13 was determined to collect all the free ‘garage coupon’ mugs, for when she was grown up and married. She ended up with a whole drawer of the stuff, and we were only allowed to buy petrol from certain petrol stations.

Rosehips · 24/09/2017 13:20

With the guilt of getting rid of things I always tell myself 'the waste has already happened'. E.g. getting rid of the jumper my mum bought that doesn't suit me or the bag of toys my SIL gave me that the kids aren't into. The wastefulness occurred when I was bought an ugly jumper or a bag of secondhand toys was foisted on me.

ourkidmolly · 24/09/2017 13:26

lmao at that mother collecting wedding china for her preteen son. That's a cracker. Gotta be one of the funniest things I've read on her.

BBTHREE76 · 24/09/2017 17:24

My biggest tip is - have somewhere to throw it / take it straight away. I used to use "the bins full" "the bin men aren't due for a week" as excuses not to declutter. Now when I declutter and sort, I take rubbish bags straight to the local tip (which keeps my normal bin empty for usual day to day rubbish rather than the big scale decluttering). I also take anything meant the charity shop straight to the charity shop. If it's after the charity shop opening hours I leave the charity bag in the hall in front of the front door - so I have to take it the next morning as it's in the way. I have to make myself do this or I will procrastinate.

JustTheWayYouAre · 24/09/2017 17:34

I am inclined to think there is no point owning something if you don't immediately know where it is. And can easily acces it. A place for everything and everything in its place.

Does it spark joy? Grin

Also turn all your hanger round and put them the right way on things you have worn recently so it becomes apparent what you don't wear.

JudgeRulesNutterButter · 24/09/2017 19:56

If you can't decide whether to keep something, the choice you are making is not "keep it or get rid", it's "have the thing or have the space". It helps me to see it in those terms, like the space itself is a possession that I'm choosing.

Not explained that very well but hopefully you get my meaning!

formerbabe · 24/09/2017 19:59

I go round regularly with a bin bag and chuck stuff out. Clothes that don't fit or are past their best, broken toys, random magazines lying about etc. Unless stuff is really valuable or brand new/mint condition don't kid yourself that you'll pass it onto someone or sell it.

Heratnumber7 · 24/09/2017 20:11

If you can't remember the last time you used it, or wore it, you don't need it.

another20 · 24/09/2017 22:32

For decluttering clothes/towels/linen etc I put a black bin liner in a tall laundry bin and then fill it and scoop it out when full -- it so so much easier than filling a floppy bin liner.

Downtheroadfirstonleft · 25/09/2017 20:45

Kondo.
When you start to keep only the things you love, you're on the home straight.

dudsville · 25/09/2017 20:51

With clothes I change wardrobe over twice a year spring/summer and autumn/winter. At each change I get rid of current season things and new season things.

And with things that I clear out from that and the rest of the house, I keep a bag for charity items and wait for a local pick up. The rest goes into recycling and the bin. I don't let things sit around.

Vacuuming only takes a few minutes. Dusting only takes a few minutes. I tidy the kitchen before bed and set the coffee maker timer and the dishwasher going and clean the surfaces - only takes a few minutes. I'm in the habit of not just putting things down somewhere but putting them away straightaway, keys on a hook, bag in its place, coats on the hooks, clothes in the basket on hung up, towels hung up, dishes in the kitchen, etc., those little things mean tidying is easy.

butterfly56 · 25/09/2017 21:42

Turn all the coat hangers in your wardrobe so the face the opposite way.
when you wear a garment turn the coat hanger around and the ones that remain the opposite way round at the end of the year the garment gets sent to the charity shop.

skincarejunkie · 25/09/2017 21:51

Dudsville, you're my idol...starting now...

Kion · 25/09/2017 23:21

Similar vein to judge rules.
I tend to think of my home space availability as 100% and each item takes up x% of the space. And the aim is to keep the space usage value as low as possible. It’s quite effective especially for bulky items.

It might sound a bit weird actually and too analytical but I like my numbers me! 🤓

DaisyRenton18 · 26/09/2017 07:03

Completely agree with the idea of choosing space or item, rather than whether to get rid of the item.
I also tried something over summer which won't work for every category, but worked well for me on little things like make-up etc. I wrote down everything I had that I used/liked/wanted to keep. Then I got everything out of my make-up drawers, and all the things on the list went straight back in to the drawers because it was obviously either in regular use or I really liked it. Everything else... Well, as I couldn't even remember I had it, it was easier then to just get rid (admittedly I think there was one exception, but 99% of stuff I realized I clearly didn't care or even know about it).

another20 · 26/09/2017 14:31

During my great decluttering phase right now - I am counting the cost of all the baskets, cupboards, shelves etc that I bought to house this shit!!

I now have loads of empty storage items -- I was looking where to keep them then I realised that they have to go as well.

I am loving the ability to dust and clean sooooooo quickly now I dont have to move / tidy / sort all the clutter first! Who knew life could be this easy and light.

As well as the space decision - I also look on it as burden, load, responsibility - I am shipping it all out.

I have a skip!!!

pollywollydoodle · 26/09/2017 14:49

Judge rules, I like that 'have the thing or have the space"

I don't allow my mum or mum in law bring things to the house unless they have discussed it with me.
Because if it gets in xhubby won't let it out without a fiight

Septemberhasbeenmiserable · 27/09/2017 15:37

I am am hoarder. Clothes, shoes, boots, belts and bags mainly. I like keeping photos and leaflets from place I've been to too.

I am currently dealing with sorting my clothes and crating a bag of clothes to go to charity as they have not been worn in about 2 years. My size has not changed for about last 20 years so I do not need to get rid of clothes because they no longer fit. It's not easy letting go of clothes bec I think 'I might need that in the future.'