Decluttering tips!

[MadamMooMoo]

Any good ones? Seem to never keep on top.

Me neither. The amount of Crap Baskets I have around the house is ridiculous. I'd be great if I lived on my own but the kids and DH make it bloody impossible. You should see the place at the weekend when he's there the whole time.
That Marie Kondo book seems good but I haven't tried it because of the clutterbugs that live in my house.

I am starting to buy nice looking storage items like sets of vintage suitcases, but that's just clutter to hold clutter really.

I just put similar things in boxes, so all bits of paper and unopened post go in a box, sticky tape in another etc.

If it doesn't fit in a box or I don't know what it is or can be used for it goes in the bin.

Need to go shopping for pretty storage. Taken lots of overtime so can afford it.

I recently decided to have a mega sort out, and have been fairly ruthless with it so far. I have made sure everything has a home, bought new storage units etc (only Argos or idea cheapish ones) in order to make sure that everything has somewhere to go. Happy that we have enough storage for an adequate amount of things (eg shoe cupboard unit will hold an appropriate amount of shoes then it is allowed to be full but not overloaded and any old items need to be thrown away if we want/get some more. Throughout the week anything that comes in to the house (kids artwork, post, leaflets etc) is either thrown away if not wanted/needed or found a home, if there is no room then something else has to go. Sure, the house still gets messy but it takes next to no time to put everything away as it all has somewhere to go X

You need to read the life changing magic of tidying bu marie kondo. Honestly.

I've just ordered Marie Kondo!
It is the kids artwork and stuff isn't it, it gets everywhere. And I lived in a tiny house where the front door opened into the lounge and for years I desperately wanted a hallway and now I have one, the hallway bench thing is just filled with bloody takeaway menus and stuff the kids and bloody DH shove there. Flat Surface-it is. If it's a clear flat surface it needs junk on it apparently.

Don't buy more storage! Not yet anyway. You need to get rid of stuff first, and then look at what storage you need. More storage = more stuff.

I have been decluttering for a month or so. I aim to do ten minutes twice a day and it's amazing what progress I have made in that time. Still a long way to go, but it's making me feel good see if stuff disappear.

I read Kondo and have taken some ideas on board, but I didn't get on with doing it in categories. Instead, I do a room at a time.

Decluttering is daunting, so my advice is to start somewhere, and aim to do little and often. It's amazing how it all adds up and before you know it, you can see space and order.

buying pretty storage is not declutttering. It is just storing clutter in prettier containers. I would start small, maybe collect up every soft toy and make a game of it. Which 6 - 10 toys do you love the best. When they are not looking take the rest to a charity shop,

He book is great for Marie Kondo because she lives alone. For a family you need to start small and be prepared for it to take about a year. I also recommend that you read the Kondo threads on here. The practical advice from people with real families is invaluable.

Thanks for the advice. No buying storage until sorted out clutter :) and will look at Kondo

Kondo is all about deciding what you want to keep, rather than what you want to throw away. Also storing things so that you can see everything. This was a revelation to me. Also, there is no point owning something, if you don't know where it is and can easily access it when needed.

Agree... Don't but storage. Get it a pound shop and buy garden rubble sacks as they are so strong. Preferably two colours. One for bin, one for donating

If you drive, stick the filled sacks straight into the boot!

I cleared out about 20 black bags three years ago. Things starting to creep in but I am on top of them again.

I cannot recommend the kondo method enough and I'm only one day into it! I'm generally a tidy person (preschool twins and DH permitting ) and blessed with a house with a lot of storage but the problem is that all my clutter is hidden and the amount of crap baskets/drawers/cupboards is growing!!!! If it was up to me my solution to everything is to pop into ikea or Argos for yet another nice storage system for me to fill it with more crap. Looks good but I don't even know what's in it!!!

I went to a talk on decluttering at our local WI on Monday, I ordered the Kondo book (illustrated guide so I see how to fold stuff) and as soon as it arrived on Friday I started as soon as I dropped off the kids at nursery.

I don't work on Fridays so it's going to be the only day I'm going to get things done - when everyone is out of the house for a handful of hours.

The categories she suggests make a lot of sense to me. My problem used to be that doing room by room I could just hide the 'miscellaneous' when I got bored or didn't know what to do. With the kondo method you cannot get away with it.

I have decided that I am just going to do my stuff and that with is general to everyone. I started with clothes and, for the first time ever every it of clothing I owned was on my bed - coats, shoes, dresses, tights, socks - the lot. It made me realise how much I have and how little I wear it

Nothing went back in drawers unless I knew I really liked it and I would wear it. I got rid of two very large carrier bags of stuff. I folded tops, jumpers and tshirts how she suggests so you can see every at a glance and, just to prove it works, today I'm wearing a tshirt and zip top I virtually forgotten about.

Because you do one catergory at a time you have to put everything back where it came from. It does mean that all other crap hanging around the wardrobe is still there but now in carrier bags at the bottom for sorting when I get to that catergory.

In the kondo method you don't look at storage until the very end so you only organise what you want and need and not all the other stuff.

Sorry for the long post, I have become a bit of an evangelist about it!!!

Ooohhh...how are you getting on Cornwall73 I have read the book but yet to get started. Feel a little overwhelmed by it all!!

If you look up 200 categories for decluttering it gives you a good place to start. It is overwhelming to try to follow her method right at the beginning because you have to do it around family and limited space. By using the 200 method you can just choose 1 category at a time and then follow the book once you have made space.

It's called JershandDupp KonMari declutter list.

stop all subscriptions to magazines, catalogues etc. Go paperless for everything.

stop all adult presents, or insist 'only something that disappears' - food, drink, flowers.

get rid of outgrown kid stuff. If you are sentimental about it, photograph it first. Same with kid artwork - display for two weeks then photo (if you can be bothered) and bin.

don't buy books (even decluttering books). Use libraries.

stop buying adult clothes unless you run out of something, e.g. knickers. Get rid of all scruffy/doesn't fit/no occasion. You need work clothes, one dark outfit for funerals, a couple of going out outfits, one scruffy decorating/gardening set, clothing for any hobbies, comfy round the house stuff. No more.

I think I have done about 98% of my clothes, just underwear and scarves which I have stuffed at the back of the downstairs cupboard to sort out. It's a revelation to open drawers and see everything you own at a glance!

I know the kondo method is overwhelming but starting with clothes has really given me confidence to carry on to the other catergory especially!