I'm a hoarder

[chicken75]

Hi folks.
I have a confession to make. I need help with my home organisation. I'm hoping to get as many tips as possible from you lovely lot.
I work fulltime, have children and a very small house with too much stuff.
What are your daily routines? I leave the house at 6.30am and get home at 5 so really need to do as much as possible at weekends.
I just don't know where to start, the house is a nightmare.
I need to declutter, organise and sort my shit out!

Hey Chicken. Get the Marie Kondo book. I did this 2 years ago and it was utterly transforming. I live a clutter free life and my thinking is so clear on what little I need to buy. It's so easy to keep on top of housework and cleaning now too.

I’ll follow if that’s ok. I’m not a hoarder as such but I don’t prioritise decluttering and therefore things are bursting at the seams in our small house.

Ooh great I shall go and check Amazon for that book now, thanks!
We're bursting here definately. In my case it's caused by years of depression (thankfully I seem to be well now) and an anxiety that I'll get rid of something that really is important.
I tried the Fly lady way but couldn't even do the dailies properly. I just get overwhelmed I think.
Small steps.

We definitely have too much stuff. I get overwhelmed with the amount so just freeze in indecision. It's hard.

Start in a room on the top floor. Bathroom first

Get rid of all the half open bottle of crap and clean the bathroom

Your bedroom. If you haven’t worn it in 12 months you won’t. Bag it and take it to cash for clothes.

Kids any toys that are broken bin any toys that are too young loft or charity shop.

Stairs put coats and shoes away anything that doesn’t fit chuck.

Sitting room. If it’s not a sofa a rug or a tv get it out of there

Kitchen. If you can’t eat it cook on it eat from it or use it for cleaning it doesn’t live there.

Depending on how much stuff you have you might want to do one room per
Week

My top tip is to regularly fill bags for the charity shop (eg clothes that the kids have grown out of) and this next bit is crucial, get them out of the house immediately. Even if it is just to the boot of the car. If you fill a plastic bag and leave it in the hallway, eventually you will walk past it and think 'I wonder what's in there, I can't remember' and next thing it will be emptied out and you'll be back where you started.

I am a ruthless declutterer and I have never ever needed, or even wanted, something that I have got rid of.

The next step is to try to stop bringing more stuff into the house.

I'm not a hoarder as such but do tend to keep things just in case.
I've found that some decluttering schemes and books too ruthless for me to actually follow, so it doesn't get done.

So i've bastardised my own attempt which is like decluttering for dummies with as little stress as possible.

1. Start small. My first declutter/sort was inspired by the lovely ladies on the style and beauty boards who were discussing using up all their bathroom stockpiles. I took everythinf toiletry related and put it on a shelf like a supermarket. No buying until that category section was gone.
2. Jewellery and accessories. I got a really useful box and all scarves go in that box. If the box is too full then something has to go. Same for jewellery but with little drawer dividers for my dresser drawer.
3. Magazines. If it's not a current months issue, it went to the tip. Now I tend to only have 3 month piles but I'm getting there.
4. Clothes. Make a board on pinterest of outfits you like, styles you wear, capsule wardrobes etc. even if you're like me and will never be capsule properly Then tip each part of your clothing storage out in time. Do the items fit your current style? Do they fit well? Are you only hanging on to them because it'll do for a day when there is nothing to wear? Send to the charity shop so someone else can actually have some benefit.
5. Clear your cupboards in the kitchen and remove any back of cupboard can lurkers.
6. Crockery. If it's chipped, tip it. If you don't use it then charity shop it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm nowhere close to being a house goddess but hopefully I'm a 'work in progress' enough that my baby steps might be helpful.

Or you could go on holiday and ask my mum to feed your cat. Her best friend did this once and she cleaned their house from top to bottom did all their washing and ironing and when the youngest son came home he thought they had moved

Hi OP. I did the Kon Marie method even though it didn't make sense. I used to do room by room but did he 'category' method which unlocked my whole house. For example I had stationery all over the house. Chucked loads. Everything now in one drawer and has saved me loads of time and space. Go for it!

Don't get the book. Borrow it. You may need to borrow it again.

Definitely group things together. You can start with Toiletries, say then narrow it down to each type; cleaning stuff then split that into each type; stationery - then pens, notepads etc. I think she starts with clothes.

You'll find you have duplicates. You look at each one, decide if it gives you any joy - if it doesn't ditch it (say thank you as you do).

It's a bit extreme but it does work.

I know how you feel. My house was pretty cluttered (i go through phases of extreme bargain hunting and shopping) ive got better in the last year.

I think before u declutter you need to stop the flow of crap coming in. For me carboots and charity shops are weaknesses. I dont take my card and no more cash on school run so not tempted to pop into shops. School paperwork read/recycled as soon as it comes in, same with junk mail/letters.

Sort bathroom/kitchen and use all supplies. Dont buy more until all the random shampoos/tins have been used up. Meal plan and buy as required.

In bedrooms throw out all the holey/mismatched or scruffy clothes. I had a sack of odd socks after a year or more the other isnt just going to turn up.... sell on or charity shop clothes you/children wont wear eg dds had at least 8 party dresses each they didnt need that many so passed on a few.

Dvds/cds go through and if u dont watch or want anymore scan them on music magpie/ziffit. They even collect i think.

In terms of cleaning i do the basics everyday - 1 wash load hung up and put away, clean kitchen, wash up, sweep downstairs, wipe around bathroom, put away things after using (shoes on rack, remotes away etc girls encouraged to do same). Then on weekends hoover upstairs, deep clean bathroom/kitchen, dust/polish, hoover sofa.

Fantastic ideas thanks very much.
I have a friend who has the book so will borrow instead (I definately don't need to buy anything else).
I'm going to try and be ruthless just to get a lot done quickly. I used to be so tidy but over the years things just got put aside and it all built up.
I've taken the tree down early and the decorations are all packed up and away.
I've also found one of my many unused fancy notebooks and I going to use it as a declutter/daily list of things to do.
The plan is to write a list of everything to be done that day and extras. Everyone in the house have agreed (for now) to check the list and work with me to get it all ticked off.
My daughter was brilliant yesterday and loved ticking and writing our names on each task

Watching with interest, I am a terrible hoarder and really struggle get rid of stuff. I think I get emotionally attached to it all and just can't bear to throw things away. Then I wake up in the middle of the night panicking that I've got rid of something and I shouldn't have done. It stems from DM but I'm not sure why or how - i think she used to still does make me feel guilty for throwing stuff out, especially if it's something she bought or gave me. Also when she doesn't want to throw stuff away she passes it to me and then I feel I have to keep it. Aargh.

It doesn't help that DH is the opposite end of the scale and will throw absolutely anything and everything away which makes me very on edge. He will buy something and then decide he doesn't like it so will throw it away, even if it's brand new. We don't have the money to do that so it makes me panic and causes a lot of arguments.

But 2018 is the year I get my shit together! I am getting slightly better and have been selling stuff online with pretty good results. I think it will take a whole year to de-clutter, if not more as I will have to do it really slowly.

Can I join you please?! I am definitely a bit of a hoarder and I understand the reasons why. It's only relatively recently that I've accepted this about myself.

My dp gets so frustrated and threw away loads and loads of stuff when I was out yesterday- I'm quite anxious as to what he threw away think I need to get in there myself and tackle it before he goes mad and bins everything.

Brutus my DH does stuff like that and I get really panicky. I have been known to check the bin before and take out what I want to keep. DH sort of realises I have a problem but isn't very sympathetic or accommodating so I feel like it makes it harder to deal with.

I am starting today with DS2's wardrobe. Hoping to make enough space to tidy away some of his toys. I think I'll be exhausted and it'll probably take me all day but I really want to get it done. It's not a very big wardrobe either will report back later!

Welcome both of you!
I've just got back from the gym and have decided to declutter the bathroom whilst I have a shower. Those old/empty/unused bottles etc are going to get it!

A good start chicken and thanks for the welcome!

I like the idea of going through the toiletries etc and not buying any more until those I have in are used up. I started with shower gel this morning - DH can have the one we got in the shopping and I will start making my way though the millions of bottles of stuff people have bought me!

Well I didn't get much done yesterday but today I:

• sorted out DS2's wardrobe and made a bit more space

• sorted out the Christmas bags and they now have a home out of the way

• got rid of DS2's cot mobile which doesn't work any more but which has been sitting on the chair in his room for months

• listed some stuff on a local FB selling site and have sold some of it already!

Feeling very serene and uncluttered for now!

Back to work tomorrow (meh) but in the evening planning to list some more stuff on FB to sell. Day 1 of the new year and it's going well so far how's everyone else getting on?

Ooh, can I join please? Started a thread with similar issues, (Desperate Hoarder...) and getting loads of helpful tips on there too.

I'm a hoarder, DH minimalist. It stresses us both out, and now 1of our dear terriers has incontinence issues its become unbearable dealing with that on top of a lifetime of clutter.

Can definitely recommend small, concentrated bursts, and noting everything you've done in case you feel discouraged.

Committed to at least 2 things leaving the house each day, even on the worst days should be able to manage that (I hope)

Welcome buffy!

I've just had a peek at your other thread and will post on it later, but am definitely going to adopt the getting rid of at least two things a day approach! I've just got rid of a pair of contacts lenses which are almost 4 years past their expiry date and a handbag sized pack of moist (bleurgh!) toilet tissue which had completely dried out and which I don't use any way.

Have sold a couple of car seat bases on FB and they should be collected in an hour or so that'll be £40 into our holiday fund too.

Main job for tonight is to list some baby clothes on FB - I've already taken the photos months ago and sorted the first two bundles, just need to list them.

I feel like it's baby steps but much more manageable this way, so feeling positive about the year ahead!

If you are making a start at decluttering, the Flylady “27 thing fling” is good.

You basically throw out 27 things a day. Less, and you won’t make much of a difference, and makes it too onerous.

Get rid of 27 things that are broken, damaged, useless, unloved.

I haven’t looked at flylady for a while, but I think you are supposed to set an alarm for this task, so that you don’t get bogged down with memories. You get on with it in 30 minutes or whatever.

My dp has done a brilliant job of tidying away Christmas (can't help but be impressed!) and him doing stuff does inspire me to, therefore I have cleared out a bag of old pens and other random clutter from my study! Woop!

Good progress, Millie! 😊

Well done Brutus! We have Christmas up in our house until 6th January so we'll be taking stuff down at the weekend and putting it away. I might try to get rid of some of the old sets of lights we don't use.

Fffion 27 things a DAY that seems overwhelming to me!

Thanks Milliemoodle,

I've tried setting bigger targets, but always fail and discourage myself.

2 things seems so reasonable that its encouraging me to do more, if you see what I mean

Well done today btw , wish I had the discipline to sell stuff on!