Decluttering and letting go

[MrsN022015]

How do you declutter, I need to declutter alot, but how do you let go of the emotional attachment you have for an object. I know it's really silly and I have far too much stuff but I always think what if I need it, or that might be useful for this ect

I can't speak to emotional attachment, but about letting go of the might-be-useful....

I figured if I needed to later replace 1/3 of the stuff I got rid of, I was still free of 2/3 of it. 2/3 gone seemed like a pretty good improvement.

I reckon my actual replacement rate has been

It gets easier.

One way is to put stuff you don't use in black bin bags that you date. If you haven't taken it out of the bin bag in three or six months. just give the bags to charity.

It''s the keep it in case mentality that results in clutter - I find it especially difficult if I feel I haven't had good use out of an item because it seems such a waste of money. I try to remember that someone else will appreciate it more than I do, and I'm helping a good cause.

I get you Mrs No I have the same problem especially my kids stuff. I have recently given some to two little girls I know and like a lot so it has been easier to give to someone that I thought would like it and make use of it. I am also doing the charity shop thing with a box. So far I haven’t been back in and it is nearly three months so hope to take it in a weeks time.
I am hoping the feeling of space will begin to encourage me to do more. I have also joined the Fly Lady and Decluttering a day threads on here which has helped.

Read Marie Kondo’s book.

I thought about 60% of the book was nonsense and rejected a lot of the advice but the useful bits helped me do a huge declutter in 2015 and things haven’t slipped back at all. It genuinely felt like a weight had been lifted.

I am the most sentimental person ever and I really really struggle to let go of things, had to sit on the bed and give myself a talking to when I wanted to keep my little boys pants he's grown out of??? I just can't bear getting rid!
My parents are the same And still have all our baby clothes etc (which is great for me as I now have a wicked collection of vintage stuff for my daughter)
But their house is like something off a hoarders programme and I am determined not to end up like that!!!

We moved house a year ago and I was determined to streamline everything and get rid of loads
I didn't!
Bigger house which we have somehow managed to fill 😭

But I am going to start, one room at a time as I can't live like this anymore!!

We can do it! One thing a day is my new motto!

Decluttering is a doddle compared to changing your mindset.

But I do think that once you've done it and enjoyed the benefits, you're more likely to check it once clutter starts to build up again.

It can help to take photos of the object.

It can also be easier if you can get some money for it.

It can also help if you bag it up and live with the bag for a week to see if you really miss it.

The fact is, you keep your memories. I've found that where the person has died, seeing the object regularly can make you feel sadder than getting rid of it.

It gets easier - much easier - with practise.

I've also found that there's a time for everything. If you're not ready yet, don't push it, get rid of something else today and come back to it another time.

Join us here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3381702-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-5

Another tip: start small and just keep going. Clear out one drawer (or similar) and then really enjoy how lovely it looks and feels afterwards. That'll help motivate you to do more.

Stop spontaneously buying things. Give yourself a cool-down period to check you really do need that item.

When you buy something, get rid of something else. Or even 2 things.

Start small & go from there, once you start it gets easier & easier.

I moved 7 months pregnant & it made me realise that I had way too much stuff I didn’t need. I had 2 years worth of toiletries & didn’t realise & that is how long it took me to go through it all.

Nesting hormones help a lot but start small, even if it’s just one drawer it does help.

My OH is a hoarder, denies it as he doesn’t see it as bad as his parents but he is. But me decluttering helps him see not as much is needed. Although at the moment he only seems to get rid of 5 things a year.

DD... omg. How many lotions & potions does one teenager need? I try to sneak around & reduce her stockpile, but it's never ending.

Honestly, read Marie Kondo. I used to be terribly sentimental about all sorts of random stuff but that book somehow reprogrammed my brain and now I rarely struggle to get rid of anything.

I struggle to get rid of sentimental clutter, even stuff that I feel ambivalent about. I am listening to minimalism podcasts trying to get inspired!

I don't find it easy to get rid of stuff. We have a charity that works with the homeless, so some donated stuff goes straight to them and other stuff is sold. Food and toiletries goes into the foodbank and they recycle what they can. I fond it easier to give stuff to them than to throw it away.

Really good tips from everyone. I just came on to say that I get rid of things gradually so I do books one day, come back a few weeks later to those books, get rid of more etc.

It is slow for me but I've got rid of over 700 carrier bags of stuff now and I can honestly say I don't miss any of it. I am sentimental about my children's toys but sell the best ones with the money going to dc and so feel like they are getting something back. Start small op and report back and tell us how you feel.

This is the one thing I struggle with. I a, usually quite ruthless but when it comes to my ds things it’s another story.
I think I have every single birthday card and Christmas card he’s ever been given and a loft full of clothes toys etc. And every bit of schoolwork he’s ever done.
I don’t have the answer but some of the ideas on here are good

I am currently helping a friend sort out his home, and this is such a useful and informative thread - thanks to the OP and PPs.

@SandAndSea totally agree with taking photos, if someone feels sentimental about absolutely everything, set them the task of taking a photo of everything separately, after awhile patience will wear out with this and they will skip over a lot of things

So if using a 10-megapixel camera with an 8gb card (very easy to store) it will hold approx 2900 photos. That's a heck of a lot of items and the person will want to get rid of stuff faster than that if they want to declutter

@EatingTheElephantInChunks I'm in total awe of the way you are helping your friend - fangirls

I used to declutter by filling the loft with bits that had cost me a lot of money and I had plans to boot sale. Or I would insist that I would sell it on FB but then get annoyed with all the time wasters and take it off.

At first (at my husbands insistence that the lost was going to cave in) I took a bulk of things to my local charity shop that supports a cause close to my heart. They gave us a card that allows them to get the additional 25% also each time we donate.

I stopped my usual DD donation and now donate via the charity shop. I am currently doing a Christmas purge and have given them boxed toys that have been untouched since last Christmas, furniture, etc.

The shop has probably been able to make at least £1000 this year from my donated goods which is far more than I ever donated in cash.

I am now slightly addicted to decluttering