how do i get organised and get rid of the hidden clutter

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

i am at SGKats house and we are discussing our hidden cluttering way. we both hide things in cupboard and it all gets shoved in till bursting point then sorted out.

i am very envious of clutter free homes, how can i achieve this. is it possible with three children under 10. where do you put all those home work sheets etc. what about filing bills etc.

how do i stop filling my house full of crap.

what do i do about all the junk mail, and cataloguesb that come through from places like boden and john lewis.

do you all have secret basements full of crap and unfiled paperwork?

I hate it because DP is just not bothered about clutter, cleaning, ironing etc etc and I can't sleep if house in too much of a mess.

It is the major cause of our rows, mostly because DP claims not be aware of piles of things or dust or washing-up or dirty loo or... well anything, and I think that is utter rubbish!!

I've bought those vacuum storage bags and lots of different boxes, see thru plastic, wicker Ikea cardboard etc and put things in them. Now I want the shelves I've just bought assembled and I'm buggered if I'm going to do it!!

No advice as I am a hoarder, just in case is my favourite saying. Yet I love my daughter's house, it's so tidy, light and airy even though she has 3 children...how does she do it?

Obviously not got my genes!!

I have boxes everywhere (under beds, on top of wardrobes etc) with stuff in them, but I really hate them.. I must start decluttering again tomorrow

Junk mail you scribble out your address and write 'not at this address' on, bung it back in the post box. The sender never checks anything to see if you ARE actually at that address, and is charged by the post office for each one that is sent back. So the sender takes you off his mailing list. It must have taken us about 12 months of doing this but we get very little junk mail now.
I am expert de-clutterer, 4 of us in 2 bed house, both me and dp self employed so lots of papers and files, fax machine etc but we FORCE ourselves to keep it all organised! The minute the younger boy has grown out of/finished with anything it is sold or given away. We use the council toy library for bigger toys that I then take back when they get bored!
Sometimes if I am a bit depressed I go round the house with a bin liner and chuck stuff out. Very theraputic.
The only way you can be clutter free is to chuck out all the clutter and organise the things you need to keep.
No I am not obsessively tidy our house is def lived in but not cluttered.

Sparkly do you have a loft?
Ours is filthy and dusty with a tiny access over the stairs. But I force myself up there twice a year, store out of season or too big clothes for my boys, things we're saving from biggun to littlun, toys we've been given but are too old for them yet. I also just put bags up labelled 'ebay spring 08' ha ha.
We also have stuff up there thats too fragile to have around while boys young and destructive!
Boxes are clearly labelled with A4 sheets on all sides and top, and clothes are in clear plastic sacks again with labels ie 'Winter clothes age 4/5'.
This way I just go up for a couple of hours twice a year to get stuff down to use for the next few months and put stuff up that we won't need for a while or that it isn't the right season to sell.
Now after all this typing you are going to say 'no I don't have a loft'

we have a loft, but its full!! Its got a large board near the entrance which the HA done and its got boxes of paperwork, xmas tree and decorations etc, and some baby bits. Must get DH to board the whole lot

Sounds like you need a good de-clutter then!

Only put things up in the loft that you KNOW you will either sell or be needing later on. Sadly I have found there is no room for sentiment in my quest for a clutter free (well ok clutter reduced) home or I'd have kept everything my boys ever touched or wore!

FJ - that's a good one. I normally shred junk mail but being off their list in the first place would be even better.

.

Yes it works on the credit card companies.
However don't do it if anyone that you do actually trade with sends junk mail regarding their other departments etc as it can cock up their records for you.
For example RAC sending junk about insurance you don't want, the kids building society sending junk about insurance or other products. In these cases you ring them up and ask them to only contact you regarding the business that you choose to have with them. I had to call into the building society and sign a form but the junk from them has stopped.

sgk - god tactic having your meter outside

We moved in July and got rid of so much stuff, unfortunately it seems to have made its way back to us...

Well I read some of Don Aslett last night - very forthright American decluttering expert (or 'de-junking' as he puts it) and today I grubbed out the toot starting to accumulate in my car and dumped it on the way into work. It works, it works.

SGC, write to channel 4 and ask if they want to do a 'Life Laundry' xmas special!

I used to love that programme... the crusher was fab.

Flibbertyjibbet you are a woman after my own heart. I swear I feel 2 stone lighter after a good declutter.

Scuse me I am flibbertybatsgiblets now for the rest of this month
But you can calle flib

Or for this thread could be
Flibberdeclutterjibbet

Sorry Flib, you changed half way through!

Hmm. I find being in Ikea makes me want to buy boxes to file the clutter in.

Achieving the "Ikea Catalogue" look in my house is a pipe-dream, I fear.

Twelveyeargap, I'm orf to Ikea tonight. I can feel the 2 kilo bag of tealights beckoning from here......

I'm more a "large packet of drawer organisers" person myself.

I found hanging drop in files are the easiest for lazy sods like me, I have a file thing in my drawer unit under the desk easy to drop each statement into the right section, easier than ring bindres and all that.

I ahve a pile under the monitor of importnat stuff to do and importnat leaflets etc, but fills up with poo.

In kitchen I have bulldog clips on the wall for school stuff and kids clubs letters, gets written on the calender then clipped up if I need to keep for details, in date order so I can see what is coming up next.

I am working my way around the house and tackling each mound as I come to it, being ruthless and solving problems finding it a proper place rather than creating another pile or stash. Slow progress, but boy am I in the right mood, bedroom looking great apart from exH's mound, but it will be gone soon.

LOL that is the theory, it never quite works like that I am afraid. I suppose my paperwork is under control though, its all the other stuff that is engulfing me.

I am having a major clear out though as the trick is to get rid of the clutter not try and organise it.

I talk a good game though .

I think sometimes, that it might be a losing battle. I'm quite good about getting rid of stuff - probably because I've moved house so many times.

DH, on the other hand, is a hoarder. He has even gone so far as to insist on checking the bags I had packed for the charity shop and was hugely unimpressed to discover some old shirts and t-shirts of his. I might add that these were items I hadn't seen him wear the entire time I'd known him.

i sorted out the big cupboard today, we can now open it without fearing we will get covered in crap as it falls out lol

I am still working on the unhidden clutter before I even think about the hidden stuff.

Managed to find somewhere to hide away the ironing and ironing board though. I will do it eventually but at least its not sitting taunting me while I watch TV.

So living room lokking better but my triumph is my bedroom, it is looking 100% better, final toauches once exH moved his pile of poo. Kitchen has had a bit of a tidy up too, but does need a clear out.

Does feel good once its done .