@WellTidy thanks a lot for the link! 🙏 I need to get something like this once I use up more items from my packaging/wrapping stash.
“My problems go deeper. Everything is in bags hanging around or cupboards or behind closed doors. We simply have masses of stuff. Too many things. The cupboards are bursting. I need to go through them all and get rid of so much and organise what is left”.
Here it used to be exactly the same. Most of my hoard used to hide inside my wardrobe, my cupboards, under the bed, under the stairs and in the loft. For years it was tucked away so well that it was actually counterproductive – not having my hoard stare at me 24/7 made it feel like I didn’t have a problem. The first lockdown and the ‘ban’ on having visitors was the time when I finally decided to reveal my deep buried secret… only to my immediate family, but I must say it was still quite an experience.
As a result, I divided my flat into sections, and assigned particular categories of items to each one. For example, one pile of boxes would be full of books and magazines, another one would have all of my films and music CDs, and they would sit in my living room. Similarly, all of my makeup and skincare backups would be stored in the boxes under the stairs where it is cold, dark and dry, and so on.
Nowadays if I come across something that is in the wrong pile/box, I try to put it immediately where it belongs. It doesn’t reduce the size of the hoard but at least helps me navigate through my flat, and find things relatively quickly.
Then, when I have time and energy, I tackle stash by stash (not room by room), and my approach is as follows:
- at first, I declutter or use up/wear out (I usually end up using up/wearing out as most of my stuff is unsuitable for donation/sale, and I really struggle to just bin my items);
- then I organise/tidy up the rest of the stash;
- then I introduce routines to keep it tidy/organised.
As for the actual rooms, so far, I’ve only deep cleaned my kitchen. It contained several stashes (food and drink stash, kitchenware stash, detergent stash, etc.) which I had either used up or organised prior to that. My kitchen cleaning routine has since been established, and it helps me maintain the achieved progress.
I also got my beauty and clothes stashes fully organised and under control but the zones where I store them are still work in progress. Other stashes and zones are patiently waiting for their turn. I am also on a replacement-only no-buy at the moment trying to use up and wear out as many of my items as possible before bringing something new in.
@Miaowse I loved your ‘decision-action’ exercise, and will do the same with my desk on Sunday!
@SingToTheSky get well soon! 