Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Help, tell me to start de-cluttering. I have black bags, I have a cloth skip

134 replies

NearlyAHoarder · 31/12/2021 11:47

I can't face it. I've been watching videos about hoarders all morning and I need to tackle this. The floor all around my wardrobe is just covered up with boxes and bags and other things that won't fit in the wardrobe. I'm a single parent, work ft, I would like to have this tackled before I go back to work or it will hang over me for another year getting worse.

My kitchen is tidy. But for some reason my room is a mess. Part of the problem is that there's not enough space for my things. But then, some people would manage to fit a man and his stuff in to a room this big Confused and have it be tidy??!!!!
It's such a big job. I don't dislike any of my clothes. I do have more than I need though. I feel a bit cross that my house is so small and I'm forced in to the position of having to throw out things that other people with a bigger house and bedroom could keep.
My friend told me to do 90 minutes everyday for 3 days, starting today, and then when I go in to tackle it on 3rd Jan, it'll be a less daunting task.
I'm sorry if it seems like this is a pointless thread. I just have tried all my usual methods of motivation and I'm still in bed thinking about it.
Right, I need to get dressed so that I can run in and out to the skip.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
NearlyAHoarder · 03/01/2022 14:44

@BertieBotts

Listen to a podcast called A Slob Comes Clean while you declutter. That's a great one. I like her revelations about only keeping the amount of stuff you can handle.
I will listen to that. I need to stay on course. I felt so delighted with myself for half an hour but the rest of the house is just looming now.

But I will do it.

Maybe no more today though. Need to keep on an even keel. Was acting like a right bitch earlier.

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 03/01/2022 14:54

💐 This is emotional and distressing to do or you wouldn't be in this situation at all. Hope you can be kind to yourself and reflect on the nice spaces you now have instead of the looming bits.

I've tried to attach before and after pics of my spice drawer/shelf today. Since then I've done the whole pull out larder (only 3 shelves but still a disaster area). I made a very spicy chilli because I could find all the spices!

Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
Jaffapaffa · 03/01/2022 14:54

Sociology books - I took a lot of Open University textbooks to the charity shop just before Christmas.
The only ones that were accepted were the starting Spanish ones.
All the others were rejected, even though they originally cost £100s.
Reason given? - they're out of date now, and no one will be interested in them. Anyone starting a new course will want up to date materials.

So yes, painful as it is, bin the sociology books.

And no, I don't miss them at all!

NearlyAHoarder · 03/01/2022 14:57

Love the before and after spice drawer pictures!

I'm not ready to put the sociology books in a skip quiiiite yet. But I may be able to do that when the rest of the house is perfect.

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 03/01/2022 15:02

Just for the hell of it... before and after dried goods. From argh to ahhhhh

Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
Nanny2many · 03/01/2022 15:03

Feeling snappy with your kids is understandable….. you are uncovering and trriggering your dysfunctional habits.

Your daughter quite likely is responding in a similar way to your ingrained response to jobs in her procrastination with the tree. No wonder it’s annoying you!
I’m very impressed with your work.

And please throw the sociology books!

runningfromtheoutlaws · 03/01/2022 15:12

You are very inspiring op! You are doing so well!

Jabbawasarollingstone · 03/01/2022 15:30

Just rtft and I think @NearlyAHoarder is doing brilliantly. I'm happy to throw away/recycle/ donate to charity without qualms, but DH and DD are both hoarders. About five years ago we had a big purge and sent nine big boxes of stuff to charity. Mostly books, DVDs and old computer games that we were just not using!

I see OP is using Konmari which is great. I used to chuck out stuff willi-nilly until Marie Kondo introduced me to the idea of, "Do you love it?" On that basis, a lot of too-small dated clothes were sent away. DH had clothes from the early 90s! and never wore them,and it took a LOT of persuading him to let them go.

If he can't let something go I put it in the garage then we purge the garage once a year.

I am now trying to organise my teenager. I've bought drawer organisers, boxes, got labels yada yada and she's started well but like OP's DD is a terrible procrastinator and would rather be reading a book instead.

I'm an unsentimental sort. I don't get emotionally invested in physical objects. But my family do, and sometimes letting things go is hard. There's a memory, or an association to a particular item and they think if they throw it away, the memory is also thrown away. DH grew up in poverty, so having "stuff" is important because "you never know when it might come in useful". His father repurposes and reuses loads of things but we live in a tiny flat whereas his dad had a three bed house and garden (and plenty of storage).

At the moment I'm sorting through some old photos and deciding which to display and which to put in a box and put away. We have lots of prints and paintings and there's been lively debate about what to keep or throw. We also have a lot of paint can with about a centimetre of paint inside each that DH refuses to get rid of (just in case) but I may have to get rid of them secretly. The project never ends.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 03/01/2022 15:47

Just put the books in the recycling. It saves you doing it in 10 years time.

Id really recommend reading Marie Kondo, and also the organised Mum method.

Ps I like your bedding Smile

SocialConnection · 03/01/2022 15:53

The sociology books ... Honestly, they'll be out of date now.

SocialConnection · 03/01/2022 15:57

We had an argument today about whether he should get rid of the extension cable that went phhhtttt and shorted out the lights.

We have many extension cables.

The dead one is still sitting on the bed.

Not in the bin.

😠😡🤬

FreeFrenchHens · 03/01/2022 16:25

@SocialConnection that's so frustrating.

We did our electricals drawer a couple of months ago and it's SO much easier having a handful of cables that we know just work, and are fast.

eagerlywaitingfor · 03/01/2022 17:52

Thank you for starting this thread OP, you have inspired me to go through my chest of drawers in the bedroom.

I have found several bras I've bought and not worn and three, yes three make-up bags full of make-up. I don't wear the stuff. Hardly ever anyway, so why I have three bagsful defies all logic. I also appear to have about forty pairs of socks I never wear. Currently having a cup of tea while I ponder just how many socks I actually want/need.

NotSoFlatStanley · 03/01/2022 19:01

I have so many odd socks in my drawer because my daughter helps herself and never seems able to put two socks in the linen bin 🙄. I have never had odd socks 😂 and it’s winding me up no end that today I have ordered 7 pairs of black socks and 7 pairs of navy socks and when I collect I am going to replace all my socks with the new ones!

RoseSmithe · 04/01/2022 01:30

You've inspired me too.

lljkk · 04/01/2022 14:07

I wear (like) odd socks... At least send them to textile recycling.

MercedesBenz · 04/01/2022 15:44

Inspired by this thread I’ve sorted 1 of those ikea boxes full of old toiletries
I was ruthless I tell you , ruthless !
So that was a massive pile of teeny samples and soaps and leaking bottles

Only have another two of those boxes to go !

I am doing a ‘ no buy ‘ on toiletries this year unless I ‘run out ‘ and I am never going to run out of body lotions

Keep on fellow sorter outers !

PermanentTemporary · 04/01/2022 16:28

Just to say that I buy underwear off ebay... I'm clearly not the only one. Bra bundles sell quite well on there i think.

NearlyAHoarder · 04/01/2022 17:30

Hey everybody, good work being carried out!

I ''only'' did 24 mintues today. Cleared out the airing cupboard. Threw out a lot. Then I looked in to the laundry basket and basically threw out everything in it as I've just done a few washes and whatever is at the bottom of it, I've done without it and don't need it.

So I'm getting braver, the more you sort through your stuff, the more reminded you are that you have everything you need and too much of it.

Tomorrow I will try to do my make up after dinner and I will definitely do a before and after picture for that. I buy make up like it's going out of fashion and I never through any out!

OP posts:
NearlyAHoarder · 04/01/2022 17:32

My skip is filling up. I was flinging in a duvet, standard double duvet cases, stained towels, duvet cases with bob the builder, my little pony, no emotion, no sentiment, just gone. In the skip.
Don't ask me about the sociology books. I'm still processing there.

OP posts:
NearlyAHoarder · 04/01/2022 17:37

@MercedesBenz

Inspired by this thread I’ve sorted 1 of those ikea boxes full of old toiletries I was ruthless I tell you , ruthless ! So that was a massive pile of teeny samples and soaps and leaking bottles

Only have another two of those boxes to go !

I am doing a ‘ no buy ‘ on toiletries this year unless I ‘run out ‘ and I am never going to run out of body lotions

Keep on fellow sorter outers !

You're right about sample sizes. I'm going to throw out some I'd kept when I cleared out my toiletries.

I am always seduced in to keeping them and generally I like tiny things but, whenever I go anywhere, if you're in a hotel, they have more travel size samples and if you're with a friend, they have shampoo and toothpaste!!

I'm also going to do a no buy on toiletries. With the exception of wipes and toothpaste, I won't need anything til JULY

OP posts:
NearlyAHoarder · 04/01/2022 18:09

I'm doing a no spend effort this year too.

I have so much stuff. There's nothing I need. I should really try and push on saving....

OP posts:
NearlyAHoarder · 04/01/2022 18:13

I mean, a no spend across the board, clothes, shoes, toiletries, even books. I have to read the ones i have!

I have to get out of the habit of perusing clothes websites. I went in to my promotion emails earlier and unsubscribed from about 10 places. Quite time consuming. I'll do more later. I'm on mumsnet but the ads are all around me.

OP posts:
MercedesBenz · 04/01/2022 19:12

Well done !
You are on a roll

Building up to the sociology books ?

NearlyAHoarder · 05/01/2022 10:57

Some before pictures. I wont get a chance to do this intil at least 8pm but posting here so I do do it when I get home.

Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
Help, tell me to start de-cluttering.  I have black bags, I have a cloth skip
OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread