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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

How would you clear this room?

139 replies

Filthyslattern · 05/02/2022 17:41

Test

OP posts:
FloraPotts · 06/02/2022 21:51

@Filthyslattern

The other sock wearer is trying their best to be fair.

I have binned so much stuff today. In the cupboard was a box with all my antenatal class papers in....and newborn leaflets etc
My baby will be......22 next month!Shock
All in the bin. Load of handbags for the charity shop
A green sequinned beret that makes me look luke Victoria wood when she talks about her friend Kimberley. .

Loads of old manky nailpolish and make up in the bin.
Everywhere is still chaos but i feel really good for starting!

Well done op! You've done really well!

I can sympathise because I have just started clearing 27 years worth of stuff from my house!

I hit it hard today and although it doesn't sound much, I did six hours straight, carrying heavy stuff up and down stairs, in to garden shed, on my knees clearing out cupboards and now I feel a bit ill tonight. So take it slowly and don't overdo it op.

Flowers

notanicepersonapparently · 07/02/2022 07:52

The comment about throwing out the old nail polish made me smile in recognition. I threw out some yesterday including one from Miss Selfridge which must be at least 25 years old because I really can't remember the last time I went in there.

notanicepersonapparently · 07/02/2022 07:53

Posted too quickly. I meant to add that I'm glad to read that your tidy up is going so well.

Gingernaut · 07/02/2022 07:58

Books - shelves in a living area

Clothes you wear - separate them, ensure they're clean and hang them up.

Clothes you don't wear - be brutal. Do you not wear them because they're uncomfortable? Charity shop. Don't fit? Charity shop. Thought you'd like them on, but don't? Charity shop. REpresent a lifestyle you aspire to? Charity shop.

Unless it's designer, charity shop. If it's designer, then clean/dry clean and use Ebay or Vinted.

Filthyslattern · 07/02/2022 14:26

I have book shelves in my living area, and in the study and in all the bedrooms.Blush
And in boxes in the garage.
I just have too many/not enough space. But I love them!

OP posts:
NotAMumNotByChoice · 07/02/2022 19:22

@Filthyslattern, my whole house is like that. It overwhelms me. Like I just don't know where to start. I've read KonMari and other similar books and articles

The only things that aren't out of control are the things that have a designated home.

My sock drawer is under control.

The right numberr of socks for two adults is enough to fill the two sock drawers.

FloraPotts · 07/02/2022 19:37

NotAMumNotByChoice I recommend "Nourishing Minimalism" videos on YouTube.

They are not really about minimalism in its purest form; they contain lots of practical down to earth tips for the overwhelmed. I personally find her advice really sensible and down to earth and not perfectionist at all, but 'do-able'.

NotAMumNotByChoice · 07/02/2022 20:04

Thanks FloraPotts. I'll give it a go.

Watched one and it sounds good. She's relatable even if I don't have 6 DC Sad or a dog

Footnote · 07/02/2022 20:13

Unfuck your habitat is a great approach for this, but it sounds like you are well on your way already.

Alrightqueenie · 08/02/2022 05:29

Can you donate books to your local refuge or library? My local B& Q have a shelter refuge book donation point so I've dropped off a few boxes. I've also donated 3 boxes of books to the local library.

Any unused and unopened toiletries can be donated to a food or hygiene bank. My local boots and library boots has a hygiene donation point.

Its worth calling the local women's aid and asking if they'd like a donation of clothes for the refuge.

I think by donating your old stuff it will help you to let go and stop feeling ashamed. You've used the stuff & now want to pass it onto someone else to make use of it & that's OK. I feel mentally lighter as I can see its making a difference to my mental health. Dh is the hoarder & he has finally acknowledged that his addiction to collect is causing us problems. Just do a little bit often and ensure that you dispose quickly once you've bagged something.

Feelingnotatallok · 08/02/2022 08:38

Have you got a shed or any water tight space you cd bag stuff up in ,in groups? .Then do.a bag a day. Keep / chairty.
Listen , daily to de junking u tube vids( i like a slob comes clean) and brainwash self.😀 i have receltly done a whole loft. I got a massive energy buzz after doing it and a sense of calm
However, it feels worse at times as if you cant win.. at that point of frustration , really look after yourself and see how far you have got ,not berate self .
Also when its done it s the one thing in one thing out rule! You can do this n if i lived near id help you

FloraPotts · 08/02/2022 13:18

Yes NotAMumNotByChoice forgot about the six kids Grin

sunshinesupermum · 08/02/2022 13:31

Soontobe60 where are those drawer dividers from, please!

NotAMumNotByChoice · 08/02/2022 16:52

@VariableVera

GRADUAL METHOD:
  1. Remove layer of obvious rubbish from your room and really worn clothing and chuck it. Pair up any shoes you find along one wall. Take out anything that doesn't belong in a bedroom (mugs, glasses, exercise equipment).
  1. Take anything out of your room that needs washing and put it near washing machine.
  1. Completely empty and clean out your chest of drawers and wardrobe and anything you use to store clothes in, one drawer/shelf at a time. Dust and clean them and line the drawrrs/shelves with drawer liners. Buy nice wooden hangers from Amazon.
  1. Then as you wear and wash the 10% of favourite clothing you wear most frequently , put it back in to the clean storage.
  1. Then slowly work through the rest of the room clockwise from one corner to the next. Take three boxes with you: chuck, put away elsewhere and donate. Work in fast 15 min blasts until boxes are full. Then deal with the three boxes without delay until they are empty again. Do this every day until you are done.
  1. Clean thoroughly

FAST METHOD:
If the bedroom is really, really messy you may have to move out and sleep elsewhere for a couple of nights to tackle it.

1.Clear your bed and put old sheet on top.

  1. Remove all rubbish & things that should be elsewhere
  1. Sort and clean out drawers and hanging space as above
  1. Pile all clothing on to bed and then from there sort it in to launder, throw away, give away, put away, sell. Enlist help with this bit!
  1. Chuck/put away elsewhere/ donate everything else on floor in room
  1. Clear and clean all other surfaces
  1. Clean floors
  1. Re-make bed

Good luck Flowers

As someone who is overwhelmed, I don't think this helps. It's too much.

I read it and wanted to cry. If I did it, I'd probably spend a few days sleeping on top of a pile of clothes, until i tied up the sheet around the clothse and chucked it on top of all the junk on the floor.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 08/02/2022 16:59

Have you had any time to work on it today? Urging you on Flowers

sunshinesupermum · 08/02/2022 17:12

Thankyou!

52andblue · 08/02/2022 17:19

Lurking for tips.
Good Luck OP.
(I wish I could advise but I'm likely worse than you)

Filthyslattern · 08/02/2022 17:34

@tunnocksreturns2019

Have you had any time to work on it today? Urging you on Flowers
No- been at work all day. Am going to cook dinner and might do some tonight while dh is out. It's going to take a good while I think.
OP posts:
Filthyslattern · 08/02/2022 21:25

Am watching the hoarders programme on amazin that was recommended earlier....😲😲😲

Absolutely terrifying.

OP posts:
VariableVera · 08/02/2022 23:08

As someone who is overwhelmed, I don't think this helps. It's too much.

I read it and wanted to cry. If I did it, I'd probably spend a few days sleeping on top of a pile of clothes, until i tied up the sheet around the clothse and chucked it on top of all the junk on the floor.

Sorry, Notamumbychoice was intended to be helpful Sad. Breaking things down in to separate steps was intended to help with the overwhelm not make you feel worse. Sad

How about an alternative approach as described in the book "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" by Dana K White. There are some good tips in it.

Filthyslattern · 27/02/2022 17:28

Having a horrible day today. Have emptied everything out of the room and am attempting to sort through it all. Finding it so difficult. I absolutely have hoarder tendencies.

The other adult in the house joined in for 10 minutes and has given up. We've shouted at each other and i feel so weepy and overwhelmed by it all. Not impressed with myself at all.

OP posts:
BlueSummerBaby · 06/03/2022 13:38

I've got hoarder tendencies too. You can't do a declutter all at once, it's too much emotionally. Accept that it's going to take a few goes to fully declutter an area.

You say you've emptied everything out. That sounds overwhelming. Can you collect up one category of stuff from that pile, then throw a blanket over the rest so you're not looking at it constantly and can focus on the new, smaller pile of a single category.

Let say it's eg ornaments. First find a box, cardboard is fine. Take a look at each ornament and decide keep or throw. Hopefully you can get rid of some. If you want to keep them all, pick one that you're less attached to than the rest and let that one go. Box up the ones you're keeping so they're tidy at least, even if the box is in the middle of the room. I know decluttering one thing doesn't sound like much, but it's a start. When it's draining your emotional energy to do it, to pick that one thing, you need time to feel your feelings as part of the letting go process.

Next time, go back to the box of ornaments and decide which ones you actually like to display and which ones you're keeping for the memory they provoke. The memory ones don't need a physical item, take a photo instead then let these ones go.

Do these first two stages for every other category of stuff in your clutter pile. At the end of it there'll be a neat pile of boxes, albeit possibly in an awkward place. But that's fine because they're not staying there long term.

At a later stage when the house is clearer and your clutter pile is now boxed up in categories, return to your ornaments box. Take a look at the space available in your home to display ornaments and decide how many you have room to display. This probably means getting rid of some. Be ruthless.

If you haven't already tried it, I'm doing FlyLady (on the Fledglings thread here, not the website). It's helpful because it's easy. All I have to do is click the link each day and do what it says.

riverpebbles · 06/03/2022 17:06

Hello lovely lady. I'm proud of you.

It takes a lot of decision-making to do this and that is very tiring. Thats why people recommend doing smaller chunks, because otherwise you will wear out your decision-making capability and then back slide.

You made really good progress earlier when you did smaller areas, instead of emptying out a whole room.

Maybe aim to sort one drawer/cupboard/area into keep/charity/rubbish, and then take the bag(s) to the charity shop the same day or next day.

Also, I like watching clean/declutter videos on YouTube before I start as I find them very motivating.

I think you can do this.

Deathraystare · 18/03/2022 09:44

@Soontobe60

What are those drawers called please and where did you get them?? Thanks