Anyone want to join a decluttering and cleaning thread?

[QwertyWitch]

I want to get my house clean, decluttered and organised before school starts in September.
I started on the shelves in the living room today which are meant to be for some books and ornaments but have become filled with random paper and objects.
This seems to be the case everywhere I look!
Time to tackle it.

I’ve filled another two black bin bags - I’m in such a ruthless mood - hope I’m not going to regret it!!
I’ve emptied three clothes storage zipper bags (bobbled jumpers anyone???) and the old uniform plus a load of Sats papers that my DD this year.
But the most contentious clear out has been the “art” drawer - full of paint, acrylics, brushes, glue, stencils, paper. My DDs are 13 and 11 and haven’t got painting out at home for at least 3 years - it’s all gone (don’t know why, but feel like a bad mum for doing this????!!).

I haven’t done much decluttering over the weekend so I need to get back at it today.

The goal for today is to sort through the living room - which looks clean and tidy but we’ve got storage in there that hides a multitude of sins (I have no idea what is even in there!)

Right I'm joining too, I don't know how we accumulate so much stuff.

I'm currently taking advantage of the fact that we have a skip on the drive as we are having a new bathroom fitted and there is loads of room for extra stuff. So my wardrobe first, (literally bursting at the seams!) and then I'll see where we are at.

Does everyone keep things like their babies favourite clothes or do I have to come to the realisation that I am actually a hoarder? I'm really struggling to part with thinks that I've given a 'sentimental value' to but the reality is they just sit in the back of the wardrobe.

I would like to join!! 😄 I have OCD and I want to keep everything organised and now I'm 36 weeks pregnant! I m done for now unable to move myself out of couch yet I want to keep everything tidy 😭

Does everyone keep things like their babies favourite clothes

Every item of clothing that my youngest grows out of is immediately put into a bag for donating.

I've kept one of the tiny baby vests she wore when first born, and a baby blanket that I knitted while pregnant with DD1 that both DDs were wrapped in.

Does everyone keep things like their babies favourite clothes or do I have to come to the realisation that I am actually a hoarder? I'm really struggling to part with thinks that I've given a 'sentimental value' to but the reality is they just sit in the back of the wardrobe.

Mount them in a big picture frame life and display on the wall if you like looking at them. If not, you have your answer! Some people keep a memory box of sentimental items but if the box is full you need to remove something to add something else. It forces you to think about what is most important to you. The only sentimental items I have are a box of cards from DP over the years and a scrapbook of photos, cards, certificates, badges etc. I keep some art work too but regularly go through it and let things go.

Today I’ve cleared out and polished our TV cabinet. Honestly it was such a state - overflowing with all sorts of drawings and writing pages my children have done, as well as hair accessories thrown in for good measure. It really shows up the state of the rest of the room now!

I managed to get my Husband and children to sort through one corner and toy storage unit, and I managed to empty a whole section of the top of their built in cupboard and an under bed storage unit.

One more sack of rubbish, a large bag for life full of recycling and 1 more sack for charity. Their room still isn’t finished though ffs!!!

I also kept on top of the washing up today!

I still feel deeply overwhelmed by everything. We still have far too many things in our house. I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere at the moment, it’s so depressing.

I seem to have made more mess than I've sorted. I've moved, sorted and dusted the shelving in the living room.

I haven't got rid of much, but it's not long since I went through it. Though that stuff hasn't made it out yet.

Tomorrow I'll have another go, it's early days!

Well done to all the people who managed to declutter!!

Today I cleaned and organised one corner of the living room but I didn't declutter anything.

I feel overwhelmed too @SprinkleOfSunak

@MallardsMoorhensAndLethe

It’s such an awful feeling isn’t it?

I’ve felt too overwhelmed and exhausted from working/parenting/life for far too long to start trying to do something about it, and of course everything has just worsened in that time.

I feel really annoyed with myself for not trying sooner (this isn’t the first time this has happened either, but my house is the worst it’s ever been this time).

I haven't done much for the last couple of days - and feeling a bit overwhelmed I think. I've just got to make a start today. I'm going to go out and do some front of house stuff right now!

Today I'm tasking my DD13 to gut her room - she has to move soon into a different bedroom but there is no way she's taking all her junk with her as the bedroom at the back of the house won't have as much storage.
I've given her 3 black bin bags - we'll see!

I've now done an hour out the front - filled the green bin (good timing as it is collection day) and tidied up. I did more than I planned, which isn't surprising at I set a low target to just get me going. I plan to go out again this afternoon and do another stint - definitely clean the front door and window.

The job I really, really need to get going with is a DIY job - finishing sanding and painting the stair rail and finials. We REALLY need new stair carpet and this job is holding that up. So, I'm going to set a low target of 10 mins on that too today - just to get going with it again. I think when this job is done I will have so much more motivation with the house as a whole!

Me me me! I keep joining these threads and getting precisely nowhere, though.maybe this is the year! 🤞

I'll join if I may for accountability and inspiration!
We possibly have a house move in the autumn (closer than I thought!) though perhaps sooner.

I need to start on my bedroom I think. I have a couple of weeks off to make a good start on the house. Also need a skip for the shed and attic contents.

Welcome fallingleaves and Brutus.

Today I've done two drawers of doom in the utility room and the big cupboard that houses all the crockery, serving dishes and Tupperware.
Not getting rid of huge amounts but it's not too long since I last did them and just reorganising them is creating space.

I've finally made a start, with one of the three full suitcases but progress is v e r y s l o w.

And only managed to bin half a charity bag's worth. I'm disappointed, to be honest. I'm more attached to the tat than I thought.

It might be easier once I've thinned everything out and can tackle one big pile Konmari style.

Thinking about it, I'm trying to justify keeping everything. Does anyone have tips on how to let go?

The rest will have to wait for another day.

I’ve signed up for this and then gone away for a week! But I’ll be back on it as soon as we’re home. Declutter-wise, I really need to tackle the room we use as a home office, and I’m ashamed to admit my cleaning task - I don’t think I’ve given the laundry room a proper clean since we moved in, and we’ve been in the house over 2 years now 🙈!

I’ve now decluttered all of mine and dd’s clothes (3 bin bags!) and put in hangar tidies so the clothes fit in the wardrobe more neatly.
I’ve sorted out my craft cupboard and I have a pile of craft and toys to take to the local school holiday club later this week.
The front garden needs a pot tidy and some bedding putting in - that’s tomorrows job.

The next big job is the dining room which is rammed full of boxes of old toys, jigsaws, wool, magazines etc!! The cats aren’t happy as I keep clearing their favourite napping spots 😆.

I sent off my first vinted sale, and was a good un, around £70. Can see that being ridiculously addictive!

I've managed to scrub the bathroom, just need to clean the floor. And I've sorted a pile of craft stuff.

I've made bread, wipe the kitchen counters and washed the dishes..going to have some bread and jam. Then tackle the landing and clothes to charity pile!

I’m joining please.
I’m a full time teacher so it’s all gone to shit in term time but now’s my big chance.
Also feeling overwhelmed by it. The cleaning and the decluttering. There’s stuff everywhere and I keep eyeing up the dead insects on the windowsill and I just don’t want to do it. I’m rubbish.
However, yesterday I did clean the living room. There were crisps under the sofa. There were bits of paper piled in the corner. And yes, there were spiders! It’s done now though and I feel great about it. I’ve even stuck half the cushion covers in the wash today - they were yuck. I also put my lovely Neom aromatherapy thing on. Bliss.

My girls’ bedroom is looking so much better now, but still not finished! They sorted through all their toys with their Daddy, but he hasn’t grouped them into categories, and so the toy area still looks chaotic. I asked him to put kitchen toys in one box, and Paw Patrol in another etc, but no, they’re all jumbled up. Honestly, if you want a job doing…

I got really upset this evening when I realised I have a washing basket brimming over with dirty laundry that will need putting away somewhere in their room, and then found a large bag full of clean laundry of theirs. There is just nowhere to put it all at the moment and they are beautiful clothes that I cannot find any reason to part with.

My Nan was a serious hoarder (clothes, jewellery, ornaments, furniture etc), and my Mum is too. I definitely have hoarding traits and find it desperately hard to not be like it as I’ve been raised with their mentalities, and these have rubbed off on me over the years. I’ve read the Marie Kondo book and watched the programme but still really struggle.

A large reason why we have too many possessions is in fact due to my Mum and Nan having bought so many things for us all - all throughout the year. I’ve tried so many times to say that we don’t need things, but it just doesn’t work. My Mum constantly buys all manner of things for my girls that they really don’t need, and they lap it up. I really want to break the cycle with my girls and for them to be different, but already they think having so many things is funny and clever, just as I used to. It really upsets me. None of my friends’ houses look like mine, and when we have had guests and we clean and tidy like mad, it still looks fucking awful. I’ve ended today feeling really down about it all.

they are beautiful clothes that I cannot find any reason to part with.

Sprinkle you have too many, that's reason enough. Wash and dry everything. Get them to pick their favourites until the drawers are full, then lose the rest.

I'm sure they can out their own toys into separate boxes, label the boxes for them to encourage them. The toys were decluttered though, that's a win.

Would your parents save up for something for the future like a car for DD? The account could be in her name and they have the card to put money into it. Even £10 here and there instead of a gift would make a big difference to her life when the time comes and she's not lumbered with a finance plan but can go buy something outright.

Joy it gets easier the more you do it. Go round the house in a circle and just keep going over and over again until you're happy with the amount of stuff left.

There's a hoarding thread in this section of the forum if either of you need it. I've read it and got some inspiration from there for getting started.

Today I made further improvements to the porch, enabling some things which belong there but were in another room to be moved there. Decluttered a messy bit of the living room, needs further work though.

Thank you @MallardsMoorhensAndLethe I will take a look at that, I definitely need inspiration.

I think that what's stopping me getting rid of things is a combination of the thought of all the money I've spent being wasted and the fear that I might part with something that I later need. Irrational, I know.