Has anyone used a tidying expert?

[Latenightreader]

My house is a tip. I downsized a lot last year and I have never managed to get organised since. I get so down about it but never seem to make a dent. It isn't fair on my daughter to live like this, and it is horrible for me too. I have great intentions but end up sitting looking at it unable to see where to start, and when I do start, it never seems to get anywhere. It feels like I just move stuff between rooms or push it behind/under things.

Has anyone paid someone to help them? How did you find them? I am really ashamed of it but feel I don't have the space to clear it up. I think I might need professional support.

It’s getting rid of stuff if you have downsized. It will never be tidy if you have too much stuff. Don’t reorganise it start by chucking stuff out first.

Books you will never read again, old toys, old stuff that’s just in case, worn out clothes, clothes in the wrong sizes. That’s the easy stuff, to get rid of. We are refurbishing part of our house so had a massive clear out.

Instead of feeling the need of getting someone in to tell you don't need all the stuff cluttering up your home , what makes you feel you need to keep it ?

Tbh it just takes the motivation to start , you say you want a nice home for your daughter , that's good motivation , also it will make you happier to have a cleaner , clutter free space you love as well .

If you haven't used it or if clothes worn it in a year , then it's probably time to get rid .

Don't keep stuff because you might need it one day , or if it was expensive, remember if it doesn't get used , get rid

If you have doubles of things , keep the newer item , or the one you like best , i.e mugs , we have our favourite ones , but the more expensive you keep for visitors , or best stay in the back of the cupboard . Which of the two types do you want to keep ? Favourite or better quality ?

Same with clothes wear your best shoes or coat , get rid of the tatty old faithfully carry on wearing.

Don't keep stuff for sentimental reasons if they don't have a purpose , if it was a gift but isn't quite what you like , get rid , your daughter's baby clothes , get rid , same old toys & teddies etc , encourage her to let them go.
You can take photos to keep the memory .

You need to get rid of things. If you get someone to help, you'll have to be willing to discuss this with them. I did it a few times as part of my job and it was very frustrating as there was always a reason why something couldn't go. Hopefully professionals are trained to deal with this from their client but quite honestly I couldn't handle it at all. People wanting their home tidy and clean, with things in the way and falling down, piles of boxes, not being able to get to anything. Stuff literally squeezed into cupboards, even when it looked reasonably organised.
The biggest one is the worry about sending stuff for landfill, as if it wasn't already destined for landfill the moment they bought it. Get rid, then stop buying so much ( if you can rehome stuff, great, but if it causes you to procrastinate, just get it gone!)

Sorry I think my post was a bit harsh. I know it's miserable living like that. Please try and get a real professional in, and one who understands hoarding, even if that's not a big problem at this stage

As others have suggested, it sounds like you need to get rid of stuff. You don’t have the physical space to keep the same amount of stuff, so you need to declutter.

One room at a time. A little bit each night. Get some empty boxes ready, label them up so it’s clear. We had a box labelled ‘charity shop’ a box for ‘keep’ and a bin bag ready for stuff to just throw.
We did cupboards, wardrobes & other boxes that were in storage since we moved house.

Is there anyone who can help you?

Dh and I moved house 2 years ago, with our 3 year old and 2 week old baby in tow. It’s only recently I’ve felt the house feels like home. We had a huge clear out in the new year. 4 trips to the tip with the car full, 5 bin bags of clothes to charity shops, mostly kids stuff, old toys donated too.
I allowed myself to keep a boxful of the kids baby clothes and a box of drawings and keepsakes, but we were quite ruthless with everything else. You have to be or you’ll never get rid of stuff.

We started from the top of the house and worked our way down. It took about a week, doing about 2/3 hours each day.

We have so much more space now, I feel like a load of been lifted and the house feels lovely.
Everything feels organised, I feel lighter and we enjoy spending time in our home more. It was always at the back of our mind before. Sometimes we overthink things, start small, even if you can get rid of one bag/box a week. It will start to make a dent (as long as you are not bringing more stiff into the house)

I have used a company who help you to declutter. They are amazing but they aren't cheap.

They are called organise_d and are on all of the social media channels I think (I use IG)

They come in and will chat to you. They follow your instructions and work with 3 or 4 piles - keep (which they organise), tip (they dispose of it for you), charity or sell (depending on what you want).

They're lovely and do not judge!

If you can afford it, they get you in ship shape really quickly.

I did a fair amount of getting rid of stuff before I moved, and I still struggle with it. I am not going to get rid of sentimental items, but they are carefully stored (in the loft) and organised already.

The people who say just declutter really don't get how I have absolutely tried. I don't buy stuff, I haven't for years. I have been trying and failing to sort this out on my own, and this is why I asked about professionals. My mother would help, but I would find it humiliating. I also struggle with the next steps - I sort stuff and then it sits there because I fail to take it to the charity shop. If you are not like this it is easy to say just get on with it, but I feel I'm a bit broken.

Thank you for this, really helpful.

There are comapnies who help you declutter. It sounds like this is what you need.

If you just need help getting rid of stuff them
use anglo door step collection.