If your house has ever got seriously out of order … and you have managed to get it back under control …

[Scatteredthoughts522]

Can you please help and advise? This question is for people whose houses have got really bad in certain areas - not hoarder level but I can imagine it getting that way if I don’t intervene now - but who have managed to rein it back in… .

I am facing a situation where I need to get back on top of my large six bedroom house. The ground floor is just about ok. I can invite people in. Apart from the utility and garage which are in a bit of a state.

The upper floors, apart from the bathrooms, are a disaster though and getting worse. And I hate this feeling of not being on top of it!

My physical fitness is limited atm following an accident, a bout of depression, and another health condition, so I can’t physically do a lot in one go. I am not young either!

What is required is a major all hands to the deck clear out of stuff before I can deep clean but realistically atm I don’t have the capacity for either.

So my question is … has anyone honestly managed to get back on top of things by doing two hours focused decluttering and organising a day?

Is it possible? Or am I whistling in the wind? The reason I ask is that I have a cleaner for two hours a week but can’t afford any more help atm. I work for four hours a day so thought of doing one hour before work and one hour after work until it gets done.

Thanks for any thoughts. I am at my wit’s end with it all and desperately need to be back in control.

If the rooms aren't in use its definitely doable, just don't enter or put anything in there. Make sure you have time aside to keep on top of downstairs and the bathrooms. I've found that I can slip up by letting one room get bad whilst doing the other.

Lots of great advice already. I wanted to add that you should include removing the pikes/ bags from the house as part of your 2 hours some days. Don't endlessly stack it up for later because you just move the problem from one room to another.

My top tips:

If you go to the supermarket take bin bags of clothing for the big donation bins in the car park.

If you go to town take a couple of carrier bags to the charity shop.

See what you can squeeze in your bin on bin day.

Make some trips to the tip as part of your 2 hours.

If you have a front garden and want to give stuff away for free, pick a sunny weekend and pop it out the front, take a photo and advertise on your local Facebook marketplace pages, you'll be amazed at what people will help themselves to because it's free. Especially good for old books, toys, puzzles, tools, electrical items etc.

If rooms are particularly bad, don’t try to do the whole thing, pick a corner, clear it completely and then stop. That way you’ll be able to see progress. I find the whole looks worse before it’s better thing really disheartening and would give up but if I clean part of the room, I’m motivated to go back and finish it.

Find places for things to live where you use them, not where you think they should live. So bathroom cleaning stuff in the bathroom, our mop and bucket is in a closet in the downstairs toilet because that area of the house has hard floors and I was tripping over it in the kitchen. The hoover lives upstairs because that’s where I use it.

Do you live in an area where people put things out on their garden wall that they no longer need? This afternoon I put out a couple of toys and a few knick knacks and they all went by dinner time. It gives me a nice feeling to know they're in a new home tonight being enjoyed by someone else. Sometimes people with more to clear put out boxes/table of things. Obviously this isn't going to clear all your clutter but it helps my mindset of getting used to things leaving the house and that being a good thing.

Definitely just do one room at a time, OP! That way, it is much less overwhelming than doing all of the floors or surfaces in one go. It is hard to get your head around it mentally, when there are more interesting and pleasant things to do than cleaning, but once it's clean and tidy, a regular cleaner is likely to be able to blitz through most of it once a week. Just don't clutter it up too much in between!

Do you have things that don't have a home? I started by clearing one shelf in one cupboard and that became my designated home for odds and sods that had been scattered and dumped all over the house. Felt pens, sellotape etc. Then when I cleared the rest of the house I gathered anything like that into a little box and at the end of the session, everything in the box went into the cupboard. Works for electric cables, scarves and gloves, hobby stuff. Make sure that everything has a home, and if it doesn't, make one.
My other tip - if starting with one room is still too broad a target, start with one corner or cupboard or shelf in one room.
Make sure everything from that corner/shelf is rehomed , removed or bagged before starting on the next shelf/cupboard/corner.

I’m a reformed former messy person with a large house.

Yes, Marie Kondo, especially the part about saying goodbye to things and thanking them for their service.

I make my daily mantra- I will make this house tidier, not messier. So if I use two plates, I will wash up at least three.

Anglo doorstep collections are fantastic and free.

Very much agree with PP who said to use all space in your wheelie bin each collection.

And if an hour is too much, chunk it. Twenty minutes, rehome/bag, cuppa, another 20 minutes etc. Use a timer and music!

OP I could have written this post myself. The upstairs of my home has more clutter than I am comfortable with. I completely understand where you are coming from in wanting it dealt with but not knowing where to start.

Sadly I’ve yet to achieve organisation, so I can’t advise you on that. I am reading the book ‘How to manage your home without losing your mind’ by Dana K White, who also does a slob comes clean. I have just started it, so will see how far it gets me.

I don’t think I will get anywhere until I break the obsessive nature of shopping I seem to have. If I need new trousers, I’ll order about 7 pairs in different colours, not just the one pair I need. When they arrive, I often can’t even be bothered opening the bag. I also agree with a previous poster that when I do try to declutter, the stuff needs to leave the house that day. The minute I say, oh auntie Jess might like that, I’m done!

I really wish you well, and hope you are living clutter free soon 🙂

Sometimes when I’m feeling overwhelmed by clutter, I’ll just tell myself that I’m going to let go of 5/10 things. I set off with a bin bag or box and collect them
99% of the time, this gives me a little dopamine boost and I keep going. For me, the getting going is the hardest part

Start very small! One room at at time. I did the kitchen but broke it down cabinet by cabinet drawer by drawer type thing.

then I did the living room. Same situation, drawer by drawer and ornament by ornament.

ditto hall.

then I did the bathroom.

now I’m working on the bedroom! Decluttered my wardrobe and it’s in the living room to whack on vinted when I get a spare few mins each day. I post daily on the way home from work, I sorted out bedding and took that to the charity shop. I need to do jewellery but that’s going to wait as it’s sentimental.

next on my list is my sons room once my room is done and the I’ll move on to the study and then the loft and then the shed. There is a plan. It will take time but it’s step by step. Some days I don’t list anything on vinted other days I do loads.

its a work in progress but by the end of next year I’m happy we will be decluttered. I have health issues and this way is the way it works best for me.

If you have physical limitations is an hour morning and afternoon realistic? I only ask as I can manage max 20 mins and then need a 1-2hr break. I'm in lots of pain. As a result things can get out of hand at times.

On a day to day I keep living areas clean and tidy. I've got robo vac that keeps on top of the vacuuming. It does it's thing when I'm at work. Dishes are in the dishwasher, sink is kept empty. Benchtops are kept clean and clear.

Tidying - pick a room. Look at what needs doing. Clearing floors is a great start. Bin what you don't need. Only keep things you can put away. If there is no storage for it, it's got to go. Go room by room. That way you can see your progress. You'd be amazed at what 20 mins will achieve. Unfortunately, once the floor is cleared you may need to empty the closets out and then repeat the binning process. Once you can put everything away, vacuum, dust and clean the windows. Then you have a nice clean room you can look at to motivate you to do the next one.

There are a few named methods for tidying which, if you're prone to perfectionism or procrastination, can cause their own issues.

Marie Kindo's first books (when she was childless) suggests that everything in a particular category is brought together and sorted through. You hold each item and it "sparks joy" or you thank it and get rid. She also had rules about how to fold and organise items. So you could end up with your bed covered in clothes, wardrobes empty, and feeling overwhelmed if it's not finished by bedtime.

A different method (maybe Dana White?) is the "container method" where each category has a set container and mustn't overspill. So if you have one bookcase then you keep the amount of books that it holds and get rid of the rest. This can be good for items that you are happy to store on a shelf or in a plastic tub etc.

If you're at the start of the journey I'd recommend doing very small steps with whatever causes you to feel a bit down every day. Maybe it's the first thing you notice when you enter your home or when you wake up or when you're in the kitchen. Maybe every time you're looking for underwear in the morning the drawer is jammed full with things you don't use. Sort that one drawer and it'll make the start of your day better. Don't aim to do a whole room, if you do more than the one drawer it's a bonus but make the daily goal small. Physically smile when you've done the one thing and allow yourself to feel a sense of achievement - don't berate yourself for the rest that remains.

I agree with others that physically getting things out of the house should be a priority. Have a plan for this. As mentioned previously, the local Facebook group can be good. Search for your town name plus words like "buy nothing", "barter", "freebies" etc to find groups that'll collect from your doorstep. There's also an app called Olio where you can advertise freebies. Gumtree is also good for freebies or selling items. Local schools and nurseries are often happy with crafting materials, stationery, books, toys etc, even rugs and cushions for reading corners. Care homes will take lots of items too.

Regarding time, it didn't take a day or a week to accumulate so it is natural for it to take a while to declutter. That's fine.

Good luck.

Clutter clearing is like getting in shape. You think that you do it once and it's done but actually it takes constant maintenance. So most of us do it again and again and again. Life changes and so does our environment.

I did find Marie Kondo's idea of putting all of one thing in a pile. It worked very well for coats, shoes, bags etc. I could see all I had.

I was always soo organised and on top of things until this year - I’ve 2 little kids and the stuff in our small 2 bed flat is getting overwhelming - I’ve started tackling a drawer or a shelf or a wardrobe rail or a toy box drawer a night in front of the tv -

i do a charity bag / recycling/bin bag / vinted pile

the bag goes to the charitable clothes recycle bin once a week so we aren’t storing the stuff

and if the vinted stuff doesn’t go in a few weeks it’s off to charity as well

i almost have my full bedroom tackled with my clothes and the kids clothes

husband did a cull on books with the kids - there was loads of baby baby books and that neither read anymore so things like that

i do small amounts each night so it doesn’t get overwhelming

Too tired now, but will come back tomorrow, as this is my soap box topic 👍🏻

Thank you! Yes, I am beginning to realise that decluttering is a lifestyle not a one off event!

Thank you so much TheQueenOfTheNight
This is terrific advice!

This is so true. @Scatteredthoughts522 I would also second or maybe third by now the “Slob comes clean” book. Sensible approach, not ovrrwhelming and laugh out loud funny at times

Thank you very much for these great tips k1233. So sorry you are struggling with pain. 💐💐💐

Yes I think on reflection I am going to start with an hour a day and see how I get on! Break myself in gently!

Thanks for the recommendation! It’s in my Amazon basket!

Ours was never that bad but I use the Tody app and it gives you a few tasks a day. If you have a room which is a total disaster area then try saying "ok, quick tidy today so I'll do the bed as I need to put away those clothes to get in it'. Then next week if it's a full tidy, choose one cupboard.

This is seriously impressive MakeMineAMilkyTea! 👏👏👏

It certainly seems like a less daunting prospect when broken down like that!

Try Flylady's 27-thing fling.
Get a bin bag and throw away 27 things each day. Or collect 27 things to give to charity - all in one session, then put the charity bag in your car so it is there when you pass a charity shop and you can drop it off.

Two hours is a long time if you are unwell. And also, two hours gets you into that sorting, pondering, revisiting things state of mind. Whereas the simple focus of chucking out 27 things is really easy to achieve and nowhere near as tiring.

Thank you! Very much agree about starting being difficult although I have just done my first 30 mins this morning thanks to this thread. Just having a cup of coffee and about to do the next half.