How to declutter

[redxlondon]

I have a slight hoarding tendency owing to having quite a few creative hobbies and loving books. Our house just isn’t big enough to move anything into storage and clear a whole room for a little one on the way in a couple of months.

I’ve just got totally overwhelmed trying to clear the office that will become the nursery. I thought I was doing a really good job when DH pointed out a book I put into the give away pile and questioned it as it’s one he gave me, just a regular fiction title. He’s been going on that I have too much stuff and this just made me totally lose it and now feeling paralysed worries I’ll regret everything I’m getting rid of.

Any shared experiences? Currently on floor in tears, and need to pull myself together.

We had a modest storage unit at work, it cost about £2k a year and was 99%shit. I rationalised that anything we had to replace would be under £2k a year. In one year we’ve replaced… nothing. So you will save £20k in the next decade by not putting things in storage and you might spend £1k replacing the odd thing.

That said I also got our roof boarded out and that was a great investment if it’s a option for you.

It crossed my mind, but definitely not getting a storage unit. This is why I want to get rid of a lot of items that just haven’t been touched in years.

I did a loft conversion a few years back so already taken up roof space and have small eaves storage.

My point is a tiny proportion of what you save by not having a unit might be needed to replace the odd thing.

Read the life changing magic of tidying by Marie Kondo. I realised I was keeping most of my books as I attached status to them. Lots of books = Strictly must be well read. The truth is, some of them I'd never read, and some I won't ever open again. Start by gathering all your books in one place - all of them. You're supposed to pick up as book, ask yourself does this spark joy? If yes keep, if not discard but not before you thank it for its service. The complete works of Shakespeare did not spark joy for me. Everything by Roald Dahl does.

Make sure you have an exit plan - boxes ready to load up and either charity shop or recycle.

I find decluttering much less overwhelming when I have company. Is there a friend who can come and help with the books one day.

I now have a Kindle and buy very few physical books.

Watch Stacey Solomon's programme on BBC called 'sort out your life'. Some good ideas here.

Things we have done include build an office room in garden (appreciate not possible for everyone), boarded loft, got fitted wardrobes floor to ceiling in babies room. Had massive clear out which took about 3 months on and off, literally done every cupboard and draw in our 3 bedroom house - the junk we have got rid of is shocking (lived here 7 years). Keep going it will be worth it in the end x

The difficulty is not necessarily how much stuff you have, but the attachments and feelings being placed on it. You need to be more focused, and ruthless. So if it's an extra special first edition book, signed by the author I'd be more inclined to keep than a normal run of the mill paperback. Also do it alone if you feel you are in the better headspace, otherwise it becomes an audit of what you have and random reasons why you need to keep it. You have a deadline, you need the space. Keep chipping away until you reach that goal. Ultimately you don't have much choice, so use that to spur you on. Good luck.

Sorting out books requires utter cold-hearted ruthlessness. I'm not messing here, I've cleared so many by the 'read it recently? nope, out then' method and keeping sentiment out of it.

I realised I was keeping most of my books as I attached status to them. Lots of books = Strictly must be well read. The truth is, some of them I'd never read, and some I won't ever open again

This, although I didn't do the whole 'does this spark joy?' shtick. Life's too short, I'd still be in the middle of sorting out if I tried that malarkey.

I think your DH pointing out the rather general book he gave you probably wasn't his most helpful thing, if you've read it, or had it 3 years and haven't been inclined to read it you likely won't between now and baby arriving, then baby being a little older. With books maybe remind yourself that you could set up for a library and most of those titles you can borrow which will force you to read in a quicker time due to needing to return. Also going to the library will be lovely for you and little one as they get a bit older.

I love jigsaws/crafts and what will be the nursery currently has my sewing things in, all my part progects/repair pile and some fabrics I've had for years aswell as all the other knicknacks you collect along the way. As you say it's hoarding, so much stuff I've grab in fear I may never find them again lol.

Jigsaws I've popped in the attic but will donate once I've done them.
Craft wise - My plan is to sort through my fabrics and if I don't have a plan for them that I will complete before baby arrives then donate them to a local craft group. My sewing machine/cotton's and the basics I will keep and have sorted a shelf in the office room. I've tried to see it as a positive declutter so that when I do get time to craft (which being realistic could be when baby is in nursery so years off) I will treat myself to a fabric I want and do one project at a time.

Maybe remember some craft stuff deteriorates so better to let someone else use it if you won't.

Any good quality items you could always sell and pop the money aside for future projects.

It's not easy because for me although I don't get as much time as I would like for crafting and my mind defo hasn't been in it the last year (consumed with fertility treatments, it steals all life joys) it defo feels like something that's me and not having it makes me worry I will lose part of my self when baby arrives.

Really I know the reality is that I will want to spend time with baby and crafting just won't rate as importantly.