Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1850046 times)

Ascotillion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1250 on: March 22, 2015, 06:19:46 PM »
Lugged three bags on foot to the nearest op-shop and donated everything inside. My bedroom floor is now completely clean!

Next stop, selling the stuff that's actually worth something.

HappierAtHome

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1251 on: March 22, 2015, 06:34:14 PM »
Got rid of boxes and boxes of old papers on the weekend. Mostly uni-related - it's more than five years since I graduated now!

We cleared out our wine collection, by getting rid of some bottles kept for sentimental reasons, and giving away most of the rest.

Several more big bags have been filled with things for charity, including some good quality kitchen things that we'll just never use.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1252 on: March 23, 2015, 04:24:20 AM »
Love reading everyone's successes on this thread!

My cull rate is definitely slowing down. At first I was reluctant to let things go, and very picky. Then I realised how much better I felt and got ruthless! But now I've got rid of so much stuff most of what I have I regularly use. I think.

So this weekend I went through my wardrobe and turned all the hangers. I thought I didn't need to do this exercise because I know which things I don't wear but am holding onto for silly reasons (wore it on a special date, don't like how it fits but it was expensive etc). But I'm hoping it will make me see that I NEVER wear them, so there is no point keeping them 'just in case I need them'. We will see.

DagobertDuck

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1253 on: March 23, 2015, 06:31:45 AM »
This is cool.

The other day I was going through my cupboards, and noticed I had plenty of empty space in them. Looked around the apartment, on the table, on my desk etc, and there just wasn't any stuff to store in the cupboards!
So next step: ditch a cupboard.?



(please forgive me if I use the wrong word for closet/cupboard/cabinet ;) )

Zaga

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1254 on: March 23, 2015, 07:22:00 AM »
We are getting a dumpster tomorrow to tear out the basement.  While it is here I'll be making sure it is full all the way to the brim!  I hope after the basement destruction that there is space for a good deal of other crap in the house.

ash7962

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1255 on: March 23, 2015, 08:02:35 AM »
This is cool.

The other day I was going through my cupboards, and noticed I had plenty of empty space in them. Looked around the apartment, on the table, on my desk etc, and there just wasn't any stuff to store in the cupboards!
So next step: ditch a cupboard.?



(please forgive me if I use the wrong word for closet/cupboard/cabinet ;) )

Kinda jealous of you, I'm still in the process of figuring out my kitchen haha, and its been kinda a goal for about a year.  I do little things here and there, but I'm nowhere close to having just empty cupboards.  This weekend I realized that I was not using my top shelves efficiently at all.  Instead of keeping rarely used things up there it was more like never used things, and rarely used things had migrated to a shelving unit in the dining area.  So, I threw out a bunch of old gross plastic tupaware that I replaced over a year ago with nicer glass tupaware, and plus relocated a couple things to their "proper" location.  Basically the top shelves in all of my cabinets were totally cleared out.  My kitchen exists on two walls, so my new strategy is to dedicate cabinets on one side as the "pantry" (I don't have a real pantry), and the other side to cookware/glassware/silverware.

I'm hoping this will be kinda a catalyst to the rest of my apartment.  The idea being that if I can get rid of the one shelving unit the dining table will fit better within the actual dining area, then the living room has more space.  This should hopefully work well with the plan of removing some of the other too large or unnecessary furniture in my apartment.   OK this was longer than I intended but I'm kinda excited about all this.

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1256 on: March 23, 2015, 11:09:40 AM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest? 

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1257 on: March 23, 2015, 11:16:43 AM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest?

Absolutely. I actually can't think of a single 'thing' that I've bought since I started at the beginning of the year that wasn't a consumable, like food or medicine, or something I've used immediately, like the screws to finish my deck steps. I'm even turning away free things that people want to give me. The only things I will accept are those that I know I will use, like food.

Hot_AZ

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1258 on: March 23, 2015, 11:22:43 AM »
Working hard at this, goal was to get rid of 100 things a week (yes, I have too much stuff).  This weekend i took a huge garbage bag to Goodwill, it was so large and so heavy i had to use the car as leverage to roll the bag into the back of my CRV!  Feels good, that was 2 weeks worth and i'm sure there was more than 200 items (clothing, shoes, household knick knacks, bits of yarn and other miscellaneous).

We're hoping to move from AZ to WY this summer and i need to move as little as possible, this is my chance to start fresh! 

Zikoris

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1259 on: March 23, 2015, 11:34:46 AM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest?

I've never really brought much into my home, since I've always had smaller spaces. The problem is, my places have always had lots of storage space, which I would utilize unnecessarily.

My big habit that's changed is ignoring stuff that's out of sight. My desire to get rid of stuff used to end when things were out of sight in a closet, cupboard, or drawer. Now that the visual stuff is gone, I'm definitely noticing hidden clutter way more, and dealing with it.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1260 on: March 23, 2015, 11:44:19 AM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest?

Definitely! Wait, actually, no, it was the other way around. I started using YNAB and stopped buying stuff because I was focussing on building net worth. Then I found MMM and cut back on purchasing things even more. Basically, if it's not consumable, I don't buy it. Very few exceptions for quality pieces that will last a long long time. But yes, key to seeing a difference in available space is not bringing anything in, for sure.

Whenever I 'want' something, I wait. And then I wait some more. And then if I really want it and can justify its use, I look to buy it used.

I would not have said I was a big shopper at all- I have never shopped for entertainment and avoided knick knacks etc. But I did like to try new things - toiletries, make up, foodstuffs. Forcing myself to use up every bottle of lotion and packet of wild rice has really made me stick to only buying things I know I like and will actually USE, instead of just wanting to be kind of person who has saffron in the cupboard, without any recipes to use it up in mind.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1261 on: March 23, 2015, 11:49:31 AM »
What I failed to explain in my previous post is that when I stopped buying things, I realised how much of the joy was in the buying, not the using. And it made me see that these things I had weren't bringing me any pleasure, they were a burden. Acquiring them was fun, but in a weird way, that meant they had fulfilled their purpose. Using them up was not fun, and it has put me off buying anything else, and encouraged me to unload those things I don't use and want anymore.

Salim

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1262 on: March 23, 2015, 05:28:21 PM »
Wonderful thread! I have been reading Francing Jay, too. We did a big cleanup over the weekend and took a pickup truck full of stuff to dump, and packed a box of household stuff and a bag of clothes for Goodwill. This morning I cleaned out 1 shelf in the linen closet. I set up a card table in the bathroom and put all the contents of the shelf on the table, sorted through what I really wanted, and made a beautifully organized shelf out of it. Cleaning one shelf per day should work great.

There's so much more cleaning to do, but, at the same time, a big challenge is to only acquire new things thoughtfully and sensibly.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1263 on: March 23, 2015, 06:46:17 PM »
I dropped off a box load of books and DVDs to the local used bookstore and got a grand total of….... $7! Books and DVDs hold the lowest value after use :( no more buying books or DVDs.

Not to mention, any more books or DVDs I find go to good will. So not worth the hassle!

HappierAtHome

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1264 on: March 23, 2015, 07:09:46 PM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest?

It's kind of a non-vicious circle.

I'd already started buying significantly less / bringing much less into the house. But yes, decluttering is definitely helping me to shift my mindset about 'enough' and to be a bit harsher in my decisions about what I allow in (almost all our Christmas presents were donated immediately, for example).

I think decluttering has changed my procrastination habit. I'm so grumpy at past-Happier for keeping all this crap for me to deal with, that I'm dealing with stuff NOW instead of leaving it for when we move house.

And it has shifted my understanding of what actually brings me joy. I'm not a very sentimental person, it turns out :-)

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1265 on: March 23, 2015, 08:00:17 PM »
Going out this week:

- air hockey table (HUGE)
- IKEA bar stool
- stereo speaker
- 6 kid dress up costumes
- 2 bags of clothes
- toddler bed

Its all sitting by the door waiting for a truck to come on Wednesday. Sadly, that doesn't even make a dent in what we yet have to get rid of! I was telling my husband MMM's theory of storing your goods at the library/thrift store/Craig's list and he thought that sounded very wise.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1266 on: March 24, 2015, 05:50:08 AM »

I think decluttering has changed my procrastination habit.

This is true for me too. I realised a lot of my clutter was stuff I didn't know what to do with, or stuff I didn't want to throw away because I had to deal with it 'right' (eg recycling, giving away etc). I have been forcing myself to just MAKE A DECISION and it feels better. Someone upthread said 'clutter is delayed decisions' and for me that was and is very true.

DagobertDuck

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1267 on: March 24, 2015, 07:44:21 AM »
To all the declutterers on this thread, I am curious to know…with all of this de-cluttering are you finding that you are no longer bringing much into the house?  Is the act of getting rid of so much stuff that once cost money and now has no use to you causing you to shift your shopping mindset?

What habits have you changed since you started on this quest? 

It's been a slow process, but over the years I had already come to realize that maybe I don't need to buy and own that much stuff.
Various events, experiences, books, lectures etc have contributed to this idea.
So I hadn't been buying much anyway over the last few years.

Reading MMM, this thread and videos from Joshua Becker and Ryan Nicodemus & Joshua Fields Millburn just inspired me to take it a bit further.
So since I started decluttering plm 3 months ago I hardly bought anything apart from food, but I doubt I would have if I hadn't been decluttering.


Another stack of books (8 or so) given to charity today, by the way :-)
« Last Edit: March 24, 2015, 07:56:34 AM by DagobertDuck »

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1268 on: March 24, 2015, 05:46:22 PM »
Went through a garbage bag of teddy bears that my adult daughter had collected out of her little siblings bedrooms. Only kept out 3 for sentimental value. I should really start a box for each child with a few special things from their childhood. Does anyone else do this?

My mom has a box in the attic. Not going to argue with her since she's been de-cluttering a lot, and wants to get at the stuff in the attic next.

riverffashion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1269 on: March 24, 2015, 05:54:13 PM »
One of those lumpy too-soft pillows that's so ancient I don't even know where it came from. And a mismatched pillowcase.

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1270 on: March 24, 2015, 06:19:06 PM »
Wow, there is some serious decluttering going on on this thread.  I do not have any to report per se, however the feeling of ease and enjoyment in our uncluttered spaces continues unabated.  My uncle came over the other day and could not stop talking about how beautifully we had fixed the house up and how great the new paint job looks.  Of course nothing has been painted, or fixed up, I simply decluttered and am keeping each room clutter-free. 

I still have a lot of papers in storage right now which need to be tossed/scanned/filed but they can wait until after Christmas.

I am working on how to declutter my Christmas preparation which still includes loads of presents, mailing cards and having a big messy wrapping station on the dining room table.  I have managed to use almost every gift in my gift drawer and do not plan to continue to have one.  I am using up all the old wrapping and ribbon and cards (I am ashamed to say that I am actually using some that someone else was tossing out).  I find the mess created by  having the wrapping stuff out for more than one day is messing with my serenity.  Note to self…not doing that next year.

Next year I want to cut back on the number of kids we give gifts to and put the Christmas card info into a database so I can print labels.  I know the card thing is outdated but it is an old fashioned thing I like and it is a way of keeping in touch with elderly friends abroad.

I aslo want to move more and more into baking gifts instead of buying them. 

One final part, we have always driven around delivering to houses, and it takes a lot of time and energy.  When we were younger it was like an all day party but now it is a slog.  I definitely want to examine this for next year.

Do any of you guys make this time of year too complicated?

I do Christmas cards. I have all the addresses in an excel file and just update it as needed. When I'm ready to do the labels, I do a mail merge in Word. Works great.

FunkyStickman

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1271 on: March 25, 2015, 08:51:18 AM »
Two more bags of toys and clothes in the van. Stuffed animals I suspect are actually alive, because they keep multiplying...

Hot_AZ

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1272 on: March 25, 2015, 09:08:10 AM »
Does anyone else have "guilt" over donating?  I feel guilty giving away stuff that is still good, that could be sold for at least a little $ back.  Even though I know the items help others in need (well, it goes to a store, is sold and part of the profit goes toward helping others), it feels wasteful.  And hence why i have TOO MUCH STUFF.

I have been struggling with this.  For example, i have a plastic bin FULL of shoes of my daughters.  Some are new but most are lightly used (from infant to age 6).  It's a bin that if i donated them all, would give me an extra bin to used to pack the house for our (possible) move this summer.  And yet, i haven't been able to do it yet....

I know it's weird, in a rummage sale i MIGHT get .25 - $1.00 per pair.  It would likely add up to < $20 IF i sold every pair in the bin.  Lots of extra work for maybe $20 or a 2 minute decision to put them in the donate bag and reclaim that bin. 

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1273 on: March 25, 2015, 09:15:58 AM »
Does anyone else have "guilt" over donating?  I feel guilty giving away stuff that is still good, that could be sold for at least a little $ back.  Even though I know the items help others in need (well, it goes to a store, is sold and part of the profit goes toward helping others), it feels wasteful.  And hence why i have TOO MUCH STUFF.

I have been struggling with this.  For example, i have a plastic bin FULL of shoes of my daughters.  Some are new but most are lightly used (from infant to age 6).  It's a bin that if i donated them all, would give me an extra bin to used to pack the house for our (possible) move this summer.  And yet, i haven't been able to do it yet....

I know it's weird, in a rummage sale i MIGHT get .25 - $1.00 per pair.  It would likely add up to < $20 IF i sold every pair in the bin.  Lots of extra work for maybe $20 or a 2 minute decision to put them in the donate bag and reclaim that bin.

I can totally empathize with this. I feel excited to get rid of stuff, but there is guilt that maybe I could have got a little money if I'd made more effort. I do sell some things that are worth a little more, but I think the best thing to do with items that are worth a minimal amount is to take a deep breath and let them go.

I thought of storing everything in the garage and having a sale in the summer too, but then I'm not really getting rid of stuff, just storing it. The guilt has sure helped me a lot in not accumulating new things.

DagobertDuck

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1274 on: March 25, 2015, 10:14:22 AM »
With a LOT of time and effort you could make a tiny bit of money by selling them.

Just do the math and decide how much your time is worth to you.

Hot_AZ

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1275 on: March 25, 2015, 10:32:05 AM »
With a LOT of time and effort you could make a tiny bit of money by selling them.

Just do the math and decide how much your time is worth to you.

I know, I know, the logical part of my brain thinks/believes this... the cheapo/frugal part of me thinks "i should sell that".  Of course, the thought of a garage sale here in phx where the temps are already hitting 90's makes me cringe.  Must. Donate. Little. Shoes.

tariskat

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1276 on: March 25, 2015, 11:03:11 AM »
You could try a consignment shop, like Turnstyle.  If they sell, you get money.  If they don't sell and you don't come pick them up, they'll donate them after a few months.  Win-win situation all around.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1277 on: March 25, 2015, 11:26:18 AM »
Years ago a friend and I had a yard sale - I sold almost nothing, and it was a lot of work.  Now I just donate to places I would like to benefit from the sales.  In Canada we cannot itemize donations for tax purposes, so it truly is a donation.  I benefit by getting the whatever out of my house, and knowing that the place I donated to will also benefit.  Plus it certainly cuts down on the stress.

When we moved (a few years after that yard sale) I didn't even try to sell things, I just took car loads to my favourite donation place.  That made for a much easier move.  No regrets.

Does anyone else have "guilt" over donating?  I feel guilty giving away stuff that is still good, that could be sold for at least a little $ back.  Even though I know the items help others in need (well, it goes to a store, is sold and part of the profit goes toward helping others), it feels wasteful.  And hence why i have TOO MUCH STUFF.

I have been struggling with this.  For example, i have a plastic bin FULL of shoes of my daughters.  Some are new but most are lightly used (from infant to age 6).  It's a bin that if i donated them all, would give me an extra bin to used to pack the house for our (possible) move this summer.  And yet, i haven't been able to do it yet....

I know it's weird, in a rummage sale i MIGHT get .25 - $1.00 per pair.  It would likely add up to < $20 IF i sold every pair in the bin.  Lots of extra work for maybe $20 or a 2 minute decision to put them in the donate bag and reclaim that bin.

firelight

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1278 on: March 25, 2015, 11:54:11 AM »
I did try selling books and DVDs... And ended up with $7. So not worth the effort. So now my new minimum is $20 per item. Lower than that, I prefer to donate and be done with it. Makes decluttering easier without guilt.

SisterX

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1279 on: March 25, 2015, 12:24:09 PM »
My toddler is with the grandparents for most of this week so I've used my free time (and extreme boredom) to get my butt in gear and clean up.  We're moving in about two months and I officially have the first two boxes packed, of outgrown baby clothes which we'd like to keep for a second.  However, I also pulled out baby clothes to sell to a used baby stuff store, lots of items for a family member who's pregnant (but which isn't really decluttering since I'll get those back at some point), and several items for some friends whose baby will grow into them soon (don't want those back).  !!  It feels good to have done all of that.
Additionally, however, I identified several other items which can go to the charity shop, went through my closet yet again and pulled out some things I never wore but, strangely enough, kept out of a sense of guilt.  Last, I went through all of my and my husband's socks and underwear and cleared out anything with holes or in which the elastic was gone.  Sometimes I keep the holey socks to use to dust the house, then throw them away guilt-free, but I've got plenty of those so I tossed the rest.
Still looking for more to do.  Will probably start on the kitchen next, and start packing up some of the books.  I've already found some to get rid of but I found a few old textbooks lurking in the closet and have thought of a few more books which I don't mind parting with.

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1280 on: March 25, 2015, 12:40:18 PM »
Theadvicist,

What you said really resonates with me:

Quote
"these things I had weren't bringing me any pleasure, they were a burden. Acquiring them was fun, but in a weird way, that meant they had fulfilled their purpose. Using them up was not fun, and it has put me off buying anything else, and encouraged me to unload those things I don't use and want anymore."

I have heard of people who buy things and then return them the next day and also people who have dozens of brand new clothes in the closet with tags still on and I suspect that the fun was only in the shopping for those people as well.

Shopping can really bring my spirits up and can be an unhealthy way to fill a hole inside, and I am not even much of a shopper compared to the average Joe. 

After clearing out on and off over the last nine months I still feel weighed down by the burden of stuff. 

The other day I said to my dh:  Imagine living in a house where everything is in good working order, is easy to reach when you need it, where everything has its place and you know where it is; imagine having no huge list of chores involving tossing out, repairing, darning, cleaning things; imagine being in a house with every closet space neatly organised with lots of empty space; imagine going outside and all the tools for gardening are within reach and properly maintained; imagine only having clothes you use and love in your closet...

I realise that I have been overwhelmed by the excess of stuff for years.  I would love to move to a small house with a small garden and fewer things AND I still enjoy the beauty of where we live now, I just need to simplify a LOT more in order to enjoy it more fully, especially since my dh is not intending to move.

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1281 on: March 25, 2015, 12:46:49 PM »
Sibley,
That sounds good.  I did not send Christmas cards for years and am really enjoying the exchange.  I just need to make it simpler like you have.  I was going to take a photo and have cards made but I suspect that would be pretty pricey.  I was thinking of sending a picture to some website for that-does anyone know a good economical site for that?

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1282 on: March 25, 2015, 12:52:41 PM »
Dagobert Duck,

Quote
since I started decluttering plm 3 months ago I hardly bought anything apart from food, but I doubt I would have if I hadn't been decluttering

Congrats on reaching that place of not wanting to acquire.  I am still acquiring free things cast off by others or buying secondhand at yard sales.  The amount of stuff is not huge but it still weighs on me a great deal.  So avoiding shops is easy for me but avoiding sentimental cast offs from family is not so easy and I need to ban yard sale attendance. (sigh).

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1283 on: March 25, 2015, 12:53:42 PM »
Theadvicist,

What you said really resonates with me:

Quote
"these things I had weren't bringing me any pleasure, they were a burden. Acquiring them was fun, but in a weird way, that meant they had fulfilled their purpose. Using them up was not fun, and it has put me off buying anything else, and encouraged me to unload those things I don't use and want anymore."

I have heard of people who buy things and then return them the next day and also people who have dozens of brand new clothes in the closet with tags still on and I suspect that the fun was only in the shopping for those people as well.

Shopping can really bring my spirits up and can be an unhealthy way to fill a hole inside, and I am not even much of a shopper compared to the average Joe. 

After clearing out on and off over the last nine months I still feel weighed down by the burden of stuff. 

The other day I said to my dh:  Imagine living in a house where everything is in good working order, is easy to reach when you need it, where everything has its place and you know where it is; imagine having no huge list of chores involving tossing out, repairing, darning, cleaning things; imagine being in a house with every closet space neatly organised with lots of empty space; imagine going outside and all the tools for gardening are within reach and properly maintained; imagine only having clothes you use and love in your closet...

I realise that I have been overwhelmed by the excess of stuff for years.  I would love to move to a small house with a small garden and fewer things AND I still enjoy the beauty of where we live now, I just need to simplify a LOT more in order to enjoy it more fully, especially since my dh is not intending to move.

What you have both said has really impacted me! This morning, we had a truck pick up a bunch of bags of clothes (a free service, charity) but they wouldn't take a number of our large items. Husband is on 2 weeks holidays, so he just took a bunch more stuff to another thrift store that does take furniture, including: a functioning full sized air hockey table (inherited), an IKEA toddler bed, a large artificial plant and a functioning keyboard and stand.

So very glad to see some of this stuff go, but sadly, it doesn't even make a dent in what needs to go. It has really opened my eyes to see how much we have been bringing in over the years. Our garage is a disaster area, the closets in the house are full to overflowing with stuff, stuff, stuff. Do I need 5 throw cushions on my couch? They're always on the floor most of the time anyways. And SO. MANY. BOOKS! ugh!

@wintersun, I love your description of a house where everything is in good working order, etc. Just last night, we couldn't find one small item we had bought for our son's birthday today due to lack of organization.  I love the old adage, "A place for everything and everything in its place." Once I read a thing (sorry, no reference) that said, "If the power was out at night, could you find a pair of scissors?" For myself, I just laugh at that thought but I have two friends who answered, "Yes" without hesitation. Astounding!

Onward! I really want to make 2015 our year to clear out the clutter!

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1284 on: March 25, 2015, 12:58:18 PM »
It seems that several things are interlinked for me.  Too much stuff, to do lists that are never tackled and involve said stuff, being drained by all the undone things, gaining and losing weight so that I have several wardrobes of clothes leading to more feelings of overwhelm, etc etc etc.

One day at a time.

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1285 on: March 25, 2015, 04:39:31 PM »
The other day I said to my dh:  Imagine living in a house where everything is in good working order, is easy to reach when you need it, where everything has its place and you know where it is; imagine having no huge list of chores involving tossing out, repairing, darning, cleaning things; imagine being in a house with every closet space neatly organised with lots of empty space; imagine going outside and all the tools for gardening are within reach and properly maintained; imagine only having clothes you use and love in your closet...

Love this!

Once I read a thing (sorry, no reference) that said, "If the power was out at night, could you find a pair of scissors?" For myself, I just laugh at that thought but I have two friends who answered, "Yes" without hesitation. Astounding!

Scissors absolutely! I wish I could say that about everything else!

handsnhearts

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1286 on: March 25, 2015, 04:50:42 PM »
It seems that several things are interlinked for me.  Too much stuff, to do lists that are never tackled and involve said stuff, being drained by all the undone things, gaining and losing weight so that I have several wardrobes of clothes leading to more feelings of overwhelm, etc etc etc.

One day at a time.

I hear that totally!  Same boat, but moving (again) in 6 weeks and need to get rid of stuff!  Thanks to the above people who just made me realize that I don't need to yard sale or craigslist or ebay anything!  If it is big, maybe, but all the little stuff, shoes, records clothes, who cares!  Just move it out already!  My time is worth more than $2.00/hour or whatever. 

Sounds bold but even as I type, I'm still thinking 'but a yard sale is just one day and you could make some money to help with moving expenses"  sigh...  I am a living example of penny-wise and pound-foolish...

Hot_AZ

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1287 on: March 25, 2015, 08:49:13 PM »
Ok, I did it.  Like ripping off a bandaid.  I gave 14 pair of shoes to a friend of ours (DH to deliver them tomorrow) and put 35 pair of shoes/flip flops/boots in the donate bag.  That's 6 years worth of hoarding my little girls shoes "just in case we had another".  Looks like no second baby so off they go. 

While doing that, I decided that 4 of the fancy dresses I was going to sell would have a good home with our friends daughter, so those went in her bag too.  I now have an empty tub... that I will pack up for our (possible) move this summer.  Thanks for the inspiration everyone!!!!

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1288 on: March 26, 2015, 07:21:48 AM »
It seems that several things are interlinked for me.  Too much stuff, to do lists that are never tackled and involve said stuff, being drained by all the undone things, gaining and losing weight so that I have several wardrobes of clothes leading to more feelings of overwhelm, etc etc etc.

One day at a time.

Hi Wintersun, the not wanting to get rid of things and long to-do lists sounds like me. I had therapy recently (for something unrelated), and my particular problems came from procrastinating and putting off decisions, for fear of making the wrong decision. My course of cognitive behavioural therapy included working on throwing things out and tackling my to do list head on (or taking stuff I was never going to do off the list altogether). It was hard work, but it has made such a big difference to me.

Often, I would know I didn't want something, but I had to get rid of it in the 'best' way possible - by using it up, or donating it, or recycling it. Things that could not be donated (such as part used toiletries) gave me the most grief.

Just thought I would mention it. It's not the kind of thing I thought therapy really dealt with, but learning these techniques has helped me in many areas of my life.

Sibley

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1289 on: March 26, 2015, 02:28:19 PM »
Sibley,
That sounds good.  I did not send Christmas cards for years and am really enjoying the exchange.  I just need to make it simpler like you have.  I was going to take a photo and have cards made but I suspect that would be pretty pricey.  I was thinking of sending a picture to some website for that-does anyone know a good economical site for that?

I do Christmas cards because otherwise people never hear from me. I was late one year, and my mom actually got a phone call from some family asking if I was ok!

I don't do picture cards, and do not plan to. I buy Christmas cards after Christmas and save them for next year. I write a letter/note on the computer, print it on fancy paper (purchase after Christmas on deep discount), put it all together and call it good. The whole process is 2-4 hours depending on how much I'm distracted by other things. It's also when I buy my stamps for the entire following year.

My list is carefully managed. Family are permanent, except for the few who have disassociated themselves from the family. Friends - only people I want to stay in touch with are on the list. Last Christmas I think it was about 40 cards total (small family, small circle of friends).

I've considered emailing it out, but it's not enough for me to bother.  I also don't save cards that I receive - read them, keep for a few weeks to satisfy my roommate's need to display, then in the trash they go.

riverffashion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1290 on: March 26, 2015, 10:43:33 PM »
I still have this little corner filled with some things I'd like to sell. Obviously sellings not my thing,,, I wouldn't bother except these things are worth something. Ill need to ask a friend/family for help with this, as I've never done this before. I'm such a procrastinator jeez.. I think its a fear of getting ripped off, feeling like I messed up because I don't know any better. Of course if I ask for help & do research of values that would likely solve that .
« Last Edit: March 26, 2015, 10:46:01 PM by riverffashion »

handsnhearts

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1291 on: March 26, 2015, 10:54:12 PM »

Often, I would know I didn't want something, but I had to get rid of it in the 'best' way possible - by using it up, or donating it, or recycling it. Things that could not be donated (such as part used toiletries) gave me the most grief.


Sounds like me.  I'm pretty good at going through the to-do list but theses little things just throw me off!  I don't want to waste!  things are worth something!  And so many websites just say "throw it out," but I feel bad.  I guess I feel bad either way, but sometimes the guilt is enough to motivate me to just use it up at a slightly accelerated rate.  advicist what did you end up doing with those toiletries, may I ask?

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1292 on: March 27, 2015, 01:41:01 AM »
Once we had 14+ baby blankets and my husband was having a hard time convincing me to put them in the give-away box. He said, "Think of all the cold babies..." That was all it took!

Sometimes, for me, picturing someone else finding usefulness in my discarded item (which still has plenty of good use left in it!) makes it easier to give it away.

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1293 on: March 27, 2015, 05:40:30 AM »

Often, I would know I didn't want something, but I had to get rid of it in the 'best' way possible - by using it up, or donating it, or recycling it. Things that could not be donated (such as part used toiletries) gave me the most grief.




Sounds like me.  I'm pretty good at going through the to-do list but theses little things just throw me off!  I don't want to waste!  things are worth something!  And so many websites just say "throw it out," but I feel bad.  I guess I feel bad either way, but sometimes the guilt is enough to motivate me to just use it up at a slightly accelerated rate.  advicist what did you end up doing with those toiletries, may I ask?

Heartsnhearts it was a process for sure. When it first came up in therapy, my homeswork one week was to identify a toiletry I didn't like and throw it away. As in, just in the bin. Wow, that was hard (yes, I know I live a very wonderful sheltered life if I found that difficult). I actually couldn't bring myself to do it, so at my therapists suggestion, I took some items in and we did it together (wow I sound like a nutjob). I had to keep repeating it until the anxiety went down, to prove to myself that it would. And it did.

Stuff that was really fine (eg shampoo that I just didn't like the smell of) I actually gave to a friend of a friend. I was telling my friend about my therapy and she said, "oh, so and so loves toiletries of all kinds, and she's kind of struggling financially at the moment!", so I started putting things in a bag for her, and each time I saw my friend, I passed them on. On the one hand I wonder if I'm contributing to her toiletry problem, but hey, she might not have my issues, and the feedback is that she loves the surprise bundles.

Things that I just didn't prefer but were good, I used up. I asked myself, really, will I use this? And if not, I threw it out. I genuinely can now throw things away, although I still empty the bottle and put that in the recycling. But for example a 90% used lipstick that I was just forcing myself to use out of guilt, it's gone.

I'm basically down to only products I genuinely like and would repurchase, after using up odds and ends of lotions, conditioners etc. And when I recently bought an eyeshadow I decided I didn't love, I just gave it to friend of a friend straight away. No beating myself up over the wasted money, no moving it around from basket to basket for months, or using it when I have another one I'd rather use. I came to this realisation because I had been using up one I didn't like, and saving another one I did like and only using it occasionally. I finally gave myself permission to only use things I love, and realised that whilst I had been saving my favourite one, fashions had moved on, and I don't like it anymore. I never got to enjoy it, I just punished myself with the one I didn't like. So, no more. I use my favourites, I get rid of everything else.

Wow, that was an essay, sorry.

handsnhearts

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1294 on: March 27, 2015, 08:05:43 AM »
That was great!  I'm ok with throwing away small or almost used up things if I'm not into them. But I have a hard time with the things  that are close to full and perfectly good. It sounds like I need to find a "friend of a friend" too!  I used to donate them to a shelter, but now I'm not sure if they would take them.

I totally hear you about "saving" a favorite and using a less favorite instead. I have done that with clothes so many times. I think, X clothing item is too nice/fancy/irreplaceable and I should "save" it for when I really "need" it. I mean really, clothing as irreplaceable, come on!  I was like this even as a girl. I think part of it stems from when I hit puberty and things didn't fit me well and it was the end of the 80's so fashion was horrible!  I always blamed my unperfect body, but now, even though my body is still not perfect, if something doesn't fit or look good it is on the clothing, not me. Most of the time:). And always when the "right" occasion would occur, said piece of clothing was out of date, out of repair from sitting too long, didn't fit me well anymore, etc. Now I try to wear what I like. I just need to get rid of the rest.

The other problem I have is sometimes I will like something after it has been lying about for years as styles, taste and body changes. Anyone else encounter that?

horsepoor

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1295 on: March 27, 2015, 08:17:56 AM »
Once we had 14+ baby blankets and my husband was having a hard time convincing me to put them in the give-away box. He said, "Think of all the cold babies..." That was all it took!

Sometimes, for me, picturing someone else finding usefulness in my discarded item (which still has plenty of good use left in it!) makes it easier to give it away.

I do that sometimes too.  Just got an InstantPot, and hesitated on getting rid of the rice cooker that is now redundant, but thought of how useful it might be to someone else and took it to Goodwill yesterday.

Also took two throw pillows and a throw blanket, plus a box of random kitchenware to Goodwill yesterday.  Working on culling some clothes that never got worn this winter. 

theadvicist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1296 on: March 27, 2015, 08:24:27 AM »
Heartsnhearts I am try to instigate it with my wardrobe too - interesting to hear someone else saving things for special occasions... only to find the items end up never being enjoyed. I like that we each have a story that says there is hope for the other of us to change!

The friend of a friend eased a lot of guilt for me! My mum also loves part used bottles of perfumes - you just need someone who's not that fussy, which is easier said than done because who wants to sound like a crazy person asking around.

One thing that still does help me with the eco-guilt is to tell myself the resources have already been used. The stuff that went into making that product is used up, committed, even if I never throw it away the result is the same. I feel better about washing 'perfectly good' cleanser or something down the sink when I think of this because I am freeing up the bottle to be recycled into something useful.

The money is gone, and there is no point crying over spilt milk. Instead, I remind myself that if getting rid of stuff is so hard for me the easiest thing is not to accumulate stuff in the first place. So now, if I am even slightly unsure or hesitant about a purchase the answer is always NO.

And back to my decluttering efforts - 3 more things sold on ebay this week! Enough money raised to cash out of Paypal without fees, AND it feels great to have less stuff everywhere.

Hot_AZ

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1297 on: March 27, 2015, 08:52:18 AM »
I love the friend of a friend idea!  I am also motivated to go thru my bin of lotions and potions this weekend.  I am a couponer and have tons of free/cheap stuff stocked up.  I think it's time to go thru them and send some down the way....

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1298 on: March 27, 2015, 08:59:40 AM »
I still have this little corner filled with some things I'd like to sell. Obviously sellings not my thing,,, I wouldn't bother except these things are worth something. Ill need to ask a friend/family for help with this, as I've never done this before. I'm such a procrastinator jeez.. I think its a fear of getting ripped off, feeling like I messed up because I don't know any better. Of course if I ask for help & do research of values that would likely solve that .

This was how I felt when I started too. I was afraid of screwing up, or getting ripped off because I'd never done it before. I still have a pile in the corner, but I'm working through it one at a time. The first time someone responded to my ad and came over and gave me money for something I just wanted to be rid of it was very exciting. I used that excitement to motivate me to put up more items for sale.

My advice is to just pick one thing in your pile that is likely to sell. Take a look and see what other people are selling it for in your area, or another city. Take some pics and post it for sale. One thing is not as overwhelming as an entire pile. You'll learn as you go and it'll get easier. If you are anything like me, you'll never learn by procrastinating.

That said, some things sell quickly, others take some time. If you don't get any responses right away don't worry about it, just move on to the next thing. I put up a few things over a month ago and stopped thinking about them. Just got an email today asking if one of them is still available.

Cookie78

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #1299 on: March 27, 2015, 09:01:29 AM »
<SNIP>

Wow, that was an essay, sorry.

That's an awesome and inspiring story!