Author Topic: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!  (Read 1851572 times)

horsepoor

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #750 on: October 21, 2014, 08:29:28 PM »

I've also cleaned out our linen closet this weekend. Undecided what to do with the excess hand towels and sheet sets we seem to have. What's a reasonable number to keep?
My opinion about this is 2 sets per bed that you use daily, and one set per bed that is used only occasionally.  Then I keep a good sized stack of pillow cases.

This seems like a good rule of thumb to me.  We upgraded to a King bed a couple years ago and now have all these Queen sheets and really only need one set for the guest bedroom.  However, that's a lot of perfectly good fabric, so I'm trying to think of some good uses for it, rather than just carting them all to the thrift store.    We actually have four sets for the king bed now; 1 set that kind of sucks and we don't use, 1 good set, 1 OK set, and now some flannel sheets for winter.  Should just get rid of that sucky set.  I tried repairing the fitted sheet once but the corners keep tearing out.

I just got done listing a couple more things on Ebay and got better photos of an item that wasn't selling.  Also used up some scrap wood and leftover foam and batting to make a nice padded seat for my tack trunk.  It's nice to see clutter being absorbed into something useful.
If you or someone you know sews, old sheets can make great fabric for basic costumes, under-dresses, lining for fancy clothes, etc.  I make medieval costumes, and save old sheets for under-dresses.  They are great because they are so wide without seams.  Depends on the fabric though, if it has torn it may be too thin/worn even in the 'good' places to still be usable.

I do sew, but nothing like that.  I'd probably just use them as frost covers for the garden, or maybe make lightweight sheets for the horses.  They aren't worn out at all, just shitty quality with almost zero fabric allowance for the seams, so any stress and the seams tear right out.

Haven't had time to do much lately, but did get a bridle sold that was too small for my horses.  I should be able to really get after it once the weather turns less amazing and I'm stuck indoors more.

swick

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #751 on: October 21, 2014, 10:29:47 PM »
Time to get serious, looks like we are moving back down south! Going to be spending the next couple of weeks REALLY ruthlessly looking at everything we own. Posted a dozen items on  our local buy and sell and have created a list of big stuff we are not taking with us:) now those darn papers...

swick

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #752 on: October 22, 2014, 02:21:40 AM »
well, went back through my books and am gifting away another 4 boxes (this is after I had already gone through them, ruthlessly, I thought) When actually staring the prospect of moving in the face (again) I really don't want to pack them yet again...off to do more, good luck everyone!

FunkyStickman

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #753 on: October 22, 2014, 07:01:46 AM »
I spent an hour scanning a box of papers into Evernote. Also my wife replaced ALL of our old mismatched dishes FOR FREE from a full set someone gave my mom to sell at a garage sale. We actually didn't even take the whole set!

My kids haven't gotten on board with minimizing yet, but every day my wife tells them "You guys can't keep up with your stuff because you have too much stuff!"

I just smile. Their time is coming.

Cookie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #754 on: October 22, 2014, 04:28:53 PM »
I have a lot of kitchen appliances too. I use them all, so I won't get rid of them, but I have been thinking of getting rid of the extra attachments. I really only use a few blade styles on my food processor so I could get rid of the extras.

Rebecca Stapler

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #755 on: October 22, 2014, 06:12:49 PM »
I finally started listing some clothes on ebay. I haven't made a ton of money on them, but I felt like they were worth more than what I would get for them if I sent them to a consignment store. I sold 3 suits, a lot of maternity clothes, and some nice dresses. I just wanted someone else to love them as much as I did (when they fit!)

Then I cleaned out more and sent in two big bags to online consignment stores, and got $55 for them. Easiest $55 I've ever made! Took me all of 1 hour, including the time it took to drop it off at the post office.

I still have a box of clothes that I listed on ebay. No bites yet, but I'll lower my price if I have to re-list them.

Behold the end result! (attached)

fallstoclimb

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #756 on: October 24, 2014, 02:25:17 PM »
Fully cleaned out the filing cabinet!

Well, I cheated a little.  My husband has a crate in the closet he uses for filing his teaching stuff, so I just stuck his papers in there (all of which were school related).  I sorted through the rest of our papers, trashed a LOT, put a very few into Evernote, and put the remaining in my desk.  Remaining folders are: previous year tax returns, current tax year, house sale documents, pet health records, very important receipts, career stuff (letters of rec, transcripts), and legal docs.  Wish I could Evernote or trash more but they all seem like things I should probably keep actual physical copies of.  The good news is everything feels much more accessible now, I hated digging through that filing cabinet. 

Followup question:  Do people actually use like security deposit boxes?  Should I be keeping things like the deed to the house there?  Because....I am not.  A fire just seems so unlikely, and aren't there probably backups of everything with the relevant companies and government entities?

Next up is to address the overflowing Goodwill donation pile.  I was sort of planning to wait until the next tax year because of my not-so-great documentation, but it seems like I am doing what I need to do to claim over $500 (basically just write down everything) -- from now on I'll start taking some pictures too. Hopefully that'll be enough, because I am getting super tired of everything still being in the house. 

1967mama

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #757 on: October 24, 2014, 03:29:53 PM »


Followup question:  Do people actually use like security deposit boxes?  Should I be keeping things like the deed to the house there?  Because....I am not.  A fire just seems so unlikely, and aren't there probably backups of everything with the relevant companies and government entities?
 

We had a safety deposit box 20 years ago, but we no longer have one. We keep our Wills in a plastic bag in the middle of the deepfreeze that is in the garage.

And yes, our lawyer has a backup copy of our wills, so if it really came down to that, there would be a copy in existence.


tariskat

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #758 on: October 24, 2014, 04:10:41 PM »
If you're concerned about a fire, you can get fire-safe boxes that are pretty small.  They're like gun safes only tiny and for small things, like paper documents / deeds / passports / etc.  If you're worried about thievery, though, unless you drill the box into the floor, people can just pick it up and break into it at their leisure.

C. K.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #759 on: October 24, 2014, 05:19:34 PM »
I bagged up an extra scarf, extra earmuffs that someone gave me last year which still has the tag on it, packs of hand warmers left over from camping awhile ago that we never got around to using and will expire soon, extra quilts and blankets that I haven't touched in a couple of years.

Someone can use these items in winter and I've been squatting on them all this time; that seems almost morally wrong.

Thanks to you all and your inspiration I'm running out of stuff worth giving away. Everything else is either too worn or dinged up or I'm actually using it.

It feels weird to be this devoid of stuff. But it's a good weird.

Ascotillion

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #760 on: October 24, 2014, 06:53:42 PM »
My housemate is moving out tomorrow (and I'll be leaving within a month) so we're going through everything in the house. We're not big on possessions and we always joked that we were minimalists but quite a bit of stuff has accumulated! So far we've filled two trash bags and had a bunch of recycling too, plus the enormous entertainment unit we both hate is getting taken away!

Once he leaves I'm going to start cleaning the house and I may never stop :P

Cookie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #761 on: October 24, 2014, 07:57:22 PM »
You guys have inspired me to go through my digital clutter!

Today I went through about 600 pictures and deleted the ones that were blurry. I hope to go through all of my pictures on the computer and sort them into different albums by the end of November. I have the terrible habit of taking a million pictures, uploading them, and then telling myself I'll go through them later. I can't even remember one time where I actually picked through the pictures before throwing them into the abyss of a single photo album.

This will be fun...

CU Tiger

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #762 on: October 24, 2014, 09:39:59 PM »
Got rid of a huge desk from the basement. We never used it, it was strictly taking up space. Sayonara!

Anatidae V

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #763 on: October 25, 2014, 02:04:44 AM »
Got rid of a large shelving unit today! I offered it to my parents, and they said they had the perfect space for it. Booyah.

starbuck

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #764 on: October 25, 2014, 05:14:25 AM »
We spent some time decluttering our driveway and got rid of a car this week! Neither of us use our personal cars to commute to work, so a 2nd car was really unnecessary (and was costing way to much in repairs and maintenance to justify the very little it was driven.) So glad to finally have that rust bucket gone and donated!

fireferrets

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #765 on: October 30, 2014, 08:03:12 PM »
Been slow-going getting rid of stuff on Ebay, but with rock bottom prices, I'm finally getting rid of stuff. The stuff no one buys, I yerdle for credits. If it fails to get picked up through Yerdle, Goodwill gets it.

The hardest part has been old craft projects. For instance, a dress I made that is so heavy the collar stretches out when I wear it. aghhh -,-

On the plus side, I unearthed some old burned CDs/DVDs that I am gonna use to make a sweet recycled art project. :D

FunkyStickman

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #766 on: October 31, 2014, 06:50:01 AM »
You guys have inspired me to go through my digital clutter!

Today I went through about 600 pictures and deleted the ones that were blurry. I hope to go through all of my pictures on the computer and sort them into different albums by the end of November. I have the terrible habit of taking a million pictures, uploading them, and then telling myself I'll go through them later. I can't even remember one time where I actually picked through the pictures before throwing them into the abyss of a single photo album.

This will be fun...

Good job! I haven't tackled that job yet... got about 10 years of photos to go through.

On a good note, my wife and the kids cleared off the whole pack patio area of junk last weekend. Threw away piles of scrap wood, wire, junk, busted garden hoses, threadbare rugs, the whole thing. It's awesome.

CommonCents

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #767 on: October 31, 2014, 09:39:24 AM »
I'm going slowly, but 3 more skirts are gone from my closet.  One was a hand me down I never liked, the other two sadly no longer fit.  Going to see if my sister wants one of those two.

I also am going to do a decluttering/cleaning "game" with a friend.  We have done two different decluttering challenges before to keep us motivated.  For this one, we'll each write down a bunch of decluttering locations or cleaning chores (e.g. kitchen utensils, purse etc.), then we'll mix them up and draw a set number to do each week.  There'll be some element of surprise, and it may help on not putting off certain "dreaded" areas.  (It may be silly, but I find tricking myself into thinking the project is new, different, interesting, or a game is helpful.)

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #768 on: October 31, 2014, 07:19:05 PM »
Wow, you are all so inspiring.  I looked at an article on Peter Walsh who helps hoarders on tv.  He thinks excess clutter can be related to excess weight.  Do any of you concur?

My sister is still removing her stuff from my parents' house and once it is gone I am sure everyone will feel it.

I had a houseguest come last week and freak at my house: she said :"What happened to your house?  Where did all the stuff go?  Help me with my house!"  It was so satisfying to have someone really notice the changes I have made.

Due to various events I will be spending a fair amount of time at home recuperating and so I am going to deal with my computer clutter this week.  I have just dealt with Facebook clutter and removed half of my 'friends' and most groups.  One issue I have is finding things on my computer (macbook air).  I don't mean things I am looking for but things I want to delete and occasionally see on a list on the computer.  A lot of it is downloads.
 I am wanting to delete any excess but cannot locate it.  Or I suddenly find a whole bunch and spend time deleting only to find it is still on there.  Perhaps i need external help?



wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #769 on: October 31, 2014, 07:20:15 PM »
How many hangers do women aim to have in their closets?   I am thinking of future downsizing and wondering how much is reasonable to keep?

C. K.

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #770 on: October 31, 2014, 09:10:12 PM »
wintersun,  I've heard Peter Walsh connect excess weight with clutter. From what I recall, he says if you can't find your running shoes, you're less likely to run. If you organize your snacks so that they are not at eye level, you are less likely to snack. It's things like that.

I'd also say that if you're busy, you're more likely to eat just anything, and more likely to take the most commonly-used mode of transportation-a car.

 If you're already self-conscious about yourself, you're less likely to do something odd in your neighborhood, like ride a bike to work.

Cookie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #771 on: October 31, 2014, 11:38:30 PM »
Quote
I am wanting to delete any excess but cannot locate it.  Or I suddenly find a whole bunch and spend time deleting only to find it is still on there.  Perhaps i need external help?

Perhaps you need to empty the trash bin? I was frustrated with my pictures not being deleted until I learned I was only moving them to the trash can.

smalllife

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #772 on: November 01, 2014, 10:31:25 AM »
How many hangers do women aim to have in their closets?   I am thinking of future downsizing and wondering how much is reasonable to keep?

Depends on how minimal you want to go ;-)  I have 24ish hangers, and other than the occasional time where I need to dry non-hanging items AND all the hanging items are clean that is a good number.  Big enough for variety, small enough to keep everything visible and meaningful.

Astatine

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #773 on: November 02, 2014, 04:48:19 AM »
How many hangers do women aim to have in their closets?   I am thinking of future downsizing and wondering how much is reasonable to keep?

Depends on how minimal you want to go ;-)  I have 24ish hangers, and other than the occasional time where I need to dry non-hanging items AND all the hanging items are clean that is a good number.  Big enough for variety, small enough to keep everything visible and meaningful.

I have 35 hangers, but I also have non-hanging clothes folded away in shelves. I'm trying to cull my wardrobe and hang up as many clothes as possible (35 in my case, hah), to visually remind me that I still have those clothes and that I should really wear them. It's really easy to forget you have certain items when they're folded away.

I have 50 items of clothing hung up on hangars, but that's *all* of my clothes except for 3 pairs of leggings, scarves, beanies, sunhats, socks, underwear, bras and a pair of swimmers. So it really depends on your clothing storage.

lizfish

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #774 on: November 02, 2014, 07:16:09 AM »

Donating a too-small-pair of bowling shoes.

I came up with a trick. Whenever I'm thinking, 'I should spend 20 minutes cleaning up the apartment,' I tell myself that I can get out of it if I can think of one thing to get rid of.

Genius. I am feeling so overwhelmed with our clutter. One thing at a time is really the way.

Gin1984

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #775 on: November 02, 2014, 09:06:29 PM »
Two boxes are by the door to go out in the morning and we used up three candles tonight.  We should be able to use up all the excess candles by the end of next weekend as well.

Penny Lane

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #776 on: November 03, 2014, 06:18:02 AM »
I was invited to the opening of an office next week where there will be a truck shredding papers for free.  I'm going to bring a box of records-- mostly financial-- that I no longer need to save.  I thought this was a brilliant idea as I otherwise would not go.

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #777 on: November 03, 2014, 08:08:19 AM »
Finally made some progress on this. I've reorganized my office, and got rid of the collapsed boxes I keep for stuff I may need to return (usually tech of some kind). I cleaned out the spare bedroom and got rid of a full box of old stuff that isn't needed anymore. My SO isn't on board with this at all, so I've only been getting rid of my stuff. While I cleaning up, I did take a minute to count out the number of giant rubbermaid containers. We have 3 in the spare bedroom closet, 3 stacked in the spare bedroom, 2 in our bedroom closet, 1 in the office, and 4 in the shed. On top of that, there are 4 boxes of books in the spare bedroom closet, 3 boxes of I have no idea what stacked in the spare bedroom, and all kinds of crap.
I asked if she wanted to do anything with the two unopened snuggies in the closet, and she got a bit upset and said "FINE! I'll get rid of them". Other things (like a bag of super soft socks with the tags still on - pre-date me moving in 4 years ago) she says are for stocking stuffers.

How did you all get your SO on board? This is a bit of a challenge for me, since I'd pretty much have to get rid of her stuff. My stuff in the house consists of 4 under the bed drawers (I  brought the bed), 2 feet of closet bar in the spare bedroom (no room in our bedroom), and some equipment in the office. Not sure what I can do here, since I haven't even brought it up and caught a bit of heat with just the snuggies. Any ideas? Anybody else have issues with this?

CommonCents

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #778 on: November 05, 2014, 11:38:29 AM »
Jordanread, it's tough.  DH doesn't want to spend the time decluttering (thinks we have space so we should just leave it alone) and persists in genuinely believing it's all "my" clutter and not his.  (This extends to paperwork.  According to him, 85% of the paper that comes in the house is "mine."  While disagreeing on that percentage, I point out unsuccessfully that I deal with mine but his just sits there forever, including the envelopes and junk that comes with the statement/bill.  I also unsuccessfully point out that as the paperwork is really stressful to me, it would be great if he would help out *even if he thinks it's "mine*.  I have yet to get him to recycle any junk mail though so I'm curious how others get it to work.)

So my method is 1) to work hard on my stuff, 2) to deal with joint stuff (particularly as he thinks its all mine regardless) and only then try 3) set up a specific time with him to deal with a specific area of his such as "the box from your old office 4 years ago."  I hold up items and ask if I can get rid of them while he plays his computer game.  Usually I can get through about half of a single box before he decides he's tired of it.  Sessions generally have to be scheduled months apart, not days or weeks. 

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #779 on: November 05, 2014, 03:37:31 PM »
Your idea about Peter Walsh makes sense CK.  I was trying to figure out the link between the two in case it was useful.

Cookie, I just emptied the trash to see if that helps. Thanks.

Smalllife, Acorn, Astatine, useful to know.  I don't think I have more than thirty hangers at present but will count.  Right now I still have several different sizes of clothes and once I get to one size I will see what is left.

Meanwhile, my computer is getting a gentle fear out.

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #780 on: November 05, 2014, 03:53:29 PM »
Jordanread, it's tough.  DH doesn't want to spend the time decluttering (thinks we have space so we should just leave it alone) and persists in genuinely believing it's all "my" clutter and not his.  (This extends to paperwork.  According to him, 85% of the paper that comes in the house is "mine."  While disagreeing on that percentage, I point out unsuccessfully that I deal with mine but his just sits there forever, including the envelopes and junk that comes with the statement/bill.  I also unsuccessfully point out that as the paperwork is really stressful to me, it would be great if he would help out *even if he thinks it's "mine*.  I have yet to get him to recycle any junk mail though so I'm curious how others get it to work.)

So my method is 1) to work hard on my stuff, 2) to deal with joint stuff (particularly as he thinks its all mine regardless) and only then try 3) set up a specific time with him to deal with a specific area of his such as "the box from your old office 4 years ago."  I hold up items and ask if I can get rid of them while he plays his computer game.  Usually I can get through about half of a single box before he decides he's tired of it.  Sessions generally have to be scheduled months apart, not days or weeks.


Thanks for the advice. But how does one deal with someone who has no interest in de-cluttering?

Gin1984

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #781 on: November 06, 2014, 04:52:22 AM »
One more candle gone!

CommonCents

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #782 on: November 06, 2014, 01:13:03 PM »
Thanks for the advice. But how does one deal with someone who has no interest in de-cluttering?

I guess that's what I was driving at - DH doesn't have interest in it.  He does it because I ask (presumably because he wants to make me happy...), but only if I don't nag or harp on it.

Agree with Acorn to figure out her motivations.  Does she like watching HGTV (and their minimal rooms)?  Having guests over?  More space for a workout room?  Preserving kid's stuff in scrapbooks before she forgets?  A bigger house?  Less to clean?  Figure out what might motivate her, and then focus on that in conversations rather than saying "declutter".

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #783 on: November 06, 2014, 01:44:31 PM »
But how does one deal with someone who has no interest in de-cluttering?

Do you have any plans to move? Or people visiting/staying over for Thanksgiving/Christmas?
Is she interested in anything (crafts, yoga, etc)? Can you propose the idea of clearing out space for a hobby area/exercise corner?

If everything is fine as it is and no major changes are coming up, I can see why people will not want to de-clutter. But if you can create a valid reason as to why you need the space (e.g. for visitors or for a home improvement project), that could help with motivation. I would market it as "de-clutter your things and get more space for your hobbies!" (although hopefully she doesn't have too many things required for her hobbies)

That's the frustrating part. Her family is coming out, and we are moving next year (if we can find a place), and we are cleaning every room top to bottom (one day a week). And still no interest in actually getting rid of things. Just straighten the huge pile of boxes. Cleanliness and clutter are two totally different things, where one is nice, and the other is like...gravity or air. It's just something that is. Doesn't make her mad, not anything that bothers her. It's like that is what a spare bedroom is for, boxes of stuff that is never used. I don't let it get to me, so it's not really a point of contention (as long as I don't ask), but it would be nice to actually get more usable space out of the house, and get rid of the clutter.

CommonCents

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #784 on: November 06, 2014, 02:08:18 PM »
Can you make the stuff slowly disappear on its own or would it be missed?

RunningWithScissors

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #785 on: November 06, 2014, 04:00:21 PM »
^ this.

My husband gets overwhelmed by the thought of cleaning out our basement and de-cluttering so my strategy is to do it myself.  I love the feeling of taking chaos and turning it into order.  If there's something that I think he might want, I'll ask - but that usually only involves one or two items at a time.  I've tend to just 'take care' of most items via Freecycle or Craigslist and only once or twice has he ever noticed, much less actually missed the item.  Plus, he's happy when the money I get for our unused items goes for an unbudgeted splurge on pho or a fish dinner.

Mustachianism through Bribery - hey, it has a nice ring to it!

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #786 on: November 06, 2014, 05:46:30 PM »
Can you make the stuff slowly disappear on its own or would it be missed?

I wish I would have asked before cleaning...I probably could have gotten at least a few things out of there. Unfortunately, she is becoming aware of most of the stuff now. I might have to be sneaky about some of it, but the main opportunity has passed. I might just have to wait until we move and 'lose' stuff.

sheepstache

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #787 on: November 06, 2014, 07:02:43 PM »
But how does one deal with someone who has no interest in de-cluttering?

Do you have any plans to move? Or people visiting/staying over for Thanksgiving/Christmas?
Is she interested in anything (crafts, yoga, etc)? Can you propose the idea of clearing out space for a hobby area/exercise corner?

If everything is fine as it is and no major changes are coming up, I can see why people will not want to de-clutter. But if you can create a valid reason as to why you need the space (e.g. for visitors or for a home improvement project), that could help with motivation. I would market it as "de-clutter your things and get more space for your hobbies!" (although hopefully she doesn't have too many things required for her hobbies)

That's the frustrating part. Her family is coming out, and we are moving next year (if we can find a place), and we are cleaning every room top to bottom (one day a week). And still no interest in actually getting rid of things. Just straighten the huge pile of boxes. Cleanliness and clutter are two totally different things, where one is nice, and the other is like...gravity or air. It's just something that is. Doesn't make her mad, not anything that bothers her. It's like that is what a spare bedroom is for, boxes of stuff that is never used. I don't let it get to me, so it's not really a point of contention (as long as I don't ask), but it would be nice to actually get more usable space out of the house, and get rid of the clutter.

Huh, well it's nice that you're laid back about it. They say everyone has a different comfort level with stuff. Personally, it's not something I think about, but I dislike being in a minimalist environment. When I get into a hotel room, I start putting my stuff on all the surfaces :) So it seems like she's on the extreme end. I can see how perfectly nice rooms being used for storage is a bit of a shame, but to her it might feel like if they're empty then it's space that needs to be filled. I would think being really insistent that you need a room for an alternative use would eventually work. It might just mean she's okay with moving stuff to the basement or something, but at least having full storage areas could be used as an argument against getting any more stuff.  And then when you talk about moving to a new place, discuss wanting each space to be optimized and usable for a particular purpose to avoid buying more space than you need.

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #788 on: November 06, 2014, 07:45:27 PM »
But how does one deal with someone who has no interest in de-cluttering?

Do you have any plans to move? Or people visiting/staying over for Thanksgiving/Christmas?
Is she interested in anything (crafts, yoga, etc)? Can you propose the idea of clearing out space for a hobby area/exercise corner?

If everything is fine as it is and no major changes are coming up, I can see why people will not want to de-clutter. But if you can create a valid reason as to why you need the space (e.g. for visitors or for a home improvement project), that could help with motivation. I would market it as "de-clutter your things and get more space for your hobbies!" (although hopefully she doesn't have too many things required for her hobbies)

That's the frustrating part. Her family is coming out, and we are moving next year (if we can find a place), and we are cleaning every room top to bottom (one day a week). And still no interest in actually getting rid of things. Just straighten the huge pile of boxes. Cleanliness and clutter are two totally different things, where one is nice, and the other is like...gravity or air. It's just something that is. Doesn't make her mad, not anything that bothers her. It's like that is what a spare bedroom is for, boxes of stuff that is never used. I don't let it get to me, so it's not really a point of contention (as long as I don't ask), but it would be nice to actually get more usable space out of the house, and get rid of the clutter.

Huh, well it's nice that you're laid back about it. They say everyone has a different comfort level with stuff. Personally, it's not something I think about, but I dislike being in a minimalist environment. When I get into a hotel room, I start putting my stuff on all the surfaces :) So it seems like she's on the extreme end. I can see how perfectly nice rooms being used for storage is a bit of a shame, but to her it might feel like if they're empty then it's space that needs to be filled. I would think being really insistent that you need a room for an alternative use would eventually work. It might just mean she's okay with moving stuff to the basement or something, but at least having full storage areas could be used as an argument against getting any more stuff.  And then when you talk about moving to a new place, discuss wanting each space to be optimized and usable for a particular purpose to avoid buying more space than you need.
Had I been born a couple of decades early, I'd have totally been a hippie. One of the things that I didn't learn from MMM was the circle of concern thing. Sometime around age 12, I just realized I was in control of how I felt about things, and damn near overnight I stopped being ticklish and letting other people control how I felt (with a lot of practice since then). I personally prefer the Asian style of super minimalism, but I can live however. I feel like Raymond Reddington sometimes. He had a quote about being in a shipping container for 3 weeks. Something like the first week was absolute hell, but the other two were quite pleasant. :-) I do love a nice minimalist space, but I love my gf more.

Firefly

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #789 on: November 07, 2014, 07:26:18 PM »
My desire to have a clutter free house and my tendency to keep the stuff for "just in case" and just because I paid money for it don't go together. I am in a constant inner struggle. I've gotten very good about clothes - the amount of clothes I have is half a size it was a few years ago. And I am super careful and thoughtful about buying new clothes. There is hope though. We are moving soon - it will give me a chance to go through all the stuff and get rid of a lot of stuff.

Fientologist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #790 on: November 07, 2014, 07:56:37 PM »
Our strategy in this regard is simple, yet effective.  Each year we go through our stuff and if we haven't used something in over 1 year AND if we don't plan on using it within the next year, we either give it away to friends, sell it, or donate it.  We recently took this to another level and got rid of a large batch of stuff that we'd fooled ourselves into thinking we were going to use last year.  And not only do we not miss any of it one single bit, but we've netted over $1,000 in cash from Craigslist and eBay, and probably another $500 in tax deductions from donations.

The only real exceptions for us in this regard are tools, as we're constant tinkerers.

The next step for us is to inventory basically everything we have, which presents myriad benefits (e.g., knowing exactly where anything is, having a record in case a disaster or burglary, etc.).

Firefly

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #791 on: November 07, 2014, 08:16:39 PM »
My biggest problem is toys toys and more toys. 7 yo boy and 18 mo old girl. Since she is so much younger, I am saving all of my son's toys and supplies so she can use them later. But after she is done with it  - GONE! I usually just donate them or passing down for friends.

Fientologist

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #792 on: November 07, 2014, 08:44:50 PM »
However, since she is so much younger, you might be holding on to them for years to come (and/or she might not care for them when the time comes).  There always is a cost to ownership, whether in terms of maintenance, physical space, or sanity!

That being said, if these are fairly universal/classic toys, and you have a place to keep them safe and out of the way (e.g., in totes in your attic), you could save a bit of money in the future :)

Gin1984

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #793 on: November 08, 2014, 10:27:03 AM »
Another candle gone, and burning all of these candles is really helping the gas bill!

wintersun

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #794 on: November 10, 2014, 05:02:39 PM »
Malaprop Cocktail I know what you mean about creating temporary junk in order to clear out.  It is worth it but frustrating at the time.

I am looking ahead to the time when I have no clutter, have no excess paper and every space is clear and organised.  What I am realising is that I need to come up with some systems to put into place so that this does not happen again.  I have been looking online at peoples' command centers and organisational tips and styles and most of the time it strikes me that people are simply organising excess which recently is making my skin crawl.

I no longer want to keep a couple of bags worth of presents and paper and ribbon on hand, I intend to give people homemade consumables and other homemade things.  I find the wrapping paper /gift area of my closet to be draining.

I want all my clothes to be able to hang up at once with no seasonal storage and because I do not have a dress up type of job that is very doable.

I certainly do not want my computer to be chock full of useless stuff, I want to be very careful what I save.

I don't want loads of electric cords and no idea what they are for.

And I do not want to hold onto things because they were a gift years ago and no longer appeal to me (which is still going on with me).

Most of all it is the paper and journals that haunt me, I feel overwhelmed at times when more comes to light.  Fear of people reading my journals has lead to a mass destruction and yet I keep finding more pages of notes tucked inside other notebooks, etc.

I see my mother getting ready for her death by clearing the decks and I sort of want to clear the decks now.  I want the peace of mind that comes with knowing where things are AND it does not take an hour to uncover them, with relaxing because having a houseguest does not require days of clearing out and feeling clear and free.

Is this how you guys feel?

Cookie

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #795 on: November 10, 2014, 06:07:05 PM »
Quote
And I do not want to hold onto things because they were a gift years ago and no longer appeal to me (which is still going on with me).

You hit the nail on the head. I feel the same way about all your points, but especially struggle with unwanted, handmade gifts from family. It is easy for me to get rid of a store bought gift, but the hand embroidered picture or quilt makes me keep it, even though it will only remain in storage.

BZB

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #796 on: November 10, 2014, 06:25:49 PM »
I'm really focusing my efforts on the stuff that takes time to declutter.

+1
I have been going through my dad's geneaology research files that I inherited and scanning what seems useful to keep. It was a decades-long hobby and he kept all his correspondence and notes. I have filled about 3 1/2 large banker's boxes with paper to recycle, and I have just one more file box to finish.


MsRichLife

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #797 on: November 10, 2014, 07:53:23 PM »
I see my mother getting ready for her death by clearing the decks and I sort of want to clear the decks now.

DH's grandfather passed away earlier this year and we spent a week helping the family start clearing out the house. It was just so sad to see his prized possessions (and junk) become a burden that had to be dealt with by grieving relatives. Seeing how little our 'stuff' means after we are gone has made me want to get rid of the unimportant stuff now. Hopefully when I eventually pass on, only the important stuff remains to be sorted through.

jordanread

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #798 on: November 11, 2014, 05:11:26 AM »
It's not ideal, but I have may have found a solution. Since I have almost nothing left in the house that I can declutter, I decided to grab a few things out of my storage unit, just to then box up and take to goodwill. She's still not on board with decluttering for the sake of not having clutter, but apparently when there are huge piles of stuff being sorted, she'll start sorting some of her stuff. This past weekend, I filled up the trunk with some bags of clothes from the storage unit. I figured if I haven't missed them in the two years they've been in there, I could get rid of them. So I brought a bunch of stuff home, and then 'sorted' them into boxes and bags to go to goodwill. The GF decided to clean out her VHSs and VCR, as well as miscellaneous old technology from the entertainment center. I guess making clutter to clean it up seems to work for her. Here is a picture of the stuff that I grabbed from the storage unit, and then her pile grew into what you see in the top right.

.

Very little visible progress, but it's progress!!

FunkyStickman

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Re: Getting rid of stuff / Clearing out clutter!
« Reply #799 on: November 11, 2014, 07:38:41 AM »
Wife and I have been struggling with stuff lately. Specifically, the kids' mounds upon mounds of stuff they don't pick up. I'm personally sick of it (as is she) but when I suggest just getting rid of stuff until they can manage, she gets very defensive about taking their "stuff" away.

I'm personally of the thought that they're spoiled (mostly by grandparents) and they could use to do without. We have plenty of things for them to play with, it won't hurt my feelings to get rid of 3 GARBAGE BAGS of stuffed animals for my girls and a WHOLE BOOKSHELF of toys my teenage son doesn't play with any more.

Ugh. I could just scream. She's constantly going on about how cluttered the house is and how she never stops cleaning, but she won't do what it takes to fix the problem!

I need an "Easy" button.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!