Who is a ruthless declutterer?

Aimee8314 · April 2012

I used to have a really hard time getting rid of stuff as well. What I found worked for that was finding a charity that I really love to donate the good items to. We have an SPCA thrift store here that I donate my good unwanted items to. That way when I'm making decisions I can ask myself if it would be more useful to me or to the store to sell and make money for the animals. The animals usually win.

Muddled · April 2012

broccolitree:
For me, the looks worse before better thing is a bad stance to have. I'll get discouraged and not finish and then it's just worse forever. I take one thing at a time and put it into keep, toss or donate bags... old grocery bags, it has to be small. When one of the bags is full, I stop and deal with all 3. Donate goes IN the car, toss goes TO the curb, and every last thing in keep finds a home. And then it's time for a snack or something.

I know it's not the 'right' way, but if the right way means I get pissed and the mess stays the same, who cares if I'm doing it right or not?

Yes, Broc. You feel me.

broccolitree · April 2012

I'll be in chat later to discuss because I get the feeling that *points to my eyes with two fingers, then points to Muddled back & forth*. But for me the big solutions have been to do things gradually, both in small chunks AND devoted time every day, and also to bribe myself like a whiny second grader. Like every day before Momma Broc lets 2nd Grader Broc come into chat I have to open and shred or file at least 3 pieces of mail. Then I'm allowed to go play with my friends, lol. 3 dishes have to be washed, or else the sink wiped out before I'm allowed a gin & tonic. Etc.

kellbell1919 · April 2012

Muddled:
The overwhelmed feeling is a big weakness. For example, if a sink is full of dishes, I just tend to avoid it. So, yes, I am overwhelmed, but I know that I need to force myself to do it. It has gotten to that point.
Another problem I have is that I always feel like I can use something later, even if I don't use it now. An example of this is my tree stand. I haven't gotten an xmas tree since, oh... 2006? (omg, really??), but I feel like one day I will use it again even though it is a pita to keep around.
Sentimentality is mainly a problem when it comes to letters and things and less of a problem for straight up stuff, but I do have a tendency to go through EVERYTHING, which I know is a mistake, but I live in constant fear of regret.
Okay, so maybe not constant, but you get the picture. I am terrified of making the wrong decision which means that I attempt to make no decision at all and just put things off.
And then my house is ready to explode.

I sort it into piles. Absolutely keep, absolutely chuck, maybe throw away. The maybe pile I put in a bag or whatever for two months, then come back to. In the meantime I've chucked a lot of stuff so I don't feel as bad giving myself time to make a final decision.

We moved three times last year and it makes it muchhhh easier to throw *** away.

malibu5880 · April 2012

I am attempting to do the same thing, Muddled. My house has gotten ridiculous. I've been trying to go room by room (and in some cases, just a closet that's gotten bad) and use the advice by PP of "if I haven't used it in a year, toss it/donate/whatever".

However, this process is taking longer than expected, due to the fact my kid walks behind me and takes everything back out again.

I do have a feeling I'm going to be that mom that can't throw away the picture on the fridge that kid did five years ago though. I have problems with sentimentality.

But I get you on the being overwhelmed. It gets to a point that it's like "where the heck do I even start?" And then I start on a room and half the stuff gets moved to another room, and so on. It's a neverending process. Also, I hate cleaning. LOL

srs5624 · April 2012

I'm awesome at decluttering.

I suck at giving advice on how to do it though. I'm the type that would show up to a house with a dumpster and a shovel, ask if there's anything that you must keep that I should watch for, and just start chucking.

I would be so bad at working with the people on Hoarders. I'd be all "WhyTF can't you just get rid of it?! It's an empty tube of chapstick/ rotten pumpkin/ dead animal carcass/ dishwasher full of grocery bags."

feinicstine · April 2012

srs5624:

I'm awesome at decluttering.

I suck at giving advice on how to do it though. I'm the type that would show up to a house with a dumpster and a shovel, ask if there's anything that you must keep that I should watch for, and just start chucking.

I would be so bad at working with the people on Hoarders. I'd be all "WhyTF can't you just get rid of it?! It's an empty tube of chapstick/ rotten pumpkin/ dead animal carcass/ dishwasher full of grocery bags."

That's me! I get so baffled. I hate that one guy who works for the cleaning service and yells at the hoarders but at the same time I know I would do the same thing.

laurakaz13 · April 2012

Me. My house has zero crap in it. I love to throw stuff away.

Who is a ruthless declutterer?

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