Decluttering challenge

[1001 others]

Just the feeling of a space being clearer - it has a huge psychological impact (for the better).

I swear my car is running better now I've vacuumed and shampooed the interior and exterior! (It wasn't cluttered with 'stuff', but it was cluttered with dust).

I've finished my kitchen and pantry. I took a heap of stuff to a charity shop, who refused it because they only want matching sets! So, I called Women's Refuge and a lovely lady came around and very gratefully took everything. It's so nice to open cupboards now and see space between items!

 

[Kthxbye]

With this in mind, and it being Monday and all, shall we set ourselves the challenge that by next Monday we have gathered 5 things that can either go to the charity shop or in the bin.

It can be either 5 in total, or 5 from a few rooms…depending how easy/hard you find the challenge.

I'm up for that!

 

[Glaschelle]

I started decluttering last year. At one point, I found a big amazon box. When I opened it, it contained a yoga mat. I had no recollection of purchasing this mat!!!

Anyway, I was doing well last year but this year I feel like I'm back to square one.

Well not really, cos I know I've not got any unopened amazon boxes. So maybe square 2!!!

 

[adviseplz]

I’ve declutterred 4 things so far….
The aforementioned Looney Tunes flannel (plus others)
Some cardboard boxes
Cleared out my desk draw
Threw out old gloopy nail vanishes

Hoping to have some time at the weekend to clear out the Tupperware cupboard (yes there is a cupboard full of the stuff)

 

[Justherefortittle]

Organised is my default setting and I’m really struggling with mo longer living like that!
Everything in its place and a place for everything.
By putting things back onto shelves, into cupboards, in drawers properly you take up far less space and anything you need is to hand without a search.

Unfortunately for me, himself is a fire it in and then go digging for what you need person
Fed up having to empty a drawer or cupboard to get to what I want! That inevitably ends up with me putting everything back the way it should be for the hundredth time!

This morning, when a heavy bottle of shampoo launched itself at me from the bathroom cabinet, I come to the conclusion that if I lived alone I could sort my life out much better! tje air was blue with my cursing!

Losing the willingness to declutter further as it seems every time I clear an area, it gets encroached on again almost overnight!

 

[Codiaeum]

I decluttered two pairs of shoes today. Hadn't worn the sandals in about tn years. They looked lovely when I first bought them, but they would have needed the entire heel replaces and now I saw also that the fake leather lining started disintegrating. Plus no occassion to wear them.
Other pair was pumps I had bought about 8 years ago for a job interview and hated. They never were comfortable and also now saw that they were badly scratched in some places.
Both went to the bin. and they could have gone there four years ago when we moved house or any time before that. Not sure why I cling to clothes, I often feel bad about decluttering them - I'm often too lazy for vinted/would need to get a carton and I don't have a lot (I'd maybe be able to sell ~10 pieces there for ~2-5€). Plus I find clothes are such a minefield - at least here - you're not supposed to bin them because they could be useful, but donation containers complain they get too much and it's not of great quality, you could sell them but they're not in a condition anyone wants to pay for...
Also threw out a very very holey bed sheet, good riddance. That thing disintegrated by looking at it.

I would love to have more "invisible" storage - we don't have a cellar or anything like that and some items simply don't fit well into a cupboard like spare pillows. I have them in an under-bed thing, but I really don't like it, because I'd love to have nothing there. always need to drag it out and up to vacuum and it gets so dusty there.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Since watching Sort Your Life Out I have a recurring dream of the vista of all my possessions laid out in a vast warehouse and only 2 days to decide what I'm keeping!

 

[adviseplz]

I’ve come back home from two months away and my place feels so cluttered. I’m kind of taking the tactic of, if I didn’t use it in the past 2 months then do I need it at all? I’m going to go room to room and work my way through each draw/cupboard etc.

 

[allaboutthegossip]

We managed to get to the tip this weekend so got items out of the house and some clothes to the clothing back. I will keep going with the 5 items per room as it’s good to have a goal to work to.

 

[Jellycat369]

Decluttered my nightwear drawer, definitely managed to get rid of more than 5 items Not comfortable attacking the rest of my clothes yet. Have set aside all the stuff that is too small, and I'll never fit in again, to sell but I'm struggling with my postpartum body so going to wear what I have until it falls apart and hopefully by then I'll know what size I am and what suits my new shape.

 

[1001 others]

This afternoon, I am going to start purging my computer bookmarks - 17,000 in total! - of things I've bookmarked, intending to go back and look at when I have time one day. That time never seems to come, so ...

 

[50degreesnorth]

@OnlyHereForTheLolz 5 manky cotton wool buds you’d never want to touch your face are counted. Mentally you’ll end up saying to yourself “oh they don’t count” and you’ll crack on anyway.

@Lalla I know it’s “tipped” when I’ve bought more than one copy of the same book - or discover something completely unused which I’ve also bought a duplicate of. Or when you’ve got so much shit, you don’t have storage for it all. Because the storage you DO have is so full of shit you’ve forgotten what’s there.

I can’t remember who asked - buy weeding totally counts. Because it’s one of those jobs you just stop “seeing” even though you walk past it at least twice a day. And… if the sim is to re-stock the beds and make the garden a more usable (enjoyable) space then it’s doubly worth it.

 

[Jellycat369]

Had a little sort out in our home office yesterday. Found a couple of craft kits I'm never going to have to make so they can go to the charity shop. Sorted out my craft cart with all my son's art supplies. Bought a few inexpensive pots and trays from IKEA and was able to sort out all his bits and bobs and chuck out a load of packaging so reduced visual clutter. Still got a long way to go but at least one corner of the room is tidy now.

 

[creamQueen]

Ooh glad to have found this thread! my head feels as cluttered as my drawers/wardrobes & need a good declutter-Its been on my mind for weeks just haven’t got the mental strength/capacity to get stuck in, it was driving me mad so last week jotted down on some post it notes what I wanted to do in each room. I actually felt great writing the jobs down felt a load lifted from my brain instantly & actually got stuck straight in to my kitchen.organised and decluttered so much shit its untrue have a bag of things for charity,binned aload and slowly tackling one drawer at a time elsewhere around the house!clothes being a big thing for me but Im being ruthless-those too small garments Im kidding myself that will fit again are gone,underwear,accessories GONE it feels great! Still a long way to go but the buzz from just starting small is what I needed/ recommend for anyone in need of starting a clear out! (Apologies for writing a complete novel my brain is clearly excited)

 

[adviseplz]

I saw this earlier and thought of us all; View attachment 2885510

This was literally me yesterday I looked and just saw chaos and piles of crap.

But I put something on fb marketplace yesterday and they're coming up to pick it up today (hopefully!) so that's another thing. And earmarked a few other things to list. I also got rid of an electric diffuser that doesn't work anymore but looked pretty on my side table. GONE I have no use for things that don't work anymore!!

Well done to everyone who made a start last week! Who's ready for another week of 5? 5 things in total, or 5 things from a couple of rooms - whatever you can manage!

 

[ShockAdGift]

The Marie Kondo approach worked a treat for me a few years ago. I can see how decanting your entire wardrobe onto your bed can be overwhelming. What I do now is do one drawer, if I feel like it I’ll do another and another etc.

 

[Justherefortittle]

Does anyone else have the problem that they can never seen to get rid of enough? I try to be ruthless but there's still always too much stuff, and I don't think I have a lot compared to some.

It feels like a neverending slog. I need some motivation.

I think one of my biggest issues is a lot of stuff I bought when I had more money!

Now with changes in life, work and the ever rising general COL I’ve had to become more frugal.

So a lot of my issue is ‘what if’
I may use/need/want it in future! Especially true with clothes that don’t fit as I just know I won’t be able to get the same fit/quality anymore

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Thank you for sharing! I’ve just started clearing out some beauty products that I didn’t like and this is a great idea!

Usually find them at the back of the store.
---
I'm nearly at the end of my clothes decluttering. I've had to try everything on and it's felt never ending.
Thought I'd finally finished today, then I found some rogue items.
I also unearthed boxes of clothes put on one side to alter e.g. they were too big - now they're too bloody small!!!
I've put them on one side for my younger relatives to look at as they are gorgeous. Tempted to go on Ozempic for them if it wasn't so scary
I also found lots of gorgeous material I must have bought to make dresses etc, but never got round to it (out of sight out of mind).
Next to be tackled is all my paperwork including things I've pulled out of magazines - lots!
Then I'll have to do a digital detox.
I've decided once I get to the end I'll just start again from the beginning and work my way through one room at a time as there's always something!!!

 

[Chocolategoggler]

My house looks like a bomb's exploded. I had to find something at short notice for someone who came to help with an outside job. I ended up throwing everything out of the big under stairs cupboard on to the lounge floor. I heard myself yelling "I've organised my house and I still can't find anything!"
I'd just started a second sweep of the house recently as I realised I'd missed things like top cupboards. I've been finding tea lights, solar lights, candles - all things I've refused to buy as I knew I had them somewhere!
I've got things waiting for a container as I shuffle things around, as again I probably already hold a container for them which probably has things shoved in that I don't know where else to put.
So I have "stuff" waiting....
Does anyone else understand and have the same problem, or am I slowly going bananas!

 

[Kthxbye]

I'm desperate to do something, my house is awful, we have way too much stuff, and it's just everywhere. It's making me so depressed.

I'm looking at getting one of those Hippo bags, taking a week off work and just going through every room in the house and being ruthless