Have you noticed decluttering never ends?

**MomK** · 07-30-2009, 11:09 AM

I took part in the Fall Fling and Spring Fling, getting rid of items that were unused in my home. I threw away, donated, or rearranged tons of stuff in my home. I thought I could rest. But NO!

Now I look around, and see more stuff! How did I accumulate so much?

I've decided that decluttering is an ongoing process that will never be "complete."

DD & I went through her closet yesterday, and she had papers and projects from 5th grade (she's a 10th grader!). She does pretty well getting rid of outgrown clothing because we have started consigning, and that brings in cash and/or more clothing! We threw away a lot of old papers and junk, donated more junk, and had a totally clean, organized closet! It felt so good!

DS and DH went through the garage, yielding several outgrown and unused baseball gloves and sets of cleats. Yea, we can donate them! There's also a set of racquet ball racquets, and two child-size bicycles!

Now, I'm a decluttering WARRIOR! I am looking for more decluttering projects! I can't help myself! I am addicted to the results!

Good luck with your projects, everyone! Get fired up about decluttering!

**Debbie-cat** · 07-30-2009, 11:42 AM

I love de-cluttering as well. There is such satisfaction to it. I still have a ton to do but like you said, it is a never ending battle. It just goes to show how much money was spent/wasted before we came to FV!

**onencgirl** · 07-30-2009, 12:09 PM

It's true, it never ends. Before you know it the clutter starts building again. Sometimes it's hard to keep ahead of it.

**mauimagic** · 07-30-2009, 12:30 PM

I totally agree and must do it with laughter or I'd cry??

The area to the right of where I usually sit in the LR is a magnet, no matter how often I clear it up - I know, it's me.

Ongoing, absolutely. Love it - not yet, but hope to get there!!

**frugalwarrior** · 07-30-2009, 12:34 PM

I have learned over the years to head some of it off.
-mail must be taken care of right away. Throw out junk mail in the trash before you enter the house. Open bills right away and put in bill folder.

-grab the kids at the schools end, toss anything they don't want,grab school supplies put in tub.
-try to keep on dishes (ha ha)
-Have a garbage bag in your closet to grab unwanted clothes ( if ripped throw out or put in rag bag.

-Go to Salvation A. w/ donation once a month

-Divide purchased items right away and put away

-clean out pantry and refrige once a month (toss items from fridge every week before groc. shop (my dogs love this)

-vacumn 2x a week, more if you have pets

-Have a rough shedule,yearly too (changed water filter in Aug)
That all being said it takes cooperation I just don't get but I'll keep trying. Oh MOM.

**nuisance26** · 07-30-2009, 12:37 PM

~Yeah, it's never-ending but it can get easier.
After reading many many many Flylady articles I began to understand the reasons for holding onto things, the biggest one for me was indecision.
Instead of deciding right away what to do with papers and craft items and everything else it would just go into a tote or a pile.
Now when I'm bringing things into the house or doing regular cleaning I hear a voice that says "Decide NOW!". It has a made a huge difference!
I still have work to do sorting through the indecisions of the past. I'm actually really looking forward to the Fall Fling this year! ~

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-30-2009, 12:43 PM

I swear I don't know where it all comes from. We aren't the kind of people who go out shopping every week for stuff. And when we do shop, the bags and tags go right into the trash. Junk mail goes in the recycle bin by the door and I have a can next to my desk for envelopes from the bills. And yet just last week we filled an entire 30 gal trash bag with junk. A couple years ago we did a major clean up and I was filling 1 or more bags a week! I don't bring that much into the house in a month! Where does it come from?

**Karen1** · 07-30-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by MomK

I took part in the Fall Fling and Spring Fling, getting rid of items that were unused in my home. I threw away, donated, or rearranged tons of stuff in my home. I thought I could rest. But NO!

Now I look around, and see more stuff! How did I accumulate so much?

I've decided that decluttering is an ongoing process that will never be "complete."

DD & I went through her closet yesterday, and she had papers and projects from 5th grade (she's a 10th grader!). She does pretty well getting rid of outgrown clothing because we have started consigning, and that brings in cash and/or more clothing! We threw away a lot of old papers and junk, donated more junk, and had a totally clean, organized closet! It felt so good!

DS and DH went through the garage, yielding several outgrown and unused baseball gloves and sets of cleats. Yea, we can donate them! There's also a set of racquet ball racquets, and two child-size bicycles!

Now, I'm a decluttering WARRIOR! I am looking for more decluttering projects! I can't help myself! I am addicted to the results!

Good luck with your projects, everyone! Get fired up about decluttering!

For me it did end

kinda

I took control of the main house-----my living room is decluttered and minimal, my kitchen has all counterspace available, MY bedroom is perfect and bare

BUT

you mentioned your kids rooms and the garage of kid stuff

Declutter will have to happen with kids outgrowing STUFF and clothes and all that.

My daughers room is constantly a declutter situation. being 4 years old now, I have repurposed her baby toys and clothes and that and got bigger kid stuff, well time again, AGAIN, seem like a minute ago, to do her clothes and room of toys again...HA HA HA

So for me, the main house and garage is fine.....the den and her bedroom will always be 2 rooms that are a work in progress.

AND no one and I mean no one will be allowed to ever clutter back up my living room or bedroom or kitchen....LOL-LOL----I am in protect mode now..HA HA HA

**dcompton** · 07-30-2009, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Contrary Housewife

I swear I don't know where it all comes from. We aren't the kind of people who go out shopping every week for stuff. And when we do shop, the bags and tags go right into the trash. Junk mail goes in the recycle bin by the door and I have a can next to my desk for envelopes from the bills. And yet just last week we filled an entire 30 gal trash bag with junk. A couple years ago we did a major clean up and I was filling 1 or more bags a week! I don't bring that much into the house in a month! Where does it come from?

I'm with you. Where DOES it come from? I think it must be a drive by Clutter Fairy at work when I'm gone. I do take full responsibility for not yet quite convincing myself that the floor by the computer isn't a filing cabinet, but as for the rest....? It's got to be some sort of evil twisted conspiracy because surely it couldn't be ME!

**fixer** · 07-30-2009, 02:28 PM

My problem is cluttering never ends.

**cab54** · 07-30-2009, 02:52 PM

Yeah, I HAVE! Funny you should mention it!

I was just talking to ml2620 about that very thing!

And my trouble is----I have two places to declutter--our house and our cabin. And dh just KEEPS ON shoppin'..........

**miss_thrifty** · 07-30-2009, 03:59 PM

Its not clutter here i find it just gets messy really quickly beacuse its so small. but i keep it contained lol and I make sure weekly check ups in the kids rooms and get them every day to put away their stuff. If they dont use it in 6 months and its sitting alot on the floors or in closet its gone. they dont have alot now because of the age so it helps alot. but teenagers and nagging at times to clean up after themselfs gets annoying and frustaring lol so when they push my limits i set theirs for friends, tv, puter etc and they smarten up awefully quick lol

**skw6559** · 07-30-2009, 04:32 PM

I am just beginning the decluttering process and I am trying to figure out where all this " stuff" came from. Hopefully, ways can be changed and I can at least keep up with it a little better in the future. I have many , many things to fling out of this house and my office at work.

**geckoace** · 07-30-2009, 04:33 PM

Yes! I was in my basement thinking this very thought yesterday. But I think once u start decluttering you become mire ruthless. Things that survived the first wave of decluttering now seem like clutter in my newly refreshed space.... It's like decluttering changes you whole attitude

**frugalfranny** · 07-30-2009, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by fixer

My problem is cluttering never ends.

I'm with fixer on this one...........my DECLUTTERING hasn't started.

Well, not serious decluttering.....I did get a bag out today and started to fill it.....listed a BUNCH of stuff on CL. Baby steps..........just baby steps for me!