Decluttering

**mmy2grls** · 03-15-2008, 03:47 PM

I decluttered before and got rid of lots of stuff. Me and my 2 girls have a decent sized bedroom house and we still have too much stuff. My kids have toys they haven't played with in a long time because they can't find it, I keep buying things because things get misplaced.

I'm having a yardsale this spring with my mom. As i'm finding stuff i'm putting things into boxes into a closet in my laundry room that I never used.

I am going through our junk room today. I need to get rid of a lot more. I'm sick of living like this. I have a box i'm filling to throw away and a big to give to the pantry in town.

I thought this would be a good place to post my challenge to myself to declutter my house and then I can organize.

**mmy2grls** · 03-15-2008, 05:00 PM

I found a surge protector that I needed

I found a digital thermonitor, this is greatly needed.

I filled a small box up with crayons, pencils, and pens. I can never find anything when I needed it.

I have a small box of baby toys and items that I put into the closet for my yard sale.

**Katybird** · 03-15-2008, 05:04 PM

It sounds like you are off to a great start. You will have lots of great extra space after you declutter also.

I usually try to do a big decluttering the first week of spring and another the first week of fall.

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-15-2008, 05:20 PM

Well sounds like your doing great, and with having a yard sale you will make some money too!

**mmy2grls** · 03-16-2008, 01:24 AM

I have the back of my mini van filled up with stuff to take to my parents to burn. Guess we'll visit them tomorrow.

**happimommi** · 03-16-2008, 12:04 PM

Sounds like you are doing great! Keep up the good work.

**mmy2grls** · 03-16-2008, 02:59 PM

i'm lazy today and haven't done anything. I have to keep on this every day until my house is spotless.

**prairiewife** · 03-17-2008, 04:54 PM

Your doing great with the decluttering. I guess it just has to get to a point where you can't stand it anymore. I know I've been slowly picking away at stuff in the spare room since our move. Not much progress. I wish I had the motivation to just spend a whole day in there.

**mombottoo** · 03-24-2008, 09:25 PM

Sounds like you are making progress and that's a good thing! I declutter constantly, but I swear the stuff breeds when I'm not looking!

**M55FF** · 03-24-2008, 10:27 PM

I de-cluttered, took 2 years.

Cleaning up all that clutter was torture... I see it as punishment for starting to pack rat... and I swore never again...
anytime I get the urge to "buy something"... I close my eyes and remember how tortous it was to declutter for 2 years...
the things I had to part with, the waste of it all...
for some its a lifestyle and it consumes them.
I have a friend like that who won't let anyone into their place due to the clutter and pac ratting.

after finally getting it together..........
never again !!!!!!
it was hell to get back to normal living and an uncluttered house is soooooo much more enjoyable, not to mention healthy.

**JohnP** · 03-25-2008, 01:13 AM

I found two rules work really well for me about "stuff".

1. If I have not used the thing in the last year, it's gone.
2. I calculate the storage cost of keeping it in my house. (My 785 dollar apartment has a .15 cent per inch per year storage cost.) Once I measure it, I calculate how much it costs me per year to have it. If the replacement value of the item is greater than the storage cost per year, I keep the piece.

My apartment is nearly empty. The system works well. And it is easy not to purchase things because of the storage cost calculation.

**mmy2grls** · 03-25-2008, 06:26 AM

I got lazy with decluttering. Least at this time the living room is clean with limited toys and the kitchen and dining room is good.

Seriously my house is 90% toys. I told my kids no new toys unitl they organize what they have and we are not buying just to buy anymore.

**kaykwilts** · 03-25-2008, 08:05 AM

Good for you. I need to declutter but it has gotten to the point that I am often overwhelmed. I go in spurts on working on it. I need to have a yard sale soon to help get rid of it. Might as well make some money decluttering.

**M55FF** · 03-25-2008, 09:54 AM

My clutter started from being frugal and trying to save everything:

"in case I needed it someday"...

that was my mentality...... but when I'd need the something I'd saved... couldn't find it !!!
One day I got so tired of it the endless searching of where the somethings I'd saved or put away to be fixed were.......

It started MASSIVE de-cluttering !!!
My first yard sale, made 800 dollars in 4 hours... sold furniture, trinkets, books and kitchen stuff. I was like WOW...

and it felt so good to have the extra room and not the stuff.
I'm down to 1/2 ( one whole side) of a shed... its piled 8 foot high. Most of the things have something missing, a tear, a defect but they are all no longer wanted.

About 3 more garage sales and a few more newspaper ads ( for the big stuff)
and I'll be all done.

Its not a nice way to live to live in clutter.
blah.

**kellydoeshair** · 03-25-2008, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by M55FF

My clutter started from being frugal and trying to save everything:

"in case I needed it someday"...

that was my mentality...... but when I'd need the something I'd saved... couldn't find it !!!
One day I got so tired of it the endless searching of where the somethings I'd saved or put away to be fixed were.......

It started MASSIVE de-cluttering !!!
My first yard sale, made 800 dollars in 4 hours... sold furniture, trinkets, books and kitchen stuff. I was like WOW...

and it felt so good to have the extra room and not the stuff.
I'm down to 1/2 ( one whole side) of a shed... its piled 8 foot high. Most of the things have something missing, a tear, a defect but they are all no longer wanted.

About 3 more garage sales and a few more newspaper ads ( for the big stuff)
and I'll be all done.

Its not a nice way to live to live in clutter.
blah.

wow that's amazing! it's like an episode of clean house

*I love that show btw*
and I think a lot of us end up pack ratting for the same reasons
it's easier to stash it in a closed in the basement than MAYBE, PERCHANCE replace it