What I want is a book that helps me not get the stuff in the first place.
I was scrounging around the overstuffed kitchen drawer this morning looking for the amazing, life-changing pineapple slicer and noticing I have a lot of weird, rarely used crap in there. Silicone tubes for making Popsicles and avocado slicers and tongs I always forget about the one time I need a tong. My first thought was "I need to get rid of all this crap." My second thought was "I should replace it with better crap." Nononononononoooooo.
Or is this like "pinterest guilt" where it's an invented thing to gin up clicks?
Whatever. I love decluttering. I declutter, like, 6 times a year. I will happily help anyone else declutter. Just pay me in excellent food and local booze.
I haven't read the book (or the the entire article posted). But I do love a good purge and caught a few of her tips online and I am converted on a few...using old boxes lying around to organize drawers, and organizing clothes vertically in a drawer so you can see them all. I've actually been able to keep that system longer than anything I've every tried before.
But that's only for my shirts/pants. Folding underwear sounds like the stupidest idea ever. However, if you like your panties rolled then KOKO!
I've seen this idea of organizing clothes vertically floating around the internet. Does it actually work? It seems like after you took out the first couple items the others would flop over and make a bigger mess than just laying them flat.
Post by tacosforlife on Jun 5, 2015 12:20:37 GMT -5
Hugs, Sou. Cleaning out a deceased parent's stuff is HARD.
I am fully prepared that I will be in charge of this when my ILs pass. My H will want to keep everything out of sentimentality and guilt, and we simply won't be able to. I can only imagine how difficult it will be for him.
Or is this like "pinterest guilt" where it's an invented thing to gin up clicks?
Whatever. I love decluttering. I declutter, like, 6 times a year. I will happily help anyone else declutter. Just pay me in excellent food and local booze.
Are you free this weekend? Wanna come to MD? I promise I will cook my little heart out if you can make all of my shit fit in all my brand new storage spaces in a neat and tidy fashion. I have things I don't even remember I own because they've been lost in the basement abyss for 2+ years.
I've never read this book, but organization has been pretty life changing for me. I can't knock it. We lived in a 1300 sq. ft. house with a large garage and basement. We had so much stuff that was out of sight and out of mind. When we moved to another town we could only find one house for rent that was okay with our cats. We moved into an old house with no built in storage areas, 795 square feet, and no basement or garage. We had no idea how much stuff we had until we had moved everything in and it was literally piled throughout the house and that was after we had already filled a storage unit. I spent weeks going through stuff, dividing it into shiny new clear storage containers, trash bags for Goodwill, and stuff to sell.
I have yet to miss anything. It was weirdly emotional getting rid of some of it. I hope it never gets to that point again. I love that we never have to really search for anything because we don't have much stuff. I'm still a work in progress and catch myself letting random things pile up.
This is a big part of her book - do not buy additional storage, it only helps you hide what you have. I'm purging unnecessary things that I've had hiding in plain sight for years, and it feels really good. Lighter. Less stuff to clean or clean around.
I've never read this book, but organization has been pretty life changing for me. I can't knock it. We lived in a 1300 sq. ft. house with a large garage and basement. We had so much stuff that was out of sight and out of mind. When we moved to another town we could only find one house for rent that was okay with our cats. We moved into an old house with no built in storage areas, 795 square feet, and no basement or garage. We had no idea how much stuff we had until we had moved everything in and it was literally piled throughout the house and that was after we had already filled a storage unit. I spent weeks going through stuff, dividing it into shiny new clear storage containers, trash bags for Goodwill, and stuff to sell.
I have yet to miss anything. It was weirdly emotional getting rid of some of it. I hope it never gets to that point again. I love that we never have to really search for anything because we don't have much stuff. I'm still a work in progress and catch myself letting random things pile up.
This is a big part of her book - do not buy additional storage, it only helps you hide what you have. I'm purging unnecessary things that I've had hiding in plain sight for years, and it feels really good. Lighter. Less stuff to clean or clean around.
Ah, this is not the book for me then. My life changed when I discovered the Container Store. It hurts me there are none where I love now.
I've never read this book, but organization has been pretty life changing for me. I can't knock it. We lived in a 1300 sq. ft. house with a large garage and basement. We had so much stuff that was out of sight and out of mind. When we moved to another town we could only find one house for rent that was okay with our cats. We moved into an old house with no built in storage areas, 795 square feet, and no basement or garage. We had no idea how much stuff we had until we had moved everything in and it was literally piled throughout the house and that was after we had already filled a storage unit. I spent weeks going through stuff, dividing it into shiny new clear storage containers, trash bags for Goodwill, and stuff to sell.
I have yet to miss anything. It was weirdly emotional getting rid of some of it. I hope it never gets to that point again. I love that we never have to really search for anything because we don't have much stuff. I'm still a work in progress and catch myself letting random things pile up.
This is a big part of her book - do not buy additional storage, it only helps you hide what you have. I'm purging unnecessary things that I've had hiding in plain sight for years, and it feels really good. Lighter. Less stuff to clean or clean around.
I purchased nice new smallish clear totes that stack in our closet and threw out the big old Rubbermaid totes. I have eight of them for seasonal decor, family heirlooms, winter clothes, etc. Everything else in our house is used on a regular basis. Even in our tiny house I actually even have empty kitchen cabinets, a half empty closet, and I no longer own a chest of drawers. I'm proud of myself! lol
I haven't read the book (or the the entire article posted). But I do love a good purge and caught a few of her tips online and I am converted on a few...using old boxes lying around to organize drawers, and organizing clothes vertically in a drawer so you can see them all. I've actually been able to keep that system longer than anything I've every tried before.
But that's only for my shirts/pants. Folding underwear sounds like the stupidest idea ever. However, if you like your panties rolled then KOKO!
I've seen this idea of organizing clothes vertically floating around the internet. Does it actually work? It seems like after you took out the first couple items the others would flop over and make a bigger mess than just laying them flat.
It does work!
I fold my clothes one extra time so they are a big thicker and less floppy which helps, but also it just seems that the clothes may lean, but never fall over.
I really have it working well in one drawer right now...and I have three rows, one for shirts, one for bottoms, and one for tanks.
I haven't been able to get it to work well for my son's drawers, though. I have bins in his drawer which works.
I only read a little bit of the book where she described coming home from elementary school and being SO EXCITED to clean and organize. I just laughed and laughed at that. I am and have always been cluttery and a hoarder. It truly makes me anxious to be in a minimalist house. I like my "stuff" and it makes me feel safe and comfortable to have it. I also don't go crazy on the purchasing end (except for fabric), otherwise this would be a recipe for total disaster. I don't mind other people who feel differently, but there are those if us out there who don't obsess over cleaning and organizing
Anyone who is against decluttering obviously has not moved recently.
FUCK WHY DO WE HAVE ALL THIS STUFF???
Yes. I lived four places in three years.
That's when I switched to buying ebooks almost exclusively. Books are heavy. Twenty or thirty boxes of books are insanity. I have it pared down to three full bookcases, and I can live with that.
I haven't read the book (or the the entire article posted). But I do love a good purge and caught a few of her tips online and I am converted on a few...using old boxes lying around to organize drawers, and organizing clothes vertically in a drawer so you can see them all. I've actually been able to keep that system longer than anything I've every tried before.
But that's only for my shirts/pants. Folding underwear sounds like the stupidest idea ever. However, if you like your panties rolled then KOKO!
I've seen this idea of organizing clothes vertically floating around the internet. Does it actually work? It seems like after you took out the first couple items the others would flop over and make a bigger mess than just laying them flat.
You kind of make sure it can stand on its own. I have not had an issue with a bigger mess.
Books and mementos are my downfall. I have such a hard time getting rid of books, "because I might need it someday," and memories, even though the memories are sitting in a tub in the basement. I just have no idea what to do with it all.
We got rid of a ton of things last summer when I was packing for our move, particularly old baby things, but I still have so much stuff--pictures, random toys, games, coffee mugs, etc. Either it has a sentimental value, I can see myself using it someday, or it's missing pieces. Toys that are missing pieces I save, hoping to find the rest of the pieces (they have to be around here somewhere, right??), so I can donate them rather than trash them.
I'm sticking to this post because I've not had enough time to be on the board today.
But I swear I've posted my household purging schedule. Right?
The rules are simple. For mementos, everyone gets two Tupperware bins. The big ones. If you have more mementos than bins, then something has to give.
For clothes, go thru them seasonally. If in the spring you go thru your winter clothes and didn't wear something, donate it. Same thing in the fall with spring/summer clothes. Go thru all pjs, underwear, socks, athletic clothes, etc. at the same time.
For the rest of the house, go thru one room/section a season.
Kitchen in the fall works best for me because I'm in everything processing garden stuff. All old Tupperware, dishes, glasses, etc go.
Living/family room pre- and post-Christmas because that's when I'm putting it back together. For me, this also includes books, as I have to move our bookshelf to accommodate our tree. This is also when I go thru kids toys, because we're on the other side of all their birthdays as well as Christmas.
Garage and yard stuff in the spring, obviously. Assess old equipment, set aside household waste for recycling, etc.
Kid stuff is all gone thru when the grow out of clothes - bigger stuff put aside for S, small stuff set aside for rummage. I go thru their rooms and books at the same time and rotate or set aside appropriately.
Craft/sewing/knitting room/supplies and anything else I didn't cover in the summer.
As for what I do with it, I either donate immediately (clothes, post christmabirthday toys) our set aside for yard sale. I allow yard sale items to remain for one year (two sales) and then donate.
There. I just saved you all the cost of the book. Or plane tickets and booze. I mean, I'm still willing to come, if you need that reasonable dispassionate voice to help.
I like the book so far because it focuses on what you have, not what you get rid of. Do you really want EVERYTHING you have? Why? Does it bring you actual joy to have it/wear it/look at it, etc? When you're in the store and thinking about That Thing, will it bring you joy to have it? Like I said, I'm only on chapter 3 or so, but there are things I thought about buying but didn't because I was like, "I like it alright, it's cool, but I dont LOVE it. I don't NEED it"
I should probably read this book. Our house is pretty cluttered.
Speaking of cluttered: my parents are building an addition onto our house, which they will then move into. So they're downsizing from a 2000 sq ft house with a basement and an attic plus a huge garage addition they built to a 1400 sq ft apartment with not a lot of storage. I think my mom may have a heart attack from having to downsize their stuff, it's been going on since JANUARY and they still aren't done. They have a lot of crap. Maybe I should get her this book too.
I'm pretty much an expert at this with 4 people in 900 sqft w/ only an attic and a bit of a garage.
What I hate is how much society is against decluttering efforts. Every birthday or holiday is an influx of a ton of paper products and various plastics. Most crafts are thrown out over long term. There is so much goddamn paperwork from finances or school or work or the house or pets or cars that for some reason hasn't been transitioned to digital format. Sure you can recycle it but only after you've had to hold onto it in an organized manner for however long. I've lost count of how many wardrobes I've maintained between 2 pregnancies, 2 nursing babies, and a variety of sizes and seasons.
I'm glad to enjoy something briefly and then let it go, but why the hell was it created in that way in the first place? Why can't we figure out how to augment more things for more situations instead of having to buy and store a ton of things only to give or get rid of it later?
I mean, I know the answer, it's consumerism, I guess I just wish the answer wasn't "just declutter!!1" but an acknowledgement that the problem starts before the thing is bought or brought into the home.
I'm in the second day of our annual garage sale. This is a big one, because I finally went through our basement closets and dug out *everything* that we don't use, have hoarded from baby days, etc. We have SO much space and now DH can cut back on the bitching about how our storage space is full, lol.
I fully admit that I tend to keep things well past when they are actually in use and/or useful. I went through my closet and dresser ditched a ton of clothes I will never fit into again, and I don't think I even got through the bins under the bed. We got rid of our child pack that we haven't used in at least two years, etc.
Our neighborhood does this garage sale annually, where everybody puts stuff out on a chosen Friday and Saturday and you're guaranteed good traffic. If I was left to my own devices, I might not get to having one every year, so it helps that someone else sets it up. And then the Boy Scouts gather a big truck for ARC donations at the end of the day, for whatever doesn't get sold.
It's a PITA to prep for, but it always ends up being worth it. This year is going to be a relief because we have gotten rid of so much stuff. And we've made nearly $400 to boot!
I like the book so far because it focuses on what you have, not what you get rid of. Do you really want EVERYTHING you have? Why? Does it bring you actual joy to have it/wear it/look at it, etc? When you're in the store and thinking about That Thing, will it bring you joy to have it? Like I said, I'm only on chapter 3 or so, but there are things I thought about buying but didn't because I was like, "I like it alright, it's cool, but I dont LOVE it. I don't NEED it"
I love the idea of this, but feel like if I had to limit to possessions to things I loved my house would be empty and I'd be naked because the stuff I love tends to be stuff I can't afford.
I need to clear out a lot of things. I just downloaded the book to read on my phone:)
Part of my problem is I feel like I should sell some things and that never happens.
This! With kid clothes and toys I do this all the time. Oh, I should sell it at the next consignment sale/craigslist/ebay whatever. Set item aside, and then forget about it.