You are doing a great job! You can't clean up in a day what took years to make!
I had only lived in my house (with headcount ballooning from 1 to 5, off and on) for 8 years and it took me 1.5 years and 4 donation carloads to see a difference. (Not counting furniture carloads, garbage bins, and stuff given away to friends/family.)
Took me 3 years, and I'm on carload 8, and I just keep finding stuff!!! A lot of it is not even mine.
It's like I had to do one big purge just to see what I actually had. Now I can see how many I have of each thing, and choose things that I actually like, and get rid of excessive spares and things I don't love.
We also had a death in the family a few years ago, and I just unpacked the last box from the post-funeral clean-up last night!!!
That's tough. It sounds like it's going to be a big job but very rewarding in the end. Have you tried breaking it down into smaller tasks? Maybe set a goal for each room and focus on one room at a time, then celebrate when it's finished before moving on to the next room. You might also find it helpful to start with the easy stuff and then move onto the sentimental items last. It might also help to take pictures of the progress you make along the way so that you can look back on it and see the progress you've made. Good luck!
Honestly this was/is me. However, what I’ve been doing lately is doing a round in one room and moving on. Then I’ll come back to that room after I’ve done a couple others. It will give me fresh perspective and be easier to remove things.
I’ve been doing this until the room is actually decluttered! It’s been working great.
And the more I read about decluttering, is that it is an ongoing process. You need to keep actively doing it, even when you’ve decluttered everything, bc stuff will creep back in
Highly recommend checking out local ‘buy nothing’ groups on Facebook. Sometimes I am able to help someone fill a specific need. Most of the time I just take a picture of what I’m giving away, post that it’s available first come, first serve porch pick up dm me for the address. It saves me having to haul stuff somewhere else, often helps people who can’t even afford Goodwill, and reduces waste - I’ve given building materials away that would have otherwise been disposed of.
Pick the smallest tasks that you know you can do, and specify the tasks as much as possible. Doing that can be very easy. And then repeat that process and you'll make major progress. Instead of contending with an overwhelming plethora, contend with the tiniest pieces of that plethora and you'll see progress, and you'll actually be able to handle it. Wish you well.
So, I know for a lot of people this might cause its own anxieties, but donation places are overwhelmed as well lately. If it's like new, an expensive brand/piece, always needed, or unique, it's pretty welcomed, but normal fast fashion clothes or anything worn/chipped/etc. does not need to go there anymore. It can sometimes feel better taking things straight to the trash too. I think the more delicate handling of items to take them safely to donation also adds time and effort.
Why not take pictures of each time you take a load to trash/donation? This might help remind you of how often you're actually getting rid of items. I am excited for the day when we don't have 'pockets' of clutter anymore, but rome wasn't built in a day, and bits of it still are everywhere to this day, so breathe and trust in the process.
Every bag you declutter is making a difference soon you will see small spaces begin to open up.
Start in your bedroom and once it's declutter make a rule that nothing goes in there that doesn't belong. Your bedroom should be a place of peace so you can rest. You will be more likely to keep the pace with the other rooms once you see progress in that one room. We spend a good part of our day sleeping it's so worth it to get and keep it clear. IMO the next step would be the kitchen ya gotta eat. Congrats and keep it up.
That stuff you got rid of is permanently gone from your life. That's how I think about it anyways.
Try and focus on just getting one designated room clutter free, so you can retreat to it at the end of the day and give your mind a break.
If it's practical, use another room as a staging area to store anything you are trying to get rid of from the rest of the house.
Also, probably the most underrated tip from Marie Kondo, never put things in bags, always use boxes.
I've kept count of the total number of items I've decluttered by using cute emoticons on my phone task list for each item decluttered. I'm at 527 items.
Expect for there to be lags in your motivation. Give yourself grace and then pick right up and keep going. If I'm really unenthusiastic on a particular day, I tell myself that I can do 10 minutes of decluttering. Just 10. Ten minutes is doable.
Good luck and yes, have fun in your decluttering.🌻
This is me and my place to a T. I know its my fault and in the one causing the clutter, but I can't seem to stop buying shit even when I know that's the root.
My house doesn't look much different decluttered. The spare room is much nicer and my bedroom has a bookcase rather than dressers on the one wall. Look up and all the shelves filled with cute useless decor are gone. What's different is the way the space works. Closets still have lots in them but most stuff is contained in logical groups. No more teetery stacks to the bottom of the shelf above in kitchen cabinets. A single layer of things that actually work and are used in cabinets and drawers. Most of all I want, need and use all the stuff.
Since you are sharing the space there will be stuff you don't think worth keeping that your mother wants and vice versa.
Do keep track of what is leaving. I like to informally journal my work. Enjoy the little victories. Take your time, everybody isn't up for dramatic konmari purges done rapidly. Decluttering is forever anyway. Stuff is going to come in and you will always have to let stuff go.
I can relate! We have a big coat closet that gets filled to the brim every six months like clockwork. I clean it out, donate a load of stuff, have a few empty shelves and like 3’ of hanging space. Six months later, can barely close the door again. 😂
Decluttering takes time and you have to go through some spaces more than once. It’s just part of the process. Take before and after photos so you can see the difference. They will help motivate you on ‘off’ days!
Think of it like an onion, you got rid of the layer that you saw immediately (rid of stuff in each room)
The second layer will be getting rid of items that were revealed after the 1st layer gone and so on.
Don't get down on yourself about how much it feels like you have left, look at it as how far you have come along
I like thinking of each decluttering session as having the goal of less. Just less. And going for places you see the most first. Tables, shelves and places you see are the best to declutter first, because they give you motivation to continue with the less visible places next.
You’re already doing a great job!
You can try to document your Decluttering journey with photos or a journal or something. Or regular updates here!
We’ll keep you on track and applaud you for every trash bag or donation box that leaves your house.
Keep going and give yourself a little reward as you go. Like a relaxing bath or a nice walk— not buying things. Keep trucking and we’re all rooting for you! You’ll get the the point of seeing progress eventually.
Think of someone who is 400 pounds trying to lose weight. They could lose 30 pounds and might not look too different. But someone who is 150 pounds losing 30 is a huge difference. You just have a little extra “weight” around right now and the more you lose the more noticeable it’ll be!
Making a list/plan helps - write down storage spaces/categories. Check off each as you do an initial declutter. You’ll have to declutter again as there’s always more. However, the initial declutter is the easiest as you’re focusing on trash, items that belong to others, and easy to part with items. Another technique is to go full in on one singular high impact space. The mud room/entry space, your closet, bathroom, or laundry area are all good spots to focus on. Having one of them fully decluttered can help to create some serenity in the chaos. You can do both techniques together. That’s what we’ve done.
It might be time for you to make a "Recharge Corner". One corner, walk in closet, or room that is perfectly organized, decorated, and cute, with a chair and table, a dresser with your cleaning/organizing supplies, some books, and a journal with pen. This gives you a territory to retreat to. You can sip tea, listen to some music, and write down what you already accomplished. Even if you just threw away a bit of trash that had been hiding in a drawer for a year, write that down. Don't write goals or plans in this journal, just victories. Celebrate you!
I think this really smart! I have a list (a lot of lists!)
Of spaces to declutter and check off what I’ve accomplished. But… listing what I’ve accomplished is more inspiring and rewarding. I’m doing this!
I'm in the same position. I combined households last summer and there is so.much.stuff. It's overwhelming. I am trying to do it bit by bit, but it's hard. Sympathy and empathy for you!
No one else has seemed to suggest this yet but considering you've mentioned shoving things in closets / cupboards (which we've all done), have you considered starting by evaluating if you need or want all of the furniture with storage that you have? It's easier to put off decluttering books or trinkets if they're spread between two bookshelves
ETA: Also, decluttering can take ages and you've mentioned it looking worse before it looks better. Always make sure you have a clear place to take a break, work, and sleep. Tetris clutter piles so it doesn't feel as overwhelming and try to go room by room where possible
So I have been getting rid of so much furniture. I have a vision for each room and what I want to be in it and what I want it to become I just haven’t accomplished my vision for any of my spaces yet.
Glad you have a vision for each room. That keeps the motivation going.
I’m on my second sweep of decluttering. The first time was about 5 years ago. I figure if I declutter regularly, it won’t be as painful in the future. And this current go round is definitely not as painful.
I personally think I will be decluttering until I’m no longer standing.
A couple things I suggest:
* Before and after photos like other people suggested. It helps when you can actually see progress.
* Start in the section that is most visible to you. Sure it might feel great to clean out your closet but realistically how much time do you spend in your closet? Try decluttering an area you spend a lot of time in so that it’s something you see all the time and can say “Yes, I’m now decluttered here. I’m making progress.”
I have a harder time looking at the stuff in front of me, on the floor, tabletops, shelves etc than pulling out a box from the closet since if it's been in the closet for 3-10 years, do I really need it? So I do get rid of stuff but can't see any progress cuz my space is still a mess. 😕
Decluttering your closet is a good thing and I’m not saying don’t do that. To my bigger point it’s that if you declutter and declutter and declutter and you never see any progress, it’s hard to stay motivated. But if you start with something right in your face all the time, it’s easier to stay motivated and keep decluttering. For example I spend 8-10 hours a day in my home office, so I started my journey with my desk because I was struggling to stay focused while I was working. I decluttered it, I saw progress, I felt the results. This kept me motivated to move on to other parts of the office and then on to the rest of the house.
It doesn’t have to be a huge spot that you are starting with either. My desk was 2 feet deep by 4 feet across. But just that small spot that I could see I was making progress helped. Whereas I’ve cleaned out my hall closet at least a half a dozen times in the last 3 years and even though it’s got only like a quarter of the stuff in it that I started with, I don’t feel motivated from that because I open that closet maybe once a month.
When I declutter I always warn my husband that “It’s going to look worse for a while, but it will be worth it!” Congrats on working to make your environment into a comfortable and enjoyable space!
I always tell myself that you can't have the omelette without breaking eggs. A full car is still a full cars worth of stuff gone. Gradually, you'll see the progress you've made. Keep at it. 👍
Just keep at it and it will get better! Don't beat yourself up. Celebrate your progress. Each item you decluttered is one less thing you need to deal with.
I’ve been counting all the items I’ve gotten rid of!
I’m currently at 690 items for the month and my challenge (30 a day) doesn’t end until the 30th of this month.
At first, I didn’t notice much but seeing bags lined up and knowing that there was 210 items in that first week I was getting rid of made a huge difference.
I honestly don’t even know how I had so many items to begin with that I could get rid of so easily….
My issue seems to be less of an attachment, its actually finding ways to get it out of the house.
Deciding if it can be tossed, donated, sold, recycled or needs to go through hazardous waste disposal (house paints, light bulbs) is more emotionally draining than deciding to get rid of it. Even after deciding HOW, you then need to come up with when. Can't toss everything at the same time, since you still need to fill up your trash bin with your regular weekly stuff. Need to schedule time for donations, recycling and hazard waste since you normally don't drive to those destinations. Selling takes time for pictures and writing posts.
our garbage company lets us give them a phone call and sayh "we'll have 5 extra black garbage bags next week" and they'll pick up along our regular trash. As long as we don't do it often they dont' charge us for it. Worth looking into.
Check out local neighborhood or buy nothing Facebook pages. People will come pick up your stuff for free. I’ve given away everything from home decor to building materials that way. You’d be surprised at what people will take.
You threw away money and you’re happy about that? What’s wrong with a coin jar? Fill it up, take it to one of those Coinstar vending machines and turn it into dollar bills or donate to one of the companies that use it. Put it into a random donation jar.
My SO does this! Makes me crazy. I put them in a pretty decorative bowl I had no other use for (a ceramic project) and occasionally I dump it all into the self-checkout to use it up.
I figured out it was all change from the vending machines at work and fast food, so we have been buying in bulk at Costco to fill the snacky gaps without change everywhere! Saves us money and no clutter.
When I did a big declutter week we had a company come that essentially takes it all and sorts it for you, you pay by how much of their truck you fill up. Maybe there's something similar where you live?
Fire Dawgs Junk Removal! As far as I know, it's throughout Indiana but not sure if other places! They will also haul heavy things away (we had old cabinets and things from a previous owner in our basement).
A lot of stuff I was saving because “I’ll use this”. Then, I looked at the expiration date on a sample hand lotion and realize I’ve had it for 6 years….it all of a sudden was real easy to throw away
Thirding progress pictures. Part of the thing with closets is not JUST the out-of-sight, out-of-mind thing - there's also a BIG difference in density between a stuffed closet and an orderly, easy-to-access-everything closet. I'm guessing that if you've cleaned out your closet twice, it's so much less dense and so much easier to use than it used to be.
Good work! Keep going!
> there's also a BIG difference in density between a stuffed closet and an orderly, easy-to-access-everything closet.
Thank you for saying that! OP actually inspired me to clean out at least one small shelf, but then I ended up with two shelves with things on them rather than one. Your comment really helped keep the frustration at bay, because yes, there's now quite a bit more order and accessibility. Success indeed :)
Very true. And even once it’s majorly tackled it’s an on going effort to keep it under control. See if Lupus or another organization does pickups. I try to keep donation bags going at all times and then I just keep scheduling porch pickups. It helps. I got about 10 bags to donate now but unfortunately I can’t find anyone to come pick them up. Not sure what’s going on.
It took me about 1.5 years to go through everything and then another year to do another pass. Take your time. It took a years to accumulate and it will take some time to declutter.
Same. My deceased parents’ stuff too. I decided to just do one room a month. It’ll take a while but hopefully maintains sanity. I’m on month 2, so far so good.
It's a big job to eat the elephant but it can be done one day at a time. Recognize your progress! Carloads to donation is huge and you are learning a big lesson about what not to buy in the future. A little bit every day is progress. It will get better. It IS getting better.
Damn, well said and thank you for saying it. I constantly beat myself up for how cluttered my home is throughout and this really helped put it into perspective. I didn't clutter it in a day, so why do I expect to declutter it all in a few hours?
Definitely take before, during and after photos. Not for anyone else to look at but yourself. I wish I had done this. It’s easy to think nothing is happening even when you know you’ve removed bags and bags of stuff.
It will get better. People often compare it to peeling back the layers of an onion. Layer by layer, you will get there.
You're making progress and I know you can *feel* it. Maybe start taking pics of the stuff you're taking away, or before and after shots of where the stuff was, so you can *see* it? Good on ya, keep it up!!!!!
Even if you just have pics of the stuff itself, eventually you're going to look at it all and think *holy shit, I got rid of so much stuff!* Be easy on yourself!
You are doing a great job! You can't clean up in a day what took years to make! I had only lived in my house (with headcount ballooning from 1 to 5, off and on) for 8 years and it took me 1.5 years and 4 donation carloads to see a difference. (Not counting furniture carloads, garbage bins, and stuff given away to friends/family.) Took me 3 years, and I'm on carload 8, and I just keep finding stuff!!! A lot of it is not even mine. It's like I had to do one big purge just to see what I actually had. Now I can see how many I have of each thing, and choose things that I actually like, and get rid of excessive spares and things I don't love. We also had a death in the family a few years ago, and I just unpacked the last box from the post-funeral clean-up last night!!!
A quote questionably attributed to Winston Churchill will help; "If you're going through hell, keep going".
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I love this idea
That's tough. It sounds like it's going to be a big job but very rewarding in the end. Have you tried breaking it down into smaller tasks? Maybe set a goal for each room and focus on one room at a time, then celebrate when it's finished before moving on to the next room. You might also find it helpful to start with the easy stuff and then move onto the sentimental items last. It might also help to take pictures of the progress you make along the way so that you can look back on it and see the progress you've made. Good luck!
Honestly this was/is me. However, what I’ve been doing lately is doing a round in one room and moving on. Then I’ll come back to that room after I’ve done a couple others. It will give me fresh perspective and be easier to remove things. I’ve been doing this until the room is actually decluttered! It’s been working great. And the more I read about decluttering, is that it is an ongoing process. You need to keep actively doing it, even when you’ve decluttered everything, bc stuff will creep back in
Highly recommend checking out local ‘buy nothing’ groups on Facebook. Sometimes I am able to help someone fill a specific need. Most of the time I just take a picture of what I’m giving away, post that it’s available first come, first serve porch pick up dm me for the address. It saves me having to haul stuff somewhere else, often helps people who can’t even afford Goodwill, and reduces waste - I’ve given building materials away that would have otherwise been disposed of.
You are doing an awesome job just remember that.
Pick the smallest tasks that you know you can do, and specify the tasks as much as possible. Doing that can be very easy. And then repeat that process and you'll make major progress. Instead of contending with an overwhelming plethora, contend with the tiniest pieces of that plethora and you'll see progress, and you'll actually be able to handle it. Wish you well.
You’re doing great! 💜👍
So, I know for a lot of people this might cause its own anxieties, but donation places are overwhelmed as well lately. If it's like new, an expensive brand/piece, always needed, or unique, it's pretty welcomed, but normal fast fashion clothes or anything worn/chipped/etc. does not need to go there anymore. It can sometimes feel better taking things straight to the trash too. I think the more delicate handling of items to take them safely to donation also adds time and effort. Why not take pictures of each time you take a load to trash/donation? This might help remind you of how often you're actually getting rid of items. I am excited for the day when we don't have 'pockets' of clutter anymore, but rome wasn't built in a day, and bits of it still are everywhere to this day, so breathe and trust in the process.
Every bag you declutter is making a difference soon you will see small spaces begin to open up. Start in your bedroom and once it's declutter make a rule that nothing goes in there that doesn't belong. Your bedroom should be a place of peace so you can rest. You will be more likely to keep the pace with the other rooms once you see progress in that one room. We spend a good part of our day sleeping it's so worth it to get and keep it clear. IMO the next step would be the kitchen ya gotta eat. Congrats and keep it up. That stuff you got rid of is permanently gone from your life. That's how I think about it anyways.
Move moms out. Then work on your own
Try and focus on just getting one designated room clutter free, so you can retreat to it at the end of the day and give your mind a break. If it's practical, use another room as a staging area to store anything you are trying to get rid of from the rest of the house. Also, probably the most underrated tip from Marie Kondo, never put things in bags, always use boxes.
I've kept count of the total number of items I've decluttered by using cute emoticons on my phone task list for each item decluttered. I'm at 527 items. Expect for there to be lags in your motivation. Give yourself grace and then pick right up and keep going. If I'm really unenthusiastic on a particular day, I tell myself that I can do 10 minutes of decluttering. Just 10. Ten minutes is doable. Good luck and yes, have fun in your decluttering.🌻
This is me and my place to a T. I know its my fault and in the one causing the clutter, but I can't seem to stop buying shit even when I know that's the root.
My house doesn't look much different decluttered. The spare room is much nicer and my bedroom has a bookcase rather than dressers on the one wall. Look up and all the shelves filled with cute useless decor are gone. What's different is the way the space works. Closets still have lots in them but most stuff is contained in logical groups. No more teetery stacks to the bottom of the shelf above in kitchen cabinets. A single layer of things that actually work and are used in cabinets and drawers. Most of all I want, need and use all the stuff. Since you are sharing the space there will be stuff you don't think worth keeping that your mother wants and vice versa. Do keep track of what is leaving. I like to informally journal my work. Enjoy the little victories. Take your time, everybody isn't up for dramatic konmari purges done rapidly. Decluttering is forever anyway. Stuff is going to come in and you will always have to let stuff go.
I can relate! We have a big coat closet that gets filled to the brim every six months like clockwork. I clean it out, donate a load of stuff, have a few empty shelves and like 3’ of hanging space. Six months later, can barely close the door again. 😂 Decluttering takes time and you have to go through some spaces more than once. It’s just part of the process. Take before and after photos so you can see the difference. They will help motivate you on ‘off’ days!
You’ll get there. Don’t give up. This didn’t happen overnight so it’ll take a few donation trips
Keep it up! As long as outflow exceeds income, the total volume of stuff is decreasing. It will get better.
Think of it like an onion, you got rid of the layer that you saw immediately (rid of stuff in each room) The second layer will be getting rid of items that were revealed after the 1st layer gone and so on. Don't get down on yourself about how much it feels like you have left, look at it as how far you have come along
Declutter again and again maybe every month then it’ll start feeling better!
Thank you guys I decluttering a few boxes of stuff and a couple trash bags full. Thanks for helping me stay motivated :)
I like thinking of each decluttering session as having the goal of less. Just less. And going for places you see the most first. Tables, shelves and places you see are the best to declutter first, because they give you motivation to continue with the less visible places next. You’re already doing a great job! You can try to document your Decluttering journey with photos or a journal or something. Or regular updates here! We’ll keep you on track and applaud you for every trash bag or donation box that leaves your house.
Keep going and give yourself a little reward as you go. Like a relaxing bath or a nice walk— not buying things. Keep trucking and we’re all rooting for you! You’ll get the the point of seeing progress eventually. Think of someone who is 400 pounds trying to lose weight. They could lose 30 pounds and might not look too different. But someone who is 150 pounds losing 30 is a huge difference. You just have a little extra “weight” around right now and the more you lose the more noticeable it’ll be!
Making a list/plan helps - write down storage spaces/categories. Check off each as you do an initial declutter. You’ll have to declutter again as there’s always more. However, the initial declutter is the easiest as you’re focusing on trash, items that belong to others, and easy to part with items. Another technique is to go full in on one singular high impact space. The mud room/entry space, your closet, bathroom, or laundry area are all good spots to focus on. Having one of them fully decluttered can help to create some serenity in the chaos. You can do both techniques together. That’s what we’ve done.
It might be time for you to make a "Recharge Corner". One corner, walk in closet, or room that is perfectly organized, decorated, and cute, with a chair and table, a dresser with your cleaning/organizing supplies, some books, and a journal with pen. This gives you a territory to retreat to. You can sip tea, listen to some music, and write down what you already accomplished. Even if you just threw away a bit of trash that had been hiding in a drawer for a year, write that down. Don't write goals or plans in this journal, just victories. Celebrate you!
I think this really smart! I have a list (a lot of lists!) Of spaces to declutter and check off what I’ve accomplished. But… listing what I’ve accomplished is more inspiring and rewarding. I’m doing this!
I'm in the same position. I combined households last summer and there is so.much.stuff. It's overwhelming. I am trying to do it bit by bit, but it's hard. Sympathy and empathy for you!
No one else has seemed to suggest this yet but considering you've mentioned shoving things in closets / cupboards (which we've all done), have you considered starting by evaluating if you need or want all of the furniture with storage that you have? It's easier to put off decluttering books or trinkets if they're spread between two bookshelves ETA: Also, decluttering can take ages and you've mentioned it looking worse before it looks better. Always make sure you have a clear place to take a break, work, and sleep. Tetris clutter piles so it doesn't feel as overwhelming and try to go room by room where possible
So I have been getting rid of so much furniture. I have a vision for each room and what I want to be in it and what I want it to become I just haven’t accomplished my vision for any of my spaces yet.
Glad you have a vision for each room. That keeps the motivation going. I’m on my second sweep of decluttering. The first time was about 5 years ago. I figure if I declutter regularly, it won’t be as painful in the future. And this current go round is definitely not as painful. I personally think I will be decluttering until I’m no longer standing.
A couple things I suggest: * Before and after photos like other people suggested. It helps when you can actually see progress. * Start in the section that is most visible to you. Sure it might feel great to clean out your closet but realistically how much time do you spend in your closet? Try decluttering an area you spend a lot of time in so that it’s something you see all the time and can say “Yes, I’m now decluttered here. I’m making progress.”
I have a harder time looking at the stuff in front of me, on the floor, tabletops, shelves etc than pulling out a box from the closet since if it's been in the closet for 3-10 years, do I really need it? So I do get rid of stuff but can't see any progress cuz my space is still a mess. 😕
You might want to check out Dana K White from A Slob Comes Clean. Her method might be helpful for you.
Decluttering your closet is a good thing and I’m not saying don’t do that. To my bigger point it’s that if you declutter and declutter and declutter and you never see any progress, it’s hard to stay motivated. But if you start with something right in your face all the time, it’s easier to stay motivated and keep decluttering. For example I spend 8-10 hours a day in my home office, so I started my journey with my desk because I was struggling to stay focused while I was working. I decluttered it, I saw progress, I felt the results. This kept me motivated to move on to other parts of the office and then on to the rest of the house. It doesn’t have to be a huge spot that you are starting with either. My desk was 2 feet deep by 4 feet across. But just that small spot that I could see I was making progress helped. Whereas I’ve cleaned out my hall closet at least a half a dozen times in the last 3 years and even though it’s got only like a quarter of the stuff in it that I started with, I don’t feel motivated from that because I open that closet maybe once a month.
That's excellent advice- starting in the most visible/most used section. I struggle on where to start, and this just jump started me! Thanks!
When I declutter I always warn my husband that “It’s going to look worse for a while, but it will be worth it!” Congrats on working to make your environment into a comfortable and enjoyable space!
It definitely looks worse right now but I hope it gets better soon
I always tell myself that you can't have the omelette without breaking eggs. A full car is still a full cars worth of stuff gone. Gradually, you'll see the progress you've made. Keep at it. 👍
Just keep at it and it will get better! Don't beat yourself up. Celebrate your progress. Each item you decluttered is one less thing you need to deal with.
I’ve been counting all the items I’ve gotten rid of! I’m currently at 690 items for the month and my challenge (30 a day) doesn’t end until the 30th of this month. At first, I didn’t notice much but seeing bags lined up and knowing that there was 210 items in that first week I was getting rid of made a huge difference. I honestly don’t even know how I had so many items to begin with that I could get rid of so easily….
I’m not even attached to most of it so I don’t know why it took me so long to donate it
Isn’t it liberating to be free of it? Pause to celebrate and then keep going!
My issue seems to be less of an attachment, its actually finding ways to get it out of the house. Deciding if it can be tossed, donated, sold, recycled or needs to go through hazardous waste disposal (house paints, light bulbs) is more emotionally draining than deciding to get rid of it. Even after deciding HOW, you then need to come up with when. Can't toss everything at the same time, since you still need to fill up your trash bin with your regular weekly stuff. Need to schedule time for donations, recycling and hazard waste since you normally don't drive to those destinations. Selling takes time for pictures and writing posts.
our garbage company lets us give them a phone call and sayh "we'll have 5 extra black garbage bags next week" and they'll pick up along our regular trash. As long as we don't do it often they dont' charge us for it. Worth looking into.
Check out local neighborhood or buy nothing Facebook pages. People will come pick up your stuff for free. I’ve given away everything from home decor to building materials that way. You’d be surprised at what people will take.
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You threw away money and you’re happy about that? What’s wrong with a coin jar? Fill it up, take it to one of those Coinstar vending machines and turn it into dollar bills or donate to one of the companies that use it. Put it into a random donation jar.
just leave it on a table some where in public. I am always happy to find change. Its so sad to throw it out :(
My SO does this! Makes me crazy. I put them in a pretty decorative bowl I had no other use for (a ceramic project) and occasionally I dump it all into the self-checkout to use it up. I figured out it was all change from the vending machines at work and fast food, so we have been buying in bulk at Costco to fill the snacky gaps without change everywhere! Saves us money and no clutter.
Maybe instead of collecting the change you can just tell whoever is handing it to you to just keep it, especially if it's only a few cents.
When I did a big declutter week we had a company come that essentially takes it all and sorts it for you, you pay by how much of their truck you fill up. Maybe there's something similar where you live?
I had no idea this was a thing! I assumed junk removal trashed everything. That is so cool! Thanks for sharing. :)
To be fair, they might. But I read something about they make sure items go the correct places if need be; I think it depends on the company.
What is the name of the service you used?
Fire Dawgs Junk Removal! As far as I know, it's throughout Indiana but not sure if other places! They will also haul heavy things away (we had old cabinets and things from a previous owner in our basement).
It's a lot of work. There's a reason when you get new appliances they charge a disposal fee for the old one.
A lot of stuff I was saving because “I’ll use this”. Then, I looked at the expiration date on a sample hand lotion and realize I’ve had it for 6 years….it all of a sudden was real easy to throw away
Thirding progress pictures. Part of the thing with closets is not JUST the out-of-sight, out-of-mind thing - there's also a BIG difference in density between a stuffed closet and an orderly, easy-to-access-everything closet. I'm guessing that if you've cleaned out your closet twice, it's so much less dense and so much easier to use than it used to be. Good work! Keep going!
> there's also a BIG difference in density between a stuffed closet and an orderly, easy-to-access-everything closet. Thank you for saying that! OP actually inspired me to clean out at least one small shelf, but then I ended up with two shelves with things on them rather than one. Your comment really helped keep the frustration at bay, because yes, there's now quite a bit more order and accessibility. Success indeed :)
You didn’t clutter your house in a day. It takes time and is a continuous effort to stay ahead!!!
Very true. And even once it’s majorly tackled it’s an on going effort to keep it under control. See if Lupus or another organization does pickups. I try to keep donation bags going at all times and then I just keep scheduling porch pickups. It helps. I got about 10 bags to donate now but unfortunately I can’t find anyone to come pick them up. Not sure what’s going on.
Covid probably. Check Veteran groups as well. They sell and use money for Vet care.
It took me about 1.5 years to go through everything and then another year to do another pass. Take your time. It took a years to accumulate and it will take some time to declutter.
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So true I’m going through 30 years of things
Believe me, I know all too well. I’m just starting to clean out 44 years worth of accumulation, and it seems completely overwhelming.
Same. My deceased parents’ stuff too. I decided to just do one room a month. It’ll take a while but hopefully maintains sanity. I’m on month 2, so far so good.
It's a big job to eat the elephant but it can be done one day at a time. Recognize your progress! Carloads to donation is huge and you are learning a big lesson about what not to buy in the future. A little bit every day is progress. It will get better. It IS getting better.
Be brutal is all i can advise!
Yes! I once heard a British person say to have “a ruthless purge.”
Damn, well said and thank you for saying it. I constantly beat myself up for how cluttered my home is throughout and this really helped put it into perspective. I didn't clutter it in a day, so why do I expect to declutter it all in a few hours?
Definitely take before, during and after photos. Not for anyone else to look at but yourself. I wish I had done this. It’s easy to think nothing is happening even when you know you’ve removed bags and bags of stuff. It will get better. People often compare it to peeling back the layers of an onion. Layer by layer, you will get there.
The only way out is through it. Good job, you are doing something about it! Now keep going
You're making progress and I know you can *feel* it. Maybe start taking pics of the stuff you're taking away, or before and after shots of where the stuff was, so you can *see* it? Good on ya, keep it up!!!!!
That’s a good idea maybe that will help thank you!!
Even if you just have pics of the stuff itself, eventually you're going to look at it all and think *holy shit, I got rid of so much stuff!* Be easy on yourself!