Tips to declutter

[zugor]

I've found that Julia Morgensterns book Organizing From the Inside Out to be a great resource on how to get my home decluttered and much better organized. I first saw her on PBS many years ago and she was both entertaining and educational.

I also found a website that was somewhat helpful for support when I found it hard to get going or to keep on with my efforts. One does not have to be a class IV hoarder to benefit from the site and there is a wealth of different ideas, since no since approach works for everyone. It helped me develop greater flexibility in my approach to housekeeping which made it much easier to get going when I didn't feel like doing any of it at all.

Home | Stepping Out of Squalor

[Informed Info]

Originally Posted by HighFlyingBird

So the issues:
My 7 year old daughter *is a hoarder*. Seriously, she doesn't like to get rid of anything. She keeps every scrap of paper that comes into the house (most of them she brings in), she makes copious art projects and they are everywhere. She saves "found objects" for her art projects. I struggle with throwing her things out...I don't know. If she had an area to keep it all I wouldn't care, but it is everywhere!

Unless you have a dedicated room for her to display all of her "art" and keep all of the "things" organized that she wants to use when she "creates", she has to be taught to get rid of what she's "over".

I've got 3 kids. #2 & #3 love to draw, paint, all that good stuff. I can't keep everything they create and I refuse to. I have a "memory box" for all 3. With #2 & #3 I trade out their "old" artwork for their new (that comes off my fridge and out of picture frames made to put kids artwork in). Every once in a while, when their "memory box" is getting full, I have them go through it and toss what they don't want to keep. Sometimes I say "no, keep that, I love it". But it's in a box...I have to remind myself there is no point in keeping it (unless it's a "First") if it's kept in a box? For what? So I can drop it off at their house one day when they are adults and pass the hard time parting with it on to them?

Point is that you are the adult and you have control over your kid and what she brings in, keeps, thinks is great. My 6 year old loves rocks. I'm over his rock friends being left everywhere and turning up in the dryer. We finally sat down together and he was allowed to keep 5 of his favorite rocks. Kids need to be taught boundaries - even when it comes to rocks. I don't want to raise a hoarder and I'm sure you don't either. Sit with her and make her choose what is special to her and what isn't. If she has "stuff" she hasn't used/looked at/thought about in a year, she probably will never use it. Gentle prodding is good!

I buy too much stuff. I am poorly organized, so I am like "hummm I can't find that roll of duct tape...I'll buy another". I'm getting better, its still an issue at this time.

Give yourself the tools to help you organize. You have a housekeeper? How about hiring a professional organizer to help you out?

I feel overwhelmed! What to keep, where to put it, what to throw away, what to donate? Where to start?

I understand. It can be hard to figure out what to put where,etc. if you don't know if you're going to need it in the future - because every time I toss something it seems that I need it two weeks later. But you can't keep everything "just incase". And if you can't find what you already know you have, because you have too much to find what you need, you're way behind that 8 ball.

I grew up very poor, and I wasn't allowed toys after a very young age. So I hate to throw out something someone else can use (even if they are things goodwill wont take) and feel tons of guilt for getting rid of anything of my kids without asking.

So who is it helping that you keep the stuff that even goodwill won't take? You can leave all of your things on your porch for several organizations to pick up. They will pick it up, sort through it and determine what they can give to others or not. So, no skin off of your back....you'll never know!

[cloven]

Originally Posted by zugor

I've found that Julia Morgensterns book Organizing From the Inside Out to be a great resource on how to get my home decluttered and much better organized. I first saw her on PBS many years ago and she was both entertaining and educational.

^A friend of mine is reading that book from the library (we both wax & wane when it comes to making decluttering efforts).

I was hunting around online for an overview of some material in the book-and came across this, which looks like a good introduction/outline:
Lesson 1: Getting Organized | Organizing from the Inside Out

[Nerys52SoSilver]

I have been reading for tips on bathroom declutter online. So far I have done 2 sessions of declutter of toiletries, beauty products. Recently we had several heatwaves here in Europe and I noticed many items went off/bad.

[bande1102]

I'm not a hoarder, packrat, or collector (of anything). Things weigh me down. When I see stacks of clutter it drives me nuts and represents a cool trip or experience or free time (because now we have to clean/dust) lost.

I do, however, live with a husband who tries to save everything. We have three teens who are probably middle-of-the road.

I go room by room (probably every three months or so) and empty the entire room. Then I determine the function of the room and get rid of everything else. For example, living room needs a sofa, loveseat, tv stand, tv, gaming system. Everything else gets tossed. You would be shocked what other things have migrated in there. The things that make it back into the room are put back in because they serve a purpose.

I do not buy organizing systems because they are an invitation to collect junk. Everyone has dedicated closet space and one dresser. If it doesn't fit in either place, it has to go.

I don't stock up on sale items, either. There will always be a sale.

I have absolutely no problem throwing things away. Things can always be replaced.

Personally, I think clutter exists because of a fear of that there will be a shortage, which is crazy because we live in such an abundant world.

I'll also throw out there that so much clutter exists because people buy so much stuff. I don't know the pyschology behind it, but when we go on trips I pay for experiences (fishing/camping/etc), enjoy them, take a few pictures and I've had a great trip. My husband, on the other hand, insists on buying t-shirts or other overpriced crap that rarely fits or holds up to one wash). My girlfriends love to go shopping and buy stuff they don't need. I just don't get it.