Decluttering | Pad Patter January 30th

Discussion in 'Chatty Pad' started by weaselwatchr, Jan 30, 2023.

  1. weaselwatchr

    weaselwatchr Viva, Las Vegas!

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    Trying to pack for this vacation I realized that I have too much stuff and am a bit of a pack rat. I promised myself when we get back I am going to try to throw out/donate things we no longer use. I think it will make life simpler and probably make me happier. I have gained a bit of weight and it is rather discouraging going into the closet seeing clothing I can’t fit into anymore. For awhile I have been telling myself they’ll fit again but honestly I need to just get rid of them.

    Anyone else a pack rat? Or do you live your life minimalisticly (not sure if that’s a word)?

    Anyone else want to join in and do a little decluttering? We can check in to this thread and give each other encouragement and update each other on our progress.
     
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  2. HavaDrPepper

    HavaDrPepper Space. The final frontier

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    Been there, done that. Took me several years (layout done in MOC about the process). I have an album documenting the history of my house and changes done to it from the time it was built in 1964. The decluttering was included and that is 28 layouts out of 132 in the book.

    I like having a house with very little clutter. Every once in awhile, I do more on the paperwork in the file cabinets for non-important things. Just got rid of a lot of instruction manuals for items I haven't had for a long time. That was about 2 inches thick!
     
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  3. weaselwatchr

    weaselwatchr Viva, Las Vegas!

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    Yes our one desk drawer has instruction manuals in it too. That is something we need to get rid of as well.
     
  4. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    I live more minimalistic (my autocorrect prefers that form) now, but I still have lots of stuff to declutter from the past. But I live in a house with a basement and good storage, so it's not a high priority task until I have more time and/or moving house becomes imminent.
     
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  5. umyesh

    umyesh President of the Hangry Ladies Supper Club

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    I’m a pack rat. One of the many reasons I never want to move again haha
     
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  6. weaselwatchr

    weaselwatchr Viva, Las Vegas!

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    We had a lot of stuff in the basement too and it got moved upstairs after it flooded to the spare room. It hadn’t gotten moved yet because honestly it needs to be gone through. After a long day at work that is not something I want to do.
     
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  7. mary kate

    mary kate Well-Known Member

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    Oh how I wish I were a minimalist, living a life of chic simplicity! But no, I'm more of a pack rat (though I do purge every once in a while). Books and magazines are my weakness. I've decided to not renew any of my magazine subscriptions this year, in order to keep the clutter under control.
     
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  8. HavaDrPepper

    HavaDrPepper Space. The final frontier

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    Like I said it took me several years. I actually started in 2014 by doing small areas like closets/clothes. I had lots of areas on the main floor of my house that needed done. A little at a time since I was working full-time and no one here to help me. I had to have all the areas in 3 rooms done by June 2017 when I did a remodel and had new flooring put down in those 3 rooms. I retired after the remodel was done so all my weekends were working on this starting in March. Then I tackled the 3 bedroom areas (1 is my office) since I was having new flooring put down in those 3 rooms 8 months later. Only then could I start on the basement. But by this time I had retired and hit it hard so that I had most of it done before I had oral surgery in August and October 2018. I had a few organizing things to do in December 2018 in the basement because the gutting of the basement was going to start in January 2019.

    So having date deadlines was very important for me to complete the process. "Some day" just wasn't enough motivation! I learned once that you need to break things down into small goals in order to succeed. I did that with the areas that needed to be done before the remodel when I was still working. This dresser, that dresser, this closet, that closet, the hutch, the desk etc. Worked on one area until complete. Most took multiple days and yes, another mess was created doing that. With clothes all were put in one area until closets/dressers were complete. Then they were out of the house ASAP whether put in the trash or donated. When I broke things down into small goals/projects is when I was actually successful. Like you in the past things had been moved around in the basement after issues with sump pumps that got some areas wet. Moving things to different areas just contributed to the mess.

    So my best advice is to actually sit down with paper/pencil (I used a computer spreadsheet) and detail out everything in general areas. Then have a page for each area and break it down into small areas. Put a target date on each page as to when you would like to have it done. Get your family to help as well and be a part of the process.

    It won't get done if you keep putting it off because it won't clean itself up! Good luck!
     
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  9. ninigoesdigi

    ninigoesdigi Designer

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    Start with Marie Kondo Netflix series to get ideas ;) I am a big house cleaning/renovation series addict lol
    But it does need time and will indeed.
    I would start with a small space first, take it all out, sort (keep, throw, donate, sell) and then put back. Maybe you could start with a closet instead of a full room.

    I am a hoarder too but I got better with time. Also, it's kind of a tradition in Japan to clean up the house before the new year, in order to keep away the god of dirtyness and let in the god of cleanness (is that a word?) and over the years it motivated me to clean where I usually don't, tidy my pantry etc. I even scrapped about it.

    I know the feeling about clothers. Because I am overweight and can't find sizes easily in Japan, the country of majorly S M and L sizes lol I tend to keep things longer than I should. I lost weight, then gain some again, then lost some again. I am playing yo-yo but I think keeping too many things too small won't motivate you to loose the extra so just go with it and cut loose those. I'm sure in the US you can find fancier things that fits you and makes you feel good about yourself ;) Like Marie Kondo says, just keep things that bring you joy. If it makes you feel bad about yourself, say SAYONARA ! lol
    I wish I lived closer. I would totally undertake a closet make over for you lol

    I'll some back soon to post some layouts I made about that ;)
     
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  10. Scrapping with Liz

    Scrapping with Liz Crafts for days.

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    I love to get rid of stuff! LOL. I have a hard time living with any sort of clutter. Take one space at a time and do what you can and keep going. Be honest with yourself. You should know what you really will use and what you won't. Maybe donating stuff will encourage you to get rid of it.
     
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  11. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    I love to organize and declutter, although both of those activities are sometimes very limited depending on how I feel physically. I try to follow the rule that for when something new comes in, something old has to go. I also try to do little mini cleanouts, like one shelf or one drawer or one corner.
     
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  12. fruitysuet

    fruitysuet Well-Known Member

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    Hmm, well not as much as my husband was/is. The trouble was we lived in a big six bed house and it had several other rooms in which stuff could get put, as well as a big workshop and double garage. The other year when we had originally sold the house I did what I thought was a pretty good purge of things and started boxing up. The sale fell through but we did sell again at the end of last year. And both ex and myself have each bought smaller three bed houses. I did have a whole room dedicated to my crafting. I burnt or trashed or donated a good three quarters and what is left is stored in my Dad's garage. I think I'm probably going to have to bite the bullet and get rid of everything because I just don't have any room for storing crafting items in my new house (or very, very little). Towards the end when the moving date was getting closer I just had to get rid of things which I didn't really want to, but it was a case of needs must. I'm pretty sure I've still got too much (There is only one under stairs storage area in the new house, no shed or garage or anything) so at the point I move things out of storage into the house it's likely more will have to go.

    I'm not an overly sentimental type of person but it was both emotionally and physically draining doing this. I need to be a whole lot more thoughtful of what new things I bring into the house going forward.

    ETA I worked rooms at a time, starting with the ones where items had the least emotional attachment for me (clothing followed by kitchen) to ease myself more gently into the process. I also did very frequent trips to the charity shops to donate to remove the temptation of digging back through what I'd already sorted and pulling it out.
     
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  13. Mrsdudds

    Mrsdudds Well-Known Member

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    I try to live minimalistic, I hate clutter around the house. I don't tend to hold onto clothes that don't fit, I always donate them to charity shop. I have sorted out my wardrobe for the new year and have set myself challenge to only buy second hand (off vinted app or charity shops), and if I buy a new dress I have to donate a dress I no longer wear or don't really love. I used to keep onto clothes for ages because I would also say to myself it doesn't fit but it may one day. But I have learned to love my body the way it is, and would rather buy clothes that fit and I love.

    I always pack light when going on holiday, especially if going to somewhere sunny.
     
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  14. hairica

    hairica Active Member

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    I am the worst! I struggle so much getting rid of things. It feels like every time I do, I then need it again. So I just keep it and pack it away.

    I really struggle trying to find the best way to organize my digital stuff too. I'm a pretty organized person- but the digital stuff is stretching me!
     
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  15. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

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    I am definitely a keeper of things. We have a big storage area in our basement and every couple of year, we go through that stuff and do a purge. My craft room is a different story. It's also in our basement, so out of sight out of mind thankfully. I have done a couple of purges in there too, but that is one room that I have zero guilt about keeping extra stuff. I also end up going back to old supplies for new projects and am so thankful to have supplies on hand instead of having to buy new all the time! :agree

    Now my closet... Yikes! I too have too many old sizes of things that don't fit anymore and I really need to clean that out. It's been on my list for a few months, but I just haven't gotten to it. What I really want to do it build a new shelf and hanging bar system first, then take everything out and only put back what I really want to wear these days. It's funny you brought this up actually because I've been thinking that after MOC, that might be a great winter project for me!
     
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  16. StefanieS

    StefanieS Think it over, think it under

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    I followed A minimal Mom, Cas of Clutterbug fame and Dana K White decluttering at the speed of life.
    It really helped me declutter a drawer at a time without making more mess, then a cupboard and then a room.
    Getting my kids to take their stuff after they've moved out...that's another story!
    I love the idea knowing where everything is, getting rid of the broken/rubbish.
    Allocating "prime real estate" to the things you use most.
    When re-packing your shelf, first add the things you love and want and would re-purchase.
     
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  17. amien1

    amien1 I do enjoy a good exclamation point!

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    Definitely NOT a pack rat. I do tend to save more than my husband- and often times I prefer to donate stuff rather than throw away (hubby is notorious for just trashing stuff!) We have a "everything has it's place" home & it's so nice & clean- except the incessant dust and dog hair! lol! We have pretty much organized our entire house- room by room so it's not too overwhelming. The only thing we have left to do is our master bathroom- that's on my list for this summer!
     
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  18. ninigoesdigi

    ninigoesdigi Designer

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    Here is the page I was talking about before.
    It's again very messy since then lol I need to go back in there lol

    [​IMG]
     
  19. dawnmarch

    dawnmarch Actually, no. You are not funny!

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    I'm pretty minimalist and love to declutter. We live in a one floor ranch with no basement and no real usable attic so we don't have a lot of storage space. I started years ago with FlyLady decluttering missions and have stuck with it for the most part -- even more so now that we are empty nesters. Hubby likes to collect books and papers but he is only allowed to clutter up his office with all of that. I do struggle a smidge with the "what if I need this in the future" issue, but I figure I can always just buy something if I really need it. I'd rather re-buy the 1 thing out of 100 that I might need rather than keep the 100 things cluttering things up forever.
     
  20. RebeccaH

    RebeccaH Life is exciting, yes it is!

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    We just did quite a bit of decluttering throughout January. I kept a numbered list for a while because a friend and I were doing it together and we had a goal of 500 items or more. I stopped keeping count after I passed the 800 mark! We did under our basement stairs, 2 of the kids’ rooms, my work office, and a coat closet. Plus we went through ALL of the art and craft supplies in our house and tossed the junk and organized the remainder. It was such a satisfying process! I’m definitely planning to do more, but I’m not sure I’ll make quite that big of a push in February! I need a rest! lol
     
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