Major decluttering - who's done it?

[rudds1 102]

I've cleared my shed out of old car parts and put them on various websites to attract people who deal in old vauxhalls etc.I was surprised how much I had and how much it all fetched.

[ricgem2002 11]

have you got a link to what you selling on ebay you never know you might shift it quicker:thumbsup:

[mrcharlie 10]

Here's another thing....

What to do with CD's & DVD's

My CDs are all on my iPod these days, I cannot remember the last time I actually listened to a cd! As for DVD's, jeez!! The bulk I have was removed from their cases and transferred to high capacity cases, yet I'm still drowning in the ones I left be. Add to that I can't remember the last time I watched a DVD in my collection.

 

The world has changed so much in the past decade. Today's generation are happy to stream what they want when they want it...it does make a lot more sense.

[feargal 21]

Sell them on Music Magpie? Don't think they'd buy anything not in an original case though.

[area 51 10]

I woke up this morning and looked at the snow outside and decided a spring clean was needed.Here i am at 5.30 with five bin liners full of stuff and a pile of stuff to go to the charity shop.I love my hillwalking but how have i managed to end up with five rucksacks?.I have also found out i have two ironing boards,but not for much longer.

[Anna B 1,410]

I woke up this morning and looked at the snow outside and decided a spring clean was needed.Here i am at 5.30 with five bin liners full of stuff and a pile of stuff to go to the charity shop.I love my hillwalking but how have i managed to end up with five rucksacks?.I have also found out i have two ironing boards,but not for much longer.

 

Well done. Sounds like a very good start.

 

---------- Post added 02-04-2018 at 18:23 ----------

 

Funnily enough I read about "Death Cleaning" yesterday whilst taking a break from listing stuff on eBay.....it's exhausting.

It makes logical sense (death cleaning). I know I have/had a problem and that too me is the battle won. I also suspect that in my case it's stems from having not many toys when I was a kid. I honestly cannot remember besides an old die-cast Fire engine with missing wheels, toy guns what I had. I certainly never had a stash of toys like my son has today. A colleague I once worked with was a compulsive hoarder my stuff pales compared to what he had amassed. Yet like me he too had very little as a child. By comparison my own younger brothers were truly spoilt rotten (large age gap) they never asked twice for anything, had designer stuff as kids yet today they both own virtually nothing. A friend I met online in another forum who also happens to be a shrink has confirmed my assumptions are true and it is indeed in my case due to childhood memories that have made me want to have so much stuff when I grew independent and could afford to buy as I pleased. For some very strange reason things I like I need 3 off? One for best, one for use and one as a back up!! Multiply that by literally 100's if not 1000's of items I have/had you can begin to see just how out of hand it becomes.

 

As mentioned in my previous posts, I now recognise my problem and have sold the vast bulk of expensive stuff I had. What's left still adds upto many many £1000's even at giveaway eBay prices hence why it's taking so darn long to get shut.

 

I too am a terrible hoarder, and in my case I'm pretty sure it comes from insecurity. My parents came through the second world war and knew what it was to lose everything, so I think they passed that insecurity on to me.I hang onto everything. But then again my sister is a great 'chucker outer' and lives in a super neat minimalist home so I think it is down to individual personalities too.

 

Anyway, Mr charlie, keep going and let us know how it feels to be clutter free when you get there. You've already inspired me to make a start.

[L00b 441]

Over the years, I’ve gotten to become a pro at clearing junk, to the extent family members routinely call on me or recommend me to friends. I’ve cleared quite a few rooms, garages, did our family home’s attic 3 or 4 years ago (150+ years’ worth of ‘stuff’, some great, some disintegrating on sight ...3 flights of stairs, 7 LWB Transits’ full, literal tons, took over a week)

 

I’m a bit of a minimalist -always have been- in the house/room/decorating department, can’t stand clutter. But I do value aesthetics and beautiful objects. And have at times been a compulsive collector-buyer (games & other electronics in particular), but now mostly cured

 

With the adoption of, and reasonably rigid adherence to, some basic self-rules (“1 in, 1 out”; only need 50 to 70 items of clothing/footwear all year-round; “not used in a year = out”; the sort of philosophy alluded to by Jomie above,...) it’s relatively easy to stay clutter-free. But it does take some willpower.

 

As some of the regulars will know, we very recently moved country, and all I’ll say was: thank God we were (reasonably) clutter-free to start! A modern 4 bed detached’s worth into a 180 sq.meter duplex, and there’s tons of room left

Edited April 3, 2018 by L00b

[Chez2 10]

I only hoard my craft stuff as its my hobby. I have a clear out of everything else every few months. If I think I can't part with stuff I put it in a box with a date on it. If I haven't used it in a certain length of time I usually donate it to charity or friend / family.

 

I can't cope with clutter and I don't buy excess stuff, shopping isn't my hobby.

 

We have just enough storage for the things we need. If you but more storage it just gets filled up. I do keep a lot of used plant pots. If I purge those I find I need one.

[mrcharlie 10]

Great to read all these posts and to know I'm not alone.

My dream, my absolute dream is to have virtually empty drawers and cupboards with only the items I need and use. I cannot wait to have a empty garage....it is this that's keeps me going. For some reason I long for a clutter free garage that contains just what is needed and nothing more. Fully intend on emptying powertools out of their bulky cases and putting all on a plastic box. The loft...to be able to climb up and look upon nothing more than a few plastic containers with sentimental stuff that will be heirlooms for my son.

Another goal is to get rid of all the kitchen wall units and just use the base cupboards.

The boss isn't too keen on that idea tho'

[UK1Quest 10]

Glad to see this here! In November me and my partner set out to do the same thing. We have worked hard for 10 years but don’t have much to show for it due to been compulsive spenders. Car leases, clothes and lots of other crap we don’t need – our house was a mess! We flogged it all on Ebay and set out to improve our financial situation, so we can buy a brand new kitchen! Since November we cut our spending by 40% month on month, and we’re in the process off getting a brand new kitchen fitted …. It has been totally worth it, there’s nothing more fulfilling than buying something of substance, rather than bits on bobs!

[Ms Macbeth 73]

I went through it about 10 years ago and never looked back, if I decided to move, the contents of the house (3 bed terrace) would all fit in a luton van.

 

We have stuff in the loft that needs sorting. I'm an only child and a lot of things I've kept belonged to my parents/grandparents. Photos, papers, ornaments etc. i think some would be of no interest to anyone but me, but it feels wrong to just throw them out. We've moved several times, and we have got rid of stuff each time, so we don't live in a cluttered house, but we still have more things than we need.

 

Good thread Mr Charlie, you've made me think!

[monkey104 10]

I threw out 6 cups, 2 glasses and a water bottle out today.