How Do You Declutter?
By sjchristian
@sjchristian (76)
United States
January 4, 2008 12:01pm CST
I am in the process of decluttering, I am a pack rat I think. I also think it is something we hand down to our children.
My grandmother who raised me was a pack rat- bad too- I'm talking about bedroom dressers in the livingroom (3 at once) many many items in multiple, some of the mutiple items were broken. She just couldnt throw something away including junk mailings, ripped misshapened socks.
I realize that I am like her also to a certain extent but it is just as bad. I am holding on to clothing that no longer fit and probably never will - just because.
I have shoes that I have bought at least 3-4 years ago that I have never worn and do not see myself wearing this year. And still I cannot give them away or toss them out. I have papers , whether they are print outs from the computer, old notices that can be tossed or shredded yet I still keep them. I have sooooooooo many things that I can definitely do without that I just shove in a closet or cabinet or leave in a pile some where where company cannot see.
I am in the process of going through it all and will be putting things on ebay, donating them, giving them away or simply trashing them.
But I do not know where to start and I am ending up with a far larger mess than I imagined.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@citygirl (1080)
• Canada
5 Jan 08
Sister clutter , I am so disappointed lol. I read your discussion and all the answers hoping some on would respond with a miracle way to declutter lol. I am a pack rat to and try as I might can't seem to stop always thinking I might use it to lol. Lets hope some of these people who have no clutter , give us the magic tips they have lol. Ok I am going right now to do some decluttering lol. You have a great new year, take care.
@babykeka80 (2084)
• United States
4 Jan 08
I just went through this same thing. You gotta put into perspective if you are really gonna use something or not. I ended up with 6 bag fulls of stuff to get rid of just the other day. However, I just got rid of some of my winter stuff that I find I need now. Go figure. lol
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
4 Jan 08
Just this weekend, I gave a way a full to the top 30 gallon garbage bag full of brand new, like new or almost new sheet sets. and I still have a whole bunch left. I don't feel like I am drowning yet but I am scared that I will lose motivation and end up with mess and clutter. I am proud that I am able to control the clutter to specific areas even if the areas are my bedroom, all closest and dressers. lol
@babykeka80 (2084)
• United States
4 Jan 08
My worst area is my daughters room. I tend to keep her clothes and toys for god only knows what reason. I use to be really bad with what i thought was keepsakes. I had to learn I couldnt keep everything.
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
4 Jan 08
I am worried to enter my sons room and start going through things. A few years ago we had a large apartment fire and lost everything. I guess thats when my hoarding started really, but I see that it has effected my son also. He keeps everything. Clothes that are too small for him, sneakers that have holes in them.
I onced asked him why he keeps these things around and he simply said. My stuff is like my scars (he is an active active child into all sports) he said when I look at them they give me memories.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
4 Jan 08
I'd love to declutter but I live with two people that HATE HATE HATE to throw anything away and it infuriates me. I can't even bag old clothes up or anything to donate to a good cause because my grandmother assumes that everything is still good and that one of us in the house can still wear it, even if it isn't obviously possible. So, I just try to get rid of what I can, when I can, just to make it easier for me in the long run to get rid of things.
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
5 Jan 08
That sounds like my uncle who lives with me who is also a pack rat. I swear there is a semi clear path from the entrance of his room to the corner of the bed where he can crawl on and off. If I am bagging things of my own or of my sons to trash, he will say he knows someone who can use it and that it's a sin to throw away. I would be nice to give things to people who need it rather than throw it away. But it kills me that he takes the bags and tosses them in his room, leaving it there forever. Rather than tossing it out or giving it to the local thrift shops.
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
5 Jan 08
i would love to have a garage sale or even a sale, but the neighbor hood that i live in asks for you to have a permit to sell items which costs 25-50 bucks depending on the time frame.
@jormins (1223)
• United States
4 Jan 08
My parents are really bad at that too. When they moved from Illinois to Indiana they filled up an entire moving truck full of clutter (while moving to a smaller house at that). Needless to see now their 2 car garage is just filled with clutter.
One thing that has helped them, I recently installed new flooring in some of their rooms. It forced them (with my help) to empty a room entirely. From there I would sort everything into 3 stacks. Good things that should go back into the room, junk to be thrown away, and then things that others might be interested (i.e. e-bay). I think ebay says an average person has $1200.00 sitting around their house in storage. That # seems high but you'd be surprised what people will pay for certain things on ebay.
