De cluttering

I've never eaten in their cafe either all the food looks to plastic.

im currently trying to organise my craft cupboard, (cupboard is misleading... its a floor to ceiling double wardrobe that creates avalanches when opened ;) ). I'm finding it hard because when I've thrown things away in the past I've discovered a use for them years later and then had to get replacement. Problem is now that its so chaotic I often assume ive thrown something away when I cant find it and then replace it and later discover I have two. So i'm throwing out anything duplicate and trying to organise what remains in a way that I can manage and find everything. 

By the time I throw anything out, it's totally knackered and fit only for rags and the bin, shoes and slippers with split soles, wellyboots with holes in, socks with holes in. Books I take to tesco where they have a book table that has a really high turnover with money going to Diabetes UK.

I've recently starting posting things up on Vinted. It's really easy to use and means our unwanted items get re-purposed, which is excellent. So far I've sold some clothes and a few books. Had some lovely messages from the buyers, which makes it even more worthwhile. My tip would be to sell for reasonable prices - don't try to make a big fat profit!

TheCatWoman said:

I'm probably the only person who can walk round IKEA and buy nothing.

I think you deserve a medal for that!

Ours dosen't either and I wish it did, but then I'd come home with all sorts or my friend would. I can get a bit overwhelmed in some places, like junkshops (why don't we get these anymore?), I often buy nothing, but then I'm probably the only person who can walk round IKEA and buy nothing.

_Poetchi said:

 I wish my dump had a section that opened up to the public full of good stuff that still has a bit of life left in it… I’d be up there every week! 

I hadn't realise that all tips/dumps didn't do this.

Where I live they all have a room (as far as I know) where stuff can be left for others to take, sometimes at a very small charge.

I've got quite a few things from there.

I think you're supposed to just stick it on eBay or similar. I hear this is what others do.

I just keep it or throw things away (if I can). I don't want the hassle of dealing with people.

I think at my dump, or recycling centre, they take good stuff. I don't know where it goes. I haven't been there for years.

This has been my life the past 2 days, helping my boyfriend sort his stuff out… all it’s done is make me want to go home and do mine! I find it so difficult to get rid of things or donate them, especially since I’m a crafter- I have so many unused art supplies that I keep “just incase” the mood takes me to use them!!! 

The clarity and peace that being in a clutter free room or house outweighs the stress of throwing stuff out for me- I just need to remember what that peace feels like when it comes time to doing it! 

This has happened to me recently too! Standing holding a tv table just to be told no… had to haul it back into the car  I wish my dump had a section that opened up to the public full of good stuff that still has a bit of life left in it… I’d be up there every week! 

I find sorting out stuff, decluttering and organising what's left incredibly therapeutic. I am in the middle of a big sort out right now and it really helps me relax. That doesn't mean it's always easy to get started and I have to be in the mood for it, but I love creating order from chaos, it's the most satisfying thing there is.

I've had the same response form charity shops, one told me I had to make an appointment to donate anything, I only had 3 coats to give them, but they still wouldn't accept them as I had no appointment, they were really quite nasty about it too when I said I didn't know I had to make an appointment.

There's recycling bins at our local tesco for clothes as well as the tip. Anglesey does really well for recycling.

When I do go to charity shops they're full of rubbish or brand new stuff, a lot of charity shops sort through donations and take "the good stuff" somewhere else. I think this does a disservice to both the people of Anglesey and to the charities as people are less likely to donate things and less likely to go to them if they feel they're being left with rubbish. Charity shops always used to be the go to places for those on low incomes or for those of us who don't like having to buy new all the time.

I don't like loads of clutter, unfortunately I live with two people who seem to hold on to stuff, my Mum has cabinets full of nic-naks that I can't wait to get rid of and my friend seems to anyting he can think of. It really does my head in.

B said:

I've been to several charity shops recently and they have said 'no' to my goods.

Yeah, this is what's stopping me doing anything. The anticipated rejection of items from a charity shop as I know they tend to be more discerning these days. And I feel bad for them going in as rubbish but know they are probably unwanted. I fix and repair when I can!

What has become a problem for me is that when I do declutter, I have to take my stuff to the room at the tip (local council run recycling/rubbish centre) where it's not thrown away but people can take it home.

I've been to several charity shops recently and they have said 'no' to my goods.

Charity shops are struggling both with being given too much stuff and also with the costs of running them.

Several have closed in my area and some charities are starting to close all or most of their shops.

I know there are also websites where you can advertise things for others to take for free but I've not used them and it sounds a bit of a palava.

Stuart333 said:

I just start looking at things, then shuffle them about, remember lots, then put them back

I do that (occasionally!) but actually I think much of my stuff lying about is more because I can’t organise it rather than it being all clutter. I have loads of downloads and books on organisation, but I can’t see an appropriate place to put the stuff. 

When I moved to my present house, a friend put my possessions in the appropriate place for me, but it was only because I had broken a bone in my leg—she thought I needed help because of that. Also, I wasn’t embarrassed because it was sitting where the removal people had left it.

My friend followed my instructions on whether items should be visible or invisible and together we organised perfectly. I was quite happy with where she put the stuff that needed to be out of sight, but it took a while for the stuff on display to get arranged to suit me. This was easily maintained for a short while but years later, everything has become a cluttered mess behind closed doors and drawers. I am a perfectionist who is imperfect and when things aren’t right in my house it causes me distress. In fact, this is one of the major issues that upsets my life and it feels like it is stopping me living the way I want to. 

I can’t draw or paint and in the past when I attempted to capture an archaeological landscape in a painting my perspective was wildly out and features were like something a small child would draw. Yet I discovered a few years ago that I have a good eye for art. I can see if the perspective is right in a landscape painting where others don’t always notice. This is how it is with my home. 

I am highly organised in many aspects of daily living, but I can’t for the life of me sort this out. If there isn’t a place for something it goes in a cupboard, drawer or the spare bedroom so that my living space remains neat and tidy. A year ago, the autism assessment centre gave me details of a charity and a business that could work with me to sort things out, but the few times that I thought about contacting them, I chickened out at the last minute. 

I am envious of your organisation. 

I did a big tidy up in the summer to clear out a cupboard. But I can never seem to do the last step and actually take it anywhere. It's all sorted out, with no where to go. So I keep having to move this pile of bags and boxes and unwanted toys around the house as it's always in the way. I even missed the school ragbag collection as I had too much on that day and even taken the bags down was too much to think about.

Do you just reorder the pile then put it away again?

I just start looking at things, then shuffle them about, remember lots, then put them back.

I could give you heaps of ways to deal with declutterring issues, but any amount of theory and guidelines don’t translate into practical action on my part.

I find it hard to throw things away. Everything has memories attached, or could be useful, or just seems too much trouble to throw out.

I even had payslips from 40 years ago.

I must do better.

I need to declutter but I’m stuck. I have cupboards, drawers and a room full of stuff in a disorganised state and I can’t get started. I’m wondering if the reason I am spending so much time here today is because I am procrastinating.