MamaBearTeacher Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 All the closets are stuffed. Our basement is full. All our shelves are full to capacity. I have spent days and days organizing everything and it is fairly organized but I still can't find anything. I think my biggest challenge is to get rid of stuff. I have boxes of old kids clothes, some waiting to be passed on and baby and toddler stuff that I should get rid of. It's very hard to get rid of the precious baby blue newborn sleepers and even some of the toddler sweaters. It turns me into an emotional mess just thinking about it. I also have tons of gifts given to me that I never used. I would like to try to sell some and give the rest to charity. It sounds simple enough but it is all taking a lot of time to figure out. I don't have a lot of people in my life who would appreciate the stuff either. What do you do with all your old stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 There are many churches around here that have a clothes closet kind of thing where needy families can come get clothes for free. Perhaps you could donate your old kids' clothes there? I kept one special outfit for each child, then I passed the rest along. I just can't stand to keep tons of stuff around. I'm decluttering my house (again!) right now. When things get out of control here, I designate a week where I systematically go through each cupboard, drawer, closet, etc and organize and pitch things. I have gotten really brutal about it, too. I have four kids here and never know when we're going to get called for a foster placement. I have to stay on top of the clutter here or I go crazy. :tongue_smilie:My general rule of thumb is, if I haven't used it in the last year, or even 6 months, I get rid of it. I've pared down quite a bit on things around here that way. I have found that I do not have the patience to list and sell things so I just donate it all to charity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We have a charity (National Children's Center, I believe) that comes right to our door about once a month. I believe other charities have home pick ups as well -- I know my neighbors use someone else but I'm not sure which charity. I probably would not be the crazy declutter I am if I had to pack it all in the car with the five kids and take it all to Goodwill myself, although I *do* do that occasionally.As for the baby stuff, I keep only a few select favorite clothes items, maybe 3-4 things tops? Just enough to bring back a memory or two. Probably better to just keep a *picture* of the kid in that outfit though! If you want your life to change, you have to just DO IT. In the end, these things are just THINGS. You may be upset that you gave something away, but grief is a normal reaction to loosing something - it doesn't mean you *shouldn't do it anyway*. Watch out though, decluttering can be addictive. It snowballs as you realize just how much better and easier your life can be without so much STUFF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiff in TX Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Have you looked at flyladydotcom. She is a wonderful inspiration to me when it comes to cleaning and organization. Very helpful. Here lately, I have been watching a show on A&E called Hoarders (I think you can watch episodes online if you don't have cable) and it really motivates me to get rid of the junk/ clutter in our house. I am nowhere near as bad off as the people in the show, but it is good motivation from seeing just how far the desire to keep stuff can go. It seems that every episode I watch, I take a load of stuff to goodwill and drag a trash bag around my house to load up stuff that simply needs to be tossed. As for selling stuff, only keep it if you know you are going to have a garage sale or sell it online. For me, I have never had a garage sale and after about 6 months of gathering things for one, I realized - with the help of fly lady - that I was never going to have a garage sale, so I loaded it all up and took it to Goodwill... it felt wonderful :) Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) I keep an empty box in my garage that holds things that I've decided to give away. When it's full, I take it and drop it off at a local donation center. When I do a big purge of things I call a local center that will pick up items and they come get it. If there are some things that I think would be enjoyed by others I list those on Freecycle. ETA: I also give my self permission to keep certain things like baby clothes. I have one box labeled Keepsakes and I can put anything in there that I want to keep but don't use regularly or need. When the box is full, I have to make room for anything new by squishing it all real good or taking something out and getting rid of it. It's a great way to decided what really matters over time. Edited December 28, 2009 by rwjx2khsmj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I have found that I do not have the patience to list and sell things so I just donate it all to charity. Me too.And I forgot to say that I just put myself in a constant mindset of "do we really NEED this?" as I go about my life every day - so I don't need lots of time to declutter. We keep a box/bag downstairs, and as I'm hanging laundry, or cooking, or looking for something on our bookshelves, I'll think about the items I'm seeing in front of me and grab something I realize we can do without - into the box it goes, and out the door within the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We are decluttering demons around here and I have become brutal over the years :001_smile: but what has helped the most is to think about how much joy someone else would get out out things you aren't using. Especially in this economy there a many people who can use the things you no longer need. I have a box of favorite outfits from when my kids were little, a box of memoriabilia for each of them and the adults and we keep those in the garage, but our motto is "keep the love, lose the stuff". The love in a gift isn't in the gift but in the relationship with the person who gave it to you. I am sure they don't expect you to keep every little thing they have ever given you. Some things are special but most of it is just an effort to show they are thinking of you. The best way for us to get started is with 3 containers - one to give away, one to throw away and one to pack and store. If after a year or 6 months or whatever, you haven't needed the stuff in the box, DO NOT open it, just take it straight to the Goodwill or whatever used stuff store or charity you prefer. The more you do, the more you realize happiness isn't tied to the stuff but peace and freedom are connected to an orderly house without those tons of things weighing on your mind. Just start, work on it for 15 minutes a day (set a timer) and keep going until you are satisfied with the level of stuff. It does get easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I'm an emotional mess with you when it comes to getting rid of baby things. It is so hard for me. What does help for me is to find someone I know & care about who needs things...for some reason I have an easier time getting rid of things when I view it as 'sharing' with someone or helping someone who really needs it. Especially when that person is so appreciative--it makes you feel so good. (A few weeks before Christmas, I went through the toys and pulled out a few boxes of things we needed to get rid of...talked to a lady at church and asked if she'd be interested...when I delivered the items, she said that they had just had an unexpected medical bill and then she choked up, had tears in her eyes and said our toys were their Christmas miracle so their kids would have some presents. That made it a whole lot easier to pass along--knowing this family had a need and knowing that they were so thankful!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Here lately, I have been watching a show on A&E called Hoarders (I think you can watch episodes online if you don't have cable) and it really motivates me to get rid of the junk/ clutter in our house. I am nowhere near as bad off as the people in the show, but it is good motivation from seeing just how far the desire to keep stuff can go. It seems that every episode I watch, I take a load of stuff to goodwill and drag a trash bag around my house to load up stuff that simply needs to be tossed. Yep... watching shows like that work wonders for me. I've gotten a lot better at getting rid of stuff. It's just too hard to make a cluttered house clean... and I want the house clean! The more you get rid of, the less you have to pick up, to dust, etc. And, if there is room in closets for kids to put things away, it's easier to make them help pick up! I can't really ask them to help when I have to cram stuff in random places... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 All the closets are stuffed. Our basement is full. All our shelves are full to capacity. I have spent days and days organizing everything and it is fairly organized but I still can't find anything. I think my biggest challenge is to get rid of stuff. I have boxes of old kids clothes, some waiting to be passed on and baby and toddler stuff that I should get rid of. It's very hard to get rid of the precious baby blue newborn sleepers and even some of the toddler sweaters. It turns me into an emotional mess just thinking about it. I also have tons of gifts given to me that I never used. I would like to try to sell some and give the rest to charity. It sounds simple enough but it is all taking a lot of time to figure out. I don't have a lot of people in my life who would appreciate the stuff either. What do you do with all your old stuff? I was emotionally attached to the baby stuff as well, but I found once I started moving it out, it became a lot easier. For the first round I held a huge garage sale (including crib, breast pump, clothes, toys, books, etc) with another mom and made nearly $1000 so it was a big incentive to keep clearing out. I found I wasn't as ready to part with my youngest's infant things as the older boys so I held a few extra of those back. It was a huge amount of work that first time but it was well worth the money. Once I was through that initial round, it's become easier to let go. Also, my two boys are of such different sizes and shapes that nothing passes down except maybe gym shirts any more. I've had a few more garage sales since then, but never making nearly as much and sometimes so little I questioned whether it was worth my time (and my husband hates the garage sale pile). Lately I've been giving all the kid stuff to two families in our circle that have needs and ask them to pass on to others what they can't use. Everything else goes to the mission thrift shop or church missions sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 My house didn't start improving until I gave up my plans to sort my stuff into things for church, things for friends, things for selling, etc. I figured out that I was never going to have/take the time to get to the sorting and selling. I just started bagging it up for either the trash or Goodwill. I didn't even ask for a receipt because I didn't even want to take the time to itemize it for taxes. I got to the point that I wanted a clean house more than I wanted the money or tax write off. The clean house was worth more. The only exception were items that belonged to someone else. Those get returned at the first possible chance I get. I'm finding I have to go through several ruthless rounds of trash/goodwill decluttering cycles before a room is clean and not cluttered. I don't get rid of enough the first, or even second time through. It's really taken me years to get to the point where I value space and clean (which equals more time) over things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 My house didn't start improving until I gave up my plans to sort my stuff into things for church, things for friends, things for selling, etc. I figured out that I was never going to have/take the time to get to the sorting and selling. I just started bagging it up for either the trash or Goodwill. I didn't even ask for a receipt because I didn't even want to take the time to itemize it for taxes. I got to the point that I wanted a clean house more than I wanted the money or tax write off. The clean house was worth more. The only exception were items that belonged to someone else. Those get returned at the first possible chance I get. I'm finding I have to go through several ruthless rounds of trash/goodwill decluttering cycles before a room is clean and not cluttered. I don't get rid of enough the first, or even second time through. It's really taken me years to get to the point where I value space and clean (which equals more time) over things. Ditto. Just toss. I take everything to goodwill. I could take it to resale shops, but it ends up just sitting there as the resale shop is over 30 minutes away in a neighboring town and Goodwill is just 15 minutes away in my same town. I know I should take things to the used bookstore and resell, but I just don't go to the neighboring town much anymore, so I just donate to my library. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I haven't done this yet, myself, but a friend of mine does: she takes her stuff to a local auction house and they sell it for her. (Not a famous auction house. Just some sort of local place. We live in the boonies and have auction houses, so if you're in a city, I'm sure there are more of them.) She usually has a yard sale every year, but she made more money at the auction. The only thing she does is drop off the box and they auction house handles the rest. Of course, they keep a piece of the profit, but (again) she still ended up making more money than at a yard sale. Some of her stuff was nice and some was junk. She said the auction house puts the junk into boxes and then auctions off the entire box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcelmer Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) Maybe limit yourself to one little outfit/blanket per kiddo to keep and give to them when they leave. Remember, you can take a picture and keep that instead, it will take up a lot less space. :D Really after you start tossing, it will feel so wonderful! I've been ruthlessly tossing for a while now, but I only regret tossing one item out of hundreds. If it isn't blessing your life, or being used regularly, bless somebody else with it. Even gasp, BOOKS, can be a curse instead of a blessing. I couldn't get rid of those, I plan on using them as we go thought the right era in history, but boxing up all the shelves by year, and putting them up was such a blessing! When you only have what you are actually using out, your home is much more peaceful & lovely. Also, I find that personally it is not worth trying to sell most things. I don't get around to it for months, so it just sits there cluttering up even more than it did before. I MUST get rid of it (goodwill, local charity) right that same day, or it just doesn't work for me. For me, the around $10-15 for 2-3 bags of stuff isn't worth my (or my husbands) sanity. :-D I do sometimes list used book sat paperback swap, but only if there are a few, for boxes of books, I donate. Edited December 28, 2009 by lcelmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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