DawnM Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 and start over? If only I had the money....... Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stansclan89 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yes. But we buy cheap furniture so I don't mind giving stuff to Good Will and buying new cheap stuff. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenmama2 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 yes...:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I dunno... There are some terrible pieces of furniture I'd have to keep for irrational reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 Do you mean you buy cheap things or do you mean you buy them used for less? Dawn Yes. But we buy cheap furniture so I don't mind giving stuff to Good Will and buying new cheap stuff. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plath Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yes! We have a tiny house and way too much crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 :lol: Yes. I read a decluttering/organizing book not long ago (can't remember the title, my brain is like Swiss cheese these days), and in the beginning, the author pointed out that many clients have mentioned that they wouldn't be too averse to losing it all in a house fire so they could start all over again. I often fantasize about just sweeping everything on all the surfaces in the house into big boxes and packing them up in the attic. WHY is it so hard?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Heck no! I only want to get rid of everyone else's stuff. Mine, I keep. :D Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I want to put an add on Craigslist "just come and take whatever you want from my house. 50 cents per pound." And hopefully the place will be stripped. That, or a house fire, is probably the only way my house will ever be organized. It's so depressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 Maybe we should start a forum where we post pictures of areas of our house and ask "What would you toss and what would you keep." I feel like I need some outside perspectives. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yes! And the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX6 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 We just gave away about 60% of our stuff. It feels great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) Maybe we should start a forum where we post pictures of areas of our house and ask "What would you toss and what would you keep." I feel like I need some outside perspectives. Dawn Sure! I like an outside opinion that isn't from a friend. :) And I need someone to tell me why I don't need the junk I don't want, but am afraid to give away. Edited April 28, 2012 by alilac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 The furniture? No problem. (As long as some little furniture fairy did all the moving in and out, and hanging of curtains and pictures and whatnot.) I would have to keep the piano, most of the books, all of my teaching and tutoring stuff, all the art supplies, some of my favourite kitchen gadgets, sentimental items... quite a bit, actually. I could probably get rid of about a third of the "items" if only I had someone to help me do it. I find it difficult to muster the energy to tackle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I got rid of half of all my stuff 2 years ago. I'm happy. I could, with pleasure, back a truck up and load hubby's Goodwill junk with a pitchfork and push the lot over a cliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerPoppy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I want to put an add on Craigslist "just come and take whatever you want from my house. 50 cents per pound." And hopefully the place will be stripped. That, or a house fire, is probably the only way my house will ever be organized. It's so depressing. It's interesting, because I think a lot of people feel ready to practically give their stuff away, and yet if you look at the stuff posted on Craigslist/Kijiji, the prices are bizarre! I mean, do people really expect to get 50% of the price they paid for a used item? I can find *new* stuff for 50% off a lot of the time. I wish people would post items cheaply in the spirit of getting it out of their house while blessing another family. (P.S. I don't mean you, of course!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 How did you decide what to get rid of? We just gave away about 60% of our stuff. It feels great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 How did you decide what to get rid of? And did you downsize your house or just get rid of the cr*p? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 And I need someone to tell me why I don't need the junk I don't want, but am afraid to give away. Yes! Why is this? I find it difficult to muster the energy to tackle it. This too! I start out all gung ho with big plans, and then, when actually facing the clutter, I get so tired and dispirited. It's such a huge job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 and start over? If only I had the money....... Dawn When I read your title, I thought you meant donate the contents of the house instead of having to clean it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Yes! Why is this? This too! I start out all gung ho with big plans, and then, when actually facing the clutter, I get so tired and dispirited. It's such a huge job. Question one...because, "what if?" HUGE, HUGE job. And every time I do it, when I do it, I feel WONDERFUL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Question one...because, "what if?" Ah, you're SO right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHASRADA Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Well, maybe not *everything*, I'd keep a few sentimental items, but just about, yeah. I wish I could go through the process they do on the show "Consumed". They remove everything but the bare essentials from the home and display them in a warehouse. After living without "stuff" for 30 days, the family goes through their belongings, deciding what will be brought back into the home, and donate the rest. It's a lot easier to decide what is worth bringing into an uncluttered home, than to decide what to get rid of. My dd12 put it best this week. She told me, "I'd like to be one of those people without too much stuff in my room; I just don't want to do it." I would love for someone to come in and take away most of my stuff. Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 This too! I start out all gung ho with big plans, and then, when actually facing the clutter, I get so tired and dispirited. It's such a huge job. Start a drawer at a time. Clean out everything, clean the drawer, and be brutal. Think: if I didn't have this, would I buy it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Yes. I wish i could chuck everything and start over. Not even for new stuff or matching stuff...just to do a serious overhaul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Start a drawer at a time. Clean out everything, clean the drawer, and be brutal. Think: if I didn't have this, would I buy it again? I have tried this. For some reason, it doesn't seem to work. Even after I clean something out, the stuff in it starts to multiply again. Or everything is interconnected, and I find that I can't clean out X drawer until I clean out Y closet, because a bunch of the stuff goes there. And when I start to clean out Y closet, I find that a bunch of that stuff is DH's, and I can't clean it out without him because he'll get mad, and he NEVER wants to make time to declutter. Or I'll clean out the kids' toys, and the next thing I know, my MIL/mother/grandmother/strangers are sending them home with more cr@p. (My mom always says, "Oh, I can't say no to them. Just throw it out when they get it home!" *cue my spinning head here*). Sorry, just a little rant there :glare: I hear you. I just don't know why that tack doesn't seem to work here! There's a shelf in our media bookshelf that's taunting me right now. Maybe I'll tackle it right now before I get too sleepy to do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 We are doing this now and it's HARD. I often procrastinate for months and let a huge mountain of junk sit right in the hallway. I vacillate between weeping and anger.... Stressed about "what this cost" or "darn it, I wish I had a place for this but I don't" or "posting to craigslist is such a pain" etc. A little song from Jungle Jams plays through my mind, "The more you have, the more you have to have to take care of the things you have!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 As I write this, my kitchen is a disaster zone. I'm currently in "THROW IT OUT!" mode. So, this big desk that takes up too much room in our small apartment and kitchen is GOING. My DH works 2 jobs, and is barely home, I took everything off the desk (teehee....) and put it on the kitchen floor. Tomorrow we're dismantling the desk (yes, I can use a word like that. it's really that big) and it will take up space until a lady comes to buy it next week. I am SELLING everything that I don't need immediately. For example, I bought a bunch of gift sets. I could keep them for the future baby showers, etc... but right now I don't have a place for them. I bought them at close to 75% off retail, so I stand to make a couple bucks selling them. Most everything else I price what I bought it for, or comparable to a thrift store. It's a LONG process. But I am making progress. I am getting rid of furniture that does not serve it's purpose. The harder part is finding furniture that meets or exceeds my needs. For example, we want to replace the desk hutch with shelves. So we dropped about $75 on shelving at Home Depot---- more than we paid for the desk originally!!! :glare: But I am on a shelf-kick. I NEED MORE SHELVES!!! but yeah, I want to throw everything out and start over. Plus I am just "starting out" homeschooling so I am in the "collecting books" phase. Oyyy. But yes, getting rid of stuff. I am SO there. :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Do you mean you buy cheap things or do you mean you buy them used for less? Dawn A lot of what we have is stuff we bought from Target. Brands like Sauder and Room Essentials (I think). TV tables, end tables, nightstands, desks, bookshelves. My dining room table is from a local furniture dealer. I really would like to donate it and buy a new one but I can't find an oval table anywhere! The one I have is square and it's big and clunky. I don't know what I was thinking when I purchased it. I got rid of a perfectly good oval table to buy this one. Well, it belonged to my DH and his first wife and I didn't want it as our main table. :tongue_smilie: But now, I'd only change tables if I can find an oval one again. The last time I looked, I couldn't find that style. Have oval tables gone out of style? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 and start over? If only I had the money....... Dawn Yes. Last time we moved, I told my husband that next time we are leaving everything (except sentimental things and the thousands of photos/war medals, etc I have because I am the family matriarch now). We will start over with new stuff from Craigslist and new mattresses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel marie Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 i pretty much did. we lost everything in katrina. now 7 years later the house is back full again. i don't know how i accumulated it all back so fast. i think i even have more now. angel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I have tried this. For some reason, it doesn't seem to work. Even after I clean something out, the stuff in it starts to multiply again. Or everything is interconnected, and I find that I can't clean out X drawer until I clean out Y closet, because a bunch of the stuff goes there. And when I start to clean out Y closet, Ah hah! I clean and prune and trash and put anything I'm keeping BACK. Once I'm done, and have had a week's rest, THEN I rearrange. I try to do this once a year. You are combining decluttering with ideal arrangement. Even if things aren't in "the right place" it is still easier to find them because 1) there is less clutter to dig through and 2) you recently fingered it and know where it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I get rid of big stuff and throw it out on my patio and have dd load it in my truck. I take it to the local thrift store. And....big black construction bags! They are awesome. Fill it up, put it in the car and you never.remember.what's.in.it! Works every time. And FWIW I can't do a drawer either. It's not enough. I need a room or a whole closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I dunno... There are some terrible pieces of furniture I'd have to keep for irrational reasons. I have a rocking chair that should be used for kindling. It is creaky and one rocker was chewed by a puppy many, many moons ago. But - my grandpa gave it to my mom when I was born and she gave it to me when dd was born. It's in her room right now and I hope it will make it to her first child. The creaks seem to help a newborn sleep. ;) There are a few other odd pieces that I have to have. My greatgrandmothers side table, an embroidered footstool. DH hates them, but they are mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I'd only change tables if I can find an oval one again. The last time I looked, I couldn't find that style. Have oval tables gone out of style? Yes. You'll have better luck finding one at a very expensive furniture store or at a used furniture store/estate sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Absolutely. Aside from photos and a few sentimental items, many time I think it'd just be easier to start over than trying to decide what to keep or what to get rid of. You would think that with all the moving and purging I do that I should have nothing left. Alas, I we still manage to bring more in than we get rid of, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 We downsized considerably before we moved overseas last time and just stored a few things- mostly stuff from the kitchen, some boxes, a bookcase, and the mattresses. We've been living in furnished places here, but we should be back in the US by the end of the year in an unfurnished apartment. I'm seriously considering just buying some shyrdaks and tushuks here and calling it good. Who needs chairs and couches? I can pack and move the entire house myself if we skip the furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I am in the process of brutally decluttering. I just finished my master closet and got rid of really nice clothes that I haven't work since my dd was baptized (7 years ago!). I got rid of a bunch of clothes, shoes and purses and now the closet is about 2/3s full. DH still needs to do his (small!) side, then that's done. IT FEELS AWESOME! Don't let fear hold you back. I pretended we were moving (because I'd really like to move to a much smaller town-our current town has 10,000 people and it just too crowded). Selecting what to move is a good way to trim stuff. Now, if I could have that same attitude about the toys. Our unfinished basement is loaded with them. They're always all over the place even though we have shelving and bucckets and baskets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 No. It's taken a long time to get some things that I like. I don't want to start over! Go room by room and imagine that the house did burn down. What would you rebuy? Keep that. If you wouldn't rebuy it, think seriously if it's really neccessary to have. Decluttering is a neccessary skill. The influx of stuff is non-stop. If the house did burn down you'd be right back here in a few years anyway if you don't learn how to get rid of things. Don't worry about it too much- it doesn't have to be perfect! There will be things you keep too long and a couple (not many!) things you regret getting rid of. Life goes on. And the more you do it the easier it will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Glad to hear I am not alone. Of course I would not get rid of sentimental items, but everything else is fair game at the moment! :D Actually, the living room is finally together. I did get rid of the sofas that were falling apart and got a nice set and pictures for the wall. So the LR will remain as is. I am just so overwhelmed. I seriously hate dealing with it. I hate cleaning and organizing. I want more organizing tools (shelving with bins, etc...) but they are pricey. I have a friend who keeps offering to help me, but she is not the kind I want helping as she would tell me to toss just about everything! It would most likely be the end of our friendship. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 :lol: Yes. I read a decluttering/organizing book not long ago (can't remember the title, my brain is like Swiss cheese these days), and in the beginning, the author pointed out that many clients have mentioned that they wouldn't be too averse to losing it all in a house fire so they could start all over again. :iagree: I have had that thought. With the exception of a few of my most favorite things (my bed-sleep number mattress, kitchen cookware, the computers, guitars, school books, and Bibles), I would let the house burn down and be just fine. Heck no! I only want to get rid of everyone else's stuff. Mine, I keep. :D Rosie :lol::lol::lol: So true. So true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Glad to hear I am not alone. Of course I would not get rid of sentimental items, but everything else is fair game at the moment! :D Actually, the living room is finally together. I did get rid of the sofas that were falling apart and got a nice set and pictures for the wall. So the LR will remain as is. I am just so overwhelmed. I seriously hate dealing with it. I hate cleaning and organizing. I want more organizing tools (shelving with bins, etc...) but they are pricey. I have a friend who keeps offering to help me, but she is not the kind I want helping as she would tell me to toss just about everything! It would most likely be the end of our friendship. Dawn I'll take your friend. She's the one I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 If you are sure, just be aware that she will ask you to get rid of Great Grandma's handmade quilt! I will send her your way. I'll take your friend. She's the one I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 My grandparents actually sort of did that when they moved 10 years ago. Not everything...just most of the furniture. I still haven't ever had any living room furniture that I actually picked out. :lol: So far, it's still all stuff that was given to us for free. Our next set probably will be purchased, though... this one is in great shape but it's horribly uncomfortable if one is sick and lying around on the couch all day. I'm still going to wait as long as possible to buy any, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 My husband hates the sofa I picked out (from Craigslist) for our living room. It is pretty and well made (Flexsteel) but it is a conversation sofa so it isn't strait, which makes it hard to lie on if you want to lounge. Oh well. Dawn My grandparents actually sort of did that when they moved 10 years ago. Not everything...just most of the furniture. I still haven't ever had any living room furniture that I actually picked out. :lol: So far, it's still all stuff that was given to us for free. Our next set probably will be purchased, though... this one is in great shape but it's horribly uncomfortable if one is sick and lying around on the couch all day. I'm still going to wait as long as possible to buy any, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 If you are sure, just be aware that she will ask you to get rid of Great Grandma's handmade quilt! I will send her your way. Yes! I had a rocker and "I" got rid of it after 20 years and took a picture of it! And I have no other hand me downs. When is she coming?:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Wow, you are serious. Yes! I had a rocker and "I" got rid of it after 20 years and took a picture of it! And I have no other hand me downs. When is she coming?:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Do you ever wish you could just donate the contents of your entire house all. the. time. Nothing in our house matches and almost every piece is hand me down or yard sale. Only 2 pieces I would like to keep. My great great grandmothers wardrobe and the hope chest my dad built for me. I have been trying but I get over loaded and just stop :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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