cathmom Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Christmas is coming and we will only get more stuff!! AHHHH! I can't take it anymore! There is junk and clutter EVERYWHERE! If I don't post again, you know it got me!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 :grouphug:Do you have a friend you can call for a declutter party? Decluttering is always easier with a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 We have the same problem here. I have fewer kids, but a ton of stuff. I finally hired a professional organizer to help me get a handle on this. I freecycled a ton of stuff and have a few boxes ready to go to goodwill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Amen! The stuff is even spilling over onto the floor now.. no counter space. I just grabbed a big, deep box and told ds to pick up everything off the floor, at least in the kitchen and dining area.. As I'm posting, the big, deep box is FULL. Filled to the rim. Time to sweep! Sometimes I have to be a little drastic. Ds just told me today that he needs to tell everyone not get him any presents, and give some presents away. Good idea! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Trash bags are your friends! Load it all up, no sorting allowed. You'll feel much better with space to think. Rest on that for a few days. Then, start sorting. One bag a day gets put away - into the correct locations or into the trash/Goodwill/friend who needs it boxes. Your dc could help sort bags, with a difference - everything they sort gets put on the bed of whomever owns it, and that person has to decide what to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I hear ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I hear you! I'm drowning over here, and the only way I'll get it done is to stop school. So don't drop by, cuz we won't let you in the door! :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I really got rid of clutter before this move...going from 3000sq ft to 1080 made me choose what I could live with and without. I keep the things I look and mean something and rest was gone. We stored a lot of stuff to take with us when we go home to the states in another 2.5 years but for now...there's no room for clutter. Get rid of the stuff thats just stuff and keep the things that mean something to you and your family. We have a recycle center just a little ways from our house. Anything that isn't used or needed goes there for someone else to use. It feels great to pass it on to someone who can use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 We made a monster trip to Goodwill on Saturday. I gave a 2 huge piles of videos (the old vcr type) to 2 different neighbors. I threw out 3 leaf and lawn bags of "stuff" not fit for donate. I have another box ready to go to Goodwill. And. . . . . I'm not done yet!!!! Stuff is taking over here as well. It is a terrible feeling. That is the main reason we decided many months ago to cut back on the gift giving at Christmas. We are limiting it to things we really, really want, and things we need. Now that the economy is affecting our spending, we are glad we made the decision to cut back. And by the way, I'm finished Christmas shopping for dh and dc!! The only things remaining are stocking stuffers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Academy of Jedi Arts Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I hear ya! A local school here has started a program and is collecting stuff. I'm shipping out like 1000 Happy Meal toys- lol. My dd is 7 yet there are still those ABC wooden blocks in our toy cabinet and 50 piece puzzles in her room. Why? My dh has suits from 1989. Why? I have stuff in drawers that I know I have forgotten that I had. The closet in this room is packed floor to ceiling with CRAP. But I'm gonna pull a Scarlett O'Hara and think about all that tomorrow;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Unfortunately, it is not our gift giving to the dc but our family's that creates stuff. My mil is constantly sending us stuff she cleaned out of her house, like we need more stuff. We get less for Christmas now that my sister who bought the most isn't speaking to us anymore. I have tried to suggest giving us zoo memberships and the like but it doesn't work. And then not only does each child get presents on their birthday, she usually sends stuff for the other children too, plus presents for Valentine's, Easter, etc. Arghhh!! Mil hasn't visited in 2 years so she doesn't have a visual reminder of how much we already have. In addition, I've got all sizes of little boy clothes around! Clothes the 5 yo has outgrown, but the twins aren't into yet. Clothes the twins have outgrown, saved for the baby. Arghhh! Part of the problem is that we have no storage space. We have no garage, no basement, no attic, no shed. I can't rotate toys or books because I have nowhere to store the ones we are not using. Things with pieces are my foe!!!! Mil just gave the twins a set of those foam squares you can make blocks with or lay out as a pad. Each piece has little foam pieces. Within two seconds of opening, my living room floor was completely foam pieces! We picked them up and they haven't touched them again. I think they'll be gotten rid of LOL! Thanks for the great suggestions! Unicorn, you are so right! Yes, I could attack the clutter, but I couldn't do school too. You know, it's like paying off our debt. If it takes all our money just to stay current, how will we ever pay off debt? And if it takes all my time just to stay current on dishes, laundry, school, and the baby, how will I ever clean up this house????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Constant vilagence is the key I tell ya. The youngest has a huge collection of stuff that we would just love to get rid of but she keeps it put away so what can we say. We know it is there though and it just drives us crazy. I am currently suffering from a book overflow problem and there are no books that I want to get rid of. My original plan was to line the upstairs hallwall with books shelves but my mother left me two very large painting and that is the only wallspace available to hang them. Now I need to figure out a new solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 :grouphug:Do you have a friend you can call for a declutter party? Decluttering is always easier with a friend. I have enough clutter of my own, thank you very much!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Start with the medicine cabinet. I know--you're thinking wha--? But it is small, there's no guilt throwing out expired medications and bottles and icky stuff. Clean it out. Put stuff back and then look at it. Admire your work. Say "aaah!" Then you can tackle anything, one small bite at a time! Once you get a surface cleared--take 5 minutes every night and clear it off again. For larger projects use at least three containers (laundry baskets work well, or boxes.) One for toss (you can just use a garbage bag), one for going somewhere else, another for donations/sell. When the "go somewhere else" is full--don't unload it at your destination, just leave it there for now. That's another project--when you clear out THAT area! Commit a week--or a month to the process. You will get there! I've decluttered many, many times. Last spring I rid the house of 535 lbs. (Yes, I weighed it!) I have a spot in the basement which collects everything for goodwill. I clear it out once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 I have enough clutter of my own, thank you very much!:lol: You have no time to come help me declutter!!!! Maybe I should get a burn permit and have a bonfire one night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 ! I've decluttered many, many times. Last spring I rid the house of 535 lbs. (Yes, I weighed it!) I have a spot in the basement which collects everything for goodwill. I clear it out once a month. Alana, what's scary is that we have ALREADY gotten rid of a lot of stuff!!!!!!!!! Dh has taken at least 5-6 pickup truck loads to the dump this past year and we have donated boxes and boxes of stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato4girls Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I totally know how you feel!! Just tackle 1 room or 1 section of a room each day, you will get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Trash bags are your friends! Load it all up, no sorting allowed. You'll feel much better with space to think. Rest on that for a few days. Then, start sorting. One bag a day gets put away - into the correct locations or into the trash/Goodwill/friend who needs it boxes. Your dc could help sort bags, with a difference - everything they sort gets put on the bed of whomever owns it, and that person has to decide what to do with it. Warning: this method does not work with everyone. Once out of sight, out of mind. Once in the bag (or box, or whatever), you will NOT want to see it again. You'll begin to collect bags (or boxes, or whatever). You may say, I'll deal with it later. Or, you'll start, then after awhile, whatever is left is thrown back in the bag. Ask me how I know. I finally started throwing a few coins in each so I knew I'd have to go back and sort. But then, that worked against me- I figured if I hadn't looked for anything in that box for xxx amount of time, I could throw it away. But, I couldn't, cuz there was money in it! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Cathmom--that was only the total from last Spring--there's been larger de-clutters before. Just keep swimmin'!! (I'd love to help you if I could.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzdaisy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I just went into dd bedroom and did a 27 fling boogie! Got rid of 27 things while she did school and it is garbage nite so ta -ta she hasn't even missed anything that is how much stuff is in her room!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herbalgirl Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Isn't it crazy so many of us have the same problem! We are truly rich in America! To the thrift shop, sista! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I am a Flylady flunky. "Stuff" is consuming my home and my life. Every step forward is followed by two steps back. I have saved the Oprah episodes on true hording in order to make me feel better, as well as preventing me from allowing things to get that bad. We are cutting back on "things" for Christmas this year and focusing on a few meaningful items and experiences. I keep reminding myself that, if anything happens to me, people will be digging through my junk for ages, and I'll have to die twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Fight! Fight your way into the light! Just go toward the light! LOL, my sister and I have banned our parents from bringing us yard sale finds for a few years now. We're *still* digging out junk and trying to get rid of it in productive ways (although sometimes I really am tempted to just send it all to a landfill - oy).... We were talking about Christmas just the other day and I counted up. It's been about 35 years now since Rose's, Big K and other precursor stores to the big box retailers came into my area of the country and we started shopping for "stuff" at every opportunity. Thirty-five years of accumulating stuff as fast and furiously as we can as a culture. That's a lotta stuff! I vote that we take the next 35 years to decompress and rid ourselves of all the toxic waste of products that surround us!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Isn't it crazy so many of us have the same problem! We are truly rich in America! To the thrift shop, sista! :D Yes, it is insane. We have a lot of stuff, but no money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Yep! Almost down for the count here too! I'm having a monster garage sale in 2 weeks (even though I'd rather just load it up and drop it at Goodwill!). We're raising money to buy a Wii the boys really want. They're setting up a bake sale and selling water to help. We got rid of a fourth of the crap in the garage and I'm working on a room a week until then. I still have closets to sort through too! Someone on here last year said they use the following rhyme for Christmas shopping: Something you want Something you need Something to wear and Something to read. We're seriously considering installing this rule esp. with my mom who blitzes every Christmas. Either that, or I'm returning half of the things she gets us (long story)! I just can't stand the "stuff" any more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 We used to suffer from the same thing. This summer, I went through the kids' bedrooms with those giant black trashbags and threw away 4 of them FULL to junk. We have vowed to NEVER let it accumulate that way again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 I constantly get rid of things and we STILL have too much stuff. It's about to drive me crazy. I dread Christmas. I know DS will get still MORE Legos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.