Clutter, clutter, clutter - What do you do?

[ilovedolphins]

I know I have asked this question before but I thought there might be different opinions from new members.  Do you feel ok with just throwing stuff out that you don't want compared to donating it?  I hate having the stuff sit in my house until I can take it to a donation center but then I also feel bad about throwing away usable stuff.

Do you keep stuff that can be replaced with a minimum amount of money if you only use it once every couple of years?  Loaf pans to bake a loaf of bread once every 5 years, etc.

I have boxes of Christmas greenery that I bought last year to decorate with and it seems with being my parents caregiver I don't have any time to do anything extra than just the day to day things.  I could just toss them and replace them in an upcoming year when I have time to decorate or just keep them in my pantry room taking up space.

I don't have a shed or garage and I can't bring myself to rent a storage unit for stuff that I don't really care about.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Donate!

Lots of places have drop off if you don't care about tax deductions

[dee27]

I hate clutter in our living spaces, but I would donate or give away stuff that is in good condition. DH has a lot of stuff in the garage; some we need and some we don't. The stuff we don't need, he is slowly getting rid of it just not as fast as I would like. The attic houses our Christmas stuff, but we have donated trees and ornaments that we no longer use.

[Deleted]

Free Stuff on Craigslist. They'll take nearly anything. Put it at the end of your driveway, list it, delete the ad when it's gone. It seems to be typical CL etiquette that it's OK for the first to arrive to snatch a dozen things you've carefully listed separately; I assume they'll try and resell at a flea market or on e-Bay and may discard if they don't sell- but at least you gave them a chance.

[Deleted]

I hate clutter, but I can't stomach throwing good things away.  If there is a chance someone might want/need it I will donate. 

[Deleted]

Right now I have most of it either in the spare room or in the basement. The basement stuff I know where it is going, just need to get it there. Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the Masons medical supply donation place. And the cat rescue to drop off a computer that I no longer use and they can sell. Since my, and their, hours are all screwy, it's a matter of logistics. And crappy winter weather in New England.

The stuff in the spare room I am considering signing up for the town-wide yard sale they are doing. Pay $15 and they do all the advertising and stick you on a map. Apparently it went well last year and some of my neighbors participated. Only thing is, my stuff I want to unload is mostly collectibles so not sure how that would go.

[Peace77]

Other options:

Offer the items on Freecycle. Whoever wants it comes to pick it up from your porch. See Freecycle.org for the group nearest you.

Offer the items on local Facebook groups for buy /sale /trade. Give away is Ok too,

[Happy prose]

In my area, if you donate to the Veterans, they schedule a pick up day. You just leave the stuff bagged or boxed by your door. I just did it with a bunch of clothes. You have to get it outside though. If you have large items, like furniture, you can schedule the Salvation Army for pick up. Of course with that option, you have to be home.

[Cookies Galore]

I post stuff on some local Facebook pages and leave out for porch pickup if someone responds. Otherwise, bulk trash day is the last Friday of the month! We have an old dining table that's been on our front porch for a couple of weeks. Someone was supposed to pick it up but never did, I didn't feel like bringing it back inside and cluttering up our living area, so outside it lived until tomorrow evening! I'll put it out with the trash and then post a curb alert on the Facebook pages.

[Anne_in_VA]

I post stuff on Freecycle all the time.  Do a post, wait for someone to say they want it and put it out on the porch just before they say they'll be there.  Easy Peazy!  Some people seem to have an issue with no shows, but that hasn't been my experience.

[Anne_in_VA]

To be fair, DH is a pack rat and I have to get rid of stuff when he's not home.  It helps that I work from home 3 or more days per week.

[Cookies Galore]

Jan 25, 2017 20:14:39 GMT -5 Anne_in_VA said:

To be fair, DH is a pack rat and I have to get rid of stuff when he's not home.  It helps that I work from home 3 or more days per week.

I threw out so much of hubs' crap when we moved. He still doesn't realize what's missing, and most likely never will.

[Deleted]

Jan 25, 2017 21:41:12 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Jan 25, 2017 20:14:39 GMT -5 Anne_in_VA said:

To be fair, DH is a pack rat and I have to get rid of stuff when he's not home.  It helps that I work from home 3 or more days per week.

I threw out so much of hubs' crap when we moved. He still doesn't realize what's missing, and most likely never will.

I'm not liking either one of you very much right now. DH has about 8 bins of crap sitting in the basement since we moved in the house 4 years ago. Do you think he'll go through any of it? Noooooo. I think this summer I may just start my spring cleaning down there and then take it out through the cellar door. He can't go down the stairs.

Anybody want to buy a complete set of Coca-Cola Olympic pins from I have no idea what year? '88 maybe?🤔 Box is a bit destroyed as multiple cats have used it for a scratching post but still...

[msventoux]

When I was overwhelmed by clutter I went scorched earth on my possessions...had a dumpster delivered and tossed everything I wasn't keeping. Didn't matter if it was in awesome condition and I could have donated it or sold it...I hadn't done either for years at that point, so it got trashed.

Now, I've kept up on things and have a storage bin in the garage to toss stuff to donate. When the bin gets full I drop it off. I'll admit that throwing everything out was wasteful, but so was keeping it in the house and never dealing with it. Sometimes you have to take drastic measures to jump start yourself into making progress.

[Deleted]

One thought on donating to charities:  please think about whether you're just giving them piles of things they'll have to throw out.  Friends of mine run a women's shelter I've supported for many years.  They reserved the right to refuse donations, but in practice the Executive Director insisted that they not turn down anything from special snowflakes (large donors).  If Special Snowflake was cleaning out the house after her elderly mother's death and wanted to "donate" Mom's used nightgowns and half-used containers of makeup, they took it all.  I'm sure Special Snowflake got a receipt and claimed a nice tax deduction, too. 

I dropped things off for them at a local thrift shop (new items such as diapers, snack foods, etc. from their on-line Wish List) recently- the thrift shop was acting as a collection center for them.  They sent me out to the back loading dock with it and there were bags and bags of donations to the thrift shop.  I never saw so much junk.  I'm sure half of it had to be thrown out.

This reminds me, though- I've got piles of paperbacks from DH (mostly Tom Clancy- type stuff) and have been procrastinating on going to the cancer center where he used to get treatment and dropping them off for their free lending library.  I may try the local thrift shop instead.  When we were in the previous house, I'd use the public library but DH would pick out paperbacks at the thrift store, read them, then donate them back!

[Lizard Queen]

Some, but not all, of the Goodwills recycle fabric of unsellable clothing.

[cktc]

Jan 26, 2017 6:59:41 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

One thought on donating to charities:  please think about whether you're just giving them piles of things they'll have to throw out.  

I've worried about this, but also seen things in some stores I'd never dream of donating, so obviously someone finds value in what I might deem trash.

I think as long as the donations don't include anything soiled or infested it's safe to leave for the center to determine it's worth as they have a better feel for what is needed.  


Curb/dumpster-side are great for large items you aren't ready to toss. Just leave out and re-evaluate if they make it through the day.

[raeoflyte]

I usually keep adding bags and boxes to my trunk until its stuffed to the brim and then dh or I will get irritated about nothing fitting and finally drop it off somewhere.  

I'm ready for a big purge this year.  Get rid of all the stuff!

ETA:  I totally get wanting to (and even going through with) get rid of spouses clothes and junk but I just can't do it.  I contain his stuff and date it, but leave it to him to get rid of.  Our last house had really small closets and dh's clothes took up 90% of it even though he didn't wear any of the stuff in there.  I turned all of the hangers backwards, and then for anything that was washed and rehung, I'd hang it back the right way.  After 3 months I boxed up anything that wasn't seasonal/dress clothes that was still hung backwards and put it in a 60 gallon tub in our bedroom for 6 months.  Then I moved it downstairs with a date of 1/2007 on it.  He went through the box when we were moving which was June of 2014.  Right now he has 2 bookshelves in the storage room, and about 10 more tubs/boxes that I need to move into the storage room.  This doesn't include any household junk, or seasonal stuff, camping or baby gear.  Just dh's "stuff".  Drives me freaking nuts, and I kind of doubt it will ever be where I want it to be but he at least doesn't buy much anymore so hopefully it won't get much worse. 

[Sam_2.0]

Jan 26, 2017 11:35:56 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

I usually keep adding bags and boxes to my trunk until its stuffed to the brim and then dh or I will get irritated about nothing fitting and finally drop it off somewhere.  

I'm ready for a big purge this year.  Get rid of all the stuff!

ETA:  I totally get wanting to (and even going through with) get rid of spouses clothes and junk but I just can't do it.  I contain his stuff and date it, but leave it to him to get rid of.  Our last house had really small closets and dh's clothes took up 90% of it even though he didn't wear any of the stuff in there.  I turned all of the hangers backwards, and then for anything that was washed and rehung, I'd hang it back the right way.  After 3 months I boxed up anything that wasn't seasonal/dress clothes that was still hung backwards and put it in a 60 gallon tub in our bedroom for 6 months.  Then I moved it downstairs with a date of 1/2007 on it.  He went through the box when we were moving which was June of 2014.  Right now he has 2 bookshelves in the storage room, and about 10 more tubs/boxes that I need to move into the storage room.  This doesn't include any household junk, or seasonal stuff, camping or baby gear.  Just dh's "stuff".  Drives me freaking nuts, and I kind of doubt it will ever be where I want it to be but he at least doesn't buy much anymore so hopefully it won't get much worse. 

OMG, my DH is the same way. He's such a packrat, but the problem is he knows what he has & where so if I try to get rid of stuff he freaks out. I feel like I am being pushed out of our room with all the crap he has in there. 2 dressers and 2/3rds of the closet are full of his things! GAH!

[raeoflyte]

Jan 26, 2017 17:09:21 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

Jan 26, 2017 11:35:56 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

I usually keep adding bags and boxes to my trunk until its stuffed to the brim and then dh or I will get irritated about nothing fitting and finally drop it off somewhere.  

I'm ready for a big purge this year.  Get rid of all the stuff!

ETA:  I totally get wanting to (and even going through with) get rid of spouses clothes and junk but I just can't do it.  I contain his stuff and date it, but leave it to him to get rid of.  Our last house had really small closets and dh's clothes took up 90% of it even though he didn't wear any of the stuff in there.  I turned all of the hangers backwards, and then for anything that was washed and rehung, I'd hang it back the right way.  After 3 months I boxed up anything that wasn't seasonal/dress clothes that was still hung backwards and put it in a 60 gallon tub in our bedroom for 6 months.  Then I moved it downstairs with a date of 1/2007 on it.  He went through the box when we were moving which was June of 2014.  Right now he has 2 bookshelves in the storage room, and about 10 more tubs/boxes that I need to move into the storage room.  This doesn't include any household junk, or seasonal stuff, camping or baby gear.  Just dh's "stuff".  Drives me freaking nuts, and I kind of doubt it will ever be where I want it to be but he at least doesn't buy much anymore so hopefully it won't get much worse. 

OMG, my DH is the same way. He's such a packrat, but the problem is he knows what he has & where so if I try to get rid of stuff he freaks out. I feel like I am being pushed out of our room with all the crap he has in there. 2 dressers and 2/3rds of the closet are full of his things! GAH!

It is SOOOO frustrating!  

I sent dh an article about a study that shows women's stress levels go up when their house is cluttered (it had no or minimal effect on men) and said we had to get rid of all.the.stuff if I was ever going to be sane again.  

[Sam_2.0]

I need that article! Not that he would care, hahah! I get so stressed out when things are cluttered. His parents' house looks like it's reaching hoarders levels. Things piled in the hallways, stuff EVERYWHERE. So stressful.    

[raeoflyte]

Jan 26, 2017 17:31:13 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

I need that article! Not that he would care, hahah! I get so stressed out when things are cluttered. His parents' house looks like it's reaching hoarders levels. Things piled in the hallways, stuff EVERYWHERE. So stressful.    

This was the first article I saw which linked a couple places and eventually to the ACLU page.  www.huffingtonpost.com/shannon-kelley/clutter_b_1656670.html  I keep meaning to go through the actual study.  Dh was most interested that they didn't find that it had the same affect on men and I know it doesn't on dh.  His stress levels don't go up until right about the time that rodents invade...

[tskeeter]

Jan 25, 2017 16:04:29 GMT -5 ilovedolphins said:

I know I have asked this question before but I thought there might be different opinions from new members.  Do you feel ok with just throwing stuff out that you don't want compared to donating it?  I hate having the stuff sit in my house until I can take it to a donation center but then I also feel bad about throwing away usable stuff.

Do you keep stuff that can be replaced with a minimum amount of money if you only use it once every couple of years?  Loaf pans to bake a loaf of bread once every 5 years, etc.

I have boxes of Christmas greenery that I bought last year to decorate with and it seems with being my parents caregiver I don't have any time to do anything extra than just the day to day things.  I could just toss them and replace them in an upcoming year when I have time to decorate or just keep them in my pantry room taking up space.

I don't have a shed or garage and I can't bring myself to rent a storage unit for stuff that I don't really care about.

I think you're on the right track to be considering frequency of use and difficulty to replace.  Foil loaf pans, for example, can be purchased at most any grocery store for a few dollars a package.  Why clutter your cabinets with something you use only once every several years.

There may be cases where renting something the one time you need it is a viable option.  This even extends to things such as clothes.  Taking a once in your life vacation in snow country?  Shops at ski resorts rent parkas, snow pants, and the like.

[naughtybear]

I'm at that point, need a loaf pan, I'll get a foil one. I have pyrex baking dishes that I have never used.

[Spellbound454]

I don't really keep stuff I don't need....toys and clothes to the charity shop......junk to the recycle centre.

I just have a blitz every so often....one tomorrow in fact and get rid of things.

Its just that I find clutter stressful ....and getting rid of it is destressing.

[wyouser]

As the wise old sage once said to his young protégé: "Go forth and purchase ye first a dwelling that hath a 60x100 garage with a minimum of two full stories. Do this and ye shall forever have room to park at least one car. The rest of the space shall contain all thy accumulated clutter. And, your spouse shall remain forever happy in a house that is "clutter" free.

[Bob Ross]

Take a leaf blower to that sh*t. 

[debthaven]

If you're going to get rid of stuff, I really don't see why it's so much harder to donate the stuff in good condition rather than just trash it. Put it in your car, and drop it somewhere next time you're nearby. Or in a donation bin if there are any near you.

I can't live with clutter, it stresses me out. I purge regularly, and I limit what I bring into the house.

I'm sorry you're struggling with this, I know you've been struggling with it for a while. I've suggested the WIR decluttering thread before .

You know what they say here to people who want to get out of debt ... you didn't accumulate it overnight, and you're not going to get rid of it overnight. Same with clutter. You didn't accumulate it overnight, you won't get rid of it overnight either.

BUT ... the Stuff didn't walk into your house by itself. It's not going to walk out of your house by itself either. YOU brought it in to your house. If YOU want it gone, YOU need to get rid of it. To succeed, you need to make it a priority. Even if you make it your priority for just 30 min or one hour a day, or 2 hours a week. Or you can spend more time going "scorched earth" on it.

Good luck!

ETA: If you're not familiar with him (or even if you are) check out the Peter Walsh 31-day January challenge. He's on youtube and FB, or you can just google him. Every day in Jan, he sets a daily 10-min task. It's a good start.

[naughtybear]

It is harder/difficult or time consuming if there are other factors involved.

[ilovedolphins]

Jan 27, 2017 18:37:12 GMT -5 naughtybear said:

It is harder/difficult or time consuming if there are other factors involved.

The time that I am home and not sleeping on an average week is 18 hours.  The rest of the time I am working or taking care of my parents.  Out of that 18 hours I try to get the daily things done like dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc.  I guess I just need to prioritize my few hours at home each week with decluttering.