New and need help..
Hello everyone, I'm new here and I admit, I need help! I live in a 100 sq ft 3 bedroom 1 bath ranch over a full basement that is 1/4 finished space and 3/4 unfinished. Most of the unfinished space is taken up by storage of 25 years of accumulated STUFF that I need to declutter. The upstairs is alot better but it isn't the clean open space I would like it to be.
Here's the rub... the 25 years of stuff is a compilation of my 2 grown sons things that they left behind when they left home, the remainder of my late 2nd husband's things that I haven't figured out what to do with, my own ridiculous assortment of crafting, clothes, hobby, decor, and other stuff, and my current husband's things that he brought with him when he moved in with me.
My question is... Where the heck do I even start??? I feel overwhelmed and unsure what I actually can get rid of and what to do with certain items as some of the things still have value (expensive hunting equipment, competition archery gear, etc).
Does anyone have any advice on where to start that won't involve hiring someone? I just don't have those resources anymore. TIA.
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Anyone?
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Hi Claudia! I can definitely relate to feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. What helps me is starting small and breaking up the cleaning process bit by bit — whether by room or type of decluttering. I think you'll find our Decluttering Cure posts helpful! Lots of insightful conversations and tips from other folks in here. Is there an area you feel is least overwhelming to tackle first?
I'm sure others will chime in when they're online too 😊
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I think you have to chip away at it one day and one thing/area at a time. Just start little by little! I find the "timer" method to be especially helpful. Schedule/set aside 10, 20, or even 30 minutes a day to declutter and set a timer while you do it. Put on music or a podcast, and stop when you hit the end of the block. Get you husband, friends, and/or sons involved when they visit to make it fun. When it gets emotional or feels like too much, give yourself the grace to take a day off!
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I agree with the "small steps" model. You can pick one type of thing to work on (such as clothes, books, kitchen utensils) or 1 area (a closet, a shelf or drawer, a bookcase, part of a room . . .) and decide to do one category or area a day, or set the timer for 15-30-60 minutes and see how much you can get done in that time. Whatever works for you! My advice is to start with your own stuff and let everyone else involved know what you're doing; often if they see what you're doing, they'll start to work on theirs (at least, that works with my partner). In any case, save working on other people's stuff until you've made some headway with your own.
The method I'm going to describe is pretty much the same as AT's "cure" method, so definitely read their posts for more details. Set up 3 boxes. Think about your goal (a clean house, a streamlined wardrobe, whatever). Then pick an area and start work. Pick up each object in that area or pile, think about your goal, where you're going, and then ask, "Are you going with me?" If the object fits in with your future, you keep it; if not, you put it in one of the 3 boxes: the Outbox (you're not sure), Donate box (it's a No but possibly useful to someone else) or Trash. (Try to put as little in Trash as possible, for the sake of the planet and our landfills. But some stuff really is just Trash.) And keep going.
When the timer goes off, you're done for the day! Put the Trash out, put the Donates in your spot to take out of the house, and put away the keepers in their homes. You've just decluttered 1 area! Keep the Outbox stuff (the maybes) to go over in 2 or 3 weeks and see if you're any clearer how you feel about them. I find if I can't make a quick decision on something, thinking about getting rid of it for a week or two makes it easier to get rid of later.
Start with a category or area that's easy for you.. We're all different. I have no trouble decluttering kitchen stuff, but many people find the kitchen really hard. For me, books and sentimental letters/photos are the hardest. But I've gotten much better at them too.
Tips:
Think how long it took you to accumulate that stuff, and don't expect it to be gone in a day or two. It will be a big project. But it is do-able!
Don't keep something just because it has some use or value. Almost everything has some value. Ask if its has value FOR YOU in your current or future life (where you're going). If not, find another home for it.
Remember that empty space also has value. It brings peace of mind.
Another poster wrote about how she's decluttered a few areas in her home (her desk, a storeroom) and she thinks of those as her "islands of serenity." They actually help calm her when she's stressed. I love this idea! So maybe aim for creating some islands of serenity for yourself, places that are decluttered and lovely, and think of them in moments of stress. Then try to bring the rest of the house up to that level.
Work with a buddy, to help you stay on track! Take breaks, eat snacks, celebrate your successes. Take Before and After photos to see how far you've come.
Gosh, I hope this is actually helpful. I do practice what I preach — sometimes!
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I also use the above idea of Before and After photos — I find seeing the difference really helps keep me motivated. However, I also find taking photos of a space very useful to help me decide what to do next if I feel overwhelmed or just paralyzed with indecision. My downstairs was flooded (muddy water from outside), and I had just cleared out my storage unit and brought everything to my living room. Decided to redo upstairs floors too while repairing from flood. Talk about disarray, feeling overwhelmed — and I've always been a bit of a pack rat!!
It's easy to become blind to clutter in addition to feeling overwhelmed - you're so used to seeing it, it just all blends in. For me, if I take a picture, things really jump out at me, I really see the clutter — things that bother me, or I can tackle really quickly, etc.
Take a picture — even print it out on a full page if it helps, and circle areas that jump out at you, bug you, things you can knock out easily, whatever, etc. Then use that to go tackle those areas (don't get sucked into other stuff, just stick with the photo). Take another picture and look at the "after" difference. That can be so motivating1 Then step back / break from that area (helps me anyway). Then come back to the After picture, and repeat, with what you want to attack next. And so on.
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