Help me or Shoot Me Now!

The "collector or packrat" thread got me thinking. We have a lovely home. There are only my husband and I living here. My husband said to me just last weekend...WE NEED TO HAVE A YARD/TAG SALE...I must admit, my beautiful clear counter tops are clear no more. Art covers our walls. My clothes closets are full. It takes our poor cleaner about an hour just to dust the stuff on our shelves. My linen closets are full. Our drawers are full...the pool house is full...the garage (down and up) is full...our walls are full of art...our storage areas are full. I grow orchids, which takes up more room. I seem to have every pot, pan, gadget, etc., etc. that I will ever need or use. I know my husband is right. We have to give away, donate, sell, throw out stuff. But my trouble is that I can't seem to part with any of it. To me, it is all useful, good stuff that I NEED! I watch those "organization" shows and it appears to me that I am emotionally attached to my stuff. How sad is that?!

Anyone else?

I am gottothebeachmom and I am a hoarderholic. I feel your pain. I have been forced into cleaning out closests, dresser drawers, nighstands, and still have linen closets, and kitchen junk drawers to sort through. Not to mention a pantry that looks like a supersized grocery store exploded in it!!!!!

I won't shoot you. But, you are not alone. Good luck with what ever path of "treatment" you choose. Maybe we can form a support group of two.

I believe some are born to be cluttered and some are made that way (or made worse). It takes effort not to acquire stuff these days!

Follow the advice of the RHCP - Give it away, give it away, give it away now. (repeat) (repeat until you have only what you really need).

Flylady and I graduated from high school together.

In the last few years I have seen several people have to go into "assisted living" arrangements. Sad that at the end we have to get rid of everything that doesn't fit into 2 small rooms. Maybe this should be our goal, only things that will fit into 2 small rooms.

I also enjoy giving things away through Freecycle, and online site--there should be one in your area. You can request pick up from your home-or post curb alerts--

Thank you for the help Ocean Lover, kurt, dbuck and sue - and I'm glad to know that I'm not alone gttbm kurt it's not "clutter" really...it's good stuff.

I know you are all right. I have to get a grip...perhaps do some good with some of my "stuff". I think another problem I have is that I shop for stuff but then don't reduce my inventory

Repeating to self "give it away, give it away, give it away now..." Hummm, a support group of two...hummm. That could backfire gttbm unless we each get a "sponsor"

Thank you for the help Ocean Lover, kurt, dbuck and sue - and I'm glad to know that I'm not alone gttbm kurt it's not "clutter" really...it's good stuff.

I know you are all right. I have to get a grip...perhaps do some good with some of my "stuff". I think another problem I have is that I shop for stuff but then don't reduce my inventory

Repeating to self "give it away, give it away, give it away now..." Hummm, a support group of two...hummm. That could backfire gttbm unless we each get a "sponsor"

Good point. Otherwise we'd probably just end up shopping together for more "stuff". Seriously, I have made a huge dent in giving a lot of clothes and household items I never use to a great charity.

I am now having trouble in purging personal items. Cards, letters, pictures my children gave me over the years. I now have a huge stack of storage bins to hold all my treasures.

Thank you for the help Ocean Lover, kurt, dbuck and sue - and I'm glad to know that I'm not alone gttbm kurt it's not "clutter" really...it's good stuff.

I know you are all right. I have to get a grip...perhaps do some good with some of my "stuff". I think another problem I have is that I shop for stuff but then don't reduce my inventory

Repeating to self "give it away, give it away, give it away now..." Hummm, a support group of two...hummm. That could backfire gttbm unless we each get a "sponsor"

I can be your sponsor. I LOVE getting rid of stuff. I regularly reduce my inventory and when I shop, I "try" to ask myself if I really need it or I'll really wear it. Takes a little of the fun in shopping out, but then I don't end up with 5 denim jackets!

I also enjoy giving things away through Freecycle, and online site--there should be one in your area. You can request pick up from your home-or post curb alerts--

I love Freecyle! And I find that once the stuff I've offered gets picked up, I get excited that someone actually wanted my old, uh, treasures, so then I start looking around for more things to offer! It's like a reverse buying spree and feels a heck of a lot better.

I can be your sponsor. I LOVE getting rid of stuff. I regularly reduce my inventory and when I shop, I "try" to ask myself if I really need it or I'll really wear it. Takes a little of the fun in shopping out, but then I don't end up with 5 denim jackets!

I am the exact same way. I can not stand extra stuff in my house. I purge almost yearly. I keep sentimental things, but they have their specific storage spot. But hey, there's only 3 of us so that makes it much easier.

i am such a packrat that my junk has junk sitting on it. our house looks like we live in the middle of a giant yard sale. someday i will throw all this crap out. someday. until then, i might need it.

lucky13 and Johnrudy...you guys are so cool. My question is HOW do/did you "detach". Or, were you ever "attached"? I know I have to let go...I have wonderful chaffing dishes I know now that I'll probably never use...I've been trying, but something always changes the "theme". So, what's the "secret" or were you never "attached"???

audie, I hear ya...I'm not there yet, but...:rofl:

gttbm, you sould like you've got a handle on it. Know what happened today? I told my husband that I'm "thinking about it"...I mentioned all his tools in the shop and "stuff" in the garage. He said that was "stuff" he needed! God help me, I know we're not related in any way but by marriage...so it can't be a gene!

I think a yard sale is in our future! And give-aways too. I just need to be strong. "Give it away, give it away, give it away NOW!"

Seriously, thanks everyone. My home is not cluttered really, but I can see it would be in the future if I don't "grab this bull by the horns"...I just have to let go emotionally!

Well, I probably need to be analyzed but I just don't get too attached to stuff, other than the mementos from my son's childhood, etc. I guess I just start looking around at the 3 or 4 concert programs I've kept (per each concert!) and then realize it's just way too much bulk to have around. One will do.

But what will help you is to give away the things that you know someone else would receive pleasure from. I'm sure your loved ones who gave you these gifts would agree. The "giving" replaces the "needy" feeling you currently have.

Find a church or an organization in your village that supports less fortunate families or young families that are just starting out. I'm sure they would be thrilled to be gifted some of your things! Then you know it's o.k to "let it go."

Good luck!

lucky13 and Johnrudy...you guys are so cool. My question is HOW do/did you "detach". Or, were you ever "attached"? I know I have to let go...I have wonderful chaffing dishes I know now that I'll probably never use...I've been trying, but something always changes the "theme". So, what's the "secret" or were you never "attached"???

audie, I hear ya...I'm not there yet, but...:rofl:

gttbm, you sould like you've got a handle on it. Know what happened today? I told my husband that I'm "thinking about it"...I mentioned all his tools in the shop and "stuff" in the garage. He said that was "stuff" he needed! God help me, I know we're not related in any way but by marriage...so it can't be a gene!

I think a yard sale is in our future! And give-aways too. I just need to be strong. "Give it away, give it away, give it away NOW!"

Seriously, thanks everyone. My home is not cluttered really, but I can see it would be in the future if I don't "grab this bull by the horns"...I just have to let go emotionally!

I do get attached, so I keep the things that are sentimental, but I think I go through phases. There are some "throwing out phases" when I com across stuff that there's no way you could pay me to throw away, but a few months down the road in the midst of another phase, I might see the same stuff and realize I've done nothing with it since the last phase. I'm talking mostly about clothes and shoes, which, if I haven't worn it in a year, many times less, I let it go. Other stuff, though, if I keep it, it has to have its own place!

I guess I'm saying there's no real rhyme or reason to it, which isn't very helpful, but you'll find what works for you. Just visit the Container Store and see all of the cool stuff you can buy to organize your life and then you'll really want to clear out! :funn:

I think I come by it honestly. Going through my daddy's files I found old greeting cards I'd sent him dating back to when I was in college. He still had the "beautiful" lopsided paperweight that I made him in the 2nd or 3rd grade. Let's face it, there's no hope for me, it's genetic.

Well, I am starting to get my mind around this thing. I like the idea of giving to someone who would like it or could/would use it.

BUT, the plot thickens. I spoke to my husband about actually getting rid of my unused, unnecessary stuff. I asked him if he'd start going through his stuff in his shop, garage, pool house, etc. Funnily enough, it turns out that he thinks he needs all his stuff. And so it goes!

Well, I am starting to get my mind around this thing. I like the idea of giving to someone who would like it or could/would use it.

BUT, the plot thickens. I spoke to my husband about actually getting rid of my unused, unnecessary stuff. I asked him if he'd start going through his stuff in his shop, garage, pool house, etc. Funnily enough, it turns out that he thinks he needs all his stuff. And so it goes!

I can soooo sympathize with you. I have junk, Mr. dbuck has valuable items. :roll:

If you can't remember the last time you used or wore it, or why it's special to you, get rid of it.

One easy way to get rid of items you are quasi attached to, but don't need is to give them to the younger generation. My mother and grandmother do this all the time w/ good quality clothes, kitchen items, furniture, artwork etc. that they can't bear to toss. Your stuff is still "in the family" but is being used by someone who needs it.

Whitesands

It is really a matter of diving in and going for it. Tackle a closet or room at a time - schedule a pick-up from Amvets or some other charitable organization and make sure you do it by their pickup date. I have recently decluttered by home of 23 years and I don't really miss any of the stuff I have given away. Most of the stuff I hadn't seen in 23 years. I complained for 23 years I didn't have any closet space and now I have plenty of room in my closets and I know I could still give away even more. I was keeping clothes I hoped to fit back into someday - now I realize that either isn't going to happen or I deserve new clothes if I get back down to that size. Decluttering is really very freeing. I now have a office in my home instead of a junk room!!!!!!

I am going thru this need to purge right now myself. I am deciding that I don't have to keep things out of guilt!!! Or like someone else said, because my mother did. A big garage sale is in order in early fall for me!

I read somewhere of someone taking digital pic's of kids precious artwork, etc. Then you can store it so much easier. If I stay on my current pace of one bin per kid of school work, per year that will be 36 bins!!! What will I ever do w/ that? :shock:

I am looking at all these simple, easy on the eye environments and trying to make mine fit. It is all about simple for me, not clutter anymore. I have been wondering, who has room for all that in a beach house anyway?

Two things helped me (another lifelong packrat):
1) Remembering what it was like to declutter my mother's house when we moved her to a nursing home. I don't have kids so who would even want 99% of my cr*p?

2) Moving into the new house this year- just plain didn't want to pay to have most of it moved and/or move it myself. I really, really want this house to be as simple and easy to manage as possible.

These things are easy to say- hard to do! Leaving my 40 year old piano behind was probably the toughest but my housekeeper has kids who would get some real use out of it. 2nd hardest- getting rid of record albums. Rule was less than 100! That was alot of records to say goodbye to!

Here's what I do.
If I find something while cleaning out a closet or whatever and think "Wow! I didn't know I had that!" then it's safe to give away.

I am now having trouble in purging personal items. Cards, letters, pictures my children gave me over the years. I now have a huge stack of storage bins to hold all my treasures.

That's my problem, too. Pictures, cards, letters, wedding invitations (I do toss those when the divorce is final!) newspaper clippings, programs...

I actually LOOK at some of them again. I just don't know what to do with them to store them!

I've been avoiding this thread.

I've been avoiding this thread.

Me, too. I do have a truck coming on Saturday. It forces me to purge.