While it is useful to say sort into keep/trash/donate, sometimes when looking at the whole even this seems like Mt Everest!
The only suggestion I would add is start with one room at a time. Don't look at the whole, look at just what is in that room.
When my daughter was still living at home, her room was a disaster! I didn't object so long as it stayed in her room. I had to do some cleaning and sorting when she was younger, as her method of "cleaning" was just to bag everything and put it in the closet! Trash, silverware, whatever, it just went into a bag, not even sorted by any means! At one point the release value on the baseboard heat developed a leak, staining the ceiling below. Unfortunately it was in the back corner, inaccessible with all the stuff everywhere! I got her started thus:
Take out ALL clothes, clean or not. That freed up a lot of space. Once we could get to the radiator to fix it, the rest was up to her (she was late teens at this point.) I said sort through the rest of this crap by low level sorting - your papers in a box, to be sorted/trashed later. Art work in another box, and so on. She actually managed to make the room look great when she was done!
When we had to clear out mom's condo, unfortunately we didn't really stick to this plan (brothers help was minimal and they would go from one task to another without finishing the first!) Eventually we (mostly me) managed to get through it all by sorting to keep, donate and trash. She had SO many clothes, shoes and handbags! It took me over 1.75 years to get it all done. While still finishing up this, I had to arrange some repairs and touch up, so it wasn't all just going through crap - there was a lot of cleaning to be done too!
But, as noted, my point is not to look at the whole house to be done, focus on one room at a time, using the keep/trash/donate. After that is all done, you might go through the keep items again and perhaps be able to toss some more. You can't climb Mt Everest in one go - you have to focus on what's in front of you, one step at a time! If you look at the top, you will be overwhelmed before you even start!
I threw most of the stuff out at my own house. But don’t worry, the dolls I played with at 5 years old are safe and sound at my hoarding mothers house! Along with all my diaries are safe and sound at her house. Along with ALL of my clothes and ALL of my toys are safe and sound at my hoarding mothers house! All of my kids toys and all of my kids baby clothes, crib, walker, infant seat and playpen are all safe and sound at her house.
All of my grandmother stuff is safe and sound at my mothers house. Dishes, 3 dressers, bed, headboard, coats, fur coat, china cabinet are all safe and sound at my hoarding mothers house!
I keep 3 boxes, one for "keep for later," one is "donate now," one is "not sure." I keep adding items to all the boxes, when the donate one is full I seal it up and let it sit for a week or two. After that time if I haven’t needed anything, or don’t remember what I put in it I take it to a donation center.
My sister had a good system when she moved. She unpacked what they needed, and put everything else in the basement. After a year anything left in the basement she figured she didn’t need and donated.
When I am on holiday, I so enjoy the small selection of favorite clothes & items I bring. Very seldom miss anything.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
When I am on holiday, I so enjoy the small selection of favorite clothes & items I bring. Very seldom miss anything.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
When I am on holiday, I so enjoy the small selection of favorite clothes & items I bring. Very seldom miss anything.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
The only suggestion I would add is start with one room at a time. Don't look at the whole, look at just what is in that room.
When my daughter was still living at home, her room was a disaster! I didn't object so long as it stayed in her room. I had to do some cleaning and sorting when she was younger, as her method of "cleaning" was just to bag everything and put it in the closet! Trash, silverware, whatever, it just went into a bag, not even sorted by any means! At one point the release value on the baseboard heat developed a leak, staining the ceiling below. Unfortunately it was in the back corner, inaccessible with all the stuff everywhere! I got her started thus:
Take out ALL clothes, clean or not. That freed up a lot of space. Once we could get to the radiator to fix it, the rest was up to her (she was late teens at this point.)
I said sort through the rest of this crap by low level sorting - your papers in a box, to be sorted/trashed later. Art work in another box, and so on. She actually managed to make the room look great when she was done!
When we had to clear out mom's condo, unfortunately we didn't really stick to this plan (brothers help was minimal and they would go from one task to another without finishing the first!) Eventually we (mostly me) managed to get through it all by sorting to keep, donate and trash. She had SO many clothes, shoes and handbags! It took me over 1.75 years to get it all done. While still finishing up this, I had to arrange some repairs and touch up, so it wasn't all just going through crap - there was a lot of cleaning to be done too!
But, as noted, my point is not to look at the whole house to be done, focus on one room at a time, using the keep/trash/donate. After that is all done, you might go through the keep items again and perhaps be able to toss some more. You can't climb Mt Everest in one go - you have to focus on what's in front of you, one step at a time! If you look at the top, you will be overwhelmed before you even start!
All of my grandmother stuff is safe and sound at my mothers house. Dishes, 3 dressers, bed, headboard, coats, fur coat, china cabinet are all safe and sound at my hoarding mothers house!
1. Useful
2. Beautiful
3. Treasured keepsake
Yes = keep it
No to everything else.
PS If in doubt - throw it out!
Now if I could only do that myself... 🤔
My sister had a good system when she moved. She unpacked what they needed, and put everything else in the basement. After a year anything left in the basement she figured she didn’t need and donated.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
I wish you well for your downsize 🤗.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
I wish you well for your downsize 🤗.
I need to downsize in the future too & feel overwhelmed just thinking about it!
In the past when moving, I took everything with the boring task of sorting the boxes over time. Probably some unsorted in the garage... Anyone else??
When I move NEXT time, I will pack only what I need (holiday style) & go from there. Keeping the old place for a few extra months will cost but I see it as an investment to my future - the *out of sight out of mind* will work it's magic & lessen any attachment I have to the 'stuff' left there. Then easier to sort & clear.
Thankyou for starting this thread. It has given birth to this new approach today & I feel less daunted.
I wish you well for your downsize 🤗.