# I have the decluttering blues...



## Deb&Al (Aug 21, 2002)

[sigh]....

for a month i've been working on decluttering our house. my approach has been to pick a cupboard, a dresser, the top of a dresser, a closet, and do a 3-tiered approach, like the clean sweep show. between work and home chores, it sometimes takes me a week just to work on one area. but in the end, i have a pile to throw away, a pile for ebay-craigslist, a pile for goodwill and a pile of things to keep.

i was so motivated when i started, but now i feel like it's just never going to end. we've been a multi-layered home, with our adult children in and out a few times, and DH's parents living with us before they passed on. between kids, and in-laws, and us, our home has just become intolerable, for me. my DH, on the other hand, grew up with his folks being pack-rats, and they had stuff in their house from their parents pack-rat house. so, needless to say, it doesn't seem to bother him.

he's okay with what I'm doing, and I let him see what's going out the door, but he doesn't have an interest in purging the house of all the clutter.

i guess i just need to vent. if anybody reads this, thanks for listening...

debbie


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Deb&Al said:


> [sigh]....
> 
> for a month i've been working on decluttering our house. my approach has been to pick a cupboard, a dresser, the top of a dresser, a closet, and do a 3-tiered approach, like the clean sweep show. between work and home chores, it sometimes takes me a week just to work on one area. but in the end, i have a pile to throw away, a pile for ebay-craigslist, a pile for goodwill and a pile of things to keep.
> 
> ...


I know what you mean. I took me about 6 months to vaccum my house. Don't tell anyone though.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Deb~

See if you can interest your children in any of their grandparents belongings, or even in helping you declutter a room over a weekend. With some burgers on the grill, it's almost a party. Sons to move furniture, daughters to pack and sort-family fun of the most interesting kind. A chance to tell family stories and hi-light them with the heirlooms in the room you're cleaning. 

And give yourself a break. The house didn't fill up with stuff overnight. It won't disappear that way either. Take a look back over how much you've accomplished already, and appreciate yourself and your efforts. It's a long, sometimes unpleasant job; and you're doing great.


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## moongirl (May 19, 2006)

I know I am repeating myself. The method you are using is the only one that works for me. One item at a time in the give away box. At first I felt like it wasn't working..then the holidays arrived. Our Christmas "cleaning" (more like PANIC!) just wasn't so bad. Gave us the incentive to keep going. Don't give up now! I do love the idea of a family day type help. Great idea when they ask what you would like for mother's day, birthday, christmas gift etc.........


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

So Deb, did it work?


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## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

I am on a decluttering roll also and I know what you mean about feeling it will never end. I am going through the attic and my first sweep through is to seperate keep,goodwill,trash and ebay. Later when the amount is more 
managable I will organize the "keep" stuff and once more try to 
give some of that away .

Our garage is hopeless so I have started talking my hasband into parting with 
a few things a week we don't use and listing those on craigslist . This week we sold a rototiller and dirt bike.

I am close to being an empty nester and I want to only keep stuff that
I have a good reason to keep.

The hardest part is mom & dads stuff as I have lost both my parents.

In the past I have given stuff away that I regret that was sentimental so 
if I think I may regret it I just hang on to it. It doesn't really amount to that much of my stuff..

I gave away a bowling ball my dad had drilled the fingers special for me when I was a kid...Why did I do that ????


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

nancy237 said:


> The hardest part is mom & dads stuff as I have lost both my parents.


I know what you mean. I'm hoping to get some stuff cleared out this summer and dread making the decisions.


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## vickie (Aug 8, 2002)

My dd and her dh are moving in with us until (if ever )their house in Va. sells. Both lost their jobs he is an actuary (sp?) she is a teacher. Now both have new jobs back home. So i have to empty her old room. that is my office, and i have to empty my sons old room, That is now our prep room. That will have to be their closet. So i have four huge piles in the living room one for garage sale, one for craigslist. one for donation and one for keep. What a mess. I have two weeks to get it all done. Lets hope i can pull it off. If i didn't work full time it would be no problem. but it will be a big strech. Vickie


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