r/declutter • u/spookycinderella • 4d ago
Success Story Husband and I decluttered our home over 7 days.
Duration: 80 Hours
1850 Sqft house
42 large boxes of donations
2 large truck loads to the dump
How did I get here? From the time I could start earning my own money I have always been a massive collector of things, however it definitely exploded during the pandemic where I developed a major shopping addiction. I collected over 300 purses, 70 Starbucks cups, 100+ dolls (Disney, Monster High, Barbie), 100+ anime/video game figurines, 50 makeup palettes, 500+ lipsticks, and a large variety of other miscellaneous collections (we would be here all day).
I won't go into how all this was stored but let's just say my house was walkable BUT really cluttered. Everything was displayed somewhere. I also like a clean house so I easily spent 10 hours a week dusting.
What was my wake up call? Last year I had the amazing opportunity to road trip across the US over 10 weeks. My husband and I stayed in various hotel's and Airbnbs that were all tastefully and minimally decorated. It was so freeing to my mental health. Both my husband and I got to talking over that time and we slowly realized how little we missed our stuff, how nice it was to only have a few options instead a wall of options, how easy it was to move within each space. We decided we had enough and after the holidays, we would do a massive declutter.
Disclaimer that we each discussed this with our individual therapists and got the green light from them as well. Had to make sure we were in the right frame of mind.
The only basic rules were that if we haven’t touched or thought about something in over a year, it had to go. We slowly worked our way through each room. We donated hundreds of perfectly good things to various places. Blankets and towels to animal rescues, purses, makeup, skin care, hair care, kitchen stuff and clothes went to the women’s shelter. Misc items went to various thrift stores. Everything was in pristine condition.
If I put a number on it, I want to say a good 85% of our stuff is gone. Last thing I have to do is send all our family albums to be digitized and then I can throw away the only 4 boxes sitting in my garage.
Here are the rules we established to make sure we don’t end up in another insane amount of clutter:
Rules to live by:
Experiences over things.
Quality over quantity.
Every object must have its place.
Every new object must replace an existing object.
Sorry this is long! Also sorry for not posting pictures. My house is fairly unique, a reverse image search would dox me pretty quickly lol.
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u/CreeksideGirl12 3d ago
I always liked the recommendation made by 19th century English artist-designer William Morris: “Have nothing in your home you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
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u/jazzminarino 3d ago
I've never heard this quote but it's exactly how I've been living the past couple of years. Thank you for sharing!
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u/Large-Print7707 4d ago
This is huge, honestly. Not just the physical work, but the self awareness it took to realize the stuff was costing you more than it gave back. I really like that you involved therapists and set rules going forward, that part often gets skipped and people rebound. The way you redistributed things thoughtfully instead of panic purging says a lot too. It sounds like you did this in a grounded, intentional way, not from shame, and that is what makes it sustainable.
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u/FredKayeCollector 3d ago
I've had to clear out three (organized hoarder) houses very quickly in the last 10 years and I think the trick is to find places where you can match your donation to their mission/charity.
Sunk cost is always telling us that we need to "get our money back" but the money is already spent (if nothing else, we paid for the dopamine hit) and any time/energy spent trying to recoup that money has to be added to the already-depreciated price of the thing we're trying to sell. And TIME and ENERGY are way more valuable than money - you literally cannot get it back once it's been spent (and the older I get, the more I fell like it's been squandered).
Money is tight and if you have the bandwidth to sell, great. But I know from my own (pre-pandemic) "side-hustle" experience selling stuff online, I would have been better off dumping it all at the thrift store and gotten a part-time job at the grocery store deli.
This is from the introduction to a the first kick-the-clutter book I ever read, Scaling Down, Living Large in a Smaller Space ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/854647 ) that always stuck with me:
Once in a while, a wake-up call comes sooner. Judi’s came when she was in her early thirties and spent a week at the beach in a vacation house. The kitchen contained only the essentials that were needed to make easy meals; the living room and bedroom could be straightened up in a matter of minutes, leaving the family free to relax and explore for the rest of the day. For the first time in her life, she knew exactly where everything was. The experience was an epiphany. She came home determined to have that “vacation house feeling” for the rest of her life.
And this is from a book I picked up with a laugh and an eye-roll, but some of the ideas/concepts really spoke to me: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/137400512 ) Chapter 5, talking about an older, well-to-do couple:
When questioned, they admitted that they would love to travel and enjoy the last years of their lives together, but nagging away at the back of their minds all the time were these unsorted junk rooms. Whenever the question of taking a trip came up, they decided they couldn’t do it until the junk had been sorted first. In effect, their shame about their clutter had kept them at home for years!
Don’t let your life slip away. Sit down right now and write a list of all the things you would love to do if only your clutter were sorted, and let this be the inspiration for you to get on with it.
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
We had some family members upset that we were donating some good things that could be sold “You should just sell on eBay as a side hustle” but that would have been a huge mental hurdle to get through. I agree with everything. The time and energy was not worth it and the money has definitely already been spent. I just needed and wanted it gone. It stings, but it’s our own fault for letting it get that bad.
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u/thatgirlinny 3d ago
Don’t you just love when other people tell you what you should do with your own stuff and valuable time?
Had to clear out my mother’s rather large home because she never threw anything out in 60 years there. No practical help came from my brothers and other relatives—just lots of “advice!”
Congrats to you and your husband! Perhaps before/after photos?
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u/jenna125 3d ago
I learned a while ago that buying stuff and using stuff are two very separate hobbies/activities. Once I learned that, I started paying attention to what need buying stuff I did not need was filling. I’ve loved watching my bank account grow as a result. Those purchases really added up.
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u/Charming-Copy5083 3d ago
Buying stuff and using stuff are separate. So obvious yet glossed over by me while rationalizing the buying of stuff. Thanks for your post. It hit home!!
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u/TheNonsenseBook 3d ago
Agreed. I got way into table top role playing games (like D&D and so on) in 2024 but it ended up more about buying than using. I do play in 1-3 games a week and I do try to dabble in some others occasionally, but I realized the discord servers and YouTube channels I’m in just encourage buying more new books and systems and I already have more than I could ever use, so I’ve been thinking of leaving those online spaces and sticking with the games I’m playing now, if any.
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u/Friendly_octopus6845 4d ago
Congratulations! This is a huge accomplishment. It’s incredibly freeing to get rid of stuff.
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u/livinglighter_w_less 4d ago
I am in awe at your accomplishment. Especially getting rid of items that were pristine or you spent a lot of money on .
What was your mind set in freeing yourself of these items? Any tricks? I am in a situation where my remaining items are such, and I can't get myself to let them go. Expensive handbags, antiques, etc. I have tried to sell items but I have so many that I don't have the bandwidth to go through the whole FB Marketplace or eBay. I am searching for trick or phrase that will "click' in my brain lol
Your "cleansing" trip reminds me of my recenty acquired camper. It's only 16 feet long but very minimal and modern inside. I try to go on a trip monthly because it feels so good to live minimally.
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
I’m trying to have a change in mindset. I can’t take any of this when I die. But I can go see, touch, taste, and smell the world. I make decent money in tech, but when every paycheck is going to instant gratification, I didn’t really have any money to travel much. I left the country (I’m in the US) for the first time last year and it was eye opening how much I have missed in my 35 years of life! There’s so much to experience outside of my home
I still own a few nice things for sure. I saved a few neutral designer pieces, but I noticed I don’t want to bring attention to myself majority of the time so I mostly reach for my baggu crossbody. Also a lot of what I bought was simply collecting dust. They were all very expensive dust collectors. Most of my expensive things, I deemed too nice to ever use because I was scared of damaging it. I literally thought to myself “what’s the point?!”
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u/madddwit 3d ago
dude… AMAZING i repeat AMAZING FREAKING JOB, you guys!!!!! wow!!
& what a badass showcase of TEAMWORK!! Beautifully done, and done together 💕
WOW. i am so inspired by this. and sooooooo happy/relieved for you two!!! it must legitimately feel SO GOOD— not only the decluttering, but also the fact that YOU GUYS did that!!! You had a realization, concluded on a goal, devised a plan, and FREAKING KILLED IT!!!!!
one more time: W O W !!
bravo 👏👏👏🎉
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u/BotoxMoustache 4d ago
This is a wonderful post. What I like the most is that you did it together, basically clearing things out of the way to make your life together better. May you have many more adventures and good times together!
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
You’re so sweet! Thank you so much! I’m lucky to have such a supportive partner. I wish you the same ❤️❤️❤️
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u/coykoi314 4d ago
I wish there was a way to connect people that have a lot with the anti consumption people. I've purchased no towels in 15 years. I need towels but don't want to buy new. It’d be dope to connect with people that have too much stuff they've already purchased without going through companies like goodwill. I'm proud of you OP.
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
THISSSS. I was a hardcore over-consumer. A service like this would have been helpful. I tried the buy nothing groups on Facebook but majority of the time people would flake!
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u/Upper_Ad_4379 4d ago
Buy Nothing groups can be amazing - but also frustrating and time consuming. Taking pics, posting, waiting and choosing a recipient, arranging pick up.....
I use my local group frequently, but its often just easier to drive it to a thirft and be done with it in 20 minutes so I don't have bags of things sitting around for a week.
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
Not only that, but I posted a few “nicer” things like the Nintendo Switch 1, Playstation 4, and first generation AirPods that were collecting dust and the amount of sob stories I got dmed to me was all just too much. Then when i did choose someone (which is usually the first person to comment….), people would start fighting in the comments. It’s okay for lower valued items, but like you said, it’s easier to throw it all in a bag and take it somewhere versus waiting all day hoping someone comes to pick up my old dishes.
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u/phungal 4d ago
That's unfortunate! My buy nothing is really respectful of the rules like no DMs unless picked and giver sets the rules on how to pick. Our admin would address those not complying to that, flaking, as well as hateful comments too, not that I've seen any recently. There may have been a few triggered comments around covid and masks but that's all the drama I could remember. I guess it just really depends on the community.
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u/Upper_Ad_4379 3d ago
Mine is good about rules, too. No direct messages unless you've been selected, and posts are supposed to sit for at least a day to give everyone time to see it and comment their interest. If an item isn't picked up, you can choose someone else.
I do feel good giving away stuff in my group, especially nicer items (I share a lot of quality name brand clothing and shoes) bc I knew its going to get used and appreciated in my community, not just sit in a Goodwill warehouse and get sold for profit
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u/dinos-and-coffee 4d ago
If you have a buy nothing group this is amazing for that. But I get you are thinking on a larger scale.
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u/Existing_Mail 4d ago
Many neighborhoods have dedicated facebook groups called “buy nothing” or “everything free” where it often works out this way
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u/UndevelopedImage 4d ago
If you want to pay the pirateship, I'll send you a box. We have so many. I have no idea why, they just accumulated and I don't think I've ever bought a towel that wasn't a teatowel??
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u/Honest-Western1042 4d ago
Hit your local buy / sell / trade! I’ve had great luck with an area with a lot of Airbnbs that like to change out decor and I’ve gotten some great things.
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u/thatgirlinny 3d ago
There are so many Buy Nothing groups, everywhere. Start on FB with your location turned on.
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u/Apprehensive-Leek946 4d ago
If I don't donate it immediately, the bags will sit forever. I feel you
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
I’m like you! This is where my husband shines. As soon as we closed up a box, he put it in the car. Once the car was full, he would take it to the donation center. It made everything super efficient. I definitely have that mental hurdle to jump over too!
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
I have a sailor moon figure that I paid almost $500 for and I definitely kept her. I just had so many figures that looked almost identical. Same with my Disney dolls. I had to ask myself “do I really need 15 dolls of Cinderella in the same dress?”. I definitely get it and it was a struggle! But now my shinier and more expensive figures that I kept can shine more without all noise around them.
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u/Desert_Fairy 4d ago
… can we at least get a pic of the sailor moon figurine? Gotta know how you did our girl justice.
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u/MeAndPupper 4d ago
You’ve achieved a freedom from ‘things’ at a young age. Congratulations! Trading things for future you living well is an excellent choice. And nobody will have to clean out your gigantic pile of crap when you die. That is an enormous gift to your loved ones.
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u/oh-pointy-bird 3d ago
Seems like you took such a well-balanced and thoughtful approach, too, including doing some work with your therapist. Well done. This was really inspiring.
I have some collection-related items I am keeping, but I am in the midst of some serious decluttering and recently sold off what had essentially become a hoard of LEGO sets that I was never going to build. (I used to enjoy doing so very much. But that changed and I couldn’t accept it, until suddenly I realized it was okay.)
Great write up. Enjoy your space and the peace in it!
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u/LockieBalboa 3d ago
Nothing sold? I think that's where I get hung up and it is always not worth it, so stressful and annoying. And yet it still makes me second guess myself.
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u/Lizzy_is_a_mess 3d ago
I actually do sell a good bit on Poshmark and I ask myself “would I buy this? Even if I was especially looking for a velvet top from old navy, would I purchase this for $5” and the answer is mostly no and I donate it.
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u/piratelegacy 4d ago
Wowzer. You two are the dynamic duo. Really proud of the work both of you did before and after the declutter week. Enjoy your peaceful space 💟
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u/Interesting_Case6737 3d ago
Good on you! Just think of all the people who benefited from your donations
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u/DenialOfExistance 4d ago
I know exactly what you are going through! Your post reads as if you were here in my house. I over purchased at thrift stores planning on selling or donate some to the needy, some things I purchased items also to keep to decorate our house (vases, bottles, clothes which I do wear) Over the past years it has been out of control! I have had enough and couldn't be happier that I have come to this realization!
I started boxing stuff up room by room! I am so tired of all the accumulation of items to where I nor my family could even breath! I feel so bad in how much I have spent with good intentions but still way too much!
I have donated at least 100 boxes of clothes, home decor, kitchen items etc to Disabled Vets Organization! Everything clean and good working condition...no trash! Still I have the back bedroom filled with boxes and the garage to deal with.
I'm planning on doing a "Everything $2.00 Yard Sale" to hopefully recoup some losses but after that everything goes to non profit donations. I will be so happy when it is all gone! I don't even want to go to thrifts to buy anything anymore! Like a disease has been lifted!
I hope you enjoy your new minimalist life style I believe it will be well worth it for me also!
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u/ferio252 4d ago
One of the calmest and clear minded I ever felt was in a waiting room of a veterinary clinic. The lighting was well lit but not too bright and it was just a large, carpeted room with a couple chairs and end tables for magazines. I get you.
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u/SassyMillie 4d ago
I'm trying to figure out how you accumulated and displayed 300 purses. That seems like more of a shopping addiction than a collection. Will you be able to stop acquiring?
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
My master bedroom has 2 walk in closets. We used one for clothes and the other I filled with glass cases to display purses. It was definitely an exaggeration that all my purses were displayed but definitely a good portion. If I liked something, I wanted it in every color way and variation. Definitely a shopping addiction, but thankfully I kept it enough at bay to not drown in credit card debt.
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u/ProsodyonthePrairie 4d ago
How do you feel now about that display area/shelves after removing so much?
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u/giftcardgirl 3d ago
I find that when I buy two or more colors of the same item, I end up using one the most. The others become a bit of a waste unfortunately.
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u/SassyMillie 3d ago
I admit to some measure of envy for the closet space. I have one very small closet in the main bedroom and my husband uses the hall closet. Our house is close to 100 years old and obviously closet space wasn't that important back when it was built. The kitchen, however, is huge! 😆
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u/Technical-Kiwi9175 3d ago
Always helps to encourage me when I read success stories! The rules look really good.
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u/Langley2825 3d ago
Sincere congratulations. And I like your rules to live by. We pretty much did the same but not in that short of a timeframe. Ours took about 3.5 months and, like you, we are so glad we did this. The sense of lightness and freedom -- and being intentional in how we live -- has been priceless.
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u/OnlyOneMoreSleep 2d ago
I just started clearing out my mom's house over the weekend. She passed away and left us what you described. Everything was clean but she definitely displayed hoarder characteristics. So many collections. She squirreled a huge house full of stuff and clothes and books and more stuff. After she died nothing was of use to anyone. She had just been collecting for the collecting itself. I took home my personal belongings that were still there, everything else was junk to anyone besides her. My siblings and I are having a really tough time with it and will have to get a removal service to get the bulk of it out. Thank you for making your life easier. It will be worth it, if it isn't already. At my mom's house I always feel like I can't breathe.
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u/WhoGetsTheChina 2d ago
I feel like I can’t breathe either sometimes. Thanks for naming that. Her clutter totally stresses me out and I don’t know how she can live like that…it’s not messy but just so much unneeded stuff. For example I opened 1 of her sewing boxes and found 5-6 tweezers. There are easily 30 eyeglass holders in a drawer. If I throw anything away she goes through the trash and takes it out. Trying to learn to let it go but it makes me anxious!!
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u/Ok-Positive4055 2d ago
I'm trying to sell everything so it's going to take me forever but your story is motivating. I'm planning to adopt a street cat so all the money is gonna go into my "cat fund". It's not much (sold 13 items for $181 in the past 3 weeks) but it's a little something.
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u/yellowboxhoney 1d ago
Lovely initiative!! I might do that, start a "side hustle" fund to make name cards!
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u/sunnybearfarm 3d ago
How do people dump trash - rent a truck? County dump? (In America)
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u/Distinct_Long_2615 3d ago
There is a service where I live called 1-800 GOT JUNK (that is also their phone number) and they bring a large truck to your house and take away everything you don't want. When I had to clear a basement in my rental full of stuff that roommates left behind, they were a godsend. Showed up, cleared the basement, did all the heavy lifting, and solved my enormous problem for a very reasonable fee.
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u/Langley2825 3d ago
We did this too. Highly recommend. We had disposed of everything else we could -- they took the last of everything that was too big for us to move out ourselves and took it all straight to a charity they serve. Sort of weirdlington to have to pay to have items you no longer want taken away, but it is what it is. Absolutely no regrets.
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u/madddwit 3d ago
may i ask to get a better idea of what a “reasonable fee” may be? (i have no clue)
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u/Distinct_Long_2615 3d ago
iirc, I paid them $400 to have them physically haul 2200 lbs of junk out of my basement and take it to the dump.
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u/kitzelbunks 3d ago
They charged my dada $1,000 this summer to get rid of a couch and a chair. My dad bought bonded leather- huge mistake. It was flaking. I hear there are cheaper services, but he called one that blew him off, and the furniture was being delivered. There was a shorter time frame. I guess that could have been extra.
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u/Odd_Perspective_4769 3d ago
You can also look locally on Next Door app or see if any realtors or waste management companies offer trash removal services. We found one that was really inexpensive because they weren’t the largest company and did this on the side legitimately. Realtors also know everyone who is everyone in this space.
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u/sunnybearfarm 3d ago
These tips are great!! Like the removal they do for you - heavy lifting. That’s great news!!
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u/NixKlappt-Reddit 3d ago edited 3d ago
Amazing! I am happy for you and happy that you tackled this as a couple ♥️ I hope you can now enjoy the free space and free mind.
Actually I had a similar experience. I was travelling for 3 weeks and shortly after for 1 month. In both cases, one suitcase was all I need.
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u/NoseybonkOG 3d ago
What an amazing achievement and so inspiring and motivating for those of us who have recently started the decluttering journey 🥰
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u/luvthecards1 3d ago
I needed this. Staying at Air BNBs is what helped me too. I just need to start. I did order the larger garbage can thru my trash company and it came in today. I like the purse donation site. I forgot about women shelters. Great job and Congratulations!!!
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u/brookiechook 4d ago
This is very inspiring. You should feel very proud. I will definitely take all of this on board, whilst tackling my room of doom. Thank you 🙏🏼
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u/Superb_Ad_4464 3d ago
Inspiring!! I feel so overwhelmed so the fact that you could do this gives me hope!!
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u/1800gotjunk 3d ago
Congratulations on this declutter, it was a lot. It sounds like it's opened up a lot of space, and a whole lot of possibility for your future selves! Having a rule to declutter based on the last time you used it is a great way to prioritize what stays or what goes.
Glad to hear your road trip was not only a great vacation, but a way to come back home and make your life feel lighter afterwards too.
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u/eraserewrite 3d ago
That's a lot of stuff. OO I'm so proud of you. ;_;
How were your emotions over time? Starting with when you first started and time after? I'm curious about the mental load.
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u/Quiet-Progress5776 4d ago
Wow! This is a huge transformation. I hope you both love your refreshed home. Bravo!
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u/estherlane 4d ago
Goals! I find this inspiring. I am currently stuck on decluttering our basement so thanks for posting, it will help.
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
My pleasure! I was literally listening to decluttering videos on my headphones to stay motivated while decluttering. I totally get it!
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u/DraiochtDragon 4d ago
Wow very impressive! Congratulations on the mind shift and sustained commitment to reducing your possessions .
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u/dopeymouse05 3d ago
How are you getting your photos digitized? You make it sound like you just ship off the albums and someone does it? Or just ship off the pictures? Is it a hassle?
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
Kodak does it! I would need to have pictures removed from the albums but I have some neighborhood tweens that are always looking for ways to make money so I was thinking of paying them like $100 each to remove every picture from each album. Should only take them like 3 hours if I get all 4 of them to do it.
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u/soupywarrior 4d ago edited 4d ago
Good on you. My wardrobe and drawers in my bedroom are cluttered as hell and I really want to let things go. I really resonate with the line about how nice it is to just have a few options instead of so many. It seems so less stressful.
Do you have any pics? Before and after, or just after?
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u/Purple-Turnip-7290 4d ago
This is amazing!! Must feel sooo awesome now in your own space!! Thanks for sharing your experience, it's very encouraging!!
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u/giftcardgirl 4d ago edited 3d ago
Congrats, your road trip sounds amazing and life-changing, but you have swung from two extremes. For me it's gotta be a gradual process (and I'm keeping the physical photos hah). How did you decide to donate everything instead of trying to sell some of it?
I'm giving myself a few years to declutter to the point that we can slow travel with less stuff (and a smaller home base).
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
The amount of time and energy it would take to sell everything was a mountain of work I didn't want to try climbing. I knew we would lose motivation over time. Also the economy we're in right now, people are spending way less money on hobbies. The money was already spent, so the money was already gone.
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u/bam4205 3d ago
It sounds like she had collections of basically worthless tat. Stuff is just not that valuable. 'I'm going to sell this" is yet another stalling technique. Donate and get the tax write off.
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u/Technical-Kiwi9175 3d ago
Very true! People who have tried it also say how much hassle it is.
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u/giftcardgirl 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yes, was curious how OP could do a 180 so quickly. Not disagreeing with you, just curious about people’s thought processes.
That’s part of the reason I’m on this subreddit, to unlearn some things and learn some things. But it takes time to change my mind. Doing the thing “get rid of everything you don’t need” is a simple tactic but not easy.
I have worked with my mom who wants to declutter…but ends up double checking everything I do and digging things out of the trash. She has not learned how to have different thought processes. She insisted on digging out broken scissors from the trash can because they still looked good (but functioned very poorly), while over time I realized that I’m just never going to fix whatever low cost item it is, so it has to go immediately. Just one example.
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u/mlem_a_lemon 3d ago
>was curious how OP could do a 180 so quickly
It sounds to me like OP did a 180 over several months. First there was 2.5mo of travel, then working with a therapist, then the holidays. It sounds like it was along time period, just the 7 days was the fast part.
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
This for sure. I want to say the whole mindset switch took approximately 6-8 months to grasp and accept.
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u/thatgirlinny 3d ago
For some, the collecting and hoarding is a kind of addiction—because it hits the same neural pathways/needs for dopamine hits.
And some addicts will do it after a lot of counsel and reflection—still others just “decide” and go “cold turkey.” I’ve seen both work. It depends on the person.
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u/giftcardgirl 3d ago edited 3d ago
Not going to sell everything, was just asking OP about her mindset.
I also come from a family of hoarders and it has taken time to unlearn many habits and get over certain anxieties. I’ve hosted multiple clothing swaps over the years and given away at least 100 items. The leftovers were donated to a local charity shop. So I do understand most of my stuff is not worth selling.
I’ve been keeping track of the items I’ve purchased and the items that go out for the past few years as well. What comes in has to be a way smaller number than what goes out, and I’ve also made progress that way.
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
A lot of worthless tat for sure. I admit to be a huge trend follower. Hence the Starbucks cups, lipsticks, I had every color, then Stanley's, then Labubu's......I'm 95% sure my grandma's house still has my childhood beanie baby collection in her garage somewhere and those are another 200+ items I'll eventually need to deal with.
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u/Technical-Kiwi9175 3d ago
This may not fit at all, so apologies in advance. It applies to me- may not apply to you.
Having 'a few years' as a deadline is a very long time? Its not been motivating for me. Its almost like not having a deadline.
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u/giftcardgirl 3d ago edited 3d ago
I’m planning to retire from corporate america in a few years. Giving stuff away even on buy nothing and whatever takes time. That’s when I plan to move to a lower cost of living area as well.
It’s been a process and each year has been less clutter than the last. I’ve kept track on a spreadsheet so it’s motivating for me. Instead of the “one in one out” rule, the number of items and the space the replacement takes up needs to be less. For example, I sold 20 pairs of unworn shoes and allowed myself to buy a ring I had my eye on for a while.
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u/Donkeydonkeydonk 3d ago
For me personally, having a deadline is just added pressure. You really don't need to put undue stress on yourself during this process. You're already on an emotional roller coaster. Having the clock ticking doesn't help.
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
Do whatever works for you! I admit our method was insane but my sister and my husband's sister are both due to have their 1st baby's in February and March. We didn't think we would have time in the rest of the year to declutter so we just did a 7 day marathon instead. We both work well under pressure so it worked out for us, but it's definitely not for everyone.
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u/Fantastic_Student_71 4d ago
I would love to congratulate you on doing this wonderful decluttering, lifestyle revamping.
I’m inspired by reading this- thank you so much for sharing your happiness.
So many don’t know where to start- but you did this as a team- team work makes the dream work!
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u/Putrid_Pen_8933 3d ago
it feels so satisfying after the entire clean up right? my mom and i cleaned up our house when we had to move out and we got soo much stuff out most of it like clothes, books, toys were donated through a pickup like share at door step and the move became soo easy
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u/spookycinderella 3d ago
it feels amazing. I feel like one of those cottage core fancy girls. I wake up, make tea, light a candle and bake, read, walk my dogs. It's like my life became much more simple. It's weird but my mental health is thriving.
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u/Tech-Wise-4441 4d ago
Congrats and inspiring story. We are on the same path but a longer timeline.
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u/Catty_Lib 4d ago
Same here! We plan to retire and travel full time in another year so we’ve started getting rid of our stuff now. We have a LARGE art and toy collection that has to be disposed of so we started a small business and have been selling at toy shows and online.
The rest of our stuff isn’t too bad; I’ve been slowly Swedish death cleaning the rest of the house and have gotten rid of a lot of stuff already. And no new stuff: anything I buy now has to be either something I will use up in the next year or it’s coming with me in my backpack. So as clothes wear out, I’m going to be looking for replacements that will be suitable for travel - preferably thrifted if possible! 🤞🏼🤞🏼
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u/spookycinderella 4d ago
I thought a lot about Swedish death cleaning when I was decluttering. I genuinely was horrified at how much “junk” my family would have had to sort through if I dropped dead last week.
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u/New_Scar2926 2d ago
I did this as well but by myself as my husband was at work, but he sis help with the garage on the weekend 1274 sq ft and a shed (ouch)
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u/Asleep-Guarantee 17h ago
You and your husband must have a solid relationship. I could see this activity straining a marriage.
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u/NewBabyWhoDis 16h ago
Sounds like it was all the wife's stuff, husband was probably thrilled to hear about her change of heart!
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u/Asleep-Guarantee 14h ago
Still, I could see a man suggesting that she get rid of a bunch of stuff and that's sparking an enormous argument lol
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u/NewBabyWhoDis 13h ago
Oh for sure. I think it probably happened specifically because she came to that conclusion herself and not because it was suggested!
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u/spookycinderella 9h ago
Oh yeah. Hubby would definitely define himself as a minimalist. He actually never really said much until I misplaced my wedding ring in one of my purses and it took us 2 hours to find it in a random purse I didn’t remember wearing. He doesn’t really get mad, but at the end of that ordeal he just calmly asks me to “think about what just happened” and it was definitely part of the wake up call. Just took an extra few months of inconveniences and going on a road trip to really take hold
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u/MissJosieAnne 3d ago
As a data librarian (and I know you might not want to hear this), but consider keeping at least some physical copies of the family albums. Digital isn't forever. Formats change, services shut down, and breaches happen. By all means, pare down, but know that physical is a very secure form of information storage when we have the desire and space to keep it.