Preventing Clutter

Discussion in Misc & Others started by wvboarder • Aug 25, 2014.

  1. wvboarder

    wvboarderMember

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    How do you prevent clutter from building up in your house. Sometimes between large cleanings my house can get pretty bad.
    I have a rule now that if I haven't used or even touched an item in 6 months then it's time to throw or give it away.
    What are some of your tricks to keep your house cleaner?
     
  2. Bright7

    Bright7Active Member

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    I have a rule that if I buy a new item (or new to me) then two items must leave the house. If I buy a blouse, then I go through my closet and pull out two blouses that I haven't worn in the last year. If I buy something new for the kitchen, then two items that are rarely used must go. I do this with practically everything. It keeps me clutter free, organized and I always have room, and I get to do a good deed by donating all of my unused items.
     
  3. mistymi

    mistymiActive Member

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    I tend to throw things out without too much thought, even if they're things that seem important, like games or awards. If I haven't used it in a while I'll throw it out because it becomes a headache when things pile up. I like keeping things simple, so I only keep what I need. Life is easier and more productive when things are organized.
     
    #3Aug 26, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2014
  4. True2marie

    True2marieActive Member

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    Weekly, I go through a bit of my stuff and through out unwanted goods. This process helps keep the floor and counters clear and in order. However, a few times a year, I go through my closets and drawers. They are the worst and this period is when my in hoarder agonizes over throwing away stupid stuff. I am getting ready to do this very thing since the season is about to change from summer to fall. It's a necessary evil.
     
  5. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I sell whatever extra stuff I can on eBay because I'm a single parent and I can use any extra income that I can get. Over the past few years, I've sold probably enough stuff to fill up a small bedroom. I like my stuff, but I like money and space more. The stuff that's too big to ship goes on Craigslist.
     
  6. GemmaRowlands

    GemmaRowlandsActive Member

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    You should set a weekend aside a few times a year, maybe every three months, to go through everything that you own and list them for sale on eBay, or give them to charity. You have to set dates though, because if you just "plan to do it" then chances are it will never happen. By doing this, you should find that you can always get rid of plenty of things, meaning that you are never left in the position where you have a house that is jam packed full of things that you no longer have any kind of use for.
     
  7. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    One strange thing I realized was that sometimes having an efficient shelving system can actually lead to more clutter. One of the recent places I moved into had a really nice shelving system in the bedroom closets, which worked out great at first. I was able to get all my clothes in there and still have plenty of leftover space because they stored everything so well. Then, over time I kept buying new shirts and jeans every time they were on sale. It didn't help that there was a Dillard's outlet store near me that was selling stuff at the absolute cheapest prices. This was merchandise that had already been marked down by a lot during their seasonal clearance sales, but still hadn't been sold. So they would gather all that merchandise and sell it at this outlet store for even less. I got into a bad habit of buying a whole new outfit every time I was going out, new coats, new dress pants, shirts, you name it. When it came time for me to move out of that place, we were all shocked how much stuff I was able to fit into that closet, because we must have took an entire room full of boxes and bags of clothing out of it, lol. It was like a clown car, no joke.

    I used to give away my clothing to places like GoodWill, and those drop boxes. But over the past few years, I found out some troubling information about both of them. Namely GoodWill is anything but. They are hiring people with mental disabilities or other issues, which sounds all fine and dandy, until you learn that they are taking advantage of a loophole in the laws, which lets them get away with paying them well below minimum wage. Meanwhile the CEO and other execs of the company are taking home millions in their own personal salaries. Not only are they getting free merchandise from donations, and selling it all for profit, but those profits never even make it to the people who need it. A good chunk of the money they raise just pads their own pockets. Regardless if someone has a mental impairment, they still deserve fair wages just like everyone else. That is just further rubbing salt in the wound to treat them like they are lesser worthy of their earnings.

    The drop boxes are actually doing the same thing. In many cities, they are actually being placed illegally. If you've ever noticed on most of them, there is little to no text on them indicating whom the donations are going to or what is being done with them. In many cases, the items are just being sold for profit, not going to homeless or needy people. Some cities have had to go to the extent to have them towed away or moved an confiscated until the actual owners come forward.

    You may be better off just posting the items to Craigslist or something like FreeCycle, where you can know that the items are likely going to actual people who need them, and not to some greedy company. Or just sell them on eBay yourself. You would be surprised what people will buy on there if the price is right.
     
  8. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    I am very unsentimental when it comes to things that accumulate in my home. I simply throw them out. I don't like clutter in my home at all. I have lived in small places where it was impossible to have any superfluous things in the apartment. If I didn't put things back into their place after using them, I would have problems finding them later. So, I disciplined myself to keep everything neat and organised, which tends to be natural for me anyway.
     
  9. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I am a hoarder and have boxes full of things I keep! When I moved I had to reduce everything and I streamlined my belongings, though there is still a storage locker full. the fact I knew I had to pay to keep it made me think twice if I needed it and would keep it.
    I think today, things are so easily replaceable, we buy more than we need, so now I buy what I need, not what I want or if it looks a bargain.
     
  10. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I know what you mean. In my old apartment we had a walk in closet with a lot of shelves. When I moved everything into my current apartment, I wondered "Where did all this stuff come from and how come it fit in our smaller apartment but doesn't fit in our bigger apartment?" I ended up selling a lot of stuff on Craigslist.
     
  11. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    I've actually never tried selling anything that I don't need around the house. To me it's too much of a hassle I guess.

    I prefer donating whatever is in good condition but not being used to a charity. Unlike selling something and getting an unfair price for it because it has been used, I find it more satisfying to give it out free and know that someone who probably couldn't afford it, will not go around bragging about how they got something [good/valuable] at a ridiculously low price.
     
    #11Sep 1, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2014
  12. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I avoid clutter by throwing things out insted aof holding on to them thinking I will be able to use it for something later. Also when I purchase something I have to take something out of the house so that there is not a build up of stuff in the space. It has been working fairly good for me.
     
  13. LeopardJones

    LeopardJonesActive Member

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    I’m another proponent of the one-in-one-out (or more out, if possible) rule, as well as considering whether I’ve used or needed an item within a certain amount of time. I’ve also heard good things about the KonMari method, in which one of the guiding principles is whether something brings you joy. I used to have packrat tendencies, but when I realized that wasn’t how I wanted to live, I applied these three guidelines and got rid of at least 1/4 of my stuff, if not more. These days I’m much more conscious of what enters my space, so I’ve relaxed my standards a little, but I still go back to these three principles if I feel clutter-creep coming on.
     
  14. dyanmarie25

    dyanmarie25Active Member

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    I am not really that OC, and I don't really mind messiness that much. But yeah, I do clean the house everyday, but not thoroughly, just basic housekeeping. I sweep and mop the floor, do the dishes, and throw things that aren't of use anymore.
     
  15. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    I think that I would be a lot better at preventing clutter, if I hadn't been scared by the idea of it during my childhood. It may sound strange, but when it was time to clear things out and de-clutter, when I was a child, my mother would always be such an ass about it. Shouting, hollering, demanding. There was just no need for it. The first place that I go when I think about cleaning or de-cluttering is to that angry place. The feeling of powerless and wanting it to be over as soon as possible, which is probably why I don't really make it a priority to de-clutter as an adult.
     
  16. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I used to have SO much stuff. No matter how clean my house was, there was just too much stuff.. for me anyway, my family didn't feel the same way. But I noticed, the more cluttered my house, the more cluttered my brain... another tip people with depression should think about. The minute I cleared my home of all the extras and avoided clutter, my mind cleared as well. Now I don't buy things that will likely sit around or do nothing for us and I throw away things I don't use. Sometimes it can be hard, but I've dropped my attachment to things. I don't live in the past anymore and I don't need "things" to remind me of memories worth keeping.