decluttering

I’ve been pondering downsizing / general de-cluttering for quite some time now. We’ve had everything we own packed down in boxes for almost two months now, and the way I relate to those things have changed massively.

Back in our flat, we had clear out after clear out, and when we moved, we couldn’t see ourself getting rid of more stuff, as we considered everything we packed down valuable one way or the other.

Now though, I have no idea what’s in those boxes. Part from some kitchen stuff and a box of photos, the rest of it I have almost no idea about.

I know I have a box of cameras in there. There’s probably 6 cameras or so, all great in their own way, and in total I’ve spent a couple of hundred quid on them. I don’t use them though, and all they do is remind me I don’t put enough effort in to my photography. So in a way, I’ve paid hundreds for feeling guilty, not really a bargain is it.

Has anyone consciously cleared out their life before? Did it ‘work’?

I definitely used to hoard crap but now I have a clear out every 6 months or so and I'm overdue one now.

Definitely to go on the next one is:-

• Old computers (two laptops, one old P4, Mac Mini G4, Quad PowerMac G5)
  
• 2 bikes (my geared Audax bike and a Colnago Master I've not ridden in 4 years)
  
• Random things that are sub-£50 (battery charger, motorbike boots, unworn SPD shoes) that I simply don't have a need for, etc.
  
  

~£2k or so will do nicely to pay off another little chunk of the mortgage.

Some other stuff gets given away to charity or just straight to the tip if there's absolutely no hope/use.

Doing it over the years and I've found that I've kept some things as "I can't get rid of these" only to end up getting rid of them 2 or 3 clearouts later when it finally sinks in that I don't need to keep them.

I'd kept my old OU coursebooks from a Maths degree, and after 2 years finally got off my arse to sell them and got ~£500 for them. That helped pay for a PowerTap track hub and wheel build.

Interesting.

We are currently going through a house move, and despite not moving for another three months or so have started packing everything up in boxes, it has made me realise a few things

1. Most of the boxes are full of stuff I don't feel the need to ever unpack, so have been taken to the charity shop or tip
   
2. Having a lot of furniture makes your house feel smaller and increases stress levels
   
3. Ditto it also leaves you space to put crap - buy a cupboard and it gets full of crap pretty quickly.
   
   

We are really enjoying having floorspace and no clutter

Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.

http://www.theminimalists.com/pitch/

(more of an ideal than actuality at the moment but still)

I would find constantly dropping my coffee onto the floor because of a lack of tables more stressful but to each their own. ;)

Minimalism is completely at odds with having young children.

At least you can try it but social services will eventually get involved.

Clearout once every 6 months works a treat for me. Bikes aside obviously, I can pack everything I own into 1 Nissan Micra and go from there. Even more than that, I can pack all I "really" need into 1 bag and still survive.
It's a bit on the extreme spectrum, but it can be added to or taken away from depending on how your life develops. One of the toughest/best moves was books. It took around 4 months to cull them down to the dozen that I truly could not get rid off, the rest I either gave away or bought on Kindle.
The funny thing is like everyone else here, when stuff is in boxes for long enough, you really fail to remember what it was in there you wanted to keep so badly.

Yep, big fan of this - I am a big record collector so if you take out all the records (sigh) I can fit my stuff in a few cases - Really don't keep memorabilia, old clothes, furniture or anything.

Easier to clean too!

In the middle of moving house, 50% of my life is still in boxes 5 days on, 75% of Mrs Bald's accumulation of crap is in the tip (6 runs in my pickup!)..... 5 bedrooms does not go into 3 without tears.

Ps: I'm buggered if I'm going to minimalise my 10 bikes, I need them all!

My life is a losing battle against clutter. I love my books, records, guitars and bicycles but everything in it's right place. I loathe clutter and aspire to order (as opposed to actual minimalism) but alas, feral-wife's life's work seems to be covering every available surface in piles of opened mail, hairclips, discarded clothes, books, make-up, screwed up tissues etc. It's a constant battle.

Now you're also cluttering up your life by starting a new user account. Tsk, tsk. :)