Our home feels too comfortable.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I feel that looking around, I need to pack some things away. We are kind of comfortable in how things are set up, but I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic. Is that possible? I guess it's time to reorganize the home.

I have no idea where to begin, yet all I have to do is look around me and I can answer that for myself. Too much stuff.

How do you keep things stored and not go on overload?

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

I cleaned out our house a couple of years ago but it is an ongoing process. I went thru the house room by room and had toss, donate, sell boxes. My house is now lean, drawers are empty and I think really hard before I purchase anything for the house that is decorative. We have a consignment store in town and when I come across something I don't want or need any more I either take it to Goodwill or the consignment shop, and this includes clothing.

It's such a great feeling to have the house weeded out. DH and I have been in the same place for 35+ years so it did take some time to get the job done but the reward is great. We hope to move if we could just sell the house so I'll be ready to pack things up when and if we do sell. Good luck and if we were neighbors I'd help you, it one of those projects that I love to do!

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

yeah! good ideas. I have to do this. We have one son and I have no intention of dumping on him to clean out our place when the time comes. I figure health-wise I will need to do this from time to time. Next year we'll be in here 30 yr's. I know I'll have to do it. HE will want to keep this or that for no reason at all. I won't get rid of what I know he's touched and what means a lot to him. But there's things for years we haven't used or touched. The years go by so quickly and it just seems to mount up.

Let me add, last year we decided that at this Christmas time, it's time to weed that out too. It would be nice to have the Christmas space in the basement.

Rock_chick · ‎03-10-2010

I read Flylady, and realized that I can't organize junk. I either use it or absolutely love it or out it goes. 15 minutes at a time. THINGS don't bring me much joy, PEOPLE do. The less things I have to maintain, the more time I have for people. Read some minimalist blogs. They will inspire you to live with less.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

It is a constant battle for some of us, kind of like keeping weight under control.

It is a daily thing to keep things picked up and put away, first and foremost. Often people don't have too much, they just don't keep things put away. Try putting away necessary things that you use, but don't really need to be out. Things like countertop appliances that get used less than once a week. Even though we use the toaster daily, I put it away, as I think it adds to kitchen clutter. The throws we cover up with almost daily to watch TV in the family room, I stopped leaving them out and folded on the back of a chair. I put them in a Valerie Par Hill ottoman now. Some people have a coat rack to hang jackets and such on near a door. I think this adds to cluttered feeling, so we put all coats, jackets, shoes away in the closet and keep that area cleaned up.

I take a look at things in the spring and decide we don't need as much decor out as other times of the year, because I have less time to clean. I take the decorative throws out of the living room, the pillows off the sofa, put away many of my flameless candles that get more use in the darker seasons, and things seem less crowded already.

Someone on another thread said she packed up some things for her kitchen she seldom used and stored them away. After so long (maybe 6 months or so) If she hadn't gone looking for them, she got rid of them. You could try this with some things you aren't sure of whether to keep or toss, and don't limit it to the kitchen.

Sometimes a simple rearranging of the furniture in a room can give it a bigger, cleaner look. Try switching things up in rooms that you can.

One thing I've noticed in decor is the wrong window treatments can make a room look crowded, dark and small. This is a personal choice, but I like lots of light, minimal fabric on the windows, and light colored at that.

I know I could go through my house right now (never even opening a closet or cupboard) and find at least 6 things that I'm using for decor that have no sentimental meaning, and I wouldn't miss a bit if I packed them up and took them to Goodwill. If you have lots of stuff like that sitting around, just do it.

Depending on how bad you think things are, a complete purge of all closets, cabinets, drawers etc. to rid yourself of trash, stacked up mail/magazines etc. and clothing and household goods past their prime or just not used might be a good place to start.

Good luck and keep us posted as to what you do.

little daisy · ‎03-10-2010

I agree with mommieohio, if you not using it get rid of it. I go through this process every year. I know sometimes it hard to get rid of thing that you either spent a lot on, or have sentimental feeling about but if you don't do it your home will never be lean and clean.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

On 5/20/2014 mominohio said:
It is a constant battle for some of us, kind of like keeping weight under control.

It is a daily thing to keep things picked up and put away, first and foremost. Often people don't have too much, they just don't keep things put away. Try putting away necessary things that you use, but don't really need to be out. Things like countertop appliances that get used less than once a week. Even though we use the toaster daily, I put it away, as I think it adds to kitchen clutter. The throws we cover up with almost daily to watch TV in the family room, I stopped leaving them out and folded on the back of a chair. I put them in a Valerie Par Hill ottoman now. Some people have a coat rack to hang jackets and such on near a door. I think this adds to cluttered feeling, so we put all coats, jackets, shoes away in the closet and keep that area cleaned up.

I take a look at things in the spring and decide we don't need as much decor out as other times of the year, because I have less time to clean. I take the decorative throws out of the living room, the pillows off the sofa, put away many of my flameless candles that get more use in the darker seasons, and things seem less crowded already.

Someone on another thread said she packed up some things for her kitchen she seldom used and stored them away. After so long (maybe 6 months or so) If she hadn't gone looking for them, she got rid of them. You could try this with some things you aren't sure of whether to keep or toss, and don't limit it to the kitchen.

Sometimes a simple rearranging of the furniture in a room can give it a bigger, cleaner look. Try switching things up in rooms that you can.

One thing I've noticed in decor is the wrong window treatments can make a room look crowded, dark and small. This is a personal choice, but I like lots of light, minimal fabric on the windows, and light colored at that.

I know I could go through my house right now (never even opening a closet or cupboard) and find at least 6 things that I'm using for decor that have no sentimental meaning, and I wouldn't miss a bit if I packed them up and took them to Goodwill. If you have lots of stuff like that sitting around, just do it.

Depending on how bad you think things are, a complete purge of all closets, cabinets, drawers etc. to rid yourself of trash, stacked up mail/magazines etc. and clothing and household goods past their prime or just not used might be a good place to start.

Good luck and keep us posted as to what you do.

Good ideas. Gonna start today, thanks so much.

devababy · ‎05-10-2010

I make a habit of routinely de-cluttering all the rooms in the house. Thrown away real junky stuff and give away other items to someone who has a need, including clothes, furniture, kitchen items. Of course you can either garage sale them or give them to goodwill. And, my home is looking much more comfortable and lots of more room. You will be surprised how your home will take on a new look with more room. I do the same outside in my garden. Sometimes it can get so overgrown with garden stuff/decorations. Good luck.

kzjohnson · ‎12-15-2011

I've always operated under the "rule" if I haven't seen it or used it in the last 12 months, it leaves the house.

That works very well...almost too well at times! Every now and then I'll go try to find something only to realized that it is long gone. ${#emotions_dlg.blush}$

But the pros have definitely out weighed the cons. I have never used my attic space, never used the storage space above the garage and even the full unfinished basement is not very cluttered. Still to this day I have family that asks "where is all our stuff".

Well, what you see is it and it's more than enough.

One other rule I have that applies to clothing, making, and body and skin care as well. If a purchase is not something I need, then something else has to go before the new comes in. That definitely helps with keeping things minimal and easily managed.

sidsmom · ‎11-25-2011

If you have pretty things that you still like...store them in a box with a special label marked with something like, D1. On an index card, note D1...and everything in that box. If you have a calendar or card box, store that card for one of the upcoming months. Pull out your box when that month comes up...they look new!

Also...for the iffy items, store them in a box with a future date of, say, 6 months from now. If you haven't fished it out by then, without opening the box, immediately take it to a consignment or charity shop...without looking inside!! Didn't really need it!