Quote by Joshua Becker
This quote resonated with me as I have a dream. To live in a minamilist house with a few precious objects. White clean lines and quality rather than quantity…
The current reality is a three bedroom house full of plastic (seriously my child is a plastic magnet), dog hair and crap that I might need ‘one day’. I’m not a hoarder or collector and I’m not a fan of ornaments, I like objects to have purpose SO WHY DO I OWN SO MUCH STUFF? I don’t go shopping that often and over the last few years I have refused to shop in many high street shops swapping quantity for classic pieces that are better quality, I even have a charity bag on the go all the time….still we have stuff everywhere?
My house is like some sort of Bermuda Triangle of stuff, it seeps in through the cracks and clutters the side boards and surfaces. I’m purposely using the word stuff as I’m not sure what we have… most of it is practical, used and loved and I’m even thinking of moving house as an excuse to chuck it all (the actual reality would be a million boxes I’d never get around to unpacking and probably the purchase of even more stuff)
So, for once I don’t have the answers, not even close. Instead I’m asking you for advice on how to minamilise before I suffocate in stuff and drown in a pile of a toys. My living room looks like Toys R Us and only the bathroom is clutter free; even then I have to keep an eye on the ratio of bath water to plastic toys in my sons baths. Work surfaces that I clean are filled in an instant, Paper flows through our letter box like the scene from Harry Potter – the irony is that only one local take away will actually deliver to our village, so why do I need 65 flyers of exotic food that I can’t order? Then, why do those flyers get stuck on sideboards around the home, poked in corners and laid on the bottom of our staircase for days, weeks and in some cases months.
Sorry to rant, although I do feel better – they say writing is therapy after all? In this case any practical tips would be welcome in the comment section, because honestly owning less would be so much less organising…
Love a Minimalist wannabe x
Whatmyfridgesays 
Someone once told me about this awesome book they read on decluttering – I can’t remember it’s name. Apparently you round up everything you have of one item clothes, toys, books etc and then put it into one big pile. I think this bit is supposed to make you feel guilty about how much unnecessary stuff you have and by having it all in one place you can properly assess what you really need to keep. Then you sort through it binning (or donating – always donate if you can) anything that you don’t like, don’t use or have multiple of etc. I tried this with clothes. But I pretty much put everything in the bin pile and then realised I’d have nothing left to wear. So it all went back in the cupboard minus one bag I donated to charity. Not really the decluttering experience I hoped for. #thesatsesh
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol when I was pregnant I was feeling fat and binned all my pre pregnancy clothes…9mnths later / nothing to wear 😦 plus shopping with a newborn is hell
LikeLike
I cannot help you.. but i am following closely the comments in a bid to become a more organised clean living person!! I do have the occasional sort out but once I have tidied up the nerf gun bullets and happyland people and then find 367 more that I’m sure we never owned in the first place I nearly lose my erm patience!
LikeLike
I’m already getting suggestions so hope is on the horizon, we will declutter and live the clean free dream
LikeLike
We are in this similar situation as we are moving house, and we just sat in the living room and said my god we have so much stuff that we didn’t even know we had. Toys that you don’t want to throw away as I’d think ‘aw she loved that toy’ ‘when she was 7months old yes! She’s now two’ My hubby would say. So we are on a declutter mission 🤦🏻♀️😕
LikeLike
Let’s master this together x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cluttering is such a nuisance. Worst of all when you’re moving house the whole process of backing moving and unpacking can multiply several fold in time and effort if you haven’t kept on top of the clutter. #thesatsesh
LikeLike
I’m just beginning to see how over rated stuff is?
LikeLike
Every Wednesday between now and Christmas this is my plan, I’m in the complete same situation #thesatsesh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh let me know how you get on Hun x
LikeLike
People confuse buying a lot of stuff then decluttering (a la fashionable Marie Kondo Way) with not actually acquiring that much of a crap. Great read. #thesatsesh
LikeLike
Yeah I’m thinking we need something a little harsher. We have so much stuff that we don’t need…saying that I say a fabric cactus in a shop yesterday and I didn’t buy it, but I can’t stop thinking about it lol, no hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never understand why/how we have so much stuff. I think it has to do with the culture…I try to cleanse my kids toy bin every few months. But I think it’s time to tackle my own “storage” that’s heaping in the closets. #thesatsesh
LikeLike
I’ve just realised we don’t need it. Time for a clear out
LikeLike
best thing we did was down size as this forced me to really think about what is important to us. I do think its harder with kids though as they do have so much plastic stuff and soft toys. If I get a brochure I throw it in the recycled bin before I go through the front door. My biggest thing though is asking myself if a piece of clothing or anything in my home does not serve a direct purpose or does not bring me joy then out it goes! Only surround yourself with things and people who actually make you happy! Good Luck #thesatsesh
LikeLike
Love this advice. I think half term will be a big clear up! You’re right – it needs to serve and bring joy
LikeLike
I am the ultimate minimalist surrounded by two girls and my Mrs. who love having stuff! I am constantly checking to see if things still fit, toys still get played with, and admittedly bag up and donate/give away things that don’t get put away. Every once in a while, my Mrs., she goes off on a tear and declutters. It is heavenly for me! We have 900 sq. ft, 4 people, and a dog. I feel your pain and often secretly remove excess and go to the local charity for those who can use it. #thesatsesh xoxo
LikeLike
Aspiring minimalist here, too… we will get there eventually! I’ve found find restricting what comes in is the biggest first step! #thesatsesh
LikeLike
Absolutely, I’m all over this. However my son is a serious manifested…he is a force to be reckoned with
LikeLiked by 1 person
From one Minimalist-Wannabe to another, I can offer little advice, except to hope that it will get less cluttered as the kids grow up… When we moved house 2 years ago, I went on a massive purge and was ruthless about getting rid of things. We moved in and everything had it’s place and it was lovely. I was determined to keep it that way… it hasn’t happened! Haha #triumphanttales
LikeLike
I know. I don’t want him to live in clutter or be so object obsessed…I will find a solution, it’s my new mission
LikeLike
Every time a charity bag comes through the door, I have a sort out and at least half fill it. So how come the stuff never goes down. I hear your pain but unfortunately don’t have any solutions # triumphanttales
LikeLike
Haha it’s crazy isn’t it? Keep reading I’m working on something which is actually showing progress 🙂
LikeLike
having just decluttered 53 years of married life for my mum after my father died in July I am definitely ‘less is best’ i’ve just returned to Dubai and realised how empty my home is of clutter compared to every UK home i visited this year. I’ve come home for 3 weeks to declutter and downsize from a 4 bed to a 2 bed and looking around me I can’t imagine actually filling our old 6 bed home back in the UK since the kids left home. #triumphanttales
LikeLike
Oh firstly, love to you for all this and secondly amen – less is more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhhhh yes – bloody ‘stuff’ – it gets everywhere!!! I too dream of a less cluttered house and am forever getting rid of stuff but still feel ‘stuffocated’ at times. We are getting really strict about Birthdays and doing lots more ‘experiences’ instead of material presents – it’s the boys B’day soon and we’re taking him to Monkey World instead of presents :-). Love a minimalist wannabe too! xx #thesatsesh
LikeLike
yup – I’ve just booked a holiday instead of chrimmy pressies and grandparents are getting experiences that we can share – one set has theatre tickets with us and one has a day out 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
When it comes to post I try to deal with it as soon as it comes in. Throwing out the trash (take away) leaflets straight away before getting straight on to dealing with the rest eg. making appointments etc. Having a bag or box on the go with things to take to charity shop is also a great tip. I try to work methodically one room at a time but having mini whirlwinds drives me crazy. #thesatsesh
LikeLike
i agree – one room at a time is a great tip, except I’m now going in circles 🙂
LikeLike
Popping in from #triumphanttales in total agreement! xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh god, I’m awful at having a messy place! Literally kids make a house a tip and blogging with all its product reviews make my lounge a bomb site!
I gave loads of Ben’s old stuff to my friends who were about to have a child but now considering baby number two, the hoarder in me is hating my decision hahahaha!
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup it’s tough but I’m over it. The hoarder in me was always week and now she is dead – if it’s static I’m my home, I’ll recycle it or regime it! Time to live the dream or at least move nearer
LikeLiked by 1 person