Approaching a hoarding situation (or at least I feel like it)

[Anonymous]

Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I have been decluttering my home with the help of another person.

What worked for me was to completely empty out a room and only bring in the bare minimum needed stuff back in. Whatever is then left needs to be either trashed, given away or stored. Be generous in your giving away pile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

Trying to find a place to take old magazines is a good way to keep the OP from actual progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

Trying to find a place to take old magazines is a good way to keep the OP from actual progress.

I think that's true. Spend 1 hour trying to find a place that can take your magazines today (Goodwill, a shelter, etc). Otherwise just put them in garbage bags and toss. You need the space more than you need magazines that you never look at.

[Anonymous]

Once you get rid of stuff be super thoughtful about what you allow into your home _ like 'great party, thanks. we'll pass on the goodie bag" .Also asking to be removed from smiling list is helpful.

[Anonymous]

The public library will take your magazines. Done! Cart those babies over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, freecycle. I hate "wasting" stuff, so if I can't sell it on Ebay or Craigslist, I much prefer giving it to someone on freecycle. And bonus: you can also request things on freecycle! So if you end up needing something (say, 100 egg cartons for your classroom), you can post on freecycle and get it when you need it, rather than keeping it forever in your apartment.

Yes, exactly! Especially if you're like the OP or me:

I guess I'm always thinking "I need this; I can use this; this is still good" which is only true some of the time.

Even if it were true all the time, you need to assign greater value to Not Having Clutter and less value than you (and I ) tend to assign to Having Random Thing for Random Event.

Also, if I post something on Freecycle and no one wants it, I am pushed to reconsider my belief that it is still useful and worth holding onto.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

Trying to find a place to take old magazines is a good way to keep the OP from actual progress.

This is the PP who suggested Freecycle. Finding a home for something doesnt' have to be hard. I give everything a shot on Freecycle or Craigslist (the free section) and if no one wants my stack of magazines then I recycle them but it does make me feel good to offer it somewhere first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, freecycle. I hate "wasting" stuff, so if I can't sell it on Ebay or Craigslist, I much prefer giving it to someone on freecycle. And bonus: you can also request things on freecycle! So if you end up needing something (say, 100 egg cartons for your classroom), you can post on freecycle and get it when you need it, rather than keeping it forever in your apartment.

Yes, exactly! Especially if you're like the OP or me:

I guess I'm always thinking "I need this; I can use this; this is still good" which is only true some of the time.

Even if it were true all the time, you need to assign greater value to Not Having Clutter and less value than you (and I ) tend to assign to Having Random Thing for Random Event.

Also, if I post something on Freecycle and no one wants it, I am pushed to reconsider my belief that it is still useful and worth holding onto.

+1 Absolutely on target

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

Trying to find a place to take old magazines is a good way to keep the OP from actual progress.

Yeah, I want to expand on this.

It might not be a popular approach, but I've found that considering whether this thing or that thing can still be used by someone and thus donated would be overwhelming and impede progress. Sometimes, just to get off the dime, you just have to throw stuff away. Just get it out of there. You are not ruining someone's life if they don't get to read the May 1989 issue of National Geographic or wear your old socks from 2005. Feeling you have to recycle every possible recyclable thing is a sure way to failure. Just throw it away. You will feel liberated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The public library will take your magazines. Done! Cart those babies over there.

No they won't. Just put them in the paper recycling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The public library will take your magazines. Done! Cart those babies over there.

No they won't. Just put them in the paper recycling.

+1. Mine won't even take books.

[Anonymous]

OP, have you see the Apartment Therapy Cure? Here's one example:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/apartment-therapys-january-cure-2014-197811

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9 out of 10 hoarders I've met were teachers. You don't have a paper fetish and neither does your daughter. She is learning to hoard from you. Those saved items ? are garbage. Throw those away. Books, library donation and quit buying. They make your home stink. Stop being lazy and throw trash away. Set an example for your child.

I'm watching Hoarders right now. It disgusts me to see kids living in filth.

NP here, but you need to chill out. Did you grow up with Hoarders? You are so bitter. Being mean isn't going to help OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you donate the old magazines? It seems that someone, somewhere would be able to use them.

But, if not, I suggest just ripping off the band aid and tossing what is taking up significant space in your home and has no retail value. It's junk. It's accumulated trash. Toss it and reclaim your space.

You have to go a bit "mercenary" on it - eliminate it. Good luck.

Trying to find a place to take old magazines is a good way to keep the OP from actual progress.

Yeah, I want to expand on this.

It might not be a popular approach, but I've found that considering whether this thing or that thing can still be used by someone and thus donated would be overwhelming and impede progress. Sometimes, just to get off the dime, you just have to throw stuff away. Just get it out of there. You are not ruining someone's life if they don't get to read the May 1989 issue of National Geographic or wear your old socks from 2005. Feeling you have to recycle every possible recyclable thing is a sure way to failure. Just throw it away. You will feel liberated.

This is great advice. I'm not OP but I struggle with the guilt of getting rid of stuff someone could use.