Best tips for decluttering?
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Anonymous
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Clutter makes me crazy. But my other half tends to like nick-nacks, photos and holds onto every empty box/ loose piece of paper he can find. I really need some counter space! Plus, it's embarrassing.
Tips for decluttering when a clutterer lives in the house? Keeping the peace, sanity and a clean house at the same time... |
Anonymous
| Throw. It. Out. Or Donate. |
Anonymous
| In your case, I'd suggest zones. Give him some space where he can keep his clutter, and have some areas that you can declare "clutter free". It is preferable for the clutter zone to have a door, so you don't have to see it. |
Anonymous
| Yours isn't a decluttering issue -- it's a "getting on the same page" issue. You need to talk with your significant other about the clutter, and ways to approach it that are good for both of you. |
Anonymous
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I agree with the zones
In the other rooms give your other half a space. A cabinet/drawer in each room that you won't throw things away from. Even a decorative basket with a lid . I had a friend who's husband had hundreds of magazines. She bought him nice magazine boxes that could fit at least 1 years worth for each magazine. He agreed that he would limit the magazines to what would fit in the containers. He still had control of which ones were kept, she got her floor back. |
Anonymous
Focus on what you need -- space for cooking or projects or whatever it is that you use the counters for. Don't worry about the embarrassment part. If that's the most embarrassing thing about your spouse, you win. "I've noticed that you like to hang on to things I'd rather get rid of, and your stuff is taking over the counters, so it's really hard for me to make dinner. I want the counters clear -- can you do that every night before you go to bed, or should I just put everything in a bag or a bin, or what? If it's on the counter, do I get to decide? I don't want to make more work for you, but this is really a problem for me, so if you have a solution, I'd love to hear it." Then either really hear it, as promised, or explain again, "That's not going to give me cleared countertops every day, and that's what I'm looking for. I can put everything in a bin for you to sort through later, but if you don't like that idea, you need to suggest something that will give me my kitchen back." |
Anonymous
This. But in the mean time, I would say compromise and make some areas absolutely clutter free and make sure every evening you make sure everything is decluttered from that area so it remains clear. After a few weeks, it will really sink in that you mean for that area to stay clear. For collecting paper and other random stuff - get a basket and just dump it all in there. |
Anonymous
| Just throw it all out. If your house is cluttered, it means you can't really use or access any of the junk -- so it's effectively the same thing as as if you already threw it all out. Like, you may have all your Pepco bills from 2005, but who would know? And how would you find it if you needed it? Ergo, just throw it out. My husband and I have each kept a large tuperware bin of our own junk (high school yearbooks, fraternity shirt, funny knick nack from middle school). We have a couple bins of photos. And a well stocked kitchen (because we cook a lot). A cupboard with actively used electronic things (wires, cables, chargers, batteries) and about 4 small filing boxes with paperwork (taxes, immigration papers, and records). Pint sized cans of all the paint in our house. A shelf of tools. A cupboard of office supplies. Other than that, we really don't have much stuff in our house. We love it. I like to think that if we died tomorrow, we wouldn't be leaving a disaster zone for someone to clear out..... |
Anonymous
Do you have room in the house that can be all his? If so, put all of that stuff there and let him keep it as he likes. Get rid of what you can - empty boxes, catalogs, junk mail - right away before he sees them or gets used to having them around. Then keep the counters clean. My husband will not put something on a clean counter, but as soon as there's one thing there, like a dirty dish, or a bill that needs to be paid, he feels comfortable adding to it. |
Anonymous
You are in a great position; all you have to do is get rid of the clutterer! |
Anonymous
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My DH is a pack rat. It's awful.
He has a room with a door that can be a total disaster, and it doesn't bother me because I don't have to look at it. I give his things 24 hours to be out of place, and then they get thrown in his room. You could also try boxing all the clutter up and putting it in the attic. You'll naturally have to get some of it out throughout the year, and when you do, you find a place to put it away (which may mean cleaning out a space, or putting another box of clutter in the attic). After a year has passed, take the boxes to goodwill. I did this with my clothes and it really helped me cut back, but you have to be diligent about not buying new stuff to replace the stuff in the attic. |
Anonymous
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You have to give him a space (like a shoebox) where he can throw all his clutter. Then once a week, like when he's watching football, you put the box in his lap with a garbage bag at his feet, and say "Hey, go through this and throw out anything you don't need."
You may need a shoebox in two or three rooms - one on each level of the house. When he finishes a box, just take it away and put the next box in his lap. He'll get into the habit of clearing his clutter weekly, and tossing it all into his boxes. |
Anonymous
| Your spouse is different than you are. There is no reason you should win. Too many women emasculate their spouses when it comes to home decor. He needs a man cave. Let him decorate with all the stuff he wants. Just don't let it creep up the stairs. |
Anonymous
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Op here - not sure asking spouse to toss 12 empty used cardboard boxes in my living room,piles of greeting cards and magazines from 2007, and 37 empty plastic ice cream/food cartons around is emasculating... I even broke my ankle a few years ago tripping on his shoe pile at the bottom of the basement stairs...
Literally I can't cook dinner cause he covers our kitchen counters with random stuff (he likes 1 use only kitchen tools that he says "we don't have space for in the cabinets"). I'll try zones. |
Anonymous
If your husband suffers from hoarding, this won't work for the long haul. |