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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have ADHD and have serious clutter problem. But I just had to deal with my Parent's junk and don't want to do that to my DS. So I read some online articles about Swedish Death Cleaning. Which is about making things easier for your family once you are gone. Doesn't mean you have to throw everything away. Keep sentimental things, but put a note with it that says it can be tossed once you are gone.

I realized I kept a lot of stuff for the person I used to be (hello old clothes) or the person I want to be, but aren't (hello unfinished craft projects). So I had to be really clear about who I am today. And what works for my life today.

Then I went in with the mentality that I was throwing everything away. Then only kept the things that I actively use now or within the next year (like xmas decorations). But this change really helped me because I  have a hard time letting go of things. So by forcing myself to throw everything away, I could focus on what to keep.

I also gave myself permission to not donate anything. That's my other sticking point. I had category of things to definitely throw away and maybe throw away/donate. DH went through that box and decided what could be donated. But I suspect 90% was thrown away. But I didn't have to make that decision. (decision fatigue is real)

[b]Then, the stuff I kept had to have a home.[/b] Figure out where it goes, so when it's time to clean up, you know where it goes.

The most useful thing I used is FocusMate. It's a way to have someone virtually keep you accountable.[/quote]

This is huge.  So many people have storage full of stuff they don't use, so the stuff they do use is sitting around, cluttering up the house. I take the approach that anything that is in a closet or drawer is suspect and subject to being tossed if I haven't touched it within X months.  Once you get rid of the stuff that's filling up storage, then you can find a home for the stuff you actually do use. The biggest help is the place for a thing be close to where it is used and, very importantly, easy and convenient to put away.  If you have something you use all the time, and you have to walk upstairs or move something to put it away, chances are that's not going to happen.

Make a storage space if you need to. My DH always has a bunch of little things (business cards, nuts and bolts, etc) that he is "using" and wants to leave on the kitchen island. So a bought an attractive glass bowl with a lid that sits on the island and that's where all his stuff can go.

Also, inheriting too much stuff from several people (including a hoarder house), has given me a huge impetus to get rid of clutter. I do keep some sentimental things, but I got rid of a lot of stuff when I realized that I have no obligation to keep what was sentimental to my parents, and my kids would have no interest in a lot of the things that are sentimental to me after I'm gone. Agree that you shouldn't give a second thought to trashing (vs. donating) things that you've bought, but I do think taking some time to think about sentimental things helps. There were things that I couldn't bring myself to throw away, but I thought about who would like to have these things and made an effort to find them a new home.  I had a nice collection of old photographs of people (not family) I didn't know from my Mom's home town. It turned out that the local historical society was thrilled to get them. Box in the mail. Done. I inherited an art collection that was nice, but not hugely valuable.  I kept the pieces that I liked and could display, and donated the rest to a museum that has an exhibit of this type of art.  I told them they could auction or donate elsewhere if they didn't want to display them. I had extended family members that wanted some heirlooms that I didn't have room for. I thought I might be sad getting rid of these things, but it was actually very liberating.

I did see a video about decluttering clothing that had the same thought about not keeping clothes that you bought for "another version of you" that only exists in your mind and that you don't really wear, and I really like that. [/quote]

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