Do feel boxed in by clutter?

Thanks for sharing this excellent idea of dealing with emotional clutter. I think putting all the things that reminded you of your ex boyfriend must have been a big step for you. It would have probably been far too difficult for you to have got rid of all that the day you filled the box. Some people would have throw all the things out and then regretted getting rid of the special piece of jewelry. You have kept this and got rid of the rest of the contents. Well done. I am pleased for you. This has given me a good idea about how to deal with my emotional clutter. I still have the things an ex boyfriend gave me and now I know what to do with them.

Thank you for sharing. I'm glad that I could help you out. Good luck! I know it's a hard thing to do.

Ah yes, the emotional clutter. That's worse than actual clutter. I have always remembered one tip from a girlfriend of mine while in college about dealing with breaking up with someone. At the time I had recently broken up with my boyfriend from high school and was trying to deal with it. What she suggested (and I did this), was to get a box big enough to put all the things that reminded me of him - clothing, photos (which I had lots of), dried flowers, just everything. I decorated the box and put all the things in it. I then taped it up. I think it literally helped me close the lid on the relationship. She said that someday, I wouldn't need the box anymore. Then I could just get rid of it. I had the box with me for four years, I moved it with me everytime I moved. Finally one day I looked at it (while cleaning out some boxes from a move) and decided I didn't need it anymore. I did open the box to get a necklace out of it to keep - I just couldn't toss the necklace - it was the first piece of fine jewerly that anyone other than my parents had ever given to me and I loved it too much. Then I took the box and tossed it in the dumpster. I felt so free. I know it sounds easy, but it wasn't at the time. I know that probably work for everything either. I hope you can declutter yourself, inside and out. Take care!

Wow - you are so nice to let your husband have his clutter, especially when it is in your area. The bad thing is that we're all clutter freaks in this house. I will definitely do a little at a time. Thanks for your suggestions!

I am with you on this! I grew up in a family that moved every few years so we did not take things along with us. I can not get accustomed to the mentality of saving EVERYthing (and the box it came in, lol)

Of course you have to save the box it came in too! ;) I was asking my husband this weekend - do we really need some of these empty boxes? Can we please recycle them.

Great job at decluttering! That's even some of my clutter - I still have stuff from the last job I worked at. It needs to go!

LOL..our husbands must be brothers. Our basement DID look like..huh? Where's the basement? lol We had a rat problem this fall, we were catching them right and left. EWWWW... Plenty of places to hide. I said okay, here is my excuse and wow did I clean out the basement. In a month's time I must have thrown out a dump truck load, amongst protest and hard weeping (not me, mind you!) I have no attachments to anything material. He was actually going through the trash picking things back out! HAHA Didn't work, because he had to go to work sometime! Now, it is much cleaner and we found the rats were coming in through a drain to the sewer that under all of the junk, he had knocked the cap off that had sealed it up and they were coming and going at will. Now, we are rat and clutter free. He is starting to junk it up, again. A few weeks ago (we have finished music room) he wanted me to come down to listen to him sing and the finished area was just strewn with tools and clutter that he didn't put away after a project and I said: if you want me down here you need to pick up the clutter! And he DID! FAINT! There are still areas that need work, but for the most part..yeah, I can live with it. My mom is worse! I can't stand to even go to her house! I hate it! They keep it because you know, they may need that someday..... Or..it may be worth something, someday... It's SOMEDAY!!!!

Saigon you had a packrat problem that created a real rat problem. That should be enough to motivate your husband to keep that basement clean. That would freak me out! I have been trying to figure why some of us are so attached to things. A friend of mine pointed out to me that it's crazy to have your garage filled with so much stuff that you can't even park your car in it. Really, how much did that car cost and you're parking in your driveway. That helped put things in perspective for me. Modestah thanks for stopping by!

wow, that's a lot of kids. Doesn't make me feel better though. LOL! I know they have to feel totally cramped to. Thanks for responding and God bless

I wish you some sanity. Two bedrooms and three kids is just cramped. Hang in there - you'll be getting more room soon. If it makes you feel better, I had a brother-in-law that had three bedrooms and 7 kids - 2 boys and 5 girls.

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to mylot. Goodwill is one of my favorite place to donate to.

My friend suggested that I go through the kids clutter when they are at school. They want to keep every single toy they ever got. I have been trying to be an example by selling/donating some of my things, but they don't care. It's a good idea to have a friend help you and it would be more fun too. Thanks for taking time to respond!

I agree - it's not fun. That is true, someone else could use it and here I am hording it for when I will need it or for when it will come in handy. Of course that day might never come.

Ha, ha, ha! I've done that too - bought things I thought I needed, but I don't even use or like any more. Nice to know I'm not the only one.