Clutter Clutter Clutter - Everywhere
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
Canada
August 10, 2010 9:27am CST
Fellow MyLotters, I need suggestions!
What do you do to control the clutter in your home?
I live with two pack rats - my husband and yougest daughter. They will keep EVERYTHING. Add the fact that my youngest's special needs causes her to hoard a variety of items including used straws, tabs from drink cans, rocks, shells, twigs.... Everything is an understatement!!
I've somehow managed to control some of her collections so I'm not too concerned over that matter. It's the other big things in our house.
Our garage and basement are soooo cluttered, there's no room to move. I HATE doing laundry because I have to maneuver, or attempt to anyway, through this mess.
I've tried following FlyLady's methods, I use Freecycle and throw away an insane amount of stuff every week but it just doesn't seem to be an end in sight. And when I do clean, I have to make sure they are not around because they will literally watch over my shoulder and take inventory of everything I throw out. Pathetic??
What can you suggest? What has worked for you?
2 people like this
11 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
10 Aug 10
I was hoping to come here to find out what others say...Though gifts idea is good, it won't work for a spouse. The only thing I can do with his things is to pack them up in a box and put the box in another room..It's his responsibility, yet I won't allow his tools and junk in my living room./.His excuse?? He doesn't have a garage and yet he had some money to build a small one but spent it..Now all he can build is a shed and he just mentioned the other day where he is putting it..It will be something to see if this "shed" is a lifesaver when it comes to his clutter..
1 person likes this
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
• Canada
10 Aug 10
My question is, will this shed be the kind of project where they dream about but never gets materialized? How long will it take to build? And will it be organized or become just a stash and dash closet?
I've been waiting a full year for that garage to get cleaned out. And the worse of it is, I'm too embarrassed to hire someone else to do it! LOL
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
10 Aug 10
Exactly...If it does get done before winter this year, I am 100% sure it will be a stash and dash shed..No organizing for him..Now myself, I have just 1/4 of a closed in porch to keep my gardening things..He has the rest which looks like a tornado moved through..Of course some of it is my fault, for taking some of his boxed items from my living room and putting it on the back porch, but it's his, not mine..My gardening things however are very organized and I can find anything I want instantly..
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
12 Aug 10
I know exactly how you feel. I am my worst enemy when it comes to saving things. I need to follow this discussion and see what other members suggest. I have clothes that are so old and just take up space. Have no clue why I save them. Many times a year I donate them to an organization that is really in need. One of our kids says she gives away clothing if she hasn't worn it for about a year. She has the right idea. In fact, none of our 3 girls picked up this nasty habit of keeping things for no reason. My father passed away 20 years ago and I still have his one tennis shoe in the garage. I made up my mind that once winter is here to stay in the midwest, I am going to clean out one of the bedrooms upstairs that stores my yarn and patterns. I have picture frames all over the room just waiting for me to frame pictures and get back on the walls. I do have a habit of moving things from room to room so I won't see them.....lol Good discussion. I could also use some suggestions.
1 person likes this
@lulu1220 (1006)
• United States
11 Aug 10
From what I know about people that hoard, it is not good enough to just try to get rid of stuff because they will just bring more into the house. Hoarding is considered a psychological problem and needs to be treated by a professional. Have you ever seen the show called "Hoarders". If not you should watch it.
@aurorastorm (1131)
• United States
10 Aug 10
The first thing I would suggest is do not let your husband or your daughter buy or bring anything in the house without getting rid of two items. This will help right away with the clutter, plus they might decide not to bring something else in the house if they have to get rid of something. The other thing to do is have one day a week, where they go through one room and clean for a few hours, you should not have go through an obstacle course to just walk around your house. My husband is a neat freak, so we have very little clutter. I think having too much clutter makes you stressed out in your own home.
@peedielyn (1207)
• United States
11 Aug 10
I so agree with this! I have that problem with my beau. He wants to spend his whole paycheck on stupid little items (that usually get lost beforehand) for Christmas. It's rediculous! I am fortunate that my kids are the only ones here on most days. When he and his kids are gone, I declutter. i even started shifting it all to the garage, which makes him mad, but it's "his" garage so "his" stuff can go in there. There is no reason why I need 5 end tables when only one fits in the living room, or why there is 7 sets of speakers for 1 laptop when those costed more that the laptop and to get the "built in" speakers repaired. My kids already know how I am, he doesn't seem to get it!
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
10 Aug 10
Yes, I have some clutter in my home, and I am finding that it is becoming a nationwide problem. I am going to try to have yard sales to get rid of a lot of the things that I have because I cannot take care of it all anymore.
@aditya540 (328)
• India
11 Aug 10
firstly,let me say that there is no discipline in your family..!! try to inculcate that first...!! then you can keep it clean, otherwise your house will be like a dustbin
1 person likes this
@laura27 (74)
• United States
10 Aug 10
When you set rules that people will have to follow in your home. It shouldn't be a problem, but it does. If you want a nice clean uncluttered house, then they should respect that. What you should try is a family talk about this serious matter and if this doesn't work to the point where things get out of hand, you outta seek into a family counselor to come over either a week or every 2 weeks to see would this help improve the behavior pattern from your husband and daughter. I have family members myself that are pack rats and they just hold on to a bunch of junk that needs to be tossed. I know that it can be ways to stop these kind bad habits. I totally agree myself of hating a cluttered house.
@bookjhayar (63)
• Philippines
10 Aug 10
I've been to that same case. And I'd say that throwing away unnecessary things is indeed effective. However, it wouldn't take effect unless you stop buying unnecessary things. Ditch those stuff and ditch the irrelevant buying habit.
Also, put all your things back to their proper places after using them.
People at home should also do their part. Things wouldn't go any better if it's only you who's working with the problem.
1 person likes this
