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If you read my post about New Year, you know that I’m not making sweeping resolutions this year. But one of the things that I do intend to to do is make 2019 a year to clear!
A Year To Clear
When I was a free and single woman, and working as a dentist, I spent quite a lot of money. On clothes, handbags and shoes amongst many things. What’s more, after being all sizes from a size 12 to a size 20 over the past few years, I have cupboards bursting with clothes. I do go through them every now and again and try to be ruthless. But a lot of these clothes are classic styles that won’t date. So I am pretty loath to get rid, even if they don’t fit!
Even worse, now that I am a mother I know that I have gone overboard on buying clothes and toys for my little one. It is like I have stemmed the tide of buying for me and transferred the need for instant gratification into buying for my daughter.
Lastly, my sewing hobby has turned into a further addiction to lovely fabrics and haberdashery items. I now have a fabulous cloth stash. But I realise it is a problem.
Well, I have decided it has to stop. Last year I made a start in clearing the clutter. But I still have a long way to go.
Luckily, gone are the days when I used to venture out to the winter sales and buy lots of things for the sake of it, just to have the same clothes with tags still attached in my wardrobe 6 months later. I truly was addicted to spending.
What Could I Do?
Now, I love a really good sort out. But a lot of overwhelm comes from having too much. There is a lot to be said for just having enough, having balance. Letting go of the things that stand in the way of leading a simpler life.
A recent survey said that the average UK home has over £3500 of items that never get used that could be sold on eBay. I would love to know if I could raise that sort of cash, how about you?
I have realised that I cannot do it all in one go as that is far too overwhelming a task. So I am intending to do a little at a time. Something every day. To chip away at the mountain, until it becomes a habit to be clearing something out.
Today I have been doing a post Christmas clean. But I am also going to list two things a day on eBay. Or donate 2 things each day to charity. Taking a year to clear means that I will be getting rid of at least 700 items from my life. That may not be enough, but it will be a start.
As well as this, I am making a pledge to not buy anything unnecessary this year. Unless I can eat it or it is vital for my personal hygiene. I definitely won’t be buying any more fabric. And will only buy other sewing thread etc if I really need it for a project.
I have started to unsubscribe from all the emails trying to sell me things. I had made a start when trying to declutter my digital life last year, but hadn’t done it completely. I’d stayed on some of the fabric selling email lists. Well, I have decided that they are just too tempting.
So there we have it.
My not-a-new-year-resolution resolution. A year to clear up my cluttered life in bite size chunks.
Want to see how my year of clearing turned out? Read this post!
Do you think you could take a year to clear out your life? I would love to hear your comments. Say what you think below, or let me know over on my social media channels.
Enjoyed this? Read about how I get on later in the year in Decluttering The Zero Waste Way
And please do pin this post for later
I love your not-a-new-year resolution. Having three kids and living in a small house, we seem to collect clutter too. Its certainly one of my goals for 2019 to become clutter free. Good luck.
Thank you Ian. I used to make sure I cleared something for everything I bought. Then that went by-the-by when I had a baby. Now I seem to be over-run! Hopefully we will both feel a bit less cluttered by the end of this year.
I’m glad it’s ot just me who can get overwhelmed with ‘stuff’ . I’m starting my plan to stop with the stuff by limiting myself to buying 1 book a month and using the library the rest of the time as that is my biggest vice !! #blogcrush
Yes, I just have too much. And totally agree about the books. My shelves are full, and I still have a massive pile to read under the bed.
I like the idea of clearing out in bite-size chunks. I’m hoping to buy new wardrobes this year so that will be a perfect opportunity to get rid. I also find Ebay overwhelming it’s not so much the listing though, it’s the packaging and posting! It’s worth it if you can make some extra cash for unwanted stuff though. Good luck with your clear out.
#ThatFridayLinky
I am possibly quite lucky to live only a few minutes walk away from a post office, so that certainly helps. And yes, the cash helps too!
Yes, so true. Thank you for reading.
I don’t really enjoy shopping, so I don’t accumulate too much stuff. I think that’s what keeps my weight/size so stable–I don’t want to have to go out and shop for new clothes! 😀 The other thing that keeps my “stuff” in check is probably that my mother had too much stuff, and *I* had to clear it all out when she died. Clothes that were never worn, still had the tags on. Very sad. I wish you well you on your “A Year to Clear”–a very worthy goal and quite sensible. I think it will be more effective in the long run than an “instant” clear-out could ever be.
Thank you! my size has fluctuated so I’ve bought things to suit. But I totally understand that clearing your mother’s closets may have kept you more declutter wise.
We have twin girls and actually just yesterday we started a massive de-clutter so important the girls have way too much Thanks for linking up to #thatfridaylinky hope to see you next week
I cannot imagine how much two girls produce. Just with E’s declutter I have managed to make a massive pile in our attic. Good luck with your declutter!
Clutter seems to be a fact of life with a family. I mean, have a minimalist wardrobe when you are always having to wash and dry your clothes? Quite difficult. One thing that I found helped, was to quietly put some toys away for a few months. When they are resurrected, they are a whole new playing world. And, this is just me, but I do feel that our local op shop gives a silent resounding cheer whenever I turn up, as I have donated so much over the years.
Really good points. Love the idea with the toys! Thank you for reading.
I periodically throughout the year dispose of items by giving them to charity. I always have a bag or box to store them until it’s full. So as I go thru the closet or cabinet and make room, I put the discarded item in the bag. Works for me. Good luck with your year to clear! #MMBC
Yes, I always did too, but my methods seem to have been forgotten in having a partner move in and having a baby! Time to get back to it! Thank you for reading.
I had a big clear out last year as I just had so much stuff! There are still things we need to sort out and go through but things are definitely better than they were! Good luck with clearing your stuff this year #blogcrush
I stopped clearing out while I was pregnant. My attic started being a huge dumping ground. Now it is a bit overwhelming. But I’ll get there!
I do love spending but then, when the mood takes me, I do enjoy a good clear out too. I know that I’m a bit of a hoarder, but I do love the sense of achievement when I’ve been through and sorted out what I need and don’t need. I also take most of the excess stuff to the charity shop because a few years ago, we were struggling so much financially that we DEPENDED on charity shops – I love handing over lovely toys and clothes because I know how appreciated they will be by someone who is struggling, because I’ve been in that situation. Good luck with you clear out and I hope we get some follow up posts to show us how you’re getting on! #blogcrush
I think that I am doing a good mix of charity, giving away and selling on. At the end of the day, I don’t really want any of the clothes to go to landfill if it can be helped!
It really is nice when you see an area cleared of clutter. Cathartic is definitely the word to describe it!
I like the sound of lagom. Like you I feel I have bought a lot over time and am gradually going through rooms decluttering. Some vloggers do the one box challenge and this seems to work well for them. #MMBC
It’s a slow process. Not sure I could do the one box challenge. I do still like some of my home comforts around me. I will never be a minimalist, which is why Lagom is more for me.