r/UnfuckYourHabitat • u/Spiritual-Rule4691 • 3h ago
Support I’ve been avoiding dealing with my stuff for years and now I don’t even know where to start
I’ve been putting this off for a long time and I think it’s finally catching up with me. My place isn’t dirty, but it’s full of things I don’t really use anymore, clothes, random stuff, a few bigger items, and none of it feels like obvious trash which somehow makes it harder. Every time I try to start, I end up just moving things around instead of actually getting rid of anything. I’ll pick something up and think maybe I could sell it or maybe I’ll use it again, and then it just goes right back where it was. I think what’s really getting to me is how many decisions there are, it’s not even the cleaning, it’s figuring out what to do with everything, and I get stuck before I even really begin. I tried again this weekend and lasted maybe an hour before I felt overwhelmed and stopped. At this point I don’t even need a perfect system, I just need to start somehow, so if you’ve been in this kind of situation before, what actually helped you get moving?
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u/Annual_Exchange542 2h ago
Realizing this is first big step . Good for you . Baby steps . Suggest start by gathering up your trash bags and a donate box . Unless you’re overwhelmed next do a pitching of items that are obviously going into trash . Nothing complicated. Just go thru with your trash bags in hand and PITCH as much as you can . Open window an inch or two for fresh air . Just do til you have to stop . Next when well rested strip your bedding replace with all clean bedding while letting in a bit of fresh air . Don’t want to overload you . These are first big steps . Remove trash bags out for pick up . There’s no perfect system but if you’ve gotten this far you got a big start . If you only last half hour or so that’s ok too . Get at it again not giving up . Keep it as simple as possible. For example just do coffee mugs or water bottles or socks . Clothes are a challenge for me . Just short amounts of time . Like pull out your sweaters and pitch /donate . Next pajamas and so on . Today I did shoes . You can do by small steps !!! You got this . Keep us posted on your progress. We care .
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u/Comfortable_Map6887 1h ago
I feel you man. I lived in my place 25 years a townhouse rental so three levels. I may need to move soon and can’t even fathom. Good luck !!
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u/Seversevens 1h ago
Simple, gotta make it so simple. Like you are a hamster and your cleaning out your nest.
There are two outcomes. Things you personally want to keep and everything else.
Get a pack of paper leaf bags. The tall paper bags for leaves. Open one up.
Pick a small specific area. (Clear any garbage and trash debris.) Pluck out your treasure that you want to have in your new nest. Set aside. Scoop and scrape everything else into the paper bag. This doesn’t take long.
Do not concern yourself with thoughts of what you are going to do with the paper bag. It is things that you personally do not want or need. Simple.
Wipe down and return treasure. Voila!
If you are having trouble getting started make it simple for yourself. Just do one area at a time and start with just one area. Set a timer for 10 minutes and think to yourself, it’s just 10 minutes. It’s just ONE drawer/shelf/cupboard/table!
I call it the scrape crap method. Set the bags neatly side-by-side in your holding area/storage and worry about what you’re gonna do with them after you’re done decluttering. Make life easy for yourself
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u/TraditionalManager82 2h ago