Today's challenge: Get Rid of Stuff

Perhaps it's because of green guilt, or my dad's make do and mend mantra, but I really do struggle with getting rid of things, be they necklaces I haven't worn for five years or empty cereal packets (mine lie flattened out under the bread-bin, waiting  for a school project or craft afternoon).

A bonus about going on holiday recently was  the fact that we all lived out of suitcases and we really didn't need very much stuff. It was liberating to take only a few changes of clothing and a minimally stocked wash bag and it made me think how much stuff I have at home that I didn't even want, let alone need.  

Because we have been given lots of hand-me-downs or get things from freecycle or charity shops, our house is very cluttered despite us not having gone out and spend lots of money. The children have too many clothes to fit into their chests of drawers for example, so there are always two washing baskets full of ironing waiting to be re-housed.

On returning home to the stress and frustration of our cluttered house, DH and I agreed to try and cut down the amount of things we own by half. I began ebaying in earnest and have probably got enough stuff to keep me selling for the next 12 months.

Here are some tips for getting rid of stuff:

1. When you buy a new thing, get rid of the old thing it is replacing. Freecycle it or give it away to a friend; as a last resort, you will have to throw it away.
2. If charity bags come through the door, use this opportunity to find items to donate to charity - at least a bag-full a week will help.
3. Maybe you get lots of tempting mail order catalogues through the post? These not only take up space, they encourage me to buy more stuff. I have started returning them to the sender and asking if they will remove my address from their database.
4. Try not to be too sentimental about chucking stuff out. Sometimes it is good to let things go. I recently sold on Ebay a pendant that I was given by some colleagues when I left a job in a recruitment agency. I hated that job and I thought about that bad career move every time I wore the necklace. I quit that job in 1998! Time to let go, Al!
5. If you are feeling unsure about getting rid of some items, bag them up and put them in the loft. Mark on your calendar a date in six month's time. If you haven't been up to get anything out of the bags, give them all, still sealed up, to charity.
6. Getting rid of make-up, earrings, bath products, shoes etc is another way of moving on and re-emerging as a New You with an updated look.
7. Think about how many things you actually need - for example, you may well not need ten bath sheets, 22 mugs or 15 pairs of tights. Work out how many you really use and get rid of the rest.
8. Do you actually need all your CDs if you listen to your music collection on your PC? Maybe you can free up some space by carbooting your CDs.
9. Even if things were given to you as gifts, it is okay to pass them on now. I am still hanging on to some tops my husband gave me about 8 years  ago, even though they don't fit, just because they are from him. It wouldn't even hurt his feelings, I'm sure, if I gave them away -  I might check first, but I'll bet he says yes. Maybe it'll encourage him to buy me another top!
10. The less stuff you have, the less there is to clean and put away; go on, get rid of as much as you can. Nearly all of us have far more than we need.