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Getting my sh*t together in 2023: The Year of Decluttering

I am undoubtedly the queen of procrastination, and Oliva is a master hoarder. Something we are both happy to admit. However, in a small 2 bedroomed house with a beagle in tow, it makes for a very cramped living space.

Now we do live in a well-proportioned house, and as it is a housing association property, it has ample storage. However, when you don’t throw anything away, that space becomes increasingly cramped, and suddenly you are drowning in a sea of junk, muttering and cursing under your breath like Victor Meldrew on a bad day. (who is Victor Meldrew? If you need to ask, this isn’t the right blog for you! Also, Google!)

There are days when you literally cannot see the wood for the trees or, in our case, the floor for the furniture. In every single room. I told Olivia I feel like we just need to throw the whole house out and start again. You know what I mean? When the task at hand is too big to even think about, you have no idea where to start. So you just death scroll or rewatch Grey’s Anatomy for the 1246790 time. I tell ya, this house is no sparking joy anymore.

2023 – The Year Of Getting Rid Of Stuff (ie Decluttering)

Much in the same vein as Rebel Wilson declaring 2020 her “Year of Health”, I have declared 2023 the year I get rid of my sh*t, start decluttering and sort this goddamn house out.

And it seems Olivia was in the same mind frame, too, as the other day, she demanded (yes, demanded) we finally sort out our clothes, swap wardrobes and get a handle on the piles of washing accumulating all over the house. In my defence, she leaves her clean washing on the floor for Teegs to roll in, so things smell like dog and are covered in beagle glitter. Then add in her dirty washing thrown on top, some wet towels, and you know full well it’s all going back into the wash without being worn or even finding its way to the wardrobe.

But seriously, I was fed up with my hanging rail and “open closet”, and she had had enough of her wardrobe, so we swapped. It took around 5 hours from beginning to end, and we’re not even nearly finished. Sure, the wardrobes are done, but you know when you start something and that one thing means you need to sort something else, and before you know it, there’s an avalanche of junk screaming to be sorted? Yeah, we’re there. Regretting all our life choices, but we have semi-functioning clothing storage for now, at least. And we will enjoy it for the whole 5 days it is likely to last.

But back on topic. Sorting out years of accumulated junk isn’t easy. And much like anything, taking that first step, or putting down your phone and getting off dogstagram, is always the hardest.

So I am breaking it down. And writing this post to hold myself accountable. There are some overdue things that need sorting in this house, and bolstered by our 90% successful wardrobe trade; I finally sorted out the cupboard in my wall where I keep all my toiletries. The aim isn’t to make it IG perfect; it’s to make it organised, less cluttered and actually usable. Which it wasn’t before.

Warning: My house is not IG perfect, and the following pictures are taken in real time, so this may cause some distress (OK, a lot, it causes me distress every single day)

Here is my list of all the areas of my life I need to sort out this year.

Pan Cupboard

Oh, my days. The dreaded pan cupboard! I just can’t, and the more I go in there, the more I hate it. It’s an awkward shape, so things get lost in the depths of the cupboard (100% designed by someone who doesn’t navigate a kitchen)

Cups

Please tell me I am not the only person who hoards cups. Like, we have about 50 cups, and there are only 2 of us. Who needs that many cups? Why, how did things get this bad? I need to reclaim my cupboard space and get rid of all of the unused cups. This also includes my slim glassware cupboard. It’s been a few years since I’ve gone in there, and it needs some TLC.

Cutlery Draw

Because I hate twanging that damn fish slice every.single.time I open the drawer. That is all.

Ex- Front Door Baskets

What do you mean you don’t have front door baskets? Who even are you?

I received a shoe storage unit a while back to review on the blog. Still going strong, BTW. And on the top is a cushion, but I noticed, like everywhere else, it was getting full of junk. So I added baskets. 1 for car items and vacuum accessories. 1 for my things and post and 1 for Olivia. Naturally, Olivia took over all three, and they have since been removed from the unit to the shelf under my dining table slash clean clothes unit, which has, in fact, never been eaten off and is strictly for clean washing only. Oh, the things I could find in them! Wonder if my sanity is there too.

The Airing Cupboard

This could actually be already done by the time this post goes live, if I am honest. I need to get Olivia’s Christmas tree (which is down and boxed) put away. Except the cupboard under the stairs is full as our main tree wouldn’t go back in the box properly, and I lost my rag and shoved it in as was. I apologise, but who here hasn’t had post-Christmas tree reboxing rage at least once? So yeah, the airing cupboard has the space for it to go in there. And it also needs our suitcases put back in there, which are currently full of vac-packed seasonal clothes and holiday wear.

Top of Wardrobe Boxes/Random Drawers

I have 6 clear storage boxes on top of the wardrobe, mostly filled with old accessories I had for blog pics. Still not sure I want to get rid but they need sorting at least.  They desperately need decluttering and clearing out.

Then I have an ottoman at the end of my bed with games in we haven’t used, Olivia’s bed has drawers with god only knows what in them, and we have random boxes in rooms (living room cabinets, for example, with decorative bits I shoved in there to deal with at a later date. Saly, that later date is upon us, and my soul is weeping.

Anything we do not want will either be sold if it has monetary value or most likely donated to a charity shop. We take all our old clothes to donation bins in our Morrisons car park – 2 massive bags have gone this week. I think they support The Salvation Army. If we have old bedding we no longer want, I will try to get that to an animal rescue.

I’m Not Finished

As I mentioned, as we’ve already started this mammoth “year of clearing crap” decluttering spree off on a positive note, we have uncovered some things we forgot we even had. Or, in my case, was completely oblivious and had even made it into my house.

I have noticed I, too, have a tendency to hoard things to use at a later date. Things like good gift sets, or candles etc. I don’t want to use them, and in my desire to keep them, I end up with loads. So this year, I am opening all my gift sets and making sure I use them.

I will light the candles; I will change over my dinner set to one my sister bought me for my birthday finally (cute Dumbo set if you want to know), and I will stop saving it for a “special time” and just use the damn things. Unless it’s a really good gin, then it does deserve not to be dipped into on a random Tuesday night for no reason and then not even fully drunk.

And….. I am also going to stop overthinking blog posts. I am trying to force myself to come up with amazing ideas for posts when in reality, I should just post things like this because I can. It’s my blog, and maybe, just maybe, my auditions for Extreme Hoarders will make someone else feel a little bit better about their life.

Phew. I need a lie-down, even thinking of everything I need to tackle. But I will make a master list, and even if I only do 1 a week, it’s one more thing ticked off and sorted and one step towards a decluttered home. Who knows, I might even come across the lock of hair I still have from Olivia’s first-ever haircut! Wish me luck.