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Running Out of Closet Space

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

So after the very thought provoking conversations yesterday on Una's thread at http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....opping-ban, I decided that maybe I should try to go through EVERYTHING in my house and throw away/donate unwanted stuff. The idea was to make more storage space....so I could SEE everything I own.

It's only after I joined YLF that I realised the importance of being able to SEE everything. But since my closets are not big, I have real trouble with this. What's worse - I have very deep shelves so things that get stuck at the back become forgotten treasures. This was more common with my bags.

In any case, I decided to rearrange things in the hope that my bags would be more visible. For now, most clothes I want to wear are pretty visible.

What I found out is that I have over abundance of bed linen. How did that even happen?! I had a separate closet where I stored bedsheets, bedcovers, pillow cases and cushion covers but I decided to empty it out and put my bags in that so they were neatly on display (and more accessible). My bags are still stuffed in that closet, because I have 55! And that's just handbags! I still have more sling bags and clutches I don't have the energy to go through today. It's insane!

Also, the bed linen had to be divided up into categories to store coz I couldn't find sufficient space to keep it altogether (which I would have preferred. I spend my Saturday morning matching EVERYTHING as I change the sheets for both bedrooms. I chose a colour theme every week. Now it might be more cumbersome).

Honestly, I'm feeling very bummed and overwhelmed with how much stuff I have. It's piled on over the years but I really feel clueless as to HOW to organize better.

I think I'll have to just give away the stuff....no matter how much I may have loved it. Right now, the 'Simplify your Life' book Una mentioned sounds like what I need. What can I do? I've exhausted almost all storage options....I don't have more floor space to add anything new.

24 replies

Latest reply was from abc

Astrid

Veteran

I think after a certain point organisation doesn't help anymore and you simply have to pare down. All those blogs about uncluttering are mostly about organizing all your stuff, not about getting rid of things you don't need. There's a ton of money you can spend on storage "solutions". I would honestly say, get rid of some things you rarely use to make room. It's all going to be easier afterwards. You can try to bring some money back in with reselling, but in general I think you need to write it up as sunk costs.

As for bed linen, I'm now down to three sets for one bed. It's plenty enough to avoid laundry problems and to have something I can use on my other bedding when I have guests (quality is not all that great, but that's going to be addressed when I have more money to spend).

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

That's so true, Astrid. I've spend a lot of money on storage 'solutions'....since I design them! But even I'm stumped with the current situation of my things. Paring down is the only way forward now. We will be repainting the house this year and I'm going to use all these sheets to cover the floors and furniture to avoid paint splatters. And then throw out. It's the only logical way to get rid of it all after one last use.

As for the bags, I'm probably going to choose 5-6 less loved ones and give them away to anyone who will have them!

Astrid

Veteran

I think that's a good last hurrah for all those sheets...

Anonymous

I hesitate to recommend Marie Kondo book (Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever) because her method is pretty brutal and that doesn't sound like what you want at this stage. Just be aware that Kondo's book exists and that someday you might want to read it.

You design closet storage systems? I'm the one that buys them!!

unfrumped

Veteran

I've always loved organizing tips and containers. Even de cluttering " toss out tips". Don Aslett Clutter's Last Stand.
But the Marie Kobdo book spoke somehow. Not the " thanking" part per se.

I think a lot of people end up goig through life and income phases and may have to cycle through the acquisition phase before the why- do- I -need this phase- some of us take longer than others!

Anonymous

Yes, I agree with Astrid...now is probably the time to start pairing down. Re-bedding...pretty much all of mine is cream coloured, so no worries with changing beds and colours. Also like Astrid, I'm down to 3 sets per bed and it fits mostly in my airing cupboard and a couple of under-bed drawers. WRT handbags, if you're pairing down those, see if you have some that seem very similar in colour, size and purpose, and assess if you can cut down numbers of those if you seem to have duplicates.

I have to say that I'm pretty good at keeping paired down and de-cluttering. I've always done it, throughout my life. My wardrobe is pretty small to average sized and I don't amass much other things either (well apart from my son's Lego :P). But I'm fully aware that it's a hard habit to acquire.

Don't get to bogged down thinking it's got to all be de-cluttered at once...Rome wasn't built in a day One room at a time may be the way to go. Good luck!

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I think it would be worth reading Marie Kondo's book. I started it, figured I'd deal with clothes before moving on, and just that part will take me some time. But even if you don't follow her "brutal" (which it is!) method, I think she puts a different perspective into how you look at your things, which is useful if you are going to do a big purge. She even talks about how storage solutions are NOT the answer, so I think you are in the right place for a mindset change.

Best of luck... !!

I must say, it's cool watching your progression as you evaluate your old habits, over the last few months, since you joined YLF. Thanks for being so honest with us, I think it really helps a lot of people think a bit more, and in different ways.

Laurinda

Veteran

Marie Kondo's book is worth reading for her perspective, not to follow everything she says 100%. Some of her points really made sense to me (about some things 'sparking joy', and gathering everything from a single category at once to assess it in one go) but I won't be thanking my socks each night, nor will I be unpacking and repacking my bag every day.

Extra sheets or towels -- even if stained, but maybe not with paint drips -- would probably be more than welcome at your local pet shelter or vet.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Laurinda, I think you just solved my sheets problem. I'm definitely giving away a dozen to my local pet shelter...that's the best thing I've heard all DAY LONG! Phew! Thank you!

Elizabeth, thank you for encouraging me to share. My life before YLF had no discipline in terms of buying things. I didn't know how other people shop or evaluate their decisions when adding things to their wardrobe...I've never had these conversations with friends. But now I know that even those who love love love fashion are conscious buyers. And I've had so much to learn in this time.

Even if you love fashion, you CANNOT buy mindlessly. Because you cannot wear so much stuff. Somehow that didn't bother me earlier...but it bothers me very much now. I'm feeling very overwhelmed and disappointed in myself today. The amount I have spent on clothes and accessories in just this year could've taken me on a trip to Paris. So in all earnestness, I AM missing out on a lot here if I don't make these changes. Thanks for making me not feel stupid about sharing this....

Marlene

Veteran

I came to this conclusion about how much stuff I had about 3 years ago and have been on a decluttering and organizing journey every since. I even started my own Decluttering group on Facebook where we can do weekly decluttering challenges and discuss issues. Feel free to join if you are looking for support on this topic!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/419357378221163/

Basically, since I started releasing all the stuff, I feel free. I own what I have...it doesn't own me. My life is not better because I have more stuff. I still have a long way to go, despite decluttering for 3 years and I constantly battle stuff coming in. I LOVE fashion and clothes and buying new stuff. I really do. But I have also come to the conclusion that it cannot happen mindlessly. I have a strict one in one out policy and ALL my clothes are in my one closet (no off-season holding zone). And now I like my clothes even MORE! It's weird but true.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I LOVE a good edit. I'm constantly editing our lives. It's empowering, organized, cost-effective, and keeps things neat and tidy. I know exactly what we have - down to what is in the fridge and freezer. A little obsessive compulsive probably.

(One of the joys of living in a small home is that you can only accumulate so much).

Maneera, time for an edit. We are here to help you every step of the way.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Marlene. It's good to know this happens to other people too. And that it takes time to declutter when you've amassed so much. But patience isn't one of my strong virtues..I wanna get rid of it NOW!

Angie, you're right. Time for a hard edit. And for some serious restraint.

Anonymous

I, too, was inspired by Una's post that you referenced, as well as this one by viva. http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....pty-nester. And now, more interesting thoughts and perspectives along the same lines are being shared in this thread.
Seems there are a number of us here in need of a good purging, along with many who have been successful and offer much encouragement and wisdom.
I'm motivated to go spend an hour or two in my own closet to see what I can accomplish!

SandyG

Veteran

Thrilled by this thread and thank you, Manerra, for initiating it! I'm borrowing energy from all, and the honest comments boost my resolve to not to wilt at the thought of tackling my house/wardrobe/mind set. It's very hard work and I've avoided it for ages. Manerra, I'll be hanging on your edit project -- please keep us in the loop as you work.

anne

Veteran

Looks like you're on the right track Maneera. Keep it up!

I think if one moves into a place with adequate storage, and nothing changes what would necessitate new storage (like a new child) and then that storage gets too full up, then that is an excellent reason to do some culling.
I am not a huge purger, mainly because as you know I don't buy that much to start off with, but I do get anstsy if my wardrobe starts feeling too stuffed.

Sometimes I wish I could cull linen - we have so many blankets and doonas that in summer I have to resort to storing them in the lounge room, and heaps of sheets (mostly gifts and handed down) BUT, in the middle of winter they all get used and occasionally we have a sheet shortage even still!

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Im so glad several of you seemed to think this thread helped you decide to look into your own wardrobes. I honestly didn't think anyone would post anything on this thread....but I'm very thankful for all the support and encouragement I have gotten.

I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I have an obsessive compulsive personality, and once an idea takes root in my mind, I find it hard to think about anything else. While Diane rightly said 'Rome wasn't built in a day', I can't be SLOW about this process because it's eating away at me from within.

So I woke up at 2am and resumed organizing. Like Angie, we have a tiny home so we are quite brutal about purging anything that doesn't get use. However, we have these two huge trunk boxes that work like a seating in my study, and are full of crap. And it's such good storage space.

My husband used to be in the army till about 7 years back. He was a short service officer and we chose a civilian life after his 6 years were up. He's extremely attached to memories of the time he served, but two huge trunks of memorabilia in a small house? Something had to give....and after he told me we will discard most stuff and just keep few key things ( I threatened to buy new furniture otherwise) I decided to tackle that last night. I could only go through one. Can't tell you how much crap was in it! Old CDs and old books and old stationary included. Old sports gear and stuff too....waste of good space!

The work continues today....

abc

Veteran

Enjoy your day! Hope it leads to you feeling at peace and freer in some sense. Xoxo

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Peter walsh's book It's All Too Much is also really good, and I found it more practical than the Marie Kondo - she has a very different approach to life than I do. I also liked Julie Morgenstern's book from a few years ago, which is more generally about life organization and not just about clothes and stuff, but she has what she calls the kindergarten model of organizing which has always stuck with me. In a kindergarten class, there are cubbies for each individual thing, so the kids can put things away easily. You don't have to have a separate spot for each item or even category, but everything does have to have a place where it goes, and there has to be enough room for everything that needs to go there. A lot of the time things stay out and get moved from pile to pile not because they aren't needed and used, but because nowhere specific has been designated for them to live, or where they have been designated to live is impractical to use, or doesn't have enough space for everything to fit.

Using your bed linens example, you need a closet / storage area where you want your sheets to be. You need to figure out how many sets of sheets will fit there. If that number is ok with you logistically (laundry cycles, guests etc) then that's your number, and you can keep whatever number of sheets that is and need to get rid of the rest. If you buy new sheets then you need to get rid of an old set.

I like this approach for a lot of things because it's a kind of set it and forget it situation. Once you decide on where stuff goes and how much of it fits there, it's easy to make decisions. You don't have to argue with yourself over and over about whether you should get more of x or get rid of y. Obviously when your lifestyle changes significantly, or you move, you have to revisit things, but ordinarily, you don't have to think about it.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Laura, I've subconsciously followed the same approach all my life. I had a set place for everything.

But it seems a lot of things started mushrooming out. Bed linen had a closet, but then I realised my bags were getting squished in my closet. Also, the deep shelving in my cupboards doesn't help because things start to get pushed at the back, and then even if I remember it, it's too cumbersome to get it out.

What I did yesterday was to think outside of the box. Why did I choose a particular storage shelf for one item? Could another place be better? For example, I had my bags on the topmost shelves in both my closets. The ones that got pushed back weren't as easily accessible as others. So why not store bedsheets and pillow cases on top and bring down the bags. I usually pull out a bag last minute after I'm dressed so need this to be a faster process. On the other hand, I have more time to pick out bedsheets, bedcovers, pillow cases and duvets for weekly change and don't mind looking in the top shelf. While it may take 10 mins longer ( the shelf is above eye level), those are 10 minutes I can spare.

And that got me started on what else could I move around. Also, this new space or shelving might be a good option for that category but might be smaller in size than the older 'cubicle' so culling will become a major added task too.

I hope that once I'm done, everything will be perfectly accessible and in a more logical spot inside the cupboards. Also, both my husband and I have mild OCD so clutter is not an option - both inside and outside of cupboards. We are both neat freaks and never have to actually 'clean' the house if someone is coming over. Nothing is ever out of place, not even a single cushion. Our house always looks the same - be it 6am or 9pm. So the sooner I can find place for all thing with a new storage scheme, the freer and more relaxed I'll feel.

SandyG

Veteran

Moving things around is just energy, nothing gained or lost (thermodynamics). It feels different, therefore novel, but 'neat' doesn't equal 'organized' which doesn't equal 'serenity'. Change is on the horizon and it's a little messy IMHO. I do theatre and it's pretty chaotic until the end, where you see the path.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Good Luck with your big purge!
I will be following with interest.

Cococat

Veteran

I read this nervously yesterday and I couldn't comment because it seemed too close to home. I've always loved my overflowing wardrobe for the choices it gives me for those random occasions. It does get frustrating when I forget I have beautiful things because they get buried.

I even googled the organiser lady Marie Kondo and read some summaries of her method. It gave me shivers.....lol

Good luck Maneera. You are a braver woman than me....

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Lol Coco....you always make me laugh! I love you right now for having written this Like you, I LOVE a million different options. But my only goal is to be able to see most of it. I didn't purge anymore clothes or shoes (3 bags though) but I wanted to try rearranging everything better. In reality, I wanted to rearrange bed linen and other stuff around so I could get more storage space.

My husband took one look at my efforts and exclaimed 'Oh, so you're emptying out sections of different closets. Are you going shopping again?!'

He just assumed I wanted to make space so I could fill it up with more stuff! I was really mad in that moment, but I honestly cannot blame the guy

abc

Veteran

Inspired by you, today I moved my bags to a more visible and accessible location.