As many of you know I live in a 14 by 60 mobile home. Some days I just lack the motivation to do anything because I just feel like no progress is being made. I love doing the dishes and I always do a few loads of laundry a day it just always looks cluttered. Therefore even if I clean it still looks bad because of the clutter. I know probably everyone is thinking then get rid of the clutter. I agree but I get sidetracked easily and I get stumped on what I should get rid of. I don't have a problem with junk mail and well ... ... ... trash. I do have a problem with clothes and decorative items such as nick nacks and pictures. I've seen houses alot worse than mine but this is still getting to me. I've been going thru stuff slowly and putting price tags on it for a yard sale that I'm going to have next month. We finally have a shed and it's getting stored in there. Has anyone else gave their whole house an overhaul and if you did what got you motivated? How can I make it fun for me and perhaps the kids could pitch in and is there a faster way of making decisions on whether to keep or get rid of it? Sorry I know I'm asking alot.

I kept everything for years and could not make myself declutter. This spring I decided to give it a real try. I picked one area at a time and brought a box (to donate), a laundry basket (for things that belonged in other areas) and a garbage bag (you guessed it). When I fill up my "to be donated" boxes and bags, I put them immediately in my truck. When the truck is filled I drive them to the Salvation Army and grab a tax deduction sheet for it while I'm there.

A thing that really helped me was to do like the do on the organising shows. The first thing they do is clear and area so that it is essentially empty. Then go back to your pile of stuff and organise that things you need and get a few decorative items (basically shopping in your own home). There is always a ton of stuff left in the pile, go to your donate, discard or put away system again until it is gone. Be ruthless and don't keep things that you don't love right now. That means cloths that are too small, too big, or don't make you feel great when you put them on. If you don't wear them, they are taking up your space. Things that people have given you are sometimes difficult to get rid of. But, if you don't use the item and are just storing it, pass it on and let someone else love it. People don't keep track of the gifts they have given you. They'll never know it's moved on unless you tell them. It really is a freeing feeling to walk into a pretty room that isn't packed with clutter. It's like getting a house make over and it's a bit addicting once you get started.

I just wanted to add. I don't have garage sales. It tends to make this stuff hang around longer. For me, it's better to donate it and see how wonderful all this space looks like before I lose my motivation.

My motiviation is anger. I get so angry at the clutter I just start sorting and boxing up things to give away.

Just recently we were planning on moving to a bigger house before our baby arrives. I went thru and started packing up all the nick nacks! I wanted the house to look bigger and appeal to more people. We since decided to wait another year or so, we'll squeeze in for a while but basicly live below our means (interesting concept, huh?). Of course by then we'd lived without the nick nacks for a month or so and I realized I didn't miss most of it! As I unpacked the boxes I put back the few nick nacks I decided to keep and moved the rest to my garage sale pile! THEN, to motivate myself more, I decided that whatever cash I made on the garage sale stuff would go to buying new outdoor furniture. I was on a roll after that - clearing out all the non-essentials! I was even able to talk my dh into helping a bit and he agreed to get rid of most of our DVD collection! (that was the big money maker)

Pick one room at a time - keep it managable - pull out tubs or boxes or trashbags to help with the sort - and keep reminding yourself about how much easier your house will be to clean when you're done!

Good luck!

Its sounds shallow but comparing my house to others is modivation. I see what uncluttered looks like and I want it. Having company over is another thing. Not being able to find a spot for new stuff. I think its on going trying to balence the clutter with the desire to keep all that stuff.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

Seeing pictures taken inside my house was like seeing the clutter through fresh eyes. I had no trouble doing a major purge of each room until it was down to bare minimum. Ever since then to have anything out of place or not have a place drives me nuts.

Being able to clean any room in my house thoroughly in 15 min or less is my motivation.....noone ever lays on their death bed and thinks about all the good scrubbing they did......I like my house neat and clean(dont get me wrong you can tell people live here though)but I wanna do what I HAVE to do and have plenty of time to do what I WANT to do.....I wanna make the FUN memories!!

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!