I am a packrat!?

Question

how do i stop?

Answer 1

Without having a really good reason it is usually hard for a pack rat to change overnight.  Here are some tips for de-cluttering your place.  Go thru one room at a time and sort things into three boxes:  Trash, Giveaway, & Keep.  Before putting anything in the Keep box ask yourself this...Have I used it in the past year or will I use it in the near future?  After de-cluttering you need to organize things so that you can find them and prevent you from picking up things you already have but can't find.

Answer 2

donate everything you haven't used in a year, my mother-in-law is a hoarder, she has rooms filled with junk, and most of it she doesn't use, she adopted foster kids after my husband and his siblings left the house, and they are embarrassed to have their friends come over

Answer 3

Dr. Phil.

Answer 4

I too am a packrat - this year I have been going through everything - drawers, clothes, boxes I have in the barn, closets, shoes, etc.  I have decieded to hold a garage sale.  Not only will I be getting rid of things I don't need or use, but will also make money (this is my incentive).  I have a trash pile, a box for items to go into my garage sale, and anything else I keep should have a home somewhere in this house!  Once I box up items for the garage sale and label it "garage sale items"  I will TAPE the box shut -  that way I will be less tempted to go through and pull items out!  

Get a friend to hold a garage sale with - that way you'll be more inclined to stick to your plan! If you don't think you can do this, box up items you don't use and store until next year - if you haven't used in a year- then it is doubtful you will miss it when it is gone for good!

As you are going through items, make a decision right then and there to throw away or give away/sell/donate ;  don't second guess yourself (or else you'll continue to hold onto everything) !  Anything that doesn't sell see if friends or family want  or donate to a church or shelter, etc.  

There will still obviously be some items which you just cannot part with, even though it doesn't get used -- I have items like this; which are items which were my grandparents, or a few items from my children's baby/toddler years, I will not part with these, but I am not keeping EVERYTHING like I used to! lol   Either those which have sentimental value or something which I absolutely love- I keep; but set a limit on how many of these things you will keep!  

If you need to, take pictures of some of these items which you are not going to keep and start a scrapbook with journaling about the item! You'll still be able to see it, but it won't be collecting dust/ sitting in a box/ adding to your clutter.

Try to find a unique way to display the items you do keep - my mother made me a shadowbox with a picture of my son and his first pair of western chaps - love this idea!

You have to want to stop and continuously make the effort to stay organized and clutter free!   Good luck !