Use it or lose it 2015

A question about : Use it or lose it 2015

Hi everyone,

I did this a few years ago on here, and it worked really well for a few of us. I've had my second LBM yesterday, and have only come back on here today.
In short, my house is full, as are my credit cards. It's been a hell of a year for me, involving a marriage split and real serious health issues. Putting it bluntly, I became overwhelmed by life and hid. so my house is full of things that my ex husband left, things that I don't use, clothes that are too big for me etc. As well as clutter and unopened post.
I've got to the point that I'm ready to start facing up to things now. I've recently had two extremely close friends caring for me following a major op and meningitis. Because I've had to let them in, over time they have commented about how much is in the house. They are also aware of my financial situation.
All I want is to reduce my debt, have a clean and tidy house, and simplify my life. It's been so complicated in recent years, and some of it could easily have been avoided if I had less clutter.
So what I'm thinking is use it or lose it. If it's not being used, either bin, charity shop, or where possible, sell. I went through my make up bag earlier and found 7 unopened lipsticks. they are now all on ebay.
We all have stuff in our houses to get rid of. I also need to open post and learn to file paperwork.
For me, it's time to stop letting life overwhelm me, and start taking some control back. Is anyone else with me on this?

SVB XX

Best answers:

• Good luck, I really need to de clutter but everything is stuffed in to storage until my completion date and I have nooooo idea when that'll be
  You sound like you know what you want and I'm sure if you take it step by step you'll get there and feel all the better for it
• Hi
  I'm with you on this.
  I have so much clutter to get rid of. I also have let things overwhelm me over the last few years with debt and disability.
  I Started before Xmas and managed to sell Ј184 on eBay and give 8 black bags of stuff to the charity shop - this is just a drop in the ocean of the stuff I need to get shot of.
• Thanks for joining in. I think de cluttering is similar to losing weight or stopping smoking. You can only do it when it clicks in your brain, and not when others are telling you. I'm realising i'm going to be having an intimate relationship with ebay shortly.
• Hiya
  I think that there must be something in the air.
  All day Saturday i spent sorting out clutter, old clothes, toys and basically junk! Today i have listed over 30 items on ebay and made Ј27 already (go me) i have also been to the recycle plant and dropped off 8x black bags of old clothes, soft toys and bedding.
  We are having loft insulation fitted next week so it started by clearing out the loft, then i moved on to my massive walk in wardrobe, the kids got new clothes in the boxing day sales - so next for me is sorting out all their clothes and getting them on ebay.
  Good luck everyone
• Count me in, I have clutter eveywhere aswell as debt everywhere
  I need to sell all of it, to clear my debt x
• Hi,
  Fab to see more people joining in.
  I've just sat down with a brew to make a start on Ebay. What's everyone else upto today?
  Oh, and the bar of Dairy Milk I'm eating is obviously de cluttering the kitchen cupboards. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
  svb XX
• Hahaha I like that excuse it is brilliant.
  I have the flu so I'm feeling sorry for myself, no work for me tomorrow I had to call in sick
  As soon as I'm better I will be hitting eBay hard x
• Can I join this challenge please? Have so much stuff to get rid of, it's scary lol!!!!!!
• Count me in please.
  Like you SVB53 I've let lif overwhelm me.
  Need to try & clear my debts & my house.
  100 free listings on ebay up to 6th January so I plan on using them all, hopefully get some xtra cash to pay off debts..
• Anything sold helps doesnt it, towards clearing debts. I cant wait to get some things on there to sell!!!
• Ive been on ebay pretty much most of yesterday too. 60 listings on there now and a few on facebook selling pages for local pick up. Tomorrow i will be delivering a load of stuff i am giving away to someone who puts them on a freecycle type page on facebook.
  Ive decluttered a lot of stuff- now the ebay items are cluttering up my living room ready to be posted out (if) when they sell over the next week.
  I have thinned out my wardrobe, the kids wardrobes and toys. I would like to declutter a lot of my hubby's fishing items but i have no chance of him agreeing to that. (we need a bigger shed just for his "junk")
• Hi svb53 and everyone else,
  Just to give you a bit of encouragement... earlier this year my mum decided to have a clear out of bits at home, it started as helping me fund raise for a project but just seemed to spiral. Bits from all over the house, not big bits either small odds and ends. Selling only on the local facebook selling sites, they have bidding sites so you put items on starting at 1p, 50p Ј1 etc so like ebay but no selling fees or postage as the buyer picks it up from you.
  The aim was by nov to have made enough for 3 of us to have a spa treatment for christmas.
  by the 1st nov she had made a grand total of Ј970 as well as personal bits where we got the money direct, up until christmas she had sold some other bits all in all it totaled over Ј1100 in around 6 months!!!!
  Good Luck
• I'm with you, want to tackle the top of the wardrobe on the landing, it still has new baby balloons on top of it, my DS who they were for is now 2 and a half good luck fellow clutter bugs x
• Reading all these posts about clearing out and I have to admit I'm really in the mood to get on with it, only problem is all my stuff is well and truly jammed into storage so hoping the good intentions hang around. I'm actually jealous of people doing their cleaning! Lol