I may have ODed (over-decluttered) in the last few weeks, and now I'm having a little breakdown and would appreciate any encouragement to help me stay on track.
Background: we're a family of four and finally bought our first home after years of renting. My husband and I started life with packrat tendencies, but after one international move and several other moves I am finally in the uncluttered mind-set.
Our last home was a 1000-sqf bungalow with a 1000-sqft finished basement, complete with usable rooms and built-in shelves and closets, plus a large detached double garage. The house did not feel cluttered at all. I thought I was doing pretty well, actually.
Two weeks ago we moved into our town house: just over 1000 sqft of living space, another 500 sqft of unfinished basement, no garage. Moving into a smaller house that was newly renovated and basically an empty shell, the one thing I wanted to avoid at all costs was a basement crammed with boxes that, realistically, will never get sorted out.
I decided to move gradually and declutter as I go, organizing each car load as I bring it into the house. The biggest challenge is trying to fit stuff that was living comfortably in a 1000 sqft finished basement and 500 sqft garage into one-third of the space with zero shelves or closets. Everything that comes into the basemet gets dumped on the floor, either because physically there is no storage space or the stuff belongs in a cabinet that didn't find its final place just yet. Most of the other rooms in the house are either smaller or configured differently. Stuff that used to fit in one spot needs to be re-considered. Some of it is waiting for bookshelves to be built or shelves to be put up.
For the last month, I have been doing nothing but handling stuff. I have donated two truckloads of furniture and housewares to a family in need. Not a day goes by without chucking, tossing, or donating something - and the house is still not the calm, clutter-free space I would like it to be. The basement organization is stuck. Every time I go to the old house there is more stuff to be hauled back, there are still quite a few pictures and shelves on the floor, and the stuff, stuff, stuff. Stuff that needs putting up, putting away, wiping, cleaning, organizing. I wish I could just chuck it all, but I can't get rid of all the towels, tupperware or toys. I end up every day an exhausted heap of fatigue, I'm tired of constantly trying to squeeze myself into a smaller space, my brain is depleted of novel organizing ideas, and guess what? the old house is still not empty, and the new house is still not nicely organized and decluttered.
End rant. Thanks for listening.
