First suggestion: the show Clean Sweep on TLC.

I have to move again sometime this summer, and we did the declutter thing last week. I used several suggestions I learned on that show.

For example:

Each item you have, ask yourself why you have it. Is it necessary to your existence? Does it have sentimental value and why? Could you live without it? Ask yourself when is the next time you're going to use it, and if the answer is longer than 6 months, it goes. If you're saving things to pass along to your kids, and they're old enough, ask them if they want you to keep it.

It's hard getting rid of stuff, and I've made some bad decisions over the years, but after all the moves I've made, it hasn't been so bad. Good luck on your move.

My plan:

I use the ONE YEAR test on clothes for me.

For the girls (DD9 & DD6) I only keep the stuff that has NO stains or wear points from DD9 to save for DD6 in rubbermaid tubs in the garage with BIG labels saying size/season) DD6 stuff, once the current season changes - all the previous season stuff goes.

Toys - go through them when the kids are gone. If they've not seen it or asked to have it out in 6 months- it goes to Goodwill or the Day care Center, or Family & Children's Services.

Books - Keepers go in a separate space they are easy, cause you always keep them. TBR pile sort my genre and scan my personal choices for reading material. Usually can cull the "maybes" and for sure NOTS to downsize the pile (making room for more TBRs of course.)

Duplicates/Triplicates etc . . . Got one of something great - two of something - a backup is a good plan . . . more than two? Choose your two best/favorites and get rid of the overrages. How many backpacks do the kids need? or how many black flip flops do I need?

That last rule, of course, excludes my collections (Bibles, 50s kitchen pyrex & Daher tins).

My biggest trick - ASK FOR HELP when I need it. (Sometimes a short-term sitter for the kids or pay the teenager up the street to keep them occupied at your home, call family, a buddy from church. Someone less attached to your stuff that can help without being sentimental. They'll probably let you pay them back by returning the favor.)

Good luck with the move.

My plan:

One year rule for clothes/shoes/purses/coats. If I've not used it - donate it.

Kids clothes - once the season is over - get rid of it cause they'll outgrow it by next year. Unless you have a younger same sex child. Keep hand-me-downs in rubbermaid buckets in the garage labeled with size/season.

If you've got more than 2 of something, pick your favorite 2 and get donate the rest (except of course "collections" such as my 50's kitchen pyrex and Daher Tin items. Too many collections pick your favorite 3 or 4 and get rid of the rest. Always keep the gifts from others they'll remind you.)

ASK FOR HELP and trade services. Babysitting time, another set of hands (friends,church buddies, neighbors) makes a huge difference. . . they help you, you help them. Even a couple of hours can mean big progress.

Toys - sort when kids are GONE. Keep the favorites, be ruthless. Don't worry, they'll get more happy meal toys.

Good luck

My plan:

One year rule for clothes/shoes/purses/coats. If I've not used it - donate it.

Kids clothes - once the season is over - get rid of it cause they'll outgrow it by next year. Unless you have a younger same sex child. Keep hand-me-downs in rubbermaid buckets in the garage labeled with size/season.

If you've got more than 2 of something, pick your favorite 2 and get donate the rest (except of course "collections" such as my 50's kitchen pyrex and Daher Tin items. Too many collections pick your favorite 3 or 4 and get rid of the rest. Always keep the gifts from others they'll remind you.)

ASK FOR HELP and trade services. Babysitting time, another set of hands (friends,church buddies, neighbors) makes a huge difference. . . they help you, you help them. Even a couple of hours can mean big progress.

Toys - sort when kids are GONE. Keep the favorites, be ruthless. Don't worry, they'll get more happy meal toys.

Good luck

Envision the homes of your parents or older relatives. It's like they stopped decluttering back once the kids were out of the house around the '70s or '80s, right? National Geographic from 1986? Check. Candy from 1992 Halloween? Check. Do you really want to end up like this?! :) I can't go to my relatives house without wanting to start piles for trash, donation, and keep! LOL So ask yourself...

Do I love this item?
Have I used it in the past year?
Is it really garbage?
Do I have another one that is better?
Should I really keep two?
Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see the item?

If that doesn't work, invivte friends over with very young kids... between 1-3. Let them free range of the house and you'll discover what is unnecessary. Plus as a bonus, they'll start the decluttering process for you! ;)

Now once you HAVE decluttered, you can't buy anything unles you actually NEED it. Not want it, have to have it, etc. If you *try* your best to keep to that rule, then you won't buy as much crap. I say "as much" because there are times you do just have to have it. ;)

~Amber

I'm decluttering today too! For a move next week that we just started packing for (you are way ahead of me!)

Mine plan is much simpler than the others (since I don't have as much time to declutter). As I'm throwing stuff in boxes if I have to ask myself: What on earth is this? or Where did this come from?

It doesn't make it in a box...

I try and apply the one year rule to many things: clothes, appliances, toys, CDs, DVDs, videotapes. Even Christmas decorations are used once a year so if something has been sitting longer than that then chances are that you don't need it. I like to donate these things to charity so I know that others will benefit from them.

I give away everything that I do not wear after a couple of years, clothing, shoes, excess books that no one wants and household items that are outdated and rarely used as well. Clearing our all this is a relief and gives you so much less to pack. When it is picked up it is wonderful. We have pick ups regularly so I try to continue with this clean up every month.

Go through all the closets, cupboards and cabinets and just clean everything out that is not ever used, worn or played with. Clothing that takes up so much space, toys that are outgrown and household items that are never used anymore. Then pack up bags for a pick up. I would eliminate all of this and do it again instead of packing items that will never be used.

I would empty every single cupboard, closet and cabinet in every room and if the clothing, toys, shoes, and any articles are never used, or worn just get rid of it all. Put it all in plastic bags which will be picked up by a charity.

I would empty every single cupboard, closet and cabinet in every room and if the clothing, toys, shoes, and any articles are never used, or worn just get rid of it all. Put it all in plastic bags which will be picked up by a charity.

It gives me great pleasure to get rid of extra clothing, books, and generally everything that is not being used and useful in the house. I try to dump these useless things in bags and then schedule a pickup. Most things that have sat in drawers or closets and haven't been touched in a year or more I know will never be used at all. This is the best way of determining what to get rid of. Only keep precious items that are meaningful and valuable. Dump as much as possible. Otherwise it will just be in your new home taking up good space and you will get rid of it there instead and transport it for nothing.

The only advice I ever followed from FlyLady was to pick a smallish area, set a timer for 15 minutes and work like a demon (do demons work?) for that long, then take a break.

My house is pretty cluttered, but when I need to, I know how to do it. ;)

I just had to do a MAJOR declutter of my closet following a 65 lb weight loss (pause for sound of own horn tooting) and kept the following in mind:

Nature abhors a vacuum. So if my favorite red angora sweater/40th pair of sandals/dust covered widget has seen better days or no longer fits y body or my life, I know that the Universe will send me another if I make room for it. The world is just chock full of stuff that's looking for a place to go.

Think of the last time you de-cluttered. Do you miss any of that stuff? I didn't think so.

You people scare me! lol
My best advice is tackle one room or small area at a time so you don't feel so stressed. Once that's done, move on to the next part/room. Plus you'll feel more accomplished and less scattered :)

get rid of as much as possible that you know you won't use ever again. Needless to say don't part with special and unique items that you collect but clothes, books, and non essentials that others may value are best to dump. I have to much clogging up my closets and cupboards and I dump every month another few bags for a large pick up. Necessary job but annoying and dirty.

When I moved I packed one room at a time. That way I could pack away things I wanted and throw away or give away what I didn't want or need. I would go and get a bunch of the $5 dollar totes and put what I wnated to take with me. Then I'd use the totes after I moved to store xmas stuff and winter clothes and etc.

I used to move a lot - 18 times in 21 years - and I've learned to hate clutter. My technique is to get a big box of heavy-duty garbage bags. Anything good enough for charity goes to charity on my next trip to town, books go to the library for them to sell in their twice-annual book sale, everything else gets thrown out. I'm ruthless, even with my own stuff.

1. Get a babysitter and then grab your favorite glass of wine or some other alcoholic beverage.

2. Settle down in your most comfortable chair with your favorite new book.

3. When your husband and the kids get home and ask how the decluttering went, tell them you couldn't decide what to get rid of because it all had special sentimental value.

4. Don't take my advice, listen to the other ladies that responded. :)

Hey, Jo, excellent idea. Why don't they make reality shows about that kind of de-cluttering?

When it comes to those on-the-fence items, bring a good friend (can be relative, depending on your relationship with said relative) in as your judge. Sometimes you need to see something through a fresh pair of eyes to decide if it's worth keeping (and moving across country--been there the hard way!)

Luck on the deadline, sympathy on the move and hugs (strictly platonic) to Navy Guy.

When it comes to those on-the-fence items, bring a good friend (can be relative, depending on your relationship with said relative) in as your judge. Sometimes you need to see something through a fresh pair of eyes to decide if it's worth keeping (and moving across country--been there the hard way!)

Luck on the deadline, sympathy on the move and hugs (strictly platonic) to Navy Guy.

When it comes to those on-the-fence items, bring a good friend (can be relative, depending on your relationship with said relative) in as your judge. Sometimes you need to see something through a fresh pair of eyes to decide if it's worth keeping (and moving across country--been there the hard way!)

Luck on the deadline, sympathy on the move and hugs (strictly platonic) to Navy Guy.

I swear I wasn't trying to be a pest and post the same thing 3 times. That being said, do I get 3 chances at a signed Atlantis Rising? (grin)

Of course, your husband would never, ever do anything of the sort, but my favorite decluttering tip: Wait till my husband is at least 1500 miles away on a business trip. Toss at will. Quickly. Before he comes back and discovers that the five-year-old phone books are gone.

In the meantime, try flylady.com. I think she should be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She has this great thing called the "27 fling boogie," which requires you to run through your home tossing 27 items in the garbage. Then it's time to put 27 items in a box for Goodwill or whomever. She says she did 27 fling boogies three times a day until her house was decluttered.

I hope the move goes well, and I also (selfishly) hope you're getting closer to the Pacific Northwest again!

I am the last person in the world to ask advise on how to de-clutter your life! My husband is ruthless, however. He has no sentimental values and doesn't understand why I still have term papers and essays I wrote in HIGH SCHOOL and college (some of that stuff was GOOD and I might need it some day! *grin*).

But I do have some ideas: I know your kids make you things and we all know how hard it is to get rid of those little treasures. I have a flat rubbermaid container in which I keep those things. It is easy to fit anywhere (under a bed or in the garage) and keep out of the way.

I am surprised nobody mentioned this, but you need to have a garage sale! How far are you moving? If you have heavy stuff (couches, frig, washer, etc) a lot of times it is just more cost-efficient to sell them and buy new once you get to where you are going. It costs a LOT to haul the heavy stuff cross-country. Go through the kids' clothes and toys, you and Nay Guy's clothes, and any household items that you can live without, and have a sale. Don't ask a lot for stuff--after all, it's junk to you--and you can make quite a bit towards something new you want for your new home. We have sales a couple of times a year and I go through all the girls' stuff and it helps cut down on the clutter.

If you have a lot of small toys and clothes, do a special: Stuff a Grocery bag for five dollars. You'd be amazed at how much you can get rid of that way!!

And make sure you advertise in the local paper (most have a garage sale section) so you can get lots of traffic through there. We usually coordinate ours with a couple of neighbors so there's more to buy and see.

Just make sure you send the kids somewhere else for the day or they will be digging toys out saying "Mom! I can't believe you are getting rid of Princess Barbie/Stretch Armstrong/MCDonald toy of choice...!!" Have fun!

If you have a local freecycle chapter in your city you can sign up at the yahoo group list and post items you'd like picked up and the time you want the items picked up.

AND THEN PEOPLE PICK UP YOUR STUFF from your porch!

Too cool, eh?

No driving anywhere and you've helped someone else.

If you have a local freecycle chapter in your city you can sign up at the yahoo group list and post items you'd like picked up and the time you want the items picked up.

AND THEN PEOPLE PICK UP YOUR STUFF from your porch!

Too cool, eh?

No driving anywhere and you've helped someone else.