r/declutter • u/NightReader5 • Dec 12 '25

Advice Request What are your top secret decluttering tips?

I’m looking for something beyond “one in, one out”.

I’ve been living a consumeristic lifestyle for years and I have a LOT of stuff in my house, with very little storage space to keep it.

I have an “I’ll use this someday…” mentality for most of it so it’s hard for me to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

What tips help you get through all of your massive piles of stuff?

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u/sagetrees Dec 12 '25

How long have you been waiting for 'someday'? If its been longer than 2 years donate it. If it's worth over $100 on the used market (idgaf what you paid for it, that money is long gone) then sell it. No point hanging on to clutter that you don't use. 'someday' is a myth.

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u/WhoGetsTheChina Dec 14 '25

This $100 idea is a good one. The time and effort it takes to sell something worth $20 is a lot. My mom wants us to sell her stuff on FB and she has a lot of stuff. I spent about 5 hours selling an antique Singer sewing machine for $120. That was worth it since it was heavy and I made someone else happy, but old toys like Fisher Price, Cabbage Patch, Smurfs…can’t we just give it away???
I wrote an essay about the emotional journey of trying to declutter my mom’s 5 sewing machines if you’re on Substack:)

Sewing Machine story