If you're an organized, decluttering type by nature, is there one thing (or several things) you...

[akwifeandmomma]

I love clean, clear, clutter-free spaces, and generally find it easy and rewarding to give away, donate, or sell the things we're not using or loving. We strive for simplicity, and I'm big on a place for everything, everything in it's place...

BUT. I have a serious book hoarding problem.

Children's books in particular are my weakness. They come in. And they never, ever go out. We have full bookshelves/cases in each bedroom, the schoolroom (we homeschool - 3 FULL bookcases in there [two of them are pretty small, but still]!), and the family room. Shelf after shelf. We have baskets of books in the living room and dining room. I have a huge bookcase in my room along with books scattered on the floor near my bed, on my nightstand, and in my closet. And I just sold a huge box of my own books a couple weeks ago. I read daily before bed, and read aloud to the kids every day. My oldest son will spend hours reading every day, too.

I know I need to cull the kid's stuff (really, I do! My oldest is a 1st grader, we've got lots more book-buying years ahead, and the bookshelves are bulging!), but I am seriously a bit panicky at the thought of passing them along, donating, or selling them to the used bookstore. I go to do it, and at most pick 4 or 6 that can go, only to decide, "Nah, what's the point?" and shoving them back in.

So what's your "thing?"

[chely7425]

I too love to declutter and simplify and get rid of things but I have the HARDEST time with toys. Mostly because we have a ton of them but they do actually play with them all. The things that are too young for my older DS are played with by my younger DS and by the time my younger DS outgrows the younger baby things the new baby will be growing into them!! I know there are things I could get rid of and they wouldn't miss but I have no idea what or how...

[weliveintheforest]

I am not the most organized, but I do like to get rid of things. The hardest thing for me to part with though, is clothes. I always gain and lose weight and hate to get rid of things that will probably fit me another time, even when they should really go!

[sunnysandiegan]

Paper, fabric, and toiletries -- in that order. Pens (any writing instrument) used to be on that list, too, but not so much anymore. I actually thought I was over the toiletries finally, but I found myself still itching to buy more when we have PLENTY. I don't buy any of those three items anymore, but I have plenty to last a good long while still.

Otherwise, I am like you described... organized, clutter-free, etc. Our house is almost always company-ready and friends/neighbors/family pop in unannounced frequently. Doesn't bother me at all. I, uh, have got my paper, fabric, and toiletries all organized and neatly put away.

[boheime]

Love to declutter..but, yes, books are hard for me. I do keep them manageable and before I add to our library, I ask myself if this is a book that is really worth buying and adding to our collection...but still, we do have a library (of mainly nice books that add value to our lives and that are re-read and referenced and some kid books that don't meet my requirements that will move out and be replaced by other such books as the kids get older)

[ltlmrs]

Books.

Actually, I've gotten better about that too. My problem has always been that I really don't believe in libraries. Or rather, I don't believe that the library will have what I want. Our town is fairly large with a good library system, but I hardly find the books I want to read there. When I was little I would find a book at the library and sometimes go back a year or so later to read it again and find out the library didn't have a copy anymore (someone lost it, sold, etc). So, I don't trust them. And we read, a lot.

What has helped me has been quality over quantity. I've made the following three rules for my books (DH manages his own even larger collection):
1) I genuinely love it for whatever reason (great book, fond memory, etc)
2) It's a classic that has stood the test of time in a good edition (I try to not keep paperback fiction, for example)
3) I know for sure I will read it again or refer to it regularly and it is hard to find if I "loose" my copy.

For example, I used to collect gardening books and cookbooks. After a while I realized that's really all I was doing: collecting. Were they useful, yes. Did they have good reference material in them, yes. Did I need *all* of them? No. So, I went through them and pulled out anything that was not my style (I don't cook Asian food, except for sushi, and no matter how long I keep that Japanese cookbook, I won't cook Asian food and if I do, there's the internet or the library...). I also pulled out books with repetitive information or ones that were not considered "gold standards" (by me or others) in their fields. So, I tossed all the Italian cooking books I got for a dollar on the clearance rack and kept Marcella Hazan. That's it, if I need anything else Italian, I'll make copies from the library.

My reference books on child rearing/education same deal: Sears' Baby Book, a couple of others and that's it. If I really need it I can always buy it again.

Rule #3 has helped a lot. For example, we used to have many language learning texts. I got rid of all of the mass produced pop materials and kept only the solid reference grammars/text books. We don't need ten textbooks for introductory French. This has also helped with non classic literature like sci fi novels: if I plan to read it again and the book is fairly rare, I keep it. I tossed all of the Foundation series, for example, even though I'm sure I'll want to read them again someday, because they can be found anywhere. I kept Gene Wolfe because his novels aren't always available on the spur of the moment "Ooh, I feel like rereading..."

My criteria for Ladybug's books and homeschooling are similar:
1) It's a gold standard (Handbook of Nature Study, Wheelock's Latin, Goodnight Moon)
2) It's beautiful and in a good edition (many picture books are cute/pretty but they aren't really beautiful, same thing for much of teen literature.) Otherwise we get it from the library.
3) It's very useful and very rare. Same as my rule #3.

I have also set a limit for actual board books and early readers, they will get one shelf but after that what come in must go out. She's too young to have favorite books, but as she grows older I plan to give her a bookcase.

That said, we still have hundreds of books: five large bookcases, two dozen boxes, under the beds and sofas and in the basements of several relatives waiting until we get a house and more bookshelves.

I've actually also come to see my spur of the moment used book purchases as merely rentals. I buy it, read it and unless it fits my criteria sell it back or even donate it. I can pay $3-5 for a movie rental, why not a book? If a book costs more money I give it more thought, but try to sell it on amazon if it isn't a long term commitment.

[zoebird]

odd objects that i can't recycle and don't want to trash because i can see myself reusing them--rubber bands, twist ties, bits of string, etc.

seriously, it's weird. i have a box in my pantry of odd items like this. i do ultimately throw them away or give them to someone who would use them, etc. for example, the twist ties can be used in a garden; a friend of mine uses rubber bands to hold his papers together (just his preference); etc. so, i do have places to donate them, but honestly, why do i seem to collect them in the first place?

[hopefulfaith]

Books. I am a hardcore declutterer, but I have a really hard time getting rid of books. My brother is having a baby this fall and I've made it my goal to have the shower gift be a bookshelf full of board books....but I'm having a hard time imagining getting them out of my house (even though the kids don't read them anymore at ages 4 & 3). I figure I have a few months before I have to think about it.

[dachshundqueen]

Linens

We have nice ones, too many it seems (until someone or multiple short people develop intestinal illnesses and then it seems we don't have enough), that are just too expensive for me to part with at any time. I just cannot see myself coming up with the dough to replace them. My favorite is a Laura Ashley set, Quartet, that cost my parents well over $500 when purchased in high school. The set is in fabulous condition, and fortunately I have a little girl who also loves purple............but I digress.

Linens kill me. Or how about the myriad of towels, again, when people get sick we never have enough - so perhaps I really have the just right amount and need to better organize them.

Liz

[kittywitty]

Definitely books. And art supplies, too. I keep them fairly well organized. My books are separated and organized by adult/child, then fiction/nonfiction, then subject if nonfiction and author for all of them. I have 6 bookshelves not including the kids books in their rooms (bookshelves and raingutter shelves). And I've gotten rid of at least 100 books since we moved in here about 8 months ago.

[mmmomx2]

Oh my, books, too! One living room wall is all books, and they are also in every room of the house. My kids are actually better at culling their collections than I am. I joined Bookswim (rental), hoping it would ease the book buying habit. It has, to some extent, but I still buy them! Art supplies are my other weakness. I am an artist, but honestly I have more than I need. It's still hard to get rid of it, though!

[celestialdreamer]

Craft supplies Specifically yarn and fabric. I am currently trying to resist the urge to "stash" more away for future projects because I have plenty! I did recently go through it all and organize/declutter. I now only have things I LOVE and actually really want to use and they live in my craft armoire with limited space. I feel like as long it is organized, being used and can't spill out of where it is supposed to live that it is all okay have to stick to those limits though or I end up with WAY too much, BTDT!

[Logan]

Baby clothes and cloth diapers! The diapers I am totally addicted to! The clothes I just fall in love with specific items and they slowly pile up to more than I realized (or could ever need) in each size. I've promised myself after the next baby outgrows Im getting rid of at least half of the clothes. Im hoping some of the diapers will be worn out by then, but honestly, they all look like new still.

As for books I have 4 or 5 of mine own. I only keep things I reread. And honestly a few of those I havent even found a chance to read yet. But I only really like to read non-fiction so I only keep what is still relevant. I LOVE kids picture books, and we have what feels like a lot to me, but I guess is not so much now reading yours . We have two shelves on a big bookcase for kids books. The lower one is larger books the higher one is smaller (board books etc). If they are getting annoyingly cramped to fit in then I go through them and even taking only 5 or 6 at a time does wonders to fitting them in.

[townelin]

containers:
lotion bottles
plastic food containers that don't recycle
dishwashing liquid bottles with cool squirt tops
small containers like for eye lotion
big containers like from wipes

Someday I *might* have a use for them!

[HipGal]

Craft supplies! Totally.

We also have a lot of children's books, but I don't consider them clutter, so they don't bother me. So far we have only gotten rid of some board books and a few books that the kids didn't like. I used to be a teacher, so we have a LOT of books. (Also this means that I can always use the books after the kids grow out of them). Dh has a huge collection of books. I think I have a medium amount - I do go through my own books and get rid of them periodically.

[marimara]

1. Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, body soap, face soap, lotions, creams, sunblock, etc.
*I find them on clearance and since I have to buy certain kinds because of our skin sensitivities I stock up whenever I find stuff I like.

2. Fabric: I have a ton of vintage, fabulous fabric that I *plan* on using for a quilt after the house is sold. I was selling it online but I started hoarding the cutest stuff for myself.

3. Food: I have a pretty well stocked pantry and keep on filling it up with more stuff. I find it on sale or clearance and once again stock up.

[bluebirdiemama]

Love to declutter and organize, give things away, yet have such a collection of.... cr@p!
It has always been crafting materials for me... paint, fabric, buttons, misc stuff to glue and paint(abstrct-y type art), now yarn.
And with kids coming into the pic the past 4 years, we are adding to the list, stuff for future homeschooling, crafting, books, clothes... Are we going to have more kids? Cause then we need to keep the baby stuff.... on and on and on.

[CeciMami]

Sharpie pens! I used to use them for work but since I haven't worked outside the home for almost 5 years...you'd think I'd've passed them along by now but NO! We need them upon occasion...and I will need one in EVERY COLOR thank you very much! You NEVER KNOW! I don't buy anymore but seriously...my stash will last me the rest of our lives.

[philomom]

Books. Avid reader married to an avid reader and produced two kids who are avid readers. Even using the library quite a bit.. we have almost 6,000 books. We did splurge on bookcases, though. So it all looks nice.

Wrapping paper and like items. I love being able to create the perfect wrapped gift for any occasion. I keep in all in one long Rubbermaid container under the guest bed.

Stationary. Yep, I write real letters and real thank you notes. It is so nice to have a stash of lovely cards to send. These take up just a couple of rectangular baskets on a shelf in the craft closet.