The Great Declutter - 18 months on

melli_2

champys wrote: »

I
Note I live in France and no charity shops

!!!
Where do people take their stuff they don't want anymore? Where do thrifty people shop for their clothes?

beth.194

Out -

A pile of Old teddies.

In -

A new iron.

fabulous_girl

I joined this thread ages ago and am still yet to do anything! But I need to start as we are planning to go travelling in about 18 months and as yet we are unsure what to do with all our stuff, whether we can sublet or whether we'll sell it all, or put it in storage.

Whichever way we go, we need to get rid of all the excess gumpf. I get a daily update of the thread by email and feel guilty every time it pops up, promise to tidy more and hoard less!

champys

melli wrote: »

!!!
Where do people take their stuff they don't want anymore? Where do thrifty people shop for their clothes?

It's a mystery, melli! In the past they would donate old clothes to the nuns, but convents have become rare here, too. The Lyons club collects clothes once a year.

There is an organization called Emmaus that I have been told about, which is a spin-off from the Catholic church, and apparently they take 'stuff'. I am yet to check them out, as again the nearest one I can find on the Internet is more than 1 hour's drive away.

A lot of people dispose of the stuff they want anymore by selling it at 'brocantes' - a bit equivalent to car boot sales, but often combined with crafts and antique stalls, and/or food. Our village has one every September. But in practice you only sell a very small quantity of your stuff, so you have to keep it all again till next time - not very good.

As for thrifty shopping for clothes - you can't do that anywhere around here (maybe in the towns it is possible) but on the other hand, home sewing is still far more common here, and it is great that there are at least several fabric shops within easy reach. So I tend to make my own - DH kits himself out for his gardening and around the house at a shop selling work clothes, like the traditional 'bleu de travail'. They also have army surplus, so 7 Euros for a pair of camouflage trousers for gardening is quite OK. Sorry, i'm rambling!

champys

beth.194 wrote: »

I can completely sympathise with you there. Before we moved my living room had 8 alloy wheels, 4 spare tyres, and loads of other stuff including grilles, lights, wing mirrors you name it we had it.

Now that we have moved - It's all been relegated to the shed!

I had a touring bicycle in the dining room...... Now there are at least 6 bicycles - in the old pigsty..... :-) It's desperate: you get more space, you get more stuff!

champys

angelavdavis wrote: »

champys, sheet music sells fairly well on ebay.

I had not thought of that! Just now, fabulous_girl pointed me to an organization for music in hospitals, going to try them first. It would be nice to help a charity!

tattycath

Out:

1 large bag of bottles, tubes and jars out of bathroom cupboard-they were either nearly empty, out of date or just not used!!!
1 bag of clothes to clothing bank

In:

Nothing

earthmother

Out - :j a large box of toys to a charity stall, and three large, empty, packing boxes to playgroup (was tempted to pack the kids, but thought they may be noticed )

In - 2 rolls of black bags

Plan for tomorrow - more of the same (except the bit about the kids - hopefully) :T

angelavdavis

I have sold a few items on ebay.

Out:
Panny breadmaker via courier
Computer game
Pottery items

Have also started filling the recycling wheelie bins ready for collection on friday.

greent

Morning all!

Time is flying by at the mo!!

IN:

• New drill for hubby (he's v pleased, as he bought himself a Makita one)
• New downlights for kitchen (to be fitted at weekend)
• Towel warmer for what wil be DD's ensuite when we move into loft
• Handrails/ bannisters on stairs and new landing
• Cheque for some stuff I sold over a month ago

OUT:

• radiator from ensuite
• usual rubbish, recycling, composting (inc some paper filing I sorted out )
• builder's rubbish & 'stuff' from garage - yippee!
• builders! They've finished - all they need to do is come back for building inspection and electrics part P inspection - so no more noise/ dust/ dirt!:j :j
• old rucksack - thrown
• some weeds from garden- need to get out there again, but weather is not so good today
• some garden/ sandpit toys which didn't survive the winter weather and were cracked
• some toys culled from lounge - but put in attic for when next baby is big enough for them!!
• odd & holey socks to recycling bin

PENDING:

• Box of stuff waiting to be posted when cheque payment for them clears;)

Looks like DH will be starting a new job in a month, so we *should* be able to clear some stuff out from the home office too.

Lots of stuff will be coming in over next few weeks - paint, carpets, tiles and a couple of pieces of furniture - ooh and new bedding But that's not clutter :rotfl:

greent
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