Feeling low with clutter

Brighton_belle

Whitewing - I am so chuffed:T.

mrcow wrote: »

The weird thing is, since this thread began, I've cleared so much stuff - but I don't seem to be feeling any difference/more positive about it.

I'm thinking that perhaps it's not just the "house clutter" that's getting me down - I been looking at my life over the past two weeks, and I think I also have to start saying "no" more often to people. Not in a bad way - but I do tend to take on alot - which has the same effect as cluttering up your house - it just clutters up your days!

This is an interesting bit of self awarness Mr cow. I definitely find mental clutter slows me down and overwhelms me too. So well done for pinpointing this.
Saying no is something I learnt in my 30's. I think it is about understanding and believing this doesn't make you a bad or selfish person. It is about knowing your own needs and boundaries and that is a good thing. It leaves you with the energy to actually be far more use to yourself, family and others if you are mainy doing things you choose to.
Spread yourself too thin and you are no use to 'man nor beast'.:D
My proriy coninues to be to simplify my life in every way possible.

Haven't done any decluttering this week: just been treading water to get by. But I have a visitor staying next weekend (someone I met on MSE) and tht is going to be a great spur to get more stuff put away/sorted.

crutches: my gp and hosp no longer allow magazines etc in the waiting room: trying to minimise germs I think.

jellyhead

well I have filled my new chair with stuff! I fail at decluttering!! It's stuff I intend to deal with today, like ironing, plants etc. but I've had a tummy bug and I bashed my knee so I can't kneel yet, and I just feel too tired to do anything lol!

Today I am decluttering the garden, while the rain has stopped. I've cleaned the rotary dryer and thrown away the broken and filthy pegs, and bought new pegs. I now see why sensible people fold down their dryer when not in use, and use a cover. My plan is to buy a cheap cover, and a peg bag so I will keep the pegs in the washing basket. Simple things like this don't come easy to me!

So, today I'm litter picking (broken pegs mostly!) off the garden and planting the berries in pots.

jellyhead

mrcow you always sound so organised and capable, which is probably why people ask you to do stuff.

if you can't say no without feeling guilty, feign a migraine or a bout of norovirus

mrcow

jellyhead wrote: »

So, today I'm litter picking (broken pegs mostly!) off the garden and planting the berries in pots.

I think pegs may explode in the cold weather?

Why else do you seem to find a raft of them all over the garden every spring?

I reckon the metal bit freezes and pings them apart at night.

mrcow

jellyhead wrote: »

mrcow you always sound so organised and capable,

That's an urban myth But thanks anyway

Ex-Spendaholic

Have been reading this thread for a while now but haven't posted (not sure why as I post everywhere else) :rotfl:

Mrcow's last post struck a chord with me. I'm one of those people too. I have 3 kids, a job, 2 dogs and a house to look after. However I seem to get everyone else's admin to do. For example:

Brother booking a holiday suddenly I'm involved in finding the best deal

Brother looking for a birthday cake for his girlfriend - M&S is too far to travel too (1 mile away) so I end up getting that

Parents looking for new sofas - I'm out looking for them

Plus if anyone remotely connected with me ever needs a letter sending, somehow I'm typing it, printing it and sending it off.

Don't even get me started on people landing me with their ebay rubbish. :mad:

So that has all got to change. I'm a very organised person normally and manage to juggle family and work very well but its the demands of other people who drag me down and leave me with no time to myself.

I'm always decluttering:

Kids clothes go into a binbag the minute they are too small or out of season - they never fit the next year anyway. These go to charity shops or alternatively if the school are doing a collection. Anything in not great condition is kept for the kids painting in and/or making dusters.

Kids toys - these go to school and church sales

Books - these go to charity shops, church and school sales

Anything worth selling goes on ebay or gumtree. Large items I need rid of go on freecycle.

I don't keep paperwork. All my bills etc are now online and most other stuff through the door is junk so goes straight in the bin.

Will post more later.

kingfisherblue

I haven't posted in over a week, as I've had a bit of a bad spell. Today, though, I have news! I have decluttered the table and rediscovered that it is a light brown colour! (beech, I think)

I have a bag of magazines to pass on to a friend, who then passes them onto somebody else.

I have a full bag of recycling just from today's efforts.

I have filed some paperwork that I really need to keep.

I have sorted the ever increasing pile of clean washing that is wwaiting to find it's way upstairs.

I've achieved something! (Ok, it's only a clean table, but it's something)

whitewing

DH and I have been decluttering the kitchen today. We have done extremely well and freed up 3 cupboards, got rid of loads of stuff:

cooking ingredients to aunty
pile of stuff for MIL
another pile to charity shop
very select items to our present chest
most of the stuff to the recycling centre

I feel miserable though (but am hiding it from a very tired DH). In chucking out my stuff I am letting go of a lot of negativity from the past when I was bringing up DS on my own. DH hasn't realised what memories are associated with the stuff, even the things in our medicine cabinet. So he's picking up stuff and keen to chuck it. I do need to get rid but need to also lay some feelings to rest.

I'm getting there though. Will not miss any of it and will love having the space.

Brighton_belle

I understand some of the stress whitewing - building up to getting rid of my musical instrument, which had huge negative memories, left me a wreck. But I needed to get rid in my own time. It is bizarre that since the moment it has left the house I haven't felt a thing about it, other than relief that i haven't felt a thing. I couldn't tell my OH about it either - it would have made me sound bonkers LOL.

Well done to you and kingfisher for getting some decluttering done though:T
exspendaholic - sounds like a good lightbulb moment. Decluttering the mind and simplifying your life is a great step forward.

crutches

Mr Cow you are so right.Brighton belle I'm in my 40's and can't say no (hence a large family!;) ) Exspendaholic we must try harder to say no!:)
Whitewing. Have a hug for bravery and well done .Kingfisher well done too.
Having just sorted out Easter/birthday gifts for a family gathering I have a huge suitcase full of things to leave the house