The Great Declutter Part 3 - 2011

GreyQueen

Ellie83 wrote: »

How many personalities do you have? :rotfl: I joke but I always have these inner monologues too when I de-clutter

Glad I'm not the only one....I think most of us are "conflicted" in that dreadful jargonish turn of phrase because clearing out stuff stirs up powerful emotions. It's not really about the things we're contemplating most of the time, it's about the emotions.

Without wanting to go into too much detail, my mother had the first few years of her life blighted by hunger, neglect and incredible poverty. The kind of personal history which would make any social worker wince in recognition. It's left it's scars of want and need which means that she has issues about what is enough. She's a beloved wife and mother, has a modest but comfortable home and wants for nothing in terms of security but the past still casts shadows. The narrative with which I grew up in the 60s and early 70s was very different, quite poor but not insecure in any way, but what happened to Mum in the 1940s still affects her today. Mum is a loving and generous woman, will do anything for anybody, gives freely of her excess, but there's this tape in the background which says that there's not enough to go around and we'd best hang onto everything JUST IN CASE. So the past shaped her and she shaped me. I expect all of us are carrying the baggage of previous generations' hopes and fears through our own lives.

Gawd, that was almost deep....better watch out or I'll be getting philosophical. Or even Zen.

Hey, I heard a Zen proverb once; "Now that my storehouse has burned down I can see the rising moon." Deep, innit?!

Sue14

Well I managed to find my 20 items for the challenge and a few more.

I sorted through some of our summer clothes, and found 12 items to go to CS, sorted through the drawers and cupboard in the spare room, and found 5 computer discs for CS, another 33 VHS videos which DS doesn't want, so will list them on freecycle along with loads more blank videos, and 13 pc games for ebay. These are currently still in the spare room, but are neatly stacked in boxes.

I now have 4 empty drawers, that I can use for stuff I need to keep, which will clear up space elsewhere, and I've been able to fill the space where the videos were with a pile of A4 ring binders, filled with some of DS's collections, and a couple of large books which were previously stacked on the floor.

OH is now taking all the week's recycling to the recycling centre, including another bag of papers which I sorted today.

minuettoallegretto

Feeling very proud of myslef - I've had a bag of concrete in the laundry room for the past year, waiting to do the holes properly for the rotary washing lines. I've finally used it today! Just hope I've done them straight, cos I don't have a proper spirit level to check them....

short_bird

GreyQueen wrote: »

Slight misunderstanding, the stuff that went to the c.s was over and above domestic requirements and unused, the stuff that's back in the drawer is 2 Kitchen Devil knives and a veg peeler which happen to be the same favoured sizes/ types as the ones in service and as those ones are getting a bit bent and battered, I have the replacements at hand. Always room for some storage of usefuls.

I had to post in haste: I hadn't misunderstood, I think I needed to add that some minimalists wouldn't keep the spare item whereas I believe in keeping the spare to save my energy:D I've had a Kitchen Devil since 1978 and it's still going strong - longer than the 21 years I think was on the packaging. Which obviously got thrown away...

mcculloch29

Threw out a stained, elderly top today - looked at it and realised it was c. 29 years old. I'm pretty sure it was bought in C & A in Krefeld, Germany.
Clothes were horrendously expensive in Germany and C&A was virtually the only place I could afford to shop at. I still have a nightie that I know was bought there, it's in regular use too. It just hasn't worn out!

MsHalffull

20. bag - CS
21. trousers - CS
22. Suit - CS
23. DS's grown out of shorts - friend
24. jumper -back to friend
25. Chain - back to friend
26. Necklace - CS
27. Bathroom shelf (new) - CS
28. Large pine mirror - CS
29. Decorative plate - CS
30. Skirt - CS
31. leggings - back to friend
32. dress - back to friend
33. bag - to friend
33. dress - back to friend
34. Earrings - cs
35. Necklace- cs
36. Post basket thing - cs

- about 6 ebay items sold for friend

Challenge accomplished - :D:D -

- very interesting conversation about inner dialogues by the way & I love your Zen Proverb GreyQueen.

I'm feeling so much better seeing so much of my "clutter" going out of the house - mind you I had to practically bind & gag my "inner pauper" :rotfl:.

PudseyDB

mcculloch29 wrote: »

Threw out a stained, elderly top today - looked at it and realised it was c. 29 years old. I'm pretty sure it was bought in C & A in Krefeld, Germany.
Clothes were horrendously expensive in Germany and C&A was virtually the only place I could afford to shop at. I still have a nightie that I know was bought there, it's in regular use too. It just hasn't worn out!

My favourite black fleece jacket isnt quite as old as that, but I do still wear it regularly. Bought it from M&S when I was a student at uni, so I reckon its now....20 years old.

sammiell

morning i want to make a trip to the charity shop today so i will be lookig for more things to take so here goes ................

Yorkielass

Few days of catching up to do:

A few ins to report first:
Lots of birdfood, stocked up online, but all stored in garage.
Dad's birthday pressie and card - will be posted out tomorrow.
4 new pairs of pants from M&S - 2 old ones in recycling already and 2 more will follow when I find them
New handbag - been researching and umming and not suring for ages but I'm pleased with my choice.
Wine and a few other food and drink bits.
New Magazines for OH and me.
Board to block my cushion on.
And a few random little bits I can't remember now.
New Binoculars - carefully researched spend of birthday and Christmas money.

Out:
2 pairs of pants as above
A lot of recycling, finished a couple of hair products, cardboard boxes gone through and sorted for recycling that sort of thing.

Finally made my cushion up that I'd done the embroidery for earlier this year, got the sewing machine out and so the canvas, backing fabric and cushion pad is now combined and looking lovely on the settee.

Still not made a huge amount of progress, day off got taken up with a lot of sewing and gardening and weekend was gardening, volunteering and spending some time with OH doing what we wanted so that was lovely, but sometimes other things need doing more.

Now I desperately need to get my act together with house as inlaws are coming Good Friday and I need space for them all to sleep, space to eat isn't a problem but sleeping and sitting is a bit atm.... (we've got time off after Easter so I can do other stuff then but that doesn't help with immediate issues as it's all the wrong way round).

Will aim to do 5 things tonight when I get home late and post them tomorrow as a little motivator.

Yorkielass

With regards to the microwave, we use ours a lot, but then it's mainly for ready meals when we're dashing in and out again and also we batch cook things and then mircowave on other days. That's what it's mainly used for and also melting butter. There are other things too but those are my main two so I couldn't live without mine, but I guess it depends how you cook. I'd love to get mine off the worktop, my parents have theirs in their lobby on brackets on the wall which is good, but need to be careful taking hot things out!