Decluttering 2012, this year, definitely ...

loopychriss

Lilyplonk wrote: »

Hope your Tombola goes well, loopychriss - my home was never my own back then with every inch of spare space taken up with all kinds stashed for 'when needed' .

Thank you, it did. We've been involved in fundraising for ... 30 years so have always been known as the 'takers in of unwanted stuff'.... and it's a hard cloak to shake off! I know at times our house and loft had been stuffed full of stuff for this stall and stuff for that stall.... and when the stalls have been and gone, we'd start collecting for the next one!

Lilyplonk wrote: »

Congrats on getting your bedroom floor clear of all those Tombola Prizes, loopychriss :j - hope it raised lots of money for 'whatever it was for'. :T to your OH too for clearing away all the christmas decs debris while you were out - what a great fella! Sometimes we can forget about the OH when we're 'getting involved in stuff' and they're left to 'fill in' in our absence - sounds like 'you've got a good 'un' there !

I raised about £31 all together; I left 15 prizes there at 50p a go, a prize every time, so if they all went it would have been £31. The coffee morning was in aid of McMillan Cancer, but the ladies who organised it were letting in outside stalls as well, so I split the money between McMillan and my little grandson's future care fund. He's got a chromosome deletion and will need caring for for the rest of his life as he can't do a lot of the things that other children do. So... £15.50 for each, every little helps! And yes, I've got a good 'un - he's well experienced in being dragged along to fundraising events and helping stick tickets on tombolas and folding up raffle tickets! He did actually go with me yesterday - he put the boxes upstairs when we got home. (They are still sitting in the spare bedroom at the moment, but I'll get them back in the loft tomorrow.. or Friday...)

mineallmine wrote: »

Loopy what are estate agents like??! An open house day will not only get the house tidy but also give you lots of feedback.

My fear would be that they couldn't get anyone to come along to an open house! Since putting the price down £10,000 a few weeks ago, we've had no viewers at all! Thinking of putting the price back up after Christmas!! If I had a date to work to I think I'd revert back to my normal self of "it's not happening for 3 weeks, I've got plenty of time to get it done", and then I'd leave everything until the last couple of days and then go into panic mode. I'm much better without time limits, I'm stressed enough as it is!

Anyway.... today's declutterings:

79. About 10 packets of out of date instant cup a soup. Had one at the weekend and it tasted very 'musty'... not much flavour at all. So binned them.
80. Old address book: I started transferring details into a new address book about this time last year but never got it finished. Have now put all (updated) info into the new book and shredded the pages with info on. Have also got all of them on computer and phone, but sometimes it's just easier to grab the book to look something up.

So that's my lot for today. Got to try harder tomorrow....

Lilyplonk

Good evening everybody :wave:

Looks like you've been having a 'productive day' :T.

Hope your freecycler arrived for your stuff, fitness - my first one was a 'no show' and no word of explanation/apology either. Damned annoying as I actually had plans for this afternoon, but waited in all day :mad:!

hey short_bird - I'm saving those autographed ticket stubs/photographs for in case he 'pops his clogs' before I do. Could turn out to be the only inheritance that I'll get :rotfl:!

Goldie-girl - believe me, I'm only this busy because I've GOT to get it done :eek: - no two-ways about it. If I don't get it sorted, I'll end up paying rent AND council tax on 2 properties which I can't afford to do. It's also my intention to continue with my new-found decluttering lifestyle in the New Year - this is never happening to me again !

Thanks for the insights, prodeclutterer - I'm bad enough as a 'clutterbug' but my OH makes me look minimalist :eek:!

Well done mineallmine - doing great there. Still no present wrapping done here. I've got some more large boxes, so this might be the time to start wrapping and sealing the wrapped gifts in the boxes ready. It'll also save me having to 'move' the wrapping paper stash as it'll all be on the presents :rotfl:!

Thanks for the explanation of your cleaning with conditioner/brillo pads, Becky! - got quite a bit of conditioner as I don't use it, so will give it a try out.

:j well done to you and all the other fundraisers, loopychriss - it's hard enough raising money at any time of year, but I found it even harder just before Christmas when people were often thinking more of present/food buying than charitable events. Best of Luck with your house sale and eventual move .


My freecycled books (all 40+ of them) eventually went to my 2nd claimer as the first one didn't even have the decency to turn up. This one was a lovely older gentleman who took the lot and asked if I would mind if he gave some to family members and the remainder to a charity shop. I was just anxious to prevent them from being destroyed . He was delighted with OH's climbing/walking/mountain books as he goes climbing in Skye every year. Looks like it 'was meant to be him'!

Went through the freezer this morning and dumped a 2kg bag of 'frying chips' (2007), piece of Marlin Steak (2007), 2 portions of Meat Loaf (????), uncooked prawns (????) . Will check through other freezer drawers tomorrow.

Have taken 2 chicken portions in chinese marinade out of freezer for tomorrow's evening meal.

Sorted through all kinds of toiletries/face creams/body lotions/shower gels/foot care products etc - years of clients that I worked with buying me most of them as well as some from family members :eek:.

Got some laundry done, dried, folded and put away - not much left out, so it HAS to be dealt with immediately.

Had a phone call from shoe shop in Liverpool - the boots that I wanted to exchange to have now come into the shop and I can collect asap. Might make it on Friday - will be glad to see the back of the others as I can't wear them due to being far too narrow. Oh the joys of big (9) wide feet !


I've got my shift in the cs tomorrow morning, so off to bed now before I fall asleep on the sofa yet again :rotfl:.

speak again in the morning - nighty nite all - Lilyplonk xxx

mineallmine

Loopychriss my apologies. I've been over enthusiastic in my posts about an open house. Sorry :A At the end of the day the key thing is to do what works for us :A

Lilyplonk

:hello: everybody -

Just checking in to say good luck with your decluttering today

It's darn cold here this morning - the 'sticky thermo' on the back of the front door still isn't registering anything at all so it's less than 13C at the back of the door. Doesn't feel much warmer in the rest of the house either - open plan living room - apart from the kitchen which seems to warm up beautifully. Must be all that boiling of the kettle for the many that I need in a morning - maybe the fact that there's a door I can just close to keep the heat in there also helps .

I've done some more sorting/packing up this morning - have now just left four plates/dishes/sets of cutlery out - the rest are packed with teatowels/dishcloths cushioning them.

Quite a few of my kitchen gadgets are also packed away now - I'm certain I can manage without them for a couple of weeks at least .

Keep warm everybody - maybe a 27 fling boogie would help :dance: - Lilyplonk xx

Honeythief

I had a day off work today and did lots of decluttering in the garage (i.e. taking rubbish to the recycling centre). I found a chest of drawers against the wall that I didn't even know we had! My husband must have picked it up somewhere and then it got buried under rubbish. Every drawer is empty too. I would declutter it as well but he won't let me, so I'm going to put some of his "garage stuff" in the drawers and that will help clear the space

We can see part of the wall now, for the first time in years. Baby steps but I'm happy!

short_bird

I'm still here, lurking! (Family probs and That Ruddy Cold.)Nothing so far this month but I confidently expect a few things will go before the end of the year. Apart from money, that is:rotfl:

museumworker

Hello everyone :wave:. Have had a crazy week - had a professional review on Tuesday, and DD broke her toe monday! Had some friends over from Spain yesterday and did a 'throw everything in a bag' tidying special, luckily there is enough space in my cupboards now to put such a bag :rotfl:! So today am staying at home until have to pick up hoppy, I mean DD. Nice to have some quieter time to work on the house. Have friends over at 4.30, and I know the house looks fine, which is very calming .

Have done a little bit here and there but not kept count, here's what I can remember.
44-5. Pair of birkenstocks and shoes worn completely out - recycling. Was keeping them to 'remind me' to buy new ones. Now added to very short wish list, and binned.
46-57. padded envelopes - recycling. These were all quite ropey. Kept a handful of decent ones.
58-9. empty boxes - recycling. Have kept three small other ones for any fleabay sales.
60. mini drawer set - not used properly in over 10 years. Might be useful, but not to me clearly! Charity shop
61-7. books - charity. Went through Ama$on listings and removed anything that had numerous copies for 1p
68. One book - ama$on trade in .
69. DVD boxset - ama$on sale :D
70. outdoor catalogue of OH - recycling.

OH really hacked me off this morning. He keeps leaving things everywhere and apart from tackling his wardrobe has made no effort to declutter in the last 6 months. He thinks it is all my stuff which is the problem. He couldn't find his glove - 'I left it on the stairs'. Well, I must have moved it then. I can't go up and down stairs carrying a baby with loads of stuff on. I said quite plainly - if its important put it away, don't put it down and don't blame me if it goes walkabouts. Offered to go have a quick look but he had to leave, gloveless. :mad:

lucy_lemon

museumworker wrote: »

OH really hacked me off this morning. He keeps leaving things everywhere and apart from tackling his wardrobe has made no effort to declutter in the last 6 months. He thinks it is all my stuff which is the problem. He couldn't find his glove - 'I left it on the stairs'. Well, I must have moved it then. I can't go up and down stairs carrying a baby with loads of stuff on. I said quite plainly - if its important put it away, don't put it down and don't blame me if it goes walkabouts. Offered to go have a quick look but he had to leave, gloveless. :mad:

My boyfriend isn't half as cluttersome as me (thank god!) but this made me laugh - he did exactly the same thing this morning, about a hat!

Becky_2

short_bird wrote: »

I'm still here, lurking! (Family probs and That Ruddy Cold.)Nothing so far this month but I confidently expect a few things will go before the end of the year. Apart from money, that is:rotfl:

Short_bird, I hope the family problem get better soon and that you are getting over your cold quickly. Come back when you are ready.

mineallmine

Tiny bit more decluttering:

194. Old video tape
195. Old bag of sweets
196.197. Leaflets and gumpth
198. Carrier bags of rubbish
199. Packaging
200. Reclycling hanging around the kitchen

:j