Enough is enough - the great declutter

BWZN93

Afternoon all!

My plan appears to be, well, going to plan, the loft is almost organised into two halves - stuff to car boot and stuff to save. My lounge is littered with rubbish to chuck out though! I think I might have to convince OH to let me use the car next saturday so I can go to the tip with it all. Ive decluttered one kitchen cupboard too and some of it is now in the loft ready for the car boot sale.

My next problem is what to do with a box of stuff I found in the loft - its got all the old tickets/badges/certificates etc that ive been lugging around since my school days. Its amazing that I have certificates up there that are now 15 years old and have survived probably around 10 house moved in that time. I cant see the point in scanning them as I never look at them, but it feels wierd to throw them out. Its almost like im deleting my past. In some ways though, I think its a good thing, a new start and looking to the future instead of the past. I will leave it in the loft for another couple of weeks however, just until I have a bit more time to go through it in detail to make sure there isnt anything I want to scan. I doubt it but its not going to kill me if its up there a few weeks longer.

I have however kept some of OH's stuff that was in the loft - he does suffer from sentimentality at times and its probably worth keeping a bit longer though. Fortunatley, its only a couple of boxes of stuff though and doesnt take up too much room.

I think at this rate im going to have to hire a van or something for the car boot sale though as there is just way too much stuff! So far, to sell there is:

An unused boxing bag, gloves, and sparring pads
A double loft bed
A smallish fishtank plus accessories
A photography darkroom kit
Sewing machine
One of those mini fridge things
About a hundred cd's dvd's & videos
Assorted Kitchen stuff
A small oak table
A couple of large picture frames
A small xmas tree
Various computer components
An almost brand new cycle (which is actually at work though as it wont fit in the loft!)
An unused still boxed motorcycle helmet (my spare)
An unused cycling helmet
7 balls of black wool
A weekend bag
and some assorted nik naks.

I hope I can find a vehicle big enough to borrow for a weekend...

Anyway, I definately need some lunch before I go under the bed. Happy chucking all!

Jo x

mary43

I'm starting to feel I'm fighting a losing battle with myself...................lol
Next door are having a new kitchen so I said I'd love their old units for the 'junk room' off our kitchen................neighbour pops round to tell me about a cupboard shes sticking in the yard then it'll go to the tip !!!! Dear me.........I've always been one of those 'saviours' who sort of rescues things other folk don't want. I nipped round to have a look and with a coat of paint it just could be useful. Then I looked at their kitchen.............not so many floor standing cupboards as I'd thought.........all the more reason to have the one she's getting rid of now in a way.
OH will go barmy...................lol In the 'junk room' at the minute there's an old oak wardrobe that he chucks his tools in, old oak sidebooard that really I quite like and think I might keep, other drawers are just small oddments and too small to be of much use.

Just reading what I've typed...............oak sideboard I really like..........think I'll keep that. I stripped it all down years ago when we had it in the kitchen and its a good solid piece with loads of room.............more practical than next door neighbours cupboard.
Still, its giving me a darn good reason to have a good de-clutter in that junk room, get rid of the drawers that are no real use to man nor beast, plus old wardrobe and make way for something else................yep...............thats decided me.:T

pigpen

That is one superb car boot list.

I have 1/3rd of my ebay stuff going and it is currently totalling £175.64
I have half filled a wheelie bin today and haven'y really done anything. The money is going in my christmas savings. I'm aiming for £100 a month going in there (hence I wanted £100 on this lot of stuff) I only managed £65.50 in January though..

I've got the flylady reins this week though so I'll be having to do a lot of chucking out and clearning and decluttering.

I also have another 20 things to upload to ebay on Thursday along with relisting everything that doesn't sell this time.. though I think some of it can be sent to charity shop this time.. to make room for my next cupboard sort.. why do the children grow so fast? Tiddles has barely anything in her cupboard as she has had a large growth spurt.. fab for my ebay box.. not so good for DD4 who is now having to share her clothes!

I have a pile of paper to sort and shred as well..my favourite job!

Mary.. I'm a rescuer too!!! I have a small chest of drawers the neighbour at my old house was throwing out.. and on the landing I have a lovely old wooden sideboard things with big cupboards which when it eventually gets stripped and repainted it will look beautiful.. that was thrown out of a house up the street a few months ago and DS1 and hubby dragged it in.. it needs a few small repairs as well but it will be beautiful.. eventually..

Sola

Well we've done most of the house barring the cupboard under the stairs, DH's study and stepdaughter's bedroom. The kitchen is revamped and organized, the bathroom's looking good, and the livingroom and diningroom are improving. The main bedroom is looking fab with bookshelves. Much of it's had a good springclean.

I ventured into the garden and could've wept - it's like a desolate wilderness with the odd spring bulb coming up. I fought my way down to the garden shed to have a look; we haven't touched it in 7 years and it's full of the chemicals and junk the previous people left. There are unidentified bulbs in there in a net that must've come off the Ark. Once that's cleared we should be able to use it again; it's a decent enough size. Any idea how to get rid of half a tonne of building rubble? I think I'll have to pay someone to come in and take it away.

The back fence has disintegrated under the weight of the blackberry brambles, several fenceposts are leaning, a couple of panels need replacing. Had a fight with a solanum which I put in 18 months ago - I thought it was going to be a delicate climber like jasmine. It's turned into an 8-foot brute with branches as thick as a walking stick, has tipped over a sturdy obelisk and is trying to escape into nextdoor's garden. I tried my normal pruners but they didn't work, so I took a hacksaw to it in the end. It's looking a bit better; got to tackle the old raspberry canes though. Going to have my work cut out getting the garden into shape. The patio itself isn't too bad but the rest of it is just awful, and it's only a few weeks until I want to get growing again. I feel some major weekend weeding and clearing sessions coming on.

BWZN93

Add a couple of printers to the above list, as well as one of those hippie wall coverings, a home brew beer kit, and (please dont all shoot me!) an MR bread maker.

Yes, I know its a sacrilege to get rid of it, especially how little it has been used, its just that ive come to the conclusion that I simply cannot make bread even with the help of a machine. Its comes out quite dense and hard (maybe my recipe though!) and I dont have the patience to practice with it. Besides which, the only person that eats bread is OH and he only likes really soft bread....

I actually think I could make a fair bit of money at a car boot sale with all the above!

Jo x

mary43

originally posted by Jw1096
Its amazing that I have certificates up there that are now 15 years old and have survived probably around 10 house moved in that time. I cant see the point in scanning them as I never look at them, but it feels wierd to throw them out. Its almost like im deleting my past.

Think carefully Jw before you get rid of them. I chucked all mine out many years ago and then started doing my family tree and wish I'd kept them to put in the fam. tree files that are all about my childhood. I did keep details of house moves etc. Interesting to see the prices then...........lol
For what room they take up it could be worth hanging on to them.......just in case.

And where is this boot sale you're going to............hippie wall covering sounds good..........................lol

charlies_mum

Sola wrote: »

Any idea how to get rid of half a tonne of building rubble? I think I'll have to pay someone to come in and take it away.

Try advertising it on Freecycle - if someone is doing some building work, it might be just what they need

missyg_3

jw1096 - I posted a few pages back about my 'memories' stuff, mine was mostly tickets and stuff from travelling, a few sports trophies, son's first birthday cards, press cuttings etc. I pruned the collection from two boxes to one by keeping anything that was really personal, I think it's a good idea not to act too hastily on things like that.

Congrats for all the great work!

BWZN93

mary43 wrote: »

Think carefully Jw before you get rid of them. I chucked all mine out many years ago and then started doing my family tree and wish I'd kept them to put in the fam. tree files that are all about my childhood. I did keep details of house moves etc. Interesting to see the prices then...........lol
For what room they take up it could be worth hanging on to them.......just in case.

And where is this boot sale you're going to............hippie wall covering sounds good..........................lol

There is another hippie wall covering too - I dont know how long they have been up there!

I think I will hold on to the certificates etc for a while longer, and at least scan some of the more useful stuff. Its one of the lowest priorities at the moment anyway - simply sorting and cleaning is the first task!

Jo x

vivw_2

We have solved the problem of certificates/photos/ paperwork etc that can take over ....we bought filing cabinets. They take up very little room and hold so much