Enough is enough - the great declutter

ceridwen

missyg wrote: »

Be careful with scanning treasured items like family photos. A scan is just a copy and there is no substitute for having the originals. What's considered a top quality scan now may be a poor one to future generations with the way technology is evolving. I'd highly recommend keeping at least two backups on different media (say one hard drive backup and one set on CDs) in case you have a drive failure or corrupt CD. I also keep a full set of my digital photo library at another family's member's house because if I am unlucky enough to be burgled, computer equipment is going to be one of the first things that goes... (I know this will seem overkill to some people).

Very good point ...and (for the most precious stuff of all) please keep paper records....what if something happened to the Internet/etc/etc? and then you wont have lost it.

missyg_3

I've been to the post office three times with a bag of parcels today (luckily it's within walking distance!) I was dreading it, holding up a queue of people etc but it wasn't that busy, and they couldn't have been more helpful

Everyone who's paid already has had their parcel sent today. Organising the packaging as the bids came in last week did speed things up and it didn't take long to do the packing slips and labels. I am still waiting for 9 payments out of 44 sales so that's not too bad!

All the unsold stuff has been shut away into the 'selling' shelf of my cupboard until next time so my office is looking pretty normal again thank goodness!

I am so pleased with how it went and I can't thank you enough for the Turbolister tip Tattycath, it has been so helpful. Well done on your sales too! Aren't we doing well

Mary43, have you found out anything exciting from doing the family tree? That must be a great project, my Mum wants to do ours

Happy sortings this week peeps!

pigpen

Well done on your sales too.. missyg and tattycath I packaged up all the sold things today and have got the first batch posted. I have one to be collected and another to arrange collection for.

I have a binbag for charity from the remaining stuff which hasn't sold on ebay.. but I also have 2 boxes to list that haven't been listed before.

Anyone know when the next cheaper listing day is?

I may sort through the shoes and fling the outgrown ones on ebay too.. plus they have a recycling thing for shoes here too.. I'll have a few pair to go in that I am certain!

Charis

Thank you jw1096! I will have a look for the software that helps with storing scans. I have an external hard drive and was going to put everything on there but it has been playing up recently and I don't want to go there one day and find everything has gone for ever. That's why I wanted to put some things on CD's.

jw1096 wrote: »

I suppose it is easier for me though as I dont have a great deal of things im emotionally attached to though - I can imagine keeping things like paintings are much harder to part with!

Your comment about storing paintings gave me an idea for the awkward shaped and over large things, I will take a photo of them and save that.

Once you get into this frugal, simple outlook you seem to be able to think more laterally, find more than one use for things. I have had a few pleasant surprises lately when I have seen a use for something that previously would have ended up in the bin or the charity shop (charity shop is still getting plenty!). I feel like I am getting control of my life back, not paying some shop or other to supply something flimsy from the far east to meet my every need. The money I have so far saved by being frugal is paying for someone to help clear my jungle of a garden. The strangest coincidence is that he, in turn went out to celebrate a family get together at a restaurant where, unknown to me, my daughter's partner is doing some agency work as a chef. 'There's an old saying about what goes around comes around' isn't there? We are all helping each other. :beer: The nicest thing is coming to this and the Simplifying Life thread each day, knowing that others are also decluttering/simplifying and that the posters are kind and supportive.

Chris

BWZN93

I definatley must stress that the only reason im not backing up the backup is that if I lost everything, it simply wouldnt matter - most of my photos have been copied loads of times on various websites and they are mostly from random parties etc - nothing emotional at all! Most photo's from my childhood are at my parents homes anyway

Most of the documents are the usual run of the mill rubbish - random bits of paper that I still think may come in useful but never actually will! My copying is more to make me feel better about getting rid of the paper, I could still see it if I needed to and have never yet had to go back to anything!

Jo x

kscour

Charis wrote: »

I planned to do this also. The first thing I scanned yesterday was a newspaper cutting. It did not reproduce well quote]

I've had this problem in the past (ended up with a dot effect) turned out that I was scanning at too high a resolution.

Back to my over crowded, clutter infested house:o
Both DD's were sent home with a virus from school today (not together of course that would be too easy!) so we had a bit of a chat about the ongoing clear out. i think perhaps the calpol was affecting them because we have decided to clear the whole house & garage, shed etc and aim to clear a ton out. This wasn't sounding too bad until i realised it was 160 stone:rolleyes:

Still they're keen and as an incentive I've offered a nintendo Wii as the ultimate bribe (although OH and I have agreed without them knowing that if we top the 1/2 ton it's theirs!)
As we are still bogged down with stuff I've decided can go before but i haven't got rid of I'm not going to ebay (pain to get to post office and I'm short enough on time due to work without the hassle) or car boot - same time issue. But because I hate waste and it really puts me off parting with things I've managed to arrange for toys etc to go to a local man who passes them onto the hospital, families in need, foster homes etc and will sort them for me, anything else to a local charity shop. Anything that can be used by the local school will be going to them.
And just to add to the pressure DD's would like to be finished by the end of March:eek:

So total to date
14 stone 6 lb

My biggest fear is my wardrobe - I just know they are going to make me part with the "I'll get back into it one day" stuff!

djbd1973

kscour wrote: »

Charis wrote: »

I planned to do this also. The first thing I scanned yesterday was a newspaper cutting. It did not reproduce well quote]

I've had this problem in the past (ended up with a dot effect) turned out that I was scanning at too high a resolution.

Hi kscour - when you get a dot from scanning, you need to descreen the file when you scan rather than drop the resolution. You may have options within your scanning software to do this.

I also wanted to add something about your signature about going back to the high street. On Saturday I went to a town just outside where I live, and came back with a pint of cockles (I love them) from a fish stall, and two sausage rolls that were far superior to anything I would have got in Tesco's.

Sorry - neither of these points were to do with decluttering but my just wanted to get these off of, or should I say 'declutter' my chest.

Charis

kscour wrote: »

I planned to do this also. The first thing I scanned yesterday was a newspaper cutting. It did not reproduce well

I've had this problem in the past (ended up with a dot effect) turned out that I was scanning at too high a resolution.

That might be the problem. It looked awful. I think it turned a little clipping to an A4 sheet

My biggest fear is my wardrobe - I just know they are going to make me part with the "I'll get back into it one day" stuff!

It will only make you feel guilty while it is still in your wardrobe. According to the New Age disciples, we are supposed to learn to love the body we are in. If you do lose weight then you can reward yourself for all your hard work with a couple of nice new outfits. If not, you can bin the guilt trip and go with nature's design. It will get easier once you get to middle age. My friends agree that most women suddenly become invisible at a certain age. It has its advantages. :rotfl:

moanymoany

I had 2 pairs of shoes and a skirt - all three cost a fortune. They were in my wardrobe for about three years, the skirt was too short and both pairs of shoes too big. Dh suggested by biting the bullet and getting rid of them would ease the guilt - it did.

missyg_3

Pigpen, I don't know when the next cheap listing day is but on 20 Feb the new fees come into effect which mean cheaper listings overall but higher final value fees on items that sell.

I am considering doing another set of listings this Thursday with only items I think have a good chance of selling - it's my understanding that I'll pay less in fees this way (assuming they sell) than if I wait until after 20 Feb?

Jw1096, I hope you didn't think I was implying you were wrong not to back up your stuff more than once. If it isn't treasured stuff, you're quite right not to put in the effort/expense - I know I wouldn't!

Kscour, best of luck with your clearouts, giving kids an incentive is always a good thing! My son's stuff fetched £68 (before fees) on ebay, I rounded it up to £80 for him, gave him cash, and he immediately went back into his room to look for more things to sell :rotfl:

I agree with Charis about the wardrobe, don't be afraid to be ruthless! I'm down to a wardrobe of about 30 garments total (plus an undies drawer). Even this feels a bit too much and I'll have another sort out when the season starts changing.

My footwear collection could do with a rethink, I have 14 pairs and see no reason why anyone would need more than 10 pairs. I have trainers, wellies, plastic flip flops, ankle boots, knee boots, walking boots (x2 winter and summer), walking sandals, smart sandals, smart shoes (x2 one flat one heeled), casual shoes (x2) and a pair of slippers. How does that compare to anyone here who's already sorted their footwear?