Hoarding...not just on TV

thriftwizard

I attend auctions as part of my business (oh what a terrible business to have chosen with a mentality like mine that everything might be useful!)

Soolin, ditto! I am having to be really, really selective about what I keep for my stall & online shop - only the items I know will sell fast, for a decent return. It will also improve the look of the stall; towards the end of my time in the shop, it started to look more & more chaotic as people kept on bringing in their stashes of fabric, lace, ribbons, yarn & stuff, and I just didn't have the time to keep sorting it out; there were bags of it piling up at the back. I don't want my stall to look like that too! I'm going to take some of the more marginal stuff to a car boot sale - not to mention all the stuff that my mother has destashed into my house! - but have sent the vast majority of it off to people who really can use it, in the third world.

I have a few items that might be best rehomed via the auction house, too, and I'm now down to the sort of level where I can wait a while to choose the best way to dispose of individual things. And I know I WILL do it, now - it feels like an enormous dam has burst, and my heart's getting lighter with every square foot of floor space I rediscover! Last night I reached a big milestone out in the conservatory; I unearthed my treadle sewing machine. That may sound a bit of an anachronism, possibly even a hoard in its own right, but it's by far my favourite machine to work on - total control! - and also my elder daughter's. We're also working crafters, and we do have a new electric Bernina, but the old Jones wins hands down for any straight-stitch tasks.

Two small piles of stuff still to sort, then I can start planning what to take to the car boot next Tuesday... :T

alec_eiffel

whitewing wrote: »

I absolutely refuse to let us use the loft.

(However, DH is taller than me and he may possibly sneak odd bits in when I am out. He likes decluttering but is a clean freak so if people are coming over he will quickly cram stuff in cupboards and then forget about them).

I have that rule too. I put a stop to it when we were in our old house and I knew I needed to stop stashing things. (I say put a stop to it but DH wouldn't have done it anyway as he's a tidy sort). Although we got to a point where we couldn't really access the loft hatch anyway so I did myself a favour really. By the time I could see it again I'd started the declutter process. Stroke of luck really.

aeb_2

Hi, Can I join in please? I spent an hour reading this thread last night.
I hoard the normal type of stuff, but according to my late OH, the stuff I have is junk, whilst his was collectible and valuable. I still have his books, over 2500 at the last count, 600 LPs and dozens of specialist videos and DVDs. (I know the video's are worthless)

Scrapaholic - I found a large shoe box full of brass ornaments which had belonged the OH parents. I put them all on e*ay for about £3. Most sold first time, some had a few bids up to about £4 (one sold for nearly £60 as it was very collectible and I had no idea what it really was). I relisted and more sold then I dropped the price to £2.50 and they all sold. I'm not sure if I would have got more at a metal merchant but I think I feel better knowing they went to people who will enjoy them.

BTW, my mum (aged 80) and OH weren't exactly hoarders but had a lifetime of stuff, then a year ago they downsized. He had refused to be rid of anything - early dementia. The boxes were piled high in their new flat. He died three days after they moved and my mum was so traumatised she nearly became ill too. I hired a van for a day and removed everything I could (duplicates) to my house (3 1/2 hour drive) and sold it on e*ay. She was so relieved and caught the e*ay bug, got herself on line and sold everything. In fact I think she has gone too far the other way. I've had to step in quick and ask her not to sell a couple of 'family things' I would like to pass on. She just said well take them now! Honestly, her flat is empty. She says she feels so much better and has time to live.

I'll never be that clear of stuff, I like my things, but I am trying.

One thing I did do is kept all the e*bay picture of everything I sold and record of the sale price so if she asks where anything went I
can show her. The memories, good or bad will be there.

seven-day-weekend

Great news about your mum, aeb!

loobylou2

Well yesterday was not so great I only produced a couple of bin bags full of clutter because I was feeling so ill. Feel a bit better now though so hopefully today will be more productive when I get started. The hospice have been and taken the ten bags of clutter which I produced on tuesday so its a start and DD1 tells me that she has decluttered the chest of drawers in her bedroom although I haven't seen the evidence yet!!!!! On the downside though OH is not happy and Is upset with me for giving away curtains which are brand new and still in their packets. I pointed out that the curtains would not fit our windows and that we need to get rid of everything but he's not having any of it. Situation probably not helped by me telling him that I wish he would show the same willingness to help me that he shows towards helping the neighbours!!!!! Am going to hire a skip again today and try to carry on with decluttering as much as I can. If OH Doesn't like it he can flaming well lump it!!!!! I've had enough.

Last edited by loobylou2; Today at 10:15 AM

soolin

I phoned the two closest auction houses to me to see about taking stuff down- neither are accepting goods at the moment as they are closed for August- ba'h my cunning plan foiled.

Byatt

BB and Looby, hope you feel better soon, I am too tired to respond individually but I am thinking of you all, LIR, I hope you are OK too. :A

Hi Soolin, I've "met " you on the eBay forum.

I took 2 carrier bags to CS this morning, have loaded the car with the tabletop freezer, as CBA with Freeg£e (which is the same as Freecyc£e GQ but a UK group)...have a possible collector for another item, maybe 2, but they seem to have mysteriously quiet now. :mad:

GQ, well done on the shed; I actually open my understairs cupboard door and look inside with a little glow of pride, it's fab in there.

The kitchen is beginning to look good (to my eyes only of course ), and opening up instead of being packed to the gills with stuff. Going to tackle the plastic container section soon. Can I throw away those cute little Carte Dor mini ice cream pots?

Oh and does anyone, when they have a box of chocolates look at the plastic insert where the individual chocs lay and think, "this could be useful..." :o

Blossom, LA wallpaper?? :D I will ask for wool on Freeg£e, thanks for the idea.

VJsmum

Suggestions, please - what can I do with quilts? I have many single quilts, and only one single bed. I also have many duplicate double quilts. They take up lots of room, but it seems a shame to just bin them.

Decluttered a bag of Enid Blyton books at the weekend. My niece gave them to my DD who has outgrown them (I never grew into them, can't bear the woman and all her works). Niece wanted them back = result! :T

I have been thinking a lot about the "what if" scenario. I think I have a lot of stuff based on "what if" - i.e.

what if
- i find i do want to barbecue (barbecue, what a joke!!) some vegetables and i give away that big purpose built pan cluttering up a cupboard
- i need to use the electric knife that doesn't cut anything
- i need to fill all those disney / warner bros / alton towers cups we got whilst there
- i suddenly decide to use the pizza pan instead of putting pizza on the oven shelf as I always do
- i need to use every one of my dozen or so casserole dishes
- the kids (who are 16 and 13) want to use all of the 200 :eek: or so colouring pencils and felt tips that we have.

Really, these are things I do not need. They are going.

Byatt

VJ, I'm finding when the stuff has got of the house, I no longer think about it and often forget some of the things I've given/thrown away.

I have an over developed sense of recycling as so many of us seem to have, but for the time being I'm actually putting stuff in the landfill bin which I normally would go to great pains to recycle. Old mugs, bits of old, tatty fabric etc. I think it was Blossom who gave me "permission" to do so and it's been a great help.

short_bird

Byatt wrote: »

Can I throw away those cute little Carte Dor mini ice cream pots?
Yes, of course you can! And you can blame me if you find the perfect use for them.
Oh and does anyone, when they have a box of chocolates look at the plastic insert where the individual chocs lay and think, "this could be useful..." :o

Yeah, I was planning on using some to display jewellery when I did a fair. Took 2 years to get rid of them because it was such a good idea.:o

VJ's Mum: If your neighbours or family don't need your extra quilts, are there any animal rescue organisations that need them that you can get to or will collect?