Hoarding...not just on TV

Byatt

I'm leisurely sorting out my large free standing 50's style kitchen cupboard. I've decided if something hasn't got a place/room or easy to get to, it must go. Except for the glasses.

I'm really tired, first day of only one paid job this morning, but still have to taxi DD back home later, round trip of 50 miles or so. I'm getting palpitations again and feel yuk, so guess it's just tiredness.

short_bird

Gingernutty wrote: »

I have a sewing machine, loads of my Dad's old shirts, loads of cut up scraps from my old jeans and they've been sitting there in bags and boxes in my bedroom for over a year.

I really, really want to learn how to use the sewing machine to make quilts. I'll book some lessons after pay day.....

How to get the maximum amount of fabric from a shirt: Frugal Queen reblogged this a few days ago. Might be worth having a look at her blog.
http://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/seven-shirts-seven-steps-one-thrifty.html

babyshoes

Had an interesting thought yesterday regarding clothing - part of our hoard is clothes which no longer fit (and are unlikely to fit in the near future, even if we lose a bit of weight), but are really rather nice and cost a lot to buy in the first place, so we (and in particular my OH) would ideally like to get something back for them if we could. Very little has sold on ebay, unfortunately.
I wondered if I would be able to organise a neighbourhood clothing swap. There is a little church hall on our road which we could probably get the use of cheaply or for free on a Saturday afternoon, and perhaps if we simply invited all the women in the neighbouring roads to a swap meet we would all find something decent that actually fits, to replace the nice but too-small stuff, or the things we bought in a sale that turned out not to actually suit us, or have gotten bored with etc etc.

Any leftovers would simply be bagged up and taken to a charity shop. If there is a cost to using the hall, we would have to charge a small fee to enter. Also, if anyone wanted to take away more than they brought along, a suggested donation of £1-2 per item for the chosen charity shop would be appropriate to deter traders simply cherry picking the nicest items regardless of size etc. I don't think we would strictly enforce that though as it could get complicated, but a trust system would probably work ok, with one or two volunteers at the door to challenge anyone leaving with armloads of stuff, deal with the money box and direct people coming in.

I would be happy enough if I took in a whole bag of clothes and came out with a small handful of decent things that I will actually wear, or even one decent pair of smart trousers that actually fit!

If it did work, I might suggest to one of the mothers on the road that they do a similar one for kids clothes and toys, and even perhaps for men's clothes. Best to keep them separate though, I think...

We are off on holiday soon though, (yay!) so nothing will happen until September at the earliest.

SpikyHedgehog

Gingernutty wrote: »

Hoarding isn't that new.

There have been stories about mad collectors whose entire collections have formed the basis of museums for hundreds of years.

This story about the Collyer Brothers from America in 1947 is still notorious.

Okay.

I have a sewing machine, loads of my Dad's old shirts, loads of cut up scraps from my old jeans and they've been sitting there in bags and boxes in my bedroom for over a year.

I really, really want to learn how to use the sewing machine to make quilts.

I'm really going to have to get my fat behind into gear and take lessons....or get rid.

Realistically? Really?

I'll book some lessons after pay day.....

Or, you could book the lessons now to start after pay day ;-) ?

I've sorted all the yarn in the house (ok, all the yarn that I knew where it was & as far as I know is all the yarn in the house...) & its now in the box I had for DS2's nappies. Apart from 1 ball that I'm using right now. & the lid is on top... Ok, its not actually clipped on, but it would clip on if I left something heavy on top...

I'm banning myself from buying anymore till the lid will fit on with the new yarn in as well as any I already have. I did get 2 odd balls in the CS bag, & have 2 bags of assorted stuff ready for the CS, 2 more to take to work tomorrow & a last 1 for my sister of clothes the boys have outgrown for nephews.

Byatt

Honestly the decision making is so hard, so stressful and so exhausting. It's not that I choose to deliberate over whether I need/want/will use 5 jugs, some with the old measures on, some with the new measures, some with both and cup sizes, but that's what I've done. Thinking about the hoarders on tv who got upset when anyone suggested something, well I totally understand, it's not rational I know that, but it's still bloody hard.

How have I ever made decisions and cope in the work place is beyond me.

Now down to 2 jugs, both plastic...I decided to deRichard the Pyrex, had a long time glass jug, because realistically it could break, and also it's heavier than the plastic. And instead of keeping the Blue Botanic Portmeirion in boxes, I have opened them and will use instead, although I do have 2 cream jugs...:o...OK Byatt, put the second one in the CS box.

OK back to the cupboard...

wannabe_sybil

Sorry have been missing - I am calling it gastric flu. Definitely more than a normal cold and not just 'something I ate'. Enough of that

I have skimmed by the posts and I am so impressed. There are so many success stories on here! But I want to say even if it is only one thing that you get rid of that you were hanging onto and you don't need, it is a success!

Because that is what I am clinging to after the last couple of weeks.

Anyway, I just wanted to put in that I have got rid of a lamp I have not used for over two years, to next door, and about three boxes have been sorted through, and I have finally unpacked the last bag from my holiday at the beginning of June and I have found my address book!

hugs and kudos to all!

soolin

Thrift wizard, that sort out is great, well done.
Wannabe-Sybil, sorry to hear you are unwell , Are you going to the Discworld convention next month?

Well done everyone who has made a start as well.

I finally listed some of the many jackets I had in storage on eBay today, if they don't sell I will cs them.

thriftwizard

Well done, wannabe sybil - I go into headless chicken mode when my address book's missing, even though I do have virtually all the info on my computer as well!

Please tell me if you find a little brown "carpet" bag with two beautiful spindles and some gorgeous crochet hooks in... I've been comforting myself that it'll turn up as soon as I sorted the mess out, but it hasn't... so far!

Calluna

Gingernutty wrote: »

I have a sewing machine, loads of my Dad's old shirts, loads of cut up scraps from my old jeans and they've been sitting there in bags and boxes in my bedroom for over a year.

I really, really want to learn how to use the sewing machine to make quilts.

Can you sew a straight seam Gingernutty? If so you can make a quilt.
I'm totally sewaphobic, but love making patchwork.
Did my first by hand, then used a hand driven Singer, then collected 7 vintage Singers:eek: including a lovely Egyptian patterned treadle Then did the English piecing over papers and am now de-cluttered to a lovely 1950's Treadle.
I can give you a simple lesson if you'd like?
Calluna

GreyQueen

:T Well done, thriftwizard, that's an awesome turnaround in short space of time, you should be glowing with pride.

wannabe-sybil sorry to hear that you're feeling poorly and most impressed that the de-richarding is still carrying on. The deep joy to be had on rediscovering a long-lost Important Thing like the address book has to be experienced to be appreciated.

I have been on my allotment with the sun in the sky and murder in my heart. 300 snails and 18 slugs met their maker today........fellow Discworlders, do you think there is a Death of Snails? If you don't do Disc, don't worry about that btw, it'd take too long to explain.

I have also done a pushbike run to the tip and dropped off 3 bin bags' worth and there are wide spaces opening up in the lottie shed. There will be even more in 48 hours as the Parental Units are going to come visit with me for the day and we shall harvest the potatoes. A sack for me and the rest will go home with them.

I was talking about this to my Dad on the phone a short while ago and he asked if they needed to bring any potato sacks and I was able to say no, I have 6, and that will be plenty. Before the great shed declutter, I would have ummed and ahhed as I would have known I had some but not how many, nor where they were...............it's very empowering to be organised, isn't it?:)

Some of the stuff in the shed will depart with them, inc the last roll of the wombled blisterpack which I was saving for insulating the glass greenhouse I was maybe going to get one day......and decided probably won't get, and therefore this can go to brother who will use it up in packaging his online sales.

Being a bit of a daft beggar, I have two strips of hemmed gingham on either side of the curtain wire supporting the offcut of net curtain across the lottie shed window, just for my own amusement as they look like curtains. They've been up there since I set the shed up 4 years ago and I just washed them and put them back and sat there on a deckchair admiring them whilst I drank a cuppa from my flask.

Now that my shed isn't a hellhole, I am changing my habits, such as spending a few mins at the end of each gardening shift putting stuff away tidily and giving the floor a quick sweep with the brush and pan I keep up there. It is amazing how good it feels to know that when I go back to it, everthing I need is stored in a sensible place, clean, oiled where appropriate, and ready for use. It makes me very happy................:o

OK, how many of us, when we finally have imposed order on a formerly-cluttered hellhole, keep going back and peeking to make sure that the stuff hasn't rioted behind the cupboard doors or in the drawers? Or am I alone in this weirdness?!

We're doing great. And tomorrow I shall be closing a bank account which will mean less paperwork. I intend to spend the money on booze, bad lads in leather trousers and slow horses. Or maybe that was on slow lads and bad horses.......I think I need to take a tablet NOW!

Nurrrrrrrseeeeeeeeeee! The screens!