Hoarding...not just on TV

valk_scot

I was getting bored with sorting out kitchen gubbins so I decided to sort out my DS's clothes instead. He's a terrible lad for just wearing whatever he finds at the top of the drawer so while the drawers are full of clothes, he probably only wears about 25% of them. To shreds, then he finds the stuff underneath doesn't fit him any more because he's 15, he's still growing at an incredible rate. And then the cry of "no clothes!!" goes up.

So I have been ruthless and whittled it down to a very, very low level. It's that time of year I need to buy him some new clothes for winter anyway so it's good to see what he has. And that's not much tbh, there's five bin bags of clothes sitting there now to go to the CS and recycling and less than half of that actually left in the drawers!

Brighton_belle

littlegreenparrot wrote: »

I've decided just to let go of the aspirational stuff, what's wrong with being the person I am anyway?
They're in the cs bag, along with a loose bottomed cake tin that leaks, and assorted pointless gubbins.

Well done:T:T.
Just a small idea, but do you think you could face just throwing away the loose bottomed cake tin: image the person who pays money for it and then discovers it is fairly useless because it leaks. It doesn't really sound fit for purpose.

I've been struggling with throwing away a 'nice' chopping board. It was put in the cs bag, but it is very stained and I know from experience, the cs don't sell goods that look manky in anyway, even if still very useable. I have pulled it out and added it to the pile of wood for the recycled bin at the dump.

alec_eiffel

Just having a catch up with everyone's stories, thanks so much for sharing and I'm kind of glad I'm not the only one who has the aspirational life thing. To that end today instead of looking at lots of blogs as I would usually do on a Monday I have worked on my wall hanging, cut some strips for my quilt, measured the wadding and checked the back is big enough for my quilt and am about to press the seams.

Thanks for the motivation. Hope you're all smiling today.

littlegreenparrot

That's a good point Brighton Belle, it will go in the bin instead.
Tbh its so hard wired that that kind of thing should go to the cs that I didn't even think about it.

I've got a bit stuck now, there's loads of stuff needs shredding before it can be put out, but the shredder has vanished. I have a feeling its been buried by carp in the spare room by OH, but despite my hints it hasn't been dug out yet.

I think I might just get another one tomorrow, its near the end of its life anyway. I've recently set up a business, so my aim is to get to the point where I've got everything together in one unit, rather than randomly strewn about. I know it'll make life easier.

katep23

Had quite a productive hour earlier where OH decided he needed to declutter his wardrobe as all his shirts were getting crushed packed in together.

He has sorted out all his "thin" clothes for when he loses weight and these have gone into the ottoman and some were sorted out for the cs.

Whilst he was on a roll I got the 2 underbed storage bags from the spare room and got him to decide on all of those (which were all shoved under there without ever being sorted). He has kept about half (again stored in the ottoman) and half have been bagged up for the cs to go with some various other odds and ends.

We now only have one underbed storage bag to go back which will fit - the 2 were sticking out as there was not enough room. So whilst not totally sorted much better than it was. One bite of elephant at a time!

Am struggling with the aspirational/crafting stuff like a lot of you. I have a box of candle making apparatus under the bed and I am really loathe to let it go as I am sure that one day I will find time. OH's idea was to say - right this is a rainy day activity so put a time limit on it (say Christmas) and if I haven't used it by then I'm really not going to.

I know I should probably make the time limit a bit sooner but if I haven't used it by December I can't kid myself that I will make everyone homemade candles for presents and I might actually have a chance of getting rid (freegle probably).

alec_eiffel

Good work!

I think December is a good limit for the craft kit, it's not so soon you're going to be stressed about it all the time, especially as you're making good progress in other areas. But it's close enough that it's not totally out of sight out of mind. And as you say it removes that whole rationale that you can't get rid of it now as you want to make Christmas gifts and... and... and...

Byatt

My aspirational thing also is buying cheap furniture and planning, note the planning not doing, painting it in shabby chic style.

I've not done a lot...but did get myself some reduced roses from the supermarket this morning just for soul food...

Well done everyone, and thanks for posting your exploits which are always motivating.

Ginger, I have persuaded myself to let go of filing boxes but always lose the slinkies and end up with more only to find where I put the original ones, at a later date.

Jo-Jo, you are liked, I also realised from your post that I'm liked too, just not by my family!

alec_eiffel

Hi Byatt,

Ikwym about the painted furniture thing, it looks so easy and lovely but no-one tells you about the bit where there are doors and shelves and all manner of other stuff lying around the kitchen and then 18 months later there's still Craig and Rose Smalt blue paint on the lino. Not to mention the fact that you nearly went through the bannister trying to push the sideboard round the bend of the staircase then forgetting exactly how the door go back on and finding out when you go to the supermarket that you still have masking tape stuck on your jeans.

GreyQueen

alec_eiffel wrote: »

Hi Byatt,

Ikwym about the painted furniture thing, it looks so easy and lovely but no-one tells you about the bit where there are doors and shelves and all manner of other stuff lying around the kitchen and then 18 months later there's still Craig and Rose Smalt blue paint on the lino. Not to mention the fact that you nearly went through the bannister trying to push the sideboard round the bend of the staircase then forgetting exactly how the door go back on and finding out when you go to the supermarket that you still have masking tape stuck on your jeans.

Have you been following me around, hun?

It's interesting that so many of us are of the crafty persuasion and how difficult it is to step aside from projects/ stashes of materials/ things we have outgrown physically or mentally.

I went to art college for my sins and can do lots of crafty stuff. After several attempts to sell stuff over several differnet crafts and years, I came to the conclusion that I didn't want to make stuff and have people quibble over buying it for less than the price of the raw materials. So, for the past several years, I only make things for my own amusement or for gifts for beloved people, and then only if their tastes indicate that this will be of value to them. If it's case of pearls before swine, as it is with some relatives, they can have a shop-bought thingy.

An office pal once came to my flat and saw some furniture I'd done a custom paint job on and wanted to know why I worked in an office when I could do such things? My response was from long experience; because I like to EAT each day.

Among the many and varied things I have done today (am at Mum and Dad's for a few more hours) I tidied out her small built-in cupboard where she keeps the crocks. I periodically tidy Mum's cupboards (under supervision and with full agreement) as I'm weird enough to enjoy it.

Found several things which were MIA, several things which are now in the c.s. bag (does anyone use spoon rests, I ask myself?) and binned a lot of margarine tubs. The nesting stack of the plastic pots which Xmas puds come in had to go back in the cupboard because, and I quote: They're useful for when your Dad mixes something up and then I don't have to wash them up and if they're in there, they're clean and ready so I can find them.

Errmm, Dad maybe uses something which might need such a container (polyfilla?) once a year, if that. There is also another pud basin on the draining board with a brillo pad in it and there will be 2 more joining the stash over Xmas. It's no wonder I have issues with disposing of plastic containers.

Never mind, the household is down by several bits and bobs to the c.s. or recycling so it's getting a little better.

Keep going, peeps, the landfills won't know what hit them!

alec_eiffel

It is interesting GQ how many of us have stories that dovetail. Creativity means we can always find a rationale for keeping things because we can always see another use for things and even beauty in the things that aren't really beautiful. I have a hue thing about not paying for something that I could "knock up in the shed" and do a better job of, hence the painted furniture. But the other side of the creativity means that it's hard to focus on one thing and see it through to the bitter end because there's always the next exciting thing to do.

I deal with some of my more outlandish thoughts by wondering how much eye rolling I'd do if someone said the ideas to me. When they come from outside rather than inside the skewed bits of my mind I can see how bonkers they are sometimes and it helps me to decide what is an actual project and what DH will end up taking to the tip or charity shop!

And as for gifting things to people, I have long since given up being one of those thoughtful types. I used to do it and no-one appreciated it so my days of being up at 3am Christmas morning covered in glitter trying to stick the final gingerbread house together are long gone as is the glitter and the kit for the gingerbread house!