Hoarding...not just on TV

Kouzapastella

Also. there is nothing under my bed...... nothing.... Not even dust! Also. there is nothing under my bed...... nothing.... Not even dust!

Oh if only I could say that lol

HannahIOW

Still at work at the moment but hoping I will have enough energy left tonight after dinner to start filling a bag for the charity shop... I've been putting it off all week. Realised I can use a couple of those clear recycling bags as we have more than we need anyway, and it helps to see what's in the bag so it doesn't travel back to the spare room as 'random bag of stuff'.

Byatt

valk_scot wrote: »

I went to the CS today...I have two favorites I donate to regularly, one in town and one the next town over, abiut 10 minutes drive away. The kids prefer I don't put their clothes etc in the local one as "my friends might see them". I don't quite understand this myself but hey-ho, next town charity shop is well worth a visit, I've got some great bargains from there.

So I get there and there's no parking close apart from the three disabled spots right outside the door. I don't normally even dream of taking disabled parking spaces but accepted practice here if you have a car full to unload to stop in one space, leave your engine running,, throw your bags out onto the pavement, chap at the window and one of the staff members will come out and start carrying it in while you take your car round to the neighbouring car park and leave it there.

So I did this except.....there were no spaces in the car park. What to do? I wasn't worried about my nine bags, I'd seen two of the chaps from the back shop coming out to get them and knew they'd have been taken in by the time I walked back round. Except I couldn't get the car parked and....I couldn't go for my look round the charity shop.

I tell you, I was upset. It was like when you drop your ice cream when you're a small child, you know? I wanted to go in. I might be missing a real bargain, a great find or something useful, no? And then I started to think about it (I'm still sitting in my car in the road in the car park, hoping someone would leave) and remembered the idea was to get rid of stuff, not to replace it as fast as it left the house. But it did feel like I had a gap at home now that I needed to fill.

At this point I metaphorically smacked myself round the head, went to the garden centre instead and bought two things for the garden that I did actually need. I didn't feel I needed to buy the cheapest ones either to save money, I'd already saved a tenner probably by not buying more junk out the charity shop. So I bought the items I wanted even though they were three or four pounds more than the cheapest versions.

It was a weird feeling. I went home feeling much cleaner about my purchases, if that's not a weird term? I had two things I needed and wanted, I wasn't loaded down by a piles of odds and ends that I could well manage without. And I'd spent less money than normal. Very strange feeling, yes.

Well done Valk! :T I know exactly how you felt and now feel.

GreyQueen

short_bird wrote: »

This rings a bell: just because it's on the to-do list doesn't mean it does itself:D

Oh, this is so true.

One of the things about living alone is that you have to take responsibility for getting stuff done, like that half-complete decorating project. Have to tell myself that if I don't do it, it ain't getting done, so time to get off my arris.

I had a warm and fuzzy moment when I had the second letter this year from the charity where I'm registered for Gift Aid and my odds and s0ds have now raised nearly £100! Considering it was all pretty regular and low value stuff, that's very pleasing and I feel all happy. I have another donation bag ready to roll and will get that to them in the next few days.

And I know exactly what you mean about feeling cleaner about buying one or two things which you really want instead of a bagful of so-so stuff which quickly becomes clutter. It's like the difference in feeling from a decent meal or an evening stuffing carp down your neck.

I came across a wise young man last year who said he didn't have much but what he did have was good quality. He lived in a car and a tent and seemed disgustingly happy and sorted. No one should be that self-possessed at 21 it's unnatural.

whitewing

GreyQueen wrote: »

I came across a wise young man last year who said he didn't have much but what he did have was good quality. He lived in a car and a tent and seemed disgustingly happy and sorted. No one should be that self-possessed at 21 it's unnatural.

Quick, introduce him to buffy.

GreyQueen

whitewing wrote: »

Quick, introduce him to buffy.

Dunno where he is now, I left him in a pub in the Lakes........careless of me, I know, but he was far too young for me. He has curly hair and drives a red Mini so mebbe she can flag him down somewhere..............?:)

whitewing

GreyQueen wrote: »

:)I left him in a pub in the Lakes.......

Is that a decluttering technique, for when the goods are too big to catflap?

Byatt

whitewing wrote: »

Is that a decluttering technique, for when the goods are too big to catflap?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::T

GreyQueen

whitewing wrote: »

Quick, introduce him to buffy.

whitewing wrote: »

Is that a decluttering technique, for when the goods are too big to catflap?

LMAO.

Honestly, he got CARDED in the pub. You should never letch after people young enough to be your offspring. Nice lad for a nice lass, not this old broad.

You can leave men in all sorts of places, I find, but they sometimes find their way back home again. I have form for this form of decluttering...............:rotfl:

smileyt_2

Out this last fortnight: one raised bed frame, a set of wicker shelves, a set of plastic drawers on wheels, a chair frame, a large bag of ragged clothes, about fifty items given to the Dogs' Home charity shop and two large bags of just plain old rubbish. All except the rubbish and the rags have found new homes via freecycle or charity so I am feeling no guilt at all.

I went to a charity shop to look for an armchair. They didn't have anything I wanted and I managed to leave with only three books - which will be returned when I have read them.

The house is looking much clearer :T.

Re men - the best way to declutter them is not to have any to begin with :rotfl:.