Hoarding...not just on TV

alec_eiffel

I agree with you whitewing. We had a massive declutter back in March, it started off just as a bit of a tidy up but we ended up getting rid of a ton of stuff - most of my clothes, DH got rid of about 1/3 of his clothes, dozens of dvds and computer games, about 100 books, ornaments and bits and pieces. All things that we didn't even know we wanted to get rid of but it's just created so much breathing space in the house. It's amazing.

KAT44_2

whitewing wrote: »

I put 3 holey socks in for recycling yesterday. This was a bit of a miracle for me because normally I would get all the washing up straight, then everything dried and put away, and then I would go through the sock drawer properly. Which would all take time so I may run out of time before the socks get taken out.

Omg this is so me, in fact I washed and ironed 2 pairs of dd jeans yesterday which I know are too small for her but I hung them back up in her wardrobe anyway until I had time to sort the full wardrobe. I shall go and get them out and deal with them right now .

Havn't had time to log on over the weekend so have only had time to quickly skim through the posts this morning (will read them properly later but if I sit at the computer too long during the day facebook, ebay and emails get involved and we all know that's a day gone !!!) but I just wanted to send hugs to those of you that are having a bad time at the moment and heartfelt wishes that things improve soon for you.

lostinrates

Dh and i have agreed to tackle the hanging space in the bedroom this weekend. Bish bish to clothes with holes in them, with cartoon characters on (we are in our thirties for goodness sakes) and a reevaulation of the 'yard clothes' as worn better stuff can trade down. I keep odd socks in a mismatch bag and go through it when the sock basket (we keep socks ina laundry basket) is getting low. Its about that time. We have some lovely looking socks that were hand knitted by nuns in the alps, but...they are useless, they fall down inside boots. I have bished them a few times and dh has retreived them, but i am going to have another go at chucking them.

I keep putting off chucking the bags of clothes already created because i think there are konsoon clothes and my friend told me monsoon give you money off if you take an item back to them, so that is my plan, to fish them out for when i next go to monsoon. So combineing that with the wardrobe sort seems sensible. We can then call cash for clothes.


Also, we have some suits belonging to my dad, who is quite big man, tall and braod. I was thinking it would be unusal that a secopnd hand shop would have a client for them, but maybe in central london its more likely (most of the suits were bought in places like Knightsbridge and are top end suits, which could be a bargain for someone and hopefully give us a wee bit back?)

Ok, i have to admit, some stuff came in. Not a lot of stuff, some bowls, and we have few bowls, I think only have two cereal bowls (we have soup plates which we eptend to use). They were a gift from my mother.

wannabe_sybil

Elona - thinking of you and your daughter.

I went to IKEA yesterday and the only thing I brought back that wasn't meant to come home were two little glass candle stands, which I was after to protect the new gas fire but didn't realise IKEA had them.

:j:T:j:T:j:T:beer: < my lap of honour

On a similar note, I put in an @pproved Food order, but only got what I knew we needed immediately.

Hope to get some more done tomorrow. One of the things I am decluttering is my procrastination, if that makes sense. I am firmly allocating Wednesdays to my 'outside the house' day where errands like going to the charity shop happen. Little bear goes to piano on Wednesdays, so I get the bus ticket, so I may as well use it efficiently!

For me it is all tangled up with lack of cleaning because I am disorganised, and lack of time management, and often lack of knowledge or lack of physical strength to do things. Today I have got some bits done - not as much as I would like, but it's a start.

Anyway, I have to get a wiggle on as I have convinced OH to decorate in the beginning of October, so stuff needs to be cleared.

Whitewing - how is the knee now?

Sorry if I have missed anyone - passing through in haste!

hugs to all

Byatt

I had a struggle today not to get the lovely butcher's block trolley I saw in the recycling shop...it was £30. Such a bargain, but what stopped me was the thought that I really had no space for it...but it was so hard to leave it.

Having issues with DD and her being in contact with sister, so know why I want it...just to fill the void. I also had the house dream again last night after not having it for weeks.

whitewing

sybil,

My knee is at that great stage where it causes me no problems (except to kneel directly on) but it still looks horrendous. So I get sympathy or admiration, depending on whether the viewer is young and male or not.

byatt,

well done on resisting a £30 aspirational spend.

Brighton_belle

I finally managed to take a basket full of kitchen bits and bobs to the charity shop yesterday and I am delghted that no panic has set in re any of it, particularly the basket which had sentimental attachment due to who gave it to me 20 yrs ago...but I have never loved it. That's a biggy to have got rid of.
More bizarrely, I struggled to get rid of a pkt on unused plastic pegs... can't work that one out but couldn't face the emotional stress they seemed ot be causing me. Mentioned it to a friend who said she needs new pegs could she have them. This feels really easy so am going to pass them to her.

Today, I took into town some vintage material from the family home I grew up it: it isn't my taste but I have struggled to let go of it, despite no one else in the family wanting it. I carried it in... and I carried it home:o... I just couldn't let go of it, even though i don't want to use it in my home.
We have a cs that only takes vintage goods (that supports or local hospice so it is a great cause). I have decided to ask a friend who lives near the shop if she will take it for me - somehow, getting it out of the house without having to do the final hand over feels more possible, however illogical that might sounds: if the method works, then that is all that matters.

Honestly, the ridiculous emotional knots some stuff can tie me up in! Though in truth, I think it is at times the fear of the emotions I might expereince when I let it go and can't get it back and having to go through them that puts me off sometimes. Because I know I really want them to go.

I think I have a balloon whisk in the kitchen that can go - I barely use it as I have one of those electric stick ones that I use far more often. It's only one thing but it takes up room in the utensils pot. It's unecessary doubling up.

Patchwork_Quilt

whitewing wrote: »

I never thought we were that bad in terms of the amount of stuff we had (too poor to buy much!). I can't get over how much easier life is with a lot of the no-longer-used stuff out of the place.

This is us exactly! I've been trying to work out where it all came from. Quite a lot of what we have taken to the charity shop was gifts from other people. Some of it has been a life-stage change - DD and DS don't need toys any longer. Some of it is also due to the advance of technology - I got rid of the last dictionary today. It was a good one, but I am always on line. The same goes for writing paper and all the envelopes I was saving. We never use them any more. However, I realise I am going to have to limit what I bring into the house too.

valk_scot

Nothing has been sorted out or left the house today but that's because I was busy all morning, I had to take DS to the A&E to get a lump on his shin X-rayed. His rugby physio was worried it might be a chipped bone but fortunately the bone is just bruised, not chipped. Also I am going down with a cold, ho-hum. So I contented myself with bagging up the current hall heap ready to take to the CS tomorrow.

I think I need an attic foray tomorrow though, but not sure which bit to head for next. I might do the Christmas stuff, it's easy to get to and it would ensure I didn't go and buy yet more gift tags because I couldn't find the other ten packets I'd forgotten about.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Had a tough start to the day - related to DD. Some rather harsh comments were relayed, that were completely inaccurate. But that's to be expected in the circumstances.

However, whilst this has been going on, I have got rid of an electronic musical instrument that gave no joy and was rapidly becoming an irritation in the attempt to sell it for cash, and I [shhhhhhh] agreed to an exchange.

Much to the horror of the bloke in the music shop who refused to sell it for me as he thought it was junk, only worth about £20, the exchange was for a cello. Which would cost about £500 new. Now, I have never actually played a cello. But I see no reason why I shouldn't. So, although it's another expense (rosin, bow, books), it's there. Technically being hoarded, I suppose.

But I shall start experimenting with it soon.

Once I've bought & fitted carpet for the landing, it's getting a bit cold nowdays.



The hall woodwork has been eggshelled and it's looking good, and the cupboard with the spices in has been emptied, cleaned and reorganised with the stuff I use most regularly nearest as I open the door.