Hoarding...not just on TV

babyshoes

My girlfriend managed to do some de-richarding of really big things by chance over the past couple of days - a friend of ours enjoys fiddling around with old computers and is about to have a month of enforced rest after an operation in Jan, so he left after visiting on Christmas Eve with a computer tower, and came back for some help getting it going today - apparently this one is a bit newer than he's used to, but my GF was able to get it started up with a bit of dodgy soldering done at the kitchen table...Friend left with a giant old monitor that's been taking up most of the desk in the lounge for ages, as well as his now-working computer tower.

His OH and I sat and drank tea while dericharding the freshly baked mince pies and had a good natter, which I always enjoy. I felt a bit sorry for her when she realised how much stuff was going to end up in her house as it is as small as ours and a little cluttered too (though not like ours is), but hopefully it will keep him happy and out of her hair for a while when he is well enough to be out of bed but not well enough to go back to work...

The majority of our pressies this year are consumable, wearable or readable, which is all good. I recently got rid of several too-small jumpers so the lovely soft, baggy jumper I got has a place to go, and I can take a batch of books to the CS when I go back to work. The choccy pressies won't last long around here, especially as I had my second Depo Provera shot on Christmas Eve, so the hormones are all over the place. The only potential richard is some of the booze, as we really aren't big drinkers any more. We may have to re-gift some of it for birthdays etc. during the year.

Brighton_belle

Glad to hear all so far have got through xmas in the way they needed to.
Definitely a flower day today, as I was ill Xmas night/Boxing day. Need to recover as tomorrow I am travelling to help a relative declutter their home office for a day, as their xmas pressie:j
Wonderfully small haul of gifts received and all useable/useful.
Fridge full of left over turkey etc:j.
Won't be going to the sales as nothing I really need and I find the whole pressure of 'but if you don't buy it now it's the last one left and you'll NEVER be able to get it again' ghastly.

katep23

Well done Brighton Belle for resisting!

I however succumbed! 3 rolls of generic-enough wrapping paper and several smellies-sets for birthday pressies but no Christmas cards as I still have some left.

Would like to get some longer LED christmas lights as OH has said we should keep them up in the kitchen all year round (yay, love fairy lights) but our string is just too short to get round the whole room.

Also bought 3 new pairs of boots yesterday and only have 1 to bin... but am going to sort out my summer shoes and get rid of some as there are pairs I haven't worn for years (probably as we haven't had a summer for so long!)

katep23

To anyone else this would not mean anything but I needed to share this achievement with you as I know you will understand!

After filing all my paperwork the other day, I told myself I mustn't let it get in such a state again.

So today my credit card bill came in, I threw the envelope and all the flyers in the recycling, checked the statement was okay and then... filed it! (I have a DD to pay in full BTW.) What a good feeling!

whitewing

Well done kate, I do know how you feel!

I have had an enjoyable afternoon buying all the family birthday and xmas cards for next year. This is not hoarding; this is being organised and saving a fortune on extra associated spends thro the year. We even didn't take the extra card for a 3 for 2 offer as we didn't need it. Admittedly that was DH's quick decision not mine!

sjprmc01

Not much headway today at All. Still have most of kids presents in its packaging sitting in those huge gift bags.

Done an inventory of my toiletries for the 'no more unnecessary toiletries' thread. I've counted 250 items and that is definitely not everything! Tidied all OH 's toiletries up and he is nearly as bad as me

Ironing mountain/half the contents of the kitchen. Is still up in my room

The kids have been using the kitchen table to sit at for once and I did try to get ironed what I took off the clothes horse today so a pile wouldn't build up again (even though I'm aware REAL pile has just been decanted to another spot) but then got sidetracked with the toiletry task!

blossomhill_2

sjprmc01 wrote: »

The kids have been using the kitchen table to sit at for once and I did try to get ironed what I took off the clothes horse today so a pile wouldn't build up again (even though I'm aware REAL pile has just been decanted to another spot) but then got sidetracked with the toiletry task!

Wasn't that nice for them - did they do activities or have meals there? Was it a good place to paint as it has a washable floor? Did it mean you could be involved while pottering in the kitchen?

Can you build on that and realise that will probably be a better memory for them to look back on than having spotless socks or ironed vests?

Not many people look back at a happy childhood and say "I always had pristine white socks as a kid" but many do look back and remember playing board games or doing jigsaws round the table as a family

I can remember the feel of the taselled chenille tablecloth between my fingers as we played board games, in fact I wore a patch of it bare - green, it were

whitewing

Got a lovely new calendar so will be writing DH's shifts, birthdays and all other commitments on it. It is exciting to get organised. I love the new year with the chance to start afresh.

I have got some of the family to give me ideas for presents for 2013 so I can buy throughout the year so they get more for their money.

I am being organised with certain areas of my life to be able to be more spontaneous with other areas of my life (namely the children, particularly the oldest who won't be a child for much longer).

sjprmc01

Blossomhill, yeah, they have been eating there instead of at their kiddy ikea table which they are probably too big for now and I could get rid of if I trusted myself to keep kitchen one clear! It lives in the livingroom!

They have also been playing and colouring in there as there is more space and then they don't fight (as much) as a result of that

blossomhill_2

sjp That's a win, win then if you end up with more space and fewer squabbles
They can help keep it clear as they will get used to the routine of tidying up their pencils ready for teatime, and this will help you as an incentive to keep it clear

For anyone thinking about New Year resolutions, remember to keep them achieveable, and measurable, so go for "I will iron each machine load within a day of it drying, or ask OH to do some if I can't get it done before the next wash" rather than "I will keep on top if the laundry"