Hoarding...not just on TV

Cat501

It's interesting to read about "visual noise". I've always thought there's nothing nicer than looking at rows and rows full of books but I'm starting to reassess that now, particularly as my bookcases/bookstacks are in my bedroom....facing my bed....hmmm....

I got my shelves and put my CDs in them and have realised that a second cull is probably needed

On the upside I've got rid of more clothes, duvet covers and towels, plus a tv. Off to Devon for my holidays tomorrow :j:j so no more will be done for a week. I can't imagine what it's going to be like to come back to a semi-organised flat - I'll let you know!

Hope everyone has a good week, see you soon

blossomhill_2

Cat501 wrote: »

It's interesting to read about "visual noise". I've always thought there's nothing nicer than looking at rows and rows full of books but I'm starting to reassess that now, particularly as my bookcases/bookstacks are in my bedroom....facing my bed....hmmm....

I got my shelves and put my CDs in them and have realised that a second cull is probably needed

On the upside I've got rid of more clothes, duvet covers and towels, plus a tv. Off to Devon for my holidays tomorrow :j:j so no more will be done for a week. I can't imagine what it's going to be like to come back to a semi-organised flat - I'll let you know!

Hope everyone has a good week, see you soon

Have a good time, don't bring back any souveniers LOL except perhaps some Devon fudge that won't last long.

(Book spines in the bedroom would be a real no-no for me)

The thing with hols is you manage to survive on so much less stuff - very theraputic - if you haven't got it there you can't wear it!

SpikyHedgehog

Book shelves are a big feng shui no no - the lines of them look like knives, or something...

I have a bag of clothes to throw in the Scouts clothing bank later in the week, & managed to sort through some of the papers on the fridge & get over half into the recycle bin. I also sorted through the medicine cupboard the other day - don't think I need more than 5 boxes of paracetamol in there & 1 in my handbag... & that's without paracetamol extra or calpol...

It doesn't sound much, I know, but I'm trying to stay focussed on reducing the hoarding & panic buying ' but I'll need it & I can get it now...'

My books need sorting, & I need to decide what to do with a chair. My brother made it at college & it's well made but not to my style now. If I free cycled it, my parents would know, & I don't feel able to charity shop it, but it's not saleable... But it's taking up space in my bedroom, making my bedroom a dumping ground & not a haven of peace (because, clearly, this is only caused by a rather nice mahogany chair, & not by piles of stuff on the other side of the room ;-) ).

whitewing

Could you give the chair back to your brother?

GreyQueen

A late check-in after a lovely evening with a group of friends in one of their homes.

A wrecking ball, through my home.....hmmm. Not a lot of stuff which is irreplacable in the way of one of those. My furniture is very ordinary mass-produced stuff, to which I don't have an emotional attachment. I'd feel a twinge of regret if someone broke the 3 inch tall vase which my friend made in her pottery class. It's form and glaze are very appealing, plus is had the added value of being made by her own hands. Other than that, perhaps my wooden hand-turned bowl, purchased at a country show from the woodturner. It's made from a beech tree which came down in the hurricane of 1987........I haven't got tired of it in the 20 + years I've owned it.

Other than that? Not a lot.

I'm in agreement with the subject of visual clutter. I have a very strong reaction to stuff; processing too much visual stimuli makes me very very tired. I can only hack museums and galleries for about an hour, no matter how fascinating, as they give me a brain-ache. I have nothing at all on the walls of my very small bedroom, just a soft plain colour. No patterns on the duvet cover or curtains. It makes me more rested.

Jinx

A wrecking ball through the house - possessions I'd hope to save my cat (though I may be his possession rather than other way round!) , my wedding album and my jade chopsticks my daughter brought me from China

Actually looking at this objectively, you realise how much 'stuff' we have which is nice but doesnt mean THAT much....

lostinrates

blossomhill wrote: »

If a wrecking ball swept through your house of carp, due to it being overcrowded, what treasure would get taken out as collateral damage?
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i have thought about this at length. And i have a plan. Being rathee well padded, should said wrecking ball arrivw i shall hang on to it and cushion the blow for anything it hits.


In the end i went for the cook books i could find. I have the final shelf unit coming tomorroe, which should take the floor stuff from down stairs.

I am making it sound horrific here, its not that bad, its really the moving around for builders exascerbating everything, probably a stupid time totey and tackle. Nonetheless, i an glad i am. Recounting it makes it funnier and thus less tedious. After the one comes tomorrow i will call it a day with the books for a while, and on friday we get back to emptying, which has to be finished on sunday gor the builder starting on monday. I am both incredibly excited that work is starting and petrified.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Why I got bookcases, I started categorising stuff....and then got completely thrown by books in the categories not fitting in the allocated shelves. Which caused a few moments of unbridled anxiety until I decided 's*d it, in the bookcase is better than not' and they went where they fitted rather than anything else.

At a later point, I had the freedom and calmness essential for considering filing systems. As it is, my two small Billys downstairs that act as speaker stands and frame the sofa have music, decorating, camera and other audio-visual related stuff in them. The tall one is upstairs with the cookery and all other books. As I have doors, I find this 'puts them away' better psychologically than having open, dusty shelves where things fall off/out. I'm not entirely happy about where the upstairs bookcase is, so may move it, or fasten nice fabric inside the glass so I don't have to look at the interior.

At the same time, I am looking at the old pine wardrobe and considering painting it eggshell white to blend in with the bookcase and chest of drawers.


But I would absolutely agree that on the shelves is the only bit that matters right now. After all, you can worry about categories and arrangements once the permanent shelves are in situ. At the moment, there are more important/pressing matters to deal with.

And then - once there is more time/space/calm/order - then you could, if bothered by titles or colours, for example, just make easy slipcovers out of coloured paper. That would give the appearance of completion, even if 11 random books were selected, thereby masking any sense of incompleteness when rehoming. But not when you have more urgent matters to deal with.


I have the dubious pleasure of bringing some more stuff into the house tomorrow. Nothing special, just cat related gumpf, food, litter, but it makes it harder to tidy the more stuff that comes in. My reaction to this? Mentally preparing a list of clothes and shoes to throw out in compensation and trying to ensure that the volume that leaves is greater than the volume that enters.


It would be so much easier if I didn't mentally see Her pit at every step, wouldn't it?

SpikyHedgehog

whitewing wrote: »

Could you give the chair back to your brother?

That's brilliant! My perfectionism was stopping me seeing that, because he's a smoker & drops ash around, but if he values it, he'll want it, & if he doesn't value it, why am I keeping it? :-)

kandfs_mam

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

It would be so much easier if I didn't mentally see Her pit at every step, wouldn't it?

Aw hugs to you jojo. I take it you have managed to keep away and let her wallow? Stay strong doll. x