Hoarding - A New Start

blossomhill_2

Jo_anne wrote: »

I need some help though. Please tell me that I can throw out the lipstick that was a free gift with something, that I have never used and would be an awful colour on me. I keep looking at it and thinking ...but I've never used it, it's a good make....arrrghhh!!! :rotfl:

Yes it's good make-up - for a clown!

Throw it and wear something that really suits you today, feel good about yourself and proud that you are making progress

GreyQueen

Well, it's now looking like my freecycle pickup won't take place until the weekend which is a wee bit annoying but hopefully that will be the end of it.

I do have to say that I'll be avoiding freecycle again in future as it has proved to be a PITA with missed communications etc since Sunday. I only used it this time as its a small electrical item and most c.s. won't take them.

Yesterday, I was amused to receive a missive from the utility company that I'm in the process of decluttering saying they didn't want me to go and can I call them so they can help me with energy efficiency etc etc as they're sure they can save me money?

Errr, won't be bothering with that one; they're being decluttered because they started to apply a standing charge this month which adds £199.98 per annum to my dual fuel bill before I use a single kilowatt, and they were told this. I'm a very low user of power, all my appliances are A+ and the flat is already insulated within an inch of its life.

Does anyone else find themselves shying away if they get accosted on the street and offered flyers or freebies? I'm getting positively-skittish if people try to give me stuff as I then have to deal with it and it's easier to maintain a Not Across the Threshold Policy than deal with the consequences.

Wanders off to look at sealing off the letterbox.

blossomhill_2

There's been a fair bit of mention of washing clothes lately - I have a few questions for you

How many items of clothes will you wash twice because they have been on the floor, or because you tried them on but decided not to wear, or put into washing basket because you couldn't decide if they were clean?

How many in a year?
How many machine loads?
How much washing powder will these uneccessary loads take?
Electricity?
Fabric conditioner?
Time spent taking out fo the tumble drier?
Power and your own energy to iron?
To hang up?
To try on again?
To not be sure about?
To fling on the floor?
To ... go back to question 1

If you are short of money or energy, wouldn't you rather just be honest about the fact that they don't suit you, they make you unhappy because they are nice but too tight, remind you of a horrible ex, always attract cat fluff ... get them out of your life quickly and spend your time, money and energy on something else?

blossomhill_2

GQ - I had a retention team from the utility company call me to say I could have my electricity cheaper if I stayed - I told them they should have thought of that before taking my money and I was going to the Coop not because its cheaper (it's not, but I have faith that they will reduce as soon as they are able) but because I believe in cooperative principles and it's not always about money - the guy seems genuiniely bemused!

GreyQueen

blossomhill wrote: »

GQ - I had a retention team from the utility company call me to say I could have my electricity cheaper if I stayed - I told them they should have thought of that before taking my money and I was going to the Coop not because its cheaper (it's not, but I have faith that they will reduce as soon as they are able) but because I believe in cooperative principles and it's not always about money - the guy seems genuiniely bemused!

I'm leaving E.Yawn for the Co Op too; there is a standing charge but it's less and the unit cost is about identical plus E have p'd me off. Being wiv an effical company is gravy.

According to the comparison websites I'd got the best price from NBarsteward but I figure life is too short to save some bucks and have to deal with that lot. Never heard a good word about them. Plenty of unprintable ones, tho!

VJsmum

blossomhill wrote: »

There's been a fair bit of mention of washing clothes lately - I have a few questions for you

How many items of clothes will you wash twice because they have been on the floor, or because you tried them on but decided not to wear, or put into washing basket because you couldn't decide if they were clean?

How many in a year?
How many machine loads?
How much washing powder will these uneccessary loads take?
Electricity?
Fabric conditioner?
Time spent taking out fo the tumble drier?
Power and your own energy to iron?
To hang up?
To try on again?
To not be sure about?
To fling on the floor?
To ... go back to question 1

If you are short of money or energy, wouldn't you rather just be honest about the fact that they don't suit you, they make you unhappy because they are nice but too tight, remind you of a horrible ex, always attract cat fluff ... get them out of your life quickly and spend your time, money and energy on something else?

I sort of did that yesterday. Except I wouldn't wash something i had tried on and decided not to wear, it would go back in the draw - ditto things on the floor, if I'm honest But a while ago i bought a designer cardi from the Bay of E, it is a tad too small - more than "lose a few pounds and it'll fit" too small. I keep putting it on in hope, but yesterday thought "no, it's no good" and it is now in the Ebay pile - which is a small pile but cardi was too pricey to not at least try to resell.

nightsong

Agree with Catriona re talc. I read much the same and ditched my talc, but I had to find an alternative as I have issues with using deodorant (ultra-sensitive skin) and need something!!

Edit- actually, that's not true. i carried on using it for some time, even though I believed it was potentially dangerous, because I didn't want to "waste" it

So now I use a cornstarch-based product instead. I have two - one by Johnson&Johnson that's meant for babies, and one by Burt's Bees that is rose-scented.

Isn't it annoying that CSs will no longer take make-up even if it's completely unsused? But I agree about chucking unflattering lippies. Cosmetics are supposed to make us look prettier and if they can't achieve that, there's no point to them.

sjprmc01

Sometimes clothes in this house get dirty again whilst in ironing pile. I am TRYING to decrease that now and I'm trying to wear things more before washing (easier in the winter for tops but maybe not so for trousers) I also TRY to make sure the kids don't chuck tried-on-or-worn-for-a-few-hrs stuff!

Today I am VERY tired still! Don't think I can face doing much at all this morning! I have to hang up the wash I have done but I think that will be about my limit before heading to work

Re the clutter: its been there all my life (well the bits I got away with being messy with when a child) I shouldn't be annoyed that its not gone immediately.

JKJ

Today I decided to sort out the top drawer in a chest .......and I ended sorting and re-arranging all 6 drawers AND my bureau.....I am astounded at the absolute rubbish I found buried amongst the 'stuff' I must have at one time felt it necessary to keep. I can sort of understand that I thought I might at sometime have a need for 6 wooden 12 inch rules, but what possible use would I have thought I could make of purses with broken zips (2 of!) or a mountain of old plastic filing wallets (mostly ink stained, ripped and creased) ?

Tomorrow the kitchen...................I can do this, I can!

SueMaggie

Just wanted to de-lurk following people mentioning not wanting to throw away make-up, talc etc.

These people Give and Makeup collect make-up, toiletries and baby stuff which is given to women and children in women's shelters who have had to leave home due to domestic violence, sometimes without time to take anything at all with them.

There are only a couple of drop-off points for stuff, but you can send parcels to their HQ.

I'm a terror for buying hair products that don't work so I use only once, save every shampoo sachet out of magazines and keep all the gift with purchase minis that come with products. I had a very satisfying clear out of a couple of drawers in my bedroom and the bathroom cabinet and sent off a parcel to them today.

There's a list of what they're looking for here - obviously anything out of date or so old that it's gone funny shouldn't be sent.

You do have to pay for postage, but it's for a great cause and it's freed up a lot of space for me.

Re-lurking now...