Hoarding - A New Start

whitewing

Maybe the local church would like the mags? They could pass them on to someone who's housebound or in hospital perhaps.

This_Year

Didn't think of the church, that's a good idea.

Patchwork, the subs were already paid up-front so there's no ongoing monies, I bought the subs, then got cashback for virtually the whole amount. It's just the magazines that turn up with annoying regularity :rotfl:

Will also ask around my neighbours and friends, see if anyone's interested.

I've an appointment at at employment agency today to register, already done that online but they've asked to see me, am hoping this is a good sign! It just makes it a bit more real

Happy Monday everyone x

craigywv

CATRIONAxxx hopeyour ok not a very nice start to the year my thoughts are with you xxx

blossomhill_2

One of my twitter feeds said this today (it's actually about ethical trade re my business, but how appropriate to hoarding)

Most people fail because they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment

How often do we compromise what we want most (security, nice home for our kids, stable relationships, our feeling of self-worth ...) for the quick buzz of an item (in a CS, a purchase we can't really afford, yet another "collectable" or craft item ...) when these are the very things that will destabilise the life we most desire?

I am going to try to remember this and not trade in what I want most

((((hugs))) to everyone going through the list of most-stressful life events and random s***, whether it is in real-time or just on permanent replay in your head, it's still hard so (((hugs)))

zzzLazyDaisy

Hello hoarders - my name is Daisy, and I am a hoarder, can I join please?

I have wardrobes bursting at the seams with clothes I never wear, and every so often I have a sort out and send some to the CS, but a lot are really good clothes which I could e-bay, so they go in a pile and clutter the place up until I shove them in a cupboard out of sight. In the meantime I can never find my favourite black jumper, or whatever I am looking for!

Dx

GreyQueen

blossomhill, that is a brilliant quote.

I've wandered through this life, chiefly in the not-for-profit sector, and have seen a lot of self-sabotaging behaviours.

I've watched people become homeless because they figured nightclubbing was more important than paying their rent. I've seen such obsessive jealousy that it's driven loving spouses into the arms of another. I've watched as a father spends 4 hours every Sunday cleaning the family car to concourse conditions to avoid the company of his own children (I'd observed this over a number of years and he confirmed in a casual remark that this was why he did it).

You need to keep your eyes on what matters and filter out the carp and dazzle which the world tries to throw at us.

blossomhill_2

Well hello LazyDaisy - you have already joined!

The eBy potentials - could you find a small number that are almost ready to list (bit of a steam, photo then wrap in individual bag with label on the keep clean until sold?) - aim for low price 99p even for an item worth £20+ as the aim is 1) to get it out of your hair 2) to prove to you that you can get things out of the house 3) to create space, whcih is worth ££££ 4) to stop you buying more if the resale value is so low they can't be worth the £20+ you paid in the first place

If NOT, then perhaps you need to consider donating some of the eBy pile to the CS too - put a value on it in your head, say £40, and think I am making a £40 donation - don't think " I could have got up to £100 on eBy - if you gift aid they have to send you a statement for your tax return and this may also encourage you

When I started I just had to get the bulk down so I gave a load of BNWT items to a freecycler who'd lost several stone i looked on it as her doing me a favour

I always say to newcomer, start with random - pick a random number and achieve it, don't go for perfect outcomes such as "sorting out my wardrobe really well" - just go for random picks like "5 books to CS today" or " 6 skirts onto hangers" - when you start to create space in the room and your head you can start to refine your methods

My big win today will be binning all the empty hangers in the wardrobe -its not really full any more just full of empty hangers!

Good luck and keep posting

tattycath

Morning all. Stayed up late-only been in bed 4 hours, so I'm surprised I'm up!! having a cuppa to help me wake up a bit more...

sevenup01

One more thing out of the house yesterday - a small childs coat sent to my sister in law for young niece. I had forgotten i had the coat and spotted it whilst sitting in the kitchen chatting to my dad.
OOh yes! Cant forget the box of tropical flavour candy canes decluttered into the teenagers stomachs after dinner:rotfl:

nightsong

blossomhill wrote: »

GQ and oithers who declutter aspirational hobbies - if you dispose of your craftware and regret it later, you could promise yourslf that you will go back to it in a controlled way as and when you have the time and inclination - so if you say want to knit again, get a box set to make a scarf, to test out whether you really miss the hobby or the acquisition of copious amounts of yarn

Amen to this

I'm currently in the process of disposing of my yarn stash, via ebay and CSs. (Seven lots on ebay finished last night and not only did they all sell - everyone's already paid too. Yarn gals are good gals!)

My stash completely filled a decent-sized shower room. So far I think about 30 lots have gone. You wouldn't know to look at the remaining stash!!!

I've finally decided to tackle it because I have an ongoing thumb injury and it hurts to knit, which rather spoils the experience. I've decided I can't afford to damage the joint any further. Thumbs are really useful in everyday life, I've discovered.

Needless to say, lots of emotions are bubbling up. And thanks to this thread, may awareness of my Fantasy Self is becoming clearer by the day.

There's all the baby wool that I was going to use for the grandchildren I don't have (and if I do get any, my stepdaughters and daughter-in-law all hate hand-crafted stuff anyway).

There's the numerous jumpers-worth of particular yarns that were going to be wonderful sweaters for me and DH - my attempts at making full-sized garments have ranged from comical (enormous baggy cardigan for DH) to disastrous (passable jumper for me that shrank to toddler size the first time I washed it, and a rather nice Aran cardi that I wore twice and promptly lost).

Then there's all the sock yarn, enough for about 200 pairs at a rough guess. This one is tough, as DH and DS4 do like and wear the socks I made them

I used to knit for charity (Loving Hands mainly) and I miss being part of that.

I'm well aware that I'm skating round the edges and selling/donating my least favourite wool. So it will get tougher as I go on, I suppose.

All this is churning around as I sort, list, pack, post and donate stuff. However, it's all grist to the decluttering mill I guess. And I'm learning not to push too hard - if I have times when I just don't feel like doing any more, I stop. In the past I'd have set myself "targets" and then been disappointed in myself when I failed to meet them. Not constructive!


On the plus side, my appetite for buying new stuff seems to be shrinking daily. It was my birthday last week and I wandered round the shops a bit for "a treat" - the first time this year, in fact. I bought some reduced greetings cards, which is fine, and some Denby items which probably wasn't. Three items that remind me of my teenage years - more Fantasy Self I suppose - but I ain't never going to be 19 again, that's for sure. That was it though. Pretty good compared to where I used to be.

And DH seems to be going off pointless acquisition too. We have a non-functioning SATNAV, and after a couple of days he spent researching new ones at £100+, he eventually bought a new cable for the one we already have. Grand cost - £2.99 including postage :rotfl::T