Hoarding - Springing Ahead

whitewing

Wrapped a present.

Got a pile of small envelopes to give to my aunt as I won't use them.

Sorted through birthday cards I bought yesterday. Added lettering to personalise some of them.

ginnyknit

Finally got to the tip, 4 bags plus a horrible lamp gone! :j

Not a lot acheived but better than nothing.

GreyQueen

ginnyknit wrote: »

Finally got to the tip, 4 bags plus a horrible lamp gone! :j

Not a lot acheived but better than nothing.

Don't mock it. that's pretty good going.

I'm beyond knackered but am gently decluttering things within reach, such as the nooks of the pooter desk. Finding a few bits like a CD case and some other stuff which can be rehomed via the c.s. And putting some other stuff more tidily.

Well, considering that there's a leaf litter-type understory of small random bits of paper on it, it would hardly be possible to make it less tidy, lol.

I have also decided to keep a microfibre cloth parked on the computer desk to give it a regular swipe as this is a major dust-attracting area and needs attention frequently. If the cloth is here already, it's likely to get a quick swipe more often.

Righty, trucking on. Next c.s. bag is being added to as we speak. GQ xx

Patchwork_Quilt

Bought one coat (charity shop bargain) and threw one out.

Ate the last of the chocolate dessert. I like this decluttering.

Got rid of a dress that really is too tight to the cs drawer.

GreyQueen

The pooter desk project is well on its way.

I had all the random paper off the desk and sorted thru. A lot of it had passed by-the-by, like old shopping lists and notes to myself of things To Do. I'm absent-minded and often have to leave myself "memos". Shredded these and transferred the note of one book I'm looking out for to the little hardover book I've set aside for that purpose.

I want to do a few more tweaks to the contents of the desk and then will aim to keep it tidy and dusted.

Have slung a washing-up liquid bottle into the recycling bag this morning. I take a childish pleasure in taking the bag out once or twice a week to empty into the communal recycling facilities.

Got a day off next week and Mum is coming up solo to visit, so we'll have a girlie day (she's shopping for a wedding outfit) and I'm currently reading 2 books -one got last month and the one got this week- which I think will be enjoyed by Dad and Bruv respectively, so they should be finished and leave with her. That's the plan, anyway.

Fossicked in a drawer and found that I had the box from my watch and my mobile phone. Both are cheap-as-chips and more than a year old so I had them outta there and flattened for the recycling. Precious inches freed up in what is a very small drawer. It's one of three in my living room. One is taken up with meds, both prescribed and OTC, one is pretty much filled with stationery-items and supplies and this is the third. They're all of 18 inches wide, so not much storage space at all, so every bit which can be liberated is precious.

When I feel strong enough, I'll tackle the table-top. It's beside the pooter desk and functions as a continuation of the carp..........:o

One of these days I'll be tidy when friend and neighbour SuperGran comes over. She's positively minimalistic and fastidious herself, so I always joke when she comes to the door that You can come in but it's a bit of a mess. She's a love and never passes comment but it would be nice to be caught in a state of tidiness just once in a while.........

Working day and then a few errands and chores. Keep at it, little by little we shall dig ourselves out from under. GQ xx

whitewing

I spent the whole day - and I mean 8am - 11pm trying to sort through stuff in my home office area. I got rid of a lot but it is still the most horrendous mess, and I had a list as long as your arm to do and only crossed off about 5 things.

Because I am stressed about it, I feel really resentful towards DH and have to keep biting my tongue as I want to go snap! snap! snap!

*deep breath* feel better now - it's just the disppointment of not leaving the house with a nice clear patch.

noelphobic

alfsmum wrote: »

Proud to report that 3 of our 4 Christmas trees did not make it back to the attic. The biggest, bought for a fiver second hand some years back, has gone to the recycling centre - I was amazed to see DH voluntarily do this as he has a real keep it just in case mentality. Two smaller trees that we must have had for twenty years are awaiting dispatch to the CS, so just the medium fibre optic kept for next year.

Also made the most of the many charity bags coming through the door to part with two cardigans which have come under the 'don't wear them they are too big/too itchy but I paid good money for them so I am keeping them' heading for a couple of years. Such a relief! Next on the list are the all too many mugs to sort through. Some were brought back by DDs as gift for me on various holidays but live in a box gathering dust. Should I dispose of them? (Mugs not DDs).

I've got loads of mugs (and live alone and don't get many visitors!) Been trying to persuade my son to take some as he has recently moved into a flat with his girlfriend and they don't have many. Every time I try to give him something he tells me that they don't want to get too much stuff in case they move again - he obviously realises that he has my genes and doesn't want to give in to the lure of hoarding!


He was given some bottles of beer for Christmas and has told me several times how nice the boxes are. I have warned him that finding boxes 'nice' is a sign of a hoarder! The bottles are individually boxed and I can't see the point of keeping a box that size (although I probably have quite a few that size, and smaller!) I did persuade him to take one of my bath mats that has been pretty much redundant since I had my bathroom redone - it was in very good condition and much better than the one that they had (which was their one and only bathmat.)

noelphobic

Catriona_P wrote: »

I
I really need to clearout daughter's baby clothes but they don't sell, nobody I know wants them, including charity shops and they're much too nice for the bin. I've found a local charity that takes baby clothes but they're some distance away and can't collect.

Regarding clothes, despite having parted with 56 items last year (see sig) I still have far too much. With my love of spreadsheets I'm thinking (once my exam is done) of putting together a list of all the clothes I own bar underwear, including photos, to help me use up items I rarely wear and get rid of things too old/unfashionable/small etc. Does that just sound really too obsessive on the organisational front?

Have you tried putting the baby clothes on Freecycle? I'm surprised that the charity shops don't want them. I haven't taken anything to a charity shop for ages as I'm scared of them embarrassing me by turning their noses up at what I bring! We do frequently get bags through the door from charities which they then come back to collect. I only have to leave them outside so it's really easy. Most of them only take clothes though and it's the bric a brac that's harder to get rid of.


I think the spreadsheet is a great idea. I've considered doing something similar myself. I know I have umpteen pairs of pyjama bottoms, despite having got rid of some, and I think listing them all would help me decide which to get rid of. I have got most of my shoes in one place for the first time in years and am shocked at how many of them there are. I've not counted them yet but think there are 30 or more and I hardly ever wear any of them.


I have a toiletry 'habit' and have listed most of them to deter me from buying anything that I don't need, so the clothes list is definitely a good idea. I'm starting a refresher course on Excel next week so it will be good practice!

whitewing

Got 12 envelopes ready for posting out.

A small carrier bag of excess stationery to pass to my brother.

Pencils sharpened and sorted (children scatter them around the whole house - drives me crazy).

Can't find the list that I need to write Thank you letters.

Gradually getting there.

Catriona_P

noelphobic wrote: »

Have you tried putting the baby clothes on Freecycle? I'm surprised that the charity shops don't want them. I haven't taken anything to a charity shop for ages as I'm scared of them embarrassing me by turning their noses up at what I bring! We do frequently get bags through the door from charities which they then come back to collect. I only have to leave them outside so it's really easy. Most of them only take clothes though and it's the bric a brac that's harder to get rid of.


I think the spreadsheet is a great idea. I've considered doing something similar myself. I know I have umpteen pairs of pyjama bottoms, despite having got rid of some, and I think listing them all would help me decide which to get rid of. I have got most of my shoes in one place for the first time in years and am shocked at how many of them there are. I've not counted them yet but think there are 30 or more and I hardly ever wear any of them.


I have a toiletry 'habit' and have listed most of them to deter me from buying anything that I don't need, so the clothes list is definitely a good idea. I'm starting a refresher course on Excel next week so it will be good practice!

The charity shops I've spoken to near me have said either that they don't take baby clothes at all as they don't sell them, or that they have so much already. Hadn't though of Freecycle since my local one is fairly dodgy! But I'm thinking of just biting the bullet and taking as much as I can to the charity that will take them and just take the hit on the petrol.

We do get the occasional charity bag through the door but all too often they never come to collect, which I find very annoying. :mad:

I also have a toiletry list as I'm on the 'no buying unnecessary toiletries group' and after the initial faff of putting it together it's reinvented the way I look at my things. I have well over 200 items but not at least I know where and what they are.

Think I might have a go at doing a clothing list after my exam the week after next (eek). I too have so many pairs of shoes, some of which have been unworn for almost a decade as they were 'too pretty', and I need the space. At least they will have good resale value.