Hoarding - Springing Ahead

thriftwizard

He hasn't noticed yet... result! :beer:

A big bag left my wardrobe today & went off to the homeless; all good warm stuff, but no longer loved by me and not up-to-the-minute enough for the charity shops. A bag of books went to one of those, though. And a big bag of general gunk left for the Tip. I caught up with the recycling after Christmas too, even the tetra-paks, which can't go out for our kerb-side collection but have to be taken to a recycling point, along with aluminium foil, that is nowhere near the Tip, needless to say.

Which all sounds great, but unfortunately a large bag of rather nice curtains came home from the Tip with me too... however they're spotlessly clean, so can go straight out onto my stall tomorrow.

And I've decided to "declutter" one of my fixed stalls. It's not making much for me, and it is taking up time and energy that would be better used elsewhere in my life. I'll concentrate on the one that does make money, and doing my pop-ups, and that's enough.

springdreams

GreyQueen wrote: »

greenbee, if they wanted an easy life, they'd have less stuff. We're a family of bookworms but otherwise Dad is fairly minimalistic. Mum has isshews and KB can't watch hoarder programmes on TV, little to close to home, IYSWIM.

I was getting a little concerned about the recycling wheelie bin as it was virtually full. I instigatged hardcore recycling in this household when I lived at home many moons ago but I expected it to lapse when I moved out; I admit to control-freakery but accepted that there are limits to my remit, but to my surprise, the hardcore efforts continued. The domestic recycling outnumbers the rubbish-rubbish about 4:1 which is pretty much the same as at my micro-flat. And the bin is nearly full and will be emptied tomorrow, yay.

Dad remarks most visits that I somehow manage to motivate Mum to clear some things out. She did observe yesterday that it doesn't seem to make much difference to what's left, but that's because there's a lot in the first place and you'd need concerted efforts each week to make a noticable change.

She's reading through her personal book mountain and some of them can leave today to the c.s. and I will see if the oft-discussed bone-china mugs can go, too. The decision was made two weeks ago but the problem is with the execution.

After breakfast, I finished separataing all the tractor-feed sheets into single sheets and will randomly turn them into scratch-pads by quartering them. I'm an ardent preserver of re-usable paper, because I actually do use it at work, to temporarily scrawl customer's numbers and details of the enquiry on during the call - at shift's end it all goes into the confidential shredding. It seems a wanton waste of paper to use brand-new stuff for that, so I use second-use paper.

Plus, having the attention span of a gnat at times, I often have to write myself memos at home in order to keep up with what I am supposed to be doing.:rotfl:

Right, I am now going to turf out the big kitchen drawer. We started pulling this about half-heartedly after tea last night, but it really needs to be emptied for fuller investiagation and de-crumbulation. This was instigated by my stopping Mum buying another potato peeler of a certain type (because everyone has a minimum of three different types of spud peeler at home, several examples of each type) because I thought she had some more. We found another 4 unused without any particular deep grubbling.

Cover me, ladies, I'm going in.

ETA; The kitchen drawer has been decluttered. We now have order, a bag of stuff for the chazzer, some less-used things for the other cutlery drawers (one of two other cutlery drawers, this is a 3-sideboard house), a spare knife for me and three spare veg prep knives to go to Nan's as Mum cooks there for her and goes nuts about having rubbish knives. Several things have gone into the bin/ the recycling.

I'm up for more but she has hit the wall on her personal ability to endure decluttering today, so I shall bide my time, have another 6 days to work on things before I hie me off to the micro-flat to play Tetris with my own belongings. Result!

Isn't if funny how much easier it is to declutter other people's stuff.

I found it relatively easy to declutter my DS's room, but my own bedroom has bulging cupboards and drawers, never mind what the spare bedrooms (aka loft rooms) look like ...

I am still struggling to get over the fact that I paid good money for a lot of things intending to gift them to others (bulk buying in Boots and other January sales) but never do that, yet I cannot seem to get myself to simply give them away to the cs as I keep seeing their monetary value

When I one day get to grips with the fact that these things are just taking up valuable space, and it takes a lot of time and effort to realise just a few pennies selling these things at car boots, fleabay and the like, which time I don't have working full time and trying to keep up with basic house work, laundry and gardening, so I am better off simply giving them to the cs, then I will be able to really start decluttering. I hope that day is soon ...

Gingernutty

A lampshade

plastic cutlery and crockery

two lidded storage containers (to buy the one I wanted, I had to buy a set of three )

"indulgent" toiletries including umpteen body butters

three toiletry gift sets from the year before last

two wall clocks

and tomorrow I will critically appraise my wardrobe, accessories drawers and shoes.

Icey77

Bit of a result here, whilst moving one of DH wardrobes out of there bedroom to allow the others to be moved to the middle of the room so that the decorator could get to the walls, I persuaded DH to review his extensive jumper collection.

He almost halved it! Lots were too small or too big or he just didn't like them anymore so they were carted off to the CS immediately in case he changed his mind. Off too, went the shoes I found in the wardrobe which I'd never seen him wear.

Now it's my turn, if I get a chance tonight I will be reviewing my wardrobe collection and turfing some out now that I'm a SAHM items to live in the same t-shirts, jumpers, jeans etc so don't need an extensive and varied wardrobe. If I go back to work in the future I can sort that out when I get there

pigpen

Right.. Christmas is done (thank fluff) and I now have the resulting devastation to deal with. I had my daughter staying with her partner and 2 children over new year as their boiler was broken and they were freezing to death so they came here.. more mess.. then the car was hit so had to be emptied while we have the temporary replacement so it could be fixed so I have the contents of the car and a cot in the front room, every single room is destroyed!!

I have new storage boxes and am starting with the girls room at the weekend.

I need to get a few mountains thrown at ebay and take the first steps to dying my own yarn Let's see if I can do something I can grow into a business of sorts and where we can take it.. OH will be involved, he loves crafty activities.

Hope everyone is well xx

ivyleaf

Happy New Year pigpen! So pleased to see you safely back, I suddenly realised yesterday that you hadn't posted for ages, and wondered if all was well with you

Icey77 Well done that DH! Mine gave half a dozen dvds to the charity shop yesterday - I was proud of him as he finds it so hard to let stuff go.

calleyw

started to declutter my little bedroom.

As just boxes of stuff just lying around.

Now my living room looks like a whirl wind has hit it. Boxes every where.

I have decided to no longer keep used padded envelopes and stuff like any more. If I need one I will go and buy it.

I have loads of birthday/xmas and wedding cards. Don't know what to do. I separated from my husband 3 years ago and we would have been married 15 years in march. I am loathed to chuck them as it brings me happy and sad memories from the people who wrote in them.

And sorted out a couple of drawers in the living room too. Books are my down fall. I love them. And once bought tend to keep them even if I never read them again!!!! I don't have that many. But need to cull them I think.

Did have a little one last night. I have cook books I never use!!!

I have books that are damaged and ripped. Not sure what I can do with them. Put them in recycling???

Anyway. Need to pick some of the piles up off the floor now LOL!!!

Yours

Calley

catshark88

I have been ill for the last month and am now overwhelmed with the need to make a decision...

Having got the decluttering bug last year and thrown out/ charity shopped etc everything I own that wasn't tied down, I am now stumped by poinsettias. I have 2, given with affection, thriving, but cluttering up my window sills.

I will try to see if any friends want them, but if not, could I actually contemplate (whispers) throwing away a healthy plant??? My brain may implode.....

;-)

Gingernutty

The smug is shrivelling up with embarrassment.

One heavy coat - not worn it in two years and if I haven't dragged it out in this weather, then it's not getting worn.

a gorgeous, cotton rich jumper which requires ironing when it's washed - seriously, who irons jumpers?

a collection of scarves - the silk ones were too sheer to stay knotted and ended up blowing away, there were some odd ones too wide and short to wrap around my neck and one to the rag bag because of all the snags

a pair of 3D glasses - don't worry, I've still got a pair

a pair of clumpy, Frankenstein shoes, recommended by orthotist - barely worn. Look at them. Is it any wonder? :eek:

6 slim CD/DVD cases - don't like the slim cases, that's the last time I send someone to do me an errand - "I'm going down there anyway, it's no bother!"

2 multi way bras with all the bits - nope. Do not like.

a lovely blouse with beaded cuffs - too floaty for work and too posh for casual.

A pair of khaki coloured chinos - no excuse or explanation.

and tomorrow, I'm going round the house again to wheedle more stuff out of here.

guinea_pig_girl

Hello,

Just caught up on the thread, and wanted to thank everyone for sharing their stories about dealing with their hoards.

It is so much easier sorting someone else's stuff than your own. I managed to throw out some books last weekend which I've had for over 20 years and only think about when I see them. Had a panic once they'd gone, but calmed down and am now OK about it, after seriously considering trying to get them back from the charity shop! Argh!!!!!!!!!!

Went to loft today with great intentions, then failed on a box of bits, useful stationery and things and bits that I have moved from parental house to flat to house to flat......oops.

Found some mugs though and put one out that don't like and can use 2 nice ones that have been hiding in the loft for 2 years instead. Yay!

Why is it so hard?????????

Ahem, will return to lurking ☺