Debt free before I'm 40 snowball calculator says yes

Igamogam

Hi Buddie

The problem with holidays is the inevitability of having to return to what you had wanted to get away from!! But you sounded as if had a great time and managed to get a little down time which was what it was all about:)

I have an ongoing need to declutter and have been doing it for what seems likes years now but its getting there. I found the first thing to stop the clutter building up was to stop bringing it into the house...............seemples yes? Well no, because sometimes is not that easy.

When I had my LBM way back when I decided to look at what money went on and after bills and necessities it was stuff really. Stuff that we didnt really need. Stuff bought because it was useful/to be used in the future/a bargain/I will fit it one day!! etc etc. It just had to go! There are lots of threads on here and forums out there that deal with this kind of thing and are full of handy hints and tips. Its just wading through it all and some are quite frightening!! I even watched a couple of episodes of a series featuring life long hoarders and that just made me feel ill!

What O-L has said its the best place to start - small and manageable - a drawer/cupboard/shelf at a time and keep it clear and and on top of it once its done! Set yourself a target of how any things to get rid of - 5/10 a day/week etc and build it up slowly - remember once you start you will have less to throw away:D If part of the clutter is just housework then set aside some time to tackle it a little at a time and then keep on top of it - I have little mantras which I have picked up along the way - a place for everything and everything in its place;dont leave the room empty handed;do we need it or do we just want it;one thing in one thing out etc etc - weird I know - but it works!!

Sometimes I plan to tackle to clutter - which drawer/cupboard/type of clutter are going to tackle today/tonight/this weekend. Then sometimes times its from necessity - free listing/charity collection/trip to nearest town where there is a clothes recycling point/visitors. Other times it just happens..............

Dont worry about staying in your PJs - I do my best cleaning/throwing out/sorting in my PJs. Dont beat yourself up about throwing out half used toiletries - its done now. No need to let toiletries build up again. Use what you have before buying any more and lots of people forget once opened toiletries have a shelf life anyway. If you want to sit in the bathroom and admire your handy work then go for it.....it will inspire you to do more. I can often be found just looking at a book shelf and thinking how nice it looks!

So Eb*y and fr**gle and Oxf*m have become my friends and my salvation - I make money from Eb*y and Oxf*m ( I get N*ctar points and Marks vouchers from Oxf*m which in my book is money!) and f**gle is great for getting rid of all sorts that may have otherwise gone into the wheelie - I have always bought into the idea of recycling and now am a bit of an evangelist about it - cant stand the thought of stuff going to landfill when it still has a use/purpose ( this very strong held belief has also contributed to the clutter :rotfl:) but I am getting there - slowly but surely. It didnt build up over night so it wont go away over night either.

Come back and post what you have tackled each time you have done some and if it has made you some money even better! Once you get started I bet its not as bad as you thought;)

buddiebabe

Thank you for your find and inspiring words. I've managed to get up and get dressed on Wednesday through necessity (dentist appointment) then went out for a lovely lunch with hubby using a voucher he had been given for his birthday.

Yesterday we went shopping. Got a wedding to go to and needed a dress this was the hard bit. I have lots of lovely dresses in the house unfortunately they do not fit but are too pretty to get rid of

I ended up buying 2 one maxi dress and one other dress I have seen before and is lovely but needs a bit of alteration. I'm just not sure I can justify keeping both but I do have the option to return it.

The bathroom is still clean and clutter free makes me smile when I go in.

I had written a to do list but spent more time writing the list than get getting off my backside and do something!

I sat outside in the garden on Wednesday for a bit to read and soak up some sun but the garden is also in a mess everything is overgrown. It was really annoying me so I ended up getting the garden shears out and tackling one of the trees.... Managed to fill my garden bin and only dealt with a small fraction of the tree :eek: did make me feel good like I'd done something but so much to do its so overwhelming.

I know I can only do one thing at a time and it's going to take an age to get everything the way I want it but I just need to take baby steps... Slow and steady wins the race.

I have spent this morning sorting out the mountain of washing that was lying all over the bedroom floor... It was actually higher than the top of the bed :eek::eek:

It is now in nice neat piles on top of the bed (which knowing me will end up back on the floor if I don't deal with them properly) although I'm determined this won't happen.... It's far too nice to stay in today so am going to get dressed and maybe spend an hour or two sitting relaxing in the garden until the urge to tackle the tree takes over then once my hubby goes out later I will tackle the clothes mountain

Hope to have more to report later... I did sort out some bills and made a few payments the other day too so need to update this too

Buddiebabe x

Makeachange

Good luck with everything I look forward to following your journey!

Igamogam

You have made a start.............dont be too despondent at the enormity of it all - one thing ( tree:rotfl:) at a time. Now those pretty dresses.............dont fit a little or one or more sizes away from where you are at the moment? Remember nothing is "too pretty to get rid of". Can they make you some money in the meantime? Decluttering makes you look at things in a whole different light........good luck with the washing pile I so recognise that scene - Clothes on the floor. Fold into neat piles and put on bed. Put neat piles on floor......... Clothes on the floor. Fold..... As soon as I realised how much it was robbing me of my life, doing the folding clothes things, we had a huge purge of our clothes. There still are times when there are clothes on the floor but there are now a lot less to deal with and the purge made us some money:D Still do it every now and then even though we buy a lot less clothes now;)

buddiebabe

Quick update tree still intact for now :rotfl: too nice to be moving about... Am trying to declutter a book only a quarter of the way through but with sun shining reckon I will be 3/4 way through by 6pm when I will come inside and apply aloe Vera n after sun to all my burnt bits

Then I will do something... What I don't know but something (possibly lay on the couch and finish my book) oh then move said piles of clothes back onto the floor so I can sleep :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Must not put clothes on floor!!!!! Maybe on top of unit but not floor

buddiebabe

Oh and pretty dresses staying for now feeling way to fat to attempt to get into them and don't want to depress myself at the moment..... Or I will actually do nothing. It's a job for a rainy day x

Igamogam

I 've just decluttered half a packet of biscuits with a friend who has called in on way home from work to celebrate the start of the summer hols. We know how to live!:j:

buddiebabe

Having quite a productive afternoon/evening now hubby out for night

Washing that was out today ironed and put away. Yesterday's dry washing ironed and put away and 3 piles from top of bed ironed and away :T:T:T

3 things belonging to mum now returned

4 pj bottoms in charity bag along with some size 8 vest tops who am I trying to kid am verging on a size 16 and they were quite worn so no longer required.... Various old and fraying undergarments to the bin.

Also decided to clear the kitchen window ledge which now looks lovely shame I just flung everything off it onto the worktop.... It's a start :rotfl:

Cleared out the fridge and freezer on,y a few things for the bin is not too bad

Am about to declutter a box of cheesy pasta and sit and read some more of my book

As ur summer hols start mine are just ending hope you have some lovely weather and a good break.... Well done on the biscuit de cluttering I may have to do that later with some cake and fudge

Buddiebabe x

catriona79

BB,

Fingers crossed for you x

buddiebabe

Confession time :(:(

I have been really stupid. In the past I had a gambling problem where I'd think nothing of going online and spending between £500 to £3000 a night playing online slot machines. It's not something I'm proud of but it's something I've managed to avoid for a number of years until recently :(

Over the last few weeks I've spent around £100 every other day not playing anything like what I used too and I thought it was manageable until today.

I had been out at a summer fete which unfortunately was a wash out and then I'd come home to an empty house my hubby was away to the commonwealth games so I had the house to myself. The worst part was if I'd not done the fete I could have gone with him but I didn't want to let the organisers down so choose to do that.

I then saw a post on Facebook saying that hubby n sister were in the casino which made me think oh well while I'm here alone I'll just have a wee shot on some games.... 8 hours and £1000 later I'm now lying in bed in a right state knowing I a have spent the money for the mortgage, credit card payments and also our shopping money for the week :eek: I'm so angry with myself :mad: and feel sick.

I have removed the games app from my iPad. I can't trust myself to go into the other accounts and exclude myself so will need to get hubby to do that in the morning I couldn't open the laptop even if I wanted to just feel too sick.

I need help.... Why is it when something goes right for me I always screw it up.

Hubby had had a great day and night out but I have managed to out a downer on that and he now feels guilty for going out.

I am going to have to seriously sort my life out cause I can't go on like this. The look of sheer disappointment and disgust from hubby is something I won't forget in a long time.

I wish I could just curl up in a ball and die