KonMari 2016 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

camelot1001

Just popping out of long-term lurkdom to offer my condolences GQ.

Igamogam

GreyQueen wrote: »

As a family, we are readying ourselves to absorb the contents of one two-bedroom bungalow, two small outbuildings and two sheds, one large one very small, into our respective homes. With some overflow to charitable donation and some items, regrettably, having died in storage.



I hope that the new people will love that garden, and will relish the lilacs by the gable end, which were truly glorious in 2016, but I won't miss raking moss out of that lawn..........:)

I know this might sound a little odd GQ but what a beautifully written and considered account of how your Nan's wordlies are going to be dealt with:) It is lovely to hear that you and your relatives will deal with the house in a respectful way. It is so easy in our time constrained possession obsessed lives just to call a clearance company in or worst have a skip outside the house. I am sure your Nan will approve and the environment will be grateful.

GreyQueen

camelot1001 wrote: »

Just popping out of long-term lurkdom to offer my condolences GQ.

Thank you.

But please post as well as lurk, we'd love to hear from you.

I'm easing into the day with a few gallons of tea before heading up to the lottie. Will probably meet up with a lottie pal (arrangements tbc by text) and perhaps have another bonfire on his allotment.

I love bonfires and *buffs nails* am quite the accomplished arsonist. Have matches, will travel.

Life goes on, as the cliche has it. Nan's garden has been cultivated by my Dad as if it were an allotment, keeping her and Aunt in fresh veggies, plus some overspill crops for neighbours. When I garden on my allotment, the broad and runner beans I grow are saved seed from that garden, and every cheery orange or yellow pot marigold is the descendant of seeds saved from the ones growing in that garden.

I reckon I will have another chazzer donation bag in a week or so, and definately have a large carrier bag of stuff for their rag collection. Given the smallness of this space, that can't stay here much longer.

Righty, kettle on, then I must get washed and dressed and make a move. Lots of garden tidying and soil prep, it's possible that the organic brewery may have made a delivery of spent barley grains and hops up to the site. If so, I am a woman with some serious wheelbarrowing to do.

silvasava

My condolences to you and your family GQ. Just logged in after a 2 week holiday and this is the first page I've read - very sobering and how thoughtful you and your family are with your Nan's home.
I need to check my garden today and see what a couple of weeks of neglect have wrought! I have unpacked, got the cases stacked inside each other like russian dolls along with the things like plug adaptors and things we only use on holiday stowed within. first load of washing on and 3 piles waiting - ah the joys of being home

GreyQueen

Nan was a very careful and considered person.

We're not a rich family, just working-class country folk, my generation being the first off the land. It's habitual to look after stuff, and to pass it around within the family whn no longer needed.

There will be some things which cannot be homed within households which are already mature. Most of us don't have a bed gap or a wardrobe gap, and we tend to live in pretty small places (the not-rich usually do) so it's not as if we can just warehouse unused furniture and large appliances for Justin.

Nan had been very good about sorting stuff out, even in her latter years when the physical handling of stuff needed to be done by others, and the decisions were made by her.

One thing which surfaced in the past few years was a dish which turned out to be one of a set of three matching dishes, which had got separated between the sisters when their parental home was cleared. The set was re-united after nearly 40 years and is with one of their daughters.

As many families do, we also have a relatively recent example of lifelong estrangement due to a row over inheritance (Nan's brother from his siblings in the early 1970s) which we never want to see repeated. So, it's important that no one feel left out or disrespected in the process of breaking up Nan's household.

Also, for reasons already mentioned (the many relations living within a few doors of the bungalow), clearing it will be a public event, to a degree. There will almost certainly have to be a skip for some items, which are not in fit condition to donate and which are not safely-burnable without contaminating the garden soil.

It's likely that some furniture cannot be rehomed within the family, or even within the wider circle of village life (villagers being more affluent than of yore) and which will be offered to charities like BHF.

Fen1

My condolences, GQ, to you and your family.

Floss

GQ do your employers have any charity links for start-up packs for newly housed homeless or refugee families, or maybe a local refuge?

hebwood

GQ, my condolences to you and your family. Your considered replies have my admiration.

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Very pleased with KMing - large tip run including various items from the shed - nasty half empty tins of very ood paint, liquids, old unusable flower baskets, old waterproof (that now isn't) covers; Old satnav stuff gone to a good friend who can use it; old unused labels/old paper/scrap paper etc., from under my
my desk. Was going to get rid of old fitted sheets that now don't, but unfortunately they have got mixed up with the current ones (doh!). Have to re-check at a later date.


Take care and make sure you have some joy everyone.
H.

Icey77

My condolences GQ, I'm glad to hear your Nan passed peacefully and calmly. Your comment about about coming out of lurkdom and staying to post has come at a point where I feel ready to join in and post about my KM-ing.

Yesterday 250 listed items (many bundles) went to the NCT branch Nearly New Sale that I am Treasurer for. This was 2 enormous tartan laundry bags of clothes from my DD and DS and 3 big boxes outgrown toys & equipment. Only 1 bag of clothes and 1 box of came back and they will go back into the loft for next years autumn/winter sale. I call that a win ... Oh and I made £150 odd as well after commission :j

I also sold a lovely Jojo Maman coat via FB this morning which is great as I don't have to pay commission for a more expensive item that would go for half of what I sold it for if it had gone to the NNS. I'm also about to list some safety gates that have leaned against my bedroom wall for the last 6 months, and some in the shed for several years. A good wipe down and they will be off to prevent other small children falling down the stairs

I have more bags waiting to go to DD's school for their spare uniforms, these were given to me by a neighbour but were too small for DD.

Stuff is continually going out and less stuff coming in but I'm winning the war in general!

Granny28

Another long-time lurker here wanting to add my condolences to you, GQ, on the loss of your nan. xx