Mooloo's Joining up the dots in 2017

Savvy_sewing

ognum wrote: »

Thanks Mooloo for explaining. I do understand. I know someone who was bought up moving every few years due to their parents work and they have the same issues.

They have however curtailed their hoarding by restricting it to a particular space, when that is full they make themselves sort it through and consider what is important to keep.

They are happier and mentally healthier since doing this. I am not suggesting your way of life is affecting you this way but maybe some strategy would help to streamline your life a little.

Hope today goes well.

I think it is affecting me now, if I am honest.
I have a friend who I will get to come over and work through some of it with me after Christmas. She loves blitzing and cleaning etc so we have done it before.
I just struggle to throw it away. But she gives me strength to do it. I will block time with her. I need to do it with someone who understands me. BF once tried but was so unthoughtful and through out things that I wanted to keep. When we moved from the Pub I lost a sewing machine, a patchwork quilt I had been making since I was 13 with clothes from my granny and my children. And my wedding dress. Also the family videos of my twins in intensive care, and my films as a child in Africa.
So I don’t trust him to help me.

The staff all came in. A few new jobs.
I worked slowly but methodically and Dgd unpicked etc. Staff did well on the wedding things, and so we are now on target to finish the work before I go. But people will have had a wait longer than usual.
My hands hurt so much that I was glad to stop at 4pm
Walked home helping a young Mum pull her child up the hill on her sledge, my snow boots are brilliant and so is my winter coat. Apart from my nose and cheeks I was toasty warm.
The exercise should be doing me good and the savings in Petrol too.
I have just had a message from my masseuse that she has a cancellation tomorrow so I am going to take it.

Eager_Elephant

Mooloo wrote: »

I think it is affecting me now, if I am honest.
I have a friend who I will get to come over and work through some of it with me after Christmas. She loves blitzing and cleaning etc so we have done it before.

I find that the more clothes I have the more mess they create - if I know everyone has loads of clothes to wear there is no need to keep on top of the washing as people have enough clothes for several months so the washing bin overflows and once it is washed there is no where to put it as drawers and cupboards are full.

I find having a more streamlined amount of clothes works as I have to keep on top of the washing to ensure we have underwear and school shirts etc as we have just over a weeks worth of each.

If you like all your clothes could you divide them up in to summer and winter and store some away and if you still have loads for each season could you divide them in to 2 and then store a set away and use one set for a few months and then swap over - that way all the clothes get some use but you are not over run with washing (either clean or dirty)

Savvy_sewing

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

I find that the more clothes I have the more mess they create - if I know everyone has loads of clothes to wear there is no need to keep on top of the washing as people have enough clothes for several months so the washing bin overflows and once it is washed there is no where to put it as drawers and cupboards are full.

I find having a more streamlined amount of clothes works as I have to keep on top of the washing to ensure we have underwear and school shirts etc as we have just over a weeks worth of each.

If you like all your clothes could you divide them up in to summer and winter and store some away and if you still have loads for each season could you divide them in to 2 and then store a set away and use one set for a few months and then swap over - that way all the clothes get some use but you are not over run with washing (either clean or dirty)

Dirty washing is not a problem, I am on top of that, usually, unless Dgd has been hoarding hers in her room.
Wet washing is an issue now as I can’t dry it fast enough. But Ironing is my main problem. I have a winter and summer wardrobe. I also have a holiday one. Funnily enough if you open my wardrobe it is in order.
Coats, Jackets, skirts, tops, dresses, trousers. Always in order.
Drawers:-
Bra/pants.
Socks, stockings, tights.
Short sleeved, string t shirts
Long sleeved Tops,
Jumpers and leggings
Winter drawer with scarves, gloves and hats
Summer with costumes, sarong and light scarves
Mixed odds and Sods

But I then have my clothes that don’t fit in to the space. I try to put them away but I am a jeckle and Hyde personality, so I have my weard and whacky fashion, I have my office corporate style, My floaty romantic, and my boring throw it on jeans and tops stuff.
I have to admit that fashion conscious I am not, but qwerty style I am. ( in my heart)
I go on holiday usually with a theme!
So I have a wardrobe for when I go self catering and I am casual, I have colour themed, naughtical etc
So actually I have TOO MUCH!
But I do love clothes and fabrics and of course I make more too! Think I am a lost cause.
I once tried to do a capsule wardrobe when Matrix girl was doing a 30 piece wardrobe.
But I have failed on the first hurdle as apart from trousers. I probably have 30 plus of each item!!

Brighton_belle

Another tip with having an excess amount of clothes, is to stop the flow in. i.e. stop buying clothes. That is part of the problem, the need to buy buy buy.
I work professionally with clothes hoarders and I understand how painful letting go can be, which is why it helps if you can stop putting yourself in that difficult position. Sometimes it's the addiction to shopping that creates a lot of the problem.

Savvy_sewing

Brighton_belle wrote: »

Another tip with having an excess amount of clothes, is to stop the flow in. i.e. stop buying clothes. That is part of the problem, the need to buy buy buy.
I work professionally with clothes hoarders and I understand how painful letting go can be, which is why it helps if you can stop putting yourself in that difficult position. Sometimes it's the addiction to shopping that creates a lot of the problem.

And making!

I think that your right about the shopping. The bargain hunt in the charity shops get me.
But my recent purchases are because my size has changed and my more casual style for work shows my more bold style.

I am a hopeless case.
After posting last night I have decided to start on my cull today as Dgd is unwell and not at school, I cannot go to my Mum, but my sister is there so she can do the chores. So for once I only need to pop out for an hour.
I need to sort out what I want to take on holiday so I will aim to at least loose a charity bag full!
I will let you know how my anxiety levels go!!

Brighton_belle

Good luck Mooloo - I really appreciate the anxiety this can induce so be as gentle as you can with yourself.
You will never be a clothes minimalist because your passion is fabric, and that is more than ok. It's what makes you you.
It's about reducing the amount you have to manageable levels where everything has a home and you can enjoy wearing what you have and not buying more because you can't remember what you have because it is lost is piles all over the place.

Feral_Moon

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

I find that the more clothes I have the more mess they create - if I know everyone has loads of clothes to wear there is no need to keep on top of the washing as people have enough clothes for several months so the washing bin overflows and once it is washed there is no where to put it as drawers and cupboards are full.

I find having a more streamlined amount of clothes works as I have to keep on top of the washing to ensure we have underwear and school shirts etc as we have just over a weeks worth of each.

If you like all your clothes could you divide them up in to summer and winter and store some away and if you still have loads for each season could you divide them in to 2 and then store a set away and use one set for a few months and then swap over - that way all the clothes get some use but you are not over run with washing (either clean or dirty)

I have exactly the same problem with an embarrassing amount of clothes. Two large triple wardrobes, several chests of drawers full, which I'm not currently wearing as I've put on a significant amount of weight over the past couple of years. Then all the clothes I'm currently wearing are piled in two huge mountains on the floor in the spare room plus another mountain on the ironing board.

I'm determined to sort them all out by the end of the year so I thought I'd divide them all into piles of separate clothes - trousers, shirts, t-shirts etc - then sort each pile into clothing size (I've got 10s through to 20s) then vacpack any sizes I want to keep and sell or charity shop the rest. Some have never been worn!

Brighton_belle

Feral_Moon wrote: »

I'm determined to sort them all out by the end of the year so I thought I'd divide them all into piles of separate clothes - trousers, shirts, t-shirts etc - then sort each pile into clothing size (I've got 10s through to 20s) then vacpack any sizes I want to keep and sell or charity shop the rest. Some have never been worn!

Great plan Feral Moon. And then with the clothes you keep, sort them into going out/ hobby clothes /work clothes etc and then sort them into colours. This is particularly helpful way to discover you have 5 red cardigans and 17 pairs of black trousers and perhaps you don't need so many duplicates. Select the ones you love most/feel good in and the others can go.
Always remember there are only 7 days in a week and we all own washing machines.

Feral_Moon

Mooloo wrote: »

Dirty washing is not a problem, I am on top of that, usually, unless Dgd has been hoarding hers in her room.
Wet washing is an issue now as I can’t dry it fast enough. But Ironing is my main problem. I have a winter and summer wardrobe. I also have a holiday one. Funnily enough if you open my wardrobe it is in order.
Coats, Jackets, skirts, tops, dresses, trousers. Always in order.
Drawers:-
Bra/pants.
Socks, stockings, tights.
Short sleeved, string t shirts
Long sleeved Tops,
Jumpers and leggings
Winter drawer with scarves, gloves and hats
Summer with costumes, sarong and light scarves
Mixed odds and Sods

But I then have my clothes that don’t fit in to the space. I try to put them away but I am a jeckle and Hyde personality, so I have my weard and whacky fashion, I have my office corporate style, My floaty romantic, and my boring throw it on jeans and tops stuff.
I have to admit that fashion conscious I am not, but qwerty style I am. ( in my heart)
I go on holiday usually with a theme!
So I have a wardrobe for when I go self catering and I am casual, I have colour themed, naughtical etc
So actually I have TOO MUCH!
But I do love clothes and fabrics and of course I make more too! Think I am a lost cause.
I once tried to do a capsule wardrobe when Matrix girl was doing a 30 piece wardrobe.
But I have failed on the first hurdle as apart from trousers. I probably have 30 plus of each item!!

Oh my goodness, you sound just like me! I have sets of clothes for all occasions - casual to smart - and various styles too, depending on my mood. I prefer to keep certain colour schemes, often with several items of clothing in each colour - purple/wine/aubergine, olive/khaki/cream plus the staple navy/black. Lots of black!

Even my dog walking clothes have to coordinate! I couldn't begin to tell you how many coats, boots and shoes I have just for walking. The downstairs cloakroom is stuffed to bursting :rotfl:

Feral_Moon

Brighton_belle wrote: »

Great plan Feral Moon. And then with the clothes you keep, sort them into going out/ hobby clothes /work clothes etc and then sort them into colours. This is particularly helpful way to discover you have 5 red cardigans and 17 pairs of black trousers and perhaps you don't need so many duplicates. Select the ones you love most/feel good in and the others can go.
Always remember there are only 7 days in a week and we all own washing machines.

That's an excellent idea as I'm terribly guilty of duplicating clothes that I've forgotten I've already got the same or incredibly similar lol