2019 - A Clutter Free Life

White_musk

chocolatelover93 wrote: »

Hello everyone!

MadamMim - Sending hugs xx I was a home carer about 5 years ago and loved working with the people I cared for but hated the office. I was told not to bond with them, to call them customers, not to have general chats about things and not to get attached! So basically go into someones elses house and be a robot! No thanks! One of the ladies I looked after I would always stay longer and have some dinner with her and watch the case and would take her up to bingo once a month she was such a lovely lady. I find that a lot of the upper management either haven't done the job or haven't done it for so long they have forgotton how to care.

So Kondo'd my clothes yesterday. I actually had soooo many my bed (king size) was overflowing with clothes. Was hard at first with the spark joy but I got there in the end. As silly as it sounds thanking my clothes was actually a really helpful way to get rid of them. I managed to sell a whole bundle of clothes on FB for £25 and delivering to the lady tomorrow and she is paying an extra £5 for fuel money
I hung all my clothes up that needed hanging and just have the folding to do now. Not gonna lie the bits that need folding are all over the floor and I slept with some still in the bed :eek: Have turned the hangers on everything (except work clothes) and anything that hasn't been used for 6 months will be gone on the next purge!

Next on the list is my sons clothes and he has masses of them! he must have about 20 pairs of jeans. What 2 year old needs that many jeans?!?! I only have 1 pair!! haha

Also got rid of some more rubbish and bits from the kitchen. It's such a positive experience. And I feel so much better now that my table is clear. I'm enjoying meal times up the table with my DS and he is too. He's been asking lots of questions and what things are which is really nice and it's helping my mental health a lot too (I know I keep saying this but I didn't realise how much the clutter was getting me down as well) I actually sat in my living room the other day and felt happy. When I walk into the house and see how clean and tidy it is in there I don't mind the toys and I feel more at peace (again sorry if this sounds odd or I keep going on haha)

C xx

This is one of the most beautiful and heartwarming posts I've read about the joy of getting rid of clutter and the absolute changes it can bring to us. Keep going and keep posting, people need to read the real changes to real people. Congratulations. :T:T

chupachups4

Good evening

86-87: 2 items sold, 17.50 euros in the travel pot
88-93: 6 hangers

listed 10 items but will count them when they will be gone

choille

Due to tax return time - OH did loads of chucking out paperwork as we had piles to sort.

Bag of bedspread, shower curtain & bits to CS & box of crockery. Quite bulky stuff so that was good.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi, happy to report i have cleared the landing by taking 4 big bags of stuff to the charity shop! Dx

White_musk

I have a cream glass topped coffee table. I bought it about 17-18 years ago and it's beautiful, it's also really quite large. I have two matching columns for speakers or plants or lamps, I have lamps on mine. The problem is, my little DGD bangs things on it and I'm terrified she breaks it and then gets cut to ribbons, the glass is really thick and heavy. I really need to get rid of it, as the moment I've hidden away. It's eating space I don't have.

I've read so much inspiration on this thread that when the other large items go, the table and columns are also going to go. It will be hard as I love this set and my late husband and I chose it together, however, given a choice between them and my little DGD and the space they're taking up, they have to go.

I'll let you know once they're gone.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. SMALL TASKS WILL BE DONE ASAP
2. I WILL LEAVE A ROOM TIDIER THAN WHEN I ENTERED
3. KITCHEN WILL BE LEFT CLEAN & TIDY EVERY NIGHT
4. WHEN DEALING WITH CLUTTER I WILL USE ‘Daisy1571’s idea of ‘WHAT WOULD I DO WITH THIS ITEM IF IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE’S ?’
5. IF I WAS STARTING FROM SCRATCH, WOULD I BUY THIS?
6. BE LIKE A POSTAGE STAMP - STICK TO ONE THING UNTIL YOU GET THERE

Monday has been a gloriously bright day, clear blue sky & dry but very cold 🥶 & yes I have been wrapping up warmly when out & turned the heating up 2 degrees indoors
DH picked up DSis & brought her home via a Caf! :rotfl: They had a fried breakfast. DSis has to go back tonight as the machine didn’t work very well :eek: Dinner was sausages, mash, fried onions & 2 tins of plum tomatoes - yummy. All the los have been put into a saucepan as the base for a soup :T which I will concoct tomorrow
I walked to the sm a roundabout way via the CS which unfortunately was closed However the bag was rather heavy & I was going shopping so I left it outside their door Fortunately the cs has a covered walkway so the donations bag will stay dry but no idea if it will go walkabout :mad: Sm visit was relatively quick & I was going to walk home but cba’d so caught the bus
Thanks Wanna Bee Free :T I used the 5 minute rule to vacuum downstairs + 5 mins sorting part of the contents of the last box in the spare room which actually turned into 30 minutes :T - shredding, recycling, binning & cs + you did well :T

188 - 189 Self help book, small bag of paper crafting bits - to CS
190 Delivery box dismantled & put in loft
191 - 192 One inch of shredding & Half inch of rubbish - Binned
193 Brochures, booklets etc - recycled
DH has made a bread thingy for the birds & used up the last of: the peanut butter, seed & grain flour, dark brown sugar with veg oil, yeast & animal feed peanuts. Baked & will be cut into pieces & put in a bird feeder. Let us hope they like it :rotfl:

194 packets, jars etc - binned

Cheerleading starts here

abbe89, Well Done on decluttering clothes :T Underwear sorting - when it is warm enough - will you do the catwalk thing making sure it is comfortable :rotfl: & you will be able to do it in pleasant smelling surroundings

Ginmonster, it is so lovely when your decluttering bears fruit :T:D:j It was such a joy to read your post - it spurs me on Not only can you entertain guests but also unexpected gifts What a lovely neighbour The ‘Decluttering Bug’ has well & truly caught hold of you :rotfl:

parsniphead, it was rather horrible but I am being good now - experience is a wonderful thing :rotfl: You have a decluttering plan :T - I wish you every success

Happy days for Happy Kitties :rotfl:

MadamMim2013, I am mad on your behalf :mad::mad: - personally I agree with Cranky40 - I would take at least 2 days for yourself :rotfl: Mind you there is something to be said about rage cleaning & decluttering You can get an awful lot done :T

never too old, has OH counted his neat & tidy piles :rotfl: is there scope for some of them to mysteriously vanish :rotfl:

CAFCGirl, still decluttering :T Every item out is a win :T

Cranky40, Well Done on the sales :T I bet the cleaning is easier with less clutter When I read running & cleaning - I had visions of you racing round the house - pushing a vacuum cleaner with one hand & swishing a duster with the other :rotfl:

Well written Hermia :T

Bargainhunterss, we all learn from each other :T Make sure your boxes are suitably labelled & don’t forget to set a reminder :rotfl:

White_musk, you are steaming ahead Well done :T I quite agree with your 2nd post - so well expressed :T A bit sad that you are releasing things you love so much but lovely that you feel able to :T Might I suggest that before you let them go you set them up & photograph them - each time you see the photo it will bring back happy memories

Nannywindows - childminding & decluttering :T How long did the illusion last - of DH sweeping you into his arms & carrying you up to bed :rotfl:

Pixielottie - the most important decluttering is done :rotfl::T Sounds like you are a lipstick lover :rotfl: I think I have owned 4 lipsticks in my whole life :rotfl:

Chocolatelover93, hope your cs is open :rotfl: & I hope you earn lots of pennies :rotfl:

chupachups4, more pennies in :T I might be coming to you for a loan :rotfl:

choille, paperwork & bulky stuff :T you must be grinning from ear to ear :rotfl:

Deni debt-free dreamer, I hope you danced a jig on your clear landing :rotfl:

Thank you all for helping me in my decluttering journey :T

MrsSD
194/2019

Working_Mum

White_musk wrote: »

I have a cream glass topped coffee table. I bought it about 17-18 years ago and it's beautiful, it's also really quite large. I have two matching columns for speakers or plants or lamps, I have lamps on mine. The problem is, my little DGD bangs things on it and I'm terrified she breaks it and then gets cut to ribbons, the glass is really thick and heavy. I really need to get rid of it, as the moment I've hidden away. It's eating space I don't have.

Hey White_musk - reading your post makes me think "is there another way??" - have you got space to use these in your garden?? I had an old glass topped table and conservatory sofa I protected with yacht varnish and an exterior sealer and used them outside for about 12 years - I literally got rid of them last year because the sofa was unsafe to sit on!! I cut it up and burned the pieces on the fire pit.

I continue my de-cluttering drive this year and reading this thread is great for inspiration. THANK YOU all ((hugs))

CAFCGirl

Box of hama beads and assorted gumph added to the CS bag.

Small effort..... Kitchen drawers being done next. Should add a few more bits to the declutter.

Looking around the house I'm not sure I see it being any less cluttered. Maybe a second round will be needed LOL

somerandom

somerandom wrote: »

140. ornament - CS
141. Bag of c**p from under bathroom sink

142. Laptop lap tray
143. ipod case
144. Book
145. crimpers
146 & 7 - 2x bric-a-brac
148. Replaced "tired" ironing board cover

pixielottie

Mrs_Salad_Dodger wrote: »

Pixielottie - the most important decluttering is done :rotfl::T Sounds like you are a lipstick lover :rotfl: I think I have owned 4 lipsticks in my whole life :rotfl:

I was actually allergic to lipsticks until about 5 years ago so it very quickly got out of hand when I discovered I could wear them. >.<
The sad thing is I only ever wear one that's the same colour as my lips anyway (to hide scarring from coldsores ) because I love dark colours and worry I'll end up in a mess if I eat or drink :rotfl:

White_musk - if you really love the coffee table don't let it go, your DGD will grow up and learn not to.... I likeWorking Mum's idea to use it elsewhere somehow, or maybe it could be temporarily topped to protect it a little extra? I will also add it's probably stronger than you realise, I'm an artist and use double glass frames a lot, I was taking some to go up in an exhibition and fell up the stairs in the trainstation wacked all the frames off the metal edge of the step, got to the venue to hand them over saying I'm sorry if they are all broken but they all survived! I'd imagine there is a certain level of testing that these things have to go into, I know companies have to test componants way beyond their regular useage, and it's not like it's a fully grown man using full force on it. I hope that might go some to putting your mind at rest x

.

I decided at the start of the year that I need to build up some healthy habbits. Being self employed it's so hard to have structure to a day. So I've ditched caffeine after 8pm. Which I think is helping me sleep better and get up a little earlier (though a new piercing is messing that up a bit because I stupidly had it in the ear I usually lie on).

Anyway why it's relevant is that extra hour in the morning I'm going to use productively to tidy! I'm also once I've discovered my desk again, going to leave it tidy every night. And Wednesdays will be declutter mornings.

158 - My favourite tea company put Coffee in a tea for a Christmas special... how crazy is that! Anyway gave it to my boyfriend because I don't drink coffee haha.
x