2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Craving_space

Hello all, looking for helpful suggestions as part of my decluttering mission (which still hasn't really got going  )

I remember reading an article which suggested people were either 'filers' or 'pilers' - I'm definitely one of the latter lol.  I have boxes of things, often quite pretty boxes, which I'm keeping in case. Trouble is, I have no idea what's in each box, I have occasionally tried labelling a box but it always seems to get classified as miscellaneous - who can keep one type of thing in a box??? They just end up as boxes of junk and I forget what I've got (although decluttering some junk will definitely help).

So what I'm wondering is whether any one has any ideas for how to create tidy 'piles' IYSWIM - I thought baskets, but they don't sit neatly on shelves, which does my head in!  Any thoughts? 

short_bird

Craving_space said:

So what I'm wondering is whether any one has any ideas for how to create tidy 'piles' IYSWIM - I thought baskets, but they don't sit neatly on shelves, which does my head in!  Any thoughts? 

A certain Swedish company has a category called Storage Boxes & Baskets that encompasses everything from flatpack magazine racks and storage boxes to solid plastic lidded containers to go under your bed. 
I'd suggest checking what stuff needs to live in which room and what storage you have available there then see which solution works best for you so you can maximise the use of the space.
Sometimes, not having see through containers is A Good Thing as you may find the stuff inside really annoying! (I discovered this after inheriting a lot of those fabulous Really Useful boxes from a friend who relocated to the USA but hey, free boxes!!)
Then there's the sorting like with like which can be a lengthy process but is satisfying and made significantly easier with a load of empty boxes. However, those don't have to be new empty boxes! Could just use shoe boxes...

Florenceem

Tulips have been decluttered to my lovely neighbour.
Answer to prayer - Saturday's stroppy woman was lovely and understanding this afternoon and spoke to me without demanding to talk to Mr F.

Day 3

Candlewick Bedspread

Cloth Shopping Bag

Card Blank x 4

Paper

Envelope  x 4

Stamps  

bit_by_bit

Ouch @vulpix. Must be bad if you had to buy a new car. 

I know exactly what you mean about energy vs what your brain thinks you can do @dND  

Youare doing very well @Florenceem with DH. You should be proud of yourself.

So I have been back to the allotment today and done a lot more sorting.
All unwanted metal has been relocated to the waste metal section for the comittee to sell.
All the wood is being collected by the comittee tomorrow. 
All the unwanted plastics I can home via the tip and put the plastics where I was told to. Hard plastics one place;plastic bottles the other.
A bag of rubbish has gone in the bin. 

Also today i got rid of a huge bag of soft plastics at a large Tosco on my way to visit a friend. I gave her her birthday present and was rewarded with lovely cake. 

So a good day and I am now feeling that I only need one more visit to the plot and the place will be ready for inspection. I want to have my bonfire too.

I have to now do a clear up at home and get out the matress topper for my be as I have guests coming on Friday. DSis, nieace and Stepmum. None of them have stayed at my house but not worried.

Brie

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger
it's not so much having a choice of people to help but finding someone who will do it before the OH tries.  Given that he's afraid of heights and not long out of the coronary unit I really don't want him to try.  I'll ask the gardener lads when they are here tomorrow.

@Florenceem
you've obviously got someone ear if prayers are being answered!!  Sometimes I find the anticipation is worse than the actual event and that's always a great relief.

Swedish clothing rack has been assembled, but yet to actually put stuff on it.  Realised it's really a 2 person task as OH has a stack of stuff in the corner where it might go and I need to find out what he wants to do with that.  I've another clothing rack to assemble so might get that done this week and then the cardboard can either go in OH's car to wing it's way to the tip or we can see if we can cram it in this week's recycle bin collection (unlikely unless we "borrow" the neighbours.....a late night task)

Florenceem

Brie - we have many people praying for us.

QueenJess

On the way to pick up DD there was a bit on Radio 4 about burnout that also talked about how people do 10-12 more things in their day than in the past.  Interestingly it said we spent more time with our children as well (on average).  Anyway, it was talking about being stressed because we are trying to do too much, but of course with things that we cannot control.  It said you should concentrate and take control of the things that you can, which makes you feel better.  You also need to find a balance including doing something for just yourself.

It all made sense to me and just reinforced what I am attempting to do with my life, which is generally less overall, but keeping the things important to me.  As part of that, I am eliminating stuff because I have better things to do than tidy and continually organise stuff.  It is generally easy for me to find things to get rid of because I just don't put things away if the drawer/cupboard is a mess or too cluttered and it becomes very obvious what needs to be sorted as those things are currently on the floor!

@Craving_space I would really ask yourself whether you are decluttering or just organising the clutter.  If the latter then it won't work.  Are you really going to use it?  When did you last use it?  Does it make you happy?  Are you happy to spend time organising it/tidying it in the future, or is there something else that is more important for you to do?  There's also some interesting videos out there on what type of person you are tidying wise and whether you prefer little categories, or generic categories - try this survey: https://clutterbug.me/   It might help you work out how it's best to organise.

Decluttering:
11,388-11,520 - emails permanently deleted
11,521-11,524 - digital files deleted
11,525 - apps deleted
11,526-11,529 - plant pots (box to go back to garden centre)

short_bird

Evening all, need to finish a few tasks so here's an update of totals over the last few days.
1384-1395: 10 GB data and 100 emails deleted.
1396-1399: 2 binbags and 2 lots of card to the downstairs bins
1400-1425: items to bin and recycling
Deferred Decisions:
246-285: items sold and sent in packaging (easily located from stash), 12 music magazines to colleague.

retiredinfrance

QueenJess- Your comments are just so true. I was emming and ahing over some note cards today and in the end they went into the CS bag. Now, after reading your post I know I did the right thing. I have nicer things to do with my time than agonizing over things given to me that I don’t use, am unlikely to use and are taking up space in my drawer and my life.

retiredinfrance

Florenceem- so glad the day went well. Sometimes we just get stressed about things that may not happen. Look after yourself and MrF.