Simplifying Life

chardonnay_2

Ellidee wrote: »

I think when you are young it's all about accumulating things but as you get older you want to declutter and simplify. Our 22 year old son hasn't lived at home since he went off to Uni 4 years ago but we still have loads of his 'stuff' in the loft. He is renting a room in a small flat so nowhere to put it there. What would we do with it if we decided to downsize ?

ellidee - you get him to go through it and decide what he wants to keep - chances are not much if he hasn't needed it for 4 years. also if there was anything he particularly wanted to keep he could always pay to store it somewhere.

huxley

I find the hardest thing to simplyfy are the things we have been entrusted with that have memories or history attached. With these items I am trying to share the responsability rather than think of it as simplyfying or decluttering. As each of my children turns 21 they are given a photo album of their own containing photos of them growing up and of grandparents etc, also I have started to make book of items that I have kept so that if ever they have to decide on things to stay and go they will have all the information to help them make the decision, an example of this is a very insignificant looking blue broach it was my mothers and when she died we decided that this fitted the something old/something borrowed/something blue and is now a small but very significant keepsake for any family bride to use. I suppose the trick is to find ways to keep the past but find ways for it to survive in the present and go on in the future.

ceridwen

sophiesmum wrote: »

I have a hotspot on the end of my kitchen worktop that is always full of paper clutter as thats where the post/junkmail etc invariably ends up in a pile for sorting.
In an effort to stop the clutter developing i am going to leave the shredder permanently plugged in there. New rule for myself, open, read,shred anything not important immediately.:D When it's full it can go for recycling. Should keep the worktop clearer, and save me time doing sorting/shredding/chucking once the pile takes over.

...and of course there is always stopping as much as possible of the junk mail at source:

- get that Post Office form to fill in to stop them delivering the bit that automatically comes to each household (caution: they will only accept that proper official form - and it takes persistence!!)
- send back junk mail to the originator of (envelope stapled up if necessary - if you have had to open it to ascertain whether it really is for you) with words written on envelope "Junk mail not accepted - Post Office return to sender".

I have been able to stop a lot of it between these two things - if anyone ever finds a foolproof way to stop estate agents and takeaways shoving their bumph through the door I'm sure we'd all like to know.

ceridwen

chardonnay wrote: »

ellidee - you get him to go through it and decide what he wants to keep - chances are not much if he hasn't needed it for 4 years. also if there was anything he particularly wanted to keep he could always pay to store it somewhere.

Good point - and having to pay to store it would make him think twice about whether he wanted to keep it. I have certainly been astonished before now at how often people store someone elses possessions for them (in their own homes) - either children who have now moved out or even an ex-partner who has subsequently moved out.

Olliebeak

Congratulations, teacup :j ! You've just earned your first stripe as an OS moneysaver - consider yourself promoted to 'corporal teacup' :T .

teacup_2

Thanks Sophies mum , good point too!, & rosieben.
Thanks olliebeak I am wearing my stripe proudly! I like the sound of corporal teacup!!!!. Their are things in my wardrobe I havent been able to wear as my waist has expanded and I will lose weight and fit into them ! it will be like having different things to wear. Clothes always feel nicer on if they are not being stretched to the seams and mine feel that way at moment , especially my jeans. I wish I had some spare space in them, I do not like the tight feeling ! esp after christmas. still had a banana and some bran this morning !

thanks for the encouragement on resisting temptationxxx

Boatie_Bird

ceridwen wrote: »

Good point - and having to pay to store it would make him think twice about whether he wanted to keep it. I have certainly been astonished before now at how often people store someone elses possessions for them (in their own homes) - either children who have now moved out or even an ex-partner who has subsequently moved out.

My Mum had a similar problem with lots of my stuff at her house that I always said I'd sort out 'at some time'!
In the end she got a cardboard box and everytime I went round there she'd filled it with a selection of my possessions which I then had to sort through. It took a few months but we got there in the end and it was never too much of a chore as it was in small, manageable amounts.

Ellidee

chardonnay wrote: »

ellidee - you get him to go through it and decide what he wants to keep - chances are not much if he hasn't needed it for 4 years. also if there was anything he particularly wanted to keep he could always pay to store it somewhere.

Thank you I know you are right BUT it may get worse. When he was home at Christmas he announced he is thinking of going travelling for a year and could we store his things for him. Aaaaargh !

Rowan9

I have been sorting through books this year - loads have gone to charity shops and I've managed to sell a few on Amazon. I've just sold a cassette on there so am off to package it up and send it on its merry way. In place of buying books, i've been using the library much more and also using their ordering system if time is short so i can browse their catalogue when i've time and then popping in to collect the books when they are in.
This thread is motivational!!

thriftlady_2

Someone's just posted this link on another thread. This is exactly what I'm planning to do so I'll be watching with interest. BTW I will be continuing to buy tea and coffee (and wine ) as we use these up regularly.