Hoarding junk

Gingham_Ribbon

Tootles, I sympathise about the bath thing! When I was heavily pregnant my stomach muscles split and I was generally quite weak. I had a half hour lie in an empty bath because I'd pulled the plug out with my toe and couldn't sit up. I shouted for my husband but his music was much louder than me and I had to wait until he came upstairs to say hello.

By which time I was crying and cursing and very cold and generally a little the worse for wear. The next time I had a bath was when I was in labour. No one was going to leave me alone then!

It's funny though, a friend came round shortly after and was sympathising with the general beached whale feeling that comes with being about to burst. She asked me if I'd got stuck in the bath yet and said it happened to her a few times!

skylight

6 of us - 4 kids, 2 bed house, 1 bathroom, 1 living room and 1 kitchen.

I have no room for junk. I really, really, really wish I had room for junk

And you would be surprised the amount we actually have! I sell stuff, and feel as if I bin stuff on a regular basis.

And its never enough, cos I'm a hoarder at heart!!!!!

Queenie

:hello: Welcome Threadhead :hello:

I first came across Flylady a number of years ago in my more naive internet days ... signed up for the newsletter, got bombarded with emails, printed most of them off and ended up with a couple binders of "junk" mail :rotfl: Then, I learned how to unsubscribe but kept the real info bits and ditched the daily reminders

I agree, for someone who needs motivation or doesn't know where to begin, Flylady can be a real help!

Gingham_Ribbon

I found it hugely helpful in the beginning and that's when I really decluttered, and I haven't been accumulating stuff since. (Although that's also because of my money saving. I'm too tight to buy anything!)

But what I found less helpful was that most of the testimonies they sent out were about how their products helped people declutter and there were less stories about people finding their own way with it. I know it's a business they're running but I do think that a forum would have been great. Just as I turn to Curry Queen, Squeaky and others for scratch cooking tips, so I'd like to turn to someone with 'how to organise my bedroom drawers without some overflowing and some being mostly empty' tips!

It's a good site though and I'd recommend it to anyone who is wondering how on earth to start.

Queenie

In the earlier days GR .. they didn't plug the products. The products at that time amounted to a "Flylady Window Cling" (if I remember rightly). I think there used to be a yahoo group re: flylady

Another great site is Organised Home . Printables to keep you organised and a forum for those who want to discuss decluttering and stuff

brummiebabe

Well, did a bit of unplanned decluttering today! Whilst in the process of cleaning & putting kids outdoor toys in the garage, realised that I had to clear space in the garage first! I'm sure everyone must have one area of their house/garage that they put stuff to "sort out later!":rolleyes:

Most of the boxes in the garage were from our last house move (5+years ago!) and, you guessed it, they've just sat there ever since! However, me & DH spent a good hour sorting through them and now have a PILE of stuff to take to the tip!!

Some nice finds though. My DH found his collection of matchbox toys (from 30+ years ago) and promptly gave them to DS1&2 who are both car mad! Kept the kids amused for hours and didn't cost us a penny!! He also found his old Rupert the Bear Annuals, and read some of them to the kids at bedtime tonight - they loved it!! DS1 said that, when daddy isn't at home, he's going to make him a card to say thankyou for giving him his special cars!!:)

Still have a way to go to sort out the whole garage, but at least we've made a good start!!!:D

Gingham_Ribbon

Nice tale, Brummiebabe. MAde me smile.

brummiebabe

Incidentally, bought a really good book a couple of years ago called 'Dejunk Your Life' by Helen Foster (see it here...www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1854108581/026-8876432-9282049)

What I like is that its British - so you don't get all the American references! It's straightforward and an easy read!!!!:D

Yorkielass

We've recently moved house - our first house move together and the first time I've ever moved with furniture and all.

Anyway whilst sorting stuff we found so much stuff we were hoarding, trouble is we had some stuff which was in the house when my now in laws to be bought it nearly 4 years ago, some stuff OH bought in when he moved in 3 and a bit years ago, stuff I bought in when I moved in 2 and a bit years ago and stuff we've bought together since, all that combined with moving to a smaller place = far too much stuff.

Anyway we've done a car boot sale, I sold some stuff to someone on another forum and I've been selling stuff through the small ad service at the university (OH is still a student there). So far I'm up to about £76 - we spent £50 of it on some great bed side tables with 2 drawers from ikea as we don't have much storage space in our new flat, it's great getting rid of stuff and using it to buy something which we can use to store things in and hopefully tidy stuff up a bit.

I'm going to try and sell some books on amazon or at the university second hand book shop this week and I've got some maybe's for ebay if I'm brave enough.

When we first found we'd have to move to somewhere smaller we thought it would be awful - but actually it's not been too bad - meant we've got rid of stuff (several charity shop and tip runs as well as stuff) and found we had so much stuff we didn't really need.

Hope everyone elses decluttering is going well too :T

Primrose

I know many of us hoard stuff on the basis that it might come in useful one day, but when, and on what basis do you decide that "enough is enough" and get rid of it? My OH has an ancient bike that he hasn't ridden for about 15 years and I'm sure he will never ride again. It's cluttering up our potting shed area which I constantly use as I'm the gardener in our house. Am I being unreasonable in asking him to get rid of it? I think he's saving it up for when the world's petrol reserves run out :rotfl: