Thread: Decluttering support thread Board: All Saints / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Here is a brand new, shiny and surprisingly uncluttered thread for all of us who want more order in our lives. The old thread is now here in Limbo if you need to refer back to it.

<small>[ 11. February 2013, 06:32: Message buggered about with by: Kelly Alves ]</small>

[ 13. February 2013, 13:25: Message edited by: Marvin the Martian ]
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Aww, a baby thread. I love new threads! *Pets thread gently*

We have bring-and-share-a-pudding lunch at church tomorrow so some of the Christmas food will be decluttered there. Meanwhile I've been going round the house this morning trying to decide on the next area to declutter... I got partway through my dressing table the other day and lost interest.

Nen - showing some symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
 

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Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :
 
I need to sort my room out, and generally make it all fit, but I am hopeless at getting rid of things.
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Nenya:
... I got partway through my dressing table the other day and lost interest.

Nen - showing some symptoms of attention deficit disorder.

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I inadvertently decluttered my dressing table... I discovered a forgotten box of dressy earrings but have now lost it again.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I have just discovered that listening to a talking book while I clear the debris of my life keeps me on task.

It sounds so simple, but has made a huge difference to my life

And yes, I do know I lead a boring life.

Huia
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Huia, that sounds like a really really good idea. I may give that a try next week when I start work on sorting this junkyard of a flat out in earnest. Meanwhile I'm still in Christmas mode - one day to go
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Huia:
I have just discovered that listening to a talking book while I clear the debris of my life keeps me on task.

It sounds so simple, but has made a huge difference to my life

And yes, I do know I lead a boring life.

Huia

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quote:

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Originally posted by Smudgie:
Meanwhile I'm still in Christmas mode - one day to go

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Indeed. It all begins in earnest tomorrow.


Nen - ignoring the piles of paperwork and wondering how much of the unopened box of Quality Street can be consumed before the end of the day.
 

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Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
Well, the Hippo bag is here and almost full! We've taken up the old stair carpet and removed most of The Mess that was down the side of the house. Later this week, we're gong to tackle the Cupboard Under The Stairs.
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Serious decluttering needed here. One barrier, if the whole place is a mess, where do you put stuff to sort? Where do you pile stuff to garage sale? That requires an non-cluttered space before you start!
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Now the tree is down I can give the lounge a serious going over tomorrow, there's presents, toys and paper hiding away in corners. I might also reduce the books on the shelves to make room for those sitting around the landing.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Belle, that's my problem exactly. I can't even reorganise cupboards because there's nowhere to put the stuff while I'm reorganising. The only place really is the bed, with the result that it all gets taken off and hurriedly dumped on the floor at the end of the day! I need my son to go away for a month, or something, so I can use his bedroom.. except I'd have to do his bedroom before I could start!!!
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have lost an important piece of paper. This has the potential bonus that finding it is the most important thing to do today, so I can legitimately spend time decluttering the study till I find it.
(It will only be a bonus if I do, in fact, find it!)
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
Serious decluttering needed here. One barrier, if the whole place is a mess, where do you put stuff to sort? Where do you pile stuff to garage sale? That requires an non-cluttered space before you start!

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Sniff sniff sniff (Boogie the bloodhound) - do I detect and excuse here

Find some bits of floor to mark out as declutterig zones
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I haven't found my Important Bit of Paper, but I have found a money-off voucher which expired 22 May 2007.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
Serious decluttering needed here. One barrier, if the whole place is a mess, where do you put stuff to sort? Where do you pile stuff to garage sale? That requires an non-cluttered space before you start!

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Sniff sniff sniff (Boogie the bloodhound) - do I detect and excuse here

Find some bits of floor to mark out as declutterig zones

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Start by throwing away everything that can be thrown away. You can take stuff to the recycling or charity shop if you can manage this, but you can also give yourself amnesty from this. The priority is to get stuff out of the house.

Don't overthink it, if it's hard to throw something leave it for now. Concentrate on clearing stuff out. That should clear some space.

Put stuff in the room it is supposed to live in. Then you will be able to see how much stuff there is for each room and it will be easier to sort.

Ask yourself if you are really going to make enough money from the garage sale to make the effort worthwhile? If not, get rid of the stuff as above. If the stuff is worth serious money a dealer will come and value it and take it away for you. Or place some individual small ads in the classified section of your local newspaper.

I have decluttered my shoes and cleaned out the bottom of the wardrobe. The survivors are packed in plastic boxes and shoe bags.

Embarrassing moment yesterday. I had stashed some boxes in the fitted wardrobe in the attic in an effort to make the room look more room like and less like a storage area for our prospective buyers.

The man opened the wardrobe doors and a large box fell out onto him.



 

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Posted by Anselmina (# 3032) on :
 
My usual untidy-housekeeping style has just recently got worse with the addition of a new dog who used to scavange to keep alive. He counter-surfs like nothing I've ever seen before - usually from on top of any surface he can fit his four paws onto, knocking everything around or onto the floor (crockery, glass and even on one very sad occasion a much-looked-forward-to bottle of wine).

And so far he's managed to snort his way through two plastic, twist-top jars of chocolate powder (unscathed!), two full pots of jam, any number of supposedly securely packaged buns, biscuits and binned bread items. If I nip to the loo for a moment, and leave anything vaguely resembling food, it becomes a ripped-up, crumby mess in less time than it takes to....... flush the toilet.

There's egg in the carpet where half a dozen boxed eggs bit the dust - shells and all. And last week I found him wandering round the garden with a Baker's Complete bag over his head and shoulders, banging into walls and trees. The only thing he hasn't done yet is open the fridge.

I shall have to take on a whole new idea of tidiness for the new year! But because he scavanges non-food items, too - anything in a packet or on the counter - I think it'll have to be, very reluctantly, a crate for the times I'm out of the house.
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Thyme:

quote:

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Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
if the whole place is a mess, where do you put stuff to sort? Where do you pile stuff to garage sale? That requires an non-cluttered space before you start!

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Sniff sniff sniff (Boogie the bloodhound) - do I detect and excuse here

Find some bits of floor to mark out as declutterig zones

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quote:

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Start by throwing away everything that can be thrown away. You can take stuff to the recycling or charity shop if you can manage this, but you can also give yourself amnesty from this. The priority is to get stuff out of the house.

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Yes, I think that's the key, not trying to place it with someone who might like it ("Clara would love this blouse I've never worn, she's coming to visit in July so I'll save it for her" doesn't get it out of the house now!) and not thinking in terms of "I can surely get a few bucks for this at a garage sale or if I would learn the Ebay game" (that doesn't get it out of the house NOW.).

A huge part of the problem is that I accidentally became the resting site for the storage room of stuff of a homeless woman who wants me to sell the items piece by piece and told me prices. Unrealistic prices of course, we all over-value our stuff. I got an offer for her china set that was way lower than what she said to sell it for but higher than it goes for on Ebay (the set was once very popular), I emailed her for permission to sell at the lower price but she scolded me for something irrelevant instead of responding to the offer.

So I emailed her last week that in February I will pack up one footlocker of things I think are treasures for her, and sell everything else because I have to start getting the house cleaned out to sell and can't be waiting for her approval of prices anymore. (Some year I'll sell the house, right? Gotta start cleaning!)

My clutter is bad, someone else's stuff on top of my clutter is affecting my life. Most people go thru it at some point, have to take in their parent's or child's stuff for a while.

But I also need to face "my own clutter is bad." Always has been. I need some attitude adjustment towards insecurities and sentimental attachments and "might come in handy sometime" etc clutters. Decluttering my mind would have a side effect of less clutter in the house.
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I can see the carpet in my study! And I've finally found the Important Piece of Paper! Sifting through the teetering heaps has made me realise just how much I still have to do; decluttering the study is going to take weeks.

Our paper recycling box is full to overflowing with a week to go before recycling collection day.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

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But I also need to face "my own clutter is bad." Always has been. I need some attitude adjustment towards insecurities and sentimental attachments and "might come in handy sometime" etc clutters. Decluttering my mind would have a side effect of less clutter in the house.

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quote:

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Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:

My current dilemma is a huge dolls' house, the size of a chest of drawers, that I was 'lent' over 60 years ago. The idea was, it would be mine until the woman who owned it had children, which she never did, and now we have lost touch entirely. It has enormous sentimental value but nothing financially, and it is so big I can't imagine Miss S - assuming she has a daughter, please excuse gender-specificity - ever having room for it even if she wanted to.

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Would taking lots of photos of it and putting them in a lovely frame help? (And then the thought of a child somewhere - who did have the space - enjoying it?)


 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Is there a museum locally that might welcome it?
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
A doll house lent 60 years ago by an owner no longer in contact, is a doll house the owner doesn't want or she'd have stayed in contact to make sure she got it back some day. Lent 60 years ago, if she was 20 then she's 80 now and probably living in too small a space for it.

I felt really bad when I gave away a stamp collection someone had loaned me, but after several years and several moves there was no way to find him and give it back, and I can't be expected to hang on to someone else's stuff forever just in case we bump into each other down the road.

If you ditch the doll house and the owner shows up to claim it a couple years later, you tell her it was terribly in the way for a decade but you couldn't find her and had to finally get rid of it to reclaim your own life/house.

If you would enjoy using it for storage, then fine. Otherwise, it's firewood. Unless a museum would love it but they are usually short on space.

(Always easier to ditch someone else's stuff! We should trade houses and do it for each other.)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
(Always easier to ditch someone else's stuff! We should trade houses and do it for each other.)

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quote:

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Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
And the other side of it, of course, is 'if you haven't used it in ten years what in the world makes you think you ever will?'. Its space is more valuable to you than its presence.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
NO!

Not never! Not no now!

I HATE other people messing with my books - it gets me really anxious! Herself moved a few today, or I thought she had, and I got all strange about it - then I saw they were still there and she was only dusting them - PHEW!

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quote:

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Originally posted by North East Quine:
And I've finally found the Important Piece of Paper!

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That's great news! The loss of Important Pieces of Paper can dominate your life, glad yours is found.

I've had to do a re-think about books; always they've been a non-negotiable with me. But when we were clearing my mum's house out in the autumn we just had to throw quite a lot away. It was absolutely heartbreaking but I had to be realistic about who was going to give them house room (me) and whether they were going to get read or just collect dust. In most cases the answer was the latter.

I will always have loads of books, and they collect wherever I am... bedside table, desk, workstations, bathrooms... but I really am committed to decluttering them this year.

Things that have sentimental value are always really hard. When we were clearing my mum's house I learned from my brother that there had once been a boxful of letters that my grandmother had written to my mum, but my dad had thrown them away years before. I never knew my grandmother and would love to have read some of her letters. Just the knowledge that there were some that are now lost to me makes me sad.

Nen - who wouldn't want anyone, even (or perhaps especially) Mr Nen, decluttering on her behalf.
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I think I would be able to cope with someone else de-cluttering, I suspect it would be liberating to give someone else the responsibility and just let go.
Last week my FIL gave my husband a stack of back copies of The Economist which he thought I might like to read. So basically he has de-cluttered them to my house. I think tomorrow I will spend a couple of hours flicking through them and then stick them in the recycling bin
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
I have books my Grandmother gave me 40-50 years ago that I have never read, never reached for to read. I have books I bought 10 or 20 years ago with the intention to read them "someday." I have books I loved as a child, but if I reread one now, yawn. I have travel books from places I've been and places I thought I was going to go that I haven't looked at in the decades since the trip (planned or actual).

I was uncritically taught "books are your friends" but are they? They can't bring you chicken soup when you are sick!

Several decades ago I got rid of enough books that they were all single-layered on the shelves. I estimated 1000 books gone. I have missed one of them, just one. But if it were here double or triple layered behind other books I wouldn't be able to find it anyway.

I'm going to work really hard on the question why I have so many books I haven't opened nor wanted to open in decades! Yes they are almost all of them irreplaceable. That matters only of they are in fact of important value. Maybe a lot of my books belong in the hands of someone who would actually want to read them, instead of sitting dusty on my shelves?
 

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Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :
 
We periodically try to cull our book collection (thousands and thousand including those in bins in the basement.) We are currently on a one month hiatus from acquiring new books.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Have today discovered this website for UK folks which for me seems more gentle and personal than ebay for getting rid of stuff to people who live near enough to collect it.

For everyone who signs up and places an item on there to sell this month, they will make a £1 donation to the charity I work for.
 

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Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
Some friends of ours moved recently into a retirement complex where there is a communal library, which contains a wide range of books donated by the residents, on all sorts of topics. I wonder if it would be possible to create something like this for people who don't all live in the same place. I wouldn't mind setting some of my books free if I were sure other people could enjoy reading them, but could read them myself when I wanted.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
The trouble is that, in and of itself, it isn't well proportioned; only having four cube-shaped rooms means that it takes up a lot of space for its play value. But, I loved it so much - sixty years ago when I were a child, toys were a lot harder to come by and accordingly much more appreciated!

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It may still have great appeal for a child. Is there a child-care center you could donate it to?

Moo
 

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Posted by tessaB (# 8533) on :
 
I recently de-cluttered three bookcases full (double and sometimes triple stacked.) I took the path of picking each one up and if I wanted to open and re-read it then and there it went back on the shelf. If I didn't, it went into a bag. About 400 books ended up in bags and went to the local dump where there is a book container which goes to the British Heart Foundation charity shops.
I now have three single stacked bookcases with room for a couple of ornaments and pictures. Very pleased with myself, now to tackle the rest of the house
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by tessaB:
I recently de-cluttered three bookcases full (double and sometimes triple stacked.) I took the path of picking each one up and if I wanted to open and re-read it then and there it went back on the shelf. If I didn't, it went into a bag. About 400 books ended up in bags and went to the local dump where there is a book container which goes to the British Heart Foundation charity shops.
I now have three single stacked bookcases with room for a couple of ornaments and pictures. Very pleased with myself, now to tackle the rest of the house

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Applause!

When Master S moved out for good, he only took two carloads of Stuff with him, leaving a large-ish bedroom basically FULL. As the Intrepid Miss S wanted the room (a powerful incentive to her to help!) we took 3 months - I'm not kidding, THREE MONTHS - to empty it completely. Half the problem was that he had simply swamped our four bays of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, double and triple stacking them and laying books on the tops of others (a pet hate of mine as an ex-librarian!) so we had all our books hidden behind them.

I packed all the books, lecture notes etc up into crates and heaved them into the attic. Now 7 years later they have only just come down from and been sorted. Most of them went. But I think perhaps he *needed* that interregnum to come to terms with the fact of leaving home properly.

As to the dolls house - thanks for all the helpful suggestions. Day care centres tend to be in shared 'accommodation' and need to pack the toys away. But what I *could* do is put a photo on the noticeboard at the back of church where we can offer things for free (part of our green credentials!)

Mrs. S, very grateful for all your support!
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Having reduced the teetering piles in my study both in size and in number, and having revealed several square feet of carpet (yay!) I strode in happily today, and stubbed my toe on my desk - I'm so unused to be able to walk around the study I'd no sense of where the furniture was.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
The book conversation has propelled me into some book decluttering. They haven't left the house yet but are bagged up ready to go.

I am reading one! But only one.

All the dress patterns are sorted. I have researched local car boot sales and there are several, including what looks like an ideal one for prospective purchasers of patterns and fabrics.

I have started measuring and labelling the fabrics.

What I should have been doing is my tax........

[ 09. January 2013, 13:22: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Today I have opened and emptied a box I brought here 5 years [and a week or two] ago when we moved here from the city. Most of the contents I burned and a few bits I kept - I even found an almost new and unused roll of sellotape/Scotch tape/ whatever you might call it where you live - transparent sticky tape.

I also spent a further hour in Mrs E's room bagging up clutter now she has retired. I shall try to convince Himself to run a jeep load over to her next week sometime.
 

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Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
The Hippo bag is almost full and Mr Bug has gone online to arrange collection! We almost have a clear passage down the side of the house now, which is quite a novelty.

As an aside to this, I've decided to declutter my time by resigning from a committee that I foolishly signed up for without considering the cost.
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Polly Plummer:
Some friends of ours moved recently into a retirement complex where there is a communal library, which contains a wide range of books donated by the residents, on all sorts of topics. I wonder if it would be possible to create something like this... I wouldn't mind setting some of my books free if I were sure other people could enjoy reading them, but could read them myself when I wanted.

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quote:

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Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I am gradually reusing illustrations (and associated text) from fairly dilapidated childrens story books by turning them into birthday cards. It is tough because some of the books were my mother's but no-one else will be interested in them and it will help me declutter, even if very slowly. And hopefully they will give joy to the recipients.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:

quote:

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Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I am gradually reusing illustrations (and associated text) from fairly dilapidated childrens story books by turning them into birthday cards. It is tough because some of the books were my mother's but no-one else will be interested in them and it will help me declutter, even if very slowly. And hopefully they will give joy to the recipients.

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I have seen people buy old books and tear them apart to sell as separate art objects the illustrations. You aren't the first!

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quote:

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In 2005, Schlie became somewhat of a controversial figure among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she announced plans to sell pages from the book for $2,500 to $4,000 apiece. She estimated she has sold 40 of the book's 588 pages, each mounted in a wooden frame.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:

quote:

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Originally posted by daisydaisy:
I am gradually reusing illustrations (and associated text) from fairly dilapidated childrens story books by turning them into birthday cards. It is tough because some of the books were my mother's but no-one else will be interested in them and it will help me declutter, even if very slowly. And hopefully they will give joy to the recipients.

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I have seen people buy old books and tear them apart to sell as separate art objects the illustrations. You aren't the first!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Thyme:
I've done it! I've taken the fabrics and dress patterns to the charity shop. They were happy to take them. So I am seeing it as a charitable donation.

I couldn't work up the energy to try a car boot sale. When I get into a decluttering frame of mind I need to get the stuff out quickly.

I feel quite drained. I had a huge emotional investment in the things and they have bothering me for a long time.

Perhaps I will be able to start making things with the keepers now.

My resolution is not to acquire another stash, not even sale bargains, but only to buy what I need when I need it.

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Congrats.

I went home yesterday after work, pulled out one box of books, unloaded them all, and then promptly packed them all back in again with one exception - which is now taking the place of my bedside book after I finished the last one the other day...

Not very successful yet on my part!
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well done Thyme! That's really something to be proud of, accepting that the space is more useful to you than a *possible* financial return.

Mr S took two boxes of Stuff to the charity shop today. Hooray. Now back to the nagging re putting the rest of the stuff on eBay - I feel like Marge Simpson without the blue hair, practising her least nagging tone 'Homie ...'

Mrs. S, applauding other people's achievements
 

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Posted by Little Miss Methodist (# 1000) on :
 
I tidied the junk cupboard yesterday - you know, the cupboard you throw stuff into to tidy for visitors. It's my version of the cupboard under the stairs.

I had to take most of the stuff out of it so that electricians could replace my fuse box yesterday so took the opportunity to tidy up, throw things out and generally declutter a little bit. I can now get the Hoover in easily without having to shove it in and close the door swiftly before it falls out again... Massive win.

Last month I had a good sort out of books and magazines because someone gave me two new 8ft bookshelves to add to the two I already had... My books are a lot more organised now and I got rid of some magazines that I'd moved with from Birmingham ...

I also went through my yarn stash and fabric stash and tidied them. I was pretty ruthless and got rid of quite a lot of fabric in particular, and whilst doing so found a blouse I used to love that had been retired to the fabric pile because it was too small. It now fits perfectly, so that was nice and felt like a good return for my efforts.
 

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Posted by Deputy Verger (# 15876) on :
 
Books are the bugbear of the literate peripatetic. I used to go through them each move and keep all the ones I thought I might read one day etc. One Big Move I took the opposite tack. I kept only those that were either signed by the author or inscribed to me as a gift from someone I could still remember, on the basis that ALL the others could be replaced. It was magic. Not psychologically easy, but I got rid of many more than I retained. And all the rest went to a charity shop, of course. In fact, I was aided in the task by the manager of the shop in question, which also helped.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations Little Miss Methodist! And great that you found the blouse and it fits. Fabulous.

Sergius-Melli - well, progress not perfection is the watchword. At least you got them all back in the box again and not on the shelf! I've done that sort of thing many a time and just put everything back on the shelf or in the cupboard.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
My next decluttering task is the bookshelf on the landing - mostly pulp fiction so that should be easy, yes?
 

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Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
After eight years of doing virtually nothing in my house (difficult to care when you're working full time and madder than a bagful of weasels) I made a major decision. I put an ad for someone to help me sort and clean my house on gumtree. I got a ridiculous 78 replies and I think I've found the right person.

She's starting in a fortnight and she's going to do four hours a week for five weeks to work with me to declutter and clean and then going down to two hours a week just as a normal cleaner.

This is a huge weight of my mind as things had got so bad that I didn't even know where or how to start but working with someone should provide the motivation to get my house back.

Wish me luck because it's going to be quite a stressful experience.
 

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Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :
 
I have decluttered the fridge of jars. The jar half full of mouldy duck fat was easy to throw out. The jar half full of mincemeat from Christmas 2011 - well, I'm not sure. It smells fine, & I've mixed it with half a jar of apple puree and a slug of calvados...butI am just not quite sure whether to use it. What would you do?
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Dormouse:
I have decluttered the fridge of jars. The jar half full of mouldy duck fat was easy to throw out. The jar half full of mincemeat from Christmas 2011 - well, I'm not sure. It smells fine, & I've mixed it with half a jar of apple puree and a slug of calvados...butI am just not quite sure whether to use it. What would you do?

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I would use it. In fact I did use last year's mincemeat with a nice slug of brandy added.

The mince pies were delicious.

My Dad used to work in a Christmas pudding factory (yes-really!) and they always put the left over puddings from the year before into the new mix.


 

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Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Dormouse:
The jar half full of mincemeat from Christmas 2011 - well, I'm not sure. It smells fine, & I've mixed it with half a jar of apple puree and a slug of calvados...butI am just not quite sure whether to use it. What would you do?

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I used 2011 mincemeat in 2012's mince pies spiced up with extra brandy, and it tasted just fine! I suspect that there may have been some 2010 mincemeat blended into that too.
 

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Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :
 
If it hadn't been opened, I wouldn't have a problem. It is the fact that it's been opened (albeit in the fridge) for over a year that makes me pause...
 

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Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
My sister has an absolutely gorgeous recipe for Christmas Pudding Ice Cream. It sounded very similar to this one for Mincemeat Ice Cream.

Jengie
 

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Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
The ice-cream sounds delicious! (Both kinds - I love Christmassy flavours.)

In our attempts to declutter, we actually have more clutter than before! We've bought several new storage cupboards and trays, which are currently in the dining room in various states of self-assemply. Two of them are for the spare bedroom, but can't go in there until we've emptied and un-assembled the dressing table in there that will be given to mother-in-law. It's getting a bit complicated...

On the plus side, we've bought another, bigger Hippo bag, so this shouldn't create a new Mess at the side of the house. And we can finally dispose of the office chair and bird table that are still lurking down there.
 

---

Posted by Ferijen (# 4719) on :
 
Good luck Chive. I hope your helper really helps, and the process is useful on more than just a practical level.
 

---

Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :
 
If it hadn't been opened, I wouldn't have a problem. It is the fact that it's been opened (albeit in the fridge) for over a year that makes me pause...
 

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Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
My mince pies this Christmas were made with mincemeat left over from 2011 mincemeat. It was in a plastic tub - probably a kilo, or a kilo & a half's worth originally - which had been opened and half used, then kept in the larder cupboard ever since. I added cranberries and cointreau to one trayful of pies, and added some even older crystalized ginger to another.
No-one seems to have suffered any nasty after-effects.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I think I put on weight just reading that wonderful ice cream recipe!

Bring it on!
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Mr S took two boxes of Stuff to the charity shop today. Hooray. Now back to the nagging re putting the rest of the stuff on eBay - I feel like Marge Simpson without the blue hair, practising her least nagging tone 'Homie ...'

---

A combination of disgusting weather here on Saturday and a free listing weekend on eBay did the nagging for me - I had just decided NOT to say anything when Mr S voluntarily fired up TurboLister. Man what a pain - it took both of us *4* hours to get 23 items loaded.

There are 49 people watching one item!

And anything that doesn't get sold can go to the tip - I'm sorry, the Domestic Refuse Recycling Facility.

Mrs. S, busy collecting packaging materials
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
We are redecorating and thus theoretically decluttering room-by-room. Today I took boxes 25-28 of obsolete teaching resources and other long out-of-date paperwork to the recycling dumpster at the local dump [with more still to be sorted]. We have given away ten boxes of teaching materials to a young student, with another four waiting to be delivered.

The issue is going to be disposing of the redundant shelves and chests of drawers now cluttering our rumpus room, while lounge, dining, master bedroom and study look shiny and new.

We also have thousands of books, but in the end will probably donate the ones no longer of interest to us to our regional university, which stages a massive annual book sale occupying the whole floor space of the Great Hall.

It's a huge task, but after nearly 35 years of marriage, and a cumulative 74 years of teaching, we really need to savagely cull our collections. The redecoration has been a strong motivator.
 

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Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
I went into the Oxfam bookshop in next town today and organised the man there to come round some time in the next few weeks and pick up the circa 500 books that are currently in a pile on the spare bedroom floor.

It's starting....soon my house will be immaculate.
 

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Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
How come I can lie in bed picturing things "I can get rid of that," "I never use that" but when I get up and see the same items in real life it is hard to impossible to put them in the "get rid of" box?

I swear things have claws and cling to you.
 

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Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
Did a massive clean of the kitchen just after new year's, before my housemates came back from their holiday. Pleased to report that the "broken windows" theory has been working well, and they have been tidying up after themselves EVERY NIGHT so far since!!
 

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Posted by snowgoose (# 4394) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Belle Ringer:

I swear things have claws and cling to you.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by snowgoose:
I will be taking one of my sets of china to give to my niece when we drive up north in October.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ecumaniac:
Did a massive clean of the kitchen just after new year's, before my housemates came back from their holiday. Pleased to report that the "broken windows" theory has been working well, and they have been tidying up after themselves EVERY NIGHT so far since!!

---

Whilst I may have continued to avoid even contemplating sorting out books again, I did do the kitchen yesterday, spent the day emptying cupboards, cleaning them and then reorganising things so the space is used much more effectively. I also managed to throw/give away a couple of things I've had hanging around at the back of the cupboards never to be used... I feel like I did some good, albeit small, decluttering yesterday...

[ 16. January 2013, 10:56: Message edited by: Sergius-Melli ]
 

---

Posted by birdie (# 2173) on :
 
Not a regular on this thread but saying this so you can hear and I have to report back.

I am currently going around the house collecting all the ridiculous piles of paperwork which are all over the place since the move. They are all going on to the table in the conservatory and then tomorrow is going to be Paperwork Day as I have no other commitments. My aim is for the table to be clear by the end of the day.

I may have to invite someone for Sunday lunch as extra table-clearing motivation.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by birdie:
Not a regular on this thread but saying this so you can hear and I have to report back.

I am currently going around the house collecting all the ridiculous piles of paperwork which are all over the place since the move. They are all going on to the table in the conservatory and then tomorrow is going to be Paperwork Day as I have no other commitments. My aim is for the table to be clear by the end of the day.

I may have to invite someone for Sunday lunch as extra table-clearing motivation.

---

Well, you've told us now Birdie - we'll be expecting you to report back We may just turn up for Sunday lunch as well, of course! Good luck, we'll be rooting for you...

Mrs. S - whose paperwork needs decluttering also but it's in a filing cabinet!
 

---

Posted by birdie (# 2173) on :
 
Ergh - plan thwarted by the arrival of a nasty cold. I've done a bit of sorting into piles of different categories, but my head is too wooly to make decisions about the finer details! Having a cup of tea then back to bed.

Satisfying amounts in the 'recycle' and 'for mr b to deal with' piles already though!
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Chorister wrote:

quote:

---

When I downsize in the future, I intend to pile all my spare belongings into one room and invite all the kids and grandkids over to take what they want. Then the rest can go to a charity shop.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Slight tangent/ Does anyone know how to go about getting a vase valued, preferably for free? When my elderly neighbour died, she had a large collection of ornaments. Her family didn't want them all, and her grand-daughter gave me a vase, as she thought it went well with my wallpaper (it did!)

A few years later my mother claimed to have spotted the same vase on Antiques Roadshow and it was "very valuable" Obviously if it was valuable, I'd return it to her family, but I don't want to spend good money having it valued, based on something Mum saw on TV.

It's stamped Royal Doulton on the base, a solid pottery type of vase, rather than china, and it looks as though it was painted while wet, and the colours ran, giving a blurry effect. It's glazed.

I like it very much and hope that it's not worth anything!

/End tangent.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
There's this site. Do you see anything like your vase there?

---

That links right back to this thread.


[link fixed]

[ 17. January 2013, 16:59: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
No, I've had a look several times on google images to see if I could see it. There are dozens of different Doulton vases! There are vases with same colour scheme dating from the 1930s, valued at about £40-£60 pounds, but to my untrained eye, they look "better" than mine, in that they have a distinct pattern over a blurry background, whereas mine is all blurry IYSWIM.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Lot 54 (scroll halfway down) has a jug with the same blurry finish - but I'd say my vase is more attractive than the jug, because it has different colours melding into each other. It's a combination of strong colours (deep blue, pink, brown, yellow, bluey-green) and soft lines. Looks lovely full of pink carnations!
 

---

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
What about these.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Wow! Mine has two sets of initials on the base - JH and WK or WR or WB. Googling Royal Doulton JH hadn't provided an answer. Mine's a different size, shape and colour scheme but I've no doubt it's painted by the same person.
Thank you, Jengie Jon!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Apologies for derailing the thread.

To return to decluttering - we have an aged king size duvet lurking, which wasn't going to be used again, but it seemed a pity to take it to the tip. Our vet, who does pro bono for a nearby animal sanctuary, has said it can be used to make a sick animal comfy. Apparently there's an ailing goat who will be very grateful! Result!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Apologies for derailing the thread.

To return to decluttering - we have an aged king size duvet lurking, which wasn't going to be used again, but it seemed a pity to take it to the tip. Our vet, who does pro bono for a nearby animal sanctuary, has said it can be used to make a sick animal comfy. Apparently there's an ailing goat who will be very grateful! Result!

---

We give all our leftover bedding to a charity that helps resettle people who have been left with nothing (women fleeing abusive situations, homeless being housed, etc etc). I know yours has already gone to the goat*, but other shippies in that situation, please don't assume because you won't use it again it's only fit for the tip. Mr S was going to take an old set of bedlinen along to the food bank for onward transmission this morning - but as he has had to walk a mile or so through falling snow I relented and let him off till next week!

I tell all potential donors to look at their stuff from the point of view of someone who otherwise would have *nothing* - to cook in, sleep under, whatever, and it's surprising how much more appealing it becomes!

(end of sermon - sorry!)

* better than going to the bad, or to the tip!

Mrs. S, unsure whether to be Good King Wenceslas or the page ...


[coding]

[ 18. January 2013, 09:58: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Sergius-Melli (# 17462) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Wow! Mine has two sets of initials on the base - JH and WK or WR or WB. Googling Royal Doulton JH hadn't provided an answer. Mine's a different size, shape and colour scheme but I've no doubt it's painted by the same person.
Thank you, Jengie Jon!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
What about yer bog standard IKEA bookcase? Shelves can be adjusted to the height of the files/stacked boxes.

---

Good idea, we have an Ikea here in Thyme City but I forget because it is new. It is an attic room so the walls are not full height. I will need to do some careful measuring. I think I need to get all the paper into boxes and files first so I know what amount of shelf space I need.

I don't have a good feeling about this. I think it is going to make the filing more difficult and therefore the old 'PILES' system will re-emerge. The filing cabinets are unsightly but they do keep it all under control. Too late now.
 

---

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
Thanks to the snow, Mr Bug and I spent most of today decluttering. We now have a tall shelf unit in the bathroom for storing towels, loo rolls etc. Also two plastic shelving units in the spare bedroom, which I'm mostly using to store bed linen,although Mr Bug has commandeered two of them as his 'man drawers'. We've also hidden away the snooker table top that was previously in the dining room, so for the first time in several years I can access all of my bookshelves again. All in all, very productive.
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
I don't have a good feeling about this. I think it is going to make the filing more difficult and therefore the old 'PILES' system will re-emerge. The filing cabinets are unsightly but they do keep it all under control. Too late now.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:

I don't have a good feeling about this. I think it is going to make the filing more difficult and therefore the old 'PILES' system will re-emerge. .

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Yangtze:
May I join you?

Six bags to the charity shop in last two days. Am renting out spare room for a few weeks which has galvanised me I to action. Spare room is supposed to be office but of course for last few years has basically been junk dumping ground.

Have still got a way to go though. Not to mention the other rooms.....

---

Welcome to the thread Yangtze!

I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!


 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!

---

Does the battle never end?

Nen - feeling discouraged.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Nenya: No it never ends, but it does get easier! The key is to find new habits to replace the old ones which led to the clutter taking hold.

I was incapable of keeping my dining room table clear until it dawned on me that if I never, ever put anything on it, or didn't leave anything overnight the problem would be solved.
And so it turned out. I also put a runner and an ornament on it so it looks nice as a deterrent.

Likewise with the bedside table. I put the books in progress in their own place on a bookshelf. Nothing goes on the table except the alarm clock and lamp and the current book. Although the Kindle and ipod seem to be taking up residence. But they can go in the drawer.

I also realised that most of my piles of paper clutter got binned once I started putting them away. So I am a lot better at binning the junk stuff immediately.

I am making progress with the file reorganisation. One cabinet is empty and the other two are leaner. I have put the boxes in some plastic containers for the moment and reorganised the wardrobe. So there is some order emerging.

Firenze's idea of the bookshelf is growing on me. I think that will be the answer. I am also wondering if I can release some space on the bookshelves downstairs and if so will I also keep up with the filing.

Although am I doing well at simplifying my life so there isn't much filing to do.

[ 19. January 2013, 14:18: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
filing.

---

I have four (four!) butt ugly file cabinets at work, so to make them prettier and less dreary to stare at every day I stuck wall paper to the front of them. Tutorial here, I used watered down pva instead of "modge podge". When I'm at work next week I will see if I can upload a photo.

At home for paperwork I keep document wallet folders in a couple of plastic crates that slot neatly underneath a desk. The 24, 35, 42 & 64 litre Really Useful Boxes will fit foolscap sized files. I think suspension files are the work of the devil, but those fit too. This photo is of my ex-housemate's filing system. Her crates live on shelves.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Thanks for the links and info ecumaniac, very interesting and useful.

I'm determined to get rid of the file cabinets - I would never get round to decorating them!

The info on the boxes is very useful.
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Nenlet2 has brought back a boxful of beautiful unused lever-arch files from his work which were going to be thrown away. They've made me really keen on the idea of filing. Though not quite keen enough to actually start doing it.

Nen - procrastinator.
 

---

Posted by Eleanor Jane (# 13102) on :
 
We've been shopping a bit lately, so to offset the consumerism, I've finally gotten around to sorting out things to take the Charity Shop. Nice warm things like hats, gloves, a coat etc. which will hopefully help someone who needs them.

I also had a good tidy and throw out of our bookcase.

Now I just need to get my husband willing to look at his shirts with a view to charity shopping some of them... Wish me luck!
 

---

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
Sometimes old and creaky possessions can find a new lease of life. I had four IKEA woven baskets which used hold shoes, and would tuck under two chests of drawers in my bedroom. Then I moved from a flat to a house,and the shoes found other storage.

This is where the instant declutterer might have steeled herself to bin or give the baskets away. BUT I also have an upstairs sewing cupboard, while the sewing area, aka dining table, is downstairs.

Those four baskets now fit beautifully under my ancient convertible couch, which I was also thinking of replacing. They hold current sewing which I don't want to keep trecking up and downstairs, and knitting wool. A perfect match of old furniture and storage solution. (How is it that even a move from a two bedroom flat to a three bedroomed house with attic, utility room and garage, still left me needing more storage space? Even after junking an enormous amount of stuff?)

With a new foam rubber cushion along its length, that couch is here to stay.

[ 20. January 2013, 18:20: Message edited by: jacobsen ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Lever arch files are fab! I had them in my office before I retired, all arranged on a bookcase behind my desk so I could scoot back and select the right one then scoot back and replace it when I had finished. Get lots of plastic pockets and you'll never look back.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!

---

Does the battle never end?

Nen - feeling discouraged.

---

Nen - last year I persuaded a friend of mine, instead of giving stuff up for Lent, to resolve to put her clothes, shoes etc away as she went along, rather than leaving them all around the house. She's still doing that nearly a year later! So, it CAN end, with enough shiny new habits You need a motto - 'don't put it down, put it AWAY!'

In other news, we have managed to unload most of the stuff Mr S put on e-bay (and made some pennies What's left is being advertised on the noticeboard at the back of church, for free, or going to the tip. The workbench in the garage is *nearly* clear now, after Wayne came and took away the Atari and a ginormous boxful of games for it. Sadly his wife was Not Happy - he collects computers*

*well, so do we, but not intentionally!

Mrs. S, so pleased to see the back of all this Stuff!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!

---

Does the battle never end?

Nen - feeling discouraged.

---

Nen - last year I persuaded a friend of mine, instead of giving stuff up for Lent, to resolve to put her clothes, shoes etc away as she went along, rather than leaving them all around the house. She's still doing that nearly a year later! So, it CAN end, with enough shiny new habits You need a motto - 'don't put it down, put it AWAY!'

In other news, we have managed to unload most of the stuff Mr S put on e-bay (and made some pennies ) What's left is being advertised on the noticeboard at the back of church, for free, or going to the tip. The workbench in the garage is *nearly* clear now, after Wayne came and took away the Atari and a ginormous boxful of games for it. Sadly his wife was Not Happy - he collects computers*

*well, so do we, but not intentionally!

Mrs. S, so pleased to see the back of all this Stuff!

[ 21. January 2013, 08:01: Message edited by: The Intrepid Mrs S ]
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!

---

Does the battle never end?

Nen - feeling discouraged.

---

Oh dear - I was trying to be encouraging!

My clutter and piles were unusually bad and I have ADHD which means organising myself is a constant battle. But I am so much happier and less stressed with a (nearly, nearly) clutter free house.


 

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Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Somehow what started as decluttering for me, selling off some clothes on consignment and some books on Amazon, has morphed into other people giving me things to sell for them also. So now I have more!
 

---

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
[qb]
I have been de-cluttering and de-piling for ages now - I am naturally messy, so it's a constant challenge. But SO worth it!

---

Does the battle never end?

Nen - feeling discouraged.

---

What I've found is that the battle has significantly reduced! Where I'd put aside a whole day, regularly and resentfully, to tackle the work, now I've been keeping on top of it more, it has reduced to a couple of hours, less regularly.

I'm a naturally messy, untidy person, and that's where the battle mostly is with me, the part of me that likes to be tidy and organised, agin the messy, untdy me. That battle will probably never be won!!
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Just cleared the huge pile on the chest in my bedroom and tidied all the clothes and shoes away. I need to get my bedroom back into a presentable state.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Following Flylady's instructions, today my plan is the tackle to chest I keep the underwear, socks, tights etc in. When I did the major declutter of the bedroom a couple of months ago I rather dumped this area and said I'd get back to it later and never did there's tights in there that I haven't worn for years.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I like the idea of a Lent resolution
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
I like the idea of a Lent resolution

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Lever arch files are fab! I had them in my office before I retired, all arranged on a bookcase behind my desk so I could scoot back and select the right one then scoot back and replace it when I had finished. Get lots of plastic pockets and you'll never look back.

---

Mr Nen, who is the paperwork expert of the house, files everything in lever arch files. He has shelves full of them in his study. I've been unconvinced until recently (my side of the family always employed the stick-it-back-in-the-envelope-and-put-it-in-a-pile-or-drawer filing system) when he's been helping sort out my mum's paperwork and I've seen how his method works so much better.

I like the idea of Lent resolutions as well - so much more constructive than giving things up. I'm going to give it some thought. Thanks, Mrs S.

Boogie - you didn't say anything wrong, you did say decluttering was worth it! I was just feeling discouraged generally when I posted that.

Nen - when's Ash Wednesday?
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Well I've sorted the underwear and sportswear, thrown lots out and moved some other piles of clothing into new homes. Getting there
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations!
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
Off to the charity shop shortly with some clothes I've grown out of (sideways) and down to the recycling with some scarves that are too ratty for the charity shop (I was learning to knit when I made them, with far more enthusiasm than skill!)
 

---

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

Nen - when's Ash Wednesday? [/QB]

---

13th February.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I've just found my daughter's "Santa list"
Still, it's given me an idea for her next birthday!
 

---

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :
 

quote:

---

posted by NEQ:
I've just found my daughter's "Santa list"

---

For which year?
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Japes:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:

Nen - when's Ash Wednesday?

---

13th February. [/QB]

---

Thank you.

Nen - off to search for diary.
 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
So, I basically got the house clear and tidy-ish enough for friend to have at least some space in the spare room. However my room is now full of stuff.

There just isn't enough storage for everything I have so things are going to have to go. Yes, I work from home but that doesn't mean the work papers have to take over everything.

The "it might be useful one day" drive is VERY strong in me.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations Yangzte


I have emptied all the filing cabinets. Although there is still a pile of files waiting for a new home.

Weather has prevented me from getting sufficient quantities of boxes.

I am trying not to think about how much money I have spent on boxes, lever arch files and plastic pocket sheets.

I'm also at a tedious stage of trying to make best use of the things I have so I will have to reorganise some boxed stuff into the lever arch files. Tedious.

John with the van and his mate are arriving tomorrow afternoon to take the filing cabinets away.

Tasks before then are to clear the stuff off the worktops and clear the access to the cabinets and stairs. Shouldn't take long.

[ 24. January 2013, 14:08: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

The "it might be useful one day" drive is VERY strong in me.

---

Yangtze, you may need to work on its replacements 'Good grief,that doesn't owe me anything!' and 'If it hasn't been useful these last 10 weeks/months/years/decades/delete as required, then it never will!'

Good luck ...

Mrs. S, proud owner of a decanter or three ...
 

---

Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on :
 
I can almost see the floor in my office!!
 

---

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
I had some old duvets to get rid of, which were going to be thrown out in the Hippo bag. A work colleague advertised that she needed some old blankets for a dog shelter, so I asked if the duvets would be any use. Twenty-four hours later, we have a clear space on the floor and the dogs have some warm bedding.

[ 24. January 2013, 21:37: Message edited by: Starbug ]
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Good for you Kat.

I could hardly see the floor in my attic yesterday despite throwing out loads of stuff. I seem to have just as much left. I had several files with names like 'odd bits and pieces' 'Useful stuff' and so on. Some of them contained duplicate items.

John and mate turned up on time and removed the cabinets and worktops.

It doesn't look a lot better. At least before it looked like an office, a scruffy office but an office. I am wondering if I have done the right thing.

Now it looks like a storage area. It looks smaller as well. Still I am not finished yet.

I dusted, hoovered and washed all the areas previously hidden by the cabinets.

It needs decorating. It would be easy enough as I woudn't need a ladder, just a chair and it wouldn't involve removing wallpaper. I will try and do that this year if we haven't sold it by Easter.

While I was at it I prised open the little door into the roof space. As I suspected there are some boxes and box files in there. I think they have been there at least 10 or 15 years, maybe longer. I don't know what is in them. When we move I'll have them cleared out and dumped.
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Mr Nen and I talked Decluttering this morning and made a sort of pact. I'm going to declutter my paperwork and he's going to declutter his clothes. (The admission that he needs to is something of an event. )

We have a free afternoon so I'll start after lunch...

I so understand that "it might come in useful" thing, especially as I'm sure I'm not the only one to have thought on occasion (ok, maybe only one or two occasions ) "If only we still had the..."

Nen - procrastinating on the Ship as usual.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
All the sorting and filing is done. It is not perfect but it is finished.

I've decided to get Ikea bookcases, they have the perfect thing,(thanks for that idea Firenze) and a folding table.

The Really Useful boxes would probably be cheaper but not so visually attractive. We want people to see the possibilities of the room. And they wouldn't provide such flexible shelf space.

I was going to order/get them today but this morning the estate agent phoned, people wanted to view the house in less than two hours time.



Mr T and I scampered round stashing and dashing, swishing and swiping and so on. We have a well rehearsed routine now.

I do owe such a debt of gratitude to FlyLady. We were ready even though they arrived early and the house looked OK because I have kept up with basic routines.

The attic had to be presented as a work in progress. Thank goodness the filing cabinets had gone. I stacked everything up as neatly as possible against the wall and the room did look much larger than before.

So I am not going to buy any stuff until we know if they are going to buy it. They said they are ready to move, no chain, so our fingers are crossed and .

[ 26. January 2013, 16:25: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
That sounds positive
DH has spent the day clearing the outhouse as he has just bought a huge metal lathe secondhand from work and it needed a home.
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
After a week staying at my sister's extremely tidy house I came back to my shit tip. Cleaner starts on Tuesday so I'm trying not to get too downhearted but I'm terrified of the whole thing. I usually refuse to have people in my house (partly the mess, mostly the madness) so it's going to be immensely difficult to let her in and let her touch my 'stuff.' And part of me is comforted by my stuff - it's my security blanket.

I keep telling myself this is a good idea but as it gets imminent the desire to hide under the bed increases exponentially.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Courage!
 

---

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
We went to visit mother-in-law today, taking with us a wooden table with double drawers that I'd been using unsuccessfully for storing tea towels. We put it in her spare room. MIL now has a new-to-her dressing table and we now have a set of much more practical storage drawers.

This decluttering thing is becoming addictive!
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Mr Nen spent some time sorting his clothes this afternoon and most of them have gone back into the cupboards, but I do have a pile of things to get rid of so it's a start.

Meanwhile my paperwork is slowly starting to migrate into a lever arch file. Very slowly.

Nen - tired and a bit overwhelmed.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Well, I'm feeling virtuous today, having cleaned the bathroom, cleared my hotspot (kitchen table), tidied the veg rack and wiped down the kitchen surfaces. Later I will do as Flylady says and give the lounge a quick tidy. I also have the urge to sort out dh's wardrobe - I think this might all be displacement activity for the fact that I should be doing my marking
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
I can see you've all been working hard

I wanted to share a tip that I picked up when the Telegraph did a series on housework, years ago. Get all your bedlinen out of the airing cupboard (or wherever you hide it) and sort it into sets - then store each set in one of its pillowcases. Get rid of all the odds and ends (or at the very worst, put them into a pillow case at the back).

Result - tidy airing cupboard and easy bed changing, how many hours did I waste when we had single as well as double beds, trying to put a single sheet on to a double! It's such a small thing but SO useful - and FREE!

Mrs. S, hoping someone else finds this helpful
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
That is a good idea
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by chive:
Cleaner starts on Tuesday so I'm trying not to get too downhearted but I'm terrified of the whole thing.

---

Chive, you may find that the desire to get your money's worth out of the cleaner is helpful - our house is pretty tidy but both Mr S and I rush round putting stuff away before our cleaners come, because we don't want them to waste paid time moving Stuff about!

Once you have it a bit tidier you may find that it's such a nice feeling you're encouraged to keep it up YMMV of course

Mrs S, in a spirit of encouragement...
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:

quote:

---

Originally posted by chive:
Cleaner starts on Tuesday so I'm trying not to get too downhearted but I'm terrified of the whole thing.

---

Chive, you may find that the desire to get your money's worth out of the cleaner is helpful - our house is pretty tidy but both Mr S and I rush round putting stuff away before our cleaners come, because we don't want them to waste paid time moving Stuff about!

---

Yes - we had a cleaner 'till we semi-retired and couldn't afford/justify one. My cluttering tendencies meant I stuffed the stuff in cupboards on the day before the cleaner came

My decluttering now includes trying to make sure EVERYTHING has a place. It's so hard for my disorganised mind - but my kitchen and stationery cupboards have been thus sorted for 6 months now - wayhay! It's a joy to know where the selotape is!

My study leaves a lot to be desired, still. But now I know it can be done.

Battle on, battle on!

[ 28. January 2013, 13:55: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
I can see you've all been working hard

I wanted to share a tip that I picked up when the Telegraph did a series on housework, years ago. Get all your bedlinen out of the airing cupboard (or wherever you hide it) and sort it into sets - then store each set in one of its pillowcases. Get rid of all the odds and ends (or at the very worst, put them into a pillow case at the back).

Result - tidy airing cupboard and easy bed changing, how many hours did I waste when we had single as well as double beds, trying to put a single sheet on to a double! It's such a small thing but SO useful - and FREE!

Mrs. S, hoping someone else finds this helpful

---

That really is a useful idea. I sorted my airing cupboard not so very long ago, but when its turn comes round again that's what I'll do.

For the last two days I've shipped bagfuls of Mr Nen's clothes to the charity shops and the clothes banks and it's good to be almost clear of them now. I've also got a bit of filing to do this afternoon, to try and keep my breakfast bar clear (one of the hotspots that attracts clutter). The house is littered with my various attempts at filing and it's going to take a while to consolidate them all.

Nen - still tired but a bit more optimistic.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I like the storing of bedlinen idea. I will do that next time I feel moved to tidy the airing cupboard.

I have ticked a few icky jobs off my list.

Wash the kitchen floor - Done

Clean the soap dispenser and drawer in the washing machine - Done.

Run self clean oven programme, clean racks - Done.

Properly clean hob - Done

This morning while wondering if my kitchen knife was sharp discovered it is when I sliced into my index finger. Strangely it doesn't hurt. But it is bundled up with plasters and is a good excuse for not doing any more for a while.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
The attic room is finished!

It looks fabulous. I am thrilled. The Ikea units are perfect (thank you for that suggestion Firenze).

The room looks so much bigger and more attractive now. I have more storage space than before. I can see at a glance where everything is. Also, strangely, I think I will be more motivated to do my dressmaking than before. The space seems easier to use. I am definitely going to decorate asap.

I am not a 'frilly' sort of person but I could put a curtain over the front of the shelves and that would hide the files. I'll have to think about that.

Also thinking of replacing the folding bed (which is functional but not attractive) with a sofa bed.

I'm not going to get another table yet. I'll see how the room works before I decide if I need one and if so what sort.

I wish I had done this a long time ago. It didn't take long once I'd started. Also, I have realised that the filing cabinets held a lot of unhappy memories and now the cabinets have gone I am not reminded of them.

Off to do some sewing.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
That sounds lovely Thyme
Btw, your parcel has arrived safely - thank you.
 

---

Posted by rosamundi (# 2495) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
I like the idea of Lent resolutions as well - so much more constructive than giving things up. I'm going to give it some thought. Thanks, Mrs S.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by rosamundi:


I will then be able to get at the shelving, and maybe put up some more shelving down one of the side walls, so the space will be more useful. I think a couple of these Ikea shelving units with some extra shelves will be perfect.

---

quote:

---

If you can keep your books organised enough to find them subsequently

---

I also have paperbacks in double rows, but have put old shoeboxes lengthwise along the back of the shelves to raise the back row to a higher level than the front row. It's a great use of space and means you can see enough of the spines of the back row to identify the book relatively quickly.

I've been a lurker to this thread, but you've had a great effect! I've sent books to online sellers/charity shops, my collection of old glasses (spectacles) to lunettes sans frontieres, sold stuff on ebay, sent broken electrical stuff to a recycling organisation, given duplicate kitchen stuff to a girl moving into a new flat, and the house is unusually organised. I'm putting off the paperwork, though...
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Well done Cross eyed bear
No marking this week and I've got a few hours to spare so I'm going to have a decluttering week. The bedroom still has a few piles that need sorting since the big overhaul last September and I could do with tidying the cupboard I keep my OU work and studying materials in. Might do a book declutter too.
Really I need to completely clear out the sewing room/study but that might require a brave step too far!
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Great stuff cross eyed bear.

Chive - I've been wondering how you got on as well. Hope it all went OK.

Heavenly Anarchist - glad the parcel arrived safely.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Our decluttering proceeds slowly. My wife has now attacked her craft room, resulting in the hitherto narrow passage to her workspace being much enlarged, as items migrated from the floor to the redundant shelves transferred from other rooms, or even into the bin. She admitted to a friend a few days ago that she was a compulsive hoarder, the first time I've heard a public acknowledgement.

I have spent the last two days cleaning and restacking our pantry, courtesy of a marauding mouse. The result - lovely sparkling clean shelves, and the disposal of many small packets of stale foodstuffs which had managed to become hidden in back corners or on the top shelf.
 

---

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
I cleared out the cupboard under the kitchen sink at the weekend. Several things went in the bin, including an old rusty wok. We're keeping the baking trays and a few other bits, but I now have a bag of mugs and glasses that will be donated to the local women's refuge, via one of our local councillors.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Great stuff everybody!

I've been decorating my bedroom, hence no access over the weekend - but at least the decluttering *should* be minimal. Having said that, there are about 42 feet of bookshelves (no, 14 shelves each 3 ft. wide - not a 42 ft. run of shelves!) which will require careful monitoring of the contents as they are replaced.

The room looks so much bigger without them, but there's nowhere else to put them and I can't do without them all. AND a blanket box absolutely FULL of photographs - I really mustn't just put them straight back, however tempting that might be

In other news, the last of the eBay sales was collected by the courier yesterday, and you can put your feet down in the understairs cupboard for the first time in 21 years!

Mrs. S, emulsion on her glasses and gloss paint under her fingernails
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I sorted the work/study cupboard yesterday and my kitchen is looking much tidier for it. I also threw out a pile of sewing magazines and have ready about 50 books to recycle. Today I might start tackling the piles of miscellaneous items in the bedroom.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Yay to all of us!

(HA - any more of this and you'll need to change your name! )

Mrs. S, snickering hound
 

---

Posted by rosamundi (# 2495) on :
 
The gas heaters and washing machine have gone! I have a usable box room!

Now I just need to glom off to Ikea...

Still, into every life a little rain must fall.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by rosamundi:
The gas heaters and washing machine have gone! I have a usable box room!

Now I just need to glom off to Ikea...

Still, into every life a little rain must fall.

---

As this isn't the weight loss thread, you could reward yourself with Dime/Daim bar cake ...

The Envious Mrs. S!
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I asked at the local vets today whether they'd like our old pillows and duvets and the answer was in the negative. I'll try the animal rescue place and if not it'll all have to be ditched.

I have a charity bag and plan to spend part of Saturday filling it with shoes and handbags and clothes. Will also be decluttering the books some more.

Nen - planning ahead.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
I asked at the local vets today whether they'd like our old pillows and duvets and the answer was in the negative. I'll try the animal rescue place and if not it'll all have to be ditched.

I have a charity bag and plan to spend part of Saturday filling it with shoes and handbags and clothes. Will also be decluttering the books some more.

Nen - planning ahead.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
My daughter is visiting from another city for the weekend, and popped her head into our bedroom and said "Is the bed smaller, or is there just more space in here now?" Given that a bookshelf, a wonky shoe cupboard, set of drawers and valet stool have disappeared, you can imagine my answer.

---

"Yes."

Mrs S - I'll contact the local rescue places, but there isn't much homelessness round where I live... fortunately. The stuff won't be chucked if I can help it.

I did so well yesterday but today can't get my head round any proper sorting at all.

Nen - boom and bust declutterer.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
I work from the manse, as the minister... Moved into it last May.
In the study.... I unpacked the books, but that was all. The rest of the room became the catch-all for everything, and I worked from the living room table.
Today, my houseguest and I went to work AND VOILA! Lovely, usable, clean, sorted study.
And a car full of rubbish went to the town's tip.
YAY!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
SOMEONE - I suspect Wodders - has changed the name of this thread and it's NOT FAIR!

*WE* aren't the hoarders - we may be ex-hoarders or on our 12-step way to becoming ex-hoarders - but we deserve a lot more credit than we're getting here!

Seriously, I find it impressive and very touching how people's lives have actually been changed (for the better!) by clearing out Stuff from their homes, and by extension, their lives.

Having done all the cooking I reasonably could on such a wet Sunday afternoon, I started on the blanket-box full of photographs and it is by far the hardest thing I've ever tried to declutter. Mercifully Mr. S does not want to digitise the entire archive (Heaven be praised!) but I am still wrestling with how they should be filed or arranged. I suppose I'll just keep plugging away at throwing out endless views of A Hillside in Crete, and maybe even some A Small Baby in a Blanket could go as well...

Mrs. S, hardening her heart
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Am I a hoarder? Yes - by nature I am, but I fight that nature daily and feel MUCH better for it.

Yesterday I 'did out' under the sink (again) so friends can wash up at parties without everything falling out on them.

Next job - spare room wardrobe. It has been full of all sorts of junk for years. We now have a spare room as Boogielet2 moved out properly on Friday, not just to college or uni this time - to his first home.


 

---

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rowen:
I work from the manse, as the minister... Moved into it last May.
In the study.... I unpacked the books, but that was all. The rest of the room became the catch-all for everything, and I worked from the living room table.

---

Gulp. I'm moving into a Manse in two weeks time. I have boxes and boxes of papers needing sorted out. That is so going to be me.

 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
Next job - spare room wardrobe. It has been full of all sorts of junk for years. We now have a spare room as Boogielet2 moved out properly on Friday, not just to college or uni this time - to his first home.

---

Congratulations Boogie!

When Master S. finally *really* moved out it took Miss S and me three entire months to empty his room completely. It was so worth it though!

Mrs. S, looking back in relief!
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I hate being labelled a hoarder. Real hoarders have binliners full of stuff in their baths and can't find their beds or their floors for rubbish.

I, meanwhile, have gaps on my bookshelves, a half filled charity bag and a tidy breakfast bar.

Nen - throwing her toys out of the pram, another way to declutter.
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
I keep walking past my study door and going "Ahhhhh!" with delight.
H*** the mnse move mentioned above goes well.
 

---

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :
 
Thanks for the good wishes, Rowen. It's going to be a chaotic week. But you give me h*o*p*e*. (Because that word appears to be on the censors' list!)
 

---

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
Now all the macro unpacking done, and I can move on to the micro.... Just did the medicine cabinet.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cottontail:
But you give me h*o*p*e*.

---

Ain't that the truth! Reading about other people's successes is a great way to motivate yourself, I think.

Mrs. S, loving Nen's last status!
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
I'm realizing I can ditch the cookbooks. For a couple years now, if I want to cook something I look for a recipe on the web.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well, we've all been vindicated - I read an article in the Telegraph saying that de-cluttering is definitely The Way To Success >>
Telegraph

so we look forward to untold success this year

Mrs. S, feeling smug!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
Well, we've all been vindicated - I read an article in the Telegraph saying that de-cluttering is definitely The Way To Success >>
Telegraph

so we look forward to untold success this year.

Mrs. S, feeling smug!

---

I must say my experience is the opposite. Clutter = confused mind, not confused mind = clutter (if you see what I mean)

If my environment is uncluttered then I am able to relax and become more productive. If I'm living in clutter I'm distracted by it. (Partly because it shouts at me to clear it up!)

<edited because my :spin: wouldn't yipee!>

[ 18. February 2013, 11:03: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Finally realized my constant sense of mild frustration comes from the homeless woman's stuff overflowing my covered patio and cluttering my living room and hall. It's stressing my life. Friends say they'll help with a garage sale but in reality everyone's busy. Ads for individual items aren't getting responses.

I have termites, I have to get rid of the stuff now so the pest control folks can access the whole exterior of the house.

Saturday morning I'll haul what I can from behind the house to the front. I would start moving stuff today but it's supposed to rain. I'll take whatever anyone offers and take the rest to the women's shelter thrift shop and call a social worker friend to fetch the big stuff for someone she knows could use it.

Good thing about a garage sale of her stuff, I can throw some of my own stuff into it. Yea! Get.rid.of.stuff! Maybe get her some money. And get my patio back!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
Finally realized my constant sense of mild frustration comes from the homeless woman's stuff overflowing my covered patio and cluttering my living room and hall. It's stressing my life. Friends say they'll help with a garage sale but in reality everyone's busy. Ads for individual items aren't getting responses.

I have termites, I have to get rid of the stuff now so the pest control folks can access the whole exterior of the house.

Saturday morning I'll haul what I can from behind the house to the front. I would start moving stuff today but it's supposed to rain. I'll take whatever anyone offers and take the rest to the women's shelter thrift shop and call a social worker friend to fetch the big stuff for someone she knows could use it.

Good thing about a garage sale of her stuff, I can throw some of my own stuff into it. Yea! Get.rid.of.stuff! Maybe get her some money. And get my patio back!

---

Good luck with that Belle don't you find you feel better having made a plan - any plan?

Mrs. S, Proud Promulgator of Plans
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I have reached a plateaux - a bit like the diet!

So today I am going to throw everything to be decluttered on to the landing (my paint cupboard) to force me to get on with it!


 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Most friends I asked for help with the garage sale are busy (it's our life style), but one will come by for 20 minutes on her way to work to give me a potty break.

But then a neighbor said she needs money and will being her stuff and join me. Yea! Bigger is more attractive, two people is much better than one, and she said it's perfect timing for her. And the weather prediction still says clear tomorrow and Saturday. Looking good!

AND, half a day setting up, half a day selling, half a day cleaning up - is time not on line! Time outdoors! Needed changes in my life. Decluttering is healthy!
 

---

Posted by AmyBo (# 15040) on :
 
I managed to get Hubby to help with the spare room: removing the guitars (they now live in the remodeled basement), putting in a futon and new rug, painting 2 walls, getting rid of all the boxes of stuff we stuck in there to go through later, and getting rid of all the excess books overflowing the shelves.
The next day his mother broke her leg; now she's staying with us for 2 months. So either it's lucky we had all that done, or as a friend put it, it's a feng shui backfire.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
AmyBo Sorry to laugh, hope mil is recovering well.

I have just donated nearly all my cassette tapes. I never listen to them and can find anything I might want on youtube.

Plus a couple more bits of clothing.

Next up - some video tapes. I never watch them. We still have a video recorder but my DH says it doesn't work with the new TV. I haven't been able to persuade him to dump the recorder. So I am not sure if it really won't work with a modern TV or if he can't work out how to do it but won't admit it. This has happened before

[ 25. February 2013, 11:12: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
My friend has taken up decluttering for Lent - she has heaps of paper about the place and wants to tidy them up (she lives alone, so no one to nag her about them!) Progress is being made in that she went through one heap - and then put it back! - but at least she now knows what's in the heap and has promised to Sort It Out on her day off, Friday.

Thyme - I recognise that feeling too!

Mrs S, remaining to be convinced
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
The cleaner is here for her first day (illness and my incompetence delayed things). She is currently completely gutting the bathroom (which needed it). And even better because she's here I've been motivated myself and cleared the table top, the drawers and the bureau in my living room.

I is so proud (and slightly smug at myself) but a long, long way to go yet.
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Wow did I under estimate the time needed to do a garage sale!

Sale was Saturday 8 to noon. At 1 my friend and decided to go to lunch, having been up since 6 without a break. As we were pulling out a woman drove up - tables have all been pushed back to the house and blankets thrown over them and no one standing in the driveway but she's getting out of the car. What was she going to do, remove the blankets? We called to her "it ended an hour ago" and drove away exhausted, ignoring her protest.

Then the whole afternoon packing, sorting what to toss what to keep for another time. (?) Next day we both collapsed. Monday we were both short tempered from still being too tired. Add almost two days sorting and pricing before hand, it's a week of work! For about $80, not worth it.

But good to be outdoors for a day, meet lots of neighbors, there's value in that. My friend made about $70 and really needs the money, so does the homeless woman whose stuff I'm selling, so I guess it was worth while. It got rid of a lot of stuff! Yea!
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Great work chive, congratulations.

Your homeless friend can't complain you didn't try Belle Ringer!
 

---

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :
 
I've moved house now, and the main rooms - kitchen, living room and dining room - are pretty much sorted. But it is still chaos elsewhere, especially in my study. I need a filing cabinet NOW.

I also have boxes and boxes of old papers, going right back to undergraduate days. (My mother has quite rightly refused to store them anymore.) So I have resolved to clear one folder a day until it is done. Already I have unearthed an old school show programme signed by my then-pupils, that has brought back happy memories. Oh, and a weird poem that I seem to have written once.
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Someone please talk me out of this.

In an on-line discussion group I lurk at, some people are talking about going to a conference about paleo diet and exercise, I'm not paleo but I am getting grains out of my diet so there's a lot in common. The conference is an hour or so from me and costs $200. I won't go at that price, but I could offer rustic accommodations (air bed on the floor, shared bath) - which would force me to do a LOT of cleaning before the end of this month, and would bring some interesting company into my life for a few days, while saving a few people several hundred dollars of hotel.

Tempting to do the invite, force myself to do the cleaning. Tempting to continue my relaxed way of life which doesn't generally include much of the long overdo cleaning.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Originally posted by Thyme:

quote:

---

Next up - some video tapes. I never watch them. We still have a video recorder but my DH says it doesn't work with the new TV. I haven't been able to persuade him to dump the recorder.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
Someone please talk me out of this.

.... which would force me to do a LOT of cleaning before the end of this month, and would bring some interesting company into my life for a few days, while saving a few people several hundred dollars of hotel.

Tempting to do the invite, force myself to do the cleaning. Tempting to continue my relaxed way of life which doesn't generally include much of the long overdo cleaning.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by comet:
help!* my house is a complete dump. and I am moving in 3 months, so I have all the reason in the world to get rid of EVERYTHING. but it's overwhelming. where the hell do I start? ACK!

*not really asking for help. just sharing.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by comet:
help!* my house is a complete dump. and I am moving in 3 months, so I have all the reason in the world to get rid of EVERYTHING. but it's overwhelming. where the hell do I start? ACK!

*not really asking for help. just sharing.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Hmm the ministers rouse time. Based on the the story of the minister who wanted rid of the church hymn book, so took one or two home each week. Each time you dust and clean you throw out one video.

You can decide whether you tell North East Man this or not.

Jengie

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by PeteC:

quote:

---

Originally posted by comet:
help!* my house is a complete dump. and I am moving in 3 months, so I have all the reason in the world to get rid of EVERYTHING. but it's overwhelming. where the hell do I start? ACK!

*not really asking for help. just sharing.

---

You need a visitor who has been in declutter mode for years.

Me, for instance. 3 years ago, I started thinking about how my survivors would deal with my home
- so I decided to make it easy for them.

Invite me - I am not sentimental and am a pitbull.

---

c'mon over, Uncle Pete! I need you!
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Pete's got a point.

When you are asking for help do not ask a friend. They will be far too kind. My m-i-l used to say "Get an enemy to prune your roses" and I reckon the same applies to decluttering.

Mind you if any enemy of mine (and not a few friends) tried to declutter my bookshelves they would end up on the floor with a chalk outline around them, but they could declutter my wardrobe all they liked.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
WTAF? I've just found a copy of the Daily Mail's Disco Greats in my study? And a single baby sock.
This decluttering is way overdue.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
How old is that baby now?
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
It might be my niece's - she's 5. It can't belong to either of mine, as they were at school when we moved into this house.

I've also found a mystery CD of photos of my neighbours' children and my neighbour's back garden, which looks to have been taken 7 or 8 years ago. How did I acquire that?
 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
For Comet and any other Shipmates moving house:

http://unclutterer.com/2011/02/28/moving-how-to-pack-your-home/
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
North East Quine wrote

quote:

---

All I need to do now is clear space in assorted files and shelves, put the contents of the boxes and bag away and, for the first time since we moved in 2003, we will have a tidy study/ spare bedroom!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ecumaniac:
For Comet and any other Shipmates moving house:

http://unclutterer.com/2011/02/28/moving-how-to-pack-your-home/

---

those are excellent tips, thank you!
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
This week with the cleaners help I managed to send four boxes of books to the charity shop and throw out eight bags of rubbish to the tip. I've also ordered a filing cabinet to sort out all my papers.

This is all going remarkably well and I've not had any really emotional reaction to getting rid of things which I'm chuffed about.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Yay, Chive!!!

I'm slowly getting rid of more stuff.
 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
Good luck, Comet!

I've moved once a year for the 4 years I've lived here. I cannot imagine having to move after living in a place for a long time!
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
My new filing cabinet and files arrived today so on my next day off I'm going to sort out the paper work which lives in small piles all over the house.

This is going quite well.
 

---

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :
 
Post garage sale clutter. The friend who did the garage sale with me left her leftover stuff at my house "for a day or two" because we were both tired and her stuff is heavy, like cartons of LPs and CDs.

A "day or two" is now two weeks. She's "busy."

Meanwhile, the yard man has taken to storing some of his stuff on my patio, saying it will be stolen from his yard.

Sigh. I'm quite capable of being cluttered on my own, I don't need help!
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
Despite my cleaner being snowed off today I have made inroads to the huge pile of mess on the coffee table. All that is left now is my phones, remote control and a small torch.

Smug feelings are rising. I hope it doesn't all go wrong soon.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by chive:
Despite my cleaner being snowed off today I have made inroads to the huge pile of mess on the coffee table. All that is left now is my phones, remote control and a small torch.

Smug feelings are rising. I hope it doesn't all go wrong soon.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
The snag, if he noticed after, say 10, or 20, or 30, or 40 had gone, it would be obvious that I'd got rid of them, because I'm the only person in the house who is annoyed that we're wasting shelf space on videos we will never watch again, and whose sole function is to gather dust. Even if we ever did find the time to copy them onto DVD I doubt we'd watch them. Some are Disney videos which my husband wants to "save for the grandchildren." But we are still, I assume, a decade away from grandparenthood, and if videos are obsolete now, I can't imagine they'll have come back into use in the 2020s.

---

But they at least will be easy to replace should you ever feel the need. The good Disney stuff will always be available. And in 10 years' time, who knows if DVDs will still be the way to go. Get rid, and use the shelf space for things you want now and for the next however many years!

I recently managed to declutter the dining table, by dint of bagging up Mr B's work books and taking them over to his office for him... It's not entirely cleared yet, but that's laziness on my part now rather than his clutter. And the living room has stayed much better since the table got moved out to make space for the Christmas tree. The tree is long gone, but the table and chairs are still in the garage. Part of me wants it back for when we're eating in the living room (i.e. most evenings!), but mostly I think if it came back in, it'd get buried under Mr's books and work papers again, and still wouldn't be useable by the rest of us. Hmmm...
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
Post garage sale clutter. The friend who did the garage sale with me left her leftover stuff at my house "for a day or two" because we were both tired and her stuff is heavy, like cartons of LPs and CDs.

A "day or two" is now two weeks. She's "busy."

Meanwhile, the yard man has taken to storing some of his stuff on my patio, saying it will be stolen from his yard.

Sigh. I'm quite capable of being cluttered on my own, I don't need help!

---

Have you considered putting up a list of your space rental rates?

 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have poured the bottle of Malibu which I bought in 1985 down the sink. I have no idea why I didn't do so years ago. I tried to suggest to the North East Man that a bottle of Bacardi, 2/3 full, bought in 1989 might equally well go, but he thinks someone might still want to drink it at some point. I said I was fed up dusting bottles of alcohol which no-one wants to drink. Daughter suggested that that problem was easily solved - stop cleaning. She thinks cobwebby bottles would have a certain charm, and that an inch of dust would give our kitchen a "pirattey ambience."




At least the study decluttering is progressing, albeit slowly.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I decluttered our drinks cupboard yesterday ( this was following a 'mouse drama' behind the cupboard earlier in the day, mouse is now no more). I'm using some old bottles of whiskey and rum to make fruit liqueurs
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Following on from my last post, I cleared out under the stairs yesterday, throwing out loads of old shoes, some mine but mostly children's, and rehousing others. I now have space for my preserves there and for the winemaking I'm doing later this week.
Today I need to tackle the bedroom, piles are beginning to gather on surfaces......
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
You have inspired me Heavenly Anarchist. I am off to re-declutter my study which has re-cluttered very quickly (How does that happen??)


 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I swear it's the house elves - they come into my study at night and pile stuff on the desks!
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I swear it's the house elves - they come into my study at night and pile stuff on the desks!

---

Yes, and then they insinuate it into my mind that I put that stuff there.

Moo
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Following a few close shaves I've been sensible and moved heavy, breakable dishes from the top shelf to a lower one where I kept my store of spices, and now that I can't eat such spicy food I've decluttered those as well as some of the dishes that I've not used for many, many years. Now I can give my teapots and jugs (hmmm - candidates themselves for decluttering) more space. It feels good.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
I found a good article from Unclutterer.com: "Fight back! Turn the tables on clutter."

Good ideas about all those things that pile up in nooks and crannies when you're too tired to put stuff away.

That's a big one for me, due to chronic health problems.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
My son came to our place today to give us a hand with our rumpus room and storage room, which have been crammed with stuff left behind by him and his siblings or moved out of other places about the house while renovations are in progress.

Three hours work later, two carloads of junk to the dump, half a load of his possessions into his car to go home, and my wife's multitudinous containers of craft supplies and winter clothing neatly stacked in the storage room.

This means that my model railway, which has been inacessible for many a month, is now freed from its prison and I can get some ejoyment from it once more.

Now, if only I can get my wife to do something about the dozens of my daughter's ballet costumes still inhabiting various old wardrobes downstairs.......
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
I found a good article from Unclutterer.com: "Fight back! Turn the tables on clutter."

Good ideas about all those things that pile up in nooks and crannies when you're too tired to put stuff away.

---

Thanks - I will peruse it
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
I found a good article from Unclutterer.com: "Fight back! Turn the tables on clutter."

---

I've joined

My name there?

Boogie - of course!
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Books, shoes, clothes, paper, logs, bricks,....Gone

Rags, cassettes (shhhh!), files and comentaries....relocated

(phew)
 

---

Posted by JoannaP (# 4493) on :
 
My efforts seem quite minor in comparison to some here but I have taken a bag of my grandmother's blouses to a charity shop. I just do not have the hanging space for things I am never going to be able to get into and enough time has passed since her death for me to be able to pass them on.
 

---

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 
I've been tackling the ever-increasing list of "Things I must get around to sometime". All ridiculous, little jobs, taking at most five minutes.

So, the bills finally got moved into their brand-new file, three piles of books were put away on the shelves, the four items queued up for mending with superglue are done, the brooms and toilet brushes have been cleaned, the filter from the vacuum cleaner has been washed, the drains had their dose of soda crystals, the lampshades have been dusted, the paper has been shredded, the psalm sheets have been sorted out...

I even went to church to re-file the psalm sheets, and tackled one of the music filing cabinet drawers. As a reward I've found a spare copy of a book I thought we only had one of, so I've brought it home, rather than bringing what I thought was the One and Only copy and risking losing it! Trust me, if it's been hidden in that filing cabinet for as long as I think it has, no-one will miss it!

I feel amazingly de-cluttered as a result, yet there doesn't look to be much visible difference!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
I found a good article from Unclutterer.com: "Fight back! Turn the tables on clutter."

---

I've joined

My name there?

Boogie - of course!

---

Hmmm - I have been there a few days but I'm not too impressed, the site very quiet and full of spam.

Never mind - the decluttering continues apace!

Today I did the medicine cabinet
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
Yay, me!
I noticed how dirty my shelf unit in the bathroom was, so I thought I'd haul it out of the corner and have a really good clean - and while I was at it, there's a cupboard in there that is full of cardboard boxes that "just might come in handy".
So I filled six black sacks with the cardboard boxes, and a recycling sack of the pile of envelopes (even though there's nothing wrong with them and they could totally be used again - I'm never going to use them), and I threw out the dog's flea powder (the dog died over a year ago), and the toothpaste I tried once but it tasted horrible.
So now I have a huge empty cupboard to store other stuff in, and my bathroom looks clean and roomy again!
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I've got three boxes and a large bag ready to take to the church rummage sale this week -- I'm going to try to add to that in the next few days. Next weekend our city is having a "Reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle" day, so I'm scrubbing the drive on my old computer and getting that ready to take, as well as dead batteries, lightbulbs, old sneakers, and whatever else I can get together.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
Our local car boot sales have started up again, too - the first one of the season was this morning. So I'm collecting a few bits and pieces together. I don't have a car - I have a shopping trolley and a rucksack (but it's only a short walk up the hill), and the lady in charge said she wouldn't charge me the full fiver for a pitch if I didn't come in a vehicle!
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
This afternoon I cleared out all the "might be needed one day" cardboard boxes from the roofspace and it looks a whole lot better up there now.
This was triggered by a request from an aunt for a photo of her father which she thought I would have with my mother's paperwork.
Which made me wonder just how long after someone has died does their paperwork need to be kept? I even have her mother's paperwork.
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
Update on the house. It's done. It's clean. It's shiny. There is no crap anywhere (apart from some books that will be picked up by a second hand bookshop in a couple of weeks). I come in my front door from work and smile at the space. It's amazing how spacious a small house looks when all the crap has gone. I've even got into the habit of tidying up everything when I've used it as opposed to a decade later!

I have to say my cleaner has been amazing. The perfect mixture of hardworking, pleasant and encouraging. If anyone in the Kent area needs a cleaner she is definitely the one for you!

I am genuinely so pleased and so grateful for your support that I could cry.
 

---

Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
Just to add, my priest is coming round some time after I get back from my holidays to bless my newly lovely house which is the most brilliant thing ever.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

I am genuinely so pleased and so grateful for your support that I could cry.

---

Aw shucks that's so nice of you!

But it's just lovely to have a clean and uncluttered house - and so much easier to keep that way! Well done you, chive!

Mrs. S, evangelist of encouragement
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
That all sounds wonderful chive
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Congratulations, chive. A few bits of my house have that clear uncluttered look and I know what a wonderful feeling it is to look at them.

Even at this moment I have the contents of a drawer emptied onto my bed for sorting.

Which is why I'm on here, naturally.

Nen - procrastinator.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Fabulous news chive. I am so happy for you. A wonderful achievement.

In other news I have decluttered the video machine to the tip. And took the videos to the charity shop. Not without a pang as I still haven't watched them...

Turned out the charity shop didn't want them so I donated them into the nearest litter bin outside the shop.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by chive:
Just to add, my priest is coming round some time after I get back from my holidays to bless my newly lovely house which is the most brilliant thing ever.

---

quote:

---

Even at this moment I have the contents of a drawer emptied onto my bed for sorting. Which is why I'm on here, naturally.

---

Jump to it, Nen - you know you want to

And with a respectful nod to Malik3000 on the Prayer thread - clutter begone!

Mrs. S, plagiarising
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
A leg fell off my wooden sewing box, which also has a dodgy hinge on the lid, so I decided it Had To Go.
At first I was going to donate it to my neighbour as kindling (or Morning Wood, as they call it locally), but now I've had a brainwave - the drawers are deep enough to fill with soil and put small plants in, and it will look quite decorative outside the front door (as long as I prop up the corner where the leg fell off!). So I shall be off to buy some flowering plants shortly.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Another box removed from the roofspace and emptied. One more down, so many more to go, but it is happening.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eigon:
A leg fell off my wooden sewing box, which also has a dodgy hinge on the lid, so I decided it Had To Go.
At first I was going to donate it to my neighbour as kindling (or Morning Wood, as they call it locally), but now I've had a brainwave - the drawers are deep enough to fill with soil and put small plants in, and it will look quite decorative outside the front door (as long as I prop up the corner where the leg fell off!). So I shall be off to buy some flowering plants shortly.

---

That should be really pretty - what a good idea
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I watched another hoarder programme this week. It was a school teacher with 35 years worth of school clutter. That thought 'I may need it one day' is very strong regarding teaching materials!

Now that rang a bell! So this week I've been being ruthless. If I haven't used it in 3 years it has been binned/given/recycled. 90% of the resources I use are online now anyway.

I now have shelves with accessible stuff that I USE! Hurrah!


 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I really must do something about my desk - I thought of posting a photo of it on Flickr but really I would be too ashamed
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I really must do something about my desk - I thought of posting a photo of it on Flickr but really I would be too ashamed

---

Take a photo / save it / do a declutter / post a before-and-after piccy.



 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Good idea!

Before piccy taken but it might be months or years before I get round to an after piccy.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Good idea!

Before piccy taken but it might be months or years before I get round to an after piccy.

---

What kind of commitment is that ?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Erm, MY kind?






eta: you have to realise that some of this stuff hasn't seen light of day since Paloeolithic times.

[ 28. April 2013, 09:32: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
nothing like having a boomeranging young adult back in the home to sort the de cluttering

~no church this morning, we're still recovering!~

[ 28. April 2013, 12:27: Message edited by: Ethne Alba ]
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ethne Alba:
nothing like having a boomeranging young adult back in the home to sort the de cluttering

---

erk!!
 

---

Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on :
 
Yeah...

My mother was suddenly ill and rushed to hospital. She didn't want to go home, because of all the messa and clutter. So the siblings and I went in with a 'shovel and bags' mentality and carted a load of it away, to be stored.

She is now home, and asking for bits back (and thank God we identified the stuff in genuine use and had it at the front) which we bring her.

She feels much better.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Upcoming renovations mean I have to clean out my storeroom -- I finally found a home for boxes and boxes of leftover inventory from a deceased business (more involved than I care to go into now). So... I spent the day organizing all of that to get ready for delivery. I hope to finish up tomorrow. Yesterday I had to clean out a small shed, so that some of the other stuff in the storeroom can be moved into that.

I'm exhausted -- but really feel I've accomplished something! (But there's still a long way to go...)
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Not as dramatic as some others' posts, but I dipped out of band practice last night and sorted out all the T-shirts that I normally put on and think, gosh that's too big/gone baggy or whatever, but keep on wearing and washing ad nauseam . Also my Very Favourite pair of blue trousers that won't actually stay up and are far too complicated to alter ... all gone to the Clothes Bank

Nearly had to declutter my ancient and much-beloved Frister & Rossman sewing machine, lugged home ON THE TUBE about 40 years ago from Gamage's closing-down sale, believe it or not. The lead, as I unplugged it from taking up another pair of trousers, emitted a very satisfying blue flash and blew (blue?) various fuses Luckily The Intrepid Mr. S dismantled the lead and restored it to life - what a star!

Mrs. S, hair still standing on end
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Am making progress.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
Not as dramatic as some others' posts, but I dipped out of band practice last night and sorted out all the T-shirts that I normally put on and think, gosh that's too big/gone baggy or whatever, but keep on wearing and washing ad nauseam .

---

I have started making dusters out of mine. No more washing dusters, I just throw them away when used.


 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
A rag rug is a good way of using up old clothes. I put about 20 T-shirts into one, but they seem to have crept up again...
 

---

Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I'm not one to talk my desk is a disgrace and has layer upon layer of stuff that has now spread onto piles on the floor and I just can't bring myself to deal with it but I'm feeling so much better reading this thread (It's a form of denial, I don't have a problem like those people over there )

quote:

---

A rag rug is a good way of using up old clothes. I put about 20 T-shirts into one, but they seem to have crept up again...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
Isn't a rug made of old t-shirts just clutter transformed into... even less useful clutter than before??? Does anyone really need a rag rug?

---

My niece makes lovely rag rugs - they look great in her farm cottage. I had a go once, it hurts the hands!
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I'm turning my sons' tees into a blanket
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I wonder why making a rag rug hurt your hands, Boogie? I've made rag rugs by two different methods - one with a sort of pair of scissors that you stick through the sacking and pull your 3" length of cloth through to make a tuft 1 1/2" long each side, and one done with the sacking stretched on a frame with a tool to push long lengths of cloth into the backing. There's another method with a rug hook which I haven't tried. I've made several rugs over the years, one of them a portrait of my dog running. They use tons of fabric and wear well, and look attractive - and I don't remember ever hurting my hands doing it.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eigon:
I wonder why making a rag rug hurt your hands, Boogie?

---

To be fair, it's because of my Arthur-itis.


 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Evangeline:
Isn't a rug made of old t-shirts just clutter transformed into... even less useful clutter than before??? Does anyone really need a rag rug?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
So this week I've been being ruthless. If I haven't used it in 3 years it has been binned/given/recycled. 90% of the resources I use are online now anyway.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Upcoming renovations mean I have to clean out my storeroom -- I finally found a home for boxes and boxes of leftover inventory from a deceased business (more involved than I care to go into now). ...

---

A friend with a larger vehicle than mine just helped me deliver 15 large boxes to an organization that can put this stuff to good use! I feel so liberated,as if a huge weight has been lifted!


 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Upcoming renovations mean I have to clean out my storeroom -- I finally found a home for boxes and boxes of leftover inventory from a deceased business (more involved than I care to go into now). ...

---

A friend with a larger vehicle than mine just helped me deliver 15 large boxes to an organization that can put this stuff to good use! I feel so liberated,as if a huge weight has been lifted!

---

Yippee indeed - well done Pigwidgeon, and that's a very special feeling of liberation you got there.

I've got to the stage where, under stress, I start looking around for things to throw away - not AT anyone, just AWAY!

Mrs. S, feeling pretty libersated these days

 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
[Anyone who has bought a rug (BOUGHT!)...could do with making a rag rug. They're lovely things.]

On another matter.....the files are being emptied, our blue paper recycling bin is filling up and spaces are appearing in the bookshelves.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ethne Alba:
... and spaces are appearing in the bookshelves.

---

My problem is that I always see this as an excuse to have a day in the bookshops!
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Yippee!

After nearly a year of searching I've found me an adult's version of Mrs Doubtfire. Tracking down this paragon took 6 months because everyone (Macmillan, CAB, hospice, CRUSE, etc) thought such people existed but didn't know where or how to find.

She's now helping me go through the 30 cubic metres of administrative chaos bequeathed by my dear departed - getting through the first lot reduced me to such a state my GP said I was displaying symptoms of PTSD

Quite apart from anything else, she's found 11 unpresented cheques so we're now busy writing to former clients, etc, to see if they'll reissue...
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
My problem is that I always see this as an excuse to have a day in the bookshops!

---

You need an excuse?

 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
[in the interests of honesty: i HAD visited a second hand bookshop two weeks previously...
......maybe i'd forgotten exactly why i needed space.....i now need to make More space.....grrrrr.....}
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
My problem is that I always see this as an excuse to have a day in the bookshops!

---

You need an excuse?

---

Nah, I just need a spare few minutes or, preferably, an hour or two.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
More progress.
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
"Mrs Doubtfire" is wonderful - organised and methodical and just getting on with it.

And the best thing is that all the dreck means I can have a bonfire...
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by L'organist:
"Mrs Doubtfire" is wonderful - organised and methodical and just getting on with it.

---

Excellent
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Dealing with a "major cleaning before workers come in for major repairs" situation. Workers should be here early next week. Nervous, and unwell (for other reasons), and did I say nervous?
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
I got through it, and the repairs are done!
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
For "bonfire" mentioned earlier read "garden incinerator": lit it just before 2pm on Tuesday - finally extinguished by torrential rain just after 8pm Thursday

Mrs D has now completed the first pass through - now just to get the stuff we've kept into some kind of order.

And I finally got rid of a rocking chair I've hated since 1993
 

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Posted by Avila (# 15541) on :
 
I dared let my friends in to see the chaos in its natural state, (normally I relocate junk from the living room and close all other doors). They came back this week and zapped some of it. I have a craft room i can do stuff in so don't need to take it elsewhere and then it gets left there etc.

It feels like my brain has been tidied a little bit too.
 

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Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I joined my next door neighbour in a table sale this afternoon and got rid of a rug that's been sitting rolled up at the back of the bathroom for a couple of years. I got £5 for it, which is pretty good considering I first got it when someone further down the street had left it out for the bin men!
(It's a good rug - I just don't have room for it any more)
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congraulations everyone.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Avila:
It feels like my brain has been tidied a little bit too.

---

I know what you mean. I can't think properly when everything is in a mess.

I'm feeling a bit flat after the big attic clean out. I think there is more to do but I'm not sure what. Surely I can't be finished?

I need to sort out my socks. Seriously. The little drawer is crammed full and I can never find a matching pair in the right colour. Every day it annoys me. Maybe if I do that it will clear my mind.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:

I need to sort out my socks. Seriously. The little drawer is crammed full and I can never find a matching pair in the right colour. Every day it annoys me. Maybe if I do that it will clear my mind.

---

I recently had a sock sort - I keep the odd, holey, ancient ones for one-off throw away dusters.


 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
I'm in the midst of moving, and it's done great things for my decluttering.

Here's the deal- we don't have movers outside of the urban areas, and the do-it-yourself moving vans are prohibitively expensive. So we bought a trailer- the size we'd fit one single snowmachine into. It has 2ft walls, no roof. And my life has to fit into this thing. It's a 2-3 day drive, partly through a corner of Canada, so more than one trip is not possible.

This has caused me to switch my thinking around from "what can I bear to part with?" to "what absolutely HAS to go with me?"

I've reduced my entire wardrobe by 2/3rds (including stagewear and costuming) and officially donated enough books to the library that they asked me to stop. We have given four full sized truck loads to the local charity shop and taken 4 truckloads to the dump. I have also given away a good portion of my belongings via facebook. No yard sale, just unload.

It's been difficult, but it feels very FREE!
 

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Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
So, Comet, you didn't need me -
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
I always need you!

Shall I fedex you these matresses?
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Upcoming renovations mean I have to clean out my storeroom -- I finally found a home for boxes and boxes of leftover inventory from a deceased business (more involved than I care to go into now). ...

---

A friend with a larger vehicle than mine just helped me deliver 15 large boxes to an organization that can put this stuff to good use! I feel so liberated,as if a huge weight has been lifted!

---

I got the last of all the miscellaneous "stuff" out of there yesterday, and the renovations began this morning!
 

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Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Well done Pigwidgeon, and best of luck with the move Comet
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Mr Nen took a carload of stuff to the community recycling place this morning. Two computers. Two monitors. Two televisions. Two radios. All from the loft. I never realised there was so much stuff up there... I must have known about it once, but forgotten...

Nen - still shellshocked.
 

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Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I joined my two neighbours in a table sale outside our houses today - had a lovely time sitting in the sun and chatting and made £13.50, and got rid of enough stuff to make it worthwhile doing again.
 

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Posted by Avila (# 15541) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
Mr Nen took a carload of stuff to the community recycling place this morning. Two computers. Two monitors. Two televisions. Two radios. All from the loft. I never realised there was so much stuff up there... I must have known about it once, but forgotten...

Nen - still shellshocked.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Avila:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
Mr Nen took a carload of stuff to the community recycling place this morning. Two computers. Two monitors. Two televisions. Two radios. All from the loft. I never realised there was so much stuff up there... I must have known about it once, but forgotten...

---

Sounds like the Ark for electricals - the items went in 2 by 2....

---

Doesn't it just?

Nen - thankful the electrical pairs didn't start breeding in the loft.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I'm painting the attic I cleared out a few months ago. So upsetting to find out how grubby it was. No wonder no-one wants to buy the house.

I'm using a special light reflecting paint that is supposed to make small spaces look bigger and lighter.

Unfortunately I am not sure I have chosen the right colour. It is a bit pinker than I expected.

I went to an exhibition recently and fell for a
Morphy Richards Steam Cleaner

Has anyone used one? How do you get on with it?
 

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Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
I just thought I'd update you all - I've had my cleaner 5 months now and I think I may have turned into a tidy person. Everything is getting put away straight after I've used it. What's happening to me?
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have a Morphy Richards steam cleaner, but a cheaper model. I like it. We have lino in our porch and kitchen, and tiles in our bathroom and showerroom, and it makes a good job of them. Our bathroom in particular is a nightmare as the previous owners floored it with white tiles, and it gets grubby easily.

It heats up quickly and it's light and easy to use. I use tap water as we live in an area with low limescale, so that, after the initial outlay, it's cheaper than using a bucket and mop with cleaning liquid. The floors dry quickly; our kitchen lino is slippy when wet, so that's good.

My only gripe is that I'd like a longer flex on mine to reach from the nearest socket right into the bathroom and showerroom.

[ 25. June 2013, 12:17: Message edited by: North East Quine ]
 

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Posted by Little Miss Methodist (# 1000) on :
 
I have a similar thing, different make but same basic idea. I do love it because cleaning the floors is my third least favourite household task (after cleaning the cat litter tray and taking out the rubbish). I thought having this might help me to wash the floors more often. At first it did, but I have the same aversion to sweeping the floor as I do to mopping and it hasn't helped with that!

I do really like it tough and it's great for cleaning the shower and the kitchen cabinets, stuff like that. I've even tried it on my sofa, but it think every machine probably need to know its limitations...

I'm working on starting a general declutter at the moment because I've just been feeling overwhelmed by 'stuff" lately. My house is actually pretty tidy and clutter free but I just feel like there is too much stuff in it, so I think it needs paring down slightly. Not even remotely sure what to start with though!
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
I have a steam mop which does the job well when I get around to using it. I need one that does it for me without my prompting.

I've just returned from a week in a lovely holiday cottage which was almost clutter free (just a few ornaments to make it look more homely) and was hit by the clutter at home and have had to resist the clear-out because it is sentimental or useful clutter, and I have to remember that i always feel like this when I come back from a more functional place.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
That's all very encouraging. Hopefully it won't turn into another bit of clutter.

Congratulations Chive, that is great news.
 

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Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I subscribe to the Writing Magazine, and when I've read a copy I have been keeping them on a shelf to look at again some time. Yesterday the pile reached the top of the shelf so I couldn't squeeze another magazine on, so I thought I'd go through them to get rid of the ones I didn't want to keep for useful articles.
I now have a nice empty space on my shelf, and I'm disposing of all of them!
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I'm not convinced about the steam mop yet. But I have only used it once, and what with the buying of distilled water, the reading of the instructions and the scratching of the head, and the finding of screwdrivers to fix various bits to each other - I felt it was easier to use the traditional scooting a j cloth round with the foot method of cleaning the bathroom floor.

Meanwhile the decorator started on the main bedroom today. So quite a lot of decluttering went on while we were moving everything out yesterday.

I am hopeful that when all is done we will be able to get rid of a wardrobe in the spare bedroom thanks to my previous purging of clothes.

I was so upset when we moved the furniture in the bedroom. Behind it in the corners the wall paper was peeling and black with mould and cobwebs. and

I shouted at Mr T for a bit and felt better. Told him we need a new carpet as well as curtains as in the corners where the mould and condensation had been the carpet came out in clumps when I hoovered.

He is not happy as we are putting it back on the market when the work is done.

No wonder no-one wanted to buy it. Although they couldn't see the mould etc, clearly we hadn't realised quite how grotty the room had got.

In fact I am jolly glad we have decorated before selling. I would have been mortified if we had only found all this when we moved out and had to leave it for the buyers.

I am now thinking that it will be best to move out and rent before putting it back on the market. Then we can deal with any grot and people will see that all is ready to move into and clean as it will be empty.

Haven't told Mr T this yet.
 

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Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Matters have slipped again........
 

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Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
I don't usually post in this thread, but I have just got rid of a desk and all its contents have been redistributed neatly to other space or tossed. Which just leaves two piles of filing to do soon, as someone is coming to stay on the futon on which it is distributed. At some point before Sunday I must feel motivated.
 

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Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 

 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations on the desk removal Pete C.

How are you getting on Ethne Alba?

The decorator assured me that mould and peeling wallpaper behind furniture against external wall corners is commonplace and even the best households suffer from it.

A bit like headlice in children I suppose.

She is going to treat the walls to inhibit its reappearance. Seemed confident about it.

This is all very reassuring but I am still going to make sure the furniture is not replaced tight against the wall.

Must be more organised about doing proper cleaning more regularly.

Still fomenting plans to move out before selling.
 

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Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
A ridge of paper mountains....

 

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Posted by Avila (# 15541) on :
 
Yesterday I hosted the meeting at my house in the garden, using excuse that the living room gets the evening sun and heat and garden shadier, plus hint of breeze (just a hint!) - but really it was about not having to face rescuing the room from clutter plus this weekends event planning on top!
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Avila - that's a really creative response
 

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Posted by Little Miss Methodist (# 1000) on :
 
Tonight I have gone through my wardrobe, underwear and sock drawers, chest of drawers and anywhere else where I might store clothes and had a good sort out! I've filled three black bags with stuff to donate / throw and have two piles of things to give to friends when I next see them! I've also pared down my bed linen and rearranged the storage across the two bedrooms to make better use of the space.

Feeling very virtuous.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Little Miss Methodist:
Tonight I have gone through my wardrobe, underwear and sock drawers, chest of drawers and anywhere else where I might store clothes and had a good sort out! I've filled three black bags with stuff to donate / throw and have two piles of things to give to friends when I next see them! I've also pared down my bed linen and rearranged the storage across the two bedrooms to make better use of the space.

Feeling very virtuous.

---

Yes, it makes you feel great, doesn't it?

In other news, I took a deceased computer monitor to the dump and went to hand it to the guy sorting out the electricals.
Guy: Take it to the office please.
Me: It doesn't work, you know.
Guy: Yeah, just take it to the office anyway.
(I take it to the office, hand it to Office Guy)
Me: It doesn't work, you know.
Office Guy, very crestfallen: Oh. (takes it anyway)
As if anyone would take a large flat screen monitor to the dump if it was still working!

I'm currently trying to persuade Mr. S into doing the exact same things as Little Miss M above - having thrown out all my unsuitable clothing I am now seeking what I might throw out from his wardrobe

The Sneaky Mrs. S
 

---

Posted by Little Miss Methodist (# 1000) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:

I'm currently trying to persuade Mr. S into doing the exact same things as Little Miss M above - having thrown out all my unsuitable clothing I am now seeking what I might throw out from his wardrobe

---

Ah, I need to work on the same thing with my boyfriend... We don't live together, but you wouldn't know it from the amount of his stuff all over my flat. I'm fine with most of it, but he has hoarding tendencies (actually no, he has full blown hoarding behaviour) and I don't want all the random crap he rescues ending up in my house! I did some washing yesterday of stuff he had brought in, and I didn't recognise most of the clothes! Where did they come from? I've certainly never seen him wear them...

Ah well, I suspect this is going to be a constant feature of our relationship, so i'd better start getting used to it now!
 

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Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :
 
I am on the move (again), and am trying to be ruthless, and move less junk than usual. I however have lots of hoarding tendencies so this is tough! Any advice welcome.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Making some progress.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Surfing Madness:
I am on the move (again), and am trying to be ruthless, and move less junk than usual. I however have lots of hoarding tendencies so this is tough! Any advice welcome.

---

Lots of advice for anyone with hoarding tendencies looking to declutter and move here

Try a search on the site or just post a question and people will pile in with links and advice.

First off, get rid of everything you can before packing/moving. Firstly, obvious trash. Then you have amnesty from donating or recycling or mending/repurposing/selling or whatever reason you were saving stuff for. The priority is to get rid of it. You cannot organise clutter/a hoard, you can only get rid of it.

Get rid of everything that will not fit into the new place.

Pack up everything that is essential for the new place that does not need to be in use between now and the move.

Set aside/make a list of stuff that you will be using up to the move.

That could be a method to start with.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Forgot to say, congratulations Golden Key.
 

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Posted by cross eyed bear (# 13977) on :
 
Some encouragement: I have been lurking on this thread more than posting, but, as shared in an earlier post, have been prompted to do a lot of decluttering of my own.

Two weeks ago, my office flooded. (i'm self-employed and rented an office closer to the city). Everything had to be moved out and set up so I can work from home, whilst the landlord gets the floor professionally dried and renovates the place. If I do go back in, it'll take a while.

Because I had done so much decluttering in the office and at home, 95% of the stuff I ended up removing from the office was relevant to my work, and we had the space at home to set up a workable office within three days.

So, thanks for prompting me to declutter!
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Finally admitted that I am never going to knit/sew all those tangled skeins and scrap pieces. Filled two large black bin bags - which is as much as I had space to put out. Probably still half as much again to chuck.

Also need to tackle several years output from painting classes. I don't think I'll be impoverishing Art by chucking 95% of my productions.
 

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Posted by chive (# 208) on :
 
I've finally got rid of the several hundred books that were cluttering my spare bedroom. Freecycle is wonderful and they're going to be sold for charity so I'm delighted. I think everything is done now and I can relax in my house.
 

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Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
The house has been a tip since our son's wedding six weeks ago. We fetched into use loads of 'stuff' that had been stashed away for years, all of which meant first moving other 'stuff' to get to it. Now I have to try and put it all away again. The ancient table-linen has been washed and ironed and returned to its box behind the bath sheets, so the airing cupboard is more-or-less back to rights. It's a start I suppose.

I am currently clearing out the big cupboard in the hall. The contents of three shelves have been culled - the shelves are still quite full, but tidy, and nothing falls out when the doors are opened. This evening I pulled out at least 15years-worth of old greetings cards (I know they are that old because I found our silver-wedding cards, and we hit 40 years this year). They have yet to make it to the recycling bin, I'm just waiting for daylight.
That leaves me a nice empty space at the bottom into which I can move the colouring books and pens when I clear out the top shelf. Then the grandkids can reach them without a) standing on a stool and b) having a shower of books fall on their heads
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
cross eyed bear - that is a good story, thanks. Hope you get your proper office back soon.

Firenze - I felt much better when I finally made myself get rid of all the stuff I was never going to use/finish. Strangely I started getting more done on other things. All the UFO's induced a sort of paralysis, I couldn't do anything else while all that stuff was hanging about.

Chive - Many congratulations, fantastic achievement.

Good luck Roseofsharon.
 

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Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
The recycling bin is nearly full, and it's a whole week to collection day. It weighs a ton - all those greetings cards, out of date guide books and road atlases from the hall cupboard.
Still two shelves to go.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
When an aunt died my cousins found she had kept every single card they, and possibly anyone else had ever sent her!

I think they had a few happy memories going through them, but I don't think they kept them. I wonder how often my aunt looked at them.

My mil had a collection of postcards. She kept every single postcard anyone ever sent her. My sil has still got them but I am not sure why she is keeping them.

On the basis of throwing out anything that hasn't been looked at/in use for a year or more I would be decluttering my wedding photos.

Sometimes I consider it.

The main bedroom decorating project meant that all the boxes of papers and photos that lived on top of the wardrobes had be moved. I have banned them from returning until they have been sorted. But that won't happen for a while. But I do have an incentive because I will be tripping over them all the time.
 

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Posted by Avila (# 15541) on :
 
This week organised the set aside research stuff in preparation for returning to study after 7 months interruption - I have order!!

less good was time off browsing in nearby town where I came home with some lovely remnant material and clear 'black bag' full of foam blocks I don't yet know what they will be useful for but they were only £2

As I do creative things with kids, with myself and in laying out interesting 'worship spaces' I maintain I will use them....

I'm sure I will... at least I think I will... hope I will.... well maybe... possibly....or not

But they were only £2!!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We have had the puppy, Tatze, for eight weeks now. So all decluttering halted completely.

She is growing up now, house trained and in a routine, so I will start again.

Today ...... yes, TODAY!!


 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
We have had the puppy, Tatze, for eight weeks now. So all decluttering halted completely.

She is growing up now, house trained and in a routine, so I will start again.

Today ...... yes, TODAY!!

---

She's beautiful!


 

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Posted by JoannaP (# 4493) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
We have had the puppy, Tatze, for eight weeks now. So all decluttering halted completely.

She is growing up now, house trained and in a routine, so I will start again.

Today ...... yes, TODAY!!

---

She's beautiful!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
Forgot to say, congratulations Golden Key.

---

Thanks!

{{{{{{{{All declutterers, on the Ship and elsewhere}}}}}}}}
 

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Posted by Avila (# 15541) on :
 
My study/office/ black hole (never actually work in it just everywhere else) has a floor!!

Whilst aware of the ontological need for something to be holding things there, I have been agnostic at least about its existence for so long, this is a powerful revelation!
 

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Posted by Little Miss Methodist (# 1000) on :
 
Have spent the evening decluttering my desk / office and have space around my to work in for the first time in months! Chucked a lot of crap out. Am aware that there is probably quite a lot more that should be thrown out but it's all filed "under the surface" as it were, and at least I've got rid of the obvious clutter.
 

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Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :
 
Moving day is fast approaching and I have managed to de-clutter some stuff, other things not so well, but it is better than it was! While tidying I found a pillowcase with a map of Europe on it, on the map East and West Germany (among other things are still on it.) As it's a pillowcase as well I feel I can justify keeping it! That said I have got rid about 8 black bags worth of stuff so that is positive I guess!
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
We have accepted an offer for the house!

Let the decluttering commence!
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
With a lot of self-bullying, I finished decluttering the craft room. Another two bin bags of Stuff I Am Never Going To Finish.

I was slightly mortified to find, when I came to vacuum the newly-revealed floor that what I thought was the dulling of the carpet through fading turned out to be a layer of dust...
 

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Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
On Thursday I had to put on a display of work by the Knitting & Crochet Group of our U3A. To get at the poster card for labelling I had to empty a load of art'n'craft stuff out of a cupboard in the half-cellar/cat room/sewing room. Where it will sit until the poster card gets put away again.
We were out visiting friends on Friday, and shopping on Saturday, so nothing from Thursday has been put away - it went into the dining room, where I have been putting 'stuff' that is being sorted from the hall cupboard.

Late on Saturday afternoon Elder Son 'phoned to ask if we'd like him to visit, with the family, for the day on Sunday.
That meant an emergency evening visit to Supermarket for suitable foodstuffs, and then a scramble to make the dining room accommodate seven people sitting at table for meals.

Some stuff is now in tottery piles on top of the sideboard, some in the spare bedroom (which I'd almost cleared of Younger-Son's-wedding-related stuff from the end of June) and more stuff has been dumped in the half-cellar/etc. There it will stay until I can get a round toit. Which won't be this week, looking at the diary.
Still, it was a nice visit, and I sent Elder Son home with a small pile of his old books, toiletries he'd left here when getting ready for that wedding, (and a bag of runner beans;)

And although everywhere else is a tip, I do have a tidy hall cupboard with one completeely empty shelf!
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
I was slightly mortified to find, when I came to vacuum the newly-revealed floor that what I thought was the dulling of the carpet through fading turned out to be a layer of dust...

---

Well...At least you don't think you might need a new carpet anymore!

 

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Posted by Surfing Madness (# 11087) on :
 
Today i start de-cluttering my "stuff" from my parents loft! I'm thinking there might be one or two things worth selling on eBay. I've never used eBay so would therefore be grateful if anyone has any advice as I'm clueless. Thanks.
 

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Posted by To The Pain (# 12235) on :
 
Can't help with ebay advice, but Flatmate and I did manage to empty a large box last night that has been looming in the corner of the living room since we moved in last year. And Flatmate organised the shoe storage before I got home, then we re-ordered the hats/gloves/scarves. This all feels very good.

Now I need to deal with the mountain of clean laundry that needs putting away in my bedroom.
 

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Posted by Otter (# 12020) on :
 
Yesterday was the first of what should be a series of regularly-scheduled visits from the cleaning fairies (magical beings who make your house clean when you aren't looking), who did the master bedroom, bathrooms, kitchen, and entry/stairway/landing. I'm absurdly happy happy happy!

Prepping for the visit made us declutter the various spaces. We got rid of a good bit of rubbish (not-quite junk mail, etc.) that had accumulated, and put a bunch of not-rubbish away.

Now I need to attack the disaster that is my work-room, which to a realtor would be the dining room. Over the last few months a lot of things have just been chucked in there to deal with "later". I think "later" has arrived.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
First off, get rid of everything you can before packing/moving. Firstly, obvious trash. Then you have amnesty from donating or recycling or mending/repurposing/selling or whatever reason you were saving stuff for. The priority is to get rid of it. You cannot organise clutter/a hoard, you can only get rid of it.

Get rid of everything that will not fit into the new place.

Pack up everything that is essential for the new place that does not need to be in use between now and the move.

Set aside/make a list of stuff that you will be using up to the move.

That could be a method to start with.

---

I think I wrote this for myself.

I suggested to Mr T that he buy packing materials and make a start on the books while I am away. But he seemed a bit hesitant. I can't do anything myself until I get back in September.

So I am making a plan in my head. September and October are very busy months and we are away a lot so I think I need to get started with the packing asap.

Even if this sale falls through at least some progress will have been made for the next one.

The house is pretty much decluttered, tidy and organised already so that won't be too hard.

I'm not sure I will have time to sort out the boxes/suitcases of family memorabilia that used to live on top of the wardrobes. They will probably just have to be transported as they are to the new place where they will form a pile of clutter that sucks the life out of me just thinking about it.

We are going to move in two stages, a rental first then take our time looking for something to buy. So I plan to leave a lot of little used stuff unpacked when we make the first move.

I think I will start making lists of things to do. What Flylady calls a Control Journal for the move.

I want to use Evernote for this master plan and sub plans. But I need to work out how to share the notes with Mr T and train him how to use it.

Maybe I will just print the notes out periodically for him.
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
When my daughter was tiny and we were moving for the umpteenth time in a few months I started packing by boxing up things I didn't use so much and putting the boxes back in the cupboards where that china or winter clothes or whatever lived there normally. So when I had to load the car/van on the day, for a quite a bit of it I just had to open cupboard doors and pull out the box.
 

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Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
Thyme:

quote:

---

I suggested to Mr T that he buy packing materials and make a start on the books while I am away. But he seemed a bit hesitant.

---

YMMV, but in my experience it's better to leave books until the last possible moment; they are easy to pack and take up far less space on the bookshelves than they do in boxes. If it was me I'd try and get him to pack some of the non-essential kitchen things - now they ARE fiddly to pack.

Besides, if you pack them several months in advance I guarantee you will discover a burning desire to reread a multi-volume saga that has been packed in four different boxes, all on the bottom of the stack...

I actually came here looking for sympathy - we are redecorating Daughter's bedroom next week, but before we do that there is a huge tidying and sorting job. She is a hoarder and when she was 3 I rashly promised never to throw any of her toys away without consulting her first. Seven years later we can hardly see the carpet in her room...

[ 22. August 2013, 08:14: Message edited by: Jane R ]
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jane R:
She is a hoarder and when she was 3 I rashly promised never to throw any of her toys away without consulting her first. Seven years later we can hardly see the carpet in her room...

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Oh, bad move, bad move

We used to hide unused toys and take them to charity a couple of years later. If they were not missed in two years they were not missed at all.

Now every scrap of they boys stuff has gone as they have their own homes.

It feels odd

So I have filled the place with doggy stuff

I bought Tatze a teddy today - it's as big as her!
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jane R:
If it was me I'd try and get him to pack some of the non-essential kitchen things - now they ARE fiddly to pack.
(snip)
I guarantee you will discover a burning desire to reread a multi-volume saga that has been packed in four different boxes, all on the bottom of the stack...

---

Ooooeeeeerrr, I don't fancy letting him loose on the kitchen stuff, it's mine, all mine, my preccioussss.....

You might be right about the books
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Ever since clearing out my filing cabinet I have been shredding. I do some every day - one shredder full a day. I'm fed up of it now.

Yesterday I saw a great little new business - a small van with 'mobile shredding' on the side. They come and do your shredding for you.

I don't have enough for that - but what a good idea.

I don't enjoy shredding but would happily do it for cash!! Great idea for setting up a little business for any jobless Shippies out there.


 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Mr T and I have had a summit meeting to agree the rules of engagement for decluttering and packing for the move.

It proceeded calmly. We seem to have made progress in handling these things after 36 years of marriage.

We have a road map and a process.

I want a clean start with this move, getting new things for the new house. Taking only those things which we love or want.

Mr T is more inclined to keep things 'just in case'. He is very tidy and organised but once a thing takes up residence somewhere it is very difficult to dislodge it.

We are going to start by getting all the small items we don't want to keep either out to the charity shop or to the tip.

Then packing up all the small items we don't need until after the move, pictures, ornaments and so on.

A friend wants first refusal on any religious books I am decluttering. So that is a big help.

No news from the agents or solicitors so I am hoping the buyers aren't changing their minds.
 

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Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
We are hoping to exchange contracts on our very first house soon... I'm a bit terrified by the task of packing and moving, but hoping to use the opportunity to have a good clear out.

I did have great success this week in sorting out the brownies cupboard, to declutter it for the new term. There is so much stuff in there that I can't imagine we need (I took the group over at the start of the year) but at least I now have a clear idea of what is in there.
I used a set of drawers to put paper and card in, and fixed up the broken shelves with mdf so at least it will be easier to use. Now to have a 'one of everything' type night to use up some of the crafts there is about ten years worth of the last three or four of any given craft (from when you make or buy extra or when one girl doesn't turn up) so although there isn't a full set of anything, there are enough things to keep them all occupied for several meetings if I just let them pick one thing each to do.
That should make my planning easier this term at least
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
In less than 4 weeks, The Intrepid Miss S and Future Son-in-Law will be married, and the reception and the afterparty will have been and gone *phew*

Because the afterparty the next day is at Chateau S, I have been madly painting everything; to wit, two boundaries' worth of fence panels: ten garden chairs and two garden tables: the front door, the hall and banisters, the utility room (yes, I know, but it was awful): the dining room and the sitting room.

To attempt to clear the sitting room a bit, I suggested Mr. S buy a Brennan or similar, so he bought a Cocktail Audio onto which he has spent 5 weeks loading almost 1000 CDs. Then we double-wrapped said CDs in clingfilm, in batches to fit back into the shelving, and lugged all the shelving and all the wrapped CDs into the loft.

Thus, having spent last summer emptying the loft, we have now almost refilled it *sigh*

BUT THE LIVING ROOM LOOKS LOVELY! and we can search the music collection from a tablet, instead of trying to see down into the darkest corner behind the sofa.

Extreme decluttering, anyone?

The Exhausted Mrs S, lightly coated with paint, but
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Blimey, Mrs. S.

My reason for not de-cluttering chez Piglet is that we've been having work done to the house which is taking forever (builder problems - don't even go there ) and I feel no inclination to do any tidying until the place stops looking like a building-site.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it ...
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
WOW Mrs S - what an achievement! Congratulations.


 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Well done Mrs S!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Marvellous work Mrs S - well done
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Yes indeed, well done.

Piglet, you'd have been horrified by me yesterday - I got the va**um out and cleared away the cobwebs that have been threatening to take over the stairwell, it was looking distinctly Miss Havisham like! Afterwards I did the study and my bedroom as well.

I felt VERY virtuous.



[Have you noticed how vacuum and valium both look the same when the two middle letters are *'d out?]
 

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Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:

Now to have a 'one of everything' type night to use up some of the crafts there is about ten years worth of the last three or four of any given craft (from when you make or buy extra or when one girl doesn't turn up) so although there isn't a full set of anything, there are enough things to keep them all occupied for several meetings if I just let them pick one thing each to do.
That should make my planning easier this term at least

---

Why not set them a "cardboard box" challenge. They get given a random cardboard box and told to make something of it. If these are small ones, then one each or work in pairs; if big boxes then one per six. They are free to make any of the other craft material.

Jengie
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Thank you for those kind words! It horrified me to see quite how grubby everywhere was - I had no intention of doing more than the one 'feature' wall in the dining room, but as soon as I laid a paintbrush on it you could see that everywhere else was just filthy, really. I couldn't think why - 'candles' said my friend Anita and of course she was right.

Ah well, if that's the price I pay for candlelit dinners, so be it.

In fairness I should also point out that I left work on 5th July - a combination of retirement and redundancy - redundament? or hardly any of this would have got done.

(Every time we try and do something about the house or garden, I think that the garage seriously needs decluttering because that's where Stuff ends up, but I daren't suggest anything like that to Mr. S just at the moment!)

Mrs. S, resigned in more ways than one!
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
... if that's the price I pay for candlelit dinners ...

---

The Intrepid Mrs. Bucket??

WW, I'm horrified and impressed in equal measure ...
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Well done indeed, Mrs S. I hope the wedding is a truly wonderful day.

Pegging away slowly at the sorting of paperwork here at Casa Nen. It's slow and frustrating and emotionally draining but there's no option but to keep at it.

Nen - no end in sight at present.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Piglet, at least if the dinner is candlelit, no-one can see the cobwebs (pace WW!)

Mrs. S, method in her madness
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I went around the house yesterday collecting up obvious things to declutter that aren't going to move with us.

Pleased that the pile was quite small. Although it was only things out on view, I haven't started delving into cupboards yet.

I also started dealing with the piles of paperwork that have accumulated while I have been distracted recently.

Pleased to see that most of it is filing/rubbish and not too many things I have to do something about, or should have done something about two months ago .

I have lost an important doc needed to do a tax return. Hoping St Anthony will come to the rescue.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I have done the filing. It seems I haven't done any since April.

My 'to do' list is very small and manageable. It is strange because before I started sorting out the papers I felt I had loads to do and no idea where to start.

Now all the surface 'life clutter' resulting from a recent major family drama has cleared it seems that maybe my decluttering of my own life and possessions has made more progress that I thought.

Perhaps it is like losing weight, each half pound seems invisible and interminable and then suddenly your clothes are a bit too big. This has happened too recently. I went to M&S for trousers and lo and behold had to buy a smaller size.

It would be nice to think that ever so gradually I could declutter myself out of this world and into the next without anyone noticing. Thus sparing myself and my nearest and dearest a lot of anguish and hassle. I have witnessed and had to clear up the effects of 'not going gentle into that good night' and they are not pretty.

I would like to go gently into the great eternal light, blessing and giving thanks and praise, not raging against the dying of this light where we see only darkly
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
{{{{{{{Thyme}}}}}}}

You're doing great!
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
The thing I find about filing is that it rarely takes very long to actually do it - but it can take weeks or months [years?] for me to feel sufficiently motivated to tackle it! A few years ago I gave myself a solemn promise that I would file stuff when it arrived. I think the New Me lasted maybe a month.


 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Socks and thermal vests sorted and decluttered. I probably still have too many socks but have done as much as feel capable of right now. At least I can find the right matching pair for the right shoes and outfit now.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Anyone would think that Mr. S and I were hosting the Intrepid Miss S's wedding in our garage, as decluttering has arrived there.

Cue much 'do you know what this is?' from me, followed by 'if we don't know what it is, we don't need it' from Mr. S.

Half-empty tins of paint, old shelves, a broken set of steps, endless small packets from which 2 screws and a washer had been extracted - fun fun fun at the dump today, then we came home and did some more Well, another trip to the dump - sorry, household recycling facility - will give Mr. S something to do while I am at Miss S's Hen Do! (my very first! )

Mrs. S, scraping grot from under her fingernails
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Clearing our No. 1 shed last summer (didn't get it finished but got rid of a lot) I got to be on such good terms with the chaps at the dump that they came to our carol service...!
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by L'organist:
Clearing our No. 1 shed last summer (didn't get it finished but got rid of a lot) I got to be on such good terms with the chaps at the dump that they came to our carol service...!

---

 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
L'organist -Decluttering as evangelism - how cool is that!

You could probably get a grant to form a Fresh Expression - 'Dump Church?' or maybe 'Tidy Church'

You have more than one shed?

Mrs S - clearing the garage,

[ 27. September 2013, 08:08: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Currently decluttering kitchen cupboard of pottery I've had since I was a teenager, much of it chipped or cracked. Replacing it gradually with nice Denby also throwing a lot of baby cutlery and dishes. Now I can reorganise some cupboards.
I've got a big bag of good toddler clothes beside me and I really need to list some of it on the parenting site I frequent and charity shop/ give away the rest.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:

You have more than one shed?

---

She wouldn't be the first.


(I actually have two myself!)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:

You have more than one shed?

---

She wouldn't be the first.


(I actually have two myself!)

---

Mr. S's friend John has SEVEN!

But in compensation, we have none - a deliberate decision - which is why our garage is such a tip *sigh*

Never mind, it's better than what it were.

Mrs. S, trying to maintain clean fingernails
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I have one shed, two outhouses and an outside loo to store my clutter in! And this is a modest ex-council house.
I'd love another shed
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Love the Monty Python clip!

I have just remembered that in our last house I installed two quite large sheds in the garden It was a very long time ago so that is my excuse for forgetting.

Mr T was very fed up when we had to leave them behind.

We have one shed in this house. My main regret is that I didn't get a bigger one.

I decluttered the herbs and spices yesterday. That was embarrassing.

[ 27. September 2013, 17:14: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Our local animal sanctuary wants feeding bowls. Hurrah! think I. A chance to get rid of the food bowls which belonged to our cats, the last of which died in 2009. So I unearth them. They're rather dusty. I put them through the dishwasher. At this point, my daughter claims that they are "sentimental" and we can't get rid of them. She thinks we could start using them again, perhaps as nut dishes, or to serve olives. I point out that one has "Pussy" printed on it, and the other three have a paw-print design. Daughter fails to see why this precludes them being used to serve nibbles to guests.



It shouldn't be this hard to declutter a cat-food bowl four years after the last cat's demise.
( Cleo Agnes)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Our local animal sanctuary wants feeding bowls. Hurrah! think I. A chance to get rid of the food bowls which belonged to our cats, the last of which died in 2009. So I unearth them. They're rather dusty. I put them through the dishwasher. At this point, my daughter claims that they are "sentimental" and we can't get rid of them. She thinks we could start using them again, perhaps as nut dishes, or to serve olives. I point out that one has "Pussy" printed on it, and the other three have a paw-print design. Daughter fails to see why this precludes them being used to serve nibbles to guests.



It shouldn't be this hard to declutter a cat-food bowl four years after the last cat's demise.
( Cleo Agnes)

---

Mrs. S, tickled
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Our local animal sanctuary wants feeding bowls. Hurrah! think I. A chance to get rid of the food bowls which belonged to our cats, the last of which died in 2009. So I unearth them. They're rather dusty. I put them through the dishwasher. At this point, my daughter claims that they are "sentimental" and we can't get rid of them. She thinks we could start using them again, perhaps as nut dishes, or to serve olives. I point out that one has "Pussy" printed on it, and the other three have a paw-print design. Daughter fails to see why this precludes them being used to serve nibbles to guests.



It shouldn't be this hard to declutter a cat-food bowl four years after the last cat's demise.
( Cleo Agnes)

---

Mrs. S, tickled
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
The paw print design bowls have gone (our vet, just round the corner, has a collection point for the sanctuary, very handy) but we still have the "pussy" bowl.

I've lost a piece of paper. I've had a good rummage and can't find it. However in the course of looking for it, I've half-filled our paper-recycling box, have caught up on several Radio 4 programmes and have re-sighted the study carpet.

So that's always something.

The big declutter starts (D.V.) next week.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
so funny about the cat bowls North East Quine.

I have been decluttering bits and pieces here and there.

Mr T commented that the bins were very full and heavy this week and asked what I had decluttered.

I couldn't remember!!!! Just shows how important it all was.
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
6. pm - The big declutter started!
6.30pm - First argument with husband over the first item I intended to declutter.

It's a bottle of 40% proof Russian vodka. Husband was given it about 8 years ago, and told to store it in the freezer. It took up valuable room in our freezer, where it was out-of-sight-out-of-mind to husband. Eventually I needed the freezer space, and put it with the rest of the alcohol. Husband spotted it and put it back in the freezer, intending to drink it. Except that, once in the freezer, it was out-of-sight etc. Till I turfed it out, he remembered it and put it back in...

It's been doing the hokey-cokey in and out of the freezer for eight years, without ever being opened. I think I could usefully use it as drain cleaner. But no! Husband assures me he will drink it....one day. There's currently no room in the freezer, so he can't drink it yet.


 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
OK. Back in the freezer. At conclusion of meal you bring him frosted glass and say: Iss wodka dorogi moi. Drink!

If he doesn't, drain it yourself. Possibly spend evening singing song of the Volga Boatmen. Continue until bottle is empty.
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Bloody hell, Firenze - I'm getting a hangover just reading that post!


 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by piglet:
Bloody hell, Firenze - I'm getting a hangover just reading that post!

---

We set up a tradition when I lived with son and DIL. Mid-afternoon in summer on a Sunday and all on the enormous covered balcony on living level of house. Son would make freshly squeezed fruit juice and vodka.

Then roast dinner and Dr Who.

Of course none of this is really decluttering, but it will empty that bottle.

[ 26. October 2013, 04:27: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I am not drinking anything 40% proof. Especially not when the label is in Russian and I can't read it.

We have some dodgy-looking Nepalese brandy, too, but it's at the back of a cupboard and not annoying me.

I have great plans to declutter and clean the kitchen today!
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Could you use it as Russian window cleaning fluid? Never having used Russian Vodka to do that myself, but i get the feeling it might be rather good.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
It doesn't have tobe a big glass - just a shot, but cold enough that it sticks to your fingers. Nothing nicer as a digestif. Nor does it give you a hangover.

Which is more than can be said for last night's wine tasting. Mind you, just as soon as the hammering stops, we're going out to buy a case of the Chilean rosé sparkler.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We had lots of friends round for a meal last night (20!) and one staying over.

Lots of decluttering done. NOW I know why my friend's house is so tidy - she regularly has visitors to stay!


 

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Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on :
 
Isn't all vodka 40% ?? And how can you pour it from the freezer... or does vodka not go solid..?

Just put lots of mixer in it,NEQ. It's far less lethal than wine or stuff like sherry.

I have to get rid of clothes this week. Very hard. And help my mother, too. House so full she can't use one room. Depressed about it. We're going to put everything in boxes and stack it up.
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Taliesin:
Isn't all vodka 40% ?? And how can you pour it from the freezer... or does vodka not go solid..?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
... repeat loudly and at frequent intervals 'Wine in freezer!' unless you want to be picking shards of glass out of the fish fingers for weeks to come.

---

Been there, done that. Ours wasn't bubbly though, so it didn't actually explode. IIRC we put the broken bottle into a tall plastic jug until it defrosted, then poured the resulting mixture through a coffee-filter and a sieve. The wine was fine, but the jug had to go as lots of little shards had sort of embedded themselves in the plastic ...
 

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Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
We have been decluttering ourselves of a bottle of plum wine, which was rather lovely. Finished it last night, so it's the vodka next!

Went onto Fly lady this morning, and intend to follow her suggestion of decluttering the living room this week.
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I might follow your example and revisit Flylady, I found it very helpful last year.
Perhaps I should follow your other example too, and raid the drinks cabinet...
 

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Posted by Cara (# 16966) on :
 
I think I need to read this thread regularly. But my mind is too cluttered to remember it is here.

Clutter is my bête noire and always has been. Have found regularly visitors is a real help.

Now preparing for a move so must Confront It. Blech.

Have cleared out two modest carrier bags full of books. Piles of magazines (am trying to pass books and mags on to people who will enjoy them, as they aren't rubbish, but not much luck).

Today may address a) clothes--need to give some away.
b) hoard of newspaper articles about nice places I may travel some day.....

Or may c) spend too long on the Ship, d) finish a bit of writing that is more fun than anything else, or e) go out for a walk in the amazing warm sunshine.

(Hmm. Could kill two birds....sort clothes and take nice walk with give-away ones to box where they can be deposited.)
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Packing and organising to move. Feeling overwhelmed. Everything seems chaotic.

Also, I thought my house was reasonably clean but in the packing process I am getting filthy!!!

Lots of decluttering going on though, including Mr T's stuff, which otherwise would just have stayed where it was forever.

Can I face moving every few years just to force a major declutter? No.

However, this first move will probably be a temporary one while we look for somewhere permanent. So maybe there will be more decluttering scope the next time round.

Trying to organise the boxes so we can leave a lot of stuff unpacked till the final move.

The removal firm advises not having the boxes so heavy we can't lift them ourselves. Not for their benefit but for ours. So the really heavy items like books have to be mixed with lighter items, or have millions of half filled boxes....

This makes it harder to devise a logical method of filling the boxes to assist in the unpacking.

Cara - 'amnesty' is your friend. The objective is to get the stuff out of the house. Give yourself amnesty from finding good homes for it all or recycling it or whatever. Just get it in the bin or down to the tip.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
Trying to organise the boxes so we can leave a lot of stuff unpacked till the final move.

The removal firm advises not having the boxes so heavy we can't lift them ourselves. Not for their benefit but for ours. So the really heavy items like books have to be mixed with lighter items...

---

I have two tips from my last move.

1)Buy some contact paper with a very conspicuous print. Cut large squares and paste them on every surface of the boxes that you need access to before you make the final move. You need to label the boxes also, of course, but it helps to know at a glance which boxes you can ignore temporarily.

2)Buy your own boxes for books. Try to locate a box factory near you. (I was surprised to learn that there are small box factories all over, at least in the US.) I bought boxes that were designed to hold four gallon jugs filled with liquid. I could lift them when they were filled with books. The drawback is that I had to buy them in quantities of twenty-five. However, I had enough books to fill them.

Good luck with your packing!

Moo
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Your local print shop may have surplus boxes that paper comes in -- just the size to pack books that you can still lift.

When I moved into an apartment where I didn't expect to stay for long, I marked the end of each box (printed in a LARGE font on my computer) so that when the boxes were stacked I could see where things were if needed, but a lot of the boxes stayed packed until my next move a year later. They also have lift-off lids, which are a big help.
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Thanks for all the good ideas. Daughter (an experienced mover - last one with a new born and an under two) says there's no point fretting about organisation because it never works, just chuck it all in boxes and it will sort itself out sooner or later.

I think maybe a happy medium, although as the deadline approaches I think the 'chuck it all in the boxes' approach will be the best way. It is all going very slowly and there is still the kitchen to do.

Threw out a load of old towels. Why was I keeping them? Some vague idea of cutting them up for dusters. I did that once, even overlocked(serged) the edges. But they just left a load of lint everywhere. A lot of effort for not much reward. Life's too short. So away they go and if I need dusters I'll get them from a pound shop (dollar store?).
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Making some progress!
 

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Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
As long as you know where the box with the kettle, tea mugs and tea, milk and sugar are, you can cope with the rest later!
 

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Posted by Cara (# 16966) on :
 
Continued good luck to you, Thyme. Thanks for the amnesty tip.

I did eventually walk out, with a shopping-trolley crammed full of clothes, down to the bin whence they will apparently be thoughtfully recycled/distributed, so feel good about that!

The mags may indeed end up in the recycling rather than entertaining other readers, I can't hold on to them for ever til said readers who want to take them away appear! Amnesty.

Thing is, doing one small thing that loomed so horribly (and didn't actually take that long to do--like filing, as WW says above) always feels so good and so heroic that I I feel I have the right to rest on my laurels a bit, sit down w a cup of tea, read something or do a puzzle....but there is still so much to DO!!
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cara:
The mags may indeed end up in the recycling rather than entertaining other readers, I can't hold on to them for ever til said readers who want to take them away appear!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
Thanks for all the good ideas. Daughter (an experienced mover - last one with a new born and an under two) says there's no point fretting about organisation because it never works, just chuck it all in boxes and it will sort itself out sooner or later.

I think maybe a happy medium, although as the deadline approaches I think the 'chuck it all in the boxes' approach will be the best way. It is all going very slowly and there is still the kitchen to do.

Threw out a load of old towels. Why was I keeping them? Some vague idea of cutting them up for dusters. I did that once, even overlocked(serged) the edges. But they just left a load of lint everywhere. A lot of effort for not much reward. Life's too short. So away they go and if I need dusters I'll get them from a pound shop (dollar store?).

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
I had a turn out of a kitchen cupboard today. Why, given I rarely bake, do I have five bags of caster sugar ...?

---

The same reason I had three jars of coriander seeds - you buy one, use a teaspoon of seeds, put it away and forget about it, then you want to do that cauliflower-and-coriander thing from the old Delia Smith books and you think, I need some coriander ...

Either that or they were on a BOGOF offer.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Piglet--

Clearly, you can solve your coriander problem by no longer eating cauliflower!


-->(Not a big fan of cauliflower.)
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Thanks for the tips Drifting Star. I think you are right about the towels. I might rescue them. They will come in handy for cleaning this house once everything is out - never mind the new one!

We are mostly packed up. Kitchen and a few bits still to do.

The man from the clearance firm has just been and quoted me for the clearance items. So depressing. Only one item has any monetary value. All the rest will go to the tip.

I am not surprised, I had this with my parents stuff and their stuff was much nicer.

It has reinforced my determination not to spend any more money on furniture and household items than I have to. It is a complete waste of money.

Also to continue paring down our personal possessions.

Have to say that Mr T is being brilliant

He has decluttered loads of his books and papers and other stuff and is generally being a rock.
 

---

Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
If you ever have a leaking pipe/radiator/washing machine, you'll be glad of all the old towels you can find!
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Yes! It's a dilemma - whether to keep a pile of old towels just in case. Of course as soon as they are got rid of the emergency will happen.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
It has reinforced my determination not to spend any more money on furniture and household items than I have to. It is a complete waste of money.

Also to continue paring down our personal possessions.

---

Up to a point I agree, Thyme - clearing stuff out made me think a lot harder about what I bought, particularly what you might term non-essentials. But good stuff lasts longer than cheap stuff (as well as being nicer). I think perhaps it's better to forget about whether it will be worth anything to someone after you die, and just concentrate on whether it is what YOU (and Mr T, of course) want in the here and now.

We've spent quite a bit of money over the years on pictures but it doesn't worry me whether they'll be worth anything to/for the kids when I die - I'll have had the pleasure of them for all this time.

YMMV, of course!

Mrs. S, wondering what to throw away next
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
Intrepid Mrs S:

quote:

---

But good stuff lasts longer than cheap stuff (as well as being nicer). I think perhaps it's better to forget about whether it will be worth anything to someone after you die, and just concentrate on whether it is what YOU (and Mr T, of course) want in the here and now.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
Yes! It's a dilemma - whether to keep a pile of old towels just in case. Of course as soon as they are got rid of the emergency will happen.

---

Or you will get a new puppy!
 

---

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
Here the story of my grandfather and shoes. First thing you need to know is my family has a genetic form of arthritis. The major symptom of which are large and painful bunions. While, I who am female have it the weakest of the lot who have so far, my father and grandfather had quite badly deformed feet due to it.

My grandfather would not spend much on a pair of shoes. Of course cheap shoes were dreadfully uncomfortable for him, so he kept buying new shoes. The result was that there were about twenty pairs of cheap hardly worn shoes in his cupboard when he died.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Well done to all you declutterers. Chez Nen progress is slow. Very slow. In fact, imperceptible.

I'm thinking I need to take a day or two off work in order to make some significant progress and give myself a head start.

Nen
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Having lurked and intermittently posted for a while, this week saw a bit of a breakthrough.

I just threw stuff away.
Ok, "recycled" then.
But it went.


There's about another twenty wheelie bins to go, but something has changed...in me.

Amazon is helping!
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
... about twenty pairs of cheap hardly worn shoes in his cupboard when he died ...

---

D's father died while we were over on holiday this summer, and we realised that he hadn't brought any clothes suitable for a funeral. While we were contemplating a visit to Oxfam to get him a suit, his cousin (whose father had died a couple of months previously) called to the house. She said that she hadn't got round to clearing out her father's clothes and shoes yet, and brought a huge load of them round the next day.

D. came away with a suit, a blazer, a pair of trousers and three pairs of unworn, very good-quality shoes, which fitted him as though they'd been made for him.

That was just what we could fit in our suitcase - there are more that we'll pick up next time we're over. He reckons he'll never have to buy shoes again ...
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Today I decluttered two books to the charity book shop...and came out having bought five.
 

---

Posted by Jenny Ann (# 3131) on :
 
I'm thinking about decluttering some bookcases this weekend. I have a recipient for the books, and they'll mostly be fiction (of the non-trash, but not 'great literature' persuasion).

Previous solution for the issue of more books than bookcase space has been to buy more bookcases, but now I've got no more space for bookcases!

I'll be honest, I'm dreading it.
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
NEQ:

quote:

---

Today I decluttered two books to the charity book shop...and came out having bought five.

---

Every time I try to thin out my book collection I have the same problem. I eventually came up with a guiding principle that works for me:

If you can still see the floor in most rooms, books do not count as clutter.
 

---

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
To avoid looking at additional books, I wrap the used books in an old carrier bag and put them in the Oxfam hopper at the nearest recycling point. That way, there are no other books on show to tempt me to buy more.
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
That's a good idea. I also give them away to church sales - I don't think I've ever found a book I wanted in a church sale, though once I bought a copy of a book in an Oxfam shop that turned out to be something I'd donated to a church sale a year or so earlier...

(not just a book addict - an absent-minded book addict)
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's rare for us to come away from the bookstall at the Cathedral sale with fewer books than we started with, but I think we managed it at the one a couple of weeks ago.

Part of me treats it as a sort of lending library: I bought Wolf Hall at the Spring sale, decided it was cr@p and returned it at the Autumn sale ...
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Polly Plummer:
If you ever have a leaking pipe/radiator/washing machine, you'll be glad of all the old towels you can find!

---

This turned out to be prophetic. Fortunately I had kept most of the old towels after Drifting Star's comments.

The big move has happened and we are now unpacking. We have rented a lovely bungalow.

Had a major stress when I realised that it is fitted out with cream carpet in all the main areas

Managed to leave the old house in a good clean condition (I think). Very upset to discover that along with our possesions we have also managed to bring along a load of dust and cobwebs
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Hit send by mistake. Then took too long editing.

After the removal men left I had four full bin bags of assorted rubbish to take to the tip.

All this stuff was just stored in the house basically. In future I'm going to try and be more vigilant about removing all the small and not so small bits and pieces that just get stuffed into cupboards and forgotten about.
 

---

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:

It's been doing the hokey-cokey in and out of the freezer for eight years, without ever being opened. I think I could usefully use it as drain cleaner. But no! Husband assures me he will drink it....one day. There's currently no room in the freezer, so he can't drink it yet.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Today I decluttered two books to the charity book shop...and came out having bought five.

---

Oh I can SO relate!

Having just decluttered quite a few books, I made the mistake today of going into a giant used-book sale- for charity--luckily most of the books were in French so, though I do read it, I was a bit less tempted...there were some English books as well and I am proud to say I only bought ONE (1). Though it may be one I already have somewhere. ! (Hello Jane R, from another absent-minded book lover.)

I also asked if they were still taking donations, as i have some still around that I have put in the "giving-away bag"--this is dangerous as if they hang around too long I'm liable to put them back on the shelf! And they are not still taking donations so I need to take the bagful somewhere else...


Thyme, enjoy the rental bungalow--though I do share your trepidation about cream carpets! I love your resolve to be more vigilant about regularly clearing out those things that accumulate...any tips on how to KEEP this resolve will be much appreciated!
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Rescuing the thread from hostly decluttering!

Still unpacking here. Hoping to get a couple of small bits of junk furniture decluttered at the weekend and get the stuff that isn't being unpacked till the final move more organised and tidy in the garage.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I'm considering getting a new bed - and realised I haven't actually done this since the 1980s (when my mum told me what to do!).
I think I need to get rid of the old one - I've never liked divans, and the mattress is getting unpleasantly lumpy now. If I get the Council to take it away, I can also get rid of the old bike that's been in the shed for four years, and the old computer hard drive that isn't compatible with anything else any more.
Then I can sleep on the spare mattress until the new bed arrives - and since it's something I'm going to be using constantly for at least 10 - 15 years (and hopefully longer) I really want to get the best bed I can.
At the moment I'm rather taken by the idea of a small double Captain's Bed with all those storage drawers underneath....
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Extra storage space is always useful - particularly if it frees up more shelf space for books!
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
Eigon:

quote:

---

At the moment I'm rather taken by the idea of a small double Captain's Bed with all those storage drawers underneath....

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Extra storage space is always useful - particularly if it frees up more shelf space for books!

---

AMEN!
 

---

Posted by Cara (# 16966) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jane R:
Eigon:

quote:

---

At the moment I'm rather taken by the idea of a small double Captain's Bed with all those storage drawers underneath....

---

Ooh, that sounds nice. You do need to try out the bed before you buy it though - go and lie down on it in the shop.

This is quite embarrassing, especially if you are buying a bed for two (both of you need to lie on it at once) but is the only practical way of finding out if you like it.

It might be worth looking for an independent furniture store, if there are any in your area, rather than going to a big chain. We bought our last mattress from an independent shop and they were great - helpful and friendly, deliverymen turned up on time and did their thing, and the mattress cost about the same as one of a similar quality from Argos would have done.

(waves to Cara)

---

Thank you for the wave, Jane!

Re beds, I think tempurpedic is the best. Costs a ridiculous amount of money, but once you have one, you are converted and realise it is worth it.

I agree wit the advice to lie down on the bed in the shop, however daft you think you look.

OK so I have a confession. I went back to that booktent/charity sale. I bought a few more books.....

One of them may be one I already have

But I did nearly buy another one I already have, until I realised at the last minute and put it back....so, kudos, eh?!
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cara:
... I bought a few more books ...

---

Well may you blush, Cara dear - this is a de-cluttering thread ...
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cara:
... I bought a few more books ...

---

Well may you blush, Cara dear - this is a de-cluttering thread ...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:

But I would like to have my life back by the end of weekend.

---

To give you time to read all those books
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
You have discovered my secret Boogie. I have a lot of books I thought/think I would like to read, but haven't.

I did manage to declutter some of them in the move, but still think I am going to read the rest sometime. Just cannot let go of this delusion!

I have tried to have a rule of no new books till I have read all the existing ones, but it doesn't work. Does slow down the rate of acquisition, but that is all.

[ 16. November 2013, 08:58: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by Cara (# 16966) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
You have discovered my secret Boogie. I have a lot of books I thought/think I would like to read, but haven't.

I did manage to declutter some of them in the move, but still think I am going to read the rest sometime. Just cannot let go of this delusion!

I have tried to have a rule of no new books till I have read all the existing ones, but it doesn't work. Does slow down the rate of acquisition, but that is all.

---

Thyme, I SO relate to all of this! Among those books I naughtily bought the other day, a novel--not rubbish, and by a good writer, but still, a book I thought I would give away again right after reading--now have read it and might want to keep it after all...and yet, I still have so many unread books....

Oh dear. It is a bit of a disease.

But I have recently de-cluttered some papers into smaller, more organized clumps.....
 

---

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
Books and reading are not a disease. How can something so pleasurable be called a disease?
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
If it's a disease, I don't want to be well.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Books are not clutter. They tend to stay put, letting ideas bounce off each other and reproduce.


All the OTHER flotsam and jetsam is clutter.

I've heard of people putting their mattresses directly on top of boxes of books. That way, they could just lift the mattress when they needed a book, and the books were housed out of the way.
 

---

Posted by Cara (# 16966) on :
 
Yes, yes, and Yes! To the above three posts about books.

(Except perhaps the mattress business, too much bother to lift it).

Of course deep down I don't really feel that it's a disease!
Or at any rate I do not want to be cured.

In fact, with the physical book perhaps in jeopardy now

and bookshops most definitely in jeopardy or already gone

I feel it is incumbent on one to do one's best to preserve the physical book, and prove to bookshops that one does want and need places to browse through physical books and discover new ones by actually touching, opening and handling them.

So buying books is a Good Thing.

And therefore building up a bit of a library (!) is also a good thing and not to be seen as clutter.

Except perhaps for those extra copies one has inadvertently bought without realising one already had that book. Or for those books one knows one will never read or even pick up again.

However, piles of bits of paper and magazines newspapers and old receipts and brochures and.... ..now these ARE clutter. And the Bane of my Life.
.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I bought the bed!
Having discussed with my other half (I'm in a long distance relationship) I decided to go for a proper double bed instead of the Captain's Bed, which will give both of us more room. So I was going to walk out to the edge of town big store to see what they had, when I noticed a sign pointing to a local firm's warehouse much closer to the centre of town.
I saw the bed I was looking for almost as I walked through the door. The sales lady was lovely, and I now have a bed frame and mattress coming on Friday, and they'll take away the old bed - and it was all so easy!
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations Eigon, and hope you are having sweet dreams.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
The new bed is, indeed, marvellous - and now I have space under it to store things, I have been having a massive clear out and move around of stuff.
In particular, I decided that I would never actually use the four bin bags full of material that I have been hoarding over the past ten years to do patchwork, so that's going down to the local Oxfam, where they like to offer material for patchwork.
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
Other Half is having a massive clearout of his home office. We're up to 12 bin bags full of junk and he hasn't finished yet...

Not counting all the stuff that can be given away to the next jumble sale or passed on to friends!

Now all I have to do is persuade him to declutter the rest of the house
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Another 2 bags of clothes OUT to the charity shop, making space for 2 new items IN. But a pile of magazines arrived IN from a neighbour - eventually faces will be cut out and stored for kids crafts, but first they simply must be read in case there is a key article.... maybe on decluttering
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Congratulations on getting rid of the patchwork fabrics Eigon. It is as hard to get rid of that sort of thing as it is to get rid of books imo.

And congratulations to daisydaisy on getting rid of the clothes.

I have been mia recently. Decluttering of a sad and macabre nature, clearing Dad's room in his nursing home following his death. I was very grateful that other family members took on organising this.

Another resident's daughter said that she would have to do this soon, but also has her relative's house to clear. Such a difficult process.

In due course I will be decluttering all his paperwork. I had a look at the files and I could probably get rid of a lot immediately or could have let it go a long time ago. But I felt I should keep it all as a record of how we administered his affairs should anyone ever ask. It will go once the estate is dealt with and all is finally over.

The funeral is next week. Another sort of decluttering. I take refuge in this type of dark 'humour' so do not be offended.

 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Thyme
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
indeed, for literal and emotional de-cluttering.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
a hard time indeed - be careful not to be too drastic though, as I was with my mother's paperwork when I got rid of some letters from my father that I realise now that I would have treasured - thankfully I did read them first.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
The house is fast filling up with Christmas clutter.

Over on the English thread we are talking about cleaning windows and how people who have eye surgery often remark how their furnishings need cleaning now they can see properly!

I suppose the advice to clean things according to a routine and calendar whether they appear to be dirty or not and not waiting till they 'get dirty' is the solution to this and much else.

I think I will make an effort with this after Christmas.

We are hoping to move into a very new house and get it all redecorated and carpeted immediately. Plus some new furniture. All the manky old stuff went to the tip during the move. So no excuses to keep it looking clean.

[ 10. December 2013, 18:36: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I'm sure I decluttered the herbs and spices a few months ago before the move.

So how have I got a packet of spice with a use by date of 2011?????

How does this happen?
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I need to declutter the breakfast bar before Christmas. At present there's a sea of stuff on it that has to be pushed aside if I'm serving up a meal.

The small spare room is also full of stuff that needs sorting.



Nen - deeply discouraged about it all.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
I need to declutter the breakfast bar before Christmas.

---

15 minutes a day - go for it!!


 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
I'm sure I decluttered the herbs and spices a few months ago before the move.

So how have I got a packet of spice with a use by date of 2011?????

How does this happen?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thyme:
I'm sure I decluttered the herbs and spices a few months ago before the move.

So how have I got a packet of spice with a use by date of 2011?????

How does this happen?

---

Make sure you lock all the doors at night, I think they sneak in during the night.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
[QUOTE]

I visited someone else's house yesterday that was so uncluttered I think I'll move in (uninvited),

Huia - feeling jealous, and messy

---

Someone whose house is messy beyond belief (at least to me) came round to collect something from our place yesterday. I'd just finished the cleaning (and the pre-cleaning tidying-up) and it did look lovely.

He looked round and said 'ah, a house without small children - what life can be like!' I'm very fond of him, so I refrained from pointing out that even when we had small children it would have driven me crazy to live in a house like his...

Mrs. S, smug - just don't look in the little back bedroom, aka Santa's Grotto!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I lost it yesterday. We were given a lovely Caithness glass bowl as a wedding present, 25 years ago, which has been in daily use as a fruit bowl, and yesterday it cracked right across, but didn't actually break. I was trying to decide whether it should go in the bin, or the glass recycling box, and my family told me I couldn't get rid of it because it was "sentimental" I pointed out that it was about to break into two potentially lethally sharp bits, but the solution apparently was to put it somewhere just to sit there gathering dust, and not use it, touch it, dust it or interact with it in any way.

I have disposed of it. I can't understand why my family are so reluctant to get rid of broken stuff. Our home would be so much nicer if we didn't hang on to broken stuff.

I feel a steely resolve descend - I WILL declutter this house.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
And possibly the first thing I will declutter will be teenage son, who yesterday told me I couldn't get rid of the cracked bowl.

Today I asked if he'd like to take the "Coke" glasses back to Uni with him tomorrow, as he is the only Coke drinker and he's mostly not here. And he said he'd rather not, as he has no space, and one of the things he enjoys about living in his flat at University is the lack of clutter. Apparently he doesn't want his Uni flat to end up looking like home.



He is lucky not to have been decluttered and buried six feet down in the back garden.


 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I hear you. The number of things lurking in cupboards in our house against the day when my husband is going to superglue them back together..
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
We have a collection of broken kettles etc in our garden shed, which my husband plans to cannabalise into a robot.

The original plan was to enter "Robot Wars." You'd have thought that the fact that that series ended in 2004 might have put a dampener on the plan, but no.


 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
We're still hanging on to a tome entitled 'Secrets of Windows '95'. For when that comes back again.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
We're still hanging on to a tome entitled 'Secrets of Windows '95'. For when that comes back again.

---

In the year 2095?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I have just tidied [AND DUSTED!] half of the desk in my bedroom - I may do the rest later, when I recover a bit!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Windows 95 seems like a bad dream now, doesn't it?

Anyway, the decluttering and dusting of the desk in the bedroom is completed and the bedside cabinets are also decluttered and dusted!

I am rather chuffed with my little self.

A month or two ago I bought a dusting glove thingy that you wet then wring out and wear to wipe over the surfaces and then just rinse and the dust fals out - I think it is made of polypropylene but am not sure - it certainly seems to work.
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Amazon is still helping and it Is a financial incentive. But we've rather stalled.

Or had.
Until Christmas arrangements broke down and we've got twelve altogether staying here for Christmas. A this is a small house.

Unless i am to sleep children and grandchildren in a shed, we will Have to declutter, on a very large scale and within two days.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
I am beginning to think there is something wrong with me - we watched Britain's Craziest Christmas Lights last night, it was on Channel 5 and showed 5 or so families who regularly plastered their houses with Christmas lights (narrated by Noddy Holder, yet).

Watching one of them, living in quite a small house stuffed to the rafters with boxes of lights, and with ex-Blackpool Illumination lights stored on the landing, I felt VERY uncomfortable indeed (not to mention concerned about the fire risks!). How do they LIVE like that, all year round?

Is it just me?

Mrs. S, still very uncomfortable
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
The great Shrew move is in progress. Mr Shrew gets nervous about big changes so we have kept our rented place another month, and are moving a bit at a time (except essentials which all moved last weekend with us). I'm trying to take the opportunity to do a fairly ruthless declutter. having some success with things which are obviously junk, although kitchen utensils are still to go, and they are my nemesis. It's easier to do when you have to decide to move it into your home though
Nothing more will happen till Christmas though, as we are luckily going away for Christmas.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have started at my back door and intend to work my way systematically through the whole house. I've decluttered 3 cupboards, 1 drawer and a small piece of work surface so far, resulting in a small amount binned and a box heading for the charity shop.
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
I have started at my back door and intend to work my way systematically through the whole house. I've decluttered 3 cupboards, 1 drawer and a small piece of work surface so far, resulting in a small amount binned and a box heading for the charity shop.

---

One of the hardest things is knowing where to start. And wherever you do start it feels as though anywhere else would be so much easier.

Nen - whose breakfast bar is actually looking quite good.
 

---

Posted by Otter (# 12020) on :
 
Decluttering at work today. I've got several square feet of open desk space that weren't there when I started this morning.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
It turns out we have "sentimental" salt. No, I can't pass our second salt-grinder onto son-at-uni because it has "sentimental" salt in it. The second salt-grinder hasn't been used once in the past two years, and is unlikely to be used at any point in the next two, or even possibly ever, but we have to keep it.



(The salt came from a salt mine in Poland which we visited, hence the reason for it being "sentimental.")
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
How unfortunate if it were to come in contact with some deeply cynical water.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Could you decant the salt, perhaps putting it in a sealed urn on your mantelpiece?
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Perhaps it should be used in cooking the family meals thus becoming one eternally with the family body who will truly be one body and the salt of earth.

Or something.

You might have to bury the container and put a little memorial stone on the plot.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
The salt cellar/grinder we actually use matches the pepper mill we actually use, so I can't give that one to son-at-uni. We really, really don't need two salt cellar/grinder things (are they called "salt mills"?) Son-at-uni doesn't have a salt grinder and might actually use it. But it's "sentimental" so he can't have it, apparently.

We did drop off a small boxful of stuff to the charity shop today, though. There is hope.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Originally posted by Thyme:

quote:

---

Next up - some video tapes. I never watch them. We still have a video recorder but my DH says it doesn't work with the new TV. I haven't been able to persuade him to dump the recorder.

---

This is a bugbear in the NE household. Our video started to go a bit funny about 3 years ago. So the North East Man decided that we'd stop using it to watch videos, and would use it solely to transfer our videos onto DVD. When he had the time. Except that he hasn't had the time at any point in the intervening 3 years. So we have a bookcase full of videos which we haven't watched in 3 years, but which have to stay because I'm the only one who is happy to bin them (local charity shops are no longer accepting videos). And we have a teetering pile of DVDs next to the TV, which can't get put away, because the shelves are full of redundant videos....

As I'm the one who dusts and hoovers round the stuff, I'm the one who's most inconvenienced, but, alas, this doesn't give me extra voting rights on what should happen. Sigh.

---

I posted this on 2 March. I have managed to reduce the number of videos by stealth since then. However, it turned out the North East Man wasn't as oblivious to my annoyance as I thought. He heard that someone else was chucking out a broken video player and claimed it, on the basis that if he ever got round to fixing our broken video player it would be handy to have spare parts. So we now have fewer videos, but an extra broken video player.



 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I decluttered the porch yesterday and completely cleared the patio = Hurrah!!



[ 21. December 2013, 12:29: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I was chuckling over North East Quine's video recorder collection when my new Dyson vacuum cleaner arrived.

Now the old Dyson was inherited from a parent in 2006 and quite old but I bought it a lot of extra accessories. It had an accident recently after a plumbing disaster and thought it was a wet cleaner. While waiting to see if it would dry out and recover without electrocuting me I had to buy a new cleaner, (on sale in the nearest supermarket, not a Dyson) to complete the cleaning which couldn't wait.

Well, this new cleaner was wonderful, so light and manoeuvrable. The old Dyson was very efficient but heavy and hard to steer. Really I never liked it and hated getting it out.

So I thought I would get rid of it when I had time to think about it.

Meanwhile Dyson brought out a new small, lightweight, highly manouverable model, delivered today. I also bought extra accessories which were on offer with the machine.

So I have had a little play with the new Dyson and it is very, very nice. And thinking about how to dispose of the old one. Not too keen on freecycling it because of the water accident.

Did I mention I also have a Dyson handheld cordless, with accessories?

And I found myself wondering if all the various accessories would fit the new machine. And if not maybe I should keep the big old Dyson for cleaning the car interior with the special car accessories? Or other jobs.

I caught myself just in time. If I did that I would have no less than four vacuum cleaners.

Also I rarely vacuum the car as I take it to the hand wash and valet car place every so often, as I hate cleaning the car and tell myself I am helping poor immigrants and refugees and redistributing wealth if I pay them to do it.

Owning expensive Dyson accessories did not, I discovered, motivate me to clean it more often. Neither have I ever used them for other jobs.

So the big old Dyson is in the garage and will go to the tip before Christmas. That was narrow escape on the slippery slope to hoarding vacuum cleaners.

I will keep the accessories though till I have time to try and fit them on the remaining machines.

Yes, I am keeping the brand new machine that was temporary fix when I hoovered up a small pond with the old Dyson, and I have the brand new Dyson and the handheld Dyson. I am keeping all these. Ad all the accessories that still fit - when I get round to it.

I am feeling a bit more empathy with people who end up with loads of old broken gadgets they never use. It can happen to anyone given the right circumstances and gadgets. There but for the grace of God......
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thyme, that post is priceless.

I recognise some of my own behaviour there too, which makes it even funnier,

Huia
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
We have BobTwo who is a Roomba. I love him. We also still have Bob the Roomba which died when the North East Man tipped a full mug of coffee over him. Apparently, he might get fixed at some point. Plus an indifferent Dyson. And a hand-held which is officially for the rarely-cleaned car.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
...when the North East Man tipped a full mug of coffee over him. Apparently, he might get fixed at some point.

---

Seems a bit drastic for one mug of spilled coffee.

 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
We also have a roomba. Seriously amazing and has vastly improved both how clean and how clear our floors are.
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
...when the North East Man tipped a full mug of coffee over him. Apparently, he might get fixed at some point.

---

Seems a bit drastic for one mug of spilled coffee.

---

Does your Roomba have a name, Mrs Shrew? I loved my Bob, and now I love my BobTwo.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Housework is a totally unnecesary evil - as Quentin Crisp said "After 4 years the dust doesn't get any worse!" The only purpose I can find for housework is as an avoidance technique when I really should be doing something else.
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
His name is Little Roomba, which doesn't sound terribly imaginative but works for us. we do sit and cheer him on when he is cleaning, and I am very attached to him.

Today I am going to tackle my wardrobe - ruthlessness is the only answer. I have quite a few clothes which don't fit properly, but I have recently enough been unable to afford even second hand clothing that I am hoarding them. I Need to accept that even if I do lose weight it is a slow process, and that fighting through things that don't fit or that I don't really like only holds me back.
Nearly all of the things which don't fit are in very good condition, so should raise a good amount for charity shops.
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Video tapes and recorders... sentimental salt... vacuum cleaners... Thank you so much to everyone for these posts which have given me a smile this damp and dreary morning.

I am gearing up for a Major Declutter once Christmas is over and I know now where I'm going to start, which helps. We are trying to clear our spare room so that we can reorganise things to decorate our bedroom - Mr Nen finds it impossible to decorate a room unless it's completely empty of everything. This will involve major reorganisation in every bedroom except for the one Nenlet2 sleeps in. At least, I'm hoping that one is immune.

Interested in the vacuum discussion as ours needs replacing sometime fairly soon. Have not come across a Roomba or a Bob but have heard good reports of Henry.

Nen - whose vacuum cleaners last well on account of the fact they don't get out much.
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Henry is generally a good one, and they last very well. Roomba is a robot vacuum cleaner - you charge it up (it has a little docking station) then push "clean" and it makes a happy little noise then goes off and cleans until
a). It thinks the room/area is clean
b). It's full (embarrassingly this happened the first time we used it, but since then it hasn't)
c). It runs out of charge (only happens if you use it lots without charging.)
It then attempts to return to dock.
We love ours because it takes all the effort out of vacuuming. Also because it is a robot and Mr Shrew is very excited by robots.

It has a little gizmo to make a virtual wall if you don't want it to go somewhere, otherwise it just goes round anywhere it can get to. It also doesn't fall down stairs..... (we tested thoroughly just in case)
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Ours Roomba gets full almost everytime! We have a cockatiel which sprays out seed husks, and so the area round the cockatiel needs hoovered pretty much every day.

I didn't want the cockatiel, on the basis that I would be the one landed with any extra cleaning, but I was over-ruled and - surprise - I ended up with extra cleaning. The robot vacuum was the family solution; it would save me from having to hoover daily, but wouldn't involve any other member of the family in extra work.

I love the Roomba; it makes happy little noises and it hoovers very well. Unfortunately they aren't coffee-proof, so try to avoid pouring a full mug of coffee over them.
 

---

Posted by QLib (# 43) on :
 
I'm another one who should be replacing the vacuum cleaner. Unsatisfactory state of the carpets aside, I have cleared (most of) the clutter from downstairs and the guest bedroom, and my own bedroom doesn't look too bad - I have enough floor space to do my morning yoga up there. The nut crackers and bottle openers have a place to be, and the Christmas cards are all up. Guests arrive tomorrow
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
The wardrobe is now tidy, and I managed quite a bit of ruthlessness, including a couple of things I was attached to but knew I wouldn't wear again. Feeling quite proud!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
I love you all - the thought that there are people like you out there in the world does wonders for my sanity!



Have a fabulous Christmas, everyone because afterwards we're ALL going to have to declutter All Over Again

Mrs. S, chuckling to herself
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
My decluttering is going on at a steady pace; I'm now half-way round the kitchen. I've been cleaning as I go, and replaced the extractor filter, so though I'm not progressing quickly, I'm pleased with the way it's going.

The history buff in me loves old lists of items, so I had the idea that I would inventorise as I went along; posterity might appreciate a list of the contents of a kitchen c2013. I have a table on the computer, with a column for the provenance of each item, and tick columns for "useful" and "beautiful". Any item which is neither useful nor beautiful is being decluttered.

This approach has stunned my family, not exactly into silence, but enough for them to wary of uttering the "sentimental" word. There is no column in my table for "sentimental"!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:

I love the Roomba; it makes happy little noises and it hoovers very well. Unfortunately they aren't coffee-proof, so try to avoid pouring a full mug of coffee over them.

---

I really fancy one - but fear that my 8 month old labrador may think I've bought her a fab new toy!


 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Boogie: He, he! I'm just glad I didn't know about Roomba's before I spent all my cleaning gadget money!

North East Quine: Good luck!

[ 23. December 2013, 13:44: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
My decluttering is going on at a steady pace; I'm now half-way round the kitchen. I've been cleaning as I go, and replaced the extractor filter, so though I'm not progressing quickly, I'm pleased with the way it's going.

The history buff in me loves old lists of items, so I had the idea that I would inventorise as I went along; posterity might appreciate a list of the contents of a kitchen c2013. I have a table on the computer, with a column for the provenance of each item, and tick columns for "useful" and "beautiful". Any item which is neither useful nor beautiful is being decluttered.

This approach has stunned my family, not exactly into silence, but enough for them to wary of uttering the "sentimental" word. There is no column in my table for "sentimental"!

---

You star - that's fantastic!

Mrs. S, humbled
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
I
Have a fabulous Christmas, everyone because afterwards we're ALL going to have to declutter All Over Again

Mrs. S, chuckling to herself

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
I love you all - the thought that there are people like you out there in the world does wonders for my sanity!...

Mrs. S, chuckling to herself

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
.... maybe we should be thinking about leading the way next year in giving consumable gifts that cannot possibly be considered as clutter,

---

Ah but ... all those lovely jars that might 'come in'!



 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have just cleared out "that" kitchen drawer; the one that had 13 plastic Calpol spoons, several bottle openers accumulated from crackers and a broken whisk, as well as stuff we actually use like cheese knives, rolling pins and the pizza cutter.

I don't know how much I've decluttered, but it's been quite a lot, and I've put 87 "useful" items back in.

87!

Our local food bank asked our church to supply tin-openers as they have had families refusing tinned food because they have no tin opener. Meanwhile, I have the full panoply of apple corer / melon baller /salad servers / corn-on-the-cob skewers / ice cream scoop etc etc. So much "stuff" that it's actually become a nuisance.
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
re: the salt discussion earlier

Spent time at Mums this Christmas and finally her old and cracked salt cellar could go.

OhMyGoodness....if you are holding onto an old salt cellar, please check the wretched things?

Took the top of Mums ( outwardly very clean) salt cellar top...and EEEw: The SMELL

GROSS...utterly gross......and full of something godawefully terible as well

(jusssayin)
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Oooherrr, Ethne Alba! This is part of why I have put so much effort into decluttering and getting a cleaning routine sorted over the last few years.

I don't want to get old and not realise how icky everything has got, even if it does look outwardly clean.

North East Quine, impressive effort with the drawer of doom on Boxing Day

Used my parents good dinner service and glassware over Christmas. Have finally decided to keep it. I have been dithering about it for several years.

Now to get Christmas cleared up!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Another day, another cupboard decluttered. I had a similar experience to your salt discovery Ethne Alba. We bought a tin of Lentils de Puy as a souvenir many years ago. We used the lentils and I was under the impression that the pretty tin was lying empty. It was in today's cupboard and I discovered I must have refilled it with normal lentils - but when?

I am so pleased to have finally got round to decluttering.

I have now catalogued 766 items in my kitchen, and that's erring on the conservative side, counting things like a cup and saucer as one item.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
I'm starting to lurk around antique/junk shops with a tape measure in my pocket.
When I moved into this house, over ten years ago, I was given furniture from my mum's old house, and the kitchen table has always been too big for the living room (my house is much smaller than her's was).
Now I have a little bit of spare cash, I'm looking for a smaller table/computer desk which actually fits in the space. I'm thinking of a drop-leaf table, but it has to fit into a space which is quite limited, and it has to be the right height.
Then the kitchen table and four chairs can go onto Freecycle.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I've found what I wanted on Preloved
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Preloved p is great - I found my first flute there, and just before Christmas managed to find a buyer for it there too (I upgraded so didn't need the original one)
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I have decluttered my whole kitchen!
 

---

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 


That is impressive, NEQ.
 

---

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
I have decluttered my whole kitchen!

---

If this is what finishing thesis does to people then role on finishing thesis.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
NEQ And in the run up to Christmas too!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jengie Jon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
I have decluttered my whole kitchen!

---

If this is what finishing thesis does to people then role on finishing thesis.

Jengie

---

Perhaps it's a way of not thinking about my upcoming viva. I mean, my viva's not till 2014 - that's ages away, right?
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I thought I was doing well on the decluttering front 'till we went to my friend's for a meal on Christmas day.

It was sooooooo tidy and relaxed and lovely and comfortable - I now have a new decluttered role model.

It's going to take years .............
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
On a roll ... I have decluttered my airing cupboard!
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Found a lost potato, it had ben hiding for a while.....it looks like an alien!
 

---

Posted by FooloftheShip (# 15579) on :
 
I'm really struggling to get going. I keep taking things out and thinking "well, I kind of need that but have no idea where to put it or how to store it". At present, therefore, I'm making mess rather than sorting anything. Grrrr.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I've decluttered my glass cutting desk, the incentive being my new lampwork torch
Later this week I'm tackling the study, aka the sewing room.
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
Preloved looks good - but I'm happy to say that I found the perfect table in a shop about five minutes walk from my house - and the shopkeeper carried it home for me!
And I have six people interested in my old table, so I'm just waiting to hear back from the one I've offered it to, and if he declines I'll offer it down the list.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
We're off to a flying start here. We attacked the built-in wardrobe yesterday. Four bags of clothes ready to go to the local charity shops, and Mrs BA has discovered a heap of clothes which she can fit into once again, including one dress which still has the shop tag attached.

I have been in the study sorting and discarding obsolete agenda, copies of minutes, outdated correspondence and the like from the last twelve months, and most flat surfaces are now decluttered, papers filed or ready for recycling.

We've just got to keep the momentum going. We have family visiting from UK in April, one of whom is a bit OCD about clutter and the like, so I'd like to have the place reasonably clear prior to their arrival.
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I must join in this thread with serious intent this spring (whatever that is), as D. informed me today that an old friend of his is going to Toronto in May and would like to stop off in St. John's for a few days en route.

I'll have to find the spare bedroom, and when I find it, tidy it out ...
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Oh, lawks, 2014. This is the year when It's All Supposed To Happen. But New Year's Day is still the holidays, so things like the diet and the decluttering don't start till tomorrow, right?

Nen - procrastinating.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
My new year's resolution is a declutter a day. But my resolutions never really start until the children are back at school I'll do a small declutter today though, possibly the side in my glass room.
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
What is a small declutter, though? If I throw two receipts away does that count?

Nen - good at discussing decluttering, rubbish at doing it.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Everything counts!!!!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
OK

Today's small declutter is that drawer.

I am going to get rid of/sort out everything in it and re-assign its purpose completely.

I'll be back to report when it's done!
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
What is a small declutter, though? If I throw two receipts away does that count?

Nen - good at discussing decluttering, rubbish at doing it.

---

Two receipts or other pieces of paper a day -- you'll have gotten rid of 730 pieces by the end of the year! (As long as you don't let new pieces of paper accumulate.)
 

---

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :
 
By mid February I will have been in this house for a year. So I am making mid February the deadline for finally getting my study up and working. I have been using it as a dumping ground, and still have to climb over boxes to get to my books. Enough is enough.

On the plus side, I now have a filing cabinet and have just ordered suspension files for it. So soon I can start on all the paper work. But today I will work on clearing a space in the middle of the floor.

Also, my very handy niece and nephews stayed over last Saturday. The 15 year old loves all sorts of joinery, and brought his tools with him, so between us, we finally built the two single beds for the guest room. So that is another room finished.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
The drawer is done!

Hurrah!


 

---

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
I like the small declutter idea. I have a few projects which would really benefit from it - the area by my bed (chest of drawers, wardrobe, shelves) which is currently several piles of clothes which desperately need sorting out; the baby's room; and the spare room/study. I will do a little each day - today's was moving baby stuff from the living room into the baby's room - it's still a mess in there, but she will be sleeping in our room for a while yet, so the theory is that little and often we can get her room ready for the time she moves in there. And at least now there is room on the sofa for more than one person to sit on it without being covered in baby stuff.

The baby's room used to be my study, so I am in the process (v.long process, sigh) of moving my stuff out and into the spare room. Realistically the study will be the last room to be done, so my intermediate goals are to sort out our room, get the study stuff out of the baby's room, and get the baby's room tidied and like a bedroom rather than a dumping ground. If I can do odd bits of unpacking in the study as well that would be great, but that is a bit more of an undertaking.
 

---

Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
Family coming to stay in August: I think I'll have to start clearing out the spare bedroom some time soon. I did spot the spare bed in there under a pile of things today, so that gives me some encouragement!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cottontail:
Also, my very handy niece and nephews stayed over last Saturday. The 15 year old loves all sorts of joinery, and brought his tools with him, so between us, we finally built the two single beds for the guest room. So that is another room finished.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Polly Plummer:
... I did spot the spare bed in there under a pile of things today ...

---

Have you any idea how much better that makes me feel?


 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Why is it that on the journey toward uncluttered things get more messy before they get tidier?

Cleanliness may be next to Godliness, but tidiness is next to impossible.

I'm off for a bike ride to the shops taking the scenic route to give me a break and help me to think through the logistics of where things go.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I cleared 3 bin bags of fabric today from my sewing room/study and hope to have many more tomorrow. I used to have a small home business making children's clothing and cloth nappies, mostly using recycled fabrics, but I don't sew as much these days and I'd like to reclaim some of the room or at least see the floor again.
I have one and half bags of clothing for the charity shop too.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
{H/As: Hope this is ok to post. I checked the 10 Cs and the FAQs, and didn't see any forbiddance. I don't have any connection with the site nor the teacher.}

Stephanie Bennett Vogt, author of the space-clearing book Your Spacious Self, is teaching a year-long, online course called A Year to Clear What's Holding You Back!


The fee is on a sliding scale. You can choose to pay as little as $1. I've been on her mailing list for some time, and also have her book. She writes well. She's very supportive--she's been impossibly cluttered, so she really gets it.

Anyway, I could use some hand-holding, and figured you might, too.

FWIW, YMMV.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Cleanliness may be next to Godliness, but tidiness is next to impossible.

---

God may find that very comforting--otherwise, She'd have lots of competition for Her job!

Hmmm...then maybe clutter is a heavenly plot?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
...Hmmm...then maybe clutter is a heavenly plot?

---

In that case my disaster of a desk may be part of god's will and perhaps I should leave it like it is.


 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well, New Year's Day in the UK was atrocious in terms of weather and Mr. S was prowling around looking for some trouble to get into, so I suggested we declutter his wardrobe. He's absolutely the tidiest person I know, but since he retired 4 years ago he has a ton of clothes he doesn't need, and all the storage is rammed with MORE clothes I'm sure he's forgotten he has.

Decluttering always makes me feel better on a bad weather day, so I thought that would be a really good plan.

His excuse? After the blow-out of New Year's Eve, there was no use trying on clothes, as all that would fit him would be the muu muu and the judicial robes

I had to admit he had a point

Mrs. S, married to Homer Simpson
 

---

Posted by Alban (# 9047) on :
 
2014 - you might see me on here a bit. This summer I've been waterblasting driveway, repainting fence and deck, all this avoiding the vast amount of clutter waiting to be sorted.
I'm scared, but I figure this is the time...
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alban:
2014 - you might see me on here a bit. This summer I've been waterblasting driveway, repainting fence and deck, all this avoiding the vast amount of clutter waiting to be sorted.
I'm scared, but I figure this is the time...

---

Welcome Alban!

The way I do it is to set aside 15 minutes a day - doesn't sound much but the job IS getting done!

Today's job is the dog's cupboard.


 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
His excuse? After the blow-out of New Year's Eve, there was no use trying on clothes, as all that would fit him would be the muu muu and the judicial robes

---

And how many of those does he have?

 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
Joining in for the new year. There is no doubt I have too much stuff. And mostly it's 'will come in useful someday' and/or 'sentimental value' stuff.... ;-)

Have spend the last few days beginning to get to grips on some of it. Some of the old make-up and toiletries have been ditched. But I am still awash in 'smellies', mainly ones people have given me. And of course it's true they will all come in useful some day. But I seem to be given them faster than I can use them. Some judicious re-gifting is necessary I think.

Today, I have tackled some of the old magazine stack.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Today I have cleared 2 more bags of fabric from the sewing room and might tackle some more later.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
Today I have cleared 2 more bags of fabric from the sewing room and might tackle some more later.

---

Make that 4 bin bags full in my defence, I am clearing out my old home business!
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I became so dispirited with the kitchen cupboards yesterday that I wandered into the spare bedroom and rebuilt the shelves that hadn't been finished since I had to move out for post earthquake repairs. This will mean that the decluttering in other areas will become easier as I can sort out books and craft supplies that haven't had a proper home - which in turn will allow me to decluter them, rather than having anonymous mixed stuff in my bedroom

The other thing I remembered was that I had got rid of a bookcase in a dangerous position, but not the books that went on it - so it's no wonder books are everywhere. (Yes, I know it's obvious, but I notice that things that happened then were outside my immediate awareness, but are now coming back).

Maybe the mind declutters of all but the urgent things in an emergency.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
His excuse? After the blow-out of New Year's Eve, there was no use trying on clothes, as all that would fit him would be the muu muu and the judicial robes

---

And how many of those does he have?

---

Not enough to wear every day - and he certainly isn't allowed to buy any more!

Incidentally I see there's an article on the Daily Telegraph website about decluttering wardrobes, but I'm not going to look at it online as we buy the actual paper on Saturday - or we will when I get my (non-decluttered) wetsuit from the back of my wardrobe and go out to get it!

Mrs. S, nerving herself
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Kitchen, airing cupboard, bathroom done. Next in my "start at the back door and work round" is our dining "room" which is semi open plan with our hall.

The curtains came with the house, ten years ago, and we've never really liked them, but couldn't agree on a replacement. Yesterday I took them down to wash as step one in the declutter and one tore! Yay! We now have to stop faffing and choose curtains!

Plus, languishing in our dining room was a genuine 1960s bottle lamp, which the North East Man greatly admired when he was six, and saw his uncle making it. He inherited it last year, on the basis that he was the only family member who liked it. (Not only do we treasure up broken junk on account of it being "sentimental" but other people offload their broken junk onto us!!) We've never actually used it, on account of the original 1960s two-pin plug, but I've just ordered a proper converter kit. Only £6, inc p&p.

We are on a roll!
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I decluttered the bathroom and quite a few other surfaces: the hall chest of drawers where everything gets dumped and all the Christmas stuff into the loft, plus about half the surfaces in my bedroom - procrastination are us - but the cleared surfaces are lovely to look at.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
In addition to the abovementioned declutter, I now have in the back of the station wagon to go to the dump for e-cycling one shelf stereo, portable analogue TV and two defunct vacuum cleaners. Along with the obsolete paperwork already mentioned and the four bags of clothing, that's almost a cubic metre of stuff decluttered since New Year's Eve. Just hope we can maintain the momentum.
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
Other Half took four bags of clothes to the recycling after decluttering his wardrobe, but then celebrated by buying himself a toy rollercoaster which is now all over the kitchen table.

I am not sure he's got the hang of this...
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I'm going to join in here.

I have high hopes (although you could also call it a reasonable expectation) that by the end of 2014 I will have a ring on my finger ( ). That means I will be moving out of my current flatshare and I am not going to be taking all the crap with me that I have accumulated in the last four years since I moved in. I don't want to find myself with all the crap to clear in a panic so I'm going to start clearing / throwing stuff out / giving stuff away.

I'm going at the slow pace of one drawer at a time. I started by clearing out all my make-up and threw out more than I kept (when a product is almost finished, I buy a new one but have a bad habit of not throwing the old one out).

Goodbye, all my crap!!
 

---

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :
 
It gets worse before it gets better, it gets worse before it gets better, it gets worse before it gets better ...


 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
It's fine.....then Christmas happens!

Now what???


* Have come to the conclusion that actually throwing stuff out is maybe the only way to go.
* Or i can choose to recycle ( At Once! In the many bins helpfully provided by our councl that are in our garden)
* Or a walk fround to our supermarket's Rack Of Assorted Charity Bins.

If it can't be Got Rid within the day.....it has to go into the car. And once in the car...it can't come back inside again.

Five days in and we're getting there....slowly.
((sigh))
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
I'm decluttering my laptop this morning, as it is slower than a slow thing.

Managed a bit over the weekend - next weekend is when I am aiming to finish house moving so there will be a lot to be done then.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Mrs Shrew I started doing that with my desktop -- until I deleted the trash bin symbol. Now I've given up and decided to get the local computer fixit bloke to sort it out.

Huia _ technopeasant*

* with thanks to Pete for the appropriate word.
 

---

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
Mrs Shrew

May I suggest that if you want guidance you post on the Ancient Geek thread in heaven, as I am quite sure a number of people there can make suggestions how to go about it.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Thank you for the suggestion, decluttering the laptop went very well and it is much happier and faster now
(as it happens I am pretty handy with a computer, I was just putting it off because it was a horrid and dull job)

I cleaned out the kitchen cupboard today. Small steps are starting to show progress
 

---

Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on :
 
Husband wants to declut the bookcases, to get rid of one. Doesn't he realise the only reason for getting rid of books is to make room for more??
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:
Husband wants to declut the bookcases, to get rid of one. Doesn't he realise the only reason for getting rid of books is to make room for more??

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:
Husband wants to declut the bookcases, to get rid of one. Doesn't he realise the only reason for getting rid of books is to make room for more??

---

Declut? Sounds vaguely rude - I like it!

That's the first aid cabinet done.

Hurrah! I'd been putting it off for weeks!



[ 08. January 2014, 10:59: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:
Husband wants to declut the bookcases, to get rid of one. Doesn't he realise the only reason for getting rid of books is to make room for more??

---

Declut? Sounds vaguely rude - I like it!

That's the first aid cabinet done.

Hurrah! I'd been putting it off for weeks!

---

Last time I did the first aid cupboard I had to take a carrier bag of medicines to the chemist, some of the bottles had dates from when I was a teenager
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Tomorrow is packing the last things from the old house day, in preparation for moving them on Saturday. I'mllooking forward to the lowered stress and also lowered costs from only having our own house to fret over, no longer the rented one too(staggered move was made necessary but is not easy for me)

I'm very conscious of the need not to move clutter, but there is a danger that I will snap and just shove everything in a box to sort later.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
I'm very conscious of the need not to move clutter, but there is a danger that I will snap and just shove everything in a box to sort later.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I realised that box hadn't been opened all the time I was there so I just dumped it without checking - if I hadn't needed the contents in 8 years then...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
Tomorrow is packing the last things from the old house day, in preparation for moving them on Saturday. I'm looking forward to the lowered stress and also lowered costs from only having our own house to fret over, no longer the rented one too (staggered move was made necessary but is not easy for me)

---

good luck with all that, Mrs. S!

The Other Mrs. S
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
The dining room declutter isn't happening. I have realised that what we have in our dining room isn't clutter per se, but non-clutter masquerading as clutter.

I need to rethink storage.
 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
When I crossed the water to live in Liverpool [Wirral people will understand] I took such a box with me - when I was packing to leave Liverpool I realised that box hadn't been opened all the time I was there so I just dumped it without checking - if I hadn't needed the contents in 8 years then...

---

I know someone who lost her birth certificate and passport that way, so be Careful!
 

---

Posted by Marama (# 330) on :
 
We have just returned to live in Australia after years in Fiji.

The house in Australia to which we are returning is now completely uncluttered , as in our absence it was rented out as 'unfurnished', and the tenants have left it clean but empty.

But I fear it will not remain that way for long, as we have had a fair amount of furniture, books and other goods stored in a removalist's warehouse for the past 7 years, and they will be delivered next week. Some of it will leave us wondering 'why did we bother keeping this?', but I bet my husband ( a mild hoarder) won't want to discard any of it.

And then next month we expect to receive the stuff (mostly books - so not really 'clutter' ) that we shipped back from Fiji. And of course,we will need a fridge, washing mc, sheets, etc, as our old ones were given away to our children who were setting up house at the time. Fortunately [!?] such items are on sale in post-Christmas sales, so restocking should not be too expensive.

[ 11. January 2014, 09:13: Message edited by: Marama ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

we will need a fridge, washing mc, sheets,

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marama:
...I bet my husband ( a mild hoarder) won't want to discard any of it ...

---

Can you discard some of it when he's not looking, with the excuse that if he could do without it for seven years, he has no need of it?


 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
The moving is going better than expected.

Now we unpacking kitchen stuff. I need to declutter a lot of tins and packets. Soup and custard for the next month, I think.....
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
One step forward, two steps back. In order to sort my dining room, I need to create some storage space elsewhere.

This may involve (gulp) decluttering the landing cupboard.....
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
... Soup and custard for the next month, I think.....

---

Presumably not in the same bowl ...
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
One step forward, two steps back. In order to sort my dining room, I need to create some storage space elsewhere.

This may involve (gulp) decluttering the landing cupboard.....

---

If you empty the cupboard into the dining room...

Sorry, I'll leave well alone.


 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I got a real boost with my decluttering. I was having coffee with a friend on Friday and saying how overwhelmed I felt. The upshot is that next Friday he is coming to pick up all the books I have ready and take them to a charity second hand bookshop that is on the other side of town. Not having a car that would have been difficult for me to arrange.

Because I had a deadline I sorted the books by Sunday and am now concentrating on my scary bedroom. My aim is to be able to see the floor by Wednesday - I know it's there somewhere!

It's amazing how the support of has given me such a boost. Some friends are worth their weight in gold.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Alban (# 9047) on :
 
Since the end of a relationship in 2011, most of my books have lived on my back porch. We painted it last week, which meant they were excavated. As they returned to the porch, it's been a sorting opportunity - 4 boxes gone!!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I have been decluttering for some time now - years!

So my clutter tends to be recent these days. Leave any room for a week and it'll be in a dreadful state.

So today's decluttering is my camera cupboard. Why do I just shove things back in - then it's in a mess in no time??

I have trained myself with some cupboards and drawers that each thing has a place and nothing else is to be shoved in there.

S l o w process, but I'll get there one fine day. When that happens I will wave several flags and sign off this thread for good (Give me about five years ... )

[ 13. January 2014, 10:57: Message edited by: Boogie ]
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Large space decluttered by the removal of an old black and white TV from the landing cupboard.

Me: "Why are we keeping this? It doesn't work."
Daughter "It does work!"
Me "Really? We can watch TV on this?"
Dau "Well, we could if the government would just switch the analogue signal back on."


Husband then suggested we convert it into a
goldfish bowl.




I have over-ruled them. It is going to the municipal tip's electrical section.

I can't believe we were storing a black and white TV on the offchance that the analogue signal would make a come-back.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Large space decluttered by the removal of an old black and white TV from the landing cupboard.

Me: "Why are we keeping this? It doesn't work."
Daughter "It does work!"
Me "Really? We can watch TV on this?"
Dau "Well, we could if the government would just switch the analogue signal back on."


Husband then suggested we convert it into a
goldfish bowl.




I have over-ruled them. It is going to the municipal tip's electrical section.

I can't believe we were storing a black and white TV on the offchance that the analogue signal would make a come-back.

---

Mrs. S, deeply impressed
 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
Husband then suggested we convert it into a
goldfish bowl.

---

I thought it sounded like a cool idea until it said you needed a circular saw.

[ 14. January 2014, 09:03: Message edited by: ecumaniac ]
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Half a shelf cleared,
Paper recycling bin full,
Four empty files that have been recovered,
Happy Ms Alba

 

---

Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
At this point, my daughter claims that they are "sentimental" and we can't get rid of them.

---

In that case perhaps she could find room for them in her bedroom cupboards?
 

---

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I'm trying. Truly. I spend some time most days working down the pile of paperwork on the breakfast bar, filing and discarding as appropriate. But the pile never seems to get any smaller and there are similar piles all over the house.

Nen -
 

---

Posted by Hebdom (# 14685) on :
 
In this household, 2014 has been declared The Year of the Great Declutter!

Am overjoyed to find that this gardening technique will allow me to get rid of the old cardboard boxes and bags of slashed grass that have been cluttering the back yard. Have previously been drip feeding them into assorted recycling bins.

The only problem is that it is too hot to go outside, let alone do any gardening....
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
I'm trying. Truly. I spend some time most days working down the pile of paperwork on the breakfast bar, filing and discarding as appropriate. But the pile never seems to get any smaller and there are similar piles all over the house.

Nen -

---

It's the same in my home too - just as I rediscover the surface of a table or worktop, clutter appears as if from nowhere. Same with emails - just as I clear the inbox so it only takes up one page, more appear that need dealing with.
BUT I have one room of sanity - I am managing to keep it free of clutter, if I disregard in-flight craft projects.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I've noticed that piles of paper and miscellaneous stuff are starting to appear. There are reasons:

Moving house, living temporarily in a rental with a lot of stuff in boxes in the garage.

Dealing with Dad's estate and all the death related admin.

Christmas.

I keep losing things and forgetting things. Everything takes so long because I don't know where things are.

All my routines have disappeared. I don't know where things live. The kitchen is fairly organised but other things aren't.

It has all made me realise how much I need order and routine in my life and how bad I feel when these are missing.

ETA hit send by mistake.

I don't feel like trying to get re-organised here because we hope to be moving soon. Just doing the minimum. But the little heaps depress me every time I look at them.

[ 15. January 2014, 09:21: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I've felt my spirits lift since decluttering the kitchen / airing cupboard / bathroom.

I'm trying to work out what to do with our dining room. Specifically, today, the brass log-box. We bought it because we had a fire in our old house and we used it to store logs / coal.

Now it's in our dining room, and we keep our cockatiel stuff in it; sandsheets / perch covers / food etc.

The dining room would look much better without a random log-box full of cockatiel stuff. But we do need to store the cockatiel stuff somewhere.

Originally posted by ecumaniac:

quote:

---

In that case perhaps she could find room for them in her bedroom cupboards?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:


Originally posted by ecumaniac:

quote:

---

In that case perhaps she could find room for them in her bedroom cupboards?

---

Her cupboards are already full to overflowing. She has stuff stacked on her floor because her cupboards are full. Her bedroom is potentially lovely, but spoiled by being full of stuff.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
... I'm trying to work out what to do with our dining room ...

---

Eat in it?

I'll get my coat ...
 

---

Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
daisydaisy:

quote:

---

It's the same in my home too - just as I rediscover the surface of a table or worktop, clutter appears as if from nowhere.

---

That happens here too. After heroic efforts to declutter, there is a brief halcyon period (usually about five minutes) when the house looks like something out of Ideal Home magazine.

Then someone comes along and starts recluttering, and we have all the weary work to do again.

However, I did just declutter the hall table, where a pile of unsorted letters has been leering at me for about a week. Fortunately there wasn't anything urgent in it.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Yesterday I discovered a dinner service I'd forgotten I had, lurking in the back of a cupboard. That started off a chain reaction of decluttering so I now have plenty of bits to take to the charity shop, although strangely nothing actually looks that decluttered.
It helped me to realise that my drinks cupboard is rather full - that could be a rather fun area to declutter
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
It helped me to realise that my drinks cupboard is rather full - that could be a rather fun area to declutter

---

Can we all come and help?

Before her death, The Intrepid MiL S was forever trying to declutter her drinks cabinet - she'd say 'I've had this brandy for years, I'm sure it's gone off' and we'd have to reassure her that no, they use brandy to PRESERVE things, it'll be just fine.

Mrs. S, no such issues at Intrepid Towers
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
... my drinks cupboard is rather full - that could be a rather fun area to declutter

---

When we moved to Canada we discovered that you weren't supposed to take bottles of spirits into the country. At the time our drinks cupboard was full of all sorts of things*, and we gave it all (except an unopened bottle of Highland Park which we took with us, secreted in a sock) to a couple of friends who said they'd be delighted to help us avoid breaking the law in our adopted country.

* IIRC mostly bribes from the parents of choristers who had wanted their little darlings to be made Head Chorister
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by daisydaisy:
Nen - It's the same in my home too - just as I rediscover the surface of a table or worktop, clutter appears as if from nowhere. Same with emails - just as I clear the inbox so it only takes up one page, more appear that need dealing with.

---

In our house, clutter keeps arriving from The Intrepid-Miss-S-as-was and SiL, whose house was not large enough to contain their existing possessions as well as all their lovely wedding presents. So, they send us Stuff - like sheets, towels, crockery - to go to a local charity.

Imagine how sad it is for us to realise that the kettle they are getting rid of is better than ours? and that we can't resist a John Lewis reindeer mug, or indeed various other of their discarded mugs? In consequence I am having to declutter our mug cupboard, which is always exactly full, and move some of Mr. S's mugs to another cupboard so he forgets them before they are finally decluttered to the dustbin

The Underhanded Mrs. S
 

---

Posted by Alban (# 9047) on :
 
It's amazing how decluttering begets clutter. I decluttered 3 big boxes of schoolbooks and such (around 20 years old) and just wound up filling the place they were with 3 boxes of detritus - waiting for a declutter of their own.
 

---

Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
In our house, clutter keeps arriving from The Intrepid-Miss-S-as-was and SiL, whose house was not large enough to contain their existing possessions as well as all their lovely wedding presents. So, they send us Stuff - like sheets, towels, crockery - to go to a local charity.

Imagine how sad it is for us to realise that the kettle they are getting rid of is better than ours? and that we can't resist a John Lewis reindeer mug, or indeed various other of their discarded mugs?
The Underhanded Mrs. S

---

My dr & sil are decluttering pending a move and I have carefully avoided seeing their pile of rejects just in case I want to give any of it a home!
 

---

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
As far as I can see, so long as you send your used crockery to charity, there is no reason you cannot use your daughter's castoffs, Mrs S.
 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Another car-load of obsolete paperwork and electronics to the recycling depot at the city dump. While my wife had her back turned I finally managed to dispose of teaching resources she had been hoarding, most of which were dated 1963-64.

I've even gained agreement that within the next month, when we have a quiet week, a skip will be rented, and an intensive clearing-out undertaken. Meanwhile, I will continue the carload process, as there are many recyclables still cluttering our storeroom and garage.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by PeteC:
As far as I can see, so long as you send your used crockery to charity, there is no reason you cannot use your daughter's castoffs, Mrs S.

---

None at all, Pete, and they get all our 'cast-offs' already. I was just a bit horrified that our children were getting rid of stuff that was better than the equivalents we were still quitw cheerfully using.

Mrs. S - is that S for Scrooge?
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Some successful decluttering here A woman advertised in the supermarket for fabric so she could teach her daughter patchwork. I didn't have much, but then discovered her daughter was also into all kinds of craft, so nanaged to hand on other bits a pieces too.

[ 18. January 2014, 17:31: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
I have just discovered another full box of cleaned out old ice cream tubs saved in case they come in handy....

I think our recycling bin shall be stuffed full this week!
 

---

Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
Oh dear, a weekend of decluttering our understairs cupboard had a rather dramatic end... We'd decided to rip out the horrid old carpet after emptying the cupboard and after doing so I noticed that one of the floorboards looked a bit damp. So I levered it out only to find that the bottom has worm holes in it, with dust on the earth below. Need to get someone in now.

Bollocks.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
You'll know better next time. as will I.

We are currently reassembling our front room after a complete wall semi-demo, repair, skim coat and paint job. Part 2 comes tomorrow when the skim coaters come to do the dining room.

And it all started with a wee rip in the wallpaper.
 

---

Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
I have to declutter my patchwork fabrics, I've had some of them for years and some I have decided I don't like. Does anyone have any experience ebaying fabric? Do I sell the coordinating stuff together or as separate lots?
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
I appear to have reoccurring allergy symptoms. I had been desperately hoping it was just a cold, but this morning my eyes itch as well.
Since I haven't had them since we moved at all, I'm now Seized with sudden terror that somewhere in the house is an object we have moved which has mould spores somewhere (old house had a hideous damp and mould problem, but it was in the structure of the house and I was careful to not let any stuff touch walls or floors to avoid this. Clearly not careful enough). I'm now faced with having to clean (in a way that removes mould with no damage) everything Mr Shrew and I own, whilst there are still books left to move.
Mr Shrew hoards magic the gathering game cards, which are the only thing I can think of which were on floors. They are in boxes so hopefully it would not be the cards affected, but the boxes are so heavy to move I don't know how I will manage to sort the cleaning.
I'm feeling like decluttering all my belongings into a skip right now and just trying to start again.


[duplicate of this post deleted - WW]

[ 22. January 2014, 09:35: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
We have cleaned the boxes. Allergies gone.

How is everyone getting along?
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
We have cleaned the boxes. Allergies gone.

How is everyone getting along?

---

OK thanks.

I have saved my (huge) box of photos to the last.

1. Because it will takes ages as I want to scan my favourites to save in various places, including on the cloud.
2. I know I'll really enjoy it and it'll take ages!

So I now have an incentive to get on with the other stuff!


 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Ooh that sounds fab Boogie! Digital storage of photos sounds like a great plan, as well as fun to do
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Just decluttered 8 assorted mugs with pictures of cats on them and some cat nick-nacks to The Cats' Protection League shop

I have also joined Freecycle and am giving someone 20 large preserving jars. Next listing will be for jam jars.

I have also bundled up about 20 good quality picture books to take to the local Playcentre* when it re-opens after the summer break. (*this is a NZ organisation for pre-schoolers run by the parents. I was a Playcentre kid 57 years ago. Then their slogan then was "play is a child's work".)

I am finding it easier to declutter if I find a recipient for stuff that's reusable.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
Some time ago, I went through a phase of collecting nice small furniture which had been left out for the bin men, on the grounds that it was far too nice to chuck into the back of a bin lorry. So I have four occasional tables, two of them of the nesting variety (the smallest one of the set of three nesters was broken).
Encouraged by the recent removal of my overlarge table and four chairs, I have now shifted round so I have a small table by the front door to put my basket on when I come in, one by the bed for my books and so on, and the nesting tables have gone into the back of the storage area for the next car boot sale in the spring.
It's getting there
 

---

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The Christmas before last we were driving up the road from our house and someone had left a little 4-drawer chest outside their house for the bin-men. It didn't look like much (it had probably lived in their garage), but it was exactly the size we wanted for the dining room and all it needed was a clean, a couple of coats of black paint (which I gave it), a bit of internal surgery to make the drawers fit properly and some nice handles.

Now our cutlery has a home.
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Ski boots now on Preloved. Table being cleared and cleaned so it can be photographed for Preloved. Really need to tackle the dresser so I can photograph that too.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I've sorted all the bins, drawers and cupboards below bench level as well as the 5 small high cupboards in the kitchen which leaves only four containing food, baking ingredients and crockery.

I am now going to have a break from the kitchen and clean up the bathroom so the plumber can fit the new taps I bought

I'm getting good at rewarding myself for the work I'm doing - just as well Mum and Dad's estate came through to allow me to do so, and there's the added bonus of spending money on things they would have approved.

Huia
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Good going, Huia!

I have just, very sadly, decluttered my cat after 10 years (she was older than that though we were never sure how much more). A combination of diabetes and dementia led to her demise, and have meant that I have now got rid of all the cat-related detritus, all the towels I used to keep the upholstery clean, the old cushions she used to sleep on...

The only bit of decluttering I would far rather not have done.

Mrs. S, mourning
 

---

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
Awwww - not a nice bit of decluttering.

I have found a new owner for the costumes that I made for the medieval banquet that I had to celebrate my 40th a while ago - they are among the ones In this pic. The local am dram are happy to take them
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Sorry about the cat Mrs S.

Mrs Shrew, glad you got the allergy thing sorted. That is a horrible thing to have.

We have exchanged contracts on a new house. I have decluttered a pile of brochures from estate agents relating to all the houses we looked at.

Also managed to do a bit of tidying up of heaps of paperwork, and got rid of some packing materials from a christmas present. I kept it in case I needed to return the item and have only just got round to checking it works.

Still have a pile of papers that need filing. However, most of the files are still in boxes in the garage. So I don't know whether to get these out and do the filing, but then they have to packed up again for the move, or create a special filing box and do it all when we have moved and things have a permanent home.

The latter course means that there is a big risk that I will lose the filing box, forget what is in it, never get round to doing it. Creating a huge procrastination problem for myself.

Now I have written this I think the best thing is to get the files out and do it now.

I think any further major decluttering will have to wait till we move.

[ 26. January 2014, 10:01: Message edited by: Thyme ]
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
I'm very sorry to hear about the Intrepid Cat, Mrs S. We recently decluttered the cupboard where we kept the things related to our small caged animals. Not that we have kept any for a couple of years but it was like an admission that we are not going to have any more, at least for the foreseeable future.

If I clear any space in the house at present Mr Nen fills it with Stuff, so it's a tad discouraging.

Nen - hoping to have more space than stuff one day.
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Sorry to hear about your cat, Mrs. S.

Nenya - I love the idea of "more space than stuff", although I can't see it happening chez Piglet any time soon.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Thanks everyone for your kind words.

The Appreciative Mrs. S.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Sorry to hear about your cat Mrs S. I threatened to decutter mine when she got underfoot as I was coming down fron a ladder, but in reality I would be devasted if she went anytime soon.

Huia

[ 27. January 2014, 19:47: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Making progress.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Good for you Golden Key.

I have my bedroom and the spare one to do (including wardrobes and drawers). But at least the rooms where the heatpump fitters and the plumber will go are sorted

Huia
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
I'm gradually decluttering a dead dishwasher - I realised that the space it is taking up can be used for storage of things to help in the chain of moving things around so I can remove the huge Welsh dresser - I hope I can find someone who wants that.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
daisydaisy I found an outfit called Freecycle where you post what you have to give away or want. I know it's available in the US, (and New Zealand obviously) but am not sure where else it might be.

It's amazing what some people have considered desirable.

Huia

[ 06. February 2014, 07:45: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Most towns in the UK have a Freecycle, I used to offload baby clothes on it.
In our place the rag and bone man visits most weeks and will take old white goods.

[ 06. February 2014, 08:08: Message edited by: Heavenly Anarchist ]
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
I use freecycle a lot, even for dead printers. But I'm really not sure about the dishwasher - still, someone might like a challenge. Thank you for reminding me - I'll give it a go before I pay the council to remove it.
 

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Posted by Caissa (# 16710) on :
 
I am cleaning my office since I am moving to a new position four doors down the corridor. Trying to give as much away to colleagues as possible.
 

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Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
I'm having some new radiators put in this week. The old ones had barely been in the front garden for 5 minutes before they were swooped on and taken away.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Friday is Mr. S's day at the foodbank so I decluttered a load of books, bric-a-brac etc from the garage(including a large box of bottles, but we won't mention those, oh no) and yet another dead computer - well, the case at least - it had already been eviscerated for spare parts.

Next up is two boxes of videotapes, currently quarantined in the garage - when in a couple of months Mr. S hasn't noticed they've moved I figure I can shuffle them quietly off to the tip.

When Miss S got married back in October, we tidied up the back of church - old cassette tapes, mainly, and old-but-virtuous magazines and other old cr*p. The box got moved behind the font and no-one bothered emptying it after the wedding. Yesterday we thought it had gone altogether and were quietly celebrating - but I later discovered it in the flower-arrangers/slash/worship band cupboard. Frankly that is the last place it should be, and very soon it's the last place it WILL HAVE BEEN. I am taking an Executive Decision.

The Stroppy Mrs. S - no, better make that Assertive
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
{{{{{{{All of us; and may our clutter move along to the right next place for it, without undue stress, strain, or panic for us.}}}}}}}


Re Freecycle: I've used it a few times, though mostly to get stuff.

Re the broken dishwasher: is there a vocational school around, or a secondary school with a mechanic vocational program? They might be happy to have the dishwasher, and come get it, to practice repairs.
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
If the school etc a dishwasher they'll see it on Freecycle like they saw my other broken kit & claimed it. But so far no response, so if it's still not claimed on Monday then I'll arrange a collection by the council.
Meanwhile the space it occupied Is no longer empty - I've moved cooking/baking things there, and moved things off the dresser either into new space or put it by the door ready to go to the charity shop. But not the boxes of choklits I found..... oh no, all this decluttering deserves a treat
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by daisydaisy:
... the space it occupied is no longer empty ...

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You mean you aren't replacing it???

I'm dreading the day our one (which is 10 years old) pops its clogs, as I don't know if we could afford to replace it, but I'd hate to be without it.
 

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Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
I like my dishwasher too, but when it goes, I think I will just have some more shelves installed (leaving the plumbing for the next owner)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Oh no, I'm with piglet on this one. I can't remember how old ours is (crosses fingers) but I would not be without it, as it keeps my kitchen surfaces decluttered on a daily basis!

I got my first after Mr. S's surprise birthday party for his 40th. As we stood there at 3 am washing glasses, he said 'Thank you for my lovely party, would you like a dishwasher?'. Do bears make their own sanitary arrangements in arboreal areas? In fact, I ended up getting a new kitchen, as fitting the dishwasher made such a mess of the existing one

Mrs. S, feeling blessed
 

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Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
After the washing machine my dishwasher was my most essential large appliance.

But when it died after many years faithful service there was just the two of us and I decided that I needed the storage space more than a dishwasher and got a cupboard for the space.

Now we have moved nearer family and are doing more entertaining and I have a dishwasher again and have fallen in love with it all over again.

Plus, I have decluttered a lot of kitchen stuff and no longer need that much storage.....

I suspect I never needed the space, I just had too much stuff.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :