Source: (consider it)
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Thread: AS: Decluttering support
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Ferijen
Shipmate
# 4719
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Posted
Nosy book person checkingin... When you say sent to book fairs, what do you mean? I have sorted out perhaps 100 paperbacks that I really don't have any space for, and could easily find another 50. I've tried listing them on eBay/amazon but didn't get a bite, but I'm reluctant to give quite that many away (though I will if I can't make any money from them).
Posts: 3259 | From: UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
webuybooks.co.uk and zapper.co.uk - the first paid far more for each book (average £1) but the second took more pulp fiction. I'm sure there are plenty of others, but I just used these two.
Book fairs = several local churches round here have book fairs at various times of year, for fund raising.
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
Well two old electric train sets, one my father's and one Mr. S's father's, went from the garage on Monday evening.
Then a young friend came for the surplus washing machine yesterday - theirs had just been pumping water straight down the drain without passing Go. His little girl said very seriously to Mr. S - 'we haven't got a washing machine' - to which he was able to reply equally seriously 'well, Florence, you have now'.
Mrs. S, more blessed in giving away than in receiving! [ 21. November 2012, 08:02: Message edited by: The Intrepid Mrs S ]
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Smudgie
Ship's Barnacle
# 2716
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Posted
[shameless plug]
Book fairs - anyone living near enough to Epsom, Epsom Methodist Church is the place for a book fair as they raise huge amounts of money for Action for Children (used to be NCH if you're not used to the change of name yet!) Mind you, it may not help much with decluttering if you go there on the actual day of the fair!
[/shameless plug]
-------------------- Miss you, Erin.
Posts: 14382 | From: Under the duvet | Registered: Apr 2002
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I'm sticking to my rule of sorting a small area and making sure that something goes in the bin or the recycling, or to the charity shop, every day. But I'm disorganised. I do a bit here and a bit there, as the mood takes me. Do other people do this or do you all concentrate on one room until it's done?
Nen - insecure in decluttering but determined to stick at it.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Nenya: I'm sticking to my rule of sorting a small area and making sure that something goes in the bin or the recycling, or to the charity shop, every day. But I'm disorganised. I do a bit here and a bit there, as the mood takes me. Do other people do this or do you all concentrate on one room until it's done?
Nen - insecure in decluttering but determined to stick at it.
Nen, it's sometimes easier to concentrate on one room till it's done, otherwise you may not see an improvement for ages, which I personally find very disheartening.
On the other hand, what is REALLY disheartening is to fling yourself into decluttering, say, one room which is a real tip, only to find at the end of an afternoon's hard work that it still looks like a pile of polar bear poo.
Go for it whichever way you can as long as you stick to the 'something every day' rule - whatever you do it will be better than it was before
Mrs. S, succeeding only in sounding patronising (sorry - I did try not to )
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I agree, I find small goals really helpful, either when tackling a whole room or bits of rooms. But I do need to keep those goals small so that I don't get disheartened.
-------------------- 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams Dog Activity Monitor My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S: Go for it whichever way you can as long as you stick to the 'something every day' rule - whatever you do it will be better than it was before
Yes, I think you're right. I haven't got the patience to stay with one room, but I like coming across the odd little areas in the house that look better than they did. (And you didn't sound patronising at all.)
My aim today is the corner kitchen cupboard where all the tins and packets and out of date pasta is kept.
Nen - procrastinating.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
Having decluttered the loft we now have a ton of stuff in the garage awaiting Mr.S's putting it on e-bay. Sadly he hates actually loading it, although he likes it while it's bringing in money! So the net result is to move all the cr*p from the loft where it was out of sight, to the garage where it clutters up the workbench
I know that the only solution is for me to start doing it, at which point he will become exasperated and Take Over
The Manipulative Mrs. S
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
I thought I would give the FlyLady thing a go. So, tonight I have shined my sinks. The "clean around the taps with an old toothbrush" bit made me realise just how many old toothbrushes lurk in my cleaning stuff. I counted eight without looking too deeply.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by North East Quine: I thought I would give the FlyLady thing a go. So, tonight I have shined my sinks.
I certainly hope you put on a pair of shoes to do so.
-------------------- "...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe." ~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
Isn't "get dressed to shoes" step two, after you've shined your sink?
I wear slippers round the house, I can't see the benefit of wearing shoes.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by North East Quine: Isn't "get dressed to shoes" step two, after you've shined your sink?
I wear slippers round the house, I can't see the benefit of wearing shoes.
Last time I had anything to do with Flylady, the shoes had to be lace ups so they couldn't be removed quickly.
-------------------- Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
I love the shiny sinks idea and have been doing it for two years - it really does help.
I never put shoes on until I'm leaving the house, taking them off at the door when I return - how else to keep floors clean?
Lace-up slippers anyone? (no no no!)
Fly lady is good, but I like to pick and choose the best bits, others make no sense to me.
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I love the shiny sink too. Yes, she still says lace ups! But the idea of putting shoes on has some sense. What she wants is for the person to get dressed fully, as that makes a lot of difference psychologically. I have bipolar disorder and when I'm depressed even getting dressed can be a struggle. But when you do it your outlook is more positive. I'm guessing a lot of Flylady's target audience are likely to suffer from depression or self-worth issues - I know that Is where my house issues originate. For some, even getting dressed might be an achievement and a step on the journey. But I still don't put my shoes on until I leave the house.
-------------------- 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams Dog Activity Monitor My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Whereas I tend to get up, makethebedsortoutthelaundryemptythedishwasherputonawashtidyup - and then get washed and dressed.
Probably so that I can then relax with toast and coffee and mooch round the Internet for a few hours with a clear conscience. Well, clearish.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I know what you mean, my eldest currently leaves for school at 7.30 and I don't have to take my youngest til over an hour later. So I've decided to do my general tidy then; clean bathroom, wipe down kitchen surfaces, laundry on, feed chickens, etc. Not only does that mean I can relax after the school run and have a browse but it also means my other half sees me doing housework instead of being lazy
-------------------- 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams Dog Activity Monitor My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
The FlyLady site seems more complicated than I remember. I clicked on Day 2 this morning and it was the "shoes on and laced up" instruction, and nothing else. I tried to find an actual houseworky thing to do and it took a while to navigate through recommendations to buy stuff and bumper-sticker slogans.
I am home from church, my shoes are off and my slippers on.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
Coincidentally I was looking at the Flylady site before I came here today too. I was all set to start making lists and setting up a file... then I remembered I'd made a Control Journal some years ago so I've managed to find that.
I agree that Flylady's good but you have to pick out the bits that help you. I love the shiny sink but had to give up on it - the family just wouldn't buy into it and all that happened was that I stressed over it. It doesn't work for me dressing to shoes first thing either - I like to empty the dishwasher, have breakfast, and sort and chase the laundry before I shower and dress. And I hate wearing shoes in the house.
But I like other things, such as the 15 minute a day declutter and concentrating on one room per week. I seem to have started in the kitchen and have sorted my cupboard, cleaned out my fridge and given my hob a really good clean this weekend. There's a pile of paperwork on the breakfast bar that I must pay attention to. It's a hot spot - no matter how often I tidy it the papers keep accumulating there.
Nen - cautiously optimistic. [ 25. November 2012, 14:22: Message edited by: Nenya ]
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
Well, my son has arrived home and every surface is covered in his stuff!
Never mind, he's only here for a few days then he's off to live in a flat near Gatwick to finish is training.
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Boogie: Well, my son has arrived home and every surface is covered in his stuff!
At least the surfaces were clear to receive the stuff!
Nen - sharing the optimism.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Nenya:
Nen - sharing the optimism.
I like it!
Yes, they were. He will be setting up home with his GF in March so everything will go then - but from now till then we'll have to house about half of his stuff.
I'm a bit slow on the de-cluttering just now - I will get on to my 15 mins, then come back here ...... wait for it .......
NOW - GO!!
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I haven't really done any decluttering today but hope cleaning the fridge and the tumble dryer's filter and giving the hob a deep clean counts.
Nen - vicariously enjoying the 15 minute Boogie.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I can't declutter at weekends, people get in the way. [ 25. November 2012, 18:42: Message edited by: Heavenly Anarchist ]
-------------------- 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams Dog Activity Monitor My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
Well, we made a start on getting rid of the stuff from the garage. By that I mean - we photographed, tested and weighed it all, ready for uploading to e-bay. I can understand why Mr. S doesn't enjoy that part, so I offered to do it, which spurred him on to get started .
It's an uphill struggle though ...
Just call me The Intrepid Mrs. Sisyphus
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
Thanks for the reminder about the 15 minute clean up. I haven't visited the FlyLady site for some time as she's a bit overwhelming, but filtered through other people's comments and experience makes it easier to take on without being overwhelmed.
I am suffering for a severe case of losing things at the moment, mainly due to not putting them where they belong (from my keys to yesterday's breakfast). I seldom lose my hearing aids now as they go straight from my ears to their proper place, but that's because they would cost over $6,000 to replace. It's difficult to give the same attention to the more mundane stuff like keys, even though not having them can seriously disrupt my life.
Huia -distracted and ditzy.
-------------------- Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I missed my 15 minutes of decluttering yesterday so need to do 30 today. I'm waiting for Mr Nen to get home so that I can look busy. Meanwhile, I'm here.
Nen - devilishly devious.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Eigon
Shipmate
# 4917
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Posted
The shop where I work just had a big book buy, and all the books arrived in large and sturdy plastic containers. We do not use large and sturdy plastic containers to move our books around - we use cardboard boxes - so all the containers are available for staff to take home! When I get some free time, I'll start re-organising my craft supplies. The boxes are stackable as well.
-------------------- Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
Posts: 3710 | From: Hay-on-Wye, town of books | Registered: Aug 2003
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Cool, Eigon. Nice score!
-------------------- Blessed Gator, pray for us! --"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon") --"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
One thing I like about Costco is the discovery of items the lack whereof you hadn't noticed. I picked up a multi-storey shoe tidy which I'm about to assemble.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
...amazing how much better the TV picture is when I clean the screen...
-------------------- Blessed Gator, pray for us! --"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon") --"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Golden Key: ...amazing how much better the TV picture is when I clean the screen...
Ah, same with my computer screen, and my glasses. Especially my glasses.
-------------------- Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
I must admit I do like enjoying the results of cleaning and sorting - though I haven't done my TV screen recently. Every time I open my sorted kitchen cupboard I feel pleased at the cleanliness and order of it. Yesterday I cleaned behind my fridge-freezer and sat at breakfast this morning thinking, "It's all clean behind there."
Unfortunately I haven't made much progress with the pile of paperwork on my breakfast bar. I don't know what it is about paperwork, but I really struggle keeping it in any sort of order.
Nen - fridge gazer.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Also at Costco, I got some of those very large re-useable carrier bags. I'm using them for holding the items for recycling - glass, paper, cardboard - pending the fortnightly uplifts. And just as soon as the new scanner goes into the study, I am going to contrive to actually throw out a couple of small items of furniture from the hall.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
Sounds like you've got a great system going, Firenze.
I'm decluttering a small cupboard in the utility room - the one where the spare deodorants, shaving foams, toothpastes and shampoos are kept. We all go to that cupboard frequently and I'm getting addicted to the pleasure-rush of "Ooo, look how tidy and clean that is!"
At the back of it were mouldy gift soaps, several of those individually-wrapped wipes that you get on planes (and we haven't flown anywhere for years) and bottles of tea tree oil conditioner that I used to keep in case the kids came home from school with headlice. Said kids are 23 and 20 now.
Nen - feeling slightly itchy.
-------------------- They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
quote: I'm getting addicted to the pleasure-rush of "Ooo, look how tidy and clean that is!"
Ain't that the truth, Nen! it is a LOVELY feeling
Didn't get anything more done this weekend as I made my very first Christmas cake on Saturday (!) - it looks fab, being one of those covered with a layer of whole nuts (brazils, pecans, almonds...) but you aren't allowed to taste it! so I really hope it isn't all style and no substance.
Then we were laid low by some hideous bug yesterday so all my good intentions went out the window and we sat about feeling sorry for ourselves. I was particularly peeved because it was a beautiful day AND a weekend - what a waste of good decluttering time!
Mrs. S, emulating piglet's domestic goddess status.
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
Some decluttering seems to have taken place in my absence which means I can't find anything!
Ah well, it can't be far away.
-------------------- I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. Fancy a break in South India? Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Heavenly Anarchist
Shipmate
# 13313
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Posted
I find the emptying of cupboards to be hugely satisfying - I think I might tackle the 'sweet' one today, where we keep jam, baking items, snacks for lunches etc. I'm fed up of everything falling out of the cupboard. The kitchen itself is also a tip as I've been busy over the last few weeks. Think I'll start on the laundry mountain whilst watching Strictly.
-------------------- 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.' Douglas Adams Dog Activity Monitor My shop
Posts: 2831 | From: Trumpington | Registered: Jan 2008
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
I was astonished at just how much Christmas stuff was lurking in the roof space - I thought there was a fair amount, but never this much! So a huge bag of stuff has gone to the office where we are now Decorated, and 4 times as much has gone to a very happy charity shop. That was just the start of it! Today I brought down a variety of trees - I'll keep one, another goes to the office tomorrow, and the rest will go to whichever charity shop accepts electricals because most of those are ready-lit. The roof space still seems cluttered, but at least there is a substantial gap now. And decorating at home for Christmas doesn't feel nearly as daunting now that there is less to choose from.
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
I sometimes put out a small pre-lit tree. And a small creche. Sometimes. That's all the decorating I can tolerate. Never decorated my office at Christmas.
edit tree [ 04. December 2012, 13:46: Message edited by: PeteC ]
-------------------- Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
I used top put a notice on my door - it was very simple
BAH HUMBUG!
-------------------- I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. Fancy a break in South India? Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Welease Woderwick: I used top put a notice on my door - it was very simple
BAH HUMBUG!
Doesn't work anymore, does it, Wodders? [ 04. December 2012, 14:30: Message edited by: PeteC ]
-------------------- Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Roseofsharon
Shipmate
# 9657
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by Nenya: Unfortunately I haven't made much progress with the pile of paperwork on my breakfast bar.
I finally sorted and filed a good 6 months worth of accumulated paperwork from my desk. It's good to be able to go into the dining room without a feeling of guilt and dread.
I also sorted out the kitchen cupboard where the baking bits live. I thought I'd better put all the recently bought nuts and dried fruit behind the ones already in there, and throw out the out-of-date stuff - before I start the Christmas baking.
-------------------- Talk about books -any books- on our rejuvenatedforum http://www.bookgrouponline.com/index.php?
Posts: 3060 | From: Sussex By The Sea | Registered: Jun 2005
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guinness girl
Ship's Barmaid
# 4391
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Posted
hello all *waves* I'm going to dive in here as we need to do some major decluttering and I need a bit of moral support! Our house is not too badly messy, but there's a lot of STUFF around the edges, if you know what I mean. The spare room's the worst, as it's full of the stuff that doesn't have a home anywhere else in the house. We don't have much storage space, and our house is quite small, so we really need to be far more ruthless in getting rid of things.
My overall aim this month is to get the house ready to host my family for Christmas. To do this, we need the spare room clear enough for an airbed, and the kitchen fully sorted and cleaned. I think we need to buy some more storage things, bins etc to make this sustainable.
Sorry if I've rambled, but this post has helped me to prioritise and get my head clear about what I actually need to do! Any support, encouragement and general geeing up would be really appreciated.
-------------------- supplying people with laughs at my expense since 1982!
Posts: 463 | From: Leeds, England | Registered: Apr 2003
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
Hey guiness girl, welcome to the Battle of the Piles!
Go for a little every day and you'll get there.
My next task is my study/office/studio (again!) at least this time it shouldn't take too long to get ship-shape.
Boogie - getting there!
-------------------- Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
Start with a pass through the kitchen cupboards, looking narrowly at the use-by dates. I find that creates a lot of space - or maybe I have more Best Before End 2007 than most people.
Plan meals to use up as much of current food holdings - fresh, frozen, dried and tinned as possible. 'Darling, kipper and pineapple lasagna tonight!'
Then you at least have room for the Christmas stuff.
The spare room - how much can be black bagged and put out in domestic rubbish? We have an intricate schedule of recycling and uplifts here, and you need to plan. One car journey, plotted round a couple of charity shops and the civic dump should get rid of books, clothes and things like broken appliances, carpet offcuts and all the keep-that-it-could-come-in-useful stuff.
Freecycle has worked well - and extremely quickly - for me when I've had some heavy/bulky but in good condition - I got rid of a bed settee and a sewing machine almost instantly.
With any luck, you'll find other stuff you can live without and end up feeling wonderfully purged for the New Year.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
Yeah, but just beware of the avalanche effect. All I set out to do was decorate the spare bedroom, and now here I am 5 carloads to the tip later, not to mention a van-load of stuff to a local charity - and we still have a garage full of stuff to go Somewhere Else That Isn't Here!
Still, we'll all be happy to encourage you - misery loves company!
Mrs. S, Decluttering Demon
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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daisydaisy
Shipmate
# 12167
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Posted
quote: Originally posted by daisydaisy: I was astonished at just how much Christmas stuff was lurking in the roof space - I thought there was a fair amount, but never this much! So a huge bag of stuff has gone to the office where we are now Decorated, and 4 times as much has gone to a very happy charity shop.
and now some of it has come back as a Christmas gift! A friend who is a great "charity shop"per left a gift with no wrapping (her custom) so I know what it is.... a rather distinctive Christmas tree ornament that I happen to like. We have had a giggle about this... and I am very grateful for her shopping there because she also bought a nativity set which I donated and since realised I could make use of at Epiphany. So beware donating at charity shops too close to home!
Posts: 3184 | From: southern uk | Registered: Dec 2006
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
I have just discovered a disadvantage to de-cluttering, or at least to telling your friends you've done it. I seem to have agreed to store a load of crates of children's books and toys, left over from our local charity's Christmas project of giving Christmas presents to children who wouldn't otherwise have them *sigh*.
Still, how wonderful that they do this, and how wonderful that they had more than needed
Still, I can't bear to think that they might have to be got rid of for lack of storage space; and at least they come with a defined departure date, even if it is November 2013!
The Rueful Mrs. S
-------------------- Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny. Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort 'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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