Decluttering

I do actually need help. But at the same time I can’t have someone telling me what I should get rid of when those things are part of the fabric of my life. And I’m struggling physically at the moment, too. This is how houses get into such a mess, isn’t it.

Yes, exactly how it happens, I'd imagine.

I'm trying to just concentrate on the job in hand, and ignore the rest, but I've dinners to cook, washing to keep up with, too.

I'm slowly sinking... glug, glug, glug...

I just put electric guitars & amp (which I think was faulty) on Freecycle explaining that the amp may not work, had loads of replies & then the one who's coming to collect asked what wattage the amp is - went to check & its not where its been for the last 10 years - I have a sneaking feeling I may have taken it to the tip! So it's an amp-hunt tomorrow & posting a jumper I sold on Vinted.

I am concentrating on getting the living room cleared ready for the decorator in nine days time. But before that, an electrician is coming to put in some new sockets. The rest of the house is getting in a mess, but it will just have to wait. I do a little bit each day. Next week I am having two jabs, flu and Covid, so that may knock me out for 36 hours.

I've swapped a couple of leaky pot holders for more substantial ones, today.
Not much, but I've washing here, there, and everywhere, which needs to be sorted out, so am doing that, too.

Spent quite a while getting the tv to work…

Crikey. I seem to have woken up with a sense of purpose. Maybe it’s the fact that, after sticking to drinking decaff tea and coffee for ages due to my bladder problems I’ve started having one cup of very strong coffee first thing in the morning ( that and the fact I did get the tv working again…I turned the Humax box off and turned it back on again; thank you IT crowd…well actually didn’t turn it off just unplugged it out of exasperation).

So are you making huge strides with the big declutter, MayBee?"

Once again, I have wasted this morning, dithering about whether to go and have the covid jab.

It's the first time I've felt fractionally better for weeks, and I couldn't bear the thought that it might make me feel awful.

Also, have a hospital appointment next week, and didn't want to miss it. Plus my bed needed changing... and my head looked so bald...

Excuses? I've got 'em all!!!

MayBee70

Crikey. I seem to have woken up with a sense of purpose. Maybe it’s the fact that, after sticking to drinking decaff tea and coffee for ages due to my bladder problems I’ve started having one cup of very strong coffee first thing in the morning ( that and the fact I did get the tv working again…I turned the Humax box off and turned it back on again; thank you IT crowd…well actually didn’t turn it off just unplugged it out of exasperation).

I've woken up with a rotten cold so no decluttering today - or tomorrow, or whenever

I felt a bit down today. And I usually have decaff coffee. Have just made a small pot of proper stuff and I feel a bit more chipper.

I'm having a coffee now, waiting to rev up. drums fingers...twiddles thumbs

I took my husband to the storage room - asked him to please get rid of some of his older golf shirts. Now 14 (ridiculous old) golf shirts in a bag are waiting for the charity shop. He'll golf soon and purchase more.

But, later, opening my wardrobe he handed me a bag.

I need to sort my clothing, however, what if I need one more white shirt, black shirt, or pair of jeans - all shops could close for Armageddon.

I have absolutely GOT to do something, at least, today.

I'm off to rummage around in Brian, and see what can go, or at least be cleaned, sorted, and tidied.

You have inspired me!

Today I have worked through 5 BIG plastic storage boxes of clothes and shoes etc. many of which had never even been worn and still had the tags on.

Over the past 10 years my weight has fluctuated a lot and I kept hoping they would fit me but today was the day I felt the need to pass them on to those who would benefit NOW.

There were outdoor jackets, shoes, jeans, pure/merino wool jumpers, tops, leggings, dresses, new underwear, tee shirts, evening wear and more.

I have just got a load of the warmest jackets, jumpers and jeans bagged. A lady will collect them tomorrow for the homeless in Glasgow. The rest I took to my local charity shop.

It feels GOOD. Thank you for the inspiration. I've a long way to go but it's a great start.

Wow!
That really is an excellent start, and to know it'll be going to do so much good for people who need it is erm... lovely

MissAdventure

So are you making huge strides with the big declutter, MayBee?"

Once again, I have wasted this morning, dithering about whether to go and have the covid jab.

It's the first time I've felt fractionally better for weeks, and I couldn't bear the thought that it might make me feel awful.

Also, have a hospital appointment next week, and didn't want to miss it. Plus my bed needed changing... and my head looked so bald...

Excuses? I've got 'em all!!!

Not at all! What I do is clean drawers and cupboards whilst surrounded by mounds of rubbish ( I have to climb over things and my house is a terrible trip hazard. I’ve always had neat and tidy drawers, cupboards and drawers. My family live in show homes but their cupboards and drawers apall me. I also have lots of clutter on show ( I reckon I’m a reincarnated Victorian) but I’m putting things in cupboards. I did the bathroom yesterday. I’ve got so many shampoos and face stuff and tend to have several on the go at te same time. Same with house cleaning stuff. Keep thinking that my new purchase will turn my life around. Also have clothes that I’ve never worn. I’ll buy something I really like and then buy several more only to find I stop wearing them. Then there’s my constant size changing. And shoes for eg weddings that never get worn again. Having found a pair that fit my mutant feet I’ll buy several pairs. And then live in Crocs and trainers.

I have reached a decision about the hi-fi. It is going to go. It has to all come out before the decorator comes, so today my granddaughter helped me. We couldn’t manage it all, but when I saw all the mass of cables behind the unit, I decided I don’t want all that bother. It is sad because it was my husband’s hobby and he built the unit that housed them. The various units were swapped over the years, the old ones were parked in the garage. At the moment I am not getting rid of all the records and CDs but I shall find something simpler to replace them. I love listening to music, and the speakers are good quality, but it is all just too much to cope with.

I think that's a good decision, Cabbie.
I always really enjoyed my stereo, and the effect of 2 speakers, but again, it's the spaghetti junction effect that's stressful.

You'll enjoy the music without the stress of it.

I’ve just realised they’re coming to fix the burglar alarm tomorrow. This is the incentive I need to tidy up but I think I’m going to be up all night so I’ve hit the caffeine. I’ve got my weeks totally mixed up and got the car booked in for it’s MOT on the same day as the boiler is having it’s annual service.

My husband has cupboards full of records, CDs and a huge stacking system housed in a mahogany cabinet with enormous speakers 😢. I have an Apple Music subscription and a portable speaker. We are different species.

My cookbooks are all gone. I started with over 400 of them, and gradually reduced them to a couple of shelves. the bookcase that housed them has also gone, and I'm looking into ways of making better use of the room it lived in.

I want to have another go at coats next. When I was at work I needed lots - I don't drive, so needed ones for warm days, cold days and autumn days, warm rainy days, cold rainy days and so on. A lot went in the last clear out, but I need to make more room - they take up a lot of wardrobe space.

If I finish the pile of work in time I'll try to do it before we go away at the weekend. We might be away for three weeks, so when we get back it will be getting close to Christmas. I'm going to need cupboard space for guests and general 'things', so I need to crack on.

I also need to sort out a large cupboard upstairs. It has towels, pillows and so on in it, and most of them can go. I'll look at getting them to the Dogs' Trust. Again, I got rid of a lot from there last year, but of course I've filled it with other things, so I need to be more ruthless. I use coverless duvets now, so don't need spare covers, and as there are only two of us most of the time, we don't need millions of towels either.

I've ground to a halt, because I've been feeing so rotten, healthwise.
I've just not got the energy, and I've no means of even taking things to charity shops, which doesn't help.

I'm charitable to an extent, but that doesn't include 15 quid in a taxi to drop off my unwanted things.
My stinginess outweighs my altruism.

Plus, I have a hospital appointment tomorrow, so have had that on my mind.

I do take stuff to charity shops but am not well off enough to give things away that I feel I could get money for on eBay. Even though I don’t know how to use EBay. I save the cardboard boxes from deliveries to use when I sell things on EBay which, of course, I’m not doing so I have mounds of cardboard boxes cluttering up the place, too. I think I need a declutter buddy. Someone who will advise me but not just say to throw everything away. I could actually fill an antique shop with excess stuff. My arthritis is getting so bad I have to get on top of this mess now. Good luck with the hospital appointment Miss Adventure.

You can find declutterers who will work with you.
I actually looked at a few options.

Even some councils run schemes and services to help people get on top of their mess.

Hospital appointment is a waste of time, I think.

The more pills I get, the worse i feel.
Just a box ticking exercise for them, i think.
Plus, I'm supposed to have had a blood test before going, but I lost the form, so I'll be in for a telling off there.

The point being that I lose things, because I can't cope, because I can barely find enough energy to keep myself clean, let alone the flat.

I've got my moany head on today.

I hope you feel better soon, MissA. Arthritis must slow you down too, MayBee.

I don't have piles of things, and the house is not cluttered in that sense. I have found that since I reorganised everything a couple of years ago it is much easier to keep on top of things. It's been the opposite of a vicious circle, whatever that is . As I'd decorated everywhere and got the kitchen and bathroom sorted out, I felt more inclined to have people round, and knowing that people are coming round makes me more inclined to tidy up. I also felt able to have a cleaner in once a week, as she can clean more easily when I have tidied up.

I can't pretend to have enjoyed the relentless getting rid of things, but I haven't missed anything that went out, and I feel much better for having done it. I didn't get a personality transplant though, so I do need to keep on top of it, and have a quarterly 'chuckout' on a smaller scale. The pre-Christmas one is always tricky - winter items (whether they are big coats, thick jumpers or blankets) take up more space than their summer equivalents, and there are presents to factor in as well as a greater chance of having overnight guests.

I can't pretend to have enjoyed the relentless getting rid of things, but I haven't missed anything that went out, and I feel much better for having done it

I have enjoyed it, which helps.

A bit more to go yet.

There is only 1 thing that I miss. Which I threw out recently. Some beach shoes for pebbly beaches. I didnt know what they were, so out they went.
About two weeks later, I went on a pebbly beach. Came home and googl ed for shoes to wear on pebbly beaches, and realised what I had done!
No biggee of course. But it still manages to irk me!