Decluttering

I am carefully NOT looking at the many things that I really need to sort out, yet again. I havent been well and am not in the right frame of mind to contemplate a blitz right now. Having moved many times both here and abroad, you would think that I would be a competent "thrower outer" by now. but when it comes to books and paperwork and making decisions I am not. I shall no doubt be more in the mood come september. Having been a teacher and lecturer, that always feels like a start the year time and sort out time. Of course every time we moved I would swear that I would never let it get so bad again but thats life.

It just made me remember once , many years ago, when there was just my first husband and myself, and we were supposed to be getting ready to move once more. I was very tired and was fed up with his excuses of having to be in work and leaving me to do most of the sorting out,(despite the fact that I also had a full time job,) and we ended up having a blazing row. I had just about had enough of him, the firm, and everything else and suddenly said. "Right, I am leaving NOW. " He was stupid enough to say "Oh you wont really" and that was red rag to a bull!

I got my coat and bag and took the car and drove out to the countryside. It was wonderful and stress relieving, as at that time I really meant it. I sat there suddenly thinking how marvellous, I would not have to think where anything went and how to pack and how to get rid of things etc, and best of all NO decisions to make , and relished the thought that he would have to sort out every cupboard and drawer and clean up. I calmed down and went and found a pleasant cafe and had a coffee and spent a while thinking about what I really wanted.

Then I drove back home and we carried on. But my husband definitely made more of an effort, and we made many more moves over time. But that is how I feel right at this moment. I want to just go out , shut the door on the lot of it, and do a Reggie Perrin and disappear. Unfortunately , it wouldnt work, as no doubt wherever I went to, I would still have things to sort out! Ah well just have to wait for September, and a cold wet day to get me into sorting mode!

I’d like to just go and live in a caravan for a few weeks ( I did live in a caravan once) and then return and find everything had been done. I’ve spent a lifetime collecting things that made me feel happy at the time but now just weigh me down. Tried on a Seasalt dress today that a bought a year or so ago. Having lost weight it now doesn’t fit me and is far too long. And I’ve never even worn it.

I have been clearing out my little study ready for the decorator on Monday. It suddenly occurred to me that I ought to be sorting things, not just removing them. So quite a bit of paper went in the recycling bin today, but the rest will need sorting before it all goes back in. The trouble is, I can’t stick at it for long, it’s so tedious. Or else I start to read all sorts of things I had forgotten about, then of course I don’t want to throw them away.

I am trying to hang onto the energy I had when I woke up, it is partly used up but I want to use it today, later when it is a bit cooler. I will be working outside again

I did build some raised beds this morning, for veggies at home but I`m now wanting to thin down my gardening collection of pots, planters and propagators. They are outside in keter storage and I did wash the pots and modules some weeks ago but tbh I don`t need 50% of what I have. I must do it while I am in the mood, once that mood goes then so will the enthusiasm

It is hot outside now, I have to wait

I am having shelving put up in the garage. Maybe today.
All part of the big declutter.

Three years ago I was going to have a new porch and the garage roof re felted. Found the quote last night. Was all set to have it done but found that all of my windows needed replacing so had to do that first. Then realised the garage roof was asbestos and there was a drainage problem as it has no gutters just a hole in the roof leading to a soak away. No one has been able to think of a new drainage solution. However someone came out to give me a quote to repair part of it and he’s someone that seems to like a bit of a challenge and thinks he can find a way to do the work. However having been resigned to not doing the work I’m now lying awake at night worrying about the logistics of it all ( ie removing all the junk that’s in the garage) and how much it’s going to cost. Also what if it all goes wrong and I’ve used up all of my saved up house fund. And will it start raining just as the work begins which is what always happens in Grand Designs.Mind you I had the dripping bathroom tap fixed yesterday and keep going to the bathroom just to gaze adoringly at my new taps.

FranP My DDs clothes will fit DGD in a year or 2, so do I keep them?

Whilst on a 3 generation holiday this year, I commented on a very nice boho top my 18 year old GD wore. It turns out it was mine then passed on to my DD.

My GD has worn several items originally mine or her mothers, usually going out stuff.
Takes me down memory lane when I used to have a figure like hers

2 bottles of Corsydil mouthwash gone out today.
I'm so angry with my boy.

Adrian cupboard was clean and tidy. I opened the door and he has cleaned his car but deliberately left cloths, bits of mini vacuum, etc, all over the floor, along with every spray cleaner known to man strewn all over the placè.

I am packing in for the day, worked until 9.30 and thats enough, its sunday, my day of rest

Looking at my patio plants in pots and I was begrudging water for my figs, I am not liking figs anyway. 5 plants,. 2 were a few years old. They have gone to the tip just now and so have the pots they were in

Thats another load de-cluttered for my future. I`m amazed at how bits for de-cluttering pop up

I am enjoying the extra spaces all over my house, no shoving things into cupboards any more

Oh, well done!!
How lovely that sounds, and the "no more shoving things into cupboards."

Its a huge strain to put youself under, when you're basically a clean, tidy person, to just put things out of sight, because it doesn't follow that they're out of mind.

You've done so well, and no doubt lifted a little unnecessary weight off your mind. I'm jealous!

I have just had an exhausting month. My sister in law has just moved to live in Sweden with her 2 sons and families.
Her house was put on the market a year ago, after a couple of months sale fell through back on market and sold in January. Unfortunately in March she fell and broke her hip and thigh.
Her buyer then was pushing her to move out by end of July ( quite reasonably).
She had done absolutely no declutterring and I and a couple of her friends had to downsize her belongings to fit into a medium size van in 3 weeks. What a nightmare she had so much “stuff” we took about 30 bags/boxes of clothes, shoes, kitchen stuff etc etc to charity shops. I sold a lot of things, arranged for a scrap men to take away a lot of things. I left lots of things on her drive with a sign saying free - everything went. We filled a large skip aswell.
It was very hard for her as a lot of things had sentimental value and she was reminiscing all the time when she found things - we didn’t have time though.
We then had to pack up everything she was taking.
It taught me a big lesson, we keep a lot of stuff we don’t need use or want. So I am on a mission to sort a drawer, cupboard, wardrobe every week and try and declutter.

What was the reason she left everything so very late. If you dont mind me asking?

fancythat

What was the reason she left everything so very late. If you dont mind me asking?

I really don’t know, I think the task had become too big and it was better for her to ignore it. Also I think she was hoping to take a lot more than she could take. She is a crafter and in a large bedroom had 3 units filled with about 70 storage boxes of craft stuff. She wanted to take it all but that alone would have filled the van.

Well, as you can see, its a veritable hive of activity on this thread.

I have ordered a good hot water bottle with a cover and am going to get rid of my electric blanket which is in s big roll under the bed

There is more than one reason to get rid

Yay and there is a pair of beaten-up trainers going out, which means I can take a new pair out of my shoe stash, also under my bed

Ooh heck, I did keep buying bamboo toilet rolls at bogoff prices and there they were, all neatly stored under a bed. Oh well I won`t need any more for a good long time and de-cluttering them is going to be slow

I failed today and just bought another clothes airer for indoors, winter is coming and this one is tall when opened up. Hangon drying rack. Necessary is not clutter in my opinion

So my electric underblanket is in my car while I finally decide on its fate, either keep it or skip it. I need my sensible head on and keep thinking back to the very many years of using a hot water bottle, which did the job while allowing my inner core temperature to cool, so giving me better sleep. Anyway I can always put some hm woolen socks on too

I did similar very often when I started decluttering to move house in 2019. I used to fill a shopping trolley with the maybes, leave it for a few days and more often than not, I wheeled it intact to a charity shop where I emptied it to oohs and ahs from the helpful assistants

MissAdventure I remember you mentioned that you would be disappearing on the 19th. Whatever the reason, I just want to wish you all the best and hope it is not too long before you are back with us. You will be missed. 🌻

Backpeddling here, just trying to use up what I have rather than throw perfectly good disposables away, This is really a very slow process but suddenly the moment arrives when there is a space

Today I realised that I am down to my last two washes with my theraneem sensitive body wash, it is good stuff so I was never going to use it to clean my floors as I did with a shampoo

On friday I will be down to only using bar soap and I have plenty of good quality soaps, enough for years to come but heyho, reverse the decluttering situation, it was wise to have these stashes, it saves money and is better than money in the bank

I have my head screwed on and will never declutter anything that is usable, liked and was simply a bogoff

No. Keep anything useful.
And still buy a necessity.

I am doing well at the moment.
Helps that DH is nearly up to date with the diy jobs around the house.

I now have garage shelving. Great!
Has made a surprisable amount of difference out there.

I have had a cupboard made good.
Things can be moved around to put things back in it again.

I am still wading through things in the last bedroom.
Made some good progress. But a way to go on that one.

Thank you, PiscesLady.
You have a great memory.

Im back in a supervisory role (!)
Unless I'm told to do reaching, stretching and lifting, of course.
Reallý though, I've enough small things to work on, if I've a mind.

Lost half my post due to a big, red, flashing pop up ad about my phone being infected by a virus.
As long as it's only my phone I can live with that.

I'm glad you are still around MissAdventure My memory has its moments!
We need a supervisor too!

There is a thread about the Big Red pop up - in Site Stuff "A New Annoying Popup". GNHQ are looking into it & have commented.

The heat got to me and very little decluttering here lately. Now that I am in the mood, other things need my attention. One day...

I have had my study redecorated and a new carpet. I am in the process of putting stuff back, or rather sorting it first. It is so tedious. One day I had to empty the shredder three times. I fund any excuse to not get on with the job.

One thing that is really hard is dealing with items, letters, cards etc of sentimental value. And no, I don’t want to scan and save them on my computer.

One thing that is really hard is dealing with items, letters, cards etc of sentimental value. And no, I don’t want to scan and save them on my computer.

That was to be one of the first jobs I sorted.

Ha! I did half empty out 1 drawer.
But in reality, it is going to be the last job done.
If I end up doing it at all.

When I awoke from Jason Stephenson get back to sleep on utube I found that it had gone onto a new thing which was Jason talking about decluttering. So I can now sleep, do mindfulness and get in the mood for decluttering all at the same time. I’m a bit stressed though as I always go away for four weeks in September and I hoped to have the house slightly more clutter free by then but I’ve now got to look after the grandchildren tomorrow and possible over the weekend. However I have found a place in the next village that sells old furniture etc and I may be able to offload some stuff onto them. Unless, of course, I go there and end up buying more stuff. It looks like a hoarders paradise. Can I bear to part with my children’s old rocking horse though?