Help me to throw out...

Tegan you could tell him that they are being moved from the garage to the front garden and that if he doesn't collect them, the scrap man will (oops)

DBH accidentally threw out loads of old tapes and videos, many of himself performing, that he had always meant to transfer but didn't. It's rather sad, but it certainly saves a lot of space!

I was starting to get a bit panicky too. I just decided to concentrate on the easiest storage boxes first, we have those woven ones that you can stack in a couple of rooms. Then my wool stash, and then it became very interesting as I saw things I hadn't seen for years. You do start to wonder what on earth you were thinking of sometimes though. Why I thought I would need so many of those old aluminium takeaway trays I have no idea.

That's how my head feels at the moment but I'm beginning to be like one of those people in tv programmes where the clutter is getting so bad I almost get a panic attack thinking about where to start. I have asked my ex to come and clear his stuff from the garage [he left 15 years ago] because a lot of things in my house could actually be stored there if it wasn't full of motor bike bits and lathes . I bought a machine a while back to put old videos onto disc but never worked out how to use it so I have old videos everywhere as well.

It makes my head feel less cluttered, somehow. I must have a permanent image in my brain of cluttered cupboards, lurking in the back of my subconscious somewhere. It's my wardrobes now/next. Time to have another clear out I think. This is only because I have about 20 items hanging outside them that I can't squeeze in.

I am tidying up my cupboards but have not got as far as throwing anything much out yet.

Back tuit.

Oh dear, I was trying to pretend my birthday card stash doesn't exist.

I have thrown out all the papers though, apart from the ones with the dates of birth of family members on them.

I save birthday/Christmas cards..not all of them just ones that are special or that are particularly nice. I do so because an elderly cousin of mine showed me cards that she's kept that our family had sent to each other decades ago and I wanted to keep some for future generations. I also like the way that the designs go in and out of fashion. But they're all in boxes and never get looked at and I doubt if my kids are interested in them. And newspapers when something historic happens.

They don't want to have to clear it all out when we are dead, that's why.

Do you like gardening? I used mine as tree ties. The loop went around a stake, the length was wrapped around tree however many times and the clasp went back to the loop.

Or - how about a fashionable belt? Narrow leather belts are in fashion, but tied rather than buckled.

Thank you Janerowena, I do need those kettles, I have a serious tea addiction and the thought of no kettle when shops and stores are closed brings on panic, this is why I need three thermos flasks , fill them up every day when weather is stormy , could be a power cut . Now why seven dog leads for two dogs , must be a sensible explanation , just can't think of one. What makes things so difficult is my younger daughter , when she visits I have to check the bins. She threw out all my video tapes just because my two video recorders are broken and I use a DVD player ,

As a spare spare spare of course.

I carted around a spare kettle and toaster for years, every time he unpacked them DBH wondered why he bothered. Then DD set up home and they went to her. Within 6 months ours had both broken, we had started to think they were invincible. I've just parted with my old blender/mixer to her and am eyeing up my new one a little worriedly.

I opened up a cupboard a couple of weeks ago, I thought it contained just seeds and labels and string and general gardening stuff. Until four huge columns of plastic tubs fell out! I looked at them and thought, Why? Then remembered that I cut them up for plant labels until two years ago, when I decided to change to ice lolly sticks instead. It was lovely to throw them all out and have all that extra space to play with.

I am past help. Decided to clear out a kitchen cupboard I rarely use, found two electric kettles, I have two in use, I do not need four kettles , why do I have four kettles.

CeeCee - Very good job re loft.

Grannyknot -

annodomini - I would be very scared!

I am going for an emptier loft too, not an empty one. Probably half of what I started with.
Some of the stuff I kept did get used when the kids started setting up living elsewhere. But some of it will not get used, and I am very slowly working through.

I should have got rid of some plastic bags yesterday and didnt. I procrastinated and shut the door on them.
It really shouldnt be this hard should it? To deal with the excess. What on earth is in some of us to delay on something as non essential in life as plastic bags.

I started decluttering the garden and garage yesterday.

I would love an empty loft. Or at least emptier.

Should have said the loft may be empty but the plastic bags and plastic boxes are taking over the kitchen. HELP!

DS1 is threatening to visit me and perform a 'life laundry' in my cluttered house. Should I feel scared?

I've got no chance of hoarding empty plastic tubs etc. Husband continually asks me "Are you keeping this for a specific reason?" and if I as much as hesitate for a moment, out it goes. He is utterly ruthless. I'm lucky that he has kept me for so long

We moved to Norfolk nine months ago and I was determined that nothing was going in the loft. It was hard to part with some of the things that we had kept for forty years but we did it. I now have 4 matching boxes on top of the wardrobe, one for each child, with their most precious mementos in and another for ourselves, and a loft that has nothing but insulation in it.

[smug] emoticon

Well done constance!

Haven't had an art moment/time strike for a while now soontobe

Just spent a weekend making space in the Futility room before builder comes in and was trying to make a list of what I need cupboard space for. I could only think of Laundry stuff and wellies, then wondered what on earth all the other stuff is!

DH says he's going to clear out the loft whitewave and soon ....If he does then I'm going away while he does it!
99% of the crap stuff is his, put up there when we moved here 19 years ago until 'I can sort it out'. I've never been up there so can honestly claim nothing is mine
I'm prepared to bet 98% goes back.

I tried to give my coat hangers to a charity shop, I thought they would be delighted, but no, someone had decided that they needed to look more professional and have all the same type. Ridiculous! In the end, I said, take them and see if someone wants to buy them. 'Oh what a good idea!' they said.

I would really like a rolling eyes smiley!

Plastic bags to charity shops is a good idea.

I have the same loft problem whitewave. I have been doing it, but making slow progress.
I have kept most of the childrens' toy stuff though. It is like loking back at my life 20 years ago! Hopefully it will come in very handy.

Mid you I still haven't done anything to the loft - that is another very major story.

I had a major de-clutter after Christmas. I started off a bit wimpy wondering if I was being too gung-ho and by the end I was throwing stuff out willy-nilly and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I give plastic carrier bags to local charity shop, they are glad of them.
But I have been hoarding the cardboard boxes that Amazon send books in. I thought I could use them if I needed to post a book to someone else. Very handy I thought. But now I have far too many and I don't often post books to anyone. But I might, when I start clearing out my books, of which I now have far too many.