Downsizing, needs must

Thanks Nfk, I have nothing left to give and only added temporary blinds to my stash. I am almost through the whole house, almost everything I can carry is now nestled in boxes and bags downstairs. My bedroom today, that final sort in my wardrobe, I have some tatty well used (lately) warm thin jumpers but am not sure about the weather right now. Need to be warm while I shift and carry. Anyway, ikea trunk bags are upstairs and waiting. Distinctive so I will be able to find my clothes

Feel the freedom crafty! Well done!

They will probably have been picked up by now midgey, to people who will use them

yay, 7 large salt glazed heavy pots and one young japanese acer, are now gone to sonil. It was worth it to see the smile on his face and to hear that he is now enjoying gardening

A good downsizing day today

Craftyone have you thought of giving your specialised things to a charity? That way you might get pleasure knowing they will be valued. There is a charity called Men in Sheds that might fit the bill?

oh just to say that I honestly thought I had finished 6 months ago but if truth be told and when push came to shove, I have downsized a lot of big stuff in the last month and don`t regret it at all. The reality check came when I realised that I would have much less room in the new house, at first it was like a hammer blow but soon I started to think `ok, so I will embrace it`

I am back, I have done it. Good luck to those on the downsize marathon, get that bit between your teeth. They are only `things`

I am just about to go and embrace that extra space created out of the blue this morning

5 years of storing items from my parents place .
Dad died in 2014 mum went into care and then died 2016.
We did at one stage have 5 storage units however about a year ago we got down to one.
I really want that last one gone .
They had a large 3 bedroom place. We have a reasonable sized 2 bedroom townhouse

That 'bungalow knees' comment rang a bell.

When they were only mid 60s and still perfectly mobile, my folks moved to a bungalow. Not because they particularly wanted a bungalow, but because it was all they could find in their chosen area.

Roll on about 3 years, and they decided they didn't like the area after all, and moved again, to a house. And remarked on how they really noticed that stairs had become much more of an effort, after not having them for so long.

'Stair-fitness' did return, though, and my mother was still well able to manage them when she finally had to go into a care home at 89, because of advancing dementia.
I know she was lucky (from a mobility POV) though.

I hope you get help taking them out of the car craftyone - careful of your back.

I've started photographing items I am decluttering now, as I've wasted time looking for some of them! I went at it hammer and tong last summer ready to go on the market and must keep going.

I woke up today, after a good sleep, knowing that some of the specialist stuff that hubbie bought especially for him, they have to go. They take up a lot of room and are too big, bulky and heavy for me to ever use them. 4 years on, the garage is packed and I am thinking, why on earth am I taking them when I know they will just take up precious space and gather dust. The space in the back of the car is now full and they will be placed in that special area of recycling, where people can take if they want. I could sell them but time is running out. All good wood workshop stuff, just not for me and at last, I admit to myself

Some things are harder to let go than others but when the time is right, you have to be aware of what the inner mind is saying

I admire you. I doubt I could be like you. But I suppose needs must.

Clearing out the lives of 6 old folk sounds very challenging janeayre.

I find it easier to get rid of the more recent acquisitions than the ancient stuff which represents our lives.

When Gt aunt died at almost 100, her only DD got the house clearers in. I remember thinking how unsentimental to not offer any of it to the extended family. Now how grateful I am that we didn't get landed with her clutter too!
If I ever get round to downsizing, I have inherited the contents of 3 other homes along the way, so it will be very difficult. Our poor DC and DGC. They're young and fit so will be able to cope . It might be a bonding experience for them.

We ended up in a house simply because it was the right size in the right place with the right sized garden. Can’t have everything. It was a challenge after my knee replacements but is probably one of the reasons the operations were so successful.

We have a house as we have friends with “bungalow knees”. They just can’t do stairs because they never do.

crazyH, I was talking to my neighbour only yesterday, about osteoporosis and impact exercise. Not everyone can or wants to do pounding walking. I went for a house, deliberately, so I can pound down the stairs. She and I agree on this, she would never get a bungalow and she is a recently retired gp. I cycle but that is not impact exercise, I have a bellicon and that enables impacts. Its a shame but we should be thinking about averting some of the frailty that comes with old age. Osteoporosis starts soon after age 40. Thank goodness I am still strong, it is all the lifting, the muscle use. Use it or lose it

photos were incredibly hard, I managed with most by getting industrial look frames via ebay, different sizes and a bronze edge. I used little sticky pads and cut lots of photos up and made collages. They are wonderful, every cutout has a small spacebut I have family, grandparents etc. They are out all the time on one small shelf, better than being stuck in a box

Husband, when alive, scanned all my family photos and put them into a file, over 300 of them. I copied this file and sub files and gave the AC a copy each. My photos are all safe and slowly but slowly I got rid of most of the hard copies. I still have one 18 litre box full but that will remain as it is

janeayressister and Rosecarmel I agree. My dear Mother was a hoarder. She loved us all to bits but her failure to recognise clutter and hoarding for what they are created enormous work for us and heart ache. It’s left me determined not to leave unnecessary junk behind for my AC to waste their time sorting out and ditching.
Having said that I have one big problem — photographs. And only a few are sorted into albums And we have two amalgamated families. That means loads of school pictures, wedding pictures, baby pictures, holiday pictures, work pictures etc. We rarely look at any of them but are to afraid (because they are precious). To get rid of them or pass them back to the giver.

I downsized in 2008, but at times, I regret not downsizing to a small bungalow. The reason I bought a house, was because, once an elderly friend, in her late 80s, when asked why she didn't move to a Bungalow, said, going up and down the staircase was the only exercise she had during the day. I haven't reached that stage yet, but I think this house will be handy, if I do remain here ?

Those sound lovely! I don't believe I've seen anything quite like them in my shopping travels - I will have to keep an eye out-

Rosecarmel, I have dozens of those bags. Lakeland in uk have a wonderful design, a vac bag in an outer fabric case with handles. I am packing to move and they are absolutely life saving for me. I first had them to be sure that moths would not attack my spinning fibres and welsh blankets. I bought them when on offer, months ago and I have 2 empty ones left to use

I must admit I've an issue with "what if/s" - For example, I'm not one to pack a pantry - Just essentials, nothing much extra- But recent musings/threats of closing the border between Mexico and the U.S. ... I grabbed some canned goods - And avocado- It took me all of 10 minutes to shop- Then nearly 30 minutes to rearrange the little pantry so that it all fit ... Halfway through I considered tossing it all back in the bag and calling it a day - But that seemed like cheating

And speaking of cheating, and "what ifs", I purchased vacuume cleaner storage bags to " create extra space " .. For all the blankets I have .. You know, in case of a power outage during winter ..

For an army of 1 !!!

"Every inch of what gets accomplished here at home seems perfect until it isn't ". Love that Rosecarmel, what you said

Tip/recycling run is done but I failed, ok I bought chocolate on the way back, I need that comfort hug

It took about a week to sort through our mothers belongings after she entered into assisted living - There were 6 of us, some working dawn until dusk, some in shifts - It was a mindful process, having to navigate attachment/s and not waste time reminiscing or obsessing as I find myself doing even with my own items - Every inch of what gets accomplished here at home seems perfect until it isn't -

janeayr, yes I completely agree. No-one likes to downsize, the work, the actual getting rid and leaving it for those left behind, yes that is one of the most selfish acts of all. I started in earnest after husband died, probate and needing all those documents. I decided to `die tidy` for the children`s sake. Take crafted stuff for example, all those cross stitches that I did, well the pleasure was in the making, they were never going to be heirlooms, so they went.

I have started the freezer in earnest just now, 3 empty drawers and plans for a hot pot with frozen bits. 2 weeks from now, I could be on my way to a new smaller house, no time to procrastinate

We have had 6 old folks to deal with. My in-laws divorced and remarried and my Mother and Father. None of them prepared for their old age. They didn’t discuss funeral, finances or anything pertaining to wills or what they wanted to see done, they also didn’t down size, when they could.
So what happened ? They clung on to every piece of paper, clothes, nicknackes collected throughout their long lives. We travelled hundreds of miles to tidy their gardens, stock their cupboards, visit them in hospital when they had fallen etc etc.
My Step Mother in law died last year at 96 and my Mother in law, last year at 94. My Father in law 94 is the last one standing ( if you can call it that) We had three houses to go to and clean up.
What a selfish lot they have been, just leaving a mess for someone else to deal with. No one wanted their clutter. My children didn’t want boxes of bone handled knives and forks and kilner jars with ‘god knows what in’ etc.
My husband and I took a month to dispose of the furniture and junk in my MILs house. I stayed with my Father for three weeks when he was forced to move at 93. I sat by him picking up pieces of paper after paper and saying ‘ this is a gas bill from 1958, do you want it? Etc etc.
We are decluttering and downsizing ourselves, before someone else has to do it for us.

Not downsizing when you still can, is really selfish.

Good work Craftyone, seems like you are really cracking on.

which singleton needs 100 clothes pegs and 2 peg bags? Out goes half. I have an excellent floor mop and a long bucket for it, just going out to see if my window squeegees fit in and yes the shorter one does. So most of that equipment is going, including the special long window bucket. There is an area in my recycling site, you can put things for someone to take. That equipment has been used for 8 years and is as good as new. My neighbour pays over £20 for her windows, same very large easy wash windows. I have always done ours, can get to all windows from inside. Let me see, £20 every 3 weeks over 8 years= noooo, £2700. Wow and I picked my days, dry and cloudy

Good result this morning, down to 1/3 in my utility. I see space