De-cluttering, the never-ending process

I have moved home 9 times since child. Two marriages there will be one more move to downsize within next couple of years each time and decluttered, I’m quite sentimental and have hard job to get rid of things especially things from grandchildren 🤣and cards from family on big birthdays, etc. I need several trunks to keep them in. I would love in some respects to be a minimalist but it will never be me, I love things. Wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m a hoarder though, although some people might say I am. Don’t like a lot of ornaments pictures, nick nacks. I must admit when I have a good clear out it’s a great feeling to give to charity, and they are always happy to receive good quality items,

Oh yes heavenleigh, I so agree with you about giving to charity.

Personally I know I could sell the 3 pair of unworn wider fit shoes that I have just bagged up for the salvation army but there is something fundamentally nice about giving away

On my break now, having spent a couple of hours on wardobe and `hidden` box storage. I already have some items of clothing that I am recycling as well as shoes. I have to be pleased with myself this year as I have no `new` items of ready made clothing, nor any need for more storage boxes and in fact might have some spare at the end of this session. I know I am doing well, judging by the number of empty clothes hangers, saved over the year

It isn`t just de-cluttering right now, it is combined with`do I wear it?` `will I wear it?` `does it fit?` Is it too big now?` and if in doubt then I will keep for one more year. If during that thought process, I end up with a clearer direction and a de-cluttered wardrobe, then well and good. It certainly is not a quick fix

I am writing lists this time, they will be stuck inside a wardrobe door, with washi tape which will not mark the paintwork

Finished for today and shower next to get freshened to meet a new friends group this afternoon. Very satisfying today and no hesitation with everything that I donated or threw out.

Appreciating that the most liked hanging clothes are ones I carefully made to fit me, mostly linen. Equivalent of 4 black bags worth has gone

Drawers will be done during this week, easy compared to wardrobe depths

I have finished for a while now, this last stage was very satisfying, tiring but easy and quite a few things have gone. I still have a stack of felting kits downstairs, for cs and I added assorted seagrass storage containers and hemp containers suitable for drawer dividing, again for cs. The last black bag is in the hall ready for cloth bank at recycling site today

All this has made me more mindful wrt my clothes and my future sewing will be aimed at upgrading/replacing what I have in my wardrobe but replacing with better. I have not touched my precious fabric stash as it is all good quality

I am surprised at how psychologically easy it was this time, when my first wardrobe effort was so hard. Next time may well be at summer-winter changeover

Now can anyone tell me why I cannot let a lovely le creuset tagine go, could it be that it might be useful one day

So stressed because I’d arranged for someone to paint my windows so was cleaning them but realised some of them had gone rotten and need replacing. I’d also reached a point where so many things needed doing on the house my head was spinning. Thankfully someone came round yesterday and we went through everything that needed doing and devised a plan of action and today I can focus again. But todays problem is batteries. I often put new batteries in something and it still doesn’t work and I’m never sure if it’s the batteries that are no good, so I end up keeping them. It’s usually torches.I have got a battery tester but it doesn’t really work properly. I’ve spoken to other people who have said they’ve never found a battery tester that actually works. I’m tempted to just take them all to the supermarket for recycling and just keep the ones that I know are new. I don’t quite know how I’ve accumulated so many batteries…

I used to have a battery tester that worked. But it was one I purchased about 10 years ago.
It would say whether the battery was green[great], amber[limited power left] or red[no use].
I have had a google but not that surprisingly, I cant find a similar one at the moment.
I will have a look again at some point. But I dont hold out too much hope.

Sorry, cant find it.

Thanks fancy that. I have sorted them now. The problem was those little torches that take three small batteries. It dawned on me that if I knew that two of the batteries were new I could just add another one and I’d know if it was ok. Most of them were. I’ve been so worried about having working torches this winter that I’ve been changing batteries quite frequently. My house can be a total mess and it’s something like batteries that drive me nuts.

I totally understand about batteries, I also have too many and am slowly not replacing them. I have a whole box of them in my garage

I did buy some very good lights via amazon last winter. They can be carried around or just remain in a stand and have movement sensors, can be permanently on or off. They switch on automtically with movement and are simple re-charged via usb in a plug. Batteries are needed here for the remotes and especially for the smoke alarms and I have one massive torch (like a cosh) and a smaller bright one. Then there are the tiny circular batteries for weighing scales and garage door. Batteries with N and S ends last much longer if the ends do not touch each other, I keep those in small boxes for now

MerylStreep

Rosie51
Don’t believe the people who want you to believe, dig a little deeper. I’ve been speaking to Rag collectors for 7 years.
There’s no point in me relating anecdotal conversations but here is an article from an ethical organisation who do know

what’s going on.
If you don’t wish to read the whole article scroll down to the picture on the left ( bales of clothing)
The paragraph that starts As the book Clothing Poverty

www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-happens-to-donated-clothes/

Worse than the picture of the bales of clothing is the one of the clothing in the landfill site in Ghana! 'Dead whites clothing'.

We've had conversations on this a number of times - am I right in thinking that the consensus is that any clothes that aren't up to date and top condition should just go in the bin, then they will be incinerated which will make fuel, or at least go into landfill in this country?

Forgot to add, in places like Ghana any clothes that do end up in street markets, rather than landfill, are ruining the trade of local manufacturers.

Had a quote for replacing my windows and am going to replace most of them. Means I can’t have the porch rebuilt but I’m having a new front door which negates the need to have the porch redone (I was losing heat through the porch which was just thin glass). They can’t do the work for a couple of months but in that time I can work my way through the house. It was a relief realising that the windows had to be replaced and that I could have brown outside and white inside. I couldn’t face the thought of having more brown windows inside. The living room will have to stay brown but they’re mostly covered by curtains. Thank goodness I have some savings and lead quite a simple lifestyle. And I’m also using a company that are highly recommended. Feel as though I’m getting somewhere at last.

Riverwalk

MerylStreep

Rosie51
Don’t believe the people who want you to believe, dig a little deeper. I’ve been speaking to Rag collectors for 7 years.
There’s no point in me relating anecdotal conversations but here is an article from an ethical organisation who do know

what’s going on.
If you don’t wish to read the whole article scroll down to the picture on the left ( bales of clothing)
The paragraph that starts As the book Clothing Poverty

www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-happens-to-donated-clothes/

Worse than the picture of the bales of clothing is the one of the clothing in the landfill site in Ghana! 'Dead whites clothing'.

We've had conversations on this a number of times - am I right in thinking that the consensus is that any clothes that aren't up to date and top condition should just go in the bin, then they will be incinerated which will make fuel, or at least go into landfill in this country?

I think we mentioned previously the clothing in landfill in the Atacama Desert in Chile, shown on a Simon Reeve programme last year, much of it produced by manufacturers but never sold and worn.

maybee that is a very good use of your savings and it will mean less work in future. Well done for that, it is a very important maintenance on your house and I am sure you will notice the difference in comfort next winter

I’m not 100% happy with having brown upvc on the outside but some of the windows can’t be replaced and I couldn’t cope with a mixture of brown and white outside.

I never thought I would but I have, I found some stuff in my sewing room this morning. I started with just a general tidy but now fully appreciating the countless 9 litre really useful boxes, crammed with stuff that I have not touched for umpteen years

Today, endless cards of bias binding, the horrible stuff that is made from cheap cotton. My own hm are so different. Gone. I have taken out all the lace fabric, so much of it and I put it back. I don`t want to dither, I mean do I really need beautiful nighties with lace bodice. I am going to wrap it, apart from a small amount and will take it to cs. Tomorrow but first I have to that decision in my sleep

Masses of cotton lace trimmings, all lovely lace but those days are well and truly gone. Another job, I need to pack into zip locks to make it easier for the cs to sell the stuff

I honestly find it so hard to release this crafting stuff

crammed with stuff that I have not touched for umpteen years

I've got some fabric in a box which I bought to make DD some little dresses when she was about 3.
She's in her 40s now, sometimes I've looked at all this pretty material and thought "I could do something with that" 😁

lol, you and me both callistemon

Another biggie is me getting rid of all the weaving equipment that I have scarcely used. All almost brand new ashford stuff. I think I may well take a trip to a main hospice shop in taunton, I know parking is good there. Yes I could probably get a couple of hundred £ for it but charity is also good and easier done now that after I pass

I think That ignoring that stuff now is not going to be an option for me. It has been like opening a can of worms

I cleared out the understairs cupboard, rediscovered all this fabric, including some fine Viyella to make a little dress, then carefully put it all back, thinking it might come in useful.

They don`t make viyella any more, it is such a good fabric too

I have decided to sell a weaving loom. I bought it from america and it has a very small footprint ie can be used on a lap. Shamefully, I have never used it, I never took to weaving, it is just not my cup of tea, all that setting up. This loom makes bands and I am sure it will sell very easily. I am not discounting it, they don`t lose value like cars. I shall compare the cost now and the price I paid and take some of the the present day cost off. They were very sought after and never imported commercially. I never used it because for six years I have been de-cluttering, finding a new home and settling in

You could make a lovely comfortable top with that viyella callistemon. I once made a button down shirt with viyella, lovely to wear

They don`t make viyella any more, it is such a good fabric too

Not enough for anything useful for me, I think it was left over from when I made her a navy cord pinafore dress and cream blouse nearly 40 years ago 😀

Don't have littlies to sew for now, they want sportswear!

Before the clocks changed last October, I set myself a task for the darker days and evenings, of going through every drawer and cupboard, one a day, and chucking loads of stuff.
I didn’t do even one. 😩
This year, maybe…
We don’t even have a lot of clutter as such, but I know there’s still so much stuff I could get rid of.

Callistemon21

^crammed with stuff that I have not touched for umpteen years^

I've got some fabric in a box which I bought to make DD some little dresses when she was about 3.
She's in her 40s now, sometimes I've looked at all this pretty material and thought "I could do something with that" 😁

When Gdd was 3, I discovered a part knitted cardigan plus all the leftover pastel ‘rainbow’ yarn that was supposed to be for dd2 at maybe 7 (then maybe 38).

I did use some of it for dolls’ clothes for Gdd, but much of it’s still sitting all unloved, somewhere within the depths of my stash.

I finished off a school cardigan which I started when DD was in the 6th form (school then decided they needn't wear school uniform) turning it into a jumper for DGD. She never wore it and it went off to a Syrian charity.
I finished another jumper started when DD2 was about 5 and DGD2 wore it 😀

Now, where's the jumper I started for me about 25 years ago?

I’m chuckling at all these tales of ancient stashes! I got rid of lots last year including a needlepoint bought in about 1985 and about one fifth done. I’ve still got a Readicut rug kit, that’s about half done. I remember working on it when expecting dd1. She’s 36 next week. 😳

I really need to empty my cupboards and start again in this house. While I know there’s not too much to throw away, it needs rationalising. Similar things are scattered about when they should all be in one place eg stationery items could be in one of several locations. I’m fed up of searching for things!

Trouble is, I have no inclination to do any of this. I dare say one morning I’ll wake up and think today’s the day. 🤞