De-cluttering, the never-ending process

More like Sort Your Life Out in Seven Years here!

Callistemon21

^ready for when I sort through the 30 crates of vintage crockery^

Very popular for weddings, I understand. It doesn't have to match, apparently.

I know, work colleagues used to borrow it all for events, as long as they collected, washed it up and returned, I was happy.
But now I’m retired ( and I’ve offered it on FB) nobody wants to wash it all up.
If it went into the dishwasher I’m not sure it would escape unscathed.
Selling it is such a faff, delivery is a toss up whether it would all be smashed in transit, so there it sits…….

Where I volunteer, I offered a few years ago to try and sell some of the crockery. It was decades old, so thought it might be worth something. It may have done if there were complete sets, but we had no more than 4 of any of it.
I trawled through some antique shops, but they all said the same thing.

www.chinasearch.co.uk/sell/

You could try these people

Now on episode three. Quite reassuring to know that other people are worse than me. Mind you, I’m curled up on the sofa with the dog watching it instead of doing my own decluttering. I’m trying to absorb some kind of decluttering energy from watching it…(no I’m not…I’m procrastinating: which is why I’m in the mess I’m in….)

I hang a plastic bag over the inside door of the spare room and try to put one thing in every day. It helps that I have a nearby sister in law with a granddaughter and I’m digging out forgotten toys and biscuit cutters ,picnic sets and similar and passing them over in small doses so as not to overdo it. I had a thorough clear out of summer clothes in June and left the bin bag for two weeks in case I suddenly needed something in the short week of summer we had in the northeast. The bag went last week. DH won’t let go of squash racquet he hasn’t touched in 50 years!nor any maps of USA or Europe

Two large drawers decluttered in the utility room - not much but it's progress!

That emotional attachment, it is so true and sometimes you don`t realise that there is one. Take my fabrics, sewing reminds me of very happy times, sewing for children, husband and myself and nowadays, making something envelopes me in a cosy contentment when I am only concentrating on what I am making. Letting go of fabrics is very difficult

I have worked very hard the last couple of days, decluttered every fabric-storage area and filled my hall with the ones to go. Then last night I went through them all in the hall and half went back upstairs, this morning some more went back on shelves. I have quickly bagged up the remaining fabrics and they have filled my car boot and I am sitting on my hands again. I am finding this harder than photos.

The programmes I’m watching really brings emotional attachment home to me. A friend of mine said that coming from a poor family meant that I was scared to throw anything away in case I needed it one day.One programme said we keep things for our children who don’t really want them.. And my current problem is not wanting to put anything in landfill because I feel so guilty about it.

I've just rearranged my yarn stash 😀

The one colour I need seems to have been all used up .......

MayBee70
We lived in a small, largely clutter-free house. Although my mother had some treasured ornaments (which I now have!) she must have known the mantra which a friend taught me: "Do I love it, do I want it, do I need it?" because Mum disposed of anything which didn't fit those criteria.
There were no charity shops then but clothes, toys, other items got passed on or sent to the church jumble sales.
I do still have some of my books which she boxed up and gave to me when I moved into a flat.

Perhaps that's why I hang on to things.

I’ve just found a make up brush that I’ve been looking for for ages. I found it because I’ve just moved a load of stuff from a drawer in the bedroom back to the drawer that it was in before ( I’m always tidying and sorting drawers!).

MayBee70

The programmes I’m watching really brings emotional attachment home to me. A friend of mine said that coming from a poor family meant that I was scared to throw anything away in case I needed it one day.One programme said we keep things for our children who don’t really want them.. And my current problem is not wanting to put anything in landfill because I feel so guilty about it.

That is me, ingrained from childhood. I kind of like that I have all these fabrics, looking at prices for some now, more than doubled and a secured stash for the future, without spending extra.

Down to the nitty gritty, I started with 7 full and heavy bin bags in the hall and then 7 became 4, which I loaded into the car. Back and forth to the car and I now have 4, much lighter half filled bags which will definitely go today. The fabrics I have removed are folded on my dining table and I am seeing them with new eyes. Today I will catalogue those and they will no longer be `out of sight nor mind`

I was on and off steps yesterday and the day before, lifting up and down, some fabrics are heavy. Achy shoulder this morning so no lifting and I will be looking at de-cluttering patterns and ironing pre-washed linings and silks. I still have an empty nrrow cupboard, left side of my cut-down re-vamped computer desk, now a sewing table/unit. I know there are patterns I will never use again, out they go

I have finished, cleared enough to leave half a shelf clear and I am utterly shattered. That is me, I go on and on doing stuff to exhaustion but tbh the feeling of satisfaction beats the exhaustion.

Today was the `saved` fabrics off the table, all in catalogued and neatly folded on shelves. Up and down with weighty stuff again, the weight being felt on shoulders back and arms. Next to clear was linings and silks and that was very much an eye opener, much of that I had bought well before my husband died, probably around 2010. Nothing to remove but a lot to fold, measure and catalogue. Then those newish bemberg linings, all done now and I will never need another lining fabric in my whole lifetime

Even the scraps are sorted, I have filled a big waste bin and it is heavy. Made a top too as I wanted to have a break, so one top in my wardrobe and four out, rather three out and one white cotton jersey t shirt saved in scraps for knicker gussets

Obviously sitting now with cbd oil at my side, I have stretched my body but need to break the pain cycle, all that standing has hurt

Nothing else now, no de-cluttering for a good while ahead but just to say that the really useful boxes are fantastic for storage. I have piled three full 9 litre boxes under my sewing table with plenty of room for my feet. Those boxes have been with me through two house moves, thick and thin

Today a charity came and collected four items of furniture, three from the bedroom, made by DH’s grandfather, and one from the landing. I appreciate the space. I have never liked the items but they had sentimental value for my late DH, so he would not hear of getting rid of them. So why did I feel emotional when they left the house? I suppose I felt another part of him had gone, or was I somehow afraid he would come home and be furious with me? Stupid, I know.

Cabbie letting go off things is a important part of grieving . I know when I was moving house it not only decluttered my home but my mind. I let go of things I had held on to after my husband died things I thought I had gotten rid of. It was upsetting to find all his hospital appointments and letters but letting them go was freeing. I finally let go of the letters and cards I had when he died in 2004. I read them all at the time but then they just sat in a cupboard. I put them in the recycling without looking at them and glad I did . It's still very early days since your husband died don't be hard on yourself. Took me 8 months before I could let go of his clothes and only because my daughter helped me.

I started decluttering Christmas before I put my house on the market March 2018. As I decluttered I packed what I wanted to save. Should have moved house September 2018 but buyer pulled out on exchange of contract day. Next buyer pulled out 4 days before exchange in March 2019. But finally moved in August 2019. Luckily they kept the bungalow for me.

Even when I moved still brought to much with me things I didn't want or need.

Having to declutter now as because of my health things that are to heavy for me have gone. Mostly to my daughter but some things to friends. But I love my decluttered life.

You feel emotional about letting go it's because you feel you are letting a part of your husband go. It's normal. But your husband is always with you in your heart and mind. And the love you shared will keep you going through the coming years. Like I said it's still early days since your beloved husband died. Don't be hard on yourself. But you have to do what's right for you to make your life easier. He would want you to do that. It's still very new to you having to make all the decisions on your own and it's horrible . But as they years go by it does get easier . But the loss and love you shared will never die. Take good care of yourself.

Whiff, what a lovely post. So kind. Thank you.

Cabbie it's the least I could do after all your wise words about claiming PIP .. Plus all the help you have given to people even when your husband was in hospital. 🌹

Change the word 'Decluttering' to something more positive

'Possessions Purge'
'Paraphernalia Repurposing'
' I am Liberating my Legacy Items'

The memories are MORE important than the items, So take a photo of what you are deciding to remove, then remove it but its memory is captured

I had a photo of all of my dolls and teddies but, when I cleared out my mum’s flat it wasn’t there. It still upsets me thirty years on. I think that, because I left home in my late teens she just assumed I wouldn’t want it.

Just been helping a friend who is downsizing to take stuff to the charity shop. I spotted a lovely little jug and some plates and as she had said to take anything I liked I did. Oh dear …

I have just been to an event in a village hall. All the crockery was bone china, mix and match, good quality stuff. Apart from have to wash it up by hand, what a lovely idea, making good use of china people just don’t want any more.

Decluttering is a very appropriate and positive expression, it means actually physically doing something that helps with a transition to a different stage of life. These stages happen over and over as we progress through life and through the ages to old age. The physical act helps greatly with the emotional process of letting go.

I am finally off out today, to remove my latest de-cluttering, it has taken me most of a week to gather the things and all are from my sewing room. Yesterday I released over thirty patterns and have 5 black bags of items ready in my car

Mine is clutter too. Not legacy.
Books I no longer want to read. Papers I know longer need or want to keep. Old electrical items. etc.

I am having a clear out of my entire house. Everything in cupboards, drawers, loft. The entire lot.
While I have time. While I am able.