De-cluttering, the never-ending process

I do that too riverwalk. Our shredder looks at me and immediately cuts out. Mr C disapproves so I pass him the shredder! A neighbour had a different system. She put paperwork in a bowl soaked it, squished the water out and put the resulting gloop in with her rubbish. I may get to that before I go near a shredder, I’m sure the thing dislikes me.

My shredder conked out last year and I'm loath to get another so have devised my new system.

I tear the paperwork in quarters and put a bunch into the tall kitchen bin bag when I start a new bag - then by the time it's had a week's worth of teabags, eggshells, a few slops, smelly fish wrappings, onion skins, used tissues, whatever, it's no use to anyone. I put out the bag just before collection.

I'm not a celebrity so no one would be interested in going through my bin bags to piece together sodden and smelly torn paperwork.

I've never found a shredder which is up to the job yet, Cabbie21
They usually give up when they're just out of guarantee, too, although the more expensive one we bought last year did give up after two months!
We got a refund.

My shredder has packed up through overwork. DH’s works, so I need to put it in my office.
My son has now cleared some space in the garage and lent me some boxes so I can now start to sort things out, and get rid, bit by bit. I have bags of stuff, food and clothes, for the homeless centre. That’s the easy bit. Charity shop stuff is easy too. It is the collectibles that are hard. So many, such variety. I cannot cope with packaging them up to post if I sell on ebay. Might try the local buy and sell Facebook page, and send the rest to auction. Then there are the electrical and electronic items, the spare parts, the woodwork tools……
My own decluttering is taking a back seat, but I am now determined not to put my children through what I have to do.

Your post prompted me to order a storage system for paperwork, Fancythat. It’s arriving tomorrow.

In the meantime, we’ve been through the last year or so’s paperwork. Lots to throw away!

Still on paper. Will be on paper for weeks.
Wont bore people with a whole load of paper comments.
One thing I have done though is buy a paper storage thing.
It has 12 slots. Coming tomorrow.
Hopefully it will help keep things a bit more in order going forward.

I have 3 sheds full of stuff to clear.
Lots of books and lots of good intentions. But I cant stand the thought of wasting things and yes I use freecycle.
Will have another go today.

As yesterday morning was yet again dull, chilly and windy I had a mini clear out instead of walking - very cathartic!

I sorted my bedroom drawers - any past their best underwear, socks & tights were binned; scarves culled to a minimum; various 'might come in use' toilet bags, drawstring bags and wotnots binned.

Best of all the drawer containing 'things' e.g. chargers for long-gone mobiles & PCs, old scissors, defunct Kindle, keyrings etc - they've been in there years, leftovers from the last clear out and were kept 'just in case'.

I shall continue tomorrow!

This month I have promised myself I will remove three items per day from our basement which is full of junk. I promised myself that last month. But forgot about it. Starting with 6 garden chair cushions which I can wash and sell on eBay. It's the right time of year for that. And that is 2 days dealt with already!

Still at it here, not a concerted effort but I do it when I think of it. Some foodstuffs out for the birds yesterday, I mean, why on earth did I buy the likes of cracked wheat. A moment of madness as my hm breads are plainer these days.

I havent been on here for a while. Had visitors. Got final set for now, this weekend. But having generally tidied and got ready a lot lately, not much to do for them.

So been able to get back to deluttering. The super weather will not stop me. I have had a few days out with visitors. I am bearing the lovely weather in mind, but I keep thinking my window of opurtunity for decluttering could shut on me quite soon, for maybe quite a while. So I press on.

Paperwork is the order of the day. After having children, my good memory was somewhat shot to pieces. I wrote and still do, much down, else I have little chance of remembering much. The paper very much needs a sort out.

We had bats in one house, in a cavity wall

Squirrels? Blackbirds? Sparrows?
Wildlife loves us.

That’s the problem with attics, Callistemon. No middle ground. BTW, my dd has bats in her attic! 🦇👀🦇👀

It was too chilly to go up in the attic, SueDonim
Now, all of a sudden, it's too warm!

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. 🤞

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?

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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" 😁

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

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.