De-cluttering, the never-ending process

I now need to hurry up and make decisions, as someone from the auction house is coming next week to have a look. I now need to decide what to get rid of from the normal house contents. DH’s tools, devices and collectibles are sorted and in the garage ready. But it is an opportunity to get rid of more things from around the house. So hard to decide.
For example, DH’s armchair, which my family refuse to sit in. His hi-fi kit, but then I will need to place it with something more up to date, asI am not ready to get rid of all our CDs, though the vinyl can go. Books- how many to keep? China? And much more.

A lot of big decisions.

Cabbie I think a three liner is needed, what we all do with wardrobe stuff. You will have some definites and that will get you into a flying start. Really hard for you at this stage but look forward to a future without baggage

It is only 7am but I had my breakfast and there I was in the kitchen making flapjacks, to use up oats. I opened my tall cupboard, storage in my kitchen is fine for a man but not for a cook like me. My cupboard is overflowing full, after all I need to keep my kefir-making equipment there, my systema stuff, which I use in the freezer too. Baking tins of all types etc

It has been boggling until right now but I have started and am removing the likes of large loaf tins, bread peel, tortilla press etc. The crunch point came when I opened that cupboard to remove a large fine china mug to make tea for a friend. I accidentally left the cupboard open and she said `you have got a lot in there` Yes I have, I know I have but shutting the door always made it `disappear`.

It seems as though I will be able to take a shopping trolley of stuff to the local cs today

I have finished de-cluttering for today, 2.5 hours is enough The messI spread out and I ended up doing under utility sink and under kitchen sink. I knocked the u bend under kitchen sink and heard the water run out. Not too much of a mess luckily but it might have been if I had not gone under there today

Push fittings are what is used today and it must have worked loose. I fixed it and am now getting rid of the bucket with compartments that turns. Not efficient anyway and very limited as to what went in there. I must have knocked the u bend every time I turned that bucket, even slightly

In the old days I would have gone onto lakeland and got whatever I needed to make the most of storage. Today I used whatever I could find and had a very good result. I was able to use the spaces I had accumulated from past de-cluttering. A positive result and an uplift

This morning I had a meet up with a lady who buys and sells linen and lace cloths etc. I sold my late mother-in-law’s cloths, some of which came from her mother and grandmother. I also sold a couple of my table cloths from the late sixties- patterns back ‘on trend’ now. Nice to have two bags of stuff gone.

I’m still at it and going strong.
DDs neighbour came with a van on Sunday and filled it with my unwanted stuff:- 4 drawer filing cabinet, Mountfield petrol mower and garden shredder, both with instructions and hardly used. Flymo electric mower. Aluminium ladder thing that can be erected and fixed into multiple positions - used once. 2 Mamas & Papas Armadillo pushchairs and an M&P stroller. 4 Alibert garden loungers and mattresses. An hp photograph printed and a steel dish kettle - never used either. My sigh of relief when it was all loaded and driven away must’ve been heard for miles around!

fish 🎣 kettle, not dish!

I am still at it but going weak Georgesgran!
Life events took over. Still do to a certain extent. And may do for a while yet.

Not too much left before I start on the loft in earnest.
Apart from photos. Havent done much to them yet.

It would be nice to go on the ops newer thread, declutter little and often.
But I not at that stage yet.
May never be, as I am not one to buy much new stuff.
It is some of the old stuff, that I need to dispose of.

I seem to be the only one left on this thread. I will plod on. Alone.

Finally got to start the tidy up of the attic. Big job.
I think it may not take quite as long as I was expecting. A lot of the items up there are large. Or very large.

No you aren’t fancythat I started on mums house yesterday.
She is moving and we tackled the cabinets in th3 sitting room.
I now have 2boxes of clutter to take to my house! How did that happen?
We were in hysterics at some points. She swears blind she hasn’t ever seen some of this stuff before. Nothing wrong with her mind BTW. Why on Earth would she have kept a set of gold plated teaspoons in a beautiful box(never used)
We aren’t sure if we should try drinking the small bottles of Babysham that obviously came with her from her last house.
She has been in this one 20years.
I’ll start again in a few mins.

You are not alone, Fancythat.
Am pruning my kitchen stuff.
Used to make larger cakes with a larger mixing bowl etc.
Not done this for 4 years so think they can go.....
So easy to keep stuff from past hobbies.

I am not alone! Thank you!

Smiling at your post PamelaJ1 The things that have been uncovered!
Sounds like you have made a very good start.

loopyloo I cant say I have much hobby stuff. But stuff from the past? Oh yes.
Been in this house since I married. We bought some extra of some stuff, thinking we would be glad that we did later on. The majority of it is still in the attic. Extra internal doors, kitchen tiles, dining chairs, etc.

I've got a whole load of stuff that I want to get rid of - some of it good but some of it rubbish. I've started bagging it up and have got to find somewhere - or preferably someone - to take it away. DH has far more stuff than I have but he's clinging on to it - and every available surface has something on it! Funnily enough though my GD's partner is very similar when they come to stay and funnily enough he and my DH get on really well!!!!! Is it a male thing?

You are not alone fancythat . I am continuing to edit the kitchen ( three cheese graters?!) , linen cupboard and bookshelves.
I handcuffed myself to the dining chairs on Saturday to prevent me from going to the library on book sale day.

Ooh I don`t feel on my own now

It`s that time of year but this year has gone from cold to warm. Anyway I am just back from salvation army and have re-homed my very new too-`warm padded coat with hood plus a very warm, new, lovely design padded over top. A beautiful top but too big

I need a coffee now, a break, asI don`t want to go mad but need to be methodical. There are plenty of layering clothes up there, for a mild spring or autumn, which is what we usually get. I will keep them but am going to be careful wrt trying on first. Too large and they will go

I have gone through my clothes.
Done a bit each year and now finished.

As I go through old paperwork, much of which should have got thrown years ago, it will release some more pieces of furniture which are probably only useful as firewood at this point.

Loft is ongoing. My fault the loft.
Some of the kids have agreed to take their stuff out of it. There is more of it up there than I have been thinking,

Some things in it can come down. Some thrown out.
After all that, and done a tidy, and some kids taken their things, it should look much better.

Starting to think, how old will I be, before going up and down the loft ladder will be too risky? After 75? I dont know.

Someone pointed out to me that some things I have up there, others keep in their garages.
To me, a car goes in the garage. But apparently nowadays, a lot of garages are used as giant storage spaces.

My garage is giant storage Fancythat, bikes, tools, fuel etc Nothing in the loft

I did a long cycle ride this morning but had the energy to get cracking on the wardrobe and the storage boxes of clothes under the bed. I have a big black bag of clothes to go out tomorrow and ended up with two 18l empty really useful boxes. That will do me, at least now I can lay my hands on layers plus best of all, I have found the summer lycra for cycling

When I sew, I always make a wearable toile as a first sample ie I make the garment really well and that makes it harder to get rid. I did the deed today to include fabrics with colours that don`t suit me plus a fab set of dungarees but I finally admit that this particular style does not suit me, neither does the colour

It is happening, this de-cluttering but it certainly is not a bulldozing quick job. What I did today was basic, not the one-off, for the other titivating thread

I presume you have made great improvements since you started this thread, karmalady.

Nice paper bags with nice handles - I seem to have acquired quite a number.
Someone said they have one more use.
Does anyone have some good uses for them? Apart from using them for present giving?

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Reported.

Not sure about Jesus Christ, but I could use some divine inspiration when I start sorting out my garage/loft!!

For some things in life, I use the joke,
"How do you eat an elephant. One bite at a time"!

Go into garage/loft. Have a look around.
Then, if daunting think, "well I could do that bit I suppose". Do it. Repeat ad infinitum.
That is what works for me.

I miss my husband for many many things but in this case particularly getting rid of things. He was a thrower out and I was a mix of hoarder for some things and throw out for others. I had to be in the mood to have a sort out and then could do quite a good job. Our compromise worked out well. If my husband was in the mood to sort out a drawer or cupboard or whatever he would go through it all but then I would have a look at what he was planning to get rid off. Most of it would go but I would feel ok as I had looked over it all and occasionally would find some important spare part for the hoover or whatever to rescue. On my own now and with a bad back I can see plenty of things that need sorting but dont feel up to beginning the hassle and no keen husband to chivy me. Ah well there will be a rainy day when I feel like starting sometime!

Madeleine I completely empathise with you, only baby steps are all you need right now

It is blooming ongoing eg last night I could not sleep thinking of all the things in my airing cupboard that I will not be using again, too good to throw out, so I said for the past 9 years.

I am tackling it head on this morning, the big spaces in the cupboard are a pain so I found some sturdy see-through wire sided and zipped storage. Done the measuring and have ordered them. At least I will no longer have things falling on top of other things

Big big bags are being filled today and all I can give away to AC are a few silk pillowcases. They also have everything they need

Strange,, that I woke up straight into sorting having spent the night tossing and turning about this stuff. At last I was ready to `let go` so my inner thoughts told me