De-cluttering, still at it, still no end

My plants needed a de-clutter, I kept all the good plants and I now have one normal plant plus sansevierias, many varieties and collected over the years. All now re-potted and checked over, cleaned etc. My pots are all lechuza planters, they look very nice and substrate is lechuza pon

Part of my spring cleaning. I took several planters to re-cycling and moved a kitchen table. Suddenly feng shui came into play and ambience is good, nice and fresh for summer.

I will be de-cluttering again in the garage as soon as I can

I have lots of knitting books, rowan etc. I may do the evil deed of tearing out the patterns I might use. They can then be filed and I will get more bookshelf space

Reducing items before we moved I dealt with so many recipe books by taking out and the recipes I use or knew I would use and disposing of the rest of the book. Although it felt oh so wrong and was hard to do I was left with easily sorted, organised small files. I’ve not bought a recipe book since, in search of anything new I use the internet and either cook from the iPad screen or print a single page for my files. The recipes from 56 years ago handwritten by my Mum, ma-in-law and an aunt have also been carefully filed. I can’t recall the last time I used any of them other than one cake but they are too precious to loose.

Karmalady, thank you for running this thread. I rarely post on it but it has been an inspiration and I’m gradually clearing the decks. Haven’t done much recently, painful joints, medical appointments and looking after granddaughter, but must get back to it.

Same here - I began like a hare, then my inner tortoise took over! Once the roofers have finished, I’ll get back into the loft and start getting stuff down and away. Little and often suits me.

DH and I were busy in the garage yesterday.

He was going through his metal filing cabinets which hold a multitude of tools, gadgets, bits and bobs. He has sorted some things out for our next car boot sale, and says that stuff that doesn’t sell will go for scrap.

I recycled many empty bottles and jars which I have been hanging onto, but never use, leaving space (it’s an old upright freezer) for more useful items. Some of the jars I swapped with really old tatty ones which hold nails, screws etc. Look smarter, though I doubt the contents will ever be used, he has so many.

I have tried and took three bags of clothes to a charity shop, I should never need to buy any more. I have about 20 handbags, none of them big enough to get all my stuff in, so virtually unused, why did I get them.
It's what to do with my Ercol furniture, it's in mint condition and I love it. I won't be taking it though. Also boxes of ornaments , not to my taste, Lladro etc. And copper, kettles etc all presents. Too good to just throw but I couldn't sell on line as get in a muddle buying on line.
Going to get ruthless now with my cooking utensils and gadgets

Ercol furniture is lovely and very desirable. I'm sure you could sell it when you're ready.

Still on paperwork and loft mainly.
Not done much about loft lately. Just a bit.

Making strides with paperwork[well almost].
Worked out I needed different systems for different parts, going forward.
I dont want to end up in the same place with it again.

Auction house for your Ercol furniture Allsorts? At least you will get some money for it.
I sold furniture from my parents house on Marketplace and Gumtree, took about a month to clear it but it added to the funds.

Finally got the loft cleared, getting too dodgy for my "it may come in handy" OH getting up and down to it so my son got up there and did the deed. Now if only we could get him to clear all the stuff he has in three sheds!
I had a good clear out of craft stuff last year, will finally get rid of last bits soon as rooms to be decorated and furniture to be moved around.

I am on it again, albeit slowly, but I have more free time coming up over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Last night I had a nightmare. (I had been watching the Yorkshire Auction House and saw Angus clear lots of collections and other hoarded items.)
I dreamt that my husband had come back from the dead and filled the house with all sorts of junk again, filling up the space I have cleared!

We bought Ercol furniture at auction for our new kitchen extension 5 years ago. A dining room suite, picked up in separate purchases - table - chairs - sideboard cost us nearly £1,000.

So put your Ercol furniture in an auction or put it on ebay, buyer to collect.

Ercol furniture sells well if it is in good condition. The modest size of the chairs are well suited to smaller homes. My daughter has a small dining table and chairs set in her open plan kitchen/ diner/ family room and it is a perfect fit for the space.
My decluttering is progressing at a tortoise speed ( loved your analogy Georgesgran).
I'm going for one in , two out- jackets, kitchen stuff, cookery books.
Today is a paperwork ...

I am hoping to restart my decluttering again next week after four weeks recovery post surgery.

We are also clearing my mums house.We will eventually get a house clearance firm in but I would like as much as possible to go to people who could use it.

I am determined not to get overwhelmed by it all🤯

MrB and I are having a serious Swedish death clean and it’s going well so far. I was a bit sad when we started as I have some lovely summer dresses I never got a chance to wear, but I can’t wear them all so I’m picking out 2 or 3 and the rest are off to the charity shop for some other lucky women to enjoy. The labels are mostly Joules, Fat Face and Weird Fish.

Calendargirl

DH and I were busy in the garage yesterday.

He was going through his metal filing cabinets which hold a multitude of tools, gadgets, bits and bobs. He has sorted some things out for our next car boot sale, and says that stuff that doesn’t sell will go for scrap.

I recycled many empty bottles and jars which I have been hanging onto, but never use, leaving space (it’s an old upright freezer) for more useful items. Some of the jars I swapped with really old tatty ones which hold nails, screws etc. Look smarter, though I doubt the contents will ever be used, he has so many.

Do you recycle them with the lids? I never know if I should leave the lid on, recycle it separately or not recycle it. I’ve got loads of old jars. I do use them to store pasta etc and eg small honey jars I use for paint but I’ve got lots of them and I’m always buying honey anyway. I particularly like Nescafé Gold coffee jars for storing things. I’m away from home for several weeks but left my house in the worst state I’ve ever left it in and am dreading going back. It is clean, because I do keep it very clean, but the clutter is getting overwhelming. I have got rid of a lot of stuff; I know that because I have a lot of empty storage containers that used to contain clutter but it’s endless. My arthritis is getting very bad, too, which means I’m really struggling physically to sort everything out.

Susan56, I know you’re probably itching to get on with things again but do take it gently. 4 weeks is still early days after surgery and you have a lot on your hands. Maybe calling in the clearance firm a bit earlier than you planned would be a good idea.

We are not decluttering, I am not a clutter person, it gives me the abdabs, but we are downsizing and having to decide what much loved items of furniture we need to part with.

We are old furniture and antiques people, a lot of it inherited and, while we have got most of it during our time together and can contemplate letting it go, one or two items that we really love we have known since childhood. We are making an offer on a house today that mean that those 2 or 3 items are the ones we simply will not have space for in our new home.

We can take photos etc, but that is not the same. These pieces of furniture have been in our lives for over 80 years and they will have to go.

Allsorts

I have tried and took three bags of clothes to a charity shop, I should never need to buy any more. I have about 20 handbags, none of them big enough to get all my stuff in, so virtually unused, why did I get them.
It's what to do with my Ercol furniture, it's in mint condition and I love it. I won't be taking it though. Also boxes of ornaments , not to my taste, Lladro etc. And copper, kettles etc all presents. Too good to just throw but I couldn't sell on line as get in a muddle buying on line.
Going to get ruthless now with my cooking utensils and gadgets

Oh, I'd love a small Ercol dining table and chairs for the new kitchen but even the older ones are at a premium price!

DH was hunting for a kitchen gadget the other day but I'm afraid a lot went out when the kitchen was refitted as we seem to have less space now.

Clothes - they need a cull.
Books - I am so reluctant but needs must at some point.
Yarn - keep on trying to use it but somehow the stash seems to grow.
Photos- boxes full so I might get a DD to help.

teabagwoman

*Karmalady*, thank you for running this thread. I rarely post on it but it has been an inspiration and I’m gradually clearing the decks. Haven’t done much recently, painful joints, medical appointments and looking after granddaughter, but must get back to it.

I know the feeling! Not that we look after DGC now, in fact one might be coming to help me as I have a fracture and can't vacuum.

Don’t shoot me down in flames but surely the necessary “companion” to decluttering is not buying /acquiring more stuff - whether that is charity shop shopping, filling the freezer, knitting, buying or sewing special garments eg for gardening (my gardening clothes =my old clothes) or buying gadgets when most kitchens could start up their own shop!
Eg I am constantly being told I should buy an Air Fryer, maybe, but along with my Kenwood, Magimix, soup maker, slow cooker, pressure cooker and (defunct ) ice cream maker, I fully intend to resist.
Yes, shopping and buying are pleasurable but if we are trying to cut down we shouldn’t be topping up at the other end!

RosieandherMaw

Don’t shoot me down in flames but surely the necessary “companion” to decluttering is not buying /acquiring more stuff - whether that is charity shop shopping, filling the freezer, knitting, buying or sewing special garments eg for gardening (my gardening clothes =my old clothes) or buying gadgets when most kitchens could start up their own shop!
Eg I am constantly being told I should buy an Air Fryer, maybe, but along with my Kenwood, Magimix, soup maker, slow cooker, pressure cooker and (defunct ) ice cream maker, I fully intend to resist.
Yes, shopping and buying are pleasurable but if we are trying to cut down we shouldn’t be topping up at the other end!

I agree with most of this, MrB is watching me like a hawk as I am the main collector of clutter. We have 2 kitchen appliances that we wouldn’t be without. One is the slow cooker which I use a lot in colder weather, the other is the air fryer. I bought a
Ninja when they were new on the market and MrB loves it’s used just about every day. If they break or become worn out we replace them and the old one goes to the tip,

Clutter isn’t necessarily gadgets. Mine is mainly things from my children’s childhood. My kids never wanted to visit my parents because there was nothing for them to play with whereas they liked going to their father’s parents home because he had old toys there; Bayko, Meccano etc. So I hung onto toys. Also my mum threw everything of mine away when I left home: my books, my toys. I spent decades trying to find some of those books and, each time I found one the emotion I felt on reading those words and seeing those pictures was overwhelming. Pre internet, the book search I used told me that many people told them that they reacted in the same way. It was as if I’d only put the book down five minutes ago, they were so imprinted in my mind. It left me not wanting to throw anything away. I’ve got a shelf full of Ladybird books and lots of old Fisher Price toys. I just love them; I find them aesthetically pleasing. I have no need of them but can’t bring myself to part with them.

MayBee

I recycle both the jars and their lids, but separately. Also bottles and their tops, also separately.

I know many bottles etc say to ‘rinse and leave tops on’, but our council definitely says to separate them. It’s in big letters on the side of the recycling lorry, as well as on the website. I know other councils have differing attitudes.

I also know what you mean about old childhood books and toys. I have all my old Bunty annuals still, in the loft, tatty, browning, missing an odd cover, but I only have to turn a page and I am transported back to being 6 or 7 years old, sharing The Dancing Life Of Moira Kent, The Four Marys and Katy O’ Connor, Student Nurse.

I can remember the stories oh so vividly.

I am doing a lot of declutterring, but I think the Buntys will still be there for DS and DD to throw in the skip, eventually.

My Mother was the same MayBee only she didn’t wait for me to leave home. I did manage to hang on to some books, mostly ones I won as prizes at school.