De-cluttering, still at it, still no end

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must confess to having fallen off the decluttering wagon at the library book sale...
In my defence, I was left unsupervised.

It was a good day to be doing the garage, temperature was just right and I have done well, mostly it was compost that went out ie on the garden. Some more tools in the car for the allotment.

Boxes stored for a long time ie memories of box-hunting from my ebay selling days, they have been collapsed and are in recycling. Bubble wrap gone to the tip

Indoors I grabbed all my knitting paperbacks that are magazine-sized, like laine and Kim Hargreaves. Many are old, too `designer` too young for me, too fancy to knit, too many colours etc. I took a heavy load of them to the recycling centre just now. I cba to lug them down to the cs

Feeling satisfied tbh and done more than expected today. I won`t miss those books

I moved a few things in the garage and there is more empty space. I still want to do two top shelves but need to be in the mood. It feels better in there

M0nica

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!

Personally, I am not a shopper and I can get all my clothes, bar winter coats into a standard wardrobe and goodsized chest of drawers and I have empty drawers and cupboards in very bedroom bar our own, but when you are down sizing from a house with 2,600 sq ft of space to one with 1500 sq ft, It is not just a case of decluttering.

It means clearing rooms of furniture because there are fewer rooms in your new home, and they are smaller. It is getting rid of furniture, paintings and ornaments that are integral to your current home and have been much a much loved part of your home for decades. Furniture etc that you will really miss when it goes, but has to, because there is no where to put it in your new smaller home

I so agree MOnica. We are currently in the process of downsizing and it seems like I am having to get rid of so many things and memories of our lives here because they ‘just won’t fit’ into our new place. It’s a very emotional and upsetting thing to have to do.

I took 2 large, old and cheap watering cans and a couple more tools to my allotment yesterday. Today I bought a new watering can, Burgon and Ball for home. I bought the 5 litre can last year and the 9 litre can this morning. The old plastic cans remaining at home have not got much life left and anyway I do love my good watering cans, so efficient to use, easy on the muscles

4 items out and one in, not bad

Trouble is that these new cans are so good, I store them in the garage from autumn to spring. The plastic ones are always out

No time for decluttering today as I had the DGC here busying themselves in the greenhouse and garden. After that I viewed a flat for sale. "You wouldn't like a flat Granny" said the 10yr old "you need a garden and a pottery"
The flat is lovely and has a garden and is actually very roomy. It's on the first floor so not so easy as I get older.

I was doing my best to be one in and one out with cleaning products but miele sent me an e mail with a good sales offer and soon I will have 3 large bottles of special wool wash. It would be stupid not to when I use that product often. It did not stop at wool wash btw

Then we are advised to hoard tins as metal prices will be rising, so I did buy 12 of this and 12 of that, all online of course, good products that I will definitely use. Good chocolate is going up steeply due to general problems so now I have a stash of dark chocolate, which I eat every day

I put it down to being a good housekeeper

I want to work in the garage, to see what I can remove but quite honestly I think I am down to bare bones. I do use tools and do maintenance if not too heavy or too high

Oh yes, I do have an area I can work on, some specialist garden stuff that I will no longer use. That might well free-up a whole shelf. Covers for frames for my vegtrugs. I no longer have the frames so why keep the covers?

DH is valiantly sorting away in the garage.

Big pile of scrap.

He also said that he has put some of my late dad’s ‘vintage’ tools to go in our next car boot sale, hope I don’t mind.

Dad died in 1972, so no, we have hoarded them long enough.

I have been in the loft, have put some curtains and a throw aside for said car boot sale, plus various bits and bobs, a wicker log basket that we have no use for, but it was made by the blind at St Dunstans, and I feel reluctant to part with it.

Must harden my heart though.

Not sure if I posted this on another thread but a little girl came to visit us a few weeks ago and I apologised that we had few toys left, not even any Sindys.
She told me that was ok, she'd given away her Barbies because she's too old for them now. She's eight.

Grammaretto

That sounds like the horrid boy next door in Toy Story!

Grammaretto

I had a cruel unsentimental mother who made me give away all my dolls and soft toys when I was about 11 to the next door neighbours' small children. I could see them from my window burying them in the sandpit.
I think I'm still traumatised!

I knew a little boy who had all of his cudllies taken away from him when he reached a certain age ( can’t remember what it was but wasn’t all that old) because he was now ‘too old for them’ .

You’ve all inspired me to get started declutter.

I had a cruel unsentimental mother who made me give away all my dolls and soft toys when I was about 11 to the next door neighbours' small children. I could see them from my window burying them in the sandpit.
I think I'm still traumatised!

Your Teddy sounds in better shape than my Teddy Calendargirl 🙂

After I read valdavi's post, I too thought that I might ask for him to go on to the next journey with me!

Allira

^I've just sold my teddybear that I had since I was born^

No one would buy my teddy.

He is very shabby and the stuffing is coming out of his feet and tummy, but he is over 70 years old.

He sits on a little unit in the corner of our bedroom, one of his glass eyes is damaged, he probably has ‘bear cataracts’.

I only thought recently that I must tell DH that if I go first, Teddy could go alongside me in my coffin.

We shall be company for one another on our final journey.

(Hope this doesn’t sound too morbid, but what would the family do with him anyhow? Just skip him probably)

That, for me, would be a sale too far.

I've just sold my teddybear that I had since I was born

I've just sold my teddybear that I had since I was born (present from a long-departed uncle). Poor thing is probably in some postal depot tonight but hope he gets a good home.
DH said "Hands off my teddy" so Dad's Ted is in an old suitcase in the loft.
I have done quite a bit in the last few months but DH would much rather I left the loft stuffed to the eaves than sell or give away anything, so I have his silent disapproval to contend with as well as my lack of willpower.

When my partners mother died he gave her G Plan sideboard to a charity shop just as MCC furniture was becoming sought after. I hope they got a good price for it and it wasn’t snapped up by a dealer.

I have just received notification from Anglo Doorstep Collections that they will be in my area next week. I have used them twice before when decluttering and they are always prompt and efficient. It has given me motivation to do some decluttering during the weekend.

Thank you teabagwoman.You May be right.

Downsizing on that scale is miserable, MOnica. Bad luck. A horrid phase. I still mourn furniture that we had to dispose of and sometimes still feel unreasonably hurt that the adult DC didn't want things. Oh well...

A few years ago DD had a fire in their large outhouse/barn where they stored big toys, garden seating, tools, Christmas decorations etc. They lost a lot.

The family and friends were rallying round to replace things and even cash from my sister. DD told her aunt not to bother but to give the money to a homeless charity.
"We have so much". She said.

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!

Personally, I am not a shopper and I can get all my clothes, bar winter coats into a standard wardrobe and goodsized chest of drawers and I have empty drawers and cupboards in very bedroom bar our own, but when you are down sizing from a house with 2,600 sq ft of space to one with 1500 sq ft, It is not just a case of decluttering.

It means clearing rooms of furniture because there are fewer rooms in your new home, and they are smaller. It is getting rid of furniture, paintings and ornaments that are integral to your current home and have been much a much loved part of your home for decades. Furniture etc that you will really miss when it goes, but has to, because there is no where to put it in your new smaller home

I almost died 8 weeks ago after a sudden and shocking collapse. No way am I leaving this for MrB to cope with. Don’t need it, it’s gone, either tip or charity warehouse. I’m finding it cathartic 😊

I thought of buying a good quality (but not too expensive) capsule wardrobe and getting rid of most of the other stuff!