De-cluttering, still at it, still no end

I’ve given up trying to declutter. With husband like mine impossible. He proudly said to someone the other day I have thrown very little away since we got married. The other day I replaced a toaster that moved with us at least ten years ago and it was far from new then. One had to stand and hold the handle down for it to slowly toast. It was put to go to tip / recycling. It was rescued and I found it just chucked in a shed.

Looking through my collection of vases, some for actual flowers and some as ornaments, I am going to sort a few for our next car boot.

Also had some old demijohns in the garage. We use a couple for sloe gin, but we don’t need so many.

Have soaked them with dishwasher tablets, they have come up sparkling.

I have looked up prices on E Bay, and will take a spare one or two to the CB. Not going to give them away, however, as they look quite ‘sellable’.

We’ll see.

I get this, decluttering really does feel never-ending.

One thing I realized is the hardest part is stuff that still has value. You don’t want to throw it, but also don’t know where to sell it.

What helped me a bit was not trying to sell everything in one place. Different resellers give better prices for different things. If you go to just one, they usually lowball because they treat everything the same.

It’s still a slow process, but this made it a little easier for me. I went through something similar when my grandmother passed. We had things like a working stairlift and medical equipment—stuff that still had value, but I also wanted it to go to the right person who actually needed it.

Thank you.

I was determined. Absolutely determined.

It was a case of, if I dont start now[this was 6 years ago], other commitments, or bad health may have stopped me further on.
Thankfully, neither has happened so far.
I did think though, it would take 1 year, 2 at most!

Fancythat I like the way you quietly plod on with the task. Well done you

The change of seasons is being helpful, I was wanting to wear layers today and 2 of my tops are just too tight, they are leaving my wardrobe. I cannot be doing with being uncomfortable in clothes and I am definitely not putting them back

It was washing that did it tbh, some fabrics shrink on more than one wash plus I was optimistic when I made them

I should perhaps repeat I am 6 years into my declutter[dont things at my own pace].

I have basically one bedroom left to do.
About 3 boxes of who knows what in corners of room.
Still some paperwork.
And as much as loft as I can bother to do.[some of it kids'stuff[some of which should be given back very shortly].

I stopped buying, ages ago.
As I have done 90%[perhaps 85%] of the declutter, I now know I may not need any more towels[did think that 20 years ago, so may get that wrong], clothes[but I cringe at the thought of wearing things I have worn to weddings, when I am in my 90s!], and a few other things. Like envelopes!

I cannot believe how much “stuff” I’ve accumulated (& still am 😱😱)

I need to 1) declutter 2) stop buying stuff

Finally!!! I managed to do a first stage de-clutter of my wardrobe and 5 garments are now in the salvation army clothes bank. 4 unworn for whatever reason, one was a lovely hand- made unworn quilted jacket with a tie. I spent many hours making that but quilted is not for me

My wardrobes are the most difficult part of current de-cluttering. Brushed cotton pyjamas were easy, won out jeans were easy. The right thing to do now is to wear things and they will go if I avoid wearing them

Polyester will go if I find any more, which I doubt. Two new warm lands end fleecy polyester went this morning. Someone may be glad of them

I’ve gone through a load of closed bank accounts, torn them up ready for the incinerator.

Feel quite satisfied, progress made.

I am tidying, "normal" areas recently.

Needed a notelet. Found two. Plus a pad of writing paper.
As you can tell, I use neither, regularly.

But how did I previously not notice quite how many envelops we have? Of various sizes?
About 250?

This is the type of clearout thing I tend to deal with. Small stuff.

Oh Cabbie, I loved Budapest!
Of course, this post is me distracting myself from the Great British Declutter which should be my focus..

My son is going to Budapest next week so I dug out my file of stuff from my visit there almost 20 years ago. A trip down memory lane. Glad I kept it!

We try and do a car boot sale once a year. I am in the process of gathering up ‘stuff’ to (hopefully) sell.

Sorted through my jewellery box, several pairs of (cheap, fashion) earrings, necklaces etc. I think they might go, people seem to like stuff like that.

A few pounds and 50p’s here and there add up, and help with the decluttering.

I've just delivered a heavy bag of 100
year old lace and other items to our local university textiles archive. They were so pleased, I am so happy. The students will grab anything not suitable. I'm now sorting out a box of ribbon remnants and early to mid century buckles. None of my family want them. And I so enjoyed watching the students going in and out while I was waiting for my contact . The charity shops don't want this sort of thing round here. They told me they just want household stuff

Have spent quite a bit of time the last couple of days going through my box files of various paperwork.

Chucked out lots of birthday, mothers and Father’s Day cards, I’ve reduced them in the past, but have now thrown out nearly all of them. What’s the point in keeping them?

I now have a goodly number of the plain reverse of the cards, great for shopping lists. Enough to last me for years though.

Every little helps though in the constant declutter of life.

A new, much needed, long coat is ordered, very suitable for the mucky lanes here. One in-one out has to be my mantra, I keep reminding myself, difficult at time but far too easy for clutter to accumulate

I will be scouring wardrobes today. I think I have a candidate to go, a thick towelling dressing gown but to feel as though I really am de-cluttering, I need to find one or two more items. Got to be single-minded, so I can progress

We know *Cabbie*, what the children would have to go through while not knowing much about the ins and outs of our paperwork. It was a job done with a lot of love. I even made a list of any bank or building society that I use for savings even the dribs and drabs. I am storing a bit of cash too, enough to help with immediate expenses, having seen several people sitting in the registrars waiting room after bereavement. I bet some had to scrape the money together to pay for the certificates

I will start the shredding today. I felt much more at ease this morning, now that my case of files is done

The kettle, so far so good, the hob kettle has a loud whistle and is not wasting any energy. I will be putting kitchen aid kettle into the garage, out of sight, cleaned up as it still works well. I think it may go to an AC in due course. I am loving the extra kitchen-top space

Best of all I am seeing spaces appear, very slowly but nevertheless, they are appearing. This slow and steady is working

I tackled paperwork today. I always have in mind what my children will have to go through one day. It is a huge task.

I noticed that my local hospice shop was getting rid of neat bags of donations yesterday Cabbie and the other cs was full to bursting

It took me 3 years but *finally*, I did my paperwork today, two big zipped files and stored in a small suitcase. It nearly killed me, took over 5 hours and I was utterly shattered. I have used many more poly pockets and the indexes are working but I had so much out of date stuff

It will be a lot easier to file future paperwork. I now have a lot of paperwork to shred over the next week or so

I was dreading this job and with good reason

I cleared out a cupboard and loaded the boot to take to a charity shop in the next town where I can park right outside. Imagine my disappointment when they weren’t taking any donations. So frustrating as there is more than I can carry to the local shops.

I don`t have much kitchen worktop space and do have a big chunky artisan kitchen aid kettle, 5 years old. On the spur of the moment, two years ago I bought a neat le creuset stove top kettle. meaning to use that instead

I am trialing that today, have put the overlarge artisan away for now in a cupboard. So far so good. I see a lot of extra worktop space but miss the convenience. I will need to measure water into the stovetop kettle

Another upside is much better energy efficiency with much less mass. Fingers crossed that the new system works for me

Wrap the salmon in the paper as you might a present, tucking the ends underneath . They will stay in place without any problem.
Delia suggests the following cooking times
cutting the fat in your diet, steaming fish is definitely for you. You can use either a traditional fan or bamboo steamer. I think steaming – as oriental cooks have discovered – is particularly good for rolled fillets of plaice, sole or trout, as they retain their shape perfectly and remain beautifully moist. Add about 2 inches (5 cm) of boiling water to the saucepan, then fit the steamer over, making sure it doesn't come into contact with the water, and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
Steaming guidelines are

Whole Dover sole, lemon sole or plaice weighing 10-12 oz (275-350 g) will take 7-8 minutes
* Rolled fillets of the above will take 7-8 minutes
* Rolled fillets of trout will take 7-8 minutes
* White or smoked fish, steaks and fillets weighing 6-7 oz (175-200 g) will take 8-10 minutes

That's an idea I'd not even thought of - ie steaming salmon in parchment paper. Tips on how to please? eg how long/how to ensure the paper stays wrapped round it etc.

A bit more done yesterday, I never set out to do it but I did get rid on my oldest small air fryer, yes I know, silly me bought two while they were cheap. Plus I am slowly chucking out the sistema soup mugs after defrosting the soups in them.

Meanwhile I am training myself to go back to the basic old way of steaming veg in my le creuset tri ply metal steamer, together with eg salmon wrapped in parchment paper. That set up consists of steamers over a casserole dish and I can make two steamer layers. That was very good so I can now get rid of two large sistema veg steamers, to the cs with those when I finally decide

Yesterday I made rice and beans and extra to freeze, the 400ml tatay glass dishes with lids are being useful. It is all about me turning the clock back a bit

I have been ignoring paperwork, not too high a pile and all safe. I am completely not in the mood for that. I will do it one day