Out with the old and in with - NOTHING! Further adventures in minimalism.

[MrsPennyapple]

Following on from the Minimalist Journey and Minimalist Quiche threads. The journey continues...

Ok. About an hour ago I saw a message on our local facebook Freecycle page that someone was looking for bedding, including pillows. I knew we had some in the spare room, but since we have just sold the double bed that was in there, I knew they were no longer needed. I thought there were four pillows. I told the guy he could have them, and went up to get them. DH was in the spare room, and confirmed that there were four, but said we'd need them for DD when she moves into that room. I reminded him that she currently has zero pillows, so will hardly be needing four when she goes into a bed. So one needed for DD, and one of the better ones needed as bf support when DC2 is born. I got them out of the cupboard, turned out there were five. Then I went in DD's room and found another two. So I put aside what we need to keep, and bagged up the rest for the Freecycle guy. All good.

Now, can anyone tell me why we had SEVEN old, unused pillows kicking around, when I'm supposed to have decluttered all the obvious stuff already?

Because the more you declutter, the more you find to declutter?? :)

I have yet to do a pillow audit. I know we have at least 4 spares kicking around, and that's without the attic.

I keep two spares deliberately and have two extra on my bed, just in case we ever have four guests staying at a time, which is the most we could have and only happens once every couple of years.

All rubbish, recycling and unnecessary paperwork out. Also found some name tags with DS's name on; the type you sew on to uniforms. Well, I can't really sew and I just write his name on the existing labels, so why keep them? I think I held on to them for more than a year!

Also got rid of a kite DS never really liked and admitted was slightly broken, with his permission. And we had a talk about the book he is currently reading, but not enjoying. His friend gave it to him as a present, so he felt he ought to keep it when he's finished, but I convinced him it can go to the charity shop, where someone else may find it and enjoy it. Progress!

artemis / anyone, can you link to the CD selling website?

CremeEgg, you're on fire! I'm .

I haven't done any decluttering this weekend but we have done LOADS in the garden.

Now the garden and I don't mix very well, LimeLeaff. I wish we did!

Try www.musicmagpie.com.

I used music magpie, if you have books then I think Zapper take both books and CDs too!

www.musicmagpie.co.uk/

I posted earlier about not being sure whether someone who had responded to my giveaways on a web site being genuine. Well I decided to go ahead seeing as no-one else had responded and I'm glad I did. I met the chap outside the local bakery and he is probably about 70 and said it was for his grandchildren. Even if it isn't and he is planning to sell on, it doesn't matter. He's probably got more time and less disposable income than me.

New shoes in, old shoes out.

Dh managed to buy two Round Pyrex dishes with lids and a new caffatierre (sp?) as I lost the bolt on his old one when cleaning it. In his defence, he did try to get just a bolt to replace it but even our independent hardware
Store had nothing that size. Dh did say I could take it to boot sale next time as someone may make use of it if they just need the glass jug or something.

Not entirely sure about the Pyrex as they are round and all the Tesco ones I got (big ones at that) are rectangular. But they are a good size for cottage pie etc for the dc. And I'll get rid of our similar sized plastic bowls with lids to compensate.

Am off to a friends today with a load of ds1's too small clothes. So all good really. More out than in at the moment.

Thanks for links / recommendations!

Help me out with jewellery please. I am not a jewellery person but I have not thrown anything out since my teens. I don't know what has value and what doesn't. Most if it is tat. By value I mean the potential for small earrings to be silver or gold.
How do I get rid? Metal recycling is so important but I just don't know how or what.

Try one of those pawn breaker places, although you will get more for gold than silver, hobnob57.

Got rid of some old BBQ tongs and forks, as I never have barbecues, and some stained wooden spoons. Replaced the wooden spoons with a new set.

Right, going to see if Specsavers want two old pairs of glasses, give a cookery book to a pal who works in a cafe and post the Wii, balance board and games to Amazon.

hobnob Get it all out (ha!) on a table in strong daylight or under a bright lamp and see if you can spot any hallmarks on it (925 for silver, 375 or 750 for gold are most common). Any numbers/letters you see, google them to see what they mean. I had a necklace with 14k on it which turned out to be 14 carat gold (sold it to tesco, see below!)

If you have any gold/silver at all, I'd recommend the tesco gold exchange - it's free to send off your stuff (they send you a RM special delivery kit in the post so it's all insured etc) and they give you a quote by email within a couple of days. If you don't want to sell it after you've seen the quote then they send it back by special delivery for free.

The fact that it's free to get it checked (they confirm if it is real gold/silver) and you get a free quote was what attracted me to them and I was really pleased with the money I got for old tatty bits of jewellery. They even take odd earrings/broken stuff as they are in it for the metal.

Did mammoth charity shop run today - got rid of huge pile of stuff in the hall. music magpie people coming for box of 40 CDs on Thursday too. Posted off 10 packages to eBay customers - 7 things didn't sell though
Decided not to re-subscribe to a magazine as it tends to build up and clutter the living room, will try to think of ways I can still read it without bringing it into the house.

When we lived in the sticks I had a subscription to a weekly news round up/review magazine. Now I can get it at the local library. I can't take the current issue home but I can take the previous week's. DC have an activity near the library so it's no problem to go regularly. Hence I get to read it a week behind (but I was usually a week behind when I had the subscription).

Right, chaos has taken over in the past two days, I have a relative visiting who has brought some lovely items down that I would use and need, but I have nowhere at the minute to put them and so the house is a tip. I've also got a large aeroplane model on the worktop and new clothes for the DCs and I.

I have got rid of a lot of my old clothes, and DS1's clothes have been sorted so all the small clothes are away for DS2.

I probably should get off Mumsnet and start tidying and sorting again. Half term is always a problem.

Thanks for gold tip Artemis I have an unused wedding ring that is cluttering up the place :)

Chazzer tomorrow with books, handbags and gubbins. And the tip with crap from the garden - woot!