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...

Lemon I love the 20/10 thing. I've done three lots of 20/10 this morning and it has made me feel so positive. The house is clean plus I've got a bag of rubbish from around house to go into recycling. I think I'm going to make myself a tea and go and do another 20/10.

*So when I started slowly decluttering I had a "to ebay" box. Which grew and grew, which took over the hallway and which became a huge physical and mental obstacle to me.

I felt a huge personal burden to 'ebay' this stuff, to claw some money back, to build up my PayPal account etc - and why not? I had lots of great stuff to sell, some of it new. I had at least £200 sitting there, probably more.

My point is it became another obstacle, another HUGE blockage in the route to decluttering, and to sorting out my flat.

So if you can just list it, sell it, post it - no problems. But if like me, the duty/obligation "to ebay" becomes an obstacle/burden on your decluttering journey, then I would recommend just taking it ALL to the charity shop.

I cannot describe to huge sense of relief and positivity that came from giving myself permission to let someone else sell it & earn money for charity. I don't think I'd be at the point I am today if I hadn't done that. *

This. This is me. I'm bagging it all up and taking it to the charity shop this afternoon. I'm fed up of it looking at me

Yep, it drives me crazy. It's not as if there is loads of stuff, he's not a hoarder, I know others have a lot worse to deal with. It's just frustrating.

What is the 20/10 thing? Intrigued!

YY another one with an Ebay 'obligation'. I now take it to the charity shop and am happy to think the money is going to their work (plus gift aid).

We took the bags we sorted out yesterday to the shop today. It's mainly clothing and mainly in good nick. DM is coming round to stay tonight so won't be doing any more today, but I'm already making plans... there are some presents I've been hanging on to for years which are on my hit list.

DH is a hoarder, which is very frustrating. Mmm....

Yay SheSparkles

Please report back after the (personal) revolution!!

Art re 20/10 see - MinimalistMommi Wed 17-Apr-13 11:12:22

Sunny - what's happening with those tights? Are they in the bin yet?

BeCool I love that you are on here giving missions and keeping at people so they don't waver. Loving your style!

Lemon Cheers! I'm taking wee MN breaks as I work and wondering if there could possibly be a job where I get to wander around the www all day and get well paid?

I'm aware of the major advantage I have in having my own personal cheerleader on this "deep cleaning decluttering get home in order" mission I'm on - she makes me feel like I CAN DO IT! I get excited. I just want to pass some of that on. (I'm bossy by nature can't you tell?)

I also use the Flylady system, it's made a huge difference as I'm no longer looking at an entire house. Bite size chunks are sooo much more manageable. I understand the eBay blockage, I used to get that with recycling. Selling things here in Chile is much harder, so it all gets donated. Some people have said I could sell it when we move back, but that means hoarding, oops I meant storing, it and then paying to ship it back, and then get rid of it. If we sell the house here.

hello!
I have been following this threat but havent posted on it.. until now :-)
I have been having BIG clearout. Monday, I went to the skip 5 times. Taken about 15 bags of clothes to charity.. just got rid of all of ds, now 5 baby clothes and all the other baby "stuff".. have also being ebaying.
getting rid of other stuff following divorce... I originally put it in the loft so i didnt have reminders and memories and now it is getting sorted through.. not so painful now, just a little sad...
My attic has been mamoth, stuff from 10 yrs ago.. after going to skip so many times, it hardly looked and different!
anyway i am keeping going.... imagining a clear loft bar xmas decorations!
good luck everyone.. i sorted another 5 bags of rubbish today and 2 bags of clothes for charity..:-)

Waves to all, I've cleared out my work room and got rid of tons of stuff. Once my fabric stash is at a manageable size I shall only be buying fabric for projects and then doing them.

LovingMyRoomNowTiggaxx

Well done both Tigga and Cappucino

hello all newbies!

Sigh! - some of these old habits are harder to break than others.

cappuccinodays you must really be starting to see a big difference!!

BeCool I hesitated to use the word bossy, as didn't want to be rude, but sometimes that is what people need. Someone being a bit forthright with them and telling them to let go.

Oh yes, the ebay obligation thing

I have got over it very quickly really. I am Queen Charity Donator on our high street now.

Adora I am very clumsy anyway, especially at the end of holidays and catching up on work, but I think DH may smell a rat if 10 chipped plates suddenly had an accident But you're absolutely right about not wanting chipped things in our fantasy cottage.

I think we need a mini support thread for those of us trying to do this with DPs who hoard / get in the way. DH and I had a row yesterday about pans. It has been on-going and is so inane it is driving me to distraction. We bought an induction hob, after much debate as he didn't want to replace pans (despite my offer to buy him nice new pans). Long story short I bought new pans (with my money), he pitched a fit, and I've dug my heals in. The solution is to have his and hers pans. I kid you not. I have a drawer and he has a drawer. His are not dishwasher safe and don't work on our new hob without a plate thing to go under the pan. If he thinks I'm going to wash them he is insane. Also his don't all fit in his drawer which I don't think he's figured out yet. I've hit the end of my rope entertaining his stupid attachment to pans though. I think this is the first impasse we've had in our marriage and I am very curious to see how long he'll keep up with washing his own pans.

Hello all. Just back after unexpected dash down to see dps. Dad is no longer critical ( thanks to mum and carers going in and actually feeding him and getting medication down him?) but is still quite poorly. Mum is exhausted but finding it hard to sleep and when she couldn't sleep spent time clearing out cupboards and finding random crap interesting things to give to me and my sister. I managed to only come back with one book so I didn't think that was too bad considering! ( Mum especially wanted me to have it as her mother had given it to her when I was born!!)
Guess what though - now "shunt consultant" is back off holiday, the consultant who is looking after my Dad's general hospital care and whom I spoke to last Friday is now ...on holiday!! Meanwhile the GP who manages the ward dad is on ( GP lead community hospital) is now back off holiday! Dad is currently in community hospital S, he needs a brain scan at hospital G ( 8 miles away) and then a possible trip to hospital F (30 miles away) to see shunt consultant if he thinks from the result of scan that if might be worth turning up his shunt! We are hoping the appointments will happen quickly!!

I'll be back to catch up properly on this thread when I'm less at sixes and sevens.

Is done!

And yes, I feel a LOT better for getting it out of the house!

Sounds like some great progress is going on with everyone.

I can't manage to do much during the week as work and after school stuff etc takes up too much time.

I have however drawn up a hit list of the areas in the house that needs tackling and if it's a big job then broken it down into more manageable jobs. I love crossing things off lists. DH and I write a list on a Friday evening of all the jobs we want to get done over the weekend, even the small stuff like cleaning the shoes. It means that either of us can look at the list and pick a job suited to the amount of time we have. It's great to look at the list on a Sunday evening and see all that has been achieved.

I wish I had a surplus of tights! Struggled to find a matching pair of knee highs this morning

Just saw an advert for a new series of "The hoarder next door" on channel 4 starting Monday at 9.00pm. I thought it could be quite motivational, lol!!!!

Glad your dad's improving Arti, hope your hospital appointments go smoothly and produce the results you need.

I haven't posted much but have been following this thread and found it really inspiring. Thanks so much to you all! BeCool you are great at keeping everyone going!

I also have small children and since their arrival have found it hard to keep the 'stuff' under control, despite being a tidy person by nature. Since reading this thread and a couple of the blogs that were linked, I have decluttered:

• the bathroom cabinet - chucked really old bottles stuck at the back
• the bath toys - chucked really old manky ones and donated a few newish ones (the remainder fit in their storage box now!)
• my wardrobe - huge bag of my old work clothes to go to charity
• DS3's drawer - bag of last summer's clothes given to a friend's toddler
• the toddler shoe pile - big bag taken to recycling point
• two coats hanging on side of wardrobe - not worn for years - gone to oxfam
• paperwork from a course I did - mostly chucked but a few key papers filed away