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Housekeeping

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Original poster

I am drowning in a sea of clothes

22 replies

IllegallyBrunette · 24/07/2008 10:53

Mostly clean ones, but washing basket is also bursting at the seams.

I have an ottoman full of clean clothes and then 3 baskets full too, plus little piles dotted around the house

I don't even know what it is in some of the baskets as the stuff has been in there so long.

HELP

OP posts:
Cappuccino · 24/07/2008 10:55

what do you want us to do exactly?

ComeOVeneer · 24/07/2008 10:57

Charity shop.

Cies · 24/07/2008 10:58

OK, you have to be strict with yourself.

A friend has a great tip. Go through the clothes, be brutally honest, and say 'when did I last wear this?'

If the answer is 'more than a year ago' put the offending item in a black plastic bag and send it to the charity shop.

Then, ask yourself, 'do I like how I look in this item? ' I have so many things that I wear when everything else is dirty or unironed, that just do nothing for me. Again, charity shop.

If you can't bear to throw it away just yet, bag it all up, put it in the attic or somewhere hidden, and in six months ask yourself if you've actually missed it.

Original poster
IllegallyBrunette · 24/07/2008 13:20

I don't know Capp LOL

I think I need to definatly go through the whole lot, as some of it can definatly be sent to charity or given to friends etc.

Will start that tommorow after kids have been swimming.

There is just so much, it is overwhelming.

OP posts:
KnickersOnMaHead · 24/07/2008 13:23

Message withdrawn

crokky · 24/07/2008 13:33

GET RID!

Send bagloads to charity shop. If prob to get there, some will pickup from your house if you ring them.

My DD is 4 months. She has 10 babygros and 10 vests. Thats it! My DS is 2. He has 10 tops and 10 bottoms and few pairs of socks and a coat. Thats it! Everything they are not wearing goes immediately to friends with similar aged children or charity shops or eBay. I have nothing outgrown and nothing to grow into for either of them.

KnickersOnMaHead · 24/07/2008 13:59

Message withdrawn

Original poster
IllegallyBrunette · 24/07/2008 16:04

I think we do have too much, mainly caused by the fact that there is always that much ironing that I can't see what we do have.

We go on hols in Sept and so I need to get the clothes sorted so I can work out if anyone does need anything or not.

OP posts:
SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 24/07/2008 16:25

thats just lazy ib how can you live with clothes everywhere? sorry hang on a minute dd is shouting for me..........

sorry you were saying?

my radiator leaked all over all the clothes i had heaped stored neatly under some drawers in my bedroom so they all need washing again and now my washing basket has taken over the bathroom and my living room sofa is piled with ironing as well as the two huge sacks of clothes that dont fit the dds anymore shoved behind the sofa so i know exactly how you feel ib!!

orangina · 24/07/2008 16:27

car boot sale?

Original poster
IllegallyBrunette · 24/07/2008 17:02

LOL Seashells, that sounds just like a conversation that would happen here

Can't really do a carboot as have no car, but i think I am going to see if I can list some stuff on ebay, as I could do with the extra cash thanks to latest electric bill

OP posts:
Ivegotaheadache · 26/07/2008 11:26

I don't have a dirty washing basket, I have a dirty washing floor. I've got so much washing to do that it all spills out onto the floor then more clothes get chucked on top.
The ironing basket is just a place where clean crumpled clothes are stored as no amount of ironing ever seems to make any difference to the mountain.

I've got a huge pile of odd socks which gets moved about in my bedroom, I have never found any of their partners but am not able to throw them out in case it turns up when I get round to cleaning the dd's rooms.

I just don't know what to do with it all (obviously washing and ironing and putting them all away is not an option much better to spend my time on MN moaning about it )

CarGirl · 26/07/2008 11:30

the mistake you're making is IRONING!!!! HOnestly I use a 900 spin hang everything up straight away, onto hangers where possible, let it dry put it away. We probably have 10 items between 6 of use that may occasionally need iron - it is bliss saves hours and very eco friendly and is cheaper on electricity too.

JackieNo · 26/07/2008 11:33

Absolutely - don't iron anything, unless it's linen, or work shirts. Dry it flat, fold it, and once it's been on for a few minutes, you'd never know whether it's been ironed or not.

CarGirl · 26/07/2008 11:36

also when I buy clothes I take into account whether they will really need ironing or not.

DisenchantedPlusBump · 26/07/2008 11:38

snap!!

this is me!

Am getting rid of at least half of it this weekend!

Dalrymps · 26/07/2008 11:47

This is also me, I am currently staring at 2 big blue ikea bags full of clean washing on the chair opposite me. Thats just a start, there are about 3 bin bags of ds's clothes that he has grown out of and need to go up the loft in what is supposed to be his bedroom, but, it is so full of useless crap at the moment that he is still sleeping in our room.
Our room is also littered with piles of clean washing that probably need washing again now as they haven't been put in our wadrobes due to the fact the piles of washing are blocking the wadrobe doors!
I think i'm just going to charity it all and live in a sack.

glitterchick · 26/07/2008 11:51

OMG - I thought that was just a problem I had. I gotta say that I had piles of clothes, all clean, just piled everywhere. The only way to you will ever get rid is bite bullet and take 1 day and loads of plastic bags. Load them all up and get to charity. It is a full days job - don't do anything else on that day just clothes. You won't know yourself. Good Luck.

PotPourri · 26/07/2008 11:53

You need to be ruthless, imagine trinny and suzanna are there - go through every pile with a few baskets/bin bags.

Without a second glance split them into

  1. I love this and wear it
  2. I love this but don't wear it (sentimental, doesn't fit any more etc)
  3. I have never liked this if I am honest

Then go through 2 again and limit yourself to half of what was there. Then what is left of 2 and 3, split them into would be suitable for someone else (Charity) and past it (bin)

And never look back in teh bag or you will take some out again. It is so revitalising to clear out - honestly it is well worth it.

Ivegotaheadache · 26/07/2008 11:57

I do try hang up as soon as the wash is finished but at the time when the wash is finished I'm usually doing something else so the washing sits for ages til I get round to it. It has been known to sit in the machine til the next day and I have to rinse it again .

A few times however, I have taken it straight out and shaken the clothes and smoothed them before drying ect, but I still don't think they are particularly crease free and so will want to iron them.
Doesn't help that I stopped using fabric conditioner because of ds's eczema.

I try to cut down on the amount of clothes we have and I tell myself that we will just wear what we have until we outgrow it all, but then along comes the Next sale and there I am buying more stuff.

CarGirl · 26/07/2008 12:40

On my machine the cotton spin is more intensive than the synthetic spin (even if you select the same speed) so I have to sselect the right spin IYSWIM. I've started using soap nuts to make my clothes softer rather than use conditioner and it's helped.

SqueakyPop · 26/07/2008 13:30

Pick 2 hours and do some ironing. Don't stop until the 2 hours is up. Do it in front of the TV.

Dirty ones are easy to deal with - stick them in the washing maching. Get your kids to help.

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