We have lived in our little house since 1974 and have accumulated far too much of this and that over the years. For some time now I've been sending loads to various op shops where they've been gratefully accepted. I even sold a lot of items on eBay which netted me quite a good return. I have made a point of not bringing much new into the house except essentials such as food and perhaps new sheets etc., when needed. Our linen cupboard is stocked well and we have far too many clothes and are busy going through them; they never seem to wear out but just get older.
No matter how hard I try we still seem to be surrounded by too much clutter. I was sitting (should have been sorting of course) thinking about this and my mind wandered back to when I lived with my folks.
There never seemed to be anything of excess in our/their home. Both my parents (and me too) read books regularly but we did not have a bookcase or more than perhaps a dozen books in the house. The library supplied all our reading matter so no need to store them at home. We had a gramophone but not a large number of records (I still have that gramophone and need to find a home for it). The home on their farm was destroyed by fire before I was born so no family heirlooms to worry about. They just didn't accumulate unnecessary 'stuff'.
I don't remember them having much paperwork at all so what did they do with their household receipts etc? I have always kept receipts and relevant documents but am now beginning to shred them and am only keeping the last receipt of anything as there is proof of payment in our bank statements. Yesterday I shredded taxation returns from the 1970s and 1980s. Why had we kept them for so long I wonder? I had documents relating to an accident I was involved on the way to work back in 1986. The claim was settled. Why did I still have all the paperwork? It too has now been shredded. Lots more to go through though.
Have cut collection of books down to a minimum but MOH loves to keep books for reference and will sometimes re-read non-fiction books twice or even three times. He refuses to let them go and they are important to him. We have dozens of LPs which we still play on our turntable (they do sound so much better than CDs don't they) but there are also dozens of CDs as well. Oh dear!!!
It is now time I went through my kitchen. I don't cook anything very complicated these days so do I really need to get rid of those things that are never used.
My main reason for trying to de-clutter is the thought of our perhaps having to move one day if we both get too feeble to stay here or if we should drop off the perch suddenly my poor daughter having to deal with all this. It is not something I would wish on my best friend let alone my family.
Do you also have problems with an over-abundance of things or are you one of those people that only has what you need and are always neat and tidy with everything in its place and a place for everything?
Cluttered. Very cluttered. The smaller portion and I are both pack rats - and collect different things. I have been working on the decluttering process but there is MUCH more to do.
ReplyDeleteI once collected post cards and souvenir teaspoons and am now wishing I hadn't. I doubt they would be welcome at the op shop. Phil will not get rid of some of his books nor any records or CDs so we are stuck with them. Even those he hardly plays now. I actually managed to get him to dispose of camping gear which we had had for years (2 tents plus plus plus). He could still camp but impossible for me now. We sometimes have to accept our shortcomings. I had but he was still hoping. Poor man.
ReplyDeleteHi Mimsie, I have a bit to do with Anglicare, I think you will find they would love your souvenir teaspoons, when I see all they have stashed out the back I am in awe. xxx
ReplyDeleteRae, if they have lots of them 'stashed out the back' they possibly wouldn't want more. The days of collecting those objects seems to be long past with most people. Thanks for the suggestion; I could possibly try ringing a few people and ask. Nice to have you pop in. xxx
ReplyDeleteI started decluttering after one of my daughters had spent time clearing the house of another family member who had suddenly needed to go into care. she looked around my place and said she was never going through that again and I should start downsizing my stuff. I've done a decluttering every year since then and still seem to have too much stuff. Letting go of some things, and some habits, is really hard. For instance, I still buy kitchen and bathroom supplies in bulk, and currently have a two year supply of toothpaste and brushes, and enough toilet paper to last until January. I have two dozen near new teatowels....a rather large collection of dvds which I watch through alphabetically sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI guess it happens to all of us these days as things are so easy to buy even if you don't have a lot of money. I have in the past been asked if I am expecting an outbreak of dysentery so don't buy quite as much t'paper as I once did. lol
DeleteI too have lots of new teatowels as I once exchanged them with penpals. Haven't bought any for about 20 years now. The decluttering must continue, of that I am determined.
Can you sell the teaspoons on e-bay? My mum had a huge collection and gave me quite a few, but after a couple of years having to clean them, I gave them back. I don't remember what she did with them in the end. They weren't in her house the week before she died.
ReplyDeleteI had thought of that and may give it a try as I still have an account with eBay. I did sell a few postcards that way but I will never get rid of the hundreds I have here.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same boat here. We are trying to declutter our place and have started but it is a monumental task. We haven't lived in our home as long as you, only since 1991, but oh my goodness, our basement is overflowing with clutter. We should have started long ago but at least we have made a start. We have taken a lot of books to the Goodwill Book drop-off, clothes too. There are things we'll never get rid of, sentimental things, but we also think of the time when we will be ten years down the road and would rather do it all now than wait any longer. We are also still storing our son's things as they have no room in their small apartment. I keep hinting that he needs to do his own decluttering, lol.
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to have a basement. We have a small cottage type house with 3 bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. I am sure we will get there eventually and I've even given sentimental items to family members who I guess one day will also pass them on.
DeleteWe have a TON of stuff around here. We've weeded some of it out, but there is so much more. Living in the same home for more than forty years makes it really easy for things to just accumulate all by itself. Seems like it, anyway.
ReplyDeleteYes Susan I am sure it's not us that clutters the place up...it just happens naturally year after year. When I was a child there was never an over-abundance of money or an over-abundance of things to purchase. Life was much simpler then before the modern throw away society came along.
ReplyDeleteI have just moved my 94 year old mother to an Independent Living facility near me (previously she was a 1-1/2 hr drive from here) because she has early dementia. Cleaning out her home, which wasn't really all that cluttered at all, since she is obsessive about throwing things away, made me realize what a nightmare awaits our children when we pass. This house is Clutter Central and I can't seem to get started clearing out. I'm "only" 70 so I keep thinking I have lots of time...
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