Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

So I'm moving soon, and I am going from having a three bedroom house to being basically a hobo (well moving into lodgings and relying a lot on my campervan!) and I am absolutely rubbish at getting rid of things.

I've began by taking lots of stuff to the tip, mostly cages from my more frequent rodent rescuing days. I've got a plethora of books, furniture and general household junk. Ornaments, other useless things. I hate throwing things away it makes me feel horrid..
Anybody else had to do this recently? Any tips?
:confused:

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Stick it on here in Buy, Sell n Swap - Accrington Web
:)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Know how you feel, 3 out of 4 kids have moved out and went through loft, and ended up throwing away hundreds of
"school stuff"

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Thank you-I certainly will IF I find anything of use !

Lol this is how bad a hoarder I am. I left my parental home 15 years ago and my Mother and Father's loft STILL contains some of my stuff, I won't 'let' them get rid of it!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Yes, I am just the same. I have a pathological dislike of getting rid of stuff. Many a time I have filled a couple of black bags to take to the charity shop....a couple of hours later I find myself going through the bags and retrieving most of the stuff.

I have to sit down, put the stuff into bags and then get someone to take the things off my hands before I can do the retrieval stuff.
The BHF take most of my stuff.......and they will collect.
Good luck with your downsizing....I'm just glad it isn't me.:D

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I think it's a childhood thing, why I cling onto stuff. I was often very bored as a child , was an only and 'rents never at home I was on my own a lot. Also remember if I got bought a toy and didn't use it much I was told I was ungrateful and spoit!A lot of emphasis was placed on the value of 'stuff' and we're just in a throwaway society now which I disagree with. All this together means I am in danger of crushing myself to death in 20 years time if I don't bite the bullet now!
Thanks-I think I do need somebody ruthless around here to help!xx

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I am sure you are right.
I am a'born just after the war' child...things were hard to come by....and I think that has ingrained itself onto my psyche. Things were not disposable...they were made to last...and we did a lot of making do and mending too to get the most out of whatever we had.

You perhaps should enlist the help of someone who is not emotionally attached to the stuff...go out for the day and let them do the ruthless removal of stuff.

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

im like that .. oh it will come in useful one day ... i cant throw that away ...etc etc ... when my mum died my sister came up 6 month later and said right jen we are going to sort out mums stuff ... and i'll take it and either donate it to the charity shop or throw it away ... it was hard to do it ... stuff that my mum had saved from us being kids, my dads things she had chosen to keep .. we even found a hymn book from st stephens grane church .. which said on the front not to be taken away .. (ive still got that) ...

will admit im a hoarder ... and ive got the front room full of stuff .. i do have to go thro that ...

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

You might have the very thing that someone on here is looking for....and you could make two people happy....you because you have got rid of something and someone else is going to use it.

And the recipient, because they have found something they have been searching for.

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I also like to keep things which have sentimental value - have stacks of letters, postcards, photos etc., could never get rid of books either.

Over the 25 years I've been married we have moved house 8 times so I'm quite an expert at throwing out things on those occasions -no choice really as it would cost too much to move it all. I have my "core" items which will always be within a stones throw of me wherever I am and then you just have to be ruthless. My desk is chockablock with leaflets picked up on holidays though -I sometimes go through them and think I must whizz some of these out -but there are so many nice memories attached...

A part of me also thinks -one day it might be useful if we go back there again...some of it, from our Hols in Brittany I'm keeping with an eye to a story I may write one day -how could you remember prices in France back then and all those oher useful details.

As to really seriously downsizing -just close your eyes -imagine the house is on fire and there's only so much you have time to save, then go for those items -the rest is less important and may make you a bit of money if you can sell it off. Otherwise give it to charity shops -someone will love the plastic snow bubble you bought in Austria ten years ago and that naff pottery beer tankard with the fake pewter lid!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

My son did similar, 'just need you to look after it for a couple of months Dad',
If I hadn't slowly moved it to the tip & ebay my cupboards would still be full even after 10 years, (couldn't sell it on here he'd have seen the post).
:D

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I'm an only child too ... but I have no problem with getting rid of stuff. Lots of stuff I just put out on my front lawn with a "Free to a good home" sign ... it works. If the stuff doesn't move, I change the sign to: "Good stuff ... Only $10.00"; and someone will steal it:D If it gets too bad, you could feature on an episode of "Hoarders";)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

The only thing i can't seem to let go of are books, even though i work in a bookshop i can't give them away AND i keep buying them from work, bought MYSELF 3 Roald Dahl books today, just because i didn't have them, i'm losing the plot (again) ;)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I am the same, I have a back bedroom full of stuff that I never use and curse when I have to shift the lot to get to something that I do want.
Gonna have to sort it when I have time, but when that will be I dont know ;)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

How is it that we can always find the time to do the things we want to do, but rarely to do the things we feel we should do?

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I don't have a problem getting rid of what I see as rubbish but I think I do have a bit of the hoarder in me. I can't stand mess but I can't get rid of books, and I have some very treasured (but financially worthless) items which belonged to my grandparents and go back before then which I could never get rid of, I feel like they're part of who I am. The hoarders on tv really annoy me, I think they just need a good talking to and sorting out (not really, I know they aren't well, but they are so frustrating!) But then again, I have a bit of a thing about vintage china teasets and china crockery generally which are so beautiful and quite cheap, and I have to stop myself from buying them - I currently have two full tea sets which I know I will rarely use, but it's nice to know they're there just in case!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Now thats one thing that I dont do which is good, collecting things.
My stuff is what has acumilated through the years, reading this thread though is making me think about trying to sort it on my days off work! ;)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

When I downsized I did the Sunday carboot at Accy market with my mate did'nt make alot but enjoyed it so much still doing it after a year

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Thank you for all the replies-I am glad it isn't just me who feels like this about stuff!

Books, with me as well . I was brought up to believe that books are precious artefacts of creativity and intelligence and should be treated as such.Thing is, they are not that, any longer. I could get rid of all my books and buy the same back again for a couple of £ each , now and the internet provides the same encyclopaedic factor if I need it.

Lol thanks :)

This is it!I was brought up to look after 'things' and cherish them and embrace them. Even though I didn't want for anything. Things today are not made to last , we're in a consumerist society that functions so that things wear out or run out or die, and we're to buy replacements.. I find that difficult to accept.

Haha you reeeeeally sound like me. I get so sentimental, I even keep broken things sometimes because, I don't know-my DAD bought me it, or it was my Grandmother's, or I've had it for years...

Definitely with you on the 'It might be of use someday' thing. I've kept hold of a breadmaker that I was given years ago, FOR years, even though I rarely even buy bread, or eat it-let alone want to make it!Finally I gave it to my friend's Mother, I feel okay about that-at least it's getting used, now!

Lol good idea!I may try that!I did once a few years ago put a load of video tapes outside . Within half an hour they'd all disappeared and I thought I was free of them. An HOUR later, some kids brought them round on a cart, asking me for £1 each for them!Ugh.
Haha I LOVE books.
I did make a good move though. There's a student house two doors away from me, and I posted a note through their door saying something such as 'Hi, I'm at number 20 and I need rid of a load of books!They're going on ebay today, if you want any please pop round and take your pick!'
They did, and now I'm rid and feeling happy-these folk are going to make good use of a lot of my books, for their studies or leisure and I am so surprised, I actually feel good about that!
However, I did really want to keep my Waris Dirie accounts. But hey, I've read them both to death, and if I really want them again I can always buy them :):cool::o:cool:

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Hm so I got in from work about 3 hours ago intending to just get straight on it. And instead, I have been sitting here fannying about,talking to my friend and drinking coffee.
I suck.

( I am about to call the supermarket and see if I can pinch some boxes. If I have boxes I have more of a chance of putting stuff in boxes, right?) :)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Have a bonfire girl and get rid quick

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Lol, I would put the house on it!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

It does help to start -get you friend to give you a hand too -more hands and all that -Oh, and stop chattering away on Accyweb too -such a waste of time!:D

I have better things to do too!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I sometimes think it would be good if the house went up in flames. Then I wouldn't have to bother about what to get rid of. I have very little of sentimental value that I would miss. Most of my (our) stuff is concerned with practical things like sewing and computers, and my DIY stuff like decorating and Richard's tools and electronic stuff. Plus lots of pictures and decorative china etc.

When we moved here we had about 60 of those banana boxes you get from the supermarket. And that was just the books. They have now all been unpacked and taken to the top floor (of four), and many more have joined them. A lot of stuff is still in boxes after five years but we are still renovating. Two floors done and two to go.

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Lol. Wisdom!

I have thought that too about the house burning down. However I have five furbabies that would need saving! :)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Are they 'free range'?;)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

My ratties are!


(They have a whole room to themselves. There is a cage in there, which is made up of two rat cages together, but it's permanently open :)

The hamster unfortunatley I cannot have free-range!They're all rescues though. I dropper fed the hamster , he was half dead when I got him.)

:)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

More on the style of an open prison then :D
..maybe you regard it as an animal holiday camp.

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Lol! Yes I suppose!x

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

If you wanna throw away guitars.... I know a good home for them ;)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

if anyone is even thinking about throwing any books out PLEASE DON'T i will take them off your hands and take them into work

https://www.facebook.com/ReboundBookShop?ref=ts


that link probably won't work, if it doesn't, look on facebook for 'Rebound book and coffee shop'

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Lol I have a couple of guitars. I don't know if I can part with them!One I used to busk with as a 15 year old hobo...The other is a BC Rich that I LOVE. Ugh thanks for reminding me of something else I need to account for lol

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Seen it in the pics :) I clicked the link and had a looksy(nosy I am). I only own two guitars now. A bit of battered Crafter acoustic and an Epiphone Dot(studio edition) of which has people wrongfully accusing me of being an oasis fan :)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I don't even know which pic you mean lol. Well I've got rid of some stuff to the local flea market geek and I've stuck some stuff on eBay, been to Lidl to get some boxes....It's a start!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Clicked it in another thread. Link leads to facebook. Noticed the guitar in the background and acoustic guitar in background on another :)

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I am crap at fb-I thought I'd only linked to that one album lol

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Well you did link to that album

well you can hardly spot it. But its there hehehe. pic 11 and pic 30. Extreme close up of a chicken and I spot a guitar hiding in the background :D

But. Looking back to find which pic it was, I seen that You can click albums and it lets you see hedgehogs etc and cover photos. Just so thee knows

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Thank you.
I treat facebook like a virtual pub anyway, I'm not that precious about it but I do get narked when I do something wrong like that!Lol

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

I've got quite a lot of stuff bagged up to be collected on Saturday, which is to be used for charity stalls for hedgehogs and other animals. I've eBayed a lot of things as well.
This whole house move has been a nightmare. Two months ago my lodger flooded my house and the lighting still does not work as a result. I've had four electricians look at it, one of whom took my money and ran, so to speak, one who did more damage than amending of!
I got the telephone bill recently and the same guy who flooded the place has used £100 ringing abroad and premium rate numbers.
I just want out of here now :(
My friend is working on the electrics for me. I've vowed to never trust another electrician!

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

so when you moving?, and where you going?

and why dial premium rate when you house share with a poll dancer, just pay a bit more board, and talk through the wall, lol

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

Contracts are exchanged-I have to be out by the 25th. Where am I going, good question, I don't know yet.

I've copied a blog from facebook, into my blog section on here. If you're REALLY bored, have a decko. Lol
What's a poll dancer, somebody who dances on the tables on voting day :D
(Good point) :).

Re: Getting rid of stuff/downsizing
 

doh!