Not quite a horder - decluttering

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  • hotandcold
    hotandcold Member Posts: 205
    edited May 2013

    Mandy 1313: Emotional stuff is always the hardest for me to get rid of.  I have/had lots of antiques, collectibles,but didn't have a place to display them.  I decided I wanted my house to be usable and not a museum.   I'm still working on it.  A couple of things my daughter wanted me to let go of I just couldn't. I've settled on a few keepsakes and it's taken me about 3 years. Keep up your efforts. I also wanted to 2nd teka's suggestion. 

    Here's a shout out to all of us who are going to declutter this weekend.  Keep it up. 

  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited May 2013

    Mandy, It is really hard when you inherit. I have a few decorative plates that belonged to my great-grandmother. I'm the last person in the family who knew her and I'm pretty sure neither of my children will want them. So I'm deciding whether to remember her by those or something else. I inherited them from my other grandmother who raised me.

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited May 2013

    Yesterday I was dizzy as usual so I got really mad and cleaned out another closet. That was the last one. To be honest I thought I was done but this time I made sure I put on every item. You know as we age we may weigh the same and wear the same size but it looks different. I was always tall and thin so I thought I knew how to dress my body. Now that I am older I am thicker in the middle...still thin but just thicker. My legs look like toothpicks I swear. I will be glad when skinny jeans go out of style. So I am donating another bag of stuff to someplace.

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited May 2013

    I am so tired of my weight not responding to my attempts to ditch some of it.  I think I should go into my closet and see what absolutely won't fit.  If I clear all of that out I might be more motivated to fit what I had to take out.

  • Teka
    Teka Member Posts: 10,052
    edited September 2017
  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited May 2013

    I've heard that decluttering helps losing weight. Perhaps that's only for semi-hoarders? I lost weight and can't find anything to wear. I'm neither the age nor build for 3 inch zippers and pants clinging (hopefully) to my lower hips. Discouraging, but at least I know how to sew.

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited May 2013

    Wren - I agree. If I see one more add for jeggins or skin tight jeans. What the heck is a jeggin anyway. Makes me crazy. At 60 I do not want to look like I am trying to be 30 BUT I am not trying to look 90 either.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2013

    Bunkie, jeggings = jeans leggings

    Hate to say this, but have you gone shopping and seen women (usually a little larger women, I'll be polite) who have super skin tight jeans and wonder how they can move so unrestricted in something so tight? Probably the jeggings. On others, they look like tight jean pajama bottoms. On some, it looks like they're trying to stuff 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5-pound sack. IMHO, they may look great on some, but on many they shouldn't leave the house wearing them!

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited May 2013

    2nd time - Yes I have seen them. Not a pretty sight. I am too tall and skinny for that style. I look like a toothpick but others wear them well with a tunic top. I can not imagine being comfortable in a jean that snug. Yikers!!!I was watching HSN the other day and there was a designer that makes jeans for us older women. Diane somebody. Anyway she was selling jeggings also. She did not look bad in them but I will pass.

  • hotandcold
    hotandcold Member Posts: 205
    edited June 2013

    Shopping.  Ugh. Actually I loved to shop and had a job to support it, but not any more. Macy's seems to be my choice of stores these days.  I so rarely find anything at Ross or any other super discount store I just stopped going there. I'm 57 and wear XL sometimes 1X and I'm 5'8"  I found a pair of capris & 2 great pairs of pants recently and they  cost , $22.59 clearance, $27.99 every day value not on sale, and $26.00 sale plus extr 20%off.  My shape seems to change evry year what a hassle. Got rid of 3 pairs of pants to follow 1 in 1 out rule. Still looking for a pair of shorts.  

  • Teka
    Teka Member Posts: 10,052
    edited September 2017
  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited June 2013

    Teka, Shapeshifter, good one!  You hit it right on the mark.  

     Me, I have to be careful that shirts or tops aren't tapered in at the midrift. I used to love a nice fit, now one that doesn't acentuate the middle is my preference.  

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited June 2013

    Gingerbrew - I have the same problem. I am really thin but thick in the middle.

  • Teka
    Teka Member Posts: 10,052
    edited September 2017
  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited June 2013

    I took a big ole bag to Goodwill today. Could hardly lift it. Feels great. I am going to start another. It feels much easier to start one and go through my closet every week. I put a few items in there every week.

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited June 2013

    I started cleaning up my sewing room AGAIN!  I tend to stack things in there with the intention of putting them away soon.  Then I get sidetracked (Which is easy for me) and I just put the next pile in there.  I really want to get things cleaned up and organized.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited June 2013

    Meece I am with you. As soon as I can walk up the stairs I will be to it in the sewing room. I hurt my back last friday lifting my DGD and it hurts on a side that has never given me any trouble at all!  I am sad I pulled those muscles.  I am using a tens unit and Ibuprophen. I am giving my self a cough from not coughing fully because it hurts so darn much.

     I am proud of you for getting back to it, go Meece! I had a fuly organized sewing room two houses ago and I loved it. It gave me a feeling of peace, my life having order. 

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited June 2013

    Wren, three inch zippers? Decorative right?

    Smile

  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited June 2013

    Ginger, Pretty much. Maybe maternity pants still come higher. I'll have to check. I'm going to pin fit my pants pattern today. The pattern says my measurements are size 16. I have my doubts, since I wear 10-12 in ready to wear.

  • Gingerbrew
    Gingerbrew Member Posts: 2,859
    edited June 2013

    Wren don't you dislike the huge variation in size between ready to wear and patterns. I think wedding gowns are like that too. Lets make the bride feel bad while trying on gowns. 

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited June 2013

    Isn't that crazy?  Bridal gowns come in much larger sizes that what ready to wear clothing does, but really expensive clothing seams to come in sizes smaller than usual.  Maybe you are willing to put out more money to be able to say you wear a small size.

  • hotandcold
    hotandcold Member Posts: 205
    edited June 2013

    Wren: I'm impressed that you would sew pants. 

  • BUNKIE10
    BUNKIE10 Member Posts: 733
    edited June 2013

    Soooooo now that I am giving up most dairy I have to clean out my second freezer in the basement. It holds ice creme, lean cuisines and frozen oatmeal cookies. It is full. I know...I know...stockpiling. I am trying to get down to 1 freezer. It is really big so I have no idea why I need two. Then I need to take all the sodas, beer and teas out of dads old icebox and dump that too. I used to keep it full for guests but I do not have many anymore.

    Meece - I am impressed that you sew. Have not done that since I was a teen. Used to love it.

  • ssla01
    ssla01 Member Posts: 480
    edited June 2013

    I am on the decluttering wagon too. I did the laundry room today. I am embarrassed to say that there were 4 baskets in the stacked sky high. I only kept enough to fill one. I did unearth some things I had forgotten about. Most clothes don't fit anymore. I had one trash bag and 2 boxes to donate. It's a start. Closet tomorrow.

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 1,120
    edited June 2013

    I need inspiration to keep decluttering please.

    I cleaned out closets which is great but now have some piles of clothing on hangers that I placed on our spare bed to try on and decide "keep or donate" - and there they have stayed for several weeks.



    No one is coming to use that bed in the very near future so I need some impetus to finish!



    Any wise sayings about how much others can use these clothes if I take them to goodwill, or how nice it will look to NOT have piles laying around would be appreciated.

    LOL

    I just dont seem to have the mojo for projects that I did before chemo and surgery.

    Help!!!

  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited June 2013

    Well, I have a pile of my own on the spare bed. It's waiting for me to come up with something to store it in. They're 1 size up from my current and I'm superstitious about regaining the weight if I get rid of them.

    Think about someone needing clothing to wear to work and finding one of your treasures. The Y here has a clothing bank for interview and work outfits. A lot of retired people shop at Goodwill. And perhaps you will find something you love among the things you haven't been wearing.

  • sciencegal
    sciencegal Member Posts: 1,120
    edited June 2013

    Haha thanks Wren, I totally understand the superstition.



    I have the wig I bought before chemo carefully stored, I did not need it thanks to the cold caps, but keeping it somehow means that I wont have to go through chemo again ( to my superstitious mind).



    Thinking about someone else needing these suits and work clothes that are perfectly fine but I just do not "choose" from the closets any longer does help me. Thank you!!!

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2013

    Sciencegal:  I take my gently used clothes to the local shelter for battered women or to an organization called Dress for Success that helps outfit women trying to apply for jobs.  I can picture someone really using them.  That said, the bed in my guest room has a pile also.  Not to mention the overflow of clothes in that closet.  I agree - I had lots of momentem before I started chemo.

    Wren:  I have two sizes of clothes too.  Sigh.

  • curveball
    curveball Member Posts: 3,040
    edited June 2013

    Darn! I thought I had found a home for my vintage computers, but nobody has contacted me from the club I was going to give them to. I've written back to the guy three times, and gotten no reply since my first email. I think it's time to look for another recipient.

  • Teka
    Teka Member Posts: 10,052
    edited September 2017

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