# Space At Last



## Caroline (Mar 4, 2009)

For ages I have been trying to have a clear out and make more space indoors. At the best of times I am claustrophobic so like a bit (quite a lot if I'm honest) of space.

I have been trying to get rid of all the old junk and things we are no longer using for ages. A while a go I got one of the local charity shops to take away two huge bags of stuff we no longer wanted used or even cared about and it only made a little dent. We have since taken some smaller bags there too.

Then the central heating packed up and we had to clear out the space for the men to fix the boiler. It gave me the excuse and the space to go through stuff. I filled the recycling bin with old news papers and magazines (some over 10 years old saved by hoarder hubby). he didn't notice they had gone.
Anyway the heating is fixed and we have sent more stuff away although we are still cluttered.

Hubby noticed space is slowly being created and commented he liked the place looking tidier. He has finally admited we have too much stuff and since I have cleared out much of my stuff I no longer need he ought to sort out his too. Didn't have the heart to tell him I'd already been generous on his behalf!

The bedroom is looking more like a bedroom and less like Steptoes junk yard so I am sleeping better, I feel less cluttered. Now I am sleeping better I am less grumpy and he says I am nicer to know. Wwe need to do more work, and we are now atthe stage where I have to take it easy or hubby will replace what has gone with twice as much junk.

I bought storage units for bathroom and toilet so I can now lay back in the bath and not look at the shaving kit and the pile of toys or the spare soap or any of the other stuff that was scattered all around.

Better still I have the spare printer installed onto the lap top so that when big boy is using the internet I can write letters and print them with out interupting any one.

Now all I have to do is find a way of getting the shower installed for the quickies when I don't have time for a proper bath...


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## elizajayne (Mar 4, 2009)

Gosh you are good - our house looks like a jumble sale that went wrong. 
I've been to CBT classes to try to learn how to find energy to get rid of stuff.
Every time I try to sort out, I find things I didn't know I had, and start to use/read them again.
Our daughter say's she will put me in a nursing home (I need full time care) whilst she and my hubby sort everything out.
I am not sure I could cope with that as I would be afraid of them disposing of some of my presious things.
Any tips?
elizajayne


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## Northerner (Mar 4, 2009)

elizajayne said:


> Gosh you are good - our house looks like a jumble sale that went wrong.
> I've been to CBT classes to try to learn how to find energy to get rid of stuff.
> Every time I try to sort out, I find things I didn't know I had, and start to use/read them again.
> Our daughter say's she will put me in a nursing home (I need full time care) whilst she and my hubby sort everything out.
> ...



Elizajayne, I know exactly where you are coming from. I am a total hoarder and can't bear to throw/give anything away that holds even the slightest interest to me, even if I haven't looked at it for years. I used to watch that 'Life Laundry' programme where some ruthless American woman would come in and force people to get rid of stuff and she really didn't seem to understand why people hang on to stuff.

And Caroline, I hope your hubby doesn't get upset that you've been clearing up on his behalf - there'd be pistols at dawn if it was me! I do love tidiness and know I've got far too much stuff, but can't part with it. I am, fortunately, on the right side of obsessive though, and don't keep total rubbish like you sometimes see on these telly programmes!


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## bev (Mar 4, 2009)

WELL DONE CAROLINE!

Did you listen to your music whilst doing it? I hope so!
My husband is a complete hauder - we live in a large house with a basement and attic and garage - but he wont throw anything away so he even uses a 'lok n store' facility!!!!!!!!!!!( he even has his grandparents furniture!). He also has 20 odd guitars and heaven knows how many keyboards etc....
I am also in the middle of de-cluttering - he is getting very nervous! I have already thrown loads of his stuff out - nothing useful - nothing valuable - just junk! And i feel so much better now about the house - i will not stop until its empty of all the rubbish! If i lived on my own - my house would be homely - but completely clutter free! Its so wonderful when you get rid of junk - its like starting all over again. Bev


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## Einstein (Mar 4, 2009)

Well done Caroline,

Had a huge clearout to make room for a certain puppy mentioned elsewhere on this forum...

It involved 31 laylandii from the garden (approx 8 tonnes) and then 140 feet of new fencing and posts etc.

then the inside ofthe house - which was an extension to my workshop - most odd not having two lathes in the kitchen!

Worth it, yes, its great to have a house feeling like a home again 

And before you ask, yes, I live on my own!


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## Ikklemo (Mar 4, 2009)

Caroline you are putting me to shame - my house looks like the bomb squad failed!

I have started to tidy-up and have been using my local FreeCycle group to shift some stuff and other stuff is going to the charity shop.

Just attempting to do a little each day - could be at it all year!


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## Einstein (Mar 4, 2009)

I find I need to be at a certain place or perhaps a better frame of mind to tidy up... It comes to me every 7 years 

Seriously though I need to really wind myself up for a major tidy, however, as I now have somebody living with me I need to keep on touch of it. You know it's bad when cleaners need the place cleaning before they will touch it.


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## Copepod (Mar 4, 2009)

Einstein / David

Has the puppy arrived yet? Is it a trainee hearing dog or a companion or what? Has it escaped from the fenced garden yet?!?


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## Einstein (Mar 4, 2009)

Hi, yes, he arrived on Sunday evening, was a star on Monday and I think I convinced them I am in need of a hearing dog.

Within the month I hope I am approved and he is under intensive assessment, followed (fingers crossed) by a further 16 weeks of training... then I collect him, once we've spent a week together being trained.

So he's through phase one, as I hope I am. They haven't huge experience of Pointers as hearing dogs, but its a 100% success. So lets hope he doesn't let the side down!

The assessor did find it amusing that he was having his own bedroom, a first in 20 years of working for hearing dogs, do you think he's spoilt??

As for the garden, no, he hasn't escaped there are a row of panels that are only 4' high, he's got used to standing up at them and looking out. I have the timber and mesh to make the top frame to stop him jumping over. But that was a known risk before he arrived.

So far, so good


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## Caroline (Mar 5, 2009)

I have found the trick with hubby is to make him feel like it was his idea. SInce we adopted Matthew we needed to make more space any way. Hubby knows I am planning to get rid of something when I use phrases  like 'what's this used for?' and 'I haven't seen that for so long I thought we'd got rid of it' or 'when was the last time we used this?'.

We still have too many Perishers and Andy Capp comic books that no one ever reads, but they need a little more work.

Last night I actually got in and found space in the bedroom. Still looks like a junk shop, but it is improving so there must be a sale on.

I agree when clearing out compromises need to be made, but when the claustrophobia gets too bad all you can see is someone elses old junk falling on top of you boxing and fencing you in.


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## Vanessa (Mar 5, 2009)

Like Caroline, I find helping him to know it was his idea works well.  Mind you, he is much more of a morning person than I am so his trick with me is to drop something in the conversation at breakfast time - I fall for it every time!


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## sofaraway (Mar 5, 2009)

I have found moving house has forced me to throw out most of my things that I don't need anymore and clothes I don't wear. I have lived in 8 different places in past 5 years. I do though tend to leave some of my stuff stored at the various relatives I have lived with, my nan, mum and dad all have some of my things in their lofts/spare rooms. So in reality I have more stuff than in my flat. 

I really find it difficult to clean and keep my place tidy, everytime I have a good clean I promise myself that I will keep on top of things and then it won't get into a big mess, but it doesn't usually happen.


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## Northerner (Mar 5, 2009)

Caroline said:


> ...We still have too many Perishers and Andy Capp comic books that no one ever reads, but they need a little more work.
> ...



Aaaaah! There'd be tears and blood if they were mine! Although I must admit, I haven't read mine for what? 30 years? Why is it that I can't part with this stuff? I guess having familiar things around make me feel comforted in an ever-uncertain world.


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## Northerner (Mar 5, 2009)

sofaraway said:


> I have found moving house has forced me to throw out most of my things that I don't need anymore and clothes I don't wear. I have lived in 8 different places in past 5 years. I do though tend to leave some of my stuff stored at the various relatives I have lived with, my nan, mum and dad all have some of my things in their lofts/spare rooms. So in reality I have more stuff than in my flat.
> 
> I really find it difficult to clean and keep my place tidy, everytime I have a good clean I promise myself that I will keep on top of things and then it won't get into a big mess, but it doesn't usually happen.



I just keep moving to bigger houses...!


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## Caroline (Mar 5, 2009)

Northerner said:


> I just keep moving to bigger houses...!



A bigger hose for me would be an ideal solution a room each to do with as we pleased, a bathroom each to do with as we pleased, two rooms for books, two kitchens because I'm a vegetarian and they all eat meat, a room for the telly, a workshop for him, a music room, a dvd room, the list could go on and on and I'd need a hefty win on the lottery along side an inheritance or two form some rich relations....


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## sofaraway (Mar 5, 2009)

Caroline said:


> A bigger hose for me would be an ideal solution a room each to do with as we pleased, a bathroom each to do with as we pleased, two rooms for books, two kitchens because I'm a vegetarian and they all eat meat, a room for the telly, a workshop for him, a music room, a dvd room, the list could go on and on and I'd need a hefty win on the lottery along side an inheritance or two form some rich relations....



I'm putting a ticket on the euromillions tommorrow, 85 million is the jackpot


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## kojack (Mar 5, 2009)

My annual clearout is almost complete. Hardest task was untangling the 'spaghetti' of wires /cables to currently operating bank of 6 computers in my office.
I think wires have a life of their own and tie themselves in knots.

The loft is now almost clear ( but still more operating pcs ) and various trips to the charity shop and neighbours not forgetting the local tip have doubled the space.

We both have separate rooms invaded at leisure by our little hairy Lhasa Apso.

Some tv we watch together. Meals together are important but we have the room to have our own 'space'.


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## Caroline (Mar 5, 2009)

Kojak i always wanted a Lhasa Apso, do you know the story behind the breed? Perhaps you have a different story to the one I have?


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## Caroline (Mar 6, 2009)

I got home from work lastnight and found tools scattered from the bathroom at the back of the house to the living room at the front of the house. I didn't snarl too much as hubby was actually sorting his tools out and hunking all the old broken ones that were no longer being used. There is a firm (he says) near us that recycles old tools for charity, so I think they will earn their money wih this lot.


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## Vanessa (Mar 6, 2009)

Well, these posts, the appearance of crocuses and daffodil buds plus the arrival of the frogs for the annual mating ritual in the garden pond remind me that it is nearly spring cleaning time again.  Keep telling myself how good housework is for bringing down my blood sugars ....


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