Gosh, you sound as if you are moving mountains. Whilst it can be sad saying goodbye things, there is also satisfaction in finding good homes for things that you hold in high regard. Books though are a law unto themselves. I got rid of so many before I moved last year, and they have already started breeding afresh with gusto in my new home
The builders turned up a month early today. They now tell me that they need to be able to get into and work in the loft. I don't know what's up there, apart from the Christmas decorations, but I suspect that this is going to be
a) long
b) messy
c) a source of contention. L2 is ruthless when it comes to getting rid of stuff, and I'll need the brawn of both Ls to move stuff.
I just hope there aren't any more active wasp nests - we usually get a couple every year - and that we don't inconvenience the bats.
The tall shelf in the bedroom recently vacated by many small bears has now been partially filled with books that I've decided I'll keep; so far they'll only fill one or two bankers' boxes, so I doubt that they'll add hugely to shipping costs.
I've also transferred a load of waste paper that my niece dumped into a bin into recycling bags that can go out on Friday (our recycling collection alternates between paper and plastic, and this is a paper week).
I got as far as finding a misplaced library book that I had already renewed once, (which is the limit) then my get up and go, got up and went Still I didn't have to face the Library staff and admit to a lost book, so that's OK.
I have decided I need to stuff a wadded up quilt in the space between the mattress and the bedhead, because too many things drop down there.
I have similar problems with things falling under the bed, too. IME, quilts and such help. I'm still working on closing off the area under the bed. Maybe just leaning a shelving board up.
Oh boy. Moved everything around in the loft - lots of children's books I won't get rid of, all L1's university stuff that I thought he'd take with him if he ever moves out, my grandmother's china, my old doll's house. And then one of the builder's vans breaks down and they decide they're going to knock all the dodgy plaster off in mine and L1's rooms. But guess where the loft stuff went?
Where's an exasperated smiley when you need one?
Cats are of course traumatised and won't come in until the builders have gone. Debating whether to move L1 out temporarily in case the dust sets off his asthma.
Working from home this afternoon might be a trial.
Last night the cat spotted another cat outside and leapt onto the windowsill of the study to yowl at him. In the process she sent a photoframe flying, which hit a glass vase, which shattered. It's going to be a long process moving the piles in my study to check for glass.....
I'll have your glass with pleasure if you take my plaster dust. Destroyed one mop already. And the b****y builders won't tell me when the plasterer is coming.
Last night the cat spotted another cat outside and leapt onto the windowsill of the study to yowl at him. In the process she sent a photoframe flying, which hit a glass vase, which shattered. It's going to be a long process moving the piles in my study to check for glass.....
As usual our feline friends manage to maximise the mess! Good luck with the glass hunt
Crikey, NEQ - you could do without that!
Three shelves of D's hymnals and anthem books have now been decluttered in the direction of his old office; there are at least another half dozen to go, but we were limited by the number of boxes my friend had on hand.
I may go and buy some new bankers' boxes and then reuse them for taking ordinary books to a thrift shop or second-hand bookshop.
Laying strips of duct tape on the carpet then pulling them off lifts small pieces of glass most effectively. It's a long job, though, I found one small but sharp shard 6 feet away from the vase.
Obviously Elizabeth is banned from the study until I'm sure there is no glass which could hurt her wee paws. She is not happy. As far as she is concerned, if I am in my study then I must be sitting at the computer, and if I'm sitting at my computer than means I have a vacant lap. I cannot explain to her that I'm actually on my hands and knees duct-taping my way systematically across the carpet, and gingerly shaking out books and papers. As if the tedious duct taping / shaking process wasn't enough, I'm doing it to the accompaniment of pitiful mewling and the sound of my door being scratched..... Then last night I got the cold shoulder treatment, while she made it very clear that the North East Man was the favoured human in the North East Household.
Maybe turn off the room light, and look around with a flashlight? The shards should reflect it.
Also: make sure you wear shoes or soled slippers in that room, until you've found whatever may be in the foot traffic area. And, IME, mirror shards bounce and hide out, and you may still be finding some for a long time.
I know it sounds drastic, but would removing or replacing the carpet (or maybe taking it to a cleaner where they could de-shard it) be an option?
Having seen how long sequins that came off a shirt in the wash can last (in a house without carpets), the thought of bits of broken glass lurking in the shag-pile would scare me rigid.
I think I'm just about there. The study carpet is the one that was there when we moved in, and it wasn't new then, so it's not got a lot of pile and the duct tape seems to be effective, though tedious. More of a problem is the fact that I have piles of books on the floor and I'm worried about bits of glass being caught in them.
Of course, if my study wasn't so cluttered, this wouldn't be an issue....
My study* is now very nearly clutter-free: I enlisted the services of a junk-removalist and he and his colleague have just left with a plethora of shelves and a complete set of Encyclopaedia Britannia (c. 1961).
* and the spare bedroom, which we'd previously assigned as a library
Piglet - I can't get over how strong some men are. Today my lovely builder moved the washing machine with ease, then single-handedly lifted the tumble dryer and put it on top! Honestly, I can't believe we're the same species....
The thing that impressed me most was the encyclopaedias: Bloke 1 carried out 12 volumes in his hands as if they were just magazines, and then Bloke 2 appeared with the other 12 still in the bookcase.
They'd been clever about it. The bookcase had two shelves; Bloke 1 had taken the books from the top shelf, and Bloke 2 was carrying the bookcase at a sort of angle, with the remaining books on the lower shelf (which formed the base of the thing).
Your bookcase story made me remember mine. When we moved again, out of a temporary rental before getting into our "new" farm house place, We purposely left some things behind. One of them was a set of Encyclopedia Britannica in its own purpose built book case. Good Lord, it must have weighed 200 lbs! There was some discussion about abandoning it, as we had at that time two little boys, and an encyclopedia seemed a bad thing to trash. However since it was already old I maintained that when the kids were old enough to use it, it would be way outdated. So we left it behind.
My childhood use of the books was mostly the one in which Greek statues were shown- and discussed. I studied those male pictures with a magnifying glass, trying to puzzle out what boys looked like "down there". No- I haven't grown up to be a sexual deviant, or a porno watcher! But that's what I remember about our too-heavy encyclopedia.
It appears that I'm not going to have to do as much declutterment as I might have done: I've accepted an offer for the house, and the buyer says I can take whatever I want, and leave the rest - she'll either keep, sell or dispose of it.
This is absolutely brilliant from my point of view, as it'll be cheaper to replace stuff than ship it over the Pond. I have a few chairs which will be coming with me, but the rest of the furniture is being left behind, so all I'll have to pack is pictures and ornaments, crockery, cutlery, a few kitchen utensils, clothes and teddy-bears.
Too right! As long as I don't get a repeat of what happened when we sold the house in St. John's, when the buyer faffed about for weeks then pulled out of the deal!
Now I need to find a removal firm to get it all across the Pond ...
May we all have a wonderful New Year's and new year, happy and encouraged and comforted, full of all we need, and safely releasing anything whose time has come to move along elsewhere. And may we all have good fun along with that.
Thanks to all of you for helping each other out on this thread.
As I get closer to planning my escape move to a retirement community, I find myself increasingly motivated to declutter. For me, it's a very positive experience, and I'm so pleased when there's noticeable progress. (Our parish auction is in January, and I have several boxes packed and ready to donate.)
Comments
a) long
b) messy
c) a source of contention. L2 is ruthless when it comes to getting rid of stuff, and I'll need the brawn of both Ls to move stuff.
I just hope there aren't any more active wasp nests - we usually get a couple every year - and that we don't inconvenience the bats.
The tall shelf in the bedroom recently vacated by many small bears has now been partially filled with books that I've decided I'll keep; so far they'll only fill one or two bankers' boxes, so I doubt that they'll add hugely to shipping costs.
I've also transferred a load of waste paper that my niece dumped into a bin into recycling bags that can go out on Friday (our recycling collection alternates between paper and plastic, and this is a paper week).
Small steps, but so far, so good.
{{{{{{{All of us}}}}}}}
I got as far as finding a misplaced library book that I had already renewed once, (which is the limit) then my get up and go, got up and went
I have decided I need to stuff a wadded up quilt in the space between the mattress and the bedhead, because too many things drop down there.
Thanks, and yay re the library book!
I have similar problems with things falling under the bed, too. IME, quilts and such help. I'm still working on closing off the area under the bed. Maybe just leaning a shelving board up.
Where's an exasperated smiley when you need one?
Cats are of course traumatised and won't come in until the builders have gone. Debating whether to move L1 out temporarily in case the dust sets off his asthma.
Working from home this afternoon might be a trial.
As usual our feline friends manage to maximise the mess! Good luck with the glass hunt
Three shelves of D's hymnals and anthem books have now been decluttered in the direction of his old office; there are at least another half dozen to go, but we were limited by the number of boxes my friend had on hand.
I may go and buy some new bankers' boxes and then reuse them for taking ordinary books to a thrift shop or second-hand bookshop.
{{{{{{{Everyone}}}}}}}
Obviously Elizabeth is banned from the study until I'm sure there is no glass which could hurt her wee paws. She is not happy. As far as she is concerned, if I am in my study then I must be sitting at the computer, and if I'm sitting at my computer than means I have a vacant lap. I cannot explain to her that I'm actually on my hands and knees duct-taping my way systematically across the carpet, and gingerly shaking out books and papers. As if the tedious duct taping / shaking process wasn't enough, I'm doing it to the accompaniment of pitiful mewling and the sound of my door being scratched..... Then last night I got the cold shoulder treatment, while she made it very clear that the North East Man was the favoured human in the North East Household.
Ho hum.
Maybe turn off the room light, and look around with a flashlight? The shards should reflect it.
Also: make sure you wear shoes or soled slippers in that room, until you've found whatever may be in the foot traffic area. And, IME, mirror shards bounce and hide out, and you may still be finding some for a long time.
FWIW, YMMV.
Good luck!
Having seen how long sequins that came off a shirt in the wash can last (in a house without carpets), the thought of bits of broken glass lurking in the shag-pile would scare me rigid.
Of course, if my study wasn't so cluttered, this wouldn't be an issue....
Update: I am setting myself the challenge of getting my study clutter free by the end of November.
My study* is now very nearly clutter-free: I enlisted the services of a junk-removalist and he and his colleague have just left with a plethora of shelves and a complete set of Encyclopaedia Britannia (c. 1961).
* and the spare bedroom, which we'd previously assigned as a library
Well done Piglet....
<notworthy>
They'd been clever about it. The bookcase had two shelves; Bloke 1 had taken the books from the top shelf, and Bloke 2 was carrying the bookcase at a sort of angle, with the remaining books on the lower shelf (which formed the base of the thing).
Still pretty impressive though!
My childhood use of the books was mostly the one in which Greek statues were shown- and discussed. I studied those male pictures with a magnifying glass, trying to puzzle out what boys looked like "down there". No- I haven't grown up to be a sexual deviant, or a porno watcher! But that's what I remember about our too-heavy encyclopedia.
This is absolutely brilliant from my point of view, as it'll be cheaper to replace stuff than ship it over the Pond. I have a few chairs which will be coming with me, but the rest of the furniture is being left behind, so all I'll have to pack is pictures and ornaments, crockery, cutlery, a few kitchen utensils, clothes and teddy-bears.
Now I need to find a removal firm to get it all across the Pond ...
{{{{{{{Everyone}}}}}}}
*Tangentially, "The Lost Thing" is also the title of a great short film and a book.
Is that the picture book by Shaun Tan GK? If so I agree it's brilliant, but "The Red Tree" also by him, is my favourite.
Sorry for the delay. Yes, that's the one. I haven't read the book. But here's the 16 min. great film (YouTube). Has closed captioning, audio, and video.
May we all have a wonderful New Year's and new year, happy and encouraged and comforted, full of all we need, and safely releasing anything whose time has come to move along elsewhere. And may we all have good fun along with that.
Thanks to all of you for helping each other out on this thread.
PS And I'm making progress.
Turns out that particular copy is in French, with Russian subtitles available. There are other copies on YouTube, so there may well be one in English.
Time for new decluttering resolve!
I’m starting with the spare room as we now have a cot for baby granddaughter visits - it’s time to prepare a decent room for them all.
Thank you for that. 2020 is going to be a big decluttering year Chez Nen and I'm trying to view the prospect with something other than dread.