I wish I was better at getting rid of "stuff," but I am trying, I could buy loads more, but I won't buy stuff just for the sake of it We have decluttered a fair bit from the attic and garage, but I know we need to do a lot more.... although the paperwork stuff has been overhauled quite a lot.
I'm going to try very hard when we redecorate this year, to have a really good sort out of clothes shoes etc from the wardrobes, as they'll have to be emptied before moving so less will go back.
Lots can go to the charity shops. I have been throwing out some bits cos you only need so many sets of gardening and painting togs ;)
Honestly, if Covid taught me anything, it was that I needed a very parred-down wardrobe. Up the coast, I have a small cupboard with a coat, vests, my radiator wetsuit top and my full wetsuit. I have a seriously small chest of drawers which is half summer and half winter and that's it!
Town is a little different but I'm slowly whittling through things. Shoes are the easiest because my feet are changing rapidly and I now have have comfort above everything so almost all my oldies are going. Sad. There's some nice pairs there. But as you say, the charity shops are needed more than ever and my cast-offs hopefully will help someone else.
I always take things to the charity shops as they can use them, we'll be having a good clear out when we decorate . Or if qe have a run of bad weather ;)
Yes, I agree. The charity shops are much in need at the moment and its heartening to know that our stuff can help others. And bad weather is the PERFECT time!
Such a beautiful, thought-provoking post, Prue! I’ve been doing my best not to accumulate more stuff - and yet the stuff I have is not going to lessen until I actually CLEAR some of it!
I’m so sorry that your injuries are holding you back, especially in your beloved ballet - this stuff takes time, right?
It's difficult not to accrue things that make our hearts and minds (and our fingers) tingle, isn't it? Maybe we can form a support group. Ask Terry!
As to my injuries - I'm old, Rebecca, and I have ligament weaknesses which are apparently congenital. My sports medicine physician told me once that my body's paying the price for a pretty active life. Sigh. At least I have those memories...
Oh my goodness Prue - you have me laughing and at the same time saying "that's me"!! I swear it's part and parcel of now entering this next phase of our earth-school journey. That recognition that in truth our children are NOT interested in our "stuff" AND that the memories and old photos carry a level of love and joy that cannot be captured elsewhere. I just spent time with a most beautiful young lady last week chatting about exactly this topic - how and where to begin when suddenly it all feels so very overwhelming. Of course she's in the business of helping people like me so her kindness, consideration and encouragement were all I needed to know that it will all unfold exactly as it's supposed to AND it will all be "Perfectly on Time"... LOL.
Added note: I have no doubt at all that you're going to "blink" and find that you're back at your ballet class doing what you've done so well for so long. I just started classes in April (at this late age) and ballet, along with tap, have become my newest joyful adventures.
Actually my kids are true softies and have asked to be left certain things with which they can remember their early family life. I'll either draft off a note for the lawyer or run round with stickers which is what a friend of my mother's did and all stickers were accepted as Grandmother's Law.
My husband and myself have frequent clear-outs refining and minimalising regularly, as we really don't want to be caught out by life and nor do we want the kids to be left with cleaning up after us. Life is so unpredictable that we don't trust things to unfold exactly on time as we've experienced many personal things that don't run to a timetable.
As to my injuries, it's kind of ongoing, really. As I said to Rebecca, I have dodgy ligaments that enjoy tearing just for fun and thus fit this week, could be disabled next which is why I'm learning to enjoy every day when I can. Take care.
Husband and self moved 15 times in the course of his career and so that has helped eliminate extraneous stuff quite a lot. We've been settled now in the same region for 30+ years but the need to keep 'stuff'-free is entrenched as we have helped my brother and our children move and have had to deal with my mum's estate. I'm beginning to think we could set up a business to help others and call it 'Don't be Stuffy!'
Love the business idea and name. I have a friend who was an organizer and cleaning out homes was part of her business. Oy. The stories she told. Now she sells and flips homes. Much cleaner.
Boy, does this resonate! Both my husband and I have our sentimental side, which means we hold onto things that we probably ought to let go. But, we also prefer a tidy space. Finding balance isn't easy. I need a week off work to really dig in on a few de-cluttering projects. In the absence of that, I just look the other way.
I do hope your injuries reconcile enough to allow you to continue to enjoy your favorite activities. Pain is no joke, and inactivity can be so demoralizing! Hopefully swimming will always be accessible. I know its in your Tasmanian blood, but your willingness to jump into cold water impresses the hell out of me!
I think the thing that made me really sit up was when my mum died and my husband and I were responsible for managing her estate and emptying our her city home and her sea-cottage. It was a lot of work and a lot of possessions despite that she was a very careful person, clean and tidy and always had a clean out every year. I swore that I would have a very parred down life for my kids to deal with.
When we downsized, that helped massively. Now, every year, I go through the house room by room and am a little bit merciless.
The glute... ah, the glute. It feels fair to middling today - product I think of spending the last few days doing a lot of sitting finishing my manuscript. I've got ballet tomorrow - that will be the big test. Thank you for you kind wishes on that point.
And I love that you're impressed with the swimming bit - I'll take that and run with it this week to give me a push along. XXXX
Oh thankyou lady- I have to work out how to navigate this space better - I cant do the space thing very well as the cottage we are in is tiny! But how lovely is it to read your words. I must make more time to sit and read this….
I wish I was better at getting rid of "stuff," but I am trying, I could buy loads more, but I won't buy stuff just for the sake of it We have decluttered a fair bit from the attic and garage, but I know we need to do a lot more.... although the paperwork stuff has been overhauled quite a lot.
I'm going to try very hard when we redecorate this year, to have a really good sort out of clothes shoes etc from the wardrobes, as they'll have to be emptied before moving so less will go back.
Lots can go to the charity shops. I have been throwing out some bits cos you only need so many sets of gardening and painting togs ;)
Go Libby!
Honestly, if Covid taught me anything, it was that I needed a very parred-down wardrobe. Up the coast, I have a small cupboard with a coat, vests, my radiator wetsuit top and my full wetsuit. I have a seriously small chest of drawers which is half summer and half winter and that's it!
Town is a little different but I'm slowly whittling through things. Shoes are the easiest because my feet are changing rapidly and I now have have comfort above everything so almost all my oldies are going. Sad. There's some nice pairs there. But as you say, the charity shops are needed more than ever and my cast-offs hopefully will help someone else.
I always take things to the charity shops as they can use them, we'll be having a good clear out when we decorate . Or if qe have a run of bad weather ;)
Yes, I agree. The charity shops are much in need at the moment and its heartening to know that our stuff can help others. And bad weather is the PERFECT time!
Such a beautiful, thought-provoking post, Prue! I’ve been doing my best not to accumulate more stuff - and yet the stuff I have is not going to lessen until I actually CLEAR some of it!
I’m so sorry that your injuries are holding you back, especially in your beloved ballet - this stuff takes time, right?
It's difficult not to accrue things that make our hearts and minds (and our fingers) tingle, isn't it? Maybe we can form a support group. Ask Terry!
As to my injuries - I'm old, Rebecca, and I have ligament weaknesses which are apparently congenital. My sports medicine physician told me once that my body's paying the price for a pretty active life. Sigh. At least I have those memories...
LOL re support group - you might be on to something, Prue!
It's so annoying when our bodies let us down. Grrrrr. 😕 But yay to happy memories.
Oh my goodness Prue - you have me laughing and at the same time saying "that's me"!! I swear it's part and parcel of now entering this next phase of our earth-school journey. That recognition that in truth our children are NOT interested in our "stuff" AND that the memories and old photos carry a level of love and joy that cannot be captured elsewhere. I just spent time with a most beautiful young lady last week chatting about exactly this topic - how and where to begin when suddenly it all feels so very overwhelming. Of course she's in the business of helping people like me so her kindness, consideration and encouragement were all I needed to know that it will all unfold exactly as it's supposed to AND it will all be "Perfectly on Time"... LOL.
Added note: I have no doubt at all that you're going to "blink" and find that you're back at your ballet class doing what you've done so well for so long. I just started classes in April (at this late age) and ballet, along with tap, have become my newest joyful adventures.
Actually my kids are true softies and have asked to be left certain things with which they can remember their early family life. I'll either draft off a note for the lawyer or run round with stickers which is what a friend of my mother's did and all stickers were accepted as Grandmother's Law.
My husband and myself have frequent clear-outs refining and minimalising regularly, as we really don't want to be caught out by life and nor do we want the kids to be left with cleaning up after us. Life is so unpredictable that we don't trust things to unfold exactly on time as we've experienced many personal things that don't run to a timetable.
As to my injuries, it's kind of ongoing, really. As I said to Rebecca, I have dodgy ligaments that enjoy tearing just for fun and thus fit this week, could be disabled next which is why I'm learning to enjoy every day when I can. Take care.
There’s nothing like moving to get rid of stuff. I told my mom we’re not getting her a pyramid so... Hope your tendons heal. Those shoes are adorbs.
I did laugh at that! A pyramid!!!!
Husband and self moved 15 times in the course of his career and so that has helped eliminate extraneous stuff quite a lot. We've been settled now in the same region for 30+ years but the need to keep 'stuff'-free is entrenched as we have helped my brother and our children move and have had to deal with my mum's estate. I'm beginning to think we could set up a business to help others and call it 'Don't be Stuffy!'
Love the business idea and name. I have a friend who was an organizer and cleaning out homes was part of her business. Oy. The stories she told. Now she sells and flips homes. Much cleaner.
Boy, does this resonate! Both my husband and I have our sentimental side, which means we hold onto things that we probably ought to let go. But, we also prefer a tidy space. Finding balance isn't easy. I need a week off work to really dig in on a few de-cluttering projects. In the absence of that, I just look the other way.
I do hope your injuries reconcile enough to allow you to continue to enjoy your favorite activities. Pain is no joke, and inactivity can be so demoralizing! Hopefully swimming will always be accessible. I know its in your Tasmanian blood, but your willingness to jump into cold water impresses the hell out of me!
I think the thing that made me really sit up was when my mum died and my husband and I were responsible for managing her estate and emptying our her city home and her sea-cottage. It was a lot of work and a lot of possessions despite that she was a very careful person, clean and tidy and always had a clean out every year. I swore that I would have a very parred down life for my kids to deal with.
When we downsized, that helped massively. Now, every year, I go through the house room by room and am a little bit merciless.
The glute... ah, the glute. It feels fair to middling today - product I think of spending the last few days doing a lot of sitting finishing my manuscript. I've got ballet tomorrow - that will be the big test. Thank you for you kind wishes on that point.
And I love that you're impressed with the swimming bit - I'll take that and run with it this week to give me a push along. XXXX
Oh thankyou lady- I have to work out how to navigate this space better - I cant do the space thing very well as the cottage we are in is tiny! But how lovely is it to read your words. I must make more time to sit and read this….