I thought to myself earlier, when was the last time a thing, saved because "it *might* be useful" actually WAS. I think I'll be thinking a long time.
I will have to use Facebook for most of this.
30th Jan I asked the question: Situation: Wall unit full of 'stuff' (mostly books) that really hasn't been looked at/used for, about 5 years.
I want to at least get rid of the novels. Taking them to the op shop is NOT an option. I would feel guilty if they went in the rubbish bin. Putting them in the recycling is a perfectly good compromise?
That day, or the one after, I binned the books. Most were old Mills and Boon types.
3rd Feb. I started on the old rat house and binned lots of denim that was for rag rugs. lots already braided or in 2 inch strips. Someone wanted me to take it to them, (they were always after more rag rug supplies), but I didn't budge. If they had wanted them THAT badly, they would have made an effort to come and get them.
6th Feb. Rubbish day. The bins were emptied. I was strong and tossed out the 'good thick, good for a pack liner, plastic bag before the rubbish man came.
Also tossed out, into neighbours bins, were another bag of rag rug parts, a dried up tin of paint, and about 13 modern cloth nappies.
I started again in the old rat house, chucking started rag rugs, that never got past about a foot wide. It was tempting to 'keep going,' but I resisted. While in my room, I 'saw' the dusty old books on the bottom shelf of the book shelf that haven't been read, probably since I got the Kindle in 2011. I put the M&B types in the recycle bin, and a few others that sounded good in the op shop, but I never read. One of which was The Horse Lord. I think I needed another book to make the series, and I didn't want to start until I had it. I did start it though, and obviously never finished it.
I also went through the books my daughter left here: Old ones like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I know for a fact *I* will NEVER read them.
7th Feb. I turfed a number of discs, in their cases from the drawers of the dressing table in the lounge room. The idea was to put the balls of yarn in the drawers, but...I ran out of room. Eeep!
8th Feb: the old wire basket from the deep fryer went in the recycling.
In a week, some 100 or so books have gone in the recycling, and several kilos of 'rags'. I think the denim alone was from about 8 pairs of jeans. Not so many video tapes, maybe 20, but about 40+ dvd cases - most with 2 discs.
On Friday I cleared off the shelf in the bathroom (it sits on a coffee can), and wiped that down to eventually paint it. Lots of *things* that had been in the little trays, night lights, shampoo samples and stuff, went in the bin. Granted I have a lot of the little shampoos in the camping stuff, but I hadn't relocated these. So, they could safely go.
Replacing the now white shelf makes everything look cleaner, so I chucked the hanging things. Necklaces and what have you that I don't wear. I made them in my 'I'm too poor for store bought things' days, and the last time I remember actively wearing one, was when my now 9.5yo niece was in Tasmania...as a 9mo. I also put some things that have been on the bathroom window sill behind the curtains for..YEARS out. I'm thinking of painting that white, but only if I can find the big paint brush, which should be on the filing cabinet in the kitchen.
I would like to repaint the bookshelf in my room one day. But, that might need to wait.
Decisions will need to be made about the almost complete series of books I have by Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Patricia Cornwall, Sue Grafton, Kathy Reichs and Carol O'Connell..oh, and Dean Koontz, John Saul and Richard Laymon. I mean, just there is about 90 books. :o Some Dean Koontz ones are 20 years old. I have a lot of these as ebooks as well, but I haven't read any on the Kindle, or as a real book, because I had read them SOOOOOO often when I was poor.
Since I am halfway thinking this is a 'prior to moving' thing (though without any actual moving plans), and I would be moving out bush...getting rid of the above *now* might be a bit premature - coz they are perfectly readable. If there is no internet out bush, then getting new books for the Kindle isn't an option.
Anyway, I'll chuck the ones I know I wont read first. I may never move, but it feels good to get rid of the 'dust collectors.'
This is a good way to see things. 9 Clutter Clearing Tips. The Rat house is right inside the front door, the first load of books and daughters books are in the room I spend a major part of the day in. Everything I have tossed out hasn't even been touched for a good 5 years. So, its well and truly 'dead' as per that page.
Clutter Clearing is also good, with more detail. I want to get the 'front entrance' done and the old planter beside the freezer sorted. Especially the planter. It was my Nans, built by cousin Paul who was murdered. I can't use it as it was intended in this house, but maybe I can if I move. It can look a LOT tidier though. Right now its a receptacle for stuff off the freezer when I want to get into the freezer. I dont really have a place for 'papers'/menus/receipts so they end up there. The other day I got rid of receipts from 2011. I 'kept' receipts from fuel, from when I had the old car. Which was crashed in 2012. Why did I keep them? That cars fuel economy is a moot point now. Comparing that car to this car isn't even going to tell me anything, because the old car was a 6 cylinder and the new one is a 4. Gah!
There is still several bin loads to go, and unfortunately I can't really do more until the bins have been emptied. A skip is a bit too expensive, but maybe one of those 'hippo' bins could work better for now, and use the ute to take the dryer/tv/monitors to the tip.
Well, I guess the Bale away size is better than nothing too. I think that is $15, and would hold more than 4 regular rubbish bins worth of stuff. I'll see about that one. Mrs Next Door used to have it, so I know they come here. But I would rather a solid bin.
