Not throwing anything out
Discussion
OK I admit I'm a bit of a hoarder, so is my wife and so is my son.
Having lived in remote places I tend to hang onto stuff, boxes, bit of wood, cables, adapters, you name it...
So today I'm after powering up a keyboard that's not been used in a year and has moved from room to room to loft. Power supply no where to be found, son who moved it upstairs is convinced it should be all together along with the pedal. Nope, and while I can find old Sky boxes, old routers, more odd cables and power supplies than National Grid own, more books, old shoes, gasket sets, differentials, various rad hoses and fittings as well as chain saws, kids games, old bottles, wood veneer, tables, chairs, there's no sign of the power supply. Probably end up buying another!
This scenario follows on from the need for two lengths of timber to repair a door to the garage. Locked myself out and had to break in earlier. More wood than Jewsons and MKM together any profile and section you want but any long enough, nope.
Time for a radical clear out. I'll start with her stuff
Having lived in remote places I tend to hang onto stuff, boxes, bit of wood, cables, adapters, you name it...
So today I'm after powering up a keyboard that's not been used in a year and has moved from room to room to loft. Power supply no where to be found, son who moved it upstairs is convinced it should be all together along with the pedal. Nope, and while I can find old Sky boxes, old routers, more odd cables and power supplies than National Grid own, more books, old shoes, gasket sets, differentials, various rad hoses and fittings as well as chain saws, kids games, old bottles, wood veneer, tables, chairs, there's no sign of the power supply. Probably end up buying another!
This scenario follows on from the need for two lengths of timber to repair a door to the garage. Locked myself out and had to break in earlier. More wood than Jewsons and MKM together any profile and section you want but any long enough, nope.
Time for a radical clear out. I'll start with her stuff
I read a brilliant tip from a PH'er a while ago, basically, if it costs less than £20 and I can get it from a retail outlet or Ebay and it's not been used in a while, it goes out.
Coupled with the "staging area" idea, it's worked perfectly for a while now.
De cluttering is cathartic for me these days.
Coupled with the "staging area" idea, it's worked perfectly for a while now.
De cluttering is cathartic for me these days.
TBH I don't think there's much value in all the clutter except for it to be there when I need it. Except I can't find what I need.
That said I've just put some Ford/Atlas bits on FBMarket but I'm too far away for folk to come and collect.
Two things I'm reminded of:-
Back in the 1970's and 80's I was into Hillman Imps etc. Anyone who knows these will recall the "O" ring in the head. I bought a few, put them in a safe place....never found them again.
More recently, the oil seal on a Ford Type 9 gearbox speedo drive. They're coppers to buy but the P&P from the likes of Burton makes them expensive. Add to the fact that they don't always go in square I bought a few. Used 1 the rest into storage. Someone was looking for one a few weeks ago, heaven knows where they are.
That said I've just put some Ford/Atlas bits on FBMarket but I'm too far away for folk to come and collect.
Two things I'm reminded of:-
Back in the 1970's and 80's I was into Hillman Imps etc. Anyone who knows these will recall the "O" ring in the head. I bought a few, put them in a safe place....never found them again.
More recently, the oil seal on a Ford Type 9 gearbox speedo drive. They're coppers to buy but the P&P from the likes of Burton makes them expensive. Add to the fact that they don't always go in square I bought a few. Used 1 the rest into storage. Someone was looking for one a few weeks ago, heaven knows where they are.
Skyedriver said:
TBH I don't think there's much value in all the clutter except for it to be there when I need it. Except I can't find what I need.
That said I've just put some Ford/Atlas bits on FBMarket but I'm too far away for folk to come and collect.
Two things I'm reminded of:-
Back in the 1970's and 80's I was into Hillman Imps etc. Anyone who knows these will recall the "O" ring in the head. I bought a few, put them in a safe place....never found them again.
More recently, the oil seal on a Ford Type 9 gearbox speedo drive. They're coppers to buy but the P&P from the likes of Burton makes them expensive. Add to the fact that they don't always go in square I bought a few. Used 1 the rest into storage. Someone was looking for one a few weeks ago, heaven knows where they are.
You're my twin brother. I too have the remnants of the Imp I sold in 1977. Anyone need any Stromberg needles, jets and springs for a tuned 998 Imp, or valve shims or O-rings for any part of the cooling system?That said I've just put some Ford/Atlas bits on FBMarket but I'm too far away for folk to come and collect.
Two things I'm reminded of:-
Back in the 1970's and 80's I was into Hillman Imps etc. Anyone who knows these will recall the "O" ring in the head. I bought a few, put them in a safe place....never found them again.
More recently, the oil seal on a Ford Type 9 gearbox speedo drive. They're coppers to buy but the P&P from the likes of Burton makes them expensive. Add to the fact that they don't always go in square I bought a few. Used 1 the rest into storage. Someone was looking for one a few weeks ago, heaven knows where they are.
Skyedriver said:
OK I admit I'm a bit of a hoarder, so is my wife and so is my son.
Having lived in remote places I tend to hang onto stuff, boxes, bit of wood, cables, adapters, you name it...
So today I'm after powering up a keyboard that's not been used in a year and has moved from room to room to loft. Power supply no where to be found, son who moved it upstairs is convinced it should be all together along with the pedal. Nope, and while I can find old Sky boxes, old routers, more odd cables and power supplies than National Grid own, more books, old shoes, gasket sets, differentials, various rad hoses and fittings as well as chain saws, kids games, old bottles, wood veneer, tables, chairs, there's no sign of the power supply. Probably end up buying another!
This scenario follows on from the need for two lengths of timber to repair a door to the garage. Locked myself out and had to break in earlier. More wood than Jewsons and MKM together any profile and section you want but any long enough, nope.
Time for a radical clear out. I'll start with her stuff
I've got a USB-A to micro-USB cable or six I can send to you if you think it will help?Having lived in remote places I tend to hang onto stuff, boxes, bit of wood, cables, adapters, you name it...
So today I'm after powering up a keyboard that's not been used in a year and has moved from room to room to loft. Power supply no where to be found, son who moved it upstairs is convinced it should be all together along with the pedal. Nope, and while I can find old Sky boxes, old routers, more odd cables and power supplies than National Grid own, more books, old shoes, gasket sets, differentials, various rad hoses and fittings as well as chain saws, kids games, old bottles, wood veneer, tables, chairs, there's no sign of the power supply. Probably end up buying another!
This scenario follows on from the need for two lengths of timber to repair a door to the garage. Locked myself out and had to break in earlier. More wood than Jewsons and MKM together any profile and section you want but any long enough, nope.
Time for a radical clear out. I'll start with her stuff
When I cleared my mum's house, she had things from her and my dad, things from her parents, his parents, their grandparents and on and on, the whole family seemed unable to chuck stuff out. The oldest things were tools that belonged to my great, great, great, great grandfather, born 1798.
The uninteresting stuff outweighed the interesting stuff 50:1.
Nightmare.
The uninteresting stuff outweighed the interesting stuff 50:1.
Nightmare.
I'm a hoarder.
I have started to pass stuff on. My nephew got my 100+ golly badge collection from the Robertson jam, because he thought they were hilarious.
My other nephew had my Dad's WW2 medals.
I will be doing well to last another 15 years, so have started parting with stuff so I know it goes where I want it to go. I have some interesting art and there are postit notes on the back as nieces and nephews have remarked that they like them.
I have started to pass stuff on. My nephew got my 100+ golly badge collection from the Robertson jam, because he thought they were hilarious.
My other nephew had my Dad's WW2 medals.
I will be doing well to last another 15 years, so have started parting with stuff so I know it goes where I want it to go. I have some interesting art and there are postit notes on the back as nieces and nephews have remarked that they like them.
DickyC said:
When I cleared my mum's house, she had things from her and my dad, things from her parents, his parents, their grandparents and on and on, the whole family seemed unable to chuck stuff out. The oldest things were tools that belonged to my great, great, great, great grandfather, born 1798.
The uninteresting stuff outweighed the interesting stuff 50:1.
Nightmare.
Same here.The uninteresting stuff outweighed the interesting stuff 50:1.
Nightmare.
Clearing up after my late Mum and Dad has pretty much cured me of any hoarding tendencies. The whole thing for me is that if you have loads and loads of stuff you cant see the good things. My parents had lots of really lovely things. Nice things, things of sentimental value and in one or two cases, quite valuable things. But what's the point of any of that if it's completely hidden in a muddle of other stuff?
4 years after my Dad died and 6 months after my Mum died I'm still finding things - George Best autograph anyone? In pencil mind.
I think there's a fine line between collecting, being practical and hoarding. In many ways we need very little in the way of physical possessions to get through life. And when we die little will be kept and passed down the generations.
I do throw things out, and periodically have a decent clearout of stuff. I also collect, and often collect things that I don't need and rarely see use.
I have just under 200 sets of mainly 1950s Christmas lights. At Christmas 20 or maybe 30 sets get put up. But I am still adding to the collection. I really should think about specifying a home for them in my will. And I really should stop adding to the collection.
I've also got 4 old cars in the garage. I need none of them but I like having them. 2 are in turn key condition but I can only drive one at a time. And the garage loft has various obscure spares for them.
As I sit here typing I can see half a dozen deer antlers I've picked up on the local hills. Again they serve no purpose. And books I have read. If I was sensible I would list them in a document to avoid accidentally buying them again before donating the books onwards but then I wouldn't have them there. I still have my childhood stamp collection. Will I ever look through it again? Or add to it? Maybe if I lost my physical independence. But still...
I do throw things out, and periodically have a decent clearout of stuff. I also collect, and often collect things that I don't need and rarely see use.
I have just under 200 sets of mainly 1950s Christmas lights. At Christmas 20 or maybe 30 sets get put up. But I am still adding to the collection. I really should think about specifying a home for them in my will. And I really should stop adding to the collection.
I've also got 4 old cars in the garage. I need none of them but I like having them. 2 are in turn key condition but I can only drive one at a time. And the garage loft has various obscure spares for them.
As I sit here typing I can see half a dozen deer antlers I've picked up on the local hills. Again they serve no purpose. And books I have read. If I was sensible I would list them in a document to avoid accidentally buying them again before donating the books onwards but then I wouldn't have them there. I still have my childhood stamp collection. Will I ever look through it again? Or add to it? Maybe if I lost my physical independence. But still...
It does seem to be the older generation that are bad for this. I guess its because they grew up in a time of limited consumption.
For full disclosure. I love my parents. (Retired) And they are both bad for hoarding. My Dad has a trillion model trains and carriages stashed in cupboards. Occasionally he'll get one out paint a bit, then put it away and the look on eBay for another! Which infuriates my Mum (I always imagine the ebay seller is a widow trying to get rid of their late husbands tat! )
My Mum has several wardrobes full of clothes. Mostly children's clothes. For her 2 children that are now in their 40s and moved out years ago! Or clothes from the 50s-70s when she was a size 8 which she'll obviously never wear again
The front room is full of stuff that could be thrown out! There's an utterly worthless storage box with sequins and sewing stuff and associated tat that belonged to my grandmother. Who died 11 years ago!
Every time I visit, I look at the old stereo speaker, for a stereo that died and WAS thrown out years ago, and the table lamp that doesn't work either but must seemingly live on the sideboard forevermore.
But when I push them, they talk about throwing away stuff that's actually worth keeping.
So the last time it wasn't
"we'll get rid of the stuff we dont need"
it was
"we'll get rid of half the dvd collection" or "we can get rid of the books"
For full disclosure. I love my parents. (Retired) And they are both bad for hoarding. My Dad has a trillion model trains and carriages stashed in cupboards. Occasionally he'll get one out paint a bit, then put it away and the look on eBay for another! Which infuriates my Mum (I always imagine the ebay seller is a widow trying to get rid of their late husbands tat!
)My Mum has several wardrobes full of clothes. Mostly children's clothes. For her 2 children that are now in their 40s and moved out years ago! Or clothes from the 50s-70s when she was a size 8 which she'll obviously never wear again
The front room is full of stuff that could be thrown out! There's an utterly worthless storage box with sequins and sewing stuff and associated tat that belonged to my grandmother. Who died 11 years ago!
Every time I visit, I look at the old stereo speaker, for a stereo that died and WAS thrown out years ago, and the table lamp that doesn't work either but must seemingly live on the sideboard forevermore.
But when I push them, they talk about throwing away stuff that's actually worth keeping.
So the last time it wasn't
"we'll get rid of the stuff we dont need"
it was
"we'll get rid of half the dvd collection" or "we can get rid of the books"
It can be disheartening experience, I'm helping a widow dispose of her hubby's den, full of decades of his photography passion, huge vinyl collection, and 100s of DVDs, she doesn't want any of it, nor the relatives.
With her permission I've taken a few things, but most has gone to Oxfam or the skip. Very sad.
With her permission I've taken a few things, but most has gone to Oxfam or the skip. Very sad.
Oh lawks, this is us…..
WAAAAY too much Stuff™
Not helped by a year of “clearing” the in-laws house after they passed….we’ve become the Owners of The Photos, or most of them, as well as much other stuff.
BUT…..we are trying. Bags of clothes have gone this year….cleared the bulk of our DVDs, books are next on our list.
Admitting there is a problem is the first part of solving the problem, eh!
WAAAAY too much Stuff™
Not helped by a year of “clearing” the in-laws house after they passed….we’ve become the Owners of The Photos, or most of them, as well as much other stuff.
BUT…..we are trying. Bags of clothes have gone this year….cleared the bulk of our DVDs, books are next on our list.
Admitting there is a problem is the first part of solving the problem, eh!
A much misunderstood character Mr Trebus with a heck of a backstory
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/oct/05/guard...
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/oct/05/guard...
king mad. 
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