A ruthless spring clean.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Since returning from the US I haven't had much work, so decided to be really ruthless with this years spring clean, since I have had the time to do a thorough job this year.

I have been going from room to room and emptying ever cupboard, draw or box and am being very ruthless in thinning out my stuff! It is amazing what stuff we keep, and I am by no means a hoarder either, with box after box of bits and pieces, all neatly stored. Such things as old technology which have been completely superseded, which I just chucked in a big box, when I got the latest and greatest! After cleaning this out, I now know why some called me the gadget man Another item I finally decided to throw out was cassette tapes, particularly since I haven't had a cassette player in years. These alone filled half the bin. Most probably wouldn't have been any good anyway, they were so old. But, this begs the question, when will I eventually throw out my CD collection, as we inexorably move to a completely digital environment? Probably not for many years yet. Actually, probably not in my lifetime! More than once I have had to reload CD's into iTunes because it crapped itself and the backup didn't work! Maybe this is where "cloud" computing will come into is own.

The last time I did this was when I had to, unfortunately, sell my matrimonial home and I moved into a unit I had bought and I had to be totally ruthless then, as I was moving into a much smaller place; and I had a large garage and workshop of stuff to also consider. Yes, there were many things I regretted getting rid of then, but I had little choice, at the time. In fact, I had no choice! I really missed my workshop, but we have to do what we have to do. Fortunately (or sadly, I am not sure which ), I don't have a workshop this time to worry about, as I only have a small shed, which I thoroughly cleaned out last summer.

I am now deliberately considering downsizing, as I turn 60 in a couple of months, and this place is a lot to look after, so decided it was time to really clear out stuff, in preparation for moving, and I am surprised by the amount of books and paperwork that has accumulated over the past decade or so, since buying this house. All my text books and assignments for the various studies I have undertaken over the years have filled the bin, on their own. Other novels and such I have simply given away; I really should use the library more, instead of buying the latest novels. But then, I can't wait for them to be available at the library. My next move is to go digital in this regard. In addition to this, I have had to shred around 4000 documents, as anything with my name on or other details that can identify me are cross shredded before being thrown out. I am very much aware of identity theft, and always have been sensibly paranoid in this regard.

I am finding things I had forgotten I had, so it is like Christmas. And, I haven't even begun to look at the room that has all my astro stuff in it, but then, I pretty much know what I have in that regard.

It amazes me that I managed to move from a two bedroom unit into a large house and have managed to end up with so much stuff after a decade. It seems, if we have more space, we simply fill it

What are others experiences in this regard. What is the most amazing thing you have found that you had forgotten you had?

Cheers Pete

[hotspur (Chris)]

Yes,we tend to collect a lot of junk through life,I try and be ruthless in clean ups,but stuff still tends to find its way to me.People think -oh Chris might use that,I take stuff to tip,and then more arrives.

Good to have a good throw out of junk from time to time,gets rid of stale energy.

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

I hear you Peter , I am doing that right now as well , a lot of stuff?? has gone into the bins , but yea you have got to be ruthless .
another week and 1/2 before I move , its a nightmare ! .
Brian.

[Kunama]

We have just bought our 10th house in 30yrs together so have had to ditch the junk every few years, last time I filled a 4 cubic metre bin (while my wife was away). She is still looking for some of that stuff.

Good luck Peter !!!

Edit:
Everything we box up gets the date written on it, we still have a dozen boxes not opened since 1998! Yet she who must be obeyed wants to keep it !

[acropolite (Phil)]

I know the feeling, I (make that we) too have accumulated a lot of "stuff" in my (our) lifetime. HRH is a bit of a hoarder as well, we're both aware that if we departed this earth tomorrow, the kids would quickly slip in and dump everything, then probably fight over the assets.

When I lived alone I had a rule, if I hadn't used something in the past 3 years and wasn't likely to within the next 2 it went. Rules are made to be broken and I've well and truly broken that one. We still have boxes and bags of stuff that hasn't been unpacked from the last move 13 years ago..

We're looking at perhaps moving from Tas to northern NSW and we'll have to bite the bullet sometime soon and clear out the clutter.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

I know the feeling too, about once a year I de-clutter my shed. I usually fill our 1.5M skip at least once in the process, I have no idea how so much stuff accumulates in such a short time.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

We've started the cleanup process for our first move in 19 years. I've taken one Prado load of stuff to the local church's 2nd hand shop, SHMBO has taken one car full of clothes and has about another half ready. Council had a chemicals collection so that was another Prado load. Some furniture is destined for a nephew's 1st home.
The new place is bigger, but that means more furniture to be bought.

[Jon (Jonathan)]

About four years ago the wife and I instituted an annual Skip Week. It's the only way to keep on top. If In Doubt, Chuck It Out.

Having said that, I still have a garage 95% full of crap. I'm tempted now and then to torch it. But what about the 5%, and how can I tell? That's the problem.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

When my first marriage went belly up I 'lived' in my station wagon for about 2 weeks. You soon learn what is important and what is not when you have to reduce to that state..
(I had a bed to go to each night but the Camry held everything I owned for a while there. Clothes, fishing gear, tools, computer, CDs etc etc )

[AdrianF (Adrian)]

We are about to move from Moura to Yarraman and looks like we have to wait until our 6x9 meter shed built before we fully move. We have already done our spring clean and still have too much stuff to put in our new home.
Have been very ruthless throwing stuff out.

Adrian

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Have a garage sale!

Was spring cleaning myself last week and the neighbour was having a garage sale. She kindly let me add my junk to the sale and all my stuff sold in a couple of hours. I even got money for it! I was just glad to get rid of the stuff.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

Originally Posted by Jon

About four years ago the wife and I instituted an annual Skip Week. It's the only way to keep on top. If In Doubt, Chuck It Out.

Having said that, I still have a garage 95% full of crap. I'm tempted now and then to torch it. But what about the 5%, and how can I tell? That's the problem.

That is not a bad idea. I have just started the great "Hard eye" clean of one of our garages which has not had a throw out in ages. Just gave away a not quite functional 6 person portable spa. The pump seal failed just before we had our kid (Who is now 5) and that was the end of it due to time pressures, nowadays we would love to use it but we can't really afford the water and our power bill is high enough already. A mate is taking it and if he can fix it for a couple of hundred bucks to use or sell then good luck to him.

I manouvered it onto the trailer yesterday (It took a bit of doing by myself) and it is amazing what amount of space you win back when a 2X2m spa is gone! Now to get on a roll and have a long hard look at everything else that is in there as we actually plan to rebuild that garage as a room and I want to get moving on it.

[el_draco (Rom)]

I've waged a continuous war against "stuff" for years and have got it under control for myself, but try living with collectors.... gawd. I want everything small and easy, except the scope, they want to hold on to every piece of crap every made. Fun thing is collecting a bag full of others "stuff", waiting six months for comment and then turfing it.... Never hear a peep... Good books, "The not so big" + "house" and "life". We should all take a read and a serious look at the crap we collect in the name of keeping up with the mob
.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Reminds me of reading about the time when Aldous Huxley's house caught fire, and he was standing out the front, just thinking, "Let it go. Let it go."

[skytry (Peter)]

hi Pete & all,
me too,
when I get home from holiday, the excess in the house & shed
where possible is burnt in the paddock, it lasts about a week, all junk,

its about too start again, followed by 3 tip runs, ute size, then happy again till the text year,

if it's not used, its out, or burnt,

regards,
Peter.