Decluttering Debacle at J and P Towers!
Little Miss J and P spent three days, last week, emptying her room of STUFF. I'm trying to convince myself that this is a good move.
When I asked in a small tremulous voice "What the heck are you doing?", she replied "Mum, I'm having a clutter clearout." When I asked, incredulously, "Why?" (clutter clearouts are few and far between at J and P Towers), she replied "Seriously, mum, I'm not a hoarder like you!". Well, that told me.
Mr J and P and myself have been observing this daily de-clutter with horror and something resembling fear at the teetering PILES OF STUFF that have been DUMPED on the landing outside her room (and ours) making the landing and stairs a danger zone.
I thought that decluttering was meant to be carthartic and liberating. Quite frankly, dear readers, this exercise has been a complete nightmare for me.
I've ended up going through the piles and dividing them into more piles than you can shake a proverbial stick at. At one point we had:
1. a pile for the charity shop
2. a pile for recycling
3. a pile for the bin
4. a pile for a possible car boot sale
5. a pile for ebay
6. a pile to give to friends
7. a pile which Mr J and P and myself have lovingly rescued containing puffin books (some of which belonged to a little Mr J and P) and annuals (all of which belonged to a little moi).
Apart from the piles for the bin and the recycling, nothing else has left the house and stuff is still languishing on the landing or in bags in our bedroom until I can: a) get to the charity shop, b) see our friends, c) find somewhere to store the items destined for ebay and the boot sale, d) find shelf space for the lovingly rescued puffins and annuals.
On the plus side, Little Miss J and P's room has become some sort of minimalist haven. Although, Mr J and P has just reminded me that no-one has tackled what might be lurking under her bed. Aaaaaargh! I think we'll be needing a white coat, surgical mask and gloves to investigate the horrors under there......
LOL! This is why I haven't yet done a clear out, I need to, but I just know it will cause more mess! Most days it is very tempting to take all the toys to the Sally Army store, would make tidying up much easier!
ReplyDeleteWow, a little miss that actually has cleared out her room, that's a Christmas miracle...I should get my kids to read this post, well done little miss! Good luck with the under bed..hehe
ReplyDeleteLOL! You know you've been busted when your own child calls you a hoarder. This had me chuckling.
ReplyDeleteCan you maybe send her round to my house to declutter my hoard?
Madison xxx
Maybe she can give you lessons? Is she any good with jars? *winks*
ReplyDeleteYes, I too am going to point my kids in the direction of this post, to prove there are some children in the world who have a clear out from time to time!
ReplyDeleteWell done Miss J&P, though I appreciate it's not quite so straightforward for mum...
Let us know what you find under the bed - if you dare! xxxxx
I'm so glad you rescued the old Puffins and your childhood annuals Loo. I spotted them in that first pic and thought oh no, Loo can't possibly throw those away! I've been buying a few lately and I think they provide such a lovely reminder of what life was like when we were kids. Slightly daggy, very corny and extremely old - fashioned especially to girls the same age as ours.
ReplyDeleteThat child of your loins certainly put you in your place with that hoarder comment, didn't she.
x
Baby Bird is maybe a little young to learn about decluttering just yet, but there's hope that hoarding doesn't run in families! I always put these things off as it seems to create more mess!
ReplyDeleteOh bless her, she is oviously expecting to get a lot from Santa this year ha ha x x x x
ReplyDeleteI can only dream of my 2 wanting to clear our their rooms - I try hard not to venture in there now - I believe they both have desks/carpets etc but they can never be seen :(
ReplyDeleteI have no chance of our daughter clearing out her room - she's a hoarder like me! I had that Diana 1977! I love old annuals and books and find them the most difficult to give to the charity shop etc. Each book tends to hold a memory - reading it to the little one at bedtime etc. or reading it myself at her age! Clearing things from underneath the bed now, that in this house would be a job and a half!
ReplyDeleteJune
LOL!! my sympathy!! but then again i'm a hoarder and always avoiding decluttering the house coz i'm afraid what i might do..just like you! dividing things and dont know when to give or sell and ended up going back to the storage! xx susan
ReplyDeleteA chip off the old block...not!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great girl you've got there! x
I guess she's making room for all the Christmas presents coming her way?
ReplyDeleteYou can get something for those piles...ouch..very painful!! ;0)
Blimey that's a lot of stuff!! I have the same folding stool from Habitat :)
ReplyDeleteBee happy x
Have a delicious day!
I'm impressed can you help me ?
ReplyDeleteI loved your comment!
Haha! What a fab post!! Have you thought of storing the stuff back in her bedroom? That would probably be for the best all round. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSarahx
ha ha - it made me laugh and sigh when i spotted the how to look after a hamster book. After 3 months i am still trying to pluck up the courage to clear under my sons bed! x
ReplyDeleteAre you SURE she's your child?!
ReplyDeleteScary stuff.Really!
There IS something carthartic about de-cluttering,but is IS also highly stressful!
XXX
I could do with someone here to declutter. I wish I could be heartless and just throw things out but it HURTS. So I don't.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I loved this post, she sounds like she's got it all sorted. Maybe a career on channel 4 beckons? She could be the strict one on "Why Have you got all this junk in your House?" or similar. Although like Kylie I am glad you swooped in to save the annuals, I was worried there for a minute. xx
ReplyDeleteLOL i smiled from start to finish, my bed and room and landing looked similar to yours today but it was me doing it sorting out my bedroom cupboard. But what a great girl sorting and clearing her own ;-)) Glad you rescured your old books though ;-)) Hope you manage to re-home it all real soon, dee xx
ReplyDeleteHas she threatened to do the rest of the house? ;) On Sunday afternoon we got round to finally sorting out the 12 year old's books for the charity shop. Soon as we were ready to head out the door - it started chucking down. Big pile of books still by the front door...
ReplyDeleteJust do what I did! When said peson is out of the way tidy said piles because they are "untidy" and pull out the sentimental items to you and probably to them, them not realising it is sentimental to them until a few years later on, when they will come to you and say mum do you remember my such'n'such and you yes why.....they will say where is it, and you say you de-cluttered it years ago but secretly you know exactly where it is ready to give to their first child. I did just that recently and the reply was I thought I chucked away I wondered where that was!
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxxxxx
I think I'll hire her to come over and help clear out some of our rooms!!
ReplyDeleteThis post made me chuckle.......what brilliant timing that girl has, maybe you should explain to her that poor Santa will have a hard time finding his way through the maze on the landing to her lovely minimalistic bedroom to deposit a bulging festive stocking upon her bed. (If pennies are scarce after Christmas you could always hire her out as a declutterer extroidinaire). xx
ReplyDeleteHaha great post!
ReplyDeleteI am a de-clutterer... our garage is now busting at the seams with junk (including a three-seater sofa!!) but I can't do any trips to the charity shop/tip until the new year as I fear I may inadvertently chuck out any 'hidden' Christmas pressies with it!!! lol.
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas :)
Louise xxx
Oh I love it! What a sweetie :o) This did make me laugh Loo :o)
ReplyDeleteThankyou so much for sharing this my lovely :o)
Have a fantastic Christmas my dear won't you?
Take care, and stay safe.
Love Donna xxx
Getting rid of stuff is liberating and exhausting at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI like your list of where your items are going to and your daughter is so mature and organize. She will make a great CEO!
Hee hee, thanks for the laugh - that hoarding comment is a classic. I am a bit of a hoarder also. Been a while since I stopped by so will have to go back and check your previous posts.
ReplyDeleteSherry :)
Wow! Good for them.
ReplyDeleteHahahayy!! Your daughter is so you.
ReplyDeletelook at all those lovely books.
Besos