Its "that" time of year when we scrub, clear out and shed off excess  -  Enjoy everyone.  REMEMBER to delete and clear out your PMs - clutterfree days ahead...........................................

Or as the Dubliner would say "Empty your drawers Mrs. it is Spring.

V

Verh,

You are quite welcome to come down here to Kerry and declutter to your hearts content !! ( Hope you have a few months to spare )

Sounds like a plan V.

I'm with Mary on this one. Anyone want to declutter my house before next Wednesday (get keys for new house then)

Freebird, Carol????

Lesley - Just get a few big old sacks, if you are not using it, you dont need it - recycle, give away, send to Blind Shop  -  the feeling when it is finished is just SUPER, or so I keep telling myself - half way there.

Wish you were nearer - we could all help you - you too Mary, but sure maybe that chap from Cork has a few spare hours, nice to get his hands dirty - would LUV to see that LOL

V

The only way to spring clean is with a skip outside. We probably would all fill 2 with the hording we do.

Good luck moving Mary and dont throw out your old Barry Manalo or Chris De Burg LP's

Try putting unwanted stuff on the Dublin Waste free site. I've found it very useful and the stuff usually goes in a matter of days.

http://www.dublinwaste.ie - http://www.dublinwaste.ie

Jen

Can I just say one other thing with regard to clothes collections? If you haven't read the Sunday Mail last week (I think that was the paper it was in), please be aware that a lot of these 'charities' are shipping the clothes to Easter Europe/Russia where they are being sold for profit with only a token donation being made to a legitimate charity, if at all.

I used to give bag of clothes away at the door because it was convenient but after reading that article, I would rather drive the few miles to the Oxfam shop in Malahide with them than let them be sold for profit.

Jen

 Echo that, Jen.... I'm very selective now about those 'clothes collections' and I ,like you, would rather drive to Oxfam or Fred's Fashions (V deP) to make sure everything goes to a genuine cause.

Jen,

What is the story with Dublin Recycle ?  Does stuff like furniture get collected quickly?  Am down to the last room & have a few big BITS want to offload - have you used them personally ? would love to know, many thanks.  Verona

I've seen stuff go very quickly on that site, V. I have used them myself and there is always a taker. Remember, they're getting the items for free and theyre being taken off your hands for free. It's a win-win situation. Give it a go, you've nothing to lose.

Jen

Jen,

Just looked up that thread - thanks a mill - that is just the thing I wanted -  am going to make a list of the stuff to give away - you are full of ideas, renewed thanks.

Verona

Grovegirl wrote:  Best of luck with the move, Lesley.

Thanks Mary, just can't wait to move now.

I echo the sentiments of those 'charity capers".

A lot of knitted stuff etc gets sent to Africa. They sell it for themselves and none of it ends up with those who need it.

Puts you off giving anything to charity. I'm very particular now. I give to the Flying Doctors only.

verh wrote: Its "that" time of year when we scrub, clear out and shed off excess  -  Enjoy everyone.  REMEMBER to delete and clear out your PMs - clutterfree days ahead........................................... V

I've been making a growing list of things to go in Buy & Sell, or free, or recycle. It's great to get rid of clutter and better still if someone else will make use of it instead of dumping it. (Like the Wombles )

We've never put anything on dublinwaste.ie - but have got stuff there for free and in perfect condition.

Likewise, Roundy. I got a garden swing for Ciara off that site last year. She was delighted with it and it didn't cost a penny!

Jen

We do the community garage sales here and I really love it.  In Minerva Park where I live we do it in August and everyone from near or far come in to see what they can get!  You can get some great little buys.  The idea is you clear out your house toys, old dishes old linens or things you just never had use for.  I love it as a way to clear out toys the boys have no use for anymore.  I have put chairs out there and made up to $500 in a day form old purses I no longer use or never used at all.

Does anyone remember when we were small doing the sale or work (I think that is what they were called.  We used to sell all our old dolls clothes and such.  I remember going around the houses asking people if they had anything they wanted to give to the sale.

I remember that T!

Verh great topic. I'm a big believer in decluttering, though you'd never know it by my house..it is full of "stuff". I have a rule though, if I haven't used it or worn it for 2 years out it goes. I generally give clothes to the good samaritans and household items to my kids or their friends who are setting up homes. Niamh was overawed at the amount of baby clothes people recycled her direction when  Nikita was born. Baby's grow out of things in a matter of weeks and they are hardly worn so get to be recycled over and over.

Lesley I read in a book if you hold onto stuff you are not using "just in case you need it sometime" you are saying to the universe I wont be able to provide for myself when the need arises, which develops a poverty mentality. By getting rid of unused stuff we are creating space for more stuff to come in :) an abundance mentality. Just a thought for the day!

Just in relation to the clothes bags. My dad was a French Polisher and my sister still runs the business. They buy those bags of clothes for €5 a bag. They are sold as bags of rags! You should see some of the clothes - designer labels, sometimes brand new.

My dad found a brand new Magee jacket in one of the bags a few months before he died. He got it cleaned and it fit him perfectly. He got a great kick out of telling people where he got it (much to my mother's embarassment) When he died and it was being decided what he would be dressed in we all laughed and knew he would love it!

I give old clothes to the charity shop here in Carlow since I realised where those bags go.

Ciaran,

That is just great for kids - it teaches them more than they will ever learn in school better i.e. to give than receive, also gives them a great sense of responsibility and pride.

Had one in the driveway here - it was just amazing to think that so much could be made from so little.  All they need are a few trellis tables or similiar, load them up, have LOADS of change and where possible have things priced.  Bakeries are so good (if given enough notice aboud giving breads, rolls, scones, pies etc. always a winner). Plants another winner and literally anything else goes.  Please let us know when the kids are doing it - will you ?

V

This is one good thread, helping to give a kick up the a..... to get the place in order.  Are you encouraging our young people to be young entrepeneurs? If so, am all for it, too many moany people in this country.  Roundabout, hope your kids go for it.

Ben

There is a car boot sale every sunday in the Mart in Tralee.   My lot went up last summer - sold old videos, CD's, soft toys, odd bits of crockery etc.,  They made €300 for Kenya and were so delighted with themselves.   They plan to do it again this year.   

They also collected Golf Balls from the rough on the golf course when they were younger and sold them to the golfers to make money for their holidays.  

Also we have a scheme to collect unsold  magazines from some of the shops and the kids give them to the old folks home and the hospital.   I think Vehr is right - it's better to give than receive and sometimes the best thing you can give is your time.   I know some of the old people who don't have visitors look forward to seeing the kids and telling them stories and the kids certainly benefit.

It says you must have a fine big house Finno.

I'm up and down the damn ladder weekly getting different size cases etc for the girls. Having moved house etc there are boxes that I don't have a clue whats in them and guess what ? They can stay there.

Out of sight and all that 

I sorted all my daughter's toys out this morning while she was in playschool and came out with a black sack full of soft toys and another black sack of toys she'd outgrown. Amazing how much stuff a child can accumulate in only four years.

Anyway, having nowhere around the house to leave these bags, I got into the attic to put them away. Wish I hadn't now as it is FULL of stuff. If I put anything else up there the ceiling is going to come down on top of us. Car boot sale is starting to sound like a good idea!

Jen

Jen,

You will make a packet - then spend it all on the 26th - let rip, best of luck with it  V

Talking of clear outs - on another thread Will you EVER CHECK YOUR PM BOXES & PRESS the DELETE Button - we might all be getting on but at least the old minds have not gone yet, the retention facets hold the keys.

V

Yep - but if you have any more tips to make life easier post them up,

V

I take everything people are throwing out, and keep them for the next seniors sale of work beside me. They raise funds for the flying doctors and people will buy almost anything.

I put an ad in a womens magazine last year for old dolls, toys etc and still get people sending me their old dolls. Hopefully the seniors do well with it.

Jen, the bag of toys/cuddly toys would be very much appreciated by your local childrens hospital. A lot of young children are rushed up to Dublin by ambulance and their parents don't get a chance to take their fave toys/dolls.

Same goes for anybody who has old magazines. Your local nursing home would love to receive them. My magazines get read by all and sundry. I don't like giving them to the local doctors surgery cos sometimes people bring them home (must confess I've done that)

There are lots of ways to recycle your old clutter.

Lesley, that's a great idea. I never thought of giving them to a hospital. I'll phone Temple Street and see if they want them. It would make me very happy if I knew they would be appreciated there. Thanks!

Jen

Nice one Jen.

Catherine used volunteer in the Playroom in Temple Street and they were always happy to take in toys and stuff once they were in good nick.

fINNO.

Can we have the No / Address of the Womens Refuge please ?

Girls / Boys,

Get your hands on a power hose - they are magic, talk about leaving a patio clean - you could eat your dinner off it (that is of course until the dogs pass by to go to their special place in the corner with their calling card).  One thing that is going on the calender for a regular "do" from now on - very relaxing.

Ver

I posted a similar item in the gardens tread.   I love my power washer - Tend to go a bit overboard with it though.   Its great for facia and soffet cleaning and any velux windows - Hubby went mad seemingly I knocked out all the pointing between the paving slabs in the patio !!! ( it was worth it )!!