Decluttering for fun and (no) profit

It's coming dangerously close to the time that I'm supposed to be escaping the UK but it still doesn't feel like I'm really going. The main reason for this is that I'm still waiting for my work permit to arrive and I can't book my flight without it :o(

Despite this, I've been furiously clearing the flat and my office, putting things into storage, and culling the things I really don't need. I am incredibly impressed with my ruthlessness even if I say so myself!

So far I have taken two very full car loads to the charity shop, though this was problematic as I was being turned away due to overflowing stock rooms! It makes me think a large section of the community can't be that affected by the credit crunch if they are getting rid of their stuff for free after getting lovely new shiny Christmas presents...

I've brought in bag fulls of various belongings to work (bags of fabric, toiletries, clothes, stationery, butane (!)) to foist them off on my friends, and another friend came round for dinner this weekend and left with a giant box of houseplants, baking ingredients, and ornaments.

It's extraordinarily liberating. Apart from the stress of having to do it to a deadline, I'm finding the whole process of house clearance good for the soul. When I started to tot up the actual value of what was going it became too scary though and I had to have a sit down and cup of tea. But then it was pointed out to me that I should just consider it a big charity donation and not worry about whether I'd have to re-buy everything I'd just given away. Anyone that knows me will realise what a big step this is for me. I am a hoarder, and a miserly hoarder at that.

The office is a whole other ball game. Six years-worth of photocopied articles, notes, books, out of date software, mystery cables, the list goes on. Whilst I kept all my photocopied articles from my PhD as I still work in that area, one of the hardest things I had to do was recycle my old university notes from my undergraduate course back in 1995-8. As I still work in archaeology I found it really difficult to think that, although I'd not looked at them since, that they might come in useful for planning my own teaching in the future (though was I ever really going to be teaching about Ancient Western Asia or European Prehistory?). Still, in the recycling sack they went. I've just filled my third...

As one of life's collectors I'm finding, surprisingly, that I'm really enjoying a life without "stuff". I'll be starting again with a clean slate (well... two full suitcases), and I'll be desperately trying not to buy. I'm finding it therapeutic, but not so much that I want to be doing it all again when the time comes to return!



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Quick trouser revamp

Not my most exciting post, but I got these trousers at a charity shop last week and they were too short and a rather unflattering cut. Cue unsexy picture...

All I did was to lengthen the hem and unpick the sides to make them wider below the knee and it seems to have done the trick. Not bad for three quid! Now all I need to do is get round to ironing out those creases ;o)

Wardrobe Refashion Update

I've just realised that I've broken the back of my 6 month Wardrobe Refashion Challenge pledge. As of today I am 89 days in with 65 left to go and I haven't bought any new clothes in that time.

In fact, I'm beginning to wonder whether I'll ever go back to my previous shopping habits. Whilst my posting on the site has been sporadic and lacking in recent months (I'm blaming my broken camera lead) I've not been idle in terms of making/acquiring new items.

I've got seriously into my crochet, which is helped a *lot* by the monthly Stitches and Hos evening at the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath. It was my second visit to the group last night and, after a short attempt at some knitting during a short crochet break I decided I might actually give it a go for a proper project (especially after I got free needles from the group!) .

Sewing has also increased dramatically, although I've got a few UFOs (unfinished objects) waiting around to be sorted. These are mostly items from charity shops that I've bought with a mind to revamp in some way.

This gets me on to my main point. I used to shop in charity shops a lot as a student for quirky or kitsch items but it's dropped off in recent years. Since doing the WRC though I've got a renewed excitement about them and realised most of my wardrobe staples can be sourced here. I've had a few really good hauls of clothes that I can wear as-is without fixing up and I have less guilt about sweat-shop brands like Primark if they are already "pre-loved". Plus it's ace for my bank balance! I don't think I'm ever going to shop normally again...