Going, Going, Gone!

A whole box of Hornsea China - sold on Gumtree. I still have more than enough for everyday use- 

but the coffee pot and espresso set are surplus to requirements- as is the cruet set. They are going, via Gumtree, to a young woman who wants them for her newly decorated brown and cream kitchen. 

The theatrical palm tree -a gift from the Baptist Women of South Korea in 2005 ["we can't afford to airfreight it back to SK, you can have it, Angela"] has finally gone. It has appeared in dozens of Nativities plays, on Treasure Islands, dismantled on Palm Sundays - in churches and schools literally across the country. And now it has been given to a local Primary School, along with a box of thirty Nativity Costumes. 

They were really excited with that gift. I culled my wicker baskets and posted these on line - free to anyone who could collect them. Within 30 minutes someone contacted me- she makes up gift baskets for new babies - and came round next morning. [I added three pairs of bootees to the bag, knitted for a Craft Fair which never happened!]

My Christmas tins were given to a young Mum who is making Christmas Biscuits with her children, so they can give them to teachers and friends - in pretty eco friendly packaging.

A stack of DVDs for the CS. Another box of books sorted for Ziffit [£17] plus one for a CS, plus a few selected to be stockingfillers - and we still have far too many to take to Cornerstones. 

And I sadly parted with my ottoman/shoe store. In 1976 I paid £5 for it, forty years later I spent £1.50 on the striped ticking - and now I have sold it for £5 online. I'm very happy with that.

There's nowhere at Cornerstones to hang my "Blessings to all who come here" embroidery [bought for £2.50 in a CS 5 years ago] 

I put it on eBay and it went for £10. I hope it will hang in someone else's home now and greet their visitors. 

Today I have appointments with two charity shops to drop off boxes of stuff.

So yes, I am working very hard at decluttering. I am not finding it easy though. Sentimental items are difficult - Bob suggested I did not need to keep every book in which my Dad had written his name, or every card the girls have ever sent me. Or a cookbook which was my Mum's but I have never used. And the large brown glass fruit bowl, the first gift Bob's mum every gave me. But I don't use it and it is a difficult shape to store... 

My linen cupboard is next in line - lots of treasured vintage napkins, traycloths and tablecloths which I think are beautiful, but have no real use for are being advertised on Etsy*. If I am not using these things, they can go to others who will enjoy them. 

But why is it that the house doesn't seem much emptier, despite all the boxes and bags which are leaving on a regular basis?

[*my Etsy Shop is called Mistress Marchpane- word play on Mrs Almond]