Parting with Pillowcases
Today I decided it was high time I tackled my hot press, or airing cupboard as it is known in the UK. For those abroad, this is a small room that houses the hot water tank. The rest of the space is made up of slatted wooden shelves. Traditionally, clean laundry is placed in here to ‘air.’ But now, things were spilling out and I could never find anything. It was time for a day of action.
When we built our house, I painted the walls of my hot press tomato red, because I like bright colours. It is home to sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, towels, tea towels, flannels and T shirts. But as I pulled everything out, it was clear I had far too many of everything.
Lots of the giant towels were old and stiff, many T shirts were faded and I simply had far too much bedding.
But here is where I have issues. I grew up in a household where money was very scarce, and I cannot get out of the habit of hanging onto things, simply because they are still ‘okay.’
It turned out I had about 20 pillowcases. Far too many to ever use. Also, when you have too many items, they just get musty in the back of the hot press through lack of use.
Item by item, I placed them in the bag for recycling, but not without feeling uncomfortable. Why would you get rid of a perfectly good pillowcase?
I’m the same way about boxes, and attach ridiculous value to a really good box, which I save for a future event that never happens.
I don’t have a massive house, so painful clearing needs to be done now and again.
Now the hot press is sorted I really do feel lighter. I know I won’t miss the ancient items that are waiting in bags in my hall to go to the clothing banks.
I’m not really a hoarder at all. I’m a minimalist trapped in a clutter-bug’s house.
I dream of living in one of those houses where the dining room table has nothing on it but a tasteful bowl of fruit.
I wonder why we cling to things? Is it a psychological fear of running short of things?
I don’t know. But after it all, I’m still alright for pillowcases.
Recommended1 recommendationPublished in Senior Chatters
I read your post with great interest Rain 😊 My parents also managed their home on a shoestring and consequently Mum kept everything – ‘just in case’ and I seem to have followed suit. But, Del and I are now undertaking a massive clearout and not just the airing cupboard. We’re both knocking on a bit now and our house is full of a lifetime’s clutter. Unfair of the one who’s left behind to have to sort THAT lot out so, it all has to go. Those sturdy boxes I’VE kept have proved useful, books, clothes, miscellaneous items that I’m sure will come in handy for someone, they have been packed up and taken to the many charity shops in our area. Still a long way to go but we’ll get there. Now, I’ve just had to make a VERY early New Year’s resolution NOT to go mad with on-line shopping anymore ! 😆
@scorpio Thanks so much for responding. I agree that the older one gets, the more we seem to think about wanting to leave everything ship shape when we eventually depart. It’s so great that you have now found a use for those ‘really good boxes!’ I also have quite a lot of books, despite reading everything now on Kindle. I still treasure those, especially if it was hard to get or is out of print now. And yes! Don’t go mad Christmas shopping and fill those spaces up again! I’m currently trying to sell a massive heavy boxing bag stand that nearly reaches the ceiling as I’m a bit past doing my Katie Taylor impressions now. It’s sad to see things like that go in a way but the nice part is gaining room space. I have a habit of writing notes when I’m on my computer so I also have boxes of bits of paper to sort through. Do you have stuff in the attic? My partner has just retired from 9 to 5 and we are stealing ourselves to begin clearing up there. Life seems to be a strange dance of collecting things and then shedding them.
Ye God’s ! – I’d never even thought about the Attic. My parter owned this house long before I came here 30 odd year’s ago so heaven only knows what lurks up there ! 😆
@scorpio Out of sight out of mind! My partner Kit and I built our house in 2004 so we DO know what’s up there. It is very full. It has one of those pull down ladders. I stopped being able to climb up there a while ago but Kit, despite being older runs up there like a mountain goat. It’s boarded over, so no danger of falling through and there is a light and a power point up there but other than that it’s a regular spooky attic with chest-high beams. One thing I do worry about is pine martens getting in there, which is a thing apparently. In a previous house I had a lot of bats in the attic. I trained myself to not be scared while they flew about when I was sorting things up there. They are protected and you can’t move them. There may be all sorts of fascinating old things in your attic. I’ve seen an advert for tiny one-person lifts to take you up there. But I asked my engineer friend and he said it would require a lot of expensive work to install it. Luckily once the hatch is closed I conveniently forget about all the stuff that needs sorting up there.
We have one of those pull down ladders but I’ve never climbed up it. Del, being 6’5″, does it in two steps ! 😆
@Rain I have been doing the same thing these last few months, I have way to much stuff. I packed up all the old linen, pillow cases, towels, sheets etc, and took them into work for rags, as I have to pay for a bag of rags. I have never liked a messy dining room table, but I do have a few plants on it.
@grandmaj Thanks for replying. I bet you feel lighter for having packed all the stuff up and taken it away. My messiest area is my kitchen worktop which seems to have too much stuff on it. It’s on my list to tackle soon!
@Rain always more to do. One day. 😀
@Rain by the way. We dont have attics here or a basement to store things. Which is probably a good thing.
@Rain, Really enjoyed reading you blogs on pillowcases. Well I moved in 2001 into my 1,768 Sq. Ft. condo from a 3 bedroom one story ranch house that was 2, 511 sq. ft. I can my 2 children some of my furniture and also donated other things . Since I moved in I have gotten rid more furniture but replaced the furniture with new furniture . I have a 2 bedroom , den , 2 bath, condo with a laundry room and a furnace room. In the furnace room it has the water heater and I have shelves in there on 2 of the walls for storage. In my hallway I have a linen closet and I counted my pillow cases that I and I have 8 and 2 sets of California King size sheets and one set of Queen sheets and 4 pillow cases for my guest bedroom. I don’t have a problem with getting rid of things. I have given things to my cousin Mary who takes them to her daughter who finds a new home for them at the free swap she goes to once a month up in the area of Pennsylvania where she lives. I can not stand cutter and am thankful I am not a person to horde things and am very organized with everything has it place and hope that I can continue to be that way.
@Rain , Meant to say I gave my 2 children not I can my 2 children.
@marie41-2 Thanks for your post. It sounds like your home is nice and organised and it sounds like a good sized place. I love neat spaces too and that’s my goal to work towards that.
@Rain , Thank you for you replying back .
“I’m not really a hoarder at all. I’m a minimalist trapped in a clutter-bug’s house.” I relate to this statement so much. I think others think my place is okay, but my mind is such a muddle because my mantra, ‘everything in its place’ was destroyed by my ex. I might be a bit OCD and it drives me crazy that I have so much clutter.
Hello @PollyPie Thanks so much for replying. Yes it’s an extra challenge when you share a house to keep it tidy and how you would like it to be. I have been inspired by this conversation and my efforts yesterday. I’m going to try to tackle part of a room every day until my house is the calm sanctuary I want it to be.
@PollyPie You have gotten rid of your ex – tell the part of your brain that was ‘controlled’ by him – “You’re FREE now, do exactly what YOU want to do” ! 😊