Do you act on “urges”?

Elrel my DD was throwing out a pair of flannelette pyjama bottoms, nothing much wrong with the fabric, just seams ripped and frayed. So I cut them up into squares and overlocked the edges for her. Now she has a lovely pile of about a dozen or so cleaning cloths.

My life is lived on 'urges'. I'm too indecisive to decide anything so have to wait for an 'urge' to make me do anything really.

18 years ago, before downsizing, my DS1 helped me to fill two skips. Eight months ago, he was back, de-cluttering my much smaller house, while I was incapacitated with a broken shoulder. Trouble is, now I can't find a number of things that 'might have come in handy'! I've been culling teeshirts this week - and have two new ones coming from Cottontraders today!
Correction - as I typed the last sentence, the courier arrived with the expected package! I do TRY to act on the principle that every time I buy a new garment, I get rid of an old one.

No, I'm afraid my urge is to sit down with a cup of tea. I never resist that.

I took two bags to the charity shop yesterday and have filled another one today. I was disgusted at the amount of sandals I had. So, I've being wearing a different pair every day to see which ones are comfortable. The rest are being donated. I like to donate in season, so the shop can put things on the shelves straight away.

Just sitting here reading this without any urges! My excuse is that I am waiting for my supermarket delivery and it would annoy me if I had to stop in the middle of doing something.... I suppose I should really clean the en-suite, but it can wait until after the shopping comes and when I've had a coffee.
I can't bring myself to go into DH's wardrobe yet either, I haven't had that urge yet. The only clothes of his that have gone in the charity sack are ones that have been sitting in an underbed storage bag for ten years! I don't feel guilty getting rid of those.

Having had the urge to .clear out the drawers in my 'welsh dresser' asking myself will I need the contents at some other time ? Contents are then relocated to the drawers in the kitchen units.

I usually find that after I have had an 'urge' clearout, and taken it all to the charity shop, I start regretting parting with some of the items.
As for the 'cleaning urge'. I usually sit down with a book and a cup of coffee until it goes away! I have never been an obsessive cleaner. Now, according to the health experts, I can attribute my excellent health, at 78, to not being over-fussy about killing the 99% of household germs!

Nannyme, couldn't you ask a best friend to come and give you a hand decluttering? It could be fun, but also a bit horrific when uncovering something awful, hoarded for years, and she asks "what on earth are you doing with that?" Go on, give it a go.

I had a 'get on with some admin' urge earlier this morning and just look where I am now

Love a good clear out, cleared out the ottoman at the bottom of our bed the other day. Old duvet covers, etc.

I loves urges. Yet another bonus of the freedom of being retired. However, like everything else in a balanced(?) life, they have to be controlled. I pander to sudden desires to go on a big city jolly or meet someone for coffee or lunch. As for the domestic ones? Completely ignored and they do go away ever so quickly. Great thread.

Have all my freshly ironed clothes hanging outside my wardrobe. I shall finish my coffee and this post, shift my backside upstairs and sort out my wardrobes. I done my underwear drawers last week.

I feel so much better in myself after a clear out, and it means that when I lay on the sofa with gransnet and my kindle later I shall feel no guilt!!!

Husband is already engrossed in his kindle.

Just moved to a smaller home, and oh, the joy! - of all the stuff we gave away! Now we actually know what's in every cupboard (almost). Haven't missed a thing that we gave away, and our new home feels so much "lighter" and uncluttered. The icing on the cake is the Hospice telling us that what we gave them raised £270.

Maw, please can I have some of whatever it is you're having? I haven't had a sort out in thirty years.

I stay away from the urges constantly telling myself to get on with the more important daily stuff first.
Years ago I'd regularly get distracted by urges to start clearing out or mid afternoon I'd suddenly start decorating a room.
These days my mobility is very limited so planning tasks is forced on me

Glad I had “the urge” yesterday, TBH it’s usually more like this!

This thread has made me chuckle - just opened wardrobe, now sitting on bed, still on gn- need to get on and find my URGE xx

Nannyme
Do you live in or around Southend on sea?
I would be more than happy to come and 'sort you out' . I don't have any stuff/ unwanted clothes/ ugly knick knacts. They are just not allowed in my bungalow.
OH has a long running joke that he's frightened to stand around too long in case he's sent to the recycling centre

I downsized 4 and a half years ago. I had been in my last flat for 34 years, raising my daughter. I literally started in one corner of the spare room with 1 bin bag and two boxes, 1 to keep, 1 for charity. Then I worked round the room until it was all packed. Then as I went through my flat, all furniture and boxes I was keeping were stored in the spare room, unwanted items went to charity shops daily and several tips a week to the tip.
By the time I moved, every thing was packed apart from my bed.
Oh I had my sisters wedding to attend and babysit GC on the day.

Petra I am just 'up the road'

Having "downsized" twice in just over 3 years I now have little to clear out. I do have occasional urges to do some housework, usually when you can write your name in the dust.

Sunny days give me the urge to potter around the garden, rather be outside than indoors. Tuesday morning I did have the urge to clear my ironing basket (I hate ironing). Today the only urge I have is to curl up on the settee & sleep as I've got a raging toothache (seeing Dentist tomorrow) but instead it's a bowl of soup, painkillers & off to Job Centre for my 6 monthly meeting with my Work Coach

Normally when I get an ‘urge’ to clean I manage to stifle it and take the dog out instead. But, today, for some bizarre reason I am sorting out the garden shed - except, actually, I’m also catching up on my emails and Gransnet etc. Love modern technology at times!

Could hope for slightly better weather, but nevertheless it’s rather pleasant sitting here looking at the house from a different part of the garden.

Going indoors now, being bitten by garden bugs that have taken a dislike to being disturbed! ??

Well, the en-suite is still uncleaned! Still, it is only me using it. Instead I hung out two loads of washing, love doing that, it is so nice to see a washing line full of clean clothes fluttering in the breeze. Then thought I'd better cut the front grass as we are due heavy thunderstorms this afternoon, went round the edges as well and did a bit of weeding. Then potted up some more bedding plants. Had lunch and now feel justified in sitting down with the Telegraph crossword and my Kindle. Will have to keep my eye on the weather for my washing.

I had an urge, long postponed, to clear out my shoes.
I have many pairs of pretty high heels which I shall never be able to wear again, as me poor ol’ feet can only cope with comfy pumps.
I amassed quite a pile, and put them in a box for the charity shop, then DGD age 4, fell on them with delight and spent the afternoon tottering around dressed up in the shoes, and some old hats and scarves also destined for recycling.
I told her I was going to give them to the Marie Curie shop, and she said “Oh no, Nanna - I might want to wear them when I get married!”
I hope she doesn’t ever fall on such hard times!