Down here in Australia a laundry on the south side of the house means limited sunshine. Creamy white walls and white appliances don’t always make a difference and a quick glance in there one morning last week made me think I was looking into the black hole of Calcutta. Oh bummer, The Golfer had been up in the cupboard trying to find something and walked away without closing the overhead doors.
A little awkward for short of stature me because the cupboards were put up many years ago well before this particular freezer was bought; however it’s amazing what you can do with a long handled broom instead of resorting to bringing the steps in and leaning over😊
When it was a bit lighter I began to wonder exactly what was up there in those cupboards – wondering when it was last used and would it be used again
It was full of all the things used ‘occasionally’ – bowls, plates, serving dishes, glasses, assorted items used for family gatherings, long ago dinner parties, ladies coffee mornings, even BBQs. Lots of glass and pottery but also some lovely old fashioned china bits. The cupboard beside the freezer was littered with things we’d used recently but not returned ……the bowls I use for Christmas puddings needed to go elsewhere as well as the orange ‘weighs a ton’ casserole with the posh French name I inherited from my aunt.
Why so much? Big families needed lots of extra stuff. We entertained a lot. I was working and wanted it all But like lots of us – not just any ol’ thing!
During the 1980s the big dept stores like Myer David Jones, Harris Scarfe, had the most wonderful sales of bowls and platters and glasses. Popular brands of the day like Orrefors – Kosta Boda – Krosno – even Bohemia (who as well as their famous cut crystal bowls made table glassware in plain simple lines like the Nancy ones) all made their way home with me. 
So before I closed the doors I looked and remembered the happiness, the fun and laughter associated with it all – and decided it could stay there a wee while longer. It’s not doing any harm, it’s out of the way, some of it does actually get used (now and again) and I’m sure the girls will find homes for the pieces they don’t want😊
Everything back in place….needed the steps after all. Now it’s clean and tidy.
Maybe I’m not just ready to do a lot of death cleaning yet. How about you?
Still Waters 
“Death Cleaning”, lol, that is such a good description of it. I am NEVER going to be ready for death cleaning!
I don’t have a lot of stuff, compared to many other people, mostly because I got rid of a lot of stuff after my divorce, when all those dreams died, and being surrounded by reminders wasn’t appealing. That was more than 30 years ago!
Our move four years ago, to a very small house, 1/4 the size of the country house we moved out of, meant a lot of things had to go. This was our choice, we wanted to simplify our way of life, for us, to meet our needs. We gave as much to the children as they wanted, and they did not want much, and the rest went to the Battered Women’s Shelter and the Men’s Homeless Shelter. We didn’t make money, nor did we gain tax receipts, we had the satisfaction that things we valued were going to move on to benefit someone else. We only sold about four items, electronics that were practically new but would not fit into our new, streamlined, way of life. We still have more downsizing to do, but it isn’t death cleaning. If it were I would have to get rid of my books, by my daughter’s request, so she wouldn’t have to deal with them when I die. Too bad for her, I love them, they stay, and I don’t care if she rents a dumpster and pitches all of my stuff when I move to another plane of existence.
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I have found I have downsized quite a bit since we moved to this apartment. We spend six months here and use our park model RV six months so at least we have something to look forward to. But trying to buy less and I love it.
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I too had a large sort up…not in every cupboard but the “shed” had a huge sort up…some that is not indoors, with supposedly some type of “art/craft” tag on it…but when I got home from my recent adventure, and saw the zillion things for remaking…well haven’t decided what to do!
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why is that I get “not” and “now” mixed up…
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I am getting tired of the excess (except books). The other resident is not. So it stays.
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Well, Cathy, I’m not ready to do a major ‘downsizing’ yet, but I am definitely more careful about what I accumulate these days! I think it’s those ‘what ifs) that keep us hanging onto things—you know, “What if Aunt Hilda comes to visit”, and “What if I decide to have a large party”. Most of them will never come to pass, but we do like to be prepared!
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Death cleaning, haha. I suppose we are doing it very slowly, get rid of things no one will ever want or be interested in and we no longer use.
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I am the one always leaving the cabinet doors open. Never could I show a photo of the insides of my cabinets because they are a mess. You can be proud of your neatness and of the memories you get from open doors.
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You don’t get your best light from the south! I had never thought about that! -Kate in Canada
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I’ve been doing a lot of decluttering over the past couple or so months. And it is stressful…so many memories attached.
Of course we had to have all the latest! Of course we had to have Krosno, Le Creuset etc., etc. I once used to do a lot of home entertaining…dinner and luncheon parties…but no longer.. Now I just entertain my two furry mates…and me!
Broomsticks have many good uses…better than climbing up ladders and falling off them 🙂
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The great William Morris advised never to have anything in our homes that is neither useful or beautiful. Not easy!
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