Getting rid of one thing a day decluttering challenge: Part 4

[StealthNinjaMum]

And the decluttering continues…

For 3,000 posts we have been slowly transforming our homes from hovels to palaces.

We’re not quite there yet some of us are further than others but we won’t give up until we have a decluttered existence.

We just get rid of one thing a day and report back to showoff for support and to be told off when we’re naughty and bring more clutter back into our homes, gardens, sheds, garages.

As ever newbies are welcome to join us.

Previous thread here.


www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3243987-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-3-Are-we-nearly-there-yet?msgid=79207142

[AnnoyedByAlfieBear]

Hi, Newbie here. Is it literally one thing chucked/donated a day?
My house is full of shit. A lot of plastic kids tat bit a lot of mine and DH's tat too.

[StealthNinjaMum]

Hello Alfie. Yes it's that the simple. I started with LOTS and LOTS of clutter and find now that:

• I have built decluttering into my life and so whenever I'm cooking, tidying, in the garden I find things to declutter that I have just sort of been looking at / pushing out of the way like out of date food or things I just don't use
  
• I often set a timer for 15 minutes and really get into my decluttering and spend longer.
  

I too have lots of plastic kids tat and dh is a hoarder. But I am slowly getting rid of our clutter.

[Nofilter]

Thanks for the thread stealth. I’ve done zilch today. DD woke at 5am and it floored me having broken sleep so I napped this afternoon and feel crap with a Migraine now, had a sickness on and off few days now.

My Mum is like a crazy lady doing LOADS in the house so I feel guilty for not doing more today but off to pick DD up from nursery to go to farm to muck out. Don’t feel like it one bit.

No idea where to start anyway house is all over the show :(

[SandAndSea]

@AnnoyedByAlfieBear - Welcome! Yes, we aim for one thing a day but you can certainly do more. It's very manageable and really gets you in the habit of clutter clearing, without the overwhelm which can come with other methods. If you miss a day (or two), you can always catch up. Oh, and DIY counts!

[Gibble1]

I’m still in! I have so much to get rid off 😩

[StealthNinjaMum]

Dodgy cooking counts too. (not envy)

[SandAndSea]

Haha! Yes, there's been quite a bit of dodgy cooking. It can be a good way to use up food. That's our excuse anyway.

[AnnoyedByAlfieBear]

Thanks all! I'm definitely guilty of looking at things for a week and pushing them to one side. I'm going to give this a go!

[Tidy2018]

Friday TaDa
Weeded in the front garden in the early morning.

Stared at the space vacated by the decluttered magazines on the bookshelf. Brought through a load of undecided books from the floor of the sitting-room and put them in a pampers box and shoved them into that space. Much more relaxed now when I look at that shelf.

Sick to death of figuring out books and magazines to keep and donate. Stopped trying, and concentrated on being outside as much as possible. Listened to podcasts, watched hoarding programmes on tv, and did the garden.

[GreyCloudsToday]

Thanks for the new thread Stealth

Hiya Alfie

Yay, the painted sideboard is up, but it's still a bit sticky and I managed to put a few little marks on it. Stupid weather!

Sold a cake stand yesterday too and trying to organise the last of the Freecycling today. Otherwise staying inside in this intolerable heat!!!

Sounds like a productive day Tidy

[nocutsnobuttsnococonuts]

I started decluttering a while back but life got in the way so fell off the thread. But am ready to start again.

I've got mountains of selling stuff - I'm giving it till end of the holidays what hasn't sold will be charity shopped I can't stand it everywhere anymore.

I'm going to come off mumsnet now and be ruthless with my wardrobe, I've lost weight and most of my clothes are too big so need to go. The dress I'm wearing will be binned too as I've noticed the lace is all fraying and bobbly plus it's too big.

[Nofilter]

Were at the caravan for a while.

Going to aim for 5 full binbags of declutter. Plus old bench under the caravan and sort through the storage thing we have which still has stuff in from the previous owners so a trip to the tip.

One bin bag full so far of:

Books, old headphone, broken pencils, food menus, happy meal toys and odds and ends toys, small table we have no need for, broken fan, a fleece sleepsuit Dd grown out of.

Also if I get time (or the motivation) few bits from the car can also go, maybe while at tip.

House is unbearable in this heat with boxes everywhere I officially hate moving!

Welcome back nocuts I’m a newbie here! Welcome annoyed this thread has given me a total new outlook on my house management, just little bits here and there soon add up. I am terrible for fretting about things needing to be done and just sitting looking at it for ages!

Amazing grey on your painted sideboard.


Not anymore though whoop x

[Nofilter]

Also my Mum ended up packing up the kitchen crockery I couldn’t get myself motivated this week as had lots on..

My massive list is now untidy, and has grown into two pages of stuff so I’ve hit brick wall again. I’m going to start a fresh list and only put things on it that can be achieved in the next 7 days...

[Nofilter]

Ah I forgot stealth my clipboard folder storage thingy came and I’ve got all my bits and bobs of paperwork in it - very tidy. Quite pleased wuth that one thanks xx

[blackdoggotmytongueagain]

Hello declutterers! I’m genetically programmed to hoard (although I fight it and frequent moves help me to stop short of the issues my parents have) so I think this thread might really help me! We’ve lived in the same house for five years now (This is literally double the time we have lived anywhere else) and the sheer amount of stuff has built up.
We are also having our house painted this week (externally) so it feels like a good time to get control of the indoors too! (And I have spent all week cringing about the painters looking in the windows )
Hope you’ll have me! I keep looking at this type of challenge and meaning to do it!

[SandAndSea]

Today's items: some old, broken jewellery & some aftershave.

[SandAndSea]

Welcome, @blackdoggotmytongueagain !

[StealthNinjaMum]

Welcome blackdog

nofilter I love stationery so I'm glad i have made someone else buy some!

Today I sold a toy.I also did some weeding while dds were playing in the garden.

The other day when I found the rusty, old cake tins I found some jars behind them. I ate some olives and they seem ok but they were with a jar of figs that went off in 2011 and a jar of artichokes that went off in 2007. The olives are of the same era. I'm sure they're ok (they tasted nice) but dh is trying to persuade me to chuck them. Because I'm contrary I'm almost tempted to eat them although not sure I want to eat figs pickled in balsamic vinegar. Think they were a gift from bil / sil who hate me

[PurpleFrog]

I’m genetically programmed to hoard - I think I am too!

I listed my underbed storage boxes on Facebook on Thursday night and Gumtree on Friday. No takers yet...

I listed 2 items on eBay last night including the Samsung Camera which I now have the new battery for. I got an offer today, which I accepted, but the buyer hasn't paid yet. The other bundle of camera equipment which I accepted an offer for on Thursday for has still not been paid for so I have opened an unpaid item case. Sigh!

I have just listed another 2 small items to bring my new listings total this week to 6. (Since my usual listing day is a Sunday I have decided that my listing weeks are Sunday to Saturday.)

I was hunting in the drawers in the dining room for something and came across a poly bag containing 2 ancient pairs of kid's goggles. The latex straps had perished and melted and stuck to the rest of them so they are now in the bin. I really need to sort out these drawers soon - some of them haven't been re-organised since we moved in - in 2005! I really need to rearrange stuff so that the things that are used often are more accessible. I need to move a lot of my sewing stuff upstairs to the drawers in the spare bedroom, and move stuff through from the living room to the dining room.

[Nofilter]

Welcome blackdog what will you chuck first?

[UnderTheOakTree]

Evening all! Have been out & about all day so no real decluttering today - DH put a food processor on eBay that MIL gave me which she didn't use - it's got too many bits for me, so hopefully that'll go!

Used up a few old paper plates for cakes at the school fete - not sure if that counts????

[Gibble1]

All washing has been folded and put away. I have cleared and cleaned the lounge and I have a sack full of rubbish which includes lots of old socks, 3 hoover canisters full of dog hair and 2 old pillows.
My house is revolting. Well, less revolting now but pretty grim on the whole.

[blackdoggotmytongueagain]

Easy win for today - I cleared the patio of all the empty plastic garden pots (that I was keeping ‘just in case’ since planting out last summer) and got rid of the broken nerf guns and water pistols cheating a bit... but I did also get dh to take the three bags of clothes that I have been fussing over to the thrift store. Once they are gone they are gone. I’ve been walking round them for two months thinking I should go through them again just in case.
I might have to be a bit braver tomorrow!

[blackdoggotmytongueagain]

Gibble, we have two labs. By rights they should be bald, given the amount of dog hair everywhere else...
I might be inspired by your socks tomorrow though we have a whole bag of lonely unpairs...

[Nofilter]

Gibble that’s brilliant progress. And how do you feel now after your progress?

I’m currently throwing one item away per advert break! Old toothpaste and toothbrushes gone, few more books, a horrid picture frame and two of those tin signs with slogans on, load of arcade money tubs and plastic things won in arcade and a few teddies... I’m on a roll