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Original poster

Less than 3 months to go! It's the DECLUTTERING FOR CHRISTMAS thread...

602 replies

fuzzpig · 30/09/2012 08:35

My house is a state! I am absolutely determined to declutter in time for Xmas this year. I have never managed it before Blush

My main wants are:

  • to clear out our tiny kitchen (it's a galley style, so small you can barely swing an atom let alone a cat!) so that cooking is less stressful and we will be more likely to do festive baking etc - another thing I've never managed to do...
  • to do a massive sweep of all DCs toys, books and clothes. They have WAY too many, and especially with toys it means that new things don't really get appreciated because they get lost among everything else.
  • to completely sort out our living room so it actually looks nice when decorated and there is room to play.

I am unable to do much ATM because I'm not very well, but this could be a long term thing so I don't want to just leave it - I want to do a tiny bit every day. Yesterday I collected a laundry bin full of recycling stuff - mostly pieces from some orchard toys games - some of which due to clutter have never really even been played with properly Blush

I can't be the only one who needs to declutter for Xmas - who's with me?

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/10/2012 11:55

Just taken another, albeit small, bag to the charity shop.

Just need to tackle the toys next......

whojamaflip · 03/10/2012 12:13

Arrgh! Just cleared loads of coats and old overalls out of the utility and what happens - a friend has just pitched up with 2 bags of clothes her dcs have grown out of, one of which is full of coats.

Trouble is I'm seriously skint so can't afford to say no......

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 03/10/2012 12:19

whojamaflip at least yours was donated to you. I just trawled the charity shops Blush although I got 2 Xmas presents for ds and a couple of bits for dc3 (although this baby really doesn't need anything Blush)

ToffeeWhirl · 03/10/2012 12:25

I need to join in too, please. I have decluttered downstairs, but it keeps creeping back and I'm fed up with it. There is too much stuff upstairs. Where does it all come from? Confused

ratbagcatbag · 03/10/2012 12:46

Ok clothes still on bed to eBay making the house look
Worse than before. No other movement of junk, damn pregnancy tiredness :)

MissBetseyTrotwood · 03/10/2012 14:23

Gah, done nothing today as had to rush dog to animal hospital as he'd eaten a whole pack of Garibaldi biscuits. He's in til at least the weekend. Sad

Hope your DS' speech therapy went well fuzzpig.

Ta for the tips Nishky and Iliketo... I'll have a scrabble around under the bed and have a fiddle. The sealing thing sounds similar to the ones we have so I'll check it out.

funnypeculiar · 03/10/2012 14:44

Afternoon all - am going to make myself check in, so I have to do something everyday. As an ex-flylady follower, am working on little but often. So today, cleared one shelf in kitchen and the sides in the kitchen - including the 'key box aka junk tray. Found some random stuff in there!

Hope you're feeling better today, fuzzpig.

whojamaflip · 03/10/2012 14:51

Tis done! I am the proud owner of a squeaky clean and shiny utility room Grin

Just the rest of the house to go now which looks even worse now Sad

Kitchen tomorrow in-between hospital appointments, beavers and parents evening.

Hope all is better with you fuzzpig

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 03/10/2012 15:28

I think you deserve a gold star whojamaflip Grin

Not much achieved here today. I have started some new auctions on EBay, sold a few things on FB, and I have some EBay auctions ending tonight.

If I get time later I will clear the coat and shoe rack.

Oh, and you know those cd's I packed away in boxes yesterday? the boxes are still in the living room waiting for dh to put them in the eve's Hmm I made a barbed comment about them this morning and will again later. Git.

Original poster
fuzzpig · 03/10/2012 15:36

Hello all!

MBT I'm sorry to hear about your dog, I had no idea biscuits were dangerous for them! Or is it the currants in them? I hope he makes a speedy recovery, poor thing :(

I've had a much better day thanks, DD was off with a cough and my dad helped out in the morning (and speech therapy went really well, he's making big improvements) so only had to do the afternoon school run.

Anyway, before picking up DS I did some decluttering from the bed! Got rid of a whole bin bag of crap including all my earrings as I haven't worn any in years - 3 out of 4 piercings are closed up. So in the spirit of Not Hoarding I have decided that I am officially done with earrings, rather than just feeling slightly guilty for not wearing them Hmm. Maybe in a few years I'll get them redone.

I also sorted through a few of the DCs' Trofast trays, soooo much rubbish in there. And embarrassingly some stuff that they got last Xmas that have barely been played with at all purely because there is so much clutter in the way! Shock

Now we finally have a few empty trays in their units but I don't know what to put in them. I am worried I'll just shove more random stuff in there!

Not doing any more tonight, as I'll need to bathe the DCs and iron some clothes ready for school photos tomorrow, and get up early as DH has to go and get his staples taken out

Sorry mammoth post Blush

OP posts:
Nishky · 03/10/2012 16:02

Some good work going in here ! Congrats in clean utility rooms, trofasts and all the other good work. It is daunting isn't it? In the past I have done one room and then let it slip- so I am going to work very hard at maintaining the already done rooms.

We will get there. Group Baileys on Christmas Eve 2012 anyone?

TommeeTipsy · 03/10/2012 16:15

I reckon someone at Ikea HQ is sitting puzzling over the rise in trofast sales...

Not much done in the Tipsy household today as had to do a print run and then package a whole bunch of orders. Tonight though I'm planning to sort through the dd's clothes while I catch up on the Great British Bake Off.

Count me in for the group baileys Nishky!

SayHelloToMyLittleFriend · 03/10/2012 16:48

Funny you say that TommeeTipsy as I was just on Ikea website looking at them before I came on here :)

I have 2 dd's who will soon be sharing a room (youngest is still in with us at the moment). I desperately need to clear out my bedroom as it's just a disaster at the moment. I have a huge toybox of baby toys in there that are never played with as my youngest seems to prefer her big sisters toys anyway so I think I could maybe just get rid of the little toys.

I also need to make a start at clearing out our loft as this is where I hoard every item of clothing my children have grown out of, moses baskets, baths, swings and any other toys I think I may need one day.

Nishky · 03/10/2012 16:52

I have put it in my diary tommee. Is 2pm ok everyone?

oreocrumbs · 03/10/2012 17:29

Ooh I'm in for baileys! Shall need it no doubt as I spend the day like a headless chicken trying to tidy up!

I have done a bit more in the kitchen so that is good, although you will note from my earlier post I said 'we' and in this post I said 'I'.

Apparently it has been very stressful watching DD for 4 hours and he needed a lie down before work Hmm.

Don't know what to do tomorrow. Think I will just focus on regular house work, have to go to shops and will dismantle the cot, pack up the high chairs and moses basket.

Feel the need to dash off to Ikea for yet more storage, but think I should concentrate on getting the stuff I have put in the storage I already have and then see what I need. Otherwise I end up storing storage!

wheredidiputit · 03/10/2012 18:50

I join with a cup of tea if that alright. Someone else can have mine.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 03/10/2012 19:11
Original poster
fuzzpig · 03/10/2012 19:43

Ah but Oreo, this year you will not be running round like a headless chicken on Xmas eve, because you will have decluttered so well in the next few months.

However you can still have Baileys. I will too :o

I broke my no more today rule and filled an empty 18pk loo roll bag with some bathroom clutter and old toys that I could reach while I was drying DD's hair. How's that for multitasking?! :o

OP posts:
oreocrumbs · 03/10/2012 20:19

Well done with the muti tasking. I failed at bath time, allowing DD to run amock causing more chaos. I didn't have the energy to fight it today!

I'm fairly sure that unless I'm allowed to put DP and DD in storage untill christmas eve then I will still be manicly tidying as we wait for santa!

I wonder if Ikea do man and child shape boxes Grin.

MissBetseyTrotwood · 03/10/2012 20:20

Mine might have to be the Aldi version but that's OK. I will be poleaxed on the sofa that day as, with luck, DH will have arrived home after working away for a month!

armani · 03/10/2012 21:09

Can I join this thread?

Have spent today sorting out the cupboard under the stairs and have four black sacks of rubbish Blush

I really want my house to be decluttered before christmas!

Original poster
fuzzpig · 03/10/2012 21:49

Wow that's a good start! Our cupboard under the stairs is a complete pit. We cleared it last year and saw the floor for the first time since we moved in 3 years previously... Now it is just as bad as before!

OP posts:
whojamaflip · 03/10/2012 22:03

I was ignoring had forgotten about the cupboard under the stairs. Still I've the kitchen to get through before I get to that bit of the house. and I know there are mice in there Confused

I would love to have more storage - trouble is I've no room and no money Sad

Well done to everyone today - remember every little bit we do is a bit less clutter in our houses.

Original poster
fuzzpig · 03/10/2012 22:45

don't feel too sad about not having enough money for more storage (believe me, I understand!) - I've found that buying more storage leads to more clutter not less! Or is that just me :o

OP posts:
Nishky · 04/10/2012 07:42

No me too fuzzpig

Also it encourages dh the less committed to shove stuff into boxes without bothering to sort it- lots of crap stored in boxes.