The big declutter!!

[HiccupHaddockHorrendous]

Today is day 1 of my big declutter and so far I have done...nothing

Actually, that's not true. Ds and I went to town and bought a new shredder (I broke the last one by accidentally putting a plastic decoration in it!!).

I did have a head start and cleared a couple of cupboards last night but I really need to get off my backside and get decluttering.

I have 5 days 4 now to sort out my house. It has to be done.

For the next two hours, I am going to declutter the bathroom and get the washing on.

Anyone with me?

Definitely not doing as much but the house is tidier - easier to put things away on shelves that are not jammed pack!

We have got rid of our old curtains finally (from the previous owners who lived here for 40 years!!) because we've put up new curtain poles. Today, off to buy new curtains hopefully.

So not really decluttering but at least it's replacing something I've been wanting to get rid of for 2 years!

Also gave away one bag of Dd's old clothes. Another is on it's way so that'll go in 2 weeks when we see those friends.

Still struggling a bit with kitchen. Reorganised glasses cupboard yesterday which in turn cleared a box from on top of cupboards.

I don't have many cupboards in my kitchen and two are in the corners so although there is space in them it's a bit of a pain getting stuff in and out as you have to move the stuff at the front to get to the stuff at the back and to the side. Or shove it in and end up with a big pile of crap.

Going to try and reorganise them again today. There must be a way of making it work...

Nk5 - good luck with the new curtain purchasing! I agree, it's easier to keep things ticking over when it's not a constant battle to find homes for everything.

I almost bought 4 new kitchen stools this morning but closed the web page down before I could hit buy!! I have 8 seats in the kitchen...only ds and I live here ...in my defence two are highchairs and another two are Tripp Trapps (which everyone uses) for CMing. Hmm, thinking about it now, I might put the ikea highchairs away for a while because I don't have small children needing to use them at the moment. Infact, I wonder if I could just replace all my normal chairs with Tripp Trapps...maybe I should have just bought the stools.

Freakoid - well done on clearing a box! I have spent the last 6 years wishing my kitchen was better designed but after getting rid of so much stuff, I have realised that I just had too many things . I also have a corner cupboard that you can only access from one side so the hidden side has things in which aren't used daily.

Yes I've tried to organise mine that way too, but unfortunately I really don't have enough cupboards (rather than too much stuff), and there are 4 things that are used daily with only space to have two of them at the front iyswim. I've reorganised it again and hopefully it will work better this time. There's no way of telling until it's actually used though, every time I do it I think I've arranged it beautifully, then a week later its a massive mess again

Thanks hiccup! Curtains bought and up! They were 50% off at dunelm but they were still £99!! Anyway they look good if I do say so myself.

Right. Next thing would be the kitchen at some point. Hoping to replace them at Easter. Which will mean relocating elsewhere for a week at least. But it'll mean we can at least have good storage. The old stuff (from 40 years) just don't fit the modern appliances and things now - simple things like spatulas and pans etc just don't fit. Looking forward to that decluttering!!

We have just moved so have chucked a load of stuff and I am now working my way through the wardrobe. I have designed a dream capsule wardrobe and I am selling a load of stuff on ebay in a vague hope of being able to afford it!

I have been getting rid of clothes, two bags filled up today (supermarket bags, not bin bags!) and have already filled 8 previously, I found a clothes bin for a charity shop really close by that I never noticed before, so it has kept me motivated. I am so glad to have got rid of old clothes - once you start you really do think to yourself, why am I keeping this??!

I have not bought anything in the sales this year, I normally go out and buy a right load of crap thinking that they are all bargains because they r in the sales!!

I have empty shelves in my linen cupboard now. I got rid of some bits for free on facebook, and chucked out some stuff and just tidied up other bits. So now I know I have some space for things to be put away!!

We have had new kitchen work tops fitted and the kitchen sort of had a re-organisation because of the workman coming in, so that was also good!

anyway It has been small bits and pieces here and there but that suits me, I like to think about what I want to tackle and then give it a go. Perhaps one day I will keep on top of it all, all the time :/

Hi, can I join please? Just getting started - prompted by having to give up our storage unit (no loft or garage). My biggest problem is most of the hoarded stash is DP's and he doesn't mind the clutter. But reading people's advice I've decided to model some good behaviour! And then at least I can nag request from a decent position!

Bin day today so have bagged a few items...

Welcome, freelance

I'm afraid I have no advice about how to manage hoarding dps. My ds is extremely tolerant of my hoarding ways .

Shnicky - sounds like good progress! I have also avoided the sales this January mostly and I don't feel like I've missed out much.

Please let me join!
Our house is really too big for the two of us now the DSs have their own homes, but it is brilliant when they all pile in with the DGCs for Christmas, birthdays etc. so we have no intention of down sizing. Counting the boiler/laundry room and the pantry (crammed with baking stuff, millions of glasses / vases and similar items many of which belonged to my DM who died 20 years ago but left me her "stuff" as she knew I would "look after it") we have 20 rooms, to say nothing of a big cellar and the old 'servants bedroom' , only accessible by an outside staircase and naturally used for bunging stuff which will be used even more infrequently than all the junk in the cellar.
Every drawer in the house, every cupboard, is full of things which might 'come in useful' . I am really determined to get rid of most of it but need keeping on the straight and narrow by joining . Please nag me to keep at it.
As well as all the unnecessary things stored everywhere, the whole place really needs a deep clean, but until the junk has gone this is not easy. I need you to assure me that 99% will never be be missed if chucked.

N

Hello all!!!

Just caught up on the thread - you are all doing so well

Me not so much
I have spent quite a bit of time sitting with a small (warm) puppy on my lap!

I have bought 2x expedits for the DSs rooms. Their rooms are -unbelievably- tidy and organized!

My kitchen IS a disaster zone kitchen/cloakroom/kennel/wood store. It's not a very big space I have to move some things out...

I have no idea how or when I replied with "N"!

Anyway, been too busy working to make much progress for a while but if DS ever goes to sleep tonight I plan to clear out some of his outgrown clothes that I thought I wanted to hang on to so I could lend to friends.

Hi,
I am very relieved go see the posts above, I thought I had killed the thread, and your 'N' , Freelance was rather alarming as I thought it contained some hidden message. I wondered if the mention of all the rooms in this house was perceived as 'stealth boasting' rather than an attempt to describe the scale of the task confronting me.

Anyway, I have started on said task, sorted out the utility room without resorting to sticking even more stuff into the pantry, been through dining room cupboards. I could not believe how many candles we own, no, not Jo Malone, mainly plain white ones and, as well as the whole ones, lots of stumpy bits kept with a vague idea of illuminating the garden by planting them in flower pots. As if! They have gone.

Four shelves in kitchen cleared out and lined with that metallic liner bought from Lakeland at vast expense, but it is a huge improvement on the mucky plain wood bearing many a record of spilt sauce.

Filthy grout on kitchen floor partly cleaned with the little handheld steamer prior to the acquisition of a steam mop which I doubt would have coped with the muck I got off but might keep things down given a chance.
Three bags of junk consigned to bin, some games and unopened jigsaws heading for Charity shop.

Plans for the week ahead: keep on with kitchen shelf lining, throw out huge accumulation of magazines kept for just one recipe. Why bother when internet can offer plenty of options?

Preciousbane and anyone else, do you find it hard to throw out old makeup?

Keep at it winklewoman: I really can reassure you that you won't miss 99% of the stuff.

Winklewoman good lord you really do have a MASSIVE task ahead! Well done for taking the plunge and making a start I also started with the Futility Room as its where I seem to spend most of my time

Hi Preciousbane I am a great admirer of your NN!

I don't wear makeup

Gosh, IBA and LV, thanks, I feel so much happier now. PB, yes as a former Salopian I appreciate the NN too.

winkle sorry for the scare - no envy here. More rooms means m

Means more space for DP to store clutter so no envy at all!

I hardly ever wear makeup now so I recently ditched everything over two years old.

Doing well today. Bagged up two huge bags of clothes for the charity bins. Next step is returning things to other people over the next couple of weeks which should make quite a difference.

FreelanceM, two years old? I suspect some of mine is more like 20. We bought the steam mop this morning and had a good go with it. It is a cheapy from B&M but seems to do what I expected. Novelty will probably wear off rapidly but I'm hoping our cleaner will like it. And yes, I know, but even with a cleaner once a week, the place is still in a state!

Can I join?

I am desperate to declutter. I look at stuff and thin we just have too much (but tbd we have outgrown our house a little).

My barriers are - well just getting started.
Looking at something and thinking havnet had monies worth and it seems a shame to get rid.
Or it's because it something I bought the DC when they were little.
Or because someone bought it for one of us - even if we dont use it.

Or because someone bought it for one of us - even if we dont use it.

This sounds like a good place to start: give it to a Charity shop, and you will know that they will get money for it, someone else will get the use out of it, and you will get a glow of satisfaction.

In the past I have had huge clear ours and and big cleans.

I have a toddler at home now. I think I need to accept it has be done in bitesize pieces.

Im going to start by getting DS (room is overflowing) to agree to me removing toys he simply does not play with anymore - at least to garage. Currently I can not get into his room to make the bed, hoover and he cant find anything. He cant have firends around either its so messy.

His clothes end upin our room in a basket as I cant gt in to put them away.

Right I am starting there.

Welcome ashamed !

I know what you mean . I have held on to -many many useless and outgrown- things, but there is hope, you can do it!

It's almost as if you have to give yourself permission to part with the things.

To some it sounds ridiculous, but like many things in life, we all find certain things easy and straightforward. I have found, not only mine, but other peoples clutter overwhelming.

I found doing 1 cupboard/draw at a time,maybe for 15mins really helpful and easier than walking into a room with bin bags.

I did the shelves in the futility room. 15 mins created 2 shelves for storing laundry things.

Look around, pick a place and work through it. It really works