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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Carrier bag a day till Christmas challenge anyone?

196 replies

doublechocchip · 23/11/2015 22:42

Trying to de-clutter everywhere before Christmas comes. Wondered if anyone wanted to join this carrier bag challenge?
Whether it be clothes or toys passed on/donated/sold/binned or indeed any other household stuff you want to get rid of, I thought filling one carrier bag a day seems more achievable than trying to tackle a whole room at once!

A bin bag of stuff counts for 3 carrier bags Grin

Got rid of a bag of kids clothes to the charity shop today and got a load of cuddly toys waiting to go into school tomorrow for the school fair. Feel lighter already!

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 03/12/2015 16:13

Agree about the Lego board games! We have quite a few Blush Minotaurus is probably the most played here. :)

No decluttering done yet today as I only just got back. Off to teach a pupil then I'll try and crack on when I get home.

IamSantaClaus · 03/12/2015 16:18

Does the car count ? I de cluttered my car and came out with 3 bags of rubbish Blush and a bag of toys to be sorted.

I also found a Lord of the rings board game that is going to the charity shop

PigeonPie · 03/12/2015 17:36

Hullo may I join too? I actually got an Organisational Angel to come and help me yesterday (she's a real person!) and she was so helpful (and worth every penny I paid her!).

In four hours we got the spare room completely emptied, tidied and some choice bits put back. It's the room where we (and particularly me) had just dumped stuff and all my sewing stuff was just everywhere.

The whole of my estate car boot, and the back seat, was filled with stuff to take to the charity shop (which I also did yesterday).

I could hardly move afterwards and I'm still sore, but today I've managed to get some work done and sort out most of the sewing stuff which had also been accumulating in the dining room. It's still a work in progress, but I feel so much better. I've decided which of the fabrics I know I'm not going to use so I'll get rid of it and I've also worked out which of the fabrics I can use once I've got all the rest of the clutter sorted - quite an incentive.

I've got a box of stuff to go to Playgroup and three bags of stuff to go to the clothing bank / fibre recycling tomorrow.

Won't have time to do much sorting tomorrow, but I'm keeping on going.

StrapOnDodo · 03/12/2015 17:54

I haven't had time to do any chucking yet today but I will have a shot at a pile of paperwork later. Well done to all of you for keeping on with the programmeSmile

Vinorosso74 · 03/12/2015 20:23

DP is off at moment so progress has slowed but have got a bag of baby clothes ready to give to SiL. Unfortunately we won't see her until Christmas to pass bag on.

fuzzpig · 04/12/2015 00:51

Not caught up with thread properly yet but wanted to confess I did nothing today! Combination of being out much of the day, and period pain ugh. Hope I can get something done in the morning before my parents arrive.

Hi Cider :) I sometimes feel I've made no progress since the old threads! But I think things have changed. It's just slow :o

Scattymum101 · 04/12/2015 11:26

Hope everyone is doing ok.

I didn't achieve anything decluttering or packing wise yday but having a house day today with the kids and trying to clean the house as I have friends over tonight eeek.

Trying the 15 mins clean/45 mins with the kids every hour to try and do it without feeling like I'm neglecting the kids. Also have a bin bag out and I'm trying to throw away 10 things per room whether it's paper, packaging, labels etc lying about or things I've decided we no longer need. 2 weeks today til we move (although still not exchanged contracts so I'm getting nervous). I've got so much to do still.

TwoAndTwoEqualsChaos · 04/12/2015 14:23

I have another two carriers of books for School and a shopper for Pre-School amd the over-full Ikea bag of unwanted gifts has become two, as I have discovered more things to go in it. All in the car now.

Noticeable difference in the Dining Room but rather intimidated by what is left to do.

TwoAndTwoEqualsChaos · 04/12/2015 14:24

Also, I have filled the paper bit of our wheelie bin and have a large carrier of carriers to recycle.

Shiraznowplease · 04/12/2015 15:24

Three bin bags done today as my day off, it really making me realise just how much crap possessions we have... I know understand why despite having two good salaries we are always overdrawn 😳 So much stuff left to go ......

Original poster
doublechocchip · 05/12/2015 09:36

Well done all! I filled a carrier yesterday worth of cardboard- packaging of baby things I'd kept just in case? In case of what I'm not sure but it's binned!

Don't know how much I'll get done today, have made a good start on my room but most of it is clean clothes just to put away. There's a few random storage boxes to go through and we 're getting decs down so I can sort through them as I go.

OP posts:
MrsHathaway · 05/12/2015 09:58

Today it will be a bag of hats and scarves. I fought through the bag today and realised I often get them as presents but because of allergies and fussiness I don't wear almost any of them. DH only wears a scarf when it's sub zero and he has about six. I know there must be specific refugee appeals for warm woolies and I just need to work out where to send them.

Scattymum101 · 05/12/2015 18:46

Got rid of gift bags and out of date
Medicine today

PigeonPie · 05/12/2015 18:46

Well, today I've managed to clear all the magazines which I'd put to one side to 'read later' which were by the side of my chair, put another load in the boot to go to the charity shop, got some stuff together to go to the tip and almost completely filled our recycling bin. Going to have to ask a neighbour if we can use hers as well (she's not living there atm so it would probably be ok).

And DH has decided to remove the mock fireplace in the sitting room!

CiderwithBuda · 05/12/2015 20:45

Good luck with that Pigeon! I'm still in fireplace hell. Fingers crossed we will get finished this week.

Nothing achieved yesterday as was at a lunch in London with friends - I live in Somerset so it was a long day!

I started tackling DVDs today. Now have a file of Xmas movies and a file of kids movies. DS is 14 so coukd get rid of the kids ones but have young nieces and nephews so thought I would hang on to them for a bit longer. They are all in one of those cd/DVD storage wallets.

DS went through some others so I have a charity shop bag ready to go too. DH went through some and kept them all. I have more storag folders so will be transferring them all into those.

GirlWithTheYellowHat · 05/12/2015 20:49

I really should be doing this but I'm sooo lazy!

RandomMess · 05/12/2015 21:01

We swapped our bedroom with the lounge today - I am so so glad we moved twice in 6 months, only moved in here Feb time. Only stuff to got through are my clothes and now I have a new job I can be more ruthless without being petrified that I cannot afford to replace stuff if need be.

DH is so good at decluttering and makes me go through stuff and tidy up!

TheCarpenter · 05/12/2015 21:43

Can I be a late joiner? I've loved reading this thread and all you've done, gives me the same satisfaction as looking at storage solutions in the Ikea catalogue.

Ds has sorted loads of books to give to charity (we've scratted through for ones that would suit younger child in the next year or so and kept them) and I've cleared the unit that houses paper work/nappy stuff/craft stuff. I keep looking at it, all proud. One big bin bag from that unit but I was ruthless.

Scattymum101 · 07/12/2015 08:23

Weeded out some old jewellery yesterday and got rid.

Today going to try and do some photos and paperwork.

PigeonPie · 07/12/2015 08:24

Right, today, we're off to the furniture recycling place (with the mantle piece!), the charity shop with a load more stuff and the tip with the dead dado rail, the weee recycling, the dead tiles (from the mantle piece!) and a few other bits.

Then we really will be able to see the wood for the trees. Next to tackle my wardrobe and the box of 'bits' which has been lurking in our bedroom for some time.

IamSantaClaus · 07/12/2015 09:39

Clearing my shelves today Confused horrible job . Loads of paperwork to be put away or burnt . Sorting paperwork has to be one of the worst jobs

Vinorosso74 · 07/12/2015 10:27

DP back to work today so makes my task easier! Another bag to textile recycling. Not having much luck with my Gumtree stuff at the moment Xmas Sad

Original poster
doublechocchip · 07/12/2015 18:12

Welcome thecarpenter!
Good work all, i had a day off yesterday but just dropped 2 carrier bags off at a friends of dd1's clothes she's outgrown.

Saturday I binned almost a bags worth of toiletries, I have 2 wicker baskets in the bathrooms that I keep all toiletries in and there was a few empties in it plus I got ruthless and binned the stuff I've been bought and don't like, some of its been there for years 'just in case' but I just go out and buy ones I like instead of using them!

OP posts:
CiderwithBuda · 08/12/2015 03:45

Decorators and carpet cleaner were in yesterday so no decluttering. Went Xmas shopping instead and left DH in charge. Decorators back again today and new sofa arrives for one room. Then just waiting for to unit and sideboard to arrive and I can finish that room.

Room with fireplace work will hopefully now be finished on Thursday fingers crossed.

Not a lot I can do downstairs tomorrow/today so am planning on tackling my bedroom.

fuzzpig · 08/12/2015 08:02

Aaargh! I have somewhat stalled in the last few days. Ooops.

Will be panic tidying a bit in the living room this morning, as I have a pupil coming. Will get the DCs to help. After they're gone (they usually stay and play with the DCs for a while) I will try and carry on with the bedroom. It's about time I started sorting out the Christmas presents too. And then there's laundry piling up... sigh

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