Join me in getting rid of at least one thing a day decluttering challenge?

[SandSnakeOfDorne]

I am trying to declutter, starting with our loft and garage both of which need some work doing so need to be a lot emptier! After they're done I want to declutter the rest of the house. I've already got rid of loads of stuff but I'm starting to lose motivation alone!

We have quite strict rules for what we can put in rubbish so I'm selling, free cycling, taking stuff to the clothes bank etc. At least one thing a day. I'm hoping to be done by Christmas!

Anyone want to join me?

He sounds like a bit of an arse, notta

Yep he is. I'm trying to get him to leave but he's quite resistant. (Not joking)

Medwaymum churning is probably a more accurate description. I have spent a couple of hours moving things around. Somehow I have produced a binbag of unwanted papers from the room of doom but you would never think so, you still can't see the floor. (That's largely because I emptied all the Boxes of Doom on the floor so it's full of papers).

Anyway it sounds like we are all doing well - even if things don't look better they really are.

A smallish bag of books and DVDs out to the charity shop on my way to the supermarket today. It's something, anyway.

So tried to take my charity box to the shop and it was closed. The gods are trying to tell me to keep those books I've already read, and toiletry sets I can't use
I have loads of old towels. I was keeping them for cleaning but I don't ever use them. There isn't a textile recycling place close by and they aren't in a condition to donate. Any ideas what to do with them?

Freshprincess if you have any kind of animal shelter or dog rescue near you, they are usually desperate for old towels!

If you've got a Red Cross charity shop near you, they may also take what they call "clean rags" - it any textiles that can't be sold on in the shop, but they can sell to rag dealers.

Really not doing well this week but have realised I do best when I get straight on with it. Today have cleared out a bathroom drawer . A small drawer but got rid of a few unused bits of hair stuff.

Freshprincess Most of my local charity shops take 'rags' but you have to bag them up separately and label them so they don't waste time going through them.

Notalotta I'm the same. I find if I sit down with a coffee at mums net (like now!) it takes hours to get started. I can't believe the week is nearly over and I have got quite a lot of non-tidying things to do so I don't think I'll meet my targets. Oh well it was still good to have things to focus on.

Thanks for towel suggestions. A colleague got his dog from Dogs Trust, so there must be one fairly Local, I'll look into it.

Ha @fresh I was thwarted by closed charity shops yesterday at half 4, I kept walking until I found one. Getting rid is more important than the charity to me.

All my clothes, shoes, bags and outdoorwear is now all done. I could really do with some new clothes, am good at getting rid but not so much at getting new stuff I actually love.

I need DH for what's left of the house: paperwork, DIY and outdoor stuff. I'm bound to chuck some super important power lead or something.

Does any one have a foolproof method for paperwork? I hate the stuff

Candy - I was being a bit lazy. The charity shop is on a retail estate so i can park outside. I'm not even sure what charity it is . The box is still in the car and WILL NOT be coming back into the house!

I have done some tidying but am keen to get on with the getting rid . Much of the real clutter though is husbands . I said earlier in the week that I'd set targets and I haven't, I think that would help ad you don't waste time especially wondering where to start.

Does any one have a foolproof method for paperwork? I hate the stuff

CandyMelts Netlix, a bin bag, and one of those multi-blade pairs of shredding scissors from Tiger.

(Electric shredders are too noisy to watch TV by.)

My setting targets hasn't worked in the sense that I haven't achieved them but I have spent maybe 8 hours tidying and moving things around so it has made a difference you just can't see it I have put lots of things for sale on Facebook and sold a couple of really big items. I am also about to go through my beloved cookbooks that I never use for the third time this year so that there is enough room to create a schoolwork/ homework space in the kitchen so that the homework stuff and reference books have a home next to where we do the homework.

I do find that setting a target to just get something out every day motivates me. I've donated some outgrown baby clothes today.

I was reading about the soaking method for paperwork and I think I'm going to give that a try. You stick it all in a big bowl with water and bleach and leave it 24 hours! I have so much to go through that any sort of shredding seems too daunting.

Brilliant suggestions! The shredder is indeed noisy and it jams and fills up in seconds. Thanks

My friend says she just soaks paperwork - doesn't use bleach - so it might just be worth trying just water.

After buying my new shredder a couple of weeks ago I absolutely love shredding.

Ladies, you need to tell me to chuck out a Japanese cookbook I have never used in about 10 year of owning it. I just want to keep it but it's pointless.

You can google literally every recipe in the entire universe. What do you need a cookbook for?

Joining please

Oh dear I have been bidding on eBay last few days! I have decided to turn my efforts to the hallway and coffee table this weekend. That’s should yield a lot of clutter!

Stealth : I was about to chuck another cookbook but I've given it a reprieve while I check if I'm going to cook from it again. It's sitting open in my kitchen and I have the ingredients on the shopping list..But i have given away other ones I never used, even the ones with pretty pictures!

The novel I started yesterday evening though (on bookshelf untouched for 2 years) is going, I disliked it within 2 chapters. It was part of a set of 3. I'm pleased to be letting them all go!

I love cookbooks even though I rarely cook from them. I have given so many away already. I am really down to the last special ones on two shelves Some are gifts so I don't feel I can get rid of them even Delia Smith at Christmas which just isn't me. I suppose the Japanese one is linked to my aspiration to be a good cook - but actually I'm not and never will be!

The novels thing is interesting. Chat has a thread about books people have regretted reading and there were a couple on that thread that I bought and didn't finish e.g. 'The Time Travellers Wife', 'The Hundred Year Old Man' and I am thinking of getting rid of them. I have never not finished a book before but I have so little time to read that maybe I just need to accept I won't read them. I think some of this is linked to my feeling of how much money I've spent so it is literally like throwing £5 away if I have bought a book and not read it. So I think I will start going to the library for books for me. I go with dc so I should go for me.

Welcome se22mother

I use Delia Smith's Christmas for the timings. Tbh it could go too..

Ha my novel was mentioned on that thread!