The Christmas declutter and DIY thread

[Biscusting]

Right! I'm staring down the barrel of the Christmas countdown. I know it's September, but I want a cosy, clean and beautiful home to rush back to when the weather is bleak.
Our house was bought as a damp, horrible pit, but with bags of character. It can be the Pinterest perfect place I'm imagining I'm sure! All I need is a bit of hard work and millions of pounds to get there!

So I'm going to post here everyday what I did today and what I'm planning to do tomorrow so I can read my progress on down days if I can't see or feel like there has been much.

Feel free to join with your goals

Today:

Painted the WC (walls and wood work)

Tomorrow

Woodfiller and sand down door frames and paint surrounding wood.

Fit toilet roll holder, shelf, mirror and towel holder.

Order light fittings.

I'm been following the House and Holidays plan at Organised Christmas. So far, it's been pretty good.

Kids' rooms next week, which will probably include some decorating.

I'm up for this......not sure where to start. I will sleep on it and update you in the morning :-)

House and holidays plan sounds better! I think it's living room for me next, which will be a task!

I'm in, also sitting in a renovation. I'm decluttering as moved with lots of stuff I don't need (was ill before / during move) as back on my feet. Kitchen being installed before christmas - so need to pack stuff away.

Also working on the utility room as need to move the washing machine etc in there and out the way.

I'm onto my second hippo skip bag and aim not to buy any more clutter.

I've decided I'm going to start on my room. I put everyone and everything else first that for once I'm going to put me first.....plus it should be fairly easy. My health isn't great at the moment so somewhere nice and clear to retreat to will be lovely.
It needs a good declutter and some of the paint work needs touching up. I'm going to give myself a week to get it done.

Fist bump for you May09bump. Decluttered before I moved or so I thought! Now that we're in the renovation pit I am doing another round. It doesn't help that MIL is showing up with regular bags of shit from B&M.

Good luck Amber, clearing your own space first is sensible, it'll clear your head and it'll give you a boost to do more.

I feel like I am drowning in clutter. I've been slowly working away but I'm finding it really hard to see visible progress. All my surfaces are covered in crap. On the plus side I took three big bin bags to the charity shop today, plus two car loads to the tip.

Returned all stuff ordered that isn't right. Ebayed a lot of clothing with labels still on. Two charity bags of clothing gone. Two massive bags of baby toys gone. One bag of childs shoes gone.

Utility room filled and ready to paint.

I've moved a few times including overseas and always decluttered, but totally had it healthwise this time with a baby on top - talk about digging through sand. Definately not over buying anymore, starting with christmas.

Oh I have a mother doing the bringing crap thing - it goes straight to charity now, so feel for you Biscusting.

Car's hopefully all sorted - serviced and new brakes, tyres. Another thing of the list before Christmas hits.

Right, I did everything on my list aside from ordering the light fittings. I'm not sure what to buy and also I'm skint, so I might postpone that one and look out for any bargains

Tonight I have sanded, waxed and varnished a two doors and also two shelves.

Tomorrow list:

Wood filler around utility area wood work.
Clear out utility and box up any unused things.
Paint ceilings in WC and utility

I want to add more to that list, but I think I'll struggle with that lot realistically.

I want to start present buying for Christmas, but just can't bear to bring stuff into the house!

 I swear I almost started this exact thread the other day! Great minds 

Reading your lists and progress is making me feel very productive! Also it's reminding me of things I need to do but have forgotten about!

@Biscusting i think we must have the same MIL! A few months ago I totally got on top of the clutter (thank you Marie Kondo!) so now anything unwanted coming into the house goes straight to the charity shop. Sounds harsh but I think it's the only way you can keep on top of it.

I want to :-

-regrout main bathroom as it's all looking a big grubby and needs a refresh

-repaint living room. We're keeping it the same colour, just using the wipe down paint we should have used the first time 

• buy new sofa covers and coffee table. Had a friend round this morning and I was ashamed. The toddler has taken his toll on the house!

• buy and fit toilet roll holder to downstairs bathroom (thanks for the reminder!)

I am sure I will add to this list though

Hrmm my hall has been painted recently, but when for a Matt off whitish colour. I'm thinking with two kids under 5 that was a mistake. Maybe upgrade to the wipeable version as well.

Okay, I haven't managed much on my list today. It's been hectic. Will get back on the horse tomorrow.

On the plus side I bought a very autumnal candle today, which has taken the paint fumes away and made the house smell like freshly baked cinnamon buns.

Ooh what's the candle Biscusting?
Today I've (finally! After 3 years of hating it) sanded down my awful orangey-pine-stained fireplace surround ready for repainting. Tomorrow I'm going to sort through the clutter thats accumulated on all the horizontal surfaces in the bedroom.

Well done in the fireplace. What colour are you painting it? I'm not sure what brand the candle is I bought it from TKMaxx it's pumpkin spice apparently, but I must admit, I haven't burned it today and I can still smell it!
I've done a bit of wood filling tonight and framed some sketches finally to hang up tomorrow.

Tomorrow I have some child free time at home so have to get myself psyched up for some serious work. I might finish painting the lounge.will report back tomorrow.

Room for one more?

I'm on a solo mission to get the house finished and working better for us by ideally 30th October! Just got a new sofa and furniture for the lounge so my tasks to finish that off are;
Find a home for the dc's games
Replaster the wall where the TV was mounted
Paint over the plaster
Decide whether I can live with the rug that doesn't match anything in the room 😭
Clear under the stairs

Dd's room;
Finish painting around windows
Attempt to keep tidy
Toy cull

Ds' room;
Contain lego and ships then hide them
Around 3x coats of white on walls
Paint feature wall
Moan and cry at dh until he cuts me some star wars vinyl for ds' feature wall
Put vinyl up
Move bed and kallax around
Put up picture ledges for books
Put up shelves for lego
Remember to close the door so I don't cry at the sheer amount I have to get done with no babysitting help and a dh working 6 day weeks!

Our room;
Plaster the stupid hole in wall
Pray we kept the paint
Touch up paint

Bathrooms;
Buy new matching towels

Kitchen;
Clear and cull cupboards
Defrost freezer

Hopefully written down it'll keep me accountable and on track. I've managed to paint a small part of ds' room today with two coats so possibly put the book ledges up tomorrow. I'm planning on doing the plastering in the living room tonight whilst dc in bed along with a few kitchen cupboards. And quite possibly wine.

there were many paragraphs before I posted! Sorry!

Welcome aboard! I'm going to start posting before and after pictures. It's so satisfying. Take a picture before you start and what it looks like after. I think it's easy to forget what it was like once tidied or painted.

Today I painted 75% of the lounge and did filling and sanding as I went along too. Painted the WC ceiling.
Tomorrow I'll aim to finish the lounge and do a general tidy and catch up on the washing.

Ooh I love this thread and love the idea of before and after pics!

My house being renovated but I'm farting people in to do everything, I have 5 children, 2 dogs and 6 cats and not long moved into a 6 bed house!

My boyfriend is moving in with me next week so once he's around more it'll be nice to have someone around to do all the garden and general diy bits and bobs, I'm useless at things like that and he loves it!

My downstairs loo was painted today so going to go shopping for bits and bobs tomorrow!

Clutter wise I'm not too bad as I've moved from a small house to a big one but it's still messy as there's so many of us and I'm busy. I need to get into a routine and get organised.

Can't wait for the house to be nice and cosy for Christmas!

Downstairs loo

Downstairs loo

I’m in!
What I need to do:
Declutter (6 rooms left )
Deep clean
Lounge flooring
Finish painting (2 rooms)
Organise a plethora of clutter that must stay
Store old toys to make way for new
Admire the finished product

Doesn’t sound much. Feels daunting!

OK so today I've cleared under the stairs and now the lounge is looking much better, decided I can live with the rug Need to paint the wall where we plastered but that should be done tonight so that'll be this room finished hurrah!

And managed to get the book ledges up in ds' room. Think I'll get two more, he's got so many books!

I love that downstairs loo Kiki! I bet you'll all be looking forward to Christmas in your new big house.

Clutterbutter, that does sound like a lot! Don't underestimate it and feel proud of yourself when you tick things off your list.

Mrsallovertheplace, I love those shelfs. I put something similar in DD1s room earlier this year it's great. I'm hoping to create another cosy reading space downstairs somewhere too and was pondering putting more shelves in.

I need to get some photos up! It's been a busy day. I spotted so much Christmas stuff in the shops today I started to panic! Not yet Christmas, I'm not ready!!