Getting rid of one thing a day decluttering challenge: Part 3: Are we nearly there yet?

[StealthNinjaMum]

For 2000 posts a group of messy mumsnetters have been chucking out, selling, recycling and cooking weird cakes.

Are we free of clutter yet? Sadly not.

Thankfully we're here to get support and be told off when we have a relapse and bring more clutter into the house, garages, sheds, gardens.

Newbies are welcome to join us, it's easy we literally just get rid of one thing a day and report back.

Previous thread here

Thanks everyone, I would love to declutter the family. I am just trying to get them to tidy up just their things so I can at least clean. Anyway at Xmas I had a similar wobble and chucked out loads of crafts stuff and donated about five bags or toys to a local nursery. I have just messaged that nursery to ask if they want more!

I also heard back from a food bank who want our nappies so thanks for whoever suggested that.

Stealth I hope you're feeling better today. I completely understand how annoying it is when you're trying to do something and everyone is in the way and/or ruining everything you've done already. Just remember there will be a day when your LO's have left home and you'll be wanting them to come back so you can clean up after them

@Stealth oh I hear you! No sooner have I got one room semi-passable than DH has a day off work, his bloody tools are everywhere, every pot, pan and plate in the kitchen seem to have been used (although he is starting to load the dishwasher... one day he may even learn to turn it on!), and ddogs have shredded something unidentifiable all over the floor.

Keep going, we can do this!

Decluttering slowed down due to work, but the massive memory foam mattress that was too good to dump has finally gone to its new home

This means I can finally get in the spare room and find my wardrobes which have been hidden for 3 years and actually use them!! I'm so happy!!

Good news about the mattress Buffy I love getting rid of large items.

Two tiny swimming costumes in the charity pile today. I have also been testing the broken 6ft ikea lamp in the dump pile. It has a broken glass shade. I have a second identical lamp which I couldn't get to work either so I am wondering if I swap the shade over if I will have a single working lamp. Or maybe both are broken. I don't have time to play with them because dd2 is making me be a unicorn. they've been hanging around for 10 years so another three hours won't make a difference

Ladies can I join you?

I'm expecting DC3 in November and have no idea how I'll cope. I feel like I spend half my life picking things up off the floor while the kids empty out cupboards behind my back and leave a trail of destruction through the house. Surely if I get rid of 50% of our possessions and clear out all the cupboards life will be simpler!?!!

I'm off to find something to get rid of - surely anything counts, little or large!?

Welcome, @chloechloe !

I've done a charity shop run today which means 3 large sacks are out of the house and I am now milking that lovely feeling of satisfaction, relief and freedom.

DP has also done a loft 'run' which means that a box of financial docs and a spare duvet are now back in the loft.

I also resisted buying a lovely Buddha today. I'm still thinking about it - it would look lovely in my house. The irony is that the style of it is perfect for a minimal house. I'm trying to be strong.

Today's item is an old top.

Phew. HOME! Though I am devastated my parents refused to let me declutter their shed.

Given DH a pile of bits to stick on eBay, and I'm sorting through duplicate gifts to return and exchange tomorrow. Swapped an outfit that wouldn't fit DS for a pack of vests in the next size up today - so lost one but gained 5 useful things instead.

DH's friend has also fobbed four jars on us. But I'm going to use them in the bedroom for tampons/cotton pads/etc. So that'll clear a small drawer out.

There's just stuff all over the house now. It's 100% the worst part of going away, the days it seems to take it get on top of it all even though the house was spotless when we left

I don't mean to encourage you Sand but I think a huge part of all this is having a house full of objects you love! And if the Buddha would make you feel happy to look at each day and make the room look fantastic, buy it. I'm sure there's a hideous car ornament gifted to you by a great aunt that could go to a charity shop to make way for it

I bet you do a fabulous unicorn impression Stealth.

And welcome Chloe I'm sure you'll find something! Or many somethings. It's quite addictive once you get started.

Can i rejoin i was on here a few months ago then couldnt log in for ages then when i did I couldn’t find the chat and gave up lol. Its just caught my eye in active chats and i thought yippee :)

I have made some progress since last time decorated dds room and took loads of black bags of toys n teddys out of it aswell as clothes. At first i piled them up in my room as wanted to do a bootsale but came to realise im just never going to get round to it so the past few days iv started tackling it aswell as junk from storage cupboard.
Iv done a tip run, taken 6 bags of stuff to local charity shop i did it really fast one day so it was just gone rather than think oh il sell tjose one day. Sold 2 bags full of dds old clothes another of shoes so thats gone. I still have quite a few bags stacked up to go through though lots of toys and teddys but want to try sell those and if doesnt sell they have to be gone by end of june thats time limit giving myself lol.
Sorry to ramble on nobody else in real life understands the process of sorting stuff out and letting go so nicr to have a place to chatx

Betsy that's honestly amazing! It must feel fantastic to have a perfect room, especially one clutter free enough to decorate!

If they don't sell and I know I always say this but I bet your local women's shelter would be grateful for the toys. My aunts always reminding me to give her toys/nappies/toiletries to take into work with her.

I've lost all motivation now. My vagina is still decluttering itself. I'm still battling to get the bed taken back, which is hindering my spare room progress. I've got a lampshade to make and some paintings to start for DS's room but just feel 'meh'.

I also can't move up the stairs. Too much crap blocking them

Thanks, @IHateYourCarpet. Tbh, I'm not short of nice ornaments or Buddhas almost every room plus garden . I just really, really want a clear house. Not totally clear, but certainly clearer than it is. I'm trying really hard not to buy more stuff.

Ahh no excuses at all then Sand!

I've realised I hoard contact lens solution I have 12 bottles all not used. No idea how. I change the solution every day but never seem to run out! I need to stop them sending more while I work through it all.

ihateyourcarpet
Thankyou! Her rooms not very big and shes sen so never played alot with younger toys so i just kept everything for years plus buying more as all looked to nice to get rid of. But got to the point where was just to much so emptied room to decorate and had to have a word with myself and not put half back in. Crazy though as the room still has alot of stuff but all newer more age appropriate atleast and its a nice functional room.
My bedrooms more of the dunpung ground atm. Front room the clutter/toys/paperwork is pretty concealed but needs sorting through as i know its there. And the kitchen cupboard with pans etc is currently a hell hole lol.
But it felt good getting rid of dome stuff so hoping to continue!

Oh no sorry you are feeling like that today maybe just forget it for tonight when im really not in the mood it jus makes it so much worse. Maybe try to have abit more of a chilled night then progress tomorrow? I havent read whole thread what’s happened to the bed?xx

It's nothing exciting Betsy I persuaded DH to part with his childhood bed. Bought a new one, basically all the screws are wrong, nothing fits properly and the bolts swivel round in the sockets so you can't secure it properly. It's taking forever to persuade them to take it back!

It's being replaced with a trustworthy and reliable Ikea one on Thursday. As soon as that's in, I can finish decorating.

I've chucked loads of recycling, got DS's clothes away and sorted out his presents and cards. There's a pile of bits to exchange on Thursday. I'm avoiding the dining room. It's basically an eBay sorting office. Even though I know DH has listed all of it and it probably IS going, I still can't stand seeing the clutter! I've given up and gone to bed now. I think you're right Betsy.

I'll make a list and post it here in the morning. I think it'll help to have something to tick off.

Ooh a list, share it and we can tell you off if you don't do it! And hopefully the end of the bed saga is in sight and you'll have an amazing bedroom soon.

We're going to the seaside for one night tomorrow so I have done two days worth of decluttering. I threw away a really awful toiletries bag and also packed little toiletries samples to use when I'm away. I threw away an empty body lotion bottle that I used. I have millions of body lotions but am slowly getting through them.

I'm relying on you lot to keep me in check!

Today I am going to;

. Flat pack the bed that is being returned
. Clear the spare room again in prep for new bed tomorrow
. Finish making the lampshade - that'll use up some fabric, and the rest of the fabric glue. Then actually put it up!
. Declutter the bathroom said all excess bottles.
. Find 25 things to stick in charity box
. Find 10 things to throw away

. BONUS - need to clean house before visitors tonight and may try to find time to return bag of unwanted gifts.

11 things chucked from the kitchen alone. A box of yeast, some nesquick, stock cubes that all expired in 2017 the sort of stuff I assumed lasted forever!

They do last forever don't they? (Apart from yeast).

Good work. I am mumsnetting at the beach. Will be bringing home a ton of sand to declutter.

2 items returned! Gained 4. Three books I'll stick away for DS for Christmas, and a John Lewis gift card for £20 I'll use in the baby sale for clothes for him.

The rest of the bits they wouldn't exchange without a receipt, so I'll stick those on eBay.

I have managed to empty my car boot and put away 2 camping beds, 3 chairs and 2 rucksacks.
I will shortly be decluttering my parcel shelf back INTO my car. Am halfway through cleaning the kitchen but stopped for a coffee as I can’t go any further until the dishwasher finishes because DD brought down an entire load of dishes from her bedroom!
Bin emptied so that’s good. Need to hoover and fold up eleventy billion loads of washing. I hope to see my dining table again this evening!
I have lots of bags of gibble. They are full of treasure which was bagged up and left in the lounge to be sorted. And haven’t been. I also have the pen tub from cubs sitting on my table- why?

One pint glass decluttered. Smashed in my hand when I wiped it with the tea towel. Am I injured but it frightened me!

Tidied the hallway earlier. We seem to have enough water bottles to keep a football team hydrated. How do people store them? Chucked a couple of unwanted Christmas presents into the donation bag, too, because the hallway is the obvious place to store a Lynx gift set isn't it?!

@Gibble1 glad you're okay! Sounds like you've got loads done today 👍

The only thing I didn't manage today was the lampshade!

The spare room now only has a mattress and DS's changing area/chest of drawers thing in it. Other than that, it's totally empty. I've rushed around trying to find some bits to throw in the charity box, so I've maybe not been as thorough as I could be, but I've managed the 25. Mainly clothes, sandals I've worn once but don't fit properly...

The eBay pile is insurmountable. It's taken over the dining room. Fair play to DH though who sold AND dropped off his old bed frame today, and listed loads too.

I've got a list for Ikea tomorrow, so I don't go overboard. I will not be leaving with anything other than a bed frame, a single duvet, four photo frames, and a shelf of some description.

I cracked on and have folded all the washing bar the last 2 loads which are still going.
I have also got rid of at least 30 bits of junk. I have to go out now and will be decluttering a raspberry vodka when I get home. Then the jar can go in the bin!