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

I think I mean - Have you managed to spend less on”stuff” as a result of taking stock of it all built up in the house?

Thanks everyone! DH is fast asleep DS not so much. I've managed to tidy a couple of kitchen drawers, found another load of expired medication down the back, so I'll take that round to the chemists later if DS and DH can manage at home. Another charity bag has been poked through the box, so I'll try to fill that today.

That is beyond amazing Stealth! You're such an inspiration

A day off sounds fab nofilter! I'm glad you're taking advantage of it. I think with all that ebaying it's well deserved.

Grey I did our bed when I was pregnant. I was gutted one day to discover I couldn't fit underneath it to paint the under-bit of the wood. You'll get it done, I'm sure it'll look fab (pictures when you're done with all your hard work?)

Sand hopefully they'll get back to you soon and remove the offensive useless item from your home.

I don't see the harm in that Penelope! Surely it's better than having to witter on at reluctant husbands for months on end? Or book yourself into a few courses and get yourself a Pinterest account! I'm all for learning to do these DIY bits yourself if you have time.

It'll be great when it's done purple. Did have to laugh about the dog eating it though!

Sand - you've got me thinking, a cleaner to do a deep clean would be a lovely treat once the decluttering is done!

Nofilter if I hadn't kept a record I wouldn't have believed I had got rid of that much stuff. My life is much, much easier. Drawers don't get stuck, I find things easier, guests can turn up uninvited and it's tidier, we now eat at a clear counter in the kitchen or the dining room table (both are clear!). However I still have a huge amount of clutter left to sort through. We have so much built in storage for me to sort through and the Room of Doom is constantly lurking. I would quite like to get rid of another 100 bags before school breaks up but that might be ambitious as I've got rid of the biggest items already.

So, inspired by you lovely lot, I have today tackled a box of miscellaneous pencils/rubber bands/marbles/ribbons...you get the picture! Plus some paperwork (including some slightly overdue school forms...).

Was very satisfying & I'm now planning on tackling...

THE BASKET OF FELT TIP PENS!!!

Wish me luck, I may be some time...

Stealth wow that is amazing!

Penelope DH works most weekends so usually has a day off during the week. When I was working (rather than being on an extended maternity leave) he used to ask me to leave him a list of jobs that needed doing and he would work through them on his days off. He preferred to have a list to work from because he would never remember otherwise.

I sorted through the cupboard under the sink this afternoon. Got rid of a few random cleaning products and a plant pot that had got broken under the clutter. Another plant pot and a storage jar thing have been washed ready to go into the charity bag. I found a vase I didn’t know I had and I much prefer to the one I usually use so I might get rid of the other one. Inspired by all you DIYers I also got out the screwdriver and fixed one of the doors to the cupboard which was hanging off its hinges.

I seem to have a huge number of dusters and cleaning cloths. I will go back and sort through those and get rid of some. I would have done it when I was sorting out the cupboard but DD decided to ‘help’ by pulling things out of the cupboard and unravelling rolls of bin bags. That’s a job for when she’s napping I think!

I also had a quick look in the sideboard. I’ve thrown out some horrid cork table mats that I don’t even know why I had. There’s a set of table mats that I think I will also get rid of as someone bought us some more as a wedding present. In fact I will go and do it now before I convince myself that they might be useful!

I walked in from work and found a pile of chewed stuff on the lounge floor so I have thrown away: a ball of yarn, a biro, a hat a couple of pieces of card and a bread bag.

Hopefully the chewed up bits belong to GibbleDog and not the children

Dining room is blitzed so we can all sit and the table for dinner now! Lost track of how much stuff I chucked and tidied away; but it looks 100x better.

Packed my office stuff into a storage box, it's a pain in the arse, but I think it'll encourage me to work set days, rather then leaving stuff out and doing bits and pieces in drubs and drabs.

I've put a book I borrowed from a friend in work in my bag, ready to be returned. Maybe tomorrow l will remember to get it out and give it back to her

I've done quite a bit since posting earlier. Lots of cleaning and tidying. Took an item back to the shop and got a refund. Recycled some leaflets and charity'd (new word) a pair of glasses.

Inspired by YT videos, I've also decided to sell a gorgeous jacket I've been hanging onto. It's utterly fabulous but has shrunk in the wardrobe!

I’ve stained my chair and declared that bit done! I’ve rummaged and found some yacht varnish, but I think I’ll just buy some ordinary stuff tomorrow.

I’ve just finished packaging up another eBay sale. I did manage to put on 3 things last night and one has already gone. .

I’m tempted to say I’ll put 6 new things up for sale each week, but know that will soon fall by the wayside.

Today (Tuesday) I decluttered a pair of ripped trousers that would have taken more time and money to fix than to replace. Quite difficult - usually I agonise over this kind of thing.

Also, managed to figure out that we buy between four and sis tubs of fruit each week, and there's no need to stockpile old tubs. So I decluttered twelve plastic tubs into the recycling bin.

25 "Listener" magazines from 1986. Wandered down memory lane for a while.

Kitchen already looking calmer.

Six pairs of of shoes to recycling. Handbag and belt to charity !

600!!!! Thats a massive achievement and must make your mind so much clearer also! Well done!
My clutter was well hidden to only my bedroom and storage cupboard had visable mess but nobody went in there! It does feel alot clearer since having my week of binge decluttering but I have stalled for the past week and not actively done any sorting out.
The last bags of toys need a sort out abd i must do the clotges storage this week which will hopefully kick start my efforts.
Today so far put some recycling out and decluttered a spoonful of coffee into my mug.....x

Just a joke about those lists on the fridge for husbands. (You might have seen it before on Facebook.)

Stealth - 600 carrier bags is amazing.

Stealth I am amazed at the 600 bags! What size of bags are you counting??

I have been keeping a note of what goes to charity or is sold, but haven't kept tabs on the stuff that has been binned or recycled.

I got a lift in today to drop off stuff at a Charity Shop before work. I handed in a large carrier bag of clothing, a small box of other stuff and a picture (that escaped the Charity Shop run in early December as I had carefully placed it in a box on the landing the night before to stop it falling over and getting damaged!) I also posted my eBay sale and bought varnish. I'm hoping to take tomorrow as a holiday so intending to try and finish the chair completely. I'm not sure how many coats of varnish will be needed, as I will do the mended sections initially, then a final coat over that whole piece of wood. I couldn't decide between matt or satin so hope I've made the right choice or I'll be back at the shop on Friday!

Undertheoaktree I love that you have a "BASKET OF FELT TIP PENS" because we have POTS OF FELT TIP PENS and a few months ago I tested them all and have trained dds to throw old ones in the bin. It's made such a difference.

Purplefrog go on you know you want to put 6 things up for sale each week. I also need to set myself a target for selling things.

Thanks for all the messages about the 600 bags, I am embarrassed about it. I get most of my food from Ocado so I generally get rid of stuff in Ocado sized plastic bags - roughly the size of one of the thin Tesco 5p bags. Sometimes I can say I definitely got rid of a number of plastic bags but for large items or binbags of stuff I estimate.

A productive-ish day but I'm feeling a bit sad. I took two bags to a charity shop of toys that my dc had loved as toddlers. They've been in the pile to Facebook sell but I haven't got around to it.I also made a pile of picture books to give away but can't quite do it yet! I am also throwing away a jigsaw puzzle with missing bits. It has been sitting in a bag for a year as I assumed the bits will turn up. Inevitably I will find them after the binmen have taken it away.

I also have things sitting with missing bits waiting for something to turn up!

I sorted out a meccano set before Christmas, but it is missing a strip with 9 holes. I have watched some on eBay BUT I know it will turn up as soon as I order one. I also spent an unproportional long time last night looking for a little bit of card that goes with a collectable set I have been told can go. Of course, I remember finding it a month or so back, but I have no idea what I did with it. I am not sure if I found it amongst the bags of instructions etc. I brought down from the loft, or whether it was in one of the many bags of random crap that are lying about the bedroom. Sigh! As soon as I sell the item on eBay I will come across it...

KIT day today, so I've not actually done anything. Going to declutter an old curry from the freezer, but that's probably about it.

The basket of felt tip pens is now a joy to behold!

How many do you have Under ?

Gosh Stealth that is an amazing amount, well done! I bet it's really transformed things in your home

Glad to hear you got out of the felt pen box alive, UnderThe Oaks

Yay on the chair progress PurpleFrog. Think of all the pennies made from selling as motivation.

Nice username Tidy2018

I posted off some eBay nappies today. Unfortunately the Gumtree guy let me down last night so I still have the annoying filing cabinet. I messed up the painting on the front bit of my bed frame so it looks like I need to redo that tonight, argh. I feel like having a nice lie down instead.

Loads!!! (But fewer than there were before!)

Thank you all so much..... I can't keep up with the thread properly as I can't use MN at work but starting this challenge has been so positive for me. I've managed to get rid of at least one thing each day. Yesterday I had a few minutes spare and DS2 and I hoiked a load of outgrown tshirts and hoodies from his wardrobe which I am going to offer to a colleague at work with younger sons.

Had a good clear out of a cupboard in our spare room today and dropped an ancient unused pack of pullups off to the food bank place on the way past (they were pleased to take them).

Games with bits missing are one of my nemesis (nemesises?) as like Stealth I know that as soon as I have thrown it away I will find the missing piece. It seems like such a waste :(