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

Well... it's that time of year again. I have about 20 items listed on Ebay and only 1 has even had a viewing in last 8 days(!!) Trickle Trickle

@ihate photos as requested! We met them in their field today and signed on the dotted line!

So, my plan was for two shetlands. DD is 2.. basically to sit her on and lead her round by lead rope, perhaps some riding herself around the school as something to work towards. In particular I want us to do some “in hand” shows - I know she’ll love the day out around all the horses, getting dressed up in show clothes and all the prep...

Came across this Palomino which is a really hard type to come by - so I snapped it up BUT it’s not broken to ride yet so chose the mare (black and white) as she has loads of experience with children and I was able to negotiate to keep her foal with her so they don’t have to be separated which is what would have happened as the foal was already advertised for sale!

So we have one extra than planned but are protecting a family - also going to be real fun taking the foal, fussing her every day... meanwhile DD can ride Mum and the palomino, in time is THE show horse!

In wales with lots of family, 12 of us, kids running around - great fun. Boiling hot!

Took two big bin bags to the tip today. We are almost finished with packing and 4 weeks to go. Just some final bits that need packing last minute and a long list of maintenance DIY type jobs to be completed on the properties to prepare them for rental.

Also trying to see as much of family as possible before we move (1.5hrs away).

Dare I say this but the house is pretty much decluttered! There a bits here and there and I’ve not touched the crockery cupboard although most of that is a set really... I’ve just boxed up my Ebay clothes, and when unpacking I intend to add to it and also have a “maybe” rail to see if I actually wear anything on it otherwise it’s off to Ebay.. I’d like to have that finished and all sold by the end of the year and use the money to invest in some more appropriate clothing - comfortable but doing its job in farm setting with a teeny bit of style!

stealth can you start a fine system? For leaving shoes and mess and the like? I feel for you, I blink and my house is upside down by the toddler agh...

Oops photos!

ibb.co/cYqaey
ibb.co/d90Qey

The past ten days have disappeared with end-of-term activities and hetting ready for holidays. I decluttered tasks rather than items. Paper paper paper - piling the filing, then lots of phone calls snd posting of completed forms. More filing yesterday.

It feels so good! Now I need to follow a daily routine of dealing with new paperwork until I've completely caught up and it becomes automatic to just get it done.

From time to time a shelf of the utility room got tidied while listening to podcasts for relaxation. Almost nothing disposed of except an old plastic tub that had contained Brillo pads.

Yes that’s what I want too tidy a paperwork system to work towards. I was thinking maybe an “in” tray for stuff that needs dealing with which can then go into the hanging files in filing cabinet once dealt with. I can let things drift for weeks and it bothers me!

Has anyone else successfully organised themselves towards something they were procrastinating on?

:-)

Gosh it’s so hot running round after DD I feel weary!

Basic housework today I’ve been looking at the full dishwasher all morning like agh! I cannot be bothered today zzzzzz

I’m on it! Decluttering one of the rooms of doom. So far I’ve 3 charity bags and one large bin bag. OH has been to the tip with another estate car full of stuff from the shed. If is wants for me starting on this thread and decluttering some clothes this would not have happened, thanks all x

Well done nofilter I can't believe you're nearly done, you seem to have so many lovely days out you're never home.

Thanks for your support I was so angry yesterday I just chucked lots of things in bin bags. 'Special' pictures dd2 had drawn, a whiteboard that they had ruined by using the wrong pens, lots of paperwork. I hate weekends because they're all home because the mess involved doing 6 meals never seems to get cleared up and we seem to spend our whole time going to clubs / activities, getting ready to go to clubs / activities, putting things away after going to clubs/ activities. I try to get dds to put their swimming costumes or shoes away but as soon as we come in from an activity I have to cook and then dds vanish creating mess elsewhere. My hall is my biggest irritation as you walk in the house and see all the schoolbags, swimming bags, homework and shoes and yet we have furniture and a place for all of this.

Today I have been taking stuff from dd1s wardrobe, putting in dd2s and removing rags/ scruffy clothes from both and taking some small things from dd2s.

I have threatened to throw things away that they leave in the wrong place (e.g. some books that were in the kitchen not dd2s bedroom) and I am wondering if I am going to have to chuck out a favoured toy to prove a point.

nofilter. A year ago I had a file of post a couple of feet high and now it is two inches high which I consider really awful.

This week was unusually busy but I usually go through it daily now and shred junk mail daily. I put dhs post in a bag and hang on his study door (he hates this). I file bills and bank statements every few days as I have files in the Room of Doom so in general I am organised - well much more than a year ago but I know I need to work on it.

I also bought a clipboard which has storage - something like this

www.amazon.co.uk/Seco-SC1517-BE-SS-Waterproof-Clipboard-Papers/dp/B004SP90RM/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=clipboards+storage&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1530466597&sr=8-14

My aim is to just use that for things I need to deal with and hope it's empty most of the time. So while I'm not organised at the moment I know it contains a letter about an overdue smear test I need to organise and my car has been recalled because of a general fault so I need to organise for that to go in.

This is all work in progress. As it stands I am a bit behind with paperwork but behind for me today is a significant improvement on before.

Your ponies looked beautiful

This weekend, we had a relative turn up unexpectedly. This would have been one of my worst nightmares a few years ago! Not now though. It was so nice to be able to welcome him in and to feel relaxed and organised. We easily sorted out a bed and clean bedding for him too. I found this really satisfying.

I've been helping a friend today - we've got rid of about 4 boxes to charity and half a sack to the rubbish. (She's got loads more to do but it's a really good start.) I rescued 4 candles (not fork 'andles!) which I will use and an exercise DVD which I will either use or charity.

I've also charitied 3 DVDs and 3 books. My small bookcase is now looking a bit too sparse. I've had to adjust the layout to try to fill in the gaps.

Oh also, the dress I wore today has a hole in it (front, chest area so no escaping it). I'm going to wash it and add it to the charity bag.

stealth don’t forget my DD who is my only child is just 2 so I’m not in the routine yet where we are tied down... she does a ew afternoons in nursery for the social aspect! Maybe you could plan a nice day out at a park or something with your kids? Sounds like you deserve a nice date out of home?

Well done with asserting how important it is that everyone is on board in the house as you do need help - team effort!

I’ve just bought one of those amazing clipboard thingys! All my post will go in there instead of tucked in a notepad stuffed in my bag! That’s such a great idea, then when I’ve dealt with each job I’ll transfer to file cabinet if we need to save the document!

I have a bit of an obsession with stationary - it’s so colourful and really handy!! Ahhh

Haven’t ride my horse in two weeks I’m missing it SO much. Need my routine back now we’ve got on top of the packing/move...

Have a shed load of business tasks to deal with this week and a long list of admin tasks too... I aim to start the wardrobe, the kitchen cupboards and “stuff” drawer which is massive and full to the brim and get on top of my admin and progress everything that I am able to.

That’s quite a lot I’ll see how I go anyhow!

Oh and stealth you could even loan a Shetland close by to you for a few months - you could tell the owner you’d like to see how it goes and if it doesn’t workout send it back! There’s loads around for loan - it would be quite happy in a garden but always best to have another as a friend as they are herd animals!

#getapony haha

I listed 2 more items on eBay on Thursday evening and sold another item on Friday. Since I was taking that to the Post Office on Saturday morning, I spent an hour filling a wine box with a variety of items for the local Charity Shop that uses its profit to fund projects within the town. Most of it was stuff I had already earmarked to go, but it is now out of the house. I also sent DP off to Boots with a bag of used inhalers for recycling when he went to pick up a prescription. On Saturday afternoon I cleaned out the fridge... it was disgusting at the back. Over the past few weeks I had gradually been weeding out things that were out of date or never going to be used, so very little had to be chucked.

Like lljkk I have had very few views on eBay over the latter part of this week. Sigh! And just when I have found my mojo again. I have just listed 2 pairs of shorts, though, as no-one will want them after the summer holidays. I think I will still try to list 6 new items a week - if they are fixed price I don't lose out if they don't sell until September!

Some things going out of house that net reduce our total stuff
More clothes DS outgrew into charity bag.
Shorts into rags bag.
2 ancient primary school bookbags disposed of.
Random papers.

New things arrived: some boxers for DS2. Why I didn't have any old ones that DS1 used to wear, is a mystery.

Ooooo - one of my prs of shorts has sold already! I need to get in to work promptly tomorrow so I will package them up tomorrow evening and take them to the PO on the way in on Tuesday.

Is anyone else experiencing the glitch that doesn’t show the number of views an item has had? I have to refresh my active listings about a dozen times until I see anything.

Need to read through and catch up one everyones progress!
I made up for me couple weeks of no effort today went to the tip with lots of wood, hard plastic, big bag of textiles boxes etc.
Sat down tonight pairing up odd socks thrown a load away made a clothes recycling bag and a bag of stuff to hand down. Have lost energy now though so time for a sleep x

Purple I’m also finding glitches on eBay. I run a little business on there and when I try contact my customers it’s sending emails to me! Random...

I sold another pair of shoes today for £35 although they did cost £65 and I never wore them from Boden. Two more pairs to list which I’ll do quickly now... going to try list whatever I take out of the wardrobe this week before we move then it’s two extra large boxes for the other side!

Aww really nice pics of the ponies Nofilter

Excellent progress all round on top trips and food bank trips. Good luck to those selling on eBay.

No decluttering here but good progress on the DIY - the bed is finally painted white and ready to reassemble. Curtain for cubby hole just needs hemming on the bottom. I'm on mat leave now so hoping to do myself a nice new cushion tomorrow.

I could do with some positivity as I'm a too hot, too pregnant insomniac and I got some really crummy feedback on my last contract via email today. Life has been wall to wall negativity for nearly a year now - time for a bit of luck please!!! I'm also hoping the tidy home = tidy mind thing will work out eventually.

*tip trips

Sunday's TaDa!

Sorted some of the paper that had accumulated in my bedroom. Put it in the correct place. Will declutter later.

Ran mastic along the bottom of the tiles behind the leaky radiator in the bathroom. Makes it much easier to dry the leaks each day.

Pathclear along the side path of the house down to the front gate.

Laundry and tidied utility shelves. Cut back three thin branches that overhung and blocked the back garden path.

Boiling hot. Put on tv, sat under ceiling fan and got up during adverts.

Tidied big fridge freezer. Had to put squishy salad and mushy potatoes in recycling bin. Tidied small fridge freezer. DS brought in fresh salad.

Washed the top halves of three kitchen windows. Cleaned and polished three glass-fronted kitchen wall units.

Decluttered -
forty magazines from 1980s.

Eight jam jars for storage of screws, nails, etc into garage.

Four lengths of rope to garage.

Two broken plant misters into garden for playing with.

Filthy cleaning rag into bin.

Six items of clothing into garage ragbag.

Empty cough syrup bottle.

This post is much longer than I anticipated! Time to do more while it's cool.

tidy2018 that list has made me tired just looking at i!

nofilter don't tempt me with the thought of a pony. Our garden probably isn't big enough, I think a cat would be enough work for me as I would do all the work.

So last night I was really angry with the whole family and made dh get off his iPad and wash up pans that he had got dirty. I expect to do the lions share of the work as I am sahm but he had cooked an omelette for one dc while I had taken the other to an activity and the egg was stuck to it. He even moaned that it was hard work which really annoyed me, I do that stuff all the time but only after he's been cooking. Hopefully he'll wash things up sooner next time or make less of a mess in the first place.

I also ran around chucking more stuff out. The post table is almost clear now.

Today I have made a long list of things to do this week. 11 things so far but I will add more to it. Better get started. I am just going to clear some leaves up.

Today: a couple more carrier bags of junk from the hellhole playroom, a too-large teddy bear, 3 books, an ugly candlestick - all in a stripey bag to go to a charity shop.
Threw out: empty paint tubes, one large and one tester paint pot, papers.
That'll do

Nofilter - yes I think the glitches are spreading. I haven't yet received the email telling me I sold the shorts. I saw the sale info on eBay itself. The PayPal email came through about 4 hours after the transaction was completed.

According to eBay none of the items I listed or re-listed yesterday have had any views - even though one has a watcher. I'm beginning to think the number of views are now wrong... when I can actually see them. I'm going to have another look on the Seller Forums on eBay and see if anyone knows what is happening.

Stopping for a breather!
So far today I have
-cleared out the fridge
-sorted out both freezers so now I (vaguely) know what's in them!
-juiced some shrivelling up oranges for some nice refreshing juice
-taken some unidentifiable (unlabelled) meat out of the freezer to cook up for the dogs
-cleared out 2 cupboards of vases, plant pots, jam jars & odd&ends, which yielded a satisfying box of stuff for the charity shop
-sorted through 2 more kitchen cupboards which needed a good tidy.

Think CDs & DVD's next which I can do watching the tennis.

You are an inspiring bunch - thankyou!!!

Well done oak tree I am stopping for a rest too.

I have

• written a to do list with 21 things for the week and done 7 of them
• filled a garden waste bin with leaves and cut a load of ivy of trees and the fence
• paid a bill that only got delivered TODAY and filed it (this is a first)
• put away a load of washing and washed dh's stinky dressing gown
• cleared dining table
• finished clearing up the post table (until something else comes tomorrow) there are just a couple of admin jobs to do
• advertised some more toys on Facebook
• generally whizzed around putting pens / pencils / general crap away.

I have got an hour before I pick dds up so I am going to spend it finishing the filing of the post pile and looking at toys to sell.

A couple of weeks ago I said that when I advertise things I am going to set a deadline and if they don't sell they are going to leave the house. So I resisted some old toys and books and luckily they sold. Anyway I am going to bump today's items every day until Friday and if they are still here they are going in the car to go to the charity shop. I am determined to clear the pile of stuff behind the settee before we break up for the holidays.