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

2m by 42"? that's a lot. Freecycle for sure, or find a local patchwork group.

Well done, everyone!

My item today is a backpack. It was DP's. I've always really disliked it and it turns out, so has he! He's already replaced it but I'm still counting it as the replacement is smaller and much more uplifting and 'feel good'. (Something I never thought I'd say about a backpack.) I actually tried to sell it but have given up and it's now in the charity sack.

Yesterday the dogs ate a pen. And the day before. Today I threw out a holey pair of socks and DH boarded up the door lintel using some wood from the loft so I’m counting that as an out too!

10 items listed on eBay and more importantly, my bed is now clear of stuff and ready for an evening of Eurovision viewing

It is a huge amount IIjkk. I never seem to have much luck with freecycle around here, so I'll have a look around for a group I can donate it to :) if I can't find a use for it somewhere else in the house. It would make a fab blind, but there's not a great deal of point putting heaps of effort in if it won't fit the new windows at some point in the next two years.

Threw out two dummies DS rejects without fail every single time.

Sorry but I have to laugh at Gibbledog's contribution to decluttering! Hope he/she is okay though.

Haha, luckily the kids pretty good when it comes to decluttering!

Also found a bag full of pregnancy/parent magazines from 2013 🙈 something else to go!

I didn't get rid of anything yesterday. That's two days in a row.

I have made up for it today - a lady bought and collected two bags of jigsaw puzzles and toys.

The house is a complete mess so I am going to run around with the hoover and stick the washing machine on.

I didn’t get to do my half hour on Friday as ended up picking DS up from school earlier - I.e. in my half hour! I did start a bag of clothes to go though. Tried to wear a new top I had found during last weeks sort out but it looked dreadful on. So that’s going!

Didn’t achieve much yesterday but did put all the recycling out and made an effort to find more paper to fill the box - junked a pile of catalogues. And actually emailed the companies to ask not to receive any more. It is such a waste of paper.

Today I’m going to go through the magazine basket and a set of shelves.

Tomorrow I will tackle upstairs a bit more.

Wow, can I join in please?

Been reading the previous threads and you are all doing so well!!

I'm starting from the complete beginning - house is a tip, stuff everywhere, floors that haven't been seen in months. Biggest problem right now is 2 elderly incontinent terriers, so the stuff on the floor has got to GO before it gets ruined.

I've got a week off work to make a dent in it. Frequent stern talkings to would be appreciated and might get me off mn and doing something!

Well, DH has just blown up about the spare room (what's was his dumping ground/will be DS's room). Apparently I'm awful for moving his clothes so he doesn't have three wardrobes to himself. He's barely speaking to me for 'interfering' in his space. The thing is, I've been asking him to sort it since I was six months pregnant. He's had nearly a year. AND HES THE ONE WHO WANTS DS IN HIS OWN BLOODY ROOM IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I clearly pushed the hoarder too far ...

Oh dear, cashew. That sounds like a frustrating situation. Where does dh think ds is going to go? Or is he expecting ds to share the room with all of dh’s stuff?

In an attempt to declutter 5stone in weight and distract myself from eating, I’ve been tackling annoying jobs that have been waiting to be done for far longer than I’d like to admit
Bag of sprouting potatoes - peeled, chopped and about to be turned into mash for tea.
Pile of paper on kitchen worktop - recycled/filed
Form that needed filling in - filled in and waiting to be out in an envelope
3 magazines - next to me and will be read before DM arrives for tea
Junk mail by front door - in recycling bin
Shampoo bottle - rinsed and in recycling
Contents of laundry basket - washed, dried and waiting to be sorted and put away.

Yesterday, I started making a list of all the household chores that need doing and how often. I’m planning to put it all on a monthly planner so I can try a little-and-often approach because it’s working so well with the decluttering (thanks to you guys!!).

Cashew I think you have pushed the hoarder too far. Stand your ground, tell him DS needs his room and he had over a year to do it himself so it's tough shit. He can't be mad at you forever over some clothes. Maybe he will realise how bad he is being with the hoarding tendencies. If it helps my DH also kicked off cause he found out I throw out an entire box of odd wires. he finally needed one from the box and was completely distraught that I had thrown the whole thing out. I explained the box had been in the bedroom for him to sort through and I had warned him daily for the entire week that it would be thrown out regardless of it being emptied by Sunday. Thankfully he now understands that he either sorts out his own crap or I will just bin it. And the wire needed was found on eBay for £7.89

I have.... a load of table cloths. Or throws if you like. They were my mom's and tend to all have at least one stain (on very white items, not easily missed). 2 tablecloths my gran made so will not part with. I am having a terribly lazy weekend but thinking I will try to destain them & then decide whether they are only good for rags.

Also some cloth serviettes... to my surprise, these may have resale value. Zero progress this weekend, otherwise, unless I count 3 new listings on Ebay.

I have no intention of giving up! If anything it's just encouraged me :) he's stopped sulking now. To be fair to him, DS is teething and screaming constantly, and he's just remembered he has another exam in the morning that he hasn't revised for - so I think the clothes was just the straw that broke the camels back!

Got rid of a few more dummies, three bags to be collected for charity, sold ten books and a dress which I'll drop off at the post office tomorrow morning.

I need some honest opinions!

We have the Hemnes black/brown chest of drawers. DS has a beech/pine colour cot. Thinking of getting the bed in a similar colour to the cot, but then worried the drawers may look a bit odd.

Do you think this sort of thing will look utterly shit? I wouldn't paint the drawers, just leave them as is and stain them if they didn't quite match.

www.teriandb.com/2017/02/ikea-hemnes-dresser-hack/

(Hopefully the link works)

Cashew if it will match the bed better then go for it. Maybe try adding a dark mirror/other dark ornaments and accessories to match that part of the drawers too? Although I am probably the shittest person to be giving advice about wooden furniture as I don't actually like wooden furniture so I have absolutely zero idea of what makes it look good or bad

Me too our bedroom is all metal. I'm not sure how DS ended up with any wood at all. I blame pregnancy brain!

Found a bed for £50 - so that'll be arriving Tuesday. DH is excited to build something, so hopefully will be happy to part with the old bed.

Ditched a mascara and an eyeliner in the last 2 days.

Also popped an empty jo Malone candle jar in my bag for work tomorrow (for pens on my desk - am sick of the icky plastic pen holder I have) and a pack of earl gray tea.

IIjkk - if the table clothes are sentimental but not useable, could you look at getting them made into a patchwork quilt? My mum did this with DGM table cloths and old bedspread and bits, it looks beautiful, and actually gets used!

Emen the mere thought of Jo Malone makes me want to gain clutter

Just listed three bits on eBay while DS drops off to sleep

ihate I think jM are doing their freebee game online. You have to spend £35 I think to get the free stuff... #enabling

I love the candles though. Pomegranate noir and blackberry and bay are my faves. Never buy them myself though.

I've seen and I'm avoiding it Emen Although I have gotten through my last candle very quickly ...

Sadly this month needs to be a bit of a frugal month. DS's christening is going to be pretty expensive, plus it'll involve a trip to my hometown which always ends up making my bank account sad. And deprives me of nice candles!

Went awol on the last thread so I'm rejoining.

Have cleared some silly little bits of toys in the living room, got rid of about 30 things, Dd2 didn't mind either!!

Tomorrow's aim is a least one thing.

Well, I've started. 9 kitchen drawers decluttered (for a first pass anyway, sure there's more to go as I get used to this)

Pile of stuff on kitchen table now fits into drawers, can imagine table one day being clear! Some pulses etc bought in an optimistic moment and never used gone too.

DH in shock, but has collated his tools and cleaned yard. Ddogs looking at me

NINE! Wow. :)

Buffy 9 drawers is brilliant, well done

I have been trying to find the motivation to do my weekly deep clean ALL DAY. Low and behold the clock hits 9pm and I am raring to go I think I may be nocturnal.