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

@Gibble1 yy, I too am totally under the paws. Although maybe less than dh, who was never owned by introduced to terriers before we met...may have created a monster, darnit

A belated thank you for all the welcomes and encouragement, it is extremely appreciated

After yesterdays easy wins, today feels a bit of a struggle Have decluttered a few random items from kitchen, sorted some more recycling (that doesn't really count does it ??) Ironed a few bits and a duvet cover (found iron yesterday, don't normally bother but really love ironed bedding. Why do i have 2 irons??!)

Yey, local charity shop takes rags, got a few in rag bag but can't really count till they're out of the house...

Did a few memory items too, find them very hard, but it counts, right??

Well done to all, thanks for keeping up the inspiration good luck @ememem84, if all else fails, ask out loud for it back, sometimes works for me!

@IHateYourCarpet just remember how much you don't miss the doggy chewing/destroying/mysterious wet patches... (not envy) I shoud nc to IHaveNoCarpet...

yeh, still wouldn't be without them

Wayfair is EVIL!

I got an email about sale mattresses managed to make it to the checkout without buying anything else though! So a new mattress for the new bed will soon be here, and the 25 year old bed and mattress upstairs can bugger off to a skip, or someone else's house.

Just a quick fly by - my item today is a pair of dp's sandals which he hated.

FOUND IT!!! On floor under nightstand. Must have fallen off. Phew. It was a diamond pendant. But nothing showy. And absolutely replaceable if necessary. But yay!

Bottle of chilli oil done. Stir fried broccoli in the remains. Wooo

That's a relief Emen

Decluttered an old potato and some bacon and cheese for tea. DH has buggered off for the evening so I can do what I like

Spare room looks amazing. Its totally clear. Just a box for DH to sort out, and a box of bits waiting to be sold on eBay. Need to sell the bed and wardrobe, then it's a blank canvas for DS.

So today;

. Listed 18 items on eBay.
. Three more bags out for charity in addition to the three this morning.
. Emptied loads of cardboard from the spare room into the recycling bin.

I really want to do our bedroom now. But DS seems to be asleep in there whenever I find time to do it!

I've also found lampshades, photo frames, and other bits I aim to repurpose and use in DS's bedroom.

Got rid of a dressing up rail today and a load of bags.
Loving the challenge!

May I join please!

Lived here for eons and have the Stuff! to prove it shoved into every nook and cranny.

DDs are slowly moving out (to their Uni town), so Stuff! is on its way out, just slowly as each batch means a road trip.

On the Yay it's Gone! front, did manage to gift a big punch bag stand thingy. Was picked up yesterday. Today I was mainly feeling far too pleased with myself to manage to get rid of anything else, but as it was so big and had at least five parts to it, I'm going with that covering a few days

Got rid of a load of old pens (most of which had dried up), a stapler (we don’t need six!) and various old paperwork from the study.

Took an old gym bag to the charity shop - I don’t currently use a gym and if I do need a gym bag have a couple of others to choose from

Oooh I'm proud of myself. Sold a rather large item today and sorted a big bag for the charity shop and kids clothes for a friend on the weekend.
I love this challenge. I'm always torn between hoarding and minimalism. We have a very small house for 4 people and some days I will hang on to everything and others I will get rid of things I still probably need

managed to rid myself of 10 magazines today. Been hoarding them for ... well one was dated 2000.

another pile of stuff ready to go out too. (massive toysrus bag full)

2 more recycling bags filled ready to go tomorrow.

2 more loads laundry done.

A jar of old, organic quinoa and a carrier bag. Woop-woop!!

I made good progress today. I sorted out the shelves in the living room which was harder than it sounds! They were piled high with papers which needed sorting through. There was mountains of artwork that DS did at nursery and 4th birthday cards (he’s 6), cards people sent when DD was born (she’s 1 later this month) and a whole load of other sentimental stuff. I got rid of a lot of the artwork and just kept the Mother’s Day cards and things like that.

I got a couple of nice storage boxes, one for each DC, and put the things I saved in there. I think DS’s needs another purge as it’s quite full but for now it’s out of the way.

I also sorted through a huge pile of junk mail on the table and shredded/ recycled that. So, I am now decluttering the last piece of DS’s birthday cake and some wine I found in the fridge while admiring my tidy and clutter free shelves and table.

Gibble you keep bread in your handbag?

Stealth I am so grateful neither of my DS's have had a major thing for just one 'thing'. I admit they do have plenty of lego between them but neither collected 600 of the same toy probably because I never let them watch cartoons

Emem I love the candle trick, I have 6 pots on my vanity with all sorts of different make up brushes, hair clips and other random bits. It even makes cotton pads look pretty

DH returned home from work with a plastic storage tub full of god knows what. And left it in the hallway. CF!

Also been reading a few threads just being nosey, came across a MN abbreviation which I couldn't quite figure out and googled the meaning. While doing this I also came across 'STBEXH' which means 'soon to be ex husband' however all the time I've been on MN I have been reading it as 'stupid twat bastard ex husband' which I now think for most posters would probably be a better fit how do I get in touch with MNHQ to have the definition changed? I am sure plenty will be thankful

Hello all.

Just jumping in here. I have a 6 week old baby and am getting stressed about not being able to do a huge amount (whilst also loving being stuck under him watching Netflix). Getting rid of 1 thing a day feels very achievable. Today is sending a bag of donations to the Oxfam shop with a friend who is coming to visit this afternoon.

This is great because today I will now MAKE myself get rid of something because of this thread, I reckon if I hadn’t joined I’d just sack off doing it today. Thanks xx

Congratulations Cat enjoy the new-ish baby snuggles.

Nama your DH needs a slap for the mystery box! Have you had a rummage yet?

Bob you should definitely be adorning your tidy table! That's tons for one day

Actually, everyone did loads yesterday!

So last night I decided to hang the new curtains we were given by DIO. Fuck knows who measured them. I only put up the dining room ones to replace the tatty ikea ones I had there, and one curtain more than covers the entire wall not just the window. I've held onto the fabric, but unless I can think of a use for it sharpish, they'll be recycled.

Gaining the bed and mattress today. DH is now claiming there is no rush to get rid of his childhood/teenage/single years bed. But there's no where else for the new bed to live. So no matter how sentimental it is, it needs to be gone by the weekend. As does the wardrobe.

Chucked my sewing machine this morning. It's totally buggered. DM is letting me borrow hers to finish DS's beanbag chair. Not sure if I'll replace it, it takes up so much space.

Going to try really hard to sort the bedroom today. DS obliging.

is there room for one more?

We moved to this house 2.5yrs ago and it still seems to be in the same disorganised state it was after the first few weeks. I constantly seem to be firefighting and clearing the same space over and over. E.g the porch/hall/stairs are used as a dumping ground by everyone, I tidy them up, then the cycle starts again. I really would like a tidy house, as I really think it's beginning to have an impact on my MH.

I spent the weekend tidying the dining area/conservatory, it's still not great, but now I can see floor I haven't seen since before we moved in. I have 3.5 bags of stuff ready to go to charity, a few bits went in the general waste and I filled half the very large recycling bin. I also found some things to go to the tip, which are in the outside storage until I go next week.

Yesterday I parcelled up 12 items to be taken to the post office, intending to do that and take the charity bags today, but I now have DS2 at home after he coughed so much he vomited this morning. He's currently bouncing around the living room, but no PO run today. I'm using the time to make a start on clearing out the living room. Hopefully I can be productive and get rid of another bag of recycling or charity donations.

DS is buggering off with DH for an hour so I should be able to quickly blitz the bedroom.

I really hate waiting in for parcels! I can see why people pay others do so it for them!

So! The bedroom.

. A stethoscope
. Four chocolate bars
. A broken comb
. A can of deodorant that makes DH sneeze for hours
. A toilet roll tube
. Three empty paracetamol boxes

DH's bedside table is just odd I've tidied it all away. But he had tap measures, spoons, letters, padlocks and all sorts of junk in there.

I also found two of the vases we had at our wedding MIL broke the rest because she was shitfaced and I'm not sure what to do with those. They're damaged, but I don't really want to part with them. I'm thinking if I buy some lids and soak the paint off I can turn them into fancy tampon storage jars for the toilet ----

@IHateYourCarpet - Damaged vases which were previously lost/hidden? Sounds like clutter?? Could you take a photo of them instead of keeping them?

I know Sand they've been tucked up in the alcove for a couple of years with me always having the intent of repairing them. They're basically really badly scratched after being thrown in the boot of the car with the smashed ones. I think it's just never going to happen. I'm not normally this sentimental, but it's all I actually have to remember our wedding!

I think I'll try to soak the paint off and use them as storage jars. If not, they'll be chucked.

Ohh and DH promised more coffee and banana cake for work. So the last of the bananas are gone from the freezer, and nearly the last of the not very nice coffee.

I know it can seem like that, Carpet (I have had dreadful angst getting rid of sentimental things) but the fact is, we still keep our memories. For me, broken stuff almost always brings me down. It does depend though. I'm just prodding you gently (as I'm sure you would me if you saw my boxes!).

So far today, I have got rid of a cushion cover (which hasn't sold and isn't worth any more effort) and 5 glass jars with lids (which seem to reproduce in my kitchen).