Getting rid of one thing a day decluttering challenge: Part 4

[StealthNinjaMum]

And the decluttering continues…

For 3,000 posts we have been slowly transforming our homes from hovels to palaces.

We’re not quite there yet some of us are further than others but we won’t give up until we have a decluttered existence.

We just get rid of one thing a day and report back to showoff for support and to be told off when we’re naughty and bring more clutter back into our homes, gardens, sheds, garages.

As ever newbies are welcome to join us.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3243987-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-3-Are-we-nearly-there-yet?msgid=79207142

A mini declutter

Two rubber ducks, bath crayons, a bath mirror, bath flutes and some bath toys

Just decluttered the dally mail app from my iPad and feel a lot better for it.

Does virtual clutter count?

I'll throw some real stuff out later-the drawer where I keep stuff School correspondence is looking a likely and easy target. Most of it can be chucked this time of year.

Tuesday

Finished scraping two small patches of paviers so that the whole area at the back door is clear. Raked out dead weeds and roots from crumbling mortar of boundary wall. Trying to create a gap of at least a yard between house and any vegetation, as we get a lot of slater beetles inside.

Sitting watching "Hoarders: Buried Alive" every morning, I know that I don't see some of the heaps any more. There has been a collection of lamps and shades and lights on and around the kitchen table for months now. I suddenly wrapped them up carefully and put them in the garage, to choose from once the house is in bettter shape. Then I moved two boxes to the garage for collection by DD. Also two paintings that no longer have any sentimental value for me.

Today needs to be storing papers that I must keep, but under lock and key. They are all filed correctly and all dealt with, but the sight of the files is triggering for me now. That'll mean some rearranging of cupboard space first of all.

bobgoblin hope your dc are well again and nofilter hope you and dd are better too.

So happy with last night. It turned out dh had 6 nearly identical white shirts. 3 are in the charity pile and 1 is drying on the line. I might take dds to the library later just to go to a charity shop as I have quite a big pile of stuff now.

Well done oaktree a timers a great idea.

Today I have chucked out an old, rusty soap tray from the utility room.

IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying - virtual clutter most certainly DOES count!

I sold another eBay item yesterday which I posted on the way to work today. It is "paper bin" collection on Thursday, so I spent some time yesterday evening sorting out some old catalogues to go out. I also went through some more of the paper pile on the table beside my corner of the sofa. I'll try and do some more magazines and catalogues tonight, then intend to concentrate for the rest of the week on getting my eBay listing quota back up.

Oops missed new thread! I have finally put the gas mask box I made for DS's Y6 topic in recycling. I had it in my head that they'd be revisiting the topic at the end of the year as I always remembered seeing the Y6 classroom windows with paper crosses on them in June. It has been annoying me in the boot of my car for months. And now it is gone!

Some more dvds & some ancient vhs tapes!

2 tins of paint are being collected today!

The paint and a rucksack are gone.
I have sorted through all of the tools I brought downstairs and separated them into type but I need to get DH to go through them to get rid of broken drills and decide which drill bits are actually worth keeping and which should just be binned.

I'm trying a new approach with my clothes, which always cause me a headache...

I've bought several tops in the sales with a view to ditching stuff when I get home rather than the other way round. That way I don't panic about having nothing to wear - I tend to wear a few things until they wear out so now I can replace them before I start looking like a bag lady!

I've done out a kitchen cupboard. It was an assortment of containers and some houseplant/gardening stuff. It wasn't that long ago that I cleared it but I have still found a load of random lids and containers we don't use, not to mention many packets of seeds which I don't even remember seeing last time.

DP keeps making jokes asking me if I've 'contained' the situation. (Smh.)

Took DSs old Xbox to cex & got a £30 voucher! Plus sold a few dvds & a controller!

I'm looking forward to chucking out some old clothes to make way for my lovely new ones!

DH has cleared the sides in the futility room!

Another large sack of rubbish has been created.

Hi all, hope it's not too late to join. I live in a small house with my DH and 1 year old. I'm fed up of the clutter! Also we hope to move soon so it would be good to not transfer junk to wherever we go to next. I like the idea of doing 15 minutes every day. I have already kept aside stuff to eBay so plan on getting those on soon.

Hi curly and welcome!

Just crawling into bed but wanted to update. I had to go to bed earlier for a couple of hours as I developed a horrid migraine. Thankfully it’s gone!
DH and I have sorted through all of the tools and screws etc. All have been boxed up neatly in their correct toolboxes and put back in the loft. DH was unhappy that I had moved the Christmas decorations to where the camping stuff used to live but it has all been taken out of the loft. Vast amounts have sold and the rest is sitting in my bedroom awaiting sale. If it doesn’t sell, it can go back up and be put away tidily.
Outside waiting to go to the tip I have 3 full rubbish bags, 1 bucket full of metal scraps and a bag which is half full of old broken drills and their batteries. All will be chucked on Friday. (Unless MiL swings by tomorrow and takes it).
I sorted all the stuff on ds’s bedroom floor and he called me to ask what was going on in his room when he got home as there were tools everywhere! He and DH went to get tea and I hoovered and sorted DS’s bedroom again so it is now back to how it was before I emptied the loft.
I feel lighter already knowing that all of that junk has been sorted and so much has been removed!
We have also earmarked some large boxes from the loft which can be sold and I have a blanket box still to empty and sort and lots of other bits to sort too.
I think I will put some of my boot sale items on Facebook to try to shift as I am unable to do a boot sale just yet.

Wednesday report

Started paper and files as soon as I got up. I had been keeping them in the bedroom in the hope of spreading them out in the bed a working on them there, but realised I had become very resistant to this method.

Two lever-arch files were fairly straightforwArd. Masking-tape labels on the spines, describing contents. I made a list in my notebook as I went along; things to double-check or look for, phone calls to make.

Made space in office for three files by miving one object and taking out one file which definitely belongs with DD. That was so easy, and I've waited a year or so for that particular light to dawn on me ! Just shiws what damage stress does to thinking processes.

Filled backpack with third file and loose papers and lugged it downstairs to the large table. Had to create two separate files. Did so, very slowly, over the course of the day, with podcasts and tv in the background to stop me spiralling down. Interspersed with laundry snd some tidying and housework.

Texted back and forth with DD for a while. She helps me see straight :-))

Sorry to go on at such length about something that should be straightfirward. It helps a lot to get it off my mind. One file in particular makes me cry. My bedroom feel so much nicer last night without the files looming over me.

Today will be more of the same. Also the garden bin and the residual bin go out tomorrow, so some pruning to do in ghe sunshine and some rubbish out of the garage.

Well done tidy - that's an amazing job done & if it helps, you've encouraged me to approach my scary boxes of paperwork!

On Tuesday I went through the drawers in the sideboard and found some cards and bits of paper that I don’t need any more. I found there were some padded envelopes in there which will come in handy once I get round to listing some things on ebay. I sorted out the jars of herbs and spices that were taking over one of the kitchen cupboards. Most of them were binned. I found one jar that was best before 2005. I moved here at the end of 2007 so who knows why I brought it with me. DH was a bit resistant to getting rid of them but I pointed out that if we have nearly full jars that are at least 10 years out of date they’re things we don’t use so he agreed that they can go. I can now find things in that cupboard.

Yesterday’s item was a changing bag that I had used for DS and have been using for DD. It was starting to fall apart and now DD is that bit older I don’t need multiple changes of clothing for her. I’ve bought a small backpack for her which can double up as a nursery bag. It will fit spare clothes, drink, snacks and nappies etc in so I can start to use my handbag for my bits again. There was a lots of rubbish in there - random receipts and bits of paper mainly - but I did find nearly £13 as well so decluttering definitely pays!

Off to do some work at the new house today.

Amazing work gibble and tidy. Tidy that's fantastic that you pushed yourself through that barrier. I found paperwork hard too. still have loads to do

I went in my loft to get suitcases yesterday and got much joy. Other than empty boxes and duplo it's pretty organised.

Yesterday I didn't get rid of anything other than the soap dish I mentioned. I filled the car up with charity shop bags and then left them there. I was struggling today but I spotted a hole in my favourite nightie so sadly that's going in the scrap pile.

Yesterday I sold a pair of converse which I'll be posting today. Got 25 things listed on eBay and 3 on Facebook. And spend a while at the launderette so lots of washing done. And i lost 1.5lbs, finally reaching my slimming world target!!! I lost 2st 12lbs in total :)

Today I have listed another 5 things on ebay dh has given me a game to take to cex (Will get a voucher then save for dd1 birthday as I'm sure there's going to be a game she wants) got a bag for the charity shop from dds room and 2 parcels to return.

Got rid of a bin liner of rubbish from dds bedroom yesterday.

I'm just about to do the bathroom cupboards again as I'm going near savers today so need to see what toiletries we need so I don't randomly buy things! Then I'm going to photograph more things to sell and I can upload them on eBay while I'm on the bus later!

2 double duvet covers & pillowcases into the charity shop box, & a tidy, organised airing cupboard!

Gibble and Tidy well done, you are flying through your clutter!

Stealth loved the live update, disappointed by lack of diagram

Congratulations on your weight loss Nocuts, I need to declutter about 4 stone

Had a very lazy morning here, so hoping for a productive afternoon. Will borrow the timer tip to get me started, and make myself report back later...

Loads of new posts!

Hello curlyrebel ! I'm fairly new on here too so just jump in and start chucking.

I've been having an easy day as we're celebrating our wedding anniversary (20 years!).

Still managed to chuck some old white t shirts of the boys stained under arms and not worthy of being ironed and an old clock radio.

Packing over the next week and will chuck as I pack so I come back to decluttered drawers.

Bought a new nightie so will throw out three grotty ones as a penance.