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

Happy anniversary IGBTM xx

Buffy you don't want to see a diagram of dh in his pants! And I have no idea how the parking thread people do diagrams

Met mil today and she gave me a late birthday present (it was weeks ago) of a coffee maker jug thing. To fit it in the cupboard I have taken out 5 mugs for the charity shop pile. I still have more than 20 mugs so there are still loads but as I only needed to get rid of 2 or 3 mugs the cupboard is much clearer.

IveGotBills Happy Anniversary. And well done for the new nightie. I am jealous as I mentioned earlier my favourite one is now in the rags pile. M&S don't do any I like so when dds go back to school I shall have to go shopping for a new one. I won't buy anything that I don't love.

A pillow was removed from the boot of my car and returned to a Cub parent tonight. Nowt else though.

Oo, I do love a nice nightie! It has to be a certain type though, not just any old thing. I love my nightie drawer now - they're all my favourites and all folded Kondo style.

@IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying - Happy Anniversary!

You're all doing really well! I haven't been able to do much today. Yesterday, rather than putting all the containers back in the cupboard, I decided to wash them. Two dishwasher loads later and I've realised I need to purge some more. They're currently all spread out across the kitchen counter. I'm definitely getting rid of a plant pot I don't like. I can see I'm going to have to give myself a stern talking to about the rest as it really is far too much.

Thanks for all good wishes!

The nightie is cyber jammies on the next website, if anyone's interested. ..I'm loving this thread. All the gory detail of everyone's battle with stuff. It's really the stuff of life.

'Nightie' is such a daft word though, like frock, blouse and petticoat.

Dropped off the stuff from my car to the charity shop yesterday. My back seat is clear again.
Today I've thrown out: a white grey vest, 2 old mascaras, a used-up handcream (was lemongrass - divine!), and 1 chipped bowl.
Well done all on your successes

I'veGotBills How about bloomers!

Lands End do good nighties! (Not cheap but last for years & don't lose their shape.)

Decluttered a drawer with random computer disks & leads in - I've ditched some disks & put the rest together in a box which can go in a cupboard...

So now I have an empty drawer!!! This has never happened to me before - I think I might leave it empty, so I can admire its rarity beauty!

"Behold!! The Empty Drawer of UnderTheOakTree!!!" Sounds Monty Pythonesque, don't you think?
I've added two pink lanyards, an ugly Dad thing from the school Fathers Day stall, the box from my TomTom which came with Lifetime Updates but it turns out 'Lifetime' means until the company stop making updates available for that model , and a holographic tropical fish bookmark.

Successful day yesterday...

1 black bag full of crap one in the bin from DDs room

1 bag of clothes and shoes gone to charity shop.

Sold build a bear and accessories for £5

Sold 2 pairs of DDs short pjs for £3.

LOVE our Facebook buying and selling page, great for making a few quid!

Added a beautiful teapot set and cake stand - because I don't use it and I'm sick of cleaning/dusting it. I've put in on FB. Hopefully someone will buy it.

I'veGotBills SandandSea yes nightie is such a Victorian sounding word. I have been looking at nice nightwear and concluded they've changed the name of them. I like a 'chemise' (didn't know this word before) that's shiny - silk or satin - but they're not very common anymore it's yet another example of where I'm really uncool.

I'm so jealous of you clearing out whole drawers and areas, I really am doing minimal stuff at the moment. We go on holiday tomorrow and so I have to pack. I'm hoping I'll find some holey clothes that can go in the rags pile.

It's so lovely to have company on the decluttering journey. I've tried to do this before but no one in our house is particularly interested and i usually lose momentum after a while. It sometimes feels like a losing battle as we have a big family who are constantly bringing in more stuff even if I'm not.

I've been getting ready for guests this morning which involves getting my art materials out of the spare room which use as a studio. I have a lot of stuff (oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels) but decluttered as I went, chucking art magazines and sketchbooks, rags and old clothes which I keep too many of for painting in. It reminded me of how much lovely things I have though.

The pared down art stuff is now stacked in my bedroom. Unfortunately our room is also full of ironing as dd is home from uni and her room is usually my laundry aka dumping ground for clothes. The house feels like one of those sliding number puzzles you used to get in crackers or stockings (I'm old) but with the empty square filled in so it's all a bit stuck.

Having a tea break now before I tackle the bathrooms.

Thursday

It's getting to be fun, reading all the posts and realising all the dufferent ways we can improve our situations by decluttering. I know that my mental health is improving. And I've discovered that moving around each day whether in the garden or going and down stairs tidying and sorting is keeping arthritic joints more flexible :-))

Got the garden bin aand the residual bin as full as possible, and was able to push them to the kerb myself.

Thanks to breaking through the emotional paperwork barrier earlier in the week, I was able to give my full attention to DD in the morning when she needed my support by text. I like this kind of energy!

I discivered a forgotten area of brick path in the back garden when I started weeding in there yesterday evening. It is now about a third cleared. It was like Time Team, although I think I might "rob it out"" as they say, to make a gravel pit for Little Boy and Little Girl to dig and run cars under the shady trees.

Everyone seems to be making good progress.

I haven't done much since I last checked in. I did some shredding on Wednesday evening which went out with the paper collection yesterday. Yesterday evening I bought a new combination microwave. It is being delivered in early August, so that gives me nearly 2 weeks to declutter and re-organise half the work surfaces in the kitchen. Gulp! The old microwave is on its last legs. It is at least 15 years old and apart from not being as powerful as it once was, is now starting to cut out if you set the timer for more than a few minutes. DP is convinced that part of its problem is that it is sitting on a bit of work surface under a cupboard with walls on 2 sides, and the air can't circulate properly round it. I think that it is just old, but we have agreed to site the new one to the right of the draining board where there is no unit above it. Of course that area is cluttered with all sorts of bits and pieces that need to be dealt with. There are bits of fish tank that need to be properly cleaned before being stored in the loft, and other small animal toys etc that are sitting waiting to be washed. The area beside the current microwave is also a disaster. It is our main food preparation and dishing area, but has gradually been getting smaller and smaller, as the clutter encroaches. So, that is going to be my main focus this weekend.

I’ve been to the tip and got rid of a few bags of stuff from my clear out of the loft.
I don’t think I will be doing anything for the next 2 weeks as I have to get on and plan for cub camp and write all the risk assessments etc plus do the food shopping and get myself and DS packed. DD is also away for a week while we are so she needs to get packed for her week away too.
I have lots sorted for camp and it’s going to be flipping awesome!

I've got a serving bowl which I inherited from a dear friend. It's not really my style and I haven't used it for years (must be 10, maybe more). I almost threw it out (to charity) but found myself feeling really sad about the loss of my friend. Ugh! Do I get rid of it or do I keep it?

I don't want a photo of it.

I don't want to use it and I don't want it on display.

It's definitely clutter and the longer I keep it, the harder it gets.

I think I'm going to feel sad every time I see it and I'd rather look at old photos of my friend.

It's got to go!

(I might take a little photo of it before it goes.)

*SandandSea
*
I'm sure your friend would be shouting loudly for you to donate it if it's not making you happy.

Hello, Can I join in? I've been trying to sort out our tall thin messy house for a few weeks now. Youngest DC is now two so the baby junk is being got rid of. It's taking longer than I thought it would.

Thanks, @IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying. I'm quite sure she wouldn't mind at all about me getting rid of it.

@marthastew - Welcome! What are you planning to purge today?

After I got back from the tip I found another 2 bags which should have gone 😬
I have also got rid of the last 4 tins of paint, 3 rolls of wallpaper and a noticeboard all collected by the same person 😁
Now have more space to put crap in while we dejunk the cupboards.
Also DH is about to return DS’s Cadet boots to the unit so that’s a large box gone!
A rather large but necessary in was a hard case for DS’s guitar. Got it for £30 from Facebook and he is delighted!

Older dd joined in with chucking today-her friend is coming round tonight so she wanted her room to look better. She has tons of stuff because she's back from uni between houses with all her kitchen equipment on top of clothes, books and so on.

Outgoings today have included a packet of seeds, 4 jars and a plastic tub, all with lids. (The seeds were a present from someone I haven't been in touch with for about 14 years.) A further 7 tubs have been repurposed for storage elsewhere in the house. The jar cupboard is now very clean and organised. I probably do still have too many jars but we regularly have fridge-porridge for breakfast so do need quite a few. (I'm going to monitor this for a while and keep purging as necessary.)

I've also received some clothes which I'd ordered online and they're all going back.

I have to admit I bought a lovely purse/bag on eBay today which I don't really need. It was so lovely though and such a bargain. It's a small, going out bag which I'm intending to use with my one, special, going out dress. Also, it'll be good for travelling as it's small and flat. I know I have too many bags but 2 are for sale and one is starting to be holey so I feel like I'm on it (ish).

The serving dish suddenly seemed really beautiful so is back in the cupboard.

I spent today packing for our holiday and tidying up after dds. I have thrown away two pairs of knickers, and put a top I hate in the rags pile. While looking for things to pack I did a reasonable amount of tidying things away and I did lots of washing which has now been put away.