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

Friday

Raining earlier in the day, concentrated on the kitchen. Then into garden when it cleared up in the late afternoon. Looks as though weeds are sprouting again :-((

Looked through the "miscellaneous" pile of Interesting paper clippings. Turned out that there were a few financial and personal items in there. These are now in the correct files / boxes, for later reading and action. Only one item of concern, simply because I have no idea what to do about it, but definitely not urgent.

Decluttered -
Ancient rotting wood planter
Ripped rubble bag
Weeds.

OK newbie here! Just jumping in and joining.

Threw away a little plastic base for Rubic cube that was just hanging around. Not big but it's a start.

@stilllovingmysleep - Welcome!

Thanks @SandandSea!

Currently reading a great book named 'It's hard to make a difference when you can't find your keys' and thought I'd jump straight in, to start somewhere!

Bought myself some orchids and found an old pot with a crack which has been binned. Found two others from dead plants which look lovely now I've cleaned them up and put new plants in.

Been for a hilly run and decluttered at least a kilo of sweat...

Went to work this morning for an 8-6. Machine broke so list cancelled. Now home. Lazy buggers are still in bed so I’m going to have a coffee and then start making some noise!

Am si jealous of others' successes.
My feeble excuse today is I'm trying to get the boys out to a walk or the beach so I can't launch into decluttering some bit of house instead.
(in reality boys aren't moving & neither am I... ho hum).

Out yesterday: a very out of date chocolate sauce, another changing bag, a thin plastic chopping board that had split and a pair of DS’s socks that were nearly through at the heel. He was very upset at me binning them because they were his favourites. I am going to go through the rest of his socks and pants and see what needs replacing.

There were some items in as well. Two tops I’d ordered arrived and I love them so ordered 3 more in different colours. I also ordered a dress. I don’t feel too bad about this because I’ve been so ruthless with my clothes that I am running out of things to wear!

Today DS spent some money he’d been given on a nerf gun and a football. I have brought in the ‘one in one out’ rule for his toys so he binned a football that was no good and two broken nerf guns. He also said DD could have one of his large sets of toys so while it’s not out of the house, it is out of his room. I’m going to sort through it in a while and bin any of the broken bits.

While we were out I dropped off a bag of clothes at h and m and collected my voucher so I am going to go through the DCs wardrobes and see what they need before I use it.

DS doesn’t break up until Tuesday so I am hoping to get a few things cleared before he finishes. I need to go past the tip on Monday so I am going to see if I can find enough things to fill the boot over the weekend so I can drop it off on the way.

Hope everyone’s having a good weekend.

Lijkk

We all feel like that some days, that's why we congregate here.

How about chucking something from under the kitchen sink or just recycling a few bits of junk mail or paper? Then you've done it.

Or delegate and get the boys to produce three things each for a small reward when you're out. Preferably something you were going to get them anyway

And stop beating yourself up, you've got boys to entertain and that's hard work.

Our guests are arriving in an hour and instead of doing something (like cook ahead or clean) I'm going to lie down meditate.

Bookcase cleared of and many, many books listed for sale. Plus an old broken iPhone.

Wow amazing progress everyone I love catching up on the thread when I've been busy and away from it!

We're at the caravan getting a break from our house and will likely stay for 7-10 days as what's the point in living around the chaos if we can be here having fun!

DD has her heart set on a paw patrol teddy in one of those claw machines in the arcade - can I win it? NOPE - can I please class that as my decluttering for today? £6!!

Got rid of a few bits. Chair & tables been sent home to be used at the new yard, keeping on top of new toys coming in and getting rid of bits and bobs...

Oh yeah I've downloaded The Barefoot Investor - a money guide - this thread has given me the motivation to just want to be a bit more organised in all things really.

I had an audible credit so used that, I'll see if I learn anything useful. I just seem to fritter bits away and it soon adds up - Ebay and amazon..

Although I must say moving has required a lot of bits to be bought so I may just be feeling a bit worse about it than it actually is!

Wow, impressed to see (as I'm new to the thread) how well people are doing. And I'm noticing you are getting rid of a lot more things than 1 a day! I now feel a bit deflated as I only got rid of a little tiny plastic thingie of my DS's today and felt proud at the time

@stilllovingmysleep - Don't worry. If you miss a day or two, it's easy to catch up. That's the beauty of it.

I've had a busy day (not decluttering) today but was passing by our local cat rescue centre so donated a big cat tunnel. My cat wasn't into it and it was biiiigg so it's good to be free of it.

@stilllovingmysleep - Sorry, I mis-read what you wrote - too much sun today. We've all had ups and downs with it. I think the key is to just keep going.

stilllovingmysleep - one thing a day is fine! Sometimes I only manage one thing and that might even be just putting a few bits of paper in the recycling bin or collecting up rubbish from around the house but it all counts. A lot of time I look in a drawer or cupboard to see if there is something I can get rid of and find a few things while I’m there.

I’ve finally started some decluttering in the garden. Now I have 3 bags of garden rubbish to take to the tip (most it from pruning one shrub). I might do that tomorrow and then I’ll have an empty boot again for Monday. I really need to start clearing the outbuildings as they are full to the brim of stuff. Some of it we need. Most of it we don’t. If I don’t deal with it I’ll need a whole removal lorry just for that and we have nowhere to store it all when we move anyway. I’d really like to get a skip but I don’t think the front garden is big enough so it would have to go on the road. If that happens it will be full of other people’s rubbbish before I even start! Might just go and google to see if there are any alternatives.

Inspired by everyone I also cleared and tidied one of my bedroom drawers

Ok... am on the path to redemption.

I may out self... I hoard packing stuff so that I can package anything up to post (ebay sales). Too much hoarding.... so I've advertised a lot of padded envelopes, boxes, bubble wrap, wrapping paper & related items on Facebook (free). Problem is I really need the excess out of house by tomorrow eve! In theory, to get our dining room table back . I have tossed some of the least useable stuff, too.

I love this! Place marking.

Today: a holey sock, a never-opened jigsaw (one of two identical ones bought for presents they were a bargain and never given ), a busted-up storage cube, a tin of condensed milk that expired in 2014 .
A good one was that I untangled some string lights that were very tangled up with a double-length necklace and a jewellery stand. All were originally together on a mantel piece, but the stand fell over somewhere along the track. Then I tested the lights and they work! I'm going to put them up somewhere after I clean them. They're filthy with dust, but actually very pretty.
I'm now working through a few old mobile phones.

Another newbie here hoping to join in! Insomnia means I've read most of this thread in one go tonight and feeling inspired by you all! Especially folks with big families - it's just me DH DS and our house/garage is still much more cluttered than I would like.

Saturday

Weeds
Weeds
Weeds

Broken earthenware flowerpot
Wooden tub that fell apart when lifted

A few more weeds

@PenelopeFlintstone love that you discovered a forgotten treasure (=the fairy lights) amongst unused objects. That's one of the pluses of decluttering. Love when that happens.

Today I found an old and unused rubber swimming cap. I chucked it in the bin guiltily as in an ideal world I would prefer for it to go to charity shop or Freecycle or whatever.

I say guiltily also because of the environmental cost of throwing a rubber swimming cap in the bin. What do people recommend when it comes to dealing with getting rid of such objects? Ideas welcome

My other plan for today is to clear, declutter and tidy 1 kitchen drawer