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

I chucked an old unused badge of mine from a conference and I've also shredded loads of random papers from my bag!

Thanks Halfahunnerstillastunner and stilllovingmysleep - I think it is the only decluttering I have done recently which has made a huge visible difference! (And it didn't take me half as long as I expected!) I am now kicking myself for not doing it sooner. It is amazing how that sort of clutter creeps up on you and gradually encroaches on everything else and you just accept it and carry on... Sigh!

Hello. Have read through ALL the previous threads and this one and have now decided to join in.
Our house is going on the market this week and as and when we move it’s going to be muggins here who gets to do most of the packing and cleaning etc.
Our house is probably slightly below average in terms of visible clutter but every drawer, cupboard and box is rammed with stuff.
I’ve been trying to get rid of stuff for a while: managed to get rid of loads of toiletry samples to my sister and snuck a few toys to the charity shop here and there.
As it’s the end of term, loads of books and pictures and models have come back from school to clutter up DS1’s bedroom.
I’m not sure how much progress I’ll manage over the holidays with the kids but each thing out the door now is another thing that doesn’t need packing later!

Welcome, @Alloftheboys !

I've been posting and re-posting ads. It's so time consuming!

Slow moving today, feel crappy. Decluttered 12 tampons, same amount if towels and lots of pain killers today so far 😣

Also put away some batteries, a screwdriver and some small toys from the remote control box. Chucked out some papers, junk mail, small bits of rubbish and 2 non working pens.

Listed 10 more things on eBay, sold a dress on schpock so will post that tomorrow. Got some things I don't think will sell on eBay (high postage low value item) that I will put in the charity bag. Almost filled a charity sack so will try and fill up tonight then take tomorrow after the school run :)

Today has been mad busy so I'm going to claim that I've decluttered the contents of a bathroom bin.

Tomorrow is another day and I'm packing so planning binning stuff as I go.

I got given a lovely second hand gift today that I love and will use. I'm hoping it's karma from all the good stuff I've been donating.

I sold 2 things on Ebay! Bunch of stuff being collected while I'm at work, too. Hoarding instincts not happy, though, didn't sleep so well last night fretting if I'm chucking too much. Plus got very confused at one point who I had promised could take what. Eeek. that time of the month but I'd rather be neurotic hoarder than neurotic perimenopause person

Dealing with more 'bereavement clutter' tonight. Feeling the sadness and clearing it anyway!

I have a lovely porcelain my grandmother gave me. I don't think I have anything else she ever gave me or to remember her by. it's lovely... I never look at it, I forget I even have it, gathers dust. It might be worth £50. has to go, but feeling guilty!

14 books sold today. Another £6 in DS’s jamboree pot.
Welcome newbies.
Those who are struggling, don’t worry. Sometimes it’s a bit hit and miss but if just one thing goes out every day, you are stemming the tide xx

Can I join? I’ve made a date in August to deliver 10 boxes of books to “Books 2 Africa”; hopefully, that will force me to sort things out. I’ve seen they take dvds so may try and donate some of my deceased brother’s many dvds - they are sitting on my bookshelf and with Netflix are highly unlikely to be watched. I need to clear my house so I can put it on the market in the spring.

Day 2 and we were out all day and got back late so all I've managed is to chuck a finished shower gel and a finished bottle of cleanser and some junk mail. I also found a good quality tshirt of DS in the wash that's too small so once it dries it's going in the "to be donated to friends with younger boys" pile.

I decluttered 3x DIY tasks. Made a meal plan for next week with enough for frozen leftovers and also did a list for next month for bills and outgoings so I can see how much money I'm working with for Christmas present shopping. Nothing thrown out other than the packaging from DIY jobs but a lot ticked off the life admin and to do list.

Decluttering sentimental things is bloody hard, as it can sometimes feel like the only attachment to a person you have left. I promise it gets a lot easier when you realise that 'things' don't hold sentimental value, memories do. And we don't need a vase or old piece of jewellery to feel close to someone because we can think about them anytime we want too. It's okay to declutter things that were owned by people who have since passed away, it does not make you a bad person and it doesn't mean you are 'over it' or you are being cold and insensitive. It's better that the item is given to someone who will love it and use it.

I haven't forgotten about this I promise! I started off so well but I've been a bit distracted cos my bike got stolen last week and because I don't own a car, I need a bike to get around town and to work everyday. So I feel like I've spent the past few days replacing the bike and all its gubbins bringing stuff into the house when in fact I'm trying to get rid of it. Anyway, good news though, they caught the bastard on CCTV and he's been arrested so hurrah!

Back to decluttering. I've managed to sell a few clothes on eBay and I've got a pile more of stuff that is listed but no-one is buying. I'll either relist or take straight to charity. I don't to be looking at it forever. I'm eyeing up the trinkets n stuff next. Candle holders and lanterns all over the place. I want it gone!

Searching for the letter advising 16 year old DS of his national insurance number made me get rid of a huge sack of paperwork! Still did not find the letter and he needs it to start a part time job

Hi sand you can retrieve you NI Nimber online you just have to setup a government gateway account it only takes a few minutes...

Cannot sleep its too hot and DD keeps waking up!!

Decluttered all the kitchen cupboards today and then did a meal plan shop, yummy summery meals :-)

Sunday

Scraped dead weeds, crumbling mortar and muck out of gaps between bricks on the side wall in the front garden.

More tough paperwork filed. To-do lists of admin getting longer, although not overwhelming.

@Tidy2018 I find filing / discarding paperwork very tricky! Well done with getting on with that

I wondered what people do with birthday cards / Christmas cards etc?

Thrown out: old, failed mushroom kit.

sitranced hurrah for thieving scumbag being arrested - have the police said if there's any chance of recovering your bike?

stillloving Birthday/Xmas cards always go in the recycling here. I've kept one that was signed by my mum and dad before Mum passed away but that's it.

My online shopping has started to catch up with me - 4 deliveries and they're all keepers!

Out: Used theatre tickets, half a bottle of flat lemonade, a flyer, some packaging, 9 tiny envelopes and 4 small plastic wallets. (I reckon the stationery items have been in my stationery box for well over 10 years.)

The dishwasher is on and the laundry is folded.

I've got some ebay posts to do and 4 parcels to get out of the house.

Not really sure where to start. Both boys have had a haircut today so does decluttering a few cm of hair count?

Sunday was not a very productive day. All that went out was a pot of out of date vicks as well as the usual Sunday trawl around the house for rubbish/recycling as Monday is bin day here.

Yesterday was slightly better. I emptied a shelf from a kitchen cupboard and sorted it. There was a lot of plastic tubs so I binned the broken ones and tried to match the lids and boxes. There’s still more in other parts of the kitchen so I am going to try and collect them together today and then get rid of any that I won’t need.

Today I’ve thrown away some keys that have been in the drawer for ages. I thought they might be for my parents house but they said not so I got rid.

stillloving I keep the last set of Xmas and birthday cards from immediate family only. Each time I get a new set I recycle the old ones apart from if someone has passed away because I can’t bring myself to part with them. I have a nice storage box for each of us and the cards go in the relevant box. I also put cards etc the DC have made in their boxes so they can have them when they’re older or I no longer want them. DS’s box is looking rather full so I will go through that soon and recycle some of his artwork that’s in there.