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

Had a lovely day today but... omg... I've bought some more stuff! I'm going to have some catching up to do.

I have done my bags! Well sorted them at least. I have 6 to go. They are sitting in the corner of the bedroom, looking mournfully at me. How can I abandon my bag babies? They've been with me through thick and thin, most longer than I've known DH. Like me they are a bit battered and stretched but they are survivors. And now I'm casting them adrift to who knows where. What if some mean person picks them up and uses them for bag fighting? Who doesn't polish them and feed them lovely leather treats? Oh the guilt!! Help me stay strong fellow declutterers!

I put my earrings into the jewellery cabinet (where they belong) rather than in loads of random little boxes. I now realise I don't wear 90% of them so I need to remedy that.

Sorted through some skincare -some will go on holiday to get used up.

ManeNachger repost your photos onto this thread. Maybe cut and paste your first post too, for advice.
Maybe sell the keyboard, if no-one uses it.
First get rid of the things that you don't love. If you love the books, then keep them! Get rid of the crap first and then reassess.
Anyway, this thread is for getting rid of one thing a day, or one bag if you prefer. You don't have to do it all in one go.

@ManeNachger - Welcome!

@Halfahunnerstillastunner - You can do it! Maybe photograph them before they go?

@GirlfriendInAKorma - Welcome! My best advice is to find ways to keep going. This means: don't worry about what other people are doing and don't beat yourself up when you have a lazy day.

Just keep going.

Keep getting rid of at least one thing, or the equivalent, a day.

If you miss a day or two, or even three, you can catch up.

Just keep going.

Do what works for you. You might Kondo. You might set a timer. You might blitz it in an advert break. You might charity things or sell them.

Just keep going.

It all adds up over time. You will develop new habits and eventually, you will start noticing the additional space and that it's easier to clean and you feel happier and more relaxed. Bask in this! And... (you've guessed it!)...

Just keep going.

@grumpypug - Welcome! What are you decluttering today?

@Clutterfreeintraining - Nice to see you back here!

@SandandSea thank you
@PenelopeFlintstone thank you

Few bags in corner for charity.

@ManeNachger - Looks great!

Thanks! The before photos are in my other thread. But I know its not about a one off tidy.

@SandAndSea thanks

So far I have sorted the youngest 2s bedroom and piled up some stuff for the charity shop. Unfortunately youngest DS has found said pile and declared they're his most favourite items ever and he neeeeeds them!! I've told him he can keep them but we need to find other stuff to donate instead, which he said he will do.

I've decluttered all the bottles of stuff from the bathrooms and only kept the necessary ones and give them a good clean, too. Next is my bedroom then to start the downstairs. Oldest DS is going away in a couple of weeks but his bedroom is pretty much ok (apart from the teenage boy smell and hoarding of empty packets and wrappers, but he will get rid of them himself).

Today I decluttered an almost empty Nutella jar (even I know that's pathetic). Listed 12 things on Ebay which is better, I hope.

Lljkk every jar counts! It's one less thing in your house. If you ever need help with Nutella, I can lend you DS

I spent an hour this evening decluttering one full "bag for life" sized bag of junk. Mostly receipts, paperwork, junk mail, catalogues etc all now shredded or in the recycling bin. But the occasional important bit (found dogs card for vets and some things I can claim for tax) so had to go through everything carefully. Felt good to have an empty bag at the end though.

How's everyone else doing today?

Today, I'm decluttering outside. I'll report back on what goes out.

A question for you all: If you don't have a loft or a garden shed, where do you keep your Christmas tree?

@PenelopeFlintstone we don't have a loft or suitable shed. Our Christmas tree is kept in the cupboard under the stairs

Not a lot of declutter if will be happening today as we are going out for the day. It is bin day though, so I will have a quick run around to see if there's anything to chuck out.

Just been catching up with the thread. Nice to see lots of newcomers. grumpypug my DS sounds just like yours. Every time we have a sort out he can’t possibly get rid of anything because everything is his favourite! I have to hide the clothes of his that I’m donating because even though they’re too small for him he’ll put them back in his wardrobe!

He has actually been really good this weekend and sorted through his colouring books, ‘art’ and other random bits. He’s allowed one folder to keep his papers in and that had got a bit full so lots went in the recycling. He also recycled some full colouring and activity books. Yesterday he sorted through the jigsaws and games in the downstairs cupboard. He said he was too old for 1 game and about 11 jigsaws. Most I will box up and save for DD when she’s older but two went in the charity bag. I also found a picture frame I hate for the charity bag. The charity bag is outside because it’s collection day today.

DH and I are having a rare day out on Wednesday so I have two days to make the house presentable. My parents are babysitting and although they will take the DC out for the day, they are bringing them back and putting them to bed so I can’t just shove things in the bedrooms and close the doors on it. I know they both despair at my poor housekeeping and I am embarrassed at the state of the house (again) so I need to get it sorted. Hopefully I can find lots to declutter as I go I along.

Thanks GrumpyPug. We don't have any stairs either, unfortunately. I'm contemplating buying and selling one every year (Fb secondhand) as I don't have anywhere to put it. I know that sounds mad. I do have sheds but we're rural and they're not mouseproof (and there are a lot of mice in these parts). I can imagine putting up the tree and seeing mouse corpses hanging on it - too much for me (not envy)
I actually have a pretty big house but very little storage.

penelope our Christmas tree is stored inside a heavy duty Christmas tree bag. And the decorations are in a solid plastic box with individual compartments from Dunelm. Or if you can't store the tree why don't you get a real one each year, then you just need to store the base which is metal.

I'm going to look up Christmas tree bags. I've got two trees and they're both in boxes but they don't close properly and aren't mouseproof. A real one would be a great solution but they don't have them where I am (I'm English but in rural Australia).
I think I'll just start putting them in the shed, but high up, and allocate the task of setting up the tree to my DH. And warn him of the potential scene if he misses a dangling mouse

DH reminded me we have visitors coming soon so may need to shift focus from decluttering to cleaning for a week or so. Was going to make a start on the kitchen but gathered up a bag full of dumped paper crap from around it first (top of fridge, top of microwave, utility room, table, aargh!) sorted it all so now have another nearly bags worth to go in the recycling and a few bits worth keeping in the action or file baskets. Also emptied the shredder. Takes ages to do paperwork stuff!

My recycling bin has never been so full!

O need some serious help. I don't know where to start. I do a superficial tidy up but every cup aord is rammed full of crap and I feel like we live in perpetual chaos eg..we can never find the sellotape , football socks. I feel it draining. I'm lying in my bed and I should be sorting out but I feel like I just don't know where to start.

I also feel like trying to keep on top of the house is ruining my life probably a bit of an exaggeration but it's a constant slog. Surely it should be this hard?

You sound like someone that would suit many of the ideas in Kondo, Blank.

Blankscreen - pick one overflowing drawer or one cupboard and declutter that. Or a dining table? Bathroom cupboard.
The dining table always feels like a win to me because we get to use it and I feel all civilised
Also, get a box or large bag and designate it as your charity box. Add to it and deliver it when full. Keep it in an out of the way spot, or the car boot.

blankscreen I've started with my wardrobe - for the only reason that it's the first thing I see every morning as it's right next to me so I decided to make it a pleasant view to begin my day. I'm planning to radiate outwards from there (after I've done a big clean for guests coming soon!). I would say don't think of it as "a whole house" to do, I find that overwhelming, so I'm going to just pick one small bit and focus on that, then the next small bit and so on.

I decluttered the medicine box in the kitchen cupboard today as well as my earlier bag of papercrap (TM ). Lots of stuff expired so now in a bag to drop back to the chemists for disposal and all DHs vitamins etc that were on the kitchen worktop now put away so it'll be easier to clean the work surfaces.

Full on work day tomorrow so not sure how much I'll get done in the house but determined to keep doing one thing a day even if I'm utterly knackered!