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Original poster

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

999 replies

StealthNinjaMum · 06/07/2018 14:14

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

OP posts:
gassylady · 29/08/2018 20:33

And eight bags of paper recycling parcelled up and waiting to go on collection dayShock

SandAndSea · 29/08/2018 20:53

@needyourlovingtouch - Shredding diaries?! You're hardcore! Star

puddingisgood · 29/08/2018 21:09

Wow need your loving touch how does it feel? I have been working towards getting rid of diaries, but I'm not quite there yet. Am in awe!

needyourlovingtouch · 29/08/2018 21:41

It's taken about ten years to get to the stage I am now in terms of being ready to declutter. I've tried before bt never been ruthless enough. Once you start being really thorough it's easier. The diaries were embarrassing. They had to be shredded to ensure that my DH didn't read them or even worse, my daughter!

puddingisgood · 29/08/2018 22:09

Impressive all the same! I may have to sift through mine before I get rid of any I think. Which I can't possibly do at the moment, so phew, I'm safe!

Original poster
StealthNinjaMum · 29/08/2018 22:21

. Hello my name is StealthNinjaMum mum and I hoard empty boxes.

I have got better with the empty boxes and they are mainly for toys I intend to sell or keep for grandchildren. i would ask yourself if you really will sell the trainers and if not why not do it today? Also how old is the hairdryer? I would probably keep its box for a year and then if it breaks buy a new one rather than send it back.

OP posts:
Original poster
StealthNinjaMum · 29/08/2018 22:53

Agh just lost a long post.

Thanksgassylady I am happier with my lamp and the sitting room layout. It's a difficult shape so I'm never really happy with it. Dh wasn't keen on the lamp and didn't understand why I wanted a reading corner when I haven't read a book for ten years but I like it.

gassylady 8 bags! What was in them? Do you mean like proper bin bags. That's impressive work.

needyour lovingtouch eek, ten years build up to throwing out your diaries. I have some old love letters I want to shred but can't quite do it. Hope I manage to do it before ten years! Seriously, I rarely think about the guy, he dumped me over twenty years ago, yet I can't bear to even open the box the letters are kept in.

I haven't really been able to focus on any areas, just chuck things away as I find them. Today it was a couple of half completed sticker books. I also found a portable landline phone and base unit so plugged it in but it's battery was so weak I couldn't make a call. That's now in the electrical recycling pile.

OP posts:
Kokoloco · 29/08/2018 23:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blankscreen · 29/08/2018 23:30

I think the idea of selling stuff has a lot to answer for in terms of stuff cluttering up the house.

Either piles waiting to be posted for sale, piles waiting to be sold, piles waiting to be collected/posted and as a pp said piles of empty boxes for when you sell said item.

I've got ruthless and just take stuff to charity.

Unless you really need the money or its a big item don't bother with the selling shenanigans just get rid asap.

I am.pleased to say 4 bags to the charity shop/tip today. Some of it probably could have been sold but I wanted it out of the house.

bobgoblin · 30/08/2018 07:01

I now have an empty bookcase in the office! I now have one small box of books to keep packed and ready for moving day, one box waiting to be collected by music magpie tomorrow and the ones they wouldn’t take are in a charity bag. A small football went in the bin. Most of the air had gone and there didn’t seem to be a way to pump it up. And DS has a ridiculous number of footballs anyway!

I started emptying the sideboard because I thought the stationery and craft things might fit in there. I did think there would be a lot for the charity shop in there but I decided I do really like most of the things. I don’t use them because I keep forgetting about them because they’re not in the kitchen - there isn’t enough cupboard space. I’ve decided to pack and take them with us because our new kitchen is bigger and has better storage but if I haven’t used them in a few months time I will give them to charity. A plastic picnic set did go in the charity bag though.

I too have a cardboard box problem! At the moment I won’t get rid of any in case they are useful for moving - most won’t be but I can’t help it! I do get rid of ones for electrical things though. I did keep them in case they break but I didn’t do it once and had no problem returning something broken after a few months without the original box so I don’t bother now.

Today’s plan is to finish the sideboard and then start to tackle the desk in the office.

Original poster
StealthNinjaMum · 30/08/2018 09:21

Blankscreen I completely agree the idea of selling stuff means my house is more cluttered and kokoloco that is probably why I used to keep all the empty boxes in the house.

Now when I sell things I put them on Facebook and set a deadline to bump them. If they haven't gone by that time I now charity shop them stick them in the car for two months I don't really need the money but as I feel guilty about getting rid of dcs stuff I keep the money in a pot for them. I sometimes free cycle stuff but get annoyed at the thought that someone might take my stuff and then sell it themselves even though I know they're doing me a favour really.

bobgoblin that's fantastic that you're doing a room. I can't wait for dcs to go back to school so i can focus again.

Today I'm going to probably do a bit more of the playroom, I'm sure I'll find bits to chuck out as I tidy.

OP posts:
Halfahunnerstillastunner · 30/08/2018 10:27

Sneaking back in after 2 weeks of being away/being ill/looking after friends pets which means I hadn't focused on decluttering for a while.
Have read thread for some inspiration and am ready to get back to it!
Whoever asked about garages/loft. We have nothing in loft as it's not floored but garage is full to bursting with crap. I want to do House first then think about garage but DH thinks we should do a bit of the garage before it gets too cold and dark again. That's because he doesn't want to bother helping with the house stuff cos it's boring and the garage is full of man tools he can play with while pretending to sort them!

PenelopeFlintstone · 30/08/2018 11:35

I'm also sneaking back in. I'm working full-time at the moment and, although I know lots of people do it, it's a bit of a shock for me! So, I'll try to do the 7 things each weekend like before, rather than one a day.

Original poster
StealthNinjaMum · 30/08/2018 12:38

I have been playing board games with dc while trying to stealthily smuggle out games that are too young for them. Dd2 decided to play with all the toddler Orchard games and so now would not be the time to put them in the sale pile. There is only one game which she didn't want to play so that is today's item. This is going so slowly I had hoped to get rid of a foot high pile of board games today.

OP posts:
PenelopeFlintstone · 30/08/2018 13:04

Stealth - please stay slow and steady with me. Smile

PurpleFrog · 30/08/2018 14:18

Just as well I had decided to take the whole day off work yesterday. Our 1.5hr boiler appointment turned into 2 hrs with another hour and a bit later on when he returned with the Area Installation Manager! It turned out that our boiler replacement was not straightforward with our setup, and at one point it looked like we needed another pipe installed between kitchen and loft. At that moment I was regretting getting a new bathroom installed 2.5 years ago without replacing the boiler first.

We are happy with the final solution, and have just decided to go with British Gas, but then with the length of time the work would take, they couldn't fit us in for 3 weeks. We were put on a priority list for moving up the queue, and they phoned today and offered us next Tuesday... which is great, but means I need to spend all weekend making the radiators accessible for power flushing them. So, I have a huge deadline for doing as much decluttering in the next 4.5 days as possible. At least there will be no need to move carpets or floorboards, or empty large cupboards so pipes can be routed through them.

Original poster
StealthNinjaMum · 30/08/2018 15:04

But Penelope we'll still be here on thread 9 in 3 years time! In September I will be setting some deadlines.

PurpleFrog when we had a new boiler we were told to empty our airing cupboard. I emptied about 5 binbags of old duvets and bedding and manky towels. Now I get joy every time I open my airing cupboard which is still relatively clutter free. It sounds stressful but a deadline might be a good thing.

OP posts:
PurpleChai · 30/08/2018 15:09

I’ve been lurking on this thread for so long (I really enjoy decluttering and organising Blush

Every day this week I’ve been going through the kitchen cupboards, doing a deep clean and sorting stuff that can either be binned, recycled or donated. Felt good to get a box full of crockery sorted for charity yesterday, and thrown away baking trays that have seen better days. My DH however did say to me not to go too extreme and leave us without any stuff to actually cook with which he thinks is hilarious Hmm

Keiki · 30/08/2018 15:32

This is so inspiring! I've been following for a while and not quite managed one thing every day, but a few every other days. Charity shopped a load, binned a load of stuff, ebayed a few bits. But I have a few questions.

I have found two cheap but functioning kettles in the kitchen cupboards. Used. How do I dispose of these? Would charity shops take them or do I need to take them to the tip?

Old mobile phones - some functioning, some not. How do I clear the data and dispose of them in a data safe manner?

I'm sure there was something else, but I'll have to come back with that when I remember.

Thanks.

SandAndSea · 30/08/2018 15:46

Welcome!

@Keiki - There are charities which have electrical shops, eg British Heart Foundation and others. They safety test them then sell them on. There are also organizations which will charity your mobiles. I would google how to wipe your details off first though.

SandAndSea · 30/08/2018 15:51

I'm at that 'doing so much tidying, the house is a tip' stage today.

I have done one big (for me) job: pulling out the fridge-freezer and cleaning all behind it. The outside is lovely now too - still got to sort the inside though.

But first, I'm going to clean the bedrooms! I'm going in!!

Keiki · 30/08/2018 16:16

Thanks @SandAndSea, I'll investigate. I'm another having to stealthily declutter without DH knowing or he'll be wanting to keep it all. Shame I can't do his stuff too!

needyourlovingtouch · 30/08/2018 17:44

Urgh. Just pulled out the bed and found a load of carpet beetles so have given that a good hoover. We have a cleaner and are pretty clean so why do they follow me around!?

Gibble1 · 30/08/2018 20:19

I haven’t done much at all over the last few days. I will try to find something this evening 😳

PenelopeFlintstone · 31/08/2018 04:32

But Penelope we'll still be here on thread 9 in 3 years time! In September I will be setting some deadlines. I know! But I like the company Grin

Seriously, though, you're right.