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

OK finally back in the game now the virus has been round the whole house 🙄 Today for the charity bag an unused bird feeder and some desk paper trays. Yet more socks with holes for the rag bag. Onwards and upwards

Small bag of clothes for charity shop from tidying out DD1's drawers (and needing to fix them cos they were stuffed so full!).

Identified a few more things to go (computer games that nobody plays) - looking for a home for them.

Some old clothes of mine and husbands for charity bag. Including a very nice suit he’s finally accepted he won’t be getting back into

I sold a porcelain figuerine. But mostly not doing well this week, boohoo.

I got into making patchwork quilts about 7 yrs ago. Made maybe 7 quilts, but have run out of inspiration. Being creative is so much hard work. So now I'm planning how to get rid of my last materials... I did want to make "one last quilt" but after 18 months I still can't find the inspiration for it. I sort of get an idea, but it evaporates quickly. Trying to figure out at what point to give up trying.

I can flog some bits off, will keep my machine & sewing basket & some fabric, but literally 2 big boxes of stuff I can get rid when I finally give up.

I'm so pleased with my efforts on Friday. I have downloaded 250 photos of my toddler dcs from a blackberry I charged (and can now dispose of) and I have a working camcorder and kindle that have not been used for years. I will put tags on the wires so I know what they're for. Dh is pleased as its his kindle but doesn't want tags on wires as apparently he knows what they're for. (Not true, we have thousands of wires and cables). I will ignore him. I also found a blackberry and charger but couldn't get it to charge so I've lost lots of baby photos.

On the plus side I saw photos of dc in the bath and the window ledge behind them was full of clutter. That same window ledge is now almost empty!

That sounds like my inlaws. If they ever need to stay in a hotel they dig out an AA Guide to British hotels from the 1970s/ 80s! Sometimes the hotels are still there, these are the ones inlaws choose to stay in.

Have decided to chuck out a really old dressing gown. It's so frayed that it'll go as rags.

Today's items: 3 pairs of knickers and a top. I'm a bit torn over the top tbh. It's nice but too small now and, even if it fitted, it needs ironing. I'm trying to be strong.

I managed to cattleprod my DS upstairs to try on clothes (his clothes obvs ) and sort out what fits him.

Trying to streamline him a bit for University so that he looks a bit cared for and all his coats/jackets have safe zipped pockets for his phone/wallet/travelcard.
Little bu**er lost his old phone on a bus a couple of years ago, slipped out of his non-zip pockets.

So : bag to go now .

hi, can I join?
I've just spent today changing my teenage sons bedrooms round, and it has been a good chance to get rid of stuff.

Today I've decluttered: some clothes with moth, a pair of summer shoes which smelt awful, 2 school jumpers, a school anorak, two men's suits, and dh decluttered an old sofa into the garden and some drawers from a desk which we are changing to more minimalist style (just top and legs)

Feel a bit worried I haven;t been ruthless enough, there seems to be a lot of washing on the pile, and I probably should still declutter things even when they are washed, the temptation is to put them back in the drawers again. I feel it might be better not to wash and literally chuck them, to move forwards, but that makes me feel guilty ifysim..

Likjjk feel very tempted to message you about the patchwork materials and ask to buy them from you, but I know that will make my hoarding worse, definitely , dd is coincidentally doing Textiles A level. I'm in London, you are probably miles away. There will probably be a patchworkers' group near you who would be delighted to have the boxes maybe, and then it would be easier to get them out of the house?

yeah, I've a plan to get rid of the fabric to local quilting group. And sell the wadding (over bought a huge amount). And sell some thread. Just need to be sure I've not got another quilt in me. I seem to run out of creative juices after a few years. Creativity is such a weird thing.

I am so envious of other's decluttering. Keep it up, girls!

Hello nettleskeins lovely to "meet" you.

My house is a tip after the weekend so I am going to spend a couple of hours of tidying it, putting tags on wires and maybe some ironing.

Yesterday I made dh run around with 3 keys looking for possible places where we use them, he didn't find anywhere so that's the last of that box gone. We have two more places where we keep keys and I'll be slowly going through them.

I have a chest of drawers in the sitting room with batteries, lightbulbs, plugs, fuses, electrical timer switches, birthday cards. It used to be organised but too often dds / dh go in there to get batteries and it is a mess. I might make it my mission this week to tidy that up so that there's one drawer for all the wires in the house, all neatly labelled.

I've found another thing "to go". Very nice sweatshirt in damson, but ds doesn't want to wear it, so off to charity shop.

Today's item is another lovely bag. It's quite worn (on the edge of having holes in it), strains my shoulder and I didn't take it on holiday, choosing another similar one instead.

I last updated about 12 days ago. I have just about recovered from the new boiler installation. I had stopped doing any washing for 4 or 5 days as I didn't want it hanging around while the heating engineer tried to access radiators, so last week I tried to get back on top of the laundry again. I also sorted out a lot of paper stuff as it was paper/cardboard bin day last Thursday. We have a large Ikea cube storage unit in the dining room, so I went through some of it. I discovered one shelf which had all sorts of leaflets on it. I thought I had last sorted it out a couple of years ago, but there were "What's on" brochures from local theatres that were dated 2011! I also sold 2 years worth of car magazines on Facebook, and threw out 2 years worth of computer magazines. I have sold another couple of items on eBay, so I really need to replenish stocks there again. Last week I took a box of books to one Charity Shop and today I dropped off a large bag at another, on the way to the Post Office.

Have spent four hours doing housework and tidying and it doesn't look any better. I'm feeling a bit defeated by the hereafter called Chest of Drawers of Doom and have just left a load of crap on the floor. I empty crap out, look for its home, empty that place, find a home for the new crap and so on. I have got rid of lots of plastic and metal bits that just seem to live in the drawer. On the positive side I have done lots of shredding and if I spend a couple of hours tomorrow tidying it will make a difference.

so...the bag of clothes have gone to Salvation Army recycling

Now bogged down with lots of uniform that needs to be washed before giving to the charity shop, really grudge this part of decluttering! Still it would be mean to give sweaty items to our local shop. All hung on line after washing it.

Ds's memorabilia box is going into storage, first stop the car.

I've picked up the duvet that I took to be washed last week and the heavy bedspread. At least they are clean now. but goodness it is an uphill struggle washing and cleaning big items, I wish I could just throw all this manky stuff away and buy new things (which were clean to start with), but then that would work out pretty pricey for 5 people's beds and the problem wouldn't really go away would it, eventually I would have to wash THEM.

Just catching up with the thread. Lovely to see new people joining.

@StealthNinjaMum - Yes, some of us still drink vodka. Definitely. Especially with juices as a punch at a 70s/80s themed party! (Sounds fab to me.) I might also crush up the sugar cubes and make a cake for the party too?? (I love a party!)

@Annasgirl - I never had a train set and still pine for one sometimes. Having one on a special table sounds lovely.

I have just been through DP's drawers and he's agreed to get rid of a mighty 6 tops and 1 pair of shorts!! This is especially significant as we 'did' his drawers not that long ago and some of the tops are over 10 years old, barely worn and have survived numerous previous culls. There are gaps in there now, though I suspect these won't be around for long due to all the ongoing holiday laundry.

My bag has also now left the building with a loving new owner.

Things are moving and I'm loving it!

Sold a pair of kid's shoes!

Not desired, but my fave cycling jacket has gone missing. I'm trying to see the upside. :)

Still catching up...

@WhenDoISleep - Sounds like you've done incredibly well!! Just keep going. You will start to see a big change, you really will.

Thanks SandAndSea. I am still disheartened a little by the amount that has gone vs. the actual impact but I am determined to keep at it. It doesn't help when DH moans about piles of things (generally being sorted) being in the way - he contributes to how much 'stuff' we have and is worse than me in some respects.

On the upside we have a leak in the kitchen ceiling that developed yesterday - it is located just under where our hot water tank is located in the smallest bedroom. I have been clearing that room out for DS2 over the last few months - it's not quite empty but we were able to just walk in and open the cupboard where the hot water tank is. A few months ago it would have taken at least 30mins to clear a path and would inevitably lead to DH having a strop about the 'state of the house'. So that is a visible demonstration of progress I guess. Still haven't found the leak, but it is currently not active so not an emergency. We are keeping an eye on it and will get a plumber out soon - the boiler is playing up as well so DH thinks it might be connected. I'm just hoping to nurse the boil through another winter tbh.

3 bags of textile recycling were collected this morning. I have 1 more ready to go next week. Included in the lot collected this week was my best cashmere coat that was a gorgeous purple colour. I bought it the winter before I was pregnant with DS1 and then I put on weight post-pregnancy and couldn't fit into it. I had it stored in a cupboard and when I got it out last week I found a 2in hole in it where something (a moth I suppose) had had a good meal - so out it went . It's particularly galling as I have lost 3st over the last year and I fitted back into it with ease so I wanted to wear it a little this winter.

I have taken advantage of the £1 max selling fees today on eBay and listed a few bit this afternoon - mostly shoes and bags I will never use. I have also got rid of some old supplements from the medicine cupboard - so that is my one thing for today.

WhendoIsleep we all feel like that but your example of the spare bedroom shows that you have made a difference. I have so many little examples of where my life is easier - when I get a towel from the airing cupboard, when I want a toiletry or medicine, even making a cup of tea is no longer an exercise in stopping a mug or packet leaping out of the cupboard at me.

@SandandSea I don't know anyone who drinks vodka, I wish you were my neighbour.

After my last post I spent five minutes tidying up the hall and dd1 came in and noticed it looked tidy! I think part of my mission is to teach dds how to be tidy and it's great that she now knows the difference after living in chaos for so long. Having said that my next thing I need to do is to train my family to close cupboard doors and drawers. Why don't they get that a room looks better with closed wardrobe doors? And if they could arrange throws and cushions nicely on furniture instead of leaving little piles I would be really happy.

@StealthNinjaMum - I wish you were my neighbour too! (Oh, the parties we'd have!)