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

today I got rid of a DVLA letter meant for ds1. I posted it. It has been on the mantlepiece for I don't know how long well 2 weeks..

unfortunately more stuff seems to be coming in than going out at present. And there is stuff coming back from the drycleaners eek.

I need to be more ruthless, as I keep saying. I just keep rearranging things but not actually getting rid of them.

Just decluttered filling in DDs child benefit reapplication.

Not much chucking out done today - just one birthday card. (I know. Pitiful.) However, I have done a fair bit of cleaning, laundry, changing sheets etc and, I oiled a table. Also, in preparation for cleaning out the, well overdue, cupboard under the sink, I have freed a pack of mops and put them on the kitchen counter!! Yes!!!! Said mops were actually left here by the previous owners. I know that's bad. I'm going to let that one hang there.

Yesterday was the first day in ages I didn't declutter, I went to the feminist protest outside Westminster magistrates court and met loads of lovely mumsnetters.

My house is now a complete mess and I have just invited someone over for a playdate tomorrow so need to tidy up. I will be decluttering papers and will come back to report on anything else.

Some time ago, I was showing off mentioned on here that I had organised all my pens into one tin (apart from a few on the fridge and in handbags or in use on desks).

Well, I found another tin. Not just pens this time, but also pencils, bull dog clips, string, etc etc.

(My house is not big.)

Being a good citizen and hoarder I didn't want to throw a load of pens away so I've spent AGES testing them all.

I've now got 28 dry ballpoint pens to throw away. 28!!

I've also given DP 5 to use. They work but I don't like them. (This was probably a mistake as I'd wager he's already got loads in his office of doom.)

11 'like new' felt tips and 1 compass are going to the DGCs. (Weirdly, I'd squirrelled away 2 compasses!! I've kept 1 'just in case'.)

I've kept loads, including 2 felt tips which I had as a child and which still work!

I'm going to link my bull dog clips etc up with others I know are in my desk and will probably clear some more later.

What is it about stationery which makes it so attractive?? (The good news is that this is all old stuff and not bought recently.)

I decluttered my filing cupboard (ie the fridge which is covered in papers and fridge magnets )

I'm going to do a Towel Cull. Some of them are ShameMaking.
But I have a nice batch of new white towels that hopefully my beloved DD won't wipe her make-up on !

I've binned a box.

I just went for it.

It gets wild here sometimes.

That cute wicker basket of shampoos, conditioners and face masks we all kept tripping over as we walked into the family bathroom has just been emptied and relocated. Some bottles were only containing 1cm of product.
Unless there's a special offer I must wait until a bottle's empty before buying because nobody finishes the old stuff.
I managed to cram the remaining hair products into the cupboard under the sink which I sorted out last week.
So little in the great scheme of things but very pleased.

I'm really struggling at the moment. I have got rid of all the easy to grab at clutter and I really need to spend time focusing on areas or drawers. About a week ago I spent some time in the room of doom and cleared some carpet and I really need to just motivate myself to do more of that. The house is really untidy at the moment with toys, homework, bits of paperwork so I might set myself a timer for 15 minutes to do tidying, 15 minutes to do decluttering, 15 mins to do tidying, repeat because I never get the balance right and on the days I do most decluttering the house looks a mess!

That sounds a good plan Stealth.
This morning's effort was pure impulse.

I spotted some more clutter in my tea cupboard: 2 tins given by an estranged relative. I've been feeling subtly bad everytime I look at them but it had become so normal, I only just realised. They're now gone, replaced by glass jars which I had already and wasn't using.

Stealth , I know exactly what you mean. I've been going for easy wins just to keep myself, my momentum, going. You've done really well. Remember that.

I'm still trying but haven't made much progress in the last few weeks. Sorted DH's old suits last weekend and have a bag of still good but too big suits to drop to the charity shop. Other than that I have just been trying to get rid of one thing each day as there is so much happening at the moment.

I will have more time from the week after next, so I am going to focus on decluttering as a full time job whilst the DC are in school - I'm too easily seduced into sitting on the sofa knitting which in the time I have during the day atm. I have booked for someone to come measure up for curtains in DS1's room and I'm going to speak to the electrician about adding new sockets in DS2's room next week. That will then give me a date that the room needs to be empty for, which I think will help motivate me to get it cleared out. I'm aiming to have DS2 moved into his new room by 1st December, so it needs to be cleared and the fitted wardrobes stripped out, new sockets, painted and decorated and recarpeted by then. There is also a door needs fitting to the cupboard where the hot water tank is, but that is going to need to be custom made, so he could move in with a temporary solution until that is sorted.

Looks like many slumps around sort of glad it’s not just me! Still have a bag of gathered up bits but it hasn’t made it to the charity shop yet. Planned to shred some old tax folders earlier but got distracted reading some old magazines. Currently sat in hairdressers so will declutter fair bit of hair and even more money

I'm back. I've done 2 x 15 mins of tidying and 2 x 15 mins of decluttering. Feeling really pleased. It's been the best day in ages.

I have decluttered some arts and craft stuff. So about ten paint brushes with unusable, stuck together bristles gone. Some very old solid paint and glue gone. A load of half used stickers (Frozen, Mr Tumble, Charlie and Lola) that my children will never be interested in again have been binned and I have put some complete sticker sheets in my charity shop pile. I also binned a toy kettle that was broken.

I'm now going to do another 15 mins tidying and 15 mins decluttering then do school pickup.

WhendoIsleep I'm sure you have made progress, even one thing a day is an achievement. It's good to have a deadline for ds2's room as that will motivate you.

Thanks Stealth. I think the deadline will help, I'm desperately aware that the DC need separate rooms now and I really want to focus on making that happen ASAP now. I am also sick of looking round the living room and seeing 'things' everywhere. But I have come to realise that separating the boys and giving them each their own space and storage will mean some of the mess automatically disappears. I also hope it will make their relationship easier if they have their own 'cave' to disappear to.

A few more bits out. I've been through my craft box and have given several packets of modelling clay to a friend. Quite a bit of packaging has also gone to recycling. The mop heads from the other day have also been re-homed.

Charity have put a collection box in our work car park = no excuses for not clearing more stuff out!

chucked some year 8/9 science workbooks (exercise books) and 6 bits of paper
Also put all the hairbrushes in the house in one place. Seven hairbrushes, oh dear.
Drawers are a disgrace, tried to sort them and then gave up as I had no idea how to organise them (kitchen miscellaneous, not kitchen utensils) I think I will do that on a very very rainy day when my classifications hat is on properly.

Right, I'm back on it. Started sorting through one of the cupboards on the to do list, which endef up.being 2 hours going through my jewellery. A handful of cheap, broken stuff for the bin. A small bag for the charity shop. But mainly it got put back - really struggled with bits I've never worn but were bought for me by other people. I don't need the space at the moment so they're ok to go back. Also one item to eBay.

Also.found two boxes worth of unopened, still in date contact lenses that I won't be using as I changed types. The shop won't take them back, any ideas if there are other companies that would be interested? Seems a shame to bin them.

I've been slack too. I've been working full-time and I'm not used to it! I've got a long weekend this weekend though, albeit with quite a lot of travel. Monday is free though. I plan to get in and clear up my bombshell of an office.

Have sorted yet more clothes for hand-me-downs and charity...

Also got a big box out of the attic of stuff that DH needs to work out what to do with as it's all out of date technology that hasn't been touched for literally years (and if it was up to me it would all be in the recycling bin at the tip!).