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's list is a bit sad so far: 3 small conditioner bottles (the type you get with hair dye - I've got quite a few of them) and a random, cloth place mat.

I still haven't done my will. Solicitor 1: had all the details and never did it, even after I chased him and he said he would. Solicitor 2: wrote a really unprofessional, crappy email. Solicitor 3: hasn't got back to me. I tried to do it myself using an online system but it didn't suit my situation so I do need to see a solicitor. I'll keep going with it and I guess it'll happen when it happens.

Don't say that's sad, SandandSea It's something and that's what counts.
Are you going to get a different solicitor?

I forgot, I've also sent a nice skirt off to my mum. I've been trying to sell it for ages without luck. I'm really hoping she'll be pleased to have it. (I haven't quite detached enough from it to give it to charity.)

Thanks @PenelopeFlintstone . I did think it seemed a bit pathetic. I've got about 6 boxes of doom still to tackle but just keep opening them and giving up straight away. It's so much easier to focus on piddly little bottles etc.

Still thinking about what to do re will.

There are some great achievers on this thread, but I miss days weeks! Just keep on keeping on, is what I tell myself.

I haven't checked in since Saturday...

On Sunday afternoon I sorted out the bottom shelf of my bedside unit. I have now put a plastic basket there as the one I put on the other shelf has been a success! I found some stuff there I had been looking for, and some other stuff I didn't realise I had. I also tidied up the top of the unit and some of the bags lying around the floor in that area. I managed to rationalise 3 bags of random crap into one and hoover that area of the floor, which hadn't been done for months weeks.

On the eBay front, it has been two steps forward and one back. The payment for the camera with the new battery came through OK and the buyer left good feedback. The payment for the other camera bundle didn't materialise and I had to open a case. That closed on Wednesday and I re-listed it yesterday. Someone bought it today for more than the offer I accepted last week. I have also just had an offer/counter-offer exchange on another item which I have now sold. So things are looking up again! I have only listed 2 new items so far this week, so need to do another 4 by tomorrow night. I am finding it quite hard to balance the making money aspect of selling with the getting rid side. I am trying to price things at a reasonable level so they will go relatively quickly, even though I know I could get more if I listed at a higher BIN price and waited.

Managed to go through the freezer and use up odd bits. A casserole really can be filled with any old shite it's being cooked with dumplings and I have a few ready made frozen Yorkshire puddings to use up too.

Currently going through the food cupboard. We don't really keep much in there as I cook from scratch mostly so I'll just be organising tinned tomatoes and 7397263 tubs of herbs for the next half hour. I think a trip to Poundland is needed for some of those plastic storage baskets. My onions have rolled all over the place!

Ah stealth that must have been hard to let your Grandfathers TV go - I really cherish the jewellery I have of my Grandma and photos of my Grandad sadly both deceased - far too young.. in their sixties..

That's why I think we find such a common ground with this thread, it's more than just motivation. There's a big layer of psychology going on with our relationship to "stuff" isn't there... I don't know maybe I'm rambling!

Bit stressed, the dog has snapped at DD. I don't think he was aiming to hurt her but tell her off for touching his treats. I'm panicking as I adore that little dog - he's 11 and we've been through SO much together! When I brought DD home he never left her side for months, he guarded her day and night it was so beautiful him doing his duty for me like that. I just think DD is now 2 and full on and has to stop going anywhere near his food which I've now moved along with his bed... fingers crossed I'll get it sorted..

We've managed to declutter a full box of glassware and half of my tea set!! The bottom fell out - I'm pretty gutted as it's my PIP collection that I've been adding to for years and the milk jug is discontinued in the style that matches my teapot. Oh well I shall have to declutter my bank card on replacements!

SandandSea three bottles is better than nothing. I still have boxes of doom and a room of doom and many, many cupboards. We'll get there and each day we have less in the house. It's like losing weight. 1/2 lb a week feels like nothing yet in a year it's nearly two stone.

PurpleFrog well done on eBay, I keep saying I'm going to eBay stuff but I have had a good few weeks with Facebook so I don't feel the need yet. Today I sold a puzzle and gave one away to the same lady for free as it was missing a piece.

Nofilter it was hard to get rid of it but I don't miss it now. I wanted to move dd1 to the spare room as it's bigger and it just seemed pointless to move an unusable analogue TV to the spare room when I could just put it in my car and take to the dump.

You're right nofilter about the layer of psychology, like I mentioned losing weight above, this is like being on a diet for me and I lost about 5 stone on a diet on a series of mumsnet threads like this one. I definitely don't like talking about my weaknesses to people in real life so I would never have told anyone I was on a diet and I rarely talk about how messy my house was. I am losing my attachment to things and it is much easier than a year ago.

Sorry to hear about the dog. I have never had one so I can't offer any advice but I hope it was a one-off.

School finished today and I am writing this while 3 children are having dinner. We had a playdate and they have pretty much torn my house apart! The little girl here loves arts and crafts so when she goes home I am going to have to tidy up hamas beads, a jewellery set, paints and some aqua beads. There are thousands of tiny spherical objects on the playroom carpet. a few might go in the bin

Stealth - Thanks for the words of encouragement. (..change of subject..) Re. picking up tiny bits: have you tried vacuuming using the nozzle with some old tights secured over it?

Some stuff is so hard to deal with, especially when they hold memories.

Well, they seem to hold memories because they trigger the memory, but we all know rationally that tvs only have transistors or digital bits in.
^
^ Maybe when we struggle we should find a photo of the person who is associated with the item and get it framed up nicely so that we can remember happy times without the dusty clutter.

Anyway, I've being a good tosser today and finished dds room of doom before she get back from her trip. Tons of clothes and rubbish removed and washed the carpet.

She's arriving in the middle of the night so looking forward to her seeing it in the light of day tomorrow.

Well done to everyone with their anti clutter efforts. Every little helps!

Today I have decluttered my fridge - loads of half used jars chucked. Vegetables chopped for roasted veg and chicken for dinner. Meal plan written. Doing it online so I can't be tempted to add in extras.

Cleared my table of crap - treat tub had all the Christmas chocolate removed and binned. Just biscuits in there now.

Sorted cupboards out of date crackers binned. Bag of bits to take to slimming world tomorrow.

Cleared papers and old manky magnets from fridge. Only kept ones from places we have been.

All done whilst dinner was cooking :)

@IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying - Haha! You're in good company - we're all tossers here! ;)

Yeah I can't deal with the clothes right now so I'm moving on to other problem areas.

14 Gu jars and 12 random jam jars in the recycling and managed to make enough space so my lunchbox now fits in the cupboard and doesn't clutter up the kitchen side anymore. I'm happy with that

Fridge decluttering is a good idea for a busy day.

I'm sure I've got some out of date curry paste lurking in there.

Have just heard from my mum that the skirt doesn't fit her and is now on its way back to me! I might try one last ebay push before I give up on that. (It's a nice one.)

I brought the price down on one of my sale items so it's now an incredible bargain and I've had a load of messages about it. But, they're all so bloomin' flakey!!! It's a large box so I really just want rid of it now. I'm crossing fingers that someone, anyone, will come and take it off me this weekend.

OMG SandandSea that's genius. So I could hoover the bits into tights rather than pick millions of the fuckers up. I spent hours night last putting them away. Dd2 then came downstairs early and emptied them out again! Well just the hamas beads. Fortunately she has made a person and I'm just about to iron it so I suppose that's 200 of the buggers gone.

Admiring those who have entered children's bedrooms to declutter. I actually need to spend half a day with dd1 to help her as I think she just has too much stuff and we may need to buy new storage solutions.

It's going to be hard to declutter while dds are off but yesterday I found an old top that dh last wore about 20 years ago. I made him try it on. It was too small. It is now in the charity shop pile.

Today: an Easiyo yoghurt maker. I've got another two

So true stealth and wowzers 5 stone!

Having a day off today. Have picked a few bits for throwing away:

Doll clothes of DD
Dressing gown and socks DD
Garden bits and a popped paddling pool

Electrician is here and when the carpets get fitted this week we are DONE! Electrician needs to come back to fit a new extractor fan but that's it. We are packed, living out of a suitcase each and ready to move within a few hours of getting the final bits done.

I have handyman coming the day before we move to take curtains down and help with last bits...

Now just going to make sure everything is stickers to tell what room it should go in and do colour coded floor plans! This is really essential as we have two full houses plus 85 massive boxes of stock for our online children's clothing business! And a shed load of horse stuff eek!

Excitement is starting to kick in now!

Can't wait to show my DD her new home and the stables Int he garden for her ponies! The first job is to build a fairytale stable enclosure for her 3. Something that looks like a cute summer house with little gardens at the from for them to come in and out... and of course a big sign saying "DD Farm!"

Also I'm procrastinating over filling out all my change of address letter. I've photocopied 30 of a generic one where I can just fill in the company name and address...

Is this the easiest way of doing this do you know?

@Nofilter - I don't know but I want SandandSea Farm!!

*a

Can I join in?

I’ve decluttered the study drawers looking for the government gateway stuff (not found grr) Got a mass of guarantees, user guides, tax letters, pay slips to sort through.

How does everyone store paperwork? Nearly binned our marriage cert earlier

@Pinkyponkcustard - Welcome! Currently, I've got a file for important docs but I'm building up to get a fire proof box, which, from memory, I think Stealth has.

(Changing the subject.)

My buyer turned up!! Another very bulky item out of the house and a few quid made!

Just looking back at some of the items I've purged in the last year and honestly, it was enough to set up another small house! More to go though.