Getting rid of one thing a day decluttering challenge Part 5

[StealthNinjaMum]

We’re still here!

For 4 threads a group of mumsnetters have been getting rid of just one thing a day. We’ve been throwing out, selling, recycling and giving our stuff away.

But we're still not finished.

Newbies are always welcome to join us. Just get rid of one thing each day and come back here to discuss your progress and get support when it gets hard.

Previous thread here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3298777-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-4?msgid=81434878

She had used every towel in the house! DH, DS & I have been drying off with hand towels 😡
I forgot to add that I have also put the 2 wicker baskets from the stairs onto the fire tonight. Nobody ever empties them and they have been chewed by the cretinous dogs. Pleased they’re gone!

@IWillWearTheGreenWillow

Hi Willow! Yes, I mentioned the smell because we've had some mould issues and I have recently done a load of clearing and cleaning in an attempt to get rid of that horrible mouldy smell. It was so so good to come home and, instead of smelling mould, smell something lovely. I don't do artificial smellies but incense sticks and essential oils. DP said he'd burnt a stick (possibly nag champa) but it smelt like patchouli oil to me. (I use a saucepan of water to burn oils and set a timer to remind me - no need for fancy oil burners. Watch out if you've got animals though as some oils are poisonous to them.)

Having a dehumidifier has also helped, I think.

I also think that the house being more spacious really helps as it's so much easier to clean and tidy it and smells don't linger.

And yes, I know what you mean about putting things away all the time. I've noticed that it's often me who's left things out though so I can't complain too much.

Just to add too that I recently washed all my rugs too which probably helped a lot.

(That last point was about the smell.)

I also end up with lots of stuff lying around which has a home... but often it needs something done to it before it can go away. Sigh!

Last night I tackled a small pile of opened mail and random bits of paper that has collected in the hall. Most of it has gone to the recycling, and some more magazines have joined their friends upstairs.

If someone had told me a few months ago that we hoard magazines I would have strenuously denied it. However, I have now identified around 10 places where at least one substantial stack of magazines was stored. Some of these have been cleared completely, others are significantly reduced. I must have got rid of at least 4-5ft of magazines in the past couple of months. I currently have 3 bundles listed on eBay and if I don't get any takers in the next couple of weeks they will go out with the paper recycling next month.

I put more paperwork on the fire last night. At least with the cold evenings we are having fires so I can burn through our confidential waste. Had I been a bit more prepared in the summer, I could have made up vast amounts of paper bricks and dried them with very little effort. Hopefully I can do this next year. They don’t give out loads of heat but as they are being burned anyway, we may as well use them for heat.

Ooh SandandSea you've just reminded me that last year I had an expensive smelly Christmas candle that I used to light whenever I was cleaning and I loved it. Must go out and buy one.

GreenWillow yes I have spent this morning - other than shopping - putting things away. But at least these things have permanent homes now rather than temporarily living in a drawer where I can't find them.

I haven't done any decluttering yet but have taken down halloween decorations and I'm carefully tidying them away. They live in the Christmas decorations cupboard so I might put them up today.

NOOOOOOO!! Stealth , step away from the Christmas decorations!!!! It's far too early!

Today's item is the wicker rubbish bin I've had in our bedroom. We hardly use it and I've realised that it looks bad, not just as visual noise but it's 'rubbishy' in every way. It's going.

Feeling proud today 3 bin bags later

Have 3 BODS behind the couch still and did one today, was dreading the pang of old memories and all I found was a ton of old bills, magazines and take out menus. Feeling victorious !

2 more to go

Added more of ds’ outgrown clothes to the charity bag today. Plus a few DVDs.

I brought in 6 hardback notebooks some postits and about eleventy million pencils. I was at a conference today and there was A ton of merch. Stationery merch. Yay.

It’s going to work tomorrow though so temporary clutter doesn’t count.

I love stationery too and have loads of it. But at least it's in labelled drawers now so I don't have to buy anymore. Just 17 pritt sticks to get through, 300 biros and about 20,000 staples! (Not exaggerating sadly. I used to be obsessed with stapling EVERY bit of paperwork that was 2 or more sheets joined together and have 5 or 6 staplers too).

Nothing has left the house for ages (since Tuesday). I put things on the 'charity shop' or 'Facebook sales' pile every day but am finding it frustrating that I now have more big piles of stuff to actually leave the house. Today I added some childrens trousers and a hat to the pile. I have tried to sell some items but have no takers yet. Will bump them tomorrow as hopefully people will have more time to go on Facebook on a Saturday morning.

Sold some of ds 9-12m T-shirt’s on eBay so they will go next week.

GreenWillow that's really brave. I love paper things and still have lots of cookbooks I rarely use (but half the cookbooks I used to have so a step in the right direction.) You have been busy, perhaps I should consume more caffeine to get me going.

So a good start today. I have finally put away the Halloween decorations and started to get out the Christmas decorations. I am about to hoover for the first time in a week and it really needs it. I have thrown away lots of papers and stuff including information on a mortgage we didn't take out in 2011! I honestly don't know how that found it's way into the spare room.

I put a large toddler toy on Facebook yesterday for a much cheaper price than I'd seen on eBay and someone immediately sent me a pm asking for money off. The cheekiness of that immediately irritates me. It's already a good price. I said no I'll wait to see if I get the asking price but I am tempted to put it on Freecycle or take it to a charity shop. I know it's cutting my nose off to spite my face and even a small amount is better than nothing but it seems such cheeky fuckery. Especially when the rules of the Facebook sales group are to not send personal messages but to bid openly. I think I'd rather get nothing that sell it to that person now. Tell me I'm being unreasonable.

Two more bags for charity shop. One of DVDs (we have no DVD player) and one of ds’ clothes. I was sorting through stuff that came from storage and found a bag I’d saved for a friend (who’s baby has now outgrown the clothes). So that’s gone.

Sorted another bag of baby stuff for a colleague of dh’s who is surprise pregnant (after being told she couldn’t get pregnant (then had baby one) then was told it was 99% unlikely she’d ever get pregnant again...so she ditched all their baby stuff). She’s offere £50 for steriliser and I’ve thrown in some other stuff. Dh will take it for her on Monday.

Well done, Willow ! I can still remember the feeling of letting my professional subscription go after keeping it going for years. They had upped the CPD requirements and it made me realise that it just wasn't for me any more. It was definitely a freeing moment.

Today's item is a thick jumper I've had for a few years and only worn once or twice. It takes up loads of room in the drawer. It's like new so I'm going to try to sell it first and see how I go.