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

Hope you're feeling better soon, Gibble, and hope the insurers get things sorted out quickly, Willow.

I posted the eBay items this morning and while I was in town made an appointment to declutter my hair on Friday lunchtime - something I have been meaning to do for at least a month.

I got another item listed on eBay last night. The Dyson brushbar also came yesterday, so I hope to clean the rest of the machine and fit it tonight or tomorrow night. DP has just texted to say that the new mattress will be delivered on Tuesday. Gulp! I'm glad I've done so much work on the stuff on the landing, stairs and beside the bed - there will be very little to move before the delivery in these areas. The bit I haven't done is sort the stuff dumped on top of the dog crates in the hall - they will have to be moved to get the mattress manoeuvred up the stairs, so I will need to clear them this weekend.

Back now. I bought xmas presents so the opposite of decluttering.

I have bumped a few things on Facebook sales and they're not getting any interest so I think I'll put them in the charity shop pile and maybe the car. I have also decided to chuck out a cardigan I don't really like. No-one wants my ancient hoover bags but sometimes it can take time for things on free cycle to go so I'll keep them for a week before I throw them out.

Another item: a pair of sandals.

Two bags for the charity shop have made it into the car boot, will try to drop them off tomorrow. Another bag is going to school tomorrow morning for the Christmas fair.

Cupboard still looks disappointingly full though...

Today’s out was DS’s bike after some lowlife thriving scum drove up to where it was locked up and took bolt cutters to it before chucking it in their van and driving off with it. DS and his friends saw it happening and went running over. Am glad they didn’t get there actually cause they could have got hurt.
A friend has also posted that a van around the same time tried to abduct her daughter and friends. Bloody country is going to the dogs. 😡

A really odd one yesterday: I put some stuff on Freecycle, and a woman came to collect it. It took me a minute to answer the door as I was wrangling a toddler into bed, so when I did I apologised for the delay and she went off on one about how she was childless and did I think she had it easy? She'd clearly been having a bad day and I'm trying not to take it personally, but if someone comes to your house to get free stuff you don't expect them to start haranguing you on your doorstep!

@MotherWol - I'd have been tempted not to give her the free thing. It's tricky when she's on your doorstep though. ("Collectors be crazy.")

Today's item is a photo frame.

I've also got to tell you all that my downstairs area is possibly the clearest it's ever been. That's definitely down to this thread, so thanks everyone!

You are all doing brilliantly, apart from the car incidents but at least you're all OK.

Not posted for ages, but enjoying reading all your progress. I ran out of steam after my big skip declutter, and haven't done much since

Today however finally decluttered around 800 books to a local bookshop. I'm sure they won't want them all, but the rest can go to charity. I hope they buy some tho, had to replace car last month and we're broke!! Meanwhile, my book piles are going on actual shelves. I might even see floor that's been buried for years! which will then need cleaning damn, does it ever end?

Thank you all for continuing to inspire me

Sorry to hear about the car / van / bike incidents willow and gibble

Motherwol that's awful, I guess she must have been having a bad day but that's just nasty.

Well I am struggling with the decluttering. I have done some more xmas shopping which is the opposite of decluttering.

Like SandandSea I have the clearest downstairs area that I have ever had and as a result it is harder to just find something to remove in 2 seconds like it used to be. So today I am going to 'return to sender' some post of the person who moved out of my house 11 years ago. It's not much but the post pile will be a little smaller. I might have a look for a few other quick bits but I am starting to get piles of things to file rather than declutter and I hate filing.

Haven’t managed to declutter anything today 😩

That's Ok gibble just try to declutter two things today!

A good day so far. I have been in the dc dressing up box and decluttered 4 bags/ handbags that are so small they could only be used by toddlers. I have also decided I don't need 5 trivets so 2 are going in the pile. Also I am getting rid of a cheese slice/ knife which I like but it doesn't really work and I have 3 or 4 other cheese knives. it's beautiful rather than functional and some of my kitchen drawers are a bit hard to close.

Lots of housework as I have another playdate tonight. I seem to have loads of children over every Friday night but having mums come in is a good motivator to tidy for the weekend

Have done a bit more tidying. Another two children's bags, a purse and a belt are in the charity shop pile. From the kitchen I've added 3 ice cube trays. Feeling pleased as I might not get the chance to do anything this weekend.

Today I have put a drinks bottle in the charity shop bag. I will also be putting today's holey knickers in the bin rather than the washing basket tonight Planning on going through the medicine cupboard later to declutter some out of date stuff and tidy up. Need to post a few things that sold on Ebay tomorrow.

I packed up the car today so the boot is full of charity stuff.

I also bought a pack of magic erasers from Poundland (for £1, not the £2 branded ones). So far, I've treated 4 walls, 2 lightswitches, 2 cupboard doors, the office door and a radiator! All of them looked like they needed painting but are now free of marks! I'm astounded! All of that took about 15 minutes too! I'm definitely counting it.

I've been following this thread for ages. We've, well I've, been busy decluttering for years now and I think I'm quite ruthless anyway but my mindset is totally different now. I look and things and think how is it going to improve my life and if it doesn't then it goes. I've sold a lot of stuff, donated much more and got rid of other things. I do genuinely only try to buy what I need but I'm only human and impulse purchases do creep in. There are two adults and two kids in my house but overall its not too bad and it's certainly easier to keep clean. What astounds me though is that it's constant, that there is always something everyday I find I don't really use or need. It's getting less and less easy to find something though. But the next stage is DH's garage which is packed to the rafters. He is starting to get on board though and is going to get rid of his giant Hifi system in his garage and just stream DAB to a small speaker. This is great progress for him. I've liked reading all your posts and it keeps me motivated.

I’ve just finished wrapping 45 boys gifts for the lucky dip. Added to the girls 68 it equates to a box of haribo, 2 boxes of tattoos, a box of pads, a large bag of pencils, a giant tub of lollies, 2 rolls of wrapping paper, a roll of sellotape and lots more stuff!
All in all, 2 huge boxes of stuff going out 😀

Failed miserably at doing the medicine cupboard. Maybe tonight.... EBay items posted and another sold to be posted on Monday. Charity shop bags at the charity shop. A few pairs of socks and two bowls in.

Not sure I'll get much done in the next couple of weeks - having the rising damp decluttered in a couple of weeks, which means I need to concentrate on emptying everything from the lounge rather than decluttering.

Those shaped plastic Duplo storage boxes - should I keep them? All Duplo sets are combined in a big storage box and they've been standing around unused for a year, but something keeps stopping me binning them.

My order of new cloths has arrived - woopwoop!! I know how to live! This means, not only am I purging all my old, manky cloths but I'm also building up to 'doing' the cupboard under the sink.

Posted one Ebay sale today & took swim woggles & other things to charity shop. We are in detailed discussions about getting rid of old phones & new ones & new bikes & old bikes, & so on.

Get rid of the duplo boxes!
Not been on this thread for a couple of months as I cluttered the house with a new baby boy 😊. However I have spent many sleepless nights fantasising about having a clearer house. Today I got back on it with 10 pairs of socks and 8 knickers being cleared out. I could probably have done more but will try again another day

Hello.

I fell of for a bit. Life work ds and everything sort of took over.

We are now settled in our new house. Yay. I’ve set up my amazon subscribe and save. Yay. But packaging....but cheaper....

Anyway.

I’ve sold a few bits on eBay (totalling £45) have charity shopped loads, and have managed to get rid of the wardrobe storage boxes. A friend is moving and needs something. Am going to see if I can offload more cardboard boxes on her when she collects them.

Dh has boarded out the attic so things have been put up there.

He’s also taken another tree out of the garden. Yay.

And today I’ve chucked a pair of jodhpurs. They developed a bloody big hole in the seat.

Oh dear I might disagree on the Duplo boxes! Are they the ones that the sets came in? I kept most of mine in the loft and it's been easier to sell them with their boxes.

Don't lurk 433challenger it's lovely to hear from you. Glad to hear your dh is on board, I think many of us are finding our dh's are improving as a result of this.

Congratulations chunkymonkey123 a lovely baby. A good effort today. Just think next time you want to put on knickers or socks it'll be a bit quicker.

Again I have done the opposite of declutter today. I have bought a few more presents. I don't normally do Black Friday but I bought dd1 a laptop for homework and I am just getting some beauty products for mil and sil. I am toying with the idea of buying some for mils birthday in August but they might end up in the Room of Doom.

I have gone through my wrapping paper. Last year I didn't buy any and used up wrapping paper that I don't like (cheap ikea stuff that had been hanging around for years). I've still got lots so I'm going to donate a load to my school's pta for their Christmas fair.

Today has brought some ins rather than outs. Another Christmas present so it is short term and 2 Ashleigh and burwood oil burner things to make the house smell beautiful.
Tonight I black leaded the fireplace and it looks amazing again!

Recycling is going today.

And I’m going to clear the paperwork clutter from the dining table. I’m planning on filing it and then shoving it on top of the wardrobe in the spare room. Or under the stairs.