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

Thanks RaspberryBlonde I am terrible with technology but I guess I could put my CDs on a laptop easily (I have done that before) and buy Sonos speakers. Of course I'm not sure dh would think it worth it to spend the money on a new laptop and speakers just to save space on 150 or so CDs.

Today I listened to our all cassettes and threw away the ones that were obviously mine. It seems that neither me or dh were very good at writing on boxes or cassettes as to what was on them - ha we were so compatible! So it looks like we have a tiny amount of cassettes and a few empty boxes for dh to look at to see if he still wants them. I'm really surprised at how many empty cases we have and wonder if somewhere there is another stash of cassettes.

I also have a load of floppy discs and no computer to test them on. Someone dare me to throw them all out!

@StealthNinjaMum - I dare you to throw out your floppy discs! If you do, I will throw out my beloved but holey t-shirt.

Disclaimer: I bought an external floppy disc drive for mine.

10 mugs got rid of today. 10 thermal mugs in today. 4 to be printed tonight- plus a bottle.
All Christmas gifts bought and ready to wrap- including stockings. DS’s birthday tomorrow so I have day off to get wrapping done and housework sorted. We’re out for tea tomorrow night.
Just about to have tea and then get started.

@SandandSea I can't believe it! Do you still use floppy discs? You are as behind with technology as me

I will chuck them away tomorrow.

Actually I've just done it. 23 floppy discs in the bin. I feel really bad because a. it's more plastic waste and also b. they probably had loads of my student work and stuff from early jobs - a big part of my life. I think I threw away all my university paper notes last year so another big part of my life that I haven't looked at for 20 years has gone!

Completely agree @motherwol! I find browsing Netflix so bloody difficult! It's suggestions for me are laughable and not related to anything I've watched before. My new box of dvds is very easy to just flick through like the cd boxes at a record store 😂 also they all fit in one tiny drawer which makes me very happy!

@sandandsea I feel your pain with the t-shirt. I'm wearing mine now. It's an old military one my husband gave me about 9 years ago, it's been a staple nightwear t-shirt and it has three holes along the bottom hem, a hole in the middle where the fabric became thin and my thumb went through it and now the fibres are coming apart around the print on the front. Well and truly dying. I won't throw it until he gets me a replacement though haha.

@stealthninjamum I got rid of some uni stuff earlier in the year too, hadn't been looked at in forever and whilst it was sentimental and a reminder that I should have stuck it out it felt good to be rid of the baggage. Does it count as decluttering when you delete the folders off your computer too lol?! 😂

I didn't get too much decluttered today but I did keep the kitchen in its new tidy state and another Xmas present wrapped and by the door to drop off tomorrow. The crochet took a beating too, I've got about three days left there and there's a smidge of light at the end of that tunnel!

@WoogleCone - Mine's so old it's really soft, so perfect for sleeping in. It was bought for me during a really happy day trip so represents a lovely, warm memory too.

@StealthNinjaMum - I wouldn't say I "use" them as such, but they are in the house and I bought the drive so I could go through them. (This was some years ago but, tbh, I haven't done it yet - eek!) They've got uni essays, old letters etc on them so, like you, lots of my life (which I also haven't looked at in years). You've been really brave and strong getting rid of them - well done! Darn it though! I guess this means I've got to get rid of my lovely t-shirt now. A deal's a deal. The t-shirt's going.

Used up another roll of wrapping paper so 2 tubes going out for the morning’s recycling.

1 charity bag of clothes recycled. Getting rid of wellies kids have outgrown next. Great thread!

On my Facebook timeline this morning popped up a picture from 5 years ago of DS unwrapping his birthday presents. The paper was the one i’ve Just used up!

Trying again. I think I needed a break from decision-making. Things are tidy, but far too many of them.

Couple of days ago, I requisitioned the understairs cupboard for an office for myself. It has a smll bureau in it, and already needs tidying.

Haha @gibble1 love the paper has done it's duty over the years! My DDs bday present be just got wrapped in the same three year old Peppa pig paper too 😂

Done a little more crochet this morning so far, need to do more before work. Might sneak a ball of wool into the office with me tonight!
When I do eventually finish I'm going to go through my wool stash and have a clear out, I'm sure someone on woolly hugs could make use of it :)

Need to clean the bathroom today so will have a look through the cabinet at the same time and see if there's anything in there to go too.

@tidy2018 that's my problem too now, I've got it tidy but there's still too much. I'd love an office, our understairs is more of a small Harry potter type affair with spiders though haha

@WoogleCone I've been meaning to thin down my knitting stash a bit too; I only really like to knit with DK/aran yarns so I don't actually need to hang onto all of the super-skinny needles for thinner yarns. I bought a set when I first started out knitting but I've never taken them out of the packets! Will try Woolly Hugs or a couple of the charity knitting groups. Thanks for the prompt!

I've thrown out some more underwear and am ploughing through the laundry. The house still looks trashed but I'm confident it will come together in time for Christmas. (Even if I have to hide stuff.)

You're right Stealth, there's probably a cheaper solution! The tech came first in our case as DH is a sucker for a gadget.

We have lots of recognisable wrapping paper here Gibble, I save stuff that's not too torn and there are a few bits on a third or 4th rotation. My grandparents had the same paper for a number of years when I was a child, I remember it distinctly and it's a nice Christmas memory.

Going to attempt to tackle the spare room today, it's full of laundry and we have guests staying next week so it needs a thorough declutter!

Forgot to say, I've advertised a couple more things for sale. I've got quite a bit to sell tbh. I'm crossing fingers for some interest.

raspberryblonde I wish dh liked gadgets, instead I handed him his cassettes last night knowing nothing will ever happen with them. I did find a couple of reconditioned laptops for sale for about £100 so I could but my CDs on one. But would I throw the CDs away or put them in the loft in case the laptop broke? Probably the latter which defeats the purpose a bit.

sandandsea I had forgotten the floppies might have personal correspondence on them, I'm curious about them but on the other hand haven't looked at them for years. I don't know when the bin men will come, it might be 2 or 3 weeks of looking at a black bag and trying not to remove them.

I have spent the morning trying to do something with my children - play a game, watch polar express but every suggestion I make is boring. I wonder if they will notice if I go into the room of doom to sort out some paperwork.

I have got out: a box of chocolates, 3 thermal mugs, a drinks bottle and a bath scrubby which disintegrated in the washing machine.
House still resembles a squat though 😩

Stealth - Just checking, have you damaged the discs enough that identity theft won't be a problem? I would def do that before binning them, just in case.

SandSea no I probably haven't. Do you think I should? I'm usually obsessive about shredding / destroying anything that leaves the house even with just our first name on. I imagine these floppies would have documents with my name on and maybe address from 25 years ago or files about projects I was working on 20 years ago - no confidential data and probably for companies that no longer exist. Maybe I should destroy them anyway. Then there'll be no way of getting them back!

I am currently looking at paper files from old jobs. I don't know if I'll ever go back to work. I kept a few things to show in job interviews but I guess no-one will be interested in something I did 20 years ago so I will be destroying some. I am reluctant to get rid of these because I don't know if I will go back to my career. I'd like to start something new but I'm struggling to work out what skills I have that could earn me lots of money!

And another roll of wrapping paper used up.

Sat - 2 bags for charity shop
Sun - outgrown onesie and gift bag to a friend
Mon - 2 x gift bags w teacher gifts
Tues - sold Xmas jumper on Facebook
Weds - 3 things from present drawer stash

That's good namastayinbed. Are you noticing a difference?

I have just cleared up lots of papers. Lots in the shredder pile and the recycling pile. I also pulled apart 9 cheque books / paying in books to be shredded. Feeling unbelievably chuffed with the paperwork as I think I have nearly 'finished' sorting it and filing it. I know there will be lots to shred but just to have it organised is such a good feeling, some of the stuff was dated from the 90s (although I have shredded most of that). There are massive piles of schoolwork that I need to go through but afterwards the paperwork will be 'finished'! It's taken me just over a year to sort out the papers but soon I'll have a study with visible carpet (just need to get rid of lots of old toys first!)