New home for the new year - still getting rid of one item a day part 6

[StealthNinjaMum]

Here we are again!

Little by little a group of mums netters have been decluttering our homes by getting rid of one item a day. Whether we eat it, bin it, recycle it, sell or give it away we are slowly tidying our homes.

Is this the thread where we finish? Probably not

As usual newbies are welcome to join us. We get rid of one thing and come back to update everyone on our progress and get support when it gets hard.

Previous thread is here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3381702-Getting-rid-of-one-thing-a-day-decluttering-challenge-Part-5?pg=1

I did a tip run yesterday morning. While I was taking the bags out of the car I found a broken ice scraper so I binned that while I was there. I posted the ebay parcel. I did list some more on there on Sunday so hopefully there'll be a few more things heading out of the house soon. I did a big sort out and clean of the lounge so yet more recycling went out. I also decluttered the contents of my handbag - there was all sorts of junk in there. Anything paperwork that needed filing was put away and I shredded rest.

I spent last night trying to sort out some address changes and I've also spent some time getting my bullet journal up to date. 2019 is the year that I will finally get organised and clutter free. Having said that, I doubt much will get done today as DS doesn't go back to school until tomorrow and DD doesn't go to nursery on Tuesdays so they are currently doing a very good job of untidying the lounge that I spent yesterday tidying 🙄

Jan 5-7th:
Bag of old clothes to clothes bank
Bag of bottles to bottle bank
Unused bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower cleaner into bin.
Stained tea towel and bib into bin.

Very please with that progress! I can already see the difference in my shower; it now just contains a few bottles of things I actually use.

Out of the house today - a handful of pens, and a spare umbrella. Both have gone to the office where they'll get used.

Earmarked for eviction: some tatty old bedlinen into a bag for textiles recycling, to be joined (hopefully) by some of DH's clothes if I can get him to do a sort with me tonight.

Got my eye on: a box of cables that's been lurking too long.

I've been through the fridge and recycled several ood items. Christmas cards are also going out (though I do keep the few from close family). I'm not making gift tags this time because I've already got too many.

An unproductive evening last night for me. DS took a long time to settle so I was in and out of his room and no wardrobe decluttering was done.
Must do better tonight!

Didn't get rid of anything yesterday due to feeling grotty and downright weird in a trippy sort of way after taking some Sudafed, but I did watch an episode of Marie Kondo's programme on Netflix for inspirational purposes.

Clothes and getting rid is a big one for me. But I don't know that I could use the get everything out at once approach that Marie Kondo advises.

Hello! Can I join you please? I’ve been lurking and always read the tidying threads but you’ve motivated me with the getting rid of one item a day... I’ve started, I’ve got a two drawer filing cabinet that I pulled some files out of and binned a paper bins worth of stuff out the other night and I’m going to do that every time I’m in front of the TV and then work my way through the rest of the house of an evening... we moved two years ago and had packers in at the old house as had a 9 month old at the time - and have never got organised since... so this is the year..! Spent some time last night sorting my beauty stash out and binning some stuff I don’t want.

My big downfall is getting rid of the baby clothes - I can’t quite bring myself to do it despite knowing I’m not having another one... and the garage - we never have time to get in a tidy it...

Sorted out TOMM on my fridge today to make the cleaning rota work better for the days I have both kids at home and when they are out, should be more manageable now... getting stuff together for next tip run on Thursday, want to attack the kitchen drawers next

Just about to sort dd's room/clothes but tbh. Or expecting much to come out as it was only decorated in November and all toys were took to the charity shop back then. I've binned a large Christmas gift bag that had ripped down the side but hopefully I can get at least one more thing slime from dd's room into the bin!

Welcome @vroc81, sounds like you've made great progress already!

I've been so blooming lazy today, let the side down! Managed the grocery shop and got caught by the lovely new clothes for DD I've put most of it away and got a load of laundry just finishing. I should have achieved way more but I'm not going to lie, I played video games instead.

I'll get the kitchen cleaned down tonight while DH is out for an hour but other than that I think today is a right off.

*write off. Stupid autocorrect.

Bag of clothes out to Charity Shop yesterday .
Mainly DS things .

3 leaflets and another pair of old knickers. I've also emptied out and recycled a honey bottle which has been sitting on the side for ages.

Gave some books away.

Nothing today :( but I have someone collecting a couple of baby items tomorrow and someone else interested in pics of some other baby clothes I'd like to sell - need to take photos tonight (must not forget!)

How do you lovely Declutterers deal with Paperwork? We have a heaving box upstairs and I just got another pensions update letter. Folders? I guess ultimately a filing cabinet is the way forward?

@Battenburg1978 - I'm probably not the best example because I tend to keep a lot but, I have everything filed in ring binders with the most recent on the top. I keep them all in a big trunk. I also have a box file which is the 'dump it here and I'll file it later box'.

Paperwork and books aside (for me) but, does anyone else feel like they're getting closer to minimalism? I've still got a few boxes of crap to clear but after that...

Does decluttering in the office count? I got rid of a couple of folders worth of old paperwork. I haven’t managed to get rid of anything at home today though.

I find decluttering much harder during the week. By the time I’ve been to work, done some exercise, encouraged homework, cooked a meal and done a load of laundry, I’ve kind of run out of steam.

sandandsea close to minimalism? A long way from it. Please don't leave the thread, you've been here since the start!

I lost dds swimming bags earlier - both have swimming tomorrow - and I wasted an hour looking for them. I only found one but put together one for dd1, she'll just have to borrow goggles. It just made me realise my house is a mess again. It's mainly school paperwork, homework, unfiled papers so I am thinking of creating another box of doom tomorrow and clearing all the post and surfaces and then actually putting things away in the right place. I absolutely would not create a new box of doom and then leave it in the room of doom for five years. Never done that before oh no!

I used up what was left in two bottles from my stash of cleaning products. The cupboard is still rammed full so there's a way to go yet. I did some more admin jobs that I've been putting off for a while so my to do list is getting a lot shorter. DD accidentally decluttered a mug by knocking off the table and smashing it. It was one I didn't particularly like so I'm not bothered and it's created a bit more space in the mug cupboard!

DH has been decluttering today . He saw me sorting some paperwork yesterday and decided to sort through his drawer in the filing cabinet. He's shredded a massive pile and there is still a huge pile to go but he managed to overheat and jam the shredder. I fixed it so between us we'll get that all done tomorrow.

SandAndSea sounds like you're doing really well. I'm a long way off yet but I am now much more conscious about what's coming into the house. I think my mindset has changed a lot so once I've dealt with the clutter I really think I'll be able to stop it piling up again.

Stealth I've had many boxes of doom over the years! In fact I emptied one a few weeks ago that had been shoved in a corner for a whole year . Now I am down to just one bag for life of doom. It is full of lots of random stuff that was still lying around in the lounge the night before we moved. I scooped it all up, put it in the bag and the bag has been sat in our bedroom ever since. I keep thinking I really should sort it out so I think I'll make that tomorrow's job.

Box of doom! Love that expression - have a couple of those on the go at the moment - decided to sort out Christmas into a new place as I put the decorations away and cleared out all the stuff that I hadn’t used this year tonight - it’s now sat on the bed while I decide if I need to keep it and the room looks far worse than it did before I started swapping.. filled a small bag up with some bits I found while I was doing that..

Well done sandandsea, close to minimalism - I think I might be here a while for that..!

@StealthNinjaMum - I really relate to what you wrote about your box of doom. I've def still got a few of those. Don't worry though, I'll be here for quite a while yet. Apart from anything, I'm pretty slow and super sentimental - the items I'm stuck on are the same ones from years ago. (Cuddly toy, uni notes, school books etc.) My house is small though and we don't have a garage so that helps I think.

Last night was more productive, made a start on the wardrobe and managed to clear out the drawer on my side. Binned two old gym t shirts which had been put aside for 'when I get time to go back ' an old t t shirt where the seams had gone skewwif, and two plain white t shirts that I don't wear as they are see through unless with a vest underneath and also had deodorant stains! I realised I have 4 black and 4 white vest tops, toyed with getting rid of some, but if TTC plans come to fruition, I shall be BF again through winter so vest tops needed for OUOD. The drawer is tidy no w though so it's a lot better.
Also found a red satchel for the charity shop bag. It was a gift from my dad many years ago and I've used it once it's very not me and doesn't go with any of my clothes. I did change my mind several times, but in reality, am I going to use it? Nope.

The mission will continue tonight

@sandandsea congrats on feeling close to minimalism. I aspire to those heights