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

Books for little kids are different as they get read and re-read.

My own reading is mostly on a Kindle these days. Paper copies are passed on or charity shopped as soon as I finish them.

This weekend I delivered a big bag of clothes to the charity shop, and got started on another one. Also bought some storage for daughter's crafting stuff that always seems to end up scattered across the dining room table or her bedroom floor. There's now specific - but hidden away - storage in each place.

I obviously tempted fate a couple of weeks ago by saying that we had had no poorly people, only dogs. Both dogs are now fine, but I am just starting to emerge from the worst cold I have had for years! I wasn't quite ill enough not to go in to work last week, but only the most essential things got done in the evenings. Someone else in the house has had a clearout, though, so I have managed to put 6 new things on eBay, with a couple of others to hopefully do tonight. I probably now have enough other stuff for a Charity Shop bag or two, but I think I will leave that until the weekend to sort out.

Couple of kids bits listed on eBay. Outgrown coat for the now quite heavy charity bag - will have to drop that later this week.

Today's outs for the charity shop are three books, an ornament and the world's most annoying noisy fake kids phone. DM gave me some books she rescued from the tip mostly rubbish so they are going straight back out. Also finally got into the loft so have listed a few clothing bundles for sale and put two semi functional singing Christmas toys into the electrical bag for the tip. Oh, and one eBay item to the post office.

Well done on the utility room! IWill

2-3 February:
Bag of DH's clothes to charity shop

In the space of one shower tonight I finished up one bottle of conditioner, one mini shampoo bottle, one mini shower gel bottle and one (over 5 year old) tub of body scrub, followed by one tub of moisturiser. The recycling bin is full again! Need to remember to restock the shower tomorrow.

Not much today but I did use up a conditioner and I've finally mended (renewed the batteries of) my label maker!!! Oh, the joy!!!

Willow : it's very good to get those fiddly bits done ime!

I picked six more books off the shelves that I have now decided I don't want to read again (or keep for future possible grandkids!) Then there are 10 thin books of an improve your reading series that I can donate to the local school.

It makes a 20 cm run of books to donate in total.

I'm just standing still though on book shelving as plenty came in at Christmas. Still it's keeping it under control.

You’re doing amazingly well with a newborn keiki!

Can you recommend a labeler sandandsea? I was looking to buy one but then gave up after seeing that many are now overly clever and have to be connected via Wi-Fi which would just wind me up.

I’m not getting much done at the moment as DD2 is sick. I kept DD1 at home too yesterday as I couldn’t be bothered to do the kindergarten run just for her as it was -10 in the morning!

I’m off to see what Simply Clean is willow - I’m intrigued!

Half a dozen things out today and it's not even lunchtime! Dropped a plate at breakfast so that's in the bin. I quite liked it, but we have plenty of plates still. Into the charity bag has gone a pair of mugs we got for Christmas, an ornament, some Olympic stamps (checked eBay and it's not worth it) and some posh notecards. Plus a handful of sachets of hot chocolate that mum gave me with the mugs have gone into the office.

but I did use up a conditioner

There is definitely pleasure to be had in getting to the bottom of a bottle of conditioner, shampoo, body lotion, etc and being able to throw the bottle away. The temptation to start the new one before the old has run out is quite strong too: one that not all members of my household are able to resist. This is why the cupboards in the bathrooms are repositories for nearly empty bottles. Grrr.

Nice work, MotherWol.

I'm also interested to find out what Simply Clean is. Off to Google.

The lurgy has struck here, I am feeling sorry for myself and fairly certain DS is too as he’s already had two naps this morning which even by his standards is impressive! (Note - said naps last 40 mins max so it’s mostly settling him rather than getting anything done!)

Yesterday’s item was some outgrown nappies which went to a lady at my baby group, she was really grateful so that was nice. I’m having a go at DD’s bedroom today. I don’t expect to get rid of anything but I’m hopeful it will look less cluttered. I do need to remove some outgdown clothes but currently have nowhere to put them!

Will catch up with the thread properly later.

@chloechloe - My labelmaker is a bit of an oldie but it does the job and is pretty simple. It's a Dymo Letra Tag.

Thanks sandandsea, I’ll check it out, simple is what I’m after!

I think I have a dyno labelmaker too. I love it. It's very simple. You type the words and it prints them.

respberryblonde sorry to hear that you're now getting this. I'm a regular on this thread and a diet thread and it really feels like more people have got colds / flu this year than normal. So far we haven't got anything in my house and I'm desperately hoping, now I'm on my own, I won't suffer from anything.

Anyway you're all doing really well (especially keiki with a newborn) and it's lovely reading about it. I have just put about 30 children's books in a pile to go. I don't have any decent carrier bags to put them in so am going to have to go shopping just to buy some carrier bags or I'll have to put them in about 6 very flimsy Sainsbury's bags.

I am also going back to the schoolbooks and artwork that I started looking at about a fortnight ago.

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself.

I have today changed my razor and toothbrush heads. All I had to do was go to my bathroom cupboard, pull out the box and there they were! I no longer have loads of random, dusty crap all over the place. I have exactly what I need and it's all organised.

I also need to change the shower head. It's had a good run but is now past cleaning and I actually cut myself on it today. Guess what? I've already got the new one lined up and I know where it is!!!

It's taken me YEARS to learn this stuff.

(Thanks for reading. If I shared this with anyone I know in real life, they would absolutely rip the piss.)

@pippistrelle - I've started storing new toiletries outside the bathroom. They're still nearby and easily accessible but you have to think about it in advance - you can't grab them from the shower. It makes us (I mean DP) finish what's there before we start on the new ones.

I’ve been in my wardrobe! First time in months - all the stuff I actually wear is hanging from the handles
Decided o put four scarves I didn’t remember I had (and obviously never wear) into a charity bag. Two pairs of gifted still tagged gloves for eBay too. Good couple of hours work

Brilliant Sandandsea

Thank you everyone but honestly, all my decluttering proves is how bad my house is! Today I've only decluttered 3 cardboard boxes.

Sounds great @SandAndSea; that kind of organization and time saving is exactly what I'm aiming for with decluttering.
Today I decluttered the top of the tallboy in my bedroom and threw out some random items from there.

About eight tops for charity bag too - my weeks work is done!

I chucked an old favourite top out today as I've repaired numerous holes in it over the years. Sad to see it go.