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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Part 7 of the decluttering challenge - can you get rid of one item a day?

987 replies

StealthNinjaMum · 06/03/2019 12:16

Back again!

A group of mumsnetters have been emptying our homes, gradually decluttering our homes by getting rid of one item a day.

We’re very green and like to recycle, sell, give away and sometimes eat our clutter I’m still alive after the 8 year old gherkins.

Newbies are welcome to join us. We just get rid one thing and come back to update everyone on our progress, get support when it gets hard, and suggest new household systems and ways of doing things.

The most exciting thread on mumsnet. In this thread @SandandSea will tell us what she’s going to do with her big plastic sheet…..

Previous thread is here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3463110-New-home-for-the-new-year-still-getting-rid-of-one-item-a-day-part-6?pg=40

OP posts:
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14
WoogleCone · 09/04/2019 15:30

Headlights willow?!?! Shock

Neeeeeeeeed

IWillWearTheGreenWillow · 09/04/2019 16:10

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Peridot1 · 09/04/2019 16:33

Nice new vacuum Willow! We recently replaced our Dyson and the new one is much better than the old even though I really liked the old one.

A bag to the charity shop today which included some of the stuff that was on the dining table.

Lots more to be done though.

VictoriaBun · 09/04/2019 17:01

Lots of duvet sets and sheets and a pile of towels off to the charity shop today !

StealthNinjaMum · 09/04/2019 17:03

That's so amazing willow. Very jealous.

I have been doing more shredding. About a year ago stbexh gave me a bag of papers to shred and I've been working my way through it over the last year. It was a huge amount and I have almost finished. I've also found a couple of books to go.

OP posts:
TailsoftheManyPaws · 09/04/2019 17:28

I got a skip. Today I've decluttered part of a fence, 8 doors, three feet of concrete and a pergola.

I can't help feeling that's somehow not in the spirit.

IWillWearTheGreenWillow · 09/04/2019 18:15

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TailsoftheManyPaws · 09/04/2019 18:34

I think I'm a good way off that happy day, Willow!

cantstopeating01 · 09/04/2019 20:35

Off to a good start and I threw out some tubes of cosmetics , put aside some frying pans to be brought to the tip and some Mton brown soap and hand creams that have been on a window ledge in en-suite for perhaps 3 years .

vroc81 · 09/04/2019 22:48

Thanks stealth...! DD crafty stuff shelf tidied and all art works into recycling bin except the two on the fridge and some used up bits and pieces from the shelf in the bin...

I too now want a hoover with headlights!

WoogleCone · 10/04/2019 08:00

willow should definitely get commission if we all end up buying a new shark haha!

I didn't end up getting anything out yesterday i did have the long bath though Blush
I can make up for it today though, outs will include a salad dressing bottle spinny thingy that's never been used and a couple of candle holders. Will aim for more though!

cantstopeating01 · 10/04/2019 08:27

I like the sound of the vacuum cleaner . I need one for dog hairs . I put on a sweater for work this morn thought it looked tired and not fit so took it off and put it in a new bag for charity . Or should I bin ?

Cottipus · 10/04/2019 14:44

Willow that vacuum cleaner sounds great! As soon as I have suitable cupboard space for one upstairs I think I will invest. I love my Shark steam mop and recently I was very excited to obtain a vax carpet cleaner. But I have nowhere to store said cleaning items at the mo- so i feel it goes against the spirit of the thread to buy things without space to store them.

Was working Mon/Tues this week so no decluttering done then. Today I have thrown away some batteries and an old dongle and tidied my bedside cabinet organiser, and donated some bottles of lager to my parents which are due to expire soon.

Hopefully some builders are coming by this week to quote for installing french doors in our lounge.

Gibble1 · 10/04/2019 20:03

Very interested in the shark so will go and look shortly. My Dustin has finally died. I have to dismantle it and clean out the dog hair every time I hoover- it is just not getting into the cylinder any more 😩

IWillWearTheGreenWillow · 10/04/2019 20:36

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StealthNinjaMum · 10/04/2019 22:23

ManyPaws that's great news, I can't remember when I last had a day like that very jealous. Personally I see one item as a minimum and many of us find that we end up chucking out more than one item (but obviously don't feel bad if we only do one item) if we spend ten minutes decluttering. I often set a timer for 15 minutes and often find I end up spending an hour doing it. I hate the idea of decluttering / housework but quite enjoy it once I've started.

cantstopeating01 some charity shops make money from selling 'rags' i.e. clothing / material that's not good enough to be sold so you could go in and ask. I have a favourite charity shop and I put the rags in a bag and label them so they don't have to spend time working out they're rags.

Which reminds me.... today's item is a pair of child's trousers with a big hole. I also need to sort through dd2s trousers as she seems to have had a growth spurt and grown out of them.

OP posts:
cantstopeating01 · 10/04/2019 22:31

Stealth I'm the same . One I start I enjoy and feel great achievement but it's the starting that's the hardest . I did a little in sons room but need him-to come home and help .

TailsoftheManyPaws · 11/04/2019 07:46

I’ve started more moderately today by getting rid of a bunch of manky disposable razor ends from under the sink.

Sympathy about the son‘s room! I need DS to decide what he’s doing with dozens of magazines.

RaspberryBlonde · 11/04/2019 08:36

As predicted Easter holidays have put paid to decluttering this week! Although DD found some socks that don’t fit in her drawer this morning so they can go at least.

Will catch up with thread properly later.

WoogleCone · 11/04/2019 08:59

Morning everyone!

Yesterday was reasonably successful in the end, in a charity bag went a vase, wax tart melty bird shaped thingy, wooden decorative sign and a never used salad dressing spinny bottle thing.

Started packing my hospital bag yesterday too which lead to throwing out 5 bottles of various old toiletries and a few other bits and bobs from the bathroom cabinet.

We'll see what is achieved today, usually my alone day but DH is sick so not going to work. Was hoping to do some wardrobe clearing but i imagine he'll be in bed for a good while.

Oooh my mum's Xmas present arrived too! Officially started Xmas shopping haha GrinGrin

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/04/2019 09:06

Two huge bags to the Charity Shop.

WoogleCone · 11/04/2019 18:38

Evening all!

Despite DH being at home all day I actually got a fair bit done. Did get into the wardrobes before he went up to nap so added into the charity shop bag are three jigsaws and two board games.

Threw out a knackered pair of DHs shoes, a broken bag of mine, few more old and gross toiletries (also went back to the bathroom cabinet and actually cleaned it), and just been through the CDs and got rid of the packaging like we did with the DVDs.

Overall I'm pretty happy with today. Had eggs needing using too so two Victoria sponges made.

That lot should see me through the weekend until I can carry on in Tuesday!

Good to know about rags at charity shops stealth, I'll ask if the one in the village does it here, good idea!

Annasgirl · 12/04/2019 10:30

Doing a mad declutter to-day - we had a skip as our garden fence came down and it is being collected tomorrow so I am scanning the house for items I can dump! And the sun is shining. But I have only one more hour until DC home so I am posting here to make sure I finish it up. I will post a list later.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 12/04/2019 10:38

Finally over my bug in time for school holidays to start (two hours until the school bus arrives).

This morning DH asked me where the clothes recycling bags were... As he decided he had too many t-shirts to fit in his drawer.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 12/04/2019 11:26

I then made the mistake of letting DH go to Lidl unsupervised...