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

[StealthNinjaMum]

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

Bagful to charity shop (clothes/household)

Tidied up small room, demanded that Dh go and admire it and swoon over my hard work (he did - almost convincingly )

I didn’t get much done yesterday other than washing really. Decided to concentrate on taking it easy and reading my book so it can go in the ‘out’ pile. That counts doesn’t it? Should finish it today.

Face still bruised and swollen under my eye. Grazes on nose and forehead more visible. Not as achy this morning though.

Today I will empty the basket of random stuff from the bedroom. And will try to get some more clothes out of my wardrobe.

Willow - sounds like loads yesterday. What books have you ordered? I have books on house and storage type stuff that I love to look through for inspiration. Problem is I don’t actually do anything! Also have loads on Pinterest.

wooglecone glad you had a nice last day at work.

70isalimitnotatarget sad news about the guinea pigs.

peridot hope you’re ok now, what a shock. It’s definitely your husband’s fault! He needs to bring you tea and biscuits until the bruises have gone down .

Munchmunch You were busy. would you recommend Music Magpie? Might put it on the first post. Might also mention Bravissimo too. I have an old sports bra I can send them that's been in a pile in the Room of Doom for weeks.

greenwillow that was a busy day. But productive. We have books everywhere so I need to something like that. I totally agree with Kondo to bring stuff together to see what you have and can get rid of.

I’ve been busy and actually made a difference.For weeks I’ve been doing diy jobs like changing door handles, painting, organising a new fence and then rearranging furniture. So I have filled the car up with old bits to go to the tip - some old tiles, bits of wood from the fence, various screws from doorhandles, electrical wires. I have also bagged up charity shop bric a brac that’s been hanging around and chucked out some children’s craft bits. So not much has left the house but it will do and the space it inhabited is clearer.

I’ve mainly just been tidying and putting things away like my drill and screwdrivers. The house feels much bigger and clearer.

Willow - Thanks for that bra info. I usually wear mine to death but have one which is really wrong on me, so I will be using that.

willow where should I send my bra? I have been on Bravissimo's website and found details of the scheme but not an address. I think we have an Oxfam shop near me and an underwear shop that recycle them too but a postal address would be really convenient.

Two things came in today: a coffee machine and a breadmaker. Both free so I couldn't resist.
But out went two very large photo frames and a single bed is going at the weekend too.

I've never used music magpie but after reading on here about it yesterday I did download the app and so far the very old dvds aren't anything (24p each etc) but it all adds up and I've got loads to go through so something is better than nothing and it's free to send so might as well take what I can get

I'm currently lounging on the settee still in my pjs so don't think I'll get much done before I have to take dd to her team mates fundraiser. I've decluttered a iced Madeira cake though

Well I got my fat arse up off the settee and scanned all the dvds I could find and will have about £16 coming in from music magpie. They're getting quite a few dvds for that £16, and to think back in the day some of those dvds were more than £16 to buy individually! At least they'll be out of the house. The ones that they didn't want can go to the charity shop.

Would they not sell for a quid each online, MunchMunch, if you've got the time? It must feel like robbery. I know this is why I have too much junk. The picture is me lecturing myself, but still - 24p

Thanks greenwillow maybe I won't put that address in op as bravissimo might be swamped with bras!

I have been going through books and have a pile of 51 children's books to go and it's the tip of the iceberg!

Another 15 books added to the pile. I think I'll miss Winnie The Witch more than dc, I used to love reading those books.

Another 50 books 'gone'. The piles are big but the book cases still don't look empty! That's it for today. I think I have done my 1 item!

Willow thanks for posting the address for sending bras. Mine are all ancient but still going strong (because I have nothing to speak of to fill them so they don’t work very hard ). My daughters on the other hand, are more generous of bosom and theirs have to be replaced quite often so good to know what I can do with outgrown ones.

We’ve finally completed the music magpie order. We kept finding more books and dvd’s to add to it. No doubt more will keep appearing so we’ll just start a new box for the next shipment. We literally get pennies for some of what we send but they’l otherwise go to the CS so we don’t really mind.

Speaking of which - 2 more carrier bags dropped to CS today.

Dining room of doom is looking better but my plan to have it clear by tomorrow means I have to haul myself back in there and finish sorting. My daughter keeps prodding me to do it as I told her in the interests of accountability - so she’ll make sure I don’t slack off 🙈.

Sounds like a good day extant76

My last post for the day but I think I've done enough for a week! I have just put two bras in an envelope for Bravissimo.

I also picked up some random bits of paper/ bills / receipts in the bedroom (one was actually an online order receipt from Bravissimo) and dining room and shredded them. I also found the instructions for a coffee machine that broke years ago.

Thanks for that address willow, I'll make a note of it for when I'm back to whatever my new normal will be. I've saved a bunch of bras but I expect they'll be no good in a year or so.

Well done stealth and extant, sounds like you've both had very productive days!

My boss let me borrow the work jetwasher the other day. Today DH set it up to have a play with and it's genuinely amazing. Were going to wash everything, drive, patio, back yard brick work. The lot. Started today and hopefully can do a bunch tomorrow too.

Today I got my sewing machine out and did some work on a project I started three years ago (children's Christmas stockings). It was odd because I bought and cut material for two even though we only had one at the time so it kinda feels like kismet that I'm finishing them in time for baby #2s first Xmas. So did all the quilting, just need to cut the fur trim tomorrow and finish them off. That will at least be some stuff out of the sewing box.

Hope everyone's having a lovely bank holiday!

We took DD swimming this morning. DH did some more jetwashing this afternoon and I've done some weeding. Then I did the fur cutting for the stockings. They're almost finished now, just a little hand sewing to do to get the trim secured on the inside.

Probably not much else on the cards today, it's game of thrones night tonight!

wooglecone that's so cool, I would have no idea how to use a sewing machine and it's lovely you'll have a finished thing rather than bits of material and fur lying around.

I spent ten minutes with dc this morning looking at the books we were chucking out. I said they could keep any they wanted and to my surprise they only wanted 7 and we found another 10 to go. So that's over 100 books in a pile. Lots will be going that I have an attachment too like Stick man and various others I've read a million times, I was surprised dc weren't as attached. I have a favourite charity shop but parking is tricky there so I imagine I'll slowly get rid of one or two bags a week until they've gone.

Thanks stealth and willow. Did my last bit of hand sewing after dinner so they're all done now. Hopefully a little pic has attached :)
I can put the machine away now and forget about it until I'm allowed hobbies again haha!

Wow! Woogle, they're really cool. Well done! I bet it feels great to get them done.

I don't have much to report, I'm afraid. (Been having a lovely BH weekend.) I have got rid of 1 plastic wallet and 2 aftershaves but, there's more to come.

Thanks sand :)

MIL put the fear in me yesterday with a 'well what if you go into labour tonight!'. She was talking really to DH as he's still at work this week and although I feel nowhere near popping, my need to sort has increased tenfold.
So so far this morning I've cleaned down the kitchen, taken out the recycling, put a load of laundry on and emptied and refilled the dishwasher.
Will get the hoover out later when DD is at nursery. Right, what else can I get my hands on now?!

Woogle I’m very impressed by the stocking creations - they look great! I so wish I’d been able to do something like that for my brood - alas I was at the back of the queue when creativity was being handed out 😬.

stealth I found the same when going through books with ds ... assumed he’d want to keep everything but he was surprisingly happy to get rid of quite a bit. I guess the children seeing us declutter is probably teaching them to be able to let go of things they no longer need/love/want 👍

Great work all on the ‘outs’.

I’m pleased to say that the dining room is now officially clear (okay - so there may be some detritus scattered about the house as a result 😳).

Still, got lots of odd bits out yesterday:
Old paint set and bundle of expired colouring pens/pencils.
Sorted through huge bag of old artwork /some recycled some had to be binned).
Soft toys and nik naks into a charity bag which will go tomorrow.
Scoured the house for anything else for rubbish/recycling collection today.
Probably some other bits but I should probably make a note as I go along as I have the memory span of a fly!

Today will tackle some more paperwork in small sessions in between work clients.

Have a great day all 😁