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

Woogle - love the stockings. They are really lovely. And I’m sure the feeling of having finished them is fab. I used to do a bit of crafting when we lived overseas as a friend was really into sewing and quilting. I did quite a bit of cross stitch too. Got rid of a huge pile of fabrics etc last year. Think there is still a drawer of stuff in the spare bedroom though.

Not much achieved here his weekend. I did finish my book so it’s now in the out pile.

A friend popped over for coffee yesterday afternoon so I concentrated on tidying and cleaning the kitchen/sitting area and vacuuming.

Still haven’t tackled the basket so I’ll do that today. And I want to get on with the next section of my wardrobe. I had hoped to have the wardrobe done by the end of the weekend so really want to get it finished this week.

Also need to go into DS’s bedroom with a rubbish bag. He is doing A levels and studying really hard with an accompaniment of drinks and snacks and he never brings the rubbish down.

It’s interesting how children don’t seem as attached to books as we think. We did a huge clearout of DS’s years ago but I have held onto a box of the ones I loved. Must revisit it and see if I still want them.

extant76 call me sad but having a clear dining room table really makes me happy. We don't even use it that often but it's lovely to walk into the house and see lovely clear oak table ahead of you.

We still have hundreds of children's books but I'm pleased that dc aren't hanging onto these things - and also that I involved them in the decision so they don't feel I am throwing their stuff out.

I am going to do a Big List later but I think my main focus this week is to sort through some of the papers that have started to appear on surfaces.

woogle I forgot to say I love the stockings.

peridot it's such a revelation about books. Both mine love books. I was really sad about Stickman going but they weren't bothered.

Stealth DS loved books when he was younger. Not now sadly. And he is doing English literature at A level! Weird.

Thanks everyone glad to get that stuff out of the sewing box. I have a reasonable amount of wadding left over that's taking up some space but for some reason can't quite part with it yet. A lot of my stuff is left over craft stuff peridot, I have at least three boxes of hobbies gone by. Do I really need the embossing powders?

So after my little cleaning stint this morning I've done another two loads of laundry, all dried, folded and put away. Cleaned the inside of our bedroom window, hoovered and dusted the bedroom too. Threw a few bits away that had fallen down the back of the bedside, makeup sponges etc. Our wardrobes are sliding doors, full ceiling to floor length mirrors so I washed them down too. Just need DH to move the bed so I can hoover down the back then our room will be ready for new arrival.

Consulted the master to do list and annoyingly have started several of the jobs on there but yet to finish and be able to cross any off!! Must stop flitting around!

After the mass book cull of 2018 were ok on that front but DDs collection is humongous. They'll stick around as hand me downs though. I'm a lot more sentimental about hers than mine.

Great work on the dining room extant, I love a clear table!

You sound like you are getting loads done Woggle!

I tackled the basket that I’d filled on Friday. A bag of stuff for the tip. A bag to go to the charity shop. And the rest was clothes to wash. So that was easy. Washing done. It was dressy stuff from my wardrobe cull.

I then did a bit more of the wardrobe. Another black bag of clothes ready to go. A pile of plastic boxes that I had boots stored in have been moved to the garage ready to go to the tip. They are all slightly flattened so no use to anyone sadly.

One more hanging section in the wardrobe to do. Then it’s the boxes on the top.

Most of my summer stuff is in the spare room and it is in a bit of a mess so all needs washing and sorting.

Am definitely feeling like I’m getting somewhere. Bit by bit. I used t be able to knuckle down and spend a whole day or morning or whatever on one task but I don’t seem to have the attention span anymore so this way of tackling big jobs in stages is really working well for me.

You sound like you're getting a fair lot done too peridot!

So far this morning I've tidied up the kitchen again (how does it get so messy so quickly!!!) Have also gone through my basket of nail varnishes. Turned it into a game for DD throwing stuff in the bin. Turns out she's more ruthless than I am 😂 left over bits I'm keeping went into the bedside cabinet and now I have an empty basket. Going to ponder its usefulness and if no good, it'll go too. So that's about 15 varnishes out.

I got the main craft box out too, DD had lost interest at that point though so it's just sat on my bed now. Initial look says I probably have enough stuff to make a batch of Xmas cards which will save me buying any this year. This will have to come after my main to do list though! There's plenty in there too thats left over from making wedding stationery 6 years ago!! That can definitely go. So watch this space on that box, may even be able to condense that and the sewing box into one!

A few things out this week - I sorted out a bag of DD's clothes for the baby bank, and have been moth spraying as much as I can. Unfortunately the house is in a worse state than it was - DH left moving his stuff until the day before the decorators were due to come, and it's looking very cluttered. I kept asking him to do it in good time, and try and declutter as he went, but he kept putting it off . We're just not on the same page about it, and it's incredibly frustrating.

The stockings are lovely Woogle. Sounds like you’re getting some good nesting done!

I tidied DD’s bedroom again which is never ending. A few bits of paper and an Easter card gone. Her toy box no longer shuts properly, so I’m going to get her t go through what’s in there and hopefully cull some...it’s mainly soft toys some of which have never been touched! Also out were three empty bottles from the bathroom.

Sounds like good progress Peridot. I am slightly in awe of anyone organised enough to have a summer and a winter wardrobe and to find time to change them over! Good luck to your DS with his exams.

Well done on the clear dining tables. Weirdly that is about the one bit of our house that isn’t cluttered! It’s the layout of the house rather than any effort on my part though, it’s not convenient enough to leave stuff there!

Raspberry- me too and I assure you I am not one of them! I was in Australia in Nov and got back early Dec. Everything got washed and dumped on the bed in the spare bedroom. Then when I needed to get the room ready for visitors at Christmas I dumped it all into a couple of drawers in the wardrobe and there it has remained! If I’d sorted it all properly I wouldnt need to rewash it all now. It’s that or iron it all and washing is easier!

One size 10 skisuit departed. I last went skiing and was size 10 before teenage DD was born.

Had an unexpected couple of hours to myself this afternoon as MIL dropped in and took DD out for a bit so I continued with the craft box.
One full bag of rubbish later, the craft and sewing boxes are now condensed into one i may or may not have gotten slightly sidetracked and made 6 Xmas cards at the same time

Good work on the skisuit tails, I imagine that's freed up some good space?

Wheres your 'dump all' spot raspberry if it's not the dining table? mines the dining table and the console by the front door and my bedside table 😂

Considering some ironing, also considering sitting and eating cake now. Choices, choices!

My to do list is a bit crazy atm but I have managed to do some shredding - old financial docs etc.

I'm also back to having boxes on the stairs!!!! They're all empty... but I might need them.

Feeling bad as I haven't got around to writing my to do list! I had a sick child today and yesterday did a bit of housework but only really threw away gone off cheese and a few old bits of post. I know they count as clutter but I really love the satisfying decluttering when a space is visibly clearer.

I'm cooking dinner late tonight with a notepad in my hand to do a list for this week and next week. I think the four day week stops me doing much (excuses excuses).

SandandSea no no no! You know an empty box becomes a full box. Get rid of them.

Stealth - But I really might need them...

(Changing the subject) I have got my eye on a basket. It's got diy stuff in it temporarily but, now I've cleared out my diy box, I should be able to decant things into it, which means the basket could go. I'm typing this whilst cooking dinner but plan to sort this soon-ish. ... The trouble is... I love a basket. ... I'm going to have to be strong. I will report back.

Update: I'm pleased to write that the basket is now on the 'out' pile. This is especially good news as it has been hanging around, with random diy stuff in it, for far too long. Even more good news is that I've remembered another, much bigger, basket which is also now on its way out.

Next on my list:

Another bundle of receipts to go through.
Some household filing.
Some very old school books.
(I'm avoiding the boxes on the stairs.)

I'll be back.

Hmm, good question Woogle! It's probably the desk, although the kitchen drawer is a close second. DH has an annoying habit of tidying up by just putting things out of sight and then forgetting about them.

Well done on the baskets SandandSea. I want to tell you to be strong on the boxes but I also love them

I too have empty boxes SandandSea. They are just so useful!

So yesterday I did the final hanging section in the wardrobe. Today I will get DH to help me get the boxes down from the top and sort them. I have a few things hanging in the back of the door to try on before i decide if they go or stay. I’ll do that today otherwise they are likely to stay there for months knowing me.

DH did a tip run yesterday so quite a bit went from the garage. He also dropped two black bags to the charity box for me. I’m still not going out due to black and blue face although it’s improved thankfully.

Yesterday afternoon I also tackled a side table that has become a dumping ground for me for magazines and papers. Sorted through and now have a pile to read through and I got rid of some. Will read through one a day as suggested by someone up the thread.

Also had a look at our old video camera which has been hanging around for ages waiting for me to decided what to do with it. I recharged it and discovered it works, there is nothing on the discs we had with it which I junked. I will see if i can sell it or put it on Freecycle. Not sure there is a market for video cameras any more. Was hoping to find some film of DS when he was little but I think we hardly used it.

Good work sand!
Boxes are definitely dangerous, as are baskets! The basket I emptied yesterday has gone in the wardrobe, I really ought to just get rid. But do I need it to put baby things in?!

Raspberry, my work desk is terrible for this, mainly because it's shared between 4 people and the small pieces of paper drive me nuts 😂 We'll see what it all looks like in 10 months 😂

DD at nursery now, I'm waiting around for SIL to be done at the docs though as I promised to help her make a costume. (This is the proper one, not the practise one we did a few weeks ago). So not sure what I'll get done today in the house, I'm aiming to be home by lunch so depending on how long it takes I may have some time later.

This week is dragging big time, basically waiting for DH to finish work (last day tomorrow) so that I can actually get some of the bigger jobs done I need his help with. Next week should be nicely productive.

Come on ladies. DUMP THE BOXES!

I emptied four big plastic boxes of doom when I did my paperwork 18 months ago and I gave two away and have two and they're still empty. Unless you're planning on moving you really don't need them!

Stealth - You'll be pleased to read that I've emptied and binned a box. (Disclaimer: It wasn't one of the ones on the stairs.)

I've also made a mango cake, using up some tinned mangoes (which, it turns out, are not a patch on fresh ones). I'm sure we will manage to force it down, one way or another.

Well done SandandSea you really didn't need it.

I have made a Big list but have not really done any tidying. I got though a few admin jobs though. I also deleted and sorted through 1000 emails and updated my diary with a few dates.

As I write this I see an old sudoku puzzle and a sudoku book. The book can go to charity and the puzzle can go in the bin.

Hey everyone.
Costume making took forever so I spent the vast majority of the day at MILs house. The dress is done though and looks great on SIL, she's happy so I'm happy. My back isn't thanking me now though.
I decided to treat with pizza for tea as a reward to myself haha.

So no decluttering here today, will tidy the kitchen later as DF is visiting in the morning though.

Enjoy your evening ladies!

Ah boxes! Now I could wax lyrical about my weakness for boxes/baskets/storage crates .... I spent years accumulating all manner of containers in the hope that my stuff being organised would help somehow. It didn’t of course. Only in the last year have I been ruthless enough to get rid of the boxes so that my clutter no longer has anywhere to hide. It’s definitely helped (although I still have a weakness for a handy box or really pretty basket 😳).

Speaking of which - I have a couple of empty plastic storage crates I’ve been keeping in the garage and I think it’s time to let them go!

Peridot funny you should mention about the video camera. I have an old camera that I can’t fathom what to do with so just keep shoving out of sight. You have motivated me to deal with it (we do have tapes with footage on though, so might have to find someone to digitise them for me 🤔)

A poor day of decluttering for me. Just my grey hairs decluttered when I got my hair done. Oh - and some frozen green beans which have been languishing in the freezer for too long so used those up in a curry for dinner.

Will have to do better tomorrow!