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

Found and chucked: 3 oven shelves that don't fit mine and a broken pedestal fan.

You're on fire Penelope!! Shame about the coffee maker being broken BUT it's not taking up space on your work surfaces now so silver lining!

No problem extant, if you find yourself in need of one just send me a message and I'd be happy to oblige :) in fact that offer is to anyone, need to declutter old tech to usb? I have sticks!!
Due on 24th extant, 38+2 today so anytime now really, although I haven't dropped yet so I dont think anytime soon .

Going to try crack on with painting one of these doors today, getting them done is taking waaayy to long so we'll see what happens today!

Thanks Woogle. I am doing a bit for a change
But you are 38 weeks and still painting....such energy!

Sounds like you have a bit of a plan now Extant. That is half the battle. It’s great to think we would make money selling our stuff but the reality is that most people have far too much stuff anyway and there is little value in a lot of things.

Nothing much achieved here yesterday but on Friday I cleared out the blanket box at the end of my bed. In that box was two small boxes of random crap and jewellery and a plastic basket and a pile of bras and pants that don’t fit. Most new. Blanket box is now empty ready for bedding. I now have the two small boxes downstairs and I will go through them today. The underwear is in the wardrobe with some other aspirational clothes. One of the small boxes will definitely go but I might hang on to the other one.

Penelope- sounds like you are doing well!

Nothing out yesterday, as we were at the school fair. However all that came home with us was 2 bags of sweets as fortunately DD didn’t spot the stall selling ‘pocket money toys’. So I’m counting that as a win! Today the plan is decluttering weeds etc from the garden. We’re hoping to get a new patio laid so need the rest of the garden a bit tidier so we can enjoy it!

Hope you are feeling better today Extant, I agree it’s hard to get rid of stuff when you feel like it should be worth something. I have quite a few things like that which I’m putting off dealing with.

I’m intrigued by using the coffee pods Penelope but realistically have no use for the information! Annoying about the machine though.

Woogle I wish I had your energy. Mind you 10 months into my second non sleeping child being 38 weeks pregnant feels like it wasn’t too bad really.

I need to do freezer defrosting as well Stealth but we are a long way off being able to have one empty (two small ones) despite my best efforts. Mine is full of things that I have bought DH for lunches when he’s working from home which he doesn’t eat because he doesn’t fancy it that particular day and then stay in the freezer for ages because he forgets about them. I find this wanting something in particular for lunch very weird as I just have whatever needs using up!

Am an avid declutterer, who perhaps took things a little too far last year.

Have totally decluttered my house over the course of two years (thank you Marie Kondo ) I was made an, off market, cash offer for my house and all the furniture.

With nothing else on the market, I bought a much smaller cottage in a local village and landed there in December.

I now have two declutter linked problems and no idea how to solve them.

So please does anyone have any idea how I can get rid of dozens of back up disks loaded with sensitive data, along with several old computer hard disks ?

Also how do I get over my reluctance to purchase any furniture for my new house. I know that a general reluctance to purchase ‘things’ is one of the common side effects of extreme decluttering. I am now the same with clothes, books, etc. But I really do need some furniture in this house.

Has anyone else overcome this issue ?

I’m intrigued by using the coffee pods Penelope but realistically have no use for the information!
Well, I won't tell you then, RaspberryBlonde I opened the pod and put the coffee in my little teapot with removable strainer. After researching, I added only 50ml of almost boiling water, so as not to overbrew the coffee. Leave for about 3-4 minutes. Then pour into a cup, add more water and milk (and sugar....) It was much nicer than through the coffee machine as I had always previously chosen the full cup option and this apparently leads to overbrewed coffee. Who knew? Not me, anyway.

Sorry FlyingSouth but I'm still at the other end of this journey; I'm still getting rid of excess furniture. Have you got the minimum, like a bed and a sofa?

Haha thanks willow, definitely being kicked in the ribs so fingers crossed I'm ok 😂.
Not sure where the energy is coming from, but I've done coat 1 on the second side of door 1 and coat 1 on side 1 of door 2. Hopefully it'll be dry by later so I can whack a second coat on both.
DH has washed the windows and done some weeding.

Cup of tea time!

penelope I was also intrigued even though I had no use for the information either!

Why do you have a teapot? Surely people don't have them this century. it's unnecessary clutter. GET RID OF IT!

Wow after 7 decluttering threads I have turned bossy and shouty

PenelopeFlinstone

Bed yes, although it took 8 weeks to arrive, Sofa no. The latter is on order though.

It is the rest I am struggling with. I think it is because it is so hard to dispose of clutter, that I am determined never to have anything else in my house again that I don’t love.

As you have to buy most things online these days I am worried about hating it when it arrives and not being able to send it back.

I have also developed a ‘love my space and clean lines’ mentality through the decluttering process.

Why do you have a teapot? Surely people don't have them this century. it's unnecessary clutter. GET RID OF IT! Ha ha!! I almost did but if I had I wouldn't be able to use all these pods which I foolishly let in to my house last week. It's a Japanese teapot for brewing one cup of loose leaf tea. I hadn't used it in 15 years.

You are right to be worried, FlyingSouth as I bought a new sofa and armchairs and I hate them - it wasn't even an online purchase.

Like this. Cute.

penelope that is beautiful. I see why you have it.

What format are the backup discs in flyingsouth? I had some floppy discs and I physically destroyed them in my hands and put different bits in different bags even though I didn't think anyone could put them back together (or would even want to).

Probably you could pay someone to wipe them. If they're work related then you probably have an obligation to.

I have 3 teapots.

My dad likes a pot of tea as does MIL.

Also have a similar one to Penelope’s although not as pretty.

@Flyingsouthwiththeswallows - It sounds like you are further along than most (all?) of us. As for the hard disks though, do you mean hard drives, taken out of a PC? If yes, you can drill them.

I’m not going to confess to how many teapots I own. They’re job related though, and most of them live in my cupboard in the office rather than at home.

I’ve bagged up another 2 bags worth of clothes and another large box full of coat hangers today (where do all the coat hangers come from? do they breed?). Plus I sorted through the writing paper/birthday card/gift wrap drawer.

However, I did buy a new fitted sheet and a clock for the kitchen

StealthNinjaMum they are CD’s rather than Floppy disks. You are right maybe I do need to pay someone to wipe them.

Thanks SandandSea i also have hard disks taken out of a computer and hadn’t thought of drilling them.

I suspect I am further along the decluttering journey than quite a few, but actually am very surprised by how the process has changed me. I have probably disposed of over 1/2 of my personal possessions as well as the last house and furniture.

My spending patterns have changed dramatically. I now only buy things I really need, rather than things I fancy and that extends to clothing as well as household items.

If I am honest I think it has probably all gone a bit far, but I don’t know how to stop it.

As if to prove our point... I had a PM today from a 'buyer' asking me if an item is still available. I replied that it is and asked if they'd like to come and see it. Then, nothing! I've followed it up and... still nothing!

I don't get it at all.

Apart from that, I've got some underwear and a dress going out today.

Hi flyingsouth, for CDs I would just snap them! Or stick a bunch in an old pillow case and take a hammer to them. There's no coming back from a drill through a hard drive too :)

Managed to get coat 1 done on side 2 of door 2 this afternoon and SOME cleaning of horrid sticky masking tape from the done side of door 1. It's going to take bloody hours though.
Will do another coat on each side done today again tomorrow. Thankfully 2 coats should be enough for door 2 to be able to get it rehung on Tuesday when it's dry.

Had eggs going off so whipped up a Victoria sponge this afternoon in-between painting and bits. Also managed to get DDs pram cleaned up properly and it's now spick and span ready for wooglette :)

Sorry, Flying, I wasn't responding to you then - your post only appeared after I'd posted.

Crumbs, Woogle, you're doing ever such a lot atm. Don't overdo it, will you?

Re. CDs, I have tended to gouge them with a knife, in lines.

Promise I'm not overdoing it sand :)
DH is doing all the lifting and carrying, turning the doors around etc.

I can report that I'm resting now and enjoying the Victoria sponge