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

Thanks stealth, that's lovely of you to say :) I genuinely wouldn't even be getting to any of those sorts of jobs if it wasn't checking in here each day and this helping keeping me to account. And handles are pretty easy aren't they? I took ours off and I think Ive bought same sized ones to replace with haha, I hope anyway!

5 loads is good going willow! Sorry to hear mini willows have bugs too now :(
Got a few loads to do myself this afternoon, set one going before coming out so that's a start at least. DH not passed his test yet so I'm currently sat at the side of the swimming baths as designated driver with no inclination to be a beached whale haha

This week has gone way too quickly, don't want to go back to work on Monday!!

greenwillow despite the disease and pestilence in your abode you are doing really well. 5 washes? Duvet out? I'm so glad you seem OK. And yes I did laugh about the hoover.

WoogleCone glad the thread is helping. I actually haven't decluttered anything today although I have my eye on a postit note on the desk that can be binned. That's quite an embarrassing effort. I will look for something else bigger.

I have spent my day changing handles and by the time I made two trips to Wickes to buy the handles and a new drill bit I had only done 6 and created mess all over the upstairs of the house. All of our fitted cupboards have door handles to match the doors so my bedroom has 6 handles alone. I do like the new handles but will have to paint the doors and I know then I'll end up doing the skirting boards and all woodwork!

May I join? I'm trying to get my house sorted. Made good progress over the last couple of days but it's a big job. Moving house again this summer and determined not to move stuff that's still in boxes from two moves ago... We move every 1-2 years for my DHs job.

Today's outgoings... A big box of bottles to the bottle bank, and 20euros of deposit bottles returned to the shop.

My poor almost 2 year old has had gastro this week so have only just managed to keep up with washing and cleaning, didn't do any decluttering at all. Have a very busy month ahead including both DD's birthdays but will try to let go of the same number of items that join the house.

The things I find hardest to let go of are books (I often re-read my favourites) and clothes. I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for the past 4 years so have seen a lot of fluctuations in my body shape and size. I keep holding onto pre-pregnancy clothes thinking I might get back into them once my boobs shrink again. But maybe not and they will probably be out of fashion by then anyway. Im sick of having a full wardrobe but nothing to wear so am going to try to be more ruthless with my closet.

Oh dear Zippety, when little ones are ill I think it is just about survival! My 1 year old has chicken pox and a virus and the rest of us have the virus and feel so miserable! My husband as I are in grumpy competition about who is most ill!!

Got to venture to the supermarket later so might try and swing by the tip with a few old bits, although typically the usual road is closed and the diversion takes ages!

Anyone further through this process, does getting rid of little and often really make a difference?! Need inspiration!

It does get easier flower! I found that I needed to tackle one area so that I had a usable work space. For me it was the kitchen table, used to always just be filled with rubbish so we cleared that with the intention of eating at it shock horror haha and from then I've used it to take a pile of other crap from various rooms to sift through, chuck or decide on a forever home but always keep it clear again afterwards. The other pile might have been a box of filing that I've either filed or shredded or a bedside drawer or something.
Little and often definitely works, especially when you have small kids!

Not much decluttering at our house this week, but we have done a lot at FiL's. He's increasingly frail so we've rearranged the house to give him a downstairs bedroom and cleared out a lot of stuff at the same time. DH is booking the council to collect some big bits of furniture as well.

I should be decluttering today but am absolutely knackered so taking the kids to the cinema instead while dh goes shopping for new clothes. I've got a box lined up as my target for tomorrow.

Welcome aroundtheworld. It sounds like you made a good start.

zippety clothes are hard. It is really hard to tell if something is still in fashion or not when you've had it for years and still wear it. I did loads of googling about what I should wear for my figure and chucked out some of the stuff that is less flattering. You could always uploads a photo here and ask for our opinion? Books are also hard and I think I said in about thread 4 I was going to start reading library books. Must get onto that....

I agree with wooglecone. I sometimes take a surface or window ledge and clear it. I've got a dining table and kitchen table I can eat at pretty much all the time which is amazing but I do declutter them because they accumulate receipts and lists and brochures that need to be thrown out.

I have just decluttered a book, board game and jigsaw puzzle. The game and puzzle take nearly a whole cube in our shelving system so will be replaced with stuff on top of the shelving system. It'll make a big difference.

I’ve managed to sort out 2 kitchen drawers, and started on the collection of jars and tubs on top of the cupboards. My colleagues are helping reduce the marmalade mountain, and I’ve put a few empty jars in the recycling (marmalade making relative has plenty and needs no encouragement!).
I’ve given a few folders that held my uni notes to a friend’s DC, surprised how difficult it was to part with them!
More difficult still was an attempt to cull the bookshelves with music magpie. “This item is not required” “not this one” “2p” “no one else wants this drivel either”... 12 rejected books and an offer of 2p! I gave up, depressed. Another box for the charity shop, and a good reason to join stealth, and get a new library card.
On the plus side, the kitchen is now a lot tidier, cleaner (and easier to keep clean) and generally less overwhelming and depressing. The rest of the house is definitely a work in progress still, though...

Shredded enough paperwork this morning to floor the guinea pig hutch.

Also 'decluttered' the end of the sloe gin last night. Does that count?

Part exchanged car last week so had to declutter all the —crap— stuff I’d forgotten was there under the false boot floor. This puts me well into next week items wise! Promised myself new car will acquire less stuff

Yesterday... Daughter's birthday party. Used party bags I had in my box of unused stuff rather than buying new ones which matched theme.

Today... Kids have decluttered a plate by dropping on the floor.

Hey everyone!

With the intention of filing away the paperwork pile on the counter I ended up sifting through all the folders and got a huge pile of shredding done. Folders are no longer fit to burst and the shelf is also thankful!

Another bag of textiles started and the fourth coat on the living room door. That bloody varnish is taking soooo much covering. I'm cursing starting it and I haven't even done the other side of the door yet.

Few other bits tidied up but the shredding is my accomplishment for today :)

An old piece of furniture has gone to in laws to continue its useful life rather than sitting in the garage. Some ‘tiny baby’ sensory toys have been put away but doesn’t count as they’ve been replaced with others. I’m trying to talk DH out of buying more toy storage as we will just expand to fill it and there are only so many toys 2 children need!

I’ve found a load of toothbrush and shaving kits from hotels which I’m thinking of passing onto food bank although I’ll have to check them first as suspect some are woefully out of date. I’ve worked my way through most of the hoarded mini shampoo but have enough soap to last roughly forever!

Glad you’re standing up to Pestilance Willow. I aspire to not having double stacked books but we’re a long way off. I mainly read from library but people buy me books as gifts and I have loads of book tokens at the moment too. MrsElf I was sooo disappointed how little books are worth...the best I was offered was £5 but that was fir a very specialised book, everything else was 5p!

Finished off a bag of trail mix which came back from Disney with us 18 months ago!

Dropped off for a few days, as I just had my first solo holiday in forever! DH and DD appear to have been having a great time without me, and it was so nice to just be able to do touristy things and explore at my own pace, without having to deal with toddler mealtimes and early mornings. I also resisted the urge to bring back loads of souvenirs, and just got some nice foodie things that we'll enjoy but use up, as well as a book for DD.

One thing out today - the book I took away with me to read. Didn't get on with it, so it's gone in the charity bag. Also the small amount of change that I didn't spend, into the charity collection.

Welcome aroundtheworld! Willow, so good to hear DH is on the mend. I'm amazed that you've been able to keep going under the circumstances!

twokitties sloegin definitely counts!

aroundtheworldin80moves awesome decluttering - it's great when you use stuff you already had rather than buy new. I am like that with gift bags and birthday cards now that I have put them all in one place.

Still going slowly for me. One old nightdress in the pile yesterday and today a bra and a dress. Tomorrow I'll get back to doing half an hour in an area. Hopes no-one mentions the many piles of diy, drill, screws old door handles, new door handles dotted around the house as I've got bored with the project

OK, I've demoted a pillow into the dog bed and thrown away the squalid object that was in there before.

The dog may never forgive me though.

2 pairs of socks out. I also put 3 pillows in the dog bed last week so will goof out some of the tank disgustingness from his bed tomorrow!

I sorted out the music!!

Sorry, got over-excited there. The heap included things like 'Ten tiny fingers - exercises for pre-grade 1'. My youngest child is late teens and has hands like shovels.

I have loads of sheet music TwoKitties, must have a sort through. I’ve been hanging onto it for DD in case she takes up something when she’s older but some is probably not worth keeping as all teachers seem to have their preferred schemes.

Lurgy has struck us, DD has a cough and DS a temperature and is currently asleep on me. I had promised DD a trip to the park after school so she won’t be impressed.

Decluttered a few old magazines from the living room last night. I did have a charity bag set to go but have a nasty feeling DD found it and liberated several things...