Decluttering one thing a day part 8 - the one where we de-tetris the cupboard of doom!

[WoogleCone]

Welcome! This is thread 8 of the declutter one thing a day challenge!

This is just holding the discussion open until @stealthninjamum gets her computer sorted and back in action :)

Everyone is welcome here, new and old. We implore you to join us on our mission to clear the cupboards, swipe the sides and declutter all debris!
We recycle, reuse, give away, donate or just plain chuck it out to help clear our spaces.

If you're new, start with a small mission - can you tackle one small area at a time? Be it a bedside table, a bathroom cabinet or The Kitchen Drawer?
Just one thing a day is all we ask and report back here with your outs for the day, or week at a time. It's very easy to get the bug when you start small and have success!

Will we find any more big bags of change? Can we sell more big ticket items? Will the school books all get returned? Will the happy meal toys ever stop multiplying and just how many books can we say goodbye to?!

Previous thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3525812-Part-7-of-the-decluttering-challenge-can-you-get-rid-of-one-item-a-day?msgid=87790915#87790915

Can I join please? I've been sporadically decluttering but would be good to have some more structure to it!

This week I found a shop that will sell your second hand clothes for you in exchange for half the profit so I dropped a bag of my finest old clothes there. Feels good that someone may appreciate them a bit more.

mathanxiety - Well done! 4 bags is really good.

Willow - You've reminded me of The Inbetweeners Movie. (If you haven't seen it, it might be best to wait until DC1's return, though it is very funny and they all come home well and happy.)

Woogle - No, it wasn't me with the Shark. Was it Purple?

Stealth - I think these boxes go back to a time when I was quite busy and I had read about a decluttering technique where you box up your clutter in labelled boxes and put them away. In hindsight, I was just delaying the inevitable. It's all organised but there is a lot to go through.

PartridgeJoan - Welcome!

@AbbieLexie - How are you doing with your letters etc? I've still got things like that too so know the difficulties well. I'm about to tackle a box - wanna join me?

Hi all, sounds like you're all making headway. We have been out and about the last few days so I didn't get much done then. But yesterday I had a 5 minute declutter of a 'miscellaneous' drawer in our room. Has everything in it from membership cards to foreign currency! Found a pencil sharpener I'd been looking for so I can sharpen my DD's pencils now, and got rid of a few things that we have no need for. DH was also grateful I found a pair of his sunglasses!

Today I have had a quick clear out of our dry food cupboard. Our DMs tend to give us spices and other bits in jars and then we forget about them, so I got rid of some of those.

@SandAndSea my boxes started when we moved house and I was working with a toddler so to pack I just put things in boxes and put them in the Room of Doom. Then every time we had visitors I'd scoop the paperwork up and put it in another box and put it in the R of D again. Then I lurked on a 'throw away 1 carrier bag of stuff a day' thread and here I am two and a half years later! I still haven't finished the Room of Doom but I have done an awesome job of filing and could probably finish it in two or three days but because no ones allowed in there I am never motivated.

Stealth - I've brought a lot of my boxes out so I have to deal with them. It's slow going though. I have many reasons for keeping the various papers.

Bag dropped off for charity with bits previously accumulated plus couple of DVDs, teapot, coffee maker. Couple of items of school uniform in there too.

As with lots of us probable slow down as school hols arrive

Am I the only one looking forward to the school hols? It's the first time in years I'm not working so I will have time to sort everything out. Dc have said it will be boring but I guess when we find old toys or turn things into cash it might get a bit more fun.

More papers going out today: about a 2cm pile this time.

Well I didn’t manage any where near as much as I wanted on my days off I was able to take some old & broken garden bits to the tip. Had to sneak them into the car without dc spotting them! Also managed to declutter the teacher presents today as they’ve been sat ready for 3+ weeks. Hoping to declutter some of ds2 baby bits this weekend as he’s no longer using them. Bit of a fail ahead of next week as have a few new furniture bits coming, all needed & am hoping at least some will help with organising downstairs a bit more. Seems like there is stuff everywhere at the minute.

School holidays has totally destroyed productivity here. Rain all day today has not helped! I have largely decluttered the fridge of ancient condiments etc. Similar to the almost empty toiletries lots of us have, we have lots of almost empty jars of mustard etc. We have houseguests this weekend so lots of food coming in.

ownerofmultiplechimps I love your username!

Well done on papers SandandSea. Paperwork is still my nemesis. DH has agreed to put my shredding pile on the next bonfire he does though so that will save me some time.

Thanks, Raspberry!

I also have family coming this weekend but it's a last minute thing so I've got nothing in yet. I have done about 6 loads of laundry though and dried them all in one go at the launderette. Whilst there, I was pondering some of the papers I didn't chuck earlier and decided to let them go. However, now I'm home and looking at them, it's not so easy! What if I need them???!!! ...

OK, I'm being brave.

Today's outs include:

Another wad of papers.
3 training course booklets. (Which might be useful one day.)
A mat.
2 tea towels.

Thanks Rasberry!

I’ve just collected up all the broken outside toys (we were given a ton by a neighbour whose kids had outgrown them) ready for the skip tomorrow. Once the dc are in bed I’ll be back to sorting clothes.

OH MY GOSH WILLOW MY NEW SHARK IS THE BEST THING IVE EVER BOUGHT!!!!!!

Ok I'll calm down now
Seriously though, anyone ever need a new vacuum cleaner, get that shark (it's currently got £80 off on amazon). The amount it sucked up is insane and goes to show just how rubbish the dyson is in comparison. I feel gross at the amount but also insanely happy haha.

Right, back to business! Yesterday and today were mostly called off on account of the rain but I managed to get most of the laundry done, our bedroom tidied, a bunch of miniwoogles old pjs in the textile bag, a few of DHs books are ready to go and the rest of wooglettes little clothes are packed away now.
Paperwork has crept up in a pile on the kitchen side so I'll tackle that later I think.

You dont need the papers sand, be brave! You've got this!

Well done on the outdoor toys chimps, they take up sooo much space dont they?!

My fridge needs doing too raspberry, I might just wait till DH is hungry and see what happens

Toddler bed didn’t sell on eBay so it’s gone to charity shop along with assorted bedding. Old set of cutlery gone too- found in clearing relatives house. Still pristine in canteen - the perils of keeping for best. I prefer to use nice stuff in case best never comes

My out today is an old pair of slippers.

Lots of pre-guest cleaning done too. Even the fridge!!

Agreed willow, me and miniwoogle shed hair loads, DH is always pulling hairs off of himself 😂 at least if they're blonde I can blame miniwoogle. He had a go vacuuming the stairs and was equally impressed with the lift away action.
Seriously- shark should employ us 😂 or at least give commission!

Today is reasonably busy so not sure on stuff they'll get done outside of regular cleaning. DH at the gym now, I encouraged him to join as I've been enjoying going so hes at his first session now. Then were picking up new glasses for both of us this afternoon and I'm at the gym tonight with a friend (will be doing my last session of the first week of c25k and I'm so freaking proud of that because I'm a fat asthmatic who previously couldn't run at all)

Will aim for at least a couple more bits in the textile bag!

Thanks Iwill.

Today’s decluttering is ds1’s polo shirts from this year which he has outgrown & are far too worn/stained to save for ds2. They’ve gone in the charity bag. Have also put his book bag away & it’s not needed for juniors & will keep for ds2 when he starts in Sept 2020 😭.

Willow & Woogle, I’m also a major shedder, oh says it’s like having a Labrador! Thank god for the shark.

wooglecone well done on the running. It's a big achievement. I downloaded c25k over a year ago and have still never done it. I probably won't because (excuse coming up) my boobs are too big and I couldn't find a supportive enough bra.

Today I made little signs with dc and we attached them to the boxes under the stairs. They have our names on and 'summer' and 'winter' and will store shoes and accessories. We went through shoes again and have three pairs to go but I suspect I might have said they were tovgo last week and somehow they got put back in the cupboard!

It's lovely to have set up a system with the children and they're quite excited about it.

Had a bit of a wardrobe sort, two bags to charity shop. And inspired by Sand I’ve cleaned the fridge so several jars washed out for recycling