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

Welcome, @thepinkp ! You've made a good start. Please do keep posting.

Bloody hell I'm moving hundreds of miles away and everything is going into storage.
I'm not paying for storage I don't need so I'm chucking everything I don't love or use.
I'm far from being a hoarder but have NO idea how I'm going to get this lot packed in 2 weeks. I think I'm going mad.

Hi, can I join in please? I really need to get ontop of our 'stuff'. I think having too much of it is making it very hard to keep our home tidy, bit I struggle to get rid of 'stuff' in case I need it one day. I'm sure it's a familiar story!

I am still decluttering at work. I think the end is in sight there, and hope to be finished it soon.

On the home front, I discovered that the ironing basket was overflowing. The warm weather had obviously stopped me keeping the ironing up to date. I was really surprised how many empty coathangers there were in the wardrobe. Anyway, after a concerted effort over the past 9 days, there are now only 2 empty coathangers and a much lower pile of stuff in the dining room.

Now, I just need to sort through what's left and remove the things I keep throwing back because they need mending or stain-removing, or because I'm going to get rid of them, but haven't decided how, so am delaying the decision.

I have chucked out an old rucksack I kept at work for sports kit - the nylon had gone sticky. I have also sold two eBay items in the past week. I haven't done much sorting of stuff to donate or sell over the summer. I really need to get on top of that again soon, as I have some stuff suitable for Halloween, and some for Christmas, that I wasn't organised in time to get rid of last year.

@PurpleFrog well done on sorting out the office. I know our ironing pile had grown over the past couple of weeks. Dh did all this weekend.

3 lots of toys that had put on fb ages ago went yesterday. Unfortunatly had a massive in the other weekend of nerf stuff. That’s been sorted and some bits put in the loft for later.

Our spare room is always the dumping ground. Looking at getting a day bed in there soon just waiting for ds bed to be on stick too to save on van hire.

So in the meantime I’m trying to get spareriim sorted. Sorting an item everyday.

Looked in the loft when putting bits up and that will be the next challenge to sort.

am i too late to join? sorted out all of our paperwork yesterday and baby girl's wardrobe today. feeling better already

I’ve started a new donation box, and put a couple of things in it this weekend, and some face masks that I can’t use as my skin is too delicate today. I have been looking at these threads since the first one, thinking one thing a day would be far too slow, but as my average is actually 0 things a day and then a big purge once in a blue moon, maybe slow and steady really is the answer! I’m hoping to do a bit more than 1 a day but if I keep it as the very minimum to do daily, we should hopefully see an improvement in the long term.

That’s exactly the point for me too, Times. “Lowering the odds to raise the average”, as some say.

I like that, I don’t think I’d heard of that saying before, but I think it’s the way to go!

Off to a good start this morning, 3 dresses and a coat to go, and I threw away 2 basically empty sun cream bottles that wouldn’t be very effective next year and had hardly nothing left in them.
I always manage the first few days, so it’ll be interesting to see if I can continue for a while or if I give up by the weekend!

I've just purged my eldest daughter's clothing. We seem to be on the receiving end of about 6 families hand-me-downs so there was a lot to clear. I managed to trim 8 smushed drawers full into two drawers.

I think I'll reject hand me downs moving forward. So many just aren't her style/our life style. Lots of outdoorsy stuff which just won't get used.

@cheesenpickles I'm beginning to think well meaning hand me downs are an issue for me too. Clothes that don't fit DC, and my mums cast off clothes and kitchenware are making things worse.

I swear it's because people are worried about being rejected at the charity shop. We have a few snotty ones near us. Honestly, i don't think she owns more than 2/3 items that we've bought her. I love shopping quite her for clothes and I think as she starts school she's going to need a lot less. Would rather buy things she liked rather than what she's been given. Mother in law used to buy her some horrendous stuff but has suddenly started buying her really lovely things which is good.

I have the same issue @cheesenpickles. It’s stressful. Now, I do a purge the minute I get a new bag and only keep the clothes I know are going to be useful. The rest go to a relative or the charity shop.

Having said that, today’s one item out was a used school jumper for a girl in DS’s class!

Other than that I am going to start a school admin filing box so I am not quite so ridiculously disorganised this year. Also to keep track of what I have agreed to!

We always 'shop' hand me downs. Usually end up passing on at least half immediately. My dd is 12 and has always loved getting her cousin's cast offs, but has started to realise they aren't really her style... So I think we will end up keeping even less of the next batch.

Sorry everyone, I'm behind with the thread. But... (drumroll)... I've finished decorating the bedroom!!!!!

I'm still in chaos with decorating stuff and furniture all over the place but, at least it's painted now. (Not that I can see it properly atm, but I'm hopeful.)

I'm not going to have time this week to finish the bathroom so, I'm going to focus instead on getting the house back in order.

I was pathetically excited when on Sunday someone wanted to buy one of my items from Facebook Marketplace - two combined items, actually. For about £20.
Monday - no show
Tuesday - I try to deliver and they’re not where they’re supposed to be
Wednesday - I’m supposed to deliver. Ugh.
I feel like cancelling the sale and donating. Feels too desperate for the money, when I’m actually not! I just have to get over the not being able to let things go for free. Bit pathetic.

@PenelopeFlintstone that's so frustrating! All the arranging and rearranging takes time and brain space. Do marketplace have guidelines about people messing you about re delivery / collection? I'd be tempted to relist unless it's against guidelines....

I went through our filling cabinet. Basically on a day to day basis we stuff everything at the front and forget about it, and ever so often I sort through all the papers and put them in the right compartment. I really thought it was going to be more of an organisational job today, but I ended up filling a waste paper basket full of random stuff that I’m still not sure why we thought we should keep it in the first place! I also replaced some of the divider labels that we seem to have lost over time, so the filling cabinet is easier to use.
So my 1 thing for today was paperwork. I might have the energy to deal with another part of the house too, but this job had been bugging me for a while, so I’m happy it’s been done!

All the arranging and rearranging takes time and brain space. Yes! Just another kind of clutter!!!
And when I rang today to check he was there this time, it went straight to messagebank. The wife is in a village out of this town and is very apologetic. He works here but has no car!!! Relying on a lift. Why buy them if you don’t live in this town and don’t have a car to get here!?! I don’t really believe they shouldn’t buy things but I do feel the burden isn’t worth the return.

Welcome to all our new people! It's never too late to join, @pepper0ni.

Today, I've been rediscovering my house under all the decorating residue. Outs so far: 3 painting rollers and 1 sleeve.

Aiming for one thing a day really does seem to work, @Times10. I think it's because it turns something which can seem overwhelming, into something which is completely manageable. It often kickstarts you into doing more too. And, importantly, it gets you into a really good habit which has a long-term effect on your whole life.

I think it helps to have a 'one in-one out' mindset alongside this too.

Over time, it all just becomes normal. I've found I don't want to buy extra things any more - I know how much work it is to store, clean, maintain and declutter it all and I don't want to make more work for myself.

Have finished cleansing my eldest daughter's wardrobe/clothes. Feeling a LOT better. I've still got youngest DD's but hers isn't so bad.

Next on the list is the dining room aka mini dumping ground. We have a gorgeous antique sideboard that is littered with stuff.

Then onto the books and CDs. I have SO much to go to charity but really cba to do it with the kids in tow so will hit it this weekend when my husband is home.

@PenelopeFlintstone - I can so relate! I never deliver now. I think if people are really interested, they'll come to me.

I’m back