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

Plus DH took a car load of stuff I've sorted over last few weeks to the Charity drip off point today

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me joining.I sorted through 2 boxes and a bag of photos that came from DM. They were stored in my attic, in the way. Some are in the bin, some are scanned to DSiblings, some are sitting ready to be posted tomorrow. And the remaining box is going to be stored in a press until I'm ready to sort all of my other photos.

Welcome, @Imstaying50untilDHdoesit and well done!

Out: another ring binder and a couple of bits and bobs.

Laughing at omgyouprincesss 50 socks. I have a clear food bag in which I put single socks, it hangs off the back of the utility room door, l and every few weeks I empty it and see if any pairs appeared. Otherwise I used to find a sock would just go upstairs and downstairs and when I found its other half the first sock would have vanished.

wooglecone my boyfriend () will be decluttering more beer tomorrow.

PUTPLEFROG NOT MORE BOXES, YOU'LL TURN INTO SANDANDSEA

Joking aside I am wondering whether to buy some bigger Tupperware boxes.

Gillster welcome! I can recommend joining a mumsnet diet thread. I lost 5 stone on one about 7 years ago.

Thanks raspberryblonde it was tough, really tough but it was like a light switched, I just woke up happy. I honestly can't remember the last time I was this happy. It's still early days with my new man but now I've learnt from my mistakes with my ex I think I will be a better girlfriend. There's also some satisfaction that ex's life does not seem to be going the way he wanted. The grass is not greener.

Forgot to say that I a man steadily getting rid of stuff. I have done some AWESOME to do lists every day this week on bits of old scrap paper so that's 5 bits of paper gone. Also a broken plastic box that I used to put clothes in before ironing.

I also have a little pile of dead batteries and light bulbs to take to Tesco tomorrow.

Compiling a bag of books and DVDs for school summer fair- this can be taken in next week. Relisted a bulky camp bed on eBay- hope it goes this time. In will be coming a couple of smart photo albums so I can sort out all the childhood pics currently in a couple of box files and a collapsible crate.

I'm laughing at the box references - I can't deny it.

I'm feeling all pleased with myself tonight as I'm back from the dump, having got rid of all sorts of old stuff and quite a bit of greenery (which they turn into compost). I even got the car cleaned inside and out whilst I was out!

@Stealth - if you are looking for plastic boxes of a certain size have a look at plasticboxshop.co.uk. They give you internal and external measurements of all boxes. I’ve ordered from them a number of times and service is good.

Books and DVDs sorted ready to go. Bedding changed and identified a kids duvet to go. Just need to remember to replace it for colder months.

Doing well with de cluttering. Have thrown all my make up that has not been worn for five years plus. Using up all my bath stuff. Refusing to buy any more perfume. Only problem is my husband bought me lots of clothes which i never do myself was planning not to buy any for at least two years, they are lovely though.

I also found a photo of my son which was missing and which i was really upset about and framed it. I do get attached to photos and cant handle losing them

My charity lady turned up today so I've got rid of another good sized pile of stuff.

Oo! I forgot to say, I've got rid of another box!!!!! It was one I kept in the car.

I’ve been having a bit of an “Oh God What Is The Bloody Point?” moment as I just seem to be getting rid of the same small handful of plastic bits and pieces over and over again and not really clearing any proper space. More fecking happy crappy meal toys turned up and have gone straight into the bin, along with some bits and pieces from party bags, random receipts etc. I also donated a bottle of bubble mixture and two bottles of beer that DP bought me for Christmas and I’m not really keen on to the tombola for the school fete.

Llioed that is some seriously impressive decluttering! Was your DP on board from the start or did you have to convert him? Mine is very attached to “stuff” and keeping things “just in case” and it’s an uphill struggle

Hello all, I've been following these threads for a while but would like to join in now if I can!

I have 3 DC (7, 4 and 2), ancient but very hairy springer spaniel and an incredibly messy DH. As you can imagine our house is bursting at the seams. Ironically, despite DH being convinced I am the source of the problem, hardly any of it is mine!

I have been applying the "one thing per day rule" for the last few months and I think I've reached tipping point - I can now see the difference it's been making not only to get rid of the clutter but also to put away the things we are keeping. This week I have cleared 3 bin bags of crap from the kids' rooms and switched all wardrobes round to next size up in clothes. Took some bags of rags to H&M and the rest went to the charity recycling bin.

Amazing how much lighter your head feels, isn't it?!

Now to work out how to stop the children trailing all their newly re-discovered toys all over the house...

Welcome, @Helpmedecide123 ! And well done on clearing so much!

I'm largely ticking off jobs here. I have thrown a menu out though!

So in the last few days have got rid of a couple of CDs, a small bag of clothes to the charity shop, a pair of socks and have put 4 double duvet cover sets in the charity pile as we haven’t had a double duvet for a couple of years. Also decluttered a few weeds and a pile of soil out of the garden.

It’s a real effort to find the time to do stuff though as work full time and then spend weekend’s with DH and DS who’s 3. I’m absolutely pooped by about 8:30pm most evenings and have fallen asleep on the sofa every night for the last few nights. Wish I had a bit more time!

Morning everyone, and welcome to all new declutterers.

Sorry I've been away for a couple days, I've been nursing the worst headache I've ever had for three days and this morning to top it off I'm 99% certain I have tonsillitis. It hurts! can I declutter my entire head?!?!

So it's been very slow on the decluttering front for me. Wooglette is doing very well though, thanks willow ☺️ glad to hear your DH is back to full health too - that's taken such a long time, it must have been awful for you all

Nice to see some new faces!

I did wash, dry and iron the bedding set destined for the charity shop. I hope to deliver it sometime later this week when it isn't raining... I took Friday off work, and although I didn't do the things I was planning I got quite a lot done over the (long) weekend.

I defrosted the under-counter freezer. I have kept on top of it better this year, and only a couple of items were binned. I cleaned and tidied my bedside cabinet. Some bits and pieces were chucked out. I still might put one of my new baskets on top of it to store odds and ends. I currently have a small round fine wicker/cane basket there but it is really the wrong shape and doesn't hold very much. I hoovered our bedroom floor. (No idea when I did it last as it was disgusting. ) I also cleaned the bathroom and downstairs loo and washed the floors. These floors were also pretty bad. I think I need to make an effort to at least hoover up the dust there on a more regular basis. I also washed a huge pile of plastic tubs and cans for recycling, including an empty bottle of gel laundry detergent I have been using up for months. I didn't particularly like it so was only using it for certain items. That has created a permanent space as it won't be replaced. Hurrah! I also got a number of items listed on eBay, but not anything that is taking up a lot of space, unfortunately.

This week I still need to advertise stuff locally in the hope summer will appear.

Thanks purplefrog that's a really useful site - just don't tell sandandsea I might be buying some boxes!

Well done helpmedecide123 I remember that epiphany where I realised I had made progress after a few months.

sydneycarton I went through that 'am I wasting my time?' Feeling lots. Two years on and I haven't wasted my time. My house is a bit of a mess today but is a palace compared to how it was two years ago. It's definitely been worth it. I can have unexpected visitors and not be ashamed!

typewriter12 that's lovely to find a treasured photo. The good side of decluttering is having fewer possessions but appreciating and getting joy from the ones you have.

greenwillow I am glad exams are over and your dh is fully recovered. It's weird how we've been on these threads so long and our lives are part of them - divorces, babies, sicknesses. Anyway I had another lovely weekend with my new man decluttering wine and beer. I also did the usual minimal decluttering as I go which includes children's socks, scrap paper and a much loved top with holes in it.

I have about six bags of stuff to go to a charity shop and a mountain of things to sell. Will start that tomorrow.

The books and DVDs have left for school and I have ventured into “the bay window of doom” Sorting through a bag that contains old photo calendars (kept), old magazines (recycled) and some plastic packaging (used on an eBay item) a good effort

It's OK Stealth - your secret is safe with me!

I think that an important part of the decluttering process is to organise and store properly the stuff that you are keeping, so you know where to find things and no longer have to search through 4 different piles to lay your hands on an item. Although I still have huge amounts of stuff to go through, I am now looking at current storage areas with fresh eyes and questioning if it still works for us, or whether I can make improvements. I have already earmarked some stuff that is currently stored downstairs, to go up to the spare room or loft.

Sometimes, I just don't know where all the stuff comes from. I can literally declutter bags per week, and I just don't know how I'm even generating it. I'm not a compulsive shopper. It just seems to breed somehow!

Out this week: unloved shoes and a few clothes to the charity shop, a bag of surplus children's books to the baby bank, and a few bits to textile recycling. Sadly that's no net gain, as DD needed a couple of summer clothes, so some new things came in.