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

Not a very productive day here - the only out was one pair of outgrown kids pants!

But I have been productive and done a first coat of paint in DD’s room, so it’s not all bad.

I really should focus on the one thing idea. I did a bunch of shredding, finished the weeding (I mean, it’s good enough, not perfect).
I did throw out some odds and sods from the hall cupboard, used a spare bit of mdf to make a bit of extra shelf so I’ve stored some stuff out of sight that I’m not up to sorting out just yet

I have to clear a room for a carpet to be fitted today, so I’m hoping I will find more things to go there, there’s definitely a beanbag that was not successful on gumtree and a rubbish set of shelves which I need to convince myself I won’t need.

A bag of old knickers out to nursery (thanks to a PP for the idea ) plus some expired medication and a bag of DS’s outgrown baby clothes to go to the charity shop next time I go into town.

I’ve also done a list of some big jobs I need to do like clearing out whole cupboards and wardrobes, and broken each one down into smaller chunks so hopefully I won’t be overwhelmed by the Big Task and not know where to start, but can get to grips with one small element, then move onto another and so on

Shredding done. I'm now going to face some more filing. It's mainly insurance docs.

I'm really pleased with myself as I've spent about 3 hours filing tonight. I generated another pile (approx 3cm) of papers which I have also, just, shredded/recycled.

I know I've got some more filing to do but it's very small compared to where I started. So, I feel like I've really cracked it now. It's getting easier to get rid of these things and I'm seeing more and more space around me.

DP has strict instructions to clear any further papers out of his office and give them to me tomorrow morning. (We shall see.)

I now have 2 large ring binders, 2 small ring binders and 1 large box file - all empty! I think I'll keep 2 (maybe) and give away the rest.

StillBee yes exactly the same here, DD went off jeans and most of her bottoms are jeans I’ll be cutting down on the buying next size up for her, not least because when she next goes up a size she’ll be starting school so will need far less clothes! And need to buy less for the baby too!

Yay SydneyCarton glad you were inspired by my pants donating 😂

Well done on the paper sorting and filing SandAndSea.

Not a lot out the last few days. Posted a top sold on eBay. Listed another 10 items. The biggest news is that we got baby’s room finished and so baby has been decluttered out of our bedroom. Wahhhh. Have also been ironing. Set myself a target of 15 items a day until the backlog is cleared.

I need to follow your lead on the filing and shredding, SandandSea.

Mynameisnotthis The staff were a bit when I handed over the bag but hopefully they'll be useful.

I hear you on the ironing basket, although try two years worth, not two months . I couldn't tell you 90% of what's in there and as you say, no-one's gone short on clothes, far from it. I think I will have to go through it as some of DP's good shirts are in there, but if I could just dump the whole lot for charity I would!

Clothing is such a major source of clutter, and labour (bloody laundry!), for me. With three children there's always the temptation to hang onto things for the next one down, and my MIL loves to buy things for them, plus they have older same-sex cousins who pass things on, and it just builds up. They probably only wear about 15-20% of what they actually have, less for DD1 who is now at school so spends most of the time in uniform.

Well, I did manage to list the boots on eBay on Sunday and accepted an offer on them last night. They are going by courier so the owner of the boots was going to drop them off at the parcel shop today.

I have sold another small eBay item in the past week, but haven't done a lot else as my cold has left me washed out by the time I get home from work. I think I am on the mend now, though. I did empty out our ironing basket, but the stuff is still hanging around the ironing board and dining room in piles. Two pairs of DP's trousers from the mending pile went in the rag bag, as I persuaded him to buy a new pair. That rag bag is now full and waiting to go to the recycling site. I really need to sort out some more larger items for sale and charity shop over the next month.

We bought the cardboard foldable + lidded boxes from the works for clothes, so once DC1 has outgrown them, it goes in a box until it fits DC2, same with hand me downs. It saves having them in laundry circulation when they don’t fit anyone.
We also have a rule of only 7 t-shirts, 7 long sleeve tops etc for each child. 7 is actually too many, but I’m worried about running out if we decide on less than that.

I have done nothing these past few days, even basic housework is not happening. I need to write a list and try and catch up as the house is quickly turning into mayhem!

It's mayhem here too Times10. DS woke twice between his bedtime and mine so resettling him used up all my chore time!

Recycling collection today so a big bag of dead batteries and some clothes that are too tatty for charity went out at least.

Did a 30 minutes stint downstairs, and the kitchen and living room are more presentable now. I decluttered all the craft bits DC2 has been bringing home from school since the beginning of the year. We give them free rein at home with paper/pens/stickers, so I wish they’d just keep the school stuff at school, but I guess their bins would overflow within a day, if there’s 60 other over prolific 5 year olds not including the older classes!

Early pick up today, so haven’t got time to get stuck into anything more time consuming.

Hi everyone, long time no speak.... sorry I fell off, life got in the way.

Still sorting out my nan's house, being good and throwing out baby stuff as soon as it's outgrown (hey, you two with babies due at the beginning of February - do you want any 3-6 month clothing? It's all summer stuff so not suitable for any other babies I know as they're the right age at the wrong time of year). Anything not sold I've been giving to the women's refuge, including a massive pram!

I've cleared out the shed. Threw away a load of junk, a strimmer that came with the house and has never been used and many empty jars that DP hoards (like we can't replace them in a weeks time).

Unfortunately the house is a mess again and I've barely any time to sort it, now I'm back at work full time. DP is away most evenings and this weekend, so I need to disassemble a large Kallax unit purchased off marketplace so that I can get it into DCs bedroom, then reassemble it, and clear and list a table and a desk. And I need a trip to IKEA to buy some innards for the Kallax to make the most of it. All with two small DC. That's going to be fun.

Keiki don’t envy the prospect of IKEA with toddlers in tow
Lots of paper for the recycling, lots listed on eBay (but couldn’t yet face playing hunt the tiny playmobil accessories. Next charity bag well underway.

Happy anniversary greenwillow! how many DC do you have? After the initial flurry of decluttering baby things I’m starting to falter because I’m positive I want more! Unfortunately DH is positive he doesn’t.

Same Sydney. I’m not joking when i say I honestly feel as though 75% of my life is spent doing washings. In fact I’ve had that rent on here before I think. It drives me mad but yes was a bit of a lightbulb moment when I relaxed I hadn’t ironed for 3 weeks and the only person short of clothes was me! I’ve removed all the stuff from the ironing basked that doesn’t need to be there. Now just to get it to where it needs to be.

keiki you can buy some kallax inserts on amazon. I’m not sure how prices compare but might save you that hell!

I’ve stalled again. DH is away with work so I’m treading water with 2 DC and daily life!

*rant
*realised

Hi, Keiki! Welcome back! If you can't face IKEA, I think they deliver now.

I'm staying with my mum atm. I've helped her with her wardrobe today and we've filled 6 bags-for-life for charity!

Well done @IWillWearTheGreenWillow for managing to remember kerbside recycling day! I wish we had that for fabrics too.
I got the baby beanbag and a bag of odds and sods to the baby charity shop and two bin bags of shredded paperwork to the tip.
There is still stuff everywhere!!
Today a large bag of ‘painting/diy’ clothes will go to recycling. I’ve realised we hardly ever wear them, just trash another set .

There’s a number of things that I’m just going to find some storage space for, which is bad, but I am having strong ‘will come in handy’ vibes which I don’t feel up to fighting.

A new charity bag has been started and a bag of things for a friends new baby.

I am going to reload the big shelving unit and hope some things might be able to go on the way.

So in fact part of today is ‘re-tetrising the cupboard of doom’, ha.

cold

sand thanks for the ikea tip, just ordered some more boxes for the kallax. Saves me a 2 hour round trip to get to my nearest one. Also ordered a coat rack, so hopefully our coats won’t be all over the place!

I’ve got rid of some scarves, and a dress I bought online but decided I didn’t like the look as much when it was on me, and I’m terrible at not doing returns, so it’ll go to the charity shop instead.

I need to do a charity shop run this weekend as our box is overflowing, and making the hallway look messier than it should be.

Thanks, Willow! Glad it was helpful, Times.

I've been on the go all day, still at my mum's, and have cleared loads; around the equivalent of 10 more bags. She's been great - really on for it. She's thrown letters, cards, jewellery and even photos which she's been keeping for decades. When it comes down to it, a lot of it just didn't mean that much. Who really wants beautiful framed wedding portraits, for family members who are now divorced, when she never sees them anyway?!

Her wardrobe is now a thing of beauty! Ditto about half her drawers. Tomorrow I'm planning to collate her stationery, finish sorting through her cards and maybe tackle her bedding. Frankly, anything's possible. I'm on a mission!

Today was productive

Large bag of tetra cartons (soya milk) and 2 carrier bags of bottles/jars to recycling

Bag of kitchen equipment and crockery to Charity Shop
I have a bag of clothes to go tomorrow

Bag of stuff to take to the skip next week/this weekend

After the holiday I can decide on my summer clothes -what I'll keep/recycle and pack it away