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

Two ikea trips today? Oh I love ikea! The home of tat both useless and useful and all so appealing!

I went to my favourite charity shop today. It’s just children things. Dropped off two bags, looked around and walked out. It was hard but I’m only allowing myself sequinned joules things for my daughter. It’s such a narrow thing it very rarely appears ( unless it’s in the bag upstairs if joules thing from summer sales last month, but that was pre de cluttering ). Mind you de cluttering never really stops.

Unfortunately when I dropped my clothes off in Oxfam I bought my friend a scarf and my dd a cushion. If the cushion falls apart in the wash I guess that’s zero in 🤣

Just sold 62 things of dds clothes. About to tackle my cardigans. I will set a random number and reduce to that figure as my first pass on my mountain of clothes.

It sounds like I’m on roll but honestly I am so bad at getting rid this is really a 15 year backlog of normal decluttering.

I wanted to wrestle the buyer of dds clothes while screaming “but I might have another baby one day!” It was hard. I keep a few nicest things in that size and will get rid of them at a later date when I can mentally cope.

It’s hard. But feels ok when your in the swing of it I think

I had to tell DH a while ago that me going into a shop and coming out empty handed, or just with what’s on the list was a massive accomplishment, and he should recognise the sacrifice I make every time I managed it... I may be over dramatic but it really is an effort to remember I don’t need/use/have space for all the pretty things. Especially as the things in question are never expensive (I’m talking about things under £5 usually) so they’re so easy to grab and justify at the time!
I’m getting better, but still pine for all the lovely notebooks they make these days!

There's so much good work going on here! Well done, everyone!

I'm still at my mum's. We've spent hours - hours! - going through her old cards, letters etc. So many of the senders have died now; it's been an emotional afternoon.

I've organised all the ones she wants to keep and we've filled a sack for recycling.

Had a good result from the latest batch of eBay listings. I’ve posted 5 parcels today. Things that haven’t sold after a couple of listings are for the charity bag will try and drop that off tomorrow. Another pile of old magazines in the recycling bag for collection this week.

Sand that does sound hard. Decluttering is emotionally draining letting memories go. I know in reality they need to go in that moment, not years later when that memory is long gone. Easier said than done for me.

I have given up on cardigans. I have more than 14. More than one a day for two weeks. I love them all. The only answer to my inner voice of reason “ how many do you need?” Is “ how dare you!” Back to easy area tomorrow. Sigh. I’m determined not to get stuck so I have to pass the knitwear for another day

Penelope, I trust you're overseas (I think you are!) as 11.35am seems a bit previous to be decluttering spirits, even mixed with coke (or perhaps I should get out more!)
It would be a bit over enthusiastic, wouldn’t it?! You’re right - I’m from the UK but in Australia.

Medway you are doing brilliantly. Honestly. I think being able to say 'I love ALL my cardigans' is something many people aspire to.

I also struggle with the emotions around discarding. I have found Marie Kondo's trick of saying thank you to the item unbelievably helpful. It just helps me process my feelings around it, acknowledge the fact the memories are still with me, realise what actually made me happy about receiving / getting that thing, what exactly I'm sad/ scared of in letting it go, etc.

Ha ha GreenWillow! Don’t worry. I think 11.30am is pretty early for most! I will admit though that on Friday I’d had enough and started at 1.30pm. I was finished by 5pm and in bed by 9.30pm. That is more than extremely unusual. I don’t even have a drink most weeks. But I went to see someone for a coffee and we were both having a bad week and went for wine instead. Very, very unusual though. It felt very anarchic

I felt like I had to confess to the other afternoon in the above post, while agreeing with the 11.30 being too early; it would’ve felt very dishonest and hypocritical!

I’m pregnant, so a drink at 11.30 sounds perfect —4months to go—

Out - a broken doll. The DCs broke it accidentally (so they say) and were hoping I would fix it. I didn’t even want to try, so in the bin it went. Bad mum.

Having failed miserably at the 30-day minimalism challenge last month, I've decided to start again in October.

Out so far today:
Some old mortage paperwork (I scanned it all before shredding it, but am counting it as an out despite still having it electronically)

In:
Recluttered some of my tights (from the H&M bag for clothes that can't really go to charity) for DD, who wants them for her dance class.

I think those cancel each other out, so must find something else to declutter.

Thanks for the kind words Re my cardis. I feel guilty because they are bulky and take up room. I can nearly get my wardrobe. I am guilty of buying clothes for the life I want. Not the life I have. So I will hunt out old workmen’s clothes and dresses. I only need a few formal dresses, school run wear and some pub night outs. That’s not representative of my circa 200 items of clothes.

I started the toy buckets today but had a sleep instead. I’m getting stuck again. But sorted 62 things of ds to hand down to a friend. Bag of toys for charity. Bag for bin.

Workman clothes? Office clothes. Maybe I’m feeling a subconscious resentment for cleaning non stop every day. Just arranged to go shopping with a friend tomorrow. Any wise words to stop me buying? Also Cath Kidston has a sale on. Oh my, the London Bridge bag!!

Um, cardigans are office clothes

Maybe do some Christmas shopping instead of buying for you? I have no real suggestions, buying clothes that you love and will wear is great.

Have you finished going through your wardrobes be yet? Sorry if you have already said. Maybe you identified a few gaps?

Not much help, am I. I prefer getting rid of stuff like old craft projects that I don't really like doing but feel guilty about.

I'm still full on at my mum's. Today's major item is a stereo system. We've also booked a charity to come and collect it and whatever else we have.

Medway I have an idea for your shopping trip.. Spend 15 minutes going through your wardrobe and take out as many items as you can that you would part with. Drop them off at the charity shop when you go shopping and only allow yourself to buy half the number of items you were able to part with. So if you can part with 10 items, allow yourself 5 new items, if you can only part with 2 items, you only get 1 new item max.

If that won't work for you (I have a hard time limiting myself, unless I'm broke!), focus on your friend and finding her the perfect outfit or whatever she's after or something for someone else for Christmas.

Let us know how you get on!

My out today is a shirt that I haven't worn all summer, I kept it as I couldn't decide whether to keep it or not. I have another one that's for cooler weather that I'm also undecided on, although I'm leaning towards getting rid of it. Will soon have enough to go to the storage unit to sell or the charity shop.

I have thrown out a pair of broken trainers, now that welly season has commenced. DCs bedroom is looking super tidy, very pleased with the Kallax.

My Ikea delivery is due today, so a few ins later on.

Out: a washing cloth with holes in it, and later a pile of newspaper to go to DCs after school activity.
I need to blitz the house so hoping to find more stuff to get rid of.

Found another flooring sample that had hidden itself, so that has now been binned.

My Ikea delivery is due today too @Times10! What are you having delivered?