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

Out: this week’s worth of crafts from the DCs. I did keep one particularly good drawing.
Paperwork for things that have already happened. There was a pile growing dangerously fast on one of our chairs, so I cleared it last night.
And the old sketchbooks are finally in the recycling bin, as I had to take the wire binding out, so I’d been procrastinating for a few weeks.
There’s an area in the kitchen that I need to clear out today as it always looks a mess.

Morning all, just jumping in if that’s okay :)

I’ve been feeling a bit restless and claustrophobic lately, beginning to realise that it’s because i’m tired of moving/walking over/rearranging other peoples crap (mainly DHs), and we don’t have many proper places for things. We are rapidly outgrowing our small house.

So, back to work from mat leave in 5 weeks and the possibility of a house move, I decided to tackle the clutter.

Removed from our bedroom are 4 bin liners, two filled with clothes, one of make up/beauty products that are old or not used in 6+ months.

Doing the bathroom next! I have the bug and it feels good!
I am itching to tackle the cupboard of doom under the stairs, but that is where the spiders live and I’m a wuss!

Happy Saturday everyone!!

Out: these 2 are annoying outs, as they were meant to solve problems but just added to the clutter - a stair basket (the kind that’s an inverted step so sits over 2 steps) that was never used for its purpose, and a necklace hanger, that I don’t use.

The new frying pan arrived, so the old one is going on the tip pile.

Out - the mixed charity shop bag, a baby walker which they do like still, but really have grown out of, a bead threader, a few toddler clothes and a couple of baby books. Oh and a toy workbench that I got up in the middle of the night to sort out.
Although I realise I counted some of these things as they came off the shelves, so a bit of unearned extra credit there.

@IWillWearTheGreenWillow starting with just saving the clothes you really liked & getting rid of the others. That at least lightens the load for future decisions?
I forgot, I’m going to take my extra credits, because one of the things I put into the recycling was a tee shirt I have held onto for twenty years and eight months.

@Times10 we had a fair bit delivered - a day bed with two mattresses, 2 Kallax units (a 2 cube one for DD’s room and an 8 cube one for the living room) plus the associated boxes to go in them

It’s been a week of ins as both the mini Cletters have had birthdays (4 and 2 - where did my tiny babies go?!) so lots of new toys and books. My job for tomorrow night and Monday is to go through all toys and sort them out into proper homes (hence the new Kallax), weeding out any un-played-with toys as I go (though I don’t imagine there will be much as the outgrown toys will mostly be kept for DC3)

Keeping on the subject of linens, I also need to go through our airing cupboard and have a thin out.

More clearing going on here at my mum's:

I've cleared the last drawer in her chest of drawers, which now houses tea towels and tablecloths.

Old diaries and address books now have their own, new box.

Ditto her special cards (mother's day cards etc.).

I've finished the living room cupboard. The DVD player had stopped working so I replaced this today. (The old one is in the 'electronics for charity' pile. They repair them then sell them on.)

I've been through the china cupboard too. 3 vases and 3 china ornaments are going out. (At last!)

I've done a fair bit of shredding. (The shredder is no longer working so I guess I'll have to replace that now too.)

Other outs: more jewellery and books, a cable, an old cheque book, an unknown, never used gadget and some ood foods.

I also took a load of 'the pile' to charity. (Tip: call ahead - they don't necessarily want it all.)

Wow Cletter a tsunami of ins but all sounds like it will make a positive difference. Lots of minor outs here, magazines recycled, outgrown and holed clothes for rag bag. Charity bag dropped off today and first four items put in next one - 2 t shirts and 2 books

Just catching up...

Times - You got rid of sketchbooks!!? That's pretty hardcore in my world. Well done!

@ListenLinda - Welcome! I'm so glad you have the bug. Please do keep posting.

Thank you @SandAndSea!

Followed up last night when we got home with a huge clear out of the DCs clothes. A huge suitcase full for DD, gifted by other family members. When I went through I found clothes in sizes 12-18 months, all the way to 5-6 years. Fgs she is 2.5 😂 so kept a few nice jumpers for winter the rest are getting donated.

After this, i’m going to have to learn to start saying no to clothes being given. I don’t want clothes hanging around that won’t fit her for years! And her wardrobe is looking nice and neat too!

Still to tackle the bathroom, that can be todays job!

You have all been really busy by the sounds of it!

I had a couple outs today, a salsa that had been in the fridge for God knows how long, and I was able to send a serving spoon back home to its rightful owner! Only had it for like 6 weeks

We have been doing really good at finishing up leftovers the last couple of weeks, instead of them sitting in the fridge, forgotten about and left to go bad. I have been better at getting them put away as individual servings, ready for lunches for dh and I. I'm planning to continue to be less wasteful as I see it as throwing money away.

Sand the sketchbooks have been moving with us for over 10 years and were full of rather rubbish drawings, so I kept the better ones, and threw out about 10 others. I had also donated a lot of half used ones to school, as I didn’t get along with the size/paper. DH would probably say I have too many, but it really does look better already.

You’re doing really well at your mum’s, there must be a visible difference between when you started and now!

Listen DCs clothes always seem to multiply when you’re not looking!

Hazel good job with the leftovers, we also need to improve how we use them up.

Cletter Our house is full of Kallaxes of different sizes! The day we can get rid of some, will be the day I know we’re winning at the decluttering (needless to say, that day is not even on the horizon at the moment!)

gassy I love it when the charity bag finally leaves the house, it automatically creates a bit of clear space in our hallway!

No outs just yet, but the day is young! DH put the coat hangers up, so our hallway and stairs look the neatest they have in a long time!

Please can I join? With DC, a FT job and a new business, we are gradually getting swamped by stuff and I feel this thread's accountability may save us!

Yesterday took a bag of rags and a bag of sellable stuff to the charity shop. Bought 4 things while there (3 items of clothing for DC and I as trying to only buy second hand for budget and sustainability, and DC3 annoyingly chose some tat with his pocket money ).

Today I am WFH so will use my breaks to sort DC toys ready for the Christmas and birthday onslaught.

Willow, in all honesty, we're getting close to a home of essential and sentimental items only. It's looking really nice now; clear and organised. The only sticking point is that I haven't got a car here so I can't do a tip run yet, so I will be leaving the shed and a few other bits.

I think there's one cupboard still to clear, which we're planning to do today/tomorrow.

I've found a shoe/rag bin locally so I'm going to be heading over there in a bit. I might also get a shredder whilst I'm out, time and rain allowing.

@Mumista - Welcome to the thread!

How do people get rid of coat hangers? The charity shop have told me that they have their own. Any ideas?

Jumping to say hello to make myself come back!

From November, I’m going to be home alone five days a week with a one year old and a three year old and it’s just not do-able with this level of clutter.

willow I'm the same for Christmas this year, we're really short on cash so not going to have lots of presents like usual. Most of the gifts will be what's needed - body wash, replacement body puff, things like that. The main gifts this year is something we're doing as a family - seeing a comedian at the end of this month, which they know about (I'll probably frame a picture of us all there enjoying ourselves and wrap it up for a family gift), then we're going to surprise DC with another comedian in April!

I've been leaning towards less things the last couple of years, just trying to convince in-laws is hard!
The gifts to the in-laws will be either baked goods (with ingredients I already have)or a game night basket with snacks or a fresh fruit and chocolate basket along with my homemade caramels and truffles.

Welcome back @Rainatnight!

@HungryHazelEyes that sounds like a lovely Christmas - I always think consumables are the best gifts!

Today I’m mostly drowning in the mountain of things the mini Cletters got for their birthdays. It’s a small mountain compared to 99% of other people’s toys collections I’ve seen, but it’s a big change for me as I’m usually quite minimalist with toys! Once the minis have gone to bed I’m going to put together the big Kallax and sort them into categories to put them away.

Cletter thank you! Secretly I'm trying not to add to MIL and FIL's clutter at the same time, they both have a hard time getting rid of stuff, although MIL is worse. She also has all her DM stuff that will never get used as she's not able to go home ever after her stroke, but is also scared to get rid of stuff due to having siblings who haven't seen their DM for years.

Thanks, Willow. I don't think there's a Tesco here unfortunately.

I'm just having a bit of me-time now with a coffee. I've done another charity shop drop and bought a new shredder.

I also, finally, found a shoe bin. They're in short supply here apparently, which bothers me, considering how many shoes there must be knocking about.

Hi, Rain! It's always good to see new people on here.