Decluttering one thing a day - Part 9

[SandAndSea]

Welcome to our 9th thread in the Decluttering One Thing A Day series!

As you might imagine, we aim to get rid of one thing a day (or the equivalent, if we miss a few days).

The idea is that aiming low in this way prevents us from getting overwhelmed. It's also sustainable so helps us to develop effective clutter clearing habits which last.

In reality, many of us have found that once we start, we often get rid of far more than just one thing. (But if we don't, that's OK too.)

Everyone's welcome! We're a friendly and supportive bunch, from aspiring minimalists to full-on clutterbucks! We're also pretty green so you'll find lots of recycling, freecycling, donating and selling.

Previous thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3612006-Decluttering-one-thing-a-day-part-8-the-one-where-we-de-tetris-the-cupboard-of-doom?pg=1&order=

I went through another cupboard today and got rid of an assortment of flavoured teas. I also sold one of DD's toys that she has grown out of.

I am planning a trip to ikea tomorrow, there will be a few "ins", but only to help the "ours"!

Amount of stuff to go to charity shop has grown. Am going to get DD help me take it there tomorrow morning.
Clothes for recycling gone.
Cleared out the letter rack (mainly involved giving DP his post to sort through).
I have a lot of sample moisturisers etc so have started using them. Two empty so far.
Progress seems slow so far but if I can get our bedroom decluttered in the next couple of weeks I will feel better.

DH did a tip run, and we’re hoping someone from the charity shop can pick up a couple pieces of furniture today. There’s been interest on the bed frame so hopefully that goes soon too.
Loads of recycling from the DCs room, and a few toys.

Not much progress here this weekend I’m afraid. Mil i here which makes pulling the house apart impossible. Plus I’m still a bit deflated from what the home link worker said and having a guest in this tip like house.

I had a few ins on Friday. Jumper for dd for Christmas, new hangers, 3 things for dd to wear and two for me but mine are going back. I now need to get rid of at leat those number of items but overall I’m happy to be mostly on pause and watching what comes in over half term

Oo, Willow, you know it's a good day when your ins are chocolate and a cheque! I will look forward to your msg, thank you!

Medway - I agree with Willow. I'm also wondering if you've been able to watch any of the decluttering programmes on Netflix? I know quite a few of us have found them really helpful - they could be a good thing to watch whilst you're deflated. I found The Minimalists doc really inspiring. There are others though, such as Marie Kondo's doc. I like the way she starts with clothes as that worked for me too and the results really held.

Thank you for good wishes, mostly better. Nothing much out. Sounds as if everyone’s doing quite well :)

Aaaagh- the food shop just came in and now I’m surrounded by stuff that needs putting away! Real life does get in the way of decluttering, doesn’t it?!

Bin bag full of clothes, a few books and bulky toy dropped off to charity shop. Not likely to get anything else done today as am off out this afternoon/evening with DD.
Keep going people!

Thanks for the encouragement. I have one ds off as his Sen school is private and runs just a normal private school - long days and never ending holidays! He’s on his x box in the living room while I have taken everything out from his wardrobe, sorted out bits to hand down to his brother and put back.

I do need to watch some decluttering docs on Netflix. I think over half term I am going to be gentle on myself and just keep it tidy and minimal ins.

House is a tip after having mil who never cleans up after herself. I am in half a mind to just throw some things out that I should really sort and give to charity. It’s not eco friendly but I’m wondering if thinking about landfill constantly is holding me up? Maybe I should get to a cluck point then recycle more? I don’t know

Ouch willow! No good dead goes unpunished as they say 😅

I might start a Mr potatoes head bag and if I can’t find enough of him to make a charity set by the end of halfterm then he can go. He was second hand so had two good homes

My new washing machine has been fitted and the old one taken away. It's more complicated to use than I'm used to and the instructions are rubbish. I have a ton of washing to clear, so I'm going to hit YouTube soon and see if I can work it out.

I took the opportunity to clean the nearby kickboards and under the cupboards. It was really bad: wires, rubble and all sorts of rubbish left there by the fitters years ago.

I've also got some jewellery and kitchenware which I'm working on re-homing.

Hope your head feels better soon, Willow.

OUT: spray bottle from under the sink I was keeping for homemade cleaning mixtures (no,never going to do it this side of christmas)
a lot of recycling,including jam jars I usually hoard for jam making, again never get round to jam making)
also some more rubbish out of the garden, including some things that needed washing,which I have washed and putaway

some good cords which were a size too large for ds2 (he has slimmeddown and shot up)
threecotton shirts ditto
another few books and dvds

Brutus I hate the foodshop when it is sitting there on the worktops, itmakes my heart sink. But a few days in,I am always really glad I don'thave to think about errands/groceries. I get a box of vegetables and it is overwhelming on the first day,but lovely by Thursday...

Well, I did take Friday off work. I re-sorted the stuff that I emptied out of the ironing basket a few weeks ago. I ironed everything that was definitely staying. I got some decisions from other people about some other bits and I put some more stuff in the mending pile, and some old sheets upstairs in the sewing cupboard for "upcycling". I also ironed the new throws that I had washed a few weeks ago and got them on the sofa. The old ones have also been washed and put upstairs as spares, so that is quite a bit more stuff out the dining room.

I got 5 new items listed on eBay over the weekend, and one largish item on Gumtree and Facebook, which I sold! That means I can get into the linen cupboard on the landing without having to move it out the way first!

I discovered there was an indoor car boot sale on in the middle of our town this coming Saturday. I was in two minds whether to sign up for a table or not, but decided I really couldn't face getting everything ready for sale in one go! If I had had two or three weeks I think I would have been tempted.

I am another one who tries too hard to re-home or recycle everything I am getting rid of. I have various things lying around that I know are going, I just have to decide how. For example, our last printer is still sitting on the dining room floor. I think I will just take it to the recycling site as there are no drivers available for current operating systems. Or maybe I'll offer it quickly on Freecycle/Gumtree first.....

Purple - My old printer left via freecycle. It always feels good to recycle where possible (and saves you having to take it to the tip). Another option: there are charities which take electrical items and repair them for sale or use. Various local projects do this. British Heart Foundation might be worth a go too. (They collect.)

Thanks, the DCs really enjoyed their new beds!

Today we’ve sorted through their “special” box. They each have a kallax box to keep their special toys, but both were overflowing so we went through them to see what was in it. A few bits went in the bin, but a lot more were redistributed to where they actually live (like all playmobils go in one box etc) so now their boxes are a lot emptier!

willow being able to have friends visit is how I manage to get the DCs to tidy up... sometimes

nettle you’re doing great, I also had to go through a phase of being honest with myself and realising I don’t do half the things I’ve kept/bought things for!

sand yay to the new machine (once you’ve figured it out)!

vino well done with all your outs!

Today's out was a pair of earrings. I had worn them so much they looked terrible. I was going to wear them today, but threw them away instead. I will need to replace them though, but not in a hurry. Could be an idea for Christmas?!

I have been keeping on top of our paperwork, filing as needed to keep the table cleared as it seems to be the dumping ground.

We will need to sort out the desk and the garage, but not sure when I can get with DH to do so, and its mostly his stuff so not going to go through it.

Please can I join?

Today I've listed a pair of boots and a dress on fb marketplace and they sold almost instantly. Being collected tomorrow.

Next I need to sort out DS bookshelf which still has loads of baby books in it.

Course you can, @Bluewavescrashing! Welcome!

@Medwaymumoffour I give you permission to put some things in the bin instead of waiting to the charity shop.
I have found this to be a massive blocking point in the past, my mum & I still sometimes phone each other for permission to bin something.
Recognising is a really big bit of the battle.
I have also found some of the declutter hub podcasts really useful (sone are just irritating) and a good length for a job before a rest.

I have messaged tommee tippee about getting out old baby bottles.
I will try to get DH to take the Big Bag of Big Bras today.

Whilst I hate him helping with decluttering, I do rope him in for things like charity shop runs - it’s worth thinking about as a way to get them involved.