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=

THank you cold. I am taking my son into town later on so I will do a tip run on my way. Hopefully I won’t feel too guilty but needs must as despite my large numbers of outs, the house still feels so cluttered.

I will properly declutter the bathroom
I will bin some toys
I will do another quick pass of my bedroom

Wish me luck

Good luck with your mums loft willow. It’s a perfect day, not to hot and not too cold for lofts. I have no idea what’s in my loft, but it’s rammed!

My ds12 is dyspraxic. He has sensory processing issues too. He says life attacks him when he bumps into things 😅 it’s quite interesting watching him walk along a wide empty corridor as he likes to bump off the walls like a ball.

I've had a massive regression, I'm starting a new job in a weeks time so decided to do my Christmas shopping. I can't get into my spare room anymore! I'm hoping once I start wrapping things they might take up less space rather than then being piled up in bags.

I'm at home today having some new storage installed, hopefully this will provide me a kick up the bum to get everything sorted. I'll report back later!

I'm feeling a bit flat today - I think it's the weather. And the huge pile of laundry. (It turns out that the new washing machine isn't as speedy as I'd hoped.) And the bits and bobs everywhere. And probably also the king size mattress downstairs which is still awaiting collection. And my huge to do list.

(Deep breath.)

I need a better list. And a coffee.

Good luck, everyone!

Catching up on laundry today too, we’re away for a few days and already have a backlog!

Not sure there’ll be any outs today, but if I can get the house clean before we leave it’ll make a nice change to come back to. Hoping to clear some surfaces, so there might be some outs, but probably just to the bin/recycling.

Thanks for the welcome. I've reused some wrapping paper to wrap birthday gifts so now have motivation to clear a shelf to store them.

Today I took to the charity shop: a kids cardigan, some coasters, a glass dish for lavender or pot poured, some dvds, and a kids T-shirt.
I brought home from the same shop: 2 tops and 2 pairs of shorts, strictly for around the house only.

I'm not doing too well with the new washing machine. I thought I'd do a quick extra spin... it took 1hr 40 mins!!!!! I've now put on a load and it's going to be 3 hours. THREE HOURS!!!?! Apart from that, how are you supposed to know how heavy your washing is? My old one was on its last legs but I didn't have any of this nonsense.

I forgot to write, I've filed and recycled some more paperwork.

I managed an out as I wait for the storage to be built. A giant unicorn balloon that was given to us for DD's birthday. I've rehomed it with a friend who is having a party for her DD this weekend.

I see it as saving the planet. It will bring joy to another child, and mostly importantly I don't have to see it's smug face bobbing up from behind the sofa.

I've now found out how heavy laundry is. (1 bath towel = 500g, just so you know.)

I've also taken & submitted meter readings and established that I'm still on a good tariff atm.

My new-ish bills filing system is working really well. I've got it all in one nice box (rather than several ring binders, which I had previously) so I can easily see what's what. I'd recommend this to anyone who's looking at organising their bills.

I'm trying not to watch the new washing machine.

Next: I've got a load of storage boxes which I want to go through and then put under the bed. This might be a challenge. I will need to cull quite a bit.

Sand - my washing machine is a large load and about a year old, it does a extra spin in 12 minutes so yours sounds excessively long. I just fill mine until it’s heaving. I weighed a full load once and it was under 5kg so no idea if I’m overloading it. I think as long as you can get your hand in and easyly touch the middle top of the drum it’s not overloaded. Personally if the door shuts I’m good to go!

The unicorn balloon made me laugh!

Good day here. I did the bathroom which still looks cluttered! 121 out from the bathroom alone 😱 a whole bin bag of lotions and potions we never use. Lots to use up as well.

7 ins but all needed. New clothes and trainers for ds2 as his wardrobe is half empty after yesterday’s sort out. I think I can justify them.

I’m going to charity shop a bag of the kids clothes tomorrow and see how I feel about just charity shopping the rest. Selling them is time consuming and apart from Jojomamman Bebe they sell too low

@SandAndSea hopefully you'll soon get the hang of the new machine!
Welcome @Bluewavescrashing
Some good progress from you today. Did my weekly CP volunteering shift and dropped another empty cat food bag in the Terracycle recycling. Not really anything else to report today. Am finding coming back to this thread is helping me remember to get rid of at least one thing.

Children's books sorted here 👍 I'm keeping a box of favourites for grandchildren or just for memories but the big bulky board ones are in the charity shop pile.

Only took 25 mins in the end, the shelves look much better now.

Medway - I think I'm going to have to commit to reading the crazy instructions. (The reviews said it's easy to use but it really isn't. I've never had this with one before.) Well done on the bathroom - that's great! Mine took a while to crack too. I found it helped to only keep things in there which I wanted people to use. (I boxed up all the new products and put the box in a nearby cupboard, outside the bathroom. This stopped anyone opening a new bottle/tube before the old was used up.)

Thanks, Vin!

Well done on all your loft work, Willow. I also got some ins from my mum recently. Some of them are worth keeping (family photos etc) and others... not so much.

I'm pleased to write that my new washing machine has redeemed itself! It's got a 15min wash!! I was able to get quite a bit done in the end and took it all to the launderette to dry. That's 3 big sacks done today with around another 2 to go.

Well done on the bookshelf, Blue. 25mins sounds especially impressive to me. (I love books.)

I've got another empty ring binder and the bed has finally gone!!

(I still haven't sorted out the under-bed storage boxes.)

Willow, I don't think it counts as clutter if it makes you smile. (If it breaks, maybe you could create a mosaic with it? Maybe a mosaic photo frame with a pic of your DGM?)

Sandandsea I did think 3 hours was a very long time!

I have some plates in the loft I need to rehome. They are Wedgwood but not my style.

Today's outs will be 8 items of clothing that DD has outgrown. I've tried to sell them but no takers. They are all really lovely and practically brand new. I'm seeing a friend today and will pass them to her for her DD. Good deed and makes space- double win.

The China from your dg sounds lovely. We are never passed down anything. When dh gran died all of her stuff was sold by mil. No one thought we might a few things to remember her and the few things we did get was just consumables so long gone.

No one noticed I sorted the bathroom which is so deflating. It’s really hitting home that I’m never going to get support or encouragement here at home. It would normally make me want to give up but I won’t. I used to go to a hoarders support group and I might start going again.

I just need to find a good way to keep chugging on. I have another load for the charity shop today. There’s so much criticism in my life to tidy up, zero help and so much judging. Where’s the help?

To cheer myself up I have decided to bin some of dh stuff behind his back as well. I’m really disappointed in him right now