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 haven't managed to declutter anything this weekend 🙈 I'll be back on track tomorrow though. A whole bag of things will be going to the charity shop!

Dropping by after couple of days away with DD. DP got rid of bags of rubble to the dump yesterday. Shame he didn't get the cleaning done.

Vinorosso - I know that feeling!

DP has flabbergasted me again tonight. I was just going through the laundry bin (the new washing machine has a timer!!!!!) and discovered his "decorating jeans" in there. They are so so awful!! Really holey! I could put my hand through one of the holes in the crotch, without any effort at all - it's huge! Apart from the fact that he was, presumably, intending on washing them, he's decluttered perfectly good jeans recently because "they don't feel good"! (SMH)

Out: A pair of jeans.

Three pairs of ripped jeans are in the ragbag, waiting for me to decide whether any of them are worth repairing. If not: then they go into the garage as cleaning rags. Some cardboard into recycling tub for Tuesday’s collection. Also Newspapers and magazines.

Much tidying throughout the weekend => space on shelves and more of the kitchen table reappearing. Found a beautiful dead butterfly on the utility floor with its wings open and it’s on the worktop for the next couple of days for LOs.

Put back all the clocks except living-room. LOs still on bst so went to bed an hour early, and I got to watch my favourite prog in peace :))

I got rid of the corset!! Yay! She met up no problems. I almost got rid of a pair of high heeled boots to someone else, but unfortunately my boots are too small. I did get a couple of costumes out of the storage unit to take pictures of and try to sell them on fb, but I haven't done it yet. I'll work on that tomorrow on my lunch break. I may just add the boots on there as well!

SandAndSea I'm glad the pillows will work out after all, hopefully they're more comfortable for you.

Thanks, Willow and Hazel. That's good news on the corset, Hazel. I've got some kitchenware to sell soon; I really must get onto it.

Well done, Tidy! I really need to do some tidying too.

Today DCs and I sorted through a big box of activity books, half went into recycling as they were finished and the rest entertained them for a good hour while I cleaned the kitchen. I always do this in the school hols to remind them what's actually there. Nice tidy box now.

Bluewaves I often get DD to do the same in holidays so things get rediscovered (and used up).
Today I got rid of an umbrella which won't stay up and a few random bits n bobs of rubbish from DD's room. Started another bag for the charity shop.

Ugh. Today has been a proper fail, and the Post Office hates me. I've had 2 goes at posting the ebay parcels and still no managing it. The first time, they told me the parcel was too floppy (??!) so I repacked the shirts with cardboard in. Now, they are too thick!

I have come home for a sulk, with a Christmas magazine. Still not got to the charity shop.

Half term frustrations here too. Just treading water with recycling, did drop a bag into charity shop. Have decided to send an old tea service there too, just need to package it suitably first. I still have 2 in case I unexpectedly need to offer afternoon tea to a large coach party!

No significant outs recently, although our bins were fuller than usual. I’ve spent 30 minutes in the garden, cutting down dying plants. I love flowers, but don’t know much about them, so not sure if I should have just dug them up, or if they’ll grow again next year. I’ve also closed the stop cock for the garden tap.

It’s half term here too, so I’m hoping to go through some of the DCs books and toys, as there’s still so many, and no space for the new ones they’ll be getting for Christmas.

I’m hoping for no ins this week (apart from a bucket full of sweets on Thursday!)

@Times10 good work in the garden. My DH is in charge of ours, if it was my responsibility it would be a jungle!

Out today: pointless party bag DD received which she's not interested in in the slightest. It's been hanging around the kitchen for days annoying me. I seem to be good at selective vision which means things pile up and get ignored for far too long.

I'm really enjoying being part of this thread. Just one thing a day is manageable, sometimes I can do more but it keeps me focused without being overwhelming.

Thanks Blue , our garden is getting rather jungle like, and there’s lots of seedlings coming up, so I’m not sure if I should rake them out, assuming they’re weeds due to the time of the year, or if they are actually flowers in which case I should leave them there! I have been known to dig up plants I actually planted, thinking they were weeds, so I think I need to go on a gardening course!

The new sheets I bought the DCs are really rough, so I’m not sure if we’re going to keep them long term. I should have known that at that price they weren’t going to be great, but as they were 100% cotton I had hoped they would be ok. Hopefully they’ll soften the more we wash them.

Willow - for eBay last Argentines letters, try folding things around a cereal or pizza box back, then tape into a bag and then put it into postage bag. Also My Hermes is easier and less fussy tbh.

I’m still by the sea for half term. Recording my in, going to the shops today so could get messy. I have come to realise while away that we won’t be having more kids ( let’s face it we already have a hoard of them 😂) so I’m going to charity shop the same volumes of holiday ins of baby clothes. A few bundles on eBay one is very trendy girls next, one I see massive boys tops. IF they don’t sell I’m giving up on selling on eBaying. IT will be cheap bundles on FB

I have been on this thread for a while and it is working for me. My cousin messaged on Saturday evening to say that they were passing through our area and would visit on Sunday. Instead of the usual panic to get the house visitor ready it took less than an hour to sort it all as there is less stuff around. If you have just started keep going it does work and does get easier. You can't clean clutter as they say!

Sorry for yesterday's grump.

Thanks Medway for ebay posting tips. Think we're going to try to refund the prepayed online postage and just pay over the counter. It's taken way more time than it's worth already. Hope you are comfortable with the "no more DC" realisation. We definitely decided that after #4, and fixed it so, but I still get the occasional wistful moment.

ElenorRigbyWoes, I was saying to DD only this morning that if her room is always untidy she should put out stuff she can't find a home for! Cleaning is less tedious if it's only stuff you need / love and it all has a home.

Times10 don't chuck the sheets yet, try ironing them (I know, MNers don't iron unless it's everything including socks and pants). I find all sheets are softer after ironing even brushed cotton.

This morning, I am claiming as my out loads of grease and mank in the kitchen. DH did some Shouting last night while trying to cook (where I'd done the thinking and the defrosting and the acquisition) about Not Any Space and Why Has No One Tidied?

The basic answer is, everyone shoved off after big family lunch on Sunday and I was buggered if I was spending my entire afternoon cleaning while everyone else watched sport and got quietly sozzled. So I left it. DD then cooked yesterday morning and didn't clear up, and DH didn't clear up before he cooked...

So this morning I've spent two hours in the kitchen. I started at the door and worked widdershins around it, putting away, cleaning, washing up. Lots of rubbish, lots of stuff where it shouldn't be, lots of handwashing ignored when loading the DW... Then I got over-excited and did the windows and windowsills inside. Just putting stuff away made a huge difference and it looks lovely now, but I feel like I've been run over!

I'm pretty pissed off, if I'm honest, that everyone assumed I'd deal with it because they didn't want to. I thought we'd dealt with that. Words Will Be Had over tea tonight, I think.

Willow thanks for the tip, I’ll try that when we wash the sheets next! All our other sheets are years old, so are lovely and soft (but I think they were better quality to start off).

It's so good to read that people are benefitting from this thread. It's really helped me, that's for sure. I've also got family coming, possibly this weekend. They're the sort to either just turn up, or, be late and then cancel, after messing us around all day. So, I'm going to try to blitz the place before then just in case. It needs doing so it's good to have something to spur me on.

Oh well done, Willow! It sounds like you did a grand job, even if it shouldn't have been just you doing it.

Outs today include:

• A chipped plate. (I chipped it taking it out of the DW and immediately thought of chucking it. Then I remembered how I used to think: "It could be useful as a plant saucer or candle holder. I'll keep it just in case I need it someday. You never know." I'm so glad I'm out of that now!)

• A mattress protector - it's had it.

• A ton of washing up and laundry. (I'm loving my new wm now. I take back everything derogatory I ever said about it.)

Further outs today - I opened a toiletries set I was given last Christmas (possibly the Christmas before?), put the body lotion and scrubby thing straight into the charity box and the rest into the bathroom to use. I've also cleared some Christmas cards from the top of my wardrobe, kept the very precious ones (last one from Mum and Dad etc) and put the rest out. Found another box of precious cards while I was about it, that will have to wait for another day.

I've also nearly finished a bit of a hobby too childish to reveal... So the ephemera for that will be out shortly!

Hi! Once again you’ve all disappeared from my threads I’m on! So just checking in. I’ve been doing well getting rid of little bits of tat in my kids’ room. Slowly but surely!

That's the way, Brutus!

I'm now trying to guess Willow's childish hobby... Is it something to do with stickers?? (I love a sticker!)

Stickers are peripherally involved, sand, yes, but they are not the main focus!

I love reading how everyone is doing. I can see that those that have been here for a while have built up a community and have made a good deal difference to their homes.

Today's outs - a couple of bath toys that DD is irrationally afraid of. My sister will give them to a friend. Also managed a big bag of DD's out to my sisters house for when she looks after DD.

I've started to make a bit of headway in the spare room of doom by moving some things around.