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=

Would he even want them, Stealth? I don't know any newly single hoarders blokes who put up decorations. Maybe don't mention them, if he hasn't already asked that is.

penelope I'm not sure if he would want them but I thought the dc would like a tree there as it's a bit of a shithole (from his hoarding and lack of tidying). I also wonder if he's going to suddenly care about Christmas decorations now I've thrown HIS things away. They were just Woolworths decorations, very ordinary baubles, so he could easily buy cheap replacements from any supermarket. The other thing is that we have two trees and it would help me to declutter if I just gave him one!

Thanks @Vinorosso74.

Two items are better than none though, and you can’t do it every day.

We have since moved everything to the loft that needed to go in, and moved stuff from the loft that needs throwing out.
Rain stopped play, so stuff that needs a tip run/bin are in the conservatory by the door.
Lunch now, and a nap.....

@Coldhandscoldheart, you’ve got a lot done.

The sofa actually fits in our car (we obviously have a tardis ) so DH is taking it to the tip this afternoon, with a bag of rubble, hopefully.

@Times10, I might have to borrow your car, the sofa in the conservatory is on its last legs 😄.

Failing that, a hire van.

We’ve found a set of pans given to me by my mother that might be worth something, plus a bath spa thingy that is definitely worth something, so they are going on Ebay tomorrow. Happy days.

Thank you ladies. Seeing the thread gave me motivation the last 2 days.

three I hadn't realised just how much space our car has when you take away the back seats!
Sofa is gone, bag of rubble hasn't (DH hurt his back manoeuvring the sofa into the car) and we've moved the rug from the shed back into the living room, as the wooden flooring is quite chilly now the temperatures have gone down.

The DCs loved having more floor space as we removed the sofa, so I need to remember that we can (and do) have too much furniture, and not just too much stuff.

The empty bookcase is still in the DCs room, they were using it as a kitchen, so I'm not sure what to do about that, although I don't really want it in our bedroom, as it's getting a bit claustrophobic with all the furniture already there.

Ouch, hope your dh’s back gets better quickly @Times10

You need to charge for sofa removals on the side 😁

That’s true about the furniture, something we need to think about when we decorate the living room in the next few months (glares at the rather large footstool I think we could do without). In fact, that’s another job to sort. Along with the books behind the sofa. It’s never ending....
.

If the dc are enjoying their ‘kitchen’ can it be kept in their room?

Well done everyone! I'd be interested in clothes if anyone is local to me/happy to post. I need girls size 8-9 and above and boys 5-6 and above

Sorry @nailsathome, our friends have children a bit younger than the age groups you mentioned, otherwise I would have been happy to post any on.

Thanks Three. I’ve put the bookcase back where it used to be, so it’s not taking over too much floor space.

I washed and ironed the DCs sheets, and I think they feel slightly smoother but not great. I think they were just too cheap unfortunately. I never had issues with ikea stuff before so I’m a bit disappointed, but we’ll keep washing/ironing them and hope they improve with use.

Today's out: an old book that I'd been saving for the DC. It had grown mould!
I lost my favourite lipstick yesterday so I guess that counts too! And a handful of random happy meal parts of toys have been culled by DD too.

I have packed six boxes of books and one of kitchen stuff which has led to ours of an electric juicer and a mystery item. Nit gone yet, but soon. Also a packet of modelling paste which I didn’t dare look at the date on.

You know when you think it can't get any more chaotic and then a whole nother level of chaos hits you? Well today, we pulled a load of stuff out of the loft and it turns out we have 5 spare duvets! (And lots of other stuff.)

And, you know when you've finally managed to create some space and then your DP randomly decides to fill it? Well, apparently, we have a keyboard in the bedroom now. Not for long.

Outs today:

6 used batteries.
Another large ring binder.
Various banking bits inc a paying in book, a card and docs.

I had a painter in for the last two days and got three rooms and the landing sorted. I put the rooms back but am left with a lot of items that don't have a space or aren't needed. I'm thinking about doing a carboot sale - has anyone done one? Is it worth the effort and what sells well. I've a lot of baby clothes.

Times - I've been unlucky with bedding bought online too. I bought some from Argos recently though and was pleasantly surprised. It's soft and nice all round. Good price too.

@Elenorrigbywoes - Yes, I've done quite a few. I think it's a great way to get rid of stuff and make a bit of money. I can't say what sells though cos I've found it really random.

That all makes perfect sense, Stealth. It would be a significant ‘out’.

I’ve pulled a big stripey-type bag of boys clothes out of the spare/junk room. I’m going to give myself a one-month deadline trying to sell it on FB or EBay and then it has to go to charity.
What are those huge zip-up stripey bags actually called? Do you know the ones I mean?

They’re called striped jumbo bags, or striped/checkered storage bags, apparently. Anyway, one of those.

Today's out: an old book that I'd been saving for the DC. It had grown mould!
I lost my favourite lipstick yesterday so I guess that counts too! And a handful of random happy meal parts of toys have been culled by DD too

@Mumista, why don’t you buy your favourite lipstick again, and throw away something else from your makeup bag that you don’t use? I think I read the rules of de cluttering as keeping something personal that brings you happiness (or something like that).

Bold fail there, sorry.

Sorry for posting very late/early/middle of the sodding night. I can’t sleep at the moment for various reasons plus menopause grrrrr, so here I am wide awake.

I bought some new pyjama sets on Friday. Two sets to be exact, plus a nightshirt, so yesterday afternoon after cleaning/clearing the tops of the wardrobes, I got rid of five sets of pyjamas and three nightshirts that I haven’t worn for, er..... So I threw out more than I replaced. Fabulous.

Sorry for posting very late/early/middle of the sodding night.
Is that a bad thing to do? You’ve got me worried; people don’t get woken up by MN notifications, do they?