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=

Well I was able to get rid of 5 or 6 pens at work, not much, but now I only have pens that work when I need them.

I will have to (yet again) throw away the brand new shower curtain I just got as ddog ruined it again. She's mad we kept her in the bathroom while we're gone as she kept peeing on our couch! So tonight we dug out our kennel for her and I also got Halloween decorations in the house, ready to go up tomorrow.

Plan is to not put as many decorations out as normal, but I do love to decorate!

While in the garage dh and I were discussing the organising and clearing out we need to do, just need a full day to do it!

Sand thanks you’re right, going back to categories may help break the block! I need to spend some time working upstairs today, instead of procrastinating in the pretty decluttered (not perfect) rooms downstairs!

@BrutusMcDogface yes, count it now, and then count it again when it actually leaves the house

Bins are out, that’s a start for today. Decluttered the end of a box of chocolates for breakfast. Not sure what else to plan for today, didn’t get shopping done yesterday.

another three catalogues going in the recycling - I always want to keep them for later and acquire more stuff or dream of it, but today I'm just going to be ruthless

Today I am going to declutter the garden clippings, a large branch that needs to be cut up for example and takes up the whole of the lawn since I cut it off.

Today I took another bag to the charity shop. I feel very thankful that I can just pull up outside and chuck it in their collection bin. Some of the tales I read on here would stop me taking stuff to the charity shop, I’m sure. I would be doing ‘free to good/any home’ on Facebook, I think.

Cold - I like it! I like it a lot! 🤣
Nothing done yet today as been out and about. Maybe later 🤞

Going to brave putting all the chopped up garden stuff in a tarpaulin. And dragging it through the shed or house (not sure which is more trouble as shed has lawnmower blocking the way)

Tidied up the hall cupboard of doom and half a bag of assorted diy rubbish out.

Welcome, @Petitcanard! Pull up a pew.

Still at my mum's with lots of cleaning and laundry going on today.

I've also started on her key stash. Much like the brillo pads, she has tended to 'store' them in pots around the place. I've now fitted command hooks in discreet places near each relevant lock and have put the pots away.

The new boxes for mementos are labelled up and in use and look great. I've also set up glass storage jars with all sorts of treats (nuts, sweets etc) which are easy to access and should stay fresher for longer. Similarly, a tissue box now has tissues in it, rather than just being an empty box which is in the way.

A charity has been to collect 'the pile'. They took way more than I expected: numerous electrical gadgets, ornaments, photo frames, games... I'd guess about 5 sacks worth. They couldn't take the furniture this time so I will have to re-book them for that.

A couple of houseplants are taking their chances outside. (They weren't doing well indoors.) Another 2 may also be on their way out.

There was a rubbish bin in the bathroom but (sorry MN) I've emptied and washed it and put it away. My mum can't deal with things like this easily and we definitely don't need another tripping hazard in there.

I've still got a double duvet to get rid of. Where I live, the animal charities take them, but they don't seem to want them here. Not sure what to do about that atm.

More cleaning, diy and key sorting still to do but we're definitely getting there.

@SandAndSea - I missed the bit on previous threads re: you doing your mum’s house, but you’ve done an impressive amount of work today! Well done!

Which charities come and collect?

Brutus - All sorts, depending where you live. It's worth calling round or asking in your local shops.

Today I managed to get rid of a pair of socks that had developed a hole. I've managed to not bring anything else into the house today, which is a miracle. I plan to sieve some more time next week tackling bigger jobs.

Got some new slippers - one in one out.
I think some more storage boxes will be coming in today, but that’s not necessarily bad will look better than placky bags for viewing tomorrow.

Does anyone else want @SandAndSea to come round & do their house for them?

I've given away two of DD's toys to my friend who is going to keep them at her house for her niece.

I will need a massive declutter after this weekend as it's DD's birthday, we will be over run with stuff!

Yes, cold it sounds like sand could totally tackle our place and get it ship shaped in a jiffy!

Out: some old paperwork from our notice board, this week’s worth of recycling from DC2 (er, I mean, craft projects from school...) and a pram cover from a pram we got rid of 2 years ago. Well, not a cover, but the fabric bit that kept the safety belts in place if you see what I

I’m still procrastinating about upstairs, so need to get my act together this weekend, and do at least 30 minutes a day.

Hello. I'm back.

I'm still decluttering but at a snail's pace. I had a bag of 'scrap paper' that I was using for shopping lists. That's now gone - after many months of using one a day.

Today - as I type this - I am decluttering a face pack. Then I will be decluttering the hairs from my menopausal chin and forehead because Friday night is date night. Things are still going well.

I have also taken four bags of clothes, books and rags to the charity shop earlier. They've been sitting around for ages. I think I mentioned a couple of months ago I have run out of plastic bags now I mainly use the bags for life so I have nothing to give my charity shop stuff away in. Today I went shopping and bought 4 new 10p bags! I know how to live! I will fill them up and maybe take them to a charity shop tomorrow.

Thanks, Cold. (Something for me to think about for the future maybe.)

Willow - Lovely to read that you got DS3 out to play.

Today has been another busy day here with all sorts of health related appointments and phone calls.

We've got 3 bulky disability aids to go back, so another 'pile'.

Outs:
A watering can which spills.
A back washer thing which has died.
Another non-thriving plant.
Some receipts.

I still haven't finished sorting the keys but they're not a priority atm. Instead, this afternoon is going to be about buying groceries, cleaning and laundry. (And maybe a coffee along the way.)

Happy Friday everyone!

I take so long to post, I missed the last few. Welcome back, Stealth! Lovely to see you on here again!

Jumping in on the new thread - sounds like brilliant work being done all round!

Outs: an old table (bought second-hand by my parents about 45 years ago), a broken chair, knackered mini trampoline which the DDs no longer play on. Plus DP, totally unprompted, has gone through his clothes and got rid of a good couple of bags' worth of stuff for charity and recycling - this is pretty much unheard of as he is forever hanging onto stuff "just in case", so I'm really pleased. Plus he has done Kondo-esque folding for the remaining things and is very proud of it .

With the table and chair gone, we've got more space in the third bedroom, which is still a repository of Stuff, but now much more tidily organised. We've moved some storage boxes out of the girls room and collapsed a laundry basket which had been hanging around literally for YEARS, and their room now feels so much more spacious. Still a lot of bags of clothing for charity and recycling, and more clothing to declutter, but the bedrooms are slowly starting to feel like much nicer spaces

Welcome backStealth!

Did some serious paper decluttering at work this week, mostly of things we have electronic copies of but for some reason were filed as paper copies too. Some more to go next week though.

Today’s out was some assorted food for DD’s harvest festival collection for the food bank. We now have a more manageable number of tins as I donated lots of the duplicates. I’ve also picked all the green tomatoes from outside as it’s too wet here now for them to ripen.

DS has been really grumpy today so otherwise very little progress.

Hello, can I join please? I’m on a decluttering mission and this will keep me motivated hopefully.

Yesterday I Freecycled 2 Garden chairs. They were given to us by my MIL and I’ve never really taken to them. We’ve just had the garden done so Im going to treat myself to some new furniture in the spring

Welcome @RoxytheRexy! Your post has reminded me of the four garden chairs we have sitting in the garage that need to be taken to the tip, plus the other four that need to be sold!

I’ve not been that productive this week, but have found 3 pairs of kids shoes plus another random item (can’t remember what!) to go to charity. I also posted a jumper I sold on eBay, plus two items bought online returned as unsuitable, and sold a toy garage on FB which was collected today.

Have also agreed with DH that we’ll do a charity shop run this weekend, as we have a mountain of bags building up in the garage that need to do to charity - we’re pretty good at finding things to get rid of, but less good at actually removing the bags from our property!

So tomorrow’s task will be going through the charity pile and getting rid of it, plus I have another box of returns to post back and an old pair of glasses that will be taken to the optician to be donated to Vision Aid. I also have a couple more items I need to list on eBay so will do that over the weekend.