Decluttering one thing a day part 10 - the countdown to a clutter free Christmas

[StealthNinjaMum]

It’s the 10th thread and we’re still here!

We’re a group of mumsnetters who aim to get rid of one thing a day to develop good habits and gradually declutter our lives.

Newbies are welcome, those of us who’ve been here for some time have all seen dramatic improvements in our homes, the way we organise ourselves and even mental health. So if you’re new just check in and update with your progress and join in the general chat about recycling, housework and ways to be organised.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3711883-Decluttering-one-thing-a-day-Part-9?pg=1

Happy Boxing Day everyone! I'm still here although I haven't been able to post for a while - illness, Christmas prep, Christmas activities all got in the way. I've still been slowly decluttering though. I didn't have to buy any wrapping paper or Christmas cards because I had plenty to use up. One unopened pack of cards went into the charity bag because I don't like them and would never use them. I will need to get more cards and paper for next year so I'll look out for some in the sales.

Obviously there were lots of new things in yesterday but I think they can all be stored fairly easily - apart from DS's hot wheels set which is ginormous. Plenty of outs too as replacements came in - grotty socks and slippers mainly.

Two years ago when we had family coming for Christmas I had to scoop up all of the clutter in the living room and hide it in a large box that lived on our landing for 6 months This year I only had a small pile of paperwork that fitted in a folder so we have definitely made progress. I was careful yesterday to get rid of packaging as soon as possible so the house doesn't look too bad today.

I do need to do something about our bedroom today. It is now starting to look like something out of one of those hoarding programmes Sand recommended with piles of clothes, clean washing and other things dumped in there for now.

Coldhands I think my NY's resolution is going to be to spend more time on myself as well. And to stop spending so much time faffing about online and actually read the books that I borrow from the library.

So, I'm sitting here with my new inkpen (present to me from DD , that I chose) I use a laptop at work and a black biro so using a blue ink pen is a novelty .
Writing lists (large pad of A3 paper found under DD wardrobe from when she did Art ....about 6 years ago)

I have a couple of kitchen items to recycle . There's two divided dishes but I only need one .
Large plastic bowl
I went through the glasses a while ago and put some things from my Christmas Cupboard into the charity shop (and this year , I didn't miss them !)

I have some leggings to go out (bought some new ones , went a size up and so much comfier ) I had surgery which has left a scar and the older leggings rub. New ones ok. (The old ones are really old - they'll go to fabric recycle)

I'm going to wait a while , most of our local charity shops but a stop on donations after Christmas (especially on Christmas items ) so everthing can stay in the small bedroom for now .

Like Custard I want to spend less time faffing about on the Internet, mainly mumsnet, and more time reading. And tidying, cleaning and decluttering, of course.
I don’t need anything in the sales so am determined not to buy anything.
Need to have a quick tidy round as have DM and her friend for tea, and I haven’t opened any of my presents yet.

ememem That must be so frustrating for you. We haven’t done too badly in terms of Stuff In (although I’m sure DP will want to keep all the packaging “just in case”), but we’ve not seen my in-laws yet and they are very keen on giving loads of Stuff. Last year they gave dd1 a bike, which was lovely but we live in a first floor flat with no garden .

Coldhands I’m also resolving to spend a bit more time and effort on self care next year. I have a teapot I need to declutter, which I don’t really like, but bought it because it was the cheapest and I’m the only one who would really use it. The one I really wanted was only 12 quid, easily affordable but I didn’t think I “deserved” it and bought the meh 6 quid one instead. Now it’s one more thing to declutter and I’ll end up spending more than if I’d just bought the nice one in the first place. Ridiculous.

Yes! I'm also planning to spend less time faffing on the internet and more time being productive online and reading actual books. Last year, one of my NY resolutions was to read a certain ('educational for me') book and I did actually do that, so I'm going to set the same kind of resolutions this year.

I've kept up the decluttering over Christmas and have quite a bit piled up ready to go out. (Unused Christmas bits and bobs and several unwanted presents.) Fingers crossed a charity shop will take them.

I have a teapot I need to declutter, which I don’t really like

I don’t actually have a teapot - I just put the teabag straight into the mug. Saves a bit of space in my tiny kitchen!

So much stuff has come into my house over Christmas, I’ve no idea where I’m going to put it all. So many toys.

Not resolutions as such @Coldhandscoldheart but just plans really. Mainly to also do with looking after myself more but also trying to accept my limitations - that’s the hardest one.

Operation declutter continues, I’m pleasantly surprised that we’ve got quite a lot nailed which is a great thing when you have three under 4 running round you.

Tomorrow is the day of much tidying promise though, they’re in nursery for half a day.

Happy Christmas everyone. Evil viruses have struck here so not much else going on other than ministering to the sick 🤢 Ins for Christmas have been less than in previous years and include a fair bit of wine that can be decluttered at a reasonable pace I’m sure. Sorted out some old books to be passed on to younger kids in the family who will be visiting for new year.

custardcreamfiend that’s a good update of your decluttering progress.

Resolutions? Like the rest of you I think a bit more self care. More regular haircuts, lose a bit more weight, start going to the gym again.

I’ve decided on a mini declutter project. I am quite good at decluttering Xmas decorations twice a year but actually I have so many that they don’t all go on the trees so I probably could get rid of a box of baubles. So I am going to see if I can do that. They’re all very boring and I hadn’t really noticed that I buy one or two nicer decorations a year and now have 20 years worth of lovely one off decorations and don’t need the baubles. I was sorting through them today but i’ll get Rid of them at the weekend (it give them to ex husband).

Looks like the smallest pickle has chicken pox so I guess I’m going to be confined to the house for the rest of the Christmas period so fingers crossed can do some decluttering whilst confined to the plague house.

Oh no PickledLily! How small is smallest? My two youngest had CP at 23 months and 27 months respectively (not at the same time, obvs!) and just spent a week on my knee, sobbing, each time. Hope you get something done.

Had a difficult day at FIL's today. He's not really tidied much since MIL died 2 years ago, and he keeps a "filing system" of papers shoved in random envelopes pushed into plastic bags. The dining room is gradually filling up. The kitchen is stacked with papers either side of the cooker (definite fire hazard) as well as all over one worksurface and there's a huge stack of newspapers in the living room.

This is in addition to a lifetime's worth of books, ornaments, stuff etc, much inherited from his mother.

DH and I are going to have to discuss (again) how to convince him it's his idea he needs some help, before he hurts himself. He's 100 miles away so although we can help regularly it may not be frequently. He refuses to countenance moving any closer (which is probably a good thing).

I was quite pleased to get back to my comparatively decluttered house.

Does anyone else feel horribly guilty at getting rid of expensive stuff that you never really used? I bought a print on eBay a while ago for £150 that I thought I loved. I never got round to hanging it up and it’s been sitting under my bed for the last couple of years. I’ve really gone off it since buying and recently tried to resell it on eBay, but had no interest. I don’t want it on display as I don’t particularly like it, but feel so guilty and stupid for spending so much money on what was essentially an impulse buy. WWYD?

@wondering7777 - This happened to me recently in the form of some expensive (for me) kitchenware. (I'm being vague as it could be outing.) I'd only used some of it 2 or 3 times; some of it not at all. Long story short, I found a really good, small charity which works directly with the people it helps. I believe they're going to auction it off. I've got another couple of things (at least) which I'm going to do much the same with. For me, it's about finding the right recipient so I can let the thing(s) go.

I have had so much catching up to do but I have read the whole thread! Lots of new people 👍🏻
This is my goal for today. I’ll post back later.

Thanks Sand. I’m still finding it so hard to forgive myself for spending such a ridiculous amount of money on a bloody print. I got completely carried away with the bidding! eBay can be great for bargains, but it’s dangerously easy to waste money on there too.

I have been able to toss out a few things here and there over the last couple of weeks. On Christmas Eve I gave away 3 more mugs (Christmas ones) as gifts and they were well received! I put a scratch card and packet of hot chocolate in each one.

I had a sad out today - a pair of boots that I've had a couple of years, but now the heel had come apart on one of them. I did replace them, and actually got more in than I got rid of, so far. There is more in my wardrobe that I'm thinking of getting rid of, hopefully I'll get to it tomorrow.

I haven't really thought too much about New Years resolution yet. I do want to get back in routine of doing yoga every night, as well as using the gym membership we are paying for (haven't gone for months)

wondering is there anyone you know who would appreciate the print that you could gift it to?

Resolutions here are to look after myself more both physically and mentally (especially as im back at work at the end of January) and will aim to read more. Aiming for 12 books next year as a minimum. I have a stash of at least 12 in the bookshelf. Once I’ve read these I’m going to switch to my kindle. All the books. None of the clutter.

I’m bored of it now but it’s half empty and the bag is the rubbish.

Hi there
I am keen to join with you all as my house is just full of clutter and it needs to go. A messy house means a messy head for me!

I've just read all this thread and am joining in. I'm rubbish at cleaning (so I have a cleaner) and at tidying/putting stuff away. It doesn't help that 4 years I lost a lot of my storage when my house was remodelled. Garage is now my office (but it's a tip), a huge storage unit that was my parents and held all my glasses and crockery had to go, the shed was rotten, I had a log burner fitted so even lost my mantelpiece!! I have no where to put anything.
I'm in the middle of having a new kitchen fitted (even that's not going to plan but will be amazing when it's done) and a huge cupboard I bought from ikea 2 years ago that contained all the food stuff and kitchen equipment has now been moved to the spare room and all the stuff out of it is in boxes in the dining room collecting dust while I wait for the units to be delivered and fitted.
The cupboard in the spare room is now to be an overspill wardrobe for me and I have managed to empty all my shoes from the under stairs cupboard into it so now I can see what I've got and if I take a pair of shoes out to wear then I do now put them back at the end of the day so that's a win
All the coats clogging up the under stairs cupboard are now on hooks at the back of the downstairs loo door so another win
Week before Christmas I took all the empty coat hangers out of my wardrobe and made enough room to hang up loads of clothes but I'm left with a few not hung up and a massive pile of stuff that needs sorting and putting away. None of this is helped that this time last year I was really ill and lost 4.5 stone so now all my clothes that didn't fit now do fit and I'm wearing them so there's now not much to go to the charity shop really unless I'm really ruthless.
There's a huge storage box and old laundry basket clogging up the hall that needs to go to the tip but they won't fit in my car. I'm sick of tripping over them.
I know by the end of January the kitchen will be done, my new shed will be up, I'll have had a skip and the boxes will be gone but it all feels a bit 1 step forward, 2 back
New Year resolutions are:
No more clothes to be purchased
Use all bottles of stuff in the bathroom and no more purchased unless it's to replace completely used stuff - I'm obsessed with "products"
A financial overhaul and stop wasting money
Better time management for work to get some own time back (I'm s/e and I seem to work all hours, most of which I don't end up getting paid for)
2020 WILL be different !!!!!! (Sorry that was long !)

We need a trip to the dump as we have a ridiculous amount of recycling and it won't go until Wednesday (yes NYD) rather than Tuesday. Got people over today so will generate more-cardboard, wrapping paper and empty bottles can go.
I thought we did't have much post Christmas clutter but it seems like we have! Plan is to get DD's room painted at weekend so can hopefully get her room organised when we put stuff back. Trip to shops Monday or Tuesday to return/exchange couple of clothing items she got.
I have stopped buying non essential items but end up with toiletries/cosmetics on 3 for 2 offers which seems to build up clutter until I get through it all!

Smallest pickle is three and is coping with the ‘itchy pox’ quite well and biggest pickle is 6 and has already had it. The other half is out so I’m leaving the pickles to the tv babysitter and attempting some basic tidying as my house looks like an explosion is a toy factory. I’ve got some doors that need varnishing as well so I think that will be tomorrow’s job!

Our bins aren’t emptied until Sunday (should have been yesterday) and they’re absolutely overflowing so might take at least the glass to a bottle bank to clear some of it because the outside of my house looks even more of a wreck than normal as there’s recycling everywhere.

There's a huge storage box and old laundry basket clogging up the hall that needs to go to the tip but they won't fit in my car.
Could you put these on Freecycle or Facebook, or are you allowed to put them out the front with a ‘Free’ sign on them. And put a photo of that on FB. They’ll probably be gone before you know it.