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

@Bluewavescrashing, Alexa is far too rubbish to take over the world. Quite apart from "kitchen lights on... Never mind" sounding nothing like "all lights 100%", over Christmas DH said "make it dark" to her (trigger phrase for putting our bedroom lights out) and she blandly told us the average earnings of a dog groomer based in New York in 2017. She will strangle herself with her own algorithm before she gets to the end of the road.

But have you asked her??

Please humour me here 😭

I found it! The key the three year old disappeared many weeks ago was stuffed down the sofa, could JUST see the top of it when I pulled the sofa cushions off to vacuum all the crap off. If that little bit hadn’t been sticking out, I suspect it would have disappeared forever.

Also found (despite doing this fairly frequently) the usual horrifying collection of dog hair, crumbs and food, my sofa is a health hazard and my children are grotbags.

6 items of makeup and skincare gone today. Either finished or dried up and unusable.

DH is doing a great job of decluttering the garden and is roping in DS to help which increases the peace!

pickled I darent go in our sofa for the same reason. Cat hair crumbs grotty toddlers.

Threw a pen away today. And will also possibly be getting rid of a water jug.

Alexa often ignores me here. I think I got a contrary one with attitude. I will say (increasingly loudly and v clearly) ‘Alexa play x’ and she’ll totally ignore me and then I’ll say under my breath ‘fgs Alexa are your deaf’ and she’ll respond. I will ask her about robots taking over the world later.

Well all 147 items of pristine dd clothes are now with their respective charities and they was over the moon with the donations. It actually feels great to do something good with my clutter and have the space back.

I Have made room at the top of wardrobe to keep things I might sell like designer things or brand new things, things im not quite ready to part with yet.

I put several small bundles on FB like 8 leggings for £4 with no interest. 7 coats for £7 but the only person who showed interest didn’t show up or get back to me so again it was just wasted time. I would rather give to a charity to sell on than be mucked about for 50p - £1 for a hardly worn item from Next.

Also I’m laying with my dd still nearly every night trying to get her to sleep. So I don’t want to do this all over again for another 5-6 years.

Saying that I did pick up two items for dd in the charity shop. But I was very selective. Boden dress for £2 and and sequinned top for £2 which she is wearing to her club today so probably get wrecked.

It feels good to take this scary first step. I do feel like if I keep this up I have turned a corner.

Hi all!
Just caught up, you have motivated me to start again!
Just so busy with going back to work and then being very tired.
I had a few outs over the week, a dry lipstick, a play kitchen, so now have a bit more space and an array of play plastic plates, cups etc. I'm calling it another 5 items.
Total 470/2020

Lots to do today, housework has built up so will be tackling that and decluttering too.

Just done another 86 items from dd room. It’s a tiny room so there is a long way to go before everything is either in her wardrobe of chest of drawers. I’m going to make that my mission this week. I’m guessing that would be another 200 items at least! She is five but I have keep things from newborn in there!

I am aiming not to buy her any clothes this year bar school things and shoes. Then doing complete sort outs spring, summer and winter like I do with her brothers. That’s my aim anyway.

I don’t have a yearly tally but must be 500+ but only because of these baby clothes

86 items is lots! Well done :)

Medwaymumoffour we do the charity shop now. There is a specific childrens hospice near us that has a shop.

DD knows the children are very poorly and gives her older toys to the shop.

I often wonder if a womens refuge would want clothes?

I've been going through a box and have the following outs:

1 large video recorder box.
3 ring binders.
2 plastic wallets.
5 leaflets/brochures.
3 sets of course details (2 I didn't even do!)
Some course notes.

A lot of this is mouldy.

Medway, that's brilliant! You should be very proud of yourself, it's a huge step you've taken.

The only remaining Alexa is in the study (DH's domain), but I will see if I can sneak in and ask her plans for world domination later! Hope that is soon enough, Blue.

Ememem, oh yes, the Hue bulbs and their stupid colours drive me mad. It's all very amusing making the bathroom look like we're under the sea when DS3 is in the bath, but the sensors and "must get your phone out to turn the bloody light on" and people thinking it's funny to dick about with other people's lighting get Right Up My Nose. DH took us down this route entirely without consultation, so when the bulbs go (which had better not be til 2030, at least!) I shall unilaterally take us back. He did the same with a Nest for the heating which also drives me batshit. Heating and lighting come with clever switches on the wall. Being able to make adjustments on the way home is really not sexy or exciting!

Ok, rant over. Ins and outs today
In - new loo seat out- old broken loo seat.
In - 2 new loo brushes out - 2 old loo brushes
In - new boots for DS3 out - old boots for DS3.

Basically, a replacement weekend. Oh, and we went to choose a new mattress because we called in the guarantee on the old one - it cost silly money, and after 3 years use was noticeably lumpy and I wasn't having that. Have achieved very nice like for like replacement, arriving in 6 weeks.

Off now to scrub the bathroom prior to fitting of said loo seat, and sort through the Towels Stash.

Oh dear LOTS of ins over the last 2 days (new car seat, bin bag of girls clothes, bin bag of boys clothes, 2 new coats, pair of boots and 4 hats for my son. Nothing out

But outgrowns might follow, Suzie? There is always hope!

I looked in all the places I kept towels. 19 out! And that still leaves 2 per family member plus hair towels, 3 bathmats and 3 hand towels per bathroom, two guest towels and a set of swimming/ beach towels. Oh, and three very raggedy towels for hair dye!

That's still 38 towels for 6 people! I don't run a small hotel. I wonder if I could ask people to use their "other" personal towel for swimming / beach use?

546/2020

Willow not sure how old you’d dc are but ime dd (8) likes having a proper swimming towel.

I asked Alexa about robots and world domination. She replied ‘I don’t want to take over the world. I just want to help you.’ . I’m thinking that’s what a robot intent on world domination would say.

Baby seat out today, hurrah. Made £5 selling it too. That makes clutter sales this year up to £108. Thank you for the spreadsheet idea whoever that was.

DH and I finally pooled our tools and various screws and bolts - after only 8 years! My old toolbox is out now; we only need the one. As are the packagings of a number of odd screws. We got one of those drawer things to keep small items in.
It looks so much tidier in our tool cupboard!

I wouldn’t worry to much about robots taking over the world. I used to be a computer programmer and our AI computer ( we was top five international IT company but one of the eldest so IMO not as good as their brand reputation). I don’t think they can even use it to stay relevant in today’s IT world. So AI doesn’t scare me, it’s only as good a small the programmer who wrote it. They can’t learn very quickly at all.

I went to give PJs to our big hospital. They was also very happy. They said they always need a few day clothes and under as do A&E when kids come in and are sick over themselves. So I will do a carrier bag for the ward and kids A&E department. I did get a bit upset when I said I was clearing out, but we are mid forties! If I did have another I have told myself that I would buy as needed new from Primark, H&M and M&S as that’s still cheaper to me than not having dd room fully accessible.

Sounds like your at maintenance stage now willow? I shouldn’t have lost momentum after last term

Thank you @Medwaymumoffour that's reassuring! Lovely idea to give to the hospital.

Another 15 items gone, mostly clothes that no longer fit ds2 and a carrier bag full paper.
486/2020

If only that were true, Medway! Still plenty to sort through, we will never be minimalist; although we have had a lot of the big wins.

2020 the year we Do The Garage!

I passed on a large bag of clothes to my nephew today so that felt like a big out and they will get used so that's great.

2 bags to charity shop today but they’ve been waiting to go since last weekend so can’t really count them. I’ve stalled a bit on the decluttering. I need to do 2 downstairs cupboards, kitchen cupboards and the pile of crap on top of the dresser. I know I’ll feel so good when it’s done but I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it. Just need to set myself a 10 min timer and do a bit or something. It feels like more than laziness, it’s a real mental block. I could do without it tbh!

The two enormous bags finally made it to the charity shop today, yay!