The decluttering on thing a day thread - part 11

[StealthNinjaMum]

We’re still here.

After 10 threads my house still isn't tidy!

So join me and a lovely group of mumsnetters who simply get rid of one thing a day and report back. Gradually we’re developing good habits, reorganising ourselves, often improving our mental health and having friendly chatter along the way.

So newbies are welcome, just check in with your news and join in the general chat about recycling, organisation and housework.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3760076-Decluttering-one-thing-a-day-part-10-the-countdown-to-a-clutter-free-Christmas?pg=1

ALSO many of us have set a target to get rid of 2020 items this year and will report on that.

Just one out today - a bulb. However, very proud that I was able to tackle it as previously have had these lightbulbs changed by husband/electrician if doing other work. Having raided the many tools in the garage, I have found the correct allen key, managed to undo 'screws' that were very stuck and then work out how to change the unusual shaped disc bulb, then reverse the process. Light now works. DH is unwell and cannot do this type of job (something he would just have done without thinking) anymore but is very sensitive about losing the ability, so I am trying to take responsibility without him being aware.
Bulb needs to go to dump recycling collection point.

Sorted through some of the toys to go. Have put figures from sets into bags together so they are ready to go to a local toy charity shop (ok they won't leave the house until I can get there next week).
Also got rid of a load of used postage stamps. Thanks to Google I found some charities which still take them for fundraising.

Over the last week I have given SIL a top I don't wear anymore as I didn't feel great wearing it. I have gone through my pantry, threw away last year's Valentine's candy, as well as leftover candy from Christmas. Gone through my wardrobe and cleared out a top, 2 pairs of trousers. Looking at a 3rd pair and knowing they are getting really worn out and will need to be tossed very soon. Will take the bag of stuff to the charity shop this week when I go back to work. In the meantime I'm looking around my house for anything else I can get rid of.

Threw out another pair of socks with holes in, before washing!
Loft stuff has gone into the loft.
Put the charity bag into the car to drop off tomorrow.
Sorted out a load of batteries that have leaked. Tidied some more out of a bag that kept falling out of the cupboard into little plastic boxes.
Got a few things ready to give back to my mum tomorrow.

Sounds like great strides being made by all. Yet more socks for ragbag, lots more old magazines into recycling. Going to take some kids books into work for a colleagues little one next week too.

Not much for me today (yesterday).

Outs:
More bits of wallpaper.
The packaging for a picture frame which I've finally filled.

@pollyannaperspective (Great name, btw) That sounds like a great achievement. It’s funny, isn’t it, how decluttering can throw up all of these other issues.

I’m going to spend nearly a full day (well, two half days) this week decluttering and is it tragic to say I’m really excited! Our nanny just started with us and while I need to be around to help her settle in, I don’t need to do all the childcare so I have this bonus time at home to get stuff done. Cannot wait.

Should I set myself some goal areas or just get stuck in and see how I get on?

@Vinorosso74 The stamps sounds like amazing commitment to reducing landfill! I’m sorry to say mine would have just gone in the bin.

RainallnightI used to put them in a box for charity in the work canteen (left ages ago) so we got into the habit of saving them. I was reluctant to bin them!

So many things out this week! A few bits of clothing and worn out shoes in the textile bank, freecycled a swimsuit, sorted out DD's toys as it's her birthday next week, and I'm slightly nervous about the influx of stuff that will bring. I don't really understand how, having got rid of so much, that a) it ever fit in the house in the first place, and b) the house doesn't really look or feel that different, but I guess there are fewer heaps and piles in the corner of rooms, and the storage we do have is less full than it was.

Smallest pickle’s room is FINALLY done apart from painting his new bed and I’ve sorted EVERYTHING from both kids rooms. Got a bag for textile recycling and a couple of bin bags for charity and a heap more stuff in the recycling and bin. There are no random broken toys, no too small clothes and no odd socks. Yay! (Rest of the house is a pit)

Since I last posted I have:
Recycled the rest of old notebooks/journals
Put dead houseplants in garden waste
Freecycled an old instrument I had
Put more clothes and books in the charity shop bag
Deleted a million old files from various laptops/hardrives etc.
Deleted majority of old emails
Got rid of some expired medicines and decanted some toiletries into less containers (shampoo miniatures etc.)

I LOVE decluttering

Decluttered the garden today. So so much crap gone and every thing else cleaned and put in its proper place.

Did a bit of a spring clean, a couple of things put by the door to join the recycling which is still in the car boot. A box at the end of our bed finally decanted into a bag & a few things straight out. At some point the bag will be sorted & much of it ditched.
In the bath with the last of a bag of magnesium salts so that counts.

I’ve started a little morning exercise, so hoping that might start decluttering some weight. Burned a whole 23 calories this morning lol.

I’ve realised we have a million tubes of e45 kicking about that are no longer being used, so I’ve started to put them on me & suddenly have lovely soft legs!

I'm working on using up some beauty products as I seem to have quite a few (hence currently on a shopping ban). Someone replied to my other Freecycle ad so that's hopefully another item gone soon (large toy)

Decluttered dust and mank from the hallway woodwork / mirrors and pictures yesterday and finally got the school pictures up on the living room wall so the little table can be used again. DH has finally listed the crockery on ebay (hurrah). The Furniture Project won't take our Ikea bed unless we buy a mattress for it (get lost!) so I shall have to think of another way to get rid of it.

Hoping to declutter dust from the living room today - I've been watching old serieses of How Clean Is Your House and I'm getting a little bit paranoid!

I went through DHs wardrobe today and sorted his work clothes. I dumped four shirts and a jumper. I dropped three toys to the charity shop and a wooden towel rail. It is getting a lot easier to make decisions about items and things are leaving the house much faster than they used to.
I decided not to buy any nee clothes for everyone in the house in Jan and I kept to it and I found that break in items coming in gave me a chance to keep on top of things.

I have been slacking due to life etc.

Out today--9 items of clothing to charity bin.

Planning to tackle bedroom storage tomorrow.

Some old cosmetics that were positively rancid went out today.

We also did a tip run earlier this week and a pile of broken stuff no longer lives in my house!

385/2020

7 cardboard boxes that have been loitering around as storage during house renovations have been recycled. Landing is currently clear 🎉

Sounds like we’re all making brilliant progress! I’m up to 441/2020 now;

Another pair of outgrown children’s shoes
Two Christmas jumpers that won’t fit next year
Bottle of bubble mixture for the bubble machine in the bathroom (not planning on replacing this unless the DC really miss it)
Bottle of baby shampoo (I don’t usually count this sort of thing as an out as it all gets replaced, but this is the last one (sob!) as DS can now use the normal kids shampoo that the older girls have

Such good progress on here. We got a massive pile of dds stuff down from the loft and sifted through what to keep for Ds and what to get rid of. A bag ready to eBay and 2 bin bags for charity. Really need to get it to charity shop now, that’s the bit that takes time!

I want to sort my vases out, I hav3 probably over 20, possibly over 30. I don’t need that many! Yet a number of them were my great grandmothers and have sentimental value and are very unusual so I couldn’t easily get ever again. It’s so hard to know what to keep sometimes, especially when different arrangements of flowers require different vases!

Today I have binned a body scrub that's been sitting in the shower for over a year. Its horribly grainy and uncomfortable to use. Wish I'd ditched it sooner.

Reastie, that's a tough one with the vases. Do you have space for them? Do you love them enough to dust them? Can some of them be treated as objet rather than vases? I know my DMum has a similar conundrum with vases from her mother - one of them is stamped Limoges on the bottom, but honestly is in the shape of the most nightmare-inducing penguin I've refused to give it house room!

Lots of little bits out today - 6 old bottles of food colouring that kept leaking; a jar I used to keep SR flour in washed and put away because it's too heavy for me to lift at the moment; bottom shelf of the kitchen freezer emptied of random unlabelled tupperware, contents disposed of; elderly bananas and lemons recycled into banana loaf and lemon syrup loaf respectively. DH is finally putting the kickboards on the "new" kitchen cupboards after only 3 years, so the big length of wood will be gone from the corner of the kitchen and Wendy can't sulk under the bin cupboard any more!

627/2020

I would struggle with the vases too - could you display some of them in a cabinet? I have two teasets which belonged to my grandmother and I have them in a dresser. I get comfort from looking at them and enjoy seeing them.
I got rid of some paperwork into the recycling bin, a bubbly maternity jumper and a lampshade.