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.

@Reastie I’d find it hard with the vases too. I also have too many but I don’t think of them as clutter if that makes sense? I like the idea of displaying them.

I could display them but I don’t have anywhere I can think to put them and could do without extra stuff to dust. I’ll have to get them all out and sort them out. I’m pretty sure I can think of maybe 4 I’m not overly fussed about.

Dd had friends over today and they got the glitter out when I wasn’t looking which has left the house looking like a pixie has been murdered all over the house, even after hoovering, but was very good at using up some of our glitter stash.

Place marking sorry

I think I need this thread again. I've dipped in and out half heartedly but now that we've bought a new house I need to get my skates on!

15 minutes spent in DS's room and I have two massive bags of books that he's outgrown. One of our local supermarkets has a book sale table and they let you leave unwanted books there (the fools) so I'll get those dropped off tomorrow!

I chucked out a melon baller and mini spiraliser earlier on while I was waiting for the kettle to boil 👍

My mantra right now is "do I want to pay to have this moved?" Generally, I don't!

Stalled a bit with it being half term and having less time to do stuff. I have binned 3 random nick nacks which have been sitting in a drawer for ages. Also a pair of holey socks. DD has been helping declutter the food stocks!
I have 2 bags for the charity toy shop and another general charity shop bag ready to go.
Still annoyed with people messing me around not coming to get items.

Stalled this week due to half term and germs. Sold a few bits on ebay that I need to post so that pile is getting smaller. Feeling slightly overwhelmed by how messy the dining table is, again and DP's large items standing around taking up space but have no energy for that argument at the moment.

I'm back, sad but back

Finding it difficult to pick up where I left off but so far have got rid of the following:

8 medicine syringes
9 recipe books
An old ice block
3 pens
1 rabbit harness
1 mobile phone
71 items of clothing
23 items of junk mail

My total is 813/2020

Bunkerlife

I put a charity bag out this week (nightwear, dressing gown -all wearable still)

A couple of pairs of DS (20) underpants (if I put them in his Put Away Pile he'll bloody wear them )

When my DDad (in his 80s now) got taken to hospital as a small boy , my Gran turned up , not full of concern for her injured child , but
Well I hope you had clean underwear on (I kid you not)

I tell my DS if I get a call - " Mrs70isaLimit your DS is ok but his undercrackers are in a frightful state " ......... I will disown him

^^ DS undwerwear in bin, not recycle

Little progress this week on decluttering but have now housed DH's book collection in new bookcase. Back to sorting boxes we have stored for 10 years, today. Have decluttered folders, shredded contents and recycled ring binders (think from Woolworths!) to charity shop bag as in perfect condition.

Conclusion - I had an immaculate filing system back in the day that seems to have fallen in to disuse coincident with arrival of first DC (now 22!)
487/2020

Hi I was on the last thread but dropped off. Life got busy and I needed to do lots of life admin, plus work load was continuously getting bigger because I procrastinate way too much!

Anyway, I think I was on 475 items.
Over the last couple of days I have took 18 glasses, 12 books, 7 teddies and a dolls pram to the charity shop.
Total 513/2020.

Today was tackle the children's book storage day. DC now all in their 20s so time to share their love of Thomas the Tank, Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter and Horrid Henry etc with some new children. A couple offered to friend's children and the rest bagged up to take to Primary School for first choice and then any remaining to the charity shop.
Outs
books
box they were stored in
odd large bits of cardboard (?removals)
and two headlights for a family member's car before last - to the dump!
57 in total
544/2020

I sold an item on FB marketplace - very easy the man offered the asking price and picked up when he said he would!
I gave a bag of baby clothes to my nephew - I had them sorted but took a while to get them delivered.
I spent a gift voucher that I got nearly a year ago 🙈

Just a quick fly-by & hi from me! I haven't done much decluttering this week, apart from odd things like used up products, spare jars, receipts etc. BUT, I did buy some household things (cushions etc) which I have today taken back. I've also ticked some jobs off which have been hanging around for ages.

As I write, I'm looking at a couple of cushions which came with our sofa. They're annoying me so I think they might be next.

Put a few more things on ebay, they have some interest and will hopefully sell a few.

Decluttered the Christmas decorations (look how behind I am!), sorted them into one box that Marie Kondo would be proud of and getting rid of any we no longer love.

Getting frustrated as there isn't enough time to do day to day tidying, clean and declutter, but the day to day and cleaning would much easier with less stuff.

I have binned some slime. Most satisfying 🙂

Persuaded DS to go through a basket of magazines and he's put half of them in the recycling 👍

Banking records 1991-1995! All shredded and files recycled/binned.
552/2020

Still plugging away here. Up to 334/2020 and hopefully will see quite a few outs tomorrow as I have a few ebay/fb sold items to post plus some more kids clothes to go through. I’m setting myself a target of getting to 400 by the end of the week.

@Reastie - That is a lot of vases. They sound a bit like my version of cookery books as I used to have quite a few and felt like I loved them all (but hardly used any of them). I would get them all together and put them in order. Something like: top 5 and bottom 5 and then see what you're left with. Maybe make a mental note to come back to review them again in a few weeks? If it helps to know this, I think I've got 5 different sized vases and 2 jugs. One of the vases is glass so can double as a candle holder. Most days, this is too many for me but, on the rare occasion I've received a large bouquet, it's... OK, it's probably still too many, but it does depend on the size and colour of the flowers. (Disclaimer: I love them too.)

@typewrriter12 - Welcome! Please do join us.

@DesertIslandPenguin - That is a very good mantra!

@Bunkerlife - Welcome back! And thank you for reminding me that I've got an unused rabbit harness hiding somewhere too.

Outs etc:
1 rabbit harness and lead. (Like new.)
1 worn nightie and 2 socks to the rag bin.
20 video tapes sent off to be digitalised. (Finally!)
1 craft project framed and collected and hung! (This was done by a family member about 20-25 years ago then stored away in a cupboard, surrounded by clutter. It was only recently given to me and it's great to be able to enjoy it at last.)
1 DIY project completed and cleared up, with packaging and remnants recycled.
1 cushion (another one) returned to the shop.
1 broken mop replaced.

DD's birthday party this weekend. Lots of fun had by all, but she got so many gifts and it's frankly a bit overwhelming. It's really hard not to feel deeply ungrateful but the influx of stuff is hard to deal with.

Thank you @SandAndSea I am going small and just aiming to get rid of 1 thing a day. Not counting food stuff just clothes and bits and bobs around the home. Small home but still quite a bit of junk to get rid of. I started on Feb 1st and am writing down what I throw.

SandandSea you have some great points. I really need to slimline. Thing is, I don’t know if any of them are worth anything. I don’t have the time or inclination to take it to an auction but I don’t want to get rid of anything that might be worth something. It seems easier just to keep it . Maybe I’ll get rid of the ones I’ve got that are cheap and modern and I rarely use.

@Reastie - That sounds like a good place to start. If you have any idea what they might be worth, maybe set a limit (based on how much your time and storage space is worth) and get rid of those below that?

My out today is bathroom 'crust'. I've descaled the bathroom, inc the loo. I'm also taking something biggish back to the shop.

Checking back in after half term. A bag of various things has gone to the charity shop today.
Freezer cleaned out and organised.
Keep going people you're doing good!