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.

Started decluttering DDs toys and papers. It breeds and I think she gets overwhelmed too and starts acting up. One of the ebay items has interest and hoping it will sell.

An unexpected declutter, having seen photos of empty shelves in local shops from people panic buying, I decided to check on my medicine cupboard. I have no paracetamol and 5 types of gone off medicine eg calpol, piriton. So I have a bag of stuff ready to go to the chemists for recycling and if I can I need to buy some painkillers and calpol. It’ll be annoying if I have to go to several shops to get basic supplies.

My freezer is full of enough food to last for weeks which I don’t understand as I seem to be permanently decluttering it!

Total newbie here so I’m going to ask a stupid question..
Are we trying to throw out/donate/etc one thing a day and then reporting back?

If so, I’ve done 3 bags for charity collection of clothes and shoes (both mine and DDs) and recycled a ton of drawings/posters and envelopes too.

About to change the living room into my bedroom so really got my clutter clearing hat on now.

I'm aiming to get rid of 1 item a day. Some days there may be zero but others could be 5-10 so it all balances out. Yes you're understanding is correct. Welcome and update us as and when you wish.
There are some on the thread aiming to get rid of 2020 items over the year.

Think this thread may be the accountability I need; the flat is so bloody cluttered!

My aim is to be able to have all rooms visitor/MIL/whoever ready so I don’t feel like a slattern all the time

Please can I join you? In fact I really do need to join you so that I focus on my house before it bursts with clutter.

Today's project was the porch, junk mail excavated and recycled, shoes put neatly.

I have made myself a list of daily projects so hopefully I can stick to that!

I try to get rid of one item per day - that can be an item into recycling bin, an item into my ongoing charity bag or old clothes into a textile recycling bag. Like other posters I have better days when I clear a lot.
I gave away a duvet set that was only used once in the guest room but it doesn't suit the decor now. The new owner was delighted cos it suits her room.
The study of doom is improving ever so slightly - I got rid of a bundle of college notes from a course that has been completed. I often find myself thinking thst things will come in handy again but they don't so I am now much more ruthless than I was at the beginning of my decluttering journey!

Welcome, Pennina and Tess. I find I get more ruthless as I go on, too, Elenor . No outs today, but I have been eyeing up the bedroom bookshelves and those that hold my "professional" books for work.

Well done on the rugs, Stealth, that should make a lot of space! Keiki, good luck at Ikea! Anna, I'm envious of you being able to declutter an entire room. Maybe I should consider boarding up the door to the utility room and just sawing it off, so to speak. Alex I know what you mean about DC being overwhelmed. DD (15) asked today if I'd help her declutter her room over the Easter hols because it just feels too full. This is a major step forward!

Just reading a copy of Ideal Home that I shall pass on to DM on Saturday, so that can be today's out, actually.

640/2020 - that's 31.2% of the way there!

Stealth I’ll take that as a compliment! I think there are people on the thread much further ahead than me, but it is slowly starting to feel a bit less crowded, easier to find stuff etc.

I really want to get the kitchen properly cleared; it isn’t very big and it doesn’t take much surface clutter for it to start feeling and looking untidy. There’s china and glasses that we never use that need to go, to free up space for stuff that’s currently crowding the work surfaces; like bloody Tetris!

One more item today; a bottle of lavender zoflora I finally emptied down the sink. I got sucked down a bit of a Mumsnet vortex and bought a couple of bottles but it’s really not my thing and definitely won’t be replaced.

507/2020

I'm still plodding on, I've had some ins but they are all essentials for our first caravan and I've stocked the pantry up in anticipation of panic buying.

Out:

1 bag of clothes
Some unused baking trays
Out of date food items

865/2020

Can I share a massive decluttering fail?

Several weeks ago, in a big decluttering drive, I threw out several bottles of ...hand gel.

And now I can’t buy it anywhere.

@Clettercletterthatsbetter with DD's stuff, I just quietly remove the things she doesn't play with and hide them in the back of the wardrobe. If she notices or asks for a specific thing then I'll 'find' it, but most of the time she doesn't notice. I started with stuff like mostly filled up colouring/sticker books, then progressed to anything broken or obviously outgrown, then finally stuff she rarely plays with.

I had a really nice moment last week - one of DD's friends asked about coming round for a playdate, and for the first time in ages I felt able to say yes, and that I could have people over without doing a mad cleaning binge because I'm not ashamed of my home any more .

Ikea was a partial success. Didn't get the shoe cupboard as I need to look more into how to secure it. Only came out with two things that werent on the list- a couple of lamp shades to replace temporary ones put up 4 years ago. Pretty good I think.

Today's outs are 7 empty jars to make space for the thermos flasks in the cupboard.

rainallnight! What a shame!

Today's job was the hall table - junk mail
recycled, gloves rounded up, magazines recycled and post left tidy.

@Motherwol that's a good strategy. Most of the time kids don't notice if toys go for a sleepover somewhere else in the house (the charity bag). I try not to put anything in the loft and deal with it directly.

Out today- bag for life of nappies to the local nursery. No more babies here!

Out so far today;
-old crumpled rubbish wrapping paper recycled
-crusty un-cleanable paint brushes

Today has been fairly productive. I had meant to sort a drawer upstairs as well but then DD got sent home from nursery ill. I’ll try and tackle it tomorrow!

Outs today:

• 3 items kids clothing to clothing bank
• 20 items kids clothing and bedding given to friend
• Book returned to friend

Total: 452/2020

Tomorrow I might try and ‘disappear’ a few a toys and see if they notice within a couple of weeks...

I’ve been quiet recently but had a spurt last nigtt hey as my bin is being emptied in the morning.

1x black bin liner of general crap
1 x stereo
1x ugly air freshener spray thing that attaches to the wall

No car boot yet as I have been too busy painting the house each weekend

An unexpected In yesterday, courtesy of DH - an indoor Dog Pod for Willowhound. Mutter.

Managed an out of a tall stool from under the stairs. Only as far as the garage, but that's a start. When the clocks have changed and the weather improved, we need to pull everything out of there and begin again. Not looking forward to that.

The last box of china sold on ebay went yesterday too, so now there is nothing stopping DH tidying his bit of the study 🤔.

The utility room has disappeared again under a bag of fabric recycling and DH's tools. Might get to that today. Might just shut the door on it, as I didn't get any of it out.

Rainallnight, if it makes you feel any better, DD pointed out yesterday (loudly, at the doctors) that anti-bac hand gel isn't much use against a virus and handwashing is more effective. Suddenly I'm grateful I have enough hand towels to change them daily (usually it's every other day)!

Finally, three bags of clothes went to the recycling! Woo! Only taken, um, some months!

Dropped off my 'im on list' today I took a bag of clothes and shoes to the clothes recycling. On Saturday I'm planning on taking my 3ds and games to cex as I haven't played on them in years but think I'll only part with them for £50 as I might want it again eg if I start comuting.

Not so much today, busy day with work (I work from home) but I had a mini make up cull and general clear up and reallocation of stuff in bathroom. Looks much better.

I've got a new mobile so I've dug out 3 old ones to get rid of. One has been factory reset. One has no battery. The third is currently charging.

I mentioned selling my console.and games to my husband and dug them out. He said I should think about it and play with it a bit before making final decision.. thoughts?