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.

It never really gets finished, unless you become super-strict about stuff coming in.

I dug a few things out of the big box of baby stuff to pass on to my sister, and realised that there's so much in there that I could probably declutter now. We're TTC but even if I were pregnant again, I probably only need half of what I've saved. I'm going to sort it all properly over the Easter break and try to pare it down a bit.

Today's outs: some newborn toys, a baby hairbrush, pram liner, fleecy wrap and some baby socks.

Welcome tesstackle and pennina.

Laughing at rainallnight and the hand gel, that must be so annoying! But actually quite unusual to regret getting rid of anything. I have been on this thread since the first one and can't remember anyone regretting throwing something out.

hellohello2020 do you really have time for it? I use my ipad every day and sometimes play a game for five minutes as it's in my hand but I never have the time to play on a console. In fact we should probably get rid of our wii as it just gathers dust and someone else would really benefit from it. I realise that I don't know how to relax and so I have been reading a lot recently to declutter our books (there were a couple I'd been reading for 5 years) so maybe I'll have time one day to play on the wii.

Annasgirl no it never ends. Not while you have children! I used to be a minimalist with a beautiful, clear flat, then I married a hoarder and had kids and lost my way a bit. Anyway I will never be able to have the minimalist house I would like but most of my life is so much more organised than it was three years ago so I'll keep going and training the dc as well.

wondering7777 ooh lovely another thread baby is imminent. I wish I'd tidied my house before my first dc as afterwards I just never had the time / motivation for years. Babies and toddlers take up so much space so it's good to clear up before you need it.

I'm still here slowly decluttering. I had every intention of 'finishing' all the bedroom stuff I moved to the Room of Doom but actually all the talk of panic / buying has just made me deep clean areas of the house, mainly the kitchen but I've also been doing stuff like spraying door handles with bleach spray as we have lots of kids over who are like germ incubators. I have been going through stuff in the kitchen. I had some flour that was two years out of date (so it must be two years since I decluttered my baking stuff!) and rather than chuck it I did lots of cooking. Then I read the thread on flour mites which freaked me out a bit so I probably should check on flour more often. I also used up some wholemeal selfraising flour that ex husband bought by mistake! I've also cleaned the freezer and eaten the older stuff. I have some lentils and pulses that are slowly being added to curries.

I agree decluttering is never ending. Am somewhat annoyed DP didn't sort the things I asked him to yesterday!!! It would take him half an hour tops.
Today's outs an old dry shampoo that I never liked and haven't used in ages. Also a knackered cardboard box which DD's summer duvet was in.

May I join? I need this thread in my life! We are considering putting our flat on the market and had a bit of a de clutter yesterday but it feels overwhelming. One thing a day on the other hand feels very much manageable. Now I just need to stick to it!

Good luck with the decluttering @wondering7777 - I did a big push on the declutter front before baby no3 arrived (he was born 5 weeks ago) and it’s really made a difference to how much easier the past few weeks have been.

Current total here is 463/2020. I’m genuinely not sure I can make the 2020 total though - I don’t feel like we have a huge amount of stuff left, though to me thins still feel quite cluttered.

Any tips on areas clutter could be hiding that I might have forgotten about?

Hi Mimosa, welcome! 1 thing a day is just about manageable usually.

Outs in the last few days have been a pair of outgrown pyjamas and three finished tiny bottles of shower gel / conditioner. I have asked DH to stop picking them up in hotels because they add nothing to our lives!

645/2020

Woo, an unexpected out today: a friend popped round and I sent her away with a 10kg bag of cat food that had been sitting in the corner since DCat passed away last year. Feels sad not to need it, but good to give it away!

I did a big push on the declutter front before baby no3 arrived (he was born 5 weeks ago) and it’s really made a difference to how much easier the past few weeks have been.

That’s good to hear - thanks Cletter!

Current total here is 463/2020. I’m genuinely not sure I can make the 2020 total though - I don’t feel like we have a huge amount of stuff left, though to me thins still feel quite cluttered.

I’m in the same boat - the cupboard under the stairs yielded some good results as there was quite a lot of junk in there, but I’m finding it hard to find a lot to throw away much more in the kitchen and dining room.

One area that does have potential is the stationery/knick-knacks drawer, but really I use most of it occasionally or otherwise, and there’s some useful stuff in there (spare headphones for iPod in case my current ones break for example).

• sorry, that should be “I’m finding it hard to throw away much more in the kitchen and dining room”.

I’m feeling quite tired at the moment but must press on with the lounge today.

I've packed up the three mobiles, need to take them to the post office tomorrow. Also used up one of many inherited bottles of Domestos this morning.

I don't think the decluttering ever ends, but it does get easier each time!

Everyone is doing so well

Tidied the baby's wardrobe today and working through some paperwork.

@Clettercletterthatsbetter Congratulations on baby number 3!

Just ticking over with general recycling etc, DH still working through his pile of magazines. Bag of books/DVDs to charity shop and about 20 kids books passes on to a colleague. Lots of shower gel/shampoo bottles from kids bathroom to was out for recycling too,

Where did you send your mobiles keiki thinking about it we probably have three or four lurking in the house.

@gassylady I'm sending them to Oxfam phone bank which someone else mentioned earlier on the thread - I've some really old ones and not all other places accepted them.

@wondering777, please don't wear yourself out! With all my pregnancies I bought into "it's not an illness" far too heavily towards the end. If you're tired, rest! I know why DS1 was prem, and it was predictable had I but known, but work pushed me really hard in that last month and it didn't help. Also, your first baby is the only time you can spend the last weeks on the sofa - it absolutely doesn't work in subsequent pregnancies with a toddler or one at school!

Today is recycling day, so I can clear the utility room again and there's another pair of juvenile pyjamas to go. DH has randomly started pulling CDs onto the hard drive, so I'm hopeful that I can add 250 CDs to my out list shortly. He's listing them on music magpie at present, but 25 CDs has netted us about £3.60 so far, and I don't think it's worth the faff. Hopefully, once the CDs are done, I can point him towards stripping and dumping all the obsolete laptops he seems to be sitting on.

I'm also thinking of dumping all my PhD notes - it's been 15 years in September and all the important analysis is on the computer. I've not looked at any of it since 2006. I just need to feel very brave indeed...

I have lots of childcare this week so no excuse not to get stuck in and tackle something.

I still don’t have enough space for all DCs’ toys, which makes me worried that I wasn’t ruthless enough first time round (and that’s after getting rid of 40 soft toys!)

I don't think I've regretted getting rid of anything before, but I just remembered that a couple of months ago I ditched two almost-full bottles of Hibiscrub antibacterial wash left over from when DH had surgery. Regretting that a bit now.

Thanks IWillWear - I'm determined to get the house in good order so I don't have to stress when the baby arrives. But I'm making sure I get plenty of rest in between bursts of cleaning and decluttering!

I have an afternoon off work today so am planning to tackle the lounge. I'm just trying to find the motivation to get off Mumsnet and make a start!

More toys and household items taken to the charity shop this afternoon. We got some really nice tumblers as wedding presents but we never use them. So I've donated the fun Coca-Cola glasses and now we'll use the nice stuff 👍

Busy day catching up on household jobs. I did manage to put away the birthday cards still out from January and put a carrier bag of baby toys in the out pile. DP says I can't bin the discoloured lamp shade until I have bought a replacement for the second light. I've given in and put all his stuff in a box to tidy up the table. I also used up a box of grass feed and seed.

Some more outs today, mostly from the lounge:

• A bottle of cordial that was 1.5 years out of date
• Some more books and DVDs that have gone onto DH’s ever-growing pile to give away/sell (if he ever gets round to it!)
• A few redundant electrical cables
• A bookmark I have two of
• An old curtain hook
• An empty box of matches

A few more things I want to keep have been moved to their rightful homes - e.g. paint charts are now all in one place.

So all in all a pretty good day! How’s everyone else getting on?

A few old paint charts have also just gone!

Was talking to a friend in the gym today about what to do if we have to self isolate for two weeks or longer like they are doing in Italy, when another lady said if that happens in her house then she is going to make all her family de clutter and clean and sort out the whole house.

She said it might be the only chance she ever gets to get them to do it as when she usually ask them to help they always have other stuff to go to.

So she said Husband in Garage and shed!! teenagers to do there bedrooms , and her it do the rest of the house, she reckoned two weeks and it should be sorted with the whole family’s helping.

Nanalisa I love that idea of self-isolation meaning enforced decluttering!

I got all the recycling out today - batteries, water filter, plastic bags, old medicines, the bag of clothes recycling and all the paper in the bin under the sink! The utility feels about six times the size. I also found an elderly pair of slippers to go, and took a huge bag of shredding to the tip. Oh, and a tupperware of sausage casserole that wasn't meant to be blue and furry [guilt emoticon].

DH continues with the CDs and the highest value CD so far on Music Magpie (at a startling £4.40) is the Glam Metal Detectives album from 1995. Most of you will be too young to remember it, but it was a spoof pseudo-channel-hopping sketch show with Doon Mackichan in amongst other people. The entire album is also a spoof. Funny what people will pay for, eh?

GMD!

654 / 2020