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.

Yes greenwillow octonaut plasters! I can't remember the last time I used a plaster but it seems wasteful to throw them away.

I ended up doing a bit of a Kondo in my bathroom in the end and emptied out all the cupboards. I emptied all the toiletry gift sets and sorted things into charity shop and use piles. I have put 9 showergels in my shower to actually use! They're all little ones so won't take long. The packaging was taking up loads of space so my cupboards look so much emptier. I also used a tiny facepack on my face and organised my hand and body creams. My makeup is still in a pile in the floor. Pretty certain I put it in a pile on the floor two years ago (on this thread!) and then shoved them in a drawer after a few months. I will be back when I've sorted them out!

I've done a bit of decluttering. Not a lot, but a bit.

Outs:

1 pair of holey trainers. (They're def going this time. I've even found a shoe bin.)
1 packet of new shower curtain rings.
1 shower cream used as hand wash.
2 dud lightbulbs.
1 receipt.
2 elastic bands.

The boxes are still sitting there but my dining room table is clear, I'm on top of the laundry and the lawn has been mowed!

I had a declutter of a top shelf in the cupboard in the bathroom today when I had to find room for 30 rolls of tp. I threw out a floor mat (that goes around the toilet) it was old and I haven't used any floor mats in the bathroom. Curtains and pillow cases were put in a box along with a Christmas towel (never used) to go to the charity shop when they open. I now have 2 boxes that are about full of stuff to go and nowhere to take them to. There's a handful of hand towels that seem new that I'll wash to go into our trailer for camping (or swap some out that we have in the house)

I've got some biggish outs today: about a sackful of kitchen goods inc a leaky drinks bottle and some electrical gadgets which we hardly use. (There may be some more to go but I'm still thinking about it.)

There's also more amateur haircutting going on.

A tiny amount gone for me - but I'm still managing one a day fairly easily. I throw out some old receipts the other day that were just sitting in the kitchen and the instructions for a blow up mattress in 20 different languages. Pointless to keep for something so uncomplicated.

I have also been using a face mask for my skin for a few days and I have just realised it's a hair product! So that's gone in the bin!

The weather's gorgeous so I got up early to put washing on and went back to bed. I love knowing the washing will be cluttering the garden rather than spare room. Hopefully dc will see their dad today I can clean the house before another week of homeschooling.

Hope everyone continues to bear the current situation and is well.

One of the two drawers DH has to empty now completed. 17 outs to the bin/recycling and a few cherished hobby items of his to display on his new bookcases. Will offer the other drawer (random cables!) next weekend. If he can't identify the linked item needing charging then the cable can go - to the dump when it reopens. Then the whole cabinet can go to the shed and on to the local furniture charity shop. Happy with that progress for the day.
681/2020

Hope you are all well!

Great progress with the decluttering, it's always inspiring to read this thread. @wondering7777, when is your baby due?

I thought I'd got all the out of date food from the kitchen, but found a bottle of almond essence out of date in 2011 . I can't remember ever using it, that's how it's escaped the cull. Tidying in the garden and have tidied one of the cupboards of paperwork etc

I got up early to sort out my makeup. I threw out some old mascara a couple of weeks ago but I don’t have any more to throw out. I have about three foundations which I am undecided about. I probably only wear it a few times a year so I am wondering whether to throw two away but they match my skin so it seems a shame to throw them away. Does anyone really believe makeup goes off? I’ve never had a problem with it going off.

Morning all! Only minor wins here but I've been furloughed from work so am hoping to pick up the pace around managing the DC! Even if I don't this morning has been very stress free compared to last week's homeschooling efforts!

Over the weekend I've removed a few outgrown toys to the garage although I need to hide them better as DC keep finding things and reclaiming them (we have garden toys stored there so they're on and out). Also decluttered some flower seeds into planters ahead of the rain forecast this week.

Plan for today is to try to declutter some beetroot that came in the veg box into chocolate cake. Not sure it will use it all up though so any other suggestions gratefully welcomed!

Stealth - I'm not a big fan of foundation so I may not be the best person to advise you but, I agree, I've never known it go off either and I know people used to keep it for many years. However, in the current climate (etc) it might be a good idea to bin old make-up, to reduce the amount of bacteria/viruses etc you're exposed to??? I really don't know, I'm guessing (been reading about viral load) and it seems like a good idea. Hopefully, someone else will pop by who knows more about this.

sandandsea hmm I hadn’t thought of that. Looking at it the last time I wore foundation was in a few early dates with my boyfriend so May to July last year and a couple of girls night outs. So I might wear in half a dozen times a year maximum. I suppose my reluctance to throw it away is that it’s hard to get in colours that suit me and I hate shopping for makeup anyway.

Today I have put aside a board game that dc say is boring (it’s an educational one) and four highlighter pens that don’t work.

I know I always advise people to start decluttering big stuff that makes an immediate impact but there is satisfaction in getting rid of the small stuff knowing that finding pens and makeup will take less time every day. I have also used up a sample of handcream and a small shower gel and it’s nice to know this fiddly stuff is going. I don’t know why I just stored it for years.

I’ve finally caught up with the thread again!

Not much decluttering here - it’s all I can do to survive the day with three under 5s at home and sorting things out for my poorly dad. I’m up to 594/2020 - I’m determined to break the 600 barrier today!

@StealthNinjaMum I can confirm some beauty products definitely go off - I went through mine the other day after I used a facial treatment oil and realised it no longer smelled of lotus but of rancid vegetable oil! I worked out I had probably had it about ten years though...

Thanks @clettercletterthatabetter I think my make up / toiletries rule is the same as food - to use it until it’s obviously bad. I threw some gherkins away recently that were inedible even by my standards. I have also got rid of a bottle of nail varnish that had seen better days. I am rethinking nail varnish it must be terrible for the environment. After i’ve used up the dozen or so bottles I have I probably won’t buy it again.

I read somewhere this morning (maybe Mumsnet?) that tips are opening. I am probably going to wait a few weeks as I expect the queues will be massive but thought the rest of you might want to check.

Can’t believe I’m excited about the tips opening but I am!! Sad but true

I have just had a look at our Council website and Facebook page but there is no change to their information on recycling sites. We have landfill bin and garden/food waste bin collection on Friday. I was planning on stuffing as much as possible into each bin, but would hold off doing that if tips are about to reopen, as it will be a pain breaking up some of the stuff.

I hope I didn’t raise hopes, I looked and my councils aren’t yet open either. I can’t remember where I saw it.

I cut my finger doing some gardening today so used the octonauts plaster!

I found a bag of things to go to electrical recycling today so we'll also be joining the queue at the tip when it reopens!

I'm now the proud owner of a (more or less) tidy desk. There's still a few bits of paper that need actioning by DH but otherwise it is done. How long it stays like that is another question as homeschooling is generating a lot of paper!

Congratulations on your stylish plaster Stealth! It's one thing not hoarded in our house as DD is in a phase on wanting one for every microscopic scratch. They usually stay on about half an hour!

Hello, tis I, Willow, under my new name. I was feeling a bit exposed. And then this thread fell off my TIO somehow, although I've not done anything for ages.

In the last few days I have:
🔥Decluttered dark roots and a box of hairdye each for me and DS2
🔥 Finished a tub of body butter
🔥 Decided to sell DS3's outgrown bike, which DH is listing on ebay.

We have also had rumours of the tip reopening, although we are restarting garden waste collections on 11 May. Just not food waste collections. Seems the wrong way round to me! The tip, apparently, can't re-open until the govt classes waste disposal as essential travel, or we'll all be fined and sent home (with our rubbish) .

Hello Jigolo sounds like a productive few days.

I have just put washing out and as I type this see it is starting to rain! I have had a bit of a tantrum with dc about their bedrooms. A couple of weeks ago I tidied a portion of dd2s room sorting out and throwing away stuff like jewellery and hairbands but there is still a mess on the floor so I have given her boxes to put her lego and stuff in. A couple of empty boxes and instructions have gone now and some more books and she is making definite progress.

It is now hailing I think to get my washing in will be dangerous! Bugger. Am I going to have to wash it again

I have de cluttered an absolute heap of things into the attic. It’s not perfect as they’re still in the house but they’re going to have to stay until I can do a car boot! My childminding business died an absolute death once schools closed so I’ve shoved all the baby toys and equipment in the loft so I’m not tripping around highchairs and stair gates I no longer need.

I reckon we’ve got rid of about 200 pieces of crap - cards, boxes, instruction manuals, jewellery from dd2s room. Sadly they would only fill a small carrier bag so it doesn’t look any better! She is now making Lego houses as a way of making the Lego tidier.

We had a massive hailstorm last night Stealth. Just rain today but have hung washing indoors anyway.

Hope that you can resurrect your CM business once lock down is over Lilly. Our CM has a couple of keyworker children I think but has still taken a massive hit.

Did some tidying in the utility room today and relocated some long life juice from the wrong cupboard (thanks DH!) to the fridge. Have rearranged cleaning things so half empty ones are at the front and can see what we have. Also tidied away all of our home school stuff for the week, thank goodness!

Stealth - they announced yesterday on Breakfast? that tips in England are starting to open. Looks like I will have to wait a bit longer until Nicola decides that getting rid of waste is an essential journey. At least both of our bins were emptied yesterday so garden waste is the only thing I currently have a problem with. I bought some garden waste bags in Tesco a few weeks ago, so will just fill them and stack them in the garden once I run out of space elsewhere.

We are in the middle of an Household Debate about whether compost can go in the garden waste bin. Although, since I nearly tipped the coffee filter into the breadbin by accident this morning, it may all be moot !

DS3's outgrown bike is provoking some interest on ebay, so I may get an Actual Out, not just a theoretical one soon.

We are also planning how to empty the garage after lockdown - we've been holding onto my DGM's dining table for my brother for 15 years now, and it's time for him to make space for it, or do without! I have enough clutter of my own without needing to store other people's.