The decluttering one thing a day thread - part 12

[AlexTheLittleCat]

For StealthNinjaMum

We’re still here.

After 11 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/3799710-The-decluttering-on-thing-a-day-thread-part-11?pg=1

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

Sounds like you're making good progress PickledLilly, exciting to have a move date!

Finished a bottle of bubble bath and a tube of face wash yesterday so those are both out. We also just made the last of the cornflakes into cornflake cakes.

I'm going to have another look at the study today as it really needs decorating and would rather not be having to relocate stuff unnecessarily!

@hungryhazeleyes thanks for the advice. It made me laugh because a couple of times recently I've been unable to find something - say a coat for example - and it's actually been in the place it lives (ie the coat cupboard) but I have spent ages looking for it in the wrong place!

The hairbrush thing is just a nightmare as I think my youngest daughter just sees them and starts brushing her dolls hair and then they end up in a toybox or under her bed. Plus with 3 of us in the house no one can remember who owns what hairbrush. I really only need one twice a week when I wash my hair and as I said before I have about 8. Anyway one is going!

Today I've been sorting out wires but there's nothing to throw out yet. It's been brought about because dd1 has a camera which she can't find. Instead we've found a dress up wig that can go, a butterfly kite. and a toy dog.

Gave a big carrier bag of out grown dressing up clothes to the mum of two girls I look after. Few more weeks of childminding just those two kids before I shit the business down for good then have an absolute heap of baby things to sell, toys, high chair, buggy etc already got rid of a couple of car seats to another childminder that can make use of them so lots to sort and clear. Wish car boot sales were running!

SHUT, shut the business down. Daft phone.

Hi everyone! Hope everyone's well. I've been really busy with work recently so haven't had much time for mn and decluttering but, I have done a few bits over the last couple of days: mostly paperwork filing as I cleared my pile earlier.

I've also opened up another box of old files and have shredded some papers from that. I found quite a few certificates from courses etc too, which I've started to organise. (Loads more to do though.)

I remember asking advice on here (possibly some years ago) about what to do with an old, framed certificate. Well, I found another one and have today taken it out of the old frame and tidied the certificate away with similar others. It's not an ideal file (I hate it, it's got to go) but at least they're all in the same place now. The frame has had to be destroyed as it was so old and the glass inside was quite dangerous.

So, today's outs:

About 2 dozen papers.
1 frame.

Thinking about it now, I'm also going to throw out 2 pairs of dungarees, which I don't wear anymore.

Alex, I've still got a problem with boxes.

Sounds like good work still going on widely. Why are you shutting your childminding Pickled? I bet that has contributed a lot to your clutter when mine were toddlers im sure we had one of everything the early learning centre sold (many thanks to my in laws) Few tatty bits in rag bag, lots of kids clothes listed on ebay - should have got to it sooner before shops were reopening. Lots of work journals scanned and in bags ready for next doorstep recycling collection. I’ve decided if things don’t sell I’ll relist only once then say goodbye and put them in a charity bag and wait for them to reopen. (Been watching Marie Kondo and working up to sorting my own wardrobe)

Shutting down the childminding business in part due to corona virus decimating it and in part because I’m ending my relationship and moving and I wouldn’t be able to continue the business in the new place. I have another part time job so the childminding business was set up to help me earn more to help fund moving out so I always intended to shut it by July, I just didn’t expect to lose all my income from it at the beginning of lockdown! So I’m shorter on the cash front than expected but will survive. I’m trying to get more hours in my other office job at the moment.

Finally taken two carriers bags of stuff to the charity shop. That's everything out that has been sorted now. The house is still a mess.

I was so excited yesterday when I thought I saw one of those clothing donation bags in the letterbox. But it was a takeaway menu 😳😂

No decluttering going on here this week, it’s very much a “get through the basics” phase!

🤣🤣 at getting through the basics Lane I know the feeling. Pickled you seem so together hope the upcoming move goes as smoothly as it can. I have started mulling over my own longer term plan. Think I will stay with him a few more years to offer stability to youngest but truly cannot see us happy in retirement together. Lucky in that I will have a good pension so the option is there.

Keiki

Always remember I did not take you a month to get the house in a mess and it will take longer then a month to sort it out.

Just keep plugging away at it, I like to do a room at a time I start in one corner then sort into piles, KEEP, DONATE, SELL, MOVE TO ANOTHER ROOM, BIN STRAIGHT IN BLACK BACK. I work round the room starting in one corner, then I but donate stuff straight into the car, rubbish in the dust bin, another room stuff to the room it suppose to be in, and the sell stuff on the sofa as I try and but on face book and eBay that night watching tv, if no offers on eBay I list the item and keep in drafts till a offer comes on. Luckily I do now have a cupboard to keep the for sale stuff in and it keeps going down then getting filled up again.

Once the room has been decluttered I go back the next day and give it a really good deep clean, moving furniture to hoover under, cleaning windows, washing down wood work and doors and washing soft furnishings then I put the room back together Making to look as lovely as it can.

I find that if I give a room two day one for decluttering it and one to a deep clean I don’t get to worn out and the end result is amazing.

The only room I am still working on is my bedroom only because I just have so many cloths, I’m working through my wardrobe (Whole wall of fitted) I have bought 300 of those slim velvet hangers, and I still need to buy more.

All the draws have been Marie Kondo again.

I have now decided in lockdown that I really don’t need to buy anything for my house and I If don’t buy any cloths or shoes for the next three years I will still have more then enough.

All my spare cash will be going on experiences when we are aloud them again.

My husband has done the garage and the shed in lockdown, he has sold loads of stuff on Facebook , load of stuff has gone to the dump last week, but now only thing In it that’s not suppose to be there is six boxes of stuff for the charity shop when they opened again.

My Mantra now is

EVERYTHING IN IT PLACE AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
LIKE WITH LIKE
HAVE NOTHING IN YOUR HOUSE THAT IS NOT USEFUL OR BEAUTIFUL
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

My husband is a bit worried he is not going to fit any of the above!!

BLABK BAGS NOT BLACK BACK!!

nanalisa60 that's such a helpful mantra. You're completely right.

Not doing much today, just homeschooling and washing. I have bought some tops on the John Lewis sale but they should replace tops I've thrown away recently.

Yesterday I threw away a fully used candle. I lit a few around the house and that one got used up. It was only a tiny one but one I've had for years. I have plenty more candles I need to use up and have a problem as I keep buying them when they're on sale!

Not much to report here, except that the fabric recycling was taken on recycling day, so that's a bag out. I also threw away the end of a tub of everything-free gravy because it was absolutely rank. If I have to be gluten-free I'll make gravy with stock and cornflour rather than use that muck!

Keiki it takes as long to declutter as it did to clutter, if not longer. And decluttering around growing DC is particularly hard as they always need new / different things and so stuff comes in as fast as you get it out!

Lovely to see you again Sand.

Mostly this week, like Lane I have been dealing with the basics of getting through it. No-one will go back to school before September now - DS2 had his signoff tutorial this morning - so this is it for the summer, I guess. I'm trying to look forward to it, but it's quite hard work when all the days are the same at the moment!

Hello all - busy week at work, many late evenings so only properly checking in now.

I like the useful and beautiful thing. You have just reminded me to get rid of a ghastly crockery set that my sister had given me when I moved in. It is so horrible, I think she must have been re-gifting.

Otherwise, 20 books given to charity shop this morning and am about to head to the Post Office to drop off some things I have sold on ebay over the last couple of days.

Slowly but surely. One thing every day. (Newly added: It should be either useful or beautiful - or both!)

A broken hairband from dd's schoolbag is out. God knows what else is lurking in there! And a couple of books out too.

Small outs, couple of hair sparkly hair slides with gems missing, about 7 razor handles that I don’t have blades for, some ancient cleanserBy hay I obviously didn’t like, few crappy little toys, half a tube of hand cream that I think I’ve had about 15 years that looked a bit funky. So much to do but I’m seeing even these small outs as a victory.

Hello ladies!

Hope you don't mind me joining.

A bit of background, my house has always been a bit of a mess. Not dirty just unorganised and cluttered.

I never have people round without warning and then I feel I have to do a declutter before they come as there's things everywhere.

I've started following the decluttering advice from TOMM so I can get to the point of only having items I need, but where do I put them? How do I organise them?

I've been reading lots about having a place or a home for everything so it's easier to return items after being used and there is some sort of organisation but I don't really know where to start.

Any ideas would be great and any tips at decluttering as I've only done the living room so far and so still have the rest of the house to do

You guys sound awesome and I found reading the post really motivating

notanadultyadult

What type of property do you live in ? How many of you are living in the property if kids what age?

Hello

It's your normal 2 up 2 down terrace house.

There's me and DD 18

Little bit of a back story, I ended things with my borderline abusive partner about 9 months ago after 20 years together and so I'm just finding my own feet.

He was hopeless at helping out, house stuff, diy etc and just seemed to start things and leave a trail of half finished things and mess after him so I'd just kind of given up. Now the house is mine, I want to make it a proper home for me and DD and get things in order. I also feel it would be good for my mind as it's obviously been quite a stressful time. We never used to have friends and family round when he was here either and I want that to change. I'm not expecting miracles so I've set myself the goal of having a small gathering of family and friends at Christmas.

That sounds like a lovely goal Notanadultyadult - good luck. Best wishes for your fresh start. I use a little and often approach and it seems to be working - well for the most part.
I sold a bag so have to post that on Monday. Our charity shop is accepting donations so that has been great and I have dropped off the items I had accumulated.
I have sorted the summer clothes so that feels like a lot of ins - hopefully they will get some good weather to wear them!

My mammoth eBay session is starting to pay off, 9 items sold so far 👍

Thank you

I think little and often is a good plan and with lockdown I haven't brought any new things in so that's something and today got rid of quite a few bits and bobs.

I also have some to eBay so let's hope we're all successful with that

notanadultyadult

Half finished diy is very upsetting, maybe you could see about getting some of the jobs finished, ask some friends our family if anyone knows a handyman that might be able to help.

But it’s always easier to get work done if the house has less clutter.

I big tip I would say is get your cloths sorted, donate, keep, sell, then when sorting wardrobe use the same hangers so you can get more in, and but like with like all T-shirt’s together all jumpers together. Once you have both sorted out your cloths and they are all but away it easier to sort the rest of the house. You may need to buy more bedroom furniture is money is tight look on gumtree.

Good Luck just keep going you will get it done. This is your new life for you and your daughter.