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.

I have enjoyed catching up here. Everyone is doing really well. Hello to the new people.

I am another one who feels that I have wasted this period. I am working from home so in theory should have had more time, without commuting, and not being able to go anywhere. I feel I should have been able to do a major clearout in the house and got the garden completely under control. I think I should also have been able to implement a healthy eating and exercise plan and lose weight. I have done some things, but have just not been in the right headspace to do as much as I feel I could have. Sigh!

Anyway, looking forward, I made a start again at the weekend. I emptied the DVD storage unit that had been temporarily located to the back room before carpet-laying and moved it back to its space in the hall. I have refilled it. I also brought a storage box downstairs that had things from a living room unit packed in it before the living room carpet was replaced in February. I have put a couple of inches of paperwork in the recycling, and put a number of things back in the unit. I hope to get back to that box sometime this week. I am determined not to refill the drawers and cupboards downstairs with anything that will not get used. Yesterday evening I went out in the garden and cleared nettles from the bottom of the garden. The brown bin is now around two-thirds full. I hope to do some more on another evening this week before bin collection on Friday.

Oh bloody playmobil. Why? WHY are there so many tiny pieces? And my kids hardly ever even play with it. I’ve got an entire playmobil school and house I need to get around to selling and that still leaves me with eleventy squillion farm animals with ridiculously small accessories to accidentally stand on.

Hooray to charity shops being open - that's two bags dropped off!

I know what you mean about playmobil - I thought the kids would love it, but the only time they really engaged with it was the morning I was cleaning it all to sell!

Re the not achieving stuff in lockdown - I bet you’ve all achieved more than you think TBH. I wrote a list and included everything I wouldn’t normally have done - even stuff like making the time (and effort of concentration) to watch new things like the weekly streamed plays on YouTube, the fact I confronted my fear of video calls and adapted to online classes, the way I’m finally making an effort to use up stuff instead of buying more - those are all, however small they seem, things I have managed that I’m proud of.

Meg you’ve dealt with some tricky stuff like managing various children and exams which fell in the same week! That is not a small thing at all even without the stress you then had of internet/phone issues.

Also... ugh, playmobil. I really regret getting started on that. It ended up being a traditional Santa gift (it would be set up - including knights mid battle and that sort of thing - by the tree) for YEARS. I would love to sell it but we wouldn’t get much anyway as we have never managed to keep track of all those little pieces, the odd bit has been damaged, so I doubt there are any complete sets at all - would have to hope someone might just take a bundle of mixed stuff, but the thought of finding and sorting it all right now is just a bit too much! I’m trying to shove any random discovered bits in one box. Arguably the toddler could grow into it, and she does play with some things, but TBH she has plenty of other lovely toys and even if we do keep some bits I definitely want to thin it out and know exactly what we have. It does make me a bit sad though, knowing how excited the bigger two were to get these sets, and how over the years they’ve become unplayable purely because we were so cluttered generally that we couldn’t enjoy them fully. They did have fun times with them but it does feel like a waste as they could have had a lot more use.

Not much progress today as I’ve been working but I listed the highchair on a local Facebook selling site. I need to get in the attic and dig out the bouncy chair and stuff and get shot of all that as well.

I’ve had a message about the highchair already! Someone wants to collect it tomorrow 👍

I got distracted big time looking at boxes and boxes of old photos...

I sorted an under stairs cupboard yesterday and also got sidetracked looking at photos. Actual printed out photos.
Sorted put the copious amount of gift bags into Christmas and birthday/other. Got rid of some knackered ones.

I need this! House is a tip. We have too much stuff. I have too many clothes bought on a whim and if I live to e a hundred wouldn't wear them all and actually most days now wear the same thing. Lockdown had as old made me too fat for lots of things. I know I need to get rid instead of putting on the loft for when I get slimmer...

And oh god, the garage. Literally can't get in stuff spilling out the doe. Lots of kids toys (they are now all at university and Ineed to stop thinking they will keep for my grandchildren...

I like the idea of 'little outs'.

A more productive day, DH went to the tip so we’ve cleared a few big item things.

I found a thread I wrote last September where I was in a big decluttering phase, and I really should have taken photos then and now, as I’d forgotten just how much stuff we got rid of, and yet our house is full again, but some areas must be emptier, it’s just not visible! We did have a big influx of baby related items between then and now, but I don’t think that’s what’s causing the biggest issues in the house.

I do think the lockdown has helped us realise the problem areas, and because we have no summer plans we have a bit more disposal income and time to buy solutions so hopefully by September the house will be working for us instead of us working around the house.

Highchair collected! It’s a small victory given how much stuff I still have left to deal with but every little helps. I’m supposed to move out in a WEEK and there’s still an overwhelming amount of stuff to sort.

Another one who thought by this stage of the pamdemic I'd have learnt three languages, got really fit and transformed the house from top to bottom. Oh well!

Just saw someone appealing for things for a relative who's suddenly and unexpectedly become the guardian of a one year old little boy. DS is almost two so I've taken the opportunity to offload five toys and four books :-) all good quality stuff that has loads of life in it. Some immaculate actually. But DS just never got on with these particular items. Hooray!

No decluttering today. But I saw a post on fb asking for rags, someone has an Etsy store upcycling stuff with fabric so she wants to collect from anyone. Immensely useful for us right now as we’ve nowhere else to take that stuff without a car. We’ve got the handmedowns from the other day hanging around already, but before I ask her I want to check the cupboard as somewhere buried there is some more, from when a friend gave us a huge amount of toddler clothes and I put the stuff we didn’t need aside. Got some work and studying stuff to do as a priority but hopefully early next week we can sort it.

It never feels like quite so much of an out when it’s already stuff I know we don’t need! But it will create more space.

Just a bit for me: I cleared out my purse and have 3 receipts and an ood money off voucher to go out.

Another one here joining the Underachievers in Lockdown club! I'm still trying to work out how saving almost 3 hours a day of commuting time (and not working at all for some of it) has resulted in me being busier than before!

Bah, Playmobil. So many tiny pieces. DD lays them all out as picnics for the people. It drives me mad when the box says, 'over 100 pieces' and 90 of them are too small to see with the naked eye! The toddler Playmobil is great though, think I might have half a chance of turning that back into sets.

Good news on the clothes Lane, definitely still counts as an out. Busface that sounds like a really nice way to pass things on and at least you know they will make a difference to someone. And yay on having water again MrsTidy, that must've been trying!

Welcome Umbrella, we have a couple of garage clearance experts on this thread (not me!)

School is finished for us now, so going to have a tidy up of school bags etc. Also decluttering my laundry basket as it has rained so much this week here that I'm really behind.

Oh God - Playmobil! I stupidly bought a tonne of it once cheap on eBay. It would take years to put it back in the original boxes - although I do still have them in the loft.

One thing I learnt with playmobil is to not get all the little bits out of the boxes. So when I bought a pirate ship I left tiny guns and stuff in the box, in the loft, and just got out the ship and characters. Dc don’t play with these bits anyway. Sadly I didn’t think to do this with the first million sets I bought.

Yesterday I decluttered an unidentifiable ball of fur from the fridge. I think maybe it was once a strawberry or raspberry. I used to clean my fridge every week, but it’s fuller than usual as I shop less, so I haven’t emptied it for weeks. Anyway fridge is now clean and furball is in the bin.

I’ve had 3 days with no outs but I have a good reason honest!

I had a job interview yesterday and I got the job! Completely new role for me and I’m a bit daunted at the thought but it’s definitely a confidence booster. They told me over the phone last night but I’m just waiting for the email. Glad I never decluttered a smart blouse and a posh bag now

Congratulations on your new job RoxytheRexy! Lovely news.
I'm progressing with the attic stuff but it is slow. I sold two baby items yesterday so was happy with that.
I recycled some old boxes that I emptied into other boxes. I have put the Christmas decorations and clothes in the next ages back up. There are a few items that I don't know about yet - they could be useful but I'm not sure if I want to keep them!

Can I join? I did KonMari and loved it but like a bit of general declutter chat too...

Five handbags in the charity pile and two immaculate pairs of trainers listed on eBay. As I’m packing I’m trying to remember when the last time I used something was and if I can’t, unless it has a specific occasional purpose like suit for interviews, it’s GOING

Pair of boots in the charity pile and two makeup bags in the bin. I don’t even bloody wear makeup!