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 swear by these things for stationery storage. I’ve had these YEARS, they’re due a repaint but they hold so much stuff in a way I can find it and when they’re freshly painted they look quite nice.
I have one drawer for coloured pencils, one for felt tips, one for ‘grown up’ pens (biros etc) one for staples and glue etc. The kids can easily find what they want and keep it tidy, they just pull the whole drawer out when they’re colouring and put it back when they’re done.

I have one the same in my bedroom with makeup and jewellery and nail varnish etc in.

I also have a similar wooden box that fits A4 paper in, I have one drawer for coloured card, one for coloured paper and one for envelopes etc. Keeps it all neat and tidy. All three boxes have been in use since before my uni days which is...rather a long time and they’re still going strong.

Thanks pickled is it easy to find one with big enough drawers (standard pencil size I guess)? I would enjoy painting that :o I’ll have a look on hobbycraft for a start.

I’ve NCed BTW.

I am still quite unmotivated and I’m really tired today so not even doing the easy stuff! I could collect together the tuff tray things as DH did buy the big box but I am just lazing instead. It’s so hot!

Pickled I have those too! Again, absolutely ancient, currently holding brickabrac but I think I'll repurpose one for the kids. Wish I had a paper one. I think I got mine from homebase originally, for a bedroom makeover when I was 15. I've never yet got around to painting them though. What sort of paint do you use?

This afternoon was more paper sorting and decluttering. It doesn't look like much, but it marks a real shift in my mindset, as I am now culling my personal notebooks and possibly some diaries.

Getting a new academic diary on Monday, and don't want to hang on to old past hurts. Also, things have changed so much for me personally. Reading old notes and diary entries is like reading about a stranger, and not a particularly likeable one.

Mine were either from B&Q or Homebase a very long time ago and yes they fit standard pencils and felt tips perfectly. I just buy tester pots of emulsion and paint the drawers and they last really well even with wiping marks off them. They’ve been about three different colours over the years. I’m going to do them in blue/grey tones next to match my new lounge.

I noticed Ikea have similar boxes with drawers, I don’t know what the sizes are but they look a similar style

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/moppe-mini-chest-of-drawers-birch-plywood-40216357/

Oh, thanks. I'll take a look

We are past the 'sticking and gluing' child stage so our pens, paper etc fits in a small plastic drawer unit (drawers fit A4/Foolscap size folders) with a cutlery divider in the top drawer for pens, pencils etc. It just fits a recess in a coat cupboard. It sits on top of a slightly bigger drawer set that holds lightbulbs spares, batteries, plug adapters and the inevitable DH drawer of stuff at the bottom.
Success yesterday in that I was able to make the booked Dump visit after DH was let down on collecting his car. Only 11 items left at the dump as they were all quite large. I will need at least 2 more trips for what is still left.
Decluttered DD to the airport this morning to return to her overseas new job while the window to travelling to that country with her particular visa is open. Glad for her to be back where she wants to be.
1031/2020

Today I find myself contemplating how many pairs of socks and pants does one person actually need? This is my pants and socks collection, don’t be deceived by the small boxes, you can fit a LOT in if you fold a certain way. Surely there’s no way I actually need this many?

In the interest of science I’ve just counted and that box contains 33 pairs of pants, then there’s whatever is in the wash. Surely nobody needs an entire months supply of knickers?!

I wouldn’t have thought so, no! I have six pairs of period pants I think (I use them with the cup, would need more if just using those, sorry if TMI 😂) and probably 8 normal? I should definitely go through the odd sock bag again as I am clearly fine with what I have in the drawer.

Thanks for all the thoughts on the drawers, I’ll have a look. Couldn’t find anything on hobbycraft. I’m not sure on budget as we have so much to pay for at the moment, it’s stressing me out a bit!

Been a very lazy start to the day, I had a much needed lie in.

Oh and glumy I totally agree about how hard it is to make progress with small children about! My big two (the Caglets, based on an old MN name!) are 13 and nearly 11, but the youngest (Cagletini) is 2y9m and an absolute handful day and night. We’ve done better this time round not getting so many toys and clothes but we still seem to have far too much STUFF and it’s hard to get anything done!

PickledLilly I have lots of pairs of knickers too; I haven't bought any this year and am sure I binned a couple of pairs.
I used to have a lot of socks but have gradually reduced them as they wore out.
Just sorted through some of DD's things and got rid of zero items. Must try harder this afternoon.

Have not ‘decluttered’ as such so far today but given that the picklettes are with their father, have forced myself to do boring/scary adulting things that I’ve been buying my head in the sand about for far too long like applying for benefits online given my newly single/Skint status. Also discovered you can pay in cheques via banking app without actually going to the bank By taking a photo of it - MIND BLOWN.

Am also now at an utter loss as to what to do with my time, after having pretty much no child free time in the last 7 years, I find myself with an entire weekend at my disposal and not a single idea what I’m supposed to do with it! It’s lunch time and I’ve already reorganised my book case, vacuumed (doesn’t take long in a caravan!) cleaned the bathroom and done boring adulty jobs and now I’m bored witless.

Wow pickled is there anything you used to want to do but never had time for before you left? Trickier in lockdown of course as not so much is open. Reading? Duolingo? Loads of online courses are free. Or if you wanted to be more practically productive could you do some virtual decluttering - email inbox, photos, apps, downloaded files?

Would ex be willing to take photos of the stuff you’ve left so you could get ideas about what to throw away? Or maybe for future child free time you could bring back one box each time the kids come home and then you’d be able to make progress without overwhelming the caravan.

I haven’t moved off the sofa yet. I’ve offered to go into town to get DH’s meds later.

Oh god, digital de-clutter, yes I really should do that! But also, it’s quite a nice day so I might just go and wander in the fresh air. Need to bring my bike back from his house at some point too, would be nice to go for a little pootle about without kids whining, crying and falling off

So we are looking at wardrobes because we don’t actually have one. When we moved someone gave us an old hanging rail which we used for ages until it gave up the ghost. So now some stuff is in drawers and hanging stuff is just... strewn 😳

Anyway having seen there’s an Ikea sale, it occurred to me that this option may be quite butterfly friendly? We don’t have a lot of clothes, but I was thinking maybe we could find some of those little baskets that hook onto a bar to store things in, which also gets round the issue of our stupid walls that can’t be drilled into?

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/elvarli-2-sections-white-bamboo-s09157529/

Sing that wardrobe looks like a good flexible solution, if you don't mind having the hanging clothes on show.
What's wrong with your walls? A lot of ours only have a tiny skim of plaster over rock hard brick. So far I've found some picture hooks with 4 super thin steel pins which work well, and I'm waiting on some masonry drill bits in the hope of wall mounting a stair gate. It's such a pain.

Today I braved the supermarket to get rid of our vast used battery collection, and went through one of my cube units so I could refill it with pens and crayons. It was mostly sentimental stuff. I managed to throw a load of pin badges with no backs (I used to have a cork board). Still can't part with some old key rings though.

I think the guy who came recently (adult social care sent someone to put a handrail up) said it’s a stud wall? When we’ve put things up on moving in the plaster is thin and crumbly as we didn’t realise. Apparently you can buy a stud finder (or even an app) but it feels a bit complicated to buy shelves that will fit right. Maybe it’s not but my brain is frazzled at the thought of it 😳

I’m currently feeling like it would be simpler to not have doors to worry about 😳 and with the clutterbug quiz naming both DH and I as butterflies, I’m now wondering if maybe it would be better to have more things visible.

My other idea for it is that I’d get baskets like in these photos to hang on the rungs down the side, and use that for things like hair stuff, the my art supplies (the ones that are just mine so live in our room) etc. As those things currently have no home 😳

I definitely need to really think about this and plan with DH (which isn’t gonna happen this afternoon as Chelsea are in the final 🤣) as an Ikea delivery is expensive and I don’t want to waste it! DS really needs shelving for his lego but again with the wall issue I’m a bit wary. And we need a few more trofast baskets but I need to figure out which ones. But anyway at least sorting out our room would make a big difference.

How about this for Lego? It's low profile so no need to bolt to the wall. We have one for dd's toys.
www.amazon.co.uk/Kiddi-Style-Children-Sized-Storage/dp/B00VADRWGG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=kiddi+style&sprefix=kiddy+st&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1596301366&sr=8-1

Just had a look at trofast as not heard of it before, looks like a cheaper version of gratnells, which I was eyeing up yesterday, so that's a good find, thanks.
I'm trying to sort out the kitchen dinner at the moment, as it's rather a dumping ground. Some kind of storage definitely needed.

Trofast is really good, we have it all along the landing! It’s so simple as we can just bring down whatever the toddler wants to play with and then take it back up when she’s done.

It’s display space that DS needs now unfortunately. He’s got storage for the actual Lego but he now wants to display his models and there’s nowhere to put them 😫 so I was thinking shelving around eye height but only if we can do it without damaging the walls 😕 his room is too small for any other furniture sadly.

I managed a teeny tiny bit of decluttering (delved into a Bag of Random Crap) while the football was on but then lost my mojo and sat around for ages. Then I decided to do a workout and now I’m tired 🤣

Ah, I see that's a problem I'll have to tackle in the future. I put misreading down to sleep deprivation. Mine are still on duplo, and believe the correct place for it is in pieces spread out over the floor...
Any reduction of Random Crap is good. It's hard going.