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.

Thanks alex I'll have a look at that later. I started to watch a Flylady video last week but one of my dc found it so funny that I'd be watching a video on how to do housework that I had to stop.

I've been to the charity shop with another bag of kitchen stuff and books. Simple things like that really give me joy these days.

Anyway I am rattling through my to do list making appointments and doing admin.

Flylady says to go through plastic wraps, foils draw and I only have two rolls. I am wondering if this is something I should have more of - should I go shopping?

I then read yesterday's mission which was to get crap out of the fridge - well I accidentally did that on Monday!

I'm starting to feel good about myself!

Sorted out small items in readiness for dump run (batteries, light bulb, ink cartridges....). This all causes clutter in the kitchen.
Binned some leaky water bottles and old cups from when DD was younger. She is 10 and clearly won't use them now.

Everyone is making great progress! I’ve not even tried for ages now, I do have gathering crap on my “stuff to do ASAP” list though, which should involve some chucking out on the way. Might try and do that tomorrow.

Meg, I meant to ask about your pegboard - would it work on a decently solid door do you think? That would get round some difficulties for us - it could become the stationery storage on the living room door.

Thanks alexthelittlecat those videos were helpful. I almost feel like I know what I'm doing! Today is handbag and car day which should be quick after last week. I am also going to clean and declutter under my kitchen and utility room sink. I'm also going to spend 15 minutes decluttering the utility room.

Yesterday was another slow day where I couldn't be bothered to do anything other than the bare minimum. I have decluttered a small child's mixing bowl and child's rolling pin after discussing it with the small child. It was part of a much loved cooking set for her birthday 9 years ago.

We used to have one of those over door organisers but I’ve somewhat fallen out of love with them TBH - they all seem to cause issues when closing doors. At least the doors we can put screws in (DH put proper hooks up to hold DS’ laundry the other day). From the pic on the website it seems you have screws at the bottom too? So it should be pretty secure. :)

And yes keeping out of toddler reach is a big motivator too! Knowing what we are like, I’m worried that drawers/caddies would just end up left in the wrong place etc. So maybe this would work, as long as I can figure out which attachments to get.

Hopefully the little hooks would stay secure even when the door was moving? Otherwise it might be a bit pointless having the scissors etc on them.

Is DD still liking their board?

I’ve finished sorting the paperwork, so two boxes ready to go in the loft.
Out, old iPods, chargers and phone batteries.

Just stopped for a cuppa as I find tea refreshing.
Nearly finished and ready for 3pm appointment at charity shop, hall full of bags. I can hardly contain myself.
Then between cleaning the whole house this weekend we are sorting for the tip next.
Then the room of doom will have to stay as it is until we list and sell the rest.
Will probably be back later to report.

Great to read of the progress so far today.
Successful car bootful to the dump. DH's hobby books extracted from the shed of doom now aired and placed on bookshelves under guidance of DH.
DS tasked with wiping/factory re-setting some v old laptops that have non working keys and one that won't charge. If they are factory re-set, as a non-tech person, are they completely empty of any of our personal data and OK to take to the dump?
After yesterday's storms the temp has dropped here so may return to the shed of doom to take stock of what to tackle next - procrastinate!
1323/2020

I'm loving how we all have a room/shed/cupboard etc of doom.
Dh took the bags for me as we found far too many to carry, so I really should try and do some more.
It's still very hot though, so when cooler I might move some stuff around and tidy it up so we can actually shut the door on it.

Anybody any idea what I can do with an old screen and slide projectors. They are out of the arc, but don't want to just tip them, as they were my Dads. Not sure I could ask much for them, maybe a donation.

Ooh, place marking about laptops we have 3 like this.

No progress today I’ve just not even tried.

Glumy that’s really amazing about all the manga scanning! It’s hard letting go of things. DD1 has agreed to try reading manga as we get stricter on phone use in the evening so I will look up the ones you’ve said and I’ve started a thread too. Luckily our library is opening for browsing soon.

Gah. DH got some things for kitchen storage but I don’t really like them. They’ll do for now though and they should help (to hang towels on the doors, and he got a similar thing with a basket to go under the sink). He could have just ordered the radiator airer thing instead 😑

I don’t think we will achieve anything today.

Oh we have the same issue with laptops. No idea! I heard someone said you should remove the hard drive and break it, but I don’t know if it’s really necessary or not! I might put mine in the loft and forget about them...

times10 sounds like you’re doing really well. Paperwork and old electronics are my most hated things to declutter.

pollyannaperspective when exdh let me get rid of computers I had to take them apart and remove the memory which he then destroyed and disposed of somewhere else. Is that an option? Ooh times10 has suggested that too.

devlesko I saw on another thread in somewhere like chat or AIBU someone refer to a room of doom and wanted to claim it as I’m sure we had one first!. With your projectors could you try freecycle? I have an app on my ipad and can literally post onto freecycle in a minute. Or offer them for a small donation on any facebook sites?

I have decluttered under my sinks but there wasn’t really much to go as I must’ve only done it a year ago. I do have lots of cleaning products but I’m happy with that, if there’s a second lockdown then I won’t run out of zoflora! One thing I found – which I think I originally found in my bedroom about a year ago and must’ve put under the sink – is an out of date fire extinguisher which is really annoying. We must’ve bought it to put in the car in France in about 2012 and it was never used, now it has to go to a dump but I can’t be bothered to book an appointment so it’s going to sit around for a year. I also found a part from a breast pump I threw away years ago because it was missing a part!

So I’ve spent a week decluttering my kitchen because fly lady told me to and I feel quite good that it’s got much less clutter but I feel unsatisfied because it’s not finished and I need to move onto another room tomorrow. Not sure which room. I bet Flylady doesn’t have a Room of Doom.

Times10

Loving your style we can't unfortunately as need to completely empty it.
Hopefully when all done and dusted, a bit of paint here and there and we can move. Just need to talk dh round.

Good idea Stealth will have a go maybe fb local.

Hello! Please may I join? We did a huge building project that necessitated living in a caravan for the best part of 2 years. All worldly goods in storage. We have been in our new house for a year. Very lucky in that it is spacious but I have about 10 boxes to go through plus lots of stuff just chucked in the under eaves storage. I have 3 DC age 7 and under so lots if toys to go through and old clothes. I’ve done a lot of that but because of Covid, struggled to get rid of it 🙈. Got someone coming to pick up clothes on Monday thankfully and am going to try and set myself a goal of 2 months to get rid and sorted of everything else

Devlesko this is why I wasn’t too keen to board up the loft as it’ll be far too easy to fill it up instead of dealing with things properly! So far it’s ok, mostly Christmas decorations but we need to be careful not to use it as a dumping ground!

I've started today... got my girls to sort games they don't play with, clothes they've outgrown and books we dont read and taken to the charity shop. I've also finally unpacked my old uni books from box in garage onto bookshelf...I graduated in 1996🤦‍♀️🤣🤣

It's great to read everyone's progress. I'm still working on cutting my manga/book collection in half. I've now gone through all the boxes, but only got it down to 7 boxes. That's even with me cheating and housing all my old children's books in dd's room. I'll go through it all again to try to get down to my intended 6. Parting with my books is hard, even though the appearing space is great. It feels horribly like abandoning old friends because they don't fit my current lifestyle. I actually have to remind myself that the books are inanimate, and the authors will never know or care if I keep them or not.

glumygloomer you're doing so well, books are hard to get rid of.

Welcome claireyjs and gobbolinothewitchescat.

Gobbolino was that 5 of you in a caravan for two years? That must've been tough but you must have a sense of great sense of how you can live minimally.

Today flylady is telling me to tidy declutter the main bathroom and one extra room. I think I'm going to carry on with the utility room.

stealth you’re doing well following flylady. Usually I manage to do one day and then forget all about again. Same with team tomm. I think I’ve realised any method will work... if I actually keep at it... so at the moment, no methods work!

Sounds like progress despite the ridiculous heat. I have had another run through the wardrobe and added a few more bits to a charity bag (like gloves that were a gift but are a bit small x 3) With the space I have cleared in the wardrobe drawer I can store my fitness kit rather than it always being on the floor in front of the wardrobe.

claireyjs that is a very productive start felt like I needed a sit down and a cuppa after just reading it. A question for you are those books still relevant/useful if you have managed without them since 1996? Or do you live in my lottery win home with unlimited book space, I dream about floor to ceiling bookcases and a ladder.