Getting rid of one item a day thread number 14 – where we extract precious autumn leaves, rocks and twigs from our children

[stealthninjamummy]

Well I never thought I’d still be here, on the 14th thread where a bunch of mumsnetters get rid of one item a day while we slowly declutter and reorganise our houses.

It’s autumn and some of us have commented on our children’s beloved treasures that are coming in like conkers and precious twigs that have been named. This is the thread where we focus on sneaking these things out and getting the house ready for Christmas even if we don’t know what Christmas will be like this year.

New joiners are always welcome, just get rid of one item and let us know. We’ve all different issues and challenges and it’s nice to have a friendly chat with a fellow mumsnetter.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4003927-Still-throwing-an-item-away-a-day-part-13?pg=1

And for 2020 some of us are also aiming to get rid of 2020 items!

vinorosso amazon have some lovely wrapping paper storage bags but I have two that are probably most similar to this

www.amazon.co.uk/LAZER-ELECTRICS-Protective-Christmas-Organiser/dp/B08154QMNY/ref=mp_s_a_1_40?dchild=1&s=kitchen&keywords=wrapping+paper+storage&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1607775213&sr=1-40

They’re about four or five years old now and still in good condition. They’ll take about 8 or 9 rolls but mine have about four in and I’m just thinking I could probably slide in the ribbons and tags that are in a separate shoe box. I have one for birthday wrapping paper and one for Christmas paper.

Shes butter handcream used up and thrown away.

And Dd broke the cats food bowl. Catface is most put out as she now has to eat from the “other” bowl and now her favoured one.

@sandgrown it sounds as though you’ve had a pretty difficult time, so be gentle to yourself - not the end of the world if stuff stays in boxes for a while.

Could you set a timer for 5 mins & peek in the nearest box to see if you can find a couple of things to put away/discard depending on what you find?

@sandgrown really tough situation but I agree a timer would be good to use.

Day 95:

Cd's posted to music magpie.
My work items put away for MAT leave so now have a whole spare shelf in living room.

Photos and emails.

Tomorrow: Christmas stuff down from attic and I'm confident some things will be able to go on freecycle.

Some projects to be bagged up to be returned to pupils.

Welcome, @sandgrown! You're in the right place! Just keep posting. Do a bit here and a bit there and watch it all adding up over time.

My items today are another 2 DVDs (still sealed!) and a toilet roll which I was keeping for a craft project.

Thanks everybody. A bag out to charity today and managed to bin a few things so it’s a start! I have a spare bedroom so might be able to move some boxes in there and deal with them after Christmas. Maybe a bit ambitious to try and sort all the stuff out sell some and get it away when I am so busy. I am managing to keep the lounge clutter free so if all else fails we will have to move the dining table in there!

What a lovely space you all have created here! I've been lurking around since the last thread, checking in almost every night and telling myself I'll start the next day. Well, DD 8 mo knocked a bowl out of my hand today, and it broke, so we'll call that my first out. Ready to find something else for tomorrow.

Other outs today - pair of dds trousers which she’d worn through, and a reuseable face wipe which had seen better days.

Today’s update: Found some junk mail/ fast food menus stuck in the pile of DD’s colouring books, so they’ve gone in the recycling. They had probably been put down there ‘for a moment’ then stuff has gone on top of them, so they were forgotten about.

Had a good shopping trip to town this morning and have bought most of my presents now. Wrapped some to be posted on Monday, and I’ll do some more tomorrow.

@IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly

earsup can you box them as "not Christmassy" then always be just on the cusp of getting them out again next year? Or decide they are Easter-ish ornaments and tell him (if he asks) they'll be back then so you appreciate them more? As they were becoming part of the furniture etc?

Sandgrown that sounds uncomfortable. One thing I try to do is not declutter until I've worked through the HALT acronym - am I too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired to get going? If I don't sort out those needs of my own first, it never goes well. Hoping you can sort it out (and cover boxes with a blanket and tinsel if it doesn't work out?).

Difficult with the cup cakes....next door neighbour and a friend....in my bubble so to speak....pops in every day....plus he keeps buying me fridge magnets ... a few are ok but not 30 or so....i 'accidentally' dropped some and showed him how they had fallen and were damaged so binned them...!!...Also gives me light up garden gnomes....I got rid of one to a friend last week..!!..Tomorrow its clearing the jackets again and old sewing fabric left overs...

Chatted to a hoarder neighbour [ I have 3 of those ]...two of them are now using their cars to store junk as houses now full...!!

I am not doing very well at the minute.

Today I’ve thrown away a paint tester - it was one of those new-fangled ones with a built in roller so it dried out very quickly.

Whoo hoo. Late message asking of toy still for sale. Said yes. Asked of others are one was. Said yes. Agreed price. Collected at 11.15 pm. Done

We had a cake smash today so been busy but had a late FB Market enquiry over a large toy and she brought two and send DP out to collect them at 11pm!! I'd brought them in bundles as I wanted other stuff so I'm only recouping costs but it's two large toys gone from the garage.
Birthday tomorrow so there will be more toys in my house but most of them are second hand so it feels less like "extra"

Given away a home made decoration to each household we send cards too and started the laborious process of getting the 5 yo to sign his and his brothers names but not draw pictures. Hopefully means I can post at least one set out Monday.

Champagne glass broken so that’s my out for the day probably. Not too fussed about it as it was a cheapy one.

earsup wow I am finding your post really distressing! My mum has form for giving me awful presents (Queen Mum mug after she died, tin of custard powder, Hilary Clinton playing cards) but all could be easily hidden destroyed as she doesn't come very often but a regular visitor who gives fridge magnets and gnomes?

I sold a toy yesterday and bought stamps for my xmas cards but I didn't get round to sorting out the card drawer. My house is now a complete mess so again I will spend today tidying and putting away the three loads of washing I did yesterday.

Just to say I have started a new thread but by all means let's keep going on this one.

I've also name changed to remove the 'my' that was the extent of my Halloween name change! I'm glad to be back with the old name.

earsup ah. That’s an issue. Could you just say no thanks - much easier said than done I know. I always seem to come home from Dms with something. Usually food. But occasionally something which could be useful (300 cupcake cases was the last one...I will use them but still....300 is excessive!)

Thanks for the new thread Stealth, hopefully I'm not now talking to myself!

@Vinorosso74 I use one of those suit cover bags to store our wrapping paper rolls and then hang it in the wardrobe. I think I actually stole the idea from someone else on this thread!

Hope the cake smash was a success Sleeping
I made the Christmas cake this morning and decluttered quite a few half empty bags of dried fruit into it so the baking shelf is a bit clearer.

Hello to new joiners. I feel like this is a great time to start decluttering and beat the new year rush!

Thanks for the wrapping paper storage ideas.
DD woke up at 5.30 and decluttered the contents of her stomach. Not the best start to the day! She seems to have perked up now and tells me a few kids were off last week with the same....
Anyway, not achieved anything yet today.

Oh no! Poor DD @Vinorosso74. Hope she’s feeling much better very soon. Will you get her a COVID test? I remember reading that gastrostomy symptoms and q common in children though I don’t think they’ve been added to the official list.

Not much progress here today so far...

I'm back, had a crazy busy week covering in the pre-toddler room. We had Christmas dinner on Thursday with chocolate fudge cake for pudding. Just imagine 17 one year olds with chocolate cake!!!
I've managed to get rid of some old paperwork and junk mail (and found a book token and a Hobbycraft voucher). Done some present wrapping and used up a few half rolls of paper. Just been through my sock and underwear drawers and ruthlessly chucked anything worn or holey.

I've stashed all the boxes from incoming presents under the kitchen table to encourage me to sell books and DVDs.

Happy birthday to the scrummy twins. I'm a Christmas baby too!

footprints I really hope you feel better soon. You've had such bad luck to be unwell at such a busy time of year.

I meant to say welcome unlimitedchipsandsalsa. Well done for starting at such a busy time of year. I can’t wait to hear what today’s out will be.

Ooh raspberryblonde you’re right about the hanging wrapping paper idea coming from this thread. I think I started to hang my paper up and forgot about it.

vinorosso poor dd. I hope she’s better.

Happy birthday sleepingstandingup twins.

I’ve found myself decluttering the playroom. Lots of stationery’s been moved to the stationery cupboard but I have found some unopened slime to go and a few bits of artwork. I did the playroom in lockdown so there’s not a huge amount to go really.

The patient has eaten a little and no more vomiting. Funny I did read something the other day but I delved a bit deeper around the Covid symptoms but a random vomiting or two doesn't seem to be what they mean and a fever was present in the cases. It seems like a standard mild case of the pukes. I'll see how she goes though.

Got rid of some old bowls through fb and have decluttered all old unused Christmas cards by sitting and writing them during nap time. I now have to buy more as I don’t have enough!