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!

I wrote a really long post earlier and lost it. Sigh.

Welcome pinksands1 it’s a good idea to log what’s going out, this approach can be gradual so it’s great to have evidence that you are doing well even if you can’t see it. One day it’ll hit you that your house is so much clearer. We’re also quite good at finding storage solutions so ask us if you want to know about storing something and one of us will be able to help.

Dd1s isolation finishes today because the government have changed the rules but we’re going to isolate until Xmas. She still has four more days of school so I’m supervising that and doing housework. Today I put some more toys and decorations for sale on Facebook and have a couple of potential buyers. I have also shredded the envelopes our Xmas cards have come in. I have written our cards, just need to go to post them tomorrow. I also had a little tidy of the greetings card drawer. The only thing to go is an unused ‘happy Valentine’s Day husband’ card which I definitely don’t need any more.

Thanks, santandsea.

I found a new pair of shoelaces in a drawer so swapped those for my current fraying ones. So, old shoelaces out (along with packaging for new ones). Also used up an eye cream single sample that has been sitting around for quite a while. I'm hoping to get a day this week some more exciting outs, but at the moment I'm happy to just be starting building the habit.

Ahem, sandandsea. Looks like I have Santa on my mind.

Day 97: haven't caught up with the thread but my update is.

Didn't manage to get anything posted as absolutely exhausted after a night of little sleep.

I have wrapped and written everything ready to post though. Definitely tomorrow's job.

Dismantled a few home made declarations that were battered to put away all the beads and ribbons and sequins.

Photos and emails.

A VR Headset on freecycle after a no show🤬

Buggy board sold and person (apparently) coming Wednesday. Lost faith in humanity now lol.

A few Xmas items in charity bag and aiming to drop them tomorrow.

Duct tape sounds like an excellent idea for the toddler, Sleeping

Today’s update: Shredded/ recycled a couple more pieces of paperwork. No other sorting, but I have wrapped and parcelled up presents to be posted tomorrow. Also wrote a few Xmas cards that can be posted tomorrow as well.

Not much actual decluttering at the moment, but it is a busy time of year!

I. POSTED. THE. BABY!!!!! well, DS put her in the post box but....

I've wrapped the sweets and written the cards for the SEVEN school families we buy for. They'll go out tomorrow, a couple on the morning and the rest at pick up. Drop off is so staggered it's hard to work out who you'll see.
Also wrote a few for the neighbours.

Found 4 packs of "make your own cards" which I'm deliberating over. I'd probably have made DS make them but I brought a load. Do I keep for one more year...

@SleepingStandingUp that reminds me, I decluttered the last of the brandy into the Christmas cake. Just need to decorate it now.
Glad that baby has been posted!!! I can sleep tonight now.

@SydneyCarton same here, my tree is constantly being rearranged by toddler. I've given up now.

All the new people wondering why I posted my baby...

Have a random pair of shorts from a box of clothes collected at the weekend, offered to post but she's going to swing by the weekend to collect

Going near my sister's Wednesday so thinking if I can get her presents wrapped o can do hers and my Mom's then and my Dad is coming for his Friday (all doorstep deliveries!) but that would be a good pile.

Two lots for the post office, I really need to get the wrapped so they can go 2nd post 🤣🤣

sleepinstandingup I’m so glad you posted the baby.

In terms of the ‘make your own cards’ I would get rid of them now while someone else with one child could use them. I used to do loads of stuff with dd1 but it’s so hard with more and unless they actively want to do that sort of stuff on its own it becomes a chore. We need to get rid of a load of craft sets. My youngest will play with Hama beads for hours and the older one will make things with wool but they won’t follow a craft set anymore. I think lockdown has probably ruined my kids because they’re constantly on gadgets now whereas they were never really allowed before. They’d rather create in an app which is sad but also means less clutter around.

A quick catch up with the thread - lots happening, welcome new declutterers, a posted 'baby' and lots of Christmas prep.
Finally, after some DH illness - nothing corona virus related - have got back to a more usual routine for me. I definitely operate best in a routine.

So started this morning with 9 outs - delivery notes for gifts sent and I know have now reached their intended recipients, plus the box for a used up set of Christmas Cards left over from last year. I have posted almost all - just 2 more to write. Unfortunately I only have one card left so will need to buy one more box.
There will be more Christmas related outs later - will log once done.

Hope everyone's plans for the the day go well.
1949/2020 Think I might just manage it, but will be down to the end of year wire.

I have tried to type a message about 3 times but every time I do it I get interrupted by a child.

Anyway I have just had a big toy collected and chucked out lots of boxes and packaging. Technically they don’t count as outs because they had presents ‘in’ them but the dining room feels less cluttered. I also have had a few people show an interest in some decorations I’m selling so let’s hope they go.

12 christmas cards written today. 2 delivered (to neighbours) the rest will be posted/hand delivered during lunchtime tomorrow.

My items today include 5 worn dessert bowls. We bought replacements ages ago but then DP didn't want to let them go (and wanted pasta bowls too), so the cupboard has been stuffed full of crockery. I've put some pressure on to get rid of them today as I'm sick of trying to squeeze things in there and I don't like using scratched up dishes. There's now room to have separate piles of all the different types of crockery, which is so much better!

sandandsea ive got four pasta bowls that my mum bought me when I went to university 30 years ago. I wonder if I should get rid of them. We rarely use them and then it’s for puddings but I have other bowls that match my plates. Maybe I should declutter them?

So it turned out I only have three pasta bowls. I think I might’ve broken one many years ago and just never really look at them in the cupboard so I can’t remember. Anyway they are in the charity shop pile. Dds also said they were happy for me to get rid of another jigsaw puzzle and two Russian doll painting craft sets that we have never used.

I haven’t been to my local town for a few weeks but I’m going to bag these up with some other toys and I’m going to try to go tomorrow or Friday. I have sold a lot of stuff recently but I still have a huge pile of things to go as I don’t think I’ve been to a charity shop for about two months.

MAYbe I should just fill this up?

Jingle Bells jingle bells

Jingle all the way

ahem

@ememem84

I love that meme!

@IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly

Is the Batmobile one wheel short, though?

He didn’t mention it so I assume it is.

I wrapped presents strategically to get to the end of a roll, so that's today's out. Not very flashy, but I do hope to list a few things on Freecycle this week.

sleepingstandingup Good job with posting the baby. I somehow feel like the universe is slightly back in balance.