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've been through our stash of drinks bottles and chucked two of the most leaky ones. DH has been sternly warned about bringing any more home from conferences etc (not that there are any at the moment!) Also went through DD's clothes and weeded out about 5 outgrown things although it will be replaced at birthday and Christmas I suppose.

Hope you track down the brush Lilly. DD's hairbrush vanished a while back Andy I have no clue where. Mind her room is a disaster. How did those with tidy children get there? I really despair with her, the 2 year old is better!

FIL sounds frustrating ememem. But sounds like he wouldn't have been happy whatever you did and at least the things are out of your house!

Massive in today in the form of a food processor unfortunately the various attachments take up much more room than I had anticipated. Good excuse to turn out the kitchen cupboards again I suppose Can’t really count the packaging as an out so instead the three more sold eBay items will have to do even though they won’t be posted until tomorrow!

This was on another thread and I thought of all of you:

www.realhomes.com/advice/swedish-death-cleaning

Not for the death side of it, just for the decluttering!

I'm photographing a couple of items for sale, I'm not sure that counts as an out. Getting rid of the cloth nappies that don't fit the baby anymore and always managed to leak, causing a full costume change on a too regular basis. I'm not sure they were actually eco friendly when I had to extra washing, inc cot sheets and sleeping bags all the time.

6 pairs of socks in, but 6 old pairs of DS’s out.

1 item of clothing sold and posted.

I’m also doing a big Lego sort out and listing on eBay - my DS are 18 & 22! I have actually really been enjoying making up the sets to list (just don’t tell anyone).

@gassylady a food processor may have a lot of attachments but it is so useful. I replaced mine for a sleeker model earlier this year and use it all the time. I even managed to sell my 25 yr old one for £15.

Also meant to say that I finally feel I am getting somewhere with the decluttering, and we have made quite a bit of spare cash in the process.

[quote wondering7777]Why do some companies use sticky stuff that just doesn't come off and others come off with no effort at all?!

You could try using something like this?

www.amazon.co.uk/Mykal-Sticky-Stuff-Remover-250ml/dp/B000TAT4GM/?tag=mumsnetforu03-21[/quote]
Thanks ever so much for the link and I actually have some which is use as a last resort. It's just so annoying isn't it! I've got a good enough stash now and I'm not keeping any jars now unless they are beautiful and have easily removable labels.

Our LEGO sort out is to make it easier to find the needed bits (hopefully) rather than remove any. We do have a lot of empty boxes so that we can maybe resell the larger models when they are no longer wanted.
I have spied lots of toy cars that haven’t been played with in a very long time so will suggest that they can go.

@Wildernesstips I plumped for the largest Cuisinart model and was very impressed by the speed at which it sliced a lot of potatoes for hot pot topping. Youngest want to try ribbon cutter tomorrow for fancy cucumber

Since my last post we've:

Smashed up the sideboard that dh hated
Sitting room laminate is out
Removed rubbish and dust bunnies from under the furniture I'm sure it wasn't that long ago that I pulled everything out!

It's all in the car ready for the tip (I will get there one day this week!) and I've got some easy "outs" for tomorrow which is all the cardboard that I've forgot to put in the car tonight but I'm bloody knackered so I'm crashed out on the only chair that isn't filled with crap to sort through.

Day 37: not as many great outs as I'm reading about on here although @ememem84 yours was my favourite post! FIL sounds hard work tbh.

One toothbrush gone.
Used up the latest ripe tomato batch in the dehydrator for storage.
Used up all this years potatoes to try the 'prepare ahead roast potatoes'. Must plant more next year.
Email daily delete.
Finally got husband to hang up the collection of Welsh love spoons. So more of an 'up' than an 'out' but at least they aren't cluttering up the place and now I've moved the necessary tools from the kitchen back to the shed.

More junk mail that’s been in a pile on the stairs for much too long. It seems to build up so fast.

Continuing with eating out of the cupboards plan and reduced the holdings by two tins today - I have 40+ tins, mostly kidney/borlotti beans and tomatoes so I see lots of chilli in my future

I have a couple of looms, picks, s- hooks and tiny rubber bands for making the bracelets and necklaces that DD doesn't want anymore. I'm taking them to a coworker in the morning for her DD.
em it sounds like it your FIL wanted that stuff so badly, he would have picked them all up sooner. I wouldn't be worrying about the condition of them, I'm sure they're fine. He just sounds grumpy 🤣

wildernesstips I think my eldest dc is getting bored of her Lego so perhaps she’ll let me start playing with it soon. I have kept all our Lego boxes with the aim of selling it although it might be a full time job there’s so much of it.

alexthehalloweencat thanks for that article, I have heard of the idea of Swedish death cleaning before and find it inspiring. I would hate for my children to go through my papers and personal letters so I do need to do that. The last time I read about it I was still married to a hoarder with in-laws hoarders and I was aware that any decluttering would probably fall to me so this gives me another reason to be grateful that he hasn’t gone.

Has gone not hasn’t. I accidentally pressed send on my phone before I had finished - or even read that post.

ememem84 sounds like you can’t win with your fil, well done for getting rid of his stuff.

I got up early and I’ve already put away a load of washing and started tidying. The main problem in my house is things not being put away after use - I’m guilty of that too - so I seem to be forever moving pens, cuddly toys, books and notepads around. Anyway I found a pile of 5 Sainsbury’s food delivery receipts and they’re on the shredder - dc are still asleep so I’ll shred when they wake. I have no real plan today, might meet another family for a socially distanced walk, so probably won’t do much decluttering.

Someone collected a toy I sold on Facebook yesterday

Outs so far today: a couple of pairs of socks that had gone threadbare on the heels, an old bra that is coming apart at the seams and a top with a stain down the front that won't come out.

I've also gotten rid of a broken hanger and some old bits of packaging that had been lying around in the bedroom for ages. Plus I did a quick sweep of the fridge and removed some out of date food, which made me feel guilty - I hate throwing away food!

My planned outs for today are:

A broken tv
Decluttering my purse when I go and pay for my Lino and newel posts for the stairs.

I know I'll have some other outs when I get round to clearing the settee later today.

I will be bringing some in's though in the form of the stair parts.

Sounds good @StrangeAddiction. I'm also aiming to put some stuff on Freecycle today - really hoping I get round to it!

Hello

Hoping to join this thread and have a big declutter. I've always been a bit too reluctant to get rid of things, but since having my little one it seems to look so much worse - I have no time to try and get the house today and she has so much stuff!

Went through some paperwork yesterday so have about half a carrier bag to shred. Have also had a bag with clothes that didn't fit due to pregnancy that I need to go through - shredding and that bag is my aim today

With some sadness, but being practical for both family and voluntary group reasons, I have agreed the end to one of my voluntary roles. I had planned for the role to conclude this year after the annual event that is the focus for the group but it was cancelled as so much else this summer. I know that my ability to commit for next year will be severely restricted by family changes so best to step back now and let others take the lead - and I know they will do a great job.
So one role decluttered and immediately 17 e-mails read, filed and one response from me to all.
It does feel a huge weight lifted.
1806/2020

Not much progress over the weekend as I wasn't feeling too great.

Sold 3 items on eBay last night - packed up and posted them off this morning. Whilst I was out I managed to drop off the last 2 bags that I was storing in the car boot to the charity shop - at one point it was completely full of bags that I filled during lockdown.

Have another 2.5 bags waiting in the hallway to go to the charity shop, planning to drop them off this week.

I couldn't find something this morning (that I had used very recently) and I just got so frustrated by the piles of 'stuff' everywhere - am determined to crack on with getting things out of the house.

@WhenDoISleep sounds like you're doing a great job!

Another day of more ins than outs as some baking supplies have arrived and only outs are yet more socks into the rag bag along with an old pillow case that had seen better days. This week going to keep on sorting the LEGO mountain and preparing some listings for the next £1 selling fees event.

I've bagged up another black bin bag's worth of clothes and shoes that I never wear and/or don't fit. They're waiting to be sold or go to the charity shop.

I read somewhere that you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time, and for me that is so true!