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!

It is a problem isn’t it if you are not able to drop stuff off in a timely manner. I’m planning to list some kids book bundles on eBay - normally I would take to the charity shop but none are accepting them locally. I’ve also passed some on via work in the past but we are not allowed to leave things in offices at the moment and the in house classifieds are suspended. Don’t have Facebook so can’t do that. We just have so many books

I just scanned one of my messy bookshelves and found a few pecs cards to bin, plus a duplicate ikea family card and an old credit card that expired in 2018. Doesn’t clear much space, but I guess every little helps.

Just 4 coasters out from me today.

I cleared out a drawer I haven't looked in for years so had a nostalgic evening looking at old photos and clearing out other assorted stuff in there like wedding photos from people I've lost touch with years ago,

Wow, I fell off the old thread and can’t believe we’re on thread 14! I haven’t been getting rid of anything recently, but definitely need a kick up my backside, as things are accumulating massively again!

We have far too many pens, boxes of them. I gave each DC a pencil case worth of pens and boxed everything else up, and now have 3/4 boxes full. I don’t really know what to do with them. Do I keep a box of spares, or get rid of them all knowing we’ll have to replace some.

Good questions. Most of the pens are years old, and truth be told, new pens would probably work better if I ever need to replace them.
And yes, definitely would prefer the space than the pens.

Thanks, that’s really helped. I’ll sort through them today!

Lots of helpful tips on the different approaches you might take to decluttering. Will apply Wellies questions to the drawer of pens etc in the Room of Doom that I never go to, and if I don't, then no-one else is using them.
Mainly daily items out - sheets of paper etc.
Yesterday did a booked run to the tip on the way to decluttering 2 in of my hair at the hairdresser. They are leaving the area in the next few months so will have to find a new person. Does decluttering a human count - well until I find a new hairdresser in the new year.
I was 12 minutes late to the dump slot I booked - lad on the gate was very precise and gave me a 'telling off'. Nevertheless he let me in, there were empty parking spaces and I was in, dropped off my three small recyclable items, and away before any of those already parked.
Looks like a wet weekend ahead so will try to do more in the Room of Doom. Have a successful day everyone, whatever that means for you.
1809/2020

I have loads of pens. We have ikea trofast furniture for stationery and arts and craft stuff and so the pens go in but I do find old biros don’t really work so I’m intending to recycle them at a Ryman’s although I feel I am replacing clutter with boxes of things to be recycled now - glass, razor blades, pens, bulbs, batteries, clothes, rags, children’s shoes, electrical things, paint are all things currently separated.

No plans for decluttering today, I’ll pop back later if I find something.

Excellent questions, Welly. I definitely fall into the trap of "well it would get used at some point, so it's a waste to throw it away" which is true but still doesn't always mean you're better off keeping the thing(s). Although once I've bought my property I suspect I'll be hanging on to anything that could save me money!!

Big out today... A bike. I have a second bike and this one was originally second hand from a friend and doesn't fit that well. It was going to a friend tomorrow (agreed a few weeks ago)...who when I messaged to confirm breezily told me today that "oh, no, she found another but thanks anyway". Glad I didn't clean it up and do the work on it I was planning to, that's all I'll say. It's been given to a secondhand shop who was pleased to have work for the apprentices to learn on.

Oh and to give a proper idea of how pleased I am it's gone - it lived in my kitchen, this wasn't a bike lounging in a shed somewhere, it lounged opposite the fridge!!

@flipperdoda

Oh and to give a proper idea of how pleased I am it's gone - it lived in my kitchen, this wasn't a bike lounging in a shed somewhere, it lounged opposite the fridge!!

That's great, especially that it'll help the apprentices.

I've decluttered another drawer, two more to do and then the furniture they are from will be going.

The Room of Doom needs a good tidy, we've been decorating and have given up and it needs finishing as all of the decorating stuff is out. I tidy it and it gets out of hand again.

In: a new coat that should be waterproof, I think we are going to have lots of trips to the park this winter as other things won't be as open and I'm fed up with getting soaked.

I like (well not like but you know what I mean?) the 'room of doom' - we have one too. I've finished sorting out the drawers so that will be going but two wooden storage boxes have come in to replace it but they are smaller and will both take up a fraction of the space that it took up so it makes more sense.

A new waterproof coat sounds like a good buy, I bought one myself not so long ago because I regularly work out doors in all weathers and didn't have one.

@flipperdoda that's a bit annoying isn't it and would have be biting my lip a bit. But the main thing is that it's gone.

I was looking to buy a maternity coat but have discovered I've got a full length, proper waterproof outdoorsy coat that actually does up around my bump so I'm thrilled to avoid a new in that would be only be used for a short while.

I dropped off the thread for a while, half term combined with the clock change has really demotivated me this week.
I did have an out today, some broken Halloween fairy lights.
Not exactly sure what to do next week, although there are loads of jobs.

Haven’t sorted out the pens yet, but managed to get the DCs to sort out their room a bit, and we filled a bag worth of rubbish (luckily, thanks to a no food in bedroom rule, it was mostly bits of paper and worn out clothes... ) as well as 2 pairs of utterly destroyed shoes.

So yay! Some outs finally!

That bike must have been such a pain, and such a relief to get rid of finally!

I've finally sold something! Buyer offered £5 under my asking price but was able to collect today and no time wasting so all good. Best get next item up. I can only deal with one thing for sale at a time or it gets a bit chaotic.

Working on the kitchen this week and have done about 3/5ths.

Mother visiting Sunday, so big clean up today & tomorrow.

footprints excellent news! I've always thought maternity clothing must be a pain as it's used for a short period so I'm glad you could avoid it for this particular item.

Bike was definitely a pain and yes I was biting my tongue BUT it's gone and to somewhere that was glad of it. Now I only have to fit one bike in my kitchen

I've had some mini outs - couple of letters from a previous tenant returned to sender, some unsuitable clothing returned. I'm also using up food items, candles, and wool...so even though they're not outs, they at least feel like they're helping!

flipperdoda well done on getting rid of the bike, I would hate to have to step around something like that every day.

I have barely got rid of anything today. I finished a posh foot lotion that was a present, I only have about three more to use now. I also started a tiny toothpaste sample I got free with my shopping delivery last week. I used to have loads of little toiletry bottles I’d keep ‘in case’ I go on holiday but they just clutter the drawers for the 11 1/2 months I’m not away so now I just use them. Anyway If I have the energy I’m going to bag up or put on sale some of my recent items I’ve decluttered that are in the Room of Doom.

Day 42:
Some out of date leaflets.

Cleaned out kitchen drawer and got rid of approximately two thousand calpol syringes and medicine spoons. Some random bits binned and one loose tea spoon in charity bag.

Brought all the outdoor toys in for a wash to go away in the shed and recycled a few home made toys and bottles for tipping and pouring.

Out: 4 cups that I sold on Facebook with no drama, issue or messing around. Celebrating this miracle with a wine or two.

Also sold something on eBay on behalf of my DM.

Outs - 3 DVDs and a pair of children’s beach shoes. I also finished up a shower gel today and found five more batteries to be recycled if I ever remember to take them to the supermarket. I’m just about to have a poke around my messy desk, so I expect I’ll find some more bits and pieces to go.