The countdown to Christmas - but still decluttering one item a day. Thread number 15

[stealthninjamum]

Thread number 15 of the ‘declutter one item a day thread’ and this bunch of mumsnetters are still decluttering our houses slowly by getting rid of one item a day.

It’s always challenging at Christmas for declutterers, as we fill our house with more presents, food and children’s toys. This thread should give us a bit more accountability as we keep plugging away slowly while we making our homes more organised and decluttered.

Obviously Christmas won’t be the same this year and the stealthninjahousehold won’t be having any visitors but I’m still keen to spend the last couple of weeks making my house a nicer space to spend time in.

Newbies are always welcome. We just get rid of one item each day and report back on the thread.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4053749-Getting-rid-of-one-item-a-day-thread-number-14-where-we-extract-precious-autumn-leaves-rocks-and-twigs-from-our-children?pg=1

Some information on getting rid of items that have been asked about on previous threads.
If anyone has anything to add to this list could you please highlight it in bold and hopefully I can update this post for the next thread.

SELLING THINGS

Ebay
Facebook sales sites
Shpock
Gumtree
webuybooks.co.uk
musicmagpie.co.uk (for CDs, DVDs, Games, Books, iPhones, Games Consoles and LEGO)
ziffit - for books, CDs, DVDs and games
Sellitback
Zapper
GAME / CEX for phones and games and electronics (CEX in particular)
Apple Store credit or recycle olf phones.

TO GET RID OF THINGS FOR FREE

Freecyle has a good app called trashnothing
Olio is a site for giving away food and other household items.

Charity shops. Some will collect which really helps if you’re just starting to declutter and have a lot of stuff to go.

Animal shelters like towels and carpet squares and sometimes bedding and duvet covers.

Homeless charities will often take warm clothes and coats, especially in the winter.

You can advertise things on Nextdoor

Some council tips have a place to drop off quality stuff to be sold.

Some charity shops will take rags if you label them as ‘rags’, this could be materials or clothes that are too scruffy or dirty to sell or donate to someone. Also some councils will collect rags (but you’ll need to contact your council)

Supermarkets are getting better at recycling. My local Tesco has recycling points for batteries, toner cartridges, glass bottles, books and and light bulbs. My local Sainsbury’s has razer blades.

Bras. Oxfam shops take bras and so do some smaller lingeries shops. Bravissimo do a scheme whereby they send good bras to Africa and strip down those that are too old for parts as well as donating 70p per kilo of bras to MIND. Also smallsforall.org take brand new knickers and good condition bras and send to Africa

Icollectclothes.co.uk will collect clothes

Nurseries and preschools will often take old toys, games, books, craft sets and/ or stationery. They might also take clean (obviously) underwear and clothes to keep as spares for when children have accidents.

Foodbanks take all sorts of food (if it is within date) and sometimes half open packets of nappies.

Rymans take old pens

Oxfam take old phones

John Lewis also have a make up recycling scheme:
www.johnlewis.com/our-services/beautycycle

And a small number of Boots stores www.boots.com/boots-recycling-scheme

IF YOU’RE HAPPY TO PAY FOR MORE BULKY WASTE
Clearabee have been recommended to get rid of more bulky garage – type waste and Hippo Bags can be bought from some DIY stores.
Also www.clearwaste.com is apparently a site to get quotes from registered waste disposal firms (but none of us have used it).
If you do use a company to remove this sort of rubbish (eg a man with a van) please make sure they have a license and are officially registered. Too many dodgy people offer a cheap rubbish disposal service on facebook and just flytip. You are liable for their flytipping.

This gov website tells you who has a license Waste carriers, brokers and dealers environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

Thanksstealth just placemarking this for now.

I'd like to join please! We moved into a new place last September and it's my husband's grandparents old place and still full to the brim with their stuff (they passed away many years ago now). I've finally started sorting it out but it's a huge undertaking.

DH's uncle came by a few weeks ago and said he could help by taking away a very nice China set and the sideboard that it is in. I'd prefer if he took the piles of hotel miniature toiletries and heaps of bedlinen tbh

kinsters welcome to thread, lovely to meet you. The thread will be quiet for a bit as we’re on page 39 of the last one.

It sounds like a big job you’ve got on, is your husband sentimentally attached to anything? Do you have a plan on how you’re going to do it. Try not to feel daunted. It sounds like the uncle was just being greedy rather than helpful but I always suggest people start by trying to get rid of a couple of big items to make an immediate, tangible difference so in a way he’s done you a favour. Assuming the sideboard was in a dining room, could you capitalise on that and aim to finish the dining room first? Just to have one clear area.

@Kinsters

I'd like to join please! We moved into a new place last September and it's my husband's grandparents old place and still full to the brim with their stuff (they passed away many years ago now). I've finally started sorting it out but it's a huge undertaking.

DH's uncle came by a few weeks ago and said he could help by taking away a very nice China set and the sideboard that it is in. I'd prefer if he took the piles of hotel miniature toiletries and heaps of bedlinen tbh

welcome!

as stealth suggested above, can you make a start on one room. (that's how i'd do it anyway!)

Refuges or food banks might be able to take the linen and mini toiletries.

Hello all, hopping onto the new thread.

We also have loads of mini toiletries Kinsters as DH travelled a lot with work pre covid. We are just using them up slowly although if storage is an issue this is not a quick win!

A few days late but I love the frog Woolly and hope you're DD enjoys it.

Very behind on wrapping here so boxes everywhere but hoping to do a few during a work call tomorrow that I only have to listen too. Annoyingly recycling collection is tomorrow though so we will have the boxes until after Christmas.

Hi everyone, I completely dropped off the last thread, but I'm hoping to get back to decluttering soon. I got majorly side tracked by food planning and batch cooking, so now the house is a tip. Today's out is loads of recycling, mostly cardboard boxes.

Thanks for the new thread Stealth
Decluttered the marzipan from the cupboard onto the Christmas cake. I took the opportunity to tidy the cupboard while I was on.
Sorted out some paperwork and envelopes into the recycling.

Yay, finally remembered to call the charity shop to see if they are accepting donations and they are, but only pre-booked slots. I’ve managed to get a slot this Saturday so that will clear a bit of space ahead of Christmas. Must do a dump run as well...

So today’s outs are 3 pasta bowls, two craft sets, a jigsaw puzzle and lots of packaging.

I say ‘outs’ but they haven’t left the house. But they will.

I just bagged up some charity shop stuff and I have about sixteen large carrier bags of stuff to go - all from the last few weeks. It’s bags and bags of cushions, toys, puzzles, DVDs, CDs, rags. I forget how busy I’ve been. Will sneak some into the car tomorrow before dc change their mind.

Thanks for the new thread Stealth!

Is that David Eddings, GlitteryWoolly? I only found out about that in the last few weeks

Today’s update: a bit more shredding done throughout the day while I’m working. Three parcels posted today (the presents I wrapped yesterday), and a few Xmas cards posted. I used up some of my bubble wrap collection in the parcels! Wrapped three more presents today and wrote a few more cards.

Some ins today: present for DH and a present for DD. The presents have been hidden, and the packaging has gone in the recycling.

Found you all. Hyperventilates are the thought of losing you.

Day 98:
Posted cards and presents.

Two sets of Christmas lights which apparently gave H an electric shock last year so not sure why we still have them.

7 old transformers from old lights long gone.

Toddler art gone so Christmas cards can do up on the washing line.

One failed attempt at taking bag to charity shop as they aren't taking donations at the moment. But at least the bag is in the car so out of the house.

Pram temporarily gone to live in the book of the car for Christmas.

Hi everyone! Just checking in.

Welcome to our newbies!

Tonight, I watched The Minimal Mom talking about her bathroom and it inspired me to have a quick blitz in mine. I don't keep a lot of products in there but I still managed to find a few bits:

• 1 crystal deodorant container. I was keeping it in another container as it leaks salt crystals into the cupboard. But, I've realised that I don't actually need the original container any more.
• 1 bubblebath. I hardly ever have baths so had just kept the one but I reckon it must be over 10 years old! Minimal Mom reminded me that they don't keep.
• Some dust and mould as I cleaned the main cupboard. But, it was much cleaner than expected and I think that's because I don't keep much in there these days.

A couple of other containers are almost finished so I've made sure that they're on display in the hope of being used up soon. I was also reminded of a lovely moisturiser which I hardly ever remember to use. I've now put that out on the sink so that I'll use it.

footprints only two days til you reach a 100! Im quite excited.

About a month ago I bought a wallet to keep my DVDs. I got up this morning and put all dcs DVDs (of the ones we’re keeping) into that wallet. The bookcase next to the TV is now empty apart from the videogames CDs. I have bought them a separate wallet (which I have lost) but if I find it and put all the CDs into that I can put the whole unit on freecycle. The DVD boxes are going in the loft.

May I join please? I have 3 weeks off from work and am really hoping to finally get the house organised and decluttered! This thread is inspiring!

today's outs:

• bottle of calpol
• box from christmas presents sent by bil and sit in nz
• i've made a start on a mini pannetone so this will be gone in the next few days.

i think i'm going to have a crack at baking one

Here you are!!

Stealth that'll make a huge difference once I ta gone!!

No really decluttering here, took 7 bags of presents yesterday to school, came home with 1 to try and drop again today, plus two given in return.

Wrapped parcels to post last night and wrapped up nieces presents to hopefully deliver today. Possibly thwarted by rain as I'm on foot.

Getting no Uni work done as every night I'm trying to sort Xmas stuff and kids stuff and as soon as I'm staring at a screen I'm falling asleep. It makes my eyes so tired. Seriously contemplating deferring.

The cutlery drawer is on my weekend to do list

Welcome abouquetofsharpenedpencils, what are you going to focus on?

Thanks sleepingstandingup the DVD cases will go in the loft so it’s not massive decluttering but the room will look bigger and it’s an ugly piece of furniture.

Morning.
Just an empty Gaviscon bottle to the bin so far. However, DH has sorted through his wfh 'desk' aka kitchen table in anticipation of being off work from tonight and there is now a 6 inch high pile of papers by the bin. He is feeling really rundown at present and struggling to get through the day so I have said I will sort the papers in to recycle and shred and dispose accordingly. Pile is conveniently located near the tea making area so may combine sorting and tea as the day goes on.
This may mean I am closer to the 2020 items target. Will report back later.