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

Dcs are in the bath and I’ve done the bathroom cabinet.

Found some things which we won’t use for a while (sun screen mosquito repellant after sun etc) so those have been put in my under bed stash.

Have “decanted” four boxes of ibruprofen into one box by cutting them up (the strips they’re in not the tablets - cut off the empties).

Ditched a head lice treatment which was out of date as well as gaviscon from when I was pregnant with ds in 2017.

Day 112: not a lot happening really.
🎄bubble wrap out of the house and used to stuff wellies that live outside.
🎄emails and photos.
🎄some home made freezer food eaten.
🎄a few Christmas bits extracted from house and put in the pile to be put away. I don't want to pack away Christmas too soon, whilst at the same time wanting to pack Christmas away NOW!

5 eBay items out today, 2 parcels returned, 2 pairs of jeans returned to Matalan (they don't fit sadly)

Trying to keep momentum up, but house looks so awful after Christmas that it's a bit disheartening

Can I jump back in please 😳 fell off the decluttering wagon in the last month or two.

Actually cannot wait to take the christmas decs down. They’re starting to get on my nerves now. We had to move furniture out to fit the tree in. Aaahhh.

Managed to get an hour to sort through all the stuff in the bottom of my wardrobe today, which has made me feel really productive. All the packaging from Xmas presents that had been hidden in there has gone (recycled/ bin). There are a couple of presents for DD’s birthday in the spring that I bought while Xmas shopping, so I’ve put a reminder in my phone for a few weeks before her birthday so I don’t forget about them.

I also went through my bag of gift bags and wrapping paper, and put some tissue paper that I’d kept from presents I’d received in the recycling, as it was crumpled and couldn’t really be re-used.

I feel really good after sorting through stuff and organised a formerly messy spot

Hi everyone (shuffles back onto the thread and pretends I was never missing)
Dd2 is graduating up to the next size of clothes, so today's plan is to sort through the old ones and see if any are still suitable for charity.

@GlumyGloomer

Hi everyone (shuffles back onto the thread and pretends I was never missing) Dd2 is graduating up to the next size of clothes, so today's plan is to sort through the old ones and see if any are still suitable for charity.

I need to do this too. DD will be 18 months soon and i need to unpack her new stuff and sort her old stuff. i had ideas of saving her things and doing a huge car boot sale, but covid.

i have ordered packing cubes so i can put some of my clothes under the bed - i'm not wearing my smart dresses anymore as am wfh, so feel i should pack them away.

the under of the bed (ottoman bed - best thing i've ever bought - so much storage) is a mess. So have to tidy this up and make more space.

have also ordered a duvet vacuum storage bag for our summer/winter duvets. again storage. if they also fit i'm going to vac up the outside chair cushions, and beach towels.

Got rid of most of the recycling yesterday. Our upstairs neighbour didn't have much so we used both boxes plus a paper bag full of wrapping paper.
Got rid of some carrier bags at Sainsburys this morning; I wish I'd taken them all though as the container was empty!
Just tidied and cleaned the cutlery drawer. Got rid of a Calpol syringe and some broken plastic cutlery.
Sorting his post must have worn DP out as he has done no more since then.

Hello!
Hope you are all well.
Can I join in too?

@ememem84 snap, dd2 is just going into the 18-24 month clothes
Most the the 12-18 stuff is too stained, so I can put that in the rag bin. The nice bits I'll offer to a friend first then try to get them to charity somehow (tier 4) if not. I can't be bothered selling clothes as it just seems like too much effort for the return.

Gonex Packing Cubes Travel Luggage Organizers Mesh for Packing Suicase
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@IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly i've bought these. fingers crossed they are good.

@GlumyGloomer yep to the stained clothes these are being binned when i get round to actually doing it. mostly vests though. I'll keep some of these aside and gift to friend, and some of her other things will give to nursery i think for spares. depending on what type of baby friend has. some of DDS clothes are not very unisex....(think pink leopard print leggings with a tutu....)

Hi All,

I'm posting here for accountability!!!

I did a small clearout of DS(14) wardrobe to remove 'too short" jogging bottoms (he got loads of new pairs for Christmas from lovely DMIL and DSIL so I could now finally get rid).

I need to do my walk-in wardrobe (shared with DH - hope he will follow my lead and clear his side) - I have 4 shelves which contain summer shoes, boots which I last wore 10 years ago, along with assorted bags, while my wool sweaters are all crammed into one drawer. I need a day to sort it all - so I am writing on here to commit to doing it before Monday 4th (back working from home).

I also need to clear out DS (8) room - he moved into the former spare room last year when we decided DS(14) needed his own room, but the "stuff" we stored in the spare room is still sitting in his wardrobe along with his stuff and all the clothes that I am passing on from older DS and cousins - yes it is as cluttered as it sounds.

I want to move through January and clear out all the excess - my last big Marie Kondo was about 4 years ago. I will see you posted.

One issue I have is that our charity shops have closed due to level 5 lockdown here and will not be open again until March (at best ). So I am at a loss as to how to dispose of old clothes and items we no longer need (our charity shop takes "good clothes" to sell and 'older torn worn items" to shred).

update from me.

I took my lunch break and set a timer for 40 minutes.

in those 40 minutes i have:

• moved summer clothes (shorts and summer dresses and shoes) to under the bed - literally just flung them in there.
• cleared a bag of stuff for charity shop - although as with annasgirl above no idea when our charity shops will re-open although am hoping its before march!
• sorted a bag of rubbish - magazines which i had held on to...why?
• and have tidied the two drawers in the dresser in the dining room next to the table - where i'm currently "working" from.

when my packing cubes arrive though its under the bed time!

other outs today - ester lauder face wash and a bar soap used up. hooray!

@Vinorosso74 I think if I'm ever having a day when I'm struggling to find an item to get rid I'm just going to go and Chuck a calpol syringe!

@Iceisnice welcome along

@Annasgirl where is tier 5 happening?

Re. Charity shops. Ours are shut here in Wales too but there is one taking about still taking donations at set times. So maybe yours will do the same.

Thanks @footprintsintheslow

I am aiming for 2021 items decluttered than what we bring in for this year (started yesterday).
This could present a challenge as we have a 5yo, a 2yo and number 3 is due mid March! I like a challenge!

@Iceisnice just have the kids adopted and send all their stuff with them..... (jokes obviously....)

I love this thread, you are all so kind and it keeps me motivated. I'm treating today as day 1 as I would like to try and declutter 2021 items. I had an unexpected few hours to myself so just lounged around and watched Minimalism on Netflix and feel all inspired now. I'm going to update later on today's progress.

@Pinksands1 I didn't realise minimalism has started. Hooray!!!

@ememem84 I have thought many a time (mainly during the terrible twos) that if I still had the receipt for them they would be returned... Receipt is probably somewhere in the house... By the time I find it I think the return period and warranty would probably be expired!

@Iceisnice ha! mine are 3 and 18m. and there are days when i wish they'd just bugger off and leave me in peace. don't get me wrong, they do bring me all sorts of joy, but still....

dh has just opened a bag of salted caramel christmas tree shaped pretzels. he's on his second film of the day. he is not working today. i am sat at the table with a bowl of pretzels sorely wishing i hadn't used up all my annual leave and could be vegging on the couch too.

Decluttered the rest of the Christmas Day beef into a chilli which only DP and I will eat, although I might be able to persuade the toddler to try some. Used up a packet of frozen chorizo which had just gone past its BBE and a tin of chickpeas which had been hanging around forever.

I might do a sort out of DS’s stuff as well; he’s two and a half but still wearing a lot of 18-24 month stuff. MIL did buy him a bunch of 2-3 year old clothes so there could be enough for an age appropriate wardrobe 🤣

Day 2

DP is donating a spice rack that is one of her Xmas gifts. She is a chef so gets random stuff related to cooking sometimes but they are often not useful. She's also donating a groceries bags that she'll be using to carry the spice rack. The thing is... it'll be going to a family member of gers who lives very far from us.. so it wilk be only out of the house when she goes visit her mum which i'm guessing won't be soon! BUT it's in our "stuff to donate" area of the home, so i'm counting it! Bag + spice rack = 2 outs.

Out: 3
In: 0

@Iceisnice

Thanks *@footprintsintheslow*

I am aiming for 2021 items decluttered than what we bring in for this year (started yesterday).
This could present a challenge as we have a 5yo, a 2yo and number 3 is due mid March! I like a challenge!

I've done this before, both in 2019 and 2020. I felt very motivated having a goal and am also part of a Facebook group where people will be trying to declutter 2021 items in 2021. I'm not joining the challenge anymore but like to read people's experiences. With 2 and soon 3 kids you do have a great challenge ahead but maybe if you're a bit like me you possibly find this type of challenges fun (and exhausting) !