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

i need to sort out the man with he van to clear some things from our garage. as i don't think we can get to the tip.

I hadn't come up with a new year's resolution yet as i usually do every year but last night i decided to have another year of not buying anything. I've done it before 8 or 9 years ago and it was very nice; blogged my way through it and met a lot of nice people. This time it'll be a more personal project, haven't even mentioned it to DP yet and will probably not make a fuss about it. I'm allowing myself to buy gifts for others and have the odd meal out. Will also have a very simple honeymoon if possible (but not sure due to the pandemic) as we're getting married in march. I hope to be able to save some money and just be contented with what i have througout this year.

Got rid of 1 piggy bank.

Out: 12
In: 8

1stMrsF Welcome!

ememem84, I'm also making an effort to use up stuff but i'm failling miserably when it comes to some types of toiletries. I have tons of body lotion but rarely use it nowadays. DP gave me yet another bottle this Christmas (a nice one) and i should really use it on my extremely dry legs. Must remember to put it where i can see or else i never get around to using it. Will also consider the possibility of donating some of my stash.

I’m surprised that our tip seems to be open without having to book an appointment. If Operation GetRidOfTheSofa goes ahead fingers crossed we can just go and chuck it.

Today’s out is a pair of leggings outgrown by DD1 and pronounced “yucky” by DD2, so they’re in the ragbag.

So far so good with homeschooling (it’s been half a day!). Zoom calls all going ok, one is doing continents and the other is doing consonants

So many mistakes! Sorry!

I'm also making an effort to use up stuff but i'm failling miserably when it comes to some types of toiletries.

Same here. I have really dry skin on my heels, so have vowed to tackle it this month by using up the multiple pots of moisturizer in the bathroom cupboard. I can’t wait to get to the end of it all!

Homeschooling involved algebra

Anyway I managed to do masses of decluttering- 39 new items in fact. These include 20 pairs of socks, some bits from a wreath I bought years ago that are pretty but I’ve never reused them, a broken duster, an animal made from an apple juice carton, old tags and paper bags, one lol surprise toy. These can’t leave the house yet but I did get rid of 3 toys I advertised on freecycle.

By clearing dd1s sock drawer we have a home for all her school books and folders so the pile at the end of her bed and on her desk should at least be in one place.

I would love to know who actually uses body lotion as I have to force myself to! I also have dry heels so may steal your idea wondering to get through some of it.

This morning I packed up the nativity set and cut up the Christmas cards for gift tags. The remnants are in the recycling bin. I've also made some soup from a few sad veggies in the fridge. January is going to be mainly freezer dinners I think.

Another one here who should moisturize but doesn't. I have 1 pot of body lotion left which I feel I should use, but I don't love the sent and it's just to frigging cold to faff about with lotion.
Based on the mention up thread I took the plunge and put my only perfume up for sale. It was a gift but I just don't wear it. Aside from books I generally have no luck with selling (despite checking prices on comparable products) so we shall see.

*scent. I am literate, promise 😅

@EllieQ how grown up you are in the towel department!!!

@1stMrsF welcome to the thread.

@Iceisnice you sound VERY productive. That velvet skirt sounds lovely.

@Inthetropics desperately trying to use body lotion up here too. I've got a pregnancy one so need to make the most of my bump whilst it's here... not that there won't be a bump afterwards of course.

@stealthninjamum I really think we deserved a photo of apple carton creature!

@footprintsintheslow it was so bad I nearly took a photo but she was in the room with her back to me so I took the chance to shove it into the bin and cover it with other stuff. I think it was a leopard but it was hard to say, she gave it a growling noise.

Ok so I've been in the back of the garage (electrician needed access and was here most of the day). I've sorted clothes into sizes (2-3, 3-4, 4-5) that needs doing through another day. Have more boxes and a huge box of same sort of sizes and I think I actually have too many clothes even for twins. Threw out 2 pieces I don't like and a couple on charity bag (2).

Then we got to my stuff.
Three bags of stuff that used to for our never fit or was written once for an occasion. The stress for my sister's engagement (1997??), bridesmaids dresses for same sister (2003 and 2015), dress I wore to my nephew and niece christenings (2000, 2002), my uni ball (2003?), my 16th (1998), my 18th (2000).
I need to get rid of them dont I? I mean the earliest ones, I think are a size 10 FFS and SHORT. Three kids and lots of cake later I'm an 18/20.

Then there's bags of clothes in 16/all 18 that don't fit but I kept for motivation. Most of th were small BEFORE my twin pregnancy and my stomach Def hasn't gone back even the way it did after my singleton. I don't think the muscles above my bellybutton will ever recover.
Coats that do not fit over my boobs.

Some of it I think I imagined a daughter wearing one day, bit I have three boys so it's unlikely. Some for sentimentality and a feeling that I SHOULD keep them.

So I need to take the costs to Starbucks (they collect for the homeless) and the rest (4 bags) to the charity shop / charity pile. (5)

A couple of bits that actually fit reclaimed.

A bag of stuff WITH LABELS ON. I might try and sell them. All save size so maybe on FB super cheap as a job lot. (1)

I can't bear to count individual items so that's 8.

D4: 37:3

Sleeping that sounds like a hard trawl through a lot of clothes. I now try and ask myself the question “do I need the thing or the space more” My mum told me how the zip broke on her wedding dress and she had to be sewn in - and cut out later! After she died I found it in a cupboard but she had never shown it to me. What I’m trying to say is the memory is not the thing. As you remember wearing them for occasions so clearly do you really need the dresses?

Turned out the fridge washed shelves and drawers. Three out of date jars. Toss suggested laundry area so nearly empty fabric conditioner decanted into new bottle and washed out.

@gassylady

Sleeping that sounds like a hard trawl through a lot of clothes. I now try and ask myself the question “do I need the thing or the space more” My mum told me how the zip broke on her wedding dress and she had to be sewn in - and cut out later! After she died I found it in a cupboard but she had never shown it to me. What I’m trying to say is the memory is not the thing. As you remember wearing them for occasions so clearly do you really need the dresses?

Exactly, and they're on the garage, not even hung up where I can see them!! I'm unlikely to say to DS oh let me show you this southerly crumpled dress in the garage rather then the photos. The engagement and bridesmaid dress from sisters 1st wedding, they're divorced now and I think he's a dick.

I think I just harbor an imagine if one day fitting...

Anyway I just need to keep my resolve until the shops open again 🍷

Out today:

Two packs of bathbombs via freecycle
Some unread magazines to the staff room at work

Took down the Christmas tree yesterday and threw out some broken decorations
Also rehomed some horrible blue tinsel to the Christmas box at work.

Sorted through a carrier bag and box of stuff in my bedroom. Half filled a bin bag plus a pile of paper for shredding and some folders which will also be rehomed to work.
I'm a bit frustrated by not being able to get stuff out of the house with everywhere being shut. Still, the black bin will finally be collected tomorrow so I can put rubbish out again.

sleepingstandingup that sounds like a very productive day. The thing about these clothes is that even if you did diet into them they’d be old fashioned and wouldn’t give you that pleasure to wear them again. I know nothing about fashion but I dieted to the extent that I could fit into my clothes from early 20s (I was 40). But when I tried them in they were just wrong, I could just tell the jeans were the wrong colour and the floral Dorothy Perkins dress I loved as a student was low cut with weird puffy sleeves that just felt odd looking.

I’m on a roll. Got rid of a torn pair of Disney belle gloves and an old rusty baking tray. I think that’s 41 items today. That will cover me for the next 6 weeks of lockdown!

glitterywooly I’m sorry to hear about ds2s A levels.

@IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly

I'm doing angry decluttering while DS2 tries to work out whether his A levels are a) salvageable and b) worth it, after Boris cancelled the sodding exams. So:

4 shirts from DD's wardrobe
6 shirts from DH's wardrobe
2 jumpers from DH
2 towelling robes that have béen on tbe back of the bathroom door for a decade
DS1's towelling robe passed down to DS3

Considering whether to break Dry January already (have been dry from 25 October apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day) and declutter a large glass of red.

Unless you have an issue with alcohol or you're pregnant, this is no frigging time to go sober.

Hopefully making the decision this early will mean the kids are less screwed around than last year's. They'll have learnt their lesson somewhat, one hopes

Not sure where my post disappeared to but the summary is

Day 118:
❄️a few bits in the attic (all in correct boxes)
❄️backgammon game in pile to be stored.
❄️4 scart leads on fb free cycle
❄️bits of crap in bin
❄️hospital bag packed which has left two storage boxes empty where I've been stashing things away for what I think I'll need.

2021 Day 4 update. I’m going to start putting my updates into my decluttering categories to keep track:

Category 1 (general decluttering): One long sleeved top in the charity bag after buying a new one yesterday.
Category 2 (Toss app prompts): Today was the laundry area, and I have finally rinsed out two almost empty bottles of Vanish stain remover to go in the recycling. Been putting it off as they are really difficult to open.
Category 3 (mum’s belongings): nothing today.

I’m back at work tomorrow, and as DD won’t be going back to school, I’ve got six weeks of trying to work in the dining room of a small house while DH attempts to get her to do online learning (not easy for a five year old) with minimum tantrums, knowing how sad and lonely she will be. And I’m ‘lucky’ as at least DH is at home to do childcare, after being made redundant. Definitely no Dry January here!

Just a little one from me to keep the momentum going:

1 Christmas card & envelope.

Last week's shopping list in the recycling bin.

I am accumulating misc items that all need to be disposed of at the dump. Once I have a reasonable load I will book a slot to combine with trip to suermarket for essential food shopping. So far, dead lightbulbs, batteries, manky old pillows, various defunct shavers and cables. There will be more cables once the 'might be useful drawer' is reviewed by DH.