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

Nothing out today. Self care day.

Welcome to all the new declutterers @toomanyhobbies @LifeOfBriony! This thread is great for support and motivation.

Outs: a mini greenhouse that I have had for years and not used enough, I'm sure I've done some other things but cannot remember what! Sorted through a box of bits and threw some away. Decluttered a box in the loft of doom and I'm fixing a photo frame for an antique tile that I bought 7 years ago, that will be two outs from the box. Cleaned the outside of the toaster, kettle and microwave and they are gleaming for the first time in ages. Made me realise that how bad they were. I long for a house that sparkles, mine does not. I think cleaning needs to be a hobby to get the house to sparkle?

@Clettercletterthatsbetter Sorry for your loss.

@footprintsintheslow You are amazing, I didn't even know what day it was after having a baby!

I wrote a long post and Mumsnet timed out, so here's a brief version.

@stealthninjamum Thanks for the suggestion of Ryman's for pen recycling. I might have to give that a miss as I won't be able to visit Ryman's until lockdown is over.
@SleepingStandingUp yes, that's one more unpleasant chocolate gone . Today I had a bad day WFH so I've only eaten nice chocolate this evening.

No energy for further decluttering this evening, but a win is that DS took the old pillows and towels to the animal shelter, so that's released some space. He took the charity bag too, but they won't take that until their charity shop can re-open.

2021 day 21 update:

1. General decluttering: Shredded more work paperwork, and a delivery note from the grocery delivery today - trying to keep on to of it after going through the pile of delivery notes before Xmas!
2. Toss app prompt: nothing today as I skipped all three suggestions (already done or didn’t apply).
3. Mum’s stuff: nothing today.

Had a nice catch-up with a friend this evening, and have started a new book by one of my favourite authors, so today has been good.

@EllieQ the cellophane looking bits of quality street wrappers are actually made from starch and an go in the food recycling bin. Hope that helps DH let go of them?

Couldn't fit all the plates in the cupboard so have decluttered some old Gruffalo and Winnie the Pooh China (DC 11 patently no interest any more). Offered them on my neighbourhood Facebook and someone came and picked them up from the bench outside within the hour. Result.

Been a slow day with moody homeschool then 3 1/2 hour round trip to hospital. Could have been worse, mil paid the £40 round trip taxi fair else it would have been far longer with a tired 5 yo.

116: Board from top of landing has gone in the skip

If it's dry over the weekend we'll chuck the garden crap in there and also the bookcase.

Memory boxes are a good long term plan. We have boxes of baby stuff from all the hospital admissions for DS5 but it could probably be halved to just the nice stuff
Like do I need to keep the heart monitor leads?? I think I kept them in case we couldn't keep him but now it's just stuff I'm keeping from an awful time.

Any recommendations for nice boxes for the memory boxes? We had lots of the special ones with DS as gifts but the heathen twins are un-christenend in the time of apocalypse

Wow, sleeping, sounds like you have a lot of children!

Impressive lists from everyone.

1. Too-small red trousers for my littlest. Would like to replace them but all red trousers appear to be currently sold out.

Oh no Ds who is 5. I only have 3. Jesus no.

@threeitchyfeet

Wow, sleeping, sounds like you have a lot of children!

Impressive lists from everyone.

1. Too-small red trousers for my littlest. Would like to replace them but all red trousers appear to be currently sold out.

What size is he?

Ah actually I have dark orange not red. And they're dungarees but thought that might not matter.

threeitchyfeet it’s great to log ins, you will notice in time you stop buying things on impulse.

Toss has asked me to do towels. I decluttered them a couple of years ago and they are beautifully organised in the airing cupboard. I don’t think I’ll find any but I will look anyway.

Other than that I think it’s going to be a tough homeschooling day as both dc are overdue on bits of homework. I really want a weekend where we don’t have homework because it’s just shit to have to work seven days a week so will focus on school today.

Thanks for the cleaning recipe @IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly. Think I have some tea tree oil somewhere so might have a go at the weekend. I also definitely don't have a sparkly house Alex!

Not much out here. I broke a glass the other day so that went and this morning I discovered 2 cereal boxes that had been left in the cupboard with only a tiny bit left in them so threw them out as it had gone a bit stale. DH suggested I go through the mugs (he saw someone decluttering mugs on TV but is also irrationally annoyed by the fact we still use the crockery I took with me to university.) So I might have a look at that.

My DS loves red threeitchyfeet. It's surprisingly hard to get things in that colour though.

Have been away from this thread for a while. House looks worse than ever and I'm back from maternity soon, so I feel I need to try and get on top with it before I'm back. Have downloaded.the toss app - got rid of 11 socks/tights and then found a trinkety thing my mum sent which has gone as well.

Will make myself have a tidy and then log my items for the day

Thanks @footprintsintheslow! Lots of random things but they are making a small difference! Congratulations on your little one, hope you are enjoying the time together! Got some serious decluttering to attempt today as DH is off at the weekend and Monday as I have a maternity appt. 8 weeks to go and the nesting instinct is kicking in big time! Hope you all have a wonderfully productive day!

I've just been starting my outs by going by the Toss app and it's been working well.

Today is pots and pans and think I'm going to struggle with this one! 😂

On the topic of migs I've got so many and get gifted then a lot too so don't like chucking them! I've also got a set of plain mugs that I use for guests 😬

Finished the little bottle of conditioner which came with my hair dye, plus the last bits of a bath bomb (actually could have probably made it stretch to two more baths, DS was covered in glitter and bubbles, but he loved it). Also chucked some more happy meal toys and random plastic bits.

I am so ready for the end of the week, tempers are fraying all round. It’s taken me nearly half an hour to get my four year old to write “The jelly is happy” FFS 🤦‍♀️

I got an email from eBay this morning for a 4-day £1 max selling fees offer. I really need to get back on the selling wagon, and get some things listed.

🤣🤣 at the emergency rotary washing line. My in laws generally have a spare kettle and toaster but that is another level. Quiet week again here as work is just overwhelming at the moment. But now have a few days at home.
Big pile of work magazines building up unopened in the hall (again) will look to see if there is an option to switch to online only. Quick scan and recycle for these tomorrow. Have also planned to do mugs - inspired by “love it or list it”! Can’t reduce to three each but 6 is doable. Definitely don’t have 90 though - 🤞

Posted off two eBay things.

I have been steadily doing one item a day. Last night I managed 8 journals/papers that have been lingering mostly from before Christmas.
Spent 3 hours having a thorough declutter of one area of my work and deleting/filing e-mails about now completed projects. Final tidy of actual paper notes etc filed. this morning.
I am hoping I can maintain this prompt approach to getting e-mails deleted etc.
Trying very hard to adopt a 'just do it' mode to avoid putting stuff close where it belongs, where it then rests sometimes for days eg hang ironed shirts on the door frame next to the wardrobe they properly live in.

Today's decluttering includes:
10x xmas craft figures
2x sewing projects in to the fabric recycling - more aggro than they will be worth when finished.
3x hairbands
1x wooden times tables set- doesn't get used just scattered around the room.
1x pop-up laundry hamper. Used for cuddly toys but constantly emptied to get the bottom toys and then refusal to pick up. Different storage needed.
1x kids book that is not that good.
1x kids sticker book used up
4x parts of random plastic junk toys
1x used up shampoo - blueberry that DH used but the smell was just too much - glad that has finished and will definitely not be replaced!

sleepingstandingup my memory boxes are just box files - because I had some empty ones lying around. I have a bigger box for me and I suppose they’re the stuff that isn’t valuable enough to go in our fireproof box (eg passports, birth certificates etc). When I was decluttering the Room of Doom and my bedroom drawers last week I kept finding little personal things that don’t fit anywhere and I kept picking them up and putting them down again - so newspaper pictures of dc at school, cards they did, estate agent details of houses I bought, party invitations I designed with dcs pictures on, certificates for sports etc. I would say if something gives you a bad memory chuck it out.

I will find more special boxes for them but it’s helping me tidy some areas that never get tidied.

Anyway I have had a truly crap day with uncooperative children. I have managed to put aside two towels to go and an apron from the kitchens Big Drawer of Crap which I am really pleased about.

Wow you are my people! I need this in my life, can't see the wood for the trees.

[quote 1stMrsF]@EllieQ the cellophane looking bits of quality street wrappers are actually made from starch and an go in the food recycling bin. Hope that helps DH let go of them?

Couldn't fit all the plates in the cupboard so have decluttered some old Gruffalo and Winnie the Pooh China (DC 11 patently no interest any more). Offered them on my neighbourhood Facebook and someone came and picked them up from the bench outside within the hour. Result. [/quote]
I didn’t know that, thank you! I have not asked him why he’s keeping them, but I might casually mention that fact into conversation over the weekend and see how he responds