Decluttering one item a day (and having nowhere to put it!) – thread number 16

[stealthninjamum]

Once again this tireless group of mumsnetters are decluttering our houses by getting rid of one item a day. Of course this year I’m just piling the stuff behind the settee because the charity shops are all closed but luckily noone’s allowed to visit me to see my clutter mountain.

This is an accountability and general chatter thread and newbies and old hands are always welcome to join in the conversation while we keep working on our houses making them clearer, organised, and clutter free.

This year some of us are trying to get rid of 2021 items and some of us are working through the Toss app that tells us what to get rid of each day. Then we report back on the thread with an update.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4105255-The-countdown-to-Christmas-but-still-decluttering-one-item-a-day-Thread-number-15?pg=1

I’m really impressed with those of you studying while pregnant or with babies ice , sleeping, sky*. I would like to do a number of short courses like drawing or watercolours or history. In a way lockdown should make it easy as everyone is doing online courses and I don’t need a babysitter but I just don’t seem to manage my time very well.

I’m worried about giving the sesame seeds to birds because I have seen rats in the garden. Another annoying habit of stbexh s was he used to leave old fruit waste in the garden even after we saw a rat running away with a banana skin! Maybe I’ll take them to the local duck pond or nature reserve.

I also have a couple of glass pickling jars in the food cupboard. They are going. While I watch homeschooling I might also sort through our colouring pencils. We have another big Tupperware full. I can’t throw them away but I could make sure we have a small number and offer the rest to a preschool perhaps.

Toss tells me I have tossed 308 items! A lot are still in the house but I’m really pleased that they will go when lockdown ends.

Ooh I forgot to answer stealth we are thinking of the upstairs bathroom, which has bare walls (the wallpaper was peeling when we moved in) so will just shove some colour on there to brighten it up. Then the living room - the carpet is horrible so we will replace that with some of the cheaper wooden stuff, and then paint as the walls are two different shades of white and covered in scribbles!

I want something really warm for the living room - I posted a few threads back about making it cosy and giving it personality. Not sure on colour, I am erring towards a warm slightly orangey yellow but that could easily end up too harsh I think?

Has anyone here tried icollectclothes website for a donations? I’m desperate to get rid of at least two large laundry bags of bits, but wanted people’s thoughts?

Reviews online are OK - the complaints are mostly regarding timeframe - like what time of day the people come - which is no odds to me as I’m home any way. And that they are not a charity - which I also am not really bothered about.

Interested to hear any experiences here.

Hi
I used icollectclothes.co.uk about 2 weeks ago, couldn't fault them. Booked the collection, left bags out side, collected in time stated with email confirming collection. I will use them again, esp as they take toys, books & dvds too :-)

Re the charity my understanding is they donate to a few different charities which i was happy with.

Ah great - thats good to hear, thank you. In all honesty, the charity aspect doesn’t bother me massively, because if they were easy online sells I’d have done it! So if they make a profit, power to them!

The only thing I can’t do is leave them outside as I live on a main road and step directly onto the pavement, so would need to leave them indoors, but I guess I could have them right inside the door way and leave a note to knock.

Did they cherry pick items from you or clear the lot?

Can i join your! I need to seriously declutter my house. Just finding the time after work, school and trying to clean up/do washing etc.

I've been putting bits on local free sites so got rid of a bagful of children's books. I had them for sale but no interest after several weeks. They are gone now, that space is worth more than the extra £8 I could have made!

I've got a bin liner of clothes for the clothes recycling we are going to drop off on our walk later.

Going to have a read through now to see all your progress and motivate me 😁

Recently...

In: 2 books, 4 jigsaw puzzles, 1 new bra, a sofa bed, new pants for DS, hand blender (I want to learn to make soup)

Out: 7 jigsaw puzzles, 3 picture frames, some mens clothes

Heading out: old mattress, pair of ripped jeans, 2 large charity shop bags, DAB radio for spares (I hope will sell on Ebay), various potion bottles adult DD left behind

I'm not really satisfied with that, need to get more 'Real' outs!!

.... I am off now hunting for more 'Outs'

Food cupboard sorted. It was just piles of half usedpackets and a complete jumble earlier.

DH thinks our soup supplies may be excessive. I think it's a good emergency supply... (17tins, family of four).

@Aroundtheworldin80moves wow, your food cupboard is so tidy and well organised. I’m too embarrassed to share mine, maybe in a month or so when I’ve used up more...

So far today the only thing I’ve got rid of is a booklet of boots advantage card Christmas offers that expired on 6th January. The whole desk is a pile of jumbled papers so this is a drop in a very large ocean, but hopefully I’ll do a bit more later.

@Miaowse it wasn't like that this morning. Maybe I should have had a before picture! And it probably won't survive contact with the hungry hordes aka DDs and DH

Now for the fridge.

Inspired by the mention of jackets I went to the cupboard and got one I don’t wear and one DD1 outgrew. Unfortunately they are now folded up in a bag and put back in said cupboard, I need to look into getting a charity collection and gather more stuff - I don’t think I can keep ignoring the amount of stuff that can be donated. I’ll have to find somewhere to store stuff to sell as well but I’ll be strict and sensible about what actually is worth the bother.

Also chucked a hoodie with a busted zip so that’s my 3 things minimum met.

Ooh yay flooring samples arrived!!!

I feel like I've forgotten how to dress for outside Sydney 🤣. I've got to do to the shops later and it requires so many more clothes than I wear day to day.
I'm cheating and taking everything on the buggy and leaving the babies behind. One is yet to nap 😒

:o same not that I was particularly good at knowing what to wear anyway :o I live in pyjamas at home, I really should make a bit more effort though. My gym leggings make me feel quite good so I should wear them even when not exercising!

9 books returned to the library, and no ins from there as the book I had reserved got sent back ages ago as I never collected it 😳 TBH though I probably will buy it, as when I reserved it I wasn’t sure DS would stick with learning Italian but he’s really enjoying it!

Not sorted a basket or shelf today, will have to find the energy later, along with more of my course

Goodness it has been a long week! Have definitely hit a low with homeschooling here, thank goodness there's only a week left until half term for us.

Have been pottering around today trying to tidy up, not very successfully! I have managed to get out a rock painted as a frog and a random set of cardboard drawers. I have also started to scan dvds to send off via ziffit. They have been in charity shop bags but at least this way they can leave the house! However I think we may have been too efficient with getting rid of boxes so not sure I have anything to pack them in!

Nice to see you back 80moves, can't believe you are on the move again!

I'm also terrible at managing my time Stealth. I don't know where it goes. Not helped by having a toddler who wants to 'help' with everything which makes a lot of jobs a bit challenging! I would love to do some studying but think it will have to wait until DC are a bit more self sufficient. Psychology sounds like a great choice Sing.

Gosh! The thread is so busy these days, it's hard for me to keep up. Well done everyone!

I've been sorting out my piles and am hoping to be able to move it all out soon. Unfortunately, I was tempted to rescue a couple of items! (I know.) But, I have added a DVD and 3 books, so I'm not going to worry.

I'm now going through our bedding. I told DP we need to "do an inventory" of it all. (I've been watching Minimal Mom.) I don't think he was too interested.

@Hagqueen they took everything, i don't think they opened the bags on collection. I left 8 bags! I'm sure if you had bags ready & are in anyway knocking wouldn't be an issue.

Oh @SandAndSea I’ve been watching lots of minimal mom videos too. I love her kitchen.

@Stealthynamechange thats great to know, thank you! I think I will take another couple of weeks to gather things up and bite the bullet.

Today I discarded around 20 skincare and makeup items that were expired or used up!

Thanks @miaowse and @SleepingStandingUp! Now the real test is not spending on it again...

We had a really good clear out of old/ill fitting clothes earlier. It totalled 27 items, so now I'm at 65 pieces out. Loads of jumpers and tshirts for charity, plus a few scruffy ones for rags. Can anyone else not wait for the day when they can take everything to a charity shop? It's all taking up so much space in the spare bedroom!

SleepingStandingUp I know, right? A friend sent me an email with a link to leather jackets with 25% off and the concept of buying new clothes to wear outside the house just seemed so bizarre .

RaspberryBlonde I pretty much sacked off homeschooling today. My two were tired and not in the mood, plus the toddler was going nuts so we rushed through a lot of it. Fortunately DD2’s afternoon lesson for reception was just a lot of waving at each other and the children who are in school who joined in the zoom call, and everyone doing an online drawing tutorial together. TFI Friday though. Only one more week till half term for us too.

Actually I did have some good news in that both my parents have now had their first jab and their second one is booked for late April, so that brings us a bit closer to being able to meet up again

Just one out today--a user manual for a microwave we don't even own anymore.

Day 149:
A blanket given to a animal charity
Breastfeeding clothes that are too small passed on
Maternity clothes passed on

All via fb freecycle and all actually picked up. Can't bloody believe my luck

2021 day 36 update

General decluttering: Shredded the last of the paperwork from last weekend. Didn’t have the energy after work to do the next shelf in the wardrobe.

DD had a tantrum this evening after I told her she had to go to the toilet before bed (hadn’t been since lunchtime), and ended up screaming and shouting in her room for about ten minutes before she started to calm down. Dread to think what the neighbours think. I am so frustrated and angry with the way she just kicks off when asked to do something perfectly normal