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

Ooh had to throw some flowers too. Pulled the good ones and put them in a new vase.

singtothesky keep going, I know it can feel endless but as your drawers and cupboards get less cluttered it does get easier. By that I mean life gets easier - I can find things easier, have tidier spaces and don’t buy as much.

I finished the Toss app. It asked if I wanted to add more of my own categories and I think I clicked on the wrong answer because it’s now stopped and won’t let me use it!

Anyway Thanks to Toss I decluttered 526 items. This number doesn’t include all the other things I decluttered that weren’t part of Toss. It sounds loads but 314 were ‘writing supplies’ so didn’t take up too much room. I am really pleased that I have almost finished my bedroom, started to sort through wires again, and practically finished my dining room and kitchen.

While dc are still in bed I am going to see if I have the motivation to do a bit more Room of Doom.

Hi everyone old and new! Life and of course homeschooling 🙄😱 have been rather intense here so a very quiet week. However I have kept up with the post as it came in and found a couple of empty spice jars. This weekend will be going through the stuff in my charity bags as a friend is looking for toiletries for a refuge and I have found a charity I can post children’s shoes too. So I need to dig deep as I’m sure there are suitable items 👏👏👏

@gassyladyh34 what’s the charity for kids shoes please?

Thanks stealth you’re right I do need to remember the progress we are making. When I look around I can see improvements!

I’ve not tidied any shelves for the last three days so I’ll try and catch up today and just mark it as late on my challenge spread. I’ve kept up with everything else (thrown away more than three things some days and definitely cleaned a lot more the last two days as well).

@ememem84 it is Sal’s shoes they do require a donation of £1 per pair but seems well worth it to me as I have found six pairs to go and it’s lovely to think of them being useful. Three of the pairs are barely worn but outgrown school shoes from the last 12 months.
Also please ignore my mangled user name above not sure how that happened🤷‍♀️

Amazing. Thanks! I’ll bookmark it as have some shoes of the dcs which can go.

Sleeping Oops, meant 14oz bottle, can't add up! He is 18 months. I always give food first but he doesn't eat much and will only sleep with milk, else he cries.

Sing It does get easier. You are doing really well. Most of my house has been decluttered multiple times, with more items going with each pass. I've been doing it for years and it is much better. Still more to go though. Marie Kondo makes it look quick and easy all in one go, I have never managed that.

Stealth Congratulations on finishing Toss!

Just found an ancient bottle of fabric conditioner on top of a cupboard so that’s an out. I have a huge horrible admin task hanging over my head that I really need to do today (or at least make a start). When this happens I often tidy my desk instead.

sing I’m absolutely finding the benefits of being more organised now. Even something as simple as a slimline cutlery tray has freed up space in the drawer and has meant we can see things.

I’m waiting for my acrylic trays to arrive for the make up storage.

Ha! Found another out - the missing bits of the mini chopper that I got rid of a week or so ago. The blade is rusty so no regrets.

I went through a small cupboard and found boxes and boxes of sealed out of date unusual teas , a pint glass full of OOD fruit tea sachets, a very OOD pack of Starbucks coffee sachets, OOD box of Splenda sweetener tabs and two new heads for my electric toothbrush. I’ve replaced the toothbrush head and put the spare in the proper place.

I also found a plastic case to store multiple toothbrush heads which is not needed so binned that and recycled the thick instruction manual.

I’m probably going to charity shop a spiral peeler as I doubt I’ll ever use it. I also found an oversize peeler that I thought would be handy for coleslaw etc, but it’s only been used a few times, still deliberating about that.

Lastly I filled up the space in the newly cleared cupboard with a stack of Tupperware lids that have been living on the worktop. I may end up getting rid of some or even all of these but I’m waiting a bit longer to see if the bottoms turn up.

No progress on the horrible admin task

Thanks alex and em :) I have managed to sort a few boxes today, it’s really awful how many boxes of random mixed up bits there are. Like a box with a few bricks, bits of DS’ Lego, geomag, a few pens etc . I feel a bit better having sorted more but it’s a drop in the ocean really and I know we need to make a lot more effort to keep on top of it.

Just had a break for lunch but need to keep going. We’ve had another email that’s confused us further about whether the flooring actually is arriving today or the date we requested, but either way I’m glad we got stuff done and we need to make the most of half term to keep going. DD1 has work to catch up on too though so we need to make sure we don’t lose track of that

Eek. Just booked an I collect clothes collection for ASAP. Will need to bag it all up properly and sort out some clothes for nursery first but should get a decent amount out of the house!

@stealthninjamum I downloaded Toss after reading your posts; hopefully it helps focus my efforts.

My OH donated two tshirts and a sweatshirt today, so that was a nice extra three items out (and none in!) 192 things out.

Three pans and lids out but only because replacements have arrived - so neutral. Few more bits of paperwork too so ticking over

singtothesky my drawers all used to have mixed up bits too, I know it’s boring finding homes for everything but when you’ve done it it will make a difference.

lazyakita I hope you like it, it’s been brilliant not having to think about what I was going to get rid of.

I am now going to make a list of areas of the house to tidy in the hope that I’ll declutter bits as I go.

I’ve done w digital declutter.

Deleted a load of emails and photos. Unsubscribed to newsletters.

Thanks stealth I’m looking forward to reaching that goal of everything having a place!

I filled a bin bag (although some bulky stuff like a lampshade) and a little pile of recycling too, lots of bits rehomed or at least sorted into categories to make it a bit simpler.

I think we are going to change where the toys are kept though so I need to decide what would be best to keep on the landing in the trofast units. Might do bedding and I think cuddly toys would be good there too as they are quick to clean up if 3yo plays there. It really wasn’t working having toys with lots of bits up there as it got messy so fast.

Long way to go and I am shattered so I think I’ll do the clothes tomorrow. Initial confirmation email said Monday or Tuesday for the clothes collection but I’m not sure if that’s accurate due to covid. Obv will have it ready by Monday morning anyway though. It doesn’t feel like much of a win in that the decisions were basically made ages ago but it will still be really good to actually get the space back!

Lots of little bits of fabric cabbage today, because realistically I am never going to do anything with them.

Ticking over with small outs and things being used up. One today was a bottle of screenwash for the car washer bottle. We still have another.
Really fed up of the bags for charity shops sitting around!

Three dead pens out and quite a few papers and envelopes cleared from my messy desk into the recycling.

Day 157: attic day for H

❄️Bag of non breastfeeding friendly clothes put in attic.
❄️2 metal ariels put for the scrap metal man from the attic.
❄️1 wooden horse listed as an upcycle project on marketplace. No takers yet
❄️1 pram parasol put aside for someone who has the matching pram last week.
❄️New baby cards taken down😔

HALF TERM IDEAS IN PHOTO. It's a video link on the bbc bristol Facebook page

6 coasters and 6 placemats in the charity bag. Some items listed in Facebook and vinted. Fingers crossed for some sales.

Lots of Spices chucked today as prompted by Toss app. Some were dated 2019 😬

25 various books gone! We have actual space on our shelves (well, a little bit...) That means a total of 217 items gone, which puts me at about 10% of my goal of 2021 items. I'll definitely need to do a lot more to get to 2021 by the end of the year!