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

Another last-minute scramble to find SOMETHING before getting DD down (cosleeping). I managed to bin a pair of knickers.There is so much stuff here in the Chips household, so thanks for the motivation, everyone. Slow and steady...
(13-day streak, though a few "just barely" days)

2021 day 44 update:

General decluttering: More done on the pile of paperwork - pulled out all my savings account paperwork to file / recycle / shred.

I also started sorting through my knitting/ crochet supplies, after finishing one small project last weekend and realising I had a bag filled with random craft stuff. This led to a sad moment as I found a set of new knitting needles that were a birthday present from a couple of years ago - they obviously got shoved in the bag at some point and I’ve never even opened the packet. I feel ashamed that I’ve let the clutter and disorganisation take over and stop me enjoying the nice things I have I’m determined to change this!

I've finally got my big pile out of the house! It's been growing since well before Christmas and was possibly the equivalent of around 10-12 bags4life. I'm so pleased! The house seems much clearer without it all.

I also sent some clothes back and got rid of a few boxes. I was ridiculously attached to one of the boxes so got DP to destroy it before I could change my mind. Because of this, the previously boxed item now fits in nicely with its 'relatives', rather than having to be stored elsewhere. This is going to work much better.

Jar of horseradish binned from the fridge, BBE June 2018 so it’s been there since before the youngest was born . I think there’s some mango chutney lurking there as well which is probably of a similar vintage.

Also chucked some PJs of DD1’s which are too cheap and nasty to keep for DD2, a fingerling which DS snapped the tail off thus rendering it completely pointless, a couple of accessories belonging to bigger toys we have got rid of and a bent fairy wand.

MiL dropped round some clothes she’d bought the children for Christmas so they can see if they fit before the deadline to return them. They’re keeping it all but I should be able to get rid of smaller stuff so hopefully ins and outs will balance each other.

295: bedsheet, on which 14 mo desired to deposits the poos which HAD been in his nappy but he took the nappy off. At some point in the night. Whilst wearing a babygro. Without leaving any poo inside. Given I still having a washing machine crisis, my tolerance for poop sheet to hang around is low and my willingness to handwash is ever lower on about 4 hours sleep.

296-7: sister took the fish tank and accessories finally. My sideboard does look better on it.

Been a bit static otherwise and I feel the mess not so much clutter piling up. Didn't touch bullet journal I'm trying to make as I got drunk with friends last night so need to make sure it's finished and tidied not left half done.

@AlexTheLittleCat we also bottle to sleep and tbf if I was nicer they'd prob drink that much. But wet nappies.... I'm driven to distraction trying to get three kids dry til morning. T1 had a 1 am change and I've run out of pajamas

@SleepingStandingUp

295: bedsheet, on which 14 mo desired to deposits the poos which HAD been in his nappy but he took the nappy off. At some point in the night. Whilst wearing a babygro. Without leaving any poo inside. Given I still having a washing machine crisis, my tolerance for poop sheet to hang around is low and my willingness to handwash is ever lower on about 4 hours sleep.

296-7: sister took the fish tank and accessories finally. My sideboard does look better on it.

Been a bit static otherwise and I feel the mess not so much clutter piling up. Didn't touch bullet journal I'm trying to make as I got drunk with friends last night so need to make sure it's finished and tidied not left half done.

@AlexTheLittleCat we also bottle to sleep and tbf if I was nicer they'd prob drink that much. But wet nappies.... I'm driven to distraction trying to get three kids dry til morning. T1 had a 1 am change and I've run out of pajamas

bottle to sleep conjours up a rather violent image....!

No outs but an in. Dh bought me a new cook book for Valentine’s Day. Kwoklyn Wans Chinese in 5. So excited about this. Yay!

Me and the dc have been up for a while and have decluttered a whole
Pack of crumpets.

sandandsea I am so jealous of you getting so much stuff out. I still have piles of stuff to go.

I did a load of tidying yesterday but just as I was thinking I didn’t have one to declutter anything I found a piece of black material that’s maybe 4 inches by 4 inches in size. It was in the hallway and I don’t know where it came from. So I will take that as an out.

I did actually suggest a loan @footprintsintheslow but I think she took that as I didn't really want to give it to her!

DH chucked a binbag full of bits yesterday. No idea what was in it but as some was from DD's room I haven't asked so that I can have plausible deniability if she asks for her 'treasures' back!

Also out three pairs of wellies with holes in them, two broken water bottles and 5 out of date packets of yoghurt mix. Am also thinking about getting rid of the yoghurt maker as to be honest we eat a lot less than we did and the packet mixes you use in it aren't very nice so it is only used rarely. I keep meaning to try making some from scratch to see what it's like.

Hope that you get a new washing machine soon Sleeping. It's such a nightmare when you have little ones.

Well done on actually getting some things out of the house Sand.

@RaspberryBlonde hmm tricky then but that's her choice I guess. I love to look at the horse I talked about earlier in the thread knowing it's been loved by my children and other friends children's and also relatives.

Also my friend in cornwall have a huge group of friends that round robin all the baby items so it's quite standard here

• cracked lock n lock box (the lid will go when it turns up)

• 3 pretty blue glasses for the charity shop

• 1 hardback book for the charity shop

• half a dozen home learning sheets recycled

A while ago I copied and pasted a list of 100 things to declutter (or similar) into my phone notes app and have been adding ideas to that. It seems to be helping me mentally detach enough to actually get rid of the items I’m wavering about (the blue glasses have been considered and kept on so many previous occasions).

The oversize peeler was used last night and I’ve given it a reprieve for the minute. If it ends up languishing in the drawer unused for months I’ll have a rethink.

Last year's NT handbook has gone out; 2021 version arrived this week so more of a swap.
Might see if there's some things I can do with DD this week to use stuff up as weather looks crap. Just what we need for a lockdown half term.

Went through the gardening supplies in the shed and got rid of 16 items including various old pots, weedkiller, bags etc. 233 items. I think to get to 2021 items in the year I need to remove 5-6 items daily, so that sounds doable... I think!

Nothing in today.

298: wind up toy made of clay beheaded by Twin2 the ferocious!!

Need to pack a parcel tonight to drop tomorrow when I drop DS off, two days/1 night at respite

• 1 shirt
• 2 cardigans
• 2 jackets

All for the charity shop

Also used up a conditioner and sample sized night cream.

Day 158:
Champagne magnum bottle from the garden that I've had for over 15 years with a candle in.
I've kept it after drinking it celebrating a huge football win for my little team. But thinking about it, I was with a horrible ex and I threw the champagne back up. So it's time it went.

So I decided when cleaning Ds room last week to have a rearrange of furniture. This has meant the the books he got for Christmas have been put away we we t through the books he already had he agreed to put some in the loft. He says this with all stuff that leaves his room. He wants to keep it for his children so he doesn’t spend his own money .

Well I’ve take pictures of most of them and advertised on fb market place.

Sold his old winter coat today so that’s 1 out.

Ds has also agreed to sell some toys that were put away at the beginning of the first lock down.

Bag of clothes for clothes bank in the car ready to go.

We’ve got lots of bits from toucan boxes to make so I’m hoping to do some this week.

yesterday: math work book for yr3 (youngest is now in yr8)
sold some a bundle of items on Ebay -> post office tomorrow

Found a bunch of things to list on Ebay, freecycle, x fingers!

Outs today (aside from crumpets):

• letter ref ds’ vaccinations which he’s now had
• two sample sachets - one of eye cream the other face wash
• a dummy of dds which she dropped in her nappy mid change (not just a pee nappy....)
• three tea lights
• bottle of squash finished by decanting it into the wanky bottles on the counter.
• pair of dhs jeans with a hole.

sandandsea, glad you had a big win!
lazyakita, 233 items is such a strong start!

Today I got rid of a plastic travel card wallet and a trade magazine. I must remember to do my item hunt earlier in the day...
(14-day streak)

Argh, regretting booking the icollectclothes now as I’m still wiped from yesterday 😳 and I still need to make sure it’s bagged up properly. The email I got seemed to imply I’d get another more definite confirmation but I only have the one from when I first booked that says I asked for Monday or Tuesday. Have checked junk folder like it recommends too. Those of you who’d done this how did the confirmation work please?

@singtothesky i got an email confirming time slot the evening before collection.

Oh that’s interesting thank you. So that probably means it is going to be Tuesday?! Although the website did also say about covid delays etc so maybe it won’t even be then.

I’m so so tired but I should probably sort them now anyway just in case. The flooring is supposedly arriving tomorrow so I don’t want to end up distracted and not sorting it.

Better day today. Pram accessory sold (to be collected); Christmas decks sorted through and a pack of baubles in charity bag; 1 book listed for sale, pair of hokey socks in bin and an unwanted Christmas present passed on to someone who actually wanted it!

I've missed a whole week - another difficult working week so no energy in the evenings

This weekend I have tackled some housework, so dust gone (does that count?) and some ironing, so the ironing pile is smaller.
I found a non-working pen, so that's gone. H has got rid of a couple of pairs of boxers so they've gone in the textile recycling bag.
Also passed on a magazine to my Mum.
I cracked a plate, so that's gone in the bin. I'm a bit sad about that, as it was one of the original ones DH and I bought when we bought our first flat.

I'm encouraged to hear of others' successes though, which have reminded me that I have a couple of things to list on eBay, which I will aim to do next weekend.

2021 day 45 update:

General decluttering: Nothing today. Went for a walk with morning with DH and DD, and within ten minutes DD was whinging and whining and complaining, just like she does every time the three of us go out together. I ending up shouting and walking off. Stayed upstairs all afternoon as I couldn’t be in the same room as her. Did not have the energy or motivation for decluttering.

I am so tired of her behaviour, and I have no more patience for dealing with her whining and tantrums. I’m thinking about posting for advice on the Parenting board, because almost every day is a battle and I just can’t take any more