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

@AlexTheLittleCat my fat things are about 28lbs (I know, they're fat 🤣) which is just the start of Rascals size 5 so trialling those tonight. Double nappying worked last night. Brought Pampers for oldest to trial when he's back tomorrow. Wish me luck.

299: two more pairs of DHs socks because I'm not sending holey socks to our mothers to be washed.

I've scraped the bullet notebook idea having realised it is an excuse to put off tasks I actually need to do. So just going to do a task list for the week in one of my books and use it for general notes etc

@stealthninjamum I found it very difficult to declutter things from my parents, both of whom have been gone for decades now, so I allowed myself the indulgence of one draw full. It's fairly inaccessible, so I probably wouldn't use it much anyway, and that's my 'memories' drawer for them.

I got rid of nothing yesterday but got rid of a few bits of junk today.

Drawer, as in storage, NOT draw, as in pencils and paper!

The bag is full and ready for collection. May be enough for a second. Somehow we will have 12 pairs of shoes/boots/wellies to post off to charity Half have been cleaned need to do rest tomorrow. Trouble is they were scattered in lots of places so not much visual impact after they are gone. But definitely a good thing to do.

Kids bubble bath and cradle cap shampoo used up.

I’m a user upper.

Thanks, @UnlimitedChipsAndSalsa! I'm trying my best under the circumstances.

@EllieQ I really feel for you and am glad your DD is a little better today. Have you tried explaining to her that her behaviour hurts you? I remember my mum once telling me that and I was quite devastated and made a real effort afterwards to be kind. I don't think kids at a certain age are aware of their impact on others without being (gently) told.

Out: Some ancient cleaning products from under the sink, used up a giant roll of tape and as prompted by Toss got rid of three things from the freezer. I think it's 8 items today, which means 241 so far.

In: actually had a couple today. A friend sent me a nice hand moisturiser, and I bought myself some fancy coffee online I think that's 9 items in since I started, which isn't too bad.

@ememem84 Good work! I'm the same, hate wasting things.

@lazyakita it winds dh up that I’ll use stuff up rather than ditch. I used up a body cream that I really didn’t like the smell of and moaned about it the entire time. It was a gift and I’d opened it before I realised I didn’t like it.

Outs today (so far):

• elderly fruit cake
• two Amazon branded Velcro strips ??
• a double pack of playing cards that smelt weird
• a broken pencil sharpener

Day 159:

One bag returned to friend
Photos and emails

Glad that you had a better day today Ellie.

I'm also a user upper Ememem. DH complains a lot about empty bottles in the bathroom which are not in my opinion empty!

Have just been through all my seeds and chucked a few empty packets that I had kept for some reason plus some that were really old and probably won't grow.

I would be like that with a bullet journal Sleeping! I have compromised on a rolling to do list plus meal plan book with a few pages with other lists like gift ideas. It is not pretty but I do occasionally use it!

2021 day 46 update:

General decluttering: Back to the Pile of Paperwork, where I have taken out and filed/ recycled all the paperwork for DD’s saving account. The pile is slowly decreasing!

I also did a bit of a knitting project (a knitted dinosaur) that hasn’t been touched since about 2016 (the last time I updated it on Ravelry). I’ve knitted the last part (took me 20 minutes), so all I need to do is sew it together. Can’t believe it has been left for so long.

Sold my first item on Vinted which is packaged ready to go along with a romper to go to a friend for their new baby. My DC only wore it twice (they were so long they grew out of it really quick) but it was a gift from my then boss and super quality. Glad it can go to a new home.

Got rid of the box and packaging for our air popper (which we actually do use). It's taking up less cupboard space now. I count recyclables as outs IF I've gone hunting for them. The just-barely streak continues (15-day streak).

A few more items

• 3 dead pens binned
• a few bits of junk mail recycled
• bag of empty bottles/packaging from the bathroom, most already counted but they have finally made it into the outside recycling bin

@UnlimitedChipsAndSalsa I count recyclables if they have been hanging around so long they’ve become part of the landscape see above...

@EllieQ well done on the knitting project - must feel great to have finished that after so long! Glad today’s been a bit easier with your DD. Do you already use countdowns for transitions and first... then...? They’re often used for kids with ASD, but I’m sure they’d be just as useful for any NT child who is finding swapping between tasks a bit tricky for whatever reason.

Recycling trolley filled. Tidied fridge and had to declutter some ancient tomatoes into food waste bin.

Outgrown school polos, jerseys, hoodies set aside for donation. Only some needs replaced, so that's a win.

@EllieQ have you tried a reward chart or pompoms in a jar? You could say instructions need to be followed first time of asking to get the initial sticker or pompom then a bigger treat after 5 or 10.
I'm sure you've thought of this.

When I've come to my brink I do a zero tolerance approach hence saying rewards are only received for compliance on first time of asking because ultimately that's what you want. Show her you mean business, no negotiation.

With my toddler now her behaviour is scaring me into thinking is this a phase or is this how she is now?! So I've said every time she doesn't follow instructions I'm putting a toy away for the day. It's really working for now! Obviously this may change. The threat seems enough and she seems to just 'do as she's told' without the constant battle which is exhausting. Anyway good luck you aren't alone. Bloody kids!

My biggest problem is being sentimentally attached to things from the past or from anyone I love.

This is my biggest issue
Up until recently I've kept nearly every item of clothing the kids had
But I'm starting to realise this can't carry on and when we move house we can't take a whole lorry load of baby clothes 🙈so as they outgrow now, I'm keeping my favourites and trying to sell or charity shop at least some of it!

forgetthehousework that’s tough to have both parents dead but the drawer sounds like a good idea. My parents are fairly minimalist so I wouldn’t struggle to clear their whole life away should something happen. I used to worry about exinlaws as both have been very sick a few times and are complete hoarders. Like proper hoarders with multiple garden sheds as they buy one every time their crap spills out of the house. Thankfully that won’t be my job to clear out.

oohmama I kept a few special baby clothes but dd1 found them and dressed dolls / teddies in them and I now don’t know where they are. It’s probably for the best as we got use out of them.

At the weekend I was telling the boyfriend how much tidying I had done and he looked around with a raised eyebrow and I realised the insides of my drawers - that he has never looked in - are lovely but I am less bothered with the surfaces. When I joined these threads my main surfaces and window ledges were generally clear with crap shoved in a drawer. So from his perspective my house has got messier but obviously he was too polite to say so.

So today’s mission is to open my eyes a bit to the surfaces and window ledges and clear them - but finding homes for things. Even my bedroom chair has crap on it and I’m normally proud to have a clear chair.

I have decluttered Instagram and Facebook from my phone. For lent. Mental declutter.

The magazine racks and disney books i had up for sale have just been collected this morning! (There was about 30 books there!)

@EllieQ well done on finishing the dinosaur!!

@fatladysang I also downloaded vinted as recommended by someone on Facebook and sold an item through there so no fees. Have you been using it long?

@oohmama have you seen those teddies or blankets that people have made from baby clothes. That might be a nice sentimental way of keeping a few baby clothes. I keep meaning to do it but haven't got around to it!!

@stealthninjamama im terrible for dumping on surfaces!!

@ememem84 well done on giving up social media!

Before I forget, the following things are out:

Two hand cream samples from about 10 years ago
A bottle of rancid jojoba oil
A decorative candle holder
Two old pillows
Three large cardboard boxes from the box stash
Three bottles of cleaning products used up (not to be replaced as I have extras all over the place )
An A5 folder

Would love to say this has all made a difference, but with the exception of the kitchen I feel like I'm still drowning in stuff. Anyway, 254 items so far.

emptied out the kids treat tin just now and found some sweets left over from halloween which had gone all sticky and minging so those have been binned.

refilled tin and made use f space in cupboard. hoorah.

@oohmama i'm not sure if i've mentioned it previously on this thread, but i've kept the dc's first baby grows and have stretched them over embroidery hoops. yet to go on the wall though...

i almost failed at social media declutter. a friend has started screen printing jumpers. i bought one from her. it arrived today and i took a selfie with the intention of posting on instagram and giving her business a tag. i've emailed it to her instead to post.

Today's out picks up on the 'lying in plain sight for months' theme. Squeezed empty tube of ointment that DH used, but he has moved on to some other product, that has been on bathroom windowsill for ?weeks.
Just put it in the bin as he was clearly never going to see it.

Not an out, but putting spare duvets/pillows back up in to the loft now that DH is no longer having to use downstairs sofabed as he can now glide smoothly and safely upstairs on his stair lift seat, so the landing will be clear.

Gave away a pack of packaging last night; sold something on Ebay today (will post it tomorrow).

Not sure I said... but I have an idealistic plan to use up lots of our old spices (some of them truly ancient!) in new recipes. Maybe I should block out some cooking time tomorrow.