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

Oh, footprints, you can't count your love for parenting if you plan on replacing it. (Sorry you had a bad day, though.)

Today I got rid of one expired sunscreen spray (actually, just earmarked it as an out because I need to double-check if I need to do something special with it. Can it just go down the drain?). I also binned four packs of expired microwavable rice. I hate throwing out food, but I'm being extra careful because of breastfeeding.

This process would be easier if DH didn't keep rescuing things I've planned as outs (a chipped mug, a rusty tea tin, a phonebook ...).
(18-day streak)

@UnlimitedChipsAndSalsa you've made me laugh a lot

The only good thing about having no washing machine still is I sort the washing to give to the Mother's which means DHs socks have to pass the Wife test. So

311: another pair of DHs socks. I don't even care if he runs out. I'll get him a load for father's Day.

Got a new small vacuum because weaning sucks and I swear my kids just leak crumbs. Fed up of spending my life on my knees sweeping. It has no fancy nonsense to get caught up, just a very powerful suck and an easy to empty box. God my 30s are exciting.

Sorry you're having a bad day Footprints, they'll move out eventually and your house will be decluttered. It may take me that long....

Today's outs, took 6 parcels to the post office, used carrier bags and brown paper left from Christmas to package them up so extras out too!

I used up the savoury flapjack and leftover chicken in the fridge. An old slimming world curry sauce chucked away... 2 years out of date and we didn't like it originally when we tried it so why I kept it so long I dont know!!

In - a takeaway tea cup from lidl. However I will throw out the leaky one that annoys me every time I use it 😆 and DH had a phone upgrade. Plus ordered the moana costume for dd2 as found one on eBay for £7!

I wasn't very proactive in decluttering today but I did go for a run for the first time in ages, it really helped clear my head and made me feel better. Definitely going to force myself out each evening DH is home!

I am chuckling reading about the joys of babies and toddlers. Mine are young adults now but can still have their moments. Indeeed, refurb of DC bedroom is now booked but I have found that their idea of clearing out drawers etc of 'to be demolished' cupboards etc' and mine are somewhat different. So, major sort of drawers meant lots of rubbish disposed. Room of Doom will also get worse, if that is possible, temporarily as furniture etc will be stored there while the work is done. Hoping that by end of March both bedroom and RoD will look much better!

My love of parenting has also been tested, if not completely decluttered this week footprints! Mine just scream at each other unless they are watching TV, it's driving me nuts. Hope your DD had been a bit easier Ellie.

Very jealous of your run coconuts, I've not managed to get out once this year. Might make that my target for the weekend.

I've just thrown away an empty spray bottle in the bathroom. It's been there a week, I was wondering if DH would notice it.

Our shopping delivery has just arrived so I'm about to sort out the cupboard where we keep carrier bags as it's reached the point where they all explode out when you open it!

Out 3 books to a friend
Glass to the bottle bank- been sitting there for ages!
Lots of broken garden toys
In- a hot tub ! Was wanting one last year but they had all
Sold out or ridiculous price on eBay
Saw one in b&m for £300 last one so just got it. I've been working so many hours lately and really stressed so thought I'd treat us all

Haven’t done anything for the last week and feeling rubbish about it. I had good intentions last week and did nothing.

This weekend I want to;
Clean the kitchen and get rid of all the packaging from parcels/sort out whats being kept for reuse for ebay sales.

List the last of my ebay items.

Sort out my wardrobe. This one is a biggy for me. I actually don’t have a lot of clothes. But I’m really unhappy with them (and my body!) and struggling with the reality that the ones I do like (smarter items for work etc), I may not wear for a long time.

I need to really figure out what my work from home style is, and what makes me feel good and also comfortable.

Emptied some outgrown items from DD's wardrobe. I discovered a local charity who want clothes for primary school aged kids of struggling families, some can go there but there's a few which will have to go straight to textile recycling.
Got all the stamps together to send to a cat rescue for fundraising.

Day 163:

4 useable nappies on freecycle that need new elastic. I'm never going to do that. These are being picked up tomorrow.

2 books that we have doubles of being posted next week on one of our daily freezing rainy breastfeed in a park walks.

1 leaky reusable chucked in bin.

Better day today. Hooray. Thanks for all the encouragement to keep going!

Attic day tomorrow so hopefully lots of outs.

I feel so demotivated, i think after two months of homeschooling I needed a break to do nothing. I have barely done any decluttering- just things like old letters, receipts etc.

I have done small bits of tidying - the radiator key has a home after being on a shelf for years, dc school reports have been printed and put away, our swimming goggles are now in a drawstring bag with dd2s swimming costumes (for some reason we had 5 goggles), baby teeth and a newborn baby hospital wrist tag have homes (I know I should get rid of the teeth!).

Anyway I’m off to read the thread, I hope everyone is well.

Out:

• 5 bits and pieces from the sideboard as prompted by Toss. Nothing substantial, but I guess every little bit adds up.
• a broken smart watch strap

Total of 324 items.

I also went to the tip and got rid of loads of recyclables that had built up, plus some bigger items for general waste, then stopped by the supermarket clothes recycling bin to drop off a bag of garments. I counted all of these previously, but am glad to finally have them fully out of the house. Can't wait for the charity shops to reopen to free up the spare room.

In:

• three very useful cardboard boxes for Ebay sales. They were too good to bin, I swear! 12 items in since the start of the thread.

Demotivated here too. I got that decent amount done in readiness for the flooring but crashed after that. New meds are making me sluggish and foggy headed so I can’t imagine making decisions 😳

So much for making the most of half term, as usual!

Reading back...

@nocutsnobuttsnococonuts savoury flapjack? Sounds yum. Recipe please!!

@SingToTheSky but remember you did the amazing job of getting sorted for flooring.

Demotivated here too. Cleaners came in yesterday so house looked lovely. This evening it looks like a shite heap. So I’ve tasked dh with tidying it before he comes to bed. I’m in bed already.

Tomorrow’s jobs will be laundry - never ending; and using up stuff in the freezer. I think we have about 4 half open breads. And the same of peas. So am going to decant duplicates into one bag/box.

Outs today:

My sanity
The will to live
A calpol syringe
Sheet mask (currently on)
Empty bottles of wine
Reciepts from handbag

Ins:

A huge cake tin from dsis. She was throwing it away and I want something for buns etc.

Demotivated here as well--there must be something going around! I think even by my lax standards I can't count anything as outs today. I made it 18 days. New streak starts tomorrow (or maybe Monday...).

312: Books gone via WeBuyBooks, think there's 10 in there.

313: pair of PJ's for the baby's that are a funny fit, a top DS can't get over his big head and a lovely pair of trousers with a bleach mark

314: model dinosaur made of malleable soft clay the twins keep chewing

315: two pairs of jeans and a playsuit sold and posted

Few ins - another photo album but now all my loose photos are on albums so that's great. Had OT today so had to order DS some bits to help him.

316: the clothes went out in boxes from Amazon that stuff had come in so that was helpful.

Now I'm decluttering brownies

Thanks em that is true, I do need to look at the positives! And I booked that clothing collection so 3 bin bags are leaving the house on Thursday.

Still nothing gone here but I decluttered a to do list item by filling in a form for volunteering so that’s good.

2021 day 50 update:

General decluttering: I’ve done more of the Pile of Paperwork - yesterday I sorted/ filed/ recycled bank account letters, and today I did the same for our joint account letters. Despite having the past few days off, I haven’t been motivated to do anything more.

I didn’t update yesterday as I’d had a stressful moment with DD where I ended up grabbing her and shouting at her, which I’m really ashamed of. I started a thread asking for advice yesterday, which has brought some helpful advice, some sympathy, and some harsh (but deserved) comments. Today has been better, and I’m trying hard not to ‘bite’ when she’s heading into complaining/ getting upset mode.

Sorry you had a tough day Ellie, can you get some time out?

unlimitedchips I always tip sun cream down the sink and wash the bottle to recycle it but I have just read somewhere that old toiletries should be landfilled not put down the sink because they could contribute to pipes and drains clogging. I would have to get rid of the chipped mug when she wasn’t looking.

ememem84 love your outs list, my sanity and will to live are also outs.

ellieq I’m sorry you had such a hard day, I think I said before I have shouted at my dd before and I am ashamed too and hoping she doesn’t remember. I hope the other thread gave you good advice.

I think I have done so little decluttering because I finished Toss so I have just downloaded and another app. I don’t know if it works in the same way, I will report back.

The Byebye app seems like a waste of time. You go in and can log everything you own, what you want to buy, what you have decluttered. The interesting thing is you can see other peoples lists and some woman logged that she owned 37 items of clothing eg ‘Uniqlo white top’. Not sure it’ll be any use so will probably delete it.

Hmmm I could download flylady?

Toy sheleves and understairs cupboard.

Decluttered Five flat batteries
Four tubes hardened glue
One football pump adaptor.

Shopped my cupboard for two new dishtowels, to replace old holey ones that had been demoted to cleaning rags.

My mindset is changing around clutter, the increasing ability to see what needs to happen, and to start making it happen.

Logging everything you own sounds like it could offer months of procrastination from actual decluttering Stealth! I must look at flylady again.

Sorry that your DD is still being challenging Ellie. I think we all lose it sometimes, I certainly have in the last few weeks. Glad you got some useful advice. I'm really hopeful going back to school will make a difference.

I can now see inside the carrier bag cupboard! Got rid of a few bags that were too small to reuse plus a couple of paper ones into recycling. I also found a bottle of scented room spray that went back to its rightful home. Not sure on the plan for today.

Hello everyone, I’m I allowed to posted on here if I am doing Marie Kondo or would you prefer not?