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 loving this thread - I'm on a bit of a declutter and sort out mission and I'm feeling really inspired by you all!

Couple of questions, a few years ago I saw something on Facebook with an address to send good condition bras to, where they are provided to people in need. Does anyone know if this still exists? I have loads of hardly worn bras I'd love to donate.

Also, half used ancient toiletries. How do you dispose of them? I'd like to recycle the bottles but don't feel it's right to put all the product down the sink. Any advice?

More outgrown clothes sorted.

I wish my DM wouldn't buy so much stuff for the children (or me for that matter). They really don't need 30 t-shirts or 20 jumpers... Or 20 nighties... You mention something they like, and 3 or 4 arrive within a few days. Unfortunately, I think it is an addiction for her. I've given up trying to stop it and just try to limit it. My brother thinks it is due to be short of money when we were young.

@Turtleoo was it this charity?
www.smallsforall.org/

@Aroundtheworldin80moves I think it was, yes! Or if not, they do the same thing. Thank you

I can see that Around , I feel like that a bit by proxy with DS as we never had money for new stuff or gratuitous toys. But it is hard to shift.
Post apocalypse if it's got labels could you subtly return it for gift cards to use on stuff like coats etc?

I haven’t tided anything yet but I am thinking about to how start with the hallway and kitchen.

I recently bought a pair of running trainers and just everyday trainers. So this should mean I can throw away the big men’s boots I bought to walk the dogs in (I had fatter feet). But it would also mean I could throw away my favourite £70 suede Clark’s triwhatsits that I don’t wear much but have lasted me for ages. And that’s before I even delve into the shoe cupboard.

Kitchen though..... I’m not sure how I’ll tackle it

Day 169:
Plastic tubs that have been part of a game on the tuff tray.
Emails and photos.
Three twigs that have been painted as wands but no longer played with.

@Yorkshiremummyof1

I haven’t tided anything yet but I am thinking about to how start with the hallway and kitchen.

I recently bought a pair of running trainers and just everyday trainers. So this should mean I can throw away the big men’s boots I bought to walk the dogs in (I had fatter feet). But it would also mean I could throw away my favourite £70 suede Clark’s triwhatsits that I don’t wear much but have lasted me for ages. And that’s before I even delve into the shoe cupboard.

Kitchen though..... I’m not sure how I’ll tackle it

Could you dump all your shoes out in the living room and do a keep, donate/sell, bin pile? Seeing them all together might help...

Kitchen I cleared surfaces first, one side at a time if necessary. Again, keep (needs a home), bin, donate (into a bag into the garage). If it needs a home but it's too messy into an open box that you can review at the end. Then cupboards one at a time.

footprintsintheslow it’s a lack of painting progress today, homeschooling was hard work so I didn’t do any. I also looked at my wood paint that I used to do the spare room last year and discovered I stupidly used white emulsion. I googled it and apparently you can use emulsion to do wood but I had to do about five coats to make it white so now I know why. I won’t be using it to do my landing as it would take forever.

Welcome turtleoo are there links to bra places on the second post? From memory I think bravissimo and oxfam and smallsforall take them.

I think I read last week old toiletries and creams could block sinks / drains and to landfill any creams and recycle bottles. I tend to use them for other things so I have used shampoos as a shower gel and put conditioners on my legs before I shave them. I think someone mentioned that on an earlier thread. The only thing I struggle with is body lotion as I have loads so I tend to use that on my hands as a hand cream.

sleepingstandingup I think it was your post that made me google microwave omelette maker earlier. I love gadgets and kitchenware and this thread just educates me about new gadgets.

Got rid of just a handful of things today:

• an eyeshadow palette I'm giving to a friend
• two cat toys

Up to 371 items out, now.

I had a couple of incoming items for the first time in ages, I got two new plant pots. That's 14 items in.

A while ago I put a number of items in boxes in the loft, so I feel like it's time to go through those and see what's actually necessary. I've also started using up "nice" stuff I was saving for best, like fancy candles etc. No time like the present, I suppose.

@stealthninjamum I'd forgotten about the second post - will check it out.

Great idea to use up toiletries in other ways, but I am sensitive to many products and I try them out as someone has given them to me but react to them then they end up in the cupboard for too long to be able to pass on to anyone else. Maybe I just need to put them in the bin :(

I had two huge charity bags collected today - one that took bric a brac which is the holy grail of charity bags!

I sold a top today! I’ll post it tomorrow. I should probably use the £30 for something useful and definitely NOT a Friday night takeaway

I put some clothes, an unused cot sheet and 2 soft toys in a bag for icollectclothes.

Found some vitamins to chuck (expired 2019)

@footprintsintheslow We don’t have a car, otherwise I’d definitely be putting stuff in the boot. But on my walk today, I saw that the clothes bank near us looked empty (no stuff piled around it), so I’ll try to take a bag over this weekend.

I’ve been following some of the advice from the parenting thread, and things have been easier with DD this week. I’ve been ignoring the low-level complaining/ contrariness, where before I’d react, she’d get annoyed, then I’d get more annoyed and we’d end up in a destructive cycle. This is taking a lot of patience and deep breaths! I’ve also been spending one-on-one time with her after work, playing games instead of her watching TV while I’m on my phone, which I think is helping. We’ll see how it goes.

2021 day 56 update:

General decluttering: I’ve put a jumper I don’t wear into the charity bag, and checked/ filed another six months of credit card statements. My pile of paperwork is really reduced now

Over last 7 days... OUT
Binned old paper things
Shredded for rags to go to garage, 1 trashed pr jeans with holes
Sold 4 books & 7 magazines
Gave 3 tools to kids doing a project (one item will replace, tbf)

Slowly depleting ancient spice stash (learning to make soup). Am eyeing up some old school uniform I can probably give away.

IN
collected some free firewood & random nicer wood (I will definitely burn or do have a specific project for these, honest).

Showergel finished this morning
Two bras binned (they were no good for stalls for all)
Two kids toothbrushes in my bag to go to Dms house (they don’t have toothbrushes there and ds has just done dentist visits at preschool...so is obsessed with teeth cleaning)

Oh and I’ve just binned a candle which had been used up yesterday.

And a Tupperware is going back to Dm as well as bank account opening pack I picked up for her.

I finished up a shower gel that was a present. These things used to hang around for years so it’s great using one up. I have another one to use up too.

That will probably be my decluttering today as I am determined to paint if homeschooling doesn’t take up too much time.

I did some decluttering in the garden yesterday. Spent an hour taking dead pansies out the pots, weeding and a bit of tidying.
Today, 2 small recipe books for charity.

@stealthninjamum

I finished up a shower gel that was a present. These things used to hang around for years so it’s great using one up. I have another one to use up too.

That will probably be my decluttering today as I am determined to paint if homeschooling doesn’t take up too much time.

I always used to keep things for best. Now I’m just of the just bloody use it mindset.

ememem84 yes, yes how did we get into the mindset of saving a showergel for best? Last year I had about 15 little bottles and I put them all in the shower and used them all up and have lovely empty cabinets.

That reminds me I got a smelly diffuser thing for Christmas and I used it rather than save it for ‘best’.

It is so easy to keep stuff for a special occasion. And then they go off.

Ive decluttered empty Lego boxes today, that's about it.
In... A book about puberty. That will probably be essential.

Hello everyone. Not much decluttering here this week, work has been getting to me so my general motivation is low and the less said about homeschool the better. DD has suddenly become really rude which I'm finding harder to deal with than the tantrums. Am hoping it will ease when she's back at school.

I also used to be bad about saving toiletries for 'best' but am working through them now. We finished some shampoo and conditioner which I'm counting as we have quite a few spares. The baby bouncer has also gone out on loan.

Will try to catch up with the thread now.

329: two foam risers for under the cots. I mean they move a million times a night so a raised end now seems pointless....

All post have come in and envelopes straight out, and addresses blocked.

Have had new feed milk for eldest with new bottles so now have a ton of feed and giving sets to clear.

Collective prayers for the washing machine repair man die before 5.30 who better fox it or else I'll have a dead body to declutter

Day 170:
Photos and emails
Two baby items put aside for a friend
1 book gone via freecycle
Photos given to eldest daughter.