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

2021 day 27 update:

1. General decluttering: Shredded/ recycling a delivery note from a delivery today (instead of adding it to the Pile of Paperwork to do later).
2. Toss app prompt: Today it was ‘refrigerator shelf’ and I have thrown away a jar of orange slices in brandy that I bought to go on a dessert several years ago - the BBE date was 2015!

Also decluttering lots of snacks here. One tantrum from DD this morning (about breakfast), but the rest of the day was fairly calm.

More newbies, welcome pinkrosespurplehearts , notgoingouttoday and mrsjackrussell.

notgoingouttoday my car usually has about 5 charity shop bags in the boot but it’s empty at the moment as I need the space to do click and collect shopping. I really do have piles behind the settee and I was thinking today of filling up the bath in my en-suite as there’s also a pile in front of the door to the garden. I am trying to be positive and am seeing it as a sign of my decluttering success but it is a bit an outing.

oohmama why did you originally want to sell the frames? It’s ok to change your mind but I’m guessing you didn’t love them.

iceisnice wow that’s an impressive amount for one day.

I found another jacket that can go.

Is it sad that I am in bed hoping I don’t fall asleep before I get the new Toss challenge at midnight?

Bloody typos. An outing should be annoying!

@Iceisnice how big are you expecting??

169: screw driver to the dolls house I sold
170: jar of jam that have a paltry of breadcrumbs jam in

Hopefully a second parcel to go tomorrow as I need to go out for bread, and now the 3-6m is online too along with tiny baby and 0-3. Am today in boxes in garage and all random bits of clothing sorted out charity shop bagged.

173: I've got a bag of baby clothes for the charity shop where I've decided they don't fit into a bundle to sell, can't remember if we were given it by someone else etc.

Glad she's had a better day @EllieQ , I really have been saved by green jelly beans

@SleepingStandingUp my eldest DD was 8lb14oz, youngest DD was 8lbs and 8 days early. Midwife reckons this one could be as big if not bigger than eldest.... managed on gas and air both times but it was hard going as I had back labour last time. Placenta is at the front this time so have been told to expect back labour again. Only silver lining is I have relatively quick labours. 11 hours last time and was born within 25 mins of waters breaking.

Inspiring thread. Thanks Oo and all for suggestions ideas and just general ‘come on heron get on with it’ feelings starting in me.
My major problem is I have nowhere at all to put the piles of sorted ‘stuff’ awaiting sale/collection/recycle/dump so I just live with Unsorted Tetris cupboards of doom.
Actually big shift in my thinking - I can sort stuff into categories and keep in my good storage spaces labelled and ready to go whenever that can happen.
No more prevaricating. One cupboard at a time. No visitors currently so I can live with a little disorganisation during.

Not much out yesterday but I did get rid of a bag of frozen spinach (who was I kidding?) which was past its BBE date and the last of a cheap bottle of 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner I bought for holidays so we could just take one bottle for all of us. No holidays on the horizon so won’t be replaced. The bath now looks quite tidy with just DP’s shower gel and shampoo, the children’s bubble bath and 2-in-1 hair stuff and my bars of soap, shampoo and conditioner out on the side. Everything else is in a storage basket on the floor (no cupboards).

I think Toss has given me receipts, which is a bit tricky as we do online shopping for most of the time but I think there are a few screwed up bits of paper around that can go.

Welcome virtual learning sorry I didn’t see your post last night. How many computers do you have? In my area a couple of local computer shops are wiping computers and giving to schools and children who are homeschooling so you might be able to do that. Alternatively if you don’t trust anyone with your data it’s quite easy to take a desktop pc apart and remove the memory and destroy it with a hammer. I had a pc, I removed the hard disc drive, and coincidentally someone on Facebook asked for computer spares so I gave it away. With my exhs computers we removed the hard disc drives and I took the computers to my local tip which has a bin for computers and electricals. One of my jobs at the moment is decluttering files on my old laptop. I have the other computers memory on an external hard disc drive so at some point will have all the files on a cloud and storage device. It’s a big job but while dc are home schooling I have been deleting files.

Welcome heronlanyon. Have you read the second post? It might be that you can still get rid of some stuff, although obviously it’s harder than normal. I’m struggling but I gave away some half used craft things the other day. When I have a moment I am going to readvertise things on Facebook and / or freecycle.

Toss has suggested I go through bathroom cabinets which should be a quick job.

Optimistically checking in, although I'm achieving precisely nothing at the moment.

Ah ok ice, prob next size up then 🤣. My waters went first with eldest, like on telly. I was confused to learn this isn't typical!

No progress from me. DH has been sending off old phones and old jewellery, barely any money in it but TBH it’s nice to have the things out of the house!

We have decluttered one big thing - although the housing association did it for us. One kitchen cupboard removed :o must actually choose the dishwasher now.

Welcome to virtual learning, heronlanyon, notgoingouttoday, pinkrosespurplehearts and mrsjackrussell!

Today's out is a cardboard box for a toy. GlumyGloomer I've come to a stop again, I declutter for a few days then stop for a few days. I need to keep the momentum up.

@SleepingStandingUp hopefully only one size bigger.... I managed to socially distance pass them on to a school mum who had her DS last week and he is just the right size for them.
I was lucky and was at the hospital when my waters broke. Convinced this time they will break and I will end up giving birth at home or in the car.... still all adds to the adventure doesn't it?!

pen gone this morning. used up. i get a lot of satisfaction in this.

Webuybooks and others look good.
Although I just tried to get quote for book with no isbn even. Then got distracted looking at it realising how fascinating it is. A keeper !
The home edit women would despair !
Keeping at it here.

3 items gone from bathroom cabinets so far. I don’t really have much stuff to get rid of I just need to use up toiletries, skincare and cleaning products.

two items in today. outdoor rug which i'd ordered, and also some coat hooks for our porch/entrance way area.

the coat hooks are my fave. brass/bronze letters (one of each of our initials). when we do the refurb we are going to pop them up, then have a shelf above with a basket for hats, gloves, etc, and a basket below for boots etc. #PLANNING

heron lots of those sites don’t pay much money but I’m at the point where I just want stuff to go so I don’t really care. They often have really easy to use apps as well where you just scan the item in. Remember you only have to get rid of one thing a day. It gets easier to get of stuff when you realise you haven’t missed the last stuff you got rid of.

Yes - gonna use them for books which really don’t have much value. Apps are great and they still seem to be arranging collections if over certain weight.
I’m aware of potential to burn out but while I have a bit of battery life in me I’ll do a bit more.

Thank you for the welcome and stealthninjamum special thanks too for the computer ideas . I think the main thing is it might have all our old photos on etc but I will talk to DH and see if we can move them and then donate it all somewhere.

I’ve had a happy morning looking for books I won’t use again to sell on Webuybooks which I’m delighted about.

I’ve also been ruthless with damaged shirts and socks to throw out and started a pile of best clothes to hopefully sell.

I didn't update for a couple of days, but have been slowly forging ahead. Over the last few days I used up a moisturiser that I won't replace as I'm trying to use up everything in the bathroom cupboard first! So I'm on to a half used pot I opened back in October but never finished

I've also got rid of two more brand new bowls and three plates, these will go to charity. I did buy myself two new plants but I'm telling myself they don't count! Hah. So 25 items out since the start of the thread.

Day 141 for yesterday

Four books posted on freecycle and three are claimed. Won't be needing baby name books ever again!!!

iceisnice Good luck with your new baby.

I decluttered the cutlery drawer and one out was an old calpol syringe. I used the Secret Slob (youtube channel) tip of vacuuming it to get rid of crumbs. I fixed a broken foot rest/storage box with some cardboard boxes. It collapsed as I have been sitting on it and DD has been jumping on it. New use for the normally-to-go-to-charity-shop rags is for cleaning, as I'm not able to get rid of the usual way. It is saving on paper towels.

Started watching The House Detox, it's a South Korean show with two celebrities decluttering another's house. It is a very random place for decluttering inspiration. First show has one of the host's houses at the start. Everything has a place, it is so minimalist.

I usually bag up the clothes for rags in a separate bag for the charity shop when I'm taking other things, then check they will accept rags too.

@AlexTheLittleCat thank you. 7 weeks to go, trying to get ahead with the decluttering before he arrives. I don't think I have @footprintsintheslow stamina to combine decluttering and the early days of a newborn!