Decluttering one item a day (and counting down til the opening of charity shops!) – thread number 17

[stealthninjamum]

This is an accountability and chat thread for mumsnetters who dream of living in an uncluttered haven of calm and tidiness.

Bit by bit we are slowly decluttering our houses and keeping our fingers crossed that charity shops will open on 12th April – although we’re also adding to the list of places in the second post that will also take our clutter.

The aim of this thread is to help us get rid of just one item a day or 365 a year. We just report back on our progress and then chat about anything and everything. The thread is for anyone so newbies are always welcome.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4144854-Decluttering-one-item-a-day-and-having-nowhere-to-put-it-thread-number-16?msgid=105205665

Some information on getting rid of items that have been asked about on previous threads.
If anyone has anything to add to this list could you please highlight it in bold and hopefully I can update this post for the next thread.

SELLING THINGS

Ebay
Facebook sales sites
Shpock
Gumtree
webuybooks.co.uk
musicmagpie.co.uk (for CDs, DVDs, Games, Books, iPhones, Games Consoles and LEGO)
ziffit - for books, CDs, DVDs and games
Sellitback
Zapper
GAME / CEX for phones and games and electronics (CEX in particular)
Apple Store credit or recycle old phones.

TO GET RID OF THINGS FOR FREE

Freecyle has a good app called trashnothing
Olio is a site for giving away food and other household items.

Charity shops. Some will collect which really helps if you’re just starting to declutter and have a lot of stuff to go.

Animal shelters like towels and carpet squares and sometimes bedding and duvet covers.

Homeless charities will often take warm clothes and coats, especially in the winter.

You can advertise things on Nextdoor

Some council tips have a place to drop off quality stuff to be sold.

Some charity shops will take rags if you label them as ‘rags’, this could be materials or clothes that are too scruffy or dirty to sell or donate to someone. Also some councils will collect rags (but you’ll need to contact your council)

Supermarkets are getting better at recycling. My local Tesco has recycling points for batteries, toner cartridges, glass bottles, books and and light bulbs. My local Sainsbury’s has razer blades.

Bras. Oxfam shops take bras and so do some smaller lingeries shops. Bravissimo do a scheme whereby they send good bras to Africa and strip down those that are too old for parts as well as donating 70p per kilo of bras to MIND. Also smallsforall.org take brand new knickers and good condition bras and send to Africa

Some charity shops will now arrange collection of clothes and other things – these are some links depending on your area.
www.heartuk.org.uk/other-ways-to-give/clothes-recycling

www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/time-for-a-clear-out/donate-your-items/arrange-a-free-collection
(BHF also collect toys, puzzles, books, CDs, DVDs as well as clothes)

www.mariecurie.org.uk/donate/charity-shops If you live near a shop

www.icollectclothes.co.uk/
Also someone on the thread has recommended the Vinted app to sell children’s clothes

Nurseries and preschools will often take old toys, games, books, craft sets and/ or stationery. They might also take clean (obviously) underwear and clothes to keep as spares for when children have accidents.

Foodbanks take all sorts of food (if it is within date) and sometimes half open packets of nappies.

Rymans take old pens

Oxfam take old phones

John Lewis also have a make up recycling scheme:
www.johnlewis.com/our-services/beautycycle

And a small number of Boots stores www.boots.com/boots-recycling-scheme

IF YOU’RE HAPPY TO PAY FOR MORE BULKY WASTE

Clearabee have been recommended to get rid of more bulky garage – type waste and Hippo Bags can be bought from some DIY stores.

Also www.clearwaste.com is apparently a site to get quotes from registered waste disposal firms (but none of us have used it).

If you do use a company to remove this sort of rubbish (eg a man with a van) please make sure they have a license and are officially registered. Too many dodgy people offer a cheap rubbish disposal service on facebook and just flytip. You are liable for their flytipping.

This gov website tells you who has a license Waste carriers, brokers and dealers environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

Placemarking so I can declutter the old thread from my “I’m on” list.

Thanks for the new thread, Stealth!

Another tip: I read recently that fostering organisations often welcome receiving suitcases. Apparently, foster kids are often moved about with their belongings in plastic sacks.

an uncluttered haven of calm and tidiness.

I love the sound of that!

Checking in.
Fingers crossed.. I'll move into a permanent, owned house on this thread! Although, as DH says... Moving every two years makes you sort your junk!

Thanks for setting up the new thread, Stealth. I might need to take a break for a bit as the past few days have been tough I’m hoping to get more decluttering done once DD is back at school.

Oh @EllieQ sorry it is still so tough. Why not keep checking in on the thread anyway for support, inspiration or to chuckle at our minimalist efforts. I find quite comforting to “see” familiar names at the moment. Either way I remember that sort of phase all too vividly even though mine are much older now - solidarity from me. It’s really hard sometimes.

sandandsea thanks for that, I will add to the next thread. How sad for foster kids.

@ellieq I'm sorry it's so tough, as @gassylady said keep checking in even if you don't get rid of anything and let off steam in a non-judgemental space. I think lockdown has been tough and I think this thread is more than about just decluttering. Sending hugs.

Checking into the new thread - thanks Stealth.

Our school has teacher training today so we are officially done with homeschooling! My first job is to try to get my dining room table back to a state we can eat off it again! There are pencils and paper and random craft bits everywhere. I am still working from home so won't be completely clear but will be better.

Sorry you are still finding it tough Ellie, hopefully the return to school will be helpful even if it doesn't bring more decluttering.

ellieq sorry that you are having a challenging time. I hope that the return to in school learning brings some relief for you and other parents with school age children. There has been some very supportive advice and shared experience so I hope you will still find the thread helpful.

On decluttering, taking my chances with 'stuff' in the garage, in looking for something for DH I have thrown away 5 empty packages. So that is a positive start to his week's holiday. May chance asking him to sort the drawer of cables this afternoon.

ellieq im sorry its still hard, we are also counting down the days to go back. Its very draining being constantly "on" if its not school work, its entertaining, getting them to tidy rooms, nagging them to shower. Plus working and trying to maintain the house- food shopping, cleaning. I never seem to have a moment of not thinking or doing something. Im permanently tired but struggle to sleep! I can't wait to get back to routine and some normality and my day off when dds are at school!!

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the support here - it’s definitely not just about decluttering! Yesterday I really felt I had hit my limit with lockdown and restrictions and being stuck at home

I am torn, as making progress on decluttering really helps my mental health, but I have a lot on at the moment, limited energy, and I’m heading into the busiest time of the year at work. I’ll see how things are next week with the return to school.

ellieq could you make a small list of aims each day to help with your mental health? I do this as otherwise I feel overwhelmed and like I'm drowning with stuff everwhere. Today on my list has been, write up work observations, take parcels to post office and put on the new toilet seat. Anything extra is a bonus but I feel good achieving small aims and like im gaining some control, still going in the right direction with decluttering. Sometimes my aim is just to maintain clear spaces or take 1 thing out of the room each time I leave it, so take washing to right room when I go upstairs or take 1 empty bottle/empty toilet roll from the bathroom each time I go in there.

Thank you for the encouraging words at the end of the last thread stealthninjamum

Yesterday I threw away four very old disposable nappies that I found in the hall and used up the last of a bag of dishwasher salt. I’m doing quite well using up tins etc and delayed my next grocery order by three days to encourage me to eat out of the cupboards/freezer. I might even make some bread later as we ran out a few days ago.

UPDATE TO SECOND POST

HOMES FOR SOFT TOYS

The Teddy Trust

And

www.lovedbefore.london/donate

Thank you gassylady and nocutsnobutts

I will see if loved before will take my soft toys and add them to the second post in the next thread.

On Tuesday DP took the 4 large bags of gardening waste to the tip. I flattened 3 more large cardboard boxes for him to take, along with the ones already waiting in the porch. He also took a large bag of plastic bottles, as our plastic and cans bin didn't get picked up last month due to the snow. That should release enough space for us to squash everything into the bin for the next pickup.

I have spent most of this week looking for my missing box of paperwork. I kept re-searching the same places, positive that the missing folders would magically appear. Along the way, I had a couple of flashes of inspiration which turned out to be wrong. Anyway, by a stroke of luck I spotted it last night while hanging up washing on the drying rack in the dining room. The box was in the corner cube of the large storage unit, next to the wall, but had been hidden by other stuff which had been put in front of it. I can't believe how long it took me to find it...

Anyway, more paperwork from that box went out in the paper bin last night. It was landfill bin collection today, so I popped a couple more things in the bin bag at the top of the stairs and added that as well. Then, since there was still some space left in the bin, I did a quick sweep round the pile of recycling waiting to be washed beside the sink. Anything that has been there for weeks, or I am dubious about its suitability for recycling, has now gone to landfill.

Place marking as last post is now full and I'm on 342 bunches of items.

Gonna try and enjoy our last few days of freedom before the "but I HATE school and I HATE my uniform" etc starts. The twins have been HORRIFIC at napping so can see me getting no free time once big one is back any way. Desperately need some zen time 😕

Thanks for the new post stealth!
Got my breast clinic appointment for Wednesday.
Sorted out some papers from home schooling into the recycling. There are more but it's a start! A pair of worn and too small pjs of DD's onto textile recycling bag.
Am hoping I can crack on with some stuff on Monday once DD is at school to take my mind off things.

Glad to be with you all on a new thread.

Day 177:
Big book given away.
Big bag of tuppawear given back to owner.
Cardi in charity bag
Birthday present given out.

I can see my dining room table!

I've donated a ring binder to DD to store her artwork in the hope that it will keep the paper contained even if it doesn't leave the house.

In: two boxes rescued from the garage and turned into a (large) model. Sigh.

Good luck with your appointment, Vin.

I've just got a hand wash dispenser going out today. It seems to have taken ages to use it up. I've decided to switch to soap in an effort to use less chemicals and plastic packaging, which I'm quite excited about. (I am almost regretting getting rid of my soapmaking kit several years ago.)

SandAndSea I switched to bar soap for hand washing and showering a few years ago for Plastic-free Lent and haven’t looked back! I’m sure we’ve saved a ton of plastic what with all the Covid hand washing (not that we didn’t wash before 🤣). You do end up with quite a bit of soap scum though.

Glass and plastic recycling collected on Thursday thank God, and all the excess that built up is now in the bins. Not much decluttering yesterday, just the end of a jar of pickle, some hand cream and some too small pyjamas for the rag bag. Plus some flour and yeast which was just OOD to make bread rolls 😋

This morning I will...
*post some magazines I sold on Ebay
*put some clothes in clothes bank bin
*I know I found something ancient in back of cupboard (hand lotion?) & just used up that
UMight be a couple other things my brain has blanked on

Ooh, just got 2021 Census form. Instructions say to include adult DC in military training / Uni. Seems odd to include them when they are barely here. They aren't truly part of local demographics.

vinorosso I hope it all goes ok at your appointment.

I've bought a new soap dish to use up the many bar soaps in my cupboard, this one is tilted so I'm hoping will help with drainage and not get that slimy feeling to it.

Yesterday had a couple of books come in, dd2 won a facebook competition and the prize was a couple of books. Shes chuffed. Just need to make some space on her bookcase!!

lljkk That is odd, I thought the census had to be completed for everyone who was in the house overnight the day before you fill it out (going by past ones I’ve seen when doing family history). I think ten years ago I put DP on mine as he’d stayed overnight, but his parents put him on theirs as well because that’s where he lived . One to puzzle future generations!