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

vino if you can get it but some milk thistle (boots sell it) it’ll help your liver if you have to have chemo or crazy drugs.

Outs

A very small eye cream.

@Vinorosso74 I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I'm glad it hasn't spread x

@SleepingStandingUp How big are your babies? I remember that poppered vests go up to 24-36 months? How are the night nappies going? I used to leave the poppers around the nappy on sleepsuits open too, so they don't push the nappy upwards when it gets bigger during the night (helps with stopping leaks).

I've been useless this week, I'm trying to declutter a stone and I'm not getting anywhere, and trying to prepare for job applications/interviews. I need to do a housewalk (walk around and make a list of problem areas) and start again.

Bagged up for recycling when dump re-opens.

29 blown lightbulbs from odd corners of garage, shed, utility.
17 batteries from more odd corners.

One broken electronic chessboard.
Ancient mildewed suitcase.

Day 190:
2 Internet boxes sent back for recycling.
Tuppawear boxes given back to owner.

I've been clearing out clothes and they were sat in the garage for me to fall over every time I went to the tumble dryer out there. So I did a bit of research and have ordered some bags from Thriftplus thrift.plus/# which I half remembered seeing on Dragons den. Also found isecondthat www.isecondthat.co.uk/ which is a similar principle but takes stuff from Tu and Primark and the lower High Street end which Thrift won't. They both send a bag and you pack it and post it and sell individual items on their site. I'll let you know if it works out! Be nice just to get the stuff out of the house.

I had a grocery delivery yesterday and handed back 50 stockpiled bags. There are still loads but I forgot they were taking them again and didn't leave myself enough time to fold them as they'll only take one full bag. Think I'm going to count that as 50 things as the rest of the week has not been a decluttering success!

Job for today is general housework which will hopefully mean some rubbish out.

Sleeping I may have misunderstood the vest issue as I ditched poppered vests early with mine, but have you tried vest extenders? They are bits of fabric that you popper onto the vest to make it longer. You can get them on cloth nappy sites.

Good luck with the job applications Alex, it takes so much time to do these things.

Well done on your earnings gassylady, I was ridiculously excited when I got money for dvds a few weeks ago!

@SleepingStandingUp have you tried h and m as all their vests are cut for cloth I believe. So they are much bigger to accommodate the big nappies. If you google cut for cloth I'm sure other brands will come up too.

I took a bag of dms to the saddlers so that’s out for at least a month.

Need to do a refil of the jars etc in the cupboard.

Am also going to have another crack at hot cross buns.

lineofconcepion thanks for those links. I'll try to add them to the thread second post - if I remember.

I'm still painting, sorting photos etc. I have also deleted about a dozen files on my computer and some emails. I think that dd2s easter break starts next friday so I've got a lot to do next week. I really want to have the landing finished but my doors are taking about 4 coats of paint so it's never ending.

Re nappies, still leaking so we're double nappying which largely works... Got some vests from Argos of all places. Babies are in 2-3 years which is just harder to get ATM, J&M do do them as eldest was in them quite long die to his gastostromy but they're so frigging expensive when I need a dozen or so. Vinted has also saved me. Problem with leaving them open is Chaos has a habit of taking his nappy off. Zen less so but still not entirely trustworthy now they're in PJ's (because 2-3 sleepsuits are again really hard to get!!)

No outs, off to buy supplies for Easter bonnets and dream catchers for school 🙄

One thing a day you say? That'll be about thirty years to get sorted then.

Single mum, two kids, three diagnoses of autism, two of hypermobility syndrome in a two bed flat. De cluttering definitely needed.

I "decluttered" 2 fingers of vodka that one of the adult DC left behind. (maybe not in spirit of thread)

Now eyeing up some books adult DS hasn't read in a while...

That's ok llikj that means I can include the two half bottles of wine o decluttered last night. I didn't feel drink til stood up for bed 😂😂

I'm not posh enough for thrift but the other one looks a great idea thanks @Lineofconcepcion. I've got tone I need to carry to charity shops when they eventually open, might just send them here and if I get any money, bonus!

I didn't think I had much to go out today but it's added up since I cleaned round the fridge (which took about 5 minutes) and did a bit of tidying.

Outs:
1 dishwasher part.
2 cardboard boxes.
1 bottle of something strange.
About 5 out of date foods (including a mango chutney which was 4 years ood!)

I've also got a potential buyer! I haven't had one for ages - it'll be nice to get a few quid for my stuff.

Outs:

Washing capsules - decanted these into another pot so got rid of packaging

Went to the stables to find that my whip has snapped. So had to Chuck it as it had a pointy bit of plastic at the end and that’s not fair on pony. So bought a new one.

Have also ordered new undies today.

370-372: 3 Bags for Life worth of clothes added to Vinted
373: half a BfL of stained stuff for Mom for rags
384: one bin liner of stuff between sell and rag quality and collection arranged for Wecollectclothes
385: small bag of DSs stuff put aside for the twins

Sold two single items which I'll post tomorrow although I'm also collecting some (vests!!)

Vinorosso I hope that now you have an idea of the treatment plan at least some of the uncertainty, which is very draining, has diminished. Bets wishes that all goes smoothly and your family give you all the practical and emotional support that you would like.

Today's declutter has been DH's hair. Lockdown haircuts for him will be the activity I am most looking forward to never doing again. It presses all my 'stress' buttons. Still, that's it for another 4 weeks.

386-390: 5 parcels to post, 1 of mine and 4 for the babies. They contain about 30 items all in

391: also decluttered a chicken carcass and some other bones from the freezer to my Mum along with the rag clothes

sandandsea I love your description of ‘1 bottle of something strange’ I used to have lots of those.

I had a break from photos and painting today and looked through the playroom furniture. I have a scruffy bookcase in the spare room and I was laying in bed wondering if I could get rid of it and either get rid of the books or move them to the playroom. So I was organising toys. Next week I’ll make the move - if I have time - and get dds to tell my what I can get rid of.

Thank you pollyannaperspective. I've told and spoken to some friends which has helped. I just want things to happen now. Would be good to have the finalised treatment plan!
I also decluttered DP's hair today. Thankfully, his is quite easy with the clippers! Gone around and binned/recycled random bits and pieces.
I think I will have to put aside a lot of my decluttering ambitions for now and focus on making sure some other things are sorted. We have a few bits for a dump run so will see if DP can get that booked and done.
Can I just say thank you for everyone's kind words and wishes. I feel I've hijacked the thread with this but it's good to have some online support.

Thanks, Stealth! I thought it might be familiar to a lot of us.

I've been cleaning my kitchen cupboards. Just some of the fronts, nothing crazy. I suddenly realised that if I changed the cupboards around a bit, I could fit in more taller bottles, instead of them having to sit on the side. It's another one of those 'why didn't I see this before?' moments which seems so obvious now. I'm also thrilled to be able to clear the side a bit more. (I told DP and he wasn't remotely interested. I think it must be the way I tell 'em.)

I bought a dress online the other night which is awful on me, so I'm planning to pack that up soon. It was on sale, super cheap, and I really should have known better. It was for Christmas.

Not much else here but more coming soon, I'm sure.

@Vinorosso74 wishing you well. Of course you have other things to think about than decluttering for the moment. Glad that you have some RL support too.

I've made a bit of progress - I've got rid of most of the big bag of soft toys to someone who wanted toy animals. I'm so pleased they've gone to someone who wanted them.
One work top with manky armpits has gone in the textile recycling bag.
Some more paperwork shredded.

Still sorting through Lego - this could turn into my life’s work at this rate. Hello @BlackeyedSusan sounds tough but honestly one thing a day does make a difference. I still open the door to admire my under sink cupboard a year after sorting it. Sad to say I find it quite relaxing I still have a heck of a way to go but it is lovely to feel my house is emerging from under the chaos.

@Vinorosso74 you haven't hijacked the thread at all. I'm glad we are all here to offer support. I always say you are never alone with Mumsnet and maybe there are threads on here with women in a similar situation to you? Pleas don't leave this one though x

Day 191: yesterday
Too small baby grow out away
Emails and photos.

Day 192: today
Wooden mini greenhouse dismantled as wood is rotten.
Some broken pot garden decorations binned.
Just need the holy grail of a tip slot now.