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

ellieq that'll be an interesting thread, I always like seeing people's life hacks. I'm probably inefficient but I'm improving as I declutter and set up systems. And I probably make myself feel inefficient - because I start jobs, get bored, take forever to finish them, leave chaos behind - but it's easy to be too self critical so I try to be positive and focus on the many ways I have improved this life stuff eg my airing cupboard, utility room, kitchen cupboards etc.

In your case you've had some big life events - clearing mum's house, stressful homeschooling, dh redundancy that have probably meant a build up of life stuff for you and you're now working through it. So just be gentle to yourself and positive about how you are getting through these things. Also some things just matter more than housework like spending time with dd.

Anyway today is much the same as every other recent day. I'm packing books to go and also going back through DVDs and CDs in the 'to go' pile because I think ziffit/ we buy books might take them. I'm also slowly doing painting, I'm doing the edges of door frames skirting board with a tiny dc paintbrush to do a neat line so it's taking ages. I'm also going to try to find a decorator to do the bits of the landing I can't reach.

I’m feeling good here. I have donated four bags to the charity shop (one of puzzles / games, one of rags, two of books). I have finally ordered a collection of the webuybooks order from last week. I have also scanned in books and DVDs and have another two boxes to go to ziffit and we buy books. I have also donated two pairs of trainers to the shoe recycling bank.

I have also gone through the post pile and recycled / shredded a huge pile of post.

That sounds great Stealth. Thank you for your kind words earlier, you’re right that I have been through a lot over the past year. I’m not sure if I’m brave enough for a thread about how to be more efficient and make better use of time at home. Some of it is due to DD - her long bedtime routine takes up a lot of the evening, for example, but I don’t want to upset things by changing it as her behaviour has improved a lot recently, which is a huge relief given all the problems we were having earlier this year.

Anyway, this morning I dealt with that hot spot that annoyed me yesterday - put away/ found homes for a few things, and can now reach the folder with DD’s artwork and put recent drawings away.

I also decluttered the folder we got a Booktrust book in (from 2019?) by putting it in the recycling as we won’t use it for anything else

Not much for me today, just a set of glasses. They're too tall and delicate for the dishwasher so we avoid using them. Oh, and they're going out in a spare box. (One of many.)

Day 223:
Listed a dress on freecycle and someone wants it.

Listed 16 reusable nappies on a free nappy library page. No news on them going yet.

Money on its way from Music Magpie. Only £8.35 but on a quote of £8.60 I’m quite impressed.

Waiting for webuybooks now. Arrived the same day but more items to check..

Oh wow, you girls getting all this money for books is tempting me to go rooting through my pile! I'm trying to be strong...

Anyway, I've got more going out tonight. I've been through my towels. Well, the ones not in the wash. I know I'm still keeping too many but, I have 3 to go out atm.

I'm also parting with a pair of shoes which I've hardly worn.

Decluttered the car. A carrier bag of rubbish.

Really happy to hear that you've seen an improvement in your DD Ellie, I know you were concerned. I also often wonder why I have so little free time. It's often 9pm by the time I've finished bedtime and done the dishes etc. I think I'm just slow at housework! Plus DH, while he is good at lots of things, tends not to do the jobs that are daily like washing up and sorting school things.

SIL had said she would welcome some hand me siren clothes when we see them next so am going to try to sort some out this weekend so they're ready to go.

Am three loads into decluttering the laundry pile but not much else out.

Furniture delivery this morning and they have taken away the packaging.

I have also found a charity shop to take 3 matching lampshades and the 2 lamp bases - drop in on one of the receiving days next week. The shades have to have the max wattage marked on them and they will PAT test the bases. I am left with a matching Roman Blind that they can't take as it has the old cord system, so that is booked for the dump where they can recycle the metal struts and the wood batten and fabric.

Not much decluttering done today but I’ve done loads of housework. I had 11 books leave the house taken by webuybooks. (This is the box I organised last week). I still have two boxes of books to be collected next week.

Two carrier bags of bits to the charity shop today. Fortunately our big Barnados shop doesn't limit to appointments and seems to take everything.

Yay dropped my three charity shop bags in today. Toys, books, some shoes and some clothes. Forgot three ornaments but they can start the next bag off I guess. Still sorting lego and will be for some time so none of that listed as yet. Think I will scan some more books this weekend to see if any of the sites want them. Charity shops locally don't want any more at the moment - my bag today contained a limited amount by agreement.

Drop to the charity shop done today. 3 bags gone. Now to refill the hall with the next 3!

I've also done a charity shop run today and managed to get rid of the equivalent of about 6 large sacks. I'm extremely pleased with myself.

Day 224:

Dress picked up via freecycle
Shorts sold on marketplace and going tomorrow

I've been lax but did charity shop runs yesterday and today with the twins and the buggy.

Yesterday
421-5: Acorns (our local hospice) shop: 5 bags of toys, house bits, craft stuff and clotges
426: British Hearth Foundation: 1 box of house bits
427: Cancer Research: 1 large bag of small bits of toys. They're great at bagging them up into bundles

Today:
428-429: Acorns other store mainly toys
430-3: British Heart Foundation: 4 bags of mixed stuff

434: 5 pairs of DHs socks over the last few weeks. I did but new ones to replace them.

436: DS dunked the battery operated dinosaur in the water. He's now no longer operational.

437: mil took a box full of cardboard recycling
438: coat sold and sent

Really impressed with people getting stuff out to charity shops! I had one more decluttering success yesterday - finally put the box from DD’s Lego advent calendar into recycling. I’ve kept the side of the box that had a city layout on it (roads, buildings), but cut the rest off so it can go in the recycling.

@RaspberryBlonde I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who doesn’t sit down until 9pm. Just don’t know where the evening goes!

Just discovered this thread and I love it! I'm feeling inspired to join after stalling over the past year.

I've been decluttering for the past five years and have got it down from an entire double bedroom full of boxes to more manageable amounts (thank you Marie Kondo!) I'm quite good at deciding stuff can go, but hate binning things so always have a 'to go' pile of stuff to deal with. I've been holding onto stuff during lock down for the charity shop, but they can't take it at the moment as they're stuffed to the rafters (apparently our tiny local one received 600 bags in 2 days last week!) So I've decided I need to be more ruthless.

Fridays are my best day to progress add I'm off and the kids are at school. So today I've managed the following:

1 - A bag and a pillowcase full of rags and clothing in the drop box at H&M
2 - A load of paper rubbish into the recycling
3 - my stash of useful boxes have gone into the recycling (that I've was painful, I love a good box)
4 - Toddler duvet and book given away on local FB free gifting site

Also managed to put some bits on some selling sites and since more freebies into FB. Pulled the old buggy out the shed and unfortunately it's mouldy, so that was disappointing as was in good condition when it went in.

Warning. Gross picture. Do not enlarge if you’re squeamish.

I just did a tiktok hack and unscrewed my sink drain. So gross.

But In Doing so I’ve cleaned it and used up half a bottle of floor cleaner (whichever a sticky residue on the floor but said it cuts through grease and grime).

@ememem84 I had steeled myself for the gross picture and it is not there!

@ememem84

Warning. Gross picture. Do not enlarge if you’re squeamish.

I just did a tiktok hack and unscrewed my sink drain. So gross.

But In Doing so I’ve cleaned it and used up half a bottle of floor cleaner (whichever a sticky residue on the floor but said it cuts through grease and grime).

No pic but I did that when we had our blockage and nearly vomitted. Tis gross indeed

Oh bugger.

Excellent work getting things to charity shops!
I'm just dropping by to say hello. Cancerous breast has been decluttered from me and I
now have an implant to replace it. Rest and recuperation rather than decluttering here.