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

Here

Have been reading along but not really posting. Today I went through the post that has accumulated on the stairs and threw away quite a bit. The rest of the papers need to go upstairs to be filed.

@ememem84 gosh - how do you get at that bit of the plug hole? I dread to think what mine would be like.

@Vinorosso74 sending lots of speedy healing wishes your way, must be a relief to be the other side of the surgery.

@Vinorosso74

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.

@ememem84

Here

I love your determination to share 😂😂

Vin - Sending love and best wishes.

Em & Sleeping - That really made me chuckle.

Vinorosso hope you are being well looked after. All the best for a gentle recuperation.

Dump visit completed and also took the remaining packaging from the furniture that I have now constructed.

@Miaowse

Have been reading along but not really posting. Today I went through the post that has accumulated on the stairs and threw away quite a bit. The rest of the papers need to go upstairs to be filed.

@ememem84 gosh - how do you get at that bit of the plug hole? I dread to think what mine would be like.

@Vinorosso74 sending lots of speedy healing wishes your way, must be a relief to be the other side of the surgery.

Look at your plug and there should be a thing that looksa bit like a screw in the middle. I used a tea spoon to unscrew it. Then lift it. Then almost vommed in it.

@Vinorosso74

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.

Sending speedy recovery wishes. Xxxx

@SandAndSea

Em & Sleeping - That really made me chuckle.

I didn’t want to let anyone down...!!! Haha.

@Vinorosso74 Wishing you a steady and uneventful recuperation.

Had a lovely surprise today when my brother popped by for a garden coffee on the way to my mum's. Nice to see him and sent him away with a plate and two jigsaws that have been waiting to go to mum's house. Also had a present for my niece that I've had floating around the house since January, so that's gone now too.

We took a walk to the local shop to drop off a box for ziffit - not expecting much for the books but glad they're gone.

Finally we managed to get a bunch of boxes into the recycling.

So that brings my overall tally to 11. Quite pleased with that.

Glad to hear the surgery has happened Vino. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery.

Welcome awesomekaren, sounds like you are well away.

Well done on charity shop drops to lots of you. I am annoyed with myself as had to pop to the shops yesterday and forgot to bring any of my bags with me. Job for next week!

I had a rummage through the dresser yesterday and found lots of bits and pieces to go including the prizes from the Xmas crackers, a broken phone charger and a ton of Hersheys which nobody ate. They've been there well over a year so they went!

Vinorosso74 glad you are back home relax and recuperation sounds perfect.
ememem84 that looks like a job worth doing -we have a similar design with the removable cover. I —often— when I remember fill it full of bicarb then add some vinegar. Makes a home made volcano and blasts some of the gunk free.

Still just sorting lego and collecting holed socks for the rag bag

@vinorosso im glad the surgery went well. Rest up and I hope your recovery is fast.

@ememem I don't think I'm brave enough to undo my plug 🤢 my mum helped me do my oven yesterday so lots of grime cleaned away, was shocked how bad it had got!

This weekend dd1 has had a growth spurt so decluttered a bagful of clothes from her room. My friend is having most of it as dd2 has very different tastes. (I've kept basic leggings and shorts)

I did the shoe rack, dd1 2 pairs of trainers (replaced with right size), dd2 trainers, school shoes that didn't fit (replaced trainers, shes wearing boots at the moment will have to get her some more shoes). Me snow boots and trainers with holes in the bin. Sandals given to my mum as I've had them 2 years and unworn.

Ins - new shoes for dds, Bath mats (old ones to go), toilet seat (replacement for old one), oven scraper (to keep on top of cleaning it), toilet brush (to replace rusty one)

I've started a new pile: 1 smelly candle going out. (Still packaged despite having it over 15 years.)

I haven't posted on here for a while - for various reasons, some better than others, the decluttering has slowed and stopped for a while. I'm impressed at how well some of you are doing!

@Vinorosso74 - glad to see you have had your op and sending you best wishes for your recovery.

I have taken a bag of clothes to the charity shop, then on a separate day another couple of items that hadn't sold on eBay and I decided I couldn't be bothered to list them again. They are better items so hope they will do some good for the charity. I've listed another item for the first time.

I have checked/listed some books on Ziffit but they won't take all my unwanted books, and I'm a few short of the minimum number/amount.

I went through photos on the computer and ordered some prints - I know that's an in, but they will be tidier once I've put them in an album. This is a project I've been planning to do for a couple of years.

Duvet cover and pillowcases sorted out for animal charity.

More paperwork gone through and receipts shredded.

439: some sheets binned
440: blankets into charity bag
441: couple of DSs books for Ziffit box
442: more of DSs books for charity bag
443: some bath things we never used into chairty bag
444: teddies into charity bag
445: several bags of soil emptied into old dvd shelves and filled with seed bombs
446: large box of various kitchen trays etc in chairty bag. I just don't bake that much but have a marvelous collection of stuff to bake with Inc an unused set of fondant cutters that I brought, I think, last May or the May before....
447: couple of jars of food in bin
448: couple of jars and some baby food in the food bank bag
449: some mugs and water bottles sorted out for chairty shop

That's been over yesterday and today. DS helped sort his books and decided what he was getting rid of (I don't like dogs, I don't like elephants!) altho I rescued a few for the baby's but I'm hoping it's a good habit for him to look at his stuff and decide what he doesn't want. Whereas I grew up hoarding everything just in case because there would never be money to buy random stuff.

A quick wizz round for me:

3 pillowcases.
2 boxes and some packaging.
1 hook thing.

Disclaimer: 2 of the pillowcases were in the previous pile but I pulled them out. They looked fine in the light then but in proper light, they look too worn. They're definitely going out this time.

Day 225:
☀️Shorts picked up and £5 in.
☀️Photos and emails.

Day 226: today
☀️Loads of baby clothes and maternity clothes in bag for my friend.
☀️Three items in the charity bag to be dropped off hopefully this week.
☀️bag of hangers to BIL

@RaspberryBlonde thank you. I'm hoping being in the accountability thread will keep the momentum up! The beginning of the week will be harder as I had a pile sorted and ready to go in Friday.

@SleepingStandingUp I'm trying to instill good habits in the DC too - currently asking them 'is this yours?' seems to be working well - they only claim items they want!

Today's outs
12 - pair of shoes sold on FB popped in the post
13 - bag of clothes to local charity that redistributes them to children whose families are struggling.

In - sunburn! Fooled by the cold wind into thinking it wasn't that sunny.

@Vinorosso74 I think of you regularly so thanks for popping by and letting us know how you are doing. Please rest and look after yourself.

Wishing you a speedy recovery @Vinorosso74

A small decluttering success today - I went through the pile of Stuff that had accumulated at one end of the dining room table. Some letters have gone in the Box of Paperwork, a couple of things have been put away, and several things have been shredded/ recycled. It is not completely clear as I ran out of time (only had 30 minutes of child and housework-free time today), but I’m pleased with what I got done.

450: gone through my memory box and chucked some thank you cards out, some random old bits. Sorted out some bits so things are in the right place.
451: few more bits for the charity shop Inc 15 tiny picture stands
452: couple of broken plastic boxes out and swapped for newly emptied not broken one.

Now got a load of plastic boxes and similar rubbish that doesn't fit in the bin. Think I need to have a smashing party!!