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

vinorosso I’m glad you’ve had your operation, I hope you’re able to relax and recover.

Welcome awesomekaren it’s lovely to meet you, this is my favourite part of Mumsnet.

I haven’t been on here for a couple of days, decluttering has been lower priority as I catch up with housework and school admin - buying new uniform, supervising homework etc. I’m still doing a tiny bit of painting every day - doorframes and skirting board. I may have said this before but I get such a buzz coming upstairs now and seeing how refreshed the landing is. I have also contacted a couple of decorators to get quotes to paint the tall walls that I can’t reach.

ememem that was disgusting? Is that something we should all do?

I’m feeling like I have almost caught up from the lockdown mess. After my charity shop visits last week my mountain of crap is now a large hill of crap and it feels more manageable. I have readvertised some bits which I really think should sell but didn’t in lockdown.

I’m now trying to get new stuff out. So far today I have put into recycling an empty box, two bits of art and I have put a jigsaw puzzle and a game into a charity shop bag. I might also bag up my two remaining ziffit / webuybooks parcels that are taking up space in the playroom.

according to TikTok stealth yes. its something everyone should be doing and we're all mingers if we don't. i do not claim to have a mrs inch clean house though. haha! as if. my house is clean. but lived in.

today i have gained a Mississippi mud pie from dm. yum.

and have used up a sachet of kettle descaler. and some teeth whitening strips. and have finished a moisturiser. that may be it for today. i have last minute half day this afternoon and might do some general cleaning etc but at the same time, may not bother.

ememem84 I’ve been in my house for about twelve years, I hate to think what would happen if I did that to my sinks, think I’ll leave it.

Dd1 has agreed to let me throw away two o fo our three snakes and ladders games (all are themed). She often gets photos from me of random stuff to go when she’s at school and I am going to see if I can donate another three bags to a charity shop.

I have also discovered that my council recycle biscuit tins. I have a few so I might recycle them.

Day 227:

Charity shop run and ditched two big bags

Listed a maternity dress to sell. No takers yet.

One coat that I've resisted taking to charity shop for 4 years...GONE

Today’s decluttering success was a bag of plastic containers taken to recycling. These types of plastic are not collected by our kerbside recycling, but a supermarket near us has recycling bins for all types of plastics, so we take stuff there. The recycling bins have been full for the last couple of weeks, but today they were empty and DH was able to get rid of some of our stash He’s planning on going back tomorrow.

Decluttered - thirteen shirts and nine hangers to DS's flat his morning after school run. Also several letters to him that arrived here during lockdown.

Binned - four totally minging bath toys that are impossible to clean.

Sent DS more photos of more shirts and tees. Hoping for a quick answer, as I've had enough of other people's stuff.

1 nail varnish, 2 boxes and lots of packaging for me.

I haven’t yet quite finished the kitchen but I needed a change of scenery so started on the utility cupboards today . I’ve only looked through the big corner one with two shelves and another with two shelves next to the washer and dryer low down . We already weeded the contents when we moved here a year ago but it was all in disarray by now so I want to look throw it all and get rid of any we don’t need there is always stuff we don’t need when I look even if I have done it before . I am getting some containers to organise these cupboards even though we are leaving they’ll be useful in the new place and adaptable anyway . I have another 3 wall cupboards to go through I need DH help with this room it’s kind of narrow and I can’t dig in the cupboards like he can because of my pain or reach anything high up since I’m short . I can organise though sitting down . We’ve been measuring and planning what to get I will order tomorrow after a bit more calculating . Out recently ;

• a few more dog toys that were manky or unravelling
• a pair of DD old trainers destroyed on a school trip
• one of a million kids water bottles to plastic recycling rest I’m still to look through then more will go
• another boardgame DD got a near duplicate for her birthday that’s better to charity
• a couple of kids books plus a dog one that wasn’t good to charity or dump book collection
• DH unused jumper he’s had for years and not worn once to charity shop I doubt he even remembered it I’m happy it’s finally gone from taking up space it was thick !
• about 10 unused hand soaps and cleaning products to food bank
• about 10 half used unnecessary cleaning products to dump
• old dried up wipes, a few other cleaning sponges etc tools to bin
• more clothing to the rag bank

Haven’t gotten much done last week we were getting ready for DD birthday and having appointments. Managed to even get my and DS hair appointments done , DH dentist , a first swimming lesson for 5 m or so , a school trip for DD and go on a birthday outing to outdoor go karting for DD and it was 2 d after her birthday not 6 m like last years lockdown birthday . She loved going had never been before and my DS 16 came first in a group of adults so everyone left happy 👍. Will have to get some more momentum going have been feeling very low and feeling like I can’t get out of bed most days but I have my first nail appointment since before Christmas later today and I have booked my second Covid shot ( I’m on steroids so got it a bit early ) ,and we just heard the buyer of our old house very nearly sold their flat after only just listing it which is a good sign so I am trying to cheer up . Upwards and onwards somehow ! Vinorosso I wish you speedy recovery from your operation !

nordicmom you're always so busy - you're doing so well. I know it is hard for you some days but hopefully when you move in the summer you'll be grateful you've worked so hard now. Having said that please make sure you do rest.

I took another two bags to the charity shop yesterday. I have also had people make offers on some of the things I put up for sale yesterday so let's hope they get collected. I'm now waiting in for some books to go through webuybooks. I have a few more things from lockdown to put up for sale today.

I'm being productive but I'm not managing to do any of my priority jobs (Room of Doom, photos, painting) at the moment. I'm very bored of decluttering but I think without the accountability of this thread I'd probably do nothing. So my target today is to try to post all the outstanding clutter for sale today. If it's not gone by the weekend it can go to a charity shop or freecycle.

Not much for me yet today but, after many years of thinking about it, I have finally closed a savings account. I have about an inch of paperwork which goes with it which I will also be reducing. It's a relief!

Day 228:

Bag of hangers given away
Photos and emails

Decluttered the rest of the plastic recycling today - about four bags for life worth! The kitchen looks better without the stash of yoghurt pots etc

I've thought of something else to get rid of: some special crockery which was a gift from my ex. I haven't used it for years and had it stored away in a kitchen cupboard which I hardly ever go to. (Come to think of it, I probably need to go through that cupboard.)

Lampshades and lamps deposited with local hospice charity shop yesterday.
2 admin tasks for DC dealt with so to do list decluttered (a bit) too.

Decluttered - two folding storage crates back to DD. Contents put away where they belonged.

DS has replied asking for five shirts and teeshirts to his flat tomorrow. Other shirts now in my room until I can try them on. Very useful for housework and garden.

Continuing sorting and tidying. Junk off kitchen floor into tubs and tubs into understairs cupboard until I have more time.

Tidied kitchen worktop, knocked tv off as I turned round, so one more thing for the electronic section at the dump.

453: two boxes of feeding supplies returned to the company. Normally we'd just keep them and use them up eventually but I just don't have the room and it was their error on quantity so they collected them today.

454: the Ziffit box has gone via Spar for a massive £5
455: bag gone to chairty shop, some heavy folders full of dinosaurs stuff, some books and some clothes.

I sold a couple of toys and had two no shows. I also binned a couple of biros that don't work.

Not much actual decluttering today but I'm about to look at my photos for the first time in ages.

So annoying isn't it, how hard is a text to say you've changed your mind!

Hand cream and a perfume gone in the last couple of days. Wahooo.

Have also put some things in the car in an emergency bag - nappies wipes plasters spare pants etc.

sleeping you’re right, it’s so rude.

I used to give a buyer about a week to reply and then find that the next people down the list had lost interest. Now I give people about two days and if they don’t respond to two texts I offer it to the next person. There’s a man I haven’t heard from since Monday so I now have the next person coming tomorrow evening to collect the item (hopefully).

Also threw away a makeup brush yesterday as it was useless. Very flimsy.

The best was a guy who messaged at 11pm to say could he come then, I said no were going to bed but do you want to come tomorrow? Never heard from him again. Not sure of he was hoping for a booty call or to murder us all in our beds. Is selling PJ Masks code for kinky stranger sex?

Anyway,
456: bag going to food bank and
457-8 two carriers to chairty Shop. I'm having to sort every bag as it was the period when I was just chucking anything outgrown in there so a few bits come out and put on Vinted - is it too early for buying Xmas clothes 😂 and some into the box for when the kids are bigger

I reckon if I can sort through them, we have one load left - a big load in the big pushchair but still.

Listed a mandolin slicer and a microwave rice cooker on Olio and they were both requested and picked up in ninety minutes . Sadly no one wants my casserole dish with the chipped lid tho .

Need to collect new PE shorts for the DDs from Next tomorrow lunchtime so will take along a couple of bags of outgrown shoes/clothes for the textile bank and have a look to see if "my" charity shop is accepting donations yet.

One "in" is a new pair of slippers - trying to break the cycle of buying cheap Primark rubbish by getting some nice faux suede ones from John Lewis. Lovely and warm - it's still pretty cold here, I can't believe we're heading into May.

Hand sanitiser and a pen. Those are my outs today.