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

Today’s decluttering:

• Two pairs of jeans gone into the charity bag as they don’t fit anymore.
• Broken kitchen spoon thrown away (bought a replacement a few weeks ago). It was about 20 years old, and had cooked/ served many meals!
• Cleared the pile of paperwork on the dining table. Most of it went into the Box of Paperwork to be sorted later, but a few things went straight into the recycling.
• Put DD’s birthday cards away in her memory box.
• Put away her new summer school uniform, after finally getting round to putting her name on the labels.
• Tidied a couple of pieces of her artwork into the artwork folder.
• Returned some clothes I’d ordered online (they didn’t fit) and picked up the replacement order, which do fit!

Now I’ve written all that down, it feels like a productive day, even if I’ve only got rid of 3 things.

Found several items of clothing that don't fit any more - I had set them aside while tidying up before Christmas . They are in good condition and now added to the charity bag.

Managed to finally get back into the utility room . I did most of the 9 shelves in the 3 wall cupboards . I have a few things to add to them then figuring out 2 more cupboards contents and order but it’s nearly done ! Not much out from there today since I had already weeded through most of it already .
Out ;

• some unused mask packets donated
• kids toilet wipes to food bank
• dried wipes and a few other bits to trash
• another manky dog toy
• old bikini bottoms finally they were replaced by 2 new ones but I’m so happy to finally to toss the old ones ( the top went earlier )

Ooh and
-a piano grade 1 duplicate to charity shop

@Nordicmom

Ooh and -a piano grade 1 duplicate to charity shop

I read this as a Piano grand. Thought if you’ve got rid of a grand piano then that’s a huge win!

Dh and I cleared out the garage again yesterday. Took a boot full to the dump. Dh wanted to wait for a while but. Nope. Insistant and it went. Ds came with me.

Two packs of too-small nappies passed to neighbours. They've been in the cupboard for months (the nappies, not the neighbours ). Also got rid of a pair of socks and the pharmacy accepted my big bag of expired medicine without hassle. 11/100

Also listed double pram for free on Facebook. It’s an old one I bought off Facebook for £20. So not looking to make any money. Just want rid!!!

And some other bits are going in the loft today.

Have missed almost a week so just been catching up. Tired just reading about it to be honest. Work is just horrible at the moment and eldest and middle are busy with assessments that aren’t exams but that are just as important 🙄🤣 However we did all go out for lunch yesterday a family occasion outside but undercover. Food was ok but it was just lovely to be out! No real outs to report other than the inevitable holed socks. But tomorrow I will despatch the box of bears that has been on a cupboard shelf for months waiting for teddy trust to reopen

And a car seat going to a friend. Once I’ve washed it.

Sorry haven't posted for a while as I've not been well and struggled just to keep going with work and essential stuff. I do keep checking in and have decluttered a few bits. Last week I felt a bit better and managed two bags of clothes to the charity bin, a box of DVDs to MusicMagpie and eight packets of instant noodles to work for messy play. Tomorrow is recycling collection so a bag of holey socks is going plus some curtains the dog chewed.

My chipped casserole dish has now found a home via Olio, hurrah! Currently putting together a bag for the textile recycling with lots of too small and tatty pants and socks which should hopefully be full by the end of the week.

I’m debating whether to include an ancient pair of pyjamas which I must have had since I was 18 so nearly 25 years . I am amazed how long they’ve lasted, but they are starting to get holes and there’s some bleach stains on them. I’m not sure that I’m not just keeping them for the sake of it rather than because I still enjoy wearing them.

Yay on the casserole dish!

Just a few kids cd’s out so far . We’ve gotten rid of all our own bar a few Finnish and Christmas ones I like to listen now managed to reduce the 10/15 I’ve kept for DD by 5 . 2 to charity 3 to bin . She’s got a few story ones ( Roald Dahl ) and a few musicals we’ve seen like Big , Aladdin, Wicked . There is one Finnish one with 40 children’s songs on it I will have to keep for now , too much emotion tied up in it ,it so brings back memories of both kids childhood id like to listen to it again sometime . The only CD player in the house now is DDs little one with a radio too . We’ve got Sonos elsewhere

Hope you're better now KateF.

Few minor bits our here - an ancient cleanser, some ood vitamins and an empty bottle of cleaning stuff (we still have a huge stash). Also decluttered some of my sanity baking with the DC who have made biscuits and used up some sugar balls while they were at it.

Anyone got any thoughts on best way to get rid of maternity clothes. Would like to get some money back if poss. Is ebay still with it for that kind of stuff, or is Vinted or something else better now. Its mostly smart casual work dresses so not sure how much demand there is at the moment!

1990s I was starting to despair, but it went to a bloke who started to ask me how to cook stuff in it . I mean, it’s a casserole dish.....

sydney great news about the casserole dish. I’m wondering if you gave it to stbexh who asked me how to bake a potato and how to boil an egg!

katef hope you’re better now.

I haven’t found anything new to declutter, I’m still readvertising stuff for sale / freecycle from lockdown. I have put some magnetic letters and numbers in the charity shop bag. I have also dipped my toe in The Room of Doom and pulled out some things to sell.

@SydneyCarton

1990s I was starting to despair, but it went to a bloke who started to ask me how to cook stuff in it . I mean, it’s a casserole dish.....

Today was productive. I sorted out the cupboards. A big bagful of food we don't/won't eat listed and collected on olio by various people.

Quite a few out of date food items in the bin (some 2+ years!) I did buy 4 plastic boxes in tesco to organise the cupboard. It looks amazing in there now and hopefully no more wastage where things are forgotten about.

2 unsuitable for our needs plastic boxes listed on olio.

Sorted out my spice rack, I was ruthless and anything we don't regularly use has been binned. (Nappy sack full of out of date spices) jars washed out to take into work.

3 bikes listed on olio, dh is never going to sort them out so they are earmarked to go! 1 already collected, the other 2 listed.

Dd sorted out a couple of old bags she no longer uses for olio.

Toaster thrown away after it shorted all the electrics twice when we used it. Going to buy a 2 slice this time.

Oh and a few bags of out of date flour to take into work. (I kept the gluten free one as we use that regularly!)

No actual decluttering today, but I have put away a couple of birthday presents into my bedside cabinet, as they’ve been on top of my chest of drawers for a few weeks. It is stuff that I probably won’t use (self-care journal, trivia game), and may end up in a charity bag in the future.

This weekend I bought some new summer clothes for DD, including a new summer coat, and I’ve put last years summer coat jacket on FB marketplace straight away rather than hanging onto it. No interest yet, though.

A worrying development. I found a banana with a large hole on a kitchen worktop and I’m wondering if it’s mice. We have had mice as a recurring problem despite having someone seal holes up (other than ventilation holes). I haven’t seen evidence of them anywhere else but because of my previous experience I’m obsessive about how / where I store foods like cereals/ peanut butter / chocolate. I have ordered some mice traps and will refill the existing ones that’s permanently live under the kitchen units. It’s so bloody annoying, I have so much to do I just don’t need this.

Last night I wrote a to do long list but I think mice will be the priority.

Oh no Stealth, hope it doesn't turn out to be mice.

I dropped 2 bags off at the charity shop this morning! Still 2 to go but they were limiting how many they would take. Turns out quite a lot of our local charity shops have closed, so not sure how long the rest will take. They were really keen to have books so may look if there are any more that can go.

Thanks raspberryblonde I’ve bought and loaded more mousetraps, thrown the fresh fruit away (it was next to the banana and disinfected all the worktops. I can’t find any signs of droppings so will have to make sure all food is unreachable. It’s annoying as last night I made a big to do list and I haven’t even started doing it yet. I’m going to put a few more things for sale now before pickup time.

480-1=479: one skirt returned from the woman who was meant to have shoes...

and my phone has been decluttered somewhere in town and is now blocked

Nooo absolutely bastards stealing your phone!

Wooden tricycle to dparents so both dc have a bike to play on. And the double pram is being collected tomorrow. Wahoooooo!!!!