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

Hi everyone! Hope you're all well. I haven't been on here for a few weeks due to general busyness but I have still been decluttering. Apologies - I'm pretty behind with the thread.

I'm currently clearing things which have survived many previous culls. This has included the last, old laptop and my favourite skirt ever which I've kept for years but which hasn't fit me for ages.

Tonight, I've been going through a box of coursework and I've just binned 1 bulging ring binder. There was nothing in it which felt remotely interesting to me now and yet it felt like a big decision! There are another 14 files left to go through in there - I just counted.

I got up early and put more stuff in charity bags.

I’ve now got three big bags ready to go to the charity shop and a ziffit box of stuff. Before dc get up I’m going to spend thirty minutes in the Room of Doom seeing if I can get rid of anything.

I'm still working on the coursework box which has led to files being strewn across the living room. About 3 full files emptied so far.

I've also "made some art" (that might be stretching it a bit) using a frame I already had which fits a certain space better than the previous piece. This means I can get rid of quite a large frame.

Checking in so I dont fall off the thread. Sadly not much to report life has got in the way a bit. Still sorting Lego into sets so dining room still unusable for now. Luckily we tend to eat in the kitchen in the warmer months anyway! Still havent posted the box of bears either or picked up the new PE kit ordered for youngest. Luckily I have some time off now so hopefully can make a bit of progress.

Hi all. Can I join in. House is badly, badly in need of a major declutter. I've been building it up in my head into a huge job but have realised that I need to start, even if it's only 5 minutes a day. There's me, DH and 3 kids between 4 and 8 so lots and lots of stuff.
Question, I see people talking about numbered days, e.g day 260 etc. Is everyone just working off their own numbered day or is there a common day number being used?

Day 1: Got rid of a big bag of DDs too small clothes to SIL for her granddaughter as well as some jamjars that she will reuse.

Welcome @Ihaveaskedyouthrice, most people start with their own Day 1 or Item 1, but it’s not compulsory Sounds like a good start yesterday.

I haven’t done any decluttering recently over the past few days as I’ve had a cold, which has wiped me out a bit. Hope to get more done this week.

I think people are just taking their own personal counts from the day they start (I’m not organised enough for that!)

We had my parents round yesterday and while prepping lunch I got a nice spiral bowl out, but it was so chipped. So I ditched it. Such a shame as it chipped quite soon after mum got me it (she had one and I loved it) but there’s really no point in keeping it.

I have spotted a few things to go, but I need to rest today, so I’ll carry on planning instead.

Quiet at this end in the last week mainly doing admin ,cleaning and laundry plus had appointments . I have been tired and down in the dumps so just trying to keep the everyday stuff going was enough really . DH didn’t react well to his fri vaccine so weekend was a bust but he’s a bit better now . No major decluttering done recently I still need to go finish the few bits in the utility and kitchen so I can move on to under stairs cupboard . Out a few things ;

• DS puzzle we found the missing piece for to charity
• magic sand that was not magic but crap

to bin

• a few bits to ragbag and clothing collection
• a scratched kids water bottle to recycling
• another kids book to charity

I have to pace myself because of my pain so everything is incredibly slow also definitely have mental health struggles I just can’t get on with anything extra at times feels like I’m paralysed . Dh and kids cause mess and none of them see it or all the dirt and if I do I can’t leave it so a simple decluttering job ends up being a several hours long cleaning one first and I am then so crippled I can hardly get up our horrible stairs . I delegate jobs and nag about doing them but certain things no one else here does properly . I’ve spent 20 y doing them but now in the last y my body has given up and not being able to take my former painkillers because of my gastric trouble I can’t do it anymore . It’s very frustrating to be like this at relatively young age but it’s been 10 y of being in pain already and it’s unlikely to change so I have to just adjust and do what I can . Yesterday I folded the laundry mountain today I will try to clean the first floor rooms while DH does the bathroom scrubbing I do the rest of the bathroom cleaning and dusting . Also more admin and online food shopping etc to do . I just have get back to the utility and kitchen again this week and get started and hopefully at least finish utility . I’m trying to motivate myself by thoughts of the areas I’ve done and maintained

Ooh your post reminds me we also got rid of a jigsaw yesterday. It wasn’t a particularly nice one (friend brought up a load of old ones ages ago and we’ve gradually worked through them), I was wondering whether to keep it till DD2 is older but when the others redid it yesterday it turned out bits were missing so that made the decision easier 🤣

I think another puzzle can probably go that DS got for Christmas. It’s a cheap not so good one apparently so he might not bother making it ...

Also nordic I really relate to the physical struggles :( it’s so tough. My mind is now much more ready to declutter and clean (my MH has improved vastly since getting my medication sorted for ADHD and anxiety) but my body can’t keep up. I want to declutter all the things, clean everything, but I burn out so quick. I know that more decluttering will help a lot because life will be easier with a tidier house but it’s hard to get there without pushing myself too far.

I am starting to be a lot more assertive with the DC though (DH is better at housework than me TBH although he now has physical issues too) and they do have some regular chores. It’s the general tidying we all struggle with though because we are all naturally messy and it’s hard to say “tidy up” when we still don’t have a system and a place for everything!

That’s good if he’s willing to let go! Could always do it once and then get rid. I have quite a few things lined up for one activity to keep boredom away and then they’ll be binned. Eg some pieces from a wooden puzzle set that don’t really fit that well - when I can be arsed to get the paints out I’ll get the little one to do some printing with them and then they can be chucked.

• DD old stationary to bin ; a broken pencil case , chewed up pencils and a broken sharpener

He said it’s annoying one that comes in a sheet he has to start separating 500/1000 pieces first I don’t think he has the patience . It’s pretty good going he’s still doing puzzles at 16 and reading voluntarily and not just playing on his PlayStation 😁

Oh gosh that would annoy me too 🤣 I do like really nice puzzles. I’m a bit of a snob 😳 I prefer really thick cardboard for my 3yo but for myself I absolutely love Wentworth wooden puzzles. A friend got me into them and sometimes sends them for Christmas presents. They’re so beautiful! DS loves them too despite not really being interested in the art on them.

And yes definitely good he’s not just gaming. DS (11) has got even more screen addicted since covid but I’m glad he does do other stuff. Bedtime is an issue as he doesn’t like reading other than very specific comics and puzzle books. Hard to find other things for him to do that don’t create more stuff!

Ds is busy reading The Game of Thrones series and DD 9 the Harry Potters but other books too like Malory Towers and the Lemony Snicket books

Bag of baby baby clothes and a bag of baby hangers to dms friend for her granddaughter.

Taking a bag of clothes to charity shop too.

It turns out a quick way to declutter is to ladder all the new pairs of tights you own as you appear to have forgotten how to put them on......

ihaveaskedyouthruce welcome. The numbered threads tend to be when people started. I love seeing them because it’s so great to see how far people have come but I would probably be on day 1100 myself so choose not to!

nordicmom I’m so sorry to hear you’re in pain and not getting enough help from your family. I had that this weekend, I gave dd1 some binbags and asked her to empty the bins around the house. She did this without complaining however her bedroom floor was still full of packaging, chocolate wrappers, general rubbish that hadn’t been put in the bin in the first place so obviously she didn’t think to throw them away. I am really angry about the chocolate wrappers because of the mice. I think a mouse could live in her room and never be spotted!

singtothesky I think we’re naturally messy too, we have homes for most things (and lots of labelled drawers) but don’t necessarily put things back.

So far today I have done a tonne of housework, have finished the second coat on the landing and am now going to start decluttering. So the landing is sort of ‘finished’ but I do want to go over the wood again. I’m going to have a break from decorating this week to focus on decluttering.

I’ve taken bag to charity shop. And while there bought 4 kids puzzles and about 20 books for the dc for less than £10. Most will go to dms though.

FatLadySang I seem to have forgotten how bras work, which will be interesting when I finally go back to the office

Tried to go out with a bag of bits for the textile recycling, but in between closing my front door and going down one flight of stairs to the main door of the flats it suddenly started chucking down with rain, so I had to retreat. Will try again later after a meeting.

sydneycarton that happened to me too. I thought I’d put my three charity shop bags in the car and by the time I’d put some shoes on and found the keys we had a downpour.

Spent half an hour in the Room of Doom - mainly picking things up, looking at them and putting them down. Anyway I found some old school uniform so will be giving it to a friend. I also found a book that we had two copies of, so one is going to ziffit. I mainly looked at school paintings that I don’t feel ready to get rid of and paperwork.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome ☺️ Am really enjoying reading everyone's updates, it's a lovely supportive thread.

Day 2: Bag of old, ripped clothes + odd socks to the local clothes bin.