Half term clear out - anyone want to join me?

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

Half term has started a day early for us as DC have an INSET day, so we have made on 12 year old DD's room. I haven't been able to get in there to clean since last summer and it has reached the point where it is cluttered and dirty. We agreed together that the time has come to tackle it. She gets very anxious about things changing, but the room has got just too messy for her to handle.

So this morning we treated ourselves to a coffee and a brownie at a local cafe and then came home and got started. I'm really pleased with progress so far, we have sorted through all clothes and bagged up outgrown stuff. We then moved on to books (she has hundreds, more than will fit on her large bookshelf) and have sorted out five carrier bags full to pass on.

Tomorrow the really tough stuff starts, sorting through old toys (including some very dusty soft toys!) and various creative stuff. Then once everything is out of the room it needs a good clean before we start putting things back in. I think it's going to take most of the weekend.

I just wondered if anyone else is decluttering this half term?

made a start that should be...

Good for you. I am not on half term but I have started to make huge strides in decluttering once and for all. Got rid of two black bags today for charity. Plush toys and jigsaws and old handbags. Really felt good to get them out of the house. Also yesterday we put loads of the childrens plastic toys and chairs etc from the garden to the recycling centre.
Wime tonight for sure.
What are you plans for the week? Room by room or wing it and see?

Wine

I am already on the !

This is the end of a long process for us, I've done most of the rest of the house (apart from the loft which is mainly full of DH's boxes of essential cables...) but DD's room is the toughest challenge. She was getting really stressed at the thought of sorting it out, but we are hoping that once it's done she can have a friend over for a sleepover.

A toast to you and your decluttering

I think a little treat each day after a hard day's work is a must. It will feel so good.

Oh definitely!

We've started an impromptu book sale on our local FB page and she's finding the cash rather motivating...

@RhinestoneCowgirl you sound like such a lovely mum!

I'm glad your DD got on board and things are going well. I hope you took a before picture!

Thanks @sunnysidegold

TBH it's stirring up memories of my terribly untidy room when I was DD's age and the rows I had with my mum, so I'm trying to do this a little differently. We did the cuddly toys this morning, which got a bit emotional!

Yes me! I need this! Expecting dc6 in 5 weeks

Oh wow @THATbasicSNOWFLAKE, welcome and what's the main bit you need to sort? (Apart from looking after five DC obvs!)

I started last week but want to join. What sort of cuddly toys/toys did u get rid of? How old are your kids?

I have dd4 and dd who is 3 months. Need to get rid of more of the soft toys. I got rid of anything that looked old.

I’d like to join please! This half term is our big sort out, I have pre booked a slot at the tip
for the end of the week which is my motivation to get it all done. It will be mostly me (may have one small willing helper though!)

Hi @faithfulbird20 my DD is 12, so fully involved in the clear out. When my DC were little I could get away with whipping stuff away when they weren't looking, I used to keep in the loft for a while to see if they were missed and then get rid.

DD had a massive basket of soft toys of varying sizes. We had 'sorted' them last summer and then the basket sat there gathering dust (and some moth eggs - ugh!). DD and I looked at them one by one and have reduced by about half. They are now stored in a plastic box with a lid under the bed. There are two chosen ones who sleep in her bed with her.

The trouble with soft toys is it's hard to give them away - nobody really wants them!

I love a trip to the tip @Icepops but I don't drive so don't get to go very often.

We did really well in DD's room yesterday, it's now pretty much done and everything is back in. Now my challenge is to pass on everything that she has discarded, plus we have a list of small DIY jobs like fixing the curtain rail etc. Her room was so cluttered before that we couldn't get in to do anything like this.

How many soft toys does she have?

We have a roadside charity back collection tomorrow. I’ve filled one bag and hoping to fill a second!

I decluttered a lot of soft toys and a bag full of my toddlers old clothes. Felt so good getting rid of them. However still overwhelmed as took out new stuff to wear.

Soft toys I'm going to get rid of a few large ones. Got rid of old plastic bowls that dd3 had.

Kitchen. Got rid of some ramekin pots and glasses that we don't need.

It's amazing how things pile up so easily.

I'm delighted to say that DD's room is now sparklingly clean and now just contains the items that 'spark joy' (to quote Marie Kondo). She is really happy and has her keyboard set up and was playing guitar and ukelele all day yesterday - not all at the same time obv .

Soft toys are now down to about 12 in the box under the bed and the two chosen ones in her bed.

We have signed up for a jumble trail on Sunday, where people offload their tat sell unwanted items outside their houses. Weather looks forecast looks good. I have also contacted our old primary school librarian about donating some of the books, plus I have a big bag of clothes to got to a friend at the end of the week.

Well done all of us, feels so freeing to get rid!

How is it going? Has anyone done anymore?