Decluttering one item a day thread number 18 – quickly stashing our clutter in charity shops now we can let people back inside our houses

[stealthninjamum]

Here we are again, still decluttering and still chatting and sometimes getting rid of some clutter.

This is a group of mumsnetters who aspire to live in a lovely clutterfree environment, usually scuppered by husbands, children, dogs and in my house ‘valuable’ bits of twig and stone or origami versions of aardvarks and komodo dragons.

We are slowly decluttering our houses, chatting and updating each other on our slow progress as we go. We only aim to get rid of one a day but often manage more. Newbies are welcome to join us.

Since the last thread charity shops reopened and things got closer to normal. I’ve now invited friends over for the end of June so have a month to get the house ‘guest ready’.

Previous thread here.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4183135-Decluttering-one-item-a-day-and-counting-down-til-the-opening-of-charity-shops-thread-number-17?pg=38

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts I forgot to say that yes I will contact nurseries / preschools when I do get rid of the laminator, there is a lady who works in a preschool who I’ve given quite a lot of arts and crafts stuff to. I don’t feel quite ready to get rid of it yet as I still sometimes laminate things for dd2 but not as much as I used to.

Welcome back greenwillow I’m sorry to hear about the ceiling leak but I suppose it’s one way of kick starting the decluttering.

I’ve made minimal effort today. I have tidied out the car which was disgusting – full of car park receipts, crisp packets and coffee cartons (all mine). It doesn’t feel like decluttering really. I am going to try to do more photos but I think it’s going to be a busy night organising uniforms/ sports kits etc for tomorrow and making dd1 do a lateral flow test. She’s supposed to do two a week but we have a massive pile in her bedroom as we haven’t done any for about a month.

Sorted out the outgrown non-uniform children's clothes from the RoD. Some destined for ragbag. Others in labelled bags, and now in cupboard to await donation appointment.

I have a habit of looking for things to put in containers of all types. Then I don't think of the things in the container as possible to dispose of. I'm trying to stop this habit.

Decluttered another enormous box so big that it was fairly useless. The bottom used to collapse anytime it was full. Items now in bags for decisions.

Now taking plastic donation toys out to garage, where they'll be stored until I get an appointment for the donation centre

Hello everyone. No significant decluttering despite having some time off work/half term. I’ve read lots and enjoyed beach days - felt very necessary but now I’m disheartened by the chaos around me again. Sill sorting Lego but at a very slow pace as initial enthusiasm has definitely gone Welcome back @IWillWashTheGreenWillow seem to recall you dealing with Lego too

I was back cleaning the downstairs in the areas i didn’t yesterday. also did more never ending laundry .
added to the to go pile ;

• the mini football I gave to the puppy since I found his other one
• another board game
• also DD old big football is going but I’ve bought her a new one
• DD tshirt to clothing collection , I’m sure I’ll find more from the laundry pile when I fold it

Used up three open bags of bread flour this morning. Got some bagels on the go. When covid hit we like everyone else started stocking up on things. Not insanely but every shop we’d add a bread flour to the trolley. Dh makes a lot of sourdough so it was used up. Annoyingly he’s the type to open new packs here there and everywhere.

Thanks, belatedly, to stealth for the new thread.
Steady progress with returning DC as they sort their possessions back in to their room. Outs are an armful of papers and the folders they were in, some books added to my charity bag and some they are trialling on Ebay. If the Ebay books don't move then the books will go out with the others. That will clear the shelves used in other DC's room. The papers come from the chest of drawers that I want to repurpose in Room of Doom. Just need DC to focus on final drawer of pens, pencils etc and ?3 scientific calculators. Have suggested this as today's effort, so will report later.
My efforts have been on sorting work e-mails that have been actioned in to project files and deleting many others. Filing of a few papers that came in the post last week.

mrstidyhouse I’m like you, I find nice boxes and containers and usually think ‘ooh that’s nice what could I keep in that? This year I have started to throw them away and I’m aiming to get rid of unnecessary book cases and chest of drawers (although I have to first get rid of the stuff in them!)

I have had a good morning, Crap has left the building! I have taken the three charity shop bags from last week to the charity shop. I added some toys, books and sports kits that didn’t sell on Facebook. I also added 3 toys from my childhood toys that were in very good condition and threw away one childhood toy that was falling apart.

I’m now sitting in the park making a Big List for the week. I have lots to do but I think I’m going to aim to spend half an hour a day in the Room of Doom and half an hour organising photos. I basically have about a hundred now of dc and the organised part of me wants to put dates on them all to file them in chronological order so I will be going through electronic photos looking for them. I wish I was less anal about these tasks but I can’t stop myself!

Thanks for the welcome back, Stealth!

@Gassylady, yes I am knee deep in Lego. Repeatedly. I cracked and gave some away by weight a couple of months ago because I hate lego technic and I couldn't bear the idea of sorting it all out into sets!

@RaspberryBlonde thanks, we continue to be a ridiculously busy house (4 DC, one away studying, 2 in exam years this year so home for evermore apparently, husband, idiot WillowHound).

The leak through the ceiling was bloody tedious because it was in the music room. We'd just had the bathrooms fixed because they were leaking into the kitchen and the minute that was fixed something else went pop. Yes, the whole lot was put in by a bunch of cowboys 15 years ago. However, it's forced a bit of a rethink and a declutter so I'm trying to see the bright side.

Tomorrow, we are starting having the velux windows replaced because they are rotten (yes, same firm 15 years ago 🤬) so I spent yesterday moving my desk onto my dressing table and DS3 into the spare room. On the plus side, I've put out some stuff I don't know why I was keeping (one monster slipper on top of the wardrobe?), discovered I need no more handcream for at least 5 years, and started the process of filletting memory boxes that were very important at the time but now seem less so.

I have two boxes of papers from work that need my attention and either filing or shredding, but it's half term here this week so that probably won't happen.

I have a bag of clothes -some are for Charity Shop , some probably more fabric recycle
I've gone through one cupboard in the kitchen and have a box of household items .

Next on the list is the Carousel of Doom in the kitchen ( yes that corner cupboard with the spinney round shelf that is waaaay overloaded )
I have to many measuring jugs but I bought a Holy Grail one with proper readable markings for doing my bread recipes . So the others will be scrutinised and sorted out

Decluttered - one pair outgrown shorts..

Tidying and sorting - have allocated one large box with lid to chuck any decluttered items until I have time to decide where to dispose of them. The bagged up clothes are now in car for donation centre.

Checked box of lightbulbs for duds. Lamps divided into working and broken. To be checked for fuses, etc. Mostly very old, from dead relatives' houses. Eg Round-pin plugs.

greenwillow it’s Sod’s law that all these maintenance jobs need doing at once. We had an 18 month period where our boiler died, we had a couple of leaks, blown windows and a fence blown over. I really resent spending money on those sorts of jobs that I could spend on furniture or something attractive like new floors.

Yesterday was great. As well as my charity shop drop off I did a lot of my jobs on the list. I only spent ten mins in the Room of Doom so will spend extra today. I know you shouldn’t shred photos but I found a photo of my nasty first boyfriend and shredded it. He ended the relationship by writing a letter - less than 24 hours after writing a letter saying he wanted to marry me - and those letters are at the bottom on the Room of Doom cupboard. It still stings 25 years later.

It’s quiet here, am I the only one inside decluttering rather than enjoying the weather?

6 more photos thrown away. I have labelled the back of about 2 inch high pile and I only have about an inch left.

I organised for some books to go out the house through ziffit and found five books to go to the charity shop pile.

Lots of shredding done.

I chucked out a hair gel that doesn’t suit our hair.

I have also arranged for an electrician to fit a new light in the Room of Doom. I thought there would be a waiting list of a couple of months but he said as it’s a small job he’ll fit it in sooner. It’s a massive incentive to get that room done as ii’d hate someone else to see it.

I got rid of Catface’s food mat yesterday. But did replace it with a new one.

Finished a bottle of calpol too. Dd isn’t well. Has a bit of a cold so she’s been on the calpol.

Not much decluttering here, sadly. Had a few days out over half term, which was really nice. Last Saturday I had an afternoon at home by myself, but a lot of it was taken up with everyday housework rather than decluttering I did put my winter coat and winter shoes away, so the hall is slightly clearer, though I brought out my summer sandals too.

I have messaged a couple more charities about donating the cot and travel cot, but haven’t had a response yet. No interest in the stuff I’ve got posted on FB marketplace, and I can’t face the hassle of eBay, so it might just go in the charity bag. Reminded DH again that he was going to get the iron-on labels off outgrown school uniform to donate to school, but no action yet. All a bit frustrating!

Got rid of one of my charity bags. Could have done the other two as well but they were super heavy and 3 bags plus bolting small dc do not mix. They are in the boot though for next trip out.
Pondering a short term (say 6 mth) rental of a storage unit to get it all out of the house so I can actually see the space and work out what is needed furniture wise. That would give us a hard deadline to complete by and make the house nicer to live in during the process. Could also do sorting at the unit and charity / tip run on way home to avoid bags of sorted stuff cluttering up our small place.

Thoughts?

I understand the motivation FatLadySings but I'd worry I wouldn't get it done and then all that stuff would just end up living there and I'd be paying long term...

Oops Sang! Not Sings, sorry

FatLadySings that's an interesting idea, did you see the Stacey Soloman programme on the BBC a few weeks ago where they did that? It was a great programme.

As to whether it would work I sit on the fence a bit. If I could snap my fingers and magic everything away and then return the bits I want it would be fantastic but in practice I do think it would be a huge amount of work to pack everything and bring it back and I probably would end up paying for the storage unit forever!

Todays update: Sorted through photos. Bored of doing it now. Some arts bits gone.

My main thing is I've ordered lights to come into the house and I've been sitting on garden chairs in Homebase wondering if I need some. So the opposite of decluttering.

I just called you FatLadySings too. Apologies!

Ywo bags (clothes and kitchenwares) out today .

Then I bought some ovenproof ramekins because I have a carton of creme brulee waiting to be assembled and putting it in an earthenware dish does it no merit .

So I'm technically still on a win because I'm decluttering the pudding (out of the carton, into my face )

Pair of unworn Vans to charity shop
Plus a brown shirt from DH wardrobe 🤢
An unflattering shirt

I need to declutter my handbag

House will be full of stuff when DD comes home from boarding school on Friday but I'm hopeful that she'll get some of her stuff on vinted or depop

Also got a big storage box full of school bags and rucksacks that need to be gone thru. I've already sent 2 superdry messenger bags stealthily as I know they won't be used by DD's at their age

I've been deconstructing more coursework and have quite a bit going out today:

1 large ring binder
1 substantial pile of plastic wallets
A large wad of papers and card to recycling
Half a sack of shredded paper
1 t-shirt
1 duvet cover
1 large box
1 box of hair dye finally used up.

Maybe ‘sings’ is more appropriate now as some work is slowly trickling back (not nearly enough to live on) rather than how I felt last year when it really seemed as though singing as a career was over.

I worry it would be long term but, to be honest, it is so expensive we couldn’t afford it long term. Might force me to be ruthless…

Some progress today. I did a minor repair to a soft toy, so that has been decluttered from the dining table back to the (overflowing) toy storage.

I also started going through a folder of delivery notes/ invoices from online deliveries (mostly amazon) - I don’t know why I decided to keep them all and file them! The oldest one was from 2011, so I’m not sure whether I’d got rid of the ones before then, or if there’s another folder somewhere Got halfway through the folder and have a pile for recycling and another file for shredding.

Finally got the outgrown summer clothes to the donation by appointment. When I got home I almost immediately found a few more items and shoes to donate.

Also took letters to DS.