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

I've been struggling with sleep for the past couple of days. Not sure what's going on.

Yesterday I managed to get rid of dd4's well worn summer dresses (3), one brand new matalan dress that she refused to wear because it was scratchy and one long sleeve white t shirt she outgrew. Hopefully that means she can put a dent in her other summer clothes. I'm not a huge fan of keeping hand me downs for my 5 month old daughter. Also got rid of 2 boots, sandals , 2 pillowcases, one bedsheet and some socks. It just feel nice to declutter and then use something fresh and brand new. The shoes and sandals had to go because weirdly after 2 pregnancies my feet have gotten bigger. That or either wearing Skechers daily has made them bigger 😐

I think slowly I've tackled my parents house. It's gotten to a point where I can breath. My mum gave away 5 items from her wardrobe and dad gave away 2. Proud they can let go of things. I think my mum has anxiety that she won't be able to buy things anymore due to less income etc.

outs yesterday - all the bank details i ripped from the statements i binned the other day. took these into the office and threw them in the shredding bin.

also finished a notebook so that's gone too.

ins:

• new pizza wheel cutter. ours broke from over use.

new chopping boards. x4. it worked out cheaper to buy 4 in a set than just the two i actually wanted.

the old plastic once have been binned as they were past their best.

aiming to get more things out today (although am meeting colleague at garden centre for coffee at lunchtime so may see if i can pick up a pair of gardening gloves for myself. DH has some but they dont fit me. and i am trying to protect my hands and nails.

i did not bring anything else into the house today. avoided the shop part of the garden centre.

i have thrown away a hair clip - an ancient one which i used for sectioning off my hair when blow drying. dd was playing with it this morning and i asked her not to because it's a really good one (holds well etc - nothing special other than that about it).

i just stood on it and snapped it.

In the last half hour I’ve done a quick no thinking declutter.

Three pairs of my shoes in charity bag
Two hangers in the bin
Dds birthday balloons in the bin x3
Toddler art in the bin
Three lip masks binned (will never use them)
An old highlighter (make up kind which I’ll never use)
Eye drops - open and ancient binned
Chilli oil bottle - empty
Random bits of packaging in the kitchen - binned
Skirt - in charity shop bag

just got back from 3 days camping and MrZing is in full decluttering mode.
we need to clear out shed of old stuff, so instead of putting back camping gear on top of the mess I suggested to store it in living room (eyesore but we have enough space that it doesn't get it the way).

So far took outside 3 baby carseats, a camping bed, 2 camping mattresses, 2 chairs, an armchair; all of which are old and/or broken plus a 6-people tent we don't need.
people always pick up the rubbish we put by the drive, if not he'll take it all to the tip next week.
He's so happy😁

Meanwhile I'm gonna start tackling the washing...I don't wanna🙈🤣

zing that’s your washing from just three days?

Seriously your posts make it sound like you and your dh are such a good team.

I’m about to declutter dd1s bedroom. We’re just going through her clothes before I collect the new ones from marks tomorrow. Dirty / holey ones will be donated and tomorrow dd2 will choose some that she wants to keep.

Done loads of dd1s bedroom. We have emptied three drawers completely - all old swimming costumes, tights, hats, underwear has gone. We did a side unit and chucked out about 20 cuddly toys - kept 5 and half a dozen old birthday cards. We got rid of half of her wardrobe (it’s a double wardrobe of clothes) and got rid of lots of hoodies and tops, dresses, dungarees. Dd2 wanted half of them and is now decluttering her wardrobe so there’s space. I’ll get a sharpie to put dd2s initial on them to stop me putting them back in dd1s wardrobe.

So in conclusion dd1s clothes are done plus a bonus of lots of teddies, the landing has massive piles of rags and clothes that dd2 has rejected. Dd2 is now decluttering and organising her wardrobe by theme ‘cool, black clothes’, ‘cute pink clothes’, ‘sports clothes’ and has piles everywhere on her floor.

I tend to declutter their clothes as I go getting rid of things that are obviously too small and / or dirty / damaged every time I do a wash so I am astounded about how much stuff we are getting rid of. I reckon it’ll be two or three black sacks.

Found another bag-for-life full of neatly stacked pc games. They are now off the top of the cupboard and waiting for next drop-off to DS's place. Very few are suitable for LOs, so it will be a bigger out than I first thought.

I actually finished and chucked away a cheque book yesterday. Also did the bathroom cupboard and chucked away some empties and it looks so much better.

@stealthninjamum I’m thinking that as we go is the way to go with clothes and things. I’ve been doing the same if the dcs clothes are too damaged dirty or small. They go.

used up a perfume sample and thrown away a half empty foundation which has seen better days.

ememem84 yes I assumed I did ‘as you go’ and to some extent I probably do get rid of one or two clothing items a week but mainly because they have holes in or are too scruffy. Last night was about getting rid of everything that no longer fits or that they really won’t wear.

I don’t usually count what goes out because it takes too long but I did count teddies and I have 40 in a sack! I will probably get rid of a couple a week til schools go back by hiding them with other things in the charity shop bag. They were owned by dd1 but if dd2 sees them she’ll want them and they just take up too much space.

you are all doing so well!

stealth
that's just the clothes from 3 days!
I also have 20+ fleece blankets, 2 sleeping bags, some pillows & pillow cases and a small rucksack to wash.
if it's not covered in sand, dirt &grass, water from lake, sea or waterpark then it stinks of campfire🤣
I also had to wash our normal mattress' cover which is now drying in the sun.
5 loads & counting

DH didn't stop until 10.30pm last night, he cleared up a lot of rubble from shed (all covered in mouse poo🤮) and managed to put all camping gear away. It looks so neat & tidy now.

Of the stuff we put out for people to take the big tent, weight press bench, rowing machine and a few smaller things are gone. result!

@stealthninjamum I got rid of a lot of stuffed toys a month before school finished and after Easter. Honestly I've seen a change in my daughter and the one she plays with her toys. Apparently the less toys kids have the better but with birthdays etc toys are always given. I have DD2 who is only 5 months. Fingers crossed she'll be okay with less clutter.

nothing further out today - although i am trying to encourage dsis to declutter. she's moving house soon. so will maybe see if i can help her pack.

really cannot wait until i can go back in the office again though . working from home is draining. . .

I think I have one more hour to do on dd's bedroom . We've managed to archive all her old school books that she may refer to again, in a shoe box. We have donated at least 4 bags of craft stuff/clothes/toys from her room to the charity shop.

I have also Marie Kondoed our wardrobe and have now loads of spare hangers! I'll take a pic in a bit!

What a day. I have piles and piles of stuff everywhere added to all the other jobs I haven’t finished (looks at mountain of photos and tins of paint).

Dd2 doesn’t work like other children. Last night she spent an hour grouping her clothes into themes and grouping them into five items per theme. This meant getting rid of clothes she likes that don’t fit into a theme and keeping clothes she doesn’t like that do fit in to a theme. I have taken three big bags of clothes to the charity shop today but tonight will be going through the rest of the clothes mountain with dd2 again to put more back in the wardrobe. It’s great that she’s minimalist but I would be forever washing if she had so few clothes.

Dd1 also let me throw out some balloons and take a pillow pet to the charity shop (smuggled out so dd2 doesn’t see it).

Some ins included jeans for dd1, trousers and a top for me, 2 t shirts for dd1 and some socks for dd1. The pile is tiny compared to what’s going so I’m happy.

Loads of space on the rails now...

A quick update from me. No new decluttering, but I took a bag for life full of DD’s old clothes (sorted out a few weeks ago) to a charity bank yesterday, so they are not cluttering up a corner of our bedroom.

The other news is that DH has been offered a job! He’s waiting for references to go through, but they should be ok It’s a higher level than his old role, and is local so he won’t have a long commute. Such a relief! So in September I’ll hopefully be decluttering him to his new office

Great news EllieQ. Fingers crossed the job is confirmed with no delay.

Fantastic news ellieq - both you taking stuff to a charity shop and your dh getting a job.

Dd2 found the bag of 40 teddies and as predicted opened them up on the landing in tears saying they shouldn’t go. I said if she got rid of some she could keep some. Anyway to my delight she has given six and only taken four. So we are now down 42 cuddly toys.

Today I’m going to finish clearing out and bagging the mountain of clothes on the landing putting some back into dd2s wardrobe and hopefully taking a load to the charity shop.

Been sick still but we are ramping up on the moving prep here as we are now meant to be getting the keys on the 2.9. We will visit our new house on the 24.8. , will be interesting seeing it all painted with kitchen , bathrooms and utility in . I do hope I like it ! It’s so odd buying off plan ,it’s our first time . We’ve booked in a snagging company and a virtual consultation with the shutter company and are soon getting packing materials and starting on things we won’t need to use like wedding china etc . Have chosen most of the new furniture and ordered small items to check on the colour first before making the big orders although have gotten a paint sample ages ago . I’m still trying to declutter last bits but we’re doing quite well I guess which is lucky because in general I feel horrible most of the time . To be honest I don’t quite understand how the hell i’m going to do this move and the new school runs ,look after the dog by myself all day suddenly when DH starts going back to the office 4/5 d in September while feeling like this . Right now everything seem insurmountable, I’m so used to having DH here for the last 18 m doing everything. We took DD out bowling and for a meal at the same place for the first time in a year and a half today and I could hardly manage one game then didn’t really have any appetite . Clearly not yet better from the cold . DH emptied topfloor storage cupboard onto the landing turns out it’s mainly full of suitcases that we’ll keep since quite new , bedding etc . Shouldn’t take long to look through and organise in boxes ( spare duvets etc ) but I’ve been too tired to do it . Have gotten a few other jobs done like labelling DD uniform which is nearly finished just waiting for a few more bits to arrive. I have today managed to get a few old kids clothes out of the boxes DH brought from storage into charity shop bags and we took them with these things that were counted for already

• 6 new DS box files and folders
• a bunch of soft toys I got DD to give up finally recently but it was very hard for her
• a few books
• 6 unused science kits
• a hummingbird cake tin gift set
• kids bathrobe

DH has been doing deep cleaning jobs but is now going away for the weekend again with DD to his mom’s where DS has been all week . I will try to get something done while he’s gone . We considered going to Finland to see my family quickly now that borders just opened but my parents are still worried about seeing people my mum is at risk and the numbers have gone up there and we will be so busy with the move in the next month that we won’t go now maybe around Christmas or feb instead . Have to find some energy from somewhere somehow . All I keep on thinking is more jobs for myself to add to the never ending list ; need to apply for kids Finnish passports soon again , need to change addresses in person for kids accounts and open DS a new one etc . Right now I feel like I never want to move again but I’m sure we will since we want a bit more land and privacy around our house in the future say in the next 10 y this is a detached house but does have neighbours . Also am fantasising about a pool which aren’t impossibly expensive but need the space so can’t do it in this development . Swimming is one of the few forms of exercise I can do without hurting and I love the water so one day I will have one ! Right now just lying in bed and feel like I can’t even move let alone do anything Else …

we bought some Jamie Oliver Tefal frying pans a few years back to use on induction hob but after a while the bottom outside got deformed so couldn't use them anymore.
although they are dishwasher safe we thought maybe that's what caused the buckling.
luckily we got them replaced for free, this time we only have handwashed them but same thing happened. 🤬
we had to buy a different brand...

anyway, they are fine to use on gas cookers and whatever DH is using for camping (he takes 2 older ones to cook on) and just yesterday we finally got rid of the newer ones - BIL3 & SIL3 were more than happy to have them!

I also managed to sort through freezers so for the next few days kids are eating "freezer pot luck" dinners! it's decluttering adjacent so I'm counting it, I need space in the freezer!

@EllieQ
brilliant news, congrats!

@Nordicmom
sorry you are still feeling sick. I hope you get some time to rest (easier said....)

Thanks Zing . At the moment I’m just trying to get DD packed and out the door to MIL tomorrow morning luckily nearly done thanks to keeping her weekend bag packed as much as I can . I don’t think I can manage much more today I just feel like coughing all the time right now .
We have Le Creuset nonstick pans that you can use on gas stove we have now or induction we chose for the new house . They’re really good and hopefully long lasting quality !