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

It was that Nick Knowles one . There’s been 3 episodes now .

The 2 manky mattresses were picked up today. phew.
that's the biggest decluttering news all week🤣

oops. I meant yesterday

I've spent quite a lot of time in the kitchen sorting stuff in the cupboards & drawers; it's amazing how much crap I can still find!

out already: 2 broken umbrella steamers, 2 sealing rings for whoknowswhat, a handless grater and another lidless box.

I've also discovered the we have 2 frying pans (they have a long and a small handle on opposite ends, like some woks do) that I never use. it's kind of the wrong size and too heavy for me.
I might have a fight on my hand as I suspect DH wants to keep them but they are better off elsewhere....wish me luck.

I'm sorting out boxes for the last car booty of the year next week at our local farm.

I've culled old toys, bric a brac, books, dvds and shoes for next week. I made about a hundred quid last time so hoping to make similar. Any profits I make is going towards the Christmas holidays.

I've got a few nice dresses that I don't wear anymore so I'm selling those on vinted as there's no seller fees. You can choose a tracked delivery option to save the headache.

well, to my surprise DH agreed to give away frying pans (MIL will be happy!) but he insisted to rescue one of the steamers from the bin🤣
He says he likes using it precisely because the lifty bit broke off! who knew?
it's in the dishwasher now...

Some of the kids art out today. And some packaging from Amazon ins.

Am taking books and bags to charity shop on Monday.

I was up all night after my nausea went away and DH left then slept on and off this morning between phone calls and deliveries . One piece of surprise furniture a big sideboard for the livingroom arrived 7 am in the morning and was ok but when the dining table came it had 4 bits of damage on it so I’m just in the process of organising it being replaced and the old one being taken away .this will take time though so now might not have a table when we move in 🤬. Maybe we’ll have to put it in the garage otherwise it’ll be really in the way of the move . Also impossible to pack up in cardboard again bubble wrap roll will have to do . All our other furniture has been ok but this put the fear in me we have so many more to come now feeling very stressed about it !!!!
Last night we managed to pack 3 boxes of kitchen stuff DH opened an under oven drawer that had been stuck for ages it was full of brand new baking sheets etc I’d gotten for this houses so that’s a bonus ! Then went through some cutlery drawers and a corner cupboard also pulled out all the pots and pans they’ll be packed next also colouring and junk drawers and kitchen towels I’ll pull out they’ll mostly go to cleaning rags / rag banks after this . Then kitchen is done from what we can pack before the last day . A few bit to do in one utility cupboard then that done as much as we can now . I told DH to do the rest of his study he reckons the filing cabinet drawers can go with their contents in the van tomorrow so no packing of those required .
I packed 5 boxes of DD Lego ( Mindstorms robot ), her too big new / some too small /,out of season clothes that might still fit if we went on a holiday to a warm place this winter , her science etc kits , A bin bag of mailing boxes and envelopes for the study cupboard and Christmas gift bags to my attic storage cupboard .
We will try to now finish areas that are nearly done and work on kids rooms . They’re going to park next just had lunch then DS will pack his bookcase and desk drawers he has decluttered the other day (he doesn’t have much stuff ) and we’ve taken some already , built Lego models he’ll have to dust with my soft brush that’s good for that they’ll go into the big new book case . Might be decluttering his notice board and stereo he says he doesn’t use . I think I’ll put the notice board in the attic if it still looks new incase he does end up needing it or it could go to dump reuse area .
I’ll have his wardrobe contents brought down to me well put aside clothes for a week and i’ll look through them for old / too small stuff then we’ll pack to take tomorrow / tonight .
Ditto DD wardrobe . It’s coming along but there’s so much left …
Decluttered recently :

• rusty scissors
• rusty can opener
• a small thermos
• a veg steamer insert kept one
• old small grater
• a few water bottles rest will go after we leave I’ve got a few new ones but less than I’m decluttering
• lots more wooden chopsticks and some bag clips
• old plastic measuring jugs

-Old baking sheets

• a few funnels
• an ice cube tray
• a wheeled lidded kids toy basket I’m

keeping 2/3 I think

• maybe going DS stereo
• DS notice board

I’ve forgotten more I’ll update later

Aaarghh another lost post but a long story short DD bed broke but DH fixed it for now . I’ve about had enough . Our dining table that arrived today was damaged too so I’m trying to get it picked up and replaced ASAP . We’ve done a lot today and I’m half dead . Packing kids clothes as we speak. After that I am done for the day !!!

Sounds so stressful Nordic, poor you!

I have done the last few bits of age 3-4 clothes today, so three cardigans have gone in the bag to go to the charity bank, and all that is left is underwear (vests, knickers, socks), and again I’m not sure what to do with it. But I’m so pleased that I’ve got rid of almost a full bag for life of clothes, fairly painlessly, and have only kept a few favourites

I’m pretty good at keeping a clutter free home, I’m quite ruthless with stuff we don’t need and I don’t buy an awful lot. However, I’m looking for advice because my MiL is a massive hoarder and she likes bargain shopping for cheap crap. She has a very small home so every time she visits she brings bags of stuff I don’t want or need, sometimes it’s stuff she’s hoarded for years and doesn’t know what to do with it so she ‘gifts’ it to us, and other stuff is cheap stuff she’s bought for us.

How long should I keep this junk for or should I ship it straight out as soon as she leaves? I can’t say I don’t want it because it’s all presented as ‘gifts’ we’d be rude or ungrateful to reject. I’m erring on the side of stashing it in the loft for 12 months and then chucking it away… but it all just gives me the rage!

I just dropped dhs water bottle. It’s glass. So that’s it done for. Oops.

Also binned a hair band (one that looks like a phone cord) as it was stretched too much from over use!

This weeks plan for work is to try and wear something I haven’t worn for a while every day. And also to go back to make up.

@Pitapotamus does your mil ever ask after what she has gifted you? Maybe pick out a few of the best pieces and have them viable when she is around. Maybe in a little stashed box if you genuinely hate it all.

The rest you could charity shop or keep for 6 months.

It would be fine to gently tell her you dpnt have the room so she doesnt need to bring to next bag round and see how that goes down.

I'm a hoarder and my kids do keep me in check. But I'm very aware and try not to get offended or defensive.

You cant control what she does unfortunately as it's a complex mental health issue, but you dont have to live with it

That sounds tricky @Pitapotamus - how would your react if you said something like ‘Oh, we won’t use that, shall I drop it in the charity shop/ pass it onto my friend?’

It may be that she can’t bear to part with stuff herself, but is able to ‘let go’ if she gives it to you, telling herself it will be used by you. I can empathise with that feeling.

I’d stick with keeping it for a few months, then getting rid. It is creating work for you, but at least she is getting stuff out of her house.

Pitapotamus 12 months feels a long time for you to store unwanted stuff. Now and again I have given a charity shop bag to my parents who live far away to donate if I didn't want someone local to see I had donated stuff!

A few recent outs - 2 annoying bowls, a phone - this was a big one for me as had to charge it, restore factory settings etc. Was tempted to wait to sort another before I got rid but decided that was going to mean I waited months and then would forget which I had done! No idea what to do with the one with a totally broken screen as I can't delete the info on it.

I do find the nick knowles programme motivating but I really don't like the dramatic music at the start and how he says 'you do know it's not normal to live like this'. I think the Stacy Solomon programme was much more sympathetic.

I think all of the hoarding, decluttering programs have a air of shock horror at this disgusting freak. Which is why I never ask for help! I still love watching them. Also i secretly thank God i dont have bottles of wee and dead rats so i can feel better about myself.

However hoarding is hoarding and it matters not if its milk bottles of per, mummified rats or just my kids baby stuff. It's coming from the same issues so i try to never judge.

There is a hoarder on our road who had ten cars on his drive. Then put up a 8 foot fence around his front garden, then wood cars and crap started spilling out onto the grass and trees in front of the houses. His house must be worth 800k easily and i must admit i would hate to live near that.

Our old neighbour was a hoarder too. She was young twenties and had book shelves in front of her windows. Her door lock broke once so dh had to climb through her window and said he could bear get to the door to let her in. She had dirty pots of food on the floor.

I do really worry that I could easily end up like that. In fact my bedroom was almost fit to burst on a few occasions.

Its also terribly sad. Such a horrible illness. I always say if you was a alcoholic at least people might think you was fun. No one has sympathy for the more shocking mental health issues.

I could honestly see myself at 70 with ten dogs and four foot deep possessions over the carpet.

Saying that I had two bin bags in front of me of outgrown kids clothes waiting to pass over to their next life 🤣 they are all going to the disability play group. Ds had a swim.in a big puddle their Last week and came here in their spare PJ bottoms so I think they the clothes!

nordicmom that is really annoying about the bed and the dining table, not what you need when you're already under loads of pressure. Is the bed fixable? i hope you get everything sorted with minimal hassle.

pitapotamus does she come over often? Would she notice if you got rid of it straight away? I would start by saying 'thanks but we don't need it/ don't have the space' etc while chucking it out straight away and hope she gets the message and eventually just stops. If she didn't listen you could get more forceful and just say that it's going. It's tough because hoarding can be such a big mental health problem and noone wants to hurt a loved one.

I'm struggling to declutter at the moment, not really motivated, and also dc refuse to see their dad so it's causing extra housework and cooking. I do have one item for today which is this year's suncream which is going so that's a little space cleared in the downstairs toilet.

Next week I might start a few maintenance / diy jobs like replacing a toilet seat and some sink plugs. I also have moved the PileOfCrap from behind the settee to the playroom so I'm intending to actually get it out of the house.

I've also been watching the Nick Knowles declutter programme. I really like the decorator guy, I love seeing his tips. The one where they turned the tiny shed into an office is amazing. And even though I still need to touch up bits I missed in the hall and landing I'm now wondering whether to paint my kitchen blue!

Hi! I know I'm very late to the party but can I please join in?
I'm in the middle of decluttering/clearing out my youngest DC bedroom in preparation for the floor being taken up for a plumbing job in the next few weeks. I've already cleared a huge pile of toys they've outgrown -dolls house and furniture, soft toys (none of sentimental value), dressing up costumes etc which will be donated to charity shop or binned. I've also sorted the toys we will keep into under bed storage boxes. The bit that I'm not looking forward to (hence why I'm skiving on Mumsnet) is going through the last smallish pile of random Lego pieces and wooden beads! I know I need to do it but need some motivation for that last push.
This is just the start of a mass decluttering in our house. Every single room has piles of crap e.g. admin/mail, clothes worn once - not dirty enough to wash but worn so can't get put away with clean clothes, a million felt tip pens/crayons etc. I reckon I could do it all in a week if I had the motivation but don't want to waste annual leave on cleaning & tidying.
I'm thinking that once it's all decluttered the house should be easier for us or a cleaner to keep on too off but we've been here before...

LG parted with three Happy Birthday badges yesterday.

We drove round to DS's flat with three carrier bags of ancient cd-roms.

Next is his glassware, sometime next week.

I've just seen the comments on the Nick Knowles programme, I think I hadn't noticed the dramatic music or sense that people are being portrayed as freaks. To me the people on those programmes aren't freaks but people who for some reason got behind on house stuff (whether it was because of illness, childrearing, working) and needed help to catch up, a bit like me really. I started watching the American Hoarders programme on Prime about a year ago and got quite upset so gave up after a few. I don't particularly like Nick Knowles, I'm not sure what expertise he adds to the programme, it seems like the decorator is managing the team of people and making all the decisions.

Anyway I came back to say that I have found two children's character lamps that can be donated/ sold from dd1's pit of a room. In their place I have put a lamp from the sitting room so clearing extra space.

Welcome R00tat00tt00t well done, lego is the worst. We have loads of it too but I haven't quite managed to tackle it.

Went to see dsis and her new house today. She decluttered a ukulele. Toddler ds loves it. Ffs.

So dead now , we’ve done a lot though .
DH took a full carload to the dump this morning got my meds and the blankets from the laundromat. After that we packed manically until he got the van at 5 and took two loads with DS .
House is getting emptier but we don’t have most of our new furniture yet and now one major piece to organise a return and a replacement for too . I know how quickly the weekdays will go with DH at work and kids at school and there’s the funeral too . He’s got wed and thu off but we have at least one furniture delivery of hopefully 4 pieces and 2 appointments so he wont be here packing then fri he’ll spend mostly going to the funeral that only leaves us sat the day before movers so I’m still stressed despite all the progress .

• out another wheeled toy basket
• a huge plastic storage box of DS clothes from his wardrobe more I’m sure from the clean laundry pile
• earmarked an ironing board
• ditto the iron it’s ancient
• also old sheets and towels are going and being replaced
• and pillows and duvets , mattress and pillow protectors
• maybe dd bed will join all the rest of the furniture that’s going with the movers now that the slat broke will have to check the rest

DH also has thrown a quite a bit from the study as he packed . I am a bit unclear exactly what except a bunch of old laptops and phones went to the dump collection finally . Also some part of the cupboards there baskets and poles we will not need since we are not using them as wardrobes but cupboards in the future study too . In the new house there will be lots of space in them since all DH boxes of building related things will be going to the garage cupboards . He assures me it all will be in perfect order which I’m looking forward to !

Friday: threw out a level notes from 11years ago. Neighbour took 2 out of 4 ring binders.
Saturday: took two carrier bags of clothes, toys and toiletries to charity shop.

To do. Take to the dump, old car battery and pond pump. Collect together other items to take on the same run.

I got rid of my A Level notes last year @Bramblecrumble21, which was 25 years after I took the exams! So 11 years later isn’t too bad

DH’s new job is going well @RaspberryBlonde, thanks for asking! He’s still settling in, but is enjoying it so far. However, he is working from home more that we expected, which is tricky as we don’t have the space for both of us to WFH at the same time (tiny two-up, two-down terrace), so he isn’t decluttered out of the house as I expected I am going to request to return to the office a couple of days a week to make it easier.