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

Today I decluttered 11 used face powder compacts, as I finally had a chance to go into town and take them into the make-up recycling in Superdrug. I have been meaning to do this since I found out about the make-up recycling a few months ago.

I don’t tend to buy new things after decluttering, but one of my problems is not wanting stuff to just go to landfill, so I cling on to it. Those compacts have been collected over a few years as I realised how wasteful it was to throw them out, but they were just taking up space in my bedside cabinet because I didn’t know what else to do with them. Really glad I got rid of them today.

4 puzzles finally out today, plus two bags for life of recycling and a bin bag of rubbish.

Tomorrow’s aims in between volunteering/tutoring - Christmas decoration boxes and the tub of workbooks/activity books. Both should be pretty easy to declutter.

Today is more shuffling in the attic - the sofa bed and new desk arrived at 7.10 (mutter) so we need to chase the space to get them where they need to be. Then it's more lego down to DS3's new room and more boxes of DS1's stuff temporarily in the attic until we take it to him next week.

My volunteer work didn’t happen this morning so I have ended up with time to sort the workbooks/activity books already. Big pile to recycle, another pile to sell. A few with a couple of maths pages left for DS to do. Not keeping much at all really, just need to sort out how to store activity books/colouring type stuff for my youngest so she can access them.

incessant it sounds like you've made such a good start. I found keeping a log of how much I got rid of really made me feel like I'd achieved something but I do wish I'd taken some 'before' and 'after' photos.

CatrinVennastin I hope it goes well in the loft.

Yet more Room of Doom and I have made it so messy again. I have chucked out loads of papers like old medical letters, dental insurance and BUPA letters (we have none now and so probably don't need any?) and I found useful things like boiler information and the Building Regs certificate for a boiler.

I also found seven old videotapes and spent a long time trying to play them to see if I can get rid of them and the VCR machine. I couldn't get it to connect to the TV despite plugging wires in and out, will have to ask ex.

Half a bag of Christmas decorations out :o and organised the wrapping paper box.

46 things out yesterday and I'm posting some vinted bits tonight. Two bags handed over the charity shops.

I have started to volunteer in a kids charity shop once a week, which might turn out to be a great or terrible idea 😂 I brought five things from the shop today with the idea of replacing them with some of the kids tatty clothes.

I'm feeling less like having a decluttering tantrum today. Seeing people not washing things they donate and it all go into the rag sales is quite good for desensitization 😉 plus its mostly baby clothes so I dont want to buy that. I did see some lovely things and only let myself have a few things. In return I need to throw out a extra five tomorrow

Hi I’ve popped on a couple of these threads. Mainly lurk but love hearing what everyone is doing.

Had a bit of a clear out of the unit in the living room yesterday. Was started Sunday by Dh in order to accommodate his lego. 5 boxes of dvds and cds sorted and all in the charity bag (only a few kept). Also went thorough the computer games all the old Xbox ones that don’t work on the new Xbox. All the ps2 games we don’t want and the wii console and games all sorted ready to go to CEX. Unit dusted and sorted. Old CD player also going to the charity shop.

The one local to me takes donations from 9:30 so just need to get it all in the car and
Drop it off after school run. Plan on going to the shopping centre Friday to get rid of the rest.

I saw an app for sorting photos on your phone so I’ve been doing that as well. You do 50 a day and get achievements

The past 2 evenings have been getting dc to do 5 mins tidying in their room I help it’s amazing. What can get done. I’ve also stopped say just tidy it but telling him what to put away like tidy all the Mario stuff which seem to help him.

Despite my eyes closing out of tiredness all day ,like every day nowadays especially on Benadryl, I am going to go through all DD clothes tonight that I got DS to carry down for me to the living room very kindly ( DH was too busy to do it all day ) so I can do it after dinner while watching tv and it won’t be a such a horrible job . He did whine quite a lot while doing it though . I’ve already seen two pairs of too small trousers and I know there’s several coats . I think there’s quite a lot but it’ll be tough getting them back into the too small wardrobe again . I will also take out winter ones to pack away and replace with summer . There’s huge piles on the couch now so it’s a bit overwhelming but I’ll do it bit by bit and be happy afterwards . I was thinking I need to do the weekly cleaning in the first floor today but if I get this job all done today I’ll be very happy ! We had excellent news from DH work today so I’m cheered up by that . For a change something good happening !

Also was going to say I’m very inspired by all of your efforts to get going with it again despite this shattering tiredness so well done everyone !!!

Hurrah for good work news, Nordicmom and good going toomanyhobbies. Can I ask what the photo sorting app is? I am in pretty desperate need of encouragement on that front!

Today has seen several ins - a sofa bed, a desk and a nee duvet - but the packaging has already gone to the tip, and I took the crisps packets for recycling. My attic space is now useable and there is no excuse not to work / sew!

Ins today. A print for the house - needs a frame so will sort that this weekend I think.
And some sleep hats for my hair. Attempting to tame the frizz.

Outs. An empty primer and moisturiser. Wahoooo.

I’ve vowed to not buy clothes from now until next payday. Except bras. I need bras. My only other nude one has a hole and the wires poking through. And it squeaks. So once new bras arrive that ones going.

@IWillWashTheGreenWillow it’s called get sorted. I think I saw it on a fb de clutter group I’m in. It lets you sort 6 months for free then there is a charge I’m only on my 2nd month.

Through the app you select which month you want to sort you scroll through them and decide if you want to keep or bin. You work through in batches of 50 (likes you to do 50 a day) and once you’ve completed the month it asks you to confirm you want to delete the photos from your phone.

I’m on my 2nd month (I just pick the months with the most pics). I like it as it keeps track of where you where so can go straight to that point. Losing track of what I’ve sorted is where I normal fall down.

It also gives you a % of how many pics you keep or delete.

Today I shredded the paperwork that I sorted through last week, and went though the last of the paperwork in the folder of delivery notes/ order emails. I now have an empty file, a pile of paper in the recycling, and a small pile of paper to shred.

The empty file is going to be added to my bag of empty folders, so I need to decide what to do with them. I don’t want to throw them away if they could be reused or recycled.

78 out so far this week and I'm only on day five so I have smashed my ten items a day target.

I have - bags for the tip to go, cant face the tip today so I will gather more and go tomorrow.

A bag to donate and a bag for rags. I have put a big bag of free girls clothes on FB and if they dont go this week, that will go to charity too. I'm too far out for people to want to collect from my house for free low value items.

If I can keep this up I will allow myself a pat on the back. Until then I need to knuckle down

incessant that's fantastic. Can you see a difference yet? Hopefully that'll inspire you to do more.

I've filled a bag with more papers and shredded old credit card statements. I'm also doing lots of admin. I hopefully closed 2 bank accounts today. I attempted to do it in 2018 but there was some error by the bank. They only had about £30 between them so it's just not worth having the papers around and they kept sending statements to my mum even though I'd changed my address with them years ago! I also have a really old ISA with a book that hadn't been updated for about 10 years. So I paid some cheques in and got that updated. All this organisation is to help when I get divorced and have to declare how much money I have.

Last night I went through all DD clothes that I had DS carry down for me kindly . It took absolute hours but I’m so happy I did it since there was lots to go despite thinking I just sorted them in the fall . The remaining still needs carrying up to put back into her wardrobe so DH and DS will help me do that later when DH is home from his one day at the office a week . I got about one huge plastic storage box worth to go to charity shop and another smaller one to dump clothing and rag collection despite not having heart to let go of quite all of the too small clothes (I have an emotional issue with this due to really wanting a third child for y) I got rid of huge amount compared to the few I kept for now . Too many things going out to list and I didn’t keep exact count I just wanted them in bags and boxes and to be done and go to bed but roughly out ;
To charity

• 2 winter coats one wool , one down
• a windbreaker
• 4 pairs of trousers
• 4 sweaters (2 need washing first)
• a sweatshirt
• a lacy cardigan
• tank top
• a hooded sweatshirt
• a denim skirt
• a gymnastics leotard
• 4 sets of brand new thermals tops and bottoms
• a swimming costume
• unused thick tights
• some sports clothing
• DD brownies uniform( a long sleeved top , a short sleeved one , hoodie , shorts , leggings , hat and a thing to put the badges on )

Some of which brand new some nearly since she stopped going a while ago - DH new shorts To dump clothing collection ;

• 2 pairs of sweatpants
• DS sports kit
• a winter coat
• a sweatshirt
• several pairs of gloves
• tights

- swimming costume A bunch of stuff to the ragbag A hat and an unused painting coverall to the second hand uniform donation, I’ll add rest of DD good conditioned uniform to it and will take it all in at the end of term . Earmarked to go her school shoes and school trainers which will get replaced for the new school though ditto school bags and destroyed pencil case etc . There’s a few things try on to see if they fit still or otherwise I’ll add them to go piles . also need to look through new shoe boxes in her part of DS big wardrobes , there might well be some too small by now… Feels like I’m forgetting half ,I am very tired ! Also out ;

• a dog toy
• 2 kids wooden hangers

I’ll have to add what I’ve forgetting later !

A few ins today - charity shop books for DD2 mainly. But tomorrow seven carrier bags are being picked up by icollectclothes. And we decided to get rid of the Christmas tree, my parents bought it in 1987 for £25 so it’s had a good run! It’s just in really tatty condition now. The upstairs cupboard is really taking shape, I just need to properly pack up the Christmas decorations again (I bought bubble wrap today) as I want to protect the ones I am keeping.

We’ve agreed to get rid of the trampoline too - friend passed it on to us as they wanted rid of it, but it is too big for our little garden and a bit rickety after being assembled and taken apart lots etc. So that will free up some space as the actual mat is in the cupboard too.

Oh yes adding to dump

• 2 old large storage boxes
• 1 new broken one

-And DS broken electric drum headphones
To another subject ;DS National insurance Number finally came so that’s a job finished off my list !

-School sweatpants and music club t-shirt to dump collection

• tutu style party skirt to charity shop

Nordicmom it sounds like a good method getting all of dd clothes in front of you in one go. I'm quite a way off that with my dd as she is my youngest and only dd with three older brothers. I find her things hard. My older son buys his own clothes now.

I might try this with my youngest and middle boys draws which need replacing this weekend.

The boys only need x Pairs of each thing. Finding what x is, is tricky as I like to have around two weeks of clothes so I'm never under pressure to turn the washing around with four kids.

That also makes no sense as I wash every day and have a 10kg machine.

I found a pair of ds2 old school shoes I had saved so rotated them onto ds3 feet and ds3 current shoes into recycling. I dont think they will last much more than a term but its turned out handy as i dont want to get school shoes in the summer holidays (ds3 has ASD so although Clark's are amazing taking him out of the queue, who wants to be in Clark's at peak school shoe fitting time)

Youngest ds is isolating for 10 days after a positive case at school so i hope that doesnt ruin my decluttering plans. That's another good thing with being ahead of target.

Today I shredded the paperwork I had sorted through yesterday. Most of it had gone in the recycling, so I didn’t have much to do.

DH has done loads of sorting/ recycling/ shredding today, which is amazing After he’d emptied the contents of the box of paperwork into two large carrier bags last week, they were moved to a corner of the dining room and I had started to assume he wouldn’t do anything with them. However, today he went through one bag and recycled/ shredded most of it - looks like he only had a few pieces of paper to keep. I’m hoping he’ll do the other bag tomorrow!

EllieQ hurray for your DH efforts! Mine also sometimes surprises me by doing similar since I normally have to ask , beg and nag . He is very busy and the only one working outside the house through ( although nowadays in the house 4/5 days ...)
We got all DD stuff we’ve kept put back into the wardrobes and dump and charity shop loads to wait for the next trip to them ( DH just went on sat to both ) . Next 7 d days we’ll have far too much on inc DD party possibly in the rain ditto her sports day and puppy’s neutering too so just have to get through it all in one piece I don’t expect much extra stuff done in the house anytime soon ...

*The boys only need x Pairs of each thing. Finding what x is, is tricky as I like to have around two weeks of clothes so I'm never under pressure to turn the washing around with four kids.

That also makes no sense as I wash every day and have a 10kg machine.*

@IncessantNameChanger

this resonates with me. the dc have so many clothes. they don't need so many clothes. but working out what is the right amount is a nightmare. i also do a wash every day so in theory should only need around 2/3 weeks worth of clothes. however....this is not the case.

outs today:

• cardboard boxes in recycling
• garlic granules - used this up in another batch of homemade "everything bagel" seasoning (i am obsessed with this....a mix of dried onion, salt, black sesame seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic granules - it is delicious on salad, homemade bagels, homemade bread, pasta, pizza....)
• a pair of loafers (mine) faux suede blush coloured. but have been marked when driving on the heel. i've tried to clean but the mark won't budge. they were cheap shoes anyway so have ditched.
• coffee body scrub and bar soap used up
• bag of hangers binned. i should have taken then to the charity shop really, but have nothing else to go and didnt want them hanging around in the garage.

have also deleted a few photos from my phone.