Decluttering one item a day thread number 19 – running out of ideas for original titles

[stealthninjamum]

Another ‘one a day’ thread. We’re still here.

This is a group of mumsnetters who are slowly decluttering our spaces and organising our lives, chatting as we go.

We all want to live in a nicer, emptier, clearer more relaxing environment and this is our space to talk and moan about our husbands and children who often do not share our desire for such a peaceful, decluttered haven!

We only aim to get rid of one item a day, when we have time, although often we manage more. Newbies are always welcome to join us.

Previous thread here.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4259830-Decluttering-one-item-a-day-thread-number-18-quickly-stashing-our-clutter-in-charity-shops-now-we-can-let-people-back-inside-our-houses?pg=1

Oh definitely!!

Research. Just like My Filthy House, Stacey’s programme, even How to Spend Less. All worthy research time 📺

Spent most of November tidying and sorting and trying to stay afloat.

Last Thursday I finally got drinks glasses and mugs to DS's flat after the school run. First outs in weeks.

Have bundled up more outgrown clothes. Some were outgrown in a few short weeks, and are still in very good condition. Keeping them separate until I figure out whether to try to sell. Of course, clothes need replaced, so I'm forcing myself to buy just the essentials during these growth spurts.

Also decluttered and filed paperwork, and made an appt that's been long overdue. Felt a lot lighter after that.

Well done MrsTidyHouse!

Out (from yesterdays sorting of DDs room mostly):
Bag of random bits to charity shop
Box of girls clothes to charity shop
Also bag of medals (from parents boxes of crap - not sure what they can do with them but I did check and she said yes to having them) to charity shop

Bag of books added to local free book library

Bag of books back to library (been sat by the front door waiting for days!)

Also have some old school uniform to pass on
A karaoke machine Dd doesn’t want anymore
A lava lamp ditto
A CD player ditto

My house does not yet look minimalist though lol!

I'm desperate to have a more minimalist house! I don't think I'd ever go full minimalist, as I do like ornaments and things around, but I'm just so tired of 'stuff!'

Have 3 pairs of slippers that are too small for DS so they have started a new a new bag of things to go.

Stepping back in to the thread after a few weeks of just one item a day going out. Hope everyone is keeping well and making the progress you want to achieve.
Have started back on a more organised declutter. Dropped 2 bags (max allowed) to the local charity shop this morning.
Room of Doom still needing more work. Have a guest in there at Christmas so some sorting will happen if only to make it presentable. I hope to get a drawer and cupboard done before the weekend. It will involve DH's input as there are now 3 cameras plus chargers/leads etc that need organising and he can then decide what will happen with them - E-bay was mentioned.
Awaiting pick up of the company staff gifts from DH (bought, written and wrapped by me!) and that will be 4 large boxes out of the shed and a tick on my Christmas 'to do' list.
Hope everyone stays safe from the storm - very wet and windy here.

I’ll never be truly minimalist anyway as I grew up abroad and have kids of bits and bobs that I’d never get rid of.

Doing some emails at the computer and for some reason looked in DH’s office drawers. Now have a pile on his desk that I think can go, plus some rubbish in the bin.
Plus separate bags of cables that I recognise, plus a pile of those I don’t!

Oh yes and found an old scanner I used to use, now use the Notes app on my phone. Wonder if anyone could use it still. It’s missing it’s cable though, of course. 🙄

Full big bag of music ready to go to a friend this evening.

Lots of boring laundry to sort next, although some of DDs can probably go as I go through it.

DF, PIL, 1 niece and 1 nephews Christmas presents went today! Only have 4 more to go but 2 of those are going on Friday!

Decluttered three men's shirts that are my size, but tailored fit, so no hope of fastening around the waist.

Would love a minimalist house, but tend to get very anxious at the idea of ever making a decision. My biggest worry is that I want my excess to be used by someone else, rather than recycled at the dump or, worse still, put in landfill.

Today I tackled the "present cupboard" which is a huge floor to ceiling beast. All the Christmas presents I've bought so far are all now sorted into individual bags by recipients and tidily put away on one shelf. All the bits and bobs I've accumulated to give as presents and now won't - mainly craft kits and art books suitable for younger teens - are packed up to go to the charity shop (hopefully tomorrow as it was too wet today). The remainder of the cupboard is full of fabric to go downstairs to my new sewing cupboard. All that is left to sort through are 2 storage bags of clothes which will go to Thrift or traid depending on the labels.

Hello! Please can I join? We’re hoping to move next year and golly, do I need to declutter. Hopefully I will get rid of at least 40% of everything in this house (the attic is stuffed with - -crap- - DH put up there 23 years ago when we moved here 😳)
So far 350 or so books have gone to the library (20 big bags full), I have 7 black bags of clothes that I will put in the charity bin near me and I have ‘done’ our bedroom.
Second bedroom is my target next, followed by my craft room then the airing cupboard and bathroom.
Number of items declutter Ed? Probably about 750 or 800? I didn’t count?
I need regular prodding to keep going........😄

Welcome YanTan, you’re already doing very well!

Londonmummy - that good going. I wish I had a present cupboard. With a lock for the DC not to get in!
I have to sort of hide stuff in my normal wardrobes in big black bags and hang the clothes awkwardly in front.

Big bag of music went tonight.
DDs clothes from the laundry that are too small went into the fabric recycling as that’ll go quicker than me making it back to the charity shop.

Out most of tomorrow so prob won’t get rid of much/anything.

@LivingInABuildingSite - I used to wish it had a lock as DDs were constantly snooping. It is in my bathroom so they'd wait until I wan't in a position to stop them - either washing my hair or sitting on the loo and then in they'd come!

Hahaha 🤣 if my kids are anything like me, I'll need 5 locks on my present cupboard! 😂 my parents used to have a Christmas outing with friends every year and me and my sister would stay home with their friends kids ( once we were all above 10), I was the eldest of the younger ones, so after they all fallen asleep and the older ones were playing video games, I'd sneak into my mum and dads room, pick the lock and have a good old nosy at my presents 😂

Have a couple of bits and pieces I'm going to deliver to people this morning and then going to stay at one end of the house and work my way through as much of it as I can, mainly tidying but clearing out anything I come across that we don't need while I go. Hoping the kids nap for a reasonable amount of time! If not my mum is having my DD for a few hours tomorrow morning so I can always tackle the rest then. 🤞🤞🤞

Dd play date is tomorrow. Nothing like having guests to motivate me. I'm shocked again at quickly things go wrong if it's not kept on top of constantly.

@IncessantNameChanger right there with you! I feel like I get the house sorted then in a few days it's a complete mess again! I feel like I need 2 houses! 1 for me and a second for DH, DC and the dogs 😂

Christmas boxes of staff gifts collected to go to our business. Remaining packaging is in the recycling bin.

Next task is the cameras in the Room of Doom.

Some amazing progress YanTan. Hope the swift 'tidy up' works for those expecting visitors.

Decluttered another shirt into my wardrobe from DS. Handy for gardening and diy.

Also decluttered another paper-related task. That felt good.

Got one of DS's old toys out tonight, which proved popular with LOs. A sort-of declutter.

Old scanner collected, hope it still works.

Raffle prizes taken to an event, 2 brought home as me and DD each won!
One is a fancy shopping bag though which is useful and I keep giving mine away filled with stuff.
The other is a jigsaw so I can do it and pass on.

Well today didnt go as well as I had hoped. There might be an awful lot dumped on my bed for tomorrows play date now.

I'm thinking about doing a series of mini Stacey Solomon sort your life out declutter room by room next year.

We have lived here for 20 years and in that time had 4 kids. I'm convinced that never moving is half the issue as we have never packed up and rationalised what we have by pulling everything out.

We might room by room pack everything. Decluttering and cleaning. Leaving just the furniture, decorate than unpack. We could hire a small storage space.

We really need to try to move who is in what bedroom too at some point. Feels like a good idea. Not sure we can do it but I think we need too. We have to empty our garage too before Christmas

Hello YanTan* it sounds as if you've done a lot of good decluttering already.

@IncessantNameChanger - that sounds like a good idea - it wouldn't work here though as no one would help with clearing the rooms

Not a great day today as I had to take DD2 to a hospital appointment and the 1 operation next year has now turned into 2 - she was so upset I had to take her for some retail therapy which will no doubt be coming back from school with her at the weekend.

I did manage to take yesterdays charity shop bag to the shop and something sold on ebay overnight so I posted that - so one thing did get decluttered completely today. Tomorrow is DD's carol service and a concert so I doubt I will get much done. Rather frustrating as I was getting into it.

My mass blitz today is looking less and less likely! 🤦‍♀️ DS was up 3 times last night so I'm absolutely exhausted today! Still going to try as DD is out with my mum but not feeling overly hopeful of getting the whole house done 😭

Feeling very motivated though reading through everyone else's posts! Keep up the good work guys!!

@londonmummy1966 oh poor dd. That's very sad. Its certainly hard to do this around kids or other demands of life.

I have so far thrown out about 40 things from my hall wall. I'm going to box some things up then deal with them on my bed knowing the house is good enough for the play date. Not ideall but I just want to make sure it's perfect as it can be for dd. She hasnt have a playdate for about two years due to covid and other things. The trick is being fast and ruthless and I am slow and want to keep everything!

I found a chicken leg bone on the hall shelf today. How low have we sunk? 🤣

just got 2 bags of clothes for NDN's child (will go today) and 1 for next charity bag ready to go. want to carry on but headache creeping up

I really don't know how all of you with DC manage it - I remember doing a huge blitz when mine were in primary and it nearly killed me trying to rush around and do it in the hours when they were at school let alone having preschoolers swarming around your knees.

I have been through the bags of clothes in the big cupboard and split them into a half bag for Thrift+ which is bagged up in the bottom of the cupboard for when I get to my wardrobe and a bag of stuff for the charity shop. We are going down to see DC shortly so I might put it in the car in the hope we can drop off on the way.

ha ha londonmummy preschoolers swarming? 🤣 I always say my 4 'swarm' but they're all school age