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

Box of stamps gone to friend ✅

Silly small lunchbox added to charity bag
Too small coat for DD to charity bag

Not much else done today.

Yesterdays tidy up was the most productive I have been at tidying and sorting for a long, long time.

However a lot of things to sort did go on my bed so dh had to sleep with the kids last night while I slept with half the bed full of clutter. I'm going through it today and it's so much easier putting stuff into a bag for life then taking each bag and sorting it bag by bag.

So on that basis I do think I'm going to try boxing everything up and taking it to storage. I could sort when it goes in and comes out of boxes. Even if I only did a few rooms I think it would really help.

Another play date tonight so more sorting then make sure the bed is cleared!

Nearly lost it with DH yesterday when he kicked up a fuss about my wanting to drop a bag off at a charity shop on our way to see DD yesterday - we literally drive past about 20 so how hard can it be? SO now I've blitzed the girls room and filled bin bags with stuff and put them in the car together with 4 carrier bags of books - he will have to drop them off alone tomorrow on his way to collect DD from school. I'm feeling smug....

I also sorted out all the crap on the conservatory window sill. Now there's just a basket with garden things in and a second one with shuttlecocks. One empty German biscuit tin has been repurposed to hold some Christmas candleholders and candles etc. Seemed a nice logical way to find a place for them!

I also finished organising my sewing cupboard - feeling really happy with it.

Had a few ins today but not feeling bad about them. DM and I had a look in some local charity shops and I've got about 8 new items of clothing for DC in bigger sizes than they currently need but all for £5! 3 of them still have tags on from the original store!

But have got all (but 1) Christmas presents out and delivered now! 🙌🙌

Got a hello fresh box in yesterday (think it’s the last one as I cancelled it) which is handy for the next charity collection.
About 5 things in it so far.

Have bought myself new nail scissors as mine have not turned up after disappearing weeks ago.

So not exactly doing brilliantly.

But out:
A knackered microwave after eldest dc charcoaled some microwave popcorn in it! Tried all the tips online but it still stank. Plus I’m getting new ones in the new kitchen and it was on its last legs.

Forgot to mention the big "in" yesterday which was the return of DDs simply enormous harp - have now lost half my sitting room again. It's not as if she is going to practice over the holidays so she could have left it at school.

@londonmummy1966

Forgot to mention the big "in" yesterday which was the return of DDs simply enormous harp - have now lost half my sitting room again. It's not as if she is going to practice over the holidays so she could have left it at school.

Lol, that is a big In!

The trials of musicians. I’m fairly small as play clarinet and bass clarinet, which is a bit bigger.
Used to look after the keyboard and amp for my (amateur) orchestra but luckily have found it a home at the rehearsal venue.
Dd has piano lessons and has a small crappy keyboard in her room, but she wants to quit in July so not investing in anything else. Want her to try something else, thinking clarinet or flute though to keep it small.
Ds1 plays oboe which is nice and small but tempted to get him an alto sax for his 16th to try and help him be cool, haha. He’s an ultimate geek.

@LivingInABuildingSite - I was clarinet and sax - one of the first things I decluttered was my old (first) clarinet as I have wrecked my hands so can no longer play it. I cried all the way home after dropping it off.... Also managed to sell a cello - only 2 to go....

I have a lot of big instruments hanging around at home -- piano/spinet/harp/double case of violin and viola and DD1 will no doubt bring a cello home and DD2 a full set of 6 recorders. I did manage to find alternative accommodation for the full size harpsichord but it is no fun trying to live a normal life around that lot!!!

I have found my people! Hello everyone 👋
It may well be somewhere in this or a previous thread…safe secure disposal of laptops? I’d be so happy to donate for repurposing but am worried about security (I can’t face finding chargers for the 15 years worth pile, rebooting and doing something I wouldn’t be confident in anyway). I just want to give them away!

Haven't caught up with the thread properly but hope everyone is doing OK.

Still lots of Christmas things in but quite a few are going off to the recipients this weekend. I've been binning a steady stream of drawings etc too. Don't think I will be managing more than one a day until after Xmas though!

We have quite a few instruments knocking around the house two including a giant amp that DH switches on twice a year! DD really wants to learn cello but have started her with violin because of the size. She has to get it into school anyway, one of the other mums from her class told me the other day she had helped DD carry her bags from the bus to the classroom as she had so much!

I haven’t been on for ages. Dd2 broke up from school yesterday so I’ve been trying to do as much present shopping and organisation as I could while she was at school. Declutteringwise not much has been happening. I’ve just been getting rid of packaging from deliveries, post, freezer food etc. My job now is to sort through dd2’s school bag as it’ll be full of artwork and Christmas cards and sweet papers.

Welcome VanTan that’s such a good start!

incessant that sounds like a good idea to empty each room out. I hope the playdate went well. Your bed sounds like mine. Because I’m on my own most of the time half of my bed has sorted washing and other crap.

Welcome fazabulous in my area we have a couple of initiatives to recycle laptops to give to poorer kids especially those who really suffered without proper IT in lockdown. They wipe them. Perhaps you can see if there’s something like that in your area.

Hi all just checking in but sadly not much to report. Up to date with all the recycling, post etc. There is a pile of things coming in for Christmas slowly growing in the hall. Lego sorting still on going but slowly - think I have to persuade DH that it is a longer term project. A few stocking filler type small pieces have sold though.
At least the things the kids have asked for are quite small but pricey one of the benefits of having teens I guess! Rereading the Dana White books to keep my interest up. I think today I will have a scout around see if I can get together a box for music magpie/ziffit

I ended up clearing a load of photos of STBXH from drawers (to make room) late last night including wedding photos, he can just keep what he wants, I did keep one very cute one of him and youngest laughing as a baby tho. also a load of not needed instruction manuals went in the recycling. very easy actually. there's still more photos that can go this was literally just what passed through my hands

We had a charity that had an IT guy who would wipe stuff first. I gave them my ‘old but not that old just I never used it anymore’ laptop in one of the lockdowns.

Getting ready for a run tomorrow I went through my running stuff, I know I have too much. But one sports bra and a pair of shorts into the charity box. And tidied the rest.

Will be bringing everyone’s music folders back after the concert tonight to take out the Christmas music as I’m the ‘librarian’ so that’ll make a mess everywhere 🙄 the folders will go back out in Jan though and already have summer music in left from pre covid! Organised by accident lol.

The playdate went really well. I'm so happy as I haven't invited anyone in for ages. Got that out of the way and hopefully will do more next year. I have sorted so much. Two bags for life of paperwork for example but looking around it's made zero difference!

Most definitely going to pack up in boxes and hire storage as I noticed at least obsolete broadband hubs while looking for cards in the side board!

We are both hoarders / lazy as dh put them.in there. Why? I despair at us sometimes. On a positive note we went out for dinner so getting on better this week. I have told him he needs to keep up after the playdate and he thinks the packing up is a good idea. It's just so hectic with four kids near Christmas.

Also lots of the kids close friends have covid. Roll on end of term!

Have struck up a deal with my mother that we can use half of her garage for storage in return for her getting the DC for 1 morning a week (she feels this is a compromise, I feel it's a win win!) 😂 so I'm going to have a think of what I want to keep but could realistically be put into storage there, suitcases etc.

@stealthninjamum
Thank you, will look into that

Morning all. Have been failing on the decluttering front A combination of work stress, being ill (a cold, not COVID), and just struggling in general. I’ve had blood tests and they’ve confirmed I have low iron hence my low energy levels, so that partly explains it too.

This week I went through the pile of paper on the dining room table and did the usual shred/ recycle/ in the box to file/ drawings in the artwork folder, so that’s something.

Just need to keep plodding on!

@EllieQ

poor you. I take Floradix with iron tablets because and it's non-constipating so I highly recommend it.
take vit D as well, I use a spray.

Have to get the complete house tidied today, we have our landlord coming tomorrow to look at some maintenance that needs doing in the lounge, but have had a message this morning asking if they can do a walk through to check the rest of the property as they haven't been in over 5 years! Praying that the kids both nap at the same time today so I can get it done! Tbf it's not too bad but definitely not landlord ready!

@Mommabear20 - fingers crossed re naps and tidying

@EllieQ - low iron is a nightmare - I take medication that has an anticoagulent as an (unwanted) side effect so am constantly battling this. I found a cast iron cooking pot helped.

DH dropped a bootful of stuff off yesterday and I am currently tackling a soft toy mountain belonging to DD19.

@londonmummy1966 yeah naps didn't happen at the same time, so very little has got done but DH should be home soon so I'm hoping to get the worst bits done before tea. And maybe get a bit done after DD goes to bed tonight.

@Mommabear20 - they never nap when you need them to!

I put together a bin bag of the non sentimental cuddly toys belonging to my 19 year old to go to a charity event. She came home this evening, went through the bag and rescued a few. Her little sister then attempted to rescue some more. I give up!!!

@londonmummy1966 haha nope! They never do! 😂
I think my mum would sympathies with you about the teddies 😂 I'm 28 and still have every teddy I ever got as a child 😆

DD1 (7.5) has started watching the Stacey Solomon decluttering programme and had it on on Sunday morning. I think it must have subliminally suggested something to DP as he suddenly pulled out the dressing up box and asked the children if they still wanted to keep anything! We ended up keeping a couple of Disney princess dresses which have been hung up in the wardrobe, everything else went in the textile recycling bag (it's pretty ragged by now) and the box itself, which is cardboard, broken down and put in the recycling. One small space cleared....

Couple of textile bags out on Sunday and a load of clean laundry folded and put away, plus DP took some piles of work papers into the office last week for shredding or returning, which has cleared some space on the living room window sill. In fact, I might see what else can go from there, give it a good clean and set up the nativity on it...