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

Doing some more sorting and tidying. LOs are gravitating towards screens after school, and bypassing their toys

Looking through colouring and puzzle books which LG is finished with, and realising that I can't imagine that LB will ever be interested in the same things. Maybe the after-school club will like some of the less used books if I pull out the completed pages. And some of the colour pencils.

I know Stealth. It's not urgent but would just like to know! No news today either so I've just rebooked the collection.

Mommabear sometimes it's best just to get rid unless you have something worth a lot. Anytime I try to sell anything it just ends up being a hassle.

Nice to see you again Vino and good to hear that your treatment is progressing.

@Mommabear20 we have the same issue. The only stuff that seems to sell quickly for us is brand names, like a baby bjorn bouncer and nothing else.

I thought I hadn't decluttered anything today as haven't consciously thought about it but did manage to pass on a few baby bits to a friend. I've got a big box in my kitchen that need to get rid of so I'm going to offer one other friend to have a look and then ruthlessly get it out of the house. Unfortunately I think the stuff isn't good enough for a charity shop!

Toys are a big one for us. But it's tricky as have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and the 1 year old is still into all the baby toys!

I’m dead tired but here’s a tip of the iceberg of what’s out in the move :

• a dining table and 6 chairs
• a kids desk and chair
• a dresser
• chest of drawers
• a low book case
• a glass doored cabinet
• a large coffee table and a small side table
• toy chest
• 2 single beds
• 3 single mattresses
• a kids bookshelf
• an arm chair
• 2 footstools
• a double toystorage unit
• kids wardrobe
• a single wardrobe
• a narrow tall bookcase
• several duvets
• lots of pillows
• 4 mattress protectors
• lots of pillow protectors
• old towels
• old sheets
• kitchen bin
• a few bathroom bins
• a couple of plastic laundry baskets
• 2 wooden drying racks
• dish drying rack plus old brushes etc

I can't wait to get rid of all the big baby items! The Moses basket, baby bouncer, jumperoo etc. I'm gonna keep trying to sell the old pushchairs as they should go for a bit but the rest is just gonna go to the charity shop!

That's a cracking list @Nordicmom!

Also DH went to empty our old fridge so most of that contents ditto old food from the freezer he brought the new ones here . a mountain of cardboard etc , 2 vegg truggs etc are heading out prob with a waste collection company so we can get rid of the rest all in one go .
DH was home from work took dd to school and went to collect the last few boxes , took a load to dump , took our old house keys to our agent (were meant to be completing on our old house sale tomorrow not the rental we just moved from that’s ours for two more months booking the cleaners still and moving bikes , selling bike box ) , got my meds . We were worrying about the further distance to drive there and back repeatedly atm but DH found petrol with no queue on the school run ! Then we had the damaged table collected when he was out and they delivered the larder that’ll give us lots more space . I’ve not had enough sleep for several nights and my sleeping in the day went out the window . I’m so shattered only now having a shower and worrying about school run since I was having trouble with it already and late yesterday at pickup . Loosing my mind but managed a few more things after taking my meds . So much more to do not just unpacking and organising which will take weeks since we don’t even have all our furniture and so slow being ill but all the damn admin. Praying our house sale goes through without further delay

We’ll when we moved to our rental 18 m ago I couldn’t yet replace what I wanted to not knowing what kind of house we’d buy so now we then did replace most of our stuff with new all at once . we only ordered them a few weeks ago . we had 3 to pack etc to be out before any viewings we didn’t want to be in our rental for so it was an insane hurry . We have most of our stuff now I guess but missing a few beds , two chest of drawers , 2 bedside tables , 2 dining tables and chairs for one of them , tv room sofa , guest room furniture , garage storage cupboards and shelves ,and our shutters are ordered for January so temp blinds in all but utility and attic room windows now . DH is ordering more for them tonight . Garden needs landscaping , shed building etc . With my illnesses it all seems an insurmountable mountain of tasks on top the sudden school run again ,the dog by myself etc since DH is suddenly in the office 4 d a week after 18 at home doing everything . Can’t get a cleaner until we’ve unpacked either . I know I’ll just have to do one thing at a time and that it’ll get better especially once we get the kitchen / dining / family room cleared of a thousand boxes but right now I just can’t deal with anything at all I just need sleep !

Vino , I’m sorry I missed your message before writing . I’m glad to see you back and want to send you all my love and lots of strength to get through rest of your treatment ! 🤗

Just checking in briefly dismantled a few small cardboard boxes to take to tip. Found some empty packets in the medicine cupboard. Helped sort garage at ILs at weekend so can barely stand after bending over looking through old 35mm film canisters full of nearly straight nails Reinforced the importance of decluttering

Oh and nice to see you back @Vinorosso74 glad to hear treatment well underway

Inspired by you all I bagged up some of Dds treasures in a bag for life I don’t like (MIL gave it to DS (15) with presents in as she thought it was a boyish bag, it said Fries before Guys 🧐😂) and I took it to the charity shop.

I know DD wants a big boot sale thing but the truth is I don’t care about the money and just want things out.

Also gave back a long borrowed book (with chocolates).

Did pick up an ordered book from the library but that’s short term stuff.

And went through one random kitchen cupboard and binned the crumbs in a few sprinkle pots, as well as other out of date stuff.

Going to clear out the garage tomorrow and take everything to either the top or the charity shop! My cousin is coming to go through the baby clothes for her LO before I take them. Have also (god knows how!) managed to convince DH to part with 4 items, he's not used in our entire relationship!

I keep typing messages and losing them. Bloody phone.

vinorosso welcome back! I was wondering how you were the other day. Enjoy some and with us.

mommabear I hate selling things but have made quite a lot of money doing it. I tend to have bursts of activity where I put a dozen things up for sale and encourage buyers to come on the same day so if I get a no show it doesn’t matter. I also am quite strict about taking something to a charity shop if it doesn’t sell in a week.

livinginabuildingsite well done, it feels so good to get rid of a big bag of stuff especially if you don’t like the bag.

I am still tidying and housing stuff from the storage furniture I emptied yesterday. Dc have Nintendo switches and Nintendo ds’s and I have been trying to put the games in the correct boxes. I’m allowed to sell or give a few away. Dc seem to have a habit of putting the wrong games in the wrong boxes and the boxes are all over the place. Ziffit has offered me money for one of the games but I can only find the empty box. It’s tiny so tomorrow will involve finishing this.

Vino hope the rest of your treatment goes well.

Have done quite well here recently, just noticing things more and more that can go. Put some pairs of socks in textile recycling that I never reach for, in fact I will go through the odd sock bag before pick them. Going to buy some new ones though as I have been getting rid of ones with holes once worn and running out! (Do I need to wash holey socks before putting in textile recycling?)

A few more baby clothes in the charity bag, and a full charity bag left the house this week. I'm usually not bad at getting rid once I've made the decision.

Thank you for the welcome backs and well wishes.
No outs today but several admin jobs done.

pineappleapple I always wash hokey socks / clothes before they go in the rag bag. Then I forget about the holes, dry them and put them away, dc wear them, I notice the holes, cycle repeats. But occasionally I notice them after they’re clean and they go.

Lovely to have you back @Vinorosso74 and I’m glad the treatment is going well.

Very little progress here recently. I made a start on DD’s age 2-3 clothes on Sunday, and went through the leggings and hoodies, and today I took the bag I’d sorted out to the charity bank.

As ever, it’s getting the time and energy that’s the problem for me. I saw another thread today asking how people find the time to be organised, and I knew exactly what the OP meant

I feel that all my spare time (when I’m not at work or looking after DD) is taken up with just doing the basics of cooking, cleaning, housework, laundry (even with DH doing his share). Like this weekend, I felt ill on Friday and Saturday, so didn’t get the usual weekend tasks done, and it’s been a struggle to catch up. What are we doing wrong that means we’re so inefficient compared to others?!?

Ellie you aren’t doing anything wrong I think most people with families struggle with too much to do . We are forever tired and struggling to get things done it’s just never ending and made 100 times worse by my illnesses. Right now I feel like I can’t do anything and I’m too tired to be suddenly to be in charge of the dog , doing the damn school run etc . I have been too tired to unpack much DH has been doing it I need 12 h of sleep straight and it’s not happening . I feel a collapse coming and DH says he’s getting sick . I just want to stop but the list has a hundred things on it . I did book a Christmas ocado delivery today that’s something and got myself more sheets . Tv got mounted above the fireplace and DH bedside table came I don’t know if he‘s had time to look at it yet . My bedroom is far too bright In the with just the temp blinds in the window so DH ordered Blackout ones like on his windows. Shutters should be better when they eventually arrive .

We have been too busy and tired to attend either of the occasions at DD new school to meet all her teachers ,I just don’t have it in me atm . I did go to a coffee morning to meet a few parents . Also didn’t go to a 11+ talk but all that info is online . I’ve notified DH of DD y5 play dates though so he can be prepared and make sure he’s available . I have to stop typing my arthritic wrist is hurting. Have got to sleep anyway .

@EllieQ we are the same here - and the house is still chaos!

@Nordicmom the cheap blackout paper blinds are a really good temporary solution. We had them when we got new windows and they were really effective (too effective as we were then slower in getting proper blinds in as no urgency!)

I don't think I got rid of anything yesterday but am going to tackle a wardrobe today and take some bits to the recycling bank I've already sorted

ellieq I'm sure there's nothing wrong with your efficiency, you just have a busy life!

I don't know if this will help but I like to think of clutter as being long-term/ historical and everyday (letters, recycling etc), and I find that by chipping away at the historical it does make the everyday easier to handle. It sounds like you're doing a great job with your dd's clothes. I know children's clothes can be difficult to do but once you have decluttered up to age 5 (I think she must be year 2?) it will get easier and you should (hopefully) become more mindful of what you buy.

Dd1 announced she needs a new winter coat so I drove to the shops and stupidly left my card at home so couldn't buy one! I did drop off a big bag of stuff to my favourite charity shop but there weren't any volunteers in the shop this time to look down at me!

I agree chipping away at the historical stuff does make managing the day to day easy manage. A lot of paperwork seems to have built up here in recent months which needs to be tackled.
Today's out a small bag of things to one of the charity shops. I also went in another where the bookshelves were sparse so will donate some of our books there.

Have loaded the car up with stuff from the garage today to take to the charity shop tomorrow morning. There's still 1, nearly 2 car loads of stuff to go! Plus the Christmas decorations that are still in the house! 🤦‍♀️

I think even the people that have it all organised and together from an outsiders perspective, have some chaos or disorganisation somewhere in their lives, we just can’t see it.

Have packaged up 2 x scouts shirts, 2 x Cubs shirts and 2 x Cubs jumpers to post to various people (they are paying postage), will have time tomorrow to go to the PO.

Need to do more in the kitchen before the builders properly come into the house (one currently drilling holes in my kitchen wall for temporariy pipes).