Page 17 | I just found out how tidy people keep tidy!!!!!

MrsBobDylan · 2021-10-25T19:37:02+00:00

I have not felt this excited since I discovered sanitary towels can prevent new boot blisters. You had better sit down. Tidy people have less stuff. That's how they stay tidy. No one bothered to tell me this life changing information. Bastards. We are downsizing to a flat from a four bed house with a garage. I reckon I have donated/taken to the tip, at least half of the contents of our house. We didn't need all that shit. I don't think I liked most of it. Turns out, two mixing bowls is fine, 3 pans, 10 mugs, one duvet cover/pillowcase for each bed, no spare bedding for guests since they can bring their own, 6 bath towels, one coat each, three pairs of shoes each...I could go on. Since decanting half of my house, it is lovely and tidy. I move a few things from room to room each day and clear the kitchen at the end of day. All manageable. I even have time for a nap on the sofa fgs. Now my cupboards are not filled to the brim, I can PUT THINGS IN THEM. The easiest and most satisfying clear out, was the knick knack cull. Photo frame we got for our wedding? Gone. Glass vase from my Uncle Harry? Gone. Mini collection of ornamental owls? Get in there! It is easier to clean a house with less stuff in it. Surfaces get a quick wipe, floors are mopped without have to slalom round tables, chairs and plant stands. If you have a friend who feels overwhelmed by keeping house, please pass this on. You're welcome

MrsDeaconClaybourne · 27/10/2021 14:22

I've still got my duvet covers but am going to get rid after reading this thread.

frankienotbenny · 27/10/2021 14:22

Oh, the irony. I'm having a declutter at the moment, something that doesn't come easily to me as I'm in the "it might come in handy one day" camp.
Being post menopausal I looked at an opened packet of sanitary towels in the back of a drawer, decided noone else would want an open packet and threw them away. Yes, into the bin.
And now I learn that they are the only thing in the whole wide world you're allowed to hang onto, just in case you buy new and uncomfortable footwear!!

woodhill · 27/10/2021 16:49

Old duvet covers are good for decorating

I kid you not dh kept the polystyrene from a delivery on top of cupboard- it might come in handy

Roxy69 · 27/10/2021 16:50

Genius.

Practicebeingpatient · 27/10/2021 17:33

I have adopted the one in, one out policy and more often than not I do one in , two or three out.

I had a big birthday recently and was given a designer handbag. I loved it so much I bought myself another one. But in mitigation I then gave several old handbags to a charity shop. They were nice bags but not as nice as my lovely new ones. The new handbags are definitely bringing me joy but the newfound space in the wardrobe brings me nearly as much joy again!

speakout · 27/10/2021 17:42

I have adopted the one in, one out policy

Same here. I have no need for multiples of stuff.

Wantosleep39 · 27/10/2021 18:58

I constantly get rid of stuff. We are family of four and I don’t have much plates, bowls or mugs. Just enough. I get rid of every single thing that I don’t use. I know what I have even in my garage. And yes I am super tidy that’s why I hate keeping stuff that I do t use.

Benjispruce4 · 27/10/2021 21:13

Old duvet covers are in the garage . Great dust sheets.

Tailendofsummer · 27/10/2021 22:17

@speakout

I have adopted the one in, one out policy

Same here. I have no need for multiples of stuff.

I tried this, but dc1 objected too much.

Practicebeingpatient · 27/10/2021 22:28

My DH hates getting rid of anything. He wore his old school overcoat to work in the city until he was in his 30s. It was navy and so worn out that you could see the white threads where all the wool had worn away. It was literally threadbare. I eventually bought him a new one and he ceremoniously hung the old one up in the wardrobe! I chucked it out a couple of days later and he didn't even notice but he just can't bear to throw things away. .

Recently our toaster oven burnt out and wasn't getting hot anymore. We both checked it over and declared it properly defunct so I put in the garden to be taken to the recycling centre. He actually said ' that was a bit speedy Patience' as if he expected us to have a mourning period before disposing of that broken metal box.

He retires next year and he still has every payslip he has ever received and every appointment diary he has ever used. He THINKS we still have all our utility bills, car records, insurance policies etc going back to the,purchase of our first house 35 years ago. He is sadly mistaken. I haven't thrown away the back and credit card statements though. I think that might break him.

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/10/2021 22:30

@frankienotbenny

Oh, the irony. I'm having a declutter at the moment, something that doesn't come easily to me as I'm in the "it might come in handy one day" camp. Being post menopausal I looked at an opened packet of sanitary towels in the back of a drawer, decided noone else would want an open packet and threw them away. Yes, into the bin. And now I learn that they are the only thing in the whole wide world you're allowed to hang onto, just in case you buy new and uncomfortable footwear!!

NoSquirrels · 27/10/2021 22:38

My Gran was hard up, not much to pass on and my parents didn't care enough to find something for me to remember her by.

I have remembered my Gran everyday for the last 35 years. I remember how she loved me.

The good stuff @MrsBobDylan.

Peregrina · 27/10/2021 22:39

He THINKS we still have all our utility bills, car records, insurance policies etc going back to the,purchase of our first house 35 years ago. He is sadly mistaken.

I laughed at that.

DS and I quietly prune DH's vitally important things stuff which is junk, and he never notices. But oh, woe betide me if something goes missing. I get accused of throwing it away. Usually when I am asked 'do you know where my [whatever] is' I reply, 'Yes, it will be where you left it.'

YouHaveNoAuthorityHereJackie · 28/10/2021 12:04

I love this thread so much. It inspired me to really clean out the kitchen. I took 2 boxes of surplus crockery, mugs, Pyrex to the charity shop yesterday and gave the cupboards a damn good clear out and had a huge bag to donate to the food bank today. DH does the shopping and never checks what we have, and the cupboards were bursting. Feels good to have some space back but now I’m looking around my house itching to just chuck everything tbh. The stuff about not needing more storage, just less stuff has really hit a nerve. I’ve had terrible PND since toddler dd was born and a lot of cheering myself up was to buy pretty things we just didn’t need, so I have a house rammed with candles, lanterns, nicknacks, blankets, baskets and SO MANY TOYS. Even plants have become ‘stuff’ tbh, I can’t resist a nice houseplant but I have lots. A bit shameful really, a decade ago I was on the bones of my arse and now have money to seemingly waste on shit. When toddler is at nursery next week I intend to cull big time. Just going into my kitchen and seeing all the space makes me want my whole house that way. There’s nothing on the sides at all and it just looks so clean and tidy.

WeRateSquirrels · 28/10/2021 12:39

Also loving this thread! Today's triumph has been getting rid of a giant hamster enclosure. It had been acting as a bit of a decluttering blocker as I really thought nobody would want it, and I really didn't want to put it in landfill.

In reality, I had a queue of people wanting it and it has gone to a lovely person who is involved in animal rescue and it's going to make a new hamster very happy.

So my advice to anyone with a similarly enormous, niche item would be: get it on Facebook!

marymay62 · 28/10/2021 14:46

MrsBobDylan - a lovely heartfelt post. When my mum died I asked my daughter if she wanted anything of hers, her answer was no, nothing, saying: ‘Nana taught me the names of the flowers I love, I think of her every time time I see a flower, there is nothing else I need’. You are right - whether it’s a mum or a grandmother or another special person we really don’t need a ‘thing’ to remember them by, only our memory.

secretbookcase · 28/10/2021 18:11

Because of this thread I have cleared out several bags and boxes and the very cluttered top of the chest of drawers in our bedroom. Tiny dent in the mountain of clutter but I like coming into the bedroom and seeing the clear, empty surface.

Thedogshow · 28/10/2021 20:35

I’ve also been inspired to re-declutter as things had started to build up a bit again. We have been much better about buying fewer things but 3 growing kids and 2 recent children’s birthdays, plus homeschooling relics from earlier in the year mean things have crept back.

Set a challenge to declutter today:
50 clothing items (from 5 of us, including hats, gloves, shoes, coats)
5 towels
3 bits of bedlinen
10 items from kitchen
15 books
20 small bits and bobs from drawers
20 stationary/craft items
20 old or unused toiletries
5 larger household items: cushions/furniture/lamps

Feels so much better already

One issue I have is what to do with excess cups and glasses. They’re not going to be wanted by charity shop. Can you recycle drinking glass type glass?

user64323 · 29/10/2021 02:14

@SisforSoppy

The DC have one set of school uniform that I wash on a quick wash every night

@MrsCardone I didn’t know the daily washing of uniform was a thing until dc started their new school this term….and I don’t really get it. 1. What do your children do at school that requires the whole uniform to be washed every day and 2. If your DC are older and they need a fresh shirt every day it would far cheaper both on your household bills and the planet to buy another shirt.

I have learnt it's child dependant. My eldest two came out filthy every day all the way through primary school, no exaggeration. Dinner or pen on them. Sorting uniform was stressful until I got 5 sets each and we did it all at the weekend in one go. My youngest has just started school and I got him 5 sets, and I've wasted my money and storage space. He miraculously comes out spotless every day and I am re-using uniform for the first time in 15 years of parenting.

RosesAndHellebores · 29/10/2021 07:59

I worked full-time from when our youngest was 6. Always 5 shirts, tights, etc, but 2/3 jumpers, trousers and tunics worked. Even 20 years ago you could buy M&S best quality shirts for £12. It took up very little wardrobe space but mine never had tons of clothes - they wore uniform 36 weeks of the year; and own clothes for 16. Neither did they have mountains of shoes: trainers, school shoes, wellies, plimsolls. DD probably had a pair of summer shoes and out of school winters from about 10.

The sheer amount of stuff children have astounds me!

MrsBucketsPony · 29/10/2021 08:05

@RosesAndHellebores

I worked full-time from when our youngest was 6. Always 5 shirts, tights, etc, but 2/3 jumpers, trousers and tunics worked. Even 20 years ago you could buy M&S best quality shirts for £12. It took up very little wardrobe space but mine never had tons of clothes - they wore uniform 36 weeks of the year; and own clothes for 16. Neither did they have mountains of shoes: trainers, school shoes, wellies, plimsolls. DD probably had a pair of summer shoes and out of school winters from about 10.

The sheer amount of stuff children have astounds me!

I used to work with a family who had mountains of stuff for their children. Huge drawers full of their underwear, and I'd iron maybe 12 or 15 polo shirts at a time, they had at least 6 school sweatshirts. Always buying more. I have no idea why they felt it necessary but the whole family had huge stuffed wardrobes. The kids were overwhelmed and forever in trouble for not keeping their rooms tidy. Drove me insane, I had to leave in the end because I could never get on top of it.

MrsBucketsPony · 29/10/2021 08:07

I'm talking 12 or 15 sweatshirts per child btw!

MrsBucketsPony · 29/10/2021 08:07

Polo shirts 🤦‍♀️

NoSquirrels · 29/10/2021 09:07

@secretbookcase

Because of this thread I have cleared out several bags and boxes and the very cluttered top of the chest of drawers in our bedroom. Tiny dent in the mountain of clutter but I like coming into the bedroom and seeing the clear, empty surface.

Be vigilant! One thing creeps back and then it all will…

I put a spiky plant on the flat surface in the hall people always used to leave their stuff on.

Parker231 · 29/10/2021 10:56

@RosesAndHellebores

I worked full-time from when our youngest was 6. Always 5 shirts, tights, etc, but 2/3 jumpers, trousers and tunics worked. Even 20 years ago you could buy M&S best quality shirts for £12. It took up very little wardrobe space but mine never had tons of clothes - they wore uniform 36 weeks of the year; and own clothes for 16. Neither did they have mountains of shoes: trainers, school shoes, wellies, plimsolls. DD probably had a pair of summer shoes and out of school winters from about 10.

The sheer amount of stuff children have astounds me!

Totally agree on the amount of footwear some children have. Mine had Wellington boots, trainers, flip flops and a best shoe. They went to a non uniform school so wore jeans and hoodie or T-shirt and shorts every day with a “best” outfit for special occasions. Nothing fitted very long so no point having wardrobes full.