November Declutter Challenge

[Hetyanni]

I'm sure there was a thread on this for October but I can't find it now!

I am planning on decluttering 1 item on the 1st November, 2 on the 2nd, 3 on the 3rd and so on for all of November. If I bring anything new into the house, I declutter an extra thing that day so things aren't just being replaced. I am planning on keeping a box in the porch for this purpose so it can be collected together and donated each time there is enough.

Would anyone like to join me?

just sorting shirts🙈

so today's result of the big shirt sorting:

• 20x binned, I saved the back panel 9f some of them for future projects
• 3x are set aside for when kids need to take one to school as coveralls for cooking or art.
• 7x offered for kids' classmates - 3 have found a new home!
• 5x waiting for DS5 &DS6 to try them on (keep or get rid of)
• 23x stored for future use.

phew. next up: black school trousers.
hope everyone's well & able to carry on with good work

where are you all? I feel like I'm talking to myself here!🤣

more sorting of clothes and fabric again today, binned or cut up so far:
1x: pair of socks, vest, shirt, baby onesie, fancy dress
2x: school shirts
3x: leggings, single socks
4x: t-shirts
6x: shorts

I'm getting quite fed up with clothes

Lol Zing you’re going great guns

Afraid all I got rid of yesterday was a dying fern, passed it only a neighbour who is a plant wizard. Oh actually I also sold an old cat carrier my two have grown out of

sounds good @KobaniDaughters!

I spent quite some time sorting through 9 boxes (to fit IKEA Kallax) of clothes and fabrics in my craftroom. I reorganised where I keep stuff on the right side of the room so now I have 7 boxes worth of space on the left side.
Yay!
This has been long awaited and quite necessary for when I finally get round to do more sewing. Plus I get to reorganise my yarn stash, which is the loveliest job ever🤣

I've just chucked a shopping bag in the bin and with that I'm done for today.

I’ve fallen a day behind now but I’ll catch up
Day 15:

• 5 DH old t-shirts
• 4 pairs of my holey pants
• 1 lone sock all to rags from the clean laundry pile
• 1 more pair of rusty scissors turned up from somewhere
• 3 old extension cords
• 1 old used up notebook from my bedside drawer

I'm gonna sort my yarns today!
Ah, woolly bliss 🤣

Bit behind - I've got a chest infection. So doing Days 14 & 15 today:
*Jeffree Starr lip scuff, probably expired, and I hate that I own anything by him, so it's gone
*off Flowerbomb, had about 0.5cm left
*27 other make-up items

• 1 makeup bag
• 1 brush

So I'm 2 ahead for the 16th, which is 1 day behind 😄

@PearlAsylum

sorry to hear you are unwell. are you on antibiotics?
I finished my course of AB on Sunday (also had chest infection) and I'm justbetter now, having fallen ill 7 sodding weeks ago.
I hope you recover quickly.

(I can't follow your decluttering maths...brain still mushy🤣)

Right I got busy and forgot about decluttering so I did a massive catch-up yesterday. This is a huuuge list, for days 10-16:

73. Catalogue 74-75 Two hair donuts
74. Pair white detachable bra straps
75. Pair clear detachable bra straps
76. One single detachable bra strap
77. Hair clip
78. Button
79. File cabinet identifier thing
80. Empty gift card
81. Train ticket
82. Piece of kitchen roll?!
83. Used scratch card
84. Index card
85. Drawstring bag
86. Paintbrush 89-90 two bits of plastic packaging
87. Washers
88. Gift tag
89. Paperclip
90. Plastic lid
91. Sandpaper
92. Plastic lid
93. Hook
94. Crayons
95. CD case
96. Paintbrush
97. Skewer 102-105 Crappy lens add-ons for a phone 106-111 Six rubber stamps 112-119 Eight postcards
98. Bookmark
99. Paperwork
100. Envelope
101. Cover of an art pad 124-125 Two catalogues
102. Leaflet
103. Bookmark
104. Amazon packaging
105. Next packaging
106. Pen pot
107. Tesco club card
108. SIM card
109. Expired debit card
110. Pack of sunflower seeds
111. Circle punch
112. Pencil
113. Paintbrush 138-143 Six pens
114. More sandpaper
115. Another postcard 146-147 Two palette knives 148-149 Two more paintbrushes 150-155 Six charcoal pencils
116. Rusty pencil tin
117. A cassette tape
118. Plastic lid
119. Make up brush
120. Washi tape
121. Plastic tub
122. Another plastic tub 163-164 Two wooden handles
123. Make up sponges
124. Another washi tape
125. Non-sticky sticky notes 168-169 Two elastic bands 170-172 Three eyelet maker components 173-174 Two more rubber stamps
126. Small bits of paper
127. Paintbrush cover
128. Hair grip
129. Another expired debit card
130. Empty acrylic paint bottle
131. Old rag
132. Cardboard box
133. Another catalogue

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba - yes, on antibiotics thanks - was the first time I've used the doctors since Covid started and it was a very surreal experience!

I've gone totally off-piste with numbers and decluttered 44 sample size products, mostly stuff from when I used to get a Birchbox. I haven't been subscribed for two years, so if I haven't used it by now, I'm clearly not going to. Plus a set of balloons that mice have been in
So the 2 extra I've already done, plus a further 45 from today, is 47 items decluttered: the 16th, 17th and 18th would add up to 51. So I only need to get rid of 4 things tomorrow, which suits me as it's a long work day!

@PearlAsylum hope you shift the infection soon! Well done for decluttering throughout

@ItsNotNormalLove that IS a huge list!!

Chucked:
Jar full of run-out markers
Glue sticks that are no longer sticky
Some of D.C. less cute artwork (don’t tell them)

Listed on my Buy Nothing Group so still in the house but will be gone in the next few days:
Arts and crafts supplies
Air mattress pump
Note board
2 notebooks

Listed on online selling groups, if no interest by the weekend will be offered on Buy Nothing or donated:
Record player
Cat water fountain

@ItsNotNormalLove
don't you mix that list up with your list to Santa!🤣

@PearlAsylum
that's good, I hope you get better soon.

DS5 has a school show tonight so I organised tonight's dinner yesterday (garlic chicken for DS2, DS3& DS4 and pulled pork for youngest 3), which means I don't have to think about food/cooking today. Bliss😁

I didn't declutter yesterday because I was shifting stuff from one room to the other.
I might do more of the same today because I can't sort the rest of DS5 & DS6's clothes until Saturday, which is the next decluttering move.

or I might just take a rest day and crochet. we shall see.
have a great day everyone!

out:
1x plastic pot, 1x chlorine container

bought:
2x ironing board covers
the old ones are in a miserable state now so will be chucked as soon as the new ones arrive.
that's it for me today, I need a rest

I’m now a few days behind but will see if I can catch up in the Christmas hurry while getting ready to travel etc too . Been finally unpacking that one remaining box of pantry food in the kitchen and organising the cupboards using my new plastic clear bins and canisters while minding the dog and doing all the other housework . Since I’m in incredible pain atm it’s taken all day but now it’s done except for adding a few more narrow bins that will arrive tomorrow and switching a few shelves around in the other cupboard when DH moves them for me . Quite a lot of food got thrown away I don’t think DH had checked all the dates before packing unlike I did ,it took me ages then too . I’m happy I made myself do this though I’ve been meaning to for a long time but always been too tired or busy . Today I didn’t need to pick up DD it was her play’s first night so DH is getting her . We’ll go watch tomorrow when he’s working from home so I won’t have morning school run then either . We will hopefully have the electrician coming to put more sockets in the garage for DH machines . He cancelled last week . Also garage cupboards and shelving should arrive after not making it last week due to roadworks near our house and a piano is being delivered ,and a bunch of presents for DH relatives I’ll quickly shove into gift bags and will try to get them out of my house on sat hopefully when he’s off to his mom with the kids .

Day 16 :

• 1 fabric mask to rags
• 1 yellowed big storage box
• 1 old hand towel ( I’ll see if there’s more to go still when I’ll put the folded clean linens and towels from last night away tomorrow ,now I can’t move anymore )
• 7 more wet dog food packets we’ve discovered our dog doesn’t like to food bank
• 1 cardboard packaging mountain (HAH) that’ll be much worse after tomorrow going to dump asap maybe even tomorrow ,today i emptied 4 boxes doing the food cupboards
• old food from the pantry ,hopefully I can keep count of what I’m buying now better although ordering on my iPad from my bed I loose track and after getting bags and bags of carrots when DH hadn’t told me we had lots we’ve now apparently accumulated 7 bags of apples 😳! Why doesn’t he tell me ?!! He’s in charge of dinner and any other meals when he’s home nowdays ,by that point I’m dead tired ,and of putting the food away when it arrives in Ocado or Waitrose delivery and of the weekly cleaning of the fridge I used to do after a weekly shop in person after school run I don’t do anymore.
• 1 pair of my too small old Ugg boots
• 1 well chewed dog toy
• 2 ikea glass lidded food jars to charity shop that won’t be used in our current food cupboards ,I’m using the plastic ones from home edit , so they can all go (I have more in the attic will need to ask DH to get them down tonight so I can add them to my next days total

and the charity box )!

Looking very different from before . We sacrificed one tall food cupboard to have a separate big fridge and a freezer and I dream of one day having a walk in larder but declutter and these bin I can stack helped ! I haven’t labelled everything either I have only so much energy for this . Any improvement and getting the boxes of food and containers unpacked was a big plus ! I also have finally ordered myself a foldable clear plastic Kartel step stool after climbing on chairs today with my arthritis and sciatica which wasn’t good ..,

This is the other pantry cupboard of kids snacks and dog food and water mainly that still needs shelves moved . I have also labelled after this was taken earlier . Not perfect but better than shoving it all loose in these deep cupboards! Am getting more narrow containers too . The dog has now 3 shelves somehow I’ve bought him too much so I will look through his treats etc I just organised the wet food and removed what he doesn’t like . My goal is 2 dog shelves and putting kids sweets on the very top shelf out of DD reach

excellent going @Nordicmom! Well done!

I was up at 4am as Shark Week has begun, barely slept since.
Refused to do school run so DH had to postpone his work call. I have no guilt.
He was supposed to do it anyway, told me last night that he can't so I was gonna do it grudgingly.
But I can't even sit without feeling dizzy so no, I ain't driving like this!

If I could just declutter my uterus I would.
It's done its wonderful job of growing babies. Now it's just a nuisance!

So it's duvet day for me, with ibuprofen, tea & jaffa cakes.

Thanks Zing !
Hope you’ll feel better soon . It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone use the reference “ shark week “ for that 😁! Before my endometrial hyperplasia was diagnosed I had a hellish time I’d never been flooding through several “ barriers “ before that . They put in Mirena and that reversed the condition which is a cancer risk if left . my second biopsy is next week which will hopefully be clear .
I didn’t do school run today either once a week it’s DH who also took the dog to his daycare ( he’ll be groomed there too ) . The electrician is hard at work in our garage and some deliveries have already arrived . I’m in bed just wanting to go bank to sleep my whole body is in agony so maybe i will sleep since tonight it’s DD play . I don’t know how I could sit there with my sciatica for 1,5 h ! My friend was uncomfortable and she’s not sick like me .
Today I’ll try to pack DH relatives presents if they arrive so he can take them tomorrow to his moms , do shopping and admin and get some parcels sent off with DH . Minimal cleaning i need a rest I can hardly move .
I might try to cobble up my Day 17 since I’m behind ,I have about half of it ready …

@Nordicmom
sorry about your health issues and that you are in pain. I hope you get to rest.

yeah, here it's referred to as shark week, Egyptians are in (an in-joke that cross references periods - pyramids - Egypt thought process with "the painters are in" ).
I have called it "Aunt Irma" which is an IT crowd reference. And also 'Japanese flag" because well your bedsheet might just look like that😬🤣

out: 3x manky old ironing board covers & 1x broken hairbrush

in: 2x new ironing board covers (silver under blue daisy for extra thickness) & 2x new hairbrushes which are really awesome to use!

That's all the excitement for today, DH is cooking dinner so I'm going back to rest mode. I'm joining some squares for a Candy's Hug so at least I'm productive.

Happy Friday & and have a great weekend!

DH is cooking dinner s

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba
"@ItsNotNormalLove
don't you mix that list up with your list to Santa!🤣"

Oh god can you imagine!! I wouldn't be best pleased to get all that crap back!! 😂 'Got the Egyptians in' is brilliant and I'm stealing it!

I was way ahead of myself so I only needed to declutter 8 things today:

183. Housework chart (hah! Useless)
184. Dusty old giftwrap
185. Old moisturiser 186-187 Two new but not needed greeting cards given to someone who will use them
186. Collage papers
187. Paint spreaders
188. Paperwork

I won't have time for this tomorrow so I'll (hopefully) be decluttering the next 41 things on Sunday.

AAh I’m all by myself until tomorrow night thank god !!!!!! Now I can relax and not be worrying about what anyone else needs although to be fair I will be getting others Christmas stuff and things for out trip etc and just cleaning doing laundry organising maybe even unpacking and doing admin or writing the Christmas cards . i decluttered all DH relatives presents for 7 people to his moms with them so I won’t have to think about those anymore although of course I forgot some kids sweets and chocolates from their parcels but DMIL can take them with her at Christmas and pass them over when she sees them which is often .at least they’ll get their actual presents from us on Christmas not after . I made a lot of headway on ordering kids presents yesterday before seeing DD play ( I got all DD modest wishes from her list now except one little thing I’m possibly not getting , ds is still writing his list ) and ended up not having any rest which wasn’t good but I need to get stuff done .now only 4 w until out Finland trip when I have to have Christmas pretty much ready too since returning on 22.12. and they’ll go in a flash . Our electrician did his work and the piano etc deliveries arrived but no bloody garage cupboards or shelving again after they couldn’t get past roadworks last fri they now just didn’t come or contact us and this was only going to be the first of several deliveries . So annoying !!!!
I’m doing other stuff so not progressing with decluttering it’s not my priority getting ready for our trip the dogs first ever boarding and Christmas is while getting through all our medical and other app plus prechristmas outings I’ve booked . I’m now several days behind but might still catch up!

Day 17:

• 7 more new ikea glass lidded food jars to charity I won’t use
• 1 pair of my pyjamas with a few holes
• 3 pairs of pants both to ragbank
• 1 DS old sweatshirt
• 1 DS old t-shirt both to clothes bank
• DH birthdays cards except from us to recycling
• paperwork from my bedside drawer to recycling
• a bunch of( 7 )DH relatives Christmas presents and packaging for them ( gift bags , tissue and tags ) out of my house to MILs
• a few unwanted items returned

Day 18:

• 8 DD too small crop tops to clothes bank
• 3 old tablecloths to rag bank they got well worn with endless DD food stains in the rental on the old dining table I wanted to cover now we don’t need one on our nice new table just have rattan chargers or mats on it and have bought a nice new tablecloth anyway if I want to use one
• 2 more too small DS pants spied in the clean laundry pile
• 5 more old towels

Binned:
A ton of old fondant icing

Given away:
Moulds for chocolates/jelly
A thanksgiving Turkey cookie decorating kit

Sold:
Climbing shoes