Decluttering Club thread 20(22)!

[Mommabear20]

Let's go!

Thanks for the new thread @Mommabear20

I’ve started on the decorations and trees today, have a box of items I want to get rid of but need to run by the DC first.
Accidentally upset Dd as put a shiny coaster she’d bought for me for this Christmas! Oops.
Have taken it out and claimed Christmas Day was too busy and I didn’t have time to really see it.

Also threw away our window stickers as they were falling off all the time. Found various bits of rubbish and packaging that’s gone too.

Hoping to sort kitchen stuff as we move into the new kitchen over the next week or so, but DH less keen to get rid of things. I don’t want to clutter up a brand new kitchen with crap.

Aaah I was looking for a thread like this, I really need it. The clutter of my home is starting to really get me down, and the improvements we have made over the last few months shown how much easier it is to clean with less clutter about!

I've got a box of books and CD's to send off to Webuybooks, slightly disappointed that they don't want the majority of my collection though, but it all helps.

Sold a couple of bits on Vinted today which I've posted off, I like Vinted but it is quite slow going at times. I've a carrier bag of bits for the charity shop too but its not actually left my house yet!

Happy New Year All!

I dont even know where to begin as yet...

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. Thank you for the shiny new clutter-free thread @Mommabear20.

I slipped over last night and have hurt my side so heavy lifting is probably out for now. However I did manage to go through a couple of my bedroom drawers and take out all the t-shirts and vest tops that I don't wear. Some to the charity box at TKMaxx and some in textile recycling bank. I'm going to stick to the little and often method as it clearly works for me.

No chance of taking any Christmas decorations down here but they do look pretty so its not a great hardship to keep them up for the rest of the week.

My afternoon success was going through the single drawer in my bedside table, it had become a dumping ground for misc items!

rubbish out
recycling out
decorations down
unloved decorations out
wedding album out loads of family have photos if children ever what to see

I would like to join, I am trying to declutter one thing a day and either selling / giving away / recycling as I just seem to have so much stuff.

Okay, newbie here!

Is there some kind of guidance on how to start?

I know that I can get rid of so much stuff but no idea where to start?

There are dozens of strategies to try, DooDahDah. Hard for me to tell you what to do, but could do worse than start with the room that bothers you most, or easiest one to sort out.

I need to get back into this, I don't want another cluttered year. I've done well today as I've unpacked Christmas presents, a couple of things straight in the charity shop bag. I never do that, usually feel too guilty but they're no point waiting 6 months then getting rid. A couple of Christmas outfits that I won't want again too.
I really want to properly sort a drawer but it's tricky when my toddler is around. Hoping tomorrow or Monday.

I like 10 things a week. One sock drawer to start, easy to get your 10 things

Write them all down as you go.

You get into the habit of every time you open a dessert see something that needs to go

Only item today was a huge manky ugly unwieldy folder thing with all the different compartments labelled A-Z. That my mum, who battled clutterism all her life, tried to throw out nearly 30 years ago but I kept, in the fond hope I would "organise my stuff" in it. I hoofed it violently into the recycling bin today. Better 30 years late than never.

Hi all and happy new year! In work all day today so nothing to report. Did manage to read a bit more of decluttering at the speed of life whilst eating my lunch. Definitely feeling a bit more motivation to keep going. This weeks goal is my bedside table which is quite big and very cluttered!

Decluttered all but most recent trades magazines into recycling trolley. Can find it all online now.

Set aside smallest school polos to try on. Unpacked larger size.

@seperatedmum it's funny that's one of the things that made me want to keep them, to look back on with my children or even grandchildren 😂 tbh I'm sure there must be others hidden somewhere in this house I might keep just one? 🤔

Does anyone else find it hard to through out cards - Christmas, birthday etc? I've kept new baby cards all together and 1st birthday but starting to be ruthless with yearly cards but have a feeling of guilt when I think someone bought and wrote that.

This morning I have a bag of books and a bag of clothes to be collected. Our local waste savers facebook page is great for finding homes for things.

@TruffleNoir yes I bet there's more. they're a bit like a snapshot into the past. on the other hand Runners World whilst motivating gets repetitive so out

Welcome to all the newcomers!

@DooDahDah The original name for these threads was ‘decluttering one item a day’, and that’s what I try to do. The idea is that it’s easy to find just one thing, and often you end up finding more.

DH and I are both still ill with Covid symptoms (still waiting for PCR results), though we are both better than earlier in the week. I still managed to get rid if one thing yesterday (a book that’s gone into the charity bag) - starting as I mean to go on!

I'm on it this year! Sick of having stuff cluttering up my home. Good that dc are getting older and there is much less plastic tat to deal with after Christmas. I'm working on the kitchen today.

Have just managed a tip run with all the wood from broken down furniture so that's my out for today! Hoping to find more but if I don't I still feel I accomplished something!

I’ve been listening to the latest A Slob Comes Clean podcast this morning and it is very motivating. She was talking about realistic goals - so “I will declutter” rather than “I will get my house declutterED” because really it is a lifelong process for some of us.

What counts as decluttering for everyone by the way? If it’s actual rubbish you’re getting rid of does that count?

I have a tip slot booked in 2 hours so going to tackle the living room. We’ve never lived in that room, moved here 15 months ago and immediately rewired and updated radiators in there as well which left holes all over the place. It’s half decorated and has become the dumping ground. Mostly full of big packaging and tools and decorating gear and stuff, I’m going to go make it better now and then take all the massive cardboard etc from appliances that was too big for the kerbside collection to the tip at 12.30.

Riiiiiiigght…..GO!

On my way to the tip shortly, woohoo, car is packed with things.

I also sold one more item on Vinted - plus one has bids on eBay, looking forward to shipping those out!

Todays plan on my return, sort my kitchen out. Going to empty all cupboards, donate some food, get rid of some old bits and bobs of crockery etc.

May mean another tip run next week but hey ho!

One old toddler toy out today, DD has never played with it, and I doubt DS will either.

Sometimes I think if it were just me, and not 2 under 3's and a cave man, that I might actually have a clutter free home, or at least feel like I'm getting somewhere and not constantly treading on things, banging my shins, or having tupperware fall on my head!

I’ve just downloaded Dilly Carter’s book on decluttering. I think it’s called ‘create space’. It’s absolutely fantastic and has really motivated me.

Clearly a 'dump/tip' run day - mine is booked for 2 pm. Just one black bin bag of surplus rubbish after Christmas visitors and one retired pan and lid.
Also hoping that a Trundle Bed will be picked up today.

For those pondering how to declutter, I would say you can find your own system but may need to try various suggestions. What worked for me was 2020 items that year. Now I don't count but try for something every day. Mostly just bits and pieces as I go around the house, very recently odd ODD items in kitchen cupboards/fridge. My long running project is the Room of Doom and I will be returning to it once Christmas Tree is out of the house - awaiting available DC to assist in moving outside.