Decluttering Club thread 2 2022 - trying to reduce stuff a little at a time.

[londonmummy1966]

New thread for those wanting to declutter

Old thread here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4441273-decluttering-club-thread-20-22?pg=1

We want to downsize I mean

Hi @Sheilaroundthefountain welcome! I’m moving country in about 3 months so I know how you’re feeling!

decluttered a jumperoo😂 that bloody thing took up so much room. Also cleared out my bathroom cabinet.

Living , thanks . I’ve been in bed surrounded by a pile of pillows all day trying to just exist after sleeping the morning . DH listed the buggy/ buggies and their accessories , motorcycle panniers and his office chair today it took ages but all of these items take a lot of space so if we can get rid of them now I’ll be happy ,any money will be a bonus . He said he won’t list more until these are finished with but I can put aside more smaller items for later . Most we’ll just donate .he does have a motorcycle and a boat to sell too but both need something done to them first . I have nightmares about his mom’s big full house that he has been decluttering with his mom for the past few years selling bikes , boats , cameras etc while his moms carted stuff to auctions etc but it’s still looking full of stuff to me and it’ll be him as an only child dealing with it when she wants to downsize eventually . I just have to think that it’s not our home , none of it will be coming here we’ve agreed except there was one big painting he’d love to keep . I will concentrate on getting our own house done and think that at least they’ve started the mammoth task!

Thanks @Sexnotgender. moving country??? I’m in awe of you! I getting some stressed just moving 2 hours away. Good luck!

Thanks @Sheilaroundthefountain I’ve got the fear! I’m trying to do it slow and steady. Don’t want to leave it until the last minute.

@Sexnotgender that’s the only way! When we moved here I’d hardly started packing on the day we got our keys, and it was a disaster. Luckily we were buying a new house, and the developers bought our old one so it could have been worse, but I never want to do that again, and I don’t want to take stuff we don’t need or love to the new house

slow and steady I’d going to be my mantra too from now on!

I’ve moved lots of times but not since I’ve had DC. We’ve now lived here 18 years which is the longest I’ve lived in one place. I dread moving one day!

made it to the neighbours with the car load of stuff, counted
20 hangers
large cardboard box of one set of action toys (about 20+ items)
large plastic box of other action toys (about 20 again)
plus large ‘base’ for one of the action toys
= approx 65

115+65=180

I sold two items on Facebook marketplace and both were relatively hassle free! Items are out and I put the money into DC savings jar for summer holidays.
I have two cushions and a canvas to donate. I might get them out tomorrow. We have two events coming up so will have people in the house and it is great motivation to declutter, decorate and clean!

Visitors are definitely a good motivation to tidy up!

have been attacking the shelves in the front room, too many board games that we don’t play enough but want to play more, sigh.

anyway, 6 random out of date membership cards, bag of old badges, karaoke microphone thing and lots of recycling out so far. Plus lots of dust!

180+8=188

Hello @Sheilaroundthefountain - little and often seems to work for me - I've been here 23 years and last had a big declutter about 12 years ago - this time doing just one drawer or shelf at a time has made the process much less painful and after a couple of months I really noticed the difference.

@Nordicmom - sorry you're still in so much pain - sounds horrendous - it's amazing what you've achieved these past few months with all that you have to put up with.

I've been feeling pretty drained the last 2 days so have not managed to do much. Today's outs are an old toothbrush (my replacing mine seems to have triggered DH to do the same but he left the old one in the mug......) and an apple corer which arrived broken in the post. I've also sold a couple of things on ebay so will wrap up to send out tomorrow. Rather nice that it is someone who has bought quite a bit from me recently.

Went round the whole house yesterday looking everywhere for something to declutter. It felt like a fail because I couldn't find anything I wanted to get rid of, but I still have too much stuff.

Today I went to glue something and had to find another solution.

Today's out: two dried up glues.

I don't envy all those moving home, I've done it so many times and it gets old fast! It's why I'm supremely organised with storage now. Makes moving so much easier.

Definitely agree on not going to the effort to pack up and pay to move things you don't really want any more. Unpacking in the new place is bad enough without internally groaning every time you see something you wish you hadn't kept.

Glad everyone has had success with their sales. It's lovely when it runs smoothly.

Get well soon NordicMom 💕

@LivingInaBuildingSite
Board games are a question mark for me too ! We have loads but it's been years since we played and it always ended in tears 🤣
But then I feel bad about parting with them ! Especially the classics - game of life, monopoly etc.
Firstly DH doesn't like playing and the DCs get really competitive and fight ! So we avoid...

Thank you for the kind words every one . I’m hanging on here although have spent all day in my bedroom upstairs. I’ve managed on just one dose of co-codamol so that’s an improvement to yesterday and I can sleep . Still in agony though . DH reckons I could have managed today’s school open day but I’ll save my energy for next Tue one I can hopefully attend since we’ll have to then make decisions on these schools eventually! He liked todays one it was a proper country side school in the middle of lovely greenery and even had its own stables and DD has just started riding when we moved here .
DH took the day off and has done the school and dog to daycare runs ( he was groomed and looking and smelling good ) and DH also went for long bike ride in the hills . He mowed all the lawns , did some work on his own project , a lot of laundry and we’ve continued the decluttering . I got 3 big boxes ready for charity after locating one that’s happy to take kids clothes and adults unlike a few others we’ve tried . I have a box of my own clothes , a box of kids clothes and a few pairs of new kids shoes and welly boots as well and a box of kids and adults books , a puzzle , an oven dish , baby wooden hangers , a baby portable highchair , 2 kids new rash vests , a new baby cup , new baby cutlery set , a kids hat , a leather designer card case . Into the 4 th box I put slightly worn out designer baby changing bag and a baby bottle cooler DH though they’d definitely want . Also just remembered I’ll have to add DD ski coat and trousers I just washed . The boots need a clean then they’ll go to the dump
collection . I will ask him to take the baby hammock too which is quite big . We will sell two new pairs of expensive shoes so they’re going into to sell box . Two old plastic storage boxes are going as is more old clothes ; several pairs of ski thermals , a hat and two snoods possibly another pair of thermals bottoms if they won’t fit DS he’ll try on tomorrow . I’ve managed to do 3 boxes today from the dining room . One box of baby items nearly all going to charity or sold only keeping 2-3 pairs of little shoes , one box of new picture wall frames I’m keeping they’re in a new clean labelled box waiting for me to find the rest I should have in the attic , and the camping box which I also went through and found out one sleeping bag is going since it was ripped it’s DS old one that has had plenty of use on school trips and camps . DH one is hardly used and all clean since I’d washed it before storing . I’m glad to declutter the broken one ! Now I have requested the 2 kids book boxes up to look though but it might end up being tomorrow I’m getting decision fatigue . I’m elated about the progress though . Only listed our 4 sets of items yesterday and 3/4 have bids and DH thinks the 4 th will go too . Tomorrow we’re planning to empty the storage locker ; changing table straight to dump ,the Lego boxes here until I figure out where to donate them easiest . Also another dump run for sure at least then the carload to charity shop . A couple boxes of clothing returns going as well . He was also planning to wash the cars but we’ll see . DS has to travel to a school sports thing it’ll take him most of the day poor thing . I actually managed to make him an appointment to a therapist next week so that was one thing done . Hope it’ll help ! I booked the dog 3 more grooming sessions . I’ve asked DH to do a few more admin tasks but he’s probably too tired tonight . Am feeling very motivated about emptying the rest of the boxes from the dining room so happy about the 3 I did today ! I think I still have 2 big kids art ones, 2 of school books , 2 memory boxes and these 2 of kids picture books so if I manage the books tonight / tomorrow I’ll just have 6 left . DH did bring one with his boat stuff in it but he’ll deal with that and it can go to garage if I get the rest done and the room empty . Then we can move our dining room chairs in and order a table although it still has a new elliptical machine in there too we might have to sell since it just makes my dizziness worse and others won’t really use it . I’m still considering putting a little gym into a garden building but we also would like a pool (although the access to the garden in order to build it might be a big problem )and we need a bike shed so can’t really have them all I don’t think . I was also wondering if it comes apart enough to carry to attic room but there’s already a foosball table and all our boxes etc there so wouldn’t be able to make a proper gym up there . first we were going to put up a separating wall to hide our boxes but I think there’s too many for that . DH keeps on saying it needs more organising since I haven’t finished up there but I want to finish the dining room first then I’ll move upstairs…

Pair of ds’ trousers yesterday out because he is still insistent on doing super hero jumps and wrecking them.

I need to sort through the dc’s games I have a storage box/stool thing in the living room which they have emptied their games into. Sort of hoping that I can ditch some.

Limited decluttering yesterday - a plastic pot of duck feed got used up when DH took the youngest DC to the park (he is clearly much more liberal with the feed). But happy about this as it was one of the many things that just did not have a home!

We're seeing friends today but handing over a small bag of clothes for their baby. Good to see things leaving the house.

yeah I didn't find a good way to burn stuff either, STBXH had a 'garden incinerator' thing but it used to just char things which you could then still read 🙈 I just shred now bear in mind shredders can overheat and need a break

The charity shop I found yesterday accepted all our stuff in 4 big boxes so hopefully can take more there in the future , then DH emptied storage locker and handed over the keys and gave notice it was just a week thankfully so we’re done with that . Then he took two loads to dump and dropped off my parcels .he’s also managed to sign up for a newspaper delivery for me eith a nearby news agency ,I’ve been wanting that for ages so really happy about that ! We got rid of 3 carloads of stuff today !
I’ve signed up to Olio to see if I can give the boxes of loose Lego away on it after checking them and I’ll see if there’s by a miracle any takers for a box of Finnish picture books otherwise what I won’t keep will have to be thrown away . I’m going through the two boxes of books from storage atm keeping one not full box . DD has been working through a pile of old magazines, annuals etc books that are then going . I’m finishing a book and a couple of magazines as well . If DH gets the 2 cars washed too and does some admin later as planned this has been a super productive day ! I just love it when he gets on with things !
DS is coming back from his school sports thing with a migraine poor thing didn’t even take a painkiller in the morning and had nothing with him hopefully he’ll learn to be more prepared soon he’s off to university and won’t have me there looking after him ! We need to prepare for DD triathlon tomorrow getting the bikes checked ( lending one to a friend ) etc . Poor DD has a broken finger in splint in one hand and a wrist support on the other and blister plasters on her heels after new shoes but was feeling positive about it earlier . I’m gutted I won’t see it but I’m still in agony if I try to walk / stand . I’ve told DH to take pictures and videos for me . Hopefully a good weather for it …

Ooh and I do have to boast a bit as a proud mummy !!!! My DS got full marks yesterday for his Engineering EPQ project !!! I’m sooo proud ! He worked so hard on it . He’s aiming high for a couple of top universities engineering courses so hopefully this will help ! He’s still stressing over the coming predictive grade exams although some that he’s already had that count towards them have gone well …

I think DH has burned papers in his moms wood burner before ?

Mainly small outs here, some plastic packaging to the supermarket yesterday. Today, I have been decluttering the garden. One bush needs to go which I've cut back but it needs digging out. Filled the garden waste bag with cuttings plus some weeds.

@Nordicmom congratulations to him! My eldest doesn’t want to do an EPQ and I worry that’ll go against him for uni applications if loads of others have done it.
well done on getting so much done today!

went through DS2’s room with him. Have a box to go through with DD later which I won’t count yet.
but out:
about 12 items of clothes too small for him
a robot toy
a remote control car
a bop it game
piles of paper/cards for recycling

also out
a drinks bottle of DD’s that DH put in the dishwasher and melted 🙄

188+16=204

Dd gone through stuff.
out:
cuddly giraffe
box of treasure toys
skipping rope

pile of books I think I might try to sell, will look at the online options, otherwise FB marketplace.

204+3=207

wont count the books yet.

Small outs. Two cushion pads, nappy bin, stair gate to dump, rubbish out recycling taken away.

46 kids picture books going .god it took me ages to look through and choose and weed them further down from what I already had a few years ago . So emotional ! 2 to charity , a small amount were damaged but most are Finnish and I’ll have to see if by a miracle there’s someone on Olio who wants them nearby .you never know this area is very multicultural all my next door neighbours are foreigners like me in our new development near a train station that goes to London so it’s not impossible! The Lego I’ll have to check and clean somehow before sticking it on Olio too . I still need to finish unpacking the ski bags from our trip but im
reaching my limit somehow I feel very tired and out of it despite no codeine so once I’ve tidied this mess I’m stopping for today . Maybe admin a bit later or just the newspaper if my eyes stay open . Luckily DD triathlon stuff is pretty much together DH will sort out the bikes and I’ve got her gear in a pile . It’s mid day thankfully anyway so we’ve got time in the morning to get organised .
good work everyone !