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

I'm going to list some of the kids clothes on Vinted again this weekend. I sold dd old things on there before and got some bad feedback as some of the things had marks that I didnt spot. So I might just say everything is satisfactory condition and see how that goes. But also things went missing with Evri / Hermes.

I might do x weeks on Vinted then out to charity. My dd has a absolute mountain of clothes in size 6-7 and she is a tiny 7 year old. If she had a growth spurt I would half her clothes. She never seems to grow!

I finished one bedroom today. Delighted with myself. Now I'm onto the living room/playroom. That will be a lot of paperwork and then onto the toys. I've already done a sweep of the toys but it now needs properly organising.

It's not boring at all. It's good to hear what others are tackling and how. Also it's a bit of self accountability.

My car is full and ready for the tip tomorrow. I might have a sweep of the boys bedroom toys tomorrow as well. Most need to go even if only into the loft

finally got rid of the bike yesterday, dropped it to a lady very keen to have it but annoying that I had to chase them round. school trouser lady never replied so will have to relist

Out 12 boxes, 1 pair of converse 😫😫😫 1 pair of winter boots. They was both ripped but I was still reluctant to part with them ( why???)
Total 17 + 14 = 31

In = the M&S beauty bag, workout leggings and a new bra so maybe pretend thats 3 items 😂 I need to use up bathroom products completely before buying more so I'm ok with the beauty bag.

Back on the thread after a couple of weeks without any decluttering - we went on holiday over half term and had PIL visiting the previous weekend, so it’s been busy.

I’m not back at work until tomorrow, so today I’ve been catching up on everything (mainly laundry). This morning I took two bags of DD’s clothes (counted previously) to the charity shop. I had a little bit of a moment when I saw a few things of hers that I’d previously donated out for sale - it felt very odd!

in the interests of honesty, I also did some shopping for myself this morning and got a dressing gown (to replace the scruffy hoodie I usually wear), two new vest tops, and some new knickers. I will be getting rid of the old ones, so keeping to the me one in, one out policy.

It’s been a good day here. Kallax unit in very poor condition and long dead office chair to the tip, alongside numerous sundries, and then I cleaned asthmatic teens room. She seems finally to have understood the link between mountains of stuff, dust and her awful cough, so we removed lots of sad small underwear, 2 bags of books and some good clothes for charity.6 pairs of shoes!. 2 pairs are unworn😬, 2 can go to charity after a little clean, and 2 pairs will need to be tipped. It freed up space for winter coats to be put away. So much stationery, toiletries, hair accessories, tat ! I sneaked -lots- some out. 2 bin bags and 2 large carriers.
I think I should register for Magpie or something. We have so many books in and out that it would probably be worth it. Anyone use it?
We will have a proper clear out over the Summer. Her room will double up as a guest room when she goes to Uni, so lots of the ephemera will need to be put away. She is fine with that, quite excited because we are replacing her bed with a double. Still not sure whether to buy an ottoman bed or a wooden frame. Obvs the ottoman would be useful storage, but they have all those fabric surfaces for dust to sit on, and cut air flow.

Why cant I ever make the crossing out thing work?

Just realised how timely this was, she has a birthday coming up, and I am just not going to buy any tat this time. We paid for a post exam holiday, and I will buy her something for Uni , maybe a frying pan and some noodles, but no disposable nonsense.

Sorry for 4th post, @IncessantNameChanger but in the interests of transparency ,must admit that I also bought, trackies, tshirt, linen shirt and Beauty box from M&S. I know I shouldn’t have, but I did.

Glad it wasnt just me! 😂 I could have bought more from M&S, they had some nice leather ballet pumps and I need to replace my winter boots at some point.... I'm looking around for more things to go tonight so it's at least one in one out. I'm ignoring the bag of socks I bought in primark.....

@lightand it’s definitely useful to see what other people are doing, gets the motivation going.

2 bedside tables and a large mirror gone on freecycle yesterday which is amazing. Today got rid of an old rabbit hutch (which has been replaced with a shiny new one)

Deep cleaners coming in to the new filthy house tomorrow!

Bag of clothes gone to Charity bag pick up

Lots of recycling accumulated over the BH

I know have curtains that I'll wash and (if they're ok) I'll recycle
We have some small furniture pieces to recycle so that;lll be the weekend

We went through all the wardrobes recently so they're fine , I have bought myself new socks for work ( I know , push the boat out ) so time to sort the old ones .

I'm completely back in the trench again, some crazy work deadlines, a holiday, and now being sick and the house is a mess with no room clutter free again. Even my usually calm bedroom is covered in clean laundry!

Anyway I have just posted 3 items sold on Vinted, about to go around the house with a bin bag and get rid of the rubbish I can.

I wish I could get a cleaner in @Llamallamadingdong my house is always filthy after school holidays as I only do the bear minimum when the kids are off. I'm hoovering up now and the carpets are shameful. I think I need to do a quick pass then do it again throughly tomorrow.

Reading this has made me go into the kitchen cupboards and retrieve a kit for making 3d biscuits which I will never have time for use, and another baking item which I was given secondhand and don't actually know how to use.... Am going to remove a few jigsaws in a bit when kids at school. Thank you for reminding me!

bag of rubbish/misc/clutter gone from DD & DS's rooms they're so grubby 😕
few bits of paperwork gone from kitchen whilst waiting for my toast, empty peanut butter jar gone from cupboard 🤔
it sounds less cluttered now

Had a busy half term week so didn't achieve much. However, DD and I went through her wardrobe and emptied it of the too small stuff.
I got rid of a bag of assorted items to the charity shop en route to the dentist this morning.
We have a few things to go to the dump currently causing clutter so I feel a dump trip is necessary.

Todays outs: an unused wallet of DHs and a box of out of date probiotics for kids.

So slow at the moment. Thinking I might need to take a room at a time in order to see some results!

We went out Monday night to movies to see Top Gun so no decluttering ,then just normal housework and laundry yesterday. Today I was also out to mani-pedi and a pre-birthday lunch with a friend so just the basics and now am shattered waiting for DH who’s been out doing a sport after work . I have the laundry baskets waiting for folding but i think
I’ll just have to change my bed and towels and tidy and clean the first floor a bit before our shutter fitter will show up 7.30 am tomorrow a bit out of the blue ( they only told us today ) . Our landscaper cancelled yesterday due to illness so no progress there annoyingly . A hundred admin things and appointments and jobs popping up all the time to add to the lists . We’re trying to keep up but it’s just ridiculous atm . Need to get stuff done though so we are trying to crack on . I did manage to book a villa to stay in the holidays with my parents in my home country so that’s one thing done ,still sorting out the dog boarding and flights . Also need to organise the oct trip and maybe something for august . DD has been having tests all week and I gather next ,and poor DS his A- level predictive grade exams .he has one left ,so far they seem to have gone well but I’ll be holding my breath until he gets his results in a week or two ( grades in the fall and he could retake them in September so not the end of world but I don’t envy him ). We’ve got just far too much on in the next few weeks before end of term , literally everything at the same time too so decluttering further might have to wait although I’ll try to look through those utility room boxes and to organise them back into the garage and utility room cupboards .
Out today just :
-1 book DD finished
-2 pairs of my pants

I’ll try to fold the laundry later so there should be some outs from that . I also just looked through the dog toys like I do regularly and am getting rid of some chewed up ones before his monthly toy/ treat box arrives .
-9 dog toys to bin
-3 socks to rags
-a small stack of newspapers and a magazine to recycling

Our remaining two shutters were installed this morning so I can now declutter that job off my list / mind yeah .
DS has also finished his exams today so that’s a job now done too . Hoping to get results soon but he’ll have to wait for his grades until next term . If he aces these though he should be able to get the top grades he was after , we’ll see …

Gah! Stressful day here in the life of a proactive SEN parent who advocates for her child. I had a formal complaint panel about a disability service in my local authority. Frustrating and time wasting but you have to decide what hills you die on. I need to cut down on my hills!

Got my youngest son to go through his toys. So far 12 items binned. Toys, books, broken iPad, broken smart watch. A box of toys / books has been started for the loft. I'm doing a bag for my sons school fate toy stall too.

Four things ordered on vinted - whoops! 😂

7 in
31 + 12 out = 43

Need to tot up the fate bag after I have topped it up

Also my eldest son seems to be nagging at me again. I left my new bra hanging up in the bathroom so 'it's not an extension of your wardrobe' lecture. I feel ( maybe imagined) that everyone then is ganging up on me. No one else cleans anything. Ever. I cleaned the bathroom yesterday!

I would have lots of spare time if I didnt fight all these battles for my son with ASD. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing. Idk. You imagine having a disabled child people rally round. I'm looking for support from the LA as its total missing from family. I just feel so let down. But I mustn't let anyone else down. Be perfect and soldier on like a good little trooper.

To be positive I did gun for someone in the meeting 😈😈😈😈 and I got a new handbag and vanns on Vinted so that's one positive 😜

I need therapy. Or a cleaner, Mary Poppins and a PA THEN I could be juggle it all perfectly.

I want a t shirt saying 'you'd be in a mess in my shoes'

Sorry about the hard day @IncessantNameChanger ! You’re doing great considering all that you have on your plate ! Others should help you more , it’s the same story here . My pain has been really bad today so didn’t get the laundry folded yet . Then DH had a bad migraine attack and half couldn’t see etc just as he went to get DD from school , now he’s improving again . Tomorrow my DS should be able to help since he doesn’t have school having finished his exams now . I’m having him pick up DD as well which will help a lot when I have trouble getting in and especially out of the car .
hoping I’ll feel a bit better tomorrow , if not I’ll rest some more since he’ll be here to
look after the dog ,answer the door ,put in laundry etc . On Sat I’ll be home too while others have a busy day but on Sun I’ll finally go get my hair done . Will need to finish the garage and utility room cupboards too although now even my fingers hurt so not going to happen atm .
one more out ;
-1 pair of DD too small school shoes ( already had a replacement)

It must be hard with cronic pain @Nordicmom your doing really well just keeping the momentum up. Even if it's one think out a day then your net winning.

36 more out since last night. Another pair of converse 😭😭😭😭a dress I could have repaired but it had a three inch split in a seam and in the spirt of thinning out it was low hanging fruit. Toys to sons school fate.

7 in
43 + 36 = 79 out

Just got to keep this momentum going. Now I'm back in the right head space it's easier to see other things that could go. I will do some more toys in a bit

Thanks @IncessantNameChanger !
just slept a few hours after only having gotten DD out the door this morning then done some of the endless admin .
I will try to do the clean laundry folding after eating lunch . I’ve got 5 baskets of it like usual . Hopefully I’ll find something that can go . I was thinking maybe if I rest now I could go to DD school summer fair this weekend but it might have to be just her and DH .
Out ;
-3 packets of appliance descaler powder I received as a sub in my food order, keeping 1or 2 but I prefer the liquid
-1 book of mine I’ve finished ,I’m in the middle of several
-1 pair of sunglasses being returned
-a couple of unused decorative items to charity shop I have no use for