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

‘Finished’ the top of dd1s wardrobe. I say finished but we now have a mountain of stuff to go including some Lego sets and I will want to make them to sell them complete. This is going to be a big job. Altogether I would imagine we have a pile of stuff going that is 6ft wide and 2 ft high!

this brings my total this year to 924. Given the extra work caused by the Lego I can’t see me reaching my 2022 target by 20th May but I’m going to keep plugging away to get stuff out

Still struggling with getting rid of bigger items which I need to advertise. I still don't have the headspace.
Got rid of tablet packs in the recycling in Superdrug this morning and a dried up pen was my out yesterday.

@Vinorosso74 could you try doing just one big item a day? If I have a big ebay pile it tends to overwhelm me but I do find saying I'll just do one listing helps (as I'll often do more once I get going) as it doesn't seem such a big task then

I would agree.

I have a bedroom I need to somewhat clear as people coming to stay.
I have been opening the door and shutting it again.

But since doing the 3 minute rule, I find I am slowly getting through.
I go in thinking 3 mins, and am generally in there for about 15.

I've been setting a timer for 15 minutes and listening to a podcast (which feels a bit like a treat and stops me looking at my phone!) - but still doesn't help with listing items which I am also struggling wit. Feels like a very unrewarding!

@londonmummy1966 I could but I think it's all down to post treatment brain fog and weariness. I will tackle them but can't face it just yet.

I got rid of some old bikes, scooters and gazebo poles today when the scrap man came

@Vinorosso74 - poor you definately close the door on them and leave them until you feel up to it!

vinorosso I’ve never sold on eBay so don’t know how time consuming it is. If you want to clear a space would it be easier to just advertise on freecycle or Facebook marketplace? Just thinking if you urgently wanted to clear a space it might help. Otherwise just wait til you feel better.

I have had a bad day sorting out toys, I had to bin half a magic set because the instructions and half of it have gone missing. I also waited in all day for dpd to collect four big boxes of books for ziffit. They didn’t turn up - but claim I wasn’t in - so I had to arrange another collection, there didn’t seem to be an easy way so I resent the fifteen minutes it took.

Dd2 is at a play date so I have a quick hour to sort through some toys again.

I gave away a stair gate tidy and got rid of a broken bird feeder thingy.

Sorted all my cook books and DH took a load to the charity shop.

Got rid of a bag of empty glass jam jars.

I've sold 4 items of Vinted. Really need to tackle some clutter corners but no energy this week.

Work done for the week so hopefully will get some bits out tomorrow.

Have some items to post/return and need to just find an area and attack it…

I think I’m going to find the shoes bin tomorrow.
im going to re start my total for the year from Monday. Fresh start ( again)

I have a brand new pair of trainers I bought in 2019 lost somewhere in my hoard! If I can find them I might bin the rest.

so tomorrows job is pack away some of dd outgrown clothes to thin out when I’m less emotional about it. Find those trainers and a shoe recycling bin!

It’s been a few weeks since I was here , have been keeping up to date on the thread though . We had a successful week in Finland seeing some of my family , and then the kids started school one right after we came back last week the other this week . Tried to unpack right away but the ski gear bag is still to sort . I’m washing it all and removing DD jacket , trousers, fleece and winter boots maybe gloves too since they’ll be too small next winter and I’ve managed to replace them from the sales already . DS needs trousers the next size up possibly so will have to hunt for them now but at least I found him gloves he needed . DH went back to the storage locker and got another load out including a box off baby stuff I didn’t know about. I thought he said it was bugaboo parts we’ll sell but it’s got assorted stuff I’m hopefully decluttering all . He’s away for the bank holiday weekend with the kids and dog at his moms so my aim is to attack some more boxes in that now fuller dining room and then continue with him on Monday .there’s a camping box we’ll need to look at together . I know I just need to get going with this again but I’ve lost my mojo a bit in the trip and DD birthday preparations that we had right after returning from seeing my family . Have been having so much admin with her next schools open days signups and now registrations added to the endless list and then turns out she’d broken a finger before our trip and we had to take her to several doctors before and after the trip .now it’s in a splint for weeks and she’s off games and missing other things but she’s not in pain and can seem to write ok at school . We’ve now had our dog boarding with someone for the first time and it went ok so will book more trips for rest of the year . First we booked a weekend away for my birthday in the summer without the kids and the dog which will make a change .
as I packed for the trip I put away more small clothes and some of my old ones to rag bank and threw away more old trainers . Also gone a pile of manky dog toys ,he got new ones that I’d gotten for the boarding added to the not yet chewed up old ones . I decluttered DD old stationary she always manages to destroy in a term . I got a few new swimming and dog towels and will put some old ones to recycling . I need to finally go through the larder shelf of Christmas candy and biscuits etc and just clear them out and put the left over Easter chocolates there .
we have so many things DH needs to sell but most he has to do something to first and then figure out a good time to list . now we’ve done our trip that should be fine though . I’m trying to nag at him to get on with removing all these quite big things from taking up space in the garage finally ! He ordered us a second recycling bin that should help a lot . ours is always too full in the two weeks then We’re having to separate cardboard and take it to the dump since that’s all they collect there . I also found a great window washer that does a lot of the houses in our development and he did excellent work on the 23 windows and 3 doors in half an hour for what I think is not much money . We’ve scheduled him now to do it every 2 months . I need to do the same with a gardener monthly so less work for DH who’s got too much to do and they can look after the plants developers planted up front until we get the back landscaped .our two bay trees up from have died or at least look like it so we’ll have to replace them . Last night DH carted them to the back
muttering about trying to revive them . I just don’t want dead looking ones outside my front door . I also need to book the sink polishing company I found after a washing up bowl I got to protect the utility sink scratched it ironically . The developer wants to come to have a look what maintenance they need to do in the summer but I want to clear the dining room etc a bit before that ! I have a hundred admin tasks in my head and despite both of us trying to tick them off as fast as we can they’re piling up and all I want to do is go hide under my duvet all day . Im so tired and sick with my illnesses I have no time to deal with . Kids seem to have an issue after another and of course im putting them first . Sorry to moan I’m just feeling very overwhelmed always and that paralyses me then I really procrastinate.
good work all around everyone ! I’ll try to get something more done too !

In the past week I have actually got number of things out of the house. I had been collecting things, bit by bit, in bags and boxes upstairs on the landing.

Last Friday I got round to delivering a box of children’s plates and miscellaneous kitchen stuff plus a table lamp to a local charity. I had been meaning to do it for months, but had an appointment at the Health Centre so was actually passing it.

Then, yesterday, I had an optician’s appointment in the next town. The opticians is directly opposite one of the usual charity shops I donate to, so I sorted out a very large bag of clothing plus some other bits and pieces. I also de-listed one of my eBay items that had not had any interest and added that to the bag.

I feel this has freed up space, both physical and head-space, to let me move on and sort out more stuff upstairs. In sorting all this out, I also found 3 or 4 more things to eBay. I hope I will get a seller offer this weekend, and get them listed.

The landfill bin will be emptied tomorrow, so am hoping to get some extra bits and pieces in there tonight.

Good going PurpleFrog ! Im hoping to get a car load out of her on Monday too if the dump is open otherwise it’ll be the following weekend unless DH goes on Sat before leaving for his moms. I must also check if there’s a charity shop load ready as well. Trying to get motivated . Im
doing admin atm although wanted to sleep more now that house is silent with kids at school and DH at work but feeling overwhelmed so ticking some things off now then having a nap . Have a list for DH to do tonight , if he does them then I’ll feel a bit better . He’s a master procrastinator too or just far too busy and everything is left last minute if I don’t do it . I try to
do as much immediately as I can

Another dried up pen gone. Gave myself a pep talk and have dusted, photographed and posted one item for sale.

Well done everyone, even when it feels overwhelming, at least a small thing is progress.

I made it to the post office, so that’s 2 parkrun T-shirts passed on and a book returned.

Tackled the dumping ground at the end of the kitchen island and got rid of a fort box, bits of rubbish, and out a few things back where they actually belong.
It’s tricky as some things belong in bits of the house that aren’t built yet 😂

DH has been wfh today and has also got rid of some stuff which always helps.

also threw out some Baileys chocolate I got for Christmas but didn’t like!

out:

forgotten what number I was up to! + 5 today

Went back and found last message with number on.

81+5=86

Today I threw out odds and sods from under the sink and slimmed down a few of the products I don't use. Also out old nappy rash creams and a baby hair brush.

Not loads again but getting better at just chucking things now so pockets are looking clearer.

In the office tomorrow but still hoping to do 15 minutes of somewhere!

Binned a nearly complete puzzle book as I didn’t want to do the ones that were left.

and DS1’s old mouth guard that he never used and doesn’t need in his sports bag anymore.

86+2=88

Couple of days not in the house so sadly all I've managed to declutter is prosecco.... Hopefully manage something tomorrow.

Well, after advertising my item this afternoon. A buyer through Gumtree has just been and got it!

I now have a box to bin but it's still in the living room with my bag of old shoes. Sorted a box of outgrown dd clothes and put it away. It's far easier to revisit a box of folded clothes than take them off hanges and look at them.

Cleared a sofa of dumped items. Getting there again slowly.