Clutter Clearout - Countdown to Christmas

[chubbachub]

@MNHQ im unsure if there is a more appropriate topic for this, feel free to move if you wish.

There are 135 days until Christmas 2022. Christmas feels like a good goal as I know more things will come into the house so i want to use the time until then to have a good clearout.

My house (and mind) is cluttered with toys/mess. It's not unclean, it's just that 3 kids and summer holidays = mess and it's stressing me out. Luckily they are back to school next week but I'll still have a tornado of a toddler roaming about so there will still be plenty of mess.

Earlier today I was thinking about how the last few Christmases and birthdays we have been more minimal with what we bring in to the house but I know there is tons of stuff and toys the kids have outgrown/don't play with anymore that could be donated or sold or just chucked in the bin if it's broken etc.

Anyway I have decided I am going to go on a clearout journey and address different small areas of my house every day until a Christmas and try and get rid of at least 3-5 things per day. That could be literally putting it in the bin, in a donation bag or listing on Facebook etc.

Would anyone like to join me ?
We still plan on keeping it to a minimum regarding what we bring in to the house so I am just hoping to achieve a calmer space around me. I will be reporting back with what I have cleared out to keep me on track.

Areas that need immediate attention

Kids toys in their bedroom
Soft teddy toys
Big cupboard in kitchen which holds bakeware, pots and pans, blenders and such. Shit tip.
Two storage baskets in the bathroom that are full of products, some of which I know are empty.
Bath toys - some need a good clean or to be binned.
Garden/outdoor toys - we have too many scooters/bikes/skateboards due to outgrowing them
Toy box in garden is full of bits of things
Toddlers wardrobe, need to go through and see what she has grown out of that can be donated or sold on Vinted
Sort kids books and see what can be passed down to the younger ones and what can be donated

I'm sure there will be more things I find along the way.

Feel free to join or add your to do list even just to get it out of your mind and down in black and white.

I've been quite busy this holiday. We did a tip run with garden waste, printer, metal rings off a half-barrel and the old microwave. Couldnt wait for the scrap lady any more! So felt good - most of that will be recycled. Son repurposed the filing cabinet that was going to go so re-use - that is good.

I took to Oxfam Books bags of very old revision guides for scrapping. With gift aid the pennies will be doubled! I also sorted my costume jewellery necklaces out and managed to clear out about 40% to another charity shop.

I looked at my lipsticks and lipglosses - probably 80% went in the bin. But I cant remember the last time I bought one.

I listed on facebook marketplace and ebay a wetsuit and swim rash vests that were too small for the DC - about half have sold. So I am pleased about that.

We then went through the kitchen cupboards and cleared a lot of things that I had bought in my old flat. Lived in the current address nearly 25 years. I have sold some bits, given others away, and have the final few bits to deal with.

I am trying to follow a good rule that once I have enough for a car boot to be full I take the stuff out of the house. I always have a rag bag on the go, and recycle anything I can. But it is mentally tiring!!

Can I join as I’ve spent all weekend decluttering and have a car full for the tip. Hadn’t even made a dent in the general mess and clutter but going to keep going

Since I posted last ice gone through all school uniforms (3 kids) and have a bag for the clothes bank as well as a bag of decent bits to pass on to a friend. Won't get too do much else done until school starts back and then I'm determined to do a big clearout.

We had a big declutter before moving last year but things have started to creep in (kids ) so I'm going to remove one object a day between now and christmas and then for every new thing that comes in, remove an item too.

We've just had a Declutter weekend but plenty more to go. We can pop things outside with a 'take me' sign and a reasonable amount will go, so we did that yesterday.

Plenty more to sell now. Lots of reorganisation started but not finished yet. I find the kids don't tidy up unless everything has a clear, labelled space so working on that too.

I'd love to join! I keep trying to add a post but for some reason it's not working.

Ah sorted now after logging out & in!

I started decluttering at the beginning of august but haven't really made a dent. Haven't had time to do lots all a once so I'll keep chipping away. I got rid of 2 black bags this weekend & have 2 more waiting to go to children's charity shop.

Would love to have it all done by beginning of December!

2 carrier bags of baby toys gone to charity, and a play house came home, lol. I don't mind too much for stuff they'll actually play with.

Summer hols mess seems to multiply. The most challenging area for me are the children's clothes. Not having a space to put laundry away in drives me crazy. Over the last week I have sorted both Dds wardrobes. Four massive bags of clothes, loaded into the boot of the car and taken to the charity shop the same day. It’s still not perfect but definitely an improvement. I need to get into the little and often mindset.

It's great to get stuff out the same day isn't it? My charity bags always languish for weeks

Hey everyone;

I've managed to shift a few toys to various people locally - I've sold them reasonably - I think there will be more of a call for some "Pre-loved" things with money being tighter for people too tho.

Clothing not doing too bad I find creating small bundles on eBay is the best way as people seem reluctant to spend the postage costs on a single item - I totally get that!

I've come to the realisation that I have far too many gift bags!!!! I mean how many do people actually need!!!!!!!!! I got a box out to put them all in I have about 50 Christmas gift bags - the question has to be why??????

I have a bag of books and a bag of dvds to take to the charity shop and they've been moved around the house from room to room. I have a bag of clothes in the boot of my car for the charity shop. They've been there so long I actually took some summer things out of the bag the other day and took them back in the house🙈
This week I will collect everything together to take to the charity shop!

I really need a clearout before DS's autumn birthday. He gets so much stuff from his grandparents it makes me anxious just thinking about it.

I took 10 books off the bookshelf today. I intend to take them to the charity shop. I'm not sure when I'll get around to it.
I have 7 bin bags of clothes ready to leave the house as well.

Yoga ball gone today and another spot of reorganisation.

We reorganised the kitchen over the weekend, desperately rejigging the cupboards in the hope to make it more useable. Hoping to be able to get a new one in a couple of years as the one that came with the house is just so weird! £40 at the range for organising bits and a carload to the tip and I can actually see what food we have!

Weekend before was youngest DD:s room. Rejigging furniture - armchair out and a wardrobe and desk in. Desk chair is a ghost chair which she always coveted so good to pass across as was taking up space in my bedroom. 5 bags to the chazza and another tip run. I still need to do her clothes but I can't face it in this heat. So muggy and we got none of the rain promised yesterday. Fingers crossed for today as I need to write an essay

I'm also due a big declutter! Although so far I've just been thinking about it rather than actually doing it and I blame the hot weather. I like the idea of having it done by Christmas.

I plan to start on our spare room which has turned into a storage space, full of crap we don't actually need. My main issue is finding the time - we're all out of the house Mon-Fri and the weekends have been busy. I'm hoping as the weather cools down, the fun weekend plans die down too and then I can get cracking. We're planning a tip/charity shop run every weekend once we've started going through it.

@MarthaMayWhovier
Thus is a bit off-thread, but it's intended to be helpful. Our DGC have wishlists, sent on (probably edited) by parents. If we don't like anything on them, we try to choose something that won't take up much space or will last. Magazine subscriptions (eg Beano) go down well, or eg a Pony Day Experience. Don't be anxious: have a chat with DGP. Good luck.

Olio is a great app for getting stuff collected and out of the house.

Hi everyone.

I've finally got started. Over the last few days I have

Organised the annoying kitchen cupboards
Sorted ds's school uniform out, labelled everything and decluttered their wardrobes in general.
Sorted dd's box of things to grow into for autumn/winter
Generally cleared clutter off of shelves and corners
Tidied out the bathroom shelves
Cleaned entire house top to bottom

My 5yo ds starts school tomorrow. I think I channeled my anxiety about that into nervous cleaning mode 😂

Oh, DH did one dump run as well. I also put things in a pile to list on Vinted when I can get round to it.

I'm doing the same. I've taken lots of baby books and baby toys to the charity shop and my little one is very much not a baby anymore! I've taken some ancient clothes to the charity shop that will never fit me again :( and some dresses I bought for my old job that I don't wear anymore.
I've listed a few things in marketplace but not much attention apart from scammers! I've got some costumes to list tomorrow.
I need to go through the kitchen and get rid of mugs and glasses that we never use. I got rid of lots of takeaway containers last week. I'm sure I have lots of herbs and spices that need to be chucked too.
I'm thinking I should get rid of my DVDs. I haven't touched them for at least 5 years. Has anyone used ziffit?

Can I join you all please.

We have been sorting and decluttering done the first lockdown and things are so much calmer in the house but I feel things slip very easily.

I've listed and sold some items on Vinted from dd wardrobe but more for me and dh to do.

Need to sort laundry cupboard and dispose of some towels.

Sort dining room cupboard so we use the stuff in it not just put random dinner sets in there that never get used.

Sort garage again once decorators have finished today 🙏

Clear garden of random pots/ half dead plants and sort sheds x2

Sort stuff in older ddsx2 wardrobes as they no longer live here but it see their stuff does.

Looks a lot written down

@lastminutedotcom22 this is very interesting. When you say all kids stuff selling, are you talking branded items? What sort of things? I've been merrily charity shopping stuff but I need cash so may do this myself and am grateful for tips

I feel like I spend far more time reading about decluttering than actually doing it 😞

So here I am, joining to read about all of your progress, haha!

Really, though; it’s beyond ridiculous the amount of crap we have in this house and it’s getting us all down so today I start in my bedroom 💪

Can I join please? Feel like I’m drowning in piles! We downsized nearly 5 years ago but haven’t got rid of half as much stuff as we should have. I’ve got some bits advertised on Facebook Marketplace but it’s not had much interest & I can’t be doing with all the organising of collections, being let down etc.
I think I need to focus on one room at a time. The stairs tend to get used as a dumping ground too so they need to be cleared. As a pp said, the charity shop donations hang around here so I need to take them. I find getting rid of clothes difficult as my weight has varied so much over the years. I’m very heavy at the moment so not much fits me but I want to keep some things for when I lose weight.
Another vote for kitchen cupboards - we have SO many mugs! And I went through a phase of buying loads of toiletries, some of which I’ve never used, so those need sorting too. Oh & jewellery! And my bedside drawers! And the bottom of my wardrobe! And the cube storage in the lounge! Aaagh!!! Also magazines. I tend to keep a lot for recipes then never use them. DD13 has periodic clear outs of her room which is good but she tends to dump everything ontop of the bedding storage boxes on the landing so we can’t easily get to clean bedding. Also she mixes everything together, even though I’ve asked her to try to separate it. DH’s office is another dumping ground. Maybe now the weather is cooler I can make a proper start.