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.

Marking place!

I love reading about everyone's decluttering and cleaning. Unfortunately for me it tricks my brain into thinking I've been very productive when I have not!

Oh god i started my house 3 weeks ago and i am so bloody stressed. I have given to charity 8 huge laundy bags of toys to charity. Goodness knows how much rubbish and unwanted furniture etc. I am still plugging away.

Some selling on my to do list today.

This is me! Plus I LOVE your username!

@Joopy I've sold loads of stuff with Ziffit, they pay pretty well (as these sites go). We Webuybooks is also good for dvds.

I excavated the "corner of doom" (technically an alcove) in the kitchen today. Some stuff in the bin, a few more bits in the charity bag. I now face one of my biggest declutteting challenges; a Teddy bear. It belonged to an acquaintance of my mum's who gave it to her rather than bin it himself (she collected bears), and a great many years later it migrated to mine as a stow away in a box of my stuff that I'd left behind. It's not of interest to the kids (not colourful/fluffy enough), I don't want it. It's not in good enough condition for charity. I need to put it in the bin, but I feel so guilty 😩

I want to do this. I have teens and want an empty minimalist house by Xmas 🤔.

May I join? I've filled three bags ready for the charity shop today and listed some bundles on eBay. I'm torn with the bundles - every penny helps but I get annoyed at stuff hanging around when I've decided it needs to go!

I can't get the kids to get rid of stuff, they just refuse. Any tips?

Today, I asked my teenager to sort out the garage whilst I did the kitchen. I have neighbours cat-sitting in less than a week and I really dont want them to think I am a slovenly type of person! (I am, but..). Teenager decided they couldnt even manage a single item without my help, so that was it - all day in the garage.

Lots of empty cardboard boxes flattened for recycling (I keep them for ebaying and these really werent suitable). Odd bits of wood added to the firewood pile (for next summer) and big hints dropped that the handy teenager might like to use larger pieces to make a small wood store. Swept and sorted sensibly.

So I have a small pile of bits ready for ebay-ing/tip.

Sad news on one of my ebay sales - I had obviously misunderstood a size label and the recipient was not best pleased. So I have agreed a full refund and that is on its way back.

2 nappy bins added to the growing junk pile at the back of the garden. We don't have a car so can't take stuff to the dump. When I'm sure we've got everything together I'll work out the best way to get rid of it.

Update on teenager & kitchen: he had a couple of free hours this afternoon (whilst I took stuff to the charity shop) and he has done a cracking job on the kitchen. The cats supervised beautifully!! Even he can see progress!

I've booked a trip to the refuse and recycling centre for next week. That's my progress - now planning what to get rid of.

Hello, I am determined to join in and actually see it through!

We moved into our home about six months ago and had a massive clear out then. But things have, um, slipped slightly since then, shall we say? 😬

I have two DC, aged 5 and 7. Both their birthdays fall between now and Christmas, so I may well be swapping one pile of junk for another one (or two!)

I sorted their outgrown shoes yesterday and now have 14 pairs for the clothes bank. I'll put them in my car and drop them off next time pass one.

Today, I have about 90 minutes before I need to leave the house, so I will do one small kitchen drawer or cupboard.

Good luck everyone.

Threw out a book today that DS peed on. Yay something out of the house but also ew.

Good work so far to those getting things cleared out.

Yesterday was good here, I went through my little ones wardrobe and have bagged up some things for a friend.
I havent got round to putting out her new season bigger size things yet. I ended up spending today in hospital unexpectedly so hoping to catch up on some more jobs tomorrow.

Might tackle some toys while the older ones are at school.

I had a massive sort out of the linen cupboard. Things are starting to look so much clearer. It's made me realise how much stuff we get given for the DCs.

@BrutusMcDogface Glad I'm not the only one!

2 bags full of clothes from DD2's drawer sort out to go to the Chazza tomorrow or Friday.

That's about it since I last posted, but I've really noticed how much easier it is to keep the house clean and tidy since I started. Especially the kitchen. It feels like it can breathe now and takes 5 minutes to whizz around.

Hope you don’t mind if I join in. I have today finished decluttering the airing cupboard. I now have six bags to take to the clothes bank and two bags to a charity shop. How did I end up with 22 flannels? I am also going to get rid of an unopened (wedding gift) towel set in which “saint” was embroidered on one towel and “sinner” on the other!

Ew!

I’d like to hop on board too. Four grown up children although having lived here for a long time there are still things here that belong to them. DH recently went in the loft. Oh dear! We found some kids clothes in suitcases, so all washed sorted and some has gone to Ukraine. Kept some hand knitted baby clothes on the off chance we have some grandchildren some time but it is now in a vacuum bag so only half a bag.

This week.
Sorted out all tops and got rid of half. Some were cheap, practical work clothing.
Reorganised wardrobe. I have coloured hangers so I try and keep clothing in sections. Easier to find things.
Decluttered some vintage shoes and two pairs of boots. I am hoping to get some money for these at a vintage shop and donate it to Cancer Research.
Planning to go through my tights and socks next.

Soon going into my daughters old bedroom which is now my craft room but has way too much stuff in there.

The kitchen is fairly tidy as we put a new kitchen in nearly four years ago and did a big Declutter then and also gained more space by having wall units instead of narrow shelving.

This thread will keep me on top of it.

This has come at a good time for me! I always think to follow the kon mari checklist to work my way round the house but it starts with clothes and that's the most difficult category!

Those who sell on ebay, what is the minimum price you'd be willing to put on something,ie, what makes it worth your while listing it, packaging it and posting it?

I have actually made a little progress today; woo hoo! Been in my bedroom and my youngest child’s. Got two bin bags of clothes for donation and two bags of rubbish but have barely scraped the surface, to be honest. Onwards and upwards

small parcel is £3.40 now (I think? And £4.20 for first class). I’m not too sure how much eBay charge now, either. It does eat into your profits! I try to sell on dedicated resell Facebook pages, for example by kids’ Frugi goes on a Frugi preloved page.

Having recently moved to a new home I have had to realise what a product junkie I am.
I had baskets and baskets full of products opened once and then left to fester . Then I couldn’t throw out because I felt guilt at the cost of the original purchase .

it is so cathartic to bin beauty products . I now have a much streamlined single
basket of products and have vowed never to purge on shampoo/ body lotion / fake tan /make up .

Bin it ! you Will feel so relieved

I'm very emotional about clothes unfortunately. Largely because I want to lose weight so am keeping all sizes but it's bursting out of my wardrobe! I just want everything to fit correctly where it should and not be stuffing things in. I also want to lose weight😖