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 forgot to add DH gave teenage son a copy of the daily routine that had printed out too small. He told DS that was for him. I came home from an appointment this morning to a son who was dressed, he'd made his bed, checked the calendar, emptied the dish drainer and was asking what swish and swipe bathrooms meant! I had to tell him that DH was winding him up and that it was in fact my list😂

@Tilda77 I once left a "To Do" list for myself on the kitchen counter and went to work. DH had a day off and thought I had left the list for him. I had such a surprise when I returned home to most of the jobs completed... Must do that more often...

Took a few bags of homewares over to friends who've just bought their first home last weekend.

Have a car load of stuff for the charity shop including a rug, shelf and surplus suitcase. Will drop off on Sunday, so have Saturday to check for a few other things. I've got a new (bigger car) meaning extra room for donations

Side Table going to MIL.

A telescope and a few books are going home with dss.

A new in box toy going to husband's colleagues daughter.

A very successful few days! How's everyone else getting on?

I still have 2 bags of clothes for the charity shop. I've been adding stuff to them.
DH has given a few items away on fb market place. It seemed easier to give them away to get them out of the house and not have them hanging around.
I've been buying a few bits for the salvation army Christmas toys and tins appeal and have added a bag of books to that. DS has never read them so they are like brand new.
I'm hoping to have a productive weekend after a few weeks of doing nothing because of illness.
@torthecatlady sounds like you're doing well!

Thanks! And well done on your progress. As soon as we dropped the stuff off at the charity shop we were thinking of what else could go... nothing comes to mind yet.

I'm busy sorting out paper clutter now.. again. I've divided it into piles and now I'm going to put it away in the relevant folders. I'd love some tips of how to deal with papers coming into the house... other than putting them away straight away which I never seem to do although I'm pretty good at putting junk Mail straight into the recycling.

I spent most of yesterday in the kitchen. Emptying each cupboard, cleaning them out and getting rid of the extras. I have halved the cups, thrown things away that are out of date🙈 I have 3 bags for the charity shop now.
Today was going to be spent tackling our bedroom. I need to get it done because I can't get in bed! I got a bit sidetracked though.
I spent weeks sorting through paperwork not so long back and putting it in the right place or shredding it. Now we have a pretty box that lives on the hallway cupboard. Anything that comes in gets read and put in the bin or in there. When it gets full then I begrudgingly sort it! It's quite useful because I know where to find the most recent letters instantly.