Decluttering Thread 3 - Decluttering on bit at a time

[LivingInaBuildingSite]

Just realised we filled up Thread 2 without a way to link to this one, can’t see that anyone else has started one?

I did drop back the borrowed boots, go me!

didn’t tackle the umbrella pot/dumping ground though

Did quite well today. One useless shower puff that's unfit for purpose in the bin, along with two chipped plates and a chipped bowl. Three jumpers to the charity bag. That feels like a lot for me in one day. Total is 27.

The planter was collected finally . Next I would like for DH to list some old suitcases I think since the new ones arrived . They’re taking up space in the attic for no reason now . The leak in the topfloor plant room by the water softener was fixed I hope . next week the roof solar panels ,skylights and gutters are due a clean and the gardener will come before we go away . Also DD last two 11+ schools results so I’m very nervous .
I was looking at the patios and driveway and those will need a clean after a year and a half here but when the weather is warmer and nicer I think .
Just a few bits going today but I cleaned rest of the fridge and my bedside meds drawer and found
-10 more items of old food in the fridge DH missed yesterday ( he always does grrrr)
-6 packets of old meds
-1 old baking soda

I did cash out 3 Scratch cards for money, so they aren't causing clutter anymore. Those are my outs for the day

5 plastic cups gone so far today. I think we got them with party bags so they’re probably really cheap and not bpa friendly. Dd2 still prefers to drink from plastic cups but we have a drawer of them that I’m gradually getting rid of.

I’m now sitting here thinking about some plastic plates and bowls I bought for about 20p in Tesco 12 years ago that were only supposed to be temporary. I might get rid of them today. We also have about 8 ikea plastic plates. I might Google to see if I can buy one set of plastic plates I like and get rid of the sixteen mismatched ones I don’t like. We still use them for movie nights, sleepovers and play dates even though dc are at secondary school.

Another 13 plastic cups and bowls are in the pile. I still have loads left but I’ll get rid of them and replace with a small number of nice ones.

A part empty bottle of antifreeze that's not suitable for current car is now in the bin. Total is 28.

@stealthninjamum I'm just thinking of buying some IKEA plastic plates. My DC is 3 and our melamine plates have broken and I don't trust them with real plates yet.
Ah the cycles of life - I decluttered the baby sippy cups today, as well as a broken umbrella and my old,very broken, glassez

How does everyone gets rid of their items they have decluttered? I have small children so what with birthdays and Christmas I find that my black bin and green bin is constantly full. I find that every fortnight I can generally squeeze a bag or two of my decluttering into the black bin. Unfortunately, my husband is a bit of a horder therefore if he sees any black bin bags he will rummage through them and start taking things out even if they are broken plastic toys or old underpants with holes in them, etc. I used to do a tip run at lunch time to get rid of my decluttering before my husband could rescue the broken toys and holey pants!

Recently our local tip has become super strict and opens any bags you try to put in the non-recyclable waste! Last time I was told off for bringing two black bin bags in! This was after Christmas and we hadn’t had a black bin collection for two weeks!

For référence my local authority only does a green bin collection once a fortnight and the is no recycling collection of glass, textiles or plastic (they will take plastic food containers only). I regularly take my glass to the bottle bank and clothes to the clothing bank. Charity shops are a bit hit and miss for clothes and toys has they have so many donations quite often I can take a while to find a shop that will accept them.

your authority sounds very tough! We have weekly collections of a variety of stuff.
you should complain to your local councillors and get others to complain too. It will only encourage fly tipping if rubbish collections are crap and the tip is super strict.

I’ve had a big day of outs as parted with all of DS2’s Thomas collection.
117 trains & sets (I counted!)
I didn’t count every bit of track though, just ‘a box of bits’

also gave the same autistic support group
10 books (minecraft & Roblox)
1 x bag of cuddly toys
a light up tortoise thing

311+117+12= 440/2023

maybe more out later as someone I know is having a 2nd hand sale, I have a few bits for them if they collect.

To actually answer your question:

Anything I think has life in it I pass along, either through my roads Whatsapp group, Facebook free groups, friends, etc.
or charity shops, esp one near a supermarket as can park easily and borrow their trolleys for heavy stuff.

anything recyclable, we have pink sacks for mixed, boxes for paper & card.

black bags for anything truly dead, and we don’t have a limit on black bags.
yet, council threatening all sorts of changes atm but nothing yet.

5 kids coats and 1 mans coat in bag for charity collection
1 kids coat in cupboard to go to friends next week.

One too small hat and one old flannel to textile recycling
Two plastic tubs used to collect “samples” from DD2 who has had D&V 😖
93/2023

that’sgoingtohurt that’s really annoying, it must make your progress slow.

The guys at my tip sometimes look at what you’re throwing away and since Covid you have to book so it’s a real faff, I can see why people flytip - not that I would do it myself.

When I started these threads I used to put a list of potential ways of getting rid of things. I’ll have a look now and see if I can find it.

Plastic’s pretty hard but your holey pants could go to a charity shop that takes rags. Or use it as a duster! I can remember my granny cleaning windows with grandads old y fronts! 🙂

Clothes beyond repair can go to textile recycling, including socks and undies. Some charity shops still take them and sell by the kg as rags. H&M also take them for recycling.

Anything in usable condition I add to local fb or WhatsApp groups, sometimes on freecycle. It usually goes quick. On a sunny day I put a box of stuff on the road

Oh and went through our magazine rack too - I'm doing few mins here and there. 81 items now (I think)

Btw I'm not sure how everyone else does this but I don't count someone as decluttered until it's left the house. Otherwise it's still cluttering the space.

Some information on getting rid of items that have been asked about on previous threads.
If anyone has anything to add to this list could you please highlight it in bold and hopefully I can update this post for the next thread.

SELLING THINGS

Ebay
Facebook sales sites
Shpock
Gumtree
webuybooks.co.uk
musicmagpie.co.uk (for CDs, DVDs, Games, Books, iPhones, Games Consoles and LEGO)
ziffit - for books, CDs, DVDs and games
Sellitback
Zapper
GAME / CEX for phones and games and electronics (CEX in particular)
Apple Store credit or recycle old phones.

//www.thrift.plus is a second hand clothes site where you can sell your clothes. It’s for more high end clothes than //www.isecondthat.co.uk which will take Tu and primark.

Also someone on the thread has recommended the Vinted app for selling children's clothes.

TO GET RID OF THINGS FOR FREE

Freecyle has a good app called trashnothing
Olio is a site for giving away food and other household items.

Charity shops. Some will collect which really helps if you’re just starting to declutter and have a lot of stuff to go.

Animal shelters like towels and carpet squares and sometimes bedding and duvet covers.

Homeless charities will often take warm clothes and coats, especially in the winter.

You can advertise things on Nextdoor

Some council tips have a place to drop off quality stuff to be sold.

Some charity shops will take rags if you label them as ‘rags’, this could be materials or clothes that are too scruffy or dirty to sell or donate to someone. Also some councils will collect rags (but you’ll need to contact your council)

Supermarkets are getting better at recycling. My local Tesco has recycling points for batteries, toner cartridges, glass bottles, books and and light bulbs. My local Sainsbury’s has razer blades.

Bras. Oxfam shops take bras and so do some smaller lingeries shops. Bravissimo do a scheme whereby they send good bras to Africa and strip down those that are too old for parts as well as donating 70p per kilo of bras to MIND. Also smallsforall.org take brand new knickers and good condition bras and send to Africa

Some charity shops will now arrange collection of clothes and other things – these are some links depending on your area.
//www.heartuk.org.uk/other-ways-to-give/clothes-recycling

//www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods/time-for-a-clear-out/donate-your-items/arrange-a-free-collection
(BHF also collect toys, puzzles, books, CDs, DVDs as well as clothes)

//www.mariecurie.org.uk/donate/charity-shops If you live near a shop

//www.icollectclothes.co.uk/ will collect your clothes in some areas.

Nurseries and preschools will often take old toys, games, books, craft sets and/ or stationery. They might also take clean (obviously) underwear and clothes to keep as spares for when children have accidents.

Soft toys. The Teddy Trust

and

//www.lovedbefore.london/donate

Foodbanks take all sorts of food (if it is within date) and sometimes half open packets of nappies.

Rymans take old pens

Oxfam take old phones

John Lewis also have a make up recycling scheme:
//www.johnlewis.com/our-services/beautycycle

And a small number of Boots stores //www.boots.com/boots-recycling-scheme

IF YOU’RE HAPPY TO PAY FOR MORE BULKY WASTE

Clearabee have been recommended to get rid of more bulky garage – type waste and Hippo Bags can be bought from some DIY stores.

Also //www.clearwaste.com is apparently a site to get quotes from registered waste disposal firms (but none of us have used it).

If you do use a company to remove this sort of rubbish (eg a man with a van) please make sure they have a license and are officially registered. Too many dodgy people offer a cheap rubbish disposal service on facebook and just flytip. You are liable for their flytipping.

This gov website tells you who has a license Waste carriers, brokers and dealers environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

I think more towels can go once I have all of them clean in one place I can count. I’ll keep three sets each and extra hand towels for downstairs loo . For guests I’ll get 2 new sets and store them in the guest room wardrobe from now on .
Looked into the kids toiletry box in the linen cupboard near their bathroom and a few bottles going to food bank .
Im hoping DH can do the dump with all the delivery boxes and bags to rag bank after the vet and going to his moms tomorrow .

Out today :
-5 toiletry bottles to the food bank
-earmarking a basket style unused dog bed we won’t use even with a new puppy
-square wire baskets like the ones we just gave away on olio I have to find from the attic first ( 4 maybe )

Despite impending travel and lots of admin etc I know I need to get on with the attic more . There are things that can go I’m sure and I have to unpack cardboard moving boxes and repack into plastic storage boxes some breakables . I’m always so tired and unwell but I’ll just have to go do some more possibly this weekend when kids and DH and dog aren’t here to occupy me .

I did well again today.

🧼 Finished reading one magazine, into recycling
🧽 8 spare DVD boxes into recycling
🧹 3 scientific calculators in need of new batteries into electronic recycling bagged up with a note on them to say they still work
🧼 1 empty metal tin to recycling
🧽 6 sheets of address labels for old houses into the bin
🧹 5 used Jiffy bags into bin. I used to keep them because I sold online but stopped years ago so they won't get used
🧼 A pile of paper recycling gathered from the living room
🧽 An old staff ID badge from a job I no longer do

Total is 54

Our tip is super helpful. They will empty the car for you if you need help. And always offer to take things for recycling if they can be saved. They’re linked to a loca charity/re use shop.

the tip workers did watch me a while ago get an entire sofa out of a van flip it on its end and dump it. By myself. I was in such a bloody rage with DH that I got the effing thing in the van by myself and drove it there. I told them that I was pissed off with DH when I got there and needed to do it by myself as it was cathartic. Said if I was still there in 30 minutes to help me. They were impressed I think at the fact I did it within 10 minutes. Pure rage fuelled strength. 😀

we have our recycling collected weekly with the bins but a different type goes out every week. Plastic cardboard metal. In between times (like now as I have a ton of cardboard) I’ll take it myself to the dump.

I either use Facebook to sell as it’s just easier. Or larger items we get charity shop to collect.

other than that it’s charity shop. Either a bag a day to one near my office or I just do a big trip to one nearby if I have loads.

got the kids involved yesterday and asked them to put all of their books on the living room floor. We sifted through them and have got rid of a bag for life full. Those will be charity shopped either today or Monday.

pigtail I count my clutter when I find it - rather than when it leaves the house. Things used to hang around for months (years) but I’m pretty good at getting rid of it quickly these days. Admittedly there is a huge pile of stuff in my hallway waiting to be bagged - I would guess 6 or 7 carrier bags of stuff and about 50 books that need to be taken my ziffit, so next week I’ll put it in the car for the charity shop and organise the ziffit courier. I think that pile has been there about two weeks since I did the last charity shop run.

Hopefully I have someone collecting some playmobil sets that I listed on Facebook a few weeks ago. I used to find good quality branded toys - playmobil, Lego, happy land, orchard - shifted quicklY but not so much these days.

Also have two bags of Christmas and birthday gifts to give out tomorrow. So those will go too! Wooo

A woman just collected 2 bags of grouting through Freecycle we had leftover from building work. So happy as they were big and heavy.
83 things now

5 blister packs of OOD meds into recycling whilst also working on packets of cold & flu meds 🤧

440+5=445

I mostly only count things as out once in the bin/recycling/left the house.
But have been better at going to the charity shop recently so counting as out once I put items in the box.

Forgot to add the items that went last night,

2 x party dresses too small for me (from pre DC days, eldest is 16!)
2 x kids card games
1 large cheap print we have no home for anymore

445+5=450/2023

I count things from when I decide to get rid of them, even if they don’t leave the house for a while, as letting go of something is the hardest part for me.

I’ve done more decluttering over the past two days, so I’m pleased with myself.

Yesterday: Two swim nappy covers collected via FB, and a bag of previously sorted clothes taken to the charity bank.

Today: Went though the last few bits of DD’s clothing from the mixed size bag and put all four things in the charity bag - a pair of leggings, a cardigan, a jumper and a hoodie.

I also threw away a pair of old slippers that lived by the back door for going out to put the bins out/ hang laundry out. They’d started to wear through completely, so I’d been thinking about getting rid, then the cat was sick in them earlier, so my decision was made for me.

Next step will be to return to the clothing sorted by size and go through the age 4-5 clothing, and check the wardrobe as I think some old coats were put in there as they were outgrown.