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

Happy birthday @LivingInaBuildingSite 🥳
Congratulations to your DS @Nordicmom
DD had a birthday last week which didn't involve too many big ins. However, it's made me realise we need to sort through her stuff again.
Not major progress here but keeping on with my target of at least one out each day.

250 childrens books! DD2 has always been a bit of a hoarder...

@PuttingDownRoots I have also been decluttering our children's books... four bags for life filled today. More shelves to tackle tomorrow!

I think childrens books breed when we turn our backs!

Thank you all!

Happy Birthday @LivingInaBuildingSite !

Congratulations to your DS @Nordicmom and Happy Birthday @LivingInaBuildingSite !

Yesterday I made a start on the age 4-5 clothes and put five pairs of leggings and three hoodies into the charity bag. I also sorted through the pile of Stuff on the dining room table and reduced it to about half the size - some paperwork filed, some into the recycling, and a couple of things put away. Not really decluttering, but more keeping on top of Stuff before it becomes clutter.

Today I took the bag of clothes from the last few days to the charity bank, so that’s out of the house. Also cleared a few bits of rubbish from the top of my chest of drawers, but that could do with a proper sort out at some point.

A few bits going out today
-1 bottle of eyelash conditioner ,I have another I’m giving a proper go with it to see if they work or not that’s gotten good reviews, I’m skeptical
-1 old toiletry bag not needed
-1 old wooden spatula used with the food disposal changed to a new one
-2 old travel toothbrushes
-2 dog bed cushions without covers from the attic (we have spare beds for him , one brand new too so no point saving these ,they’re big as well )
-1 DD small wool sweater
-1/2 sets of headphones earmarked to go , dd needed better fitting in ear ones for school and a pair of other old ones can go since I’m giving her my Beats I never use now that I have AirPod Max
not much but it all becomes a big pile when you do it day after day !

Summer jacket that never really suited me has gone to the charity bag. I have others to wear. Total is 66. I'm surprised at how much I've got rid of. I'm only counting out of curiousity but I have the feeling I've got better at decluttering than last year even though I'm still struggling with it

I dropped off the donation box to the charity shop, it feels good to get it out of the house.
One of the items I donated was a brand new bubble bath that smells disgusting! It was a Christmas present (yes, this last Christmas!), and I'm not regretting it at all. It really was awful!

out:
a bag of assorted kids toys to a neighbour who childminds - 12
a wall sticker that won’t stick
the packaging for new swimming goggles I think I got for Christmas 21!
two old sheets of kids login details for schoolwork in lockdown

528+12+2+2=544/2023

Well done all!

it's not going well here. I packed a bit and it was inconvenient, as well as emotional. The completion date has been delayed. It all doesn't feel real.

then I decided to just try to live normally and am now sitting in general household chaos. My poor mother phoned when I was just looking at it hopelessly and I snapped a bit. Now I have a Zoom meeting at 7, need to eat early etc.

Sorry, this is a rant. I just do not understand where my organisation mojo went or how to get it back.

I have put things in storage boxes, because I learned the hard way that I do miss things when I get rid of them.

I'm thinking I need some sort of interesting project so I can do that as well as boring chore stuff.

Last time I moved, it was ten days between exchange and completion and I didn't pack anything till exchange. Probably better because then I just got on with it.

Moving is hard. I always find decluttering easier when unpacking, as I could what there wasn't a home for.

12 jigsaws in charity pile.
Also emptied the "random pieces of games box" into the bin ad it hasn't been touched since I moved here...

Putting thank you.

I think my key thing is not being organised. I feel like Fleabag - I sort of want someone to tell me what to do and what to wear etc.

I have got as far as deciding that some furniture is going and I need stuff that will help me be more organised. I used to be very organised with what I have though. Sadly I think there's a lot of boring list making in my near future.

Lots more shredding of old statements I can get online if I have to. It's very cathartic.

Does anyone know about these apps where you box up books and sell? Im sure I've seen something posted but can't recall. Thanks.

Only know of this one

www.webuybooks.co.uk/sell-books/?gclid=CjwKCAiAioifBhAXEiwApzCztgxuihgtlriL1xg0-2SHSKJGLXIcIdNafUmSesgMn2LeIpJuCvgiGxoCEMIQAvD_BwE

I use webuybooks and ziffit. You have to scan loads of books in and don’t much much money but the best bit is a courier will collect them. I have a pile of about 60 boxes I need to box up and arrange a courier for at the moment. They’ll also collect video games and maybe DVDs (well they did a couple of years ago)

1 broken coat hanger
3 bits of junk mail
1 old pair of tights
1 dried up biro
1 mug which slipped out of my hand while I was washing up. I’m annoyed as I did like it although it was quite stained so I would have probably struggled to get rid of it normally.
127/2023

10 spare hangers back to dry cleaners (DH gets his shirts done there)
544+10=564/2023

still piles of stuff to donate from the shed, busy couple of days then start new job so prob won’t get done apart from weekends now.

I have put an unused unicorn in the charity shop pile and an unused puzzle book.

We used to have loads of notepads and I am slowly using up the ones that dc have scribbled on. I finished one today and my next one - which will go to the shops and everywhere with me - is a Hello Kitty one that must be about 12 years old! I make loads of lists so I won’t need to buy any new ones for a couple of years.

outs 219.

(we’ll in the pile rather than out)

emmaemerald you said you’re looking for someone to tell you what to do.

In lockdown some of us went through the Toss app. You get a challenge every day, I found it really motivating and did nearly everything it asked.

there’s also the ‘unfuck your habitat’ app - think it’s called UFYB. That mixes decluttering with more cleaning tasks but you can use it to set you challenges.

Or would it help if the thread set you challenges?if I said ‘go through your stationery’ tonight would that work?

@stealthninjamum wondering how one does use a unicorn…?! Sorry little chuckle to myself. Assume you mean a notepad?

I know we have various notepad type things around the house, I’m working on one for my lists too but luckily just a plain blue one. Think DD still has pink and sparkly ones hidden in her room!

old workbench collected
plus persuaded him to take 8 tubs of fence paint off my hands too!

564+9=573/2023

listed a small filing cabinet on Fb, due for collection tomorrow

livinginabuildingsite OMG yes! A unicorn notepad. I would never get rid of a real one!

Belated congrats to @Nordicmom and @LivingInaBuildingSite!

I've had a hellish work week so far so the house has been neglected. I did throw out a nearly-dry mascara, a travel toothbrush and a bag clip I hated. Trying hard to not bring in new stuff but I slightly caved in and got 2 new kids books. I love kids books and I do need to shift through some of the toddler ones. I also noticed that I have 2 or 3 jumpers I always pass on wearing so I think I'll try to list some for sales next week.