Decluttering Thread 3 - Decluttering on bit at a time

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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

Finally managed to drop off my two boxes of kitchen stuff. My usual place was 'closed until further notice' so ended up at the tip shop.

I have a clear weekend ahead of me so should be able to clear some more crap treasure----

10 DC hats/scarves/gloves etc from the bag of spares - either outgrown or worn out
3 returned items back to Amazon

222 + 13 = 235/2023

Such a good day. I spent five hours in the Room of Doom - shredding, filing and organising. Loads of historical papers have gone.

So 46 old letters (probably more I gave up counting)
7 passbooks - Abbey National and Leeds accounts - shredded
36 bank statements from 3 years in the 2000s
and 29 pens

I started moving stuff all over the house, put stuff in memory boxes, tested pens, boxed up 50 books to be collected by ziffit (I’m sure these have been sitting around since about January)

Total 409 / 2023

The issue of time is a big one. I was using Marie Kondo method long before she "invented" it. I was decluttering annually since a pre-teen child (hoarder parents, I rebelled). It takes so much time to pull everything out, make decisions and put things back. Great if you have the time and if you're quick with decisions, but my room would be a mess for about a month as that's how long the process took and during that time I'd be treading on everything because it took the whole floor space. As an adult I obviously don't use that method. I started taking things one item at a time instead. I'll go to a cramped area, pick something up and decide what to do with it eg put it away in its home, find it a home, bin it, take pics and list for sale etc. So I only need the 5min it takes to deal with that one item. In 2015 my life imploded and things got out of hand as a consequence. That's why I have so much to get rid of now that things have changed and I'm in a position to tackle it.

I had another major effort today. The kitchen stuff was surplus and went to a friend starting a kitchen from scratch. I've been through the last loose pile of papers etc. Also went through my spring season clothes again.

• 4 cards recycled
• 4 magazine articles recycled
• 2 entire magazines read and recycled
• 5 pieces of artwork binned
• 1 old receipt recycled
• 3 envelopes recycled
• 1 sticky note binned
• 1 puzzle booklet recycled
• 2 leaflets recycled
• small pile of random paper recycled
• 1 empty cardboard box recycled
• 1 pile of fabric scraps binned
• 1 jumper to donation bag
• pyjama bottoms to donation bag
• 3 stacking cups donated
• 1 other cup donated
• 3 water glasses donated
• 1 flower vase donated
• 1 bread knife donated
• 1 packet of ice cube bags donated
• 2 hairbrush for dolls recycled
• 1 comb for dolls recycled
• 5 knives donated
• 5 forks donated
• 3 spoons donated
• 3 dinner plates donated
• 3 side plates donated
• 6 bowls donated

1 tin of spaghetti expired 2021!

Total is 276

Weekdays are so busy and hard for me, but today I deleted all the downloads and documents from my phone. Phone is so much faster now 😳 I really suffer from digital clutter.

Also binned a pile of nursery artwork and finished a cleanser I didn't particularly like and won't replace. Trying to be good at finishing stuff off - goal is to burn all those lovely candles while the season is wintry.

236 now

Stealth ninja that sounds immense! Very satisfying I imagine.

I did manage to find some stuff to go, though not where I was intending. Had emptied a bookcase to move it now needing to put it all back. 5 books in charity bag but it does feel a bit painful, as I've gone through books several times. But don't think I will read these again. It's a while since I emptied the bookcase so I had forgotten the books are 2 deep so more than I thought.

Indian summer your current method sounds like what I do, much easier

My kitchen/utility is starting to make me happy. I did the baking equipment cupboards today and found things I knew I had but no idea where.
Basically chucked stuff in cupboards when we moved two years ago.
Decided that I'm not keeping random baking equipment just because my mother saw it in a shop and thought I might like it. I'm keeping the stuff I want to use!

My donation and tip poles are growing!

@PuttingDownRoots - I've had a similar realisation this week but have to be careful not to show any of my discards to my family because they get offended if it was something they gave me.

This morning I have removed a jug that I no longer want.

Also thrown away a bag of decaf ground coffee...not much left in it and I rarely drink any ground coffee, let alone decaf!! Just made a pot of normal ground coffee to try and use up that bag too and it tastes horrible. I really don't know what I do to ground coffee that makes it turn out so bad

Removed a wooden pot thing from the bathroom that ds got a smelly set in a few years ago. Kept it to store stuff in but it mostly sits empty on a shelf so it's in the pile for the next tip shop trip. Also removed two empty toothbrush packets and a blunt razor.

I'm on a roll and it's not even 8.30am!!

I just found a huge box of documents that need to be shredded, putting it of for the moment. Got to confess I'm not feeling the decluttering vibe this cold snowy day!

This morning’s been a bit slower, I have added a toast rack and rucksack to the charity shop pile.

I have also been shredding documents that I wanted to get rid of a year ago but my shredder broke.I am really struggling to get rid of conveyancing documents about a flat I bought and sold in 1998 to 2001. Can someone tell me that there is no rational reason to keep them!

im actually really proud of myself, I am now researching pensions for me and organising my finances and all the girls health records and school reports - many were emailed so I’m printing them out to file and organise.

Sounds like lots of good work going on. Your day @stealthninjamum sounds very productive and satisfying. @LivingDeadGirlUK you can post your shredding to me if you like I find it very therapeutic!
We are having bathroom renovation done so little progress here as the noise and disruption has shredded my nerves (see what I did there!) and by the evening just want to sit and enjoy the quiet. I have been chipping away at some paperwork in filing drawer like old car service invoices and brochures. It’s all been neat in the drawer so not really clutter as such but definitely nothing we need to keep either.

Two purses in the donation box.

I am heading to the attic finally so hopefully then I can add something to my list . I’m finding it a bit tricky to move things around there since there is too much there still ( and I’m in pain always ) and we have been getting suitcases and pillow boxes etc out so need organise packed boxes again then trying to reduce the amount stuff and un packed cardboard boxes etc . All spare pillow boxes got emptied so that’s 3 big storage boxes worth of space reclaimed now thank fully . I think I’ll put the Christmas ornament boxes in to the back row where they were since they won’t need to come out for ages. Another thing a lamp went last night via Olio . Hoping to find something else dog related and add it to a bundle with a brand new bed we don’t need . I will fold more clean laundry tonight or tomorrow so there will be more out from that . Another house maintenance job got done today and have been nagging DH to book the carpets in after Easter holidays . Gardener postponed to next weeks it’s been too wet . Dog got groomed too so ticking some stuff off the list . Need to get lots more admin and necessary shopping done . Need to prepare for DD birthday next month and for our trip to see family over Easter . Yet again too much to do and I’ve needn’t a bit useless this week at getting stuff done .just a few things out since the last update but hoping there’ll be more after my attic visit soon
Out :
-1 puzzle DD finished to recycling it’s missing 1 piece annoyingly
-1 wooden spatula
-2 more old pillows
-a pile of magazines and newspapers
-1 my finished book

Oh and after no tip run last weekend I’m hoping DH can take the old pillows etc this weekend . There is now already 2 big storage boxes worth of charity stuff but not sure he has time in the morning which is busy and sometimes later the shops don’t take stuff . Soon they’ll have to go though . I don’t like to have more than 3 boxes tops before he has to get rid of them when I declutter …

Two headbands and two necklaces I never wear into donation bag. Total is 280

A lot of organising at the attic tonight . I unpacked and got rid of a bunch of boxes , 4 more cardboard moving boxes to unpack and move the contents to labeled plastic storage boxes . I think I have about 6 more plastic storage boxes to look through (4 from the storage locker ages ago I haven’t gotten around to after doing everything else ) ,hopefully get rid of something and to consolidate. They are all memory box , kids school stuff and a few baby items like little shoes I haven’t made decisions on yet . I will leave these last because it’ll take me a while and might not be so easy ,and do the porcelain and crystal first . They’re easy I’m not decluttering them just moving to new boxes . Looking much better since I’ve managed to reduce the amount of boxes and put away Christmas etc stuff neatly out of the way in the back row of boxes . I’ll have to make sure I come back soon if not tomorrow . I have several baskets of laundry to fold and an appointment so probably won’t continue this then . Found stuff to go to charity , olio , recycling and only a bit to bin . DH is not feeling great and tomorrow’s a busy day so I’ll have to see what can go out of the house this weekend . Stuff is being moved downstairs to garage and to the empty dining room so it’s on its way out of the house.
Out:
-1 new dog toy basket
-3 more wire baskets
-2 plastic storage baskets
-2 plastic strapping baskets all to Olio
-2 broken storage boxes
-1 broken box lid
-1 broken plastic shoe box to dump
-1 packet of half used Christmas crackers
-6 half used rolls of wrapping paper
-a bunch of loose tissue paper

-6 cardboard packing boxes all to recycling
-1 pair of new men’s sandals
-1 glass bathroom container
-3 tables cloths
-10 cloth napkins
-1 picture frame
-3 pairs of kids new tights all to charity
-2 suitcase bags
-3 jute baskets
-1 big round seagrass rug earmarked to go

Quite happy with that !

Thanks everyone for the support!

It's been great reading everyone's recent progress. Well done all!

I'm away this weekend so everything is on hold for me at the moment. It's nice to be animal and child free for a few days though x

I am hoping to clear 100 items this month. I had a big clear out last year and it really helped but I need another one! I tidied DH wardrobe this morning and put a jumper into charity bag, dropped off a birthday present and card, dumped four items from the kitchen cupboard and three random small items - 10. I have some baby items to sell and need to list those.

I was really upset yesterday and used my emotions to help me declutter in the middle of the night at 3am. Woke up with a heavy heart but that's another story.

Got rid of 4 scarves that didn't suit me. Not sure why I was torturing myself keeping them because my mum gifted them to me. But keeping them reminded me that she doesn't really know who I am or what I like and there was sadness there. It's like she can gift my siblings expensive nice things they like but for me it's just stuff she's kept in her wardrobe she hasn't worn and bought just for the sake of it. It's sad really. Also none of the stuff I've given her she's worn but she's not gifted it to anyone on a certain ocassiob like she does with me. She's let my sister have them when she needs them. Don't think I'll bother with presents anymore.

Also got rid of 2 bags full of toys which were old and the plastic was looking worn. My kids weren't playing with them. Felt good but I know I have more to give away before baby comes.

heart I have the same with my mum wrapping up things she's got laying around her house and giving me them as gifts, sometimes they're even broken! I don't do presents either, only with my DP. I told wider family I was too skint. I hate all the gift giving anyway, I barely see them so if they're not really part of my life why would we be exchanging gifts? It felt wrong.

Eleanor good luck with your decluttering ambitions.

EllieM enjoy your weekend away you lucky thing.

Nordic sentimental stuff is the hardest, wishing you strength.

Found a pot for all the biros and decluttered the packaging. Total is 285

I've decluttered a bit today whilst cleaning and tidying:

Old work notebook
3old delivery receipts (I tend to hold onto these for ages if its something expensive)
1 decorative box
Pair of kids boots
Diffuser oil bottle
2 calpol syringes
1 toy
Almost-finished medicated shampoo
Packet of earplugs
Old menstrual cup
Dead plant
6 sample CDs
2 sheets of mangled kids stickers
Jigsaw puzzle

256 now. I find that my kitchen, bathroom and living room and my kids clothes are almost bare; not much anything left to declutter. But I'm avoiding my own clothes, all our books and everything in storage. I'm more attached to clothes than anyt6else, and really need another sweep through them. Books too. Really struggle with books.

I gave a ring binder to a friend. Total is 286

Dump load was taken but no charity shop yet maybe later today .I will need to sort it all out for DH first . I’ll get him to list a bundle on Olio too . I went and had a much needed self are app and didn’t do my daily cleaning for once . I did fold all the dry laundry though and there were a few things to rag bank there as always .
Out :
-3 T-shirts
-3 pairs of pants
-20 pairs of old socks all to rag bank
-1 hand cream finished from my stash

Feels like I’m getting sick again just as I was recovering from the last horrendous bout of illness on half term . I can feel it in my throat . I have to pray it won’t become anything !
Will have to see if I have the energy to back to the attic tomorrow when it’s easier in the day when others are home to look after the dog etc …

I might also earmark 1-2 more table lamps to go on Olio . I have a few brand new spares in the attic in boxes already and these are in our spare room wardrobe and I don’t think I’ll need them .