I’m doing the 31 Day declutter challenge

[Sallygoroundtheroses]

I’ve done it before but not for a while. Despite a huge effort to declutter last year, the house is looking a bit chaotic again. So 1 item on day 1, 2 on day 2 etc.

I’m off to find an item…

Had a productive day off work and all the Christmas decorations have been taken down and boxed up ready for the loft. Also bagged up some of DDs clothes and toys for the loft (we're undergoing IVF for no2 this year so not getting rid just yet, but will be selling on if it doesn't work out). Also cleared out my handbag which was a good source of items!

Like others also aiming for 310 items over the month. Running total is now at 74, including cutting up the Christmas cards for tags and recycling the rest, disposing of the broken baubles, taking a bag of batteries to the recycling point, chucking some empty hand creams, old mascara, broken comb and hair clip, and recycling some receipts and boxes I've been keeping just in case. 4 further things listed in free/selling sites that I will count once gone.

Now if only the Christmas chocolates I've been eating in order to get rid of the box could count towards the total 😂

That sounds like a sad story waiting to be told

So far today
1 vase disposed of in time honored fashion of putting on front garden wall with a note saying "please take me"
2 kids artworks which have had their display time
2 parcels to post office for return
1 borrowed item returned to neighbour
Not sure if the parcels and borrowed item count as proper decluttering but the total is over 3 so am happy with progress

If kids allow I plan to sort the basket of crap by front door after their bed- bound to find stuff i can bin and prepare for tomorrow when am in office so less easy to clear random bits

I’ll be having a 30 blitz of the bathroom airing cupboard and my bedroom drawers after my son has gone to bed. I am aiming for 30 things

Had a really productive day today. I'm not counting individual items as then I start to think too much into it which slows me down!! Im just aiming to get things out of the house each day and limit items coming in.

Large bathroom larder type cupboard sorted and organised. (Didn't get rid of much but have found lots of cleaning stuff I didnt know we had so will prevent me buying more!)

Downstairs Bathroom cabinets sorted and organised. Lots of out of date medication thrown away.

Under sink cabinet sorted out. 3 broken cups thrown away, washing line, candles/overcupboard bin, jars and tins listed and gone on olio.

Bookcase of doom in lounge sorted and organised. Now I have clear shelves.

Cat cupboard sorted - food they don't eat gone on olio, flea tablets that didn't work thrown away, old treats they didn't like thrown away, manky toys thrown away.

Bag of crap in cupboard sorted and mostly thrown away.

Food from Christmas we didn't and won't eat listed and gone on olio.

Mattress protector, bag of small soft toys listed and being collected tomorrow on olio.

I've found a soap dish so starting to use the many bar soaps I found yesterday. They are much better for my hands than the liquid soap.

Tomorrow's job is the art drawer and food drawer.

An old shelf unit, slow cooker, lazy man frying pan and a 3ft artificial Christmas tree all gone today 🙌

That makes 85 of my 500 item target! 🥳

3 gone - random plastic thing; broken headphones & earrings (sold for £10!)

I really like the way people are writing eg 6/6 or 12/1000. Great idea!

Today:

• a pile of old test papers that I'm counting as 1 into recycling
• a fork that I have an irrational hatred of (in the bin I'm afraid)
• an old porridge scoop into the recycling

Oh!
6/6

1. T shirt for my daughter for an organisation were involved in as a family into the bin - it was stained and am unofficial one.

1. Bundle of paperwork shredded that had just piled up by the shredder.

1. A bundle of things listed on Freecycle, but none gone yet so hoping they will actually be taken. Most will go in the charity bag if not, so not the end of the world.

Day 3 - one broken bra, one miniature shower gel used and gone, 16 of DH's odd socks and a pair of mittens

Total: 85/496

Another kitchen cupboard done quickly. Have added to the charity shop bag...
2x jugs - neither of which are ever used
Random plastic cutters to make fruit and cheese into stars and flowers - sympathy purchase from a Pampered Chef party and never used
2x candles that smell horrible

How many ramekins does an average family need? Asking for a friend... 😂😂😂

Nothing today 😱(other things got in the way) but I've earmarked several things for tomorrow, including misshapen cushions, a book and a sachet to make hot chocolate which I'll nobly use up.

I'm inadvertently doing that too! Helped by a horrible black mould discovery behind my headboard! Prompted massive cleaning reorganising decluttering binge - so therapeutic! Cillit Bang black mould remover is the only thing that works btw. Tried natural solutions but they're useless and it comes back the next day. CB is the dogs!

My grand plans to get rid of 3 pairs of kids hardly used shoes to keen passers by failed as it tipped down. Never mind, they'll do another day. Instead I found 3 things on a mantelpiece full of crap, which I am sure will deliver up more delights over the next few days!

3 - bag of rags from back of cupboard to textile bank, worn out trainers and old canvas shoes to shoe bank

I'm not quite doing the 31 day challenge but am aiming to get rid of 500 things by Easter (and then I will decide how much more to do). Up to 74 things by the end of today, either taken to the charity shop, recycled, given to an adult DC who called in, or thrown away if useless. I did buy a book for DH at the charity shop on my second visit today but I will keep it for his birthday later in the year.

I am waiting for the weather to warm up a bit so I can tackle the garden shed. Does anyone else have a breeding colony of flower pots?

3 rubbish socks gone. Long work day today so I didn't try to hard, will do something more impressive tomorrow!

2 Which? magazines binned, as well as a book/ leaflet about road safety the DC had given some rather tough love😂

Final tally for today: 8/6

Plan for tomorrow: empty batteries, pile of outgrown toys, plastic bag recycling, Christmas cards, rag bag, DC2's single newborn sock (he'll be 2 at the end of the month).

DC had better sleep tonight or I might have to declutter him...

Day 3: a bed sheet, puzzle book, magazine and a pair of pants with a hole in!
31/310

Day 4: done at 1am because I'm too awake to go to bed! 2 sets of weighing scales, 2 big nylon kitchen spoons, 3 packs out of date meds, a sponge, ceramic pot, pack of Xmas napkins, 2 empty boxes, out of date Vicks, 3 bottles of kids bubbles, 2 empty blister packs.
49/310

Day 3, finished off a practically empty body lotion and face scrub, reused a delivery bag for eBay parcel.

Christmas cards went yesterday plus two Christmas crackers left in a box and their contents plus contents of the crackers we used at New Year purely to use them up. Definitely not buying any next year.

Random items from a child’s bedside drawer.

Twenty five coat hangers, the flimsy sort from shops, in the bin before breakfast. Sadly the charity shops don't want them to use or sell.

I'm going to tackle the laundry cupboard later. My neighbour will gladly take towels etc to the animal rescue centre where she volunteers.