Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

I’m doing the 31 Day declutter challenge

526 replies

Sallygoroundtheroses · 01/01/2023 12:13

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…

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
ChampagneCommunist · 05/01/2023 08:46

5 done today, to 15/15 or 15/496 - depending on how we are looking at things.

Unwanted (and unused) toiletries taken into work & shared around

Peridot1 · 05/01/2023 11:15

Yesterday just a magazine went plus finished a mini shower gel.

Today a tube of green tea body scrub from my shower - never liked it as it left green tea leaves all over the shower, a face balm I found a bit heavy, a hair turban that never absorbed any water and a Vit c serum that had gone off.

have just brought in the boxes for the Christmas decorations and I think quite a bit will go.

Am also working my way through all the Christmas food that’s left. About to make a pot of soup with the random veg that is in the veg drawer.

Original poster
Sallygoroundtheroses · 05/01/2023 11:24

The glass has come to work but I'm
counting it! The placemats have not been used in years.

I’m doing the 31 Day declutter challenge
OP posts:
Cottagecheeseisnotcheese · 05/01/2023 11:36

I think for sentimental items it is best to get a box your choice of size even blanket box size but all sentimental items have to fit in said box, you can keep anything you like but it has to fit in box

take something like cards you got for your wedding, initally you might want to keep them all but if you go through them there will be some that just say congrats from Bill and Sue if you can't remember bill and sue ( maybe work colleagues at the time) it is a non descript card with no personal message then get rid over time maybe revisited in a year or two you will no longer want some items

when you revisit toddler nursery art when they are 13 there is very very little they want you to keep

StarryGazeyEyes · 05/01/2023 11:51

when you revisit toddler nursery art when they are 13 there is very very little they want you to keep

I wish! Just tried that and still have a cupboard entirely filled with dioramas, cardboard hats etc. I suggested that some people take a photo to remember their (gigantic) constructions - the child was not having any of it.

SquashesPumpkinsAutumnBliss · 05/01/2023 12:00

I am definitely working on the “useful” items, not sentimental. This thread has really helped me look at things and think “why have I kept a soap dispenser in the bathroom, now rusty, which has never been used?!”

Day 5:
1 old soap dispenser,
2 old toilet brush holders,
3 gift bags that will never be re-used ( one item)
1 old cookbook
1 old board game, was second hand and never played with

15/15

Tomorrow I plan to sort through all my make-up and toiletries!

chloechloe · 05/01/2023 12:52

I’ve done 10 so far today, mainly old toothbrushes and FFP2 masks. Whilst I’m up to 53/500, I really need to start going through each drawer at a time and discarding / sorting / finding homes for things. I tend to open drawers up, think “urgh”, throw a few small bits away and then close it again as it’s too overwhelming to deal with.

I will try and watch the Minimal Mom video posted up thread for some motivation.

RomainingCalm · 05/01/2023 13:26

I don't know how many items went today but have had a satisfying 'dump' of a bin bag full of old/broken Christmas decorations and Christmas craft projects from when DC were at nursery.

Normally I'd just throw it all back up into the loft and worry about it next year but this thread has given me the boost to just get rid.

Day 5 successfully completed. The weekend may be more tricky as we have a lot on so planning to do a bit more this afternoon and 'bank' another 19 items.

Passthecake30 · 05/01/2023 13:36

2 holey T-shirts and 12 pairs of too small socks into fabric recycling.
Amazon parcel sent back for a refund.
random receipts left in my car boot into the shredder.

Workyticket · 05/01/2023 16:01

Wish I'd taken a photo but I've had a HUGE de-clutter of our bedroom today

4 bin liners to the salvation army drop bin

Boots, coats, clothes etc - all gone! Triple wardrobe, all of my drawers sorted. I feel bloody fabulous about it!

I quickly did ds' drawers too. I'm.off tomorrow too so will crack on 😀

PrettyCherryBlossom · 05/01/2023 16:18

I started on the 1st but haven’t got round to posting till now!

I’m doing bits of decluttering when I get a spare moment, sticking with 1 item on the 1st and building up to 31 on the 31st but I’m allowing myself to “bank” a few days if I’m on a roll and get lots of stuff cleared. In my head I’m allowed to get ahead with the days but not fall behind!

I’ve taken a screen shot of my calendar for the month and I’m crossing off the days when I complete them. So far I’ve done days 1-5 but have also crossed off days 10, 18, 24 and 30.

Items have included dud batteries, Christmas decorations, dried up pens, holey socks, clothes for charity, unused crockery for charity. Planning to do my toiletries, gift wrap drawer, various “junk” drawers and my airing cupboard.

CherrySocks · 05/01/2023 16:39

So, taken down the Christmas decorations which has uncluttered surfaces etc but not counting that as they are still in house.

2 old tea towels being used as cat blankets. Thought I had fallen at hurdle but then thought of the kitchen......

13 packs of various expired dried food gone (although mourning the waste esp the microwavable M&S egg fried rice) plus a bag clip that had gone rusty

HG got on board (the daily urgency seems to have rubbed off!)- old briefcase, plus a plastic case thing, plus a load of course notes

Plus two items in bag to give someone.

So 21 items today. Running total: 66/500

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 05/01/2023 17:03

Day 5:

2x kids party bags (fabric, so kept as seemed too good to throw... Been on shelf for three months gathering dust)
1x kids suncream from the summer
1x cheap plastic sunglasses
1x random noise making tube

Feel a bit bad as those are all the kids' stuff, so tomorrow will make sure I include some of mine or DH's junk!

Cottagecheeseisnotcheese · 05/01/2023 17:22

18 partly used tealights, empty gas cylider 7 cookie cutters, large casserole dish ( for sale) 6 baking muffin sheets 6 plastic boxes 2 x apple liquor gift that has been in cabinet about 7 years wine rack 41 so crossed off days 27 and 14 ( i'm going backwards)

CorvusPurpureus · 05/01/2023 17:26

4 - 3 old skirts & a swimming costume
5 - 5 pairs of socks

All snaffled by my baowab's teenage dds I suspect (we're in the ME) so may not have technically left the property, but they're out of the house!

Cantseethewindows · 05/01/2023 18:37

Cantseethewindows · 04/01/2023 16:17

Mainly Christmas cards and outgrown toys and a few baby items. I'm on 27/10 now.

Show quote history

A card and a balloon 🎈 given to the little sister of DC1's best friend for her birthday today. 29/15, don't think I'll get anything else done today, I'm shattered.

Eileen101 · 05/01/2023 18:49

Day 4:

  1. Pile of shredding that had sat on top of my office shredder for a while!
  2. DDs hair bobble which got dropped on the drive and left for several weeks. She tried to claim it and put it back in her hair on the way home from nursery. It was beyond redemption so swiftly dispatched to the bin.
  3. A t shirt of DDs in the bag for Freecycle.
  4. The rest of a box of roses.

Day 5:
Nothing yet until my kids sleep 😂

chloechloe · 05/01/2023 20:11

Started putting away the Xmas decorations and have secretly binned 10 Baker Ross decorations crafted by the kids. Then spent an hour tidying up the garden and got rid of 5 bits of junk lying around.

68/500.

Mommabear20 · 05/01/2023 20:46

Have identified 2 jigsaw puzzles that can go to the garage and onto my ' for the car boot' pile! Will get them taken tomorrow! Brings me up to 87/500! Hoping to hit 100 by end of the week 🤞
Have also got a few bits in mind that can go but they're inaccessible at the moment so won't count them yet.

Fourfrosties · 05/01/2023 20:54

Busy couple of days with DD but now up to 80/310 as have recycled a couple mkre boxes, TV mag, chucked the Christmas bin leaflet and a broken peg!

BrewandBiscuit · 05/01/2023 21:04

I have tonight looked through my bedroom drawers and bathroom airing cupboard. I have gotten rid of 10 things, from the bathroom, 16 from my bedroom and 20 from the car.

So total for January so far, 86/500.

The majority I think is going to come from my junk cupboards and the shed. The house is pretty OK but I currently have lots of things I don't use/need but don't seem to be able to part with. I will try again tomorrow!

RunningKatie · 05/01/2023 21:12

More school books gone today, at least 6. I'm not feeling very inspired today, going to have a real go over the house this weekend.

Theimpossiblegirl · 05/01/2023 21:19

I'm doing well so far. I've got rid of over 100 things!
I haven't started the wardrobe clear out yet, I'll save that for a weekend.
It's a bit addictive, I'm really enjoying getting rid of stuff.
It's making the family nervous, my messy daughter knows that I'm coming for her room!

noproblemifnot · 05/01/2023 21:49

Feeling a bit deflated as just back from trying to drop off two vinted parcels which would have taken me to 9 items in total yesterday and today, but the scanning thing wasn't working at drop off shop.

So only at 7 official items for days 4 and 5 but that includes a bag of school.unform for PTA and a lot id random rubbish cleared out of my work bags. So will try not to lose heart

BrewandBiscuit · 05/01/2023 22:00

Does decluttering your phone count?