Decluttering thread 4 - progress rather than perfection

[Pigtailsandall]

Thread 3 got filled up so decided to start a new one - hope everyone can find it!!

Good plan @stealthninjamum - I’m still cross with myself for cooking with some spiced rum which ruined a whole dish.

@IndianSummer78 - you are on a roll! I must admit that decluttering clothes seems to be the thing which makes my life better quickest!

@RidingMyBike - those are some impressive numbers, well done! 👌

A few bits and pieces here only since my last weekend mammoth kitchen cupboard cleaning plus other cleaning and carrying and lifting I might have done myself some harm . The hernia was hurting last night after just turning in bed awkwardly . As a consequence I’ve spent the day in bed not even doing my usual daily cleaning until now . DS was home on his study break , tomorrows another exam ,so has looked after the dog , done laundry and meals . I’ve just done admin and online shopping for camping gear etc that’s soon needed . Have not made it to the attic due to pain and heat yet . DH says it’s not bad there . When I last went it was mostly in order but I have those few boxes to sort out still and I’ve been sending stuff up there so will have to go put it all away to the correct places if they’ve been just left . Have already got DD new sports kit for fall etc so wanted to make a big box for all the new school stuff and one for the newly washed spare sofa covers too. There’s always much to sort out in general but things are getting done at a steady pace . DH and kids were away at his moms for a a couple of days and he thankfully got a few things done while down there inc washing our big car , cleaning DS old small
sailing boats and taking pictures of them so he can next decide where to list them ( he’s sold boats before ) ,and managed to organise our motorboat servicing with a new company in the marina since the one we have used is no more . When back he did more jobs around this house and washed my sons car , the garage door that got splashed from washing the drive last weekend plus cleaned the porch ceiling of insect mess etc its painted white so it shows . He finally took the garden table and remaining chair to the dump with recycling and clothes and old shoes but the book collection wasn’t there this time . We’d found a few more books for it after I made the boys look through theirs in the living room and to organise them on different shelves . DD found 6 to let go .
DH car build in the garage is coming along and is soon going off to have the bodywork fitted at the factory so he’s booked for the tires to be put on this week . I’m hoping the boxes and boxes of parts in the garage shelves and on top of cupboards etc will rapidly get less but he hasn’t had much time to build it recently and is now in a hurry to get it ready to move onto a truck . This means less time for anything else of course but I will have to keep on nagging at him to get any admin etc done too since there is lots that needs to happen . He has now also picked up yet another sporty hobby with the kids so that undoubtedly means more equipment coming in . It’s nice he’s out in nature doing things with them but there’s already so many things they do . I’m trying to ask for a balance between the fun and the obligations and chores and work . I’ve got my hernia surgeon app next week and then I’ll need a scan to see exactly what’s going on in there. I’m hoping I can wait until September to have surgery , im far too busy and feel like it’s too hot for me to do it in the summer too when I already don’t cope with that well . Fingers crossed it’s good news .
Out recently:
-12 books
-1 half used up face wash
-1 pair of my old pyjama bottoms
-a few old stamps
-1 old lunch bag
-1 pair of DD small new shoes to charity shop
-1 pair of DD old shoes to shoe bank

A few things out at the weekend - I’d brought some vinyl records back when I cleared my mum’s house and they’ve just been sitting in a box for the past few years. We don’t have a record player, so I finally got round to donating them to charity. I made a list of the records so I had that memory (mainly 90s soft rock - Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams 😀).

I also got DD to agree to part with a collection of sticks collected when she was younger, meaning her notebook collection could be moved into the drawer the sticks were being kept in. There is definitely an ‘inertia’ to a lot of my clutter - stuff gets put somewhere (like sticks DD wants to keep), then ignored as they’re out of sight. I’m glad I’ve finally got rid of them.

I have managed to give away some mirrors that came out a bit of old furniture, my partner insisted we keep them for some reason, and even asked me why I was giving them away (reader, I did get a bit cross with that).

Put a stack of old magazines into the recycling, moved a load of stuff around in the garage so we can get to something we need tomorrow morning. There is still so much bloody stuff. However I have cleared a space for my cross trainer, so in theory, I have no excuse not to use it!

Found another top that doesn't work with a bra and a dress with scratchy sleeves, both in the charity bag now. Plus an ancient old brick phone to recycling. Total is 498

I've put together a bag for the charity shop, the trick is to now get it there lol.

Well I managed to drop the bag off today so thats a pair of shoes, 2 bags, several kids shirts and some other bits gone.

Well done living dead girl mine is still sitting in the porch

Summoned up some decluttering energy today after having a total what to wear crisis this morning (too much choice and none of it suitable) having discovered the blouse and skirt I'd set out last night were too small. Half an empty box created and a pile of clothes previously tried on now have a home

Gone:

5 x uncomfortable knickers
1 x too small skirt
1 x too small trousers
1 x too small blouse
1 x tunic I just don't like much and it has scratchy fabric
1 x awful awful blouse in cheap nasty transparent and creased up non-ironable fabric and lurid pink too. Don't know what I was thinking with that one!

Total is 508

A couple things going today :
-1 pair of DS broken school trousers
-1 unwanted new book to charity shop
-2 packets of unwanted food to food bank
-1 old wooden spoon
-1 present to my friend’s son
Been getting lots of admin done and gotten things ready for DS road trip camping . No time to declutter actively more atm but I always crab things when I see them .
Keeping on top of the house work atm but as it gets warmer I’ll have to be careful and try to stay cool since my two health issues make me not able to handle heat well .
Third exam tomorrow for DS I’m worried but hopefully he’ll ace it he’s certainly been studying . Over 400 h of revision apparently so far I’m not not sure I’ve heard correctly 😳. Went to the first of my many “ birthday lunches” today with a friend at a new place and it was very nice . Then got my nails done . Was uplifting to have a break from all the endless toil especially since I’ve been feeling down …

Thanks @Realfastfoodie reaching 1000 feels like a real achievement! However, not much decluttering recently. I did let go of an almost empty shampoo I never liked, and an expired kids calpol. Plus a pair of knickers that literally felt like wearing dental floss every time I put them on. So total is 1003.

Some more admin , daily cleaning and laundry here as usual , dog at daycare ,DH at home dealing with his car build while working and another exam that hopefully went well for DS . 9 more left grrrr . A sporty hobby for DD tonight and that left time for DS and DH to go out to their newest sporty hobby next door to it . Now they’ve acquired some minimal equipment for it yeah so that’s an in . More to come I’m sure . A few bits going out …
-another pair of DS school trousers are finally falling apart so going as soon as the exams are done
-1 pair of old DD trainers to shoe bank ( where do they all come from ?!!!!
-1 old phone cover
-1 unsuitable phone cover
-1 DD finished book
-1 old hair spray
-another teacher’s present and one for DD friend are going too

I took 3 items that weren't selling on Vinted to the charity shop. I'm now being quite ruthless with my wardrobe, and getting rid of things I've had for years which I do love but are just a part of a past me, like lot of formal office wear. It's quite scary in a way but also liberating.

Total is 1006.

I think I need to get rid of some of my older Vinted listing too. Im still sorting put mum's funeral. The week after I have my decluttering helping meeting. I hope he is prepaired!

Total for me is
In 49
Out 87

So I have just slipped under 2 out for 1 in. But I'm buying clothes for the funeral 😨

Todays outs - three pairs of leggings and a top, all too small. Total is 512

Well done everyone. Not much progress for me, but I have got a few bits put by for the next charity shop run.

total for June so far - 13
total 292

I guess another 20 things put by.

i came across this thread as I have so much to get rid off/sell

ive bought on V-ted before but never sold, it’s is self explanatory to do?

this weekend I have 2 black bags of rubbish and 1 bag of unused/outgrown toys

im not doing a category as such I’m just seeing things I don’t want/use and getting it out

any words of wisdom ?

This morning's decluttering has yielded 4 bits of tinsel, a box of tree baubles and an ancient portable CD player. Total is 518

Welcome to the thread Tulips

Hi @Tulipsinmyvase welcome!
I've sold on Vinted since Feb, and I recommend starting with 3-4 low-cost items to build your reviews up. People might not be comfortable shelling out £50 to a new seller, so start with a bunch of £5 items and then list more expensive stuff when you get a few good reviews. I tend to list 3-4 new items a week. Stuff sells better on weekends I find so I often list Friday PM. I find the listing and selling v easy. I only use Yodel and Evri for sending because I cannot be bothered with Royal Mail queues.

Feeling quite resentful towards my other half who will not get rid of several large bits of furniture taking up space in the garage.

We have no where to put them, and one item that would be used for guests he completely forgot existed when we did have guests.

That’s hard @LivingDeadGirlUK, I find it tricky when my other half wants to hold onto things which we just simply won’t use. Especially when he always just wants to go and buy new (diy supplies for eg) when he actually needs them!

Welcome @Tulipsinmyvase. I’d almost given up on eBay/vinted before joining this thread but have found a new enthusiasm. My tip is that vinted is worth it for the best things but otherwise it delays getting things out of the house. Marketplace (and collection only) is better for bigger sizes items. Also, just don’t bother if it’s taking up loads of space and you can get rid another way, eg by putting It outside your front door and waiting for it to disappear 😉

Well done @IndianSummer78 - you are really doing a bit every day!

Oh, and I’ve never done the counting thing before but it’s cool because it’s quite addictive!!

Two more bits sold on eBay. I generally only bother on an 80% off fees weekend. And item will sell for more than £10 or it is something that may not find a buyer in local charity shop eg an unusual combination of size and length in a coat or an odd bra size. Everything else just goes to charity now.
Three more picks picked off shelf by other half who is finally getting on board with the project now that it is about 90% done 🙄

Books picked off obviously!

Although son does have guitar picks in every room of the house too 😂😂

Hi @Tulipsinmyvase I've just ventured into selling on Vinted and found it quite straightforward! I only listed three things initially just to see what it was like. I found it harder than EBay in some ways as if I start an EBay auction I know when it will end so can plan when to post items out. Vinted you have no idea when something will sell! Depends what your life is like but I now use the Vinted holiday setting on/off switch if I'm away with work and not able to post things for a few days.

I found the Evri QR code drop off thing for sending quite straightforward, although my nearest Evri point is further away than the post office!

Good luck!