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!!

@stealthninjamum I like your bag of crap system!

I do a smaller version which is pockets of crap. It's fine if I remember to actually empty my pockets but last week went to the opticians and found 20 or so tiny plastic bags and two allan keys in my pockets. I did wonder why the trousers felt so bulky.

@CornedBeef451 - that made me smile this morning on the way to work.

A couple of things opportunistically grabbed and thrown in the outside bin before I changed my mind this am.

1 plastic ball gone hard
1 basket disintegrating

122 total for June
401 total

I've got a big pile of stuff for sorting now, and getting to the right places, so the race is on whether it counts for June or July’s total!

Totally awesome @stealthninjamum - this is my goal, a house that makes me feel “this is nice”

One book to recycling. It's ok but nothing special, I'm not desperate to read it again and it's tatty. Total is 588

incessantnamechanger I hope you’re ok.

cornedbeef451 that is so funny. I think it’s very brave if you to have Pockets of Crap. If it were me I’d run them through the washing machine and break it.

I cleared out one of those fiddly drawers in the kitchen with lots of bits. I threw away 13 takeaway menus and put stuff in The Bag like a torch, glasses cases, alum keys, screwdrivers, superglue and I’ve started putting them in the correct places.

I also threw away a broken wooden toy that was in a drawer in the sitting room.

Thinking of you today @IncessantNameChanger

Hope the funeral went smoothly Incessant

Stealth Ninja junk drawers make me panic. The sheer amount of shite that gets crammed in them. I had an entire junk cupboard, when I finally tackled it I felt such relief. All my "junk" has a home now and if it doesn't then it's truly junk and goes in the bin! Well done on dealing with yours

Realfastfoodie I want that feeling of peace you get when you enter a hotel room/holiday apartment

CornedBeef I used to have pockets of crap but same as PP they'd end up in the washing machine do many times and if I remembered to empty the pockets it all ended up in the junk drawer 🤦

Welcome to the thread Things

I decided to let go of 2 curtain rods that I've been keeping just in case they come in handy. For what? They don't fit any of the windows! And two baby blankets that, whilst lovely, aren't in perfect condition, showing some bobbling. I have better ones. Total is 592

Just have to put these here since we’ve finally gotten our dining table and the dining room is looking like a dining room and not a storage area unlike most of the time while living here for the past 1,5 y ! Might change the little lamp for another or add something but I’m happy now so celebrating getting one big thing done and off my list ! The amount of stuff that has gone in and out of this house through that room is crazy ; everything from the whole contents of our storage locker I sorted through , different bits of furniture , stuff put on Olio to boxes full of things on their way to charity shop etc . The whole time I had a vision inc the lamp shade I got ages ago . I was so relieved when the table arrived in one piece and actually went well with the other bits of furniture considering it’s bought online . It’s a bit big but my eye has gotten used to that now and I will keep the room bare otherwise besides the big display cabinet that didn’t fit anywhere else thanks to the aircon units . Since it houses glassware etc it fits in the dining room best I think . Near the kitchen in the open plan space is already a “ larder “ that has kitchen stuff ,meds , candles , trays , lightbulbs and much more so we couldn’t put another big cupboard there anyway . We have work to do here still but glad this is done . I think we’ll Christen it when DS is back from his trip . Now I’ll have to stop it becoming the storage room again just one with a table in it now !
Put a new unwanted camping chair and an empty hamper basket on Olio last night , they were immediately snapped up and picked up this morning but no one wants a couple of new big water canisters so far ( I accidentally bought too big ones for DS trip ) . Hopefully someone will eventually take them !
I’ve been worse after packing my son off yesterday on his trip and cleaning . Today the dog caused mess and scrubbing that off all bent over and then him didn’t help . Then DD came back from school with a minor injury but hospital had a horrendous wait so now going to the GP in the morning hoping they won’t just end up in the hospital queue again . On Wed we have builders coming in , they might take hours but hopefully not all day then Thu the gardener will visit . Need to ask him to trim back a few things a lot .
Am trying to get things done but there’s so much all the time and I just want to stop . I have no time or energy for my own health stuff ever and the list is long for that too .

I hope you got through the day ok @IncessantNameChanger !

Thanks for the welcome.
@Realfastfoodie I agree with everything you say about the books. We have many bookcases, shelves either side of the chimney, and up the stairs. Some of the bookcases are stacked three deep. Then there are the piles of books. Unfortunately I also work at a university and am sent free books. Thankfully a lot are now digital so that source is tailing off but I still have another large bookcase at work. Last time I changed jobs about 150 books came home with me. They were only meant to be here until I could take them into my new office and then lockdown happened. They're still here. Anyway, back to the other stuff.
Yesterday - Looked at 16 dresses. Keeping 11. 2 going to charity. 3 put into sewing box to be repurposed as skirts. I've started a charity shop bag rather than selling things. Already I've found a couple of dresses that I'd forgotten about. Is it best to count things put into a charity bag or leave count ing until it's actually left the house? (45)
Today - Out of date jars from the top shelf of the fridge and a tin of soup that was best before 2020. Emptied, washed and recycled (50).

Things it depends if you're the kind of person who puts off taking the bags to the donations point forever or the kind of person who'll end up going through the bags and taking things back out again. If you do these things it's probably best to count items once they've actually left the house

Two more shirts tight on the arms gone here. Might be more later. Total is 594

nordicmom that room looks beautiful. I’d love to redo my dining room because it looks so old fashioned now.

Today I’ve been putting away items from the Bag of Crap which is actually quite an annoying job as they go all over the house. I have also thrown away a plant that’s been dead on the utility room window ledge for months - maybe years. The utility room is fairly tidy but it does seem to be where dead plants go.

@Nordicmom dining room looks great. @IncessantNameChanger hope the funeral is ok. I’ve been washing out various jars to create more room in the fridge. Satisfying but not too much space liberated. I now have three books to take into work with me tomorrow. Also taking in some biscuits/porridge pots for the emergency need something now cupboard that have been stuck in the corner of the kitchen for a couple of weeks.

@Gassylady Sometimes just doing little bits is the answer, and if it helps, it helps! I did some bits from the fridge too yesterday and it really helps keep things moving!

Just a little bit today for me, a couple of scrappy bits of toddler drawings (I’m not ready to properly declutter them but could pick out a few bits that weren’t that good even to my biased eyes 😉). A couple of bits of toy and a book mark. Total 5 for now but I did do a load of tidying and putting things away with it too.

128 total for June
407 total

Hope you are ok @IncessantNameChanger I recently had a bereavement (not so close though) and I found some mindless pottering around the house helped a little.

Good job everyone. I think little by little is a good habit to develop - getting to a point where you can maintenance declutter is great and it's just important to stay on top of it. I didn't really do much the last 2 days, but I did just go around the house and pick up all the recycling and rubbish. DH never puts letters and junk mail in the recycling; DC likes to play with things like empty cardboard kitchen rolls and plastic tubs etc. plus we had some deliveries (new ins!) so took all that out. Even just that makes a difference.

I have a few items to list on Vinted but not sure I can be arsed - they won't fetch much and I wonder if I should just take them to them charity shop

i think you are right @Pigtailsandall, I had a mad pre-cleaner dash this evening and sorted and filed a load of stuff, binned 3 bits of mail and 3 bathroom catalogues. Keeping on top of these little bits probably actually helps me as much as tackling a drawer or shelf of doom….!

8 coats that don't fit gone from one of the bedrooms. Total is 602

Last night dds gave me three big teddies to go to the charity shop and this morning someone picked up a toy I was selling on Facebook.

I’ve put some papers in the B of C to shred.

I did it! Got three and a half bags out of the door and disposed of to special recycling drop offs and charity shop.

So that brings me up to:

157 total for June
436 total

Well done @stealthninjamum and @IndianSummer78 ! 8 coats!! Brilliant

5 jackets gone from another bedroom this morning. Total is 607

Well done for finally getting you bags out RealFastFoodie

Continued with the bedroom and got:

4 more coats that's too small
a tatty cardigan
2 skirts that's too big
a dress that's too small
a top I don't like.

Total is 616. The coat cupboard in that room was rammed full. I don't think I've ever decluttered them! There's a bit of space in there now

My helper came today to meet me for the first time to help with de cluttering. We are going to start in two weeks.

I have decided tonight that I'm going to spend the next two weeks throwing out five things a day and cleaning five things a day (so I might clean a windowsill, a window, top of a unit etc). Starting tomorrow. It's not much but hopefully gets into the right mindset to start the big declutter.

Well done @IncessantNameChanger. sounds like a great step!

@IndianSummer78 - you are just so consistent! Progress every day! 👏