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!!

So many good ideas and suggestions thanks @WinterMusings and @stealthninjamum.

Just put another two bits of old toy in the bin, and listed two big toys that weren’t getting any attention on local groups and olio, one has gone already. I’ve started just putting stuff for potential collection outside again and then it’s not my problem. Easier to then take to charity or put in the bin if it doesn’t go.

And I just went on a rampage and binned a couple more things that were annoying me!
today:
1 falling apart shield
2 old bath toys
1 Wooden garage
1 duplo box
2 frames/old pictures

46 total for July
494 total

when you see it written down you start to wonder why on Earth you have these things space in your house!!

Good progress all well done @IncessantNameChanger sounds like you hit upon a good plan there. I’ve picked a few more books and DVDs off the shelves normally I pop this in to the closest charity shop but they now know me well and two of the DVDs are quite rude! Dilemma where can I take these DVDs?.🤣

🤣@Gassylady - that’s hilarious! Maybe you need to use one of those doorstep collection companies? I’ve heard these guys are good and they are a charity not a company, which sort of cheers me up a bit (the companies that claim to give money to charity give so little!) https://anglodoorstepcollections.co.uk/about-us/#collect_items

I’ve been on a roll… dropped another 8 things at the charity shop and popped another 20 odd items into the wash for the baby bank!

@Gassylady rude DVDs 🤣 Have you got any on street/car park charity bins? Our reuse and recycling centre has one. Might be worth a look to spare blushes!
I've had a constructive day organising stuff. Got some items ready for Boots recycling, a charity bag ready and several items in a bag for textile recycling. Got a few old towels which I need to see if where I volunteer wants them, as it's space dependent! Also, half filled a bin bag with general rubbish.

Ooh @Vinorosso74 you are on a roll too!

My bulky “giving away” items have gone, although not before a rather rude man got angry with me on olio. He seemed to think that I would be giving away additional items (accessories for one of the items) and even when I told him that they were outside the house and I couldn’t hold items he was very cross one had gone! I felt like asking if he understood if I was giving things away for free, not running a shop!

On another note, I am very happy indeed with my Really Useful Storage boxes. They are helping bring order to my life!

4th July

Binned
Gin bottle
5 medicine bottles out of date

Cleaned
Toilets x2
Shelfs x2
Bedroom window sill
Kitchen sink

More bits ready to go on Vinted but I think in reality it will end up donated

That’s amazing @IncessantNameChanger, especially given the week you have had

Tried on another pile of clothes. Out goes:

Trousers, too big
Shirt dress, too small
Camisole top, don't like it
Base layer top, bobbled and a bit small
Long sleeve top, it's ok but not really me
T-shirt dress, a mistake purchase
Empty cardboard box

Total is 637

@Vinorosso74 i will have to check the donations bins in the local supermarkets good shout, I assumed they were clothes only but never use them normally so am not certain.

I'm rejoining as I posted before and then totally forgot my grand plan to declutter

I was at 40 items, so will pick up again there.

I'm sure I've decluttered more but I'll just count the stuff from this week and give myself a kick up the bum to keep at it!

9 items gone via our local "eco community" Facebook group:
1 jumperoo
1 picnic set (I'll count it as 1 item though as it was all contained in the picnic basket)
4 wallhung organisers from ikea that failed to make me more organised
2 overdoor hangers
1 guitar
I have a few more items listed on there, so hopefully more will go soon.

3 packets of very expensive dog medication, AwkwardPup has been fully recovered for a year but they cost over £200 so didn't want to chuck in case he relapsed. They were getting close to their use-by date but I was able to pass them on to another dog who is battling the same illness.

I also sorted the undersink cupboard in the kitchen as 1yo DS is obsessed with it. I've moved everything to a high cupboard & moved my melamine picnic/garden plates in there instead.
In the process I chucked 8 utterly threadbare cleaning cloths, & chucked/used up 5 almost empty cleaning products.

Plan for this week is to look at make up - I don't often wear it, but have quite a lot collecting dust. I remembered that you are meant to chuck stuff after a certain period. I'm definitely not a stickler for use by dates, but I'm going to start by getting rid of anything that I had pre-covid & then take a critical look at what's left. It pains me to say that as it feels like such a waste, but its not worth an eye infection or something.

Total - 65

@IndianSummer78 - you are just so good! @AwkwardPaws27 - sounds like you may have had a gap, but you have hit the ground running again!

One toddler cycle helmet out via Olio
Two other things just sitting there with no interest!

I finally threw away a pair of summer trousers I've had for about 10 years!

I'd kept a few pairs of trousers in case I lose weight, mainly as I hate shopping. I still have 2 other pairs but if I don't fit in them after next summer I'll ditch them too.

Another little mini sort.

Set up a mini tool box in one of my boxes for the things that come down from the loft and then hang about cluttering everything up. To be fair we are doing a lot of small jobs around the house and faffing with finding a hammer every time is annoying. I think this will really help, and once it’s full, I will give it to the other half to take back upstairs and empty into the tool box! A bit like a bag of crap for tools 🤣

On the same clutter magnets shelves I found a broken Christmas bauble, a mask, a small tub, some bits to go from when we made the bike store and a couple of labels all for the bin. Scary how much clutter there is when you start moving things…

One thing decluttered yesterday - a scented candle-in-a-tin that I bought as a possible Xmas present for my cousin, but got her something else instead. It’s been sitting on top of a chest of drawers since December! Now gone in the charity bag.

Wow this thread has been busy! Great to see the progress! I'm a firm believer in the slow but steady approach - I try to give things away so that next time I am tempted to buy something I'll stop and reassess it because I know I'll need to eventually deal with its departure from my house

I've been feeling a bit under the weather (literally blame the weather and the fluctuations in temperature - feels like I have cold) but I did sell on a dress on Vinted which I bought but didn't like. I've had pretty rubbish luck buying on Vinted. Also sold 2 other items that have been there for months because I forgot about them. I guess it shows everything sells eventually if the price is right?

Also deleted another digital pile of photos - I'm trying to keep just one or two of every situation, not all ten I seem to take of the same event.... And finally convinced my husband, who loves a good box, to let go of the box our soundbar came in. Four months he kept it!

Total is 1055

Fallen off the thread a bit, but have had a recent success with a bin bag of soft toys which DD2 decluttered from the foot of her bed and which we passed onto the school fete for the toy stall. She was quite happy to let them go and very unsentimental, unlike me who kept going "Are you sure? This one too?"

One charity shop bag and one textile recycling bag are ready to go, I just need to remember to take them with me when I leave the house. New uniform bits for next year are coming in, but the old stuff is pretty battered so it will hopefully be a 1 in 1 out thing. Likewise with some new swimming stuff and flip flops - old ones are too small and can be binned.

5th July

Binned
Old school shoes
Bath puff
2 odd shoes
Swimming trunks
2 pairs of shoes
1 pair knickers with hole
1 stained t shirt

Cleaned
Sofa
Armchair
Kitchen sink
Living room windows
And windowsill

Not bad as I have had a hour today.

I'm going on the Next sale in a bit. Trying to sell things on Vinted but it's slowed right down now. I'm going to end up giving it away which might focus my mind when I buy stuff!

Put a load of stuff into the bag for the baby bank. Feeling pleased it will go to a good home. I’m trying to be a bit selective with what I’m keeping for the new arrival and doing a bit of washing, culling and sorting every day. I’m trying not to hoard but the nesting and decluttering are fighting each other a bit right now!!!

I wonder how @heartbroken22 is doing.

Well done @IncessantNameChanger, that’s really great progress. Sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish @Pigtailsandall,

3 sets of worn out pyjamas gone to make room in the drawer for new ones and one stained camisole gone too. Total is 644

@Realfastfoodie thanks for checking up on me. Haven't had a chance to declutter right now since I'm busy sat in hospital trying to declutter baby from stomach via induction 😂 I'm in pain please pray for me x

Good luck 🍀with the birth Heartbroken 💞👣 and 🙏 prayers for the pain 🌼🌻