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!!

an early out
3 bulky toy items collected after only listing them on olio last night

Today we looked through DS T-shirts because the stack was getting too big to fit in its place in his wardrobe . Thankfully he seems to be able to make decisions quickly like before when we’ve gone through books. DD is not yet at that stage but she’s much younger . A few other bits I’ve run into are going too . DH went to dump with boxes , clothes bank bags and a few small electrical items too .
Out :
-6 DS old T-shirts to clothes bank
-1 more tooth whitening gel pen I found and the little box it all came in
-1 DD bath bombs used up
-1 small freebie Lego to charity
-2 old jute Easter bags
-1 half eaten box of chocolates

ran a race this morning
surprise out of quite random toy item on olio

Another 4 items into the fabric recycling bag and 8 boxes for the tip. So that's now 307/2023.

Extra to this I also threw out loads of bubble wrap and packaging that had got dusty and full of cat hair due to being shoved down the back of some boxes 🤢.

Stained babies pram suit gone. Total is 452

Well, my SIL finally came today to collect some baby stuff- she look loads of muslins, clothes up to 6 months, blankets, bibs and a bag full of toys and books. 5 huge bags of stuff so on going to call ot 150, although it might have been more. Now, gotta list all the stuff she didn't want on local fb group

630ish items now

I'm at 133/2023 as I've sent a pile to the tip/to be recycled.

Also sorted out my cleaning cupboard and got rid of about 7cans/bottles of years old stuff.

Some old paint, gone off cooking oil, and old radiator airer, broken crockery, 4 more bags of clothes, polystyrene packaging, broken curtain pole and some bits.

Reorganised my dresser and got rid of 2 necklaces I never wear, 3 pair of earrings I've never worn which were part of a set and a couple of old shop jewellery boxes to put them all in. Total is 459

Went to Primark and bought dd some summer bits. Also got two new pairs of trainers! Opps
In = 15
Out =35

I've managed to clear out a carrier bag of UPO's (unidentified plastic objects) a toy pram my son has outgrown and sold a top on Vinted.

Hopefully going to add some more bits to the list this evening as I need to clear some space in the garage.

Concentrating mainly on packing and housework here now since we’re leaving soon but a few bits and pieces have been gathered up to go in the meantime . DH is still at work and kids doing revision and activities . A few appointments have been done too . I’m trying to get a few admin etc jobs off the list before we go too but im just super tired atm and have a sore throat again so not much happening on that front but at least the garden should be getting done this week and DH jet washed the garden patios now just need the front done and might not have to hire a company to do it .
Out :
-1 kids card game to charity
-2 more DD odd ski gloves so now we have two matching pairs for the charity shop !
-1 DD too small pair of kids pool slides to charity
-1 half eaten big Easter egg
-5 pairs of DS too small pants
-6 pairs of DS old school socks
-1 random strap
-1 ski helmet liner
-1 lone thin glove
-1 old dog medicine bottle
-1 pair of DD small sweatpants
-1 pair of DD old leggings
-1 birthday present and a bunch of Easter Chocolates given to family and friends
-1 DD small swimming costume

Travel sized moisturiser used up.

also out a clothes divider from dds wardrobe which she’d broken
an etch a sketch type thing that dd had broken
a few hairbands
some of dds socks that were still filthy despite washing (around 4 pairs)

Does anyone else just feel like they are moving the clutter around the house? I know stuff is going out and have this thread to help visualise that, but I fell like I get one clean sorted room and 2 slightly messier.

Slightly because our bedroom is off limits to the little kids so it ends up as the catch all dumping ground for stuff that can't immediately go as it's too big.

Other than that though I'm trying to stick to getting stuff out ASAP.

And a slob comes clean's tips to declutter without making a bigger mess

To an extent this is me. I've only recently been decluttering, before this I was more focused on organising. It wasn't very effective organising although it was tidy. I've started making more effort to put like with like because I'm finding it helpful to see how much of each thing I have. So it's sorting through, decluttering a few bits, reorganising the rest. Over and over.

I don't want to have to repurchase in the future something that I've decluttered so I'm having to think carefully about whether that's the right decision for something I'm not currently using. I can't start that thought process until I know the item exists! So lots of sorting through storage areas and thinking about items. Also thinking about how best to organise each area.

I'm finding I'm naturally gravitating more towards the container concept of decluttering as I organise each storage area optimally, which is strange because I've always struggled with that. Having realised out of sight is out of mind, I'm looking for display options which then has a tendency to limit how many items can be displayed, prompting decluttering decisions about the remainder.

It feels like a lot of moving things around but as long as some goes out I figure I'll eventually get there with a decluttered home. Not bringing more things in is going to be part of the tactics for me too. I started this journey last year and on the surface if it nothing looks any different. If I look closer though, I can see areas that were previously bursting at the seams are now just full up in an ordinary way and it's becoming easier to find what I want when I'm looking for something

Dana (a slob comes clean) has an interesting thing to say about repurchasing items - she says to ask yourself the question "Would I even think to look for this item, if I wanted it?" I've found that's a really useful thing to think about, because we definitely have ended up repurchasing things that we already had before.

Yep. I tend to focus on one room at a time. And stuff usually ends up in the garage.

I've managed some outs today, a carrier bag of paperwork in the recycling, an old saucepan gifted, a book and jacket posted off which I sold on Vinted.

My kitchen table is looking all clean and clear which has made me happy :)

While packing I found a few things to go :
-4 travel toiletries used up
-1 empty one gone
-7 old bras
-3 bra pads
-a bunch of paper tags
-1 DD small T-shirt

One washing machine gone. New one in.

seven bags of “green waste” to the dump (DH is sorting the front garden).
one shed.

Charity shop drop off this morning. Win.

Sold 3 more items on Vinted! Very happy.
At 633 now.

Hi guys I always pop in and out of this thread. Hope you don't mind. I'm not sure whether I should make the most of my daughter being in school today and tomorrow and declutter as much as I can. Or wait till next week when she's at home. I feel like I don't give them time when I declutter and they get bored.

@Pigtailsandall that's great. How soon do people buy things do you find? I'm tempted to use Vinted to sell but can't be bothered waiting for items to sell quickly. I've got 3rd baby on the way in July so really need to get House in order.