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Original poster

Anyone want to join a decluttering and cleaning thread?

231 replies

QwertyWitch · 26/07/2023 16:07

I want to get my house clean, decluttered and organised before school starts in September.
I started on the shelves in the living room today which are meant to be for some books and ornaments but have become filled with random paper and objects.
This seems to be the case everywhere I look!
Time to tackle it.

OP posts:
Banjobollo · 30/07/2023 08:21

I’d like to join as we’ve been drowning in clutter for years! Have had various attempts at clearing out kids clothes and toys and the stuff makes it into bags on the landing but then stays there in a depressing pile. I plan to sell stuff or take it to charity but should probably just put it out in those collection bags that come through the door…I don’t think much of the money goes to charity but the pile is going to collapse soon so needs must!

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 30/07/2023 08:34

Love this thread! I've spent two days decluttering the room which is my grandsons. I cleaned it thoroughly too. My car boot is full of outgrown toys ready for the charity shop. I built toy storage for it and got rid of random boxes etc. I'll tackle the dining room next.

Mercedesbenz2022 · 30/07/2023 11:15

@Banjobollo
yes , it always seem like an extra push is needed to actually get it out the door ! I have a bag in my bedroom that I use to drop items into when I’ve tried it on , or ‘found ‘ it in the wardrobe and thought no that needs to go

when the bag is full ish I put outside for a charity collection

emmama2 · 30/07/2023 11:46

I'm in the process of decluttering. We live pretty minimally but it has crept back up since I've been dealing with an early menopause diagnosis and all the fun of hrt (it needs to be upped but I can't keep putting stuff off forever) I work term time only so have the time over the summer holidays.

Last Saturday we managed to take a car load to the tip from the garage and it looks lovely now.

Sunday evening seems to be the time I get the most energy to do it (might coincide with when DH works away most Sundays) last Sunday I managed to get three bags of stuff and two bags of fabrics/clothes from upstairs and the bathroom downstairs. Today I am hoping to tackle one of the two biggest and most used rooms the lounge or the kitchen.

I've also brought some bits as im undertaking more swimming with wild swimming! So need to find homes for it all

ScuttleMcButtle · 30/07/2023 11:51

StationeryOffice · 29/07/2023 10:10

Where to start?!

The porch & front of house I think - we store all our shoes, dog stuff, shoe cleaning, coats in use, bags in there so plenty of clutter. I can think of a few things that will definitely go but also a few things I know I'm going to get stuck on. Like dog leads - we have six I think and one dog (used to have two) - I know the reality is that if we ever got another dog we would get them a new lead...

Very productive day @WarriorN - well done!

Not sure about the shoes @ScuttleMcButtle - our kerbside recycling used to take paired shoes but they've stopped now. I think I'm going to have the same issue. Our local tip/recycling centre is really helpful so I plan to take mine there and ask when I next do a tip run.

Thanks. I might go tomorrow and see if our local one does anything too for shoes at the dump recycling centre

ScuttleMcButtle · 30/07/2023 11:52

SprinkleOfSunak · 29/07/2023 16:25

This is just the thread I need!

I feel completely overwhelmed by every room in my house, and have found it really daunting knowing where to start. All of the clutter and lack of organisation is really affecting my mental health.

I made a list before I started my holiday, complete with DIY tasks, and assigned my Husband and I jobs to do. As always, I’m the only one in my home who tries to do anything to improve it, (my Husband just moans about it and expects it clean and tidy and organised within an hour of my hard work, and our children unleash chaos all around).

I find it super difficult to focus on one thing at a time, and struggle to finish anything and always want to move onto the next thing all the time before things are completed. As a result, I sanded half my stairs the other afternoon, but was too excited about the prospect of decorating my hallway, so spent the next couple of days researching paint schemes and fannying around in B&Q. I have bought the paint though! I also bought paint so that I can paint a couple of drawer units that belonged to my Nan that I’ll give to my girls.

Yesterday, I hung up most of the clothes in my girls’ room, and managed to throw out 2 bags for life full of rubbish, and prepare 1 bag of the same size for charity. It’s still a complete mess in there though.

We don’t have any built in storage in our house, which adds to the chaos, as the space isn’t used properly.

I need to finish my girls’ room, but really need to paint the units first so they can be filled, but it won’t stop bloody raining for long enough to enable this! So now I’m sitting around in the garden on the internet because I just can’t sit in my house any longer with all the mess.

I'm starting at a corner at a time. And watching that sweet magnolias on Netflix to distract me

SootspriteSearcher · 30/07/2023 11:57

I will join too! I had a big declutter and vinted listing session for a couple of months at the beginning of the year but that motivation died off with the slowing down of the sales. (Did make around £2,000!!)

I am looking around and just seeing so much stuff. My wardrobes are literally bursting at the seams, there's board games everywhere and the kitchen is a mess. There's paperwork all over the place, I wish everything just went digital like many of my bills!

When I declutter I also try and declutter the food cupboards at the same time, running down the random things at the back of the cupboard, using up the odds & ends from the freezers, baking. It clears my mind and also saves money as I'm just buying extras to make meals from what I have in. I try to do this a few times a year so there's no food wastage or build up of unnecessary stuff.

Also using up the toiletries that we have accumulated from gift sets or special offers. Bubble bath can be used as handsoap or body wash in the bathroom. Conditioner as shaving foam. Using up the many body lotions/butters (I keep one in each bathroom so I can moisturise my hands after washing them).

SprinkleOfSunak · 30/07/2023 12:02

A corner at a time sounds like a good plan!

OHVanessaShanessaJenkins · 30/07/2023 12:04

Well….
feel I need a Pat on the back!

Had my boiler serviced yesterday and didn’t want to leave the fella alone in the room SO I emptied and cleaned out 2 cupboards and cleaned my oven!
My god! Why the fuck I had half the crap in those cupboards I will never know!
I did however find a bottle of kettle descaler solution so my kettle is also pristine now too!
Did 2 loads of laundry and gutted my bathroom too.. including shower tray hair catcher thing… bleached, gleaming and smelling amazing!!
Had a great day!

WarriorN · 30/07/2023 12:13
Grin
LlawerOCrap · 30/07/2023 12:19

Fab idea for a thread! I've got a week off, and this week is for cleaning and decluttering, crafting and gardening.

I plan to do a few hours of cleaning and decluttering each day. Most importantly I need to finish sorting the craft stuff, as I got bored last time and it's still all over the place.

I need to organise a sewing space downstairs, and get the stuff that'd meant to leave the house gone.

@SprinkleOfSunak Have you tried listening to podcasts as you clean? This keeps me focused most of the time, so I don't flit from job to job

SprinkleOfSunak · 30/07/2023 12:25

@LlawerOCrap

No, I’ve never done that, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a podcast! I might give it a try, or at least listen to some music.

LlawerOCrap · 30/07/2023 12:31

@SprinkleOfSunak Have a look on BBC Sounds, there's all sorts. I like true crime, like Red Handed too.

It stops the boredom of cleaning. I focus on the podcasts, and can plod through the cleaning. Give it a go - it's been a huge cleaning help to me!

itsdecluttertime · 30/07/2023 12:47

We are having a major declutter at the moment, DD is 15 and ready to part with some more childhood stuff. I sell decent stuff on vinted, and recycle/charity shop the rest. The council recycling will take shoes and clothes along with the cardboard etc, and small electrical items, so we get rid of some that way.

I did the porch recently, here are the before and after pics. This is a prototype for the rest of the house Grin.

I have made about £70 selling bags, coats and hats and other odd bits found out there, which almost paid for the storage rack from Ikea.

The conservatory is half done, we have cleared it and put cupboards all the way around the edge.

It is a huge knock on effect because as we fill the cupboards with the things that we need to keep, it empties the other rooms as well.

Anyone want to join a decluttering and cleaning thread?
Anyone want to join a decluttering and cleaning thread?
Bitworriedmum · 30/07/2023 12:50

Following to make the chores fun!

StationeryOffice · 30/07/2023 13:06

I'm still on 'porch & front of house' 😊- I did the porch to a good enough standard yesterday and now I need to do a basic job on the front of house (clean door, bay window, pull up a few weeds). I did more yesterday in an ad hoc fashion elsewhere but I want to stick with my planned route through the house too...I need to start! It has gone 1 pm already!

LlawerOCrap · 30/07/2023 13:30

@itsdecluttertime I love the before and after!

WeWereInParis · 30/07/2023 14:28

Has anyone seen Sort Your Life out on bbc? I need them to come and do my house - especially Rob the carpenter. I'd love him to come round and come up with something ingenious for my house.

ScuttleMcButtle · 30/07/2023 16:20

sort your life out inspired me to declutter before listing the house.
do I need to keep my wedding hats!?!?

studio ghibili describes the study to a tee

4YOWoe · 30/07/2023 18:00

Following you all for inspiration. I love sort your life out so much.

I'm in the small children stage so house is inescapably full of toys, last months clothes, next years clothes, etc. Keeping on top of it as much as I can but a certain amount of clutter is inevitable. I sell bits on vinted and marketplace but buy just as much back.

Conservatory needs a de-cobweb which I am putting off.

SprinkleOfSunak · 30/07/2023 18:59

@LlawerOCrap

Thank you for the suggestions.

I was going to have a look at the podcasts, but will do so tomorrow as I realised I’d spent too long already looking on my phone!

I did however put some music on using my ear buds and it did make a difference, including to my mood.

I’ve managed to sort through 1 small suitcase, 3 bags for life full of random bits and pieces, and 1 huge Christmas gift sack full again of odds and sods in my girls’ room today. I’ve also bagged up all the odd socks, underwear and pyjamas ready for my girls to sort and put away. I’ve also sorted through their Art supply boxes under their beds, and have given it a good sweep and a dust under there.

I can see so much floor space in there now!!!

I still have to sort through all the toys and random bits and pieces that litter 1 side and 1 corner of their room, as well as remove a huge pile of my clothes and shoes and boxes that have filled one side for 2 years.

MallardsMoorhensAndLethe · 30/07/2023 19:21

I tackled the porch today. Added some storage boxes to the shoe rack to make better use of space. Gathered up all the shoes from around the house and put them away in the porch. Went through a few boxes of random things out there and decluttered some, rehoused some and generally tidied the area up. Got rid of a pile of empty packaging boxes.

Banjobollo · 30/07/2023 19:34

@Mercedesbenz2022 thanks, that’s a great idea to keep an ongoing bag in the bedroom Going to implement that now in the kids rooms as their drawers are bursting with clothes that don’t fit!

JMAngel1 · 31/07/2023 05:13

I decluttered the bathroom (one huge black binful!!!)and deep cleaned it - took about 4 hours. I am very slow.
Going to attack the uniform drawers and winter clothes storage bags - there are 4 huge bags (most are mine, but some are my DDs) but we do not need this much stuff! Aiming to get it down to two bags max so that I don't have to store them on top of wardrobes (look terrible).

friggingnora · 31/07/2023 09:03

Can I join you? Impressed by your work so far.

I'm feeling like there's low- to mid-level clutter everywhere. Basically too much stuff in the house. Can get it tidy with effort but all the storage areas are stuffed.

Starting with utility room cupboards and drawers today