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Housekeeping

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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:
fallingleaves12 · 11/08/2023 14:31

I hadn't done very much at all until yesterday. I've sorted out a couple of small boxes. I've just started wardrobes. I'll take some to the clothes bank this weekend and possibly sell others but only if I do it immediately or it will be put off.

BigGreen · 11/08/2023 16:17

7 bags of clothes and textiles to the recycling bank. And a big tray of toys outdoors for free cycling. I hope people come for them before the rain does!

Crucible · 11/08/2023 16:40

Yep I'll join. Need to sort mountain of paperwork first. I mean about a 3 feet stack of completely unsorted mess. In various locations. That's top of the list and not sorting out is causing chaos and wasted time. Yesterday I had the car cleaned inside and out -£30. Worth it. The car ponged.

MallardsMoorhensAndLethe · 11/08/2023 17:20

Cleaned the car today. Nothing to declutter in there, it's empty.

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 11/08/2023 18:44

I’ve not have much time to do any big sort outs but have been using small windows of time to do little bits of decluttering. Went through the kids drawers at bath time and found 28 things to leave plus a few bits that DS1 has outgrown that can be kept for DS2.

DH is going out later so I might take the opportunity to clear out the coat cupboard.

BranchingOut · 11/08/2023 20:52

Got my Ebay items to the drop-off point yesterday and now need to list some more.

I did consider going over to Vinted but I find Ebay ok and understand it, so decided not to learn a whole new site.

Greatdomestic · 12/08/2023 13:28

Hi all. This thread is great, just came across it today. It inspired me to tackle a huge cupboard in the utility room.

It's much more organised. Old crappy baking tins gone, water bottles I never use, as well as a few out of date jars.

It's not a huge amount gone, but does look so much better, jars etc all organised. 7 jars of wholegrain mustard, didn't know I had all those.

I've got a couple of bags of clothes to go to the textile recycling, they have been sitting at the back door for weeks.

You lot are really cracking on. Thanks again for the inspiration.

BigGreen · 12/08/2023 17:41

We've been cleaning and decluttering since 9am (in laws are coming tomorrow 😂). Big chunks of the house are looking a lot better. Still a bit to go.

MallardsMoorhensAndLethe · 12/08/2023 19:05

Today I did a reset of the porch, landing and hallway. It all looks tidier and space is being better used, but I didn't declutter anything.

whotospeakto · 12/08/2023 21:32

I'm in need of a serious declutter. I've just read this thread and then cleared out my beside drawers so that's a win.

Loft has a loft of baby stuff to clear - said baby is 8 this week. Also, the office has turned into a bit of a room of doom. Other than that the rest of the house isn't too bad. I have just had 6 weeks off though and not done what I should have. Oh well, better late than never!

BranchingOut · 13/08/2023 16:59

Did a minor rearrangement of the staging-post area in my office/spare bedroom. Nothing gone but handling the items seems to refresh the need to do something.

Sorting out some items of outgrown clothing for the local ‘baby bank’.

Oh and I have booked for a car boot sale, which is a slightly scary prospect!

BigGreen · 14/08/2023 07:20

We worked right up til the in laws arrived yesterday afternoon. But the place looks so much better! And yesterday the kids painted for the first time in ages because they could actually access the paints. And then they were able to put the paints away (mostly) themselves, which is exactly what I wanted.

theinnergame · 14/08/2023 09:24

Righty ho, back from long weekend away, and I'm not away again now for ages... have asked the whole family to go through their clothes this week to get rid of any not needed/wanted - we all have too many clothes that we no longer need/want so I'm hoping that doing this for all of us at once will help us all get going and reduce the amount of stuff to be stored, and make it easier to get the stuff removed dealt with (ie won't leave bags around to be taken to charity shop/bins as happens when one of us does a bit). Still a busy week here with me and dh working full time, while 3 kids 17-21 are in reset before return to uni/school etc but we should be able to fit in a clothes clearout round that, right?

BrutusMcDogface · 14/08/2023 18:39

I’ve ordered a charity doorstep collection! 😁 I’ve done it twice before and it’s so motivating having a date to work towards to sort stuff for charity.

Google ‘anglo collections’.

BrutusMcDogface · 14/08/2023 18:40

BigGreen · 14/08/2023 07:20

We worked right up til the in laws arrived yesterday afternoon. But the place looks so much better! And yesterday the kids painted for the first time in ages because they could actually access the paints. And then they were able to put the paints away (mostly) themselves, which is exactly what I wanted.

Well this sounds like goals! Well done 👍

MallardsMoorhensAndLethe · 14/08/2023 20:21

BrutusMcDogface · 14/08/2023 18:39

I’ve ordered a charity doorstep collection! 😁 I’ve done it twice before and it’s so motivating having a date to work towards to sort stuff for charity.

Google ‘anglo collections’.

What sort of things do they take?

declutteringonedayatatime · 14/08/2023 20:26

I have listed a lot of stuff today on Ebay so look forward to getting that out of the house.

BigGreen · 14/08/2023 21:23

Don't worry @BrutusMcDogface it will probably last a week, max 😂

Farmhouse1234 · 15/08/2023 07:13

5 hours decluttering yesterday. About 10 (small) bin bags gone. Which is great. Although didn’t get through as many rooms as I’d hoped.
Husband already asking where the extra towels are 😤

BrutusMcDogface · 15/08/2023 07:20

BigGreen · 14/08/2023 21:23

Don't worry @BrutusMcDogface it will probably last a week, max 😂

😂

BranchingOut · 15/08/2023 14:12

That looks like a useful link @BrutusMcDogface - are they generally reliable?

BranchingOut · 15/08/2023 18:39

Hooray, some progress:

One more Ebay item sold and taken to the post office

My bulky children’s item sold on Marketplace and was picked up just now.

I think I will buy a postage label tonight as that will force me to pack up some stuff and send it to the baby bank.

BigGreen · 15/08/2023 22:53

That's some brilliant selling @BranchingOut 👍👍❤️

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 16/08/2023 00:05

Watch sort your life out on iPlayer

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