Decluttering Thread 5 - Slowly Does It

[Pigtailsandall]

We filled the previous thread quickly! I'm still in the middle of my annual leave and working through my old sentimental items so I need to keep the momentum going! It's taking ages.

@incessantnamechanger
@EllieQ
@nordicmum
@IndianSummer78
@Realfastfoodie
@nordicmom
@CornedBeef451
@thingshavegottogo

@stealthninjamum
@pissedoffneighbour22

Sorry for anyone I missed! Hope you find us!

Thanks so much @Pigtailsandall!

Not much actually out the door today. Just doing my best to keep the house going with the decorators in. Have done a bit of moving things up and downstairs into the right places, including a bit of a furniture reshuffle, which I think helps a bit.

@vinorosso74
@RidingMyBike

It's not letting me tag everyone....

I think you've done a lot @Realfastfoodie in a short while. Sometimes organising helps because you see the items that end up just floating around the house, irritating you, and it becomes easier to let go if them. I'm trying to compress old papers and rip out pages of notebooks etc and I feel like it's going so slow, even though I've chucked so much into the recycling bin. I originally had 8 big boxes and in the spring, got rid of 3. I'm trying to get them down to a mix of 3.

@Gassylady I forgot to tag you.

Thanks for setting up the new thread!

Yesterday I put a pair of DD’s PE joggers in the fabric recycling as there was a hole in one knee. Already have a replacement in the next size up, which makes me feel organised.

I moved all of my stuff downstairs into 1 room- took ages- went through every drawer and cupboard and rooms are now tidy and clutter free. The 1 room is awful but I am going to get it decorated at the end and so a good incentive.

Now going through it- about £3000 so far from eBay , Vinted and car boot sales

Having a final push this week.

(still got the garage of doom to tackle though!)

I'm trying !
Have a storage unit ready to clear the loft , several boxes ready to move stuff .
Plan is 6 months MAX and hope to be done before that .
Several house moves and emptying my Mums house now too .
It's hard hard work with a job and kids too !

Found you, I'm in again!

Did some ziffit and some vinted today, 937 so far this year.

Thanks

Welcome to the thread mutantturtles and diplodocus

@heartbroken22 (hope I got the name right!)

How spooky jelly I'm also on 937. I don't know where to start today

Decided to grab things as I went round today. Today's outs:

11 empty cardboard boxes broken down for recycling
1 manky sponge binned and
5 cleaning cloths binned from a specialist cleaning kit
1 bottle of cleaning fluid with dregs left but a bunged up nozzle and a top that doesn't unscrew, so no way to get the dregs out
1 tub of jewellery cleaner with just some manky looking dregs left
1 half full bottle of vinegar that's been around since forever
2 tins of shoe polish that's dried out and crumbled
2 waterproof sprays that appear to have evaporated somehow and are empty
1 bath towel that's seen better days
1 manual bathroom scales, I upgraded to digital because I'm struggling to read the display on the other now
6 small storage bags no longer needed

Total is 969

Thanks

i have been here before/ i name change weekly

Another 37 eBay sales and 3 to the fabric recycling. Total 635.

I have the additional challenge that I took 200+ items of clothing from my DMs house

She is at the early stages on dementia and it seems that clothes buying was an obsession for the past 10 years

As a result it was a massive incentive for us to get rid

Been forever since I updated but have been trying to keep my running total . Here’s some that’s been decluttered in the past month while busy with other stuff :

-2 random tennis balls
-1 old toilet brush
-6 grubby dog toys
-1 wooden spoon
-1 old kids medicine
-1 old half eaten jar of nuts
-1 my old pyjama bottoms
-3 DD magazines
-2 old spatulas
-2 pairs of DS stinky walking shoes
-1 old kids vitamin
-1 unwanted supplement
-1 half used lip balm
-5 metal dry cleaners hangers
-1 kids drawstring bag from a party
-1 damaged mug lid
-1 stained melamine plate
-1 pair of DS worn out flip flops
-a few old keychains from a school bag
-DD old school kit bag
-2 pairs of DD old school trainers
-5 pairs of DD small sweatpants
-2 DS old school shirts
-2 DD stained school shirts
-13 pairs of old pants
-3 finished books
-1 old ID card
-3 small unused water canisters
-62 pairs of old socks
-1 cracked dog bowl
-2 DD small base layer leggings
-2 DD small base layer tops
-1 DD small swimming costume
-1 used up DD engineering box
-2 old bra pads
-1 handheld plastic fan
-1 unwanted dog treat
-3 packets of old dog treats
-4 old suncreams
-1 dented metal school water bottle
-2 old bras
-3 pairs of DD new small
trainers
-1 DD old lip balm
-2 kids old hand gels
-1 DH old T-shirt
-1 box of maths instruments
-1 pair of old football gloves
-2 DD small dresses
-1 DD small sweater
-2 old plastic water bottles
-1 bottle brush
-5 DD school skirts
-5 DD sports skorts
-2 pairs of sports socks
-1 broken soap dispenser
-1 pair of small sports shorts
-5 DD small summer dresses
-2 pairs of DD small jeans
-1 pair of DD small trousers
-old hockey trainers
-2 pairs of DD old trainers
-6 packets of old medicines
-2 DD small tops
-a bunch of loose disposable masks
-4 old fabric masks
-1 half used packet of old covid tests
-1 DS old phone
-1 old phone case
-1 odd pair of shoes
-1 old Oyster card
-1 coaster
-2 pairs of old slippers
-1 DD crop top
-1 kids paper mask
-1 kids blow up toy
-1 small skirt
-1 small top and skirt
-5 DD small short pyjamas
-2 short wetsuits
-2 long wetsuits I mentioned earlier
-1 pair of DS Speedos

Today DS started decluttering his room in preparation of leaving for University and I haven’t seen or listed all the things that he’s getting rid of yet , will have a look later as he gets trough more drawers .
I’ve got all DD new uniform in her drawers except for the few more bits I still need to get her . The old too small ones are in a big bag for the second hand sale waiting for Sep and a few items went to rag bank .
Have been going though DD clothes and shoes and lots are too small so have taken them out and replaced with bigger sizes I had already . Need to try on some more tomorrow .
Will try sending DS to a charity warehouse drop off point that’s only open during the week so DH can’t do it min the hopes of them taking it all ( 2 big boxes of assorted stuff mainly kids clothes and new shoes and books and games ) .
Just got back from a few days away and we are trying to get through laundry and the last of the unpacking plus are ticking off jobs off my horrendous to do list of about 90 tasks . It’s so depressing but I had to write them down in one place or they’ll be forgotten .
On the plus side garden is looking pretty good after some rain and the gardener’s last visit the other day . DH car build is coming along ,hopefully soon we’ll start going down on the amount of boxes of parts that are in the garage although he’s not yet half way through .
After managing to sell one of DS little sailing boats recently he’s now going to try to get his own one to good enough shape to sell . He’s meant to be going to deal more with it tomorrow but says the third boat might be next summers job grrrr. So much admin and we were going to go away in August too but haven’t arranged it yet . Waiting for DS exam results as well until mid August and we might be getting a rental flat so too much is hanging up in the air .i constantly feel like I can’t do it . I have a pretty big issue to sort out with DD school runs too so endless problems here and my owns health is always coming last . I feel the need to clear out more out though so hopefully that’s happening a bit now .

Glad people are finding the new thread! @Nordicmom that's amazing, that's so much stuff. And @IndianSummer78 I find it so useful to just blitz around the house and looking into the unused corners of it. Cleaning/gardening stuff is always an easy win as there's rarely any sentimental attachment

Also trying to tag @Bottl @TidyClutterIsStillClutter
And @seperatedmum and @pineappleapple

Continuing the box purge today - not a lot of outs but organising and condensing

Ok just did half an hour of rage purging. Out goes

A bag of wooden beads
Pair of tights
2 holey socks
Soap I didn't like
5 books
7 sets of notes from old notebooks
Set of medical notes, shredded
A jewellery pouch
5 bits of costume jewellery
Pair of sandals
Book of postcards
Unused pack of insoles

Total is 1346 items

That is inspirational! 👏

Anyone have any tips? I have ADHD and chronic illness so I find it really hard BUT my own hoarder instinct is my worst enemy!

Checking in, I've been missing from the thread for a bit but have been slowly cracking on with stuff. I had a big clear out of the garage as we were going to be having some work done in there and threw out a lot of rubbish.

Yesterday I did a clear out of the bathroom throwing away products that were a bit meh and any old empty containers etc.

@Pigtailsandall thank you for the new thread.

@SquirrelSoShiny welcome squirrel, would you like to tell us more about your adhd? My eldest daughter has adhd and autism and so I know that adhd can be different for different people so don’t want to make assumptions. My eldest daughter claims to know where everything is in her room and to not care about the clutter but I spend an hour in her room with her about once every couple of months and we go through a box or drawer and it turns out she has a tonne of stuff she’s forgotten about so she lets me chuck out about 90% of it.

Are you going for a slow approach? You could just set a timer for five minutes a day in more visible areas like window ledges or piles on tables to start with.

im not doing much here, I have someone coming later to pick up a child’s toy and I keep meaning to put more on for sale but can’t be bothered. I hate my house in the holidays, it’s so hard to keep on top of things when dc are home.

I don't have ADHD but my partner does and I've noticed he really struggles with making things leave the house. Putting rubbish out, taking donations to charity shop etc. Everything gets piled up but then doesn't actually go anywhere, its all a bit grim to my NT brain tbh!

This thread used to be called something like 'Declutter 1 thing a day' and that is a really helpful mindset. If you can PROPERLY declutter, as in its left the house for good, one thing a day to start, it becomes a habit and progress becomes quicker in the future.

Tips that have really helped me (from this thread) are:

• If you are stuck, literally find one thing to go, and get it out of the house somehow. If you can build that up to 5, you’ve done amazingly.
• Focus as much on getting stuff out the door as identifying stuff to go.
• Counting your “outs” - I find it quite addictive
• Pick places that cause you stress/you’ve got the most to gain from decluttering (for me it’s always wardrobe, bedside tables and kitchen surface that clutter the most and are needed the most)

I get the hoarding thing. My other half and I both have a tendency to keep things as they might be useful later. Our only advantage is that neither of us are big shoppers. I do think trying to remind yourself that unused things have a cost (in space/your time) too is helpful.

We tried on a bunch of clothes with DD and most were small , DS is continuing with his room clear out ,and I just looked through what he had put aside some of which could go to charity shop , rag bank or recycling .
Now we have two full big boxes for charity but might find more before DS takes them during the week . DH took a bunch of boxes , rag and shoe bank bags to dump . He managed to put the 3 golf club bags to one of the 2 garden sheds so they’re out of the way in the garage thankfully . I can’t imagine the garage without all the car part boxes !!!! They have taken over the whole big storage rack , and are on top of the most of the cupboards etc . We’ll have so much space once he’s done ! Sports equipment that’s now in the attic room and at DMIL will be then put back on it . I have lots of admin to do and am starting to feel properly sick with a cold or something but I’m in a clear out mood and itching to get it all out of here !!!! Luckily DS seems to be pretty capable of looking through his drawers and letting go of things . I told him I’m not asking him to throw it all away just the excess he won’t need us to store for him for the next 4/5 y of Uni or doesn’t want to take with him . He has said repeatedly that it could all go really ,he’s not attached to stuff , but I don’t want him to regret getting rid of funny diaries etc he might want to look at later . So far his decluttering is making sense . We’ve done school sports kits etc earlier and I keep on weeding out clothes but I don’t go into his drawers or the book case so that’s what he’s doing now . I want to stream line it all and have minimal dust gathering objects on display since he won’t even be using his room most of the time ,and we’ll likely have a new cleaner in there . Next need to do DD room but that’ll have to be when she’s back at school in the fall .
Out this morning so far :

• 1 DS surf T-shirt
• 1 pair DS water shorts
• 1 more pairs of DS Speedo’s
• 2 more old toilet brushes
• 1 DD small top and skirt
• 1 DD woolly dress
• 2 DD padded coats (1 to wash first )
• A pile of university college brochures , Lego manuals etc papers from DS room
• DS old kindle
• 1 old yo-yo
• 1 baseball cap
• 1 school keychain
• 1 lanyard from a course
• 1 tooth brush from a pair of Nikes
• 1 old Harry potter wand
• 1 carabiner
• 2 promotional fabric bags
• 1 pair of football shorts
• 2 football shirts
• 1 old zip card
• 4 A- level course books
• 2 souvenirs
• 1 half eaten box of chocolates
• 1 pair of DD old trainers

and a bunch of trash from DS room …
This house seems like and endless pit with the amount we always find to go but I guess to be fair most rooms are pretty empty I just could be pretty minimalist !

1 pair of trainers (I recently bought some new ones, but my normal thing would be to keep the second pair just in case, so I’m counting it)
Big bag of clothes recycling to get out the door again this week (including sorting out of handmedowns again)

I’m also getting my head round sorting out the nursery for the future arrival. A bit of furniture moving, a bit of sorting. Might manage to do a push this evening and get some bits out.

This morning's outs

6 dresses for a variety of reasons
2 tops ditto
3 empty cardboard boxes to recycling

Total is 980