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!

I'm on a roll today in my sons room!

Adding these to my list:

⁃	Broken blue tooth 
⁃	Manky pillowcase 
⁃	2 pillow pads 
⁃	Bag of textile recycling 
⁃	2 pallets 
⁃	2 books 
⁃	5 trampoline socks 
⁃	4 white vests 
⁃	2 joggers 
⁃	1 thermal leggings 
⁃	1 pj shorts
⁃	15 socks 
⁃	2 shorts 
⁃	2 shirts 
⁃	1 broken snorkel mask 
⁃	2 school shirts 
⁃	2 s/s shirts 
⁃	1 T-shirt 
⁃	1 blazer 

Now on 56 items! Plus two charity shop bags that I haven't counted yet

Pigtails I've a long way to go to minimalism, which is my eventual aim as the decades go by. I've got Swedish death cleaning in mind. But I'm a long way off dead yet 😅 so there's plenty of time. What I'm noticing is things looking full, but not spilling out of their place any more. Like this thing I'm going to shove under the bed properly so I can't see it poking out, don't have to keep vacuuming round the poking out part or making sure I don't trip over it. In theory it's a small thing but when I look at the room it'll make a big difference. Hope you enjoyed your holiday

Sydney Carton that's so hard when people bring you things. Good luck with the huge clear out. Love your username by the way, I thought the book was great

RealFastFoodie that's the thing I've found most surprising about all this. When I started at the beginning of the year I thought it would be about getting rid of unnecessary things, it would be difficult decisions with a bit of angst about it and that's where it would end, with a tidier and less cluttered home. Instead I've found its altered my whole mindset and is changing how I live my life. Congratulations on being able to leave behind the wedding bits. I wonder how we'll all be feeling in a year or two and what our homes will look like then?

Gone this morning:

Two jackets, they're beautiful but I never reach for them, they don't really suit my style
A stained baby vest
A baby hat that doesn't fit
A catalogue that I resisted the urge to buy anything from

Total is 1216

I'm in Ireland in holiday with my second eldest for a week. We could have one tiny trolly case of 10kg. So I didn't bring any shoes and my beloved converse soles have come away 😢. So they can be Binned. Unfortunately can't go barefoot all week so got knock off converse in Penny's.

I keep walking around the house and can see so many items that can go. It is a mindset shift.

Coming away with a cabin case is a new thing for me. I did sneak on a career bag of coats.

I had a moment of clarity and got rid of most of our fridge magnets. I realised they looked really cluttered do I just kept a few I actually liked, and 17 went out. Also our nice neighbours took 3 decorative outdoor stones to the skip for us. Plus a few small things like a pencil, a magazine and the dregs of a terrible shower gel I hated.

I also had a good day selling on Vinted and sold a blouse and a coat. Out also went a big box for shipping the items which I had been keeping hoarding

Total is 1481

I found an ornament I'd forgotten about. It was nice enough but an unwanted 2nd hand slightly damaged gift and I felt bad discarding it so shoved it somewhere and forgot about it. It's been there 2 years so today it goes. Total is 1217

One more - an unframed print that's been hanging around for years. Total is 1218

Another 5 items for the fabric recycling.
Total 831.

Had another eBay issue. A £90 duvet set has gone missing and the courier doesn't remember where he left it. I got £40 for it on eBay and cannot afford to be paying people back when the courier says they delivered it. Of course they only accept claims if supported by the original purchase receipt - which I decluttered as the set was a couple of years old 😑.

This morning I rearranged my herb racks. I had 23 bottles of herbs. I alphabeticised them while waiting for an egg to boil but later will chuck out any that expired before 2022. I might start writing expiry dates on food items with a sharpie - like I do with medicines - as it makes it really easy to chuck things out / use them up in time.

I also used up some bath products dp got me last Christmas and put a diffuser in my bathroom that a friend gave me last Christmas. I used to be terrible at using gifts that I perceived as ‘special’ but now I just use them. I’ve also nearly finished a hand cream dp bought me four years ago.

dd1 has decluttered some old school uniform.

@PissedOffNeighbour22 that sounds infuriating- who keeps receipts for things like bedding? I wonder if the ‘recipient’ actually received it or the courier lied.

3 books I've finished reading and a worn out bra gone today. Total is 1222

I got rid of some 12 x 12 craft paper pads and a collapsible storage crate today via Olio.

One magazine I'd finished reading to recycling and one pretty but slightly scratchy top to the charity bag. Total is 1124. Looking for another top I found some items belonging elsewhere, put those away and now I have two empty drawers in a bedside cabinet

Threw out some random 'free gift' type stuff, crappy foldable frisbies and branded stuff if you know what I mean?

@LivingDeadGirlUK you mean the sort of stuff given to you at business fairs etc?

In addition to my earlier post, I got rid of 4 stackable storage crates & some phonics flashcards on Olio. Via Facebook marketplace, I got rid of 8 pieces of storage items (1 x underbed storage tub then the smaller tubs that can go in drawers etc) for the princely sum of £5.. I promise I won't go mad with it tomorrow. I decluttered some packing materials by selling more things online via Facebook Marketplace.

I also have listed some items for sale on Ebay.

Yeah that sort of thing, free stuff thats just going straight in the bin. Its all stuff my mum sends me home with.

I'm giving up selling that uniform and trying to "flip it to a free listing" on olio but it won't work so I'm very frustrated. don't really want to go on FB as it makes me feel 💩 so I'm stuck. the school isn't nearby or is put it outside

@tallsmallmum - worth calling the school and offering for spares or if they have secondhand sale etc?

I would but it's some way away was the only school that would take him and no car 😕
I got a bit cross that our primary school wouldn't take spares and expected me to give them to a certain mum for the "sale" who only takes them at certain times 😶
anyway I've found my aligner I must've gone straight past it at least once 🫣

managed to list it for free on Olio now

tallsmall I'd either package them up and send them to the school via post, if you don't mind losing the money and are determined for them to go to the right place. Or put them in the next bag for the charity shop, you never know who might have similar school uniform, lots of schools don't have a badge or other identifying features on theirs so if yours does it could be unpicked and the clothes still be of use. Same for the primary school, I wouldn't be hanging on to something for ages just because they don't want to store their own stuff for the sale. I think it's really important when having a big declutter to get the stuff gone once you've decided to part with it, not have it hanging around taking up mental energy

This morning I've decided to get rid of one book about a particular subject which I just never look at any more. Total is 1125

I've got rid of 4 hand sanitisers. I hate the alcohol smell and don't think I'll use them.

A quick declutter whilst getting ready this morning has seen one bobbled jumper and 3 too big hats gone. Total is 1129

@IndianSummer78 I mean the secondary school isn't that far away it's just bus-train-bus I'll have to just get on FB. I've had success just giving away primary via their FB. also returned some library books and recycled Tu hangers on the way to work.

One dress in the charity bag today. It needs altering to fit but I'm not going to do it because I have plenty of others just as nice as this one. Total is 1130

After my kitchen decluttering I got rid of two loads of spices and I have left some old lentils out to cook with them.

Today I took three bags to the charity shop and advertised some stuff on Facebook. If it doesn’t get sold within a fortnight I’ll take it to the charity shop.

One freecycle person collection and one no show.

Threw some odd jigsaw pieces away. They came with another jigsaw from the charity shop - all from entirely different jigsaw although rhe one we thought we were buying was complete. Have been on my mantlepiece for about a year. Why?

1,179 outs.