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!

Dropped a small bag off at the charity shop this morning to get something out. I need to do a dump run as the textile bank near us is always full so can't get rid of my things!
Also, have a bag of papers from lockdown home schooling to go. I need to go through some more bags I found, of work DD used to bring home at the end of the school year. Really don't think we need to keep it.

Congratulations on the baby @Realfastfoodie

minimal decluttering here, I have only chucked out one belt this week that used to go with a dress we donated ages ago.

Out:
2 x books to charity shop box
pile of old papers to recycling

• pile of unused postcards ready to give to a friend that uses them to write running routes on for the club

I went through the spice drawer/cupboard last week, DH's domain.

I got rid of 9 out of date jars, 4 open but expired packets, and a set of tiny tins of mixed spices that he admitted he doesn't like.

I condensed, cleaned and sorted and now it all looks lovely, at least for a while! Also stained my hands with turmeric as a bag had spilt in the drawer but that's finally worn off.

I finally got rid of all the DC's outgrown uniform, some clothes, 2 kids sleeping bags, excess stemless wine glasses and a couple of bowls I don't like.

I went a bit mad and did the kitchen cupboards, then labelled the baskets, tubs and shelves in the hope that everyone will put things back where they came from. I live in hope.

All I managed to get rid of this afternoon is one polka dot poncho I've never worn and probably never will. Total is 1263

I have dropped off a load of electronics and wires to currys. I was going to go with dc tonight but just couldn’t wait to get rid of the clutter so I feel bad I made a slightly unnecessary journey- but happy that my settee looks better as the wires were sitting on it for weeks.

One too small top into the charity bag today. Total is 1264

@CornedBeef451 You have had a very productive day! Well done!

I had a small day-case operation on Wednesday so I've been convalescing and watching Sort Your Life Out which makes me feel better about my life, selfishly. But our lovely neighbours went to the tip today and took a pile of stuff from the back of our garden that our builders left (last year...) It was bricks, few tiles, some paint cans, broken garden accessories and god knows what. I asked if I can count the items before they took them - they probably thought I was insane! It was 23 things in total

So I'm at 1645.

Phhheeeew finally finished packing off our DS for Uni tomorrow . Although then he’ll be back with all this eventually …

This weekend I have to kick my DP's backside into gear to take a car load of crap to the tip. It's mainly carpet/underlay off cuts and packaging/boxes but it looks so untidy and I'm fed up of it all hanging around.
It's over a week since I told him to get it done, I've worked away a few days and the kids have been in nursery some days yet he's still not taken it 😑.

Hoping to get some decluttering done this weekend before we start our next room renovation. Would love to hit the 1000 mark.

Haha @Pigtailsandall love the idea of their confused faces while you counted the stuff. I tried to explain the concept to the young single lad at work because it came up in conversation. He was baffled!

Unexpected Vinted sale of some books that have been in my out box for at least a year. They've been listed in various specialist Facebook groups and on Ebay many times. Hit my goal for September - now at 1,254 YTD.

Goal for October- get to 1,400 total outs for the year.

Thanks for all the lovely kind wishes. Not much decluttering happening here but have all kinds of plans…!

A few little bits out though just from a quick bathroom sort. And I sold and posted something on vinted before the baby came. Brings my totals to

120 total for sept
1244 total

Two small bags to the charity shop today. The unloved wine glasses, 13 books and two DVDs and some Halloween costume accessories I spotted lurking on a shelf in one of the bedrooms and a few kids tops.

One too small sunhat into the charity bag. Total is 1265

@IndianSummer78 for some reason your polka dot poncho made me laugh!

@Pigtailsandall thank you. It was a bit of a frenzy, I've since had covid so probably won't do anything else for months!

Hope you are recuperating. I love Sort Your Life Out, enjoy your convalescence!

DM is actually getting rid of a few things, often via me and my sister but at least things are leaving her house. It does mean I end up with more stuff but I'm trying not to let it linger and get it out again as quickly as possible.

A coat and a pair of shoes sold and posted today. I've also had a sweep of the bathroom and thrown out any empty bottles and got rid of a manky bag that had bath toys in.

Really need to tackle the kitchen draws, they are utter chaos.

It made me wonder what I was thinking when I bought it

Ive had a good few days here. After getting rid of a bag of electronics to currys I have sold a couple of toys. Dd1 has also cleared out her underwear drawer as she needed new stuff. After getting to a point where she had about 30 pairs of socks I now only give her the new ones after she’s given me the old ones.

ive also been going through papers, stapling and organising and doing a throwing out pile. I recently found new suppliers for car insurance and home insurance and had printed out pages and pages of crap from them. I also have just not filed various bills statements and assessments for dc. So todays job has been stapling, organising and shredding. Annoyingly I think my shredder is broken so I might have to buy another one.

If anyone likes decluttering podcasts I have started listening to The Art of decluttering and The Declutter Hub. As much as I like Clutterbugs and A slob comes clean they can be a bit samey and the ladies who do the art of decluttering and the declutter hub seem to do a wider range of topics.

I got rid of an old computer to Curries and a box of cables. I have another old computer somewhere but no idea where! Its been hanging around for five years in a box and its just disappeared!

One too-big coat
One moth-eaten coat
4 novels, they're good but not my favourites

Total is 1271

I have mostly finished convalescing and met a friend today who took loads of toddler/small kid items from me. Such a win! Out went:

3 bits of toddler bedding
toddler slippers
kids snowsuit
2 sets of duplo
wooden toy car
4 kids tops and 1 pair of trousers
2 kids books

Also:
Recycled 2 gift bags
binned kids shoes that were beyond use, as well as a broken, very tattered phone case
recycled a shoebox which had been storing the bedding, plus 2 magazines
sold a hoodie on vinted
broken hairband

HOWEVER I feel like a lot of stuff came in this past month. I guess that's why maintenance decluttering is important but I have small piles forming on tables and countertops, so I need to really find homes for things...

Total is 1669.

pigtails you’re so right about maintenance decluttering. I’ve been shopping more than usual - school uniform, kids clothes, plastic crockery (on sale), kitchen gadgets and unless you declutter it’s so easy to get back to being in a mess again.

I just went through piles of paper that were in the dining room - because I still have a laptop and printer there from lockdown days and I managed to get rid of about 100 sheets of paper.I also got rid of a bag strap (probably from a Kermit the frog bag) and a windsock that came with a happy land aeroplane. I’m sure I got rid of both about six years ago.

I decided to let go of two more books, favourites but very old and tatty. If I miss them I can repurchase. And a scarf, it's actually the very long bit of fluff from a coat collar that was detachable, I've decided I much prefer the coat without it, it was so fluffy it made my head look like an unnatural pea size 😵. Total is 1274

Over the weekend I went through the bag of too small clothes and have a bag full to go to the charity shop - these have already been counted earlier in the year, but are now ready to go out of the house. I also bagged up the outgrown school uniform and will donate it to school this afternoon.

New decluttering - went through the large bag of craft supplies and two unopened craft kits have gone in the charity bag. Also put a pile of paper/ cardboard/ colouring-in sheets in the recycling.