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've redownload MN to say the uniform bundle is gone !!!!! Wonders will never cease to amaze me! a lady messaged me yesterday via marketplace then delayed, I told her I'd had at least 4 timewasters that I could see, fast forward to this morning and she collected from 17yo while I was out! I don't know the circumstances but the whole lot except his special captain tee is gone. Praise Be!

@LivingInaBuildingSite I love natigational running it's my 2nd favourite below XC 🤤

Oh and I had a big in of a new to me people carrier last month! I love it and it's still super-clean

@Realfastfoodie thats such a lovely update. You’re starting to embed decluttering / tidying into your every day life so it will definitely get easier.

I have donated some playmobil to my friends pre school and I think I have about 8 more sets to attempt to sell. If they don’t go by the end November they can go to my friends pre school or I might even get rid of them on freecycle.

I have shredded more papers today. My aim is to just keep 7 years of papers. I’m nearly there. I can now put my bank statements in with old credit card statements and they can fit in one binder. So I’m aiming to do more shredding today, combine them and get rid of a binder.

It’s funny that life has changed so much with computers. My dc have current accounts, savings accounts, a pension, and gov trust fund accounts. They have so little paperwork now that everything is online that it fits in a small document wallet which I manage for them. Both have Sen but are able to manage bank accounts and pocket money without a tonne of paper. How nice to not end up accumulating thousands of sheets of paper throughout your life.

It's great when you notice the mindset shift RealFastFoodie.

I too am finding myself more and more able to let go of things. I'm getting much better at not buying things too, although I still do buy some.

Glad your uniform was collected tallsmall.

Well done on the paperwork and letting the Playmobil go StealthNinja. I only keep bank statements for a year. It's amazing how quickly they build up, blink twice and I find I have a shredding pile again.

Bag of clothes to the charity shop, had to try a few as my usual one was at capacity.

Right I have joined purely for this thread

Today I have started a major clear out in preparation for Christmas but nothing has actually left the house yet...

So I have several bags - charity, for sale, attic, bin, recycling centre.

I'm really not sure about textiles that are stained and holey. I've seen a lot of you mention textile recycling but I'm certain the textile bank at my local place asks for wearable items. The charity shops don't seem to accept rags.

I had a load of hangers I listed for free but nobody wanted. According to my local council I can put them in my recycling bag. I'm sceptical though.

I have a LOT of clothes that have been outgrown and are yet to be sorted.

I am going to post every day just to make sure I've done something.

I feel very accomplished today but obviously I do need to actually get the stuff out of the house.

Thanks for the motivation and well done everyone!

@tallsmallmum praise be! I am thrilled for you!

Welcome @tantdequestions. I think the textile recycling depends on the charity shop. Mine absolutely take them because they get paid by the kg for it. They get pulped. I even take things like holey socks, which I actually have a pile again...

Well done @Realfastfoodie I'm now, after years, in the same situation. Everything has a place even though that place sometimes overflows

Out today:
Kids puzzle sold on vinted
Dry pen
Elaborate nursery artwork
Spoon
Dried up jar of paint
Leftovers of a Xmas wrapping paper I didn't even like
Soap bar, used up
Gift bag

Total is 1840

Welcome questions. The council take textile recycling from kerbside here, we put them in a separate carrier bag and leave in the box with the plastic and tins. Anything plastic can go in the plastic recycling bin unless it says it's not recyclable, so add your hangars there.

One disappointing out of a lovely top whose arms wrinkle up under anything else on top, rendering it totally useless to me. Total is 1578

Out today is a magazine given to my mum, 2 storage jars and 2 houseplants.
Total is 1139

Also binned some empty pots/jars and several packs of out of date cat treats.

Re hangers, I've been returning mine to the shops they came from, some are clearly ancient and have caused a bit of confusion. Sainsburys actually take them all and just recycle non branded ones but i didnt spot that until too late! Our council doesn't take hard plastic. I'm just keeping the suit hangers, skirt/trousers ones and some nice velvet ones I bought years ago and was keeping for best.

After my Vinted bonanza last week I've had a slow week for outs. Used last year's sparklers up at this year's bonfire parry (surprised they still lit), burnt up 5 tealights in the pumpkin, gave a handful of baby bits to a friend. All my work pens ran out at once.

25 out this week and 1,526 year to date. Target for Nov is 1,600 but I'll have to work hard to hit it!

@tantdequestions re hangers our uniform bank (like a food bank but for school uniform) is always asking for hangers if you have anything like that near you?

I give hangers to charity shops. They don’t always want them so I always have them in a separate bag and ask the ladies if they want them.

Feeling annoyed. Ex moved out nearly 5 years ago and he called yesterday demanding a backup device for his computer that he left behind. I found it almost instantly but I’m reluctant to give it to him because he still treats me like a slave.

@indiansummer you only keep statements for a year? That’s amazing. I might shred all my utility bills other than the last year. I have 7 years worth in a big ring binder but maybe I could get them in a document folder.

How come you're still storing your ex's stuff StealthNinja? I'd have been saying I don't have it because anything not collected after 6 months was disposed of. In your shoes I think I'd be glad it's going. You don't want his stuff cluttering up your home. I'd make up a bag of anything else he's left behind too and hand him the lot in one go

Re statements I've never needed them, just felt I should be able to access them if I did ever need them. I think a year is enough for that. I know for business you have to keep for 7 years but that doesn't apply to private individuals

I don't keep bank or credit card statements at all. You can request them from your bank going back years (if needed) for a small fee. Tbh i can't imagine why I would need them.

My friend picked up some baby clothes today - a big bag gone, 43 items (yep I counted 😁)

Total is 1883.

indiansummer he moved out nearly five years ago and we haven’t got round to divorcing. I’m in a biggish house and he’s in a tiny flat and his stuff wouldn’t fit in it. We were due to divorce four years ago and I even got as far as seeing a lawyer but then dc started having mental health problems, not going to school, covid happened and so my priority has always been supporting them with decluttering and decorating the house to sell my second priority. We’re now applying for an ehcp and so there’s no point moving until we know where dd2 will go to school. So I have to bite my tongue when he can’t find his stuff.

with bank statements I think it was Martin Lewis who said you shouldn’t throw them away in case you’ve missold something but I have kept 2 or 3 statements of every closed account or credit card I’ve ever had just in case I need a reference number. I think this conversation has inspired me to throw out household bills and bank statements that are older than 3 years - maybe one day I’ll be able to only keep 13 months of them.

Today’s out is a ramekin that I dropped on the floor.

You’ve all really inspired me. I have removed most of the papers in my bills file. I have just kept one or two years. I’ll shred them tomorrow.

I am also decluttering a shoebox and a magazine rack that were on my paperwork bookcase.

It’s funny how I had no intention of doing paperwork last week but my annoyance at finding a school report in the wrong drawer has led me to get rid of a mountain of papers.

@stealthninjamum sorry to hear your ex is still being so unreasonable in his demands. Have you tried scanning in the paperwork and then shredding the majority. Best of both worlds maybe!?
We are getting some plastering and redecorating done in two bedrooms. So had to empty lots of books etc out so furniture could all be moved into centre of room. Took opportunity to pick through for obvious rubbish - eldest is away at uni and knew we would be doing this. Small bag of rubbish out, large box of books the others don’t want to charity shop. Clothes hamper knocked over and split so that will need replacing. The inevitable few pairs of socks and pants with holes in to rag bag too. Some clothes had been left here but when removing the drawers to make the chest lighter to move - found the pants and socks were dreadful. Something to replace at Christmas I think

Morning all,

To the user with all the bills - nowadays most things are paperless but usually you can always access electronic version? I've never really needed to.

I'm behind on the housework due to my decluttering but a bootload of toys went this morning. I've listed Christmas clothing on eBay and some other toys. But I have a LOAD of stuff yet to leave the house.

I'm amazed that you can put pants in your rag bag? While living in a different area I asked about this and was told no! I'm still not clear on what to do with my holey and stained textiles.

Also have cushions and novelty sleeping bags I'd like to dispoSe of.

I washed loads of soft toys yesterday ready for sale/charity!

Over the weekend I booked a collection from we buy books. Evri took the boxes this morning of 23 CDs, 7 Xbox games, 7 dvds and 13 books which were mainly my DPs heavy textbooks.

My DP is on the way to the tip with a cooking pot, a noticeboard and a wall hanging.

Total now 1192

DP is also taking numerous bags of decorating rubbish, tins of paint, wood and boxes which I'm not counting.

DPD finally turned up for the Ziffit box of books so am glad to have got rid of that.

House doesn't look or feel any tidier though 😓. Im working away again part of this week so not much more will get done until the weekend.

Im listing loads on eBay and have a 100% positive feedback so sticking with it.

I have downloaded Vinted but never used it. Is this more popular now? Anyone use both and can let me know where they get quicker sales? I'm selling kids clothes and toys.

Thanks

I'm back. Just cleaning today. Still listing things on Vinted and still selling. I'm also clearing mums house and dealing with appeals. Just serving right now

Thanks @Gassylady im determined to shred all the papers rather than scan them because it becomes an electronic storage problem and I’m also doing a big electronic declutter.

I have a stack of papers now to be shredded and four unused ring binders to go to the charity shop as I have chucked out so many papers I don’t need big binders. I’ll swap all my utilities paperwork into a small binder later or plastic document holder.

@IncessantNameChanger I hope the appeals went well.

Everyone seems to be doing very well.

I’ve got a couple of days off so hoping to do some tidying.

have gone through the pile of stiff from DDs room she didn’t want anymore;
most to the bin/recycling.
some stationery back to the home office
And a small pile I just want to check with her before I bin in case it was a mistake!

DH has loaded the car with stuff for the tip, hopefully he actually goes there today.

I am collecting some shelves for Ds1 later, hoping they for the alcove in his room and he can put his warhammer on there, hopefully clearing the desk in his room (that he’s never used). Maybe he’ll let me take it out just to have more moving about room in there.

still on the hunt for a cheap wardrobe and drawers for DD, lady on Fb marketplace never replied.

DH is off to the tip, yey.

that means out:
gone off large tin of paint (half full)
old pelmet
old windowsill
random bits of wood
random bits of glass (old shelves maybe?)
black bin bags as I missed rubbish day and DH was away 🙄
probably other stuff I’ve forgotten about.