The Declutter Diary

[AnotherCountryMummy]

I've decided to remove (recycle, donate, bin etc) at least one thing or group of things from my house every day for a month and see what happens.

We have too much stuff and I feel like life would be simpler with fewer things. Anybody want to join me?

Day one: two bags of toddler clothes straight into the Salvation Army charity bin.

I always enjoy these threads and like to dip in and out for spurts of motivation to declutter. (I struggle to maintain it long term but surely even sporadic bursts are better than nothing?)

Today, three large delivery boxes - no idea why we had kept them cluttering up the bedrooms.

I have tomorrow's item in the bag too - literally - as I have put an old book in my work bag to donate to the book swap shelf at work!

It's on the housekeeping forum near the top of the page called Decluttering Thread 5 something or other. We're about 20 pages in at the moment so could be on thread 6 by the time this one ends, depending on how proactive everyone is (or not!). You needn't read the entire thread just jump in

Nice to see you bk! Great thread you started x

Thank you @ononwardandupwards 🙂

Today was yet more clothes! Some tops which just don't make me feel great. And a couple of toddler trousers that I missed with the initial toddler clothes clear out as they were in the wash.

I also recycled some of the many jam jars I was saving for making jams. I realised I didn't need 30+ 😂

I got husband to agree to get rid of the stupid, ugly surround sound system in the living room that doesn't get used. But he's not moved it yet, so I'm not counting it until it's out the door!

Thank you @IndianSummer78 I didn't realise that there was a long-running thread, I will definitely check it out! I'm hoping that this will become my new way of life 🤞

Took another unwanted book into work with me today - small steps motivated by this thread!

Thats great! A huge bag of bedding donated here and a bag of cuddly toys that are never played with given away too x

Organised four out of five dresser drawers. Lots of DH’s went out because being replaced by some new ones for winter. Best of all tackled the everything top drawer, only a large wage bin to throw out, but can now find everything as categorised into different containers! Has been worrying me for aeons.
Last of the drawers is DH’s gardening clothes and I am awaiting his input for this.

Today's out pile is
More chunky toy cars
2 lamps
3 wax melt burners
A old stair gate
Broken hair brush
A mop bucket and random mop poles
A ton of half bottles of cleaning products given away
A bag of lid less tupperware given to woman down road who collects them to feed local wildlife
A box of random crap sorted
A ice cream maker given away as it just takes up space as has been used once
A broken dinning chair gone been repaired twice but keeps breaking!
Hope everyone is doing OK x

Took a big bag of clothes to the hospice shop. Things I didn't love/wear.

1. It felt, like a relief to let some things go.
2. I also don't now have to struggle getting things to fit in a small shared wardrobe
3. No more time spent thinking shall I keep that shirt or not?

I have to keep working on this as I tend towards hoarding.

Have been watching A to Zen on YouTube and also Midwest Magic Cleaning. Totally different styles, both with good insights into de-cluttering life (and what can happen if you don't. Eek!).