Decluttering Thread 6 - hit those targets before New Year!

[Pigtailsandall]

So the last thread got filled up and I think I seem to have taken it on myself to start a new one every time, lol! I hope everyone finds us because I'm too lazy to tag everyone, but here's few who spring to mind. It also doesn't let me add some people, for some reason

@realfastfoodie
@IndianSummer78
@stealthninjamum
@cornedbeef451
@EllieQ
@Gassylady
@IncessantNameChanger

@nordicmom
@Vinorosso74

Now it's the last push until the holidays to get it all out and done (before new cr*p comes in)

Well done everyone - we’ve got a good start on 2024

Binned two broken beyond repair toys. I'm sorting through a couple of boxes of old toys to see what needs mending or discarding.

Some decorations went to a family member along with an artificial tree last month. I'll have more tinsel and baubles to give them once I've boxed up what I want to keep.

i forgot 4 old dog toys too. Well done to everyone on the totals last year. I hope to at least get to 100!

jan total 7

Oh I didn't realize you all reset your totals each year. I guess it makes sense since nobody is on 20k or whatever.

I haven't got a goal other than getting rid of excess stuff. I'm curious to see how many excess things I end up getting rid of by the time I'm eventually down to maintenance decluttering.

I'm going to define maintenance level as everything I own being currently in use, even if that's only occasional use like a reference book or the Christmas tree.

@IndianSummer78 I think you can count whichever way you like. Keep going if that works for you! I've done different decluttering challenges in the past and 2023 items in 2023 was just another accountability method. In 2022 I did the 30-day declutter challenge.

As everyone has a different way of counting, I wasn't going to start a new thread as they're actually a bit of a pain to start. I thought just keep the numbered threads going unless someone else wants to start one.

well done @Pigtailsandall and everyone else who has beaten decluttering targets. I don’t log mine any more but know I’ve got rid of thousands of items since I’ve been on these threads.

im embarrassed about todays outs. I ate lots of chocolates (that I had intended to take to food banks) and a pair of jeans I bought online for dd2 months ago that have been sitting on my bedroom dressing table and now I can’t send / take back. It’ll go in a charity bag.

My house is a mess from having dc off school but I spent about half an hour tidying today and it’s amazing how much better it looks. I’m having a friend over Friday night so want it to be guest ready again. Tomorrow I’m planning to put the tree and decorations away and the wrapping paper and cards. I think I might throw out the Xmas cards tomorrow - not that we really got many this year - which would be really early for me. I also want to do the post as I haven’t filed any since before Xmas and so it’s a mountain again.

I also have to arrange collection of that webuybooks box that Evri failed to pick up several times before Xmas. They’ve been sitting by my front door since about November.

I took my cards down yesterday when I cleaned Tallsmall.

I think I will continue on with my count Pigtails since I'm only really interested in the overall amount. I don't see the point in a new thread either. It's not as though it affects anything if the running totals go from 1k+ down to 0 suddenly, there's no maths software attached to the thread that would get messed up.

randomly saw a bit of "sort your life out" for the first time last night and I must admit it pisses me right off as I knew it would all that big house/garden/garage well no wonder you can make a lovely flipping Lego system in the play room and vegetable organise coz you have the space! 😱 I'm looking at a Lego head from my bed and God knows where he's going to go and there was a shelf just with a few saucepans on it! I wish! and selling in front of the child it upsets was a bit uncomfortable, I did love the photos in the hall and the memory boxes tho, big fan of both

misused italics 🙊

I had a good start to the decluttering yesterday despite feeling dreadful. Last night I tested positive for Covid (first time I've had it and we only saw 2 people over Christmas and haven't been out 😑).

I'm back at work today but will wfh as my manager isn't in so can't tell me off 😄. So I'll probably use flexi to finish early and maybe try to continue with the declutter if I can manage it. I think DP might continue with one of the sheds and take another cardboard box mountain to the tip.

Will post my numbers later when I've had a look at my list of outs.

@IndianSummer78 keep counting if it motivates you, you’ve done so well. I used to count carrier bags of stuff leaving the house and think I did it for two or three years before I lost motivation.

I decided to do Toss again. It has asked me to chuck out wallets and purses. I have found three unused purses. Also there has been a brand new wallet in my bedroom for years. I don’t know if it was a gift for exh but if it was he hasn’t missed it. So I’m going to use that and chuck out my existing one.

I’ve also taken the decorations down. I haven’t put them away yet, I might see if any need to be decluttered. I do this every year so don’t know if I’ll manage to find any that need to go.

Outs 4

maybe I’ll aim for 2024 - but I do need to focus on getting my life organised this year - getting dd2 an ehcp, paying into my pension, maybe getting a divorce.

Happy New Year all! I've put two 2023 calendars in the recycling this morning.
I aim for an item a day out which I think is how I originally joined the decluttering thread.
Recycling is going tomorrow so will put out some packaging from Christmas gifts.
Need to do some cleaning today so will hopefully find some outs as I go.

Toss has given me perfumes today, I really don’t have much and as a mum of a small baby I’d probably like to smell better 😂

I skipped it and now have plates and bowls. This is where the Sort your life out (or Kondo) approach would really help as seeing them all together would I think help. I’m just going to take a quick look through the kitchen drawers and anywhere else I can see plates etc rather than sticking to the perfect category.

I’m struggling a bit more today with motivation, I’ve been up in the loft and it makes me realise just how much stuff we still have 😣

Three books out today. To a colleague for his nephews.

Also have emailed school re a ton of Melissa and Doug “food” toys the kids have outgrown - wondering whether the early years group would like them. If they do that’s a massive bonus for me!

Well done @ememem84 - it sounds like you are like me and want things to go to a good home!

I bet there’s a local playgroup or children’s centre that would want the food toys if the school says no.

I really am impressed with everyone’s brilliant efforts. I’m going to tidy the sitting room which is a bit full of presents and detritus so hopefully some outs…

That’s my next thought.

I could sell them. They’re in good condition etc. but there’s the hassle….

I am however going to sell 2 pairs of trainers I have and don’t wear.

Also in an effort to use stuff up I used page instead of butter in my ham sandwich for lunch today 🤣 was delish.

I’ve stopped tidying as I’m nap trapped and decided to enjoy the baby cuddles. I have the rest of my life to have a tidy house, right? 🙃

@ememem84 if your play food is wooden, it will easily sell on Vinted a bundle. All my wooden montessori toys sold very quickly.

enjoy the cuddles @Realfastfoodie the time goes so fast!!

Starting the New Year with bags and boxes still to be got out of the house is not ideal, but at least they will be gone at some stage. Weather foul here and DP is busy working so no trips to the dump/recycling centre today. Someone on Olio is asking for cardboard boxes so I might see if we can get rid of some that way. Tree and cards still up, but our decorating is very lazy minimal so won't take long to take down.

I also downloaded Toss again but am still stuck on the first task - nightstand - not that it doesn't need doing, just haven't got round to it yet 🙄

Just got rid of some medication blister packs at Superdrug. I'm working on decluttering some chocolate now.

It is wooden! I’ve tried vinted previously but it’s done something stupid and won’t let me change my location. Apparently it thinks I’m in Lithuania. I’m in jersey. Jersey isn’t recognised by them. Might try eBay. Or depop.

Happy new year everyone!

I have totted up my totals for last year, I didn't have every month written down but I did £853 over 5 months at the end of the year. Not to shabby!

I'm doing 2024 out in 2024 starting today. So I have 169 items per month or 39 per week. I "think" I can do this.

Today is 19 items to the clothes recycling bin.

There are a few more scrappy items in the wash that are shrunk or stained. Hopefully this week will be easy.

I didn't buy much in the sales either.