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)

Happy New Year everyone!

I added up my monthly totals, and found that I’d decluttered 404 things in 2023. Not as much as others, but I’m still
pleased with myself.

Sorted through a bag of baby clothes this morning and have put 42 things into the charity bag. This was mainly newborn size clothes, so I found DD’s first outfit in there, which I have kept. Going to check with my neighbours if they would like any baby clothes in that size (baby is due in a few weeks), and donate to charity if they don’t need anything.

A good start to 2024 for me!

Teenager has decluttered her room. One bin bag of rubbish. One bin bag of recycling. Half a bin bag of half eaten crisps/ sweets/ food.
We have carpet and a carrier bag full of things for charity.

Im also too excited to type. I have actually tackled the bedroom cupboard of doom or at least my teo shelves in there. Lots of outs about ten travel sized toiletries that were virtually empty washed out for recycling. Few things I just wont use into a bag ready for the hygiene bank at the YMCA. Basically everything taken out a decision made and then rearranged so no threat of an avalanche when opening the door. One very sad out of a pair of baby shoes that had gone a little mouldy - not sure why they were in there!

Clearly too ecited to type without the errors 😂🤪

😳 keyboard clearly not my friend tonight!

Today I have chucked out the following

Pair of worn shoes
Broken scissors
Broken tree stand
2 x sprays not used
Kids light/lamp that works sporadically

bringing my total to 40. Have got a bag organised for charity/recycling/friend but not counting it until it’s actually left my house as I’m terrible for bagging stuff and it sitting there for ages.

Room for another please? I drastically need to tackle all our "stuff" this year before my house, loft, garage and shed collapse under the weight. I can't quite believe how much we've managed to accumulate over the years. Went in the loft to get down the Christmas decs and I was shocked at how much was up there, some things I had absolutely no recollection of. I made a start with selling some clothes on Vinted and made about £300 before Christmas which was a lovely bonus but just so much more to go. Plan is to do little and often but not sure how long that will last. So far this year... 2 pairs of old slippers, 4 hair bands, 2 pairs of tights, 2 pairs of socks and a torch that didn't work (seems a very lame effort seeing it written down, felt like so much more in real life!). Plan is to make much more of an effort at the weekend.

I tackled the office aka dumping ground today. Need it useable for work at the end of the week. Sorted out the Christmas card box that was in there. Late MIL had lots of Xmas cards which we have been using up the past 8 years or so. Recycled a box
of 40 cards that we will never use and got rid of a few others too. Kept the envelopes as they may come in handy. Moved these to the birthday card drawer. Took down the few Xmas decorations in the office and re-arranged some drawers. Got rid of a dog
water bottle as have a better one. Also now have a drawer for the dogs bits.

Also went through the shelves in the dinning room. Lots of twinkle worksheets etc recycled as dc doesn’t do them. Also about 3 activity books for dc that are not used.

went through the pens in the office and 10 out as not working.

I put a box for the charity shop in the car boot (has been hanging around since before Christmas but won’t count it till its
dropped off.

Welcome @SunnySailor sounds like you are off to a flying start.

We have so very much to declutter. We've done three big recycling centre/ tip runs already and I'd say we've done about 15%. Already looking better for it, mind. Now I've started, I'm a bit obsessed! All clutter is annoying me and v conscious of it.

Can I come back please? Trying yet again to get my stuff sorted...

So far this year.

1. DvD player (but replaced with new functioning one)
2. Old Xbox
3. Kids game console
4. Various old cables

It’s lovely that everyone is doing so well.

I remember why I loved the Toss app, it makes me do an area I hadn’t thought was a problem. I threw away one wallet and put three purses into the charity bag (I’m bound to find more) but as I emptied my old wallet I was able to throw out 4 old loyalty / membership cards and 5 very old receipts. So that was 13 items.

i then sorted through the Xmas decorations and cards. I found 52 items that either got binned / recycled or put in the charity shop bag. This included decorations (some were too scruffy to give away so got binned), Santa hats, some packs of cards that dc had made in primary school and don’t want now (I saved one of each for their memory box), ribbons and bows.

So my total for today is 65 items. I’m pleased as I declutter my decorations every January and often when I put them up in December so I was particularly brutal today.

2024 total is 65. Might aim for 2024 although as this is about my fourth go of most places that might be tricky.

new year new olio no-show for me 🫠I don't expect her to come out in this weather but just reschedule please
sad diary/notebook out
bag of rubbish/recycling from my room out
library books returned/borrowed neutral
some bits have been put aside to meticulously return to sets/games/memory boxes next tidy session

Ugh. Trying to give away a few items today, how many people can say they are interested then ghost me? Also, one person who seemed to want me to contact her friend to arrange collection!

A couple of small things - a calendar (I will probably replace but previously I’d have held onto it thinking I might use it for something!) a sticker book and 3 decorations which have been hanging around since Halloween. I also decluttered one box of Christmas chocolate but I’m not sure I should be getting any points for that! 😋

I’m torn between thinking I’m doing quite well and getting rid of things, and feeling like I might drown under stuff before I finish!

I am winning the battle on not buying things though. The only thing I’ve bought this year so far has been a kindle book.

We got the charity shop stuff ready for DS to take tomorrow . There’s about two big storage boxes worth of books , board games , lots of unused DD small shoes since she had a growth spurt , a few kids clothes and miscellaneous items . I’ll add anything else I see. We’ll try to get excess Christmas food to food bank this weekend from the larder , cards to recycling , decorations and tree down too , any boxes etc from gifts out of here . Might need another dump run with recycling although it’s been collected next week . The window cleaner and gardener are due as well there’s some bits of branches but no more leaves for the garden waste bin .
I think I’ll do my utility cupboard next I’ve decided to earmark some packets of floor cleaning sheets and the mop on olio since we don’t use them but the spray mop or the good old fashioned type one , I’ve got to get DH to list he PlayStation 4 earmarked ages ago now that Christmas rush is over . Despite doing DD room before Christmas I’ve got a feeling of wanting to get more out of here and fast !

A few other bits going :
-1 broken birdhouse DH got rid of earlier I’m not sure I’ve counted
-1 more unwanted plant
-1 awful smelling dog shampoo now that I can smell again
-1 smelly gift shower gel and moisturiser to charity
-1 DD old wall calendar
-my finished book
-1 dog bowl
-5 packets of floor cleaning sheets and a mop earmarked to go on Olio

In the weekend we will also look
through gift food and decide what we’d actually eat of it then the rest will go to food bank .

@PissedOffNeighbour22 I do hope you don’t be as poorly with Covid as I was . I was positive 2 1/2 w ago first and am only now recovering but due to underlying conditions still feel half dead so am in bed mostly while kids on holiday . Luckily they’re older so look after themselves and DH was home until now since before Christmas . Get better soon and remember to rest when you can !

Out today is one blanket that sheds fluff everywhere. It was a gift but I own better ones already. Total is 1789

I took a box of 18 books and 25 CDs to the charity shop and sent off 12 books to Ziffit which I managed to get £26 for - so good result. Thinking about what to tackle next to keep the momentum going and I think it will be the airing cupboard. It's full of towels and duvet covers but there's got to be a limit to how many we actually need.

Also
-1old bra pad
-1 packet of old meds
-1 old packet of marzipans
-a pile of papers from my and DH drawers

That's fantastic @Gassylady the room of doom will soon be a room of pleasure!

We get back to the UK at the start of the week so decluttering some stuff which is used up or we won't need next summer.

Out today:
13 now-small kids vests and shorts, donated
3 dried up playdoh tubs
Swimming donut ring
Blow-up beach ball
One facial sunscreen used up
One small muji bottle which always leaks
Plastic toy from a magazine
Kids mesh beach bag
2 kids stamps
1 lovely pen I sadly lost

25 items out after counter reset

Out so far this year:
Broken toy
Huge mirror freecycled
35 items sold and posted on eBay
5 cat toys
2 dummies
5 teethers
1 new baby toothbrush
8 baby bottles
1 baby nose unblocker
2 formula storage pots
1 baby suncream
Eczema cream unused
Wet wipe storage bag
Storage tin
Old pegs
Modem
2 extension leads
Work hat
Wooden cot top changer
Cat litter tray
Wall art
Fire guard
3 wall lights
2 damaged cot mattresses
2 bedside cabinets
8 baby toys donated
Steriliser donated
Mirrored wardrobe door
Built in wardrobe to tip
Picture frame
4 shelves
photography screen sold on marketplace
photography stand sold on marketplace
3 baby items to fabric recycling
Brand new pot of glue that was solid
2 wardrobe doors
A collectors item of DP's that he managed to sell for over £200 😮

Total 106

Also out but not counted was a load of out of date baby food and cat food.

DP also took another 2 car loads of cardboard from the outbuildings to the tip. He also discovered that the tip have opened a reselling area so all the baby toys etc went in there.

I feel dreadful with Covid but as it's making me short tempered I'm better at making the decision to just throw things and also to override DP when he wants to keep something and I don't.

@Nordicmom Thank you :)
Hope you're finally starting to feel a bit better now, that's a long time to feel dreadful.

I'm on my third night of zero sleep and I feel awful. My DP is now off work for a few days after his night shifts over Christmas and new year so it's nice having him to take over the childcare. I wish I could take sick leave at work but I just have too much to do. I don't think I'll manage another full day tomorrow though. Hoping it passes quickly.

I hope you can start sleeping ! No one can go on or recover without it . Mercifully I was able to sleep I didn’t get DD cough then although seem to be developing it a bit now .
No matter how much work there is left if you are sick enough you can’t be expected to do it . While having Covid and recently with some other illness with DH long Covid migraines are the only times he’s not worked from home atleast while ill for a few worst days in the last 20 y really .

Did a box of out outdoor clothes from the attic room and a few DD ones going
-5 small tops charity shop

-1 small top to clothes bank
-1 pair of new DD small gloves
Now I’m at 27 items for this year and will aim for that 40 a week and I’ll get to the 2024 by the end . The point for me is to keep the regular habit and I’ll never end up with what I started with which was a huge job . Yes also trying to limit what comes in !

Wowowow! @Nordicmom, @Pigtailsandall, @PissedOffNeighbour22 you put my 11 items from the kitchen drawers to shame!!