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)

went through the loft bathroom cupboard and cleaned it, also checked the random bottles sitting around for empties.

Out:
2 x OOD nit shampoo (do kids stop getting them in secondary? Haven’t had to use it in ages, tempting fate now I know!)
3 x rubbish nit combs (kept 2 good ones)
old razor blade
2 x empty toothpaste tubes
Assorted rubbish/empty packaging (say 5)
random glass jar cleaned and recycled
old toothbrush
holey sock

60 + 16 = 76

Think I need DD for some other bits, lots of started body butters etc type stuff.

Found a extra bag of 62!!! Kids items of clothing I had tried to donate last year in my boot. That’s my monthly target (2024 items in 2024) smashed

I've cleared out most of the Christmas packaging, and packaging for some recent purchases (a tumble dryer and some new lights for the kitchen). Had a really good tidy of the living room and chucked out a load of rubbish.

I folded the clean laundry and a few more DD small clothes are going . I’m planning on returning to the attic again soon maybe today …

Out today :
-1 pair of DD small sweatpants
-1 pair of DD small shorts
-5 DD small T-shirts
-6 pairs of old socks
-1 DH old T-shirt
-1 my pyjama top with a hole
-1 DH finished book
-1 DD finished puzzle ear marked
-1 DD engineering box used up

Total is 252

Car seat out. Yay.

also folded laundry and found 2 items for the charity bag.

• sun damaged figurine
• broken figurine
• used up shower gel (more bottles left)
• dregs of a tub of Vicks that expired decades ago and finally smelled a bit off when I opened it this time

Total is 1807

Finally made it to the tip today. Took an old clock radio, a broken lava lamp, a few cracked plant pots, and a grimy old grill pan.
I nearly kept the cardboard box I'd taken it all in (thinking "this could be a useful big box") then checked myself and left it at the tip. Felt good 😊

@WhereAreWeNow well done on the box! 👏

@IncessantNameChanger i can’t decide if finding that box is great Decluttering or somehow cheating the system lol 😂

been at work today so only out is some holey pants.

76+1=77

Had a mountain of laundry to do today but managed to get out:

4 old socks
Super tatty old book in the recycling
Some boxes for electronics that I will never need but was keeping for some reason

Sorted through one of the drawers of toys in the (overflowing) kallax-type unit in the living room yesterday with DD, and have five quite bulky toys to go to the charity shop. Pleased that she has been able to be involved and be fine with letting things go.

Went to ikea this weekend to get extra shelves to add to kitchen cupboards to make more storage space and of course half of them are the wrong size will exchange asap. Managed to get one in though so sorted through 3 kitchen drawers and a large cupboard and then the extra shelf meant I could get large serving plates out the way so everything's looking a lot neater! Managed one full carrier bag of all sorts in the bin and have some never used gin glasses on marketplace so let's see if I can shift them. I've got grand plans to finish sorting the kitchen this week which will ultimately lead to more storage for food which would be very helpful - fingers crossed I can get it done as I'd love to scratch the kitchen off my list finally, I started pre-Xmas!

I've been a bit MIA the past few days, as life was suddenly overwhelming. I plodded on with the magazine piles for a few minutes at a time, and the shelves are now looking neater and a lot of leaflets are in the recycling bin.

Thanks to a pp mentioning taking textiles to Dunelm, I was inspired to google it, read up about it, and find a branch a short drive from here, which is great :-) I have three binbags of clean but damaged clothes that I thought I would repair or use for patches. I haven't handsewn or used the sewing machine for many years, except for occasional buttons, and probably never will, but I thought I could save the planet all on my own. All that happened was a cluttered house and loads of guilt and shame on my part.

This week's outs are four outgrown hoodies waiting for laundering and donation. Binned one pair ratty and uncomfy knickers.

I didn't do a huge amount over the weekend but I sorted some paperwork, and decided to let of of receipts and tags of clothes I bought last year. I usually tally my expenditure, and I had been a bit lazy doing that, so I counted up how much money I spent in 2023 (too much) and binned 17 sets of tags/receipts, which I guess meant I had bought 17 items new. That's just way too many...

So out this weekend:

17 sets of receipts
3 too-small kids tops
huge scented candle
uncomfortable pants
A cooking sauce with dregs in it, wasn't even sure what it was

Total is 70.

Three items of too small clothing into donations bag. Total is 1810

dh has finally gotten on board with the decluttering. he sat and did his tool box yesterday. cleared out the crap and got rid of stuff.

today i have binned a couple of old holy moly microfibre cloths. they have had their time.

DH has also bought some things to make a "bar' in our sideboard. to organise it and also we need to go through the cupboard where we keep our cups etc

I'm finding toys hard since I have a 6 year old 2 year old and baby. There's toys baby can play with. I took 2 bags to my car and took them back in the house the next day out of guilt. But took small steps today in throwing away a doll that was getting worn out and her hands and feet kept falling off...and a small polly pocket type of toy with missing pieces. Hopefully by the end of the week I should have more. I just can't deal with the guilt of giving away my kids toys without permission. I was so good with it before but now...it's too hard...

Well, I got stuck. I still haven’t emerged from Christmas… but I managed to find 3 things in our mugs cupboard (thanks Toss) so have started again.

ive also binned a self tan moisturiser (the dove one) it's been open for over a year i think. so its gone. i need to go through all my open toiletries and clear things out.

will probably do that when the kids are in the bath later on.

tomorrow i am taking a load of stuff to the charity shop

My last two app tasks were Tupperwares and the dining room. I have turned the Tupperware into A Big Job and am really angry that my children and cleaner seem to take my Tupperware to use as open containers for things like plants (dd1) and other bits of crap. So my Tupperware cupboard is beautifully organised now with 25 Tupperware containers of various sizes - all containers with a lid. This sounds like a lot but I use loads and the cupboards only half full. I now have about 20 lids and containers that don’t fit each other and I’m wondering whether to turn the house upside down looking for the other bits or whether to throw them away as it’s a waste of my time!

I also tidied the dining room. There were no outs, just papers organised and files. This needs more work another time.

So the only two outs were old soup containers in the Tupperware drawer. I don’t need them.

My app has told me to declutter the utility room fridge. I already know this will take less than a minute so I’ll do the kitchen fridge too. I’ll do these tomorrow.

I'm also stuck with "there isn't actually anywhere to put our wanted stuff" again
stored the blankets better in DC's room neutral
1 bag
1 box
1 activity book out
found my glasses been wearing previous pair neutral

So far I’ve only decluttered some Christmas shortbread with my cup of tea 🙄

I have finished sorting orchestra music for new players starting tomorrow. And the Christmas music is completely ready to file away but there’s no urgency for that apart from getting the boxes out of the hallway.

I did have great plans for today but somehow the day disappeared- I mean I know it’s only nearly 4pm but once the DC start arriving home from school I feel the time for jobs is somehow over!

and 1 set of lights that will be replaced neutral

An unwanted gift listed on eBay. Have finally found a box that fits the books to go to ziffit and identified another couple of books too as a bonus whilst I’ve been hunting. Several Lego sets have been sorted out and reunited with their boxes and instructions. Pleased with progress at the moment.

Just a couple of books gifted today, its hard to find the motivation as my house is a bit cold (plumber coming tomorrow to figure out whats wrong). Will try and tackle a messy area later this evening.