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)

Trying to but littles bits here and there when I’m busy with every day stuff.

over past couple of days the following have gone

Old bubbles big tube
Broken drinking cup
Cooling towel thing
Silver heat sheet
4 pairs of outgrown socks
Sticky hand cream
Baby toy to friend
finished off a bottle of almost used shower gel ina wash bag
Roll of table covers (returned to my mum)
Items to charity shop x 4

up to 264 items.

also gave my mum a load of bags for life as once the cupboard was tidied it was clear we def had way too many! But not counting them in my total.

Sold another 14 things on Vinted today so very happy. Need a day to have a tidy and I have more to upload. Had a good awful return for my dd with ASD in mainstream. She's gone from 0 ta in class until year 4, to me winning 1:1 for 15 hours a week. Three weeks after getting the new ehcp, school are saying she needs to be fully funded! 32.5 hour from nothing? Also they clearly hate our guts. HT said something really nasty to us. Trying to hang in there but honestly he was so rude I did seriously think of leaving and living on my own by the coast. However I refuse to be a victim so I'm sucking up to school so hard and fawning they hopefully think I'm trying to bed them all 🤣 fuckers

Out today:

• 1 pair of old flip flops
• 1 pair of old worn to death but oh so comfy work shoes
• 1 winter jacket 2 sizes too small
• half a red cabbage (left over from Christmas)
• a cheese basket (got rid of the cheese making kit years ago)
• old bike helmet x2
• tile samples x 4

Total: 141

Can you just store them in the car for a little bit? See if the feeling of guilt wears off? Maybe give yourself a deadline of say 10 days to make a decision. If the kids request anything within the 10 days you can 'find it' then, and if the feeling of guilt is overwhelming still you can bring it back. But you might also find you all completely forget about them. Less clutter is also so much better for little ones than additional toys - you might find they start playing with unexpected bits now once the space increases too.

I did a full declutter of my daughter's room with her in the summer and she's so much better for it. In that case I let her choose what to keep but she hasn't missed anything she agreed to get rid of and I now find it a bit easier to get rid of bits and bobs without her permission, partly because I know she has plenty and also because I know she finds it way easier to play without mess around and I know that as the adult, unlike her, I can sensibly decide whether a scrap of paper and a deflated balloon is worth keeping

I used to sneak toys out of the house until dc got to be 6 or 7 then I introduced the idea of their toys going to a charity shop to be bought by someone with less money or we would sell toys and I’d give them the money to spend on new toys knowing that we got so little money the new toys wouldn’t take up the space. My main problem was hoarder ex got very angry about me giving their stuff away, and I suppose I could see his point once they got to about 4 or 5.

Now i think Dana, a slob comes clean’s container concept might be useful. You only have what you can store so if it doesn’t fit in the toy box they should pick something to go. This does mean that the rest of the house needs to be tidyish and in containers so it doesn’t look like you’re just picking on their stuff.

We’re not quite that organised in my house - even though I have teens - but I told them I wanted to get rid of an ugly bookcase in the sitting room last week and presented them with some books to go. One dc agreed. It helped that I was getting rid of a camera so setting an example. The next slow stage is for me to present them with more books from the bookcase and to find a home for the ones they want to keep in another bookcase.

last night I decluttered the fridges. I chucked out a coke that had been there for years and some mozzarella that had gone off 6 months ago and an old jar of pasta sauce.

Toss asked me to do books which is great as I was also going to do that. My own app has told me the garden shed. It actually has a massive hole in it so I’m going to look for a man to take it apart and get rid of it. I’ve been meaning to do that for months so today I’ll at least take photos.

Have been for a walk in the sunshine and felt inspired to tackle the main bathroom cupboards. Have cleared a little one for DD to keep her crap in to clear the surface a bit.

Out:
empty air freshener
old suncream
empty other bottles
old sling & old wrist support (have unused spares ready for the next broken wrist 🙄)
couple of old bandages
= 10

Plus pair of too small shoes for DD into charity bag

77+11=88

Want to start on DDs clothes but need to do some laundry first.

Well I’ve got my January total to - 277

8 from putting Christmas decorations away and sorting out
2 magazines (hopefully I have finally cancelled the subscription!)
2 boxes
11 items to charity (Xmas book sort out, kids clothes sort, trainers, cloth bags to charity shop)

I do find this thread helps me find stuff so I can count it…!

Oooh oh me! just at work but found a totally random dangerous cigar trimmer at home, brought it into work for the sharps bin
1 cigar trimmer out

Listening to a slob comes clean and liked the idea of doing things that "normal" people do without thinking. So as I listen to a podcast while driving, I picked up the rubbish in the car door, and threw it in the bin. I'm looking around and things that are obviously out of place. I also like the idea of putting things back into their correct homes is decluttering as I never feel productive until things leave the house.

My current main goal is getting the kids clothes all to fit within their wardrobes or draws. We have uniform and club uniforms hanging on various doors as they are often in use. BUT if the wardrobes and draws was less stuffed, you be able to see uniform at first glance. So got to count all hangers on doors then reduce by that much. 44 items at a quick count!

Haven’t made it to the attic yet but it’s useful my “ threat “ to DH to do that got him to tidy and clean up there since I told him I’ll go there to declutter ( which he doesn’t do ) not to clean …
A few other bits I’ve noticed going in the meantime .

-1 DD puzzle earmarked she’s nearly finished
-5 ish small towels earmarked ( I’ll have to confirm the final number , we just don’t need this many of the little ones we use to dry the shower sealants etc with to prevent mould after using the squeezy on the glass and the shower tray )
-1 souvenir rattan fan
-1 unwanted dog bed pad that arrived with his toy and treat box
-1 unwanted chewy dog treat
-1 lone sock
-1 pair of old pants
-1 DD broken pencil case I told her was too small and she didn’t listen as usual

-1 big pile of left over unwanted envelopes we’ll never use I bought for Christmas cards one year
-1 spatula
New total is 266

Today was hunting for keys lost by the eldest in the kitchen drawer of crap. Sadly didn’t find the keys (think they’re probably in the student house of doom and never came home over Christmas 🙄😡) I did however find two broken padlocks, a plastic joining peg from a toy tractor/trailer combo that is long gone and some window keys from the windows that were changed two years ago!

I thought that maybe lost keys were maybe hiding in plain sight in a drawer with lots of keys in!

One too big hoodie
One bracelet that keeps catching on things and snagging them
One empty hair conditioner (4 left)

Total is 1813

@IncessantNameChanger i feel your stress. My ASD child is in mainstream and usually ok, but September refused to go to school, it took until just before Christmas to get them doing full days. Only finally got a one plan in September/October time despite asking for one when they got diagnosed.

on a decluttering note today was a good day

Toilet brush
Reed diffuser x 2
Broken light saber/toddler weapon
2023 diary
Kids art work piece
Ear spray
Odd toy bits x4
Toothbrush
Three legged toy
Ridiculously small pencil case
41 pairs of out grown underwear of DC
3 odd socks

Total is now up to 323.

I really need to tackle the playroom, have a total overhaul and reorganise it to make it more accessible so kids use what is there but it’s such an overwhelming job I’m putting it off for now.

Found a few items to go at the weekend and finally got rid today:

Small rug given to my mum
Gas fire sold on fb marketplace
Underbed storage box
Large storage box
Metal shelving unit that had rusted
Small set of drawers
Wardrobe door
Bookcase

Total 163.

Also out was a load of cardboard boxes to the tip.

Two more for tonight

Empty foundation bottle
Bracelet with worn out beads

Total is 1815

Forgot another out was a pair of ancient marigolds.

88+1=89.

Feel you re SEN kids, DS2 is moving from school to college for more SN stuff in sept and it’s stressing me out.

Out today

• 1 old shoe rack
• 1 old DIY box step
• 1 pair holey socks

(Total 144)

@LessObviousName school are also berating us as "we don't seem to be happy" no shite sherlock. Dd was suspended.

At the next meeting I'm going in dressed as a cheerleader and going to do this dance

GIVE ME E!
GIVE ME X!
GIVE ME C.......

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT! EXCLUSION!!!!
Then wave my glitter pom poms in their face, saying I'm so proud she was excluded I peed my pants. My thoughts and emotions are being policed.

THIS IS WHY I HOARD!! I normally would buy stuff for a dopamine rush then use it to build up a wall to keep the world out. Except I don't now, so I just get more angry and sarcastic. I find joy dreaming up my little sketch in my head.

Having to much stuff and struggling with too much stuff is hard and complex.

However, I can sit with this uncomfortable feeling and have the power to rise above it ( ha! I'm clearly not the bigger person here) in the sence that having a cluttered house does not help. It's not going to help. There's no dopamine rush. I need to find something to replace that like a brisk walk.

Did containers on a slob comes clean. Love the idea of container in the sence of containing a fire. You don't control a fire by allowing the containment to grow with the size of the fire.

I sold 2 more items on Vinted and now have a nice balance of £35 which I should BANK and not use for buying more stuff...

I also rage-purged last night because since we've been back, we have bought new things and I want more space. So I got rid of really random selection of stuff:

2 vinted sales, a dress and a t-shirt
bracelet
necklace
5 big shells which have just been floating around
bag of wooden spindles
tupperware box
a lid that doesn't fit anything
a paint roller thingy
tile sample
packet of paper plates
6 spoons
wicker basket
2 spools of string
20 postcards

Out goes

• a too big hoodie
• 6 piles of ribbon
• 2 gift bags

Total is 1824

My job for today is gathering school uniform that isn't a perfect fit for dd. She is very sensory with clothes so I'm trying to get all available clothes to be tolerable for her. Bloody hard work!

I am also gathering any left over odd Christmas bits to go into the loft ( you clear up after Christmas then find a random stocking and babble.

So no set areas, just sweeping the house and it's turned up

14 charity / rags
29 toys / odds for charity
11 rubbish for bin
Total 54

No area looks much better but I'm going to go area by area again tomorrow. Pleased with today so far. I am struggling not to go off on tangent. I had to really try hard to say uniform and look for Christmas bits.

Total for 2024 = 242 out

Im feeling so rough at the moment, desperately hoping it’s not covid so the decluttering/ tidying has slowed down a bit.

Outs include 21 Tupperware lids (I cannot find the boxes), also 4 craft sets and 4 magazines that have been sitting around for years.

Total is 157 for 2024 which is awesome. I’m also generally keeping up with the housework by doing my small tidy / declutter areas. Yesterday I wanted to get rid of the shed so I have two people coming to give quotes tomorrow. I also found a load of books for dcs to go through.

tomorrow I’ll be focusing on mugs and glasses.

I think I’ve found all the stray Christmas bits…maybe!

Not much done today, went out for a lovely lunch with friends.

Out:
2 x old DH shirts
1 x old DH handkerchief

89+3 = 92

Oh and I forgot the other day I gave back a charity collection pot thing with spare change in that had been sat on the side for ages.

= 93

If DD could just find 7 things to go I’d make 100.