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)

DD tidied and cleared out her desk drawer today. A few outs, all small but outs and a few small items for the charity shop bag and a couple of things to sell/put on Freecycle.

@Gassylady i feel like I could’ve written your post. It isn’t just the money that I care about but I kept boxes and instructions and do like to think that another child will play with the whole lego set. Also some Lego bits are so weird these days they’ll only go with one set. When I grew up I think you could only get a small number of Lego pieces in about 5 colours! I always used to spend ages doing jigsaw puzzles to sell / donate too.

@Gassylady i also liked your description of your mil as a tidy hoarder. This perfectly describes my ex in-laws. They have so much stuff that was organised in so much furniture. Their dining room has about 3 dressers / sideboards with lots of worthless teasets. It halves the size of the room. I used to feel quite squashed in there. Exh clearly got his never- throw - anything -away mentality from them and it sounds awful but I used to wonder if it would be my job to clear their house out when they pass because exh is so useless.

Talking of exh, he asked if I would sell an expensive item he owns to a friend of his. What a cheek.

@IncessantNameChanger you’re doing brilliantly! I see children’s clothes as seasonal. About twice a year I go through their clothes with them getting rid of bits that don’t fit / they don’t want any more. You’re right that when you get through this backlog you’ll have such a good system. I understand what you say about organising outs how you want to do it, as I mentioned above I’ll spend hours on the Lego and I spent hours on the playmobil. But it will go and if that’s the ritual I need for it to go it’s a one-off job and it will get easier as I won’t buy any more Lego.

Toss told me to do wires so I have found a scart lead to go to Currys.

Was (finally!) brave and pulled all of the food out of the tall larder in the kitchen. Grouped it together, binned anything that had expired (didn't count items but 1 full bin bag!) anything we don't eat ready for the foodbank and now there's a ton of space to fill up with food we actually do eat regularly. This one is a massive win because it takes the pressure off doing a big food shop each week because there's not enough space to store bits, and will allow us to just do fresh top up shops more frequently. So pleased! I've still got a few bits on the counters to sort through - letter holders etc, plus the baking drawer which was decluttered ages ago but is now a state and then the kitchen will be done. Will be so glad to get it off my list for now!

I know by the end of summer there will be nothing stashed and nothing too small.

Incessant this is an amazing achievement on DD clothes. The selling things might be something you have to do for now but in my experience it was a phase. In the past I always had to sell my outs too, I was in that phase for years and didn't really declutter anything unless I could sell it or it was broken. I'd get as much of a buzz from selling as I did from buying. Eventually though, I reached a phase where I was done with selling, done with the effort of creating listings and refreshing them, done with the hassle of dealing with idiots while I waited for a buyer, done with storing the stuff while I waited for it to sell. So I say stick it out and consider every sale to be a step towards reaching the point where you don't feel the need to sell any more.

Today I'm getting rid of a duvet cover and two pillow cases which are wearing out. A pair of socks with useless elastic that keeps falling down and a bra with elastic gone in one strap.

I'm feeling frustrated that I can't apply better logic to my outs. I wish I could take eg half of a type of item and donate it. I can't though. I have to use it all and be convinced it's no good to me. Only then can I bring myself to get rid.

I need to keep reminding myself of how much I did last year. I saw a noticeable difference in the level of clutter when I reached 1500 items out, so I'm wondering when the next time I notice a definite improvement in space will be.

Total is 1836

You dodged a bullet there StealthNinja with ex PIL! I don't understand why ex is asking you to sell something of his though, is it in your house? I'd do it and charge fees, plus 10% commission for your time, if it is. Just to get rid of it. He's proper lazy though not doing it himself.

@IndianSummer78 most of his stuff is still here - but it’s a big house so it’s tidied away. He is very generous financially and I do think deserves credit for that and clearly struggles mentally (or ADHD/ asd like our kids). I now realise he has massive social anxiety and would probably find a conversation like selling something really awkward. I know with my kids I have to write them scripts to cope with different social situations and I think exh doesn’t have that script. But I’m not going to help him because it’s like having three children.

@IndianSummer78 I do get fed up either the bag full of my vinted items. A month ago I took it all to a charity shop. Listing on Vinted is quite fast. I have withdrawn my £160 balance. I might get rid of the enter stuff as the summer things are unpacked. No doubt I will invent a rule as per normal for how to deal with it

@IncessantNameChanger well done on the clothes, you’ve said often this is something you struggle with so that’s amazing. For me it got easier as kids growth slowed so could more easily control amount they required, eg three pairs of joggers, school trousers and a couple of pairs of other trousers.

This makes sense StealthNinja since he doesn't even want to talk to a friend about it. It would be awkward having him be a third child when he's an ex 😅 bad enough if you're together. Men are terrible for wanting to be mothered. I hope one day he collects all his things so you can have your space back.

I got rid of one more cleaning spray all used up tonight. I'm on the last spray now so only maintenance from here on, one in one out. I've still got all the bottles to dilute though. Total is 1837

I did a bit f a cleaning session and found things while cleaning. This is all a part of my maintenance decluttering, so just picking up things as I find them instead of "looking" for areas to declutter.

Out yesterday:
Kids hoodie, too small
Insurance docs
2 cards
2 coffee loyalty cards
4 random bolts which I don't know where they go
Colouring book, full
Plastic zip-up folder
Plastic toy bit
2 toy cars

Total is 133

Toss has given me "Food" today, so will try and have a go-through, at least a first pass when I get home.

Took a box of cables to the tip on the way to work & yesterday got DP to look though a pile of old business/membership cards and reduce them. He'd hang onto everything if he could, so am calling this a win.

A pair of socks with worn out elastic that falls down. Total is 1838

I ended up organising the storage boxes in better order which took ages but now easier to find what we need regularly . I found another box of Christmas packaging and some crackers I thought I had but they can be used next year . Now I can continue with the boxes of breakables to repack into plastic boxes or the couple of boxes of kids school and memory box stuff to sift through when I next go up . It won’t be today since I have aches everywhere and a headache plus all the normal daily and weekly housework to do. I need to fold up all the dry laundry for one . I was up half the night then slept all morning . Out some stuff too so I’m glad about that ! Also I was so happy DH had cleaned up there well so I didn’t have to first do that . The guest room and bathroom and the landing were tidy and clean . He’d also brought all the dry laundry down .
As I organised the charity stuff that had been taken up already and added what I found from boxes to go I filled up more boxes and now the no 4 th big storage box is rapidly filling up so there’ll be a full carload for DS to take on Easter holidays .
Out :
-1 old nail brush
-1 DH finished book
-1 board game
-1 old dog toy
-1 travel moisturiser
-3 pairs or DD small trainers
-1 duplicate book
-1 new Lego
-1 Christmas wrapping paper roll remnants
-1 packet of Christmas food to DS
-2 opened balloon packets
-1 pair of my new small UGGs
-1 pair of DD small gloves
-1 damaged gift bag
-1-2 boxes of loose Lego earmarked for Olio
-1 rusty metal bucket + a few other decorative items I think I’ve already counted to dump metal collection
-1 packet of Christmas cards
-1 packet of dried up wipes
-1 DH laptop bag earmarked since he never uses it but I’ll have to ask him later
-1 unwanted dog toy
-1 3D printed school project , I’ve saved so much this didn’t need saving too

-2 pairs of small school trainers
-1 used up bath bomb
The new total is 320 !

I'm not feeling great today. Feeling very tired. My declutter was due today but didn't come. I have listed some more bits on vinted.

Had a pass of one area od dd clothes and taken a fair few bits out to list on Vinted or to give away. I have a bag on the go for charity and rags this week so I won't count that until its out the house.

I love these jeans and tried to repair them. So I'm unpicking the trim to sew on other jeans. Maintainable level of jeans would be three pairs.

I have also earmarked four pairs of leggings to sell on Vinted that are just a tad too small. I also have a tatty favorite nighty I just need to dump but I find it so comforting to wear.

Unpicking is taking ages. They might be Binned yet

@IndianSummer78 as annoying as it is we’ll probably be in this house until dd2 leaves home. Dds don’t want to move house and ex is happy to not uproot their life which is good. I would love to sell up and get exh out of my life but as dc refuse to see him in his flat I have to put them first.

@Pigtailsandall youre doing amazingly. It’s funny even when ‘maintaining’ it’s still possible to find lots of stuff to go. I’m sort of maintaining myself ie tidying, moving things to the correct place and then I find clutter and can get rid of it.

having said I’m maintaining my app told me to do the wardrobe in the Room of Doom which is full of crap.

so I wondered has anyone got rid of all of their children’s art? I found three boxes of it and I’ve brought it up to the sitting room. I’m intending to give each child the chance to keep what they want but I have a feeling they’ll want it all to go. Maybe I should just chuck it out? I don’t have anything from my primary school so maybe I won’t miss it?

or I wonder if I could scan some of it and have it turned into a book. That would be two books instead of three boxes. Has anyone done this?

load of cleaning rather than decluttering done around a busy day
got my jacket back neutral
1 bag of rubbish/recycling out
soft plastics out
documenting to self motivate

Had a couple of epic declutter sessions at the weekend with DH joining in too. Tossed so much it's too much to list! First night we sorted through our entire understairs cupboard of doom and condensed it into 3 organised small baskets (car, bicycles, DIY/painting).

Then we sorted through 5 kitchen drawers and tossed the actual drawers too. Majority of the stuff in those is not going back into our new kitchen. New kitchen was delivered today and is being fitted this week 😀💪

Here's what I can recall (there was loads more that I've forgotten, feels a bit Brucey Generation Game) some for the bin, some donated and none sold as I can't be bothered I just want it gone:

14 utensils
2 vases
1 microwave plate warmer
1 x 3 tier steamer
2 toastie grill racks
1 toaster warming rack
4 Napkins
4 tea towels
Cheese cloths x 5
Digital Meat thermometer
Turkey Thermometer
Oven thermometer
2 baking trays
Cutlery drainer
2 boxes of old tea bags
1 bottle opener keyring
4 x Silicone bowl lids
Beeswax wraps x 4 (old, fraying, ripped)
Reusable baking paper (sticky and burnt)
1 coffee attachment (missing the main device)
10 meat strings for holding a joint together
Preserving kit
Bag of old elastic bands
1 ice-ball mould
2 novelty tea strainers
Pack of paper straws
BBQ utensils x 3
Mini paint roller
Mini roller paint tray
Plastic dust sheets
15 bottles of car care stuff
Old gloves
2 broken bike locks
1 bike helmet rim
Half used bike repair kit
Reusable nappy nippas x3
Old glue tube
Mop bucket squeezy top
1 empty spray bottle
1 empty oil bottle
A bunch of lollipops
Old recipe printouts

So cathartic.

YTD Total 249

And from a late declutter flurry this evening, I've binned all these out of date bits as well:

Edible glitter spray
Red velvet sprinkles
Pack of 4 icing pens
3 individual tubes of coloured icing
1 pack of green fondant
Yeast
Gelatin
Sudocream
Nit Shampoo

And I'm recycling these glass items:
50cl glass bottle
11 x Assorted glass jars, small wedding favours size to large mincemeat size
2 used candles

YTD Total: 274

@stealthninjamum On Children's art, I have a collection from primary school that I collected into a book a couple of pieces each school year, carefully curated! Must have been a thing the school did/encouraged. I remember the pieces I chose each year were so special to me at the time but now I look back at it (and I do look back at it) I haven't a clue why 😂 but I can remember doing each piece and can tell you thr story behind them, even the unfinished colour-by-number picture that I did in year 3 while my teacher played yellow submarine on his guitar! So who knows maybe your children won't want to bin all their art.

Or if you don't want to part with it, take a photo of each piece and turn it into a photobook - once for each child.

Thanks @KCSIE that’s a lovely thing for your school to have done. I don’t remember ever seeing anything I did at school but my mum is an amazing declutterer and throws everything away - apart from all my toys which she gave me a few years ago and I’m unable to part with! My dc claim to have hated primary school and art and I have never shown them their memory boxes because I suspect they’d throw them away. They are very attached, almost obsessively, to their special collections but not school related items. I’m much more sentimental than they are and don’t feel able to throw these things away. I suppose I’m struggling as they’re teenagers and both have mental health problems, maybe I just miss the primary days when they seemed happy.

I am veering towards picking a dozen bits and putting them in a photo book as we have three big boxes of stuff and two books would be a good compromise. It’s possible that dc would never look at them but it would at least empty half a cupboard and maybe not be too hard for me.

3 items are going - a clay handprint of dd2 when she was a baby which I can get rid of because we have a canvas of her handprint, an old business card and a toy lobster.

Two tiny outs tonight. A gloopy half used bottle of nail polish and a set of false lashes all gummed up with glue. I have about 100 nail polishes and 30 false lashes packs so I'm going to be a while using these up. I'm aiming to get down to having only the one in use. Total is 1840

Yesterday's Toss was food, so out went 3 (very) past their sell by date items.

I have a massive amount of frozen fruit, so am smoothie-ing my way through that to use it up. Added a bit of icing sugar as the sweetness this morning on the basis that sugar is sugar & I have 2 bags of icing sugar (and don't decorate cakes).

Using up a mini baby wash in the shower as shower gel which had been in my travel bag since my baby was a baby. She is now 15.

You guys are all doing so well. I’m feeling very behind now. One of my problems I think is that for most categories I don’t have a major problem, just a little too much, or a space that attracts dumping. We are just not today people. So everywhere is a little bit untidy and things get lost too easily. I need systems and to tidy as much as I need less stuff, I think.

Right. Today I’m back on the bandwagon a bit. I have sold 4 items on fb/vinted, photographed and listed some more, and put a big bag of newborn / 0-3 clothes for the baby bank. I will count them in a bit when I’ve done another push on clothes.

I am also, right now, committing to tackle my hallway shelving unit of doom. It’s covered in DIY stuff, useful things, stuff to get rid of, random crap. I need better systems to stop both the island and the hallway cupboard becoming a disaster. Does anyone have any suggestions of podcasts or programmes to inspire this?

@IndianSummer78 - you really are making amazing progress.

@stealthninjamum - mine are both small still and I’m already hoarding their art. I love it and I struggle to get rid of even scribbles. I fear an art photo book approach is going to end up very expensive for me!

@KCSIE - very very impressive! Mad flurry decluttering is awesome!