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)

If you have kids and pets etc you can’t completely avoid bringing things in since they grow and change but you can definitely limit it

@Nordicmom this is what I'm aiming for. I've sown the seed already to my eldest DC that when we're finished with something or it doesn't fit or we don't enjoy it anymore that we pass it on to someone else to love and use. Eldest now roleplays packing up her things for someone else!

I'm finding the Toss app really helpful with the "little & often" during the week. Sometimes, I use it to do a first-pass on an area/category, rather than a deep-dive into the whole thing.

Today I got "Glove Box", so while I was sitting in traffic I did the door pockets & glove box. About 12 things binned (included 6 masks that had been in the since covid).

Thanks @KCSIE - those frames look great. I had bought some nice bamboo clipboards to do similar (copying a Sort Your Life Out idea) but have now lost them 🤦‍♀️

I definitely need to prioritise getting things out of the door again, as I’ve been doing less of that.

Also - yes to decluttering the kids…

@IncessantNameChanger thats lovely to hear that your ds has noticed the difference.

im ignoring the artwork until the weekend even though it’s a bloody mess of piles and boxes in the sitting room.

using my own app I tidied the kitchen corner cupboard. It’s not that cluttered it’s got odd crap like egg cups, reusable coffee cups. I decided to donate a reusable coffee cup and a metal holder but I couldn’t remember what it was supposed to hold. I also found the instructions and guarantee for the dishwasher. I think I put them in this cupboard six years ago. That’s typical of me, most areas had a couple of things that I get used to seeing every day in the wrong place and now I’m tidying everything into the correct place. So I put them in the folder of instructions in my paperwork bookcase but I’m wondering if I should’ve thrown them away.

i also got asked to do the hall. It should only take a few minutes but I have had a bloody webuybooks box there since about November. Evri have promised to collect it about six or seven times and not turned up. I just logged on and printed out a new label, I’m taking it to the bloody shop to send it. It’s annoying because the box is heavy and there’s no parking by the shop. But it is going today. I have also just typed and printed a letter to my pension company because they seem to think it’s 1990 and an email won’t do! At least I’ll be able to buy a stamp at the Evri shop so it’s killing two birds with one stone.

So I’m pleased that in about an hour the hall will be empty again.

It depends if you're into searching the internet if there's a problem Stralthninja. If that's your go-to there's no point keeping the instructions because you won't look in them anyway. If you find searching for the correct instruction manual for your appliance model online to be a major PITA then keep the instructions because there's usually a troubleshooting guide in there for if problems occur. I keep all mine but ensure I throw them out whenever the appliance is sold/disposed of

Two outs today, the worn out bra I'm wearing and the jeans I'm also wearing. I was hoping they'd stretch out to fit me better over time but it's been a month and they're still too tight so they can go. Torturing my fat butt is not going to shrink it into submission 😁 . Total is 1844

Bag of soft toys (not sure on exact number, maybe 30?) went to their new home today, and a few random Christmas bits got binned yesterday. Another bag of 32 clothing items out together to give to my niece but won't count them until they leave

Total currently stands at 113.

Took 2 bags to charity shop today. A mixture of some clothes and books. I've put a few things on Vinted too but things aren't selling as quickly as I'd like.

Thinking of donating the 3 big boxes of pens, pencils, paints, stencils and stuff to the local nursery. DD is a teenager and hasn't used any of it for about 7 years. I think I hang on to it because I think it's nice to have art supplies in the house in case little kids come over but we rarely have guests (because I'm too embarrassed by the state of the house 😔) and we don't know many people with little kids anyway so maybe it's time to clear it out.

List two - four items a day, not all at once so you always have a high up listing. Little and often.

Sold 16 items on Vinted! Bought dd a hoody in a charity shop and a little China narwhal tealight holder 🙈 I spent 3.25 but I do feel so guilty. I get little China things for my Welsh dresser and am swopping items out ( in theroy)

325 items out this year. Cynical eldest ds has now said he can see a real difference! I'm very happy with that

Two trips to charity shops today to drop off items - 4 cushions & 4 children's bedding sets

Thanks for the tip @IncessantNameChanger
I'll try listing more frequently.

Out today:

1 pair of DC leggings with holes
2 more beeswax wraps (not reusable salvageable, gone to the compost)!

YTD Total 286

Thanks indiansummee you’re right I might use the manual for troubleshooting. I decided to keep it as I have a box file where these things go which is fairly organised. I’ll just check that file for manuals we don’t need any more.

im going to spend a few minutes tidying/ organising stationery today.

I've been feeling very overwhelmed by the amount there seems to do - in terms of stuff in the house, work I want to get done to the house, personal admin etc.

I veer between between the feeling of "where do I start?" and feeling a bit of control when I get something done/out of the house.

Does anyone else get that?

I've felt really overwhelmed this week too. I had a good start and got a lot of small things done on Monday, and even some decluttering, plus posting returns and a vinted sale. Then we descended into chaos and I've taken a long lunchbreak today to tidy and clean. I usually work 8-4 but I'm taking a 2-hour lunch today and finishing at 5 as I seem to be much more productive before the end of the work day

Out this week:
pack of hairbands
2 dry pens
scarf, donated
sweater sold on Vinted
Hair conditioner bar to a friend
set of stickers
10 kids too-small socks when I did the DC underwear drawer

Sometimes if I am really overwhelmed I just do a really small area, like socks. It's satisfying and I feel like it doesn't set me up for failure cause the task is only 2 minutes

Total for this year is 150

@WhereAreWeNow why not fill a small pencil case with the best pens for any guests with kids and donate the rest to a school or foodbank? I've been to plenty of places with my DD that have no toys but a couple of pens and some paper are plenty to keep her entertained and I'm sure the recipients would love new craft bits. I certainly wouldn't get paints out for a guest, I barely get them out for my own DD

We had someone round to change something with our light fittings which didn't work so now the 4 lampshades floating around cupboards and the spare room are up! So pleased as 2 birds with one stone. Hoping this weekend I can finish the kitchen, but it's mainly paperwork which is probably why I've put it off all week, so boring

champagnecommunist I used to get overwhelmed too but the more I’ve decluttered the easier it’s got. In the past I’ve found that I’d focus my efforts on a project and the rest of the house has become a pigsty and then it becomes overwhelming to get back to normal. Now I’m in better control of my house I do daily to do lists and asterisk the essential jobs to stop myself procrastinating. With the big jobs - if I didn’t really want to start - I’d set a timer for 10 minutes and when I start I usually don’t mind finishing.

is there a simple area you could do - sock drawer, dead plants (or am I the only one with them), fridge, window ledges - just so you can take control of something. I always used to like decluttering window ledges and surfaces as it seemed to make the most difference straight away.

Today has been more of an admin day, but I spent five minutes on stationery. I threw out about half a dozen highlighters and felt tip pens that are dry but the drawers were more disorganised than I thought so my fun Friday evening is probably going to be watching TV on the iPad while I do more decluttering.

Champagne - constantly. It's what started me on this journey. I don't want to look around my home and think aaaargg!

I find the key to the rising panic is to just do something, anything, because it's all progress. Even if I sort though something and don't get rid of anything, I find I'm mentally marking things as possibles for decluttering in the future. Then that little seed grows into the realisation that I really don't need the thing, so some time later I'm able to donate it. If all else fails reading is a useful exercise. I often find, having re-read a book or magazine, that I don't want to keep it after all.

If you can create one clear area in your home I'd do so, even at the expense of sacrificing another area to chaos. If you can take something that needs doing/sorting/deciding to a clear calm area to escape the overwhelm, it's easier to get done what needs to be done.

Going into donations today is another pair of too small jeans. Total is 1845

@ChampagneCommunist I totally get you! I still feel like that occasionally, but have started to feel on a roll with decluttering now (it took me from the start of October to probably around christmas time to actually feel it making a difference). I concentrated on chunking it up as small as necessary to get something done. So to start with I literally aimed to dispose/recycle/donate etc ONE item a day. My only rule was that it had to be an actual "something" that I would otherwise feel the need to hold onto (e.g. not just a pair of holey socks or old paperwork that are obviously nit needed anymore, but something like a second slow cooker that might be handy one day)

I got rid of a bag of my daughters small clothes today, keeping the stuff I can sort of get away with putting baby boy into later on! Boy clothing is so much more boring than girl clothing....!

Now up to 146 items in 2024

Friday night fun (sarcasm) in the ninja house. Mini ninjas are ignoring me on gadgets so I decluttered some stationery and arts and crafts.

I have got rid of 43 items - pens, highlighters, pencils, stickers, pegs, lolly sticks.

Theres more to do but I might have a bath and finish it another time.

I decluttered a piece of medical equipment out of my house. For various reasons it feels rather cathartic as well as giving me a space back!

Also posted some presents and some vinted parcels. Feeling reasonably accomplished for having got some stuff actually sorted and sent.

I sold two more things on Vinted and thrown out a pair of holely socks and dd pants. I might do a bag of stuff for charity shop tomorrow.

Today I looked through kids console games in the tv room ( DS has some more in his room he’ll want to keep I’m sure but I’ll ask him when he’s next home in a week ). There was one that is definitely going and DD agreed to let go of 2 . I’ve sent pictures of rest of DS ones to him to check about those . Also asked about another quite big item in his room he hasn’t touched for ages so might be done with it . For now it’s in a drawer under his bed and I’ve told him to dust it when he comes home . We will also look through his jackets / coats we forgot to try on during the Christmas holidays .

Then I did a box in a kitchen cupboard of miscellaneous items and got rid of some more of those . Might look through a few more areas downstairs tonight . A few other bits and pieces going too .

Out :
-1 partly eaten Christmas present chocolate box
-1 face sheet mask earmarked
-1 my finished book
-2 unwanted dog toys
-1 unsuitable blood pressure monitor cuff
-1 old blood sugar monitor pouch
-a few old stamps
-1 stained plastic mixing bowl
-1 bent advent candle
-1 outdoor thermometer
-1 set of camping cutlery
-1 packet of cupcake cases
-1 packet of treat bags
-little plastic cake boxes
-1 cooking utensil
-1 half used bottle of dog conditioner
-3 kids console games

Hoping DH will take a bag of old meds to pharmacy tomorrow when he’ll pick up my prescription. Next week DD will take a small bag to the school second hand uniform collection . This time they don’t want all of it so some of it will go to the clothes bank ( generic school shirts without school’s name ) . On Sunday I might go back up to attic , we have plans for tomorrow.