Decluttering thread 7 - as the days lengthen we’ll feel more motivated to declutter

[stealthninjamum]

Sorry for the long thread title, I’ve just seen that the old thread has reached 1,000 posts.

For newbies this thread and the old one a day threads are for a group of mumsnetters who are decluttering. We’ll share tips and advice and inevitably the conversation moves on to organisation tips, pretty storage solutions and persuading our families to join in.

We’re all at different stages of decluttering so join us for support and chat.

Well done all, and lovely to hear from you @Nordicmom - sorry you’ve been so unwell, but goodness that’s an amazing list.

I’m binging Dana K White videos just in the background and trying to do a little bit as i go. Love the steps, it just works for my mindset. I also went on a little “trash” binge.

I wish I could post a photo of my shelves of doom, they are the best they’ve been since we moved in!

Some items I counted individually but I have a full bag of recycling and one of rubbish on top of this and a bag full of additions to my donate pile:

2 pairs of leaky Wellies
1 Cork bottle Stopper
1 Switch thing.
1 Old chopping board.
1 medicine junk
1 broken bit of mobile
1 paint sample

Really need to tackle my donate pile again…

There is so much good decluttering going on. @Nordicmom in sorry you’ve been ill, I hope you start to feel better soon.

I have been doing the usual going around areas I’ve already done and decided to declutter

• one jewellery set
• a cupcake baking tray with lid so you can transport them after - I think my days of pta baking are over
• a slime kit
• a tennis ball
• a small bag of art/ half used stickers/ paper aeroplanes
• some old folders

i took four bags of stuff to the charity shop yesterday. I tidied a few drawers and moved stuff into the correct places. I found some pot pouri oils and have added vanilla oil to some pot pouri in our downstairs toilet. It’s so nice to have the time to do stuff like that.

A couple of years ago, when I did my papers, I found a pension from the 90s. I’m going to try to close it today as I’ve opened a new pension to combine them all - I’ve actually been calling them every day for about a week so I’ll try again or send an email.

@Realfastfoodie you've reminded me about a leaky pair of wellies, I need to bin today!

1. hang up as many pictures as poss/get rid of some
2. decide about the shelves we used to have as cat shelves/put up or get rid
3. drop off too small dance clothes to a friend
4. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)

Not quite outs yet:
2 dresses to put on vinted - in the laundry queue first
sit up exercise thing to be collected - changed to Friday

Looking for tights the other evening for a function I found an empty tights box I’d been storing in the drawer for ages 🙄 and an ancient pair of tights for the bin.

336+2=338

You could donate the beauty/bath bits you don't like to your local foodbank, or to beauty banks if you have a drop point near you.

An idea for trying to prevent the unwanted gifts (involves biding your time but hopefully works!)

Next time it's a friend's birthday/reason to gift something, ask them to create a list on thingstogetme.com. Mention you're trying to declutter so you're mindful of not gifting something they don't want or need. Hopefully they enjoy the process and send you the list without trouble and you can buy them a nice gift they actually want. At this stage don't mention one for yourself at all!

THEN, when you have a birthday coming up, a good amount of time before say 'oh by the way, I created one of those lists if you were going to get me anything, I know you're always so kind and treat me so thought you might want a couple of ideas' etc etc. and then send the list and fingers crossed they buy from there.

You could also just have an honest, open discussion about it but y'know, that's tricky 👀😂

My 'Spring Clean part 1' finished yesterday. I am so grateful the rubbish and recycling collection took lots more bin bags and boxes of recycling than usual. I was worried they'd leave half if it - the pile was so huge!

During the last week I made two trips to the dump with lumps of wood, old carpet, dead appliances and furniture. It was a massive slog and I plan to reward myself by taking some time to sit and knit with an audiobook.

I'm going to take stock and have a think before I start 'Spring clean part 2'. I have a milestone birthday coming up so I might focus on clearing a space I can use for a neglected hobby that needs a bit more elbow room than knitting.

Thank you for continuing inspiration!

You could also just have an honest, open discussion about it but y'know, that's tricky 👀😂

So true.

And so British. 🤣

@BeanWriting that’s such good news. It’s hard work to do but if you can picture how much has gone and imagine the empty space I always find it a motivating thought.

With presents I have in the past asked people for toiletries because I’d rather donate an unwanted gift to a women’s shelter, the person who gives it doesn’t ever see it because it’s in a bathroom (or charity). There’s nothing worse than someone giving you something like a big wine rack (thinking of you exmil) that you can’t throw out because they’ll notice it going. Exinlaws bought us this horrible brass pot and for years I had it on the fire place with twigs sticking out just to be polite. When it finally went exfil slagged me off to exh for getting rid of it - even though exh didn’t like it either!

Yesterday was a day of admin. Today I’m going to focus on the Lego sets and reading a chapter of the Peter Walsh book about decluttering/ losing weight as that just got delivered. I also thought I’d look at my gym clothes drawer to see if any fit.

Exactly right 🤣🤣🤣

@LivingInaBuiltSite I have a dh who adds to the chaos. I'll tidy and within 3 mins he's filled the space with something.

He genuinely doesn't see an issue, he's not being an arse, but it's infuriating.
Dd I suspect has some form of adhd. She lives in chaos and cannot tidy. Her room is three feet high in stuff but her sock drawer is carefully folded and immaculate. I suspect the same for dh.

I've condensed both my junk drawers into one, binning two thirds of the junk. Found the bulb for the oven but can't explain the other thirty or so different bulbs.
Gone through my dvd cupboard. Taken out 34. Will need a second look to agree kids ones to go with dd. Too many sentimental ones like Chuggington and Charlie and lola( dd is 17). Also hanging on to my late dad's 40 strong scooby doo dvd collection for now. It takes up an entire shelf. I've never watched any but my dad was obsessed with it. He's been gone 10 years.
Many of the dvds in my cupboard, rather ashamedly, are still in cellophane.

One face serum used up. Lots left. Total is 2057

Sympathies @Rowgtfc72 re messy DHs.
All our dvds are all in a storage box and no one has taken one out for maybe two years? But apparently I can’t get rid of them yet…..

I have spent the last day and a half in DD’s room. She is away at a friends and back late this eve.
I’ve moved a bigger wardrobe in there plus a chest of drawers, gone through all her clothes, all washed and dried and organised.
Put all similar stuff together, like hair stuff, nail stuff, etc.
Made a big pile of suggested outs for when she’s back.
Sorted her desk out, organised her excessive stationery stash, and thrown out tonnes of rubbish.
Hopefully tomorrow morning she’ll go through the outs with me.

Things I can remember that have gone (apart from rubbish):
single mattress cover to fabric recycling
Holey socks x 6 ditto
2 x torn trousers ditto
2 odd gloves ditto
leaky wellies binned

Not doing terribly well on my jobs list 🙄

1. hang up as many pictures as poss/get rid of some
2. decide about the shelves we used to have as cat shelves/put up or get rid - think DD may have some up in her room
3. drop off too small dance clothes to a friend
4. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)

Not quite outs yet:
3 dresses to put on vinted
sit up exercise thing to be collected - changed to Friday
DDs old wardrobe

338+12=350

@LivingInaBuiltSite dd has her best friend staying this weekend. She needs an air bed space gap on the floor!
Guide and Ranger badges are appearing in dribs and drabs. She thinks there are a dozen more somewhere.....

Last week I emptied our winter accessories from the coat cupboard. Today I finally went through them with dc. We are chucking out 3 hats and ear muffs.

we probably have more scarves and gloves in our bedrooms so I ordered 3 personalised bags to put our accessories in. The bags will live in our coat cupboard in winter and hang in our wardrobes in spring. They’ll be the container Dana K white would talk about so we never have too much. I am going to donate a fabric bag that currently has some hats and scarves in it.

Other outs

• 2 empty, used envelopes that were in a drawer
• one CD
• some pots dd2 made in lockdown but doesn’t want to paint. They were in a massive box so it’s quite a big out.

I tried to declutter my gym gear but it was depressing so I closed the drawer!

Put my finger through my best pair of gloves today. Merino wool and over 10yrs old. Plenty more left though so these have gone into recycling. Total is 2058

I’ve emptied the coat cupboard with dc.

so far we have got rid of
a smiggles branded rucksack
a cotton bag
3 handbags
2 caps

we need to make a decision on a pair of trainers (dd1) and some high heels dd2 wore to a party. I found some gloves to go in dd1s personalised accessories bag when it comes next week. I also found some shinpads and think they can go in dd2s bag next week.

So Dd and I reckon at least 100 items out of her room, maybe more. It really is so much better and we have a plan for a few bits of furniture (some bedside tables from the selling flat, and a birthday present of a mirror cupboard thing) that will finish it off.

Took up most of my time off but hopefully she can try and keep on top of it.

jobs:

1. hang up as many pictures as poss/get rid of some
2. decide about the shelves we used to have as cat shelves/put up or get rid - DD doesn’t want them so will prob get rid.
3. drop off too small dance clothes to a friend
4. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)

Not quite outs yet:
3 dresses to put on vinted
sit up exercise thing to be collected - changed to Friday…no update from collector
DDs old wardrobe - friend may want it

350+100=450

I also have a pile of outs still to sort/list on FB but will have to wait as on nights for 4 nights now which tends to wipe me out.

I finally bought a slow cooker. I’m currently applying the DKW approach of making a proper space for it by ejecting a couple of other things. Hoping to have a couple of big-ish outs.

One pyjama top with annoying sleeves gone. Total is 2059

I worked through the room of doom today. I have 4 more bags of clothing to go to the charity shop.

It has been motivating to see how others have been getting on. Keep it up.

I also did the “get something out of the house” thing you guys all recommended when I joined and grabbed a few things for the charity bag, and took them before it closed along with some weee recycling. Total 14 more outs. Still have a big “donate” pile, but it’s better than nothing.

A good day in the Port household: 3 large bags donated to the charity shop and a dozen of DVD sold at CEX.

DS' lego still looming large though...

Good job everyone @GlassOfPort - that’s a pretty epic day of decluttering wins! @declutteringonedayatatime - nice work - 4 bags is loads! @IndianSummer78 - I just imagine you every day having a moment of clarity and removing something from your life, you are just so consistent and considered. @stealthninjamum and @LivingInaBuiltSite - good job with progress with the DC. I dread to think what mine will be like when I have to give them a choice…

Coming on here to say I’ve finally had another vinted sale, just when I was about to give up! That plus packing it up for posting in old packaging and finding some useful paperwork that’s been missing to post to a friend feels like a lot of wins for a day that was mostly out of the house.

It is like the universe knows you are about to give up and then decide to send a little bonus your way. I finally got round to listing some Carolina Dress Room dresses on their group and I have 3 ready to send tomorrow.. it just made me wonder why it took me so long to do it. I have attached an image of how I sometimes react to a task..

One pair false lashes that somehow don't suit my eyes and look weird so they're gone even though I only wore them once. Total is 2060