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.

Thank you for all the well wishes everyone . Still very weary here so just staying on top of daily housework and the most urgent stuff for now . Everything impending is nagging at the back of my head but I have to do minimal that’s all I can atm . I did manage to pack DD off for her last Easter holidays adventure with her dad for the weekend . DS came to help me with the dog etc so I’m not alone sick again like over Easter . He’s studying for his yearly exams anyway . Just a few bits grabbed since last time . I did go
through a few shelves in one of the food cupboards that got out of hand again and today sorted out the shoes in the understairs cupboard that was tidy until recently . A big storage box that holds all the rollerblades had cracked so I’ll have to get DS to move those into a new one for me tomorrow and it’s going to dump pile in the garage A bunch of new and used small shoes of DDs found again .she went up 4/5 sizes in 1,5 y! I’ve had to throw away so much . I’m quite short and she’s soon my height at 12 y old, maybe 4 cm off still . Will be odd if she’ll go past me like DS who ended up a few cm shorter than his father and is annoyed about it I think although he’s average height . I have to next fold the clean laundry so there might be more outs in there .

For now going out :
-1 DH camera bag ( forgot from the last list )
-1 broken storage box
-1 broken milk frother
-2 pairs of DD small unused school trainers
-3 pairs of DD small old trainers
-1 pair of DD old school shoes
-1 unwanted dog treat
-1 pair of DD small sweatpants
-1 pair of DD small new flip flops
-old food from the cupboards ,packaging recycled

Once again I need to check my total …

Adding
-1 scratched plate
-1 damaged dog treat puzzle that was too easy for him anyway so we’re moving onto trickier ones

New total is 731

Binned -

One pair of holey knickers
Three used up tea lights candles
One broken eyelash comb

Total is 2065

Wow, amazing process by so many people! Spring certainly seems to be the decluttering season!!

We're back home and I'm still jetlagged and tired, but I need to spend some time cleaning the house today because dh wants to spend time with dc who he didn't see for 2 weeks, and I have meetings and deadlines on Monday and Tuesday so today is ideal. Dh did keep the house clean, but I want to unpack, do the laundry and care for my plants. We left a few things behind which were getting too small for dc and which my brother's kid could use, so I have some outs from there. And cleaning always yields stuff too. Happy weekend, all!

Argh just turned my Vinted on from holiday mode to start looking for sandals for dc - and someone immediately bought something. That's nice of course, but now I've got to add posting the item on my list of things to do

Had a spare pot and planted the remains of a packet of seeds in there, so that's one more thing gone. Total is 2066

Bobbly leggings gone. Total is 2067

Definitely feels like I'm getting more ruthless. I'm not taking so long to decide on things either. I'm starting to wish I never bought half of it. The stuff definitely rules me. Decluttering and organising have taken over my life but it's good I suppose, I'm actively looking for stuff to get rid of daily. There's no mess now, every area can be used for it's intended purpose and all stuff is accessible, having been organised into suitable storage. I'm not at the maintenance level yet though because there's still too much stuff here. Feels like a proper home now though, not a cluttered mess. I'll take that as a win.

@IndianSummer78 that sounds very positive, not sure we are near there yet, not helped by bringing in stuff from the flat. And DD’s birthday sleepover party - currently ongoing….

25 fidget toys collected today. DD finally decided she didn’t really ‘need’ so many 🙄😂

Jobs (keeping here for now as have a few days off next week when they might get done):

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 on vinted - one sold, need to post
sit up exercise thing to be collected - changed to Friday…no update from collector
DDs old wardrobe - friend may want it - will drop off next week
old art box due to be collected today
some personalised ornaments due to be collected next week

450+25=475

Two metal things and a fabric strap. Gone. No idea what they are! Total is 2070

@IndianSummer78 i think we’re in the same position. I’m so ruthless now. I was having doubts about some beach toys going a couple of days ago. Within a couple of hours I realised I was being stupid and now they’re all being picked up by a contact I met online years ago who works in a childcare centre. It means I have emptied a garden storage unit and found a home for a load of pots that I’d rescued from the old shed. I have gone from having two large sheds full and now I have just one tiny plastic box of gardening stuff and no sheds. I keep saying I’m maintaining but I am still getting tonnes of stuff out, I’m definitely getting a lot of pleasure from organising things.

To my surprise the personalised fabric bags I ordered online got delivered today, a week earlier than I expected. All our hats, gloves and scarfs will go in them. I’m going to spend my evening organising our accessories and hanging them in either the coat cupboard or our wardrobes.

Folded all the laundry and a few bits going out :

-2 worn out pillowcases
-1 DH old T-shirt
-1 DD small T-shirt
-1 DD stained school shirt
-1 pair of bobbly ski socks
-1 pair of DD small leggings
-13 pairs of old socks inc more DD school socks

New total is 751 I think

I’m loving this “ruthlessness” we are all finding. I’m actually getting a bit cross with clutter and pleased to see things go. I’m giving myself a telling off for keeping daft things like curtain hooks, as though they aren’t so easily and cheaply replaceable

@Nordicmom you are on a roll! Amazing work @IndianSummer78 too

Gah I'm exhausted and ready for sleep. But it's been a nice and sunny day. Got a fair bit of cleaning done too, and dc and I planted 2 old packets of seeds we found. No idea if they'll take. But it's been nice pottering around and getting some of the mess under control. I also got dh to drop of my vinted parcel while he did food shopping.

Outs:
1 discoloured t-shirt
2 kids pants, one pyjama, mittens and 2 tops left behind
Worn-out pants
2 seed packets
2 Postcards
Phonetics book
Small plastic tub where lid won't stay on
Sample mascara
Straw brush
2 wirehangers
Letter from bank
Bulky toddler toy left on curbside and gone immediately
Handful of small birthday candles, counted as one
Shoes sold on Vinted

New total is 645. Time for a glass of wine

Another lot of DVDs out, electrics taken to recycling. More stuff left on the kerbside in the morning and gone by lunchtime...I am wondering if we now have regular "customers", who come to check our doorsteps on a daily basis...

Snap @Pigtailsandall we planted seeds today as well. Nice to see the back of them floating around the kitchen waiting for a spare hour. Fingers crossed they take!

So nice to have some sunshine today and to crack open the windows!! Carried on going through the final box still sat in the living room - it's 50% full now and I got rid of a small bin bag of mainly old paperwork. I need a bit of clear space to get the new plastic storage boxes out and put some of these bits away but the living room became a gymnastics arena for most of the day so no such luck!

Hoping I get a chance to finish this box tomorrow which means I'll have gone through the majority of the cupboard of doom this Easter holidays. Not perfect, but definitely BETTER 🥳

Wow @Pigtailsandall that’s loads! How do you do that?

@Realfastfoodie well I left the few clothing items back in Canada. The rest I just collected around the house as I tidied, hoovered and mopped. I think not having seen the house in over 2 weeks also helped as I was looking at it with fresh eyes.

Just sold a pair of kids shoes on vinted this morning for a fiver. Dropping them off on the way to the park, making year total 646

Thanks. I will try to get the fresh eyes approach when we go away. Also I like the doing a bit as you are tidying approach - I find it really hard to pack and unpack though so need to be careful I don’t procrastinate with decluttering…

I put a few things out in a box (wine glasses etc) and they disappeared as hoped, so that’s good now the weather is hopefully getting better.

I joined and then life got hectic and did nothing! I haven't done my clothes yet but today I have achieved the following:

Got rid of an unused vase and two empty reed diffusers from the downstairs bathroom.

Got rid of circa 20 shoes that no longer fit my boys and I no longer wear. Sorted a bag of hardly used shoes my youngest can have from his big bro. DH will put in the loft.

Got rid of my boys old cups/drinks bottles, and to my shame two baby bottles (DS2 is 3!). At least 10 if not more.

Thinned out the mugs and got rid a lot that we dont use anymore. Probably 10ish.

Got rid of some old glasses that had faded due to dishwasher use, some unused novelty glasses and some shot glasses we had inexplicably kept (we are 39!). 9 altogether.

So much more to do, but I think I am going to try and get rid of at least one thing a day. We have so much 'stuff' I have really come to hate it and want a minimalist home.

Well done to everyone else :)

One face scrub used up. Total is 2071

Oh I forgot, a bag full of diet food that I am never going to use. Such a waste of money, I wont be doing that again!

Okay, I made a mistake...in my decluttering enthusiasm I got rid of a baking tin which would have come in very handy today

Having said that, I must have removed hundred of items from the house in the next few weeks, so that's an acceptable margin of error.

Hey all, not posted for a few weeks, Easter holidays always descends into chaos. We did go away for a week so that limited the mess, but now I’m doing lots at of laundry.

not sure what I mentioned on my last post however have made progress. My husband totally reorganised our garage and it’s looking so much more organised.

Finally got rid of the baby bouncer that had seen better days, a TV that was over 10 years old and been sitting on floor in spare room for a couple of years! Lots of odd socks l gone. Passed on baby clothes, gave alcohol I’ll never drink away and lots of other bits, total is now at 1344.

My 9 year old has got into organising so have totally transformed the play room and what we call the snug….she wants to start the kitchen next.

we also purchased two new outdoor storage sheds to put kids bikes/scooters etc in so they aren’t taking space up in play room or being left outside to the elements.

my youngest starts with the childminder this week, for two days a week, I’m putting off going back to work from maternity leave as I feel I need time to get straight in house and try to improve my mental and physical health (had PND and also put lots of weight on) feeling motivated to crack on.

@GlassOfPort I'm sure we’ll all get rid of the odd thing or two that we then regret but the overall picture is worth it. There’s always Amazon…😃

Jobs (keeping here for now as have a few days off next week when they might get done):

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 on vinted - one sold, need to post
sit up exercise thing to be collected - changed to Friday…no update from collector - still trying to get rid…
DDs old wardrobe - friend may want it - will drop off next week
old art box due to be collected today - Gone ✅
2 personalised ornaments due to be collected - Gone ✅

475+3=478