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.

In between the physical and mental stress of a tough couple of weeks I succeeded in some decluttering, hooray!

I managed a dump run, 10 bags and boxes to charity shop and 3 bulky tems sold or freecycled.

Right now I'm feeling stressed out by things beyond my control. Making progress decluttering should at least make home feel more manageable.

5 tealight candles used up. Total is 2105

I FINALLY sold our cotbed. It was quite a big one and I'd taken it apart over a month ago, and finally someone collected it on Freecycle. We don't have a garage/shed, and our loft is too awkward for big items, so it was in our spare room just taking up space. So glad it is out. I can now look at buying a sofabed for that space which is something we actually need.

Few other bits out - will do totals later. So relieved.

I’ve just destroyed a CD from a job from 20 years ago and an old debit card. I also chucked out three alum keys. I have found two other old phones - a Nokia and I think it was a Samsung - they might be mid 2000s.

I also found I have two copies of the same CD. Decided to give one to a charity sho but I might give both away.

Then the usual tidying. I think I’ve been actively going through drawers, putting things in the correct place for about 3 months (as opposed to actively decluttering) and it is all much more organised.

I've got a decluttering dilemma:
I retire mid July. Should I keep decluttering a bit at a time - which I quite enjoy - or leave it until I can get rid of loads of stuff when I retire?
Partly thinking when I retire as it will give me pleasure to have loads out at once?
Planning on selling house spring next year

@SydneyCarton

I tried Toss after you mentioned it - thanks. It's quite clever isn't it? After doing the task (sorting through tee shirts) I found myself wishing there was another task to do !

Out: some tee shirts, joggers (logo peeling off), a wooden craft thing I made (wonky, a bit rubbish), packaging for skincare products, too old lipsticks (x2).

Teetering on the verge of going out: an old crystal decanter that's lost it's stopper. It needs to go, doesn't it?

Total: 16

Some truly random bits unearthed whilst I was searching in my bedroom for something totally different. Old makeup items x3, lots of old bobbly socks, about 20 knee high “tights” I swear not a single matching pair in terms of colour and thickness 🙄😡 Then I realised one drawer wasn’t closing properly - wedged behind it was a receipt from 2008 and a nursing bra! Perhaps they got displaced when we moved here - 10 years ago. The item I was looking for was found and I will finish turning out the other drawers to complete the socks, pants and bras to if I can face that later.

One makeup primer finished up. Total is 2106

Barely any big progress here. Got rid of a big box to a neighbour who wanted one. I feel like I’m keeping on top of rubbish and finding more trash each day without actually counting it all. Which I guess must be helpful.

Not done much at all here either.

But DH decided to ‘declutter’ the fitted wardrobes in our bedroom while I was at work. With no plan for what to do with anything!

Have extended our loan of the small wardrobe from a friend for now, and have chaos everywhere. So I’m determined to go through clothes & other assorted junk we kept in the wardrobes to have a big clearout. Hoping to acquire some cheap options for the short term while we decide what we want to do next.
I want to get the old fireplace looked at, looks like it’s been bricked up but would be lovely to reinstate it.

Jobs (not sure these will happen anytime soon now):

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)

Not quite outs yet:
DDs old wardrobe - will drop off to friend soon - keeping for now!
1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
some kids books to another friend, don’t know when though

509

Few annoying items out recently which has made me happy! But I have also bought stuff - new school clothes, lots of reading books for DC and some birthday gifts for DH. I feel like we have had more in than out, but I guess that's why maintenance decluttering is so important!

Cotbed sold on FB marketplace
3 magazines read and recycled, finally
hand cream used up (million left)
tube of face mask used up (half dozen left)
2 large jigsaw puzzles to charity shop dropped off
Giftcard I found - sadly had zero balance!
Toothbrushing passport and paraphernalia from DC school
3 too-small kids clothing items to charity shop

new total is 690

The only outs here have been recycling - 5 bottles, 4 lightbulbs and 6 batteries which I don’t count as decluttering but it’s good they’ve gone.

i also threw away an old Claire’s accessories gift card which I remember dd2 using about 5 years ago. It doesn’t clear much space but it’s better than nothing.

@LivingInaBuiltSite keep posting that list. I write a to do list every week and often have something on the list for a few weeks but they all get done eventually.

@wwyd2021medicine i used to be a huge procrastinator- I’m still a little bit of one - but would say get started now so you can start to enjoy your efforts straight away. It’s not just about having less stuff around but having more time - spending less time cleaning, less time shopping for things you already have, less time looking for things etc. I even sent someone a birthday card last week as I found a stamp where they now live and a card and it only took a couple of minutes. I’m sure it’s the first time I’ve done that in about ten years.

One book read and into the donations pile. Total is 2107

@reallytimetodeclutter yes it does, bye bye part of a decanter set!

@stealthninjamum thanks, I am a Queen procrastinator lol!

Have had a bit of a blitz. And moved furniture around, still chaos from all the stuff coming back from the flat. But there is no more to come, hooray!

15 random bits in the bin
6 bits into fabric recycling
5 bits into charity pile
big pile of photos (just counting as 1)
big pile of old Mother’s Day cards (=1)

other stuff ready to be discussed with relevant people before it can go

Jobs (not sure these will happen anytime soon now):

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)
4. reassemble sofa from flat
5. get rid of ancient knackered sofa

Not quite outs yet:

1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
36 kids books to another friend - hopefully at Parkrun tomorrow
more stuff to list on Vinted

509+15+6+5+1+1=537

Plus DH has loaded the car for the charity shop, there’s loads in there I haven’t counted so far, going for approx 50 items hopefully tomorrow.

Adding 25 hangers to the charity box, plus a photo frame and an old cap I never wear.

537 + tomorrow (50+25), hope DH goes now!

One pair of false lashes used up and binned. Loads left. Total is 2108

DH not made it to the charity shop so hoping he does on Monday.

Jobs (not sure these will happen anytime soon now):

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)
4. reassemble sofa from flat
5. get rid of ancient knackered sofa

Not quite outs yet:

1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
36 kids books to another friend - hopefully at Parkrun tomorrow - DONE ☑️
more stuff to list on Vinted

537+36=573

(charity load in the car: 78)

Address book - recycling
Notebook - recycling
Top with too short sleeves - charity

Total is 2111

Woohoo loads of outs
20 toys to the charity shop
10 toddler cups and plates gone on Facebook free site (woman was loads of hassle but at least it's gone!)
10 rags to rag bin
35 old batteries to the recycling - opened the box where the rechargeable ones were stored and they had all leaked.

404 so far this year.

However- I also gained a big bag of "kids craft items" from a colleague which mostly turned out to be biros and pencils. I've just worked through our entire elderly biro stash and now I have to start again!

10 bits of paperwork, a dinner plate and another packet of eyelashes gone. Total is 2123

Jobs (not sure these will happen anytime soon now):

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)
4. reassemble sofa from flat DONE ☑️
5. get rid of ancient knackered sofa

Not quite outs yet:

1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
more stuff to list on Vinted

Out:
old tv collected this morning
573+1=574

(charity load in the car: 78+1 old wooden box=79)

Binned a nail polish that had gone streaky. DP is making noises about clearing out the box room which is full of spare toilet rolls and random shit he buys from B&M then forgets about, but I’m just too knackered to get on with it. Monday to Saturday is so busy with school/work/activities etc and Sunday is the only day we get to relax so the last thing I want to do is decide whether we need to keep three OOD bags of Haribo

After I lost weight I bought new bras but of course didn't throw the old ones out and felt I couldn't because the same as other posters, I'd spent good money on them. Then found a local refuge charity for women who had had to leave dv and only had the clothes they stood up in so took them there. Glad they went to a good "home".

That's been a big lesson to me. I don't even remember what they were now, which is how I feel about the tons of stuff I had to get rid of when I moved. I was sooooo attached to it and now I can't remember what it was.

Still do what you are all doing though - it's so easy to let stuff mount up.

@SydneyCarton i find sometimes I’m just too tired to do stuff, so when I feel like doing something I really go for it. OOD haribo though, crime against sweets lol 😂

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job)
4. get rid of ancient knackered sofa

Not quite outs yet:

1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
more stuff to list on Vinted
21 items in a Music Magpie box but waiting for password reset email to actually confirm sale.

Out:
2 x old Wii games without boxes
574+2=575

(charity load in the car: 78+1 old wooden box=79)

Change of plan, I have the charity stuff in my car for tomorrow, tip stuff in DH’s for him to do tomorrow.

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. scout badges x 6 onto DDs blanket (long overdue job) - DONE! Finally!!
4. get rid of ancient knackered sofa - In car ready for tip

Not quite outs yet:

1 big cuddly toy to drop off at a friends
more stuff to list on Vinted
21 items in a Music Magpie box but waiting for password reset email to actually confirm sale.

Out:
575+1 sewing thread middle bit, finally finished one, that never happens!=576+1 (DH given an old briefcase to a work colleague who wanted it)=577

(charity load in the car: 79)