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.

@IndianSummer78 i listed them on an FB eco reuse group and a woman said she’d come. Then she didn’t, said she’d come yesterday, didn’t. Have messaged one last time.
No shows are the bane of freebie passing on stuff I find. Also have a little plastic shelf unit thing one guy has said he wants and keeps finding reasons not to come. It’ll prob end up in the bin otherwise so want to pass it on.

Jobs:

1. hang up pictures - make some decisions on what is going where?
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. Take sentimental broken wooden box to a friend who says he’ll try and repair it
4. Massive sort of mountain of bedding we now have in the house (duvets, pillows, covers, sheets, pillowcases…): I have sorted everything into sizes and piles. Now to cull it. We have 14 spare pillows. Probably only need 4 for the spare bed. 🙄
5. Start looking at DS2 paperwork: started blue badge

Not quite outs yet:

more stuff on Vinted - some of DD’s better stuff to list on there (need to take photos and list approx 5 items)
21 items in a Music Magpie box but waiting for password reset email to actually confirm sale - system is not working for me - need to try this again
pile of Allen keys - someone due to collect on Tuesday - no show, sigh.
box of DVDs - maybe library?
old ironing board (Friday) - DH forgot to put it out
old cushions x 3 (Friday) - 2 went, he wants to fiddle with one and the old sofa 🙄🙄🙄

Out:
old mattress topper into fabric recycling
old handmade fancy dress into recycling
old knackered DD trainers into bin
729+3=732

charity:
other good trainers too small for DD
2 tops too small for DD

One out today - the yoga blocks I posted on FB freecycle group were collected today. I put them in one of our many, many, plastic bags, so got rid of one bag as well!

@IncessantNameChanger that would really annoy me if someone I knew didn’t pick something up, could you offer to drop it off? Or just say you’re taking a trip to the charity shop with dds stuff on Monday and if they don’t want your ds’ stuff you’ll take that too. I’m quite firm (but polite) with no shows or ditherers.

Nothing’s leaving here, I haven’t heard from the local charity shops who collect furniture about my bookcase and no one wants the bike I was selling so I might freecycle it.

My only out was a packet of coffee that had gone off in 2020. And looking through the spare room wardrobe I found some old wetsuits dc have grown out of.

Little to report here - work busy, exam season in school, MIL having some medical treatment. Concentrating on keeping everyone fed and with clean clothes! Anything else definitely a bonus at the moment. Youngest has a new bookcase in his room so books are being gathered from all corners of the house. Think a small ikea billy or two will then be rehomed via the charity shop.

So three car loads have left the attic so far. One for charity shop, one for tip, and one for the clothes collection place.

Piles for each growing again.

My parents have asked for help with this... they keep everything. Result of growing up without much, needing to keep stuff in case its needed again in future etc.

I've just got to the boxes containing every remnant of every single crockery set they've had over the years.

@PuttingDownRoots well done, that sounds like such hard work.

With the crockery could you advertise it on Facebook? Sometimes you get quirky tea shops that like having non matching stuff or you get summer fairs with crockery smashing stalls. I gave my last crockery to a school fair to smash.

@LivingInaBuiltSite 14 pillows? Think of the space you’ll have when they’re gone.

I’ve done a bit more of the garage, I created another rubbish bag of dust, cardboard and wires. I’m angry with myself, I had a perfectly good ikea desk that I last used in about 2008. It’s always been at the back of the garage and now I’m finally at the back of the garage I got to it and thought I’d donate it but I attempted to clean it today and it had bird poo on it - sometimes they fly into a little gap at the top of the door- that wouldn’t be cleaned off. So that’s going. There is a licensed waste carrier who I used to take away some stuff a couple of months ago. I’m going to ask them to take away the desk, my bookcase that no one wants, an old bucket and rusty tools, concrete mix. Inspired by @LivingInaBuiltSite I’m also thinking I might inspect our pillows and get them taken away at the same time. I have a feeling that we don’t have enough as I’ve thrown so many out but the ones we do have are a bit flat so I might buy new ones and have two or three spare for when we have sleepovers.

Hello 👋 I've been reading for a while, but think I need to join to get motivation before the summer. I'm a regular declutterer on maintenance mode mainly (I kondo'ed about 10yrs ago) but with 2 dc, there is so much influx and churn. What I have found with decluttering is that there is always more to do!

Milestone of 200 vinted listings today with over half sold. Each listing sometimes had up to 8items (packs of babygros, etc.) So represents a huge chunk out.
Beyond that have a huge box of toys ready to be donated too but need to wait for an annual leave day so I can walk it in a few big suitcases or take it on the bus.

Living and Incessant, when I sold/gave away I only used to do one offer, if they're a no-show it gets offered to someone else or readvertised. I never held things either so if someone said they'd come in 3 days time I'd say ok, but it stayed available and if someone said they could come sooner it went to them, then message the first one to tell them it's gone.

Welcome Maeploy. Gosh I hope it doesn't take me ten years to declutter! That's quite a depressing thought. Hmm, maybe that's some more motivation to stop bringing stuff in. I want to reach an end point and to not really have to think about it any more. I'm on year two.

Well done Roots.

One out, a top with paint on it. Total is 2189

Sorry I think I've phrased myself badly @IndianSummer78 . I've always been tidy and organised but kondo really helped me let go of my past lives self (party dresses, etc.etc.); and since then I've had 2dc (and gained, lost, and gained significant weight!) moved twice, done a major house renovation, changed jobs, and a world wide pandemic! It's not so much as a big project as the first time but I have found you do need to evaluate regularly what you need and what you can let go of. From changing lifestyles, your own personalities, kids growing up, and the natural expiration of things. I hope that doesn't sound depressing - decluttering is a natural state for me in the same way Cleaning always needs to be done (even if you have a big whole house spring clean, 2weeks later you'll still need to be cleaning).

Another 7 listings done.

Thanks Maeploy, this is my first decluttering so it's not habit yet and I've never been in a situation of doing maintenance decluttering. Before now I've just acquired without ever really getting rid, unless something was obviously broken beyond repair. I'll make sure to watch out for changing lifestyle moments when I'm done then, to avoid ending up back where I started.

3 items sold so about to package them up and then will post tomorrow. I like to post ASAP and it gives me exercise too to cycle to the drop off.

Has been a while again , I’ll need to catch up reading this still but a few bits have been leaving the house since the last time . Finally sifted through and condensed old loose Lego into one old storage box and it’s hopefully going tomorrow after being requested right away on Olio . DH has been to the dump a few times carting away rag ,clothes and shoe bank bags , boxes etc . He’s selling yet more camera stuff to the same place as before but I’ll count it once he tells me what’s going .
He’s been getting my son’s old little sailing boat ready to sell this summer , the other newer one went last year . His own one is earmarked too . Can’t wait to get them of my mental list even if they’re not here in our way . He also went through a lot of other boating related stuff at his mom’s to gather up things to sell at a village fair soon . Anything gotten rid of now is less for us to sort out later so I’m very happy his mom’s been going through stuff with and without him in the last few years especially since they do have a big house with several outbuildings so there’s lots of it !
I have not been decluttering except maintenance much , have been just keeping up with the daily and weekly jobs and scheduling more yearly bigger outdoor cleaning like the roof , gutters etc . Getting through seasonal jobs inside too like cleaning the 23 sets of shutters and windows plus some glass doors . We have the outside windows cleaned monthly but the inside doesn’t seem to get so dirty now that we’re not in the big city anymore plus you don’t see them with the shutters anyway . The white shutters never look dusty either so both get done rarely . Thankfully DH has been able to do these bigger jobs bit by bit since I can’t . Getting through endless admin too bit it’s never ending . Kind of dreading long summer holidays . In this mental and physical state I feel like I’m not so much up to the disruption in the routine , kind of just hanging on atm . Unfortunately DS isn’t going to be much help anymore since now that he’s at uni he’ll have a summer placement for 2 m then he’ll travel with and without us to a few places . It is lucky DD is older but I’ll still have to figure out what she can do for several weeks not yet planned .
Anyway here’s a few bits out lately :

• 5 my old pyjama tops
• 1 chipped glass

• (Mirror Boat earmarked)

• 1 duplicate switch game
• 1 packet of dog biscuits
• 1 my pyjama bottoms
• (1 small cricket trousers , 1 top , 1vest )
• (5 small summer skirts )
• (6 small cardigans )
• (1 pencil case + stationary )
• (School shoes )
• (1-2 pairs of school trainers all earmarked )
• 1 Dog treat
• 1 Dog feeding mat
• 1 pair of DH ripped jeans
• 1 broken ceramic pump soap bottle
• 6 old T-shirts
• 1 pair of old pants
• 1 pair of DD old school gloves
• 24 pairs of old socks
• 1 DD small ski coat
• (More DH camera stuff earmarked )
• 1 old oven glove
• 1 new mini Lego set
• 1 scratched plate
• 1 old science kit
• 1 DD puzzle
• 1 useless shampoo ,1 conditioner
• 1 old Lego Activity set
• 20 old Lego manuals
• 4 lego boxes
• 1 unused activity book
• 2 DD magazines
• 3old activity books
• 1 half finished travel journal
• 3 DD big story books and encyclopaedias
• 1 old glow stick
• 1 bookmark
• 3 kitchen utensils

I’ll have to check where u got to last time and maybe add some more I wasn’t sure about . total was 845 +111 (not counting camera stuff not yet determined)=956

And a few more after checking

• 1 kids unused activity book
• 3 dog toys
• 3 my old pyjama tops
• 1 my old pants
• 3 old socks
• 1 old hair brush
• 1 old dog toothbrush
• 1 nail file
• 1 unsuitable new ping pong table cover
• 1 old storage box

New total is 972

@stealthninjamum yes I don't think in hindsight offering and then chasing friends was a good idea. One mum friend never got back to me about the sizes she needed so I will be able to say 'opps sorry when you didn't reply I thought you was no longer needing so it's at the charity shop' . The other stuff I really want gone by the end of the week. I might thin it right down into one smaller bag and stop chasing for collection. It could then go over half term.

Because its a big cull of stuff in one go it's taking up room. There's a weekly clothing bank I could have taken all of it too in one go

Going forward I looked into capsule wardrobes for the youngest two kids. Some sites was saying 4 thshirts, one dress and I can't see how that few items work. I'm going to try to aim for 8-10 tshirts snd 4-6 shorts etc but only once things no longer fits and need re buying. They still won't need any new clothes until next year.

In the meantime I'm starting an inventory on my phone to keep their clothes purchases on track.

Yesterday I took a bag of baby toys (previously sorted) to the charity shop, put two pairs of outgrown summer PJs into the charity bag (though these will need to be replaced), and sorted through the two large bags of plastic bags that were in the under stairs cupboard. I have reduced this to one large bag of plastic bags by putting any torn bags and bags that were small (like the plastic bags you put fruit & veg in - why did I keep them?) to go to the plastic bag recycling at the supermarket.

I have put a few bags for life back in the kitchen (two larger bags and two smaller ones), and the rest are all in one bag back in the cupboard. I’ll see how we get on with just having a few bags to hand.

That’s more than I ever thought I’d write about plastic bags!

I am really lagging behind on the big jobs. All I managed was to drop off my old prescription sunglasses for recycling at specsavers,and to list and donate 2 outdoor planters. But after a tidy this morning I got a few more outs - still not on track for 2024 items for 2024 though!

Out since last time:
2 planters
Sunglasses
Tarnished earrings
Old storage bag
2 containers with no lids
Postcard
Small storage box that fitted nothing useful
Toiletries pouch sold in vinted
2 small soft toys
Facial cleanser used up, 4 left
Bunch of allen keys
5 manky outdoor toys I left in the garden over winter 😐
Bottle of tea tree oil
2 kids plastic jewellery things
Also a few food bits: basic lager we had since a party in 2018 (!), an unidentified bit of freezer food, and a bag of lollipops dc didn't like, taken to a kids party.

Total is 741

Ps. When we went to the party last weekend, dc of course happily had one of the lollipops - from the bag we have had since July last year 😁

Was also going to say on the topic of plastic bags that I used them all for donating items, and few even just for rubbish. Just used one for clearing out the garden rubbish (including old plastic spades and cracked buckets etc) because they are quite sturdy.

@IncessantNameChanger I have kind of a capsule wardrobe for my eldest, or at least I try to run him on minimal clothes. I wash at least 2x a week and he has 8 of everything except shorts which he has 4 of, and thick jumpers which he has 5 of. Its a good number for me. Could potentially manage with fewer but there is just the odd occasion where im not quite on top of the washing and it would get stressy. We are still at the stage where everything needs washing after a days wear.

Few more sales on Vinted, up to 502 for the year.

Can't get my cloth nappy stash shifted though. Its taking up lots of space and mental energy. Think I'm going to try Facebook free sites next weekend and donate to the nappy library if it doesn't go on that.

One broken bra. Total is 2190

Sigh, personnfrom clothing bank hasn't replied to me either. I just want rid do dh said to dump the lot in a clothes recycling bin. I'm going to a kids charity shop on Tuesday instead I think. I have a toddler bed to get rid of so I can get rid of everything there. We are having a rare day of tidying and cleaning today.

17th out 6 vinted,13 clothing bank
In dd addidas trainers Vinted, 13 rags
18th 14 out clothes bank
19th frying pan, 20 clothing bank
27 out Vinted, toddler bed

Total May
In 11
Out 209
-
Total for 24
985 out
43 in

3 more listings done
Tidied up odds and sods box in garage. A few things in the bin, a few bits to offer to trade friend, attached light cover back on to light.

Two raggedy tea towels recycled. Total is 2192

Tidied electronics drawer. Have 2 plugs and 3 cables to test and then will only keep if they're good. Debating on whether to sell additional hive hub but pondering whether to do a half loft conversion so it might be needed then. One bag replaced with a better bag so old bag can be recycled.

Binned expired baking ingredients and reorganised shelf. Have ordered more shelf supports to get the extra shelf in - a job that's been hanging around for a year and a half and maybe took me 5minutes and cost £3!!! Think the larder will need further tweaking - want to try and encourage the dc to be more independent and getting their own breakfast. Moved the tupperware so it's all in one place.

Have reorganised my undies and socks as well so instead of undies in one and socks in the other, I'm combining day to day socks and undies in one drawer; and then the vests/other undies/winter and slipper socks in the other drawer. Had already sorted into the ikea storage cubes so easy enough to move around.

Decluttered a whole room ready to be painted tomorrow - this means moving about 15 bags of papers into a box room.

It's admin paper, work paper, family paper - certificates....it breaks me completely. I have to go watch Dana K again 🙈.

Children's toys and books - I find them so hard as well.

But I have collected a large bag of pencils and pens for this charity:

www.pensforkids.co.uk/

This is very satisfying I have so many of dd's