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.

Amazing!! Thank you 🤩

@daffodil2023 the money has already gone, keeping it in your home won't bring it back and the unused/unloved item will just continue to make you feel overwhelmed and unhappy. That is a brilliant way of explaining it!

5 things from the fridge freezer declutter and some general tidying up. A couple of things into the fabric recycling bag. Nothing dramatic but progress is progress

on Saturday took a bookshelf a paw patrol look out a bag of paw patrol toys and a bag of clothes to charity shop. Win.

last week used up a shower gel and a face wash.

Tip trip yesterday - bag of textiles and some ancient bakeware that went into the scrap metal recycling.

Few more bits binned from DD's stuff yesterday. Lounge looks a bit less chaotic! Got a lot on this week so might not get the stuff I want to sell advertised. I would like to get some stuff to charity shop and DP has said he'll do a dump run.

I do my bit with decluttering but have a dh who likes to keep stuff that has no use to him at all ( copper & silver wiring , and gold tipped connectors ) from his past profession .I
He has about 8 massive boxes of them , all stored indoors due to its value , yet won't sell them .

I dropped off 8 too-short trousers to the school nursery to be used as spares, and they were very pleased. Also 2 big items collected on freecycle - dh old bag and some kitchen scales. Recycled an activity booklet of DC.

I have a few more items to list on Vinted, plus few more bulky things to give away - feeling oddly tired today despite a good sleep!

Year total is 286

Using half term to sort through the loft - have freecycled some old toys and suitcases, sorted through a load of files and binned a lot.

Still a long way to go though!

👏for @Pigtailsandall, @ChampagneCommunist and @ememem84. Good luck with charity shop/tip runs those who have them planned.

Nothing technically out today but definitely making progress with sorting and filling another bag or two of fabric and clothes as well as some proper tidying and sorting

Finished sorting all the kitchen cupboards today, an assorted assortment of out of date packets and tins emptied and recycled along with several tatty tea towels and dusters. Everything is neat and tidy (won’t last but I will enjoy it while it does glaring at DH)
I have a bag of unwanted bedding in the car ready for the charity bin in the village as well as another 20 books.

The big bag of wool has gone. I've delivered it to a community group who can use it. The two bags of cds and dvds have been moved to the car so one step further. Tomorrow I'll go through my jewellery. I don't wear jewellery so there's a lot to go

I’ve been clearing some of my more challenging clutter in the kitchen today. Kids art, cards, paperwork (emotional too, as health and loss related). I’m going for sorted rather than reduced. I’ve probably throw away 50+ bits of paperwork which I’m counting as 3 as there were 3 categories. Have done a better job of sorting bits that we are keeping though. This isn’t a proper declutter but it is better. 14 things from cards/memories/art category too. And a lot of bits sorted out too.

I’m working on getting a few longer standing things out of the door too.

I think I need some encouragement as finding this all quite difficult!

@Realfastfoodie <passes over a cup of tea and chocolate biscuits by way of encouragement>

Well done, it sounds like you’re doing a good job of organising stuff - and even throwing some away. I have found that with some stuff I naturally organise it and then declutter it at a later date, for some stupid reason my brain wanted all my bank statements from 2005 together before I then shredded them! You will do other areas and then come back to it and each time will do more.

Ive booked myself a slot at the rubbish dump on Saturday. I have a load of rubbish in the garden and an old baby seat to go. By booking the tip I’ll finally do it.

ive also ordered an ikea Kallax unit for the sitting room. It’s a small 2 x 2 one and replaces a large 6 foot book case that is really rickety now and I have half emptied. I’ll be selling that or donating it to a charity.

We had a heap of old curtains & sheets stored away as marked suitable for decorating dust sheets plus our printer that hasn't really worked for a few months so off to the local tip today.

@Realfastfoodie it's so hard, isn't it? Especially when there's an emotional aspect involved. I have found that, by organising and sorting things, then everything has a place to belong so even if I don't declutter it, it's in the right place and I know where it is, it's tidy. But I've also found that sometimes a quick decision on whether to keep items or not and no time to ponder is the easiest way to detach yourself.

Either way it feels like a mammoth task.

Have another virtual tea and biscuit from me too for encouragement as well as from @stealthninjamum, I'll pull up a chair too

Out today

2 half full, not used for 4months conditioner and shower gel
3 cardboard wine bottle carriers
Another digital photo declutter

YTD 480

I think a good tidy up is perfect when you are stuck and sad. Today I had a meeting at school for dd in the afternoon. I have concluded that not one person alive has one nice thing to say about dd.

So I set a 30 minute timer to tidy up the kitchen. Then I had breakfast and tea. Then I set the timer and put washing away. More tea. Read a hours worth of emails and actioned them. Then I tidied stuff from the sofas into their proper homes. It looked OK but it's back to how it was tonight. Felt productive at the time!

I can't find dd Brownies top or her theatre top so it's not working. It's still possible to completely loose two tops in our house.

I need a new strategy to de bulk clothes by about 100 items still. If everything fitted into cupboards and draws there would only be there and washing baskets to look in.

@IncessantNameChanger sorry to the school arent saying anything nice about your DD. It can be so discouraging.

@Realfastfoodie sending lots of encouragement your way.

I got rid of some more photos and a visiting relative took some dvd boxsets and a few books so that's made some more space in the charity shop bag to be filled before they are dropped off.

@CKMondlerlife I did manage to convince him to take a Paw Patrol book to the little library box nearby on Monday! That's quite a step forward. He doesn't really like change so he takes a bit of convincing. I have managed to sneak a few bits into the garage, but they've just sat there for months and I haven't actually got rid of them.

@Realfastfoodie [handhold] just take it slow. I find I'm not always in the mood for emotional declutter, but sometimes I get bursts of energy and enthusiasm and then I do like 10 or 15 minutes. Be patient and kind to yourself.

I had a day of selling a lot of kids items on Vinted which I'm pleased about - bundle of 6 tops, 2 book and 2 pairs of cute dungarees. Dc asked for new dungarees so have used some of the credit now to buy nw ones.

Total is 296

We tore the house apart last night but no sign of the two tops. Very strange.

I'm doing a list of Vinted stuff and dates and prices I originally listed for. I need to get some hard rules about when it gets donated. Its 50 listings but some are bundles. For some reason the boys stuff never goes.

I need a new clear area for club uniforms to live that's for sure.

Hello! I'm trying to declutter my house and my mum's house. It's a big job! I've gone for the easy wins first but I'm now at the 'this is more difficult' stage.... Stuff that I feel I should sell rather than give away, or stuff that is crap but a bit 'emotional'.
Think I might give Vintage Cash Cow a go. Sounds dodgy as hell but at least you can just box things up and post it to them?!

I haven't been counting this year but I would like to join in please. I have one parent who is a hoarder and one who chucks everything that isn't nailed down out! Luckily I take after that parent although my first instinct is to keep stuff until the rational side of my brain kicks in.

I moved house recently and also took everything from my parent' house to force me to sort through it all. I just can't believe how much stuff I have and really want to get rid of all the bits that I just don't use or want.

@Realfastfoodie I found that once I started it was easier to keep going; once everything has a place it really does make life so much easier! But there's also no rush and if you aren't ready to get rid of some things, come back to them. Some things that have worked well for me:

-everything needs a place. If it doesn't have one, create one or get rid of it if you don't love it or use it
-sunk cost fallacy - the money I've spent is gone, there was a decision made at the time and I cannot undo it or recoup my money so no need to hang onto something purely because of money spent on it (this helps with selling online, even if I only get a couple of £ for something I am now much happier it's going to someone who wants it rather than trying to make money off it)
-out of sight out of mind; I've recently got rid of 19 photo albums' worth of photos and although I was quite overwhelmed at first, I do not regret or miss them. I only threw out any blurry or duplicated ones, or photos of places/people I didn't recognise or remember but its made a massive difference. My remaining albums are now out on my bookshelf, easily accessible instead of just shoved somewhere out and it was lovely to go through them all
-I don't keep old cables or boxes things came in (past warranty at least). You are unlikely to ever need an old cable/scart lead etc. as anything you buy will have its own and if you do ever need something, you can borrow or buy one cheaply
-I used up toiletries/makeup etc. before I buy new ones. I swear I used to have about 6 different shower gels and at least 2 shampoos on the go but I just don't need them so now try to have one of each thing and use it up
-I regularly use my 'save for best' makeup after I realised I didn't know what I was saving it for!

I'm currently trying to reduce my hobby bits (I like to draw/paint) and have it all in one place. The only decor I have are photo frames and candles so I need to chuck anything not fitting into that category. I seem to have old magazines and nick nacks everywhere so will try and be ruthless!