Decluttering and organising thread 8 – it’s nearly summer

[stealthninjamum]

These threads are accountability threads for mumsnetters who are decluttering and organising our homes.

We’re all at different stages of decluttering from the beginning to the maintenance phase and use different techniques. Join us for support and chat .

We discuss all things to do with decluttering, the things that stop us decluttering, how to get over them, where to dispose of our clutter, how we can encourage our families to join us, and pretty storage solutions which is the fun part.

I’m doing one last big push to get rid of loads of stuff before the long summer holidays when it’ll inevitably turn to chaos again.

Useful tips
Some of us have found the Toss app (on apple) a great place to start with decluttering.

Many of us love Dana K. White (A Slob Comes Clean) on youtube and podcasts.

Many of us at the start just take a timer for 5 or 10 minutes to just make it seem less daunting. I used to start by clearing surfaces.

If you want to make a big impact quickly then increasingly charities will pick up your furniture, books and clothes so you don't even need to leave the house. Or if you have hundreds of books / CDs it's really easy to use the Music Magpie, ziffit or We buy books apps to get them taken away and earn a (very) small amount of money at the same time.

The BBC TV Program Sort Your Life Out is particularly inspiring.

When I do housework I listen to podcasts from a Slob Comes Clean, Clutterbug, the Declutter Hub and The Art of Decluttering. If you think you have ADHD then Clutterbug talks about this a lot as she has ADHD, and Amy from The Art of Decluttering did an ADHD season about 8 or 9 months ago which gave some good tips. My dc have ADHD so it’s something I’m very interested in.

Checking in.

I have another charity shop run lined up for tomorrow. Perhaps I should start counting items from the half year mark? I have been very inspired by the number of things other people have managed to declutter.

I managed to sell three dresses via Facebook after the first buyer commented and bumped the post for others to see. I have posted them today too.

Hello all, and thanks @stealthninjamum for starting a new thread.

I’m having difficulty getting rid of (nice) things on a local freebie Facebook page. People snap them up really quickly by messaging, but then never actually collect. Is it that people don’t value things that are free? I’ve been carting an item in my car for a month as the arrangement was to collect from me during the day when I’m in town - for the person’s convenience as they go into town a lot.

These are good quality things that I could sell and get some money for, but I thought giving for free would be quicker/easier and it’s nice to do a good turn and give to someone who needs it. The trouble is now I’m tempted just to put things in the bin or take them to the dump, which obviously is wasteful/ungreen for things that are in good condition.

Thanks so much @stealthninjamum for the new thread, love the intro.

I do think people value free stuff less it’s true. Sometimes even just asking for a fiver or something makes people commit.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - make some decisions on what is going where; all at least downstairs together for us to look through; have started going through them & ordered shelves for some; put up shelves hopefully and put smaller photos/pictures on them - Hung all of DD’s choices of pictures in her room (ranging from a Taylor Swift poster to a Lowry print she nicked from DH!) so I’m saying PART DONE
2. Take sentimental broken wooden box to a friend who says he’ll try and repair it
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out summerhouse/shed - Started

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - some of DD’s better stuff to list on there (need to take photos and list) - crack on with this
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
butterfly growing net thing on FB
11 clarinet books on FB
box of crap from the summerhouse to go through - Doing

Out:
Binned/recycled;
3 old photos
old playdoh
knackered bird feeder
glass jar
laptop mat
bits of wool x 3
old balloon
dd artwork
bits of ribbon
2 x manuals
1 x notebook

877+16=893

Thank you for the new thread @stealthninjamum! I promise I'll start thread 9 when we get to it 😃

@reallytimetodeclutter I sell stuff for nominal price, and find it shifts easier than free stuff! Odd but true

Doing a bit of cleaning and going through a few drawers do there'll be declutters later

Too small top and shorts into donations bag. Total is 2230

@reallytimetodeclutter ive often found in the past that people don’t value things for free and they can be harder to get rid of. These days I’m more assertive with people so if they express an interest but don’t give a collection date I tend to nag and say that someone else wants it.

Thanks @Pigtailsandall i always feel under pressure to do an interesting title but then can never think of anything!

A good day for me. A man collected the remains of the garage stuff - rusty tools, broken bucket, old desk etc and I have finished the garage. You could get one car in there now - maybe two small ones. I’m chasing someone who is collecting a bike.

i also did some bathroom decluttering. An expensive room spray has been used up and has now finished. I tested some makeup. I tried on some foundation which surprisingly looked ok so I’ll be wearing that on nights out. I threw out some blusher that didn’t suit me - although that could be because I don’t really know how to use it. Tomorrow I’m going to be testing some other foundation that I haven’t used since before covid.

I have moved a lot of things around today, underneath my bed now only has one storage box of winter hats, gloves, etc. they swap for sun hats in the winter. My vacuum won’t go right under though which is annoying as there’s loads of cat fur under there.
I now have the bits to reassemble some shelves in the front room, think I want them up around the sofa in there (they were under my bed).
Assembled a new hallway table, hoping people might charge their phones there downstairs instead of the middle of the kitchen island, maybe.
And done loads of laundry and paperwork.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - decide where to put shelves for small pictures, then decide on the big ones and hang them
2. Take sentimental broken wooden box to a friend who says he’ll try and repair it
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out summerhouse/shed - Started

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - some of DD’s better stuff to list on there (need to take photos and list) - crack on with this
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
butterfly growing net thing on FB
11 clarinet books on FB
box of crap from the summerhouse to go through - DONE ✔️
2 x small drawer units due for collection tomorrow
craft stuff listed on free fb site

Out:
one poster given away
bag of bits for stick up hooks that I haven’t got anymore
6 holey socks into fabric recycling
893+8=901

Appreciated any input re my photo shelves on this thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/home_decoration_pictures/5088703-help-me-decide-layout-of-photo-shelves-in-hallway

Two pieces of art, one Yale lock and a pile of elastic bands. Total is 2234

Haven’t gone to the attic still but a few things going anyway in the meantime . DH looked through wetsuits and found a small new DD one that’ll go to charity ( already another also small one at his mom’s house has been removed ) and one of his own old ones is going too . He went to sort out his own boat and got it cleaned at least . Next finding out about fixing a few small things then I hope he’ll list it somewhere. Apparently still worth a few K so that’d be good .
He also found 2 bits of smaller sports equipment to sell and they’ve sold already thankfully . He will also sell a drone and more of his dad’s camera stuff .
Out since the last time :

• 1 pair of DD small Heelys trainers with wheels
• can cooler
• 2 hydrofoils
• 1 DD small new wetsuit
• 1 DH old wetsuit
• 1 broken sheet
• 1 kitchen utensil
• 1 alcohol bottle to school fair collection

And the new total is 1064

Thanks @stealthninjamum hello everyone. I still am just pottering along with no real big outs. Have a bag to drop to charity later with a few tshirts, lots of books and a couple of DVDs. Have decided to get rid of the food processor that is hardly used so that will free up an enormous amount of cupboard space, need to wait for the next cheap listing weekend on eBay (don’t use facebook)
But like Nordicmom we have one returning from uni soon (not sure for how long) so there will be large amount coming in. Rooms have been arranged and youngest has new furniture so the room is currently chock full of unwanted furniture that needs a home too!

I have one off to uni (🤞, mid exams atm) in sept, am I bad for looking forward to less stuff/mess once he’s gone?! 😂

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - decide where to put shelves for small pictures, then decide on the big ones and hang them
2. Take sentimental broken wooden box to a friend who says he’ll try and repair it
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out summerhouse/shed - Summerhouse part DONE ✔️

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - have listed more
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
butterfly growing net thing on FB
11 clarinet books on FB
2 x small drawer units due for collection today
craft stuff listed on FB
swing on FB
hanging bars thing on FB
bird food to drop to neighbours today

Out:
knackered cardboard box from summerhouse
901+1=902

At least all the packaging from the new furniture has gone. I'm counting that as a small win at least😂

Thanks for setting up the new thread @stealthninjamum !

I’ve gone back and counted my total for 2024 up to 31 May: 430! Though this is high as I counted all the baby clothes individually, which were around 300 in total.

On Saturday morning I took a bag of previously sorted stuff to the charity shop, then ended up clearing out a drawer from my bedside cabinet (which is larger than the typical bedside cabinet so there was a lot of stuff in there!). I got rid of 13 things (bin/ recycling / rubbish), which included a bag of old meds and a bag of five old pairs of glasses (both counted as one item).

I get new glasses every couple of years, so that’s about ten years worth of glasses where I’ve shoved them in the drawer and thought that I’ll recycle them later.

My job for this weekend is to take those glasses and old meds to Boots for disposal!

FB collections still ongoing today & tomorrow, so far on a better run of people who show up when they say they will.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - decide where to put shelves for small pictures, then decide on the big ones and hang them
2. Take sentimental broken wooden box to a friend who says he’ll try and repair it - DONE ✔️ (fingers crossed he can repair it)
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out/check through shed contents

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - have listed more
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
butterfly growing net thing on FB
11 clarinet books on FB
2 x small drawer units due for collection today - 1 Collected so far
craft stuff listed on FB
swing on FB - Collected ☑️
hanging bars thing on FB
bird food to drop to neighbours today Done ☑️

Out:
old swing
bird food bags x 2
1 drawer unit
902+4=906

One cardboard box recycled. Total is 2235

I had a big-ish tidy up of some forgotten corners like office desk drawer and under sink (and under the sofa etc) yesterday and had a really random selection of stuff go out:

magnetic strip thingy
kids trainers - too small - donated
pack of balloons
cloth face mask (to textile recycling)
2 fabric ribbons
a soap bar used up
old wound dressings
cat litter tray - kitten size
CD
Whiteboard marker
calpol syringe
support stockings (from when I had DC!!)
a box for a board game
selection of broken pegs from outside
2 allen keys
1 allen key set
small wrench
broken bike pump
handful of screws that went with the cot (I think)
jar of honey
paperwork from bank - shredded

Year total is at 808

Remembered to take a ragbag to the textile recycling site at the station on the way into work. There's another lurking in the corner of the bedroom but it's overflowing so needs to be separated into two bags. However I just received a list of the kit that the DDs need to take to Brownie camp at the end of the month so I predict more stuff incoming 😟Hopefully they're in the same tent so can double up on some of the storage - it's only for two nights so one clothing bag should be enough for both.

Jinxed it didn’t I by mentioning it - a no show yesterday 🙄

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - decide where to put shelves for small pictures - Think I’ve decided, need handyman, then decide on the big ones and hang them
2. renew driving licence: have passport photos, need to finish form and post
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out/check through shed contents

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - have listed more - 1 item sold, need to post
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
butterfly growing net thing on FB - charity ☑️
11 clarinet books on FB - charity ☑️
1 x small drawer unit due for collection today - No show yesterday…
craft stuff listed on FB
hanging bars thing on FB GONE ☑️

Out:
box of bits to charity shop (11 books, net thing, plus approx 7 other bits)
George return done

906+20=926

One shirt I don't like and one pair of trousers too small, both donations. Total is 2237

Yesterday’s no show came today so all is forgiven.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures - decide where to put shelves for small pictures - Think I’ve decided, need handyman, then decide on the big ones and hang them
2. renew driving licence: have passport photos, need to finish form and post DONE ☑️
3. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
4. clear out/check through shed contents

Not quite outs yet:
more stuff on Vinted - have listed more - 1 item sold, need to post
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
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
1 x small drawer unit due for collection today - GONE ☑️
craft stuff listed on FB

Out:
3 old lip balms of DD
926+3=929

Thank you for the new thread!
I'm up to 708 out this year.
Having a break from Vinted as it was taking too much headspace.
Charity shop trip planned on Saturday.

Today I filled two carrier bags with books and an empty box file. I also tidied a few papers away, put three in the shredding pile, threw away a bag that I think might’ve been meant for an an old handbag and I found the bag that a sleeping bag came in. Tomorrow I’ll see if that sleeping bag will easily fit into it. Otherwise I’ll throw the bag out.