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.

I have tackled some toys and the coffee table this morning. 30 items out and that's being very Conservative. 30 handfuls and a few bigger outs like a game with no box and no parts.

I got all of dds tshirts out then couldn't face parting with any of them! They are 7-8 and she is ten in a few weeks. Tiny ten year old as all the 7-8 mostly fits. It fits in lenght but some are too tight. She has tried a few on. Might get her to try some more on.

She hasn't worn most of them dispite having them for years, since she was 5 possibly! Send help. I'm procrastinating again!

@IncessantNameChanger you’ve often said you struggle with clothes so this must be very hard for you. BUT if your daughter hasn’t worn some of these in five years then surely she won’t be wearing them at all. Time to donate them so someone else can benefit or sell them before they look too dated to sell.

One nail buffer that's disintegrating
One much loved but stained jacket
One blazer that doesn't suit me

Total is 2437

Thanks. I broke my procrastination by listing ten of her items on Vinted. She needs to try the other half on. I don't think it fits. Vinted seems to be my best friend in that it mentally is a transition place dd clothes go to before they leave the house. I don't have this mental block for my boys. But dd is my youngest child so is the last "baby"

Doing better now. 6 things sold on Vinted. 34 things Binned. Total for July is 106, ins are 29 mostly new sixth form kit.

Total out for the year is 1115 and in is 89 so roughly 100 outs for every in. Got to get rid of another 66 items this month just to stay on target. I think I will be OK. I'm going to turn all of dds hangers around as suggested by ninja so that will make the end of summer pack away eseir to as I have decided if it is 7-8 or unworn this summer it's gone.

Wow 100 outs for every in is an amazing ratio Incessant 👏👏 that’s brilliant. Last years totally trashed school shoes are all outs today but will need replacing before September. I need the boost in motivation so counting them for now 👌🤫

One catalogue recycled
Total is 2438

All our servers are down at work so I have just sorted out the drawer of house documents, and shredded about 1/3 of them. I feel good about this! Now I'm going to prowl around looking for more things for the charity shop basket...

Went back into the boys room. 14 pieces of tat / broken toys Binned. I have a bag of toys I want to donate but can't count that until the kids ok it. Taken two thick hoodies from ds16 wardrobe and listed on Vinted. My friend said she would take to little two out to the beach tomorrow so if she does I'm going to blast that room again. Once my eldest starts uni hopefully things should get a lot better up there.

Dd turns ten this year and I really want things to change. I know they have, but there's so much further to go

I retired on Friday and hope to move house next year.

I meant to make a plan but didn't so have been round many areas of the house and not done any in depth.

3 iPhone cases
3 shirts
1 skirt
1rain jacket
1 bronzer
7 glasses
2 dresses
1 coat
1 leather jacket
21books
1 cagoule
1 shirt
3 pairs of shoes
1 top
1 work jacket
Evening jacket
7 pairs shoes
2 Jacket
Top
Boots
3 sandals
Jacket
3 body lotions
2 packs of candles
2 hairbrushes
1 bag
Boots
2 pairs sandals
3 dresses
Trousers
2 rubbers
Badge

I make that 81
Either binned or in bag ready for charity shop

Eldest off to uni/navy training later this year too, hoping to get into his pit of doom once he’s out haha! 😷

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge (have done loads of this apart from the blue badge like travel cards etc)
3. my British passport application (have an Irish one but life sometimes easier with a UK one and I’m allowed both) - waiting to come back from holiday before getting on with this

Not quite outs yet:
3 x old duvets to find a home for - emailed local dog charity place
Running leggings to go to a friend - maybe next Parkrun? Need to message her to meetup
spare tap left from building works - on FB
pile of unwanted files - on FB
spare PE kit & uniform & blazer as Dd is changing schools - to friend - delivered ✅
spare Taylor Swift poster from DD to neighbour’s DD
bag of bags - on FB

Out:
approx 9 bits of uniform passed along
DS knackered old trainers into bin
DD broken flip flops into bin
1095+11= 1106

have fallen behind the 2024 target, need to get to 1181 by the end of the month.

DH is promising to go to the tip tomorrow which should include an old bbq, old set of shelves, a rusty parasol base, and loads of tat from his office that I’m not counting as it hasn’t come into the house (he’s retired and has years worth of crap in the office to clearout).

Livinginabuildingsite - your about where I am. Is there any old uniform or shoes you get rid of for easy wins? I have just grabbed five things from the bathroom to bin. Five things off the stairs. Things unused for years. Just five things from every room. Mismatched tupperware, anything really just to get momentum up. I'm sorely tempted to just bin a few things in the kitchen too purely because I don't really use it much. Like a wheat bag for aches you heat in the micro wave. Not used for years but useful. But I haven't used it. Si it SHOULD go I guess?

More shredding done this morning - I got through about a quarter of mum’s folder of utility bills. There are three bags of shredded paper to go out in the recycling tomorrow. Back at work for the rest of the week so not sure if I can keep this up.

Charity no. 3 replied to say they can’t take the baby clothes at the moment, so I’ll need to try the next one on the list.

Unpacked ornaments which have been waiting for months. 6 lots of packaging into recycling. Total is 2444

Right I really going to go for it today in the boys room as my friend is taking the little two to the beach today.

@IncessantNameChanger I've pretty done the uniform sweep, but I’m sure I’ll find more when I’m actually allowed in his room!

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge (have done loads of this apart from the blue badge like travel cards etc)
3. my British passport application (have an Irish one but life sometimes easier with a UK one and I’m allowed both) - waiting to come back from holiday before getting on with this
4. main job for the moment: orchestra folders for Sept - started

Not quite outs yet:
3 x old duvets to find a home for - emailed local dog charity place
Running leggings to go to a friend - maybe next Parkrun? Need to message her to meetup
spare tap left from building works - on FB
pile of unwanted files - on FB
spare Taylor Swift poster from DD to neighbour’s DD
bag of bags - on FB

Out:
Tip run (bbq, shelving bits, parasol base)
bin (knackered lap tray)
DD remembered to give away a pile of spare wool in a gift box so a double win 1106+6=1112

Fell behind a bit with decluttering - weather lovely so tidying garden instead most of the time.

Binned -
Dictaphone
Twenty-one tapes.
Two cd-roms

I got mixed up in that post. Binned just the tapes, as a lot of very personal stuff on them.

Dictaphone I hope to sell.

Just found a digital voice recorder, which will also be for sale.

Three old journals shredded. Total is 2447

Been tidying and organising our bedroom in the last couple of days. As usual, I've found some random bits to bin. Used up both a foot moisturising mask and a hand one.

I did 4 hours in the boys room today. I was sweating! Put anything bulky and winter under ds bed. He is 12 and has severe LD ( ASD) and I was cheesed off with her choice of beach wear today, thick joggers, so now all his shorts are more in his face when he opens his draws. Noticed he also got too fat for two t shirts. He is a eating machine and off to the hospital dietitian soon. My friend took them to the beach. I filled up 2 bags for life with books and toys but will count them tomorrow out of the kids eyesight. So happy with what I got done. I only have their bookshelf top and draw top to tidy now.

13 bits of tupperware
5 out Bathroom stuff
5 things off the stairs ( odd shoe, carrier bag etc)
24 kitchen things
20 bits of junk / broken toys boys room
1 out Vinted

Total 188
Total for year 1172

Bought ds a England shirt in the sale and dd two horrific cardis she wanted in the sale
3 ins. 96 ins for the year. I looked on Vinted to replace ds tight t shirts but I will wait until he gets under 10. I just favourite some. He can wear every one he owns to check the fit this summer. I found a billion odd socks slipped down by his bed. His undies all need replacing to size up too but I will leave that as well for a bit.

Feeling good about the progress. That's two tidy places to just maintain now.

I need to bin ds16 pe kit next and donate all my vinted bits before I have my holiday.

One conditioner used up. Total is 2448

I'm packing for a holiday next week. Laid lots of thins for dd to choose from on her bed. If there's certain things she doesn't choose I'm going to donate them too.

She just has a few favorite outfits she rotates like most kids I guess.

Going to start a donate bag today and some recycling for rags

One blouse that doesn't work for me and one pair of shorts that don't fit well. Total is 2450

A mains clock radio will need to drop off somewhere that takes electrical. Two plug in nursery nightlights that can just be binned I think. All the random sheets and pillowcases taken out and washed -they smell a bit musty having been crammed in a cupboard. Tomorrow’s job will be to work out what size and depth the sheets are and work out what needs to stay and what can be donated. Think I’ve said before but we have four different sizes altogether.

Yesterday I put three yogurt cartons in the recycling trolley. Also threw out the dregs of salad cream that I don’t even like much, ignoring mum’s voice in my head telling me to finish things off or eat everything up or whatever. Then rinsed out the bottle and put it in the recycling trolley.