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.

@ememem84 im sorry to hear your news, but I’m glad you’re getting treatment quickly.

@Riverswims thanks I always feel guilty about chopping trees down but sometimes it had to be done. We had some mature diseased ones removed recently which makes me sad but there will be less leaves to declutter this autumn which is a good thing.

Paperwork yesterday. It took about 8 minutes to go through various bits of car papers - insurance, MOT/ service stuff, ownership docs etc and organise them in a small plastic wallet/ folder. By coincidence I got my car tax letter so paid it and filed it. I chucked out a load of sales crap from my dealer.

i also decluttered an empty craft box and some bits of craft kits. Dd2 has given me lots of dolls to sell but I don’t think anyone will want them. And she gave me some rocks she no longer wanted - in primary school she used to come home with sticks and rocks. Also going is a lamp she doesn’t want any more.

@stealthninjamum yeah it's the first time I've ever done that but a tree blocking light has literally put me off a house before 🥴

I got rid of a few big things this weekend. Dh finally agreed to let go of a spare hoover, which is gone, and I binned a very mouldy play tent which has been in the garden through all the rain. Also binned a bit of wood leftover from our garden fence. Kept thinking I'd use it...

I also sold a coat and a bag on Vinted. I was a bit sad about those - but the coat was too tight and the bag I never used. Wrapped and posted this morning.

Also few random, small things: sandbox toy, 2 brochures from works we were planning, a random tupperware lid, plastic folder, sticker set.

Total for year=1428

W/E 8th September
Decluttered
En suite bathroom (mine)
DH prefers our older, rougher towels (says they dry better) so they have been relocated to the main bathroom and he now has the use of all of those. I have unpacked my soft and fluffy brand new towels that have been in a box since we moved here. They stayed in their box because the en suite didn't exist when we moved; I said I would get them out once the builders finished. That was <embarrassed cough> four years ago...
Anyway, en suite decluttered and squeaky clean, and now equipped with fluffy white towels.
Have created a 'snagging' list for both DH and I of small jobs to be done, and a shopping list for me.

More emails and whenever I sit down for a coffee I am clearing out bookmarks on my laptop and going through my password manager to delete any no longer needed (loads of work related ones). This means I can stop paying for it at the end of this month.

Donated
Nothing has left the house this week but there is now a box in the study to collect things for the charity shop; DH was looking for something in the pan cupboard and agreed there was too much in there so some items have gone in the box. I'll list them when I get them ready to leave the house.

Binned
1 x pair socks
1 x knickers

Dressing room next...

One body lotion used up this morning. Total is 2771.

Thank heavens for private medical care em. Wishing you a swift recovery.

I remember you riverswim, sounds like great progress. Good luck with the sale.

Gone - two mugs (nice ones but I didn't want to keep them ) to Charity shop
To go out -
Some of DD socks , I have washed and sorted them out .
Some old bedding (only fit for recycling not to pass on)

To DD for selling in vinted. four pairs school trousers, unworn and with tags still on. Outgrown over the holidays. Bought two pairs the next size up last week.

Counter top full of toys to list. Want to do that tomorrow as think people are starting to gear up for Christmas. Now starting on thinking about the dc Christmas list too.

No luck on selling large diy item. It's relatively niche so I guess I'll give it until half term and then donate it to the tip shop to sell.
Huge intimidating box of clothes to start listing. Think I'll park that for now and concentrate on the toys.
Freezer declutter went well. Did about 90% and chucked the rest as clearly we didn't want to eat it!!! Freezer now has been refilled and some more batch cooking being done this week.
DH away for work from Wednesday until Sunday eve so want to make sure I'm all set.

Really sorry about your news Em, I hope you continue to feel well and the treatment is kind to you. Thank god indeed for private care.

I'm still on a roll. Fed up of everything we own right now. Sorted yet more Halloween and Christmas bits to sell at a later date on Vinted. Dd didn't try on the 7-8 stuff so it's going by default. It might still fit but who cares as she has too much. I'm never buying another Christmas jumper again.

Ds is off to uni on Saturday and I'm already heartbroken. Buy it will good to deep clean his room. Trying to think positively or I will stop my progress.

How do get the Toss app on Andriod? I can see it?

@IncessantNameChanger im not sure if Toss is available on Android. Do you have an iPad? It’s available on iPad too.

Failing that, I once downloaded the Unfuck Your Habitat (UFYH) app on my iPhone so not sure if it’s on android. It has a challenge feature where you can enter a room (or leave it blank) and length of time and it’ll find a task. If that task is cleaning then use it to declutter that area.

It’s sad your ds is leaving but you’re right, it’s good to be positive. You could use him going - take ‘before’ photos and see how much visual difference you can make while he’s gone. As it’s coming up for Christmas you could aim to make your house really welcoming for him in December.

Today’s outs are some ring binders that are so dirty and falling apart I have to throw them out. Dd1 used them and it looks like she threw them in a puddle and stamped on them. I actually can’t believe it, I still have some of my binders from a levels 35 years ago and they are pristine!

@ememem84 sorry to hear about your diagnosis hope treatment not too tough on you.
@IncessantNameChanger you really have been on a roll lately, well done. It is exciting and bittersweet seeing them off to university. I seem to recall your eldest has been critical of your house in the past. It’ll be interesting to see how well he manages his own housekeeping. Mine certainly needed to Unf*ck his habitat when the end of the year rolled around!

Dropped off today the bags of single size bedding, two pairs of my shoes I’ve never really worn, five pairs of uniform trousers.

One too small crop top
One top with too tight arms
One pirate DVD that doesn't play properly
One children's DVD nobody watches any more
One face wash used up (loads left)

Total is 2776

2 items listed, and 1 earmarked to donate to friend.
DH has got 2suits to sell or donate. He's big and tall so less common size but might list for 2weeks and see if any interest.
Lunch time over so back to work!

stealth that's exactly what I want to do, for him to come back at Christmas and feel like I have finally got my shit together. His room here is a bombsite. I have done all his washing today as its rare okish day to dry on the line. Ds16 starts sixth form tomorrow so had to stop myself crying when we went out for lunch together today.
Yes Gassy the eldest is very critical of the house, whilst being a slob himself. I want to prove I'm a better person now.

Feel so sad. Three of the kidscare asking what's wrong. He has to go, he has too fly. I want him to do well in life

More stuff out this weekend. Binned some socks that was slipping down which isn't like me. My mindset has shifted finally

Bathmat
Sticker book
4 hangers
8th in 3 pairs ds12 school trousers
9th out 1 pair socks, one peeling handbag, 3 pegs
-----
Total for 2024
1482 out
132 in

@IncessantNameChanger im in the same boat, eldest off to college then uni next week. I am also hoping to tackle his room big time once he’s gone! I go through phases of feeling sad but then also excited for him. It’s tough on us.

Em - scary times for you, glad you’ve got treatment quickly, hope it goes smoothly.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: blue badge started
3. my British passport application - need to get on with this
4. garden generally tidied for end of summer - started
5. loads of scout badges onto blanket - started

Not quite outs yet:
Running leggings to go to a friend - Need to message her to meetup
spare tap left from building works - on FB
pile of unwanted files - in charity box - gone ✅
spare Taylor Swift poster from DD to neighbour’s DD
knackered suitcase to put on FB - posted
new charity box started (currently 25) dropped to charity shop ✅

Out:
1156+25=1181

Bundle of toys sold. Off to get that posted tonight- get in some exercise before it turns dark.
Another 2 listings up. Trying not to drag this push out.
Sadly a secondhand bike we bought turned out to need quite a lot fixing, so that's on the Christmas list to get a new one.

Two catalogues getting recycled tonight. Total is 2778

Recently:

14 old hair care and cosmetic bits I no longer use
6 Velcro rollers (as above)
2 skanky bath toys 🤢
3 pairs shoes (2 mine, one that the littlest has grown out of)

101 + 25 = 126

went through DDs's clothes Sunday
out 3 bags full sir collected yesterday
in DD's birthday presents today and the giant squishmallow isn't even here yet lol

well that was interesting 🥴 after me self congratulating that the house was tidy enough for anyone to pop in yesterday even on a work day; this morning I had another caller and it wasn't so great. more to do....

The caller was the fire brigade- it was like that harpic or whatever it is ad 🤣

@Riverswims I’m intrigued, why did the fire brigade visit? I hope everything’s ok.

@IncessantNameChanger i remember being annoyed when your ds criticised your house, I am willing you to turn it into a palace over the next three months.

I have been cleaning kitchen cupboards in particular my rice / pasta / pulses cupboard. I have bought a storage tray for the rices and will be eating some cous cous and lentils.

Last night i found another load of school books in dd1s room in a box under her Beanos. They have nearly all been binned. Among them was a year 11 book growing mould on it. It had somehow got wet in her bag and she left it there. I found more disgusting folders that looked like they’d been in a muddy puddle.

@stealthninjamum they rang the bell and offered to check my smoke alarms as there'd been an incident nearby, so they did. everything ok AFAIK 👍🏽

That’s a relief @Riverswims !
I did use to fantasise about my house burning down (obvs everyone being safe and not injured) so we could get rid of all the crap and start again. 🔥
I have moved on from that luckily 😀

Sorted out and cleaned the hallway shelves, DS1 is leaving so won’t need his cubby anymore, have allocated it to DS2 who never needed one before but has a lanyard and passes for college and work now.
Mostly just rubbish and recycling rather than Decluttering as such, will count the pile as 1. Almost got ds1 to agree to bin his school rucksack but he took it back to take to a party tonight 🙄
will get rid of it if he brings it back.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: blue badge started
3. my British passport application - need to get on with this
4. garden generally tidied for end of summer - started
5. loads of scout badges onto blanket - started

Not quite outs yet:
Running leggings to go to a friend - Need to message her to meetup
spare tap left from building works - on FB
spare Taylor Swift poster from DD to neighbour’s DD
knackered suitcase to put on FB - posted

Out:
1181+1=1182