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.

Not been here for a while again .
A few bits leaving the house in the meantime . DH keeps on selling his own things , now 4 old GoPros one of which was well over 10 y old ,and he got good amount for them again . A new camera of his as well that’s going for more than he payed for it . We brought back a load of DS stuff back from Uni . The boxes are in the dining room and I haven’t touched them yet except tossed a pair of old trainers away since he got 2 new pairs recently. DH will go move out rest of his stuff later this week . Then we’ll have to go through it all which I’m not looking forward to . It’s right before travelling soon and at the end of school year so there is already much to do with DD school as well . One of the many house maintenance jobs got done last week and I’m really happy with the results . Another one is lined up this week and we’re also having someone come advise us about a big tree in our garden . Have hopefully finally gotten one more outdoor job booked up for after our trip . DH has been getting on with one of the indoor big cleaning tasks but it’s not yet completed . Progress in any case .
I’m planning on getting DS to take the next Charity shop load to the warehouse drop off before he starts his summer placement . I haven’t seen the boxes in the attic but I think there would be enough to take again . Last load went around Easter I think .
Out since last time :

1. 4 old bra pads
2. 1 pair DD old shorts
3. 1 pair of DD small sweatpants
4. 2 pairs of old pants
5. scented candle
6. drawer sachets
7. 1 DH new camera
8. 4 GoPro cameras
9. 2 DH old T-shirts
10. 11 pairs of socks
11. 1 pair of DD small new trainers
12. 1 pair of DD small old trainers
13. 3 DD small swimming costumes
14. 1 pair of DS old trainers

I’ll have to add total later after checking , I always forget to …

New total 1136 .

Hi Nordic, glad to see you back.

I was musing this morning, does life ever get more ‘settled’? DD took an exam for a different secondary school yesterday as she’s unhappy where she is. Could mean change in Sept. Ds2 is at a recruitment day event for a summer job before starting sixth form college. Ds1 currently asleep after a party day yesterday and before his delayed 18th party here tomorrow before hopefully heading off to the Navy in Sept. I’m waiting to hear about my application for a training course to get promoted at work. And DH has just retired early from his main job, looking into some part time stuff. All feels like such a state of flux, my head feels overfull with thinking!

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
3. clear out/check through shed contents: DH done to his level, so done for now ☑️
4. my British passport application (have an Irish one but life sometimes easier with a UK one and I’m allowed both)

Not quite outs yet:
Vinted stuff: last one to post DONE ☑️
21 items in a Music Magpie box but waiting for password reset email to actually confirm sale - will try Ziffit next
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
craft stuff listed on FB; colouring books due to be collected soon?
Running leggings to go to a friend

Out:
old nail file binned
old trainers into recycling
976+2=978

I've been awol but exams are all done now so I can have some decluttering time back. I've been trying to chip away at things.
DP has a box of his things he brought home from clearing out his dad's which he really needs to sort through, it's in the way!

Nice to see you again @Nordicmom all those outs sound very positive especially as you and your DH seem very strategic about what is worth selling rather than donating. Im collecting eldest and the rest of the STUFF this weekend. Outs one set single bedding, one set of double bedding, a skipping rope that was part of a toiletries gift set, four books, several of DHs tops all into the next charity bag.

Threadbare socks into recycling brings me to 2326

Morning all.
Does anyone have any storage tips for under kitchen sink.

Mine is over flowing with bottles etc and a lots needs chucking.
I then need something to organise it, maybe something that pulls out so I can see things properly.

Thanks

One dead houseplant. Total is 2327

Know what you mean Livinginabuiltsite . We are settled with kids at primary but we know we need to move for secondary and we're discussing whether to move 3 miles or 250 miles. DH's boss retired and we are waiting for the replacement to be appointed. Strong chance it will be a difficult character appointed and he may need to look to move. So everything could change tomorrow or it could be 2028. Who knows!

We were away for the weekend and have only just finished dealing with the chaos caused by packing and unpacking. No decluttering here this week.

Thanks @Jellycatrabbit good luck with your decisions!

@Sunshineandrainbow i now have drawers under the sink that pull out and are sort of a large U shape around the pipes.
previously I had tried those clip together/stretch out to fill the space plastic things - hope that makes sense! They were ok but not perfect. Sometimes just a small washing up bowl type thing with all your relevant cleaning stuff can work?

DH has been going through DS2’s clothes with him, nearly all too small, so lots out but will mostly be replaced.
Hoping he remembers to take a few bits of MILs back to hers this weekend. Most notably the fugly Christmas rug she decided we needed but I’ve refused to accept!

I’m on nights again this week so not much progress will happen.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
3. my British passport application (have an Irish one but life sometimes easier with a UK one and I’m allowed both)

Not quite outs yet:
21 cd/dvd items in a box -will try Ziffit next
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
craft stuff listed on FB; colouring books due to be collected soon?
Running leggings to go to a friend

Out:
978

A few this morning:

Too tight jeggings
Too small joggers
Top I don't like and doesn't match anything

Total is 2330

Have two bags to take to the clothing bank this afternoon and another half full. Going to see if I can find things to fill it up so I can take that one too.

I need to get going again after a short break. Lots going on with dd and I'm counting down until the end of term. School have asked if I will agree to a part time timetable until the end of term. Which is illegal even if had requested it.

My eldest is in America so it's a great opportunity to deep clean the boys room as my teen has temporarily decamped into eldest room. But I feel so run down and hopeless. I need to get back on it as I am still on target, but I eont be if I don't get rid of anything in July.

My helper finished and I was supposed to be picked up by another team who still haven't made contact. That seems like such a wasted opportunity. But always at the end of the day only I can save myself in every problem in my life. I need to step up and be my own hero

One pair holey shorts
Two blouses and a hoodie I don't like
Two bunches of plastic flowers

Total is 2336

One gillet with sun fading
One blazer that annoyingly fits perfectly but is the wrong colour
Four expired herbs and spices jars

Total is 2342

hello all! managed to get an old keyboard stand to the tip - on the bus! long winded way of doing it but don't have a car so wasn't sure what else to do. two old plants also gone. Buying some cable management stuff ATM - hopefully will help the mess of cables a bit. and despite lots of decluttering already have identified a few areas that could do with extra - was losing the will a bit!

realised i have about 7 tins of black beans (!!) so will be trying to eat my way through those.

@Sunshineandrainbow my sink just has an open box with products in - although dishwasher tablets don’t fit. It’s not the best fitting solution but it does mean I can empty the cupboard effortlessly and clean it every so often.

i have decided that two summer dresses can go. Other than that I’ve been mainly doing Lego.

dd1 made a comment the other day how tidy our house is and how much she prefers it! There are still a couple of messy rooms where I’m sorting out art, papers and Lego but generally I’m keeping on top of it. I’ve also bought a couple more plants and I’m managing to keep them alive.

Recent outs:

Outgrown swimming costume to textile recycling.

Box of random stuff under the dining room table emptied - it contained a pile of paper that had been sorted for recycling, which has now gone in the recycling, a half-finished paper mache creation (binned), and a stash of paper bags to be used for bagging up shredding paper so it can go in the recycling.

3 old pillows to recycling at Dunelm.

2 outgrown summer school dresses and 1 outgrown PE hoodie to be donated to school (already had the next size up, so now I need to buy the next next size up).

Half of my mum’s bank statements shredded this afternoon. She died five years ago, and I’d taken a box of various paperwork back home when we cleared the house. It’s taken me a while to be able to deal with them.

The last couple of days before the visit from my sister involved a bit of hiding stuff in cupboards/ upstairs, but I’d love to have the house looking that tidy and uncluttered all the time. Something to aspire to!

Also a backpack baby carrier that was taken to the tip - it couldn’t be donated as the fabric and straps were wearing out.

I put all the outgrown uniform in a pile for the uniform drive, then forgot about it. I’ll box it up for next time, but a bit annoyed at myself.

Paper bin - two completed puzzle books. Other odds and ends of paper.

More bits and pieces in the rag bag for Dunelm. I have a drawer of old cotton vests and tees for polishing cloths and garage rags. Other fabrics go in ragbag.

outgrown teeshirt in donation bag.

Dropped off two big bags of uniform and outgrown boys clothes to a friend, don’t think I’ve counted any of it already, approx 10x casual clothes, approx 20x uniform bits.

Have changed DS2’s bed, put on all his laundry and hoovered his room.

Enjoying having the house to myself for a few more hours, beer and snacks and football to myself (not a hardcore fan but may as well.)

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures
2. DS2 paperwork: started blue badge
3. my British passport application (have an Irish one but life sometimes easier with a UK one and I’m allowed both)
4. must sort through too many mugs with DH as too many for the cupboard

Not quite outs yet:
21 cd/dvd items in a box -will try Ziffit next - finally done this and posted the box but they only wanted 11 of them, ✅ so 10 now sat on the side to list on FB
3 x old duvets to find a home for - need to contact local dog charity place
craft stuff listed on FB; colouring books due to be collected soon?
Running leggings to go to a friend

Out:
30 boys clothes
11 cds/dvds to ziffit
978+41= 1019 (broken 1000 whoop)

I'm not counting, but today, for the first time since having covid in early March, I had enough energy to get some bags of stuff out to the charity shop, and to admit I was never going to do anything with a pile of holey cashmere and tatty linen. I'm annoyed that the local fabric recycling bin has vanished, but I just put it in the dustbin instead, and I feel much better for having done so.

I was much better at this stuff when I lived about 20m from a big charity shop, but it's a start. I really need to go through everything I own, but baby steps.

Does anyone else feel that their mental health is very closely linked to how on top of things they feel? Does everyone?

OMG eldest and their stuff are back. Stuff mostly in a very big pile in tge corner of the kitchen. Books have already gone onto bookcase in tge bedroom. Kitchen stuff such as plates/pans will go into storaage crates in attic. So many other bits and bobs and so many clothes -the vintage/charity shop habit seems to have gotten out of control.

Binned - three ancient leaking freezer blocks. Three microwavable plate warmers that were a bit ratty and unsafe looking.

Right I will be back on it this week I think as ds has finished school now and we have started to buy sixth form clothes - ekk! Feel very old now!

He could destrically thin his wardrobe now. He is very minimal with his clothes so only bought two pairs of trousers and five tops. He said he will gadge what others,wear before he buys more. Very sensible, unlike his mum

I think I need to join this thread.

Does anyone else have bags if stuff they have been waiting to sell online.

But they're still there years later 🙈