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.

One tatty t-shirt, sad because it's a favourite.
One top with too small arms, sad about that too for the same reason. Tried to replace it and didn't find anything quite right but did buy three totally different things I really don't need, so that was a bit of a fail there.
One magazine read and recycled.

Total is 2350

@IncessantNameChanger that sounds really tough re your DD. I hope things calm down soon, both for her and for you. Screaming in the car is immensely therapeutic, isn't it (though wrecking your throat perhaps less so!)?

I feel like a dam has slightly unblocked for me, and now I've got the first few bags out of the house I keep thinking of other things I'm happy to let go. For the moment I'm not going to try any grand KonMari category sorts, just chip away at the things that bug me in that moment. So an antique bookstand that I used to prop my iPad on can go, because I don't have an iPad any more. And some fancy scented candles that are a nice smell but I know now that brand smokes like billy-oh. Last night I filed some papers that have been sitting on my desk for at least 6 months, and threw away all back issues of the magazines that swarm through the letterbox.

Three dresses that don't hang right
One more magazine recycled
Two tops I don't like

One separated foundation

Total is 2357

My last efforts for today.

One too small knickers binned
One hand cream finished up
Another magazine recycled
An old journal shredded
One manky beauty blender binned

Total is 2362

I've also finished and chucked a hand cream, also 2 half empty boxes of cereal that had gone stale.

One stained cushion cover. Total is 2363

So yesterday I had a massive clear out and rearrange of the playroom/snug. Slightly overdid it physically but it looks so much better and flows as a room much better. I forgot to count items though! I still need to clear out and sort the craft boxes but at least it feels like things are where they need to be and anything from this point is tweaks and improvements.

I just find the influx of bits of stuff so insidious. Loads of little bits, all over the house that I forget what they're for so I keep them just in case and then drawers just end up with random rubbish in them!

@Brieandbeetroot You sound very similar to me - I definitely struggled more to declutter after I had my DD, and she was very attached to things and wanted to keep everything, like stones or sticks she had collected

In all honesty, I didn’t tackle it until she was older. She’s 9 now, and it’s only in the past couple of years that I’ve got rid of all her baby clothes and we’re making inroads on her toddler/ pre-school age toys. I go through things with her and ask if it’s something to keep or donate. If she’s not sure, we keep it and review again in a few months.

I think at 3 your DD probably will still enjoy playing with baby toys, so I wouldn’t stress about it now. I just had to lower my expectations and accept that I couldn’t deal with toys and clothes right now, but tried to focus on other things.

I added a bubble kit to the charity bag on Sunday, which brought my June total to 39 and my 2024 total to 469. Better than 2023, but there’s some things that are included in the total that aren’t out of the house yet.

Hugs to you @IncessantNameChanger

Not doing a lot here, lots of lazing about watching tennis - meant to be revising for an exam at work tomorrow, plus some kind of group interview thing before a possible proper interview next week.

I did replace the broken toilet roll holder in my bathroom and binned the packaging but not really worth counting.

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 DONE ☑️

Not quite outs yet:
6 cds listed 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
box of mugs to take into work for the general cupboard

Out:
1026

I'm still doing OK. Only one thing sold on Vinted. It's no where near as easy to sell as it used to be. One bundle sold the hour I put it up. Still got to clear out ds16 school uniform to make way for sixth form stuff. I didn't get a chance to hand over dd outgrown ballet kit. I'm going to try to alter her character skirt to make the waist bigger. I'm handy with quitting but not dress making. They are £25 new and about £15 on Vinted and she has two now too small in the waist

Grrrr now DH has Covid for the second time so has been isolating in his study and bedroom with an en-suite bathroom thankfully all week so the rest of us won’t get it . I’ve recently had my booster vaccine and am testing negative but feel like I’m sick with something . Kids not ill so far . Couldn’t have come at much more of a worse time . Now our trip is in jeopardy again and I haven’t seen my parents for nearly a year already thanks to missing the Easter trip others went on . DD had so many things on at school inc sports day thankfully DS has just returned from Uni so has been doing school runs etc to help . We’re both missing out on all kinds of special plans with friends etc plus DH on Silverstone F1 atleast tomorrow , maybe gets to do sun with DS if he’s negative by then it’s possible . I’m trying to decide if I should meet with a foreign friend visiting I haven’t seen for years . I took DD to aft tea and to a show last weekend since we were both negative but I missed out on an already rescheduled birthday lunch with a friend . We had a bunch of maintenance lined up too and emergency appointments for a few things that have just broken . were having to reschedule some but are keeping a few outside appointments so things get done . DH tests are fading so hopefully he’ll soon be able to do more when next week DS starts his placement so can’t help in the day . I feel like packing atm for us all is beyond me I’m so weary while feeling a bit sick that just everyday stuff is a struggle plus we have all DS stuff to sort out from Uni . so far we’ve been getting rid of a few things like stained too small bedding , trainers and bit of open old food but we haven’t looked through clothes or anything else yet . I’ve sent bedding to be washed and we’ve been washing through a sack of dirty clothes, sheets and towels etc . I’ll have to decide what is going later Next DD will bring her stuff from boarding and all her sports kit etc . I think I’m leaving DS clean clothes , kitchen stuff etc to look through after we’ve returned . It’s mostly neatly in boxes in dining room with a door closed but one big bag of clean clothes is in his room we’ll sort out later .
We had the gardeners today , window cleaner will come next week as will the tree surgeons to cut dead branches of our big tree and two repairmen for emergency jobs . 2 more outside jobs are booked in for after our trip .
DS is taking my 3 large storage boxfuls to the charity warehouse drop off tomorrow we do a few times a year now . I’ll be glad to have those boxes empty again. They’ll soon fill up . I’m sure there’s stuff DH wasn’t sure about that’s been left behind in the attic .
i will go through DD sports kit and uniform and what I’ve mentioned earlier is going but might add to that .

Out since the last time roughly :

1. 1 yellowed plastic measuring jug
2. 1 tea light holder
3. 1 pair of DD small slides
4. 1 -2 old hand bags earmarked
5. 2 pairs of DH old flip flops
6. 1 old cutting board
7. 3 wooden cooking utensils +2 pairs of chopsticks
8. 2 DS stained pillows
9. 2 DS stained pillow protectors
10. 1 DS stained single duvet
11. 1 DS stained single mattress topper( he’s having a bigger bed at next student house he’s sharing anyway )
12. 1 DS bed spread earmarked
13. 1 DD stained house shirt
14. 1 beauty sample
15. 1 DH T-shirt with a hole
16. 5 pairs of old socks
17. 2 pants
18. DS old / open food from Uni
19. 1 DD open messy shower gel
20. 1 DD paint stained uniform shirt

New total is 1169 I think .

Three ratty teeshirts in the textile recycling bag. Five more set aside for dusters and cleaning rags.

Normal clothes churn with a dozen things out that got holes/stretched elastic etc.
Managed to repair dc swimming shorts.
Have still got 70listings on vinted so been through today and reduced most things to £1. If no sale in a week, will bundle it all up in age ranges. Then will donate if the bundles don't go in 2weeks.
Plan for the summer holidays is have another sift through the toys. Youngest dc seems to be a bit behind developmentally so we may have to hang on to more than normal.

Slowly working through the uni stuff. Kitchen stuff boxed up and a few bits found homes in our kitchen. Few bits into charity bag and a reaaly warped fry pan to the metal skip. Clothes in bedroom with request to sort.
It has been really upsetting to see how dirty/dusty some of the stuff is, all the textiles smell musty and the state of the bedding 🤢 This despite dropping out several months ago and so having plenty of time.

Forgot to do a drop off of old uniform and donated toys for the school fair tomorrow, which is annoying. On the plus side I have just gone through the freezer and binned a load of (very) old stuff and cleaned out the drawers, so it looks a lot better and I have a better idea of what's in there and what needs using up sooner rather than later.

5 tins of out of date biscuits gone, biscuits binned and tins given away as they are pretty.

Well done everyone. I’m struggling a bit. Still getting rid of things, sorting things out but our house has become overwhelmed again with building work and decanting from the flooding. I know it’s better to sort now than wait but mostly working on day to day things for now

One dress with a hole and a top with a stain gone. Total is 2365

DH is now negative , out of his isolation and able to do some things to help thankfully since I still feel sick although am testing negative . I’ve had horrible nausea from my primary illness because I’m under the weather with something . When I feel like that I don’t want I move which makes everything harder . DS went to F1 with a friend due to DH not feeling up to it today . Annoyingly the charity drop off point wasn’t open on Fri despite it being meant to have been and those boxes are now waiting in the dining room with some of the uni stuff I’m going though slowly . DS had amazingly managed to keep at least the clothes we just washed from uni in great condition and I only threw away some socks yesterday and 1 top . We have not looked at the ones he brought home clean . Im probably not keeping his single sheets though since he’ll have a double bed in the next house like at home and the only singles here are DD bed and the guest one and I won’t use his uni sheets in those . DD boarding bedding was fine although the pillow too firm so I’ll change it for next term . I’ve sent the duvet to be laundered . I’ve folded all the dry laundry , still a backlog to wash. Started packing DH suitcase. We’re going to meet our friends twe haven’t seen for years so I wont be up to much else today especially if I get the awful nausea after the meal like I now have been .i cleaned and tidied in first floor last night and begged DH and DS to do downstairs since I won’t be able to before leaving and will undoubtedly have to go to bed on return . A few more bits grabbed to go out of the house …

1. 6 pairs on my old pyjama bottoms earmarked to go to rags
2. 1 DD school blazer earmarked to go maybe to second hand uniform collection , it’s been dry cleaned first
3. 2 school calendars to recycling
4. 1 pairs of DD school shoes to shoe bank
5. 1 random tennis ball
6. 1 DD flat pillow
7. 1 broken laundry bag
8. 1 DD yellow hoodie &1 long sleeved top to charity
9. 10 pairs of DH old pants
10. 3 old T-shirts
11. 25 pairs of old socks of DS ,and DD school ones
12. 2 sets of DS single sheets and duvet covers from Uni all to rag bank
13. 1 DD huge Lego box to recycling
14. 9 packets of dog treats he won’t eat
15. 1-2 DD school water bottles
16. 1 DD broken school folder

Also some clothing returns were shipped off …

And the new total is 1236

Morning all.. I have a week off work and the house to myself to declutter and organise my kitchen which is really dreadful.
A massive cupboard filled with black bags mainly clothes.

I need to make the best use of this time but I feel so nervous.

Should I start with the cupboard?

Any other tips?

Finally, DP is sorting through and shredding his paperwork! He's taken 2 bags to the dump along with a variety of other things. It's not loads but our flat is small so when things are ready to go, we need to get them out or they're taking up space!
I've got some paints and brushes DD won't use so going to put them on Freecycle. I've put them in a shoe box, keeping the storage box they were in to put all the spare stationery and notebooks.

@Vinorosso74 sounds positive to reduce the paperwork. I think we are done with that just about. We do still have several crates with kids school work though. That might be a useful task later in the summer holiday.
Rest of the school uniform sorted to take into school before new term.

Gah I haven't done the school jumpers yet. Really need to do that before the school closes for summer. DC has grown loads and I think I need to get a bunch of new stuff before September.

Took advantage (?) of the rain today and we used up several small craft bits, like an origami set, some stickers, a sticker book, make your own butterfly etc so we can get rid of those now. Also donated a few new items which was good

Out this week:
One brand new water bottle, still in box, donated
Book
Big magazine (like a book)
Broken cat toy
Expired mozzie spray
4 craft items
Small kids toy, broken
1 digital declension in photos

11+876=887