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.

Sunshineandrainbow i would set a timer for 15 or 30 minures and tackle a small area.

then set a timer for the same amount, sit down for a cuppa.

then 15/30 mins more back at it . . . Keep going but make sure you take breaks.

I like A Slob Comes Clean's no mess decluttering method. She's on YouTube and has a blog.

Decluttering has ground to a halt here. Lost motivation. house feels too cluttered still but I've done the easy stuff (I.e. the whole house once plus outgrown kids stuff). Feel a bit lost on where to go next.

Please could I join? I think this thread would help me a lot.
What are the totals of?

@EmberAsh some people do total for the year, some do their own personal total since they started decluttering...

I've just checked mine and although low compared to others it's on target for my personal goal of letting go of 2024 items this year. I use this page to check my day number:

nsidc.org/data/user-resources/help-center/day-year-doy-calendar

So today's day number is 189, but I've let go of 205 items so far this year which is a win in my book!

Been working long shifts so not done much at all. But did the mugs at least.

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:
6 cds listed on fb - put in charity box instead
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 - DONE ✔️
pair of outgrown trainers to charity box

Out:
1026+11 mugs
= 1037

One top with too short sleeves
One old journal shredded
One hair conditioner used up

Total is 2368 (mine is items got rid of since I joined this thread which was when I started decluttering seriously)

@Realfastfoodie that sounds so difficult. Do you have an end date for the building work? I can’t remember if this is because of the flood or on top of the work being done for that. Hopefully it’ll end quickly and you’ll get back to normal.

@Sunshineandrainbow i would always advise people to start with something that would make an impact or something that isn’t emotional. So if you feel your cupboard is either then go for it! I also like to start with surfaces and crap on floor as it makes a quick impact. I hope it goes well.

@Nordicmom even sick you are a real dynamo! I hope you feel better and get to see your parents.

I have found the bits for another Lego set but it is still a massive job. I have decanted most of the bits into old takeaway cartons and Tupperwares by colour and try to do an hour a day before dc wake up.

i have also bought a little ‘confidential’ stamp so that instead of shredding every thing I can also remove confidential information with that. It’s kept on the post table so I can declutter post the day it comes in. Sometimes my shredder has mountains on it so hopefully I’ll only need the shredder for things like bank statements.

@Realfastfoodie I'm sure you'll find your mojo soon, don't worry! Building work just needs to be done with!

I have a day off and I've cleaned some areas which get dusty and cluttered easily but don't often get a look in. I feel like I've gone through the same areas a million times but theres always more!! I also condensed and put together a small box of sentimental stuff for dc.

Out today:
Cruddy baking tray
2 tarnished earrings and 1 necklace
User manual
Pile of school art (counting as one)
Magazine
2 spice drawer items
3 birthday cards
A course workbook from a training event I went to
Small brush thingy
10 expired covid tests

25+887=912

Not sure if this is off topic but does anyone have tips for when every job leads to another, that then starts to derail the day?

Today I needed to vacuum sons room, halfway through realise the pipe for the vacuum cleaner is blocked which leads to nearly an hour long job of unblocking it!

Went to make up sons bed, to remember the mattress protector was on its last legs and so then spent 20mins searching and ordering a new one. Everything seems to take double the time or leave a trail of chaos!! 😩

@renomeno no real tips but I hear you. Often have a similar domino effect here. Today ive turned out a kitchen cupboard and discovered several out of date food items. Always struggling to arrange tins/jars etc so that it is easy to find what we want. Have one tall, thin larder, three shelf free standing shelf unit and deep under counter cupboards. Still we always end up with out of date or duplicated items.

@Gassylady 'the domino effect' is the perfect description, thank you. I keep telling myself it has to get worse before it gets better!

@renomeno totally get what you mean! The only advice I have would be to separate "jobs that have to be done to do what is needed" versus getting sidetracked by jobs that could be done later. So in your example, if you need to vacuum you have to unblock the hose, but could you have made a note to order the mattress protector later when you sitting having lunch/a cuppa etc?

I'm not always good at doing it but when I do it definitely helps!

Very productive day but downstairs looks like a bomb site.
Just taken 8 well filled black bags to the charity shop.
Have come home and beating myself up and feeling emotional about a newborn top I put in the bag of DD 21. Fgs, I hate this about me.

Some clip in hair extensions I never use. Total is 2369

I can’t offer any tips, only solidarity. I know exactly what you mean.

Reading with interest in case anyone else can help.

My decluttering has stalled slightly though I have “decluttered” my job of nearly 15 years, 🤣I didn’t really have the headspace for much else while I was doing that, I have sold a few items on vinted but that’s slowing down so going to divert some of them to the charity shop today.

@renomeno i agree with the domino effect and the poster that said do the things you have to but not get distracted by things that can wait (easier said than done I know I’m terrible at picking up my phone halfway through something and losing half an hour)

New poster - hoping that this will keep me motivated. This month I have got rid of:

1 pair of swim shorts to a friend
1 pair of DS pyjamas
2 wooden pallets / hosepipe
big bag of plant pots for school outdoor classroom
spot the difference book to school learning mentor
spare pants and socks to FS at school
sold 4 pairs of DS’ shorts on vinted
Filed paperwork and shredded carrier bag full
huge photograph cull and printed some / had canvasses made
1 huge paddling pool given away
kids’ trampoline given away

total this month: 11

Had a small flurry of sales of Vinted and sold 13 things.

Totals are

Total for 24
1021 out
88 in

I have bought some 6th form clothes for ds so I need to get rid of his school uniform so this month's high in are due to that

@renomeno any house/garden jobs seem to be a buy 1, get 6 free!!!

3 bin bags donated to local baby charity. It was stuff sorted already, was waiting for their donation day.
Currently organising miscellaneous bits in the garage so that is slow and tedious work. Will be good once it is done.

evening all, it has been ages since I posted but I am still decluttering. I’m up to 1833 for the year which I am really pleased about, it is higher but I’m not logging everything.

today I donated a hamper, pirate masks left over from a kids party and some old costume jewellery to a school for a pirate themed event. I knew o was holding onto those masks for a reason 😂

im being good about giving away baby stuff as my youngest put grows it. My eldest has also been motivated and had a massive clear out of clothes and toys in her room. So much so I had to bite my lip as I wasn’t ready for her to give some of the stuff up even though she doesn’t play with or wear it any more.

i recently stopped breast feeding my 1 year old and got him into a proper bedtime routine so feel like I am slowly coming out of that tired fog (although he still wakes during the night but not as much).

Hope everyone’s journey is going well.

A successful day here, but it feels like I’m wading through treacle! Did a huge run of errands, managed to drop off two big ziploc bags full of old medicines - one of which I’ve been meaning to take since we moved to this house last year! Also sold 2 bits on Vinted so sent those off today, and some bits for the bin, total of 50 items out of the house today! Went through one of the bathroom cupboards for my toss app prompt, which didn’t yield much to throw away but reminded me how many backups of things we have, so have moved some things into the main bathroom to actually be used!

Unfortunately DP has things stored at his parents house, and a storage unit which I’m dreading clearing! Have been trying to make inroads in the house so it can actually be moved here but it’s depressing that once I do clear space it’ll be filled with more to sort!! His parents have had a bad mould problem in part of the house, and we brought a boot load of things back from there this weekend. There’s a chair which has come over that reeks of damp, but DP thinks it’s fine and just “smells of loft”. It’s an ugly chair anyway and I really don’t want it in the house, but we couldn’t see any mould on it - does anyone know if it could be mouldy but just not visibly so? We’ve got asthma in the family and young children, as well as too much stuff so the last thing I want is loads of mouldy things coming into the house!!

I have been gently working on him - we went through some of the things that had been brought over and he agreed a couple of bits could go which is something! I’ve also organised the wardrobe, so he can see how much of each item he has. I’m hoping this will mean he’s more willing to pare back a little bit.

we’re busy decorating at the moment so not going to be too much decluttering happening, and are awaiting some bigger work to start on the bathroom. Trying to keep on top of things and sort through the unfinished projects! I agree that each house job turns into 3!

@renomeno i find this!! I try and take one of two approaches: either tackle each job in full as it comes up (if it can be done there and then) so order the mattress protector etc. but if I’m doing it this way I make sure I stick with that room/space and come back to it each day until it’s fully done. At first it will be slow going but once you’ve cleared these “road blocks” everything will start to get quicker - so if you go back in your son’s room, you can hoover because the hoover is sorted, the mattress protector is ordered and can go on once it comes. I think of it as catching up on a load of overdue jobs! OR - if they aren’t urgent I put them on a big list/if physical items then they go in a box or pile and I set aside 30 minutes every day to work on things from the list/pile. If doing it this way the key is come back to the same item/job until it’s fully finished.

50 items today brings me to 337 total - so so much more to go :(

Our life just keeps on getting more and more absurd 😡!!! Not enough that DH just had Covid last week and isn’t yet better from it with his horrible migraines having gotten worse , exhausted etc ,or that I’m ill with something ,in horrible pain all over as always and nauseous as a consequence. Now DH mom who was meant to travel to see my parents with us is in hospital with a pulmonary embolism . We don’t know exactly what’s happening yet since there’s lots of clots in her lungs not just one so more tests to be done and she’s on oxygen staying in for now . It wasn’t caught right away she went to the gp with breathing difficulties end of last week and was fobbed off home with a diagnosis of probably a sprained muscle in her chest from gardening 😡turns out now by some trainee . I know she’s definitely not travelling anywhere but the rest of us are a question mark and I’ve been too unwell to pack anything today just been doing laundry etc with DD . She’s helped a lot by putting it on and into the dryer and carrying things up and down , taking deliveries in , with our lunch and breakfast and minded the dog too while both DH and DS were gone . Glad DH came home for the night we’ll have to see what happens tomorrow and about cancelling Thu repairmen possibly etc . Can’t decide about the trip until the last minute i think so I’ll have to pack regardless I guess .
I’m really nearing the end of my tether with everything.

Whoever asked about the loft chair. Mould spores are invisible and in the air long before they're visible. Plus, you don't have X ray vision so how do you know it doesn't have mould in it? It smells mouldy because it is, get rid.

18 hair accessories gone. Total is 2387

@worryingme I agree, please get rid of the chair. Especially with asthmatics.

I’m determined to make a huge effort to declutter more this summer holiday. DD came round yesterday and took away stuff that she can put on gumtree -

cot.
waterwings, goggles, flippers.
bubbles and wands.
two bags of outgrown play-clothes.
one pair of riding boots.

Into recycling trolley - two magazines and a plastic carton.

Binned - two pieces of styrofoam that I had been keeping for junk modelling that they don’t do at school anymore.

We also talked about the possibility of my spare just-in-case cardboard boxes going in the paper bin. I’ll try some of that today.

Worryingme puts it so well if its a two minute job or it is needed to finish the original task do it there and then. Otherwise keep it in mnd to complete on another occassion, think I may have to start a physical list for this kind of thing. So I have less chance of forgetting them and also the pleasure of crossing them off. @Nordicmom sorry to hear that illness is again threatening your trip to see family, totally get why you are at the end of your tether.
Two bags dropped to charity shop books, clothes, bedding and some kitchen bits as already mentioned in previous posts.