All I Want for Christmas is a tidy house - Decluttering thread 9

[Pigtailsandall]

New thread!
Hope you all find this! It's not letting me tag people..

I’m assuming you are in the U.K…. Usually the council has a collection service for bulky stuff like furniture that’s cheaper than that? Especially if you have a few things or can go in with some neighbours.

My council actually does it for free but won't take it from inside the house.

Day 10 of 31 days of decluttering: 9 Christmas themed colouring books and activity books taken off DD’s bookshelves. They are mostly unused, and I’ve put them in the bad of Xmas stuff in the bottom of the wardrobe, with a reminder in my phone to donate them in November - I’m assuming no charity collection would want them right now!

Today I got rid of 23 items of small toys my kids no longer played with. Dd actually came home and played with her toys properly because there were less.

Also our are

Tatty joggers
Shrunken dress
Worn out pyjama top

Total for the year is 78

These leggings were recommended on here so I bought. And I love. So soft and comfortable. High enough waist that it doesn't ride down or fold over either.

Stuff has been collected by charity.

I still have things to do. Need to sort out travel memorabilia. I'm thinking about putting some of it into albums.

Need to put up the blinds - maybe this weekend.

Then I need to start on the Spring cleaning 🙄

Have you got a link or a name please. I could also do with a couple of pairs of soft leggings for in the house. I’ll get rid of something to make up for the in I promise

Set of plastic wine glasses recycled
6 items of clothing to a friend
1 item sold on Vinted
2 items into charity bag

total outs = 84

Link pretty please 😁 worryingly I can't located the baggy leggings so either they now fit or they will fall down again in Sainsbury's.

Sorry I’m only half caught up with posts, but these are the MN leggings I have been buying. Surprisingly warm when it’s cold and
cool when it’s warm. They are fine if you chuck them through the washer/dryer. Price means you can just replace when needed (so far not too often for me).

amzn.eu/d/3RqMKAG

I just need to find something a bit like this but in a slightly wider trouser-like shape.

The council charges £10 here for each large item they collect. Don't pay £80 for disposal! Phone the council and book in a collection.

Pretty much nobody wants second hand sofas so don't expect to be able to even give it away, if anyone wants it and will collect then take them up on their offer regardless if what it is.

Don't offer to deliver it yourself unless they've already paid you for it. You don't want people deciding when it arrives that it isn't quite what they want and refusing it.

Today's outs-

One half used candle I can't stand the smell of
One shrunken jumper
One too small joggers

Total is 3110

Day 11 of 31 days of decluttering (yesterday): DH took a pair of his old work boots and an old pair of slippers to be recycled (at Schuh - you get a £5 off voucher for every pair recycled), and I put another book in the charity bag. The boots have been hanging around in our bedroom for about a year, so that felt like a real achievement!

2025 decluttering
W/E 12/01
2025 – 61 = 1964 to go

I did a surface declutter, room by room, before Christmas, and now I'm starting the really deep dive. We may move house in the next couple of years and I don't want to have to do things in a rush (or pay to pack and move rubbish) so clearing out unnecessary stuff now seems sensible and it will leave me feeling lighter and more in control.

In the kitchen there are 39 kitchen cupboards and drawers, along with the pantry and the triple dresser. We don't lack storage, just have too much stuff! Stationery and paperwork was spread around at least four locations in there, due to me using the kitchen as my office until I retired so I started with that. 12 cupboards/drawers now done; trying to do at least one a day this month.

Stationery etc is now all in one location and tucked away in two labelled organisers inside a dresser, so not only now out of sight but easy to find everything when looking for a particular item. Now I can see it all in one place I don't think I will ever need to buy stationery of any sort for many years! Having said that, there is still some stuff in the study (past diaries and notebooks mainly) but I will get to that later.

As to target, well, if this past few days is anything to go by, 2025 items does seem doable. Divided over 50 weeks, then 40 items a week plus a handful more is how I will break it down.
So, I have been counting, and so far for this week it's 60+ items. This includes things such as paperwork (shredded and binned) counted as one item, otherwise I would probably be at target already!

Broken/unusable: scissors x 2, torch, highlighter, tape dispenser, tippex x 2, box cutter, address book x 2, business cards, lanyard, envelopes, pens x 2, breath spray.
Recycling bin: shredded paperwork, recipes, magazines, Christmas catalogues, receipts, leaflets, calendars x 2, Christmas cards, birthday cards, fabric lid, expired coupons, non-reusable packaging, candle holders x 2.
Recycling centre: empty boxes from loft x 4, Christmas tree, batteries x 24 (from fairly lights), cake tin, foam packaging.
Charity shop: accumulating in a box in the study. I'll count it when it leaves the house.

I have probably missed some as I haven't made a note of everything that went in the bin but it's good enough and you will probably have expired of boredom if you got this far anyway :-)

IDareSay that sounds amazing work in the kitchen. Trouble with having so much storage is that it is very easy to fill it up. Thinking of my own attic room cupboards here.
More books and DVDs and a slanket I was given at Christmas to start the next charity bag. Slanket is a great idea but is a teddy bear type fleece and doesn’t feel right to me.

I forgot to post yesterday...

Day 11 - vitamin c serum used up
Day 12 - kids book

My beauty stash is looking really empty and I'm a bit anxious (although objectively there's still loads)

Few bits listed on eBay too

One sleep mask gone. Total is 3111

Christmas craft kit
Travel size conditioner

Total: 64

Slow progress at the moment

84

daughter cleared out a drawer of ‘artwork’ - I’ll
class that as one item!
1 game given away
sold an item on Vinted
gave away a too-small hat
also sorted daughter’s multiple craft boxes into 2 but doesn’t count as an out, just much tidier!

total = 88

Decluttered the last box of Celebrations and recycled the box! Finished a box and gave it to someone else to read.
I'm finding it is easier to clean the areas I have fully decluttered and it is motivating me to make faster decisions.

Have 5 boxes of DVDs and books that should have been picked up last week on 3 separate days. Infuriating!

It is very infuriating when they do not pick up!

Finally taken down the tree. Trying to bring a little order into the Christmas packing away. A few little bits and broken pieces for the bin. Using a rather clever winding up thing to hopefully avoid tangled lights next year and a few new / better boxes. I love Christmas, it just needs to be manageable!

Up to 46, not counting the Christmas bits.

Decluttered a disproportionate amount of Christmas food over the weekend. Starting to feel like I need to declutter a couple of stone from around my middle.

Day 12 of 31 days of decluttering (yesterday): Another pair of outgrown leggings from DD’s clothes, and I shredded some more of my mum’s paperwork, which I’ll count as one item.

Also put the big roasting tin (which only gets used at Xmas) away in the top of the dining room cupboards - have to get DH to do this as I can’t reach it, even standing on a chair!

Hello all, joining in if that’s ok.

I decluttered a lot last year when we decorated some rooms so I don’t have a numerical target to get rid off so will just count as I go along.

I’m aiming this year to use up stuff I have before buying more (makeup, shower gels, shampoos etc) and reduce this a lot and do a digital declutter of sorting photos and deleting old documents and stuff.

also need to go through my uni work from 20 years ago - I haven’t looked at it for years, I don’t use or need it but for some reason I’m finding it hard to throw out. So I’m going to go through it and scan some of it then chuck the rest (at some point!).

for now, January progress for throwing out/recycling/selling is:
-3 boxes/bags that jewellery came in
-30+ old cards
-11 textbooks
-1 notebook
-3 sets of old notes
-mini flowerpot
-10 magazines
-cardboard box dividers
-1 Xmas box
-4 lots of makeup
-5 items sold on vinted
-candle
-candle lids x 2
-2024 diary

Total = 42