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..

Exciting times River! Next thing you know you will be packing

Well, I have an vinted update. Since posting a load of stuff and paying for a wardrobe spotlight, I have sold a total of 29 things (including a Xmas bundle). So I can recommend that!

Thank-you for the welcome 😀.

I have had a busy few days but have managed to crack on with the bagging of stuff for my charity collection at the end of the month.
1-2 storage boxes with lids
3-5 huge cuddly toys
6-20 kids clothes
21-22 kids clothes to fabric recycling
23-24 kids bubble bath
25 kids lawn mower push toy
26-31 kids books
32 new cat toy
33 glass
34 kids dress up outfit
35 outgrown wellies
36-37 outgrown walking boots
38 duvet set
39-40 kids toys
41 basket
42-43 duvet sets
44-45 kids toys
46 basket
47 Easter gonk
48 - 50 kids clothes.

Ins:
1 wooly hat
2-3 kids leggings
4 Xmas jumper dress
5-6 Xmas tree decorations
7 sticker book.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

W/E 10th November
D/H has been sorting out the attic and the spare room, bringing down random things for recycling and donating. Still haven't found the DVD player he went up there to look for, but it's helpful anyway!
Have also done a factory reset on an old MacBook Air and will be posting it off to BackMarket for some cash (hopefully). Have another one to sort out and will send that off too if this one goes through as planned.

Decluttered
Bathroom

Donated
Christmas stocking
Christmas fabric
Christmas window lights (kept falling off, maybe someone else will have more luck)
Inflatable dog cone
3 x beware of dogs etc signs
Trivet
Refillable fabric advent calender
MacBook Air charger
Car air freshener
2 x plastic food storage boxes
Prescription RayBans (last worn in 2007...)
DH shirt
DH jumper

Binned
Yet more work paperwork (finding it in the oddest places)
Random dregs of toiletries.

Recycling centre
Polystyrene packaging
Electrical conduit
Empty toner cartridge

Finally got round to taking two carrier bags of outgrown uniform into school for the second-hand shop - it's only open on particular drop offs or pick ups and I always forget. Still one bag of rags to take to the recycling but the hallway is definitely looking clearer

Well done Obie.

Glad the vinted wardrobe thingy paid off RealFastFoodie

Congratulations to all those whose DH are catching the decluttering bug too.

One pair broken earrings.
Two leaflets.

Five tea lights.
One pair stained jeans.

Total is 2954

Wow @Realfastfoodie that's a fantastic result! I haven't uploaded more stuff in weeks, but today I sold two things within an hour of each other. It was only a total of £8 but they were bulky bits that were just left on a dresser so very happy to get rid of them.

I also finally shredded my old work notebook that was full - from 2023.

Year total = 1668

My day hasn't gone to plan as car needed recovery so that took all afternoon. I will start on the box of toys later

Recycled some clothes and a few cardboard toy boxes today.

Re store cupboard horrors I was half joking about having spices older than my children, but I made chilli yesterday and the cayenne pepper was BBE July 2018 which was when my youngest was born

Accidently posted on Old thread 😊 more bags taken today to charity shop. Have managed to empty donation pile so will have to start a new one. Need to get in the loft as I know there's stuff up there that can go

Can I join please? I've been going through DD's old clothes today to try and weed out the ones that are far too small. I've cleared the trouser drawer and am on my way with the jumpers.

I did a bit of delcuttering today even though I've been feeling jittery all day.
Toddlers old jumper why am I keeping this for hand me downs out it went
DDs spare school jumper faded and thinned out from use
Bobbly scarf that made me feel disgusting wearing it
A whole bag of random toys causing me so much anxiety baby toys, small bits and pieces, pop it thingy....

Felt like a mm of an accomplishment rather than a metre but hopefully more to go

I need help and theraphy but for what I don't know I have anxiety and grew up with hoarders who didn't care about me or my needs...

@SydneyCarton I really triggered myself with old spices not the after shave lol think due date/trying for natural birth/trauma etc 🥺 sometimes decluttering isn't great😮‍💨
not done much myself but our black bin wasn't even full so definitely less coming through the house

@@heartbroken22

Hoarding is a very misunderstood condition isn't it , unless you live with it (either as a sufferer or someone who is an unwilling onlooker ) it is hard to grasp .
My Mum was (and still is ) a hoarder , I think from her childhood - she grew up with rationing after WW2 so nothing was thrown out .
Her Mum (my Nana) was very clever with sewing and mending which I think Mum looks back on fondly .
All through my childhood and later as an adult , the house was so untidy as she had clutter that she wouldn't dream of parting with. She started doing things but left half done .
She sewed my clothes and even worse , took clothes I bought to "fix" so I never saw them again.

The title of this thread "All I want for Christmas is a tidy house" was her 100%
But she didn't want to tidy . She wanted us (Brlo/Sis/Me) to tidy .
But we weren't allowed to throw anything out .

It got easier when her and Dad were older as I could get him to help me ship things out , but he was a bit of an enabler !
For her mobility safety I got rid of things but it was so tough , you cannot just remove a hoarders' belongings . It was more "You have 4 skirts you don't wear . You look best in these 2 . Shall we put these ones in the Charity Shop ?"
Bargaining .

I notice my DS is a bit like this but I;m really strict with him, otherwise he'd be wading through rubbish .

I am not tidy by any means but try to keep my head above the parapet .

I have a couple of jumpers and handbags to go out , they can go next week.

My personal rule is if I would buy this then put it in the Charity Shop.
If I 'd wear it then it;ll go in a collection bag (if it's not sellable)
Anything else goes in textile recycle .

Hoarding is definitely complex and very often based in trauma. You need self awareness first and most never get to that point.

My DH asked me today what I wanted for Xmas. I couldn't think of anything so said a person to come and declutter my home and deep clean it. He sighed and said I could order a skip and he'd have a go at sorting out the garage and conservatory. I've booked the skip before he changes his mind.

And a cover so your skip doesn't dispense it's rubbish into your neighbours gardens carer

Can you tell I;ve had trouble with this ?

I tend to do short bursts of decluttering but am gradually finding my house again! Some things I have done recently include:-
Clearing DD’s stuff off the landing/banisters
Sorting out a few carrier bags/piles in the lounge
Clearing the kitchen table (although it’s disappearing again!)
Loading the boot with bags for the charity shop
Assembling a pile of clothes to be photographed for Vinted & advertising some bits on Facebook Marketplace - might give up on FB though as some things have been on there for ages with very little interest.

Plumbing problems mesnt dmptying two rooms, buckets snd towels everywhere. Emphasised for me the extent of the clutter problem when I had to shift so much stuff. My perspective is changing.

For donation - more outgrown school shirts and other kids’ clothes.

DS visited and sorted through the last of his clothes. Some may be donated at a later date. At least it’s now one thing less I need to remind him about.

Binned - bag of pets’ toys and aquarium pumps from garage.

Ragbag - several items beyond repair.

I’ve just come across this thread for the first time and I love it! Having a decluttered house is on my goal list for Christmas and it’s so motivating to read what you’re all doing!

I started Vinted recently and have sold nearly 75 items. This included a good few bulky things like a baby rocker, snow boots, snow suits etc. It’s slowed down a lot this week, not sure if it’s the lead up to Christmas or that I’ve sold all my best options!

Today I sent a shopping bag full of treats in for the school raffle and returned a huge bag of library books - not sure if either of those count as I bought the treats especially and the library books were always going back but I enjoyed seeing them off! I also filled a black bag with paper which I’ll recycle when the bins are emptied.

I’ve big plans for the weekend and will probably manage none of them as I’ve 3 kids under 6. By the time they go to bed I’m ready to recycle myself never mind the house 🤣

Welcome to the thread Jane and BrokenHearts

One CD out today.
Total is 2955

I'm so behind my target 🤯 I did clean the bathroom drawer last night and DH is happy to let go of an ancient electric shaver. Few more things out:
Sheet of music
4 more of those blasted tealights from bathroom drawer
Bag of shower curtain rings
2 magazines recycled
A small souvenir from seaside I hated

Total is 1678. Need to list some more vinted stuff and climb to the loft...

1678 is amazing! I've got about 4 big bags of stuff and a pile of cardboard down the side of the house, as well as an old fridge/freezer, and I'm thinking of doing a run to the recycling centre today.