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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Is anyone just starting to declutter? Or hasn't yet.

457 replies

LushLemonTart · 15/11/2024 12:58

I know there's lots of decluttering threads but I'm just starting (again) but this time I mean business.
What's inspired you to declutter now? Mine is clearing out an elderly relative's home and realising I don't want dcs to ever have that much stuff to clear. Plus it's quite depressing having too much stuff.
Dh and I travel a lot,mainly uk, and you realise you need very little to get on in life.

I'm not going minimalist although can see the appeal.

Care to join? I won't be counting items but I will list as much as possible. I should really try and sell some stuff but cba.

OP posts:
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6
Original poster
LushLemonTart · 07/01/2025 20:35

@Jabtastic just do what suits you? All houses are different.

@Hiddenhouse sounds like you're doing well.

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Jabtastic · 07/01/2025 23:11

I've kept going this evening, partly because a joiner is coming to measure up the built in wardrobes in a couple of days. Panic is a great motivator!

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 08/01/2025 10:48

@Jabtastic oh yes absolutely. My house is tidy (to the eye) when certain people visit. Not close friends they take me as I am and likewise.

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Hoolahoophop · 09/01/2025 10:38

Planning to attempt my wardrobe this weekend, which will actually bring great joy. I have shoved so much stuff in the bottom, and hung onto so many much loved but never used clothes that you cant fit a thing in it, all the clothes are scrunched up and most are squished on top of the piles of stuff (mostly art supplies I think) having a wardrobe of clothes I actually like and want to wear hung with space in between and below so ironed and crinkle free would be amazing. Not sure what I will do with all the art and craft supplies though.

Whohasnickedthesellotape · 09/01/2025 11:51

Happy to report the understairs cupboard is now clean and tidy and the xmas decs and hoover fit in with no trouble!
Coats donated to a local charity too.

Slowly getting there!

Jabtastic · 09/01/2025 12:43

Lots of demolition upstairs. I'm tempted to do some kitchen clearing but the ice is making it hard to get rid of things I can't wait for it to be gone.

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 10/01/2025 05:20

This is all sounding amazing.

I'm tackling more clothes in the loft this weekend. It's easy access though as has a staircase.

OP posts:
Original poster
LushLemonTart · 16/01/2025 15:32

How's everyone getting on?

Took a couple of bags to the charity shop yesterday. Sold something on Facebook getting picked up today.

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Jabtastic · 16/01/2025 20:24

Still in renovation hell here which has stalled progress but when everything is finally done it will be great! You're keeping moving @LushLemonTart Smile

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 16/01/2025 22:54

@Jabtastic I hope it's done soon 🙏

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Hoolahoophop · 17/01/2025 09:59

We found a LOT of old yellow duvets and pillows in the wardrobes over the weekend. They are gone now. I really want to tackle my wardrobe this weekend, because its where i put everything that doesn't have a home!

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 17/01/2025 11:16

@Hoolahoophop well done on getting rid. I know dog rescue centres take old bedding just not pillows or duvets.
Letting go of clothes is so hard.

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Hoolahoophop · 17/01/2025 11:33

@LushLemonTart getting rid of baby clothes is my nemesis....I found about 6 under bed storage boxes of them! I don't want to let go of any. Am researching companies that will turn old baby grows into birthweight teddies. Then keep one baby grow as it is and donate the rest. But its hard. Also need to pack up my wedding dress as it has been hanging in my wardrobe since I got home from my wedding.......14 years ago!

NineteenEightyOne · 17/01/2025 12:00

Well it's been 26 days since I last posted on the thread. In 26 days I've achieved 🥁🥁🥁.....

  • decluttered my clothes and bedroom (DH still to do his side but I can't see it 🙈)
  • sorted and cleared the tupperware doom cupboard
  • various tip and charity shop runs.

Things I'm aiming to do before the 31 January (14 days).....

  • rationalise the children's clothes. Too much and some are sized out of now
  • declutter and clear DDs bedroom. Too many toys. Dedicated storage is overflowing.
  • clear a storage cupboard. So much in it. Completely unnecessary.
Fluffycloudsofmarshmallow · 17/01/2025 13:52

I'd like to join in. My reason is similar to others - had to clear out a relatives home and determined my children don't have to have such a big job of wading through my rubbish. Just in case I suddenly pop off haha. I'm planning on going through one room at a time rather than tackle jobs here and then. Having said that though my paperwork/important papers is something that I think I will tackle first and organise in case someone else has to deal with it. It's so easy to just collect loads of over the years and I'm sure a lot of it is now out of date. I've bought some folders/ files to make things easier. I have far too many clothes that I just don't wear so the charity shop will be getting several big bags!

Whohasnickedthesellotape · 17/01/2025 15:22

I have a car boot full of stuff ready for drop off at the charity shop. However the bags of books etc stacked neatly in the lounge ready to go into the cleared boot (trip 2) have had to go back where they came from as we have overnight guests due and need the lounge space back! 1 step forward - maybe half a step back until tuesday!

aintnospringchicken · 17/01/2025 15:34

I started a big de clutter last week.
My plan is to go through every single cupboard and drawer in the house . I've already got rid of two bags of clothes to charity and another bag of bobbled,faded / marked clothes.I've freed up two drawers of a large chest of drawers.
My next task is to go through my wardrobe.
The biggest task will be the kitchen cupboards where I know there are lots of items that have never seen the light of day for years and even not been used since they were gifted as a wedding present 35 yrs ago.
I remember the huge task my siblings and I had clearing out our parents house after they died and I don't want my DC to have to deal with that when I'm no longer around.

Xenia · 17/01/2025 17:01

On the baby clothes, I found my twins' - but I had only saved a few including the premature 5 pound baby baby gro of one of them which as they were born quite huge only fit for about a week) and their shawls and a shawl from the older children. I did keep a limited amount once it was washed but at least I now know where it is.

My son helped me decide how many of about 8 duvets he wanted to keep of our spares - how many spares does anyone need? I kept about 5.
I did the medicine cupboard last week - safely disposed of anything out of date.

As we had the fridge freezer hinge and then the bottom oven repaired in the last 2 weeks I used that as a time to clear the drawers below the oven, threw out some rusting oven wear and bought a bit of new although the new one from Amazon seems particularly bad quality with rust and black coming off it after a week so that was obviously a bad buy.

The two areas I would really like to tackle is not my stuff - the adult sons' many many clothes in 3+ wardrobes and 2 cupboards and their huge stocks of food mostly in tins etc but I cannot see any way those will be sorted out until they leave home. When they went to university in 2017 I got all the old foods removed.

Anyway good luck to anyone sorting out things. I had a workman yesterday mending a light in a cupboard and for the first time since we moved here I removed an annoying brass thing in that cupboard - no idea why I didn't do it years ago - had 20 years of dodging beside it. Sometimes it take an impetous like a visitor or a workman coming in or before christmas when I got all the Christmas stuff out to make me get on with things.

Fluffycloudsofmarshmallow · 17/01/2025 17:16

It's really inspiring reading all these posts and I'm sure we're all going to feel a whole lot lighter when we've finished! I'm not putting any time limit on it, just slow and carefully work my way through. I'm sure there are tins etc in my cupboards that are antiques lol.

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 17/01/2025 18:14

Good luck everyone

We'll feel much better once it's done

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Hoolahoophop · 23/01/2025 09:34

We are hoping to move in early April, so now have a deadline. Have so far completed loft, spare bedroom, kids room and main bathroom, and last weekend my wardrobe (three bin bags gone to tip and charity) Next up home office and the small bathroom. Then we begin downstairs.

Feeling confident we will get there....but leaving the garage to DH!

Jabtastic · 23/01/2025 10:00

Hoolahoophop · 23/01/2025 09:34

We are hoping to move in early April, so now have a deadline. Have so far completed loft, spare bedroom, kids room and main bathroom, and last weekend my wardrobe (three bin bags gone to tip and charity) Next up home office and the small bathroom. Then we begin downstairs.

Feeling confident we will get there....but leaving the garage to DH!

Good luck! Progress has stalled here but I have a lovely new ensuite bathroom and I am determined to keep it a minimalist haven!

Original poster
LushLemonTart · 23/01/2025 18:09

Just bagged up 3 black bags today. I was so ruthless. Put a couple of handbags on Facebook selling. Ones already sold.

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Ididntsaybanana · 26/01/2025 11:25

Hello everyone, it appears i've looked at this thread before but never posted.
Thank you everyone for the inspiration.
So far today I have cleared out a plastic drawer tower in the spare room and set it aside for garage storage. It can hold the loose screwdrivers etc.
I've also had a look through all the christmas toiletries and put the ones we won't use in a bag for the charity shop.
I've got about 6 weeks until work becomes busy again so that's my self imposed deadline for the major stuff.