Decluttering thread 10 - Spring is here, time to get those surfaces clear!

[TidyClutterIsStillClutter]

thread 9 is full, and I can’t find a new thread. Can anyone point me to thread 10?
tia

Charity shop: 2x bags, shoes, skirt, top, 2x trousers

Bin / recycling: socks, 12x expired fridge food, pants, 2x coat hangers, storage jar

Vinted/sold locally: skirt

Total 1242

Last week proved much busier than I had anticipated, and I concentrated on getting organised and having some kind of routine.

Emotional paperwork: Teens’ school and health I keep everything very carefully filed and labelled. Anything current stays in a different file on a cupboard shelf. I transfer all dates into a paper diary as we get such a mix of texts, emails, and letters. Usually writing things down helps me remember them better.

Adult DCs took what mattered to them, and left behind anything they no longer were interested in.
I’ve kept a few of their school
jotters and reports which clearly show challenges that were consistently ignored by schools. It helps me keep an eye open for similar situations arising in the Teens.

I’ve kept - and filed - every piece of paper and all the photos of DH’s work and all the business tax we paid. I keep every personal bank statement and credit card statement. I don’t think it’s very healthy to be so distrustful, but it’s the best I can do.

No real decluttering, but yesterday I took the collection of DD’s artwork off the fridge (mostly c. 2021-22), cleaned the front of the fridge, and only put back the fridge magnet collection and useful stuff (the shopping list board, a bottle opener). I’ve been meaning to do this for a while but it was prompted by wanting to find a spot for a fridge magnet I got on holiday! The artwork has been added to the artwork stash.

I also put away the various packs of painkillers and lemsip that had been left out after the most recent bouts of illnesses.

I went through the most recent bag of decluttered clothes and decided most of them could go on Vinted (could do with the money!), but pulled out three items that probably wouldn’t sell and dropped them off at the charity bank on the way to school. A couple of new charity banks have appeared nearby as we live in a student area and it’s the end of term, so the council arranges for them to be placed here to reduce stuff being dumped. Trying to make the most of them while they’re nearby.

And this morning DH finally took the large bag of books that we agreed to donate at Xmas to the library near his office to be donated. To be fair to him, it needed a day where he wasn’t walking or cycling to work - it’s a big bag for life that’s full of books!

Two pairs of saggy knickers.
Total is 2563

W/E 08/06 (Week 23)
2025 – (760 + 55 = 815) = 1210 to go

A productive week...

Digital
17 email folders checked and deleted or archived, drafts folder emptied = 18

Stuff used up and not replaced
Leave in conditioner, notepad, tissue paper, scented candle = 4

Recycled/binned
Bag of rubble x 2, bag of cement, coving, large planters x 2, large plastic bags x 3 = 9

Charity shop
Oven gloves, curtain fittings, dresses x 2, hat x 2, jeans x 2, boots, pyjamas, coat, totebag, pair of curtains, fleece = 14

Vinted
10 sold and posted, more added.

Out

a pair of sunglasses

total 622

Twenty-two children’s books set aside for donation.

Eight 2-litre milk cartons into recycling bin. There’s no water supply to the garage, so we use the cartons to get water up there for washing cars, making up weedkiller, etc, but then go to the carwash and let the weeds grow.

A little area in the bathroom sorted and a couple of bottles chucked away. Little sorts is all I’m up to at the moment!

Finding it hard but trying to be ruthless because we need some space back. Filled up the rest of a bag for donations today.

Hoodie
Knit top

Skirt
Wrap dress
Jumper dress
Shirt
Gillet

Total is 2570

just an old sock hanger which I kept because I thought I’d use the pegs but I took them all off, gave them to school for their washing lines they use for kids’ art work and binned the broken plastic

total 623

Shredded a pile of paperwork relating to my volunteer role yesterday, which I’ll count as one item. I was working from home so did a few pages here and there through the day.

Still very happy with the front of my fridge looking nice and clear. Next task will be to clear the top of the fridge which is a dumping ground. Then I’ll need to get DH to pull it out so I can hoover behind it - can’t remember the last time that was done!

Started in the office and filled two box files full for shredding, filled another bag of random paper, ousted numerous empty equipment boxes, been thoroughly ruthless, ended up ousting lots of old flavoured tea bags whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Determined to halve the contents of every cupboard during this next year.

Crop top
Blazer X2
Hoodie
Pile of college paperwork

Total is 3575

Had planned to purchase a sock hanger to dry smaller items outside, your post has helped me to decide against it.

Recycled a Breville hot drinks maker.
Dropped 2 bags of books off at the charity shop.
Recycled huge amount of paper resources no longer needed in work. Still mountains to go.

Bagged up

• unworn tagged dress bought in 2022
• unworn tagged stylish dungarees bought 2024
• worn twice (once as part of a costume) humongous M&S denim maxi dress
• cream trenchcoat worn twice gone out of style
• 2 x loved dresses that had seen better days
• 2 scarves that were gifted and worn rarely
• one woolen cape, loved but not worn in years
• one pair of worn jeans
• one bridesmaid dress

Need to drop off clothing tomorrow or I will find it hard not to take things back but purchased new items for my return to work and must make space.

Have purchased an expanding accordian style folder and a suspension file holder and am going to streamline how I store paper resources at work and get rid of items I never use or keep making multiples of as I can't find them when I need them.

Thanks for the motivation to keep going everyone!

this week i have broken a pyrex dish that i really liked - it was just the right size and had a lid.... so super useful.

and another wine glass has gone. we are now down to 2. will really need to buy some more soon.

also threw away my period underwear. i'm on medication following my cancer treatment which has stopped my periods. so no need for this anymore!

OK, I've been a bit quiet but I was consistent with decluttering one kids' book a day for ages! Every night at DC bedtime I'd pick out one book I knew we no longer liked/read, and I now have a bag full! They are mainly baby board books, and one day I chose a set of 10 slim books in a box, so bag is now quite heavy. This morning I chose a book from our bookshelf that was a duplicate, so bag is almost at splitting stage so will drop off at the charity shop at lunch time. Feeling very pleased.

So days 153 to day 163 - a kids' book daily
Day 164 (today) - book from my bookshelf

All the kids books fit in the allocated area (for now, at least)

Outs:

2 pairs of kids’ winter pyjamas which will be too small by November time when needed
a pair of trousers

total outs 626

Two outs during the week: a pair of DD’s leggings that she doesn’t want to wear anymore (Vinted bag), and a pair of tights with a hole in them (fabric recycling bag).

Day 165 declutter - a hotel shower gel from dh stash used up

Relisted a load of stuff on vinted that hadn't sold and had success!

Sold: shoes, shorts, 3x dress, 2x tshirt, jacket, 2x blouse, waistcoat

Total 1253

cleared out all of my DIY stuff. Got rid of around 10 boxes of screws, old fittings, bits and bobs etc

Total outs: 636

Emptied a whole cupboard that was full of stuff from when we moved in many years ago and only put back less than half. The rest either went on eBay or is in a charity pile. Feeling pleased. Sold two items already.

Two dresses and a skirt that don't match my current style, plus an empty college ring binder.

Total is 3579

I tidied and cleaned the area next to my bed including bedside table throwing out some rubbish and putting a couple of hand made cards from my son on display on our 'art wall'.

Identified other 'micro areas' to tackle but been a really busy week so not made much progress, have hope for tomorrow though.

Organised two areas that were jumbled up. Now got autumn clothes in one place and winter clothes in another.

A few more bits gone:

Skirt with a rip
Top I don't like
Shirt I don't like

Total is 3582