Decluttering thread 11

[TidyClutterIsStillClutter]

Whether you’re taking days or decades, whether you’re glacially slow or galloping along, please come here for inspiration, encouragement, and congratulations.

Oh god no, you need to get yourself a nice dinner set by now !

My first update since the first page of this thread! I’ve had problems accessing MN for the past few weeks (pages not loading etc) - know lots of other people have had the same issue.

DD and I continued our clear-out of the toy cupboard over August (I had the first and last week off), and I also went through old school uniform before buying the new stuff. I’m pleased to report that I decluttered 125 things in August (mainly toys), bringing my total for 2025 for 369. Most of the 125 things are out of the house, though there is a bag of smaller toys still to go.

The toy declutter was the first big declutter (emptying a whole cupboard and going through it) I’ve done for a while, and only really possible because I had that time off work. I did feel quite nostalgic about some of the things that we got rid of, but not too bad.

I also sold a pair of unused school shoes on Vinted last week, about a year after I’d put them up for sale!

I'm in Ireland with ds17. We flew Ryan air so yesterday outs?was my socks. Far too tight! Anything we buy is going into a paper bag to weigh and and going to weigh what I leave too. Brought old knackered cloths to bin.

Thankfully we didn't pack anyway. There's some really nice shops here too. We should have chosen a bigger bag for the return flight. But this is more sensible I guess. It's difficult as a former hoarder but I have been thinking "that's lovely" and walking away a lot. I saw a victorian style soap dispenser and our clockroom is victorian themed and thought that would look amazing in that downstairs loo. Ds agreed and we walked off! I did say to him that we will always go back. It's glass and heavy

@IncessantNameChanger that is great that you walked away from the soap dispenser. I have a rule that when I see something I like I don’t buy it immediately but if I go home and keep thinking about it then I’ll go back and buy it. It stops me from the impulsive decisions that I used to make. If you really love the soap dispenser it would be ok to go back for it but as long as you don’t end up with several soap dispensers and you just have one you love.

Today’s 20 minutes tidying produced the following clutter which will be chucked out/ donated / recycled
two garden chairs that I don’t need
another two chequebooks have been shredded
a box of crap like pen cartridges, paper clips
a broken pen
Four books

Ragbag - one holey sock, one pr holey knickers.

Going over a lot of paperwork, some going back ten years or more. Some went in paper bin, a lot got filed because it makes me feel safe. Although deep down I know that much of it can go once I get my head around that idea.

edited for typo.

Hi All,

checking in after a bit of a break. I decluttered MIL - she came tostay for 5 weeks....

in that time dh has also decluttered a fair bit. which is good. we did a run to the charity shop last week.

this week i've returned a few purchases to the shops.

One dress too small
One stained t-shirt
Total is 3835

I think I might go back fir the soap dispenser before we go home. I do need to be good and throw away some of the clothes I bought over. My nightie has five holes in it now. So far I want to buy a cardi and some velvet pumpkins from Dunns too. So tempting. Thank god for Ryan airs tight arse bag charging!

I always think when I'm on holiday anywhere how little you really need in life. I do think we could live in a three bed static caravan and fit in all that we need. Would love to do that. But of course I'm too scared too. But there's so little that I'm really attached to. I'd also love to do a race around the world type holiday with nothing but a backpack. Now that would be hard! 10kg is easy for 8 days

Took charity bag to the charity shop who were very grateful and said they’re receiving less and less with the increase in popularity of people selling second hand online. (People like me 🙈)

Been on maintenance de-cluttering for months, not exactly doing 1 out 1 in but consciously making sure that as soon as something is not needed / used it can go, then having occasional bigger checks of kids toys etc. I didn’t think that just with maintenance de-cluttering, I would be nearing the 1000 mark in nine months 🤯

Total this year 920

Agree Incessant if you love it and it works in your bathroom then buy it, use it and enjoy it. If you don’t love it enough then leave it where it is. Worst outcome would be love it buy it and put it away because it is too nice to use. Then stare at the one you have currently. My mother and grandmother did this sort of thing all the time 🙄

@TidyClutterIsStillClutter I had boxes of paperwork dating back to my first bank account when I was a child and I had to file and organise it before I could shred it. Logically I can see it wasted time to do it this way but it was the process I needed to follow. I have probably shredded two thirds of it, maybe more.

@lr47 I’m largely on maintenance decluttering as I have done about 95% of my house and. I think once we’ve done a sweep of the house it gets easier each time we do it. I found it so easy to chuck clothes out last week when once I’d have found that really difficult. Now that I know I never miss anything I find it really easy.

Todays 20 min tidy just made me shred some papers. I then spent an hour in the garden. I pulled off a trellis and broke it up. I also filled a garden bin full of ivy and other climbing plants.

I am feeling a glorious sense of freedom getting rid of things at the moment. I’m unpacking boxes and everything is having to “earn” its place before being put back. Some bits for the bin each time, some bits for donation each time. And my spaces are clearer and it feels more free than I ever have in this house. One room at a time but getting there.

Suddenly over the 1000 mark with a broken box in the bin, a vinted sale, giving away some clothes and some packing boxes. And I have huge bags for charity, so that’s more items I just need to get moving.

One pair of socks out yesterday as they had a hole in, and four previously counted items put on Vinted.

Two more bags ready for the charity shop. More fabric listed on Facebook. I’ve finally got my house moving date for October, which gives me a goal to work towards. I cannot wait!!

We're back from our last holiday trip and back to school! I missed a few days but making up for it now.

Day 242 was more skincare samples- think 4, and I've used up the stash now
Day 243, medicated cream
Day 244, kids shirt sold on vinted
Day 245, kids pj's sold on vinted
Day 246, 2 decorative cushion covers

Need to tackle books. I keep putting it off

Three big bags for the charity shop - but only 16 items total 🤦‍♀️

More tidying. Shredded papers and tidied away lots of stuff to other parts of the house.

Going are

• lots of papers and receipts
• 3 jigsaw puzzles
• 6 work/ presentation type binders that I don’t think I’ll use any more

i found a £10 note in a bag and a £20 gift voucher so they’re in my wallet

W/E 31/08 (Week 35)
2025 – (1485 + 24 = 1509) = 516 to go

Digital
0

Stuff used up and not replaced
Hair protect spray = 1

Recycled/binned
Broken water bottle, battered gardening hat, trainers, cracked picture frame, stained food containers x 4 = 8

Charity shop
Books x 11, game = 12

Vinted
3

Hi - I was on a couple of decluttering threads but they haven’t saved so I’m glad to hop on the end of this one! At the moment, despite lots of sorting/chucking out/ recycling/ taking stuff to charity shops, there seems to be more mess than ever. DD16 definitely doesn’t help as she has a terrible habit of piling things up really high on the landing, including clean clothes mixed up with dirty clothes. DH has cleared a space in his office for his indoor turbo bike, which is ok, but again a lot of stuff is currently dumped on the landing & in our bedroom. He has said he’ll put some of it in the loft once DD shifts her heap. Positive news - I have just finished dusting part of our room & organising some of my jewellery ( I invested in a velvet ring tray, a 2 level wooden bracelet stand & a wall mounted necklace holder from Temu). Loads more to do but it’s looking so much better already. I have brought some clothes downstairs to photograph & advertise online.

Another doorstep collection for charity is due to be picked up today :) I find it so handy!
I have made about £300 on Vinted in the past 3-4 weeks - feeling very pleased

Brilliant couple of days:

Put big bin bag out for charity to collect
sold 2 large bundles on Vinted
gave away 4 items to school at drop-off this morning

I’ll count this as 7 items but with them being bundles it feels fantastic as it’s actually quite a lot of stuff.

total outs: 927

Another 3 items gone on eBay, posted off this morning. Old pots and pans out on Wall-mart, one has been taken.

Another big push yesterday and today - charity shop, “wallmart” and giving a few things away.

42 outside wall “wallmart” -mainly toys and household
1 thing donated to food bank
1 box battery recycling
36 children’s charity shop
4 toys in bin
32 local charity shop

up to 1045 for the year and I have about 100 items put aside for the baby bank

Oh and we sold another piece of furniture (cheaply, just to get the space. Something has clicked for me, I finally get why I am getting rid of things. Space is lovely.

1046

On day 247, where's the year gone?? Few pairs of holey socks. We haven't bought socks in ages and slowly working through stash. I want to get to about 15-20 pairs of socks per person. We have had so abnormally many.