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.

Second skip wasn't delivered until Saturday at 7am but I spent Friday pulling things out and putting them closer to where the skip would be and then loaded it last night. I can empathise with the wasp sting as I've currently two huge horsefly bite lumps on my legs driving me mad, night time is the worst.

Items disposed of:
Garden table top
Sgl bed wood x 2
Divan bed bases 1 dbl
Lazy spa
Lollipop fence parts
Wheelbarrow rusted, burst tyre
Chicken feed
Metal bucket
Mesh fabric
Chicken feeders x 3
Macrame plant holder
Wind chimes
Sprayer small
Back gate
Fence panels
Ripped bag of concrete
Gas barbecue small and cover
Mdf shelves
Tiles
Roof felt
Black shoes
Plastic dog bed
Exercise bike
Metal picnic bench small
Plastic A1 folder
Halloween decoration..damaged by pests
Chimney cowl
Metal post holder
Fire brush
Furniture dust cloth
Rusted ladder
Gutter lengths
Old blue rope
Parasol cover bag
Old trowl fork
Rusted plaster trowel
Rusted, broken garden shears
3 twist on painting poles
Wooden garden tool handle
Rail ends 2
Christmas Stop here sign

Wooden battens - tonne bag worth that were lined up for skip have been reclaimed by my father to be gifted to the person who gifted them to him in the first place so back into storage they go. Frustrating to say the least.

V disappointed to find the hallowe'en decoration destroyed as I have stored all my Xmas and Hallowe'en items in plastic tubs but that one had a flip lid that had raised slightly. Feel like it all needs to go as they could have soiled everything and I can't bring them into the house then.

Sounds like a lot done I know and it is helping but unfortunately it is only the tip of the iceberg in my situation and my energies will be elsewhere after this week. Hopefully be able to go slow and steady and still make progress.

We are going to a local garden for the day. But I'm going to count the items hanging off my wardrobes and the next task will be getting rid of that many clothes. 57 items! I'm still planning on doing a massive Vinted upload and then spotlight

It's been ages since I last joined in.

Today I went to the tip. I love going there.

I recycled:
Two massive sacks of glass jars and bottles. Joyful.
Three huge cardboard boxes.
A (small) bag of batteries
Two large, broken plastic boxes
A large bag of fabric scraps that I couldn't find a use for

And flung one bag worth of assorted junk into the general waste bin.

Yesterday DH took a large bag of his clothes to the clothes recycling, along with another bag of outgrown kids shoes.

I feel like a little weight has lifted again.

Sold one of the items I put on Vinted (already counted)

outs:

a lipstick
an old candle used up
set of 3 books
some kids’ tattoos
a keying
a kids’ toy - charity

Total for year 800

Well done all!

My day 222 declutter was a small Duplo set, sold and posted on Vinted. I'm going through DC school stuff later in the week too. There are definitely some too-stained tops in there, but also size 5-6 is looking too small now so going to get rid of everything in that age category. I think there'll also be some long pj's which, by the time it'll be cold enough for those, will be too small.

Sold 3 items on eBay so they're packed & ready to go. Eyeing up the junk pile at the back corner of the garden & spotted things to dump or donate but the wasps are on patrol as nesting near there so will wait it out until they go. Made a wasp trap out of an old water bottle but they're not falling for it! Ker-knackered old ornament & homeless plastic lids binned & recycled.

black cat count however you like. I'm counting each thing because of a deep curiosity about how many items are in here that I don't need. Others are counting each bagfull out as one. Some aren't counting at all. Most seem to be resetting their counter each January 1st (I'm not) and some are setting themselves declutter challenges or targets to meet. Use the thread however it suits you.

what I can’t get my head round is what do I actually keep, how do I know if I’ll need that random bit of downpipe, that electrical blanking plate, various bit of plumbing pipe and countless nuts and bolts in numerous boxes.

Has it happened my experience of my junk cupboard (which is a smaller version of your shed) is that I wait a year or two, realise I've not needed xyz and can't think of a situation where I would in the foreseeable future, then declutter it. So I recommend doing a regular pass through of it at intervals, perhaps annually in summer? Also sometimes things percolate in my brain for a few weeks before I finally make a decision to get rid. I say don't overthink it. You've done some, that's good enough, if you're overwhelmed then stop for now and move on to something else. Congratulations on the sales too 🎉

Ouch cherry! 🐝

Out today:

One bobbled top that didn't survive the wash, shame because I liked it.
One random skirt that weirdly and specifically feels like me trying to be a grown up in the '90s.
One dress that's hard to get on and off.
One empty box.
One bag.
Two whatsits that belong to some long gone washing machine soap drawer.
Twelve keys.
One inside of a door handle.
Five padlocks.
One broken keyring.
Four plastic somethings.
One really expensive bicycle lock stolen from my porch (I can guess who by 🤬)

3lbs of fat 😁 (but I'm not counting that)

Total is 3811

Today I tackled the big bathroom cupboard, reorganised everything, and sent a big pile to recycling. Next, a big pile of expired medicines now need to go to the pharmacy.

A bit more:

2 pairs of broken shoes
1 dress that's a bit tight
4 odd earrings whose pairs are long gone

Total is 3818

Day 223 declutter, new towel. Was a gift we didn't like, and I considered using it for a bit but on the end it's better to donate it with the tags attached.

Thanks for the welcome.

The equivalent of two more bin bags have gone either in the dustbin or recycling (TBF one was from DC1 who is sorting their bedroom).

Some old meds have been bagged up ready to take to the pharmacy.

I have a carrier bag of old clothes for the clothing bank.

I have started a list of things to either sell or donate.

A bulky waste collection has been booked for the old sofa cluttering up the garage.

So I'm giving myself 2 more for the stuff that's actually gone and hopefully a few more in the coming days or weeks.

Woke up early to the sound of a 'kerching' eBay sale, that's a pair of partners nearly new but too tight trainers in the box posted & gone plus copious wrapping. Just sold some toiletries as well so will post tomorrow. Unfortunately my Womble/hoarder traits kicked in today, someone had dumped a new mop bucket at the top of my road with a pile of other junk so brought it back as it might come in handy for outside stuff 😂🙄 Yeah I know!!

Outs

3 items in charity bag
1 item sold on Vinted (not previously counted)
2 school polo shirts

total 806

W/E 10/08 (Week 32)
2025 – (1307 + 43 = 1350) = 675 to go

Digital
Memory stick cleared (they keep popping up all over the house and even in coat pockets!), August 25 photos saved or deleted = 2

Stuff used up and not replaced
Notebook, lighter, pen, propelling pencil, puzzle book, hair spray = 6

Recycled/binned
Broken champagne flute 🙁, tatty tea towels x 6, broken dog toys x 3, reading glasses x 3, pair socks x 2, pants x 2 = 17

Charity shop
Coat, DH fleece, DH polo shirts x 2, DH trousers, hats x 3, ornaments x 2, scarf = 11

Vinted
7 (that takes my total for Vinted up to 99!)

I'm trying to get in the zone! I've been tackling old cosmetics and bathroom products today. I've binned a few things, found a place for others, and am going to list a couple of giant packs of bath bombs that I know will never get used.

More stuff has gone on Vinted. Once I have listed my nicer things I'm going to do a spotlight. But I'm already fed up with it.

I'm fed up with myself too doing massive clear outs. Why can't I get rid of say a bag for life weekly rather than five bin bags in one go?

The reality is I just don't work that way so I should just be happy it goes eventually

Day 224, decluttered an easel. I would like to paint again one day, but this was a table-top easel and if I take up painting again, I'd get a standing one.

I’m setting a timer for 5 mins a day to help my bedroom stay tidy. Today I’ve thrown out a couple of bits of paper and I used that 5 minutes to move things to other parts of the house. It is less messy.

i am also throwing out a towel that ex mil law gave me about 15 years ago that is as rough as sandpaper!

catch up for a month or so14 x craft supplies, various paperwork, pictures, maps leaflets cards etc, 35, pair binoculars sunglasses 2 coat hangers 2 bottles a purse, 20 covid masks and 4 books so 78 items total for year 175
( but i did do 2024 items in 2024)

An item from DH’s shed was collected for free by a young man who was keen to have it (and mend part of it). I found we have a local ‘free before the tip’ fb page and have passed on a few things via it now.

slowly moving over a few fbmp for sale items that aren’t moving and are too good to go to the tip, hope to oust a few more things by the weekend.

4 more things out charity today along with four bin bags I had already counted. Sold some things on Vinted finally as well

Dd leggings, dd skirt. Dd long sleeve tshirt and Dd trousers. She tried to insist she still wore them, until I pointed out the skirt still the charity shop lable in from when I bought it. The leggings was too short and she has THREE pairs of new Nike ones. She never wears long sleeve tshirts. The trousers was party type Zara ones and she wears causal to parties now and the waist ties was frayed anyway. None had been worn in the last few months.

Being questioned about getting rid made me anxious but I know they could go.

She bought a bag of fidget toys, a ginormous stuffed rabbit and I got a colander for ds for uni, a sort your life out note book. So not great but not four bin bags worth back in.

Hello everyone I haven’t posted in ages for a variety of reasons. Decluttering efforts have slowed a lot. It’s nice to find my way back to you all.

We still have loads of lego waiting to be sorted then sold/passed on somehow 🙄. Bookshelves are a lot less crammed but still very full.

In recent weeks I have tackled the home study lots of folders emptied and contents shredded or recycled. My aim is to take down the very functional shelving that was here when we moved in redecorate and find alternative storage. The aim is to not have to blur the background when I am on a TEAMS meeting 🤣

sold and posted 3 items on Vinted
got rid of 3 tops from my wardrobe
binned a broken pencil case
threw away 4 dried up nail varnishes

total outs 817

Spent 7 minutes tidying my bedroom - why haven’t I added this to my routine before?

outs to be recycled / donated
a piece of a4 paper that was laying on my floor
a belt from a dress I gave away ages ago
a second towel that mil gave me many years ago
two wires for EarPods (I have one more wire so don’t need them)
two necklaces
one hairband
a broken torch

Day 225 (yesterday) kids sandals - won't buy new now as August - we have one pair to last the rest of the summer
Day 226 - cat toy - mangled by hoover but I don't mind - it was one of those stick string ones and DC waved it about too carelessly!