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.

Yesterday - two more pairs of earbuds into the electrics pile in the garage.

Found an ancient landline phone to add to the pile.

Inspired by a pp, I’m going to be ruthless with the stuff I have advertised on Marketplace. Quite a bit of the clothing was sourced from charity shops to sell on for a profit but that hasn’t been very successful. I’ll give it another week then go through it all & decide what to donate again. Hopefully there will start to be a bit more interest in things like my Jane Norman bronze sequinned body con dress & the Fruit of the Loom Christmas t shirts which are brand new.

It feels like everyone had a good burst of energy in the summer and start of autumn and now it's all just slowly withering away! I certainly feel like that. Days at work are so busy that even one item a day seems like a lot, even though it's not. I usually forget though.

I am giving myself an easier day work-wise today as Mon-Thurs was insane. Catching up on declutters too.

Day 292, Monday, I took a set of post-it notes to the office, hoping someone can use them. That sort of stuff comes in from conferences and work trips etc so I'm trying to learn to say no.

Days 293, 294, and 295 were all electricals which DH has dropped off today! A broken mouse, a hoover charger for a hoover we no longer have, and broken bathroom scales. Very happy they are gone

Today, day 296, I finally got rid of a very deflated, cat-clawed small pouffe. It was in the corner of the living room, too saggy to sit on, and really worn out.

Trying to get into the habit again of finding a thing daily - even if I just put it in the charity shop bag.

@TidyClutterIsStillClutter i take electricals to Curry’s and some Argos’s take them too. I hate going to the dump and generally avoid it if I can.

@LR47 I’m sorry you’ve been ill. I hope you’re feeling better.

I’m making slow progress here. Just keeping constant with daily Lego organising.

Jobs:

1. Hang up framed pictures: this has now changed to critically go through the framed artwork as we’ve agreed we don’t actually want all of it? Still discussing….🙄
2. my British passport application - gather & post off documents; Documents posted, over to the Passport Office
3. DS1’s gaming, PC, Nerf, Warhammer & D&D sorted and tidied and put away into eaves cupboards
4. Portfolio work - 14 practical sign offs; waiting for next shift on Saturday, hoping crewmate will just sign them without a fuss 🤞
5. Bathroom redecoration: Mirror bought but need help hanging it, plus have framed DS1’s Navy commission which he wants hung up in there, who am I to argue!
6. Fix old parasol using YouTube video then give away; Fixed ☑️ ; contacted charity group who want it, will drop off after halfterm

Not quite outs yet:
old table listed on FB free site/may need to go to the tip
pile of clothes for DD to sell on Vinted - need to check she has time
pastry cutters on FB

Out:
708

this week couldn’t really have gone much worse but here we are on Friday going away tomorrow everything everywhere had to rush to an appointment school hasn’t fetched DD out of class😕 did manage to hit the recycling centre straight after but in my haste left a small bag by the door and was trying to go through another bag and nearly tripped over neighbours cat- he’s fine 🙏🏽
later- another broken electrical item ready for recycling centre
a whole back of possessions is going back to sibling so that’s out
enjoy everyone 😋

Still recovering so don’t have the same amount of energy as normal but I listed 5 items on eBay and 2 items on Vinted. I will
count them when they leave.

I did give away 7 of DDs hairbands that she will no longer wear so my total is

1099

I feel like the house is mostly in order. I'm sure there's more to do, but no more low hanging fruit. It is much easier to clean and put stuff away now, so my motivation to go looking for stuff we don't need has waned somewhat

But I know the loft is awful. We have plans to move in 4 years and it might take that long to sort it. There is just so much up there. DH has agreed to bring down boxes of randomness to sort through when he gets the Christmas stuff down next weekend 🤭 I've asked him to just bring a couple of boxes down every week so I don't create chaos.
DD has agreed to get rid of a fair amount of halloween decorations from the loft too

This week's outs...
Charity shop: handbag
Bin / recycling: 1 pair of socks that don't stay up, 1 sad solo sock, vest top with a hole, boxers with a hole

1753

Bunny lover if you're bothered about the money check with a cash-for-gold place for a price before advertising online. I was under the impression that gold is quite high at the moment (not that I particularly keep up with these things). I sold a 9k gold pendant for £55 15yrs ago.

Tidy clutter check if you have kerbside electricals recycling, we do here, just have to bag it separately and leave in with the plastics and metals.

Out-

Skirt with knackered elastic
Gone off face cream (manufacturing defect, lid wasn't on properly and it's looking funky in there 🤢 )
Used up face cream
Used up shampoo
Used up conditioner

Total is 4075

The pendant weighs a gram & the current price is around £35 - £39 per gram. Sold it to a lovely chap who was going to give it to his daughter for her birthday & put a photo in it.

Definitely sold my amber ring & will deliver it to the chap tomorrow - another £32 in the kitty. Will get a tenner for the Batwoman costume too.

The chap buying the ring has requested that I bring the black sequinned top that I thought I’d sold previously (he stated that size 16 is his size). So that will be another fiver.
Will ask DH if he can do some more in his office. Once it’s a bit easier to get in, I’ll sort my part of the filing cabinet. There’s a load of pillows shoved behind the door which can possibly be donated to the Salvation Army. I think if DD16 doesn’t clear the landing, I will do it today. I’ll ask her if she wants to keep any of the stuff which includes quite a pile of clothes. Also need to get one of those on the stairs storage baskets as DD & I are terrible for leaving things ready to go up & then it sits there!

Not directly a declutter post but we moved the majority of our stuff this week and we had SO much less than we did when we moved here three years ago. My partner hadn't really noticed how much I've been decluttering till he said 'where is everything!?' It's scary how much we accumulate without thinking; when I asked him to name a single thing I've got rid of, he couldn't. I can hardly remember any of it myself to be honest, which just shows how much we don't really need any of it.

I'm motivated to keep going once we get unpacked and get rid of some more clothes in particular, partly because we have ordered new bedroom furniture and I don't want to put anything that I don't love in it! Also really want to keep going with the 'one thing in, (at least) one thing out' mindset.

I have decided to donate all but my Christmas suitable Vinted stuff. Have a bag of ds13 and mine and dhs clothes to count and donate too. From now on it I might take a bag each week to the charity shop while I'm in town.

Ds has been tidying every where as he has a friend staying this week. Looks so much better

Hate time wasters! My BatWoman costume wasn’t collected. Just let people know!

Day 297 - one tube of moisturiser. It had the dregs left in it. It smelled a bit funky and I suddenly realised I had bought it 4 years ago in France.

Starting a big declutter, as we are moving to a small flat next July, after 30 years of living in large houses...
Today my sister came to help me sort my clothes. We did very well, and even moved on to books (MUCH more difficult!)
I think this thread will be very useful for keeping me going.

Things I have been trying to declutter -

1. books - trying to get things to a place where I can fit all our books
2. kids clothes - this is just such a major area of hoarding for me 😭 even having sold and given away hundreds of items
3. General little bits and bobs, and things that belong in the rubbish bin
4. Bits that need to go/be got rid of but are in perfectly good working condition, like toys, kitchen stuff, games

I have absolutely made progress in each of this, but somehow it’s just all still a little chaotic

3 tops and a shower gel. Total is 4079.

Good luck Trees it sounds daunting

I'm going to tackle more clothes today. Pack them all up for the charity shops. I want to easily close my wardrobe so possibly a harder cull needed. I'm going to focus on my smart going out stuff as I have no need for it. When I do go out it's the the pub or a chain restaurant or a cafe. I have two venues a year I dress up for. My sons speech day at school. It's his last year. So I need two smart dresses max.

Our bathroom is looking less cluttered as things have been used up.
I've sorted some winter clothes out. No outs yet but I've sorted out a few jumpers and sweatshirts for wearing at home rather than ruining better ones.

I've looked at what I actually have, and don't need to buy, that goes from thermal socks to Christmas cards!
DD is sorting her room out and there's quite a bit from there gone into rubbish or recycling.

Bits and pieces for electrics recycling pile.

Five pairs of earbuds
Two charging cables
One connector

About a dozen instruction leaflets and guarantees for things I no longer have.

DD took an instruction book and cd-rom for something she has at her flat. Also two ipad carry-straps. and a cover for an iphone.

Spent some time tidying up in my office space. Filed papers. Easier to find stuff now. Wrote up dates in diary. Feeling more in control.

Had an amazing trip to the tip today!

Two bags of “well loved” clothes gone and four more bags of crap. Even managed to ‘encourage’ my son to get shot of all the half used Lynx shower gels and hair shampoo’s. Ive also asked my work colleagues if they need blankets for pets as I’m getting shot of all the fleecy type blankets I seem to have accumulated.

And, in “Breaking News” …. I’ve investigated hiring a skip!!

Today, I’m feeling positive!

Back after a break. Previous total, 86.

This weekend I've dumped:

8 empty cardboard boxes
a whole pile of bits of paper, gone through the shredder so I suppose they only count as 1
3 takeaway trays plus lids making 6

Last week I went to the tip and chucked out:

My laptop before last
Its battery
3 charging cables for iPhone
4 light bulbs

Total so far: 120.

managed to declutter a too-small pair of pjs belonging to DS, DD’s too-small cardi and a too-small skirt
also found one item which I will use for work so will leave the house and got rid of a book I tried to read but 5 chapters in, it’s just awful

total outs 1104