Decluttering Thread 12

[TidyClutterIsStillClutter]

Whatever your speed or method, whether it’s a few shelves, a couple of boxes or entire attics, rooms, or garages, come here and share both your successes and your struggles. There’s support and commiserations, and lots of good ideas.

1 Tube hair cream
1 Swimsuit
1 Jeans beyond repair
1 Face wash
1 Face mask
1 Baggy chinos
1 Moisturiser
1 Lash kit
3 tea towels
2 broken planters
2 broken plastic games
1 load of garage junk to tip
2 bags
1 jumper

total 543

Vinted sales for me too but I have bought some things - it’s addictive! Missing decluttering so next week when I move back home, I’m going to get stuck into the kitchen cupboards & the dresser.

Well I did start on the loft, went through all the hand me down clothes that are stashed up there, brought down anything vaguely the right size. DD yes / noed it all and her draft cupboard. I'm not slightly overwhelmed by sorting it all to list / charity shop. I've made a start but right now feels like clutter.

Good luck @LadyPene - the post-sort sort is really hard!

@MarmaladeSandwich7 - you are right, shopping can be very addictive. It gives us a high that isn’t easy to go without. And shopping for more things to sell them on vinted won’t be helping your decluttering. Good luck with your kitchen cupboards -
they are usually a good place to sort as you feel the benefit quickly!

Hi everyone, I’m hopelessly overwhelmed with clutter so I’d love to join. I’d like to set a target number of things to get rid of and a limit on what comes in, obviously as my children grow they will have to have bigger clothes etc so needs to be realistic. What would you recommend as a practical in/out number?

Welcome @OrangeOctopusEyes

I’d suggest a five out, one in policy at first for children’s clothes. It gives you an incentive to declutter as you are earning more wardrobe space.

Clothes aside, perhaps aim for 20 items a day if you are really overwhelmed. It soon becomes addictive!

The key is sorting into keep, sell, donate. Work in small batches. If something is ‘keep’ it needs a permanent home. If something is ‘sell’ then get it listed and set a time limit so if it doesn’t sell it gets donated. If something is ‘donate’ then put it in a designated bag or box and plan one run a week to the charity shop. People take loads of stuff for free on Facebook marketplace.

One jumper that's itchy
One joggers too big
One body lotion used up
Total is 4364

DH removed two boxes of rusty spanners and ancient grinding discs, screws, nails etc. I had to steer him away from my stuff more than once.

I’ve slogged away at the paperwork, and reduced and burnt some personal stuff. It doesn’t physically show in terms of boxes out, but my mind is lighter now that I’m tackling it.

Otoh, dh added to it by getting an LEZ fine ☹️ ….

ed for typos

6 toy brushes
1 toy comb
1 plastic trinket box
Total is 4372

Sorry you've got a fine tidy clutter 💸

Broken alarm box
3 Expired air up pods
Empty hand wash
1 leaflet
4 belts
2 cardboard boxes
Moisturiser
6 papers
1 decor item
4 clothes in charity bag

567 total. Feel cannot get a clear run at anything and definitely getting decision fatigue!

Cleaned whiteboard marker off laminates to return to primary school asap.

sold and posted 2 items on Vinted

total outs 190

In the midst of busy work time so no great achIevements to report other than keeping on top of day to day things.
DP has been left the last of his dad's house to clear out by one of his siblings. They are getting a house clearance company in but there's stuff earmarked for charity which the collectors couldn't take and there's still stuff on shelves, in drawers and cupbords which need to go.
Got rid of a load of things today in the righful recycling places.

1 sold & sent on vinted. Everything else on there deleted & taken to the charity shop this morning. Also included some DVDs that we somehow have double of, a too small retractable but brand new dog lead I was given, a couple of coats I no longer wear ( I am bad for buying them on vinted though- trying to stop)
I did have to buy a new gi as the boy has finally grown out of his & looks a bit silly doing karate when it’s that short 😂 but was £3 on vinted for an almost new one. If I can get the stains out of his current one I’ll sell it, if not rag bag can have it.

One pair of jeans with damage to the elastic fibres into recycling.
One concealer used up, No7 and it was still awesome despite being about a decade old.
One bronzer used up.
One poor condition eye/sleep mask into recycling.
Total is 4376

I’ve gone through the cutlery drawer. Lots to go into work tomorrow (some may have come from there also! )
also gone through the medicine box. I still can’t close it but lots of out of date stuff ready to go & all the packages in the recycling. Have a sandwich bag of used up inhalers to drop off at the pharmacy when I next head that way. & a carrier bag of general rubbish from the kitchen/drawers.

Few more sales on Vinted but nothing else as still at my folks’ house. I’ve just bought another ring! Need to stop!

I put up some stuff on local facebook site and have had a few people collect items which is great. But I really failed and I bought 5 (five!) new tops the other day. I went out with a friend, and wanted a replacement white t-shirt, as well as long-sleeve t-shirt, which I got...but also 3 other tops. I did not need them and it feels completely excessive. I think I might take a step back from decluttering for a bit, and focus more on not bringing things in. I think that's the key.

So far, ins are a small wok and a chopping board DH bought (annoyingly, I don't think we needed it) and 5 tops
Outs:
Kids duvet cover, pillow case and cute pillow given away on fb
Kids trainers, ditto.
Bluey house and Bluey characters (counting as one) sold on fb
2 small plastic toys
broken melamine plate
whisk
Tote bag
2 cables, a thermostat, a light-up sword for kids, thermometer all recycled at Currys

Total ins= 76
Total outs = 172

One travel sized shampoo and conditioner each used up.
One pair of uncomfortable boots to donate.
One cardigan in the wrong colour to donate.
One pair of worn out knickers.
Total is 4381

The "ins" are definitely the problem for me too pigtails. At some point I'm going to have no unwanted items to declutter, so then I'll be bringing things in that I want only to declutter other things I still want. At that point I'm going to have to really tackle what's coming in.

I don't even know what is a normal amount of things to buy. I guess it depends on budget. I don't want to be someone who buys an entire new set of clothes and new matching home décor each season though. I possibly need to focus on upgrading other items like cheap furniture that started to break as I was putting it together and ancient tech that glitches regularly.

I've read all kinds of things like people replacing their underwear every few months, mobile phones every 2 years, I've heard of ancient electricals using tons and tons of electricity pushing people's bills up, booklice and silverfish taking up residence in papery things.

I have a tendency to buy an excess of the stuff I like most: clothes, shoes, coats, books, art supplies. Then simultaneously I'm surrounded by cheap shit that doesn't work or is falling apart and it doesn't occur to me to replace all that. I'm the type of person that will have a ten year old sofa with an arse groove in it because "it's still good" meaning it hasn't actually fallen apart completely yet. I need to shift my focus to improving my life and stop chasing instant gratitude dopamine hits.

Sold and posted 3 Vinted items

Gave 3 items to the school for the lucky dip at their fair

total outs 196

I need to get back on it. 200 things need to go this month. I want thin out dd joggers and hoodies. How many does a junior school child need?

Had a busy weekend so nothing really got done. Sold a top on vinted. Binned a bra

Total 512

Right, I'm back on it. Going to sort through shoes and list some of dds stuff. Some is only fit for the bin so might just put it in my black bin rather than go to the tip. I will see how much I can gather up.

Had a clear up in the garden and a quick pass of the shoes. Listed some bits on Vinted but might yet just donate it. Dd doesn't have a massive excess of clothes any more so I'm at peace with how much money I now spend. Before I spent a lot on her clothes, but not any more.

I didn't get rid of much in Feb, so I'm quite behind now. I want the total to be 600 by the end of this month.

Dd uggs
My slippers
Two hangers
Odd trainer
11 pegs
5 odd slippers / shoes
Cycle helmet
Ds old school shoes
Dd school shoes
Beach shoes
Skate board
4 compst bags
6 plant pots

In = 0
Out = 70

Total out 239
Total in = 24

A pair of uncomfortable boots and a novel that I've finished reading goes out today.
Total is 4383