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.

We’ve just had a week of illness (DH recovered just in time for me to start feeling ill), so the only decluttering was another 3 pairs of outgrown leggings at the start of the week. This means that six pairs of leggings have gone out to balance the six new pairs of leggings coming in to the house. I also haven’t bought anything new this week.

DH, however, has bought a new bike to commute to work, but as that lives in the shed, I’m not counting it.

I've swapped my wardrobe to summer clothes today and taken out a amount of things along the way. I have a huge pile to list on vinted and a smaller pile for the charity shop

Charity shop: 1 picture frame, trainers, hoodie, top, shirt, leggings
Bin / recycling: bra

Total:648

1 x anti lint thingy that was shedding it's own lint onto me!
2 x jumpers I don't need
1 x dress I don't need
1 x pair boots I never wear
1 x jeans a bit tight
1 x trousers too big
1 x jacket that's either too hot or too cold and never quite right.
Total is 4496

Tiny decluttering project today - just going through all our pens and pencils. I expect quite a few can go.

10 x ballet flats shoes, they don't suit my feet
1 x jeans that don't fit
1 x shirt I never wear
1 x leggings too tight
1 x shorts too tight
1 x sweatshirt I never wear
Total is 4511

Sold a book & a dress on Vinted.

Another out today - one outgrown hoodie into the charity bag. I also sold an old coat on Vinted yesterday and posted it today. I’d already counted it as an out, but now it’s actually out of the house and I’ve used up some packaging I’d been keeping as well.

This brings the total outs in March to 26, and the total outs for 2026 is now 53.

I’ve also kept track of items coming into the house, and 35 new things came into the house in March (mainly clothing and some craft supplies for DD). The total was Jan & Feb was 25, so this makes 60 new things in the house.

I do need to go through my clothes to get rid of things where I’d bought a new version, which I hadn’t got round to due to illness. However, it’s clear that part of the problem is that I think ‘We never buy much, where does all this clutter come from?’ but that’s not exactly true!

Back in the loft and apparently the kid's pile contains random house junk. Who'd have thunk?! So out today:

Charity shop: 2x toys, blanket, cushion cover, curtains, set of curtain rings, board game, travel clock

Bin / recycling: 2x sets of flash cards, 2x doormats, safety straps, 2x empty boxes, 2x picture frames

Total: 665

I've firmly got into spring decluttering mode! So far I've got rid of some old kitchen electronic gadgets that were not sparking joy, a couple of books (still working on them!) and sorted out a bunch of clothes that can go. I've overhauled the first aid kit/medicine cabinet and the utensils drawer in the kitchen.

I need to go through the dogs' toy boxes and get rid of her tiny puppy toys. She's 7 months old now and I'm in denial that those days are gone! I also want to digitize the few CDs we have let and chuck/rehome the physical disks that always seem to be lying around.

At some point I want to tackle the under stairs cupboard and the loft, but they're down the line.

Two babies hats
One baby dress
One baby leggings
One pair of heels so high I can't walk in them any more
One pair of uncomfortable underwear
Total is 4517

Just had a Vinted message saying that you can sell cds, vinyl & even cassettes. Also going to look at homewares etc.

I'm going through old papers and photos, so just in case someone is struggling with storing old pictures or albums, here is a really good article on ways to organize them, both physically and digitally. I digitized most of ours so far and currently I'm thinking of maybe restoring them properly and reprinting some of them for a photo album. The most damaged originals sadly need to go.

One of life’s mysteries of why people don’t bin them!!
The other day my DD went through the pen pot and two didn’t work and she put them back!!! I went and found and put in the bloody bin!

I don’t click links can you tell me name, please?
I need to declutter the baby/toddler pictures drawing and crafts under my bed. I wish I was like my friend, the crafts etc stayed on display on day then she binned!!!!
My children are in their 20’s and couldn’t give a toss.

Yes, my kids crafts mean much more to me than them @RubySparrow

Tomorrow I'm decluttering my craft supplies. They've been building up for about 35 years so it's a big job. Might have to do it in stages

We've just moved house and it forced me to get rid of so much, but there’s still more to go. We took a couple of car loads to charity which was very satisfying, plus had almost a skip load of rubbish to be binned. It’s been a real wake-up call for me to see how much stuff we have been hanging on to, but I do feel there has been a bit of a mindset shift, which I'm hoping will push me through the next phase.

2026 total so far is 1362 (aim is for 2026 or more!)

I have been busy shredding old bank statements and other random documents / paperwork that are not needed. We moved in, in 2013 and have kept every single document since then.

I’ve filled 2 black bin bags and I’m currently working my way through the year 2020.

No idea why we have kept all these things but they have just been added to the folders (which were once organised, many many moons ago).

It's an article from Photoglory website, it's a photo restoration software, I plan to use it for restoring digitized photos. Basically what they have in there are some tips on scanning and storing of old pictures (i.e. to prevent any damage) and also some organization tips for storing them in digital!

My DD asked for pens the other day as hers had run out, she put the useless pens back in the "household" pencil case. The bin was right beside her...
Had a reasonably good week getting rid of bits n bobs and using things up.
I have a box of books ready to send to World of Books.

Two hair clips that rip out hair when removing them
Two pairs of shoes, uncomfortable
One no good underwear
Total is 4522

Took a bag to the charity shop with some cuddley toys and clothes. Sold a dress on Vinted. Gave away some empty boxes.

Charity shop: fake plant, decorative dried flowers
Bin / recycling: socks, 3x rubbish garden tools, 2x old cleaning cloths

Total: 673

Not decluttering as such, but I cleaned and tidied my bedside table today, and threw away a pile of receipts. There were a few mementos from last year (cinema tickets etc) that I put in an envelope and put in my memory box.

I feel better now it’s tidy, but did end up putting some paperwork into my work bag to go through when I’m back at work rather than deal with it right now, which isn’t ideal but I’m struggling a bit with motivation and energy levels at the moment.

@EllieQ I have a problem with fatigue but even 2 minutes a day adds up! It all counts😀

2 bags of kids books and a couple of pictures today. Will be middle of next week before I can get them out of the house though.

I've listed a bunch of stuff on FB and Vinted but no takers yet! I hate that, when you decide to declutter something but you still have it hanging around.