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.

@IncessantNameChanger Do you do the guided cleans or just the general method? There's a Rock The Housework thread on here. I've been making a real effort to keep up with the level 1s this month; I'm pretty good about making the beds, but not so much the other bits. I'm definitely noticing the difference with the daily hoovering and quick bathroom wipe, although the laundry is piling up alarmingly again.

Missed the textile drop off for school as one kid is off sick so I stayed at home with her while DP took DS in for the last day. Have a Vinted parcel to send later so that's something to go out, and booked a tip run for tomorrow. Also I think DP has arranged to give DS's old electric ride-on car to a friend whose kids are a bit younger than ours, and that will mean a definite noticeable clear space!

After a tip trip, charity shop trip, and taking all my empty egg boxes to a friend with hens, I'm up to 1,963. I can't think of another 62 items to go but I've planned some drawer clear outs so hoping things materialise from those!

No I'm not doing the guided cleans. I am just trying to ease myself in this week. I have done hardly any level two jobs to be honest. I will have a look for that thread.

A Knitted Christmas stocking has joined the new charity shop pile ( I took 3 overflowing bags to the Air Ambulance shop earlier)

I donated some books and an unused to to a food bank who were requesting them.

Another sort out & a trying on sesh - I can now see my bedroom stool! Three items donated to charity including a truly hideous Temu dress - I really don’t know what I was thinking! Although in my defence, it looked way nicer in the photo!

Well done to those still decluttering. I've admitted defeat until after Christmas! Going to my parents for Christmas tomorrow. Place has been cleaned and tidied. I will make sure all the day to day rubbish and recycling has gone out before we leave.
The letter rack needs sorting out, most of it will be DP post so that's a job for the holidays.

My total for 2025 is 437 items. I’d like to get it to 500 by the end of the year, but that is unlikely as we’re away for most of next week. Maybe 450 is an achievable goal!

No actual decluttering today, but I threw out some out of date butter, eggs, and yoghurt from the fridge, which I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I’ve also been keeping on top of getting rid of any packaging (there’s been a few Amazon deliveries) rather than letting it build up (or hiding it in the bottom of the wardrobe).

After Christmas, I’m going to speak to DH about needing his support with decluttering. Previously I was getting rid of things (such as DD’s clothes and toys) that I had found hard to let go of, so it was mainly on me. Now that I’m dealing with more generic things, the fact that he’s not involved is irritating me. I’ve also realised that I’ve been decluttering my things, DD’s things, and household things, while he’s only responsible for his own things (and barely goes through them). Time to address this!

One pair of trousers and one zip top that never gets worn. Total is 4210

Are you certain your microwave is rusty incessant? I thought mine was until I bought some oven cleaner to try to get a sticky label off my new fridge, decided I may as well use it for cleaning the microwave and discovered it has just been varying degrees of filthy for the past 15yrs 😳 It looks like new now!

Binned - toy rabbit with head broken off

Four very expired bottles of vitamins.

Scarf that's too thin to be warm enough. Total is 4212.

Morning folks! Should be some more stuff chucked out this afternoon as I’m clearing the kitchen table ready for the big day. I need to do the kitchen cupboards but will wait until after Christmas. We have way too many mugs! Also need to advertise my Marketplace clothes etc on E Bay instead as it just isn’t shifting or I only sell the odd thing. DH keeps saying he will do the office. It would be good to clear the garage too once the warmer weather comes. And the loft! We seem to have a huge amount of shoes & boots between the 3 of us so that’s another job before the hall disappears completely!

Unfortunately the microwave is rusty. It's falling off. So we need a new microwave, dishwasher, my car exhaust and a dehumidifier really. We bought the cheapest microwave we could when we bought this one. I still have some of my parents inheritance so I might get a nicer one. I feel extremely bad spending parents money though. But honestly getting of these big spends done would make life better.

Ds has invited his mate to stay until Christmas eve. Plus ds1 is back from uni tomorrow so got 7 in the house now. Need to get the sofa bed out in the games room ( ie room where the x box and all the crap lives) so I need to do a tip run to get the bed pulled out. The games room was going to be a adult TV room. Lol at the delusional thought process there.

I don’t know how expensive you are going but the Christmas bargain thread is full of money off Argos codes. I have some I probably won’t use too so message me if £10 off £100 at Argos is useful

Aaaagg. Just been away visiting family and have been so generously given such nice things. Luckily mostly consumable. Luckily shared out half the contents of some of the hampers we’ve received.

im going to have to eat loads in the name of decluttering!

I managed to get rid of another 12 items of kids clothes and sorted out the card box and part of the craft drawer getting another 15

I have advertised a pewter tankard & hipflask, both with a striking elephant design. They only cost me a fiver so should definitely bring in a profit.

I'm always on a catch-up mode 😅
Day 352 was a small hotel moisturiser, cleaned out and recycled. DH keeps bringing them back and then not using them
Day 353, kids PJs
Day 354, a maths practice book, all done and used up
Day 355 (today) a really uncomfortable bra, on its last legs

Also out - huge amount of papers and packaging. Tons of papers from dc school bag too!

A load of boxes dumped. And 3 broken toys that I’ve not bothered to fix (normally they are kept and glued etc)

Gave away a working set of Xmas lights too - I don’t like the bright white ones.

Eaten a box of chilli cheddar biscuits.

DP did a tip run today which has got rid of a load of cardboard packaging and other bits and pieces, although DS' old cotbed mattress has still not made it out of the door... Plus he bought back a bag which I had told him was to be binned We had a major sort through in the bedroom as we have bought a couple of new bedside cabinets and had to go through the old one (we only had one!) and a couple of shelving units. It definitely looks a lot better but DP drove me mad by faffing about making the second cabinet while watching the football, which meant he took about two hours longer than it should have done, and then not getting in gear to sort out the crap from the shelves until bloody 7 o'clock at night on a Sunday . It only took about an hour, which is fine, but I wanted to have it all done and dusted (literally) by 4-5 pm so I could relax for the evening, not start at dinner time!

outs:

a duplicate book, a pair of shoes which are too small for DD and a jumper which doesn’t suit me

total outs 1225

I am in full Christmas mode so no outs. I still might get more done yet. But if not the rest of my total for the year can be added to my 2026 outs in 2026. I'm going to decide that into 12 individual targets so I don't get behind again. I have done well this year but really there was months I did nothing which isn't ideal. I might go to the tip today too.

Have ds18 mates stay all this week so that's held me back a bit.

I can now see my kitchen table!! It still has last year’s candy cane tablecloth on! Got rid of some magazines & donated a lovely Regatta coat to charity.