Decluttering Thread 13 - Hopefully Lucky For Some!

[MarmaladeSandwich7]

Good morning fellow sorters, chuckers & sellers! Starting a new thread as No 12 was almost full. This thread is one of my favourites & I find it hugely inspiring. I have a very long way to go as my house still resembles a jumble sale but I have got rid of a lot over the last few months plus made some money into the bargain. Last night I transferred several carrier bags of clothes that are on Vinted into a pink velvet storage chest that, ironically, hadn’t been assembled & was taking up space in DH’s office 🤣🤣🤣 It’s now in front of the storage cubes in the lounge & honestly, the pleasure I get from seeing it & the space created is immense.
I need a day to dedicate to Vinted as I have bags of clothes still to photograph & upload, some clothes to try on which may end up on there too & some TJC rings to photograph for selling. They were quite expensive but I rarely wore them & now they’re too big. I have a huge car bill to pay so the extra pennies will be great. Have a productive day all!

One in, one out here 🙄

Out - a boring distressed wooden lamp base (B&Q, I think), off to the boot sale.

In - its replacement, a rather lovely vintage MCM lamp base. So, an upgrade, which is all good.

I've also decluttered lots of paint, finishing off a door and starting a cooker hood.

Rag bag - five ratty jerseys and two scarves.

Donate - one woolly jersey.

Book donation pile - another three paperbacks.

handful of ancient receipts into paperbin, shelf straightened up. DS will have to deal with the rest of this particular pile.

Bin

• Old pillowcases

Donated

• Duvet cover & pillow cases
• Plug in nightlight
• Xmas light up things

Vinted

• Pair of crocs

More and more I realise that the key isn't actually decluttering; it's stemming the flow of things coming in. And it's harder. But decluttering will go on forever if the tide isn't stemmed.

Totally agree pigtails and it's so hard.

Eventually I hope to move to doing one-in-one-out which will mean wrestling with my conscience about letting go of the old version of whatever I've bought. That and buying less in the first place. I'm making progress with both but I'm nowhere near the situation where it's worth counting my ins yet, it would just make me feel bad. I can see it's useful for showing what's going on though. I bought some more things recently and now they're sitting in a pile in my living room because I realistically have nowhere to put them.

I've stalled a bit with decluttering at the moment.
Two dresses too small into donation bag today.
Total is 5039.

Nothing out today. Went up to attic storage space to remind myself what’s in all the boxes. Put camping stuff where it belongs temporarily until I can ask everyone where they want it kept so that it doesn’t annoy me.

I know it’s verging on churning. At least I’m starting to see what all I’ve got and can donate any surplus.

Came across a box and bags of coathangers from decades ago. They can be recycled at our local tip if sorted into plastic versus mixed plastic and metal.

I have got a bag for life for charity shop on Monday.
I really struggle with my adult children buying stuff, that’s okay but then they leave it downstairs in a bag for months, just why??
They also fill the freezer with junk food like chicken nuggets etc, then there no room for the family food!!
I have thrown out some underwear and bought new Treated myself.
Went through my makeup bag and threw the whole lot out! Most was over 10 years old. I will again treat myself to some new items!

Today I turned to the garage, and spent some time there tidying the recycling pile and sorting through the stuff DS left with us after moving. Now I can get in and out more easily and have an idea what I want rid of.

Got rid of an ancient set of bed linen - one in one out, so no real space saved though. I now have two bags for recycling but it's difficult to do it in the holidays when the bin at school is unavailable. The bins in town tend to get full so quickly and I don't fancy lugging it into town to find out there's no space and have to bring it all back again. Also a charity bag which is slowly filling up and will be taken in once it's full.

Decluttered the pots and pans cupboard at the weekend and binned a load of takeaway containers in a vain attempt to keep the numbers more manageable. Also rearranged a bunch of medical/first aid stuff and threw away some ancient plasters and creams etc. It looks much better, but how long it stays like that is anyone's guess....

Ok, I have slowly worked through my sentimental/storage items and in the end, I decided to get rid of almost everything. It felt surprisingly easy. I kept a few sentimental CDs and books and nick nacks, but I might have a second look before we finally move.

I've tried keeping a list of different items but some categories will appear twice since I did a few passes and found more stuff to go out - plus a few things we got rid of in the house anyway in the last few days:

5 pairs of shoes
22 jewellery items (decided I would keep only a few which I wear daly)
Make-up pouch
Candle stick
VHS tape
21 books
Book mark
28 CDs
Photo album full of photos (kept few I really liked)
Diary from 2003!!
School diary from when I was 9
2 small poetry books
High school trip scrap book
High school diary
2 posters
2 file folders
Old work id and lanyard
14 CDs
Fridge magnet
4 small books
15 sentimental items (think I got fed up counting specifics)
3 elephant figurines
Address book
7 year books
Huge box of negatives
Box of unwritten postcards
Bundle of old greeting cards
Polypocket of old certificates etc.
My childhood health record (why is it here?)
2 metal hair clips
Period pants that have lost their efficacy
One more book

Total outs = 1333 for 2026

Emptied two large shelves today. DS came over and took all that he wanted. I’ll shred the overflowing crate of paper that’s left.

Got stuff off the floor and onto the shelves, and made a bigger space on the stairs.

Next move will be to look at the contents of the other two shelves.

Several men’s suits and jackets ready for donation if no-one wants them.

One face cleanser used up
One uncomfortable underwear binned
One ill-fitting tracksuit donated
Total is 5043

Brought a tub of small coins to a machine in Tesco, made 24 euro and spent 56, mostly edible purchases except for three packs of socks for parents and DC.

Chipped some branches, half tonne bag, rest were too wet.

Started a charity bag - barely worn tracksuit pants that are gone too small for DC and a novelty game purchased at Xmas and never opened.

Pulled a very old ride on mower that's been broken since around 2007 from the back shed to the driveway. Due to be collected on Friday by a recycling firm. Paying for the service rather than hiring a van.

Was feeling quite proud of myself until I lifted a bucket full of water today and put my back out. I should have got help from someone moving the mower, as it was v hard going and took me an hour but I thought I'd gotten away with it. Hopefully it clears in a day or two as I've too many responsibilities to be injured.

Got a bit stuck into the kitchen at the weekend. Still more to do in there but it’s a start
Bin

• Old kitchen utensils
• Out of date bread mix packets
• Old baking trays
• Unsubscribed to some emails
• Old kitchen manuals for things we don’t own anymore

Donated

• Roller skates outgrown
• Pile of cookbooks
• Too big fruit basket
• Duplicate dog food bowls

Hi I'm back. I was going to hire a professional declutter but I didn't in the end. So now I'm having to try and plow back on of my own steam.

Got a few things to get rid of. Just trying decide if I will ask Anglo or take it to charity

Hope your back eases soon achyelbows.

1 x moisturizer finished up
2 x lightweight trousers that don't suit me
1 x blouse too small
Total is 5047

I have made a good start on the older boys clothes that has been left in wardrobes as we shuffle round rooms and then eldest went to uni. Looks like he won't keep and pre uni stuff.

Also had a big clear out to make room for dd secondary uniform. This is the first time in 22 years I don't have a preschool or junior age child any more

I've not been decluttering exactly byt DD has moved in with her family and I have amalgamate all of her foods and kitchen equipment into mine getting rid of surplus and out of date food

What a job!!

I spent about 3 hours in the kitchen this morning clearing & cleaning out all the food cupboards. Need to get on & do the bottom ones full of all the gadgets we never use!
Bin

• Duplicate charger cables
• Old baking colours & flavours/out of date sprinkles
• Out of date food cupboard stuff

Donated

• Camping stove, gas & kettle
• Bottle of Prosecco going to a leaving gift at work
• 3x bottles of wine given to a friend

Vinted

• 2 hoodies listed
• 1 top listed
• Water bottle sold & posted

Another bag went to the charity shop, stuff that never gets worn.
6 x hoodies
4 x joggers
2 x blouses
Plus -
Uncomfortable underwear binned
CD I don't want binned
Empty cardboard box recycled
Total is 5062

Back again after being AWOL! Yesterday DH made a start on the alleyway to our back door. It's a storage spot for "useful" bits of wood and bikes bought and then not ridden since lockdown. There was also a 5 foot tree growing in a crack in the paving slabs. Great.
I focused on my wardrobe which is always too full. I'd bought a dress from vinted which is beautiful, my perfect style, my perfect colour. It made me realise how many dresses I own that aren't quite right for me. So I listed 6 of them on vinted, plus some other bits from my Vinted pile. And then I decided I'd charity shop some tops I hadn't worn in ages. Still more to get rid of!

Charity shop: 4x tops, 2x bikes, (a third bike still needs taking away)
Bin / recycling: 6x broken toys, 4x lumps of old wood (more useful wood still waiting for DH assessment on usefulness), self seeded tree
Vinted/sold locally: Jacket, skirt

Total: 1222

I had another pass over the weekend of our loft boxes. I think I am done for now. DH still has some stuff from his dad/grandfather but I think he finds it a bit emotional to go through them.

The closer we get to moving the more I feel like I just want to get rid of things. our local charity shop is not accepting things at the moment, so it seems lots of people are doing summer holiday cupboard clearouts. I usually leave there with a book, so I have to be strict in going in - drop stuff off, don't look around!

We have seen some family over the holidays, and DC has gotten some belated birthday presents, which is lovely but also just more stuff coming in.

Out:
French notebook from school (I felt a bit sentimental about this but really, I won't miss it)
Small ornament
shoulder bag
2 fabric wall prints
Poster
picture frame
storage tin that held the negatives I had already decluttered
makeup bag
2 cushion covers
a folder of emails from late 90s from an ex boyfriend - this was by far the funniest thing
scarf
Some letters from a penpal (yes! Remember those?) from Jamaica I had
12 plushies
2 poetry books
4 travel guides
5 more novels from DH collection
Souvernir from Seattle
Sample facial cleanser and a serum used up
water magic coloring book
Window sticker
Gymnastic ribbon of DC
DH boxers
Board game
Card game
Toy truck
Cardigan and a mug sold on Vinted

In: A lego game for DC, a mug from a friend to me (hence decluttering an old one - trying to do one in one out!)

Total outs for 2026 - 1400
Total ins = 239

Also, I think i will aim for 10 items a day until the end of the month in a last-ditch attempt. Items can be small or big - but we move first week of September so every bit helps!

I’m on annual leave this week so using the time I’d otherwise be out with the new teenager who is suddenly too cool to be with me to clear more stuff out 😅 have just had a skip bag delivered as well so will also be flinging stuff from what I can find outside
Bin

• Salad spinner
• Old jug
• Burger making kit
• Pasta maker (rusty)
• Odd kitchen bits from stuff no longer owned
• Hot water bottle

Donated

• Biscuit cutters
• Rice cooker
• 2x water bottles
• Pasta bowls
• 2x hoodies
• 1 top
• Unused birthday cards
• Bike chain & padlock

From the laundry:
1 x leggings
2 x shirts
1 x jeans
1 x joggers
1 x hoodie
3 x dresses
1 x conditioner used up
1 x damaged storage box
Total is 5073

Did a quick pass of my office and bedroom and some stuff has sold on vinted

Charity shop: wallet
Bin / recycling: nighty, eyelash curlers, flannel, hair bobble, 3x moisturiser, 4x stationary, cutting mat, 2x sewing stuff
Vinted/sold locally: 3x dress, handbag, jacket, fan, bike

Total: 1244