The Great Declutter - 18 months on

essexgal

OUT: 12 ebay parcels.....:T and the will to live:rotfl:


IN: Nothing....yet;) but awaiting a win in the post:D


essexgal

ETA: Bookmooch.com...... - hmmm, might have to go and have a nosy..........:rolleyes:

Piquant_2

Thank you!! Here I am reporting for duty!

I've joined the 100 day challenge on the DFW board, meaning I can't buy any more makeup or skincare products until 23 December. I now have to use up all my samples, half finished body moisturisers, bubble baths etc (deep shame at the money I have wasted). I have also mentally targeted my jumper drawer for the weekend. Jumpers to go to Oxfam or ebay.

calleyw

So far out today.

1 X battery operated pump
1X Inflated camp bed thingy
1 X ceiling airer

:j

In today:

one daily newspaper wanted for the energy monitor freebie thingy.

Will need to have a look tonight at what else I can get rid don't think my husband counts does he :rotfl:

My back room is full of cardboard. Might pop down to sainburys to get rid of it and look at reduced to clear stuff.

Yours


Calley

essexgal

Piquant wrote: »

I've joined the 100 day challenge on the DFW board, meaning I can't buy any more makeup or skincare products until 23 December. I now have to use up all my samples, half finished body moisturisers, bubble baths etc (deep shame at the money I have wasted). I have also mentally targeted my jumper drawer for the weekend. Jumpers to go to Oxfam or ebay.

Well it's not wasted if you're going to use it up though is it:D although I could probably go 200 days...:o

DD1 (12) has finally realised that she doesn't need to buy any more deodorant or body spray as she has at least SIX in the bathroom.....:rotfl:

Talking about makeup - does anyone remember a 'trade-in' scheme at (I think) Superdrug where you took in a bag of used up/old makeup and got a goodie bag in return.....I thought I saw this mentioned a couple of years ago (yes, just AFTER I'd springcleaned my makeup drawer...:mad: )and wondered whether it was going to be an annual thing....I think the goodies were only sample sizes but would keep DD1 happy for a bit;)

essexgal

p.s. I'm not sure if it's still running but if you donate clothes to Oxfam and at least one item is from M&S they were giving you a £5 voucher off a £35 spend at M&S (in case you know anyone who could use it)

Plum_Pie

boredjellybean wrote: »

Any tips on how to be ruthless would be great, I am a terrible hoarder

Bjb

BoredJellybean,

Here are some tips, some of which I also posted in the last thread, apologies to those of you who have read them before.

Do 1 room at a time. Sort items from the start.

You could use flylady's simple categories:
1. Put away
2. Throw away
3. Give away

However I used:
1. papers to be kept, important (eg stuff from bank)
2. papers to be kept, interesting (eg recipes) (I recycled a lot of newspaper-clipped recipes though! If I had never cooked it, it went!)
3. recycling
4. rubbish
5. charity shop

Stuff to put away, got put away as soon as it was discovered!

Labelled containers are better than sorting stuff into piles. (I use plastic bags and a permanent marker.) I didn't Freecycle much, just things I thought the local charity shop wouldn't take. Freecycle is great, but can take longer than just bagging stuff up and dropping it off. Also, don't wait til the end of your declutter to go to a charity shop (if possible), the more often you can go, the better.

When a bag of stuff was supposed to leave the house (freecycle/for charity shop), I put it in the hall, rather than leaving it in the corner of a room, to remind myself it was on it's way out. Bags of recycling and rubbish were taken out of the house just before tea breaks!

Staying on top of incoming objects is my main problem currently as the main decluttering is almost complete (after 18 mths!). I've put in place some simple rules about what I do and don't bring into my flat.

1. Nothing which needs mending if
a) it will take longer than 2hrs for me to mend it (because, honestly, I won't do it)
b) I need to buy new tools/materials to mend it (it's only a bargain/great freebie for someone who has that type of screwdriver/ wire etc)
c) the time it will take for me to mend it is not worth it compared to the cost of buying a new one.

2. No unnecessary duplication of objects. (E.g. I DO need several plastic tubs for freezing food, I do not need more tubs than I can fit in my freezer at any one time!)

3. Nothing bought 'in case'. E.g. If I see string on special offer, I won't buy it unless I need string right now!

4. Keeping things 'in case' is more complex. "You don't know what will go wrong until it does" can turn into "Anything and everything could go wrong and my clutter is armour and weaponry against disaster!!!!" However, honestly, there is only a limited number of repairs I am capable of doing, I keep the equipment for those and nothing else. Also, I find my decluttered home very calm (I can find everything fast, I know where everything is) and very cosy and comforting (I can actually enjoy my photos and other personal possessions because I'm not distracted visually by junk). It's the opposite of an empty, impersonal cell.

5. Declutter a little and often. I do literally 3 or 4 minutes of sorting papers (letters, flyers, bills etc) most days just before bed and about 10 minutes in the kitchen and living room once a week.

I grew up in an old house with self-employed, war baby, OS/DIY parents so you can imagine how much stuff they had around. I've had to have a serious attitude adjustment, but it's worth it.

Congrats on your new baby and good luck!

howskint?

Think this might be just the kind of challenge I need. Like boredjellybean I'm expecting number 3 (due beginning of December) and I really need to get organised but he/she arrives! Finishing work in a couple of weeks so should be able to devote a bit more time to getting organised when the other children are at school and nursery. At work at the moment but I'm itching to get home and get started! Just hope my enthusiasm hasn't dwindled too much by the time I get home!

Might go and have a look at the 100 day challenge that Piquant mentioned. My cupboards are bursting - used to do Avon and I'm also quite partial to 'Todays Special Value' on QVC:o !!

Piquant_2

essexgal wrote: »

Well it's not wasted if you're going to use it up though is it:D although I could probably go 200 days...:o

Ah but the shame is....I wouldn't have used it all up, just thrown it away:o I've always been buying the latest miracle product, hoping to wake up looking like Dita Von Teese Somewhat surprisingly it hasn't happened yet. I'm obviously an ad mans ideal customer. But those days are behind me now, hopefully, my bum won't grow any larger because of not having the cellulite, bottom reducing, guaranteed 20 years younger cream :rotfl:

2boysmum

So far I have moved all the mail/magazines from the shelf under the coffee table, tidied up OH side table which I refuse to touch cos I don't know whats junk and whats not and would probably throw it all in the bin.
Cleared out DS1 set of drawers, 2 bin bags full of old clothes, 1 for bin and 1 for charity shop.
Had to pick little one up from school and make his lunch. Off to make dinner and tackle the kitchen drawers while I'm in the kitchen. I hadn't heard of the 100 day challenge but have started something similar already, as I had a friend who used to be the beauty advisor at Mr T's, so she used to get loads of free samples and give them to the staff plus all the other stuff I've bought myself over the years, in the last few months all I have bought is deodorant although it is tempting when your walking around Boots just to pick something up and put it in your basket

moneypooh

OUT: loads of paperwork, half filled recycle bin already today.
My youngest started secondary school so I filed things from his primary and I still can't believe that I kept so many school news letters!!
It started me going through household bills, receipts etc.... brill, feel well de-cluttered.

IN: £20 cheque arrived this morning from a competition win

M.E.

IN- Contents of daughter's room whilst she was abroad for 6 months!!! Plus bike!
OUT- Nothing yet, but DS2 and I are working on Mount Everest to divide into three piles--- OUT- UNI - KEEP.
The music is loud and working together is much less daunting.
Next pile will be all the UNI-clutter to go on Friday.
By the way there was NO Way we could even tread fairy steps in her room so she slept in her sister's room.
There is also the "Mum please mend it pile, because it is my favourite"