The Great Declutter Part 2

greent

Not a lot happening here!

IN:
DS game - present for my mum for Mothering Sunday
6 energy efficient lightbulbs
lots of cards - birthdays (special ones)/ mothering sunday
talking fat controller car for DS2

OUT:
1 blown lightbulb
usual rubbish and recycling
1 birthday card to Uncle (his bday tomorrow - we share it)
lots of hair - about 5 inches in length from my head!
2 non-working hot brushes and one empty gas cannister
a pile of hotel shoe shines
2 airline eye masks
1 broken travel clock
1 hair dye that's at least 6 years old - thrown!
a broken room thermometer
old receipts
a dummy from DS2 that's from 3 years ago!
a broken keyring



PENDING IN:
need to go shopping for more school uniform for DS1 and trousers for him and DD (they keep growing!!!)
Also awaiting a book club order and a DS game from ebay
Oh - and it's my (40th! - eek!) birthday tomorrow so I'm guessing they'll be some other ins

PENDING OUT:
Couple of things to pass to friends next week

No decluttering planned over weekend


Well done to all whatever you have achieved in the last 10 days - even if it's only 5 things, that's 5 less pieces of junk in your houses!

I'm going to have a week of spring cleaning & tidying next week, I think. SOme decluttering will go hand in hand, but I'm not actively doing it. I'm also out to lunch a couple of times and have a hospital appt, so time is less than usual

greent x

Gigervamp

With bedding, I'd suggest having 3 sets for your bed and if you have a guest bed, a couple of sets for that.

With regards your clothes, google *capsule wardrobe* and also check out Miss Smartypants on Flylady.

Karmacat

I'm kind of a newbie on the OS board, so I don't have any advice to give you about quantities and whatnot, but I'm the same age as you (55 in my case!) and just wanted to say how brilliantly you've done already - 80 bags gone, and the attic empty! Fantastic!

I'm decluttering myself - my system is usually to put something aside in a bag or box marked "declutter" or whatever, and go back to it later - that might be days or weeks or months later. But long enough for me to forget exactly what's in there, in any case. And there are very few things I take out of that box when I re-examine it, but there *are* a few things. It saves the heartache of letting go of something you really wanted to keep.

As for clothes and bedding.... I don't *know*, mind you, I'm just thinking out loud.
- Do you go up and down in weight, i.e. do you need fat clothes and thin clothes?
- Are some favourites a bit threadbare? I noticed the other day, a sweatshirt I absolutely love, its elbows are almost through! I have to let it go.
- do you have family to stay? You'll need extras of stuff if you do.
- I keep some jumble-quality clothes for decorating, or going into the garage, or gardening, whatever.
- if you've got good quality stuff and you could use it in the future, but need the space, I'd seriously consider getting some of those vacuum bags, where stuff ends up taking up a quarter of the space. I don't know if thats heresy on here (oops....) but thats my thought on it - you've only got to pay out again later.
- is there stuff that you really like and use all the time, and stuff thats nice enough but you just don't bother with? You might want to sell the latter on ebay or something.....

Really, the big question is, whats the fear of not having enough.... if thats keeping you stuck, it could well help you to answer that question (to yourself - I'm not necessarily asking you to put it on here).

topbargainhunter

Happy 40th for tommorrow Greent!

zippychick

Hi grandmadelighted:hello:

There are a few decluttering threads already

The great declutter 2010

The flylady inspired anniversary declutter

I'll add your thread to the first one to keep the suggestions together. Ill look for other threads for you as well.

thanks:)
Zip

debtdesperado

Is this harsh? I received a load of presents for an anniversary last weekend. Normally I would have held onto them regardless but as I have the decluttering (and debtfreewannabe) bug at the moment:

In:
Set of cups and saucers
gift token for a very posh shop (not enough to buy anything without putting extra money to it!)
two boxes of chocolates
magazine subscription
coffee table book

Out:
cups and saucers (I don't really like them and have ample) to charity shop
box of chocolates to friend for present
coffee table book listed on amazon
thank you letters for all my presents!


Pending out:
gift token when it's a posh friend's birthday
box of chocolates for mother's day
magazines (once read) to a friend who has cancelled her subscription to the same magazine as her husband lost his job.

Am I a terrible person for doing this so quickly?

mrs-moneypenny

i say well done for being so organised:T

afternoon all

IN
free paper - vouchers kept paper recycled
post - dealt with
3 magazines - will read but all leaflets in recycler already

OUT
3 black bags of rubbish
5 brown bags of paper and card
2 green bags of plastic and tin
packaging from hair dye kit ive used today
barclays parrot moneybox - church tabletop sale

got to sort out all the knitting and sewing ive got ready for charity and get that posted off, then need to start knitting bits for church easter fayre that will use some of my wool stash up.

all the ironing is done till i get some more dry and ive caught up on laundry mountain so its ;looking a lot less cluttered here :T.

im having the weekend off major declttering BUT i need to get up in the attic and do a major declutter up there.

have a great weekend all

inaminute

Afternoon everyone....

Well... I did it!!! :j Hoorah, 100 items in 10 days, albeit not consecutive days as I had last Saturday and Sunday off! There is still the garage of doom and a bit in the loft to sort out but I think I'll have a rest for a while whilst I muster up the energy and enthusiasm to do it!! :rotfl: 100 items has been hard but I'm pleased I've managed it. Well done to everyone else too and good luck to those just starting out on their own challenges.

81. Chair - tat man collected from the street
82. Chair - tat man collected from the street
83. Lamp - tat man collected from the street
84. Plastic tubing; recycling
85. Hand cream - irritated my hands so bin
86. Shower gel mini - OH to take on his holiday
87. Suntan mini pouch - OH to take on his holiday
88. Last piece of my home made Christmas cake - in my tummy! It was a big cake!
89. Dog fur (plastic bag full from brushing dog this afternoon) - recycling bin
90. Junk mail / post from today - filed and recycled accordingly
91. Exhaust of OH van - dropped off on the drive last night! :eek:
92. Candle in a glass no wick left - recycled
93. Bottle of Baileys - now empty - recycled
94. Pair of OH pants with a hole in - bin
95. Top; old and tatty - rag bag
96. Old toothbrushes used to clean bathroom - bin
97. Recipes cut out of magazines - have sorted and recycled those I know I wont use
98. Book borrowed - returned to owner
99. Broken plant pots from the garden - recycling bin
100. OH out early hours of tomorrow morning on holiday for a week
(ok he's not exactly clutter but he thinks its funny that he's the 100th item)
I will miss him

I also listed 3 more items on flea bay, a few more to do tomorrow.
Have a good evening everyone and Happy Birthday for tomorrow greent :j

debtdesperado

congratulations inaminute!

MsHalffull

I was hoping to really get my teeth into a marathon declutter today but unfortunately I had a headache and didn't feel up to much. Managed to have a quick tidy round downstairs though and took a carrier bag full of stuff to the CS. Unfortunately I did give in to temptation & buy some stuff while I was there

IN
DVD for DS (in the post)
little treen vase from CS - this was the thing I really did not need to buy but it was so pretty and so cheap (50p)
Brand New Butterfly picture frame from CS - into gift stash
OUT
20 Brand New Mothers Day Card to CS (bought a job lot years ago these are the ones I didn't manage to sell - still have a few listed on Ebay & if these don't sell by the middle of next week I'll take them to CS too
Pack of Boxer Shorts to CS - they were a present but DS doesn't like boxers
few other little bits & bobs to CS
Loads of recycling & composting

Debtdesparado: I think you're doing the right thing. What is the point of keeping things you won't use - even for a short time? Better that they get passed onto someone else. By the Way - Gift Vouchers for Posh Shop - if you can't think of anyone to give them to they can be worth selling on Ebay - you can often get pretty near the face value - I sold some lego shop tokens that way - I sold £25 worth for £21 (I could have probably got more if I'd waited) but the loss I made was less than my fare would have been to nearest lego store. I did it as a Buy It Now at face value but invited Best Offers. Just a thought - obviously better all round if you can give them to someone suitable.