The Great Declutter Part 3 - 2011

2manybooks

Another two bags of stuff for the charity shop and all the winter/summer stuff switched over.
Still doesn't seem to be any more room in the house though!

silvasava

Well not much decluttering done as we've been away on a 'mini break' in the 'van. However, when we unloaded all the bedding, food, clothes, books, cat accessories & cat & toiletries etc I put everything away instead of leaving it in a pile to do 'later' Can't believe the difference it made especially as when we sat down for a cuppa I didn't have to think about all that 'stuff' waiting for me. I do remember my Mum used to say 'Dont put it down, put it away' DH gave the grass its first mow (clippings on the compost heap) and we both set to to power wash the patio which hadn't been done for nearly 3 years. The garden looks lovely now & if the weather holds I'll be washing windows & curtains. I'm beginning to sounds like Flylady instead of declutter but I missed the free listing on eBay so I'll catch it next time round. OOh I just thought - bought a new handbag & I've decanted all the good stuff and thrown away the rubbish & the old bag may go to the CS if I think there's still some life left in it!

ps - The lady who had the Fire Brigade in her bedroom (sorry I dont have your name) don't feel awful about the state of your bedroom - the firemen would just be very glad that you were all safe (& so are we!)

mineallmine

Project master bedroom by end March - left to do:
OH sort his wardrobe.
[STRIKE]Sort the windowsills. [/STRIKE]
Sort corner storage.
Reward = a superking set of duvet and covers

Mini weekend challenge to declutter 30 things.
1. - 8. As above.
9. Square foot rest (charity)
10. Bits of rubbish from windowsills (bin) (recycling)
11. Book (charity)
12. Ornament (charity)
13. CD (charity)
14. Nearly finished bottle of cough syrup rinsed (recycled)
14 things gone. 16 things to go. :jThink I'll take a rest now.
Am finding that stuff is moving to the spare rooms. Oh well - they will be part of the challenge soon. It's nice to see the bedroom looking so good. Sooooo keen to sort the final bits.

How is everyone else doing? :A

Chopper5

Thanks Thedragon and 2manybooks for the tips. I have had such a good day, woke up at 5.30 and started cooking for the freezer - I figure turning lots of individual ingrediants into ready meals for the freezer counts as decluttering right?!!!
Then I started on the bedroom, the mould is almost clear with bleach but I may go and buy some dettox tomorrow. Wardrobes have been emptied (double for my boyf and 5 door wardrobe for me!!) and filled up again neatly, need to try and keep this up!
Did 12 hours of cooking and cleaning, now I need to get ready to go out, I have to celebrate
Hope everyone is having a good weekend!!

mineallmine

silvasava wrote: »

Well not much decluttering done as we've been away on a 'mini break' in the 'van. However, when we unloaded all the bedding, food, clothes, books, cat accessories & cat & toiletries etc I put everything away instead of leaving it in a pile to do 'later' Can't believe the difference it made especially as when we sat down for a cuppa I didn't have to think about all that 'stuff' waiting for me. I do remember my Mum used to say 'Dont put it down, put it away' DH gave the grass its first mow (clippings on the compost heap) and we both set to to power wash the patio which hadn't been done for nearly 3 years. The garden looks lovely now & if the weather holds I'll be washing windows & curtains. I'm beginning to sounds like Flylady instead of declutter but I missed the free listing on eBay so I'll catch it next time round. OOh I just thought - bought a new handbag & I've decanted all the good stuff and thrown away the rubbish & the old bag may go to the CS if I think there's still some life left in it!

ps - The lady who had the Fire Brigade in her bedroom (sorry I dont have your name) don't feel awful about the state of your bedroom - the firemen would just be very glad that you were all safe (& so are we!)

Kaz is our girl - like silva says we're all so glad you're ok.

Silva - your post made me smile about the putting stuff away and not down. When I looked at the bedroom this evening I thought, mmm why can't I keep it like this? Then I thought of my friend who used to clear everything before she left for work. So when she got home it was like no one had been there in the morning. All washing up done, bed made, rubbish out. I believe that when I get my house into better shape (it's getting there) that these sorts of things will be easier to do.

mineallmine

mcculloch29 wrote: »

Yeah, I'm up for thirty things, I tend to go in spurts with this, my son has suddenly rediscovered cooking so some of the old equipment will have to go... that's a start.

How you getting on mc29? :A
I'm finding the toiletry challenge (I still do it!) has really helped with the decluttering. No more bottles of stuff hanging around. I'm onto my last bottle of perfume now!

frugalpam wrote: »

Yep - I'm up for the mini weekend challenge :j I'll probably have a blitz tomorrow as am tied up with visitors today. I'll report in later tomorrow! Pam

Let us know how you get on Pam :A

silvasava

mineallmine wrote: »

Kaz is our girl - like silva says we're all so glad you're ok.

Silva - your post made me smile about the putting stuff away and not down. When I looked at the bedroom this evening I thought, mmm why can't I keep it like this? Then I thought of my friend who used to clear everything before she left for work. So when she got home it was like no one had been there in the morning. All washing up done, bed made, rubbish out. I believe that when I get my house into better shape (it's getting there) that these sorts of things will be easier to do.

Minallmine - I did used to make my bed before I went to work - just because it made the bedroom look tidier! & fling all the dishes in the dishwasher out of sight. I must admit I'm better at getting up earlier in the summer so I sometimes would put the washing machine on before I went to bed & hang out in the morning. Its surprising what you can do in an extra half hour:j

WonderfulLife

Hi all

I wrote a long post last night but managed to delete or vanish the whole lot into thin air.

So this is a shorter version saying what I managed yesterday evening and what I would like to achieve today and the rest of the week in my new de-cluttering programme.

At the end of the evening i looked around and was still a bit depressed about it all but it was good to hear the encouragement from PudseyDB and Kaz - Thanks.

However, this morning I realise that I did manage to make some important improvements.
1. Got the washing up done -- more than a weeks worth!
2. Manage to de-clutter the drains! Water had been running through the system so slowly for so long that I had begun to think it was normal. But after some effort with plungers etc. I managed to clear out the blockages and I am shocked at how quickly it is flowingthrough now - so that's great. The rest of the clutter in my life is a bit like that. I've got used to it but it is slowing me down and making me depressed and lifelesss. If I get things going other things in my life might start to flow better too.
So washing up done I started on the rest of the kitchen.
3. Decluttered fridge - threw out junk and washed shelves and containers and put away the stuff that I bought last Tuesday that was still in carrier bags in the hall and kitchen strew around the floor. so that made things a whole lot tidier.
4. Did three loads of washing. Need to hang it out to dry ASAP. So that I don't have to wash it all again in a few days time after I've left it in a heap - my usual behaviour - sometime I wash things 3 or 4 times before getting them dry.
5. Cleaned the micro wave.
6. washed the kitchen floor even under the freezer. Nice.
7. Tidied the kitchen surfaces - done
8. Threw out some rubbish and put cans bottles etc in the recyling bin ready for collection tomorrow.

Still a long way to go .....

Today
1. Hang out washing and get it dry.
2. Iron for 2 hours this evening to try to reduce the ironing heap and put it away. I can do it and watch a DVD or something.
3. Clean bathroom and declutter it. Throw out empty bottles etc.
4. Change my bedding
5. Get everything off the floor so that I can hoover.
6. systematically sort stuff as I go into Throw away, Give away/sell and Keep. If i dump everthing on the bed after I've changed the sheets then I can sort through it this afternoon while I watch another DVD.

Well that seems like a huge amount so I better get started. If I manage half of it it will still be progress. At 5 pm I think I should go out for a walk. I don't get anywhere near enough fresh air.

Love to all
WonderfulLife

short_bird

WonderfulLife wrote: »

Hi all
Manage to de-clutter the drains! Water had been running through the system so slowly for so long that I had begun to think it was normal. But after some effort with plungers etc. I managed to clear out the blockages and I am shocked at how quickly it is flowingthrough now - so that's great. The rest of the clutter in my life is a bit like that. I've got used to it but it is slowing me down and making me depressed and lifelesss. If I get things going other things in my life might start to flow better too.

Briliant, brilliant analogy! Congratulations!

(I pressed post then sneezed. Does that mean my keyboard needs dusting?? :rotfl:)

morganlefay

Have been skulking as usual, but well done WonderfulLife, you've done much more than I have as i'm going VERY slowly.
But...yesterday I sent OH with 4 boxes of books to CS. Some of them were really good hardback cook books- a Raymond Blanc Xmas present, 2 brothers Roux etc etc but I NEVER cooked anything out of them (too difficult) so they went, and it does feel good to have that smug feeling. Tomorrow my sister is coming again to stay for a whole week to help me chuck out ancient foods from utility room cupboards and move 'new' foods in there (currently lurking on kitchen floor in boxes - :eek: - quite horrible.) So hopefully by Friday next I shall be feeling a LOT better !
I do find this thread very helpful - it's just knowing that I'm not the only one struggling that helps sp much, and the amazing ideas like getting the house all neat before you go out so it's nice to come back to - unheard of here, but a really good goal.