The Great Declutter Part 3 - 2011

Rummer

I need to encourage my OH to declutter as I have cleared out most of the things that I can and he now needs to look at his clothes and items that he has no need for anymore.

The next step for me is the outside spaces as we have two sheds a coal bunker and a greenhouse that are packed with things and need to be cleared out, cleaned and reorganised. The weather is too windy to tackle them today though.

TheDoolallyDilly

Spendaholic_Chick wrote: »

Well....I did it! All the cards went to the recycling skip ast the tip yesterday (well, except for all from my son and nieces - couldn't bear to part with those )

Trouble is, just found a box with my 21st cards in...do I keep them? There seems to be some others in there too....might be my wedding cards (been separated for 9 years almost but not sure I can part with them ) gonna have a shower in a bit and psych myself up to sort it out!

Well done :T I have my 18th cards still, and my wedding cards (I am still married, though). Maybe just put them aside/in a nice box?

Foreign currency recycling (I can't remember who was asking) - I took loads (including lira and pesetas!) to M&S Bureau de Change - they have a little pot on the counter. The lady had to take the top off so I could get all mine in, as it would have taken forever to put them in the slot on at a time I've also searched the interwebs, and found Age UK will take currency no longer in circulation, as will Cystic Fybrosis Trust and Banardos charity shops. There were lots of other places when I searched, too. I'm pretty sure most places that change money have those collecting pots.

mineallmine

mineallmine wrote: »

Quote:
Originally Posted by mineallmine
Going to attack the living room today. It's bad! I'm going to do a mad clean up fest for an hour. Report back just after 1pm!

Well I've started the living room. I going to attack each quarter in turn. This quarter is the worst. And it's all my toot. :mad:

* I've nearly filled a recycling bag with stuff.
* I've started a charity bag.
* I've put a trug from the bedroom to my side table for my bits, like handcream and that. As much as I try, I like bits like that next to me, so the least I can do is put in place a container for them.
* I need a bin there too (doh )

I've made some resolutions too:
* Once I've read and recycled all my magazines then I can buy some new ones.
* To file my post once opened and note stuff to action on my to do list

:A

Gers

Yesterday I started on the drawers in the bedroom - had sorted all the visible things - and what a blooming nightmare!

I don't understand how I acquired so many T-shirts but when it came to putting away the 10 new ones I bought in Sainsbury's 25% off sale cos they are lovely fairtrade cotton and have long sleeves, I just had to pull out the three drawers full and do a cull. My oh my!!! I embarassed myself so now there are two bin bags ready to go to CS. Was going to do the Oxfam £5.00 voucher thing (could have got about £100.00) but then realised that the vouchers only have 1 months validity and only when you spend £35 or more on clothing, home and beauty at M&S*.. don't want to bring anything else into this house!

Have done the five bedside drawers on OH's side as they mainly contained my pjs and some work related polo-shirts. His one drawer was fine! :rotfl::rotfl:

Now tackling the three bedside drawers on my side. Again, it's a my oh my situation! I've ploughed through it all and chucked out lots of 'stuff' and filled up one of the drawers in the bathroom with bathroom type things - shower gels, badger balm, toothpaste, hand gel, hand cream... I could go on and on and on! :eek:

Feel a bit saner but am beginning to remember how badly I felt when I decluttered books and stuff - got lots of doubles of things cos I couldn't find the first thing,or had forgotten I already had it, so bought it again.

Sheer madness - now I deserve a little sit down and rewatch of Dr Who.

Igamogam

Got no real oomph today Got quite alot done yesterday but too distracted today. 'Office/study/dump it room' is still a nightmare - turning into a bit of a FROG really - think I will have to tackle it bit by shelf by draw IYSMIM

Bit chilly last night here so lit the wood burner - didnt put any wood on it only old statements, bills, cheque book stubs, etc dating back to the turn of the century - kept us warm all evening :rotfl::rotfl:

Spendaholic_Chick

Well, the cards have been sorted...my 18th and 21st were there but now they're all in the recycling except 'Auntie' cards and a couple that had such lovely words in I can't part with them.

Trouble is, I read them all and have been crying off and on for an hour thinking of some of the people no longer with us, friendships that turned sour and (strangely enough cos I wouldn't have him back if he was studded with diamonds) my boyfriend/fiance/husband - reading cards from him over the 14 years we were together reminded me how happy we once were :eek::o

Anyway, that's a good job done...and got someone from freecycle comong to collect four storage boxes in a bit so that's today's good deeds done!

mineallmine

Finally finished this first quarter of the living room. :j It's taken hours, filling 2 recycling bags and half filling a bag of rubbish! Plus sorted some bits for charity.

I could have cheated and bagged everything up and stuffed it into another room. Some stuff has been bagged but to be returned to the bedroom (like toiletries and stuff). But I went through everything. Now I'm knackered! But the difference it makes to the room already is amazing. Blank space really opening up the room.

So I've decided the lounge is the focus this week. Working on the remaining quarters of the room. At least it's less daunting looking at it that way.

Hats off to those dealing with emotional stuff - I'm a great believer in this stuff as a cleansing process :A

calleyw

Sadly not much to tell. Not been up to it really.

Any how:

Out:
One ceiling Airer

Pending:
Box of cd/dvd for music magpie.
Ikea desk in bits
PC base unit minus HD's.

In:
One MOT certificate :j passed and cost less than £100 for the work that needed to be done.

Not sure if mentioned before but a new microwave and a couple of T-shirts and three pairs of trousers for my husband due to the 25% off clothes @ sainburys did come in at one stage last week but not sure as it has been a long old week.

Down stairs still looks like a bomb hit it. As have had to keep some packing from my new kitchen table. And still have two chairs to unpack and make

Think I might have to get making a list so I have hit list of things to do.

Mind you I don't want to go in to the dressing table stool I have down stairs. As there are approx 10 pairs of door handles I bought for 10p from focus a couple of years ago :rotfl:

On Wards and Up Wards.

All the best.

Yours

Calley

lbnblbnb

This thread is inspiring, thank you!
I attacked under my daughter's bed today, it actually only took about an hour. I have been dreading it. I also did a sweep round her room, so really I don't know why I have been putting if off for so long. Never again will I say she is good at keeping her room tidy, I now discover she has been shoving things under her bed since I don't know when.
My most urgent area is the living room as we have builders coming to replace the floor and do the damp proof course on the 5th of September and we really do not have room to store everything. Must start to deal with it all.
Good luck everyone!

cat04

Didn't get much done yesterday as we were out of the house all afternoon and evening, but OH and I made a start today as the girls have gone off camping with their dad so once we'd got back from Sunday dinner at OH's grandparents we decided to have a go at the garage. Bearing in mind we didn't start till 5pm, and I had a half hour phone call we didn't do too badly.

OUT:
Recycled/binned:
Cardboard/plastic/polystrene packaing from the washer we bought in July! -
Old kettle
Trashed cardboard box
Trashed pair of mules that have been lurking in the garage for a very long time!
Old very tatty carrier bags
CS Bag:
Found a bag with lots of baby tights
Lots of kids coat hangers
Some boys clothes I was given to carboot a long time ago which we haven't taken yet
Few kids bits

Pending: Need to photograph and put on our local facebook selling pages:
Lots and lots of kids books - shifting too slowly at CB. Whatever doesn't sell on FB will be given one more chance at the CB then will go to CS
Few kids toys
Microwave my parents gave me which came from an elderly family friend who never used it
2 nappy bags - wipe down first

We're going back in the garage tomorrow so will no doubt have plenty more for the CB, CS and FB plus junk for the bin