The Great Declutter Part 3 - 2011

sunshineyday

Onething wrote: »

To sunshinyday & anyone having problems getting started...what worked for me is to move all the stuff out of the problem area eg the cupboard under the stairs which had reached the stage of open door, things fall out, the cellar wasn't much better...put in the best storage you can eg shelves, stack of baskets, hooks etc, then stand back & admire the space. and resolve to end up with the same effect.

So EVERYTHING that goes back has to be scrutinised for when did I last use this/why/when might I/have I got another & is this the best one of the 2/do I know someone else or charity could make better use of it...and only put back what you can REALLY justify.

Anything 'fiddly' eg paperwork needing sorting put it in a box & do it in front of the TV. Yes in future you will occ think I wish I hadn't got rid of X but the alternative is to sink under the weight of stuff and feel all stale and bogged down.

Next job- the big book cabinet which is overflowing , books piled on top & starting to topple, & my target is to get everything inside the ruddy thing....don't care how many I have to get rid of, it WILL look better. I've not read some for over 20 years but I need to look at each one to decide which goes....

thanks for the great advice Onething, I think this is a great idea, I am planning to take a full day, and hopefully rope in some help to get the 'dumping room' sorted out - and I think I will follow your tip and literally empty it to start with and only keep stuff I really need.

The crazy thing is if I ever needed anything that's in there I'd probably never be able to find it!

sunshineyday

clairehi wrote: »

snipped
I agree with onething's advice and would also add, if you start by clearing out one cupboard, drawer, or other storage space, you will then have more space to put awaythe stuff that is just lying around. that can make a huge difference to how a room looks!


another great tip, thank you clairehi,
cleared out two kitchen cupboards and two drawers in the hall table tonight - they are now virtually empty -there were papers in the drawers from 2006:eek:

thanks for the great tips and support folks, I'm really hoping to change my ways and become a dedicated junkbuster!!

good luck with the great declutter everyone, xx

mineallmine

mineallmine wrote: »

23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30 Out of date food from fridge, sauces etc (bin)
31.32.33.34. Out of date food, packets etc (to a friend with a strong constitution...)
35.36. Out of date food, packaging recycled (recycling)

Up to 36 items now - woo hoo! :j

Hope everyone is doing ok :T

37.38. 39. Toiletries used up as part of challenge (bin)
40. Duff pens from penpot (bin)
41. Loads xmas cards (to a friend to recycle as gift tags)

Every little helps.:j

lola34

Pending out today..... day 5/10

16-28 Ebay parcels
29 Free paper and leaflets to recycling

boultdj

Got a stinking cold slowing me down,but I'm slowly plodding.
IN
Post and free local newspaper
OUT
local free paper and all the extra crap that get's put in with post
more plastic where the hell is it coming from!!!!
2 box's of cerel to neighbour, OH gone off them and the BBD is the end of the month,and I can't stand the taste of it:o
PENDING
electric bill,that came in the post:eek:

TheDoolallyDilly

I did a tiny bit more yesterday - to be honest, I'm almost done with all that I can do (DS2 needs to sort out his room, but isn't ready to do it yet!). I got rid of:-

1 DVD
1 video
2 tops
1 skirt

All gone in the CS bag - so that makes 67/100 :j

nodwah wrote: »

Where do all you keep your important papers?

I have a sideboard I keep all the paperwork in - mostly in lever arch files. I need go through the paperwork, actually, that's probably my last decluttering job. I am sure I have years worth of credit card statements, so some of them can be shredded.

clairehi

BatOutOfhell wrote: »

I have two boys with a MASSIVE amount of Lego and have found the only way to sort it that works for any length of time is to sort it by colour. We use the plastic towers of 4 or 6 drawers from Argos and bung one colour of brick into each drawer. The set of drawers comes with 4 free plastic tubs so we use them for the colours we have fewer bricks of e.g. green.

What I've found is that the bricks from each range tend to be in the same colours e.g. Star Wars has a lot of beige bricks, Lego City lots of yellow and red and the kids can spot the brick they want surprisingly easily.

If you sort the bricks by colour it's much easier for them to "help" put it away aswell..... HTH

this makes sense and we will give it a go this weekend - definitely a rainy day job!

gillian62

Over the past 2 days I have decluttered 40 items from bedroom drawers and cupboards.

Today I have cleared the tops above the kitchen cupboards - boxed items never used from clearing MIL flat 2 years ago! - 10 boxes.

Got rid of old bathroom scales, and another tea caddy. = 52 items in total.

I've made it, 100 items in just 5 days.:j:j Shows how badly cluttered the house is. I expect I'll find more before the 10 days are up.

phizzimum

took big bag to charity shop yesterday, 11 things in total. Bought a few things in town as well though! mainly school stuff for kids, and a pressie for friend (will give it to her today)

so my total is now 71... feel like I'm flagging though. need to list some things on ebay/amazon at weekend. found a stash of toiletry samples in drawer in bathroom, so have put couple in shower to use up.

Yorkielass

Back at work and so decluttering much slower, but at least that means less clutter being created I guess!

Out:
Some food from freezer - using things up for lunch
Box that a gift set came in ages ago, had my nail bits in but got a new set at Christmas so this box is now at work to be used for bits of stationery.

In:
Digital SLR camera, bought by OH with birthday money and voucher from work.
Few bits of post which I didn't sort as got in late.

Got a quiet weekend so hoping to have a productive one.