Enough is enough - the great declutter

JillD_2

I haven't done mucn over the last week, been way too tired in the evenings. But DH took DS out to play this afternoon and I got some done whilst DD had a (thankfully very long!) nap.

I cleaned out the filing cabinet we got off frreecycle. It was free so its great but it was revoltingly filthy. Must have been kept outside or at least in someones garage for ever. Full of grunge and bits of leaf etc. Took over an hour to clean. Yuck. Shudder. But its done now thankfully.

Moved the filing from our silly wee filing drawer things into the cabinet. Cleaned out one set of drawers completely so that can go in the garage for now.

Cleared out almost a bookshelf so that can go in garage too.

Moved a load of unopened toys that I saved from Xmas (they got SO many) and some things I have bought for pressies when I see them. They are now all neatly stacked in one box on top of my wardrobe.

Put all the paper recycling i from upstairs down into the recycling bin.
Moved some unread magazines into the front room to remind me to actually read them (I will never need to buy a magazine again LOL).
Brought an almost-but-not-quite-finished rug downstairs and worked on it a bit this evening.

The upstairs study (soon to be spare room to vacate spare room for 3rd baby) looks no different LOL as it was all behind the scenes so to speak.

Next thing is to Ebay a load of bits and bobs. Hoping hubby wil let me have some "time off" tomorrow afternoon to get a bit of it done.

Have a load of books, some brand new, which I think I might try on amazon having read other people's thoughts on it on here.

After that, hoping to clear desk which is massive, and bring it down into garage. We have a much smaller one that someone gave us that will come up into the study. Then got 1 bookshelf to empty, and then there may be room for the spare bed :T

Feeling shattered looking at that list :rotfl:

Beamish

Have a huge skip on the drive full of rubbish from the garden and house, a busy back breaking Easter but totally rubbish free household now!

Babs

tealady

I asked friends if they would like any thing I didn't need, got rid of a few things that way. Also I'm lucky living in Brum as Council will take up to 6 items away for free, and i can book as many times as I like. I find the "3 bin bag tango" works for me. Go into a room with 3 bags. 1 is for rubbish, one is for repairs/cleaning, and the last for "waifs and strays" (things that have wandered into the room but dont belong there)

Soapy955

nanamags wrote: »

Hi Foks

I would like to join in as well. My house is fit to burst and I don't know where to start. I usually ignore it all as I work full time and I am totally knackered by the time I get home. I live on my own so I have no one to nag me [believe me I really need this ]. I have been off work ill for the past 4 weeks and have realised how much it has got out of hand. I am always full of good intentions, making copious lists and plans but I never actually do anything.

Help
:eek: :eek:

It should be easier for someone living on their own. At least you know that everything is in your home cos you choose to keep it and no-one else.
When I try to de-clutter I find something of my Hubby's which looks useless and only suitable for the dustbin and get told by him to "keep it just incase!!"
I'm fighting a losing battle!!

amandada

I've made over £100 on ebay this week! A good part of that has been part used but still ok bottles of perfume! I'd never have thought about ebaying them till I saw it mentioned on here!

I also discovered that a dinner service given to me and my ex (so therefore no longer used and taking up loft space) has been discontinued by Denby. I've split each part into 3s (3 plates etc) and have been doing rather well with that too!

Still loads to clear though!

verynewmoneysaver

I received two big three drawer bedside tables on Freecycle. I have rearranged the bedroom, and put a lot of things into them which were previously in boxes, so the bedroom looks a lot better.

pollys

Well done everyone.

We have done some re-organizing in the boys room and once we have finished painting it, it should be clutter free. Everything I put on freecycle has been collected which has made a huge difference. Having a day off today, but hoping to get back to it tomorrow.

charlies_mum

Soapy955 wrote: »

It should be easier for someone living on their own. At least you know that everything is in your home cos you choose to keep it and no-one else.
When I try to de-clutter I find something of my Hubby's which looks useless and only suitable for the dustbin and get told by him to "keep it just incase!!"
I'm fighting a losing battle!!

I totally agree, I have to sort things while DH is at work, and take it to the tip before he manages to rescue anything

Karmacat

Just found this thread - wow! I've been decluttering for ages and ages - I live on my own, in a 3 bed house, and I started to declutter when I realised that in most rooms I couldn't walk in a straight line, had to sidle round things. Awful.

As for things being easier for single people - well, in that we're the sole decision makers, yes, but there are plenty of things I found recently when I was working on my kitchen that I simply didn't know I had - that feels the same whether you're single or with someone! But yes, if we find something we want to throw out, we can. What I've been doing is putting stuff in my spare room, to check if I'll regret throwing it in 2 months time. I never regret it, so I do chuck it, but its also given me freedom - I don't worry about putting stuff in the "throw" pile, cos I know I'm not throwing it straight away. And its almost entirely because I'm the single decision maker that I can do that. My trouble was that because the house was so cluttered I wasn't appreciating the luxury of all the room I've got.

The comments on here about what if you died and somebody had to come in and sort your stuff also made me think. A cousin has been reading and shredding her therapy journal, written 30 years ago, for this very reason - and that really makes sense to me. I was always going to write something with my partner, but we're not in contact any more, let alone with one another. There's some legal stuff from that time I might have to keep (ugh), but *so* much can go. And there are some school exercise books of mine - I'll keep the one from when I was 6, but there are about a dozen from when I was 18! And I'm not going to tell you how long ago that was....

Sorry this is so long, but I've been working through this thread for the last two or three hours, and its really been illuminating, made me stop and think a lot. Thank you all.:T

nodwah

It's all gone quiet over here..
This week I've freecycled an old lawnmower, cleared about 2 meters of the loft while myOH wasn't in - including an old sunlounger that hadn't been opened up in about 10 years and has a spring sticking right thru where your bot would be, we've brought it on 2 house moves with us!. Also have a charity bagful of old clothes and toys for Tuesday.
So why does my house look like a tip still?