Decluttering 2013, the saga continues ...

Debs2009

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

I'm bad for this too. My top tip is to bag the stuff up and put in the back of a cupboard or in the attic. Then presuming you haven't needed to use anything from the bag, leave into a second hand shop without opening

Thank you this is a great idea, will try this tommorow

Debbie

yukkibear

I haven't done a huge amount today but decluttered two plates and a tupperware box back to my Mum's house from Xmas day. I've cleared the windowsil in my bedroom, and emptied xmas presents and recycled the packaging.

I have set aside a cupboard for everything I want to ebay / FB etc and whatever is still in there by the spring will be going to a car boot sale.

sweetilemon

Feeling pleased with myself for making a start on the declutter! Cleared through bags of makeup today. Still need to start on my clothes and cupboards but a start. Missed the xmas rescedualed bin collection so will wait until we have room. Now after christmas we have bags of chocolates to find room for!

loopychriss

Hi everyone, sounds like you're all going great guns at decluttering... another 3 or so pages since I last came on! Wait for me!!!!

Didn't get much done today as it was a beautiful morning, so hubby and I went for a lovely walk around a local park to declutter a few cobwebs and make a few decisions. Then we went up to my parents' for a cup of coffee and a chat.

I have managed to take down all the Christmas cards, and they are all ready in a pile to sort through to see if any bits can be re-made into cards. The rest will have to go to recycling. So that's 1 job out of the way. Also taken the Advent candle down, as it's not Advent any more!

The dishwasher needed topping up with rinse aid, so a rummage under the sink turned up 1 x litre bottle with a few ml left in it, 1 full 500ml bottle and another not quite full 500ml bottle. So I've put some in the dishwasher, and put the rest into the 1 litre bottle. Result - 2 bottles to go in the recycling. (Well, it all helps....)

I got a bargain while out shopping yesterday: went into Oxfam for a browse and found an M&S full length fleecy dressing gown that has hardly been worn for £3.99, also a pair of Cath Kidston flannel type PJs, for the princely sum of £1.99!!! So... my old dressing gown will be on its way out when I've washed it, and the PJs don't quite fit, so will be stashed away for later in the year when I've decluttered a couple of stone. But I've got plenty of other clothes that can be disposed of to make room for them.

applepad wrote: »

do we get a plain divan or one with drawer? Will the drawers hold more rubbish or be usefull storage for his stuff?

Personally I'd go for one with drawer/s or the sliding doors which can hide a multitude of things!

Honeythief wrote: »

This decluttering decision flowchart helps me a lot!
And decluttering does get easier as time progresses - you become more ruthless.

Thank you for the flowchart, I'm going to work to that. And I agree with you on that it gets easier and you become more ruthless. I am now looking at stuff that escaped the first declutter and thinking "well, I haven't used it since the summer, so why am I hanging on to it now?"

mineallmine wrote: »

There's a couple of Kindle books on decluttering that are free at the moment. Don't forget you can borrow books on this from the library too. Plus Youtube has some good videos. Just don't spend too much time reading this or watching that. At some point you need to roll your sleeves up.

Guilty!!! I too spend far too much time looking on Amazon for free books for kindle, reading blogs about decluttering, forums about decluttering and making lists and plans of things to declutter!!! So maybe it's time I actually started DOING some decluttering!

130, 131 2 empty dishwasher rinse aid bottles

mineallmine

taplady wrote: »

Mineallmine - great tip about clearing the dining table:T

Thanks taplady

So glad you've made a big start bubble! That's great. Keep at it. How nice would it be to toast the new year (or a day or so later) in using it with the family :j

Some charity shops get overwhelmed with donations this time of year so remember to have a back up plan of another charity shop if the first one is unable to accept any more donations.

It's a balance isn't it Loopychriss. You need to read stuff to get inspiration, it's just knowing when to put the book down and do something! :j

:j

lobbyludd

I am done decluttering for the day: decided that the kids could sort out which of their DVDs didn't work - took them 30 secs each - I would have spent hours cleaning each one and putting them all into several DVD players to check them LOL! and they've decided which ones they don't want for the other one to look through or give away to charity, without prompting so they are in the box.

One more carrier of old clothes for the charity shop (kids, so perfect, I've kept 2 items to ebay as I know they'll sell because of the brand)

I box of old printer etc connectors from the loft that I haven't put anything in since ex and I seperated: gone (quick win, tipped it all in the bin - do feel guilty about the landfill, but right now I need things out of the house, and once I'm a bit further forward I'll recycle/freecycle/ebay/cs more things, at the moment I'm concentrating on those I can pop into collection bins on the way to work.)

and..... have sorted bureau in the lounge which is where I put papers/bills/post when I can't fit it in the box in my bedroom (the box is where I put things when I can't fit them in the files in my bedroom, and the files are where I put things when I can't get to the filing cabinet in the loft becasue of all the junk in front of it...... there's a way to go) but these most recent have been sorted through, pared down and put in labelled plastic wallets, and the bureau now holds the spare casrds , notepads and the other things it's designed for

feeling very pleased. hope I can keep it up....

pinkypig

This thread is brilliant! I have a guilty secret (well several actually). Everyone who has ever visited our house thinks we are really organised and tidy. Unfortunately it is because we shove all our clutter in cupboards, under beds etc etc. If they looked closely we would have to hang our heads in shame

I took that great piece of advice to start off with small steps. So, yesterday i tackled the kitchen drawers. The junk drawer is now orgaised and all loose batteries, fuses, string etc are all in resealable bags. The pile of old mobile phones, chargers and unidentified cables and all bagged up ready to recycle. I then went through the receipts drawer and got rid of all of them as nothing had any guarantee left on it:o I did however find a receipt for a watch i bought in September which has been sat on the side for a few weeks because the stitching on the strap had come loose. Took it back this afternoon and now have a nice new replacement:j
I put the woodburner to good use and got rid of a huge pile of old bank and credit card statements and 24 :o cheque book stumps.

Motivated by yesterday's feel good factor i have done the dining room (including our paperwork drawers) and got rid of of various table clothes, table mats and crockery that we never use. This is boxed up ready for the CS. Also got two bags of old paperbacks out of the bookcase so what is left actually fit on the shelves:j
Finally, went through my t shirts, jumpers, underwear and tights drawers and got rid of al that old tat that is really to shameful to be seen in. Also, got rid of my old dressing gown as Santa brought me a lovely new one. Also went through DS and DD clothes and have a nice big bag to pass onto a friend for her kids. My stuff is bagged up ready for the CS.
I haven't tackled the kitchen properly but I added a couple of flasks we no longer use, odd mugs and crockery to the CS box and will get stuck in and do it properly next week.

Feel quite liberated!!! So much so I am going to tackle the rest of my bedroom tomorrow including my wardrobe and under the bed:eek:

Will let you know how I get on.

PP xx

belfastgirl23

Another big bag of books for the CS and a few DVDs maybe for eBay? Is it worthwhile? Anyone got any experience of this?

OrangeFairy

fantastic decluttering day...I have continued since my last post with the misc kitchen drawer, 2 more kitchen cupboards and the bathroom cupboards.....so.....

108. Old cardigan
109. Unused ice cube tray
110. Tarnished necklace
111. Out of date E45 cream
112-113 medicine returned to my mum
114. Various chocolate boxes
115-116. 2 out of date milkshake powders
117-119. Toothbrush holders- I prefer using food bags when we travel
120. Old prescription cream
121. Used cotton wool buds and pads...ewe
122. Old bath salts literally 8 years old
123. Old slippers
124. holey flannels
125. Worn razor
126-127. Kids bath toys
128-129. Hooded towels that are too small
130. Old toothbrush used for cleaning
131. DDs cool cards contraption as she has made all the cards!
132. Broken sunglasses
133. Pieces of one of DDs broken wooden necklaces.

That's it for me today! Just another 167 things to go. Probably wont get much chance over the next couple of days so I am glad I have mad a great start

I hope every one else is doing well

DundeeDoll

No physical decluttering today as have decided to spend sundays on a spiritual declutter but raring to go tomorrow starting with clearing the full bags currently lined up in the hall.