Decluttering 2013, the saga continues ...

Yorkielass

I've got a week away coming up too mrs-moneypenny so whilst that will be lovely it won't help with the decluttering, I've got 2 weeks of October left when I come back though so I'll be on a mission then!

Got several things to gumtree and some more clothes to facebook but need to wait until I'm back really to do that now.

mrs-moneypenny

and its half term in october so we'll have kiddies underfoot for that (my DH is off work for half term) so im going to make it my goal to have the CS stuff ready to take then. im hopeful that sometime in october ill get a chance to visit my mum and that will mean decluttering a couple of baskets of birthday pressies and if im really really organised a load of christmas gifts for my side of the family.
in november ill be clearing a lot of the stuff ive made to the charity fayre on my stall (but how much will sell is another matter!)

81 broken coat hangers - binned
82/83 2 large empty sweet tins - recycled
84 small wooden cd rack - will offer to girls if not CS box

mineallmine

Hello all. I'm struggling too. I need some inspiration and plans. So here's a plan to get numbers back on target:

1. Kitchen: I'm going to find 3 things that will be useful for our local foodbank. I have loads of tins of tuna but don't eat it that often. As the Americans say, go figure. So that's 3 things.

2. Bathroom: I'm going to have a pamper session. So use up a holiday size body scrub, break open a conditioner (Elastiser) I've been saving (saving for what exactly?!) and use up a body lotion. So that's at least 3 toiletries hanging around for too long and used up.

3. Living room: find 3 DVDs that I think a friend would appreciate. So that's 3 DVDs.

4. Airing cupboard: get rid of any orphan pillowcases that don't have a matching duvet cover. Search out any cruddy old pillows. Possibly 3 things here with a good wind.

5. Crafts: declutter 3 things that I've just not used. Aargh that's a tough one but hey!

6. Worst rooms: declutter 3 things from these areas. Preferably something visible and in the way.

7. Car: declutter 3 things. Whether rubbish, recycling, whatever. Anything hiding under the seats, in the side pockets, in the glove box.

8. Shed/garage: ask my hubby to do 10 mins of sorting and hopefully get rid of a few things.

9. Magazines/brochures: find 3 to give to a friend or a doctors waiting room or a neighbour.

10. Clothes drawers/underwear: find 3 knackered or unflattering things that make you feel blah when you wear them.

Well 10 ideas x 3 things at each = 30 things. I'm gong to give it a try and report back later. First off the car while there's a little bit of light left
:j

loopychriss

mineallmine wrote: »

1. Kitchen: I'm going to find 3 things that will be useful for our local foodbank. I have loads of tins of tuna but don't eat it that often. As the Americans say, go figure. So that's 3 things.

5. Crafts: declutter 3 things that I've just not used. Aargh that's a tough one but hey!


:j

I can totally identify with No. 1 mineallmine: what's the first thing I buy when I'm 'stocking up' for the long, hard, snowed-in winter? Yup, the ever-faithful tuna. I do like tuna, but somehow never seem to get around to eating it at home! I had a tuna cull earlier in the year....

And No. 3..... well, I can probably outdo you by 1000% on the craft bits and pieces. As you say, which to choose - it is a hard one because you might need all of it one day!

Had a really 'down' day today up until 5 o'clock when I gave myself a talking to and went upstairs and tidied my underwear drawer. This is something I've been meaning to do for months but it just never got done. I've got 3 drawers and I think the reason I feel so down is because I just look at/walk past them every day knowing they're crammed full of stuff I don't wear. So... Drawer 1 done, 2 more to go.

Also sorted out the grandchildrens' toybox and found some bits there they don't play with any more. So.... I'm getting there. Little and often I think for the time being....

27. Shopping type bag
28. Laptop bag
29. Set of stacking cups
30. Fuzzy Felt set
31. 2 wooden puzzles
32. Bubble wrap from holiday purchases
33. More receipts shredded
34. Novelty soaps
35. Mannequin ornament
36. Hand made soap kept in undie drawer - out of wrapper into bathroom for using
37. Lavender from lavender bag - put on compost (lost its smell)
38. 2 small notebooks (I have an obsession with notebooks, I'm always buying them, writing a few things in them, then 'misplacing' them)
39. Out of date travel insurance docs
40. Bits of ribbon found lurking in undies drawer
41. Bath sponge (new)
42. 14 pairs of socks (going to homeless shelter)
43. 2 odd socks - chucked into fabric recycling
44. Eye mask from airline
45. Knee support
46. Vest top
47. T-shirt top
48. Another vest top
49. Another t-shirt
50-54 5 bras - supposedly my size but various makes and none fit
55 Toddler wrist restraint

That's better.... up in the 50s now. Tomorrow is dustbin day and I defrosted the freezer last night chucking out the food that's been lurking since the last time it was defrosted. I'll include them tomorrow when I list them. Feeling a bit more positive now, so I'll go and see what else I can find!

Keep at it everyone.... it wasn't cluttered overnight so you can't expect to declutter it that quickly!!!

mrs-moneypenny

i finished off another of the bags im making for the craft fayre while out tonight so hopefully that will sell in november. (still doesnt help the october cull) but hopefully the craft cupboard will be considerably lighter after that.

think i'll join you on the pamper session, i could wash my hair, use up a sachet of conditioner and stick a face pack on. Luckily DH is out but i could scare the lads LOL

84/85 2 bottles of rose oil have been sitting on the bathroom shelf for about 3 years since i tried it once and found it made the bath dangerously slippy and a swine to clean. thy still smell beautiful so was loathe to bin them so ive filled the oil diffusers that were all sitting round empty. the house now smells lovely and i have 2 empty bottles to go to the recycling bank tomorrow
86 im typing this in a rather fetching mud mask - thats another sachet off the shelf.
87/88/89/90 4 more dvds found for the school fayre
91 shoe horn - CS box

LOL, fashion and beauty advice from teenage boy, he glanced up and saw me wearing the mud mask i expected him to scream or say something sarky. but instead i got. "Cool. you ought to wear those more often you look like an avatar"

Thrifty_Fashionista

Feeling very low today. Found out THE EX is with someone new. Made me feel very lonely, even though I don't want him back.

Debt is not going down and my £10 a day october challenge is slowing up.

Looked around at all my boxes of stuff and cried. Want my own place again but can't afford it. Want to declutter but not sure what I'll need until I do get a place. Off work tomorrow so will get myself motivated. Thank you for all your lists. I think a good clear out tomorrow will help me stop thinking about all the bad stuff.

TF x

whitesatin

I am trying to have a de-clutter at the moment but going round in circles. Have gone through bedlinen and given some to charity, sorted out the winter sheets and duvet sets for two doubles and one single bed so I don't have to rummage. I have vacuum packed all the summer stuff and put it away.

Now starting on table linen. (I am a self confessed bedding/table linen/towel addict).

Lived in a lovely old house till three years ago but moved to a 50s one now. About 5 years ago I "invested" in a huge Hungarian linen (Bastide) tablecloth, two table runners, eight napkins and eight placemats. They looked great in the old house but don't go in my new one at all.

I am going to launder them tomorrow but can't decide whether to try and sell them or to vacuum pack them and put away for use in the future should I ever move house again.

Thought about using the fabric to make something else or even using them as tea towels. They were not cheap. (See Chamomile Barn "Bastide" as they are still on sale, albeit with 30% off just now). I spent a fortune on the whole set and just can't decide what to do with them. Lovely design, a bit like grain sack but smoother.

I need to decide tomorrow really if I am to move on and really de-clutter.

mineallmine

Hello. I may be struggling to reach my stretching target (I got up to 95 things earlier today) but the promise of a clearer home, with a peaceful energy is something I'm beginning to achieve. It may only be in small pockets (or drawers) but progress is being made. Instead of focusing on my struggle with my latest target I'm going to look at what I have achieved. My airing cupboard is now open for viewings!

So for those of us who are battling with life stuff and clutter stuff keep the faith. Start small. I absolutely guarantee you'll feel a bit better when you declutter in baby steps. So pick a windowsill. A drawer. A shelf. A stair. Whatever. And declutter that area for 15 minutes.

And pop back here and tell us how you've done. :beer:

So back to my target. Using the plan above I decluttered about 15 things. Including 2 blown/buckled tins of fish then lots of brochures, DVDs. Not done my pampering (will do tomorrow) nor looked at my craft stuff yet.

Eager_Elephant

I have been reading this thread but I don't seem to have decluttered much yet - my time will come though.

I noticed someone mentioned pillowcases etc.

Elaine from Mortgage Free in Three is running a charity idea called Teds for Zimbabwe and one of the items they need is pillowcase bags to put the teddies in - they also need exercise books, pencils and new underwear.

If you could help (and declutter at the same time) maybe pop over to her website or PM me (some people are willing to turn the pillowcases in to bags for people who can't do it).

Thanks

mrs-moneypenny

morning all

Thrifty Fashionista, hugs you sound at a low at the moment so think you need one. keep telling youself this is temporary and it WILL get better.
whitesatin my advice about the table set would honestly be keep it. it sounds like it is worth more than the money to you and i think you will regret if you let it go now. leave that untill your mind is more settled and in a happier place its not taking up a lot of room really and if it gives you pleasure and looks beautiful i'd say its allowed to stay.
mineallmine, great advice i was lying in bed this morning just looking round the room and noticed a carrier bag on top of the cupboard. an electronic chess set id bought years ago and never even taken out of the bag - that led to a 30 min bedroom declutter. then while doing the lads breakfast i decided to have 30 mins in the kitchen, it didnt even scratch the surface but yeilded quite a bit.
Eager_Elephant welcome, great idea, just because something is no longer useful to you doesn't mean it wont benefit someone else. i made all my spare pillowcases into dresses that a charity sent to africa last year and lots of my decluttereing goes to good causes or the charity shop but if anyone has any of the things you' ve mentioned we will know where to offer them first.

so far today ive declutterd the menfolk to various places of work or learning but that doesn't count as i get them all back later.

92 electronic chess board and pieces - CS
93 wooden chess board with draughts and chess pieces - school wet play cupboard
94 dead batteries - shop recycling bin
95 lots of boxes and packaging - recycled
96 leaflets and papers - recycled
97 wooden bread bin - one of the girls or CS box
98-107 old bottles of perfumed oil that dont smell anymore - contents disposed of and bottles recycled
108 terracotta plant pot - CS box

off to the bottle bank and battery recycling bin then back to see what else i can get rid of.