2014 decluttering thread (part 3)

TheDoolallyDilly

Ziggy - a gentle hug and lots of good wishes for a speedy recovery

Cat04 - I know exactly what you mean, recently I have been rearranging and putting things back where they belong, rather than decluttering. I don't have a wedding to plan, but I am trying to organise what will happen with my disabled DS1 when he is back from residential college for good in the summer, plus some other family stuff which will be happening soon (don't want to be too secret squirrel about that, but not ready to share yet) so I have loads to 'do' but it's all a bit stressful. I try and do a couple of bits a day - even if it's just a phone call, or some research, or shredding some obviously unneeded paperwork.

Not much to report here, reading everyone else's reports has made me feel lazy but while being held in a queue on the DWP helpline, I sorted a few bits of paperwork out, and they have been shredded/recycled.

Hope to start paperwork in earnest next week, and as the sun is shining, and the window cleaner's been, I might do a spot of spring cleaning too ...

cat04

Thank you Pollys and TheDoolallyDilly I've been tidying/decluttering/sorting on and off for the past couple of years so I know that I can do it, just need that big old kick up the backside to get my mojo up and running again!

After posting I washed up, wiped over the kitchen sides and tidied a few bits up in there so the kitchen (on the outside) was looking good. I've sorted most of the cupboards recently just need to have a tidy up of the food cupboard (threw out an OOD that now smells funny balsamic vinegar so you could say I've already made a start!) and the cupboard under the sink.

I've done a few more of other jobs today which can count as outs as I popped into town this morning to pay a cheque and some birthday money into the bank and popped into a travel agent to get a quote for our honeymoon - I don't know why I put this kind of job off (i.e. interacting with strangers over the phone/email/in person) as when I'm actually doing them there are no problems! I also emailed the cake lady and the small company I'm ordering my invites from so I've decluttered my wedding list slightly...but this kind of thing I should save for the wedding threads and not on here!

I've sorted through a bag of rubbish from the kids room and also making a conscious effort to take things up and down stairs whenever I go and to do those little things that catch my eye straight away instead of meaning to then forgetting then getting cross with myself or said object!

I love lists and OH teases me (in a nice way) about it, but it works for me so I'm sticking with it. I'm going to draw up a couple of lists. One for daily/weekly every day jobs that need doing to help keep on tops of things and also a master list of the other and bigger jobs, like sorting that cluttered sink cupboard!

A daily read of this thread is always good for motivation and your words of encouragement have spurned me on....if I can only tear myself away from MSE and put the laptop down. I hope you both (as well as everyone else on here!) get your decluttering cracked this year

mothernerd

Several pizza box mountains (DS3's not mine)and a large binbag to the bin yesterday, then 2 carrier bags with all the bits I found later (not enough room for another bin bag). Three wastepaper bins full of paper (paper recycling only once every 4 weeks). Then couldn't sleep and went out again at 3am and 6am with more (sorting through little piles here,there and everywhere -my old coursework, DS1's student funding application (+ all my P60s -more than one job) for the year 2004-5.

2 books sold on amazon,3more baskets of recyclables, holly/lavender plants and hyacinth bulbs from Christmas outside (had been moved from the front room to the vestibule to acclimatise,all small mushroom boxes used to set off more seeds rather than lurking in odd corners, bag for cs, bag for food bank (including toiletries minatures and samples). 4 things to go to mum's on Friday taking me up to 134/150.

newthrift

cat04 wrote: »

Only come on to have a moan at myself!!

We haven't actually got that much 'clutter', nothing at all like you see on the hoarder programmes, thank goodness! Part of the problem here is that half the time one or more of us is too lazy/tired/doesn't have enough time to put things away properly/think about where they really need to go etc hence little piles of stuff build up or particular rooms that are used to hold stuff we don't know where to put yet or are in the process of selling/donating etc etc start looking messy. It's more the sorting through piles of stuff that needs doing as the rest of the place (so far this year!) is pretty tidy once jobs like washing up/emptying bins get done.

So where is my motivation?? I could understand it if the house was crammed floor to ceiling as it really would be a case of where on earth do you start. I've done quite a lot already of sorting paperwork, tidying hot spots for clutter and dumping grounds but apart from making more of an effort to use up odds and ends of toiletries and posting OH's ebay stuff I just can't seem to get myself into gear recently and it's really starting to annoy me!!

Doesn't help that we're getting married in August and again I'm struggling to start the ball rolling with various wedding tasks so feel like I've got both wedding and house jobs piling up on my shoulders and the really important stuff is sorted, it's '2nd level of importance' things that need doing now. Also, before the wedding my brother is coming back from Oz for a month and will be staying with us so I really need to get the spare room (sorry, meant dumping ground for loft stuff and anything else that doesn't have a home!) decorated - plastering the walls first is a must though lol. Shower needs replacing too as that's given up the ghost

Sorry to ramble, just feel like I might somehow motivate myself into doing things if I can see it in black and white on a public forum lol. I've always been like this, sometimes it gets worse like now and I put my head in the sand and hope everything will be fine when I pull it out again but things won't get themselves done if I don't do them. I have 20 minutes before school run, lets see if I can get at least one little job done!

Oh dear, just read back and it is a rather long moan - many apologies!

Oh no sounds like you were ready for a cup of tea first.


I think the best thing would be to make a list with jobs in order of importance, and try to tick them off one at a time.


Anything wedding related top of the list!!
Then shower - if it's not working.
Next spare room, but list smaller jobs individually so that when you get a spare 10/20 minutes you can do a quick little job and tick it off!


Hope you have a better start to the day tomorrow & good luck sorting!

newthrift

Also sorry to hear Ziggy, wishing you a speedy recovery and well wishes!!

Goldiegirl

TheDoolallyDilly wrote: »

Ziggy - a gentle hug and lots of good wishes for a speedy recovery

Cat04 - I know exactly what you mean, recently I have been rearranging and putting things back where they belong, rather than decluttering. I don't have a wedding to plan, but I am trying to organise what will happen with my disabled DS1 when he is back from residential college for good in the summer, plus some other family stuff which will be happening soon (don't want to be too secret squirrel about that, but not ready to share yet) so I have loads to 'do' but it's all a bit stressful. I try and do a couple of bits a day - even if it's just a phone call, or some research, or shredding some obviously unneeded paperwork.

Not much to report here, reading everyone else's reports has made me feel lazy but while being held in a queue on the DWP helpline, I sorted a few bits of paperwork out, and they have been shredded/recycled.

Hope to start paperwork in earnest next week, and as the sun is shining, and the window cleaner's been, I might do a spot of spring cleaning too ...

I seem to have slowed up on the de-cluttering at the moment.

I think the problem is, I have a couple of days off work mid-March ( with my part time working pattern, it means I'll actually be off work for the best part of two weeks) and I keep thinking I'll do de-clutteriing when I'm off work.

I intend getting back into the loft, to bring down a few more things, having a trawl through my wardrobe, as I know there are things that don't fit me, have a paperwork blitz. Even though I try to get rid of paperwork immediately, there are still certain areas where it accumulates.

There are also a couple of beautiful handbags, which although I really like them, I know realistically I'm not going to use them again. I want to get them on eBay, but something keeps holding me back. I really will have to have a word with myself!

So there is lots to do, it's just that I'm not getting on with it!

But I have been selling some things on eBay on behalf of my friend who is also decluttering, so I'm not completely idle!

LeaLea89

Hi all, big hugs to those in need of one!

I have got rid of another couple of bags of rubbish to the tip this week, a couple of bags to the weigh in shop £9 paid so was happy with that.
Ive sold a rug on ebay which made enough that covers the cost of the new one i bought

Another rug to go out later this week as i am picking another new one up today, as part of the 'refresh' of downstairs. If that covers the cost of the new one i will be a very happy bunny.

My mum is lending me her carpet cleaner this week so i will be able to de-clutter some dirt from the spare room carpet .

I need to get rid of some wicker boxes that dont have lids on so no use to me will try those on fb later this week. Sold a couple of other items on there that need collecting this week aswell.

Feeling good about the de-clutter, i may even attempt the airing cupboard this weekend! now that will be an experience :eek:

newthrift

Evening all!

Quick check in, spent the day de-cluttering spare room mainly then junk cupboard, top of wardrobe. Have delivered a box of stuff this afternoon to one CS and another massive bin bag of mixed stuff to a different CS! Can't believe how much clutter we had, looks so tidy now :T

Last place I need to do is under the stairs which I did just before Christmas but will take a quick look at again, you never know!

aimeemum

Managed to cadge myself an extra day today. Weather was miserable this morning here, and I'd had a horrid night with the baby so I gave Earl the day off pre-school lol. Means that once I've done on here I can give the kids a snack and put on a film for them while they play and I can crack on with housework and with some more much needed decluttering. The house always seems to get a bit messy if I don't get a bit OCD about it lol. Kitchen needs a crackdown so I'm going to empty cupboards and have a clear out of all past best stuff. Other boring stuff to do plus some more sorting in the bedrooms to get rid of a few more bits up to the loft too - bathroom is once again full of stuff to put up there ready for hubby to do his bit - been full for over a week now!

Have a good day everyone.

mothernerd

Hugs for anyone not well or struggling at the moment.

Ok, home strait - 2 canvasses, one to bin,one to charity shop pile, hat to DS2 (hung on the hook for the curtain tie in DS3's room),2 more bins of paper recycling, 3 items of clothing from DS3's wardrobe-lovely but very worn jacket (said I will make him a scarf from it), T-shirt to charity bag and another jacket which needs buttons (taking to mum's on Friday as I don't have the right buttons) and he will take it into Manchester for one of his friends (also taking a game and some dvds for friends/cs), 2 cakeboxes returned to their owners, 17 study guides and workbooks (mostly science/geography) to cs. I sat looking through them and then thought in the next few months they are going to be much more useful to someone (or their mum) who is struggling with exams than they are sitting on the shelf -not up to date, but the facts mostly don't change.

Also added 3tins to food bank bag (not counted).

Hope to persuade DS3 to continue going through his wardrobe (hoping to find some loose trousers which can be cut down for my exercise class) but I said just do3 items.He is also going out for the day on Saturday so that Ican finish painting his room.The friend who is going to fix the stairs is now not coming until the following weekend -less pressure on me as I want to paint the room he will be using first. Then hopefully I can persuade the two of them to wrestle the single bed out of the small room,so that can be done.

Not sure the house looks better at the moment -some places look bare and there is a lot that looks 'in transit'. Some is intentional -don't want any more things in the rooms that are being painted and could be a good thing when I come to sell -the blank canvas that people can make their own. Trying to do little improvements - hoovered under the (attic) stairs yesterday and then put empty cardboard boxes away under there -after painting I can sort all the attic stuff again.I'd also washed all DS3's pillows and put his quilt on the line (he was very cross) so had to unpack old pillows and single quilts for him and gf. Don't want to bin them but they aren't very good condition - any ideas?

So declaring for February with 161/150.
Looking forward to March (off to town with fully-loaded rucksack now).