2017 - No Clutter To Be Seen

sallymander

Hi cassox and welcome,

I think saver-upper has summed it up really well, and I just want to echo that at first I found it difficult getting rid of unwanted or unneeded gifts, but Im coming to realise that if they are lying unused, forgotten or even worse have become a burden, both emotionallly and because of the amount of space they take up, then they should go. Having spoke to my loved ones they have often forgotten even gifting these things! Also by declutting I have inspired them to get rid of the things weighing them down, including gifts from me, which I see as an even greater gift.

So once the gifts are no longer wanted, whether thats ten years down the line, or the day after you received then, they have outlived their usefulness. acknowledge the love that they represent but dont feel compelled to keep them if they dont represent you or fit in with your life.

Sally x

Saver-upper

Cassox wrote: »

Thank you Saver Upper.

You are welcome,Cassox.You sound really motivated,and I am sure you will get there.Just be patient with yourself,and don't forget to check in here and let us know how you are going.I find it really motivating to count everything out,and see the numbers going up.(I am a bit old-fashioned,so I list everything with pen and paper,or list on my phone).It slows you down a little,stopping to list like this,but it works for me.Probably a better idea (and you can look back on them later to see how far you have come),is to take a photo of all the stuff you are about to donate/throw out,and list from that when you are posting here.
Also,before and after photos of areas/rooms/surfaces/cupboards are also very motivating to look back on when you are having a "this is going nowhere" day.
I was so motivated to get some decluttering done after the kids went to bed tonight.When I actually got around to doing anything,I didn't really know what I wanted to attack.I have lots of bags and bundles of papers hidden around the house,but I didn't want to get that involved.As it was,I had a peek through a basket of bags of papers,and set aside a few items to shred,and couple of cookbooks to donate-I will,as usual,list when they leave the house.
1732:Only noteable thing that I did find to recycle is a small bundle of recipes,some pulled from magazines a couple of years ago,others I had written out by hand over 30 years ago :eek:.And most never used.

roundtuit

54-55 coat hangers - binned
56 perfume bottle emptied - recycled
57-58 freebie bags given to DS after a course - binned
59 freebie halyard given to DS after a course - binned
60 pair of shoes, both with a hole in the toe - binned
61 budgie's treat stick - unwrapped and placed in budgie's cage where said budgie is now attacking it with relish

Hello Cassox :wave: I've found that baby steps works for me too - if I looked at the whole house I'd be overwhelmed, but one shelf or one drawer is manageable (usually). I donate the good stuff to a charity shop with friendly staff; as I fill a bag I put it in my car boot and then drop it off when I'm in town. It gives me a buzz to know the stuff will be used instead of languishing in a drawer. It's still hard sometimes to let go, but it's definitely easier than when I first started.

Rx

ETA: 62 cardboard box - given to friend

Saver-upper

My mostly decluttered front room needed a good tidy-up today (kids still home from holidays),so I did that.Didn't take too long to tidy,polish and vacuum).Took far too long to put covers (which I had washed over the last few days) back on sofa,but looks much better.
Then I did a bit of decluttering of a large wicker basket I have in that room.It is mostly full of boxes of paper,which I am planning to go through in a week off work later this month.
I set aside a few books to donate,and some stuff to shred.Will count them both as they leave the house.
So,for a sum total of about 3 hours paper-sorting,am counting as 1,so 1733.

Saver-upper

Having cleaned front room yesterday,today (Friday) I did a deep clean of the kitchen.
THEN,I started serious decluttering of the loft :eek:.I have previously done some decluttering of the loft (133 items),and for this thread,I have been counting it seperately to the main house.It honestly is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo fullllllllllllllllllllllllllllll of stufffffffffffffffffffffffffffff :eek::eek:.It has been so full in the past,that when you pull the pull-cord to turn on the light,it has absolutely no effect-the mountain is so huge!!
One of the things I have temporarily moved from the loft is all the empty boxes that I have emptied/no longer need since decluttering.
Today (and probably the next few sessions of loft-decluttering) are probably going to be "skim throughs"-getting rid of "obvious" stuff-boxes for recycling or the tip.It will,no doubt,get harder when it comes time to sort through kids special toys and their drawings,etc.I definitely collect too much of the children's masterpieces,school-work,artwork,etc.
So,out of the loft today,after a total of just over 5 hours,from the loft,I have:-

Recycled:
134-135:the packaging (initially unopened) for 2 Product keys for a computer.I have no idea what these are,or what they do,but they have been in my loft,untouched,for many years,so I probably don't need them
136:Norton 360 version 5.0 Cd's and packaging.Again,I don't know what these are
137:box for an old electronic tablet
138:unidentified child's painting
139:empty shoe box
140:shoe box lid,decorated by a small child
141-142:empty plastic pots
143:shoe box
144-145:decorated-by-a-child toilet rolls
146:Wii packaging
147-148:DS lite packaging.They mst be at least 10years old.Don't think the kids even know where the DSs are now
149-151:3 boxes
152:a crushed box labelled "xxxx's things" and nicely decorated by a small child
153:partly-used "make your own Christmas card" set_some parts binned,some recycled

Binned:
154:broken make-up brush (kid's )
155:kid's nail polish,extremely old and manky
156:foam letter
157:beads

Also recycled 158,an old laptop box.

Now,this is just some of what left the loft today.Some of the above-mentioned boxes contained stuff,which was also sorted for donation/bin/keep.The donations,as usual,I will list when they leave the house.
Feels soooooooo good to be tackling the loft.I have been putting it off for absolutely years,and have actually booked off my birthday week later this month just so I can do the loft :eek::eek:.

roundtuit

Well done Saver-upper :T

As for me:

63 Get Well card from work colleagues - recycled

(every little helps )

greent

1258. Board game (played once) – CS
1259. Cuddly toy (still tagged) – CS
1260. 2 small bottles of not-nice mouthwash (freebies) added into large bottle of usual mouthwash to disguise! Bottles recycled 😊
1261. Dried up remains of a bottle of nailpolish – binned
1262. Random odd shaped large piece of cardboard acquired by DS2 for a craft activity but never used – recycled
1263. tube of Clinique face stuff used as body lotion
1264. large tub of body butter from stash used up 😊
1265. several bottles of hotel s/gel used to top up handwash bottle
1266 -67. 2 books read and passed on
1268. HUGE pile of old schoolwork (DS1) – recycled
1269 – 1273. 5 old text books (DS1) – returned to school….
1274. hotel body lotion mixed into normal body lotion – bottle recycled
1275. broken wooden dinosaur toy/ puzzle/ ornament – added to chimenea
1276 - 77. couple of well annotated revision guides – recycled
1278. outgrown, worn-down and broken Crocs (DS3) – binned
1279. more paperwork recycled – DS1
1280. art project (DS1) – recycled
1281. item of clothing – sold – ebay
1282 -1283. 2 moisturisers – sold – ebay
1284. tin of bathsalts used up (DD)
1285. pair of gloves – shoebox appeal
1286 -87. – Sealed McD’s toys – shoebox appeal
1288. mac in a bag – CS
1289 -1292. Books read/ not read – passed on
1293 – 1301. 9 books sold – Ziffit
1302. DVD sold – ziffit
1303. packaging from stash used on Ziffit & ebay parcels
1304. gift bag, tag and paper from stash used on a present
1305 – 1307. 3 baby items (new) from stash – gifted
1308 – 1309. 2 baby toys (DD) passed on to (pregnant) sister
1310 -1312. 3 hanging baskets – CS
1313 – 1318. 6 books – CS
1319. Damaged thermal mug ☹ - binned
1320. small bowl (DS3’s favourite) – broken – binned ☹
1321. Felicity Wishes book – passed on
1322. Felicity Wishes file – CS
1323. New craft kit – CS
1324 -1326. 3 books read/ not read – passed on
1327. Pile of schoolwork (DS1) – recycled
1328. Jewellery hanger – binned
1329. (Unused) 3D dinosaur puzzle – CS
1330 1331. 2 (more0 sealed McD’s toys – shoebox appeal
1332 – 1334. 3 packs of ood seeds – sowed 😊
1335 -1362. 27 items sent to MusicMagpie
1363. box and bubblewrap used on above
1364. another book read and passed on
1365. another book read and passed on 😊
1366. New Lancome item sold – ebay
1367. New phone cover – sold – ebay
1368. Packaging used for above items
1369. paddling pool with a slow puncture – bin
1370-71. 2 more McD’s toys – shoebox appeal
1372. manky old rags from garage – bin
1373. sarong with a hole – fabric recycling
1374. wheely trolley/ box thing – broken – bin
1375. manky George foreman type grill given to us for DD – mouldy (bleurgh) – bin
1376 -77. 2 more books read and passed on
1378. moisturiser from stash used (only 8 more full sized pots to go….)
1379. Pair of hardly worn Clarks daps – CS
1380. Wellies – CS
1381. Unopened bottle of vodka – donated
1382. Broken bubble wand – binned
1383. small flower mirror – shoebox appeal
1384 -85. 2 pairs of shoes – recycled
1386. more paperwork from DS1’s room – recycled
1387. Cook book – sold – ebay
1388. couple of odd socks – fabric recycling
1389. manky old desk lamp
1390. Wedding dress – sent off for making into angel baby gowns
1391. bag of assorted misc tiny buttons – sent off with 1390
1392. bag of safety pins – donated to charity
1393. very last of charity paperwork – posted back to charity
1394. non working camera – binned
1395. torn camera case – binned
1396. old very faded duvet cover & pillowcase – fabric recycling
1397. book read and passed on
1398. free tote bag (prize) sold – ebay
1399 – 1400. 2 identical travel toiletry sets (free) – sold – ebay
1401. small bits of scrap wood from garage – burned – chimenea
1402. lots of old pens and felt tips (DD) – bin
1403. more paperwork – recycled (DD)
1404. packaging used on ebay parcels

sallymander

Hi all, im finally caught up now, heres the scores on the doors from this week.

1354. Sewing pattern sold online
1355-62. Magazines recycled
1363. Body scrub from stash used up, im now on the last bottle of body scrub so wont count that as i finish it because it will be replaced.
1364. Colouring book recycled
1365. Last tub of sudacrem used up
1366-87. Unused notebooks donated to family and cs
1388. Bag of shredding
1389-91. Fancy pen boxes recycled
1392-4. Music books to cs
1395-6. 2 stacks of craft papers to cs
1397. Bag of rubbish from loft
1398. Craft kit to cs
1399-1403. Loyatly cards
1404. Fancy dress gun
1405. Fake blood
1406. Fancy dress wig
1407-8. Another 2 bags of rubbish from loft
1409. Tin to cs
1410-3. Bracelets to cs
1404-16. Old diaries recycled
1417. Money box to cs
1418. Childs mug to cs
1419. Christening present to cs
1420. Baby shoes binned (my first shoes from the 80's!)
1421-37. Old loyalty and membership cards binned
1438. Scrap book recycled
1439. 1st cutlery set to cs
1440. Decorative tin to cs
1441-7. Old bits of uniform from an old job recycled
1448. Key for an old car
1449-50. 2 more bags of shredding
1451-2. 2 gift basket baskets to cs
1453. Cardboard boxes
1454. Greetings cards
1455. Sunglasses sold online
1456-83. Gift bags passed on to friends or cs
1484-8. Gift boxes to cs
1489. Linen trousers sold online
1490. Fancy face cream from stash used up
1491. Old mobile recycled
1492. Magazine sold online
1493. Eyeliner binned
1494. KonMarie book to sister
1495. Wooden ipad holder broken and recycled
1496. Used make up sponges binned
1497. Lip balm used up
1498. Tweezers
1499. Old deoderant binned
1500. Hairclip to cs
1501. Purse to cs
1502. Magazine sold online
1503. Gift set to cs
1504. Powder eyeliner binned
1505. Zetec badge sold online
1506. Shower gel used up from stash
1507. Fancy conditioner used up
1508. Cheap razors binned
1509. Chair to cs
1510. Table to cs
1511. Another bag of rubbish
1512. Tapestry frame
1513-14. 2 sets of curtain poles
1515. Bag of curtain hooks
1516-18. Another 3 gift bags donated
1519. Kettle descaler used up

gemmajenkins0208

Wow, what an eventful week!

I've been very busy moving things into the flat still. We were going to move in today but our phone line isn't getting connected until the 15th and our mattress isn't being delivered for another 10 days!

My partner and I are off to London for a week on the 11th and we are going to move into the flat when we come home.

I have given myself until the 20th - which is the last day of my time off work - to try and use up as many of my toiletries as I can as I seem to have forgotten just how much I had! :rotfl:

I have taken all sealed unused and well in date toiletries to the flat to start using when we move in. Everything else is still here for me to try and use up. I will take things to London with me if necessary just to try and use it up.

Wish me luck! :eek: :rotfl:

somerandom

somerandom wrote: »

841. sunglasses case
842. pJ bottoms

843. wheelie bin green waste
844 & 5 - 2 parcels posted