2020 - banish the clutter

Dizzy_Imp

I'd really like to join this challenge please

Loads of clutter to clear - I'm going for 2020 items this year, but I'm pretty sure I'll do more, as I'm going to be ruthless!

Bring it on!

Abbafan1972

I would really like to join this as well!

Yankee Candles - I used to buy a lot of Yankee candles jars (I can't afford them now) and I still quite a lot of jars, I have just finished one, so that's gone in the recycling. They are taking up 2 cupboards and I need to clear the space. We only have a small house and don't have room for a lot of storage.

Paperwork - I need to shred a lot of old paperwork and purchase a new concertina type folder, as the current one is broken, but just haven't found one that's suitable yet.

Carrier Bags - cut down on the amount of carrier bags we have.

Wardrobe - sort this out and give anything to charity shop.

Good luck everyone!

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Yippee :j more declutterers to welcome aboard the Decluttering Bandwagon :j

Lovely to have you on board greent :T You are definitely a braver soul than me :rotfl: but I am using the Marie Kondo method of folding clothes & tea towels
Re your numbering 2020 for 2020 - perhaps your day to day usage of items could be allocated as one bag from kitchen, one bag from bathroom etc - not counting individual items but a bag per room per week I must admit to a twinge of envy - a double sized garage as a family room & a large enough garden to contain a double garage Of course the downside is the extra rooms to declutter Do you also have a shed? - decluttering a shed can bump your numbers up if you have any doubts about reaching your target :rotfl:
I am with mark88man - excellent description of the difficulties in avoiding landfill :T
You have a lot on your plate, greent BUT I have absolutely no doubt you will have a successful decluttering 2020

QUOTE=Icandothisby2023;76655582]I'd like to join in. I either have far too much stuff or my house is too small. Can't afford a bigger house at presents so getting rid is on the cards.[/QUOTE] This did make me :rotfl: Icandothis :rotfl: I adore the positive attitude espoused in your name :T I know You Can Do This - so welcome aboard

Safety is a very good reason to declutter parsniphead - but I think perhaps you are exaggerating to chivvy yourself into tackling the craft supplies

Well Done Wednesday2000 :T especially getting your husband to declutter weeds

Excellent work boultdj :T. Your cat sounds wonderful & is very lucky to have such a caring ‘parent’

Welcome back Uncluttered_unicorn :T Remember each spurt of decluttering leaves you in a better space physically, mentally & emotionally Real life always seems to get in the way of decluttering projects but keeping on top of the day to day decluttering does keep you on track

Winspiration, Other people really do not comprehend the amount of time & the number of entries a comper has to make in order to be “lucky” :rotfl: My ‘wins’ were also from Prize Draws - I was never very good at the slogan type comps. I used to enter hundreds per month & must admit to being ‘a bit peeved’ when people kept saying I was a lucky so and so They forget you ‘have to be in it to win it’ :rotfl:

You are doing really well mark88man :T Remember tidying is just as important as decluttering- after all if you haven’t decluttered it is a bit difficult to tidy

Of course you can join us LucyLocket :T The Decluttering Bandwagon is never full - there is always space for more declutterers (even if they do have woolly mammoths :rotfl:) Can you enlist your daughter to help with her bedroom declutter

Excellent purchases Guineapigsqueaks :T Do you have a designated place for the gifts? After all it is one thing having the gifts, but quite another finding them when needed :rotfl: - only joking!

Absolutely you can join us Kepi :T looking forward to hearing about your success in contacting a charity & ousting all the books After that your most important priority is to create an haven for yourself - a small clutter free area where you can chill out for 5 to 15 minutes - recharge your decluttering batteries & gird your loins for your next assault on the clutter :rotfl: Is your daughter of an age where she can help? Maybe make decluttering into a game - it might even encourage you :rotfl:

Welcome aboard AW2011S :T You have taken the HUGE first step of making the decision to declutter which makes the next steps of actual decluttering a whole lot easier You have a vision of clear space & it is so much easier to be organised when you have less clutter :rotfl:

Wow newlywed 🤩 - you really do have the bit between your teeth :T I had to look up the project 333 sounds interesting & well done on completing it :T Re the craft clutter - if it is tidied away I would just concentrate on the visible clutter. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why you haven’t started on the craft decluttering .......... wait for it ......
You have not quite got to the point of deciding where your excess craft supplies will end up
So please do not worry - my sticking point is wool :rotfl: I probably have 100 balls :rotfl: but I am knitting scarves for the homeless it may take some time but all the wool will be used :rotfl:

Another wow 🤩 for you too, Makethedayscount :T At that pace you will hit your target in 4 months :T

Yippee another new declutterer :T Welcome aboard Yellow_mango :hello: You have taken that first HUGE step - you have decided to declutter :T You are not alone Yellow_mango, most of us have been in the position of not knowing where to start Even now, having been decluttering for at least a couple of years, I still find it difficult to know where to start
One suggestion I can offer is to make a list of all the rooms in your home including the under stairs cupboard & cloakroom (if you have them) Now jot down what is making the room cluttered e.g. clothes on the bedroom floor or draped over furniture. From my point of view I would then start on the room that needs the least amount of decluttering or tidying. There is nothing like a win to motivate you further So take heart fellow declutterer - you CAN do it

Of course you can join us, Dizzy Imp the more the merrier :T Now that is what I like to see - infectious determination & positivity :T Target set & already surpassed in your mind’s eye :rotfl:


Now a little message for any lurkers - you are welcome to join in at any point from now until the end of 2020 It does not matter at all when you take the decision to declutter - we are all here to help each other to turn our homes into tidy, peaceful & clutter free havens :j

MrsSD
Cheerleader-in-chief

Rainsey

I'd like to join please, going for 52 black bin bag size! Keep looking for new storage ideas but have finally realised I have enough if I declutter and remove things I haven't even seen for years!
Resolution is to fill a charity bag every time I get one through the door and sometimes I can get 2 or 3 a week so that will help. Started today with the kitchen and have cleaned and tidied 4 cupboards including under the sink. Meal planning underway to use up excess supplies before buying more. Is it weird that I like to open a kitchen cupboard door and admire how tidy it is?

stellata

I've a laundry bag of stuff in the car for the charity shop: an umbrella, a slow cooker, some books, some rather ugly Xmas decs...
None of which I need so out they go. Will go to town tomorrow and drop off, as well as returning 2 unsuitable gifts to the shop. That's at least 10 more items out.

jacwins

MrsSD, the money from all our sales is being collected for a family night away. It takes a while to build up, but makes the children keener to part with items.
Finished a moisturiser today that I definitely am not going to replace, DD finished a perfume bottle.

I'm putting my ideas here, as I'll forget what I think could be quick wins.
Ideas - put hoodies on selling site, put a n other toy on selling site, find someone that wants children's hangers (have loads), do a bag full of shredding, spend 10 mins going through my letters etc in the kitchen (school newsletters etc)
Current totals 10/2020 1/52

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Cheerleading hat back on :rotfl:

Welcome Abbafan1972, hop on board :T Sounds like you have a plan :T Perhaps some of the Yankee candles jars can be donated to a charity shop or Freegled. Perhaps you could keep a few of the prettier jars & make your own candles as it seems a shame to give up completely on something you love The excess plastic bags can also be donated to a charity shop. As to the paperwork, I must admit to finding shredding very therapeutic - the only problem is the shredder often needs a rest :rotfl: Good luck with finding your new concertina type folder

Hop aboard Rainsey - you are more than welcome to join us in our quest to Banish the Clutter :T
Isn’t it lovely to realise that getting rid of clutter means you can make use of the storage you already have :rotfl: No it is not weird at all that you admire your tidy kitchen cupboards :rotfl: Before my DSis moved in with us 19 months ago, I actually had 2 EMPTY shelves in one of my kitchen cupboards :T Every hour or so I would open the cupboard to admire them :rotfl: It brought me an inordinate amount of pleasure :rotfl:

You are doing really well stellata :T

jacwins - Making a note of your ideas here is a brilliant solution - you just have to make a note of page number & post number;) An elegant persuasion :T means you can all look forward to a night away & your children are being trained in ‘The Way of Decluttering’ :rotfl:

MrsSD
Cheerleader-in-chief

Doll207cc

Hi, can I join please? The cupboard under the stairs and spare room is absolutely full to the brim!

I’m ashamed to say that I have kept all my sons olds clothes from when he was born up until now and he’s 12 now! So much of it is still like new and that’s why I have kept it all thinking one day I will sort it all out and either sell it or take it to charity shop but it just never happens.

Same with his toys and games and books, my clothes too, anything really that is still in really good condition I’ve kept. The door to the spare room stays shut and no one can see or goes into cupboard under the stairs but I KNOW ITS THERE and over the last year or two i feel like it’s really weighing me down just knowing all this stuff is sitting around, I can’t explain it, it just feels like a weight on my shoulders even though it’s out of sight.

I long for a house with no clutter and only filled with things that get used, the rest of my place is quite minimalistic really, I don’t even have ornaments! I also feel bad when I think about how all this stuff I’m just hoarding could help someone else out that needs / wants it.

Anyway, sorry I’ve rambled on lol, hope I can join you all!

dollypeeps

Thank you for setting this up MrsSaladDodger.....
I’d like to join in again, if I may?
I joined last year but sadly fell by the wayside { I think I decluttered my oomph by mistake }..... I did however keep following for my he sidelines....
I haven’t decided how I will count the items yet or how I will document them..... at the moment I think I’m going to use a notebook to keep track and perhaps update on this thread weekly.... that sounds doable for me....
Looking forward to getting started { just hope I haven’t decluttered the spare notebook 😂}
TTFN 👋

mark55man

Thank you MrsSD very motivational to see you replay everyone's successes.

In return may I observe that your MSE stats :money: are that you have nearly 25000 thank you's including several from me. But even more impressive you have been thanked on 1914 posts whilst only actually posting 1908 times. I'm not quite sure how you managed that but you are so helpful I'm sure its true!!