2020 - banish the clutter 13 December 2019 at 4:19PM edited 2 January 2020 at 4:07PM in Old Style MoneySaving 3.7K replies 231.1K views

sillyvixen

I have a big box of stuff that hubby is going to drop off at a local charity shop tomorrow. Also during the big Christmas clean up I have used up all the odds and sods of cleaning products I have under the sink so the empties are in the recycling to be collected tomorrow. We have cleared all the cardboard for recycling (including boxes we kept full of bits to sort) and have our cardboard bag plus a box of cardboard to go with the recycling.

While cleaning the microwave yesterday it cut out after 2 mins of heating bowl of water and lemon juice, the top was too hot to touch!! We have replaced it today, and as hubby is going to have to do a tip run to get rid of it I have added a few bits to take to the tip!!

There is still loads I hoped to get sorted before Christmas - but things like thinning out my cookery books, sorting my wardrobe and the cupboard under the stairs will be 2020 jobs as the clutter is contained and out the way!!

VfM4meplse

I like the idea of a factory reset on the phones....but I like the idea of a hammer and a bad attitude even more

I had an impromptu 45 minute de-clutter this evening when I went through the kitchen cupboards to find out why my oven mysteriously switched itself off over a fortnight ago and got rid of a load of stuff I'm never going to use. It's all now bagged up and ready for a homeless shelter and my kitchen cupboard is a thing of beauty

greenbee

Kids' paint, glue and glitter given to my brother - who will give it to the school as he's not a massive fan of glitter...

He also took a box of saucepans that won't work on my new induction hob, 3 boxes of teabags that i won't use and cut my hedge (including cutting large parts of it right down in the hope that they regrow with more lateral branches rather than as poles... he even remembered to take his kids away with him

Wednesday2000

I threw away an old bottle of sun cream. It doesn't suit my skin and I was using it as a body lotion but it is pretty rubbish.

I went through my kitchen cupboards and found some vegetable stock cubes I forgot I bought.

I got some spare cups out of the cupboard that go with my Magic Bullet blender and have started using them finally. I bought that blender back in July 2018 so I have no idea why it has taken me so long to use them. I just looked at my old order on Amazon and it cost me £40 and now the price of the same blender has increased to almost £100! I'm not sure how they can justify such a huge increase in price.:eek:

I also binned my 2019 diary. It feels nice to have a fresh start.:)

jacwins

The toy set got picked up, I'm counting that as my first decluttering! I'm officially starting 1 week early.
1/2020
I've got all the children's' hoodies out and there are 9 that don't fit, some are 4 years too small! They are currently hanging drying after being washed. Still to organise where they are going / whether I will sell or give to my cousin...

elsien

I keep my old diaries for the last couple of years. Or three or four. Just in case I need to prove my whereabouts for some reason, (for work related rather than criminal reasons) Back on the lost cause list again.

On a slightly more positive note I have managed to bin some dog related items that were past it even for the dog.

ChasingtheWelshdream

I’m not counting or aiming for a target, but will just aim to ‘not hoard’.

Today I re-homed a few items to family - just little things that I’d put by but enough for me to feel I’ve made a start. One box to the charity shop and some Christmas decs/books/dvds sorted, ready to go when they are next open.

I wonder - when de-cluttering and find something that might be worth selling, how long do folk hold on to it before deciding to get rid? I have a box of ‘possible ebay’ items which haven’t yet sold, and I’ve just realised I am, in effect, still hoarding them. How long before I should say “nobody wants them - get rid”?

bit_by_bit

elisen I feel your pain. Finding the right place for everything to go to is an issue which i am winning at but was a massive barrier for years. My local refuse recycling centre (AKA the tip) has a section for just the sort of stuff you are talking about. Try there.
Also wierdly, we got rid of a similar pile of electronic junk on freecycle a few year a go.

Wednesday2000

The bag for the charity shop will be taken on Friday when we go out. It now has a cardigan, four jumpers, a dress and a top. I'm also donating a throw and a blanket.:T

I used up the ends of a body scrub, a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of essential oil this morning as well.

bit_by_bit

MRS SD: i am reporting in for another year of decluttering. I am going to go for 52 bags to begin with, this helped enormously. If I were to count or weigh items I would just have another barrier to disposing of things.