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Decluttering

(999 Posts)
Doodledog Sat 21-Sept-24 11:36:44

It’s that time of year.

Who is looking to get rid of extraneous items and declutter their houses ready for winter and associated upcoming festivals?

I have two boxes of books waiting to be collected on Tuesday, and hope to add a few bags of clothing before they get here. My decorator is coming to do various bits and bobs, and I need to clear the decks ahead of that, which is my motivation for starting now.

I also need to clear out a huge kitchen cupboard which will become a walk-in larder if the carpenter ever gets back to me.

What’s on your declutter list? Record your successes and difficulties on this thread and support one another.

No lectures on why we shouldn’t need to declutter, please? We know grin. Start another thread about people who are disorganised or who shouldn’t buy too much in the first place and we can choose not to engage with it. This one is for support, encouragement and celebration of clearing ‘stuff’ from our lives.

Doodledog Tue 10-Dec-24 07:55:15

Today’s the day for the pesky cupboard! The dining room is full of the contents of the old one, and the carpenter is coming to fit the shelves and drawers in an hour or so🤞.

Obviously it will all be to put back, which will be a pain in the proverbial, but a lot went out when I cleared the cupboard and a lot more might follow as it goes back in. I just hope he turns up, as he hasn’t been very reliable up to now. Wish me luck.

MayBee70 Tue 10-Dec-24 09:44:21

My daughter is currently having a new kitchen fitted which includes having all the floor tiles replaced. I haven’t heard from her for ages so I would imagine she’s pretty stressed.

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 10:00:46

Oh the floor must be a nuisance to try and work around.

I seem to have run out of steam here, just when I could do with it.

Too much to do, have to rely on others' for lifts, need to get a covid jab, "appoinkments" left right and centre.

Oh and the washing, the washing, the washing!!

I could do with a team of staff just to deal with teen washing and drying.

Sorry got "the hump" today,in case you didn't notice blush

Allira Tue 10-Dec-24 10:05:03

MayBee70

My daughter is currently having a new kitchen fitted which includes having all the floor tiles replaced. I haven’t heard from her for ages so I would imagine she’s pretty stressed.

Oh dear, that will be me in the New Year.

Meanwhile, just recycling last year's Christmas cards which had been carefully stored away in a box - why, just why? It wasn't me!

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 10:17:46

Are you going to make labels out of them?

My mum used to do that, bless her.
She enjoyed it.

Allira Tue 10-Dec-24 10:19:27

MissAdventure

Are you going to make labels out of them?

My mum used to do that, bless her.
She enjoyed it.

I used to but we recycle the bags from one year to the next now.

Not being tight-fisted, trying to be eco-friendly. 🙂

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 10:23:49

I'm tight fisted, so recycle everything.
I don't use cards or labels though (too tight even for that!)

Doodledog Tue 10-Dec-24 11:08:34

I got some foil drawstring bags from Amazon a while ago. They make 'wrapping' so much easier, and are reusable. I just collect them all up when everyone has unwrapped, and put them away with the decorations until the next year. They have been used three times now, and are still going strong, so are relatively planet friendly.

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 11:11:17

Me too.
I only buy bits and bobs for the grandsons, but my neighbour has been very helpful this year, and I have a friend too.

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 11:15:05

So I find myself thinking I should get them a few bits and bobs, too.
I really am a misery today. tchsmile

What a horrible person I've become, to resent treating people who have been kind.

Tizliz Tue 10-Dec-24 12:48:02

MissAdventure

So I find myself thinking I should get them a few bits and bobs, too.
I really am a misery today. tchsmile

What a horrible person I've become, to resent treating people who have been kind.

I think you resent the need for kindness and feel you should be stronger - you need to accept that you can’t do everything then you will appreciate the help/kindness. I prefer giving to receiving, it is so nice when the recipient realises that they are appreciated.

That is a bit muddled thinking, sorry

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 12:57:59

Thank you.
I totally understand what you said.

Yes, perhaps you're right. smile

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 13:09:18

Oh!
My grandsons are painting my kitchen.
Well, ones painting, ones wandering around with a roller in his hand.

Doodledog Tue 10-Dec-24 13:12:51

Well, the man is here.

The drawers etc are all done, so it should have been a couple of hours' job to fit them and wax the doors. But no. He didn't measure properly, and is going to have to fiddle to get the doors to fit. This will take 'another couple of days', and apparently is all the fault of the chap who built the original cupboard 25 years ago. Or the fact that it's an old house. Or something. It's not that didn't take time to measure from all angles - oh no.

So on it goes. I am out tomorrow, so won't be able to get on with sorting it all out until Thursday at the earliest, and that assumes that he'll be finished by then, which is not a given.

If I knew any rude words, I would swear😡

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 13:19:39

Oh for goodness sakes!
It's so hard to just get someone to do a job these days.
I feel your ire.

Doodledog Tue 10-Dec-24 13:23:38

I know! People have had extensions built in less time than this has taken, and it's still not finished.

To make matters worse, I can't get into the kitchen to prepare any food, and the packets, jars and tins are in bags on the dining room floor, so I can't just grab a bag of pasta and a tin of tomatoes - everything is a chore, and I'm sick of it.

petra Tue 10-Dec-24 13:55:21

MissAdventure

Oh the floor must be a nuisance to try and work around.

I seem to have run out of steam here, just when I could do with it.

Too much to do, have to rely on others' for lifts, need to get a covid jab, "appoinkments" left right and centre.

Oh and the washing, the washing, the washing!!

I could do with a team of staff just to deal with teen washing and drying.

Sorry got "the hump" today,in case you didn't notice blush

This morning I unpacked these. Any takers before someone can’t resist them. There are 6.

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 13:56:37

Ooh I recognise those landmarks. smile

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 13:58:21

My nana's ashes are in the grounds of the church.

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 14:02:32

Put them in your shop, though, Petra, and hopefully they'll fetch some funds in, ans someone will enjoy looking at them.

They'd be lost amongst the other stuff, here.

AuntieE Tue 10-Dec-24 14:20:36

And I don't suppose you want to hear that I did my decluttering over the entire year, as I have been re-decorating the better part of the house, finishing with the kitchen.

I have just finished washing the sitting-room floor - the entire floor, which entails rolling back a heavy carpet, first one end, then t'other, as it is too heavy for me to roll the whole carpet.

Christmas cleaning nearly finished, baking is finished, so I shall write e-mails and cards tomorrow.

Do as much as you can be bothered with each day, but don't accept any excuses from you to self for shirking it.

Crossstitchfan Tue 10-Dec-24 14:27:57

Lisaangel10

Took all my clutter to charity shops today. Several are full to bursting and are not accepting donations. Some kindly took a few bags at a time so I got rid of it all.

I then went and bought 30 new slimline coat hangers with a velvet effect non slip coating.

I am going up to swap all the odd coathangers for lovely new spacesaving ones. I had about 20 of these already.
A job well done this weekend.

50 hangers!!! Just how many clothes have you got, Lisaangel10?😱

MissAdventure Tue 10-Dec-24 14:52:41

Well done, AuntieE!
I bet you'll have have a stress free, organised Christmas.
Well earned.
Did you manage to do at least one thing every day during that year?

Allira Tue 10-Dec-24 17:47:13

MissAdventure

My nana's ashes are in the grounds of the church.

Oh, you have to have that one! But I suppose they're a set.

Allira Tue 10-Dec-24 17:48:11

I then went and bought 30 new slimline coat hangers with a velvet effect non slip coating.

I replaced most of mine with those. TK Maxx.