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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.

MissAdventure Wed 08-Jan-25 21:02:23

That's the problem for me, I think.
As well as my own "might come in handy" collection, I have "must do somebody a turn" stuff, too.

MayBee70 Wed 08-Jan-25 21:18:55

I started working on my bedroom this morning. I’d slept for 12 hours + and was feeling really good. But later on felt a bit cold so snuggled up on the sofa for a while. Fell asleep again and I’ve been sleeping on and off since. Only cooked a meal tonight because I had a stir fry that had to be used up. My joints really hurt (especially my right hand) can only assume the cold weather has been bad for my arthritis.My partner is bringing our dog back tomorrow, expecting me to have made progress on the house so I need to start work. But I actually want to go to sleep again. I think it’s motivational tiredness.

Allira Wed 08-Jan-25 23:36:32

My joints really hurt (especially my right hand) can only assume the cold weather has been bad for my arthritis.
Ditto Maybee and I thought it might be the cold weather although the house is warm. Then I thought it might be something I ate ( no idea what).
Then I thought it's probably lingering remains of the virus I had. Whatever I have, it's unpleasant. It's hibernation season.
I hope you feel better tomorrow.

I went out this afternoon and have done no decluttering at all

MissAdventure Sun 12-Jan-25 21:19:18

I'm going to be out of action for a good few weeks, if not months, and I swear Brian has more stuff in him than ever before.

I've got no choice now but to ram my vacuum in there
, in a tiny little space. angry

Doodledog Sun 12-Jan-25 21:30:47

I hope you’re ok, MissA? Have you got anyone coming in to help you? Please keep posting so we know you’re alright? flowers

MissAdventure Sun 12-Jan-25 22:17:10

I'll keep posting, as best I can. smile

MayBee70 Sun 12-Jan-25 23:36:58

Please do…need to know you’re ok x

Chocolatelovinggran Mon 13-Jan-25 08:16:49

Yes, MissA, please keep posting as and when you can : sod Brian...

Susan56 Mon 13-Jan-25 09:15:52

Take care Miss Adventure, we’ll all be thinking of you.Brian and co can wait💐

fancythat Mon 13-Jan-25 10:49:31

Agreed. Take care. flowers

Shel69 Tue 14-Jan-25 20:04:41

Recently I tasked my daughter who has good taste in clothes to declutter my wardrobe, she filled a black bag to the full, I didn't look but noticed one item that I liked a lot so asked her to put it back, so far I still have everything I need, and can't remember most of the discarded clothes,
The bag bag is in my car boot waiting to be delivered to the charity shop,
Really need to do it but hanging on for a little first,,,,,,,

MayBee70 Thu 16-Jan-25 13:12:37

Just been told that you can send DVD’s, cd’s, or even just empty cases to Recycladisk. You do have to pay postage, but they aren’t actually all that heavy, and everything is recycled.

Sarah65 Thu 16-Jan-25 13:41:42

So much to clear out & organise here, I'll be starting with a bit at a time, taking a bag to a charity shop when I can & booking the council to collect things that are no good for a charity shop

Susan56 Thu 16-Jan-25 13:45:44

Hope Miss A is doing ok💪🏼💐

We’re doing ok on the decluttering front, managing to keep filling bags for recycling, charity shop and a new hub that has opened in our town where you drop stuff off and people can have it for free.

Doodledog Thu 16-Jan-25 17:54:35

I'm going to book another collection from Anglo Doorstep Collections.

I have nothing ready to go out, but knowing they are coming concentrates the mind. I'll see when they are in my postcode in February.

If you're reading, MissA, your fellow declutterred are rooting for you and cheering you on.

MissAdventure Thu 16-Jan-25 18:22:56

Well look who's here.
Purely in a supervisory role, for now.

Thank you all; how kind. X

Allira Thu 16-Jan-25 18:52:36

Oh hello MissAdventure, hope you are feeling ok 🙂

Purely in a supervisory role, for now.
Right, sit in this nice comfy seat with a ☕ and tell me what to throw out from all this stuff from the kitchen! It's all over the dining room table and floor right now.
I need someone to be ruthless.

MissAdventure Thu 16-Jan-25 19:32:47

What kind of stuff is it?
How long have you had it, and how often do you use it?

If you use it is there a more up to date thing you could get instead?

Doodledog Thu 16-Jan-25 20:47:48

We lived with 'stuff' from the kitchen all over the dining room table and floor for weeks. It was hideous.

The time for getting rid was when it came to putting it back in the new kitchen. Wanting the new one to be uncluttered and stay looking good was a huge motivating factor. We got rid of a lot.

You could book a collection for very soon after the kitchen will be finished, so the stuff doesn't lie around for long begging to be rescued. When you've chosen what to keep, get the rest boxed up and ready to go ASAP, and put it out of sight until the collection date.

Doodledog Thu 16-Jan-25 20:48:28

And hello, MissA gov'ner grin

valdali Thu 16-Jan-25 21:05:11

I saw some of those big cube storage units really cheap yesterday & I'm now tempted, even though a lot of my "stuff" I won't use again, I might keep some.
I'm sick of eBay & vinted, freecycle & gumtree & marketplace, I feel I've saturated the local charity shops, & one more trip to the tip will probably get rid of the rest of the things that really have given all they have to give.
If it was in cubes under the stairs / in upstairs office it wouldn't be hurting anyone? & I might even get a volunteer to do a carboot with me this year (say that every year though)

Then I'll go back in the attic & start on the boxes I haven't looked at for 10+ years.

Allira Thu 16-Jan-25 21:11:59

Doodledog

We lived with 'stuff' from the kitchen all over the dining room table and floor for weeks. It was hideous.

The time for getting rid was when it came to putting it back in the new kitchen. Wanting the new one to be uncluttered and stay looking good was a huge motivating factor. We got rid of a lot.

You could book a collection for very soon after the kitchen will be finished, so the stuff doesn't lie around for long begging to be rescued. When you've chosen what to keep, get the rest boxed up and ready to go ASAP, and put it out of sight until the collection date.

Yes, good idea.

I keep needing something then can't find it at the moment; they don't start until Monday.

Doodledog Thu 16-Jan-25 21:14:09

Honestly, it was hideous when it was going on, but we got rid of so much 'stuff' that hasn't been missed. It was well worth it in the long run.

Allira Thu 16-Jan-25 21:34:59

I'm just so tired!

Doodledog Thu 16-Jan-25 22:41:24

Can you sleep, or is it that ‘batteries out’ tiredness? I have pernicious anaemia and when my injection is due I feel like that. I can’t sleep but am shattered. That’s when I’m on here at all hours🙄.

Either way, take it easy while you need to, and do let us know if we can help at all?