30 bags in 30 days decluttering method

I little bit more re-purposing today, stockcupboard stuff and a batch bake ahead to use up several jars of my bottled gooseberries and a nut roast mix. That will clear a decent amount of space and make ready food in the freezer. Also making minestrone to freeze without the pasta, which will use up a few tins, beans and tomatoes

I may well get rid a few more garden things today, such as potato fertiliser. I could well gather together half a carrier, little steps do add up

My effort today has been to turf out some knitting yarn I’ll never use. Quite a big bag of it but there wasn’t enough of any one colour/weight to do anything with.

Now to keep giving Dh some hard stares 😐 until he clears a big pile of papers he’s been moving from pillar to post to evade inquisitive grandchildren. You’d think it would be easier to sort and bin them, wouldn’t you?

Today our daughter dropped over to help sort rag drawers, rag bags, rag cupboards. She took 2 bags home, she's no longer paying a window service (we shall see how long). We put 2 bags in my husband's work spaces for the workers to use/throw away with oils/ chemicals.

We've only decent rags in a deep drawer & cupboard, brilliant!

I haven't managed anything today. I had planned to fill bags with clothes, but couldn't muster up motivation. I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Two medium sized items went to good homes.

I read somewhere that grouping like items together was a good way of reducing what you have. I did the mugs today, gathered from all cupboards. I had 37. I do not need 37 mugs. It’s hard because some are in a range I collected years ago, some were presents, and some we use daily. They are still on a worktop in the kitchen, I want to reduce by half, but I decided to sleep on it - the only definite keeper is the pink one with a Frenchie in a ballet skirt, because for a reason I don’t understand that’s my favourite.

We did mugs last week!

I should have thrown out more.
Why do I need more than 20?

Before lunch we're going into the reception rooms with open eyes. I'd like to be rid of nets, excess scatter cushions, and trinkets.

Callistemon21

We did mugs last week!

I should have thrown out more.
Why do I need more than 20?

It’s hard isn’t it, they seem to carry memories. I’ve done it though now, I’ve packed 17 into a box to take to the charity shop. A bit more freed up cupboard space.

Mugs are difficult, as they tend to be little presents for particular occasions. I have a couple of Mother's Day ones from when the children were small, and Best Teacher ones from students. I don't use any of them, as I prefer white china and these are all colourful pottery, but I'm hopeless at throwing things away, worse at throwing presents away, and dreadful when they have some sort of sentimental value.

I have people over later, so I don't know that I'll get much decluttering done today, but I will try to fill some bags if I can. I have 6 to go to the charity collection mentioned upthread, but as the next one won't be for a month I wanted a lot more than that to go, so there won't be bags lying about for ages. They are coming on Wednesday, so I need to put them out on Tuesday night, according to the website.

I bought several new mugs recently but I'm not that keen on them, I prefer china. They're very nice but pottery.
So why did I buy them 🤔

Right, break over, Upward and Onward.

We finished the reception rooms. Nicely.

Mugs? I give them away all year long filled with treats I've made for whatever occasion. This week each of my husband's workers are receiving a mug full of choco biscuits, clear cello wrapped, tied off with red ribbons.

I'm adept to recycling crockery, especially mugs & plates.

I found the shoes I had for DD's wedding, how on earth did I teeter round in those? I changed into more comfortable sandals after the photos so they were worn for about three hours. They're going, along with the matching clutch bag.

Might I wear the hat again one day?
🤔
No, but it's staying.

I tore up a flannel duvet cover today, repurposed it. I needed the rags and the flannel was horribly rough but is excellent as rags, now stashed in a box in the garage. A carrier equivalent out of my airing cupboard

Just cleared out the bottom of a cupboard where I keep gift wrap and gift bags. Also found a number of good quality paper carrier bags from nice shops. Managed to reduce it by about half and fill a black sack. I’m finding it very satisfying, but there’s so much more to do. 🙄

Patsy70

Just cleared out the bottom of a cupboard where I keep gift wrap and gift bags. Also found a number of good quality paper carrier bags from nice shops. Managed to reduce it by about half and fill a black sack. I’m finding it very satisfying, but there’s so much more to do. 🙄

Doesn’t matter As long as you find it satisfying!

Lucca, absolutely. Thank you for getting me motivated Guesswhat. 😊

Just keep going, Patsy. One foot in front of the other. I've had another day with a nil report, but on balance I have got rid of more bags that there have been days, and most have been 30 litre bin bags - not full, as they would be too heavy, but still with a lot of 'stuff' in most of them. I also find that knowing I am going to record my progress is an incentive. I knew today would be unlikely, but I have no appointments or scheduled activities tomorrow, so I have high hopes (and no excuses!) for then.

The tv guy is coming today and is going to go through my collection of tv’s and advise me which ones work and which ones don’t. I used to have one in the kitchen that stopped working and I don’t know if it was the tv or the ariel that was at fault. I do miss having a tv there. I can also go through various wires etc that I’ve collected over the years. The local repair shop collects them for recycling. I have an old Pioneer hi fi set in the loft that was still working when I replaced it: some people like retro stuff. I need to see if anyone wants it. I’ve also thrown out some old ( ancient) make up although I was about to throw out some green eye shadow, thought I’d see what it looked like and realised it was quite flattering so it went back in the make up box.

Patsy70

Just cleared out the bottom of a cupboard where I keep gift wrap and gift bags. Also found a number of good quality paper carrier bags from nice shops. Managed to reduce it by about half and fill a black sack. I’m finding it very satisfying, but there’s so much more to do. 🙄

Well done you!

I now have bags in the boot of both mine and my husband's car...
Still working on where they can go (and when) - though have got rid of some stuff I wouldn't have done without this thread.

I’m off to my voluntary job at the charity shop today, with my one full bag of donations, some of which will go in the rag section, but the charity still gets paid so much per bag. One more shelf to clear in that space - mostly books. I’ll be focussing on the cupboard under the stairs soon! 😳 Happy decluttering everyone! 😊

Days 18 to 21 - Oh dear, having gone away for the weekend, I’m struggling to keep up. As the instigator of this 30 day venture, I deserve having my wrists slapped!

One good thing though is that, due to the little bits I HAVE done, my house seems to be begging me to make greater improvements. Yesterday, I went to a local showroom to look for windows and a new front door. This is something I’ve been putting off for a while - mainly because I couldn’t decide what I wanted. So many styles, so many colours.

Anyhow, the choice has at last been made and someone is coming on Thursday to measure up. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been so decisive while the weight of all my junk was bringing me down and fogging my brain.

That's the beauty of it, Guesswhat. Now that I have cleared out the hallway, it is looking really spacious, and I have put the sideboard I mentioned in my first post in there, with a tray on top showing off decorative items (a vase, an antique iron, a buddha statue and a lamp on a timer that comes on between 6.30pm and 10.30). It looks really nice, and I also got a pretty filigree ceiling lantern that holds a battery operated tea light which is also on a timer, and throws lacy shadows onto the ceiling.

That end of the hallway is otherwise quite dark, and seeing the glow of the lamp and the flicker of the lantern gives me real pleasure when I walk through the hall to the kitchen. When the hall was full of overspill from the newly built bookcases and assorted other mess, I never saw it as an attractive space (well, it wasn't an attractive space ). There are bags to go to charity in there for tonight, but they'll be gone tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to getting the full effect then. I've just looked back, and I first started clearing out the sideboard on 23rd January, so there has been a lot of progress in a relatively short space of time.

Your hallway sounds very pretty and welcoming, Doodledog. Well done!