30 bags in 30 days decluttering method

Yay ! I've tackled the airing cupboard....but , sadly, I've been let loose in M&S unsupervised so have bought a duvet set ...oops. In my defence, there is room for my new purchase.

I've culled so many half filled pots and bottles of creams and lotions which I buy and then never use regularly. Some were so old I don't even remember buying them. I've emptied the contents and cleaned all containers which are now in the recycling bin waiting to be collected tomorrow. Definitely a small carrier bag full so mission completed for today

I’m now going to put lots of glass jars in recycling kept in case I needed to decant some paint etc. What do I do about the lids. Can they go in the recycling bin? I do bemoan the fact that Coffee Mate now comes in cardboard containers because I store lots of things in old Coffee Mate containers! They sit alongside the good old Roses tins in the garage which contain no end of weird and wonderful things. Oh joy. Someone has asked if anyone would be interested in our village doing a yard sale. That would give me something to aim for. And Victorian Plumbing have phoned to say they have arranged to collect the bathroom cabinet I bought from them that wasn’t how it had been described. Very good service from them: I was fretting about how to arrange collection.

I'd use them although I did throw out some home-frozen runner beans from 2021 that were lurking at the back.

I think frozen vegetables seem to dry out a bit even if they're sealed.
HoweverI made cauliflower and Stilton soup with cauliflower I'd frozen some time ago and it tasted fine and we were fine after eating it!

Callistemon21

I don't usually throw out much from the freezer but I did throw out what looked like a crustless quiche today - I had no idea when I made it, froze it or in fact what it was, as the label had disappeared.

Just before the pandemic I sorted out my spice cupboard and ever since then I’ve written the best before date on things I buy but fir some reason didn’t do so with things I made and put in the freezer. Then I kept stuff anyway because it’s better for it to be packed full of stuff than partly empty! Is it ok to use eg frozen vegetables that are past their best before date eg mixed veg to put in a soup? I’d assume it’s just the vitamin content that has deteriorated.

We are all only human, and daft (or serendipitous purchases are just fine! I am concentrating on rubbish these days rather than donations. I’m doing quite well, but infuriatingly the bin men didn’t come this week for some reason, and I had two extra bags for the paper recycling 😡. It’s as though they knew!

I haven't had a chance to do anything much but I made 2 stupid purchases. A pair of slippers which I now don't like and a mini handbag which I don't like either. Unfortunately I've ripped off the tags so that will be CS.
I think I need a minder

I don't usually throw out much from the freezer but I did throw out what looked like a crustless quiche today - I had no idea when I made it, froze it or in fact what it was, as the label had disappeared.

I’m going to put more stuff from my freezer into the brown bin tomorrow. I found some roast potatoes with a use by date of 2015 yesterday . I’m throwing out some chicken stock that I didn’t date. I’m decluttering every day but don’t feel that I’m progressing. There really is so much stuff!

I haven’t posted much recently, mainly because I’ve been having problems logging in. Ok now though.

Well, I’m still plodding on and happy to say my house is looking tidier. I’m sure I’m breathing more easily too, having got rid of so much suffocating clutter. Today, I’ve made up a bundle of clothes to put in a charity bag ready to be collected tomorrow morning.

Guess what I did yesterday, though? Had a browse in a lovely new charity shop in town . . . . and came out with a coat and a necklace . Gah! I’ll never learn . . .

If I should decrease size then I'll have pleasure buying new replacements
Unfortunately M&S no longer stock the ones I like for everyday wear so the nearly new size smaller have gone back in the drawer.

Today was obviously 'undies day' I went through knickers, bras, socks and tights. Knickers that were too big went (might be because they've stretched rather than weightloss ), along with too small bras and thick tights from when I was definitely two sizes smaller. If I should decrease size then I'll have pleasure buying new replacements. Socks that either had lost their partner or were almost see through at the heel joined the ragging bag too. My underwear drawers are now beautifully tidy and are going to stay that way!

Bin bag, not beanbag. Honestly, autocorrect should learn to check for sense.

I've been sorting undies and socks today too. I've got rid of a lot, and now have three bags - one of plain black in a million different shades and leg lengths, one striped and one spotty - all odd. When I've checked that I really can't find their partners, they can go out too.

I also sorted a few doombags that I'd hidden in a cupboard at Christmas, and sorted the contents into different places where they can be more easily found. I still have one miscellaneous bag, but it's a step in the right direction.

Whilst I was sorting the socks, I found a beanbag of stuff to throw out, and half a bag of paper waste, so that wasn't bad either.

More for the ragman (underwear, still good but can only go for rags) but too much has been folded up carefully and returned to the drawers in case I lose a stone 🙂. At least they're tidy.

Damn. The ‘ready assembled’ bathroom cabinet arrived in a flat pack so that means I have to send it back. Why is nothing straight forward these days!

My DH went to the municipal tip to get rid of a lot of the things I had sorted. Including boxes of the last but one kettle, toaster and printer. He did say they might come in useful and I said no. My offer of going to help was declined.
He was back within the hour and it's quite a distance.
It turned out there had been no supervisors and he had tipped them all into the same container after I had sorted them.
This morning I went into the gardening shed and there hidden under some dumpy bags were the cardboard boxes.
He is still wearing a cardigan I put in the throw bag a fortnight ago It is all bobbled and needs handwashing I am tempted to put it in the washing machine with the sheets on a hot wash.

Not exactly decluttering but I’ve bought a bathroom cabinet to go over the sink. I’ve always just had a mirror there and I have stuff cluttering up all the shelves. I got up to go to the loo the other night and tripped over something that I’d left lying around. Thankfully I didn’t fall but came close to it. I’m too old to risk tripping over something which, I believe is one of the main reason for hospital admissions in older people. Being me I’ve just spent an hour going through Duplo that the grandchildren never play with now and putting in in different boxes. Even though my house is chaotic I’m obsessed with keeping drawers and cupboards immaculate. When I house sit for DD I have to resist the urge to tidy up the cupboards in her otherwise immaculate show home type house!

Well done everyone!
I haven't had time for a few days and there's about 12 big bags of prunings from DMiL's garden to take to the recycle.
Her house is going on the market soon and she has moved into her DS flat.
So while all this happens my own decluttering is on hold.

another easy de-clutter for me:

A stash that I am purposely using up is a stove fuel. I have three different types and am using one type on a daily basis. I bought that type three years ago and am down to 10 days worth left. It was all too easy to leave it stashed

It is resulting in a cleared space in my garage and in me not using ch at all for weeks now, it helps that I have a smart monitor, which has been good incentive. I will have a much lower gas bill at the end of this month, helpful as the gov handout is stopping this month

My bin was emptied yesterday, half full of purposeful decluttering

I am nicely, if slowly, getting through my storecupbard stash, stored in my garage. This morning huge pleasure from emptying 3 cartons into three kitchen containers. Dried soya beans are now soaking to make tofu tomorrow.

Shortly I will make some easy yo yogurt, I have 12 packs. Ok lesson learned, I now live near shops but I did succumb to my ingrained instinct and bought them last autumn. Once they are used then the easy yo equipment will go to the cs

There is a big big upside to doing this ie money. All I buy now is the fresh veg and some fruit which is organic and delivered. Its been a heavy two months regarding bills but my savings pot is filling via the high interest yearly regular savers, over 5%. Normal years I would be withdrawing from savings. I had the lightbulb moment

I have been saving small brown boxes and the packing puffs. I need to get the courage to go through my spinning spindles. All one-offs and some from australia as limited editions. I don`t use the spindles and they will sell but right frame of mind is needed, so not yet

I’ll hang onto it for now, then.

MayBee70 It’s worth checking your local supermarkets for plastics recycling. I take mine to Sainsburys, here’s a list of their stores that do it, but Tesco do it too, and possibly others?
www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/~/media/Files/S/Sainsburys/CRS%20Policies%20and%20Reports/Flexible%20Plastic%20Recycling%20Stores%20-%20June%202021.pdf

Thanks. It looks as though it can be recycled but only in some areas. There is so much of it!

Is this any help Maybee? www.sustainabilityguide.co.uk/2018/02/05/recyclable-plastic/