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30 bags in 30 days decluttering method

(639 Posts)
Guesswhat Mon 23-Jan-23 22:14:03

Would anybody like to join me in this?

I’ve read about a method where you chuck out/donate one bag of clutter every day for 30 days. As an inveterate hoarder who wants to get on top of things at last, I’m going to go for it! (Only a carrier bag, mind. Not a big refuse sack.)

Tomorrow I’ll start with a bag of books to take to the charity shop. The day after, maybe some clothes. By recording my progress on here, I’m hoping to keep up the good work.

Wish me luck!

Doodledog Mon 20-Feb-23 23:27:47

Yes, me too. This may be an excuse, but I’m seeing it as an aim to keep on evicting items that are taking up more space than their usefulness warrants. If it’s no bags one day and three the next, so be it. Life has to be lived in between the decluttering. I’ll keep going for as long as it takes, and it will be great if you lot stick around even in fallow patches. The chances are that on any given day at least one of us will have disposed of something worth mentioning grin.

I know what I need to do, but if I look at it ‘in the whole’ I will be overwhelmed, so I’m doing it a bit at a time, like eating the elephant. I’ve actually made a lot of progress since the thread started, even though there have been a few days when I’ve done nothing much. Oh, and don’t forget that the bags you put out for the binmen after a sort-out count too!

Good luck with the china collection Norah. I think the wedding plans sound lovely.

Callistemon21 Mon 20-Feb-23 23:02:51

Oh, relief 😁
I've got a long way to go yet.

Guesswhat Mon 20-Feb-23 22:46:46

Days 25, 26, 27 ish. I’ve lost count! - Again, nothing major to report, I’m afraid. No large bags of stuff for days now. Today an old tee shirt and a scruffy pair of trainers are all I chucked out.

Interesting to hear about pretty china. I saw a gorgeous tea set in a charity shop the other day. Oh how I coveted it! It was only £8 for the lot, including the milk jug, sugar bowl and bread and butter plate. An absolute bargain. How I resisted temptation I’ll never know. Perhaps the fact that I’ve got at least four sets, just as pretty, unused in my cabinets, had a lot to do with it.

The end of the 30 day challenge is getting close, my friends.

Oh . . . . to heck with it! I’m renaming it the 60 day challenge.

Because I can grin.

Doodledog Mon 20-Feb-23 17:59:07

Oh, I'm envious, Patsy. I've been putting off doing that, although I really must make a start.

Another nil return today. I've been to approximately 873 branches of B&Q in search of brass light switch covers, and I'm fed up. We did eventually source all the ones we need, but it was like the quest for the Holy Grail.

Patsy70 Mon 20-Feb-23 17:35:03

I completed the decluttering of my wardrobe and chest of drawers yesterday, and as a result have 3 large bags of clothes, shoes and handbags to take to our local hospice shop. What a very satisfying exercise. Incidentally, we have lots of china tea sets donated to the Barnardo’s charity shop.

Norah Mon 20-Feb-23 16:02:41

Callistemon21

I don't know, I just remember her mother telling me that's what she was doing; she'd been collecting for a while.
We didn't know the daughter.
Do you have a community FB page? Perhaps you could put a post on there asking for china with an assurance you will send it to a charity shop afterwards.
Or look on local upcycling sites.
Some of our charity shops often have old tea sets for sale quite cheaply, I have to resist the temptation to buy any because of the decluttering. 😀

A bootful went today (no china though).

Thank you.

I'll put youngest daughter on this, she has FB I believe.

Callistemon21 Mon 20-Feb-23 15:50:10

I don't know, I just remember her mother telling me that's what she was doing; she'd been collecting for a while.
We didn't know the daughter.
Do you have a community FB page? Perhaps you could put a post on there asking for china with an assurance you will send it to a charity shop afterwards.
Or look on local upcycling sites.
Some of our charity shops often have old tea sets for sale quite cheaply, I have to resist the temptation to buy any because of the decluttering. 😀

A bootful went today (no china though).

Norah Mon 20-Feb-23 14:21:46

Callistemon21

^I'll be checking charity shop for cheap crockery, they tend to give it away - I want to lay round tables with different sorts of plates of china/crockery^

I know someone whose DD wanted pretty, mismatched china for her wedding reception; people were glad to let her have whole sets and odd pieces they wanted to get rid of for the reception then afterwards it all went off to charity shops.

If I may ask -- where did she find the "people with china"?

Brilliant idea. I need people!

Doodledog Sun 19-Feb-23 23:51:26

I have booked next month's charity collection. It's on 15th March. Obviously with February being a short month I will have less time to get it ready, but it will concentrate the mind. I have several wardrobes that need to be thinned out.

Today I sorted two cupboards of doom, where I'd put an assortment of miscellany to tidy up at Christmas, and a couple of bags went to the bin. I found a large amount of sheet music. I will offer it to my son, as he's coming to stay in a couple of weeks, and see if I can find a home for it if he doesn't want it. There are numerous children's Tune A Day things, and recorder music, plus I used to play the clarinet and did music exams, so some of it is from those (exercises in counterpoint and things like that), but I'm not sure where some of the rest came from. My husband plays mandolin and guitar, so some will be his, but Elizabethan piano music? Lou Reed for keyboard? Goodness knows.

Callistemon21 Sun 19-Feb-23 21:38:55

I'll be checking charity shop for cheap crockery, they tend to give it away - I want to lay round tables with different sorts of plates of china/crockery

I know someone whose DD wanted pretty, mismatched china for her wedding reception; people were glad to let her have whole sets and odd pieces they wanted to get rid of for the reception then afterwards it all went off to charity shops.

Callistemon21 Sun 19-Feb-23 21:34:39

Definitely.
Please come and speak to my DD😀

SueDonim Sun 19-Feb-23 20:56:16

My dd is moving flats soon and tried to slope a load of unwanted pillows onto me this weekend. I stood (well… sat) my ground and said ‘No! Find an animal charity to give them to.’

I think that counts as decluttering, don’t you? grin

Guesswhat Sun 19-Feb-23 18:16:11

Lovely idea, Norah!

Norah Sun 19-Feb-23 18:07:20

We've decided on a summer garden party to widowed daughter. as our wedding gift. To that end I've been looking into all the linens, assessing what will do, hoping to purchase nothing linen related.

I did find linens that can never suit a use again, bagged & ready.

I'll be checking charity shop for cheap crockery, they tend to give it away - I want to lay round tables with different sorts of plates of china/crockery.

Also pretty glassware and crystal. I have my own, Mum's, and Nan's, but more could be fun. Prosecco flutes.

Not as much de-clutter as add clutter! sad

karmalady Sun 19-Feb-23 14:07:12

A summer bathrobe plus t towels, I have a pattern and they will be used

karmalady Sun 19-Feb-23 14:04:08

oh I know, I will keep the 3rd yellow one and re-purpose it as t towels. Perfect for that smile

karmalady Sun 19-Feb-23 13:58:40

It started today by me decorating the spare bed with lovely linen, which looks best crumpled. In process I have unearthed bedding sheets and a pillow, which are no brainers for getting rid. I also have a double size waffle contemporary pure cotton bedspread/throw. I think I am about to put that back into my airing cupboard. I have three and only need two but it is like new and washed and brilliant for very hot weather with a sheet and it is pricey

Doh, I can see me staring at it in my airing cupboard for years to come. It should go but I cannot make myself do it. Two are pale yellow and the one I took out is a nice blue. Maybe it will be easier if I keep one of each colour. confused

NotSpaghetti Sun 19-Feb-23 10:28:52

I have just passed on a box of Home Farm magazines Grammaretto and Practical Self Sufficiency from the 1970s.

I miss the old days of the Henry Doublday Foundation over in Bocking and the friendliness of the people from the early days at Ryton.

Happy memories.

Callistemon21 Sun 19-Feb-23 10:19:28

AreWeThereYet

Callistemon If you go onto the Ziffer or WeBuyAnyBooks site it is possible to put the code in for the book or DVD to find out what they are prepared to pay for it. You don't have to sign up if you don't want to.

Thank you AreWeThereYet

I think the vinyl will be going back under the stairs very soon ☹

The DC keep saying "Oh, don't throw that out!" to everything
All very well unless we downsize. 🙂

NotSpaghetti Sun 19-Feb-23 10:12:10

My daughter wonders if we have spare sheets in a king size and spare duvet in double size or any spare pillowcases.
I have just been through a pile of stuff in my boot - it had to all come back in to be measured! 🙄

MayBee70 Sun 19-Feb-23 09:22:00

I’m house sitting at my daughters but going home each day and, hopefully will concentrate on decluttering. Will also be bringing some of her stuff back to her house!

AreWeThereYet Sat 18-Feb-23 16:46:17

Callistemon If you go onto the Ziffer or WeBuyAnyBooks site it is possible to put the code in for the book or DVD to find out what they are prepared to pay for it. You don't have to sign up if you don't want to.

AreWeThereYet Sat 18-Feb-23 16:42:13

We have masses of vinyl - Mr A will under no circumstances get rid of his records. On top of that when his Dad died Mr A inherited all his jazz records and loads of others. They are not worth anything now although some time ago some of them were worth a bit, but I can't get Mr A to part with them ☹

Callistemon21 Sat 18-Feb-23 14:56:38

I've just been looking through First Day covers - the same one can be £30 on a site yet £1.49 on eBay confused.

Callistemon21 Sat 18-Feb-23 14:55:40

Ah, I was wondering about postage. All very interesting, thank you both smile
DS's friend deals in vinyl and someone said videos are becoming collectable but the videos went to the charity shop years ago.