Decluttering!

[maymorganlondon]

Oooh! A timely reminder... I've been a bit stalled on this myself. I've a large bag of stuff for charity which has not yet made it out the front door.
More to do in 2019, and I've a storage unit that I've made a new year's resolution to clear out of by 31 March 2019. It's the only NY resolution I made, so I've got to keep to it!

 

[merryone]

Today I've started to thin out my toiletries shelf in the bathroom..I don't know how I let it get so bad. Spent more money on skin care that didn't suit me..Ok I didn't spend £50 + this time on a set containing 2 items I'd actually use, but on the back of trying a free sample of I product I liked I spent a fair old whack to buy two or three items from their range to find I didn't actually get on with it, so that's been sitting on my shelf for over a year, along with some half used bottles of hubby's aftershave that he no longer uses due to finding one he particularly likes, a cotton wool dispenser that I won in a raffle that's been empty for months and I haven't felt the need to refill. Perfumes of mine that I've not worn in years. Shelf is so much clearer no but boy does it need a good dusting!!! Seriously need to lose some clothes, that's gonna be a job and a half. Hoping that another charity shop bag drops onto the mat soon, they're so convenient cause you can just leave it out on the doorstep and they'll collect it!

 

[maymorganlondon]

Today I've started to thin out my toiletries shelf in the bathroom..I don't know how I let it get so bad. Spent more money on skin care that didn't suit me..Ok I didn't spend £50 + this time on a set containing 2 items I'd actually use, but on the back of trying a free sample of I product I liked I spent a fair old whack to buy two or three items from their range to find I didn't actually get on with it, so that's been sitting on my shelf for over a year, along with some half used bottles of hubby's aftershave that he no longer uses due to finding one he particularly likes, a cotton wool dispenser that I won in a raffle that's been empty for months and I haven't felt the need to refill. Perfumes of mine that I've not worn in years. Shelf is so much clearer no but boy does it need a good dusting!!! Seriously need to lose some clothes, that's gonna be a job and a half. Hoping that another charity shop bag drops onto the mat soon, they're so convenient cause you can just leave it out on the doorstep and they'll collect it!

If you have toiletries which you've tried and not got on with, and no friends you can pass them on to, it might be worth seeing if there is a women's refuge near you that you could donate them to?

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Paperwork is our problem. Whilst we now home shred as we go in the past we saved everything- I mean everything, I have bank statements going back to 1973 and credit card statements since I got my first credit card!!!

After spending a few years clearing out my late fathers house (his hoarding made me look minimalist) I couldn’t face getting a handle on my own but st the same time our roof space was bulging.

I have now finally sorted out my paperwork down to 11 packing boxes of stuff we need to get rid off.

Being very security conscious (I shred everything with my name on it, all receipts etc) it’s just not practical to shred everything page by page so I have organised a commercial shredding company to come to the house on Monday so that will free up a good bit of space. I did this for my fathers stuff and whilst not cheap it is done whilst you watch and takes less than half an hour from start to finish.

If only they would shred all the other junk I’ve accumulated!!!

 

[merryone]

Paperwork's a proper nightmare in my house still is, I read, shred and dispose of immediately OH doesn't so I'll say no more, as you can imagine a lot of nagging takes place usually resulting in a promise an little more lol!
My plan for the short term is to fill a small carrier bag up with unwanted/superflous things every day and get rid. Luckily there's a Sally Army clothes bank on the way to work, so I've popped anything that's in decent condition in there, thrown away stuff that is tatty and as for bits and bobs there's a large communal bin in the next street and beside that there's an unofficial area where people leave serviceable stuff for other people to help themselves to. Yesterday I thinned out my junk jewellery and perfume collection, so shelves are starting to look a lot less cluttered and my jewellery hanger on the bedroom wall looks nice and quirky again instead of a jumbled mess. I'll keep going like this until I have enough spare time to give the place a proper overhaul, and at least the job should be a lot easier when I get around to it!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Shredding company came today so 11 boxes lighter!

 

[merryone]

Shredding company came today so 11 boxes lighter!

Wow I bet that feels good..and good news for me, well not that good but came home and found yet another charity shop bag on the doormat ready to be filled and collected Thursday,so that's another bag of stuff I don't have to wait until I can lug it down to the nearest charity shop!

 

[merryone]

Just shredded a whole black bin bag's worth of paperwork, filled the charity shop bag almost to breaking point, that'll go out on the doorstep first thing Thursday morning. Thrown away two carrier bags full of tatty clothes from the depths of the ironing/laundry baskets and have started filling a carrier with general crap that I want to get rid of but isn't decent enough to donate. Slow but sure, not seeing a real difference yet, but just knowing I've made a start is a good feeling!

 

[merryone]

Today's progress - Another bag of correspondence shredded and ready to go. I had a look through a wicker storage basket in my front room this morning to find it filled with ancient correspondence - The latest date being 2017!!! Obvs one of hubby's old "promise piles" he put in there to deal with later but forgot found a few old cd cases with no cds inside, two empty glasses cases and a broken tv remote control, and a lot of dust- so I threw the whole basket away...plus a couple of old board games we've received as pressies in the past but haven't played... they've gone upstairs into the bric a brac bag ready for the next charity shop bag that comes through that accepts bric a brac, or when I muster the energy to take it down to the charity shop itself. Feel a bit rotten but I've even got shot of a wedding album we received, it's in a lovely box, which I have dusted down..but we'll never use it. We've got a small framed wedding photo on the shelf and a lovely montage of the day hanging up in the hallway. Other photos are stored on the computer, so a shame to have it just sitting on a shelf taking up room and getting covered in dust!. Today I am starting to see a teeny weeny difference...but sadly it's mostly the big areas of dust that have been exposed from getting rid of so much stuff! like I say I'll aim for one small bag a day..yeah it may take a lot longer than a massive blitz but haven't got the time and energy at the mo! How's everybody else keeping, I'd like to keep hearing your stories and tips (not rubbish tips lol!)

 

[mediastar]

I've ground to a halt, my work is so all consuming, that unless I have someone to help me stay motivated, all I have the energy to do is rest completely at the weekend. However, I am definitely sticking to the one item in one item out rule.

 

[Pick-a-Lily]

2 more bags filled and off to charity tomorrow! So good when they leave you a bag to fill and come back for it. I got my neighbour's bag as well, because she has nothing to donate.

 

[merryone]

Hope you don't mind the daily updates, but writing about my achievements is actually helping to spur me on. This morning I emptied the magazine rack in which I found 3 ancient mags, another bag of ancient correspondence..checked and shredded.Found a pack of souvenir newspapers covered in dust oh and a bag of miscellaneous cables...I've dusted down the pack of papers and put that in the bric a brac..mag rack now empty and ready to be filled up with more crap...Gonna try and use it for the purpose it's intended from now on! Then I tackled the computer table...OMG...I weeded out so much crap, and more letters that I've shredded.. Found a purse I bought a few months back that I didn't get on with, a pair of sunglasses, colouring pencils, an adult colouring book (unused) bag full of lipsticks, ordered online by accident couple of years ago (ebay slip of finger on keyboard) None are my shade lol. Now all I have underneath is a ream of paper and some laminating sheets! I'll tell you what my bric a brac bag is full to the brim now..but the stuff is far too good to throw away. For some reason I ordered a commerorative coin a few months back only cost p&p..it came in a presentation box and it's been sitting in my magazine rack gathering dust since I got it. I think when it comes to clearing stuff out, you have to be absolutely ruthless, if you don't need it, like it, have too many etc...get shot of it. Once I've got the place up to a good standard again, going forward I'm gonna try and buy a lot less "stuff" and if I buy something I'm not happy with, not just bung it somewhere, but get a refund while I can! Anyway that's me for today. Might have a day off tomorrow as it's Saturday!

 

[mediastar]

I had a day out with a friend today instead of any sorting! Well done you!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I have a weakness for crockery (just one of many!) and my kitchen cupboards are groaning under the weight of this and unused gadgets so my next day off is going to be a mega cull in this department unless it is good enough to go into the garden as I want to keep on top of that.

 

[merryone]

As promised did nothing over the weekend, but mostly cause I've seemed to have picked up another blinking cold and cough, so feel tired and wheezy and not up to much as as one would imagine, dust flying around isn't helping the matter. Typical...cause I'm on holiday this week, hubby's next day off is Saturday, so I've got the place to myself and potentially could get loads done, however I'm gonna have to carry on in a very slow fashion but can't give up! Managed to fill up a bin bad with old/mismatched socks, pillowcases that don't go with the bedding and a bag full of dried up nail varnishes that was taking up a whole drawer in the beside cabinet. In the bottom of the wardrobe I found a whole bag of Yankee wax tarts..haven't had a burner in years, so they've gone into the bric a brac. Meeting a friend for coffee this afternoon and it's in a road with tons of charity shops, if I had some energy I'd take the bags down today, but I'm gonna struggle to get myself there if I'm honest! How did I let the place get into such a state again...I swore to myself that I wouldn't!!!

 

[merryone]

Well I had a bit of an energy burst and have gone through 2 wardrobes and have rooted out a whole load of hubby's clothes and have literally chucked them away. There's so much more room now and the stuff I've thrown he won't miss as they're either too small now, or in a stained or tatty condition. For example a whole shelf was taken up by 2 jumpers....one thick white one with a stain that I've not been able to remove, tried to chuck it before but he said it's ok for indoors and a thin one that I think he's tried to iron and has gone all baggy and shiny, broken belts, odd shoes. Now all I've got to do is organise the wardrobe, hang trousers up instead of having them crammed on shelves mixed up with t shirts and jumpers but that's a job for another day. Tomorrow I might do some deep cleaning if I don't feel too rough. Hubby's trouble is that he doesn't look after his clothes, he spills food on them, throws things down by the side of the bed, stuffs shirt/jumper combo he's been wearing in the laundry basket as is..and if we've been invited anywhere nice, he'll always buy something new especially, wheareas I'll wear something I've got hanging up neatly! I think I've gotten rid of about 15 bags of crap so far (incl. charity donations)and still the place doesn't look markedly better. I'm determined this time. It's taken pretty much one whole year to reclutter back to square one, hopefully it won't take me another year to put it right lol!

 

[merryone]

jewellery box sorted out today so far, got a large jewellery box full to the brim but also a lot of jewellery bits just knocking round the house. When I went through the box there was literally just a fraction I wanted to keep, so I've rooted it out and put it in the bric a brac. Anything of any value ie gold, diamond etc I've kept even though chances are I won't wear it! pandora braclets now safely inside jewellery box instead of in dusty boxes on the shelf. Don't feel up to the deep clean today, so I think I'll get some washing done and tackle the ironing pile..and hopefully I'll find a few more items of clothing I can get shot of, also plan to fill my daily carrier bag with miscellaneous crap and throw it away. Got a day out planned tomorrow, then Thursday I'll resume in earnest. I think my flat's gonna breathe a big sigh of relief when this is finished! If I'm honest with myself I think that the clutter this time around is worse than the first time!!

 

[mediastar]

You don't fancy coming round to do mine :mysmilie_19: do you? I keep trying, but I can think of better things to do like reading and catch up on telly!

 

[merryone]

You don't fancy coming round to do mine :mysmilie_19: do you? I keep trying, but I can think of better things to do like reading and catch up on telly!

Sure! Are you anywhere near Brighton lol? totally on a roll, inspired by lovethingsitalian I've cleared out my crockery cupboard which like hers was literally groaning from the weight of unused crockery...Got it down to one complete dinner service, got shot of two very nice but never used serving bowls that were taking up most of one of the shelves, and went through some of my food cupboards and now I have room to put stuff that sits out cos there's little or no room eg, jars of coffee, coffee mate, sweeteners. Still I have a long way to go and still haven't done that deep clean yet, though I've done bits of it to be fair..but tomorrow's the day. Wasn't going to do anything today as I was out with some friends earlier but one of them started talking about decluttering so as soon as I got in I was back on the case. The nice stuff I left in the "unofficial dumping ground" near my house, I know it's probably classed as fly tipping but I know someone will pick it up and appreciate it..anything scruffy I binned! As silly as it sounds I'm so glad I haven't got a massive amount of soft toys...So difficult to get rid of when you look at their little faces lol. Got a few mostly have sentimental value but they're on a shelf upstairs and look quite cute..but I know a person who's house is full of the blinking things all gathering dust!

 

[merryone]

6 more bags of crap ready to go, went right through my storage boxes which in theirselves look organised on top of my kitchen units all colour co-ordinated and all that but, you would'nt believe the crap they were filled up with, an appliance graveyard, some broken, some not..but all not used in years (apart from the stand mixer/processor that we use a fair bit)..Now i've been able to thin out my glassware cupboard and now have spare glasses in one of the boxes so I don't have to go and buy new ones when they get broken, one small box of tools instead of three full of god knows blinking what! I've even got an empty shelf in one of my cupboards! Once I get up and dressed properly it's a trip to the clothes bank and a trip to the bins...and then out comes the steam cleaner and the real work begins. Decluttering is by no means finished but I can honestly say now I am starting to see a difference at last yay!!!