Decluttering

Going with the ‘2 things every day’ idea I’ve just thrown out a pair of black sandals that have seen better days and will donate an autobiography hardback by David Jason to the charity shop down below us in the square.

Thanks to those of you joining my turning out 1 or 2 items a day regime. I threw out an old mascara today, haven’t used it for about 6 months. More makeup to come tomorrow.

Following the idea of decluttering and tidying can anyone recommend where to get a really good sturdy large shoe rack? Mine is a plastic very flimsy one which falls apart when you touch it!

I keep falling asleep mid declutter!
And those damn stick on hooks keep falling off, too!

i try and de clutter, really i do, i usually put on a recycling group, take to a charity shop or give to an animal charity. And then i see a jigsaw i like in the charity shop, oh dear!

MissAdventure

I keep falling asleep mid declutter!
And those damn stick on hooks keep falling off, too!

The first time you mentioned them my brain was obviously scrambled and I was trying to visualise a stick (as in wooden) on hooks (as in metal). Sorry just me being random Where are they stuck, is it somewhere you could use something like gorilla glue to permanently fix them?

I've decluttered some ancient trainers that were for 'dirty work' and relegated some almost as tatty ones instead.
One years' worth of RHS magazines reread and tied up ready for the charity shop. Yes they do want them, I checked last week if they would. Does that count as two items or 14?

Helter Skelter 1 Don’t throw them out!
My dd has found cotton sheets a boon going through the menopause,they are cooler than poly cotton and help with hot flushes.

They are supposed to be stuck on the wall inside the cupboard, Rosie51.

Sounds simple enough, but I just cannot get them to stay stuck!!!

I used "no more nails" last time.
Instead, no more hooks when I checked the next day.

Just had a go with the hot glue gun.

I'm girding my loins to tackle the Halloween and Christmas decorations!
I inherited all my Mom's Christmas stuff 3 years ago and couldn't bear to part with anything until now. I have 1.5 sheds full, plus more in the loft.
I've been watching Swedich death cleaning on you tube and this has put things into perspective.
As for clothes, it's a work in progress

Smaller throwing out is easier. Thanks for this thread.
Today
Trainers that I wore last time I saw my dad before he died and a pair of socks ravaged by the dog
Is that two things or four?

MissAdventure

Yes, that's my aim each day, Doodledog.

I have managed to clear out the cupboard next to Brian (Adrian) a bit at a time.

I have four of these blasted cupboards, though!

Now then... these jumpers... do you have a plan for them?

I have to say I am deeply impressed. I have only 'THE drawer', as it is known, full of the stuff that everyone on here would surely recognise as likely contents for 'THE drawer'. However...there is the double garage, and I will only say that there is no room for cars at all in there.

My drawers are in pretty good order, if I do say so myself.
Brian was/is my shed containing nails, hammers, drills,saws and paint type stuff, but lately, I just open the door and fling stuff in.
Blooming shopping bags are one of the main things I have to fight my way past.

I never know what to do with them.

Any suggestions?

I’m sat on this thread instead of the ONE task I have for today, which is Sort out the Bookcase! I’m in a tiny house now, so bought a small 3-shelf bookcase, but it’s already full, with books piled up flat in front of the upright ones, and several piles on the floor nearby. I can’t resist a charity shop bargain or a free book stall! I promised myself I would stick to library books, but failed. Now I have to look at every title and decide if I’m likely to read it in the next 6 months. Then there are the books that I’ve already read, but might revisit- will I? Or are they just dust collectors? The cookery books? I barely cook these days. My daughter says I should just get rid of the bookcase and buy all the ones I want to read on Kindle!

MissAdventure

I took some things out of Brian and put them back a bit tidied.

Picked up the stick on hooks which had fallen off into the mire, and have stuck them back up.

I declutter my drill away last time I did it, so now have to use stick on things.

In the depths of Brian is my daughters christmas tree, which is huge, and beautiful.

Thats a real issue for me: i wouldnt mind giving it to someone who would really appreciate it, but i can't dictate that they must.

It has beautiful lights and ornaments, because she loved Christmas, but it's too big for my place, and a bind, to be honest.

That is the very hardest. To declutter items left from our loved ones. I still have my late son's chef jacket he wore in national competition. I cannot bear the thought of getting rid of it. But no-one will ever use it for anything.

I also have 65 years of diaries on my bookshelf behind me and I am still writing them. Argh

NanKate

I met a friend recently and we discussed how our homes are full of items we never use but we never get round to clearing them. My friend said ‘I know we will both do nothing about the clutter’ 😏.

This statement has spurred me onto prove her wrong, so this is what I am doing.

Each day I open a drawer, wardrobe, cupboard, my desk and take at least one thing from it that I don’t use or have forgotten I have got. I then throw it away immediately. Today I have found a jacket I no longer wear and a pair of trousers I don’t like and those will go to charity. If by the end of the day I haven’t thrown something out I find one or two papers on my desk and shred them. It’s becoming a habit.

So my mantra is get rid of something EVERY DAY. I now notice my drawers and wardrobe are getting slimmer, I wish I was 🤪

Anyone want to my join me in the one or two things a day regime ?

I do, I have been trying to do that since last Christmas when someone else suggested that, it worked for a while then stopped. I still tell people to do it, but don't myself. Here we go again. One thing minimum a day it is Thank you

I will make it my aim too.Two old propelling pencils are going today. One is silver and one is gold and I have been holding on to them thinking they might be worth something but the time has come….

I've stuck some more hooks up, and started to fill a box with glue,things that stick on, double sided tape.

Found an ikea blind, still in the tube thing it came in, all sealed up, so will need to undo it to check the measurements before I can give it away or sell it on.

Doodledog

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 . 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.

Have you tried www.ziffit.com/en-gb/ for selling your books, looks like an easy way. I've been trying to get rid of some of my books but m having a great deal of difficulty parting with any of them. Maybe I'll just buy another bookcase.

Clothes aren’t my problem as much as ornaments with sentimental value. Treasured mementos of my grandmother for instance, or Lladro statuettes which my mother had lovingly collected. And so much silverware! All given with love. Nearly all now in boxes in the garage. I’ve been told my time is limited, which should spur me on to save my children the problem, but live -and feel - as if I’ve got a good fifteen years to go, so Mañana rules!

@MissA
There’s a very strong glue better than a glue gun. It’s called (& I’m not kidding) The Dog’s B*ll*x. Very strong.

Photograph them Azaleathen let them go. You can always see them that way. That’s what I do nowadays.

Today I’ve got rid of two more things. Thrown away a really good hairbrush. I no longer use it (hot brush all the way now for styling) but as I don’t think the charity shop would accept it, I binned it.

And 2 metal skillets from M&S that I haven’t used since we downsized here 14 years ago.

Mollygo

Smaller throwing out is easier. Thanks for this thread.
Today
Trainers that I wore last time I saw my dad before he died and a pair of socks ravaged by the dog
Is that two things or four?

Two.
Stop trying to cheat. 🤣

Two old propelling pencils are going today

I applaud you for getting rid, but they are tiny items, aren’t they? Don’t take up much space….

However, don’t take any notice of me being negative.

Well done on making progress.

👍🏻

I keep loosing things so whilst I am going through drawers and cupboards I am decluttering trying to find the lost thing. This does at least give an up side to loosing something although it's still very annoying.