Decluttering!

[maymorganlondon]

Today is day one of my first three-day weekend. This one's to prepare for the next one!

I've just gone through all the food (bar one cupboard) and some is in the food recycling and others are in one place ready to go in future recycling, as I don't think I can do food recycling outside of the weekly doorstep collection. All the in date food is organised and accessible. It is only an interim stage, with a few more things to do on the decluttering front probably after my visitors leave.

I've now started on the dreaded paperwork and even just moving the paperwork all to one place is making the other spaces look airier.

So that was Saturday...

Today I decided to tackle bedding and soft furnishings... Still not on the paper!

8 binsacks of old pillows and cushions have gone to the tip. One useful nugget from Suzy Adams and Sam Doubledee is the pillow test. Those that collapse either side if my arm went!

I've donated a new set of Cozee Home to a friend, as well as a lovely cream throw.

I have a duvet for the dogs if they are still accepting donations, otherwise that's going to the tip.

I've another 5 bags of cushions, blankets and throws, plus another Cozee Home set, and two Slankets... They might get sold rather than donated, as they are still unopened (I have 2 Slankets I use already).

Hmmm this is becoming a confessional!!

I've got to clear a space before getting the footwear out and sorted.

I will probably end up taking the paper in hand tomorrow...

 

[iloveshopping]

So that was Saturday...

Today I decided to tackle bedding and soft furnishings... Still not on the paper!

8 binsacks of old pillows and cushions have gone to the tip. One useful nugget from Suzy Adams and Sam Doubledee is the pillow test. Those that collapse either side if my arm went!

I've donated a new set of Cozee Home to a friend, as well as a lovely cream throw.

I have a duvet for the dogs if they are still accepting donations, otherwise that's going to the tip.

I've another 5 bags of cushions, blankets and throws, plus another Cozee Home set, and two Slankets... They might get sold rather than donated, as they are still unopened (I have 2 Slankets I use already).

Hmmm this is becoming a confessional!!

I've got to clear a space before getting the footwear out and sorted.

I will probably end up taking the paper in hand tomorrow...

I forgive you in my child. Your penance is to say. " I will not buy anymore Cozee Home bedding" 10 times

 

[maymorganlondon]

I forgive you in my child. Your penance is to say. " I will not buy anymore Cozee Home bedding" 10 times

As of tonight I have 2 CH sets for my 2 beds. I've donated the second surplus set as well as the surplus Slankets very pleased about that.

I've just spent a good half hour and the change "Zoflora-ing" my wardrobe. It smells delightfully floral now. I'm leaving it to air until the morning.

Next time I buy CH will be when my current sets give up the ghost!

 

[maymorganlondon]

As of tonight I have 2 CH sets for my 2 beds. I've donated the second surplus set as well as the surplus Slankets very pleased about that.

I've just spent a good half hour and the change "Zoflora-ing" my wardrobe. It smells delightfully floral now. I'm leaving it to air until the morning.

Next time I buy CH will be when my current sets give up the ghost!

Checking in on Monday. Have decided I needed a deadline to focus myself on the paperwork! I've booked a secure shredding collection for next Tuesday. They deliver sealable bags which you purchase separately. I went for 5 bags, which I hope will be enough...

About to ring a couple of charities to see if I can discard more items today.

So the update is:
Total chaos reigns in most of the house, but serenity reigns in the kitchen and bathroom.
* Footwear still on the to do list.
* Paperwork on the to do list - now with a hard deadline.
* Christmas items to be sorted and culled.

I give myself three hours for footwear and Christmas. The rest of the day has to belong to paper!

 

[merryone]

Well I'm back home and apart from hubby buying a packet of 30 crisps that won't fit in any cupboard, all's good! Everything put into the wash, put away etc, and surprised myself by not returning with more than I set off with..Bought disposable ponchos instead of spending a bit more on a resuable one that takes up a whole shelf in the wardrobe and to get used once a year, nor did I buy any more silly hats, novelty onesies, or clothes and junk jewellery from the charity shops in the town, luminous make up, souvenir keep cups...nothing - Very proud!!!

 

[pyjama princess]

I'm loving this thread!
I'm not able to do major/full on decluttering as I'm looking after hubby. I gave up work last December to help him through 3 operations (in 26 days) followed by 6 months of chemotherapy. He's finished the chemo now and has had the all clear but he's still very weak so I have to do everything around the home as well as help him.
I've only had chance to do small bits here and there. But this morning I sat with him and we went through loads of mail and paperwork that belongs to him and he hadn't had the mental strength to make decisions about. Most of it went in the recycling and the 'keepers' have been filed away by me. He then went back upstairs but I waylaid him on his way back to bed! I got him to sit on a chair while I placed books in front of him so he would make decisions on what to do with them. The box had been tucked in the corner of the bedroom since we moved here in 2000 and I knew most of it was probably not needed but they belonged to him and I won't just throw out his belongings. Some of the books were work related - he's a community nurse/learning disabilities but he also does some teaching in this. Not one book was kept (hurrah!) and they've been split between a charity shop with things like novels/cook books/DIY being packed away to take to the cancer centre. The volunteers there have a book trolley with second hand novels for sale - really useful for the patients companions who sit around for hours while the patient is having their treatment. They also have a fete to raise funds for the centre so the cooking and DIY books will go to that. Hubby is taking part in a drugs trial now that his treatment has ended so we'll be back and for to the cancer centre on a regularly and will take the books when we're next there.
It made me smile when I read that some of you have craft stuff. My hobby is mainly papercrafting but I also dabble in other crafts. My spare (double) bedroom has been turned over to my craft room and it is packed with crafty stash so no chance that my stuff will fit in a cupboard LOL! I do use it though and hubby encourages me to spend time crafting to help me to relax. I show him everything I make and sometimes he helps me to decide whether a design works or not.
I hope you'll keep posting updates on your decluttering, it's been really inspiring to read. And even though I can only manage little bits at a time it's uplifting to see things improving around the house.

 

[maymorganlondon]

Well I'm back home and apart from hubby buying a packet of 30 crisps that won't fit in any cupboard, all's good! Everything put into the wash, put away etc, and surprised myself by not returning with more than I set off with..Bought disposable ponchos instead of spending a bit more on a resuable one that takes up a whole shelf in the wardrobe and to get used once a year, nor did I buy any more silly hats, novelty onesies, or clothes and junk jewellery from the charity shops in the town, luminous make up, souvenir keep cups...nothing - Very proud!!!

Isn't it great when you know what you have already, so you know what you don't need? And no doubt a relief your Hubby's worst effort was 30 bags of crisps!

I'm washing all my vases as part of my Christmas declutter.

I do have a novelty hat which needs a new home outside of my house! Bought while doing a charity walk earlier this year. Should have gone for deely-boppers instead. Anything glittery looks like Christmas. A baby pink sequined trilby not so much!

 

[merryone]

I'm loving this thread!
I'm not able to do major/full on decluttering as I'm looking after hubby. I gave up work last December to help him through 3 operations (in 26 days) followed by 6 months of chemotherapy. He's finished the chemo now and has had the all clear but he's still very weak so I have to do everything around the home as well as help him.
I've only had chance to do small bits here and there. But this morning I sat with him and we went through loads of mail and paperwork that belongs to him and he hadn't had the mental strength to make decisions about. Most of it went in the recycling and the 'keepers' have been filed away by me. He then went back upstairs but I waylaid him on his way back to bed! I got him to sit on a chair while I placed books in front of him so he would make decisions on what to do with them. The box had been tucked in the corner of the bedroom since we moved here in 2000 and I knew most of it was probably not needed but they belonged to him and I won't just throw out his belongings. Some of the books were work related - he's a community nurse/learning disabilities but he also does some teaching in this. Not one book was kept (hurrah!) and they've been split between a charity shop with things like novels/cook books/DIY being packed away to take to the cancer centre. The volunteers there have a book trolley with second hand novels for sale - really useful for the patients companions who sit around for hours while the patient is having their treatment. They also have a fete to raise funds for the centre so the cooking and DIY books will go to that. Hubby is taking part in a drugs trial now that his treatment has ended so we'll be back and for to the cancer centre on a regularly and will take the books when we're next there.
It made me smile when I read that some of you have craft stuff. My hobby is mainly papercrafting but I also dabble in other crafts. My spare (double) bedroom has been turned over to my craft room and it is packed with crafty stash so no chance that my stuff will fit in a cupboard LOL! I do use it though and hubby encourages me to spend time crafting to help me to relax. I show him everything I make and sometimes he helps me to decide whether a design works or not.
I hope you'll keep posting updates on your decluttering, it's been really inspiring to read. And even though I can only manage little bits at a time it's uplifting to see things improving around the house.

Really glad it's been inspiring, especially considering what you've been through/going through......Even a little bit of decluttering make you feel better...and well done to you for doing your bit, however big or small x

 

[merryone]

Isn't it great when you know what you have already, so you know what you don't need? And no doubt a relief your Hubby's worst effort was 30 bags of crisps!

I'm washing all my vases as part of my Christmas declutter.

I do have a novelty hat which needs a new home outside of my house! Bought while doing a charity walk earlier this year. Should have gone for deely-boppers instead. Anything glittery looks like Christmas. A baby pink sequined trilby not so much!

Yes, a mighty relief indeed, but in the past when I've returned from a holiday or short break with sh*tloads of laundry and other miscelleanous crap to a home that's already cluttered and needs a good clean as well it's been soul destroying. To be fair, on returning from a festival any kind of home feels like luxury - cluttered or uncluttered..but this time it's been extra nice...There's only 28 packets of crisps to go now lol!

 

[maymorganlondon]

Yes, a mighty relief indeed, but in the past when I've returned from a holiday or short break with sh*tloads of laundry and other miscelleanous crap to a home that's already cluttered and needs a good clean as well it's been soul destroying. To be fair, on returning from a festival any kind of home feels like luxury - cluttered or uncluttered..but this time it's been extra nice...There's only 28 packets of crisps to go now lol!

That's the other problem with crisps.. There's only one place they're going to end up! :mysmilie_5:

I am going to try and clear a bit of floor space this evening. I'm getting fed up with the picking my way through half-finished sorting! Got to (finally) sort out the footwear first...

 

[merryone]

Still keeping up the good work, and today finally I found a well priced computer chair in argos, ok it's not leather, whearas the one I have now is, but I must console myself that it's still managed to get torn and tattered in it's old age, but the new one's the right colour to go in the room and will be delivered sometime after 2pm this afternoon, not a bad service eh? Hopefully I'll be able to get the old one out of the house without trying to take it all apart! Bit disappointing that I've had a couple of friends visit over the past week or so, and neither of them passed comment on how great the place was looking, ok one of them in particular I've always mega blitzed when I've known she's coming as she lives in a lovely house and is extremely houseproud, so maybe she didn't notice a difference, in the past when she's visited I've kept the bedroom door firmly closed as you'd've probably found a lot of stuff thrown in there when I've not had time to do a "proper job!"...but obviously with no carpet in there and just rugs, and badly painted furniture ain't gonna make anyone say "wow"really...However, I know how hard I've worked in there to make it a bedroom I can actually use and relax in! Still on the hunt for a nicer looking filing cabinet though, although the one I've got is wooden, it still looks too "officey" for the home and does somewhat spoil the appearance of the room. Also I've decided that I'd like to buy a couple of folding dining chairs to replace the again somewhat "officey" looking metal framed ones, not only that, they're actually not that comfortable to sit in. I've seen some folding ones that when put up look like proper dining chairs, they are quite pricey though. I've got 4 office style ones, two are folded flat behind the table and can't be seen and are only got out when we have extra guests for dinner, also I have two of the orignal wooden chairs the came with the table and are stored inside the table, however they're even more uncomfortable, and the other two broke so I chucked them out! Anyway, not much to do today, a very small amount of ironing a bit of dusting...oh and that chair to get rid of!
Just turned chair upside down and noticed the base was screwed in by allen keys, have got a set so yay....easy peasy!

 

[stratobuddy]

Don't forget that things you don't want (like your office chair) may be snapped up and COLLECTED if you give them away on your local Freecycle website.

 

[merryone]

Don't forget that things you don't want (like your office chair) may be snapped up and COLLECTED if you give them away on your local Freecycle website.

I know, but I'm not bothered about making money....I'm normally quite happy to leave serviceable stuff that's too much hassle to take down the charity shop outside for someone else to make use of but believe me, this chair is torn and knackered and it'd take one hell of an effort to refurbish it....might as well buy a new one, so I've taken it apart and dumped it!

 

[iloveshopping]

I know, but I'm not bothered about making money....I'm normally quite happy to leave serviceable stuff that's too much hassle to take down the charity shop outside for someone else to make use of but believe me, this chair is torn and knackered and it'd take one hell of an effort to refurbish it....might as well buy a new one, so I've taken it apart and dumped it!

Freecycle is for giving things away to other people for free. They just collect from you. But I agree if it is too worn then down to the dump

 

[stratobuddy]

It may be ok for someone who doesn't have a chair at all

 

[maymorganlondon]

I'm loving this thread!
I'm not able to do major/full on decluttering as I'm looking after hubby. I gave up work last December to help him through 3 operations (in 26 days) followed by 6 months of chemotherapy. He's finished the chemo now and has had the all clear but he's still very weak so I have to do everything around the home as well as help him.
I've only had chance to do small bits here and there. But this morning I sat with him and we went through loads of mail and paperwork that belongs to him and he hadn't had the mental strength to make decisions about. Most of it went in the recycling and the 'keepers' have been filed away by me. He then went back upstairs but I waylaid him on his way back to bed! I got him to sit on a chair while I placed books in front of him so he would make decisions on what to do with them. The box had been tucked in the corner of the bedroom since we moved here in 2000 and I knew most of it was probably not needed but they belonged to him and I won't just throw out his belongings. Some of the books were work related - he's a community nurse/learning disabilities but he also does some teaching in this. Not one book was kept (hurrah!) and they've been split between a charity shop with things like novels/cook books/DIY being packed away to take to the cancer centre. The volunteers there have a book trolley with second hand novels for sale - really useful for the patients companions who sit around for hours while the patient is having their treatment. They also have a fete to raise funds for the centre so the cooking and DIY books will go to that. Hubby is taking part in a drugs trial now that his treatment has ended so we'll be back and for to the cancer centre on a regularly and will take the books when we're next there.
It made me smile when I read that some of you have craft stuff. My hobby is mainly papercrafting but I also dabble in other crafts. My spare (double) bedroom has been turned over to my craft room and it is packed with crafty stash so no chance that my stuff will fit in a cupboard LOL! I do use it though and hubby encourages me to spend time crafting to help me to relax. I show him everything I make and sometimes he helps me to decide whether a design works or not.
I hope you'll keep posting updates on your decluttering, it's been really inspiring to read. And even though I can only manage little bits at a time it's uplifting to see things improving around the house.

What a rough time you and your husband are going through! Apologies that I missed your post. Well done for getting going, even small steps add up to a huge leap.

My visitors arrived, and while the decluttering went somewhat by the wayside, I got everything tidied up, put away and cleaned, though... I will resume after my guests leave.

 

[maymorganlondon]

One thing I can definitely say for my tidy-up to accommodate my guests is that it has given me added inspiration to keep on going!

Clear floors and sofas, clear beds and more.

I'm still in the middle of blitzing my paperwork, and no doubt it will keep coming up as I'm tackling the paperwork which I know I've still got to deal with, rather than what might lurk in boxes which I've yet to open (and definitely there may be stuff in cupboards I've not yet opened, or the off-site storage unit I still need to tackle).

So far I have sent off 4 sacks of confidential shredding to be destroyed. That includes the pile of shame: all my QVC packing notes!

I've got the rest of the known stuff piled up around the bed in my spare bedroom awaiting a weekend blitz. It may be a blitz I tackle this weekend, or it may have to wait until next weekend, but I will finish it this month.

I've then got a list of all the other categories to tackle so I can pick them off one at a time.

How is everyone else getting on?

 

[merryone]

Well, still keeping up, I've got a fair old bit of ironing and cleaning to do tomorrow, but it's my weekend off so not too worried...Now ordered a couple of decent looking folding dining chairs that'll fit in the front room much better than the officey looking ones I've got at the moment, happy with my new computer chair, though I can tell that it won't last as long as a genuine leather one, but at the end of the day I wasn't prepared to stump up over £200, even if it was on buy now pay later! Still looking to replace a couple of rather worn out and sorry looking cushions but other than that -all good. Still keeping on top of washing/ironing and mail. The toiletries situation in the bathroom is starting to creep up a bit, as he's gone and bought yet more bottles of bath foam, despite the fact we don't need any! But it hasn't got to the cluttered state it was before by any means. Promised myself I'll do a load of dusting and hoovering tomorrow and the ironing and then I'll be back up to speed! Not gonna complain 'cause I've nothing planned this weekend, so I certainly won't be bored! If I get a bit of time for myself, I plan to to get my deckchair out (weather permitting) and soak up a few rays!

 

[maymorganlondon]

Well, still keeping up, I've got a fair old bit of ironing and cleaning to do tomorrow, but it's my weekend off so not too worried...Now ordered a couple of decent looking folding dining chairs that'll fit in the front room much better than the officey looking ones I've got at the moment, happy with my new computer chair, though I can tell that it won't last as long as a genuine leather one, but at the end of the day I wasn't prepared to stump up over £200, even if it was on buy now pay later! Still looking to replace a couple of rather worn out and sorry looking cushions but other than that -all good. Still keeping on top of washing/ironing and mail. The toiletries situation in the bathroom is starting to creep up a bit, as he's gone and bought yet more bottles of bath foam, despite the fact we don't need any! But it hasn't got to the cluttered state it was before by any means. Promised myself I'll do a load of dusting and hoovering tomorrow and the ironing and then I'll be back up to speed! Not gonna complain 'cause I've nothing planned this weekend, so I certainly won't be bored! If I get a bit of time for myself, I plan to to get my deckchair out (weather permitting) and soak up a few rays!

If hubby still has the receipt, maybe get him to take it back to the shop? Better on their shelves than yours, and better your money in your bank account than theirs!

Hope the sun shines for you in that deckchair! :mysmilie_59:

 

[Pick-a-Lily]

Interesting article in today's Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...ing-inspired-me-to-change-other-peoples-lives