Counteracting the clutter in 2023

[Little My]

My cloakroom project for this month isn't getting very far. I did declutter and I tidied things up so it's much more functional and presentable. But Feb isn't the best time to be getting cans of paint out here, and I feel like it's an all or nothing thing at this point. I'd rather wait and redo the hanging space once it's painted and we've hopefully dealt with the ceiling issue.

The kids let me do some decluttering with them in their rooms yesterday. It was really successful, and I kept my word of only doing the one spot we'd chosen. Hoping to continue the good work today and tomorrow.

I seem to be onto a winner with clear storage bins for separating clothing categories on R's closet shelves. She strongly agrees labelled bins are the way forward, because folding is not happening.

[Squirrel]

The clear storage bins sound excellent.

I got rid of some more paperwork today, including umpteen MOT certificates and service/repair paperwork for a car that got scrapped two years ago , and paperwork from old mortgages that we no longer have.

I’ve got loads of pension paperwork too . I don’t know if I need to keep any of the historical stuff or just the most recent, does anyone know?

I’m so tempted to fling it all but I know nothing about pensions and don’t feel confident that I can throw the older statements, policy documents etc away.

[bramblerose]

We are taking at least 5 big storage boxes of books to our local Book Cycle shop on Friday. That will clear out under the bed and some will come out of the loft.

We had planned to clear out the loft in April but plans have changed and I want to get that done within the next week or two. This will probably result in several trips to the tip.

Nothing I'm doing seems to affect how the house looks but I'm sure she'll feel lighter

[Morganna]

Can you take photos of the pension docs and save them digitally instead?

I sorted paperwork the other day too, and have unearthed huge amounts of sheet music. Some will be M's, and some is mine from when I played the clarinet, but I'm not sure about the rest. There are recorder books from when J and S were at school, and a strange assortment of miscellaneous bits and bobs - from Elizabethan madrigals to Lou Reed. J is coming overnight in a couple of weeks, so I'll get him to take what's his, then ask around to see if anyone can use the rest.

I got rid of another bag of yarn at knitting group today. I've slowed down, I think, but I am plugging away. I think I expect results too quickly, and this will be more effective if I take it slowly. Plus, life has to go on in between bursts of decluttering. I have booked another charity collection for 15 March, and part filled a bag to go to that. Knowing me, as the deadline approaches I will step up the effort to get more out of the door.

[Cerise]

I nearly cried at the chap with adhd on Sort Your Life Out. That house was…. I haven’t even got the words. I’m so glad they got some help.

The money! :eek:

[Squirrel]

God, yes! All that money! And the episode after with all the shoes :eek:.

Morgs, I definitely can’t be arsed to do that , if I’m going to keep them then it’s easier to keep a few bits of paper tbh.

[Little My]

I was going to say just keep them, Squiz, and that's not normally my go-to answer. You can come back to it another time, if you need the space or get a definitive answer on what's needed.

[Princess Morripov]

I would just keep the most recent docs, for each policy, Squiz. Unless there’s reasons to distrust the latest docs?

I chuck most paperwork tbh and occasionally email pictures to myself of the stuff I think could be important before I set it on fire

I have cleared out my wardobes this afternoon (fucking hell, regretted starting that job once it looked like a bomb had gone off my bedroom ) and I’ve just reorganised everything into better areas based on clothes type and created an enormous pile in the spare room of things I need to sort through and either keep, charity shop or sell on Vinted.

I’ve also got to go through my drawers and sort tops/socks/undies/scarves etc.

It does feel a bit of a mission but it’s the last really massive job and I’ve not decluttered clothes properly since we moved here nearly 2 years ago.

[Morganna]

Morgs, I definitely can’t be arsed to do that , if I’m going to keep them then it’s easier to keep a few bits of paper tbh.

That's the sort of thing I will happily do as a displacement activity so I don't have to actually tidy or declutter.

I saw the Stacey programme with the ADD bloke, and I really felt for them too. The workshop change was amazing, and his face when he saw it was a picture. And yes - Two Thousand Quid :eek:

I meant to say - my large basket idea is working well. I can tidy up in five minutes by chucking everything into it, and that makes me not want to mess up the tidy room, but the difference between that and my previous Doomthings is that I am clearing it out every Sunday (which has only been twice so far, but still), and the only thing I'm allowing myself to put back is my knitting bag, which is ok as I don't want two bags lying about. I always know what's in there, and I'm not stashing it away when it's full like I would do with a hastily filled Doombag in the past, and in theory I won't lose so many things.

[Princess Morripov]

I’ve sorted through a fair chunk and photographed and listed 70 items on Vinted today. Felt like a massive effort but genuinely a lot easier than eBay.

Also I plan to list some of the nicer dresses on some Facebook groups too just to get rid.

I’ve put everything I’ve listed so far into neat bags (6 bin bags :eek: ) and I’ll keep them here for a bit (in case they sell quickly) and then if not I’ll temporarily store in the loft and then anything left in a month or so I’ll charity shop.

I’ve also got two bin bags of stuff for the charity shop too.

Next is the drawers in my room to go through scarves, socks, pajamas and T-shirts

[Pippedydeadeye]

We’ve binned tonnes of Happy Meal toys and rubbish today. It feels amazing. I have two empty baskets in the Kallax unit thing now.

[FiveO'Clock]

70 items on Vinted! Well done!

[Little My]

That's a lot, Pov!

I cleared a couple of Kallax shelves this morning with B , and I intend to do another couple shortly. I'm attacking his art supplies and books. He holds onto too many old pencils and markers, so I'm going to get him a special caddy and any loose bits and pieces that don't fit are out.

cupcaddy.jpeg

[Squirrel]

Pov you are a machine! 70 items!

One of C’s dressing up dresses has made it to the window display of the charity shop .

[Little My]

[Morganna]

Well done, Squizz!

I am still plugging away. I've moved a bookcase from J's room to downstairs (apparently M is going to put it in the broom cupboard to hold old tins of paint or whatever) and replaced it with a nicer one that used to be in the dining room. M has put his Bloody Stereo in the dining room, but it's tucked away in an alcove and doesn't look too bad, really. The drop-leaf table that was in the alcove is now under the stairs, and looks better than an ancient music system that's not plugged in. The printer was put on the table as a temporary measure, but it's actually a sensible place for it to live as previously I had to move stuff out of the way to get at it, and there is an otherwise unused socket nearby as well as a sideboard to store the paper. So overall, I have added furniture rather than got rid of any, but it's all been repurposed and will give more storage and looks tidier, so I'm counting it as a declutter win. Considering this thread was only started last month, we're all doing well - we could put Stacey to shame if we put all our evicted items into a warehouse - we'd fill it between us . It's knitting tomorrow, and I'll take a bag of something to pass on.

[Lola]

Sounds like you are getting there, Morgs

I've taken 3 more bags of stuff to charity. Most of it was recipe books that I no longer have space for & never used anyway. Any future recipe books will be bought in electronic format only

[bramblerose]

We are taking at least 5 big storage boxes of books to our local Book Cycle shop on Friday. That will clear out under the bed and some will come out of the loft.

We had planned to clear out the loft in April but plans have changed and I want to get that done within the next week or two. This will probably result in several trips to the tip.

Nothing I'm doing seems to affect how the house looks but I'm sure she'll feel lighter

We did this over the weekend and we got rid of bags and bags of shredded documents as well as two full car loads of clutter.

The loft still has stuff up there but it's all things that we need (Christmas decs etc)

I also decluttered the bookcases and shelves in the living room so they re less personal.

There's still a lot to do as I am not taking clutter with us when/if we move.

The biggest project will be the shed as I would get rid of most of it but it's not all my stuff to bin

[Hazey_Jane]

With another international move on the cards, I am going through my stuff again. There’s another bag of clothes to go and another bag of books, cds, kitchen bits and bobs.

[Little My]

One huge bag of clothes on its way to the donation bin this afternoon.

Can we just bin all the reusable masks now? I have a drawerful. (Plus another drawerful of disposable masks.)