2019 - A Clutter Free Life

Gem-gem

Two old suitcases discarded. Contents now in a large plastic box. Which is my personal box - cards, things from the past. Box previously had old school stuff in it.

Just need to empty one more box, so hubby can store his personal bits in without fear of getting ruined.

Sold 62 items to Music Magpie and We buy any books £18. All boxed up and ready to go to the drop off point. Two boxes and bubble wrap used - from the loft.

Planted some more cabbages today.
Did a stock take of jams to see which ones I will make this year. Still have some fruit left from last year, Hubby has asked for fruit pies.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. SMALL TASKS WILL BE DONE ASAP
2. I WILL LEAVE A ROOM TIDIER THAN WHEN I ENTERED
3. KITCHEN WILL BE LEFT CLEAN & TIDY EVERY NIGHT
4. WHEN DEALING WITH CLUTTER I WILL USE ‘Daisy1571’s idea of ‘WHAT WOULD I DO WITH THIS ITEM IF IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE’S ?’
5. IF I WAS STARTING FROM SCRATCH, WOULD I BUY THIS?
6. BE LIKE A POSTAGE STAMP - STICK TO ONE THING UNTIL YOU GET THERE

Saturday was a real mixed bag - some brilliant sunshine, lots of heavy showers & some dry but overcast hours All 3 of us had a bath & packed overnight bags, together with the focaccia & jar of olives :rotfl: we left the house at 11:15 a.m., DLR then several changes of train to get to Maidstone West, where we were picked up by one of DH’s great nephews & taken to DH’s niece’s house. My DSis met the rest of DH’s family - his DSisiL, her 2 daughters & one husband, their 3 children with the fianc! & 2 wives plus 2 great great nephews & a great great niece. There is also a new great great niece due at the end of August :rotfl: so the knitting needles will be called into action :rotfl: Lots of laughter & chat & a great BBQ & plenty of alcohol Had a great time & the great niece & her fianc! gave us a lift to the hotel - 6 hours later :rotfl: Checked in, dropped of our bags in our rooms then had a couple more drinks in the hotel bar. Short walk to a kebab shop at about 10:15 p.m. - takeaway eaten in our room.
Sunday has been mostly dry - we walked to station after having a full English & caught a train an hour earlier than previously intended :T Unfortunately that meant 3 changes (4 trains :eek:) + the DLR. Took 3 hours to get home Oh well at least we had a good time & stayed in a nice hotel :rotfl: Everything put away, large mugs of tea/coffee drunk - then DSis went to bed & DH played on computer. Meanwhile I washed, water proofed & line dried my DH’s old motorcycle trousers because they are being ‘donated’ to one of his great nephews :T DH is also ‘donating’ his compressor & various attachments (unused for more than 5 years ) to his niece’s husband. My contribution will be the hand knitted (2 ply wool ) christening gown & petticoat to the pregnant wife of DH’s great nephew - she advised that she had no family heirloom christening gown so she would love to have it :T Although not yet gone, I will include in my numbers today as I will forget later Dinner was fried pork steaks, mash & mixed vegetables - delicious 🤤

1710 - 1712 Motorcycle trousers, compressor & attachments, christening gown & petticoat - to DH’s family
1713 Coffee tin filled with kitchen detritus - Binned
1714 - 1718 Empty drink can, plastic bottle, plastic jar & lid, 2 magazines - Recycled

Well Done - Happy Kitties; villagelife; Barny1979; Wednesday2000; Gem-gem; Wanna Bee Free; whmf00001 - :T Excellent work :T

Leelad - hope everything is OK?

See you all tomorrow

MrsSD
1718/2019

archcherub

i am not sure how to get started to declutter my life.
just thinking on my bedroom drives me nuts and i will postpone it to "future".

how do u guys get started on something to declutter and throw stuff?

villagelife

A couple from yesterday

596 an old shirt too many holes go for rags!
597 wallet of DH gone. There has been a new one n the cupboard for years so he is now using that one.

Wanna_Bee_Free

archcherub wrote: »

i am not sure how to get started to declutter my life.
just thinking on my bedroom drives me nuts and i will postpone it to "future".

how do u guys get started on something to declutter and throw stuff?

Hi Archcherub, I would find a small rubbish bag, go in the door and spend just 15 minutes filling it with any rubbish you can find.

Or you see if you can tidy one flat surface and keep it clear. Little and often works well for me - good luck!

TamsinC

archcherub wrote: »

i am not sure how to get started to declutter my life.
just thinking on my bedroom drives me nuts and i will postpone it to "future".

how do u guys get started on something to declutter and throw stuff?

There are many ways to tackle this

a} Set a timer for five mins - pick up anything obviously rubbish and remove it. There you started. Do this for a few days and the difference will be clear.

b] put everything away where it belongs before you start to declutter. This method relies on you having space to do so.

c] get three cardboard boxes - label them keep, recycle and bin - again set the timer and work for fifteen mins and tackle an area. Only keep what you love. Be Kon Marie if necessary and ask if it 'sparks joy; and thank it for its usage if it doesn't before you decide to get rid. Let someone else have the pleasure of the item.

Remember this is a marathon not a sprint. You didn't get where you are in a split second, you can't solve it in a split second either. It often takes many 'going throughs' to be finished - I'm eight years in and still going. It is also helpful to think of what you want to keep rather than what you want to get rid of. You KNOW you want to get rid of stuff, so find the very best favourites to keep and let the rest go.

For clothes a good way is to turn all the hangers round in your wardrobe - when you wear an item and put it back put the hanger the right way round again, after six months [or whatever timescale you choose] the clothes with hangers still back wards are clothes you don't wear and can send to the charity shop. DO the same in you chest of drawers but turn clothes inside out to begin with, when you wear them put them back the right way in, any clothes left unworn after six months can go.

One way to stop adding to the clutter is the one in, one out rule.

I personally would prioritise your bedroom, it should be a peaceful haven for you to retreat to at the end oft he day. You deserve peace and self care.

Cazzatheclutterbug

Thank you Mrs SD.

Ok had a visit from the in-laws @ the weekend: lots of emergency clearing away but on the plus side I spotted loads that can be decluttered later this week. So far:
113: old video player, still works - CS
114: unwanted lampshade- CS
115-116: old baking tins - tip
117: ood food
118: carpet protect roll, unused -CS
119-120: empty paint cans -tip
121-122: pots of filler used up
123: paint kettle - tip
124: old washing up bowl - tip
125-127: buckets of rubble -tip
128- old paintbrush beyond salvaging - binned
129-130: old paint trays - tip
131: old paint roller holder- tip
132: mini toolbox not needed- CS
133: paint brochure- recycled
134: DD used up exercise book - recycled
135-136; booklets on magic tricks DHS - recycled
137: catalogue on magic tricks- recycled
138-140 sauce packets ood - binned
141-143; chalk stubs- binned
144: empty throat lozenge packet left lying around for the house fairy to pick up:mad: - binned.

Have also finished painting the ceiling and am painting the walls of our bedroom. Have chosen a nice neutral colour and plan on having just a bed, 2x wardrobes and a bedside table and that will be it..... If you could see our current bedroom! Couldn't be different, cluttered no real furniture other than a bed and I am convinced that is one of the reasons I am exhausted all the time. The other two reasons are a 3 yo who had endless energy and demands and an 11 month old who believes sleep is for suckers unless she is our bed and then I don't sleep properly anyway:rotfl:. Good job they are cute and I don't know where there receipt is! :rotfl:
Hope everyone is well
Xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

archcherub wrote: »

i am not sure how to get started to declutter my life.
just thinking on my bedroom drives me nuts and i will postpone it to "future".

how do u guys get started on something to declutter and throw stuff?

:hello: archcherub & welcome aboard the ‘Declutter Bandwagon’ You have made a good start by finding us :T:D. There are a lot of us who have somehow managed to acquire so much stuff that, when we finally realise how much there is we do not know quite where to start However, Wanna Bee Free & TamsinC have already given you excellent suggestions on how to start :T The small bin bag idea is one of my favourites it is surprising how easy it is to become blind to the ‘little bits’ of clutter like the magazine that you have read but haven’t recycled...yet
However, you are now on your way :T I am looking forward to hearing a bit more about you & your journey to becoming clutter free Pop in & receive encouragement & praise we are here to ‘help’ even if only virtually :rotfl:

Good luck

MrsSD
1718/2019

TamsinC

Just like to say MrsSD I love your cheerleading. Not seen it before and it really is helpful.

Kurppa

One way to start could be putting labels on items that when it was used last time. You could attach those labels to hanger, and inside pots and shoes, towels, lines, and so on.. if you use that item then you can remove the label. Then you can check again after a some time (year?), and you have proofs that you are not using it.. perhaps it would be then easier to give up from it.