2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

bit_by_bit

Back on Sunday from a super holiday in the Canadian Lakes. Just getting over the jet lag and have tried to read the 300plus posts since I went away.

A late warm welcome to mhagster and teachergirl. Welcome also to Wildrose 

I have put links to the decluttering sites for charities in my favoriets as I will be using them, thankyou.

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger What an epic trip 

While away we left several books at different places we stayed and I deleted about 2000 emails from my secondary (junk mail and travel)  account. I got bored so stopped but got a load to go yet.

Coming home the house seems so cluttered and tatty. We have stayed in some lovely places, mostly minimalist because of being rented out. I shall do what I always do and start with the porch and work my what though the house.

There is a freezer in the porch that was turned off when we went away. I would like it to go as we have a small freezer in the kitchen. I will say nothing to DH and see what happens. He worries about not having space for food storage but we don't buy a lot of frozen and we don't have deliveries of food out of the blue from DS1 any more.  The only stumbling block will be the storage of produce from the allotment in harvest time.

TC77

@bit_by_bit sounds a lovely holiday.
reading along but nothing out the last few days! DD2 off tomorrow for a night for DoE practice so maybe I'll do some. Can't get decorator in until I get my act together. trying to get motivated through everyone's hard work

short_bird

2668: bag of rubbish to the bin
2669-2883: Rubbish and recycling herded, the usual assortment of packaging, leaflets, envelopes and the like. 
2884-2885: 100 emails deleted

Not back at work till Friday evening so have checked the weather and will resort to afternoon naps at the hottest part of the day as there's work to be done 

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:

705. Old pillowcase used for floor cleaning
706. Refund for my accommodation

Staycation is going well - it's so nice to not have to think about work.  I did relent though and book some clients in for Thurs morning.  Weather has been so great - I've spent the afternoons out in the garden...  Scaffolders came to take down scaffolding - it's so nice to have it out of the way. - I can appreciate my lovely new windows.  

707. Scaffolding down
708. Cleared up debris from the building work that only became visible when scaffolding was taken down
709. Finished slides for webinar next week.
710. Power-washed decking  (part 1)

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, yesterday was a lovely day, you can never take the sunshine for granted in this part of the world
I started to clear the patio of weeds and rubbish and managed a bag of green waste and a bag of rubbish which included a pile of hose attachments that no longer fit the system we have but had been kept for justin, several broken pots and some rusty vine eyes. 
We went swimming and I managed 32 lengths so more improvement there. I am not sure I will be able to get to 40 as it is only a 45 min session and it was quite busy last night so I had to slow down a few times to allow others to swim but by the end of the session there were just 3 of us left in the pool so I could pick up the pace a bit. The kit has been washed and is out on the line.
Today I want to finish sorting the patio and move the wood bins from the side of the house to the corner of the patio to make them easier to get to during the dark winter months. I also have another load of washing to do. I am contemplating going to a tai chi session at the sports centre. It is something I used to do with the pupils and I think I might like it but I will have to see how the day goes
Take care everyone

Wildrose

@florianatwobob I've been emotionally ambushed when coming across lengths of faded red plastic coated wire my ever resourceful Dad had used as plant ties. Being so sturdy they are still in the intricate sailor's knots he used. I generally come across them when cutting back plants, so now I have a small collection of them on a kitchen shelf.

Yesterday DD5 dropped off some items for the cs & food bank. It included a very nice, like new tote bag. I wrestled for a while on whether to keep it (she'd have been fine with this) but I really don't need another bag so took it to the cs where the helper exclaimed over it, held it up against me, said how much it went with my outfit & tried to persuade me to keep it! She was quite persistent so I'm glad that decision had been made at home.

Also dropped off the prints.

Made a list of Frogs, realising they are Frogs because they make me anxious & will mostly be expensive which is why I keep procrastinating. But they're also important. Damn. 

Started the One Thing out of the Conservatory a Day initiative on Sunday. A quick task which will hopefully soon give results. so far: tub of gardening items reduced to secateurs and gardening gloves, assorted detritus binned & old fleece jacket I temporarily slung over the back of a chair months ago put into laundry, then to be wardrobed.

Ended the day with a forest walk with 2 of my children, a grandson and DD1's dog. Was lovely, green & peaceful.

wort

Welcome to newbies👏🏻 Re the bedroom ceiling repair ,could it be done with the wardrobe and contents still in it? That way the room can be made a sanctuary without disgorging the contents into another room, until you are ready to do it.

I had a close young family member die suddenly recently, and it’s been a huge shock for all our family. I am back in work this week but didn’t do what I was hoping to do whilst on holiday. I have managed to paint my living room including the ceiling which is the last one needing doing. I did this in the got to keep busy stage of grief.

Memories are held inside our hearts and minds and we don’t need physical items cluttering our lives and giving us angst over what to do with them, our loved ones would not wish to hold us back from living our best lives whilst we can . 

I feel that having too much stuff around holds us back , we need to find time to sort it and move it, clean it ! And it prevents us fully relaxing and enjoying our down time. It’s my mantra to motivate me to keep uncluttered so I can do what I enjoy 😊 and gives my life meaning and purpose.

The TLC carriage has been restocked for those in need , I hope the nice weather is reinvigorating everyone. Sending hugs to all x

florianatwobob

@Wildrose, totally understand the collection of garden ties ambushing you, they’re things your dad made and touched. If they’re still useful though use them. You’ll smile each time you need one.

With all the work that has been going on in my house I currently have my Gt Grandad’s hip flask on my work desk for safety. It’s glass and we think it’s the one he liberated full of brandy from a German trench in WWI. My dad recognised it as his grandad’s when cleaning out my grandparents house and ‘had it away’ with some amazing slight of hand before his brother spotted it. 

If it gets broken my dad will be coming back to haunt me 😉 as he treasured that bottle and loved his grandad very much.

vulpix

Wort I so agree about memories of loved ones. I have very little physical memories of my Dad. A toy metal pig and sheep and a little silver Christening broach which says baby on it. I did however buy a very battered dinky toy crane at a car boot sale a few years ago. My Dad drove one similar. I was most surprised at my need to own it as my Dad passed away 40 years ago. I suppose his baby things were my Grandma’s memories and the toy crane mine. 

 The builders have come today. I didn’t have time to do all I intended to do in the garden. Their other job has come to a standstill. I have spent an hour moving stuff this morning but I have come in now cos it’s getting hot and I am under their feet. 

 I will give the bird boxes another coat of paint and do some of my patchwork and go and do a bit more when they have lunch. 

 Just given my neighbour a plant pot. She is looking after someone’s rosemary plant which is in a plastic bag. ? She doesn’t claim to be green fingered. 😂

 Vx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 5 tasks

2. Deal with Old Frogs & potential frogs ASAP but at least one on FROG Fridays.

3. Reduce/Restrict time watching TV and playing AB2 during daylight hours 😉

4. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed 

Oops - I forgot to post yesterday 😔 Here goes - Tuesday was a lovely sunny warm day. DH went out on the Goldwing at 8:00 a.m. to make a start on this year’s Round Britain Rally 🙂 He had a good day & managed to get 6 landmarks 👏 Didn’t get home until 6:00 p.m. having popped into sm to get soft drinks & ice lollies & got stuck in traffic 😔 DSis went out to sm. Meanwhile I also went out & was punished for my sloth on Monday as although the DLR was running there were no tube trains & most of the tube stations were closed due to the strike 😖 The DLR goes into Bank which was shut so long walk to Monument then had to walk back to Bank 😖 I paid in my cheques at the bank, got some cash then went to my butchers shop. Didn’t go mad as I usually do (as now that freezers are finally sorted out I didn’t want to overfill them 😉) - all I bought were veal escalopes - enough for 4 meals for 3 people. Then the long walk back to Monument, DLR but got off a stop early to go to sm for a few bits then bus home. All that walking exhausted me so DH ordered fish’n’chips for dinner. DSis washed up.

951 - 960 Kitchen recycling, 4 plastic bottles, 3 newspapers, magazine, cardboard packaging - recycled 

961 - 962 Kitchen & lr detritus binned 

Wednesday is another gloriously sunny & warm day but still with the slightly chilly breeze. Nephew phoned from France so we had a nice chat 🙂 None of us have done anything yet but there are plans afoot 😉 once I have done my cheerleading 🙂

What lovely posts Wildrose ☺️ You already sound more positive 👏 I think you are beginning to realise that not only are you a successful declutterer already but that now you are re-invigorated you can see that you will complete your decluttering journey 👏 You are very welcome - the benefit of virtual medals is that there is no extra clutter 😉. Sorry to hear about the ex 😖 You have come a long way in 4 years 👏 but undoing the damage he caused over 20 years will take time. I would like to thank you for sharing your family story & hope that DD5 will find it easier to open up now that she has done it once 🤞Excellent work especially sorting out a frog 👏 Also congratulations on such a great weight loss - one Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 👏 

What an excellent reminder of the Kon Marie method of decluttering Siebrie 👏 Love the idea of decluttering with “reckless abandon” 

Crikey you were busy on Saturday 🤩 I am surprised you had any energy left for Sunday 😉 As to the wasps nests - I would have been so creeped out 😧 that I would have probably put the house straight on the market as a fixer-upper 🤣  What a good result re such prompt removal by the fire brigade & €75 sounds inexpensive especially as it is a one off charge through to year end 👏 Everything crossed that you do not have to call them out again 🤞 As to the builders quote re the doors I read that with complete astonishment 😥 I take it they were going to be made from African Blackwood (apparently the most expensive wood in the world 😉) Great idea re mood boards 👏

florianatwobob thank you for sharing such wonderful memories 🙂

How very true GrannyKate - sometimes we have to wait until we are ready before tackling certain types of decluttering. So excellent work revisiting the personal correspondence 👏 In fact excellent decluttering all round 👏

Excellent garden decluttering vulpix 👏 but do take care not to work to the point of exhaustion 🙏 Perhaps you can slow down a bit now you realise that the new shed is not arriving until next week 😉

I can almost see & smell the roses mhagster 🙂 Excellent decluttering 👏 What a great way to spend an evening & I have to agree that the Seventies have a lot to answer for 😉😂 although I did have the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned 😉

Hope we get to see a few photos bit_by_bit 🙏 Sounds like you had a marvellous time - Canadian Lakes are so beautiful 🤩 brings to mind Peyto Lake 🙂 I see you kept up with your decluttering whilst away 👏 Staying in minimalist rental homes can be an inspiration to declutter when you return home 😉 

You are just building up your reserves of energy TC77 ready to start decluttering 🙂

Excellent decluttering short_bird 👏

Pleased to hear that your staycation is going well EnergyShifter 👏 I will let you off re booking in clients 😉

Excellent work Liverpool_Anne 👏 Very impressed with your continued progress in the pool 🙂

Wildrose, you might be emotionally ambushed but what lovely memories of your dad 🙂 Excellent decluttering especially resisting the blandishments of the lady in the cs - one more medal🏅 coming your way 👏 What a wonderful way to end the day - nature & family 🙂

A thoughtful & inspiring post wort, thank you 👏 Sorry to hear about the young family member - always hits really hard when someone young dies. Thanks for restocking the TLC Carriage 🙂

What a lovely memory florianatwobob ☺️ especially the sleight of hand by your dad 😉

vulpix what a lovely way to remember your dad 🙂 Well done on being flexible enough to cater to the unexpected arrival of the builders 👏 You mean to say that you don’t keep rosemary the same way as you keep a goldfish 😂

MrsSD  🏅🏅🏅🏅 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 962/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £167.12