2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 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. Declutter/Relocate one item every time I stand up.

5. Don’t put it down, put it away

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

Sunday was hot, hot, hot 🥵 apparently the last day before the weather cools down & there might even be some rain 🤞 I had a lovely chat with neighbour A about gardening & showed her my ‘hydra’ sunflower 🥲 I have cleared down a couple more series from the TV planner (Van Der Valk & Westworld) + to try & get some enthusiasm/motivation for decluttering I watched several Andrew Mellen podcasts. Mindset is almost right, so next task is to draw up a plan of attack - listing all tasks & frogs & prioritising them. I do have a large chart that I can fill in - I see pretty coloured pens in my future 🔮 😉 Dinner was breaded chicken, mash & sweetcorn. Wudupa.

Monday has definitely been a bit cooler 28C & ⛅️. Almost caught up with Gardeners’ World - just 2 episodes left. DH & I also spent some time in the garden - fed worms, did a bit of tidying, thinned out the tomato foliage & then staked & supported the tomato plants + watered. Window cleaner turned up & we had a chat once he had finished. He & his wife are having a staycation with a couple of day trips. Then my door to door chap turned up, we had a chat & I bought a couple of bits. Also replied to my old work colleague who emailed out of the blue - we are meeting up on Wednesday. Salad for dinner. Wudupa.

1232 - 1240 Kitchen recycling x 2, drinks cans x 2, glass jar, empty plastic ice cream tub, 3 plastic bottles - recycled 

1241 - 1242 Kitchen detritus x 2 - binned

Lovely post Wildrose 👏 I am guessing at Irish genes 😉

What an interesting man SuffolkSue 🙂 Shame about the USAF Airshow but I can understand why ☹️

Your break with the DGCs sounds lovely GrannyKate 😊 but I don’t envy you driving in the heat 😔 I do hope the thunderstorms hold off for DB’s funeral

Very handy that DS2 is doing the bathroom - it will get done properly as he wouldn’t dare upset his mum 😉 Great decluttering - Andrew Mellen would be proud of your One in, one out 👏

Great work TC77 👏 I have made a note of your number 😉 Very pleased to hear that you are noticing clear spaces & are encouraged to continue 🙂

Excellent decluttering short_bird 👏 An inventive way to keep cool 👏🤞

Excellent decluttering accidentalglixch 👏 especially sorting out the understairs cupboard of doom 👏one Gold Star ⭐️ on its way.

teachergirl, that is quite a journey for your DSis 😬 Shame that you have the trouble of selling/donating the furniture but hopefully it will be gone quickly 🤞Very impressed at the number of pint glasses you have given away 👏 you must have oodles of space now 😉 I would bet that most of them had a story attached 😄

Oh weenancy - I just want to give you a huge hug 🤗 & take a big stick or maybe a cattle prod to your roommates who are most inconsiderate & do not deserve to share your home 😖 I admire your restraint as if it was me they would have been kicked out long ago 😉 As to the husky 😔 she was probably bored but if that had happened to me I would probably have just sat on the floor & blubbed 😭 You are made of sterner stuff than me 👏 A huge amount of work to find 2 missing library books 😔 but again you have surprised me by seeing the rainbow 😉 Poor little dog - but a good age & hopefully your roommate will see sense & come back soon 🤞 Lots of hugs coming your way 🤗 🤗 

What a busy Sunday mhagster 👏 it is supposed to be a day of rest 😉 A double success - finding large envelopes to post stuff to other people 👏

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, please try to enjoy at least some of your annual leave without working 🙏Excellent decluttering 👏 & good luck with the selling 🍀

I do love a shredathon oceanspirit 👏 I also like the idea that you are already planning how to make a house move easier by not leaving everything to the last minute 🙂

Slow & steady wins the decluttering race QueenJess 👏 & you are already reaping the rewards of your hard work 🙂 Finding a soap bar that can do quadruple duty is a huge win - well done 👏 Excellent decluttering 👏

Excellent decluttering Liverpool_Anne👏 Sorry to hear about your Random Gravity Test & your injured knee ☹️ Hopefully the gel will do it’s work 🤞but meanwhile please rest 🙏

Good work TC77 👏

bit_by_bit your strategy was definitely worth quoting & I will trying to use it myself over the next few days 🤞Great decluttering & how reassuring that your DD is settling in so well 👏 The community garden & tearoom sound delightful 😊 I now have a vision of you & DH moving in with your DD 😂

Nice to see you Foofoopuppy 👋 Excellent work sorting the sauces 👏 & good luck tackling the condiments 🍀 Well done on the weight loss 👏

Great work florianatwobob 👏 You have reminded me I still need to finish DH’s jumper that I started knitting 30 years ago 😔 😱 

EnergyShifter, I am loving the reframe 😊 Congratulations on your imminent semi-retirement 👏 Great decluttering 👏 and excellent cheerleading 😊

Big ouch 🤕 mehefin ☹️ You seem very sanguine. Hope the bruises go quickly 🤞 Excellent decluttering of both stuff & hg produce 👏 Does anyone REALLY get fed up of pears 😉

Good work short_bird 👏

How exciting Liverpool_Anne 🙂 Lightning ⚡️ in a cloudless sky. I was so curious I looked it up 😉Apparently it is called “heat lightning” 

Great decluttering Floss 👏

Good work Wednesday2000 👏 I am sure there are clothing gremlins who refill wardrobes 😂

Thanks for the information Liverpool_Anne. No apples on neighbour’s tree either this year & not a great crop last year either ☹️

Nice to see you vulpix 👋 Yippee to your builder - one medal 🏅 coming his way 🙂 Sorry to hear life is currently pants ☹️ Sending warm wishes & hugs your way as well as good wishes to your Mum 🙂Sounds delicious - frozen banana on a stick 😉 I have only ever had banana fritter on a stick 😋 

What a wonderful experience - seeing an all night electrical storm - I am quite jealous 😉 Lightning is so majestic & awe inspiring 🤩 especially at a distance 😉 As an aside I was once lucky enough to see the Aurora Borealis - I stood outside in the freezing cold for over an hour stunned by its beauty. Never even thought to try & take photos 😔 Great decluttering - remember 3 boxes might be a drop in the ocean but every little helps & gradually you will notice a difference until one day you will wonder here all the clutter has gone 😊 Hope we get a picture when the building work is finished 🙏

Great decluttering bit_by_bit 👏 Always sad when anxiety overwhelms someone but hopefully your DiL will start to relax a little when she returns to work & starts to feel in control of one aspect of her life 🤞

Great cheerleading teachergirl 😊 I think it was a good idea to check with your children about the cabinets 😉 Don’t forget to take before & after pictures 🙂 Sorting out the wood store does fall under the auspices of decluttering so well done on breaking the back of it 👏 Nice workman - obviously appreciated your efforts to keep him safe 😊

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, good decluttering 👏 & nice to break up the day with a trip into town with DD2. Sending good wishes & positive thoughts for DD1

Useful info re burning pallets, TC77 👏 Decluttering frogs is just as important as decluttering physical items - so well done 👏

How wonderful florianatwobob 😊 Gentlemen look so smart in uniform 🙂

Excellent decluttering EnergyShifter 👏 Wow, when you make a decision you don’t let the grass grow under your feet 🤩 

P.s. forgot to mention we had 20 minutes of rain 🙂

MrsSD  🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 1242/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £228.22

ScarletRibbons

Just popped in to say Hello! to Mrs SD, and everyone else of course.  I haven't posted here for ages but I'm decluttering as a way of life now.  I still find it hard to get rid of some items, but I think most people do.

Happy tidying and decluttering folks.

Floss

We had lots of steady rain from 11am for about 2 hours - 5ods law that my new water butt hasn't been delivered yet 🙄

The house is almost straight after the turmoil at the weekend, just a few things to be put away in their proper home.

I'm a spreadsheet geek & to-do list addict, my home plans spreadsheet has a tab for each room with jobs needing to be done plus one for overview, long term plans & jobs for my son 😁

I also have an ongoing to-do list in a shorthand pad, a clean page each week for tasks to be done / things to be bought (the cats flea & worm drops can be crossed off as they arrived yesterday 😉)

mhagster

Good morning! I crashed out last night before posting my update! And I slept all night ( very unusual) 

So yesterday morning the dog and I walked to the post box ( this was his furthest walk in weeks) and posted our little memory parcels! The stamps and envelopes from mums stash. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever have to buy an envelope again! 

I decluttered a big day at work. My only day this week! 

Took a pile of folders / stationery in for various colleagues. 

Was just home when friend texted to see when she could pick something up from mums. So back into car ( lashing with rain) and round I went, I just sat in car till she arrived and then unlocked , quick chat, relocked. This was a big thing that was too big for my car but it’s being put to good use at a local community project. 

Then I saw on local Fb page that someone was giving away 5  radiator clothes rail doodahs. So asked if I could please have them. Yes I could. So I quickly dried my hair ( was just out shower and hoping for jammies on but had to dress!) 

So I dropped a big thing off at boss’ house, picked up radiator doodahs and it turned out to be from someone who picked up something from me a couple of weeks ago ( DD2 was here I was at work) and then was driving past one of my young colleagues houses and thought I’m sure I’ve got such and such still in my boot and I did so dropped that off at her. I’d shown her something the other week ( artwork I’d donated) and she said I love that and I said oh there’s three wee prints left that you’re  very welcome to have. So that felt like a good trip! 

And I’ve now got radiator doodahs so when it’s time for the heating to go on it can be drying washing at the same time! 

Today is my first day in 12 weeks where I don’t have to be anywhere at all. I’ve plenty to do to continue the decluttering, I really want to reclaim my spare room as a spare room/ office so need to keep on at keeping on. 

I brought a pile of spare flannel sheets back from mums when we cleared the airing cupboard out just the day after mum died and they’ve sat on a chair in that room all that time. So I at least aim to clear them away this week! I thought they’d be handy for the winter months as being a bit cosier. 

Have a lovely day and keep doing your bit at your pace! I just needed to get the house emptied as I’m going away in a month and wanted it up for sale before winter starts and we need to heat an empty house! So yes I was under the pump to get it finished and I knew I would have little help to do so. So I just had to keep on going. But thank you all for encouragement and kind words to keep me going! It means a lot. 

bit_by_bit

Thankyou @Mrs_Salad_Dodger for your kind words. Definitely I felt I would love to move near her at least. Unfortunately not yet. Too many responsibilites are going to tie me down for the next X number of years. A combination of granny duties and elderly in law care.

So nearly all the things on my list achieved yesterday. I did half of the packaging sort out. I have and amazing number of envelopes, paper and boxes but I know I could use all of these and more as I clear out the house to online sales. 

I found some lovely stamps which I am going to sell as a job lot when I get them all cut off and photographed. 

Sorting through them has given me an opportunity to throw the useless ones, put type with type and allow me to put them away together for easy access.

Today while it is dry I will empty the van of all the empty bags and boxes that DD sent home with us, do a few frogs and them tackle the last of the binliner so of packaging.

Have a lovely cooler day everyone. 

Wildrose

Just have a quick question, asking for ideas really. My house is really overstuffed with furniture and one thing I was wondering if I need is an oak 2 drawer filing cabinet. It's a nice piece of furniture but it takes up room and I'm wondering if I really need a filing cabinet anymore? It was an ex's purchase, I certainly wouldn't buy it now. 

What do you use to store necessary paperwork? What is necessary paperwork? I bet It's full of papers I really don't need anymore. I'm just about to order a fireproof document to keep the house deeds in which got me thinking about paperwork generally.

So, what do I need to keep & what should I keep it in? I think a shredathon maybe ahead.

Floss

Wildrose I have 2 lever arch folders for things which must be paper otherwise everything is online, even my divorce "paperwork" was digitally issued!

Wildrose

@Floss that's got me thinking. Most of my recent "paperwork" is digital, so I'm thinking a lot of the filing cabinet contents are quite old. My divorce papers are all paper though and are not in the filing cabinet. There must be a lot of paperwork stored in this house.

short_bird

3481-3482: 100 emails deleted
3483-3511: Packaging and kitchen rubbish to bin and recycling
3512: Leggings retired
3513-3522: 666 photos deleted from hard drive. 
3523-3524: life maintenance jobs ticked off the list.

New fridge arrived yesterday and it is shockingly quiet compared to the old one! 

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:  

851.  watering can rose
852.  tidied & fixed garden storage
853.  Tarpaulin remnants binned
854.  Wheelie bin full of shed bits
855.  Wheelie bin full of green waste
856 & 7 - 2 x tops

858 & 9 - 2x part used packs of herbal remedies
860. Detritus from bedside cabinet
881. Sarong
882. Glasses fixed
883. Broken glasses disposed of
884. Returned top to shop
885. Birthday present & balloon to a friend 

Thanks Mrs SD - yes I can be quite quick once I've made a decision - it's the decision making bit that takes its time with me
Wildrose:  I'm similar to Floss- I keep current paperwork in transparent pockets in ring binders.  I keep financial stuff for 6 years (I'm self-employed) - I put those in these big manilla storage thingies (can get a years paperwork in each) & stick them in the loft as I hope I'll never have to retrieve them.  Haven't had a filing cabinet for years.