2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

vulpix

 3 massive flight cases sold. 

 Artificial Christmas tree sold. 

 2 pairs of socks fabric recycling  
 bag of soft plastic recycled

 Vx

grandmanerd

Decided to leave sorting the GP's mistake for another day, will halve some of the pills to get the correct dose and ad pill sorting to next weeks list - they've asked me to phone the surgery to book a flu jab anyway. Went back upstairs for any paperwork relating to the tasks in hand - found my original bus pass application from summer, added the latest PIP stuff and set off for the bus station. Explained that I had applied for PIP before submitting the bus pass application, they awarded me PIP for daily living needs but I submitted further evidence and have been awarded the higher rate for mobility (12 points, need 8 for the bus pass).

The kind assistant wrote out a new application transferring the information from my original application, peeled off the photo and stuck it on the new form, got me to sign it and then faxed it and the PIP award info through to HQ in Manchester. He says it shouldn't take long now, they just need to read the form and process my application.

I had a list of additional jobs (grouped by area). The bus station is in front of the mall so went to get my puzzle book (shop is closing this month), the threading bar was unattended, the hairdresser has moved. I looked at 2 clothes shops but didn't find anything outstanding. I've decided I have enough clothes but only just enough, recent purchases are replacing things that were worn out. I won't buy just to fill the gaps but if I see something I love, I will get it. Did a trawl of the cs recently and couldn't find anything that appealed - 'will do's won't do, I deserve better.

Bought a couple of books in the puzzle book shop, put the change in the tips box at the little cafe - ate there a few weeks ago but had no change for a tip as I hadn't planned to go (it just got late and I hadn't eaten) but said I'd go back. The new cs is finally open - picked two books, looked over a number of others to choose the third (and tried out 2 of their couches and 2 of their chairs), then bought a sandwich in the market and caught a bus to Bolton. Was trying to find the location of the walk in Covid booster pharmacy but no luck. Went in HB (ours has been undergoing reconstruction for several weeks and I am struggling to find antiseptic cream, especially in larger size tubes.

Then went in Morries to use their loos (the ones at both bus stations have those top to toe meshing bars) and did a small shop. My bladder control is far better than I thought it was - 2-3 hours better. Finally got to eat my lunch at 4 pm (had put cans in my bag but didn't want to drink until I'd 'been'). Schools were out, it was getting dark and decided to come home before the evening rush. Tired but had fun, spent money but not a lot, especially as not having the haircut and threading saved between £27 - £30. Put things away in the fridge collapsed on the couch with my 3 bags and pushed my boots off. Stayed there until DS3 got up - said if he wanted the couch, he had to carry my bags upstairs.

My figures are wrong. Overnight, I found the sheet that had my working from the weekend spent sorting tools and diy stuff. I've been using the wrong base figure since then and need to add another 22 to my total, plus 3 for the rubbish and recycling (not counting the mini frog of phoning the pharmacy) so I am now on 841/ 2022. Will carry on over the weekend but resting and having fun for the rest of the evening.

TC77

@vulpix I am looking forward to feeling more in control.... it became worse after having a loft extension and another at the back of the house as then filled it and things were no longer where they'd been for 15 years - too much choice although been 10 years and still not sure how to use everything but will get there... and taking inspiration from you and others here. A few things on free sites from my house, and fingers crossed someone picking up my dad's boat to use as a planter on sunday (past restoration) as they want to have it in their garden as an area to honour their dad - another sailor in their 90s. I kept asking if she wanted to check it first as she's arranging transport - free from us. 
 A few more things in the CS bag and also putting a box for when I do a vintage sale next spring.

Amazing image of the elderflower wine

Mrs SD sorry to hear how long the postcards took..

Hope everyone has a peaceful weekend.

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

Well, that was a tough few days at the paid stuff. Totally drained, so last night I gave myself the evening off: read my book, watched telly, and ate pizza from the freezer....I cooked it first obvs 😀. I used to treat myself to a pizza and onion rings delivered on a Friday night - but the prices have shot up and I'm trying to cut back (shopping at Lidl etc) so I'm looking for a new (cheaper) way to treat myself. Something with less calories would be beneficial 😉

And now it's the weekend woot woot. I'm up, supped two brews, eaten toast, WM is swishing, and I've removed the carton from the cans of pop in the fridge so it can be recycled. 

I'm still working through the contents of the cupboard I started last weekend:

Weekly Planner - put with calendar
Small padded envelope (unused) - keep
Large padded envelope (used) - bin (No more Justin!)
Large envelopes- keep (I'm using them up when putting paperwork aside for DS)
Part pack plastic wallets - put with file
2 unopened packs plastic wallets - keep 1, ask DS if they want the other pack

There, that's a bit more done.

Rxx

GrannyKate

Playing catch up with posts.  Busy week but silence today as no-one but me for the weekend. Helped recently widowed neighbour who had locked herself out.  Key stuck in lock but I managed to remove. Children have tidied up their things before they left last night.

House is so dusty and cold with out flooring and hopes of remedial work starting were dashed as surveyor says bathroom wall is still showing wet and dehumidifier has to come back for several weeks.  We have agreed replacement flooring and I can choose paint colours but nothing can start yet.  Looks like after Christmas now.

1221 Broken mobile posted off - hopefully still get a few pounds for it
1222 Meeting attended and papers recycled
1223 Bag of plastic to recycling
1224 Downloaded and saved some more pictures

I did buy some new cheap cutlery for kitchen as I keep running out with extra lodgers here. Four knives, forks and spoons.  Will have to find something to leave so will try and have a potter round.  Think I have at last caught up on my washing after our half term break.  

roundtuit

Result!

DS said yes please to a pack of plastic wallets and GF would like the large padded envelope. Thank you very much 😊 

Rxx

bit_by_bit

So many posts since I toottled off last Friday. May catch up, probably not. A brief flick through shows a lot of decluttering going on. Fantastic. 

Had a great time in the sun around the Canaries with 5 friends. I was very stressed before leaving and took a few days just to relax and wind down. I am refreshed now with new purpose, at least for a few days 

Today I am doing a bit of housework and then have the CS in the afternoon and a 50th birthday party in the evening. Happily I get a lie in tomorrow morning.

While away I had a good thinking and planning session. I have a several lists of jobs to do before Christmas and then another for all the months up to the end of March.

Most things will get done but I think I am going to just do something every day towards them rather than trying to get it all done in big jobs.

Have a great day all 

grandmanerd

I  noticed my 'net' curtain is looking very tatty. I hate net curtains but I live in a terrace right on the street and our road is quite busy - turning off the main road either beside the church (between the church and library) or if coming in from the other direction up the Arseda (formerly Netto) slope and then along behind the SM, church and library to the secondary road branching off from the traffic lights is very popular. The alternative to 'nets' is to keep the big curtains closed all the time (DS3's method) or have people looking in all the time. 

At the house I lived in for 10 years of my childhood (also a terrace) mum was appalled one day to see a man outside the window combing his DA in our mirror which was on the wall facing the window. We had those little panels of frosted glass at the bottom quarter of the window. On another occasion she saw people looking at our window and smiling or laughing at our window. She went outside and found the note I'd pushed between the window and the frosted glass panel, "Small boy, free to good home". well I'd told them I wanted a girl. I already had one very troublesome smaller brother and didn't want another. I also tried to swap baby brother when we met a woman in the corner shop who'd just had a little girl. 

I always tried to buy the plainest possible voile from the roll (cut lengths either dangle a few inches short of the window bottom and people still peer under it into the house or require a wire being suspended a few inches from the top so that it touches the window sill). This was the best to be had last time I bought net - it has machined sprigs of flowers on it, but they've started unravelling. It doesn't reach both sides of the window (so the curtains can only be partly drawn back) and dips in the middle. So I'm going to add 2 voile panels to my shopping list and then sew them together along one long edge so I don't get a gap in the middle. The old curtain can be used up draining waterlogged planters into the water butt (water will go through, soil will be trapped) and then throw it away - it must be at least 15 years old.

Having a slow start to the day. I really want to get to grips with this filing (the broken box needs to be thrown away) and I'll make a list and do my next batch of online shopping later - I've allocated the contents of my 'penny tin' for any gifts already bought and things I really need (and a few wants too) but will concentrate on getting more out of the house (gathered in bags as I'm not sure walking into the town centre is on the cards today - hardly ever go on Saturday anyway and always late on when the market shoppers have gone home and the youngsters have come back from Manchester/ Trafford Centre and gone home to start their extensive preparations for the evening. Will stick to easy food.

TC77

Had a burst of activity, cleaning and sorting. DD2 doing an 11 hour child minding marathon - (I think between 6 and 13) so offered to sort her room which I think is overwhelming her, hoovered, bins of rubbish and recycling, and fixed her curtain. So much easier to do someone else's stuff than my own. Free sites turned up trumps with someone picking up a bed, and someone else 3 paints. Did buy a dress (whistles) from CS - summer but I don't have any so useful in case I decided to start wearing dresses A little paper declutter and some electronic. Debating whether to take stuff off a memory stick and put on pc but if I wait a few more years then won't need it anyway! Item back for refund.  Fingers crossed things picked up at my dad's tomorrow. DB overseeing. 
Had to put heating on to get clothes dry - hung out all pm but no drier (North facing shady garden).
Really trying to do like with like abit more.

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 during daylight hours 😉 AB2 playing zero - 20/9/2022

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

Friday: The washing got partially dry on whirligig but finished off in td. The hm soup was a tad spicy but tasty. DH got back with the bike - £1,100 - needed new tyres & had to have most of the front end stripped of its panels to change various filters - so the hours piled up 😱 Give them their due they also washed the bike so it looks almost new 😉 Dinner was shop bought breaded chicken with boiled potatoes & tinned sweetcorn. DSis wu, I dupa.

Saturday was a beautiful day - dry, warm & sunny. Wrote a shopping list for DH who went to MrS. Dealt with my post, knitted a beanie ( more like a slouchy) & started on a 2nd having tweaked the pattern slightly 🤞I spent the day in my dressing gown as still feeling a bit off colour. DSis is also feeling unwell s spent most of the day in bed. Dinner was omelettes filled with mushroom, cooked pepper, ham & cheese 😋 Wudupa.

Forgot to mention that veg box was delivered - potatoes, tomatoes, mooli radish, cabbage, kale, broccoli, parsnips & fennel. 

1938 - 1947 Kitchen recycling x 2, drinks cans x 2, plastic sweet tin, 2 magazines, cardboard box, booklet, cardboard packaging - recycled 

1948 - 1951 Kitchen detritus x 2, plastic packaging, lr detritus - binned

Great work vulpix 👏 sales & recycling & nothing to landfill 🥳

Wow what a busy Friday grandmanerd 👏🤩 You got so much done & without completely exhausting yourself 😊 I trust that DS3 did take your bags upstairs 🙂 You definitely earned your rest & fun 👏 Well done on correcting your numbers 🙂

You are sounding much more positive TC77 😊 Feeling more in control is a gradual process & you are now taking charge - excellent decluttering 👏 Hope you enjoy your weekend 🙂

roundtuit, sorry the paid stuff has been so exhausting 🙁 but well done on giving yourself a bit of TLC & recharging your batteries 😊 Very successful Saturday decluttering & getting tasks done 👏

That is bad news about the delay in remedial works GrannyKate 😔 Great decluttering of various tasks & well done on getting all the washing done 👏 Fingers crossed that you get a few ££s for the mobile phone - every little helps 🤞

Yippee roundtuit - more stuff out 👏

This thread does move on at a fair old pace bit_by_bit 😉 All the decluttering seems to be recharging the EDT rather efficiently - rather like a perpetual motion device 🙂 Your holiday in the Canaries sounds lovely & all the better for you feeling refreshed rather than needing a 2nd holiday to recover 😉😉 What a great plan for continuing your decluttering journey - working at each task as per your name 👏 Hope you have a lovely time at the 50th party 🎉 

grandmanerd, what a shame about needing to have net curtains 😔 but loving your plan to revamp with voile panels 👏 Thank you for sharing your childhood memories especially your rather novel way of trying to ‘obtain’ a sister 🤣 Excellent plan for the old curtains - very MSE 👏🙂 Nothing wrong with a slow start, you are just marshalling yourself for the day ahead 😊

TC77, what a lovely mum you are 😊 I quite agree, it is so much easier decluttering someone else’s stuff - no sentimental attachment 😉 Perhaps we should imagine our clutter belongs to someone else 🤔 🤔 Sorry to hear that you had to turn the heating on but needs must etc 😔 

MrsSD  🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 1951/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £469.22