2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Fizz2015

@Siebrie we have one of those IKEA units and an big overspill but she's only young and has dolls house, dolls prams and loads of accessories though does play with them. For Xmas wants our generation dolls, the accessories are big! Will have to rethink storage. 

I'm meant to be decluttering the ironing pile but on here and watching TV instead. Time to get moving and on with my to do list.

 

grandmanerd

Still  wobbly (but clean) so I'll stay on the bed for now. On Wednesday morning the brickie turned up with his son and worked very hard in icy conditions all day (son was unimpressed, he's a heating engineer and much prefers sitting working at his desk in the warm). I put on lots of layers and planted up five trees, emptying lots of 10 l and 50 l planters, using up cardboard for the mulch layer and when I ran out of the weed-proof membrane squares, I cut up a builder's bag (the bulk bags that sand or other materials are delivered in) to make 5 more. Weeded each tub as I used it (there are some broken ones to break down but not counted them yet) and have nearly cleared the other long side wall (another temporary arrangement for this year) so another rubbish bag and the bucket of weeds (gathered all the bits I'd left on the floor when I did the other side wall) went out to the bins (+ an extra bag of paper I'd brought down to add to the blue bin). There's a bag of cans but they're still by the back door (I'm not an octopus).

In between I tackled an enormous washing up mountain (including a huge bag brought down from their room with dried on bits), filled the two tier dish drainer, the draining board and the window bottom. I also bagged at least 5 washer loads of bedding, curtains and towels to process when the washing line posts are solid. Clean clothes were brought upstairs and I also cleared the bed, sprayed it with stain remover, covered it with a very wet sheet (that needed treating as well), put a new tarpaulin on top and then dragged the merino wool quilt and mattress cover onto the bed and slept rolled up in those (checked the stain remover yesterday and it's done and excellent job but may respray the worst bits and leave it for another night).

I've got out another tube of eye drops (back up to 4 -5 times a day after little use for weeks), used the special cream for round my eyes, lavender balm to help with headaches and slathered on the hand cream (gardening and brick dust are not kind to hands) - I may look like death warmed up but I smell  nice. I have 3 more trees to do but I'm getting much better at recognising my limits and stopping when I need to, not after I've collapsed. There are only 2 large pots left on that side of the yard but they're behind the magic motorbike and the garden table (might need to allow a whole day for that bit of shuffling).

I'm counting that as 61 which gives a total of 1643/ 2022.

Yesterday I could barely move so I stayed on the bed and wrote a 15 page letter to go with a Christmas card (3rd attempt). I ventured downstairs in the afternoon but one quick look outside convinced me that taking 2 books back to the library wasn't worth risking a fall (I have history). The weather looks the same today - bright and sunny but frost on the roofs, so think I'll stay housebound for a few days until it clears. I'll bag up books and other things for the cs, books, food and other things for the food bank. I have a nearly full bin bag and paper bag on the bed with me and the cans and recyclables sack is by the bedroom door and filling nicely. I dragged the box of boxes back on the bed and there's a lot of progress (toiletries, medicine and medical type bits from mum's and my ex's all used/ repurposed.

If I can get outside (a couple of nice days) I'll set up the washing lines (I have space for the clothes to dry inside), plant the last 3 trees and rebuild the raised bed. I used to have a honeysuckle growing there and when I moved to the 4 bed house (16 years ago and came back here 8 years ago) I wanted to take my honeysuckle with me. DS1 broke off the corner of the bed so we could get it out with the root ball intact (the sledgehammer was chosen by him) and when I came back here the bed had formed a slope so I can start on the path and easily walk up the gentle slope to tackle the pyracantha/ ivy and washing line post in the corner (before the post got eaten). I can use the cobbles Mr builder cut out and the mortar mix from mum's (2 bags left from when I edged the front garden to stop the gravel scattering all over the pavement) to rebuild the broken corner. Cobbles are so easy, no need for levelling, you just look at your pile of cobbles and decide which one best fits in the space you have with a layer of mortar underneath and then push mortar between the cobbles when you have a few in place. Bigger flatter ones are best at the bottom then whatever looks right to you.

If that's done I can just move the raspberry canes that I've grown in pots (large buckets) this year across to the new bed and work my way back to the house end of the yard from there. I hope the cover (large plastic shelves with large planted up pots on top) will have weakened any remaining weeds in the side raised bed and then the old bricks can come back inside and be used as an extra weed-proofing layer along the other wall where the bed was demolished (intended turning it back into a car port when I was trying to sell this house).

I intend concentrating on shuffling things into space, doing as much as I can to 'improve things' and make the house a bit more homely (not like a second hand record shop/ junk shop). I've done some measuring and mentally moving a few things round. Record collating is being put on hold until next year. DS2 was going to buy me industrial shelving to reduce the amount of floor space they occupy but I have ideas on how to hide them/ reduce their impact. I might be stuck with DS3 and Beloved for a while longer so need my immediate environment to be more comfortable and cosy. I need to use my energy and resources wisely.

Natty68

sneaking in quietly so no-one realised I hadn't been back again...

I've managed to declutter quite a fair bit of a cupboard to 1. the bin and 2.the storage unit. But I did bring back the Christmas decorations box. So two out and one in...sort of defeats the object. But it was Christmas so does it really count...lol

I have a couple of days to myself at the weekend as DH is playing Santa at the local steam railway. So I'm going to decorate the tree and declutter as I go along. Also I stead if leaving the box lying around it's going straight back to storage till I need to pack up the deccies again after Christmas 🎄

Does making a Christmas pudding count as decluttering (the ingredients won't be lying around..lol)

I've got some letters to write today as well as Christmas cards, and stay warm too.

short_bird

4918: refurbished PC off to its new home, money in kerching! 
4919-4930: items to bin
4931-4936: items to recycling
4937-4940: bags of rubbish to outside bin.
And - tadaaaaaa! - washer door hinge finally replaced yesterday after polite emails to the company and the letting agent. it was, of course, a 10 minute job... 

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

Thursday was very cold - the frost stayed all day 🥶 I managed to find enough space in the fridge to put away the contents of the vegetable box. Wrote a menu plan & a shopping list. Before DH went shopping he put the shredding in the wormeries. I also asked DH to post all the December birthday cards - due to postal strikes will still probably arrive late 😔. Knitted half a beanie. Dinner was risotto cakes. Wudupa.
Friday is definitely warmer - the sun is out & the frost has melted 👏 Currently watching Harlow which appears to bear no resemblance to true life 🤔 - a very saccharine & false accounting. 

2117 - 2124 Kitchen recycling, magazine, drinks cans, 3 cardboard boxes, cardboard pot, plastic sweetie tin - recycled 

2125 Kitchen detritus binned 

Liverpool_Anne that is what I call time well spent - speaking to friends & deciding an MSE strategy for Christmas 👏 Good luck with the photos 🍀 

roundtuit a boiler firing up is a joyous sound 😁 Excellent work re your books 👏 

Well done for persevering with your decluttering vulpix 👏 Poor MrV 🙁 no wonder it took a while to persuade him of the benefits of decluttering. Fingers crossed that you managed to get your list of intentions done & dusted 🤞 Love the picture of the home made top hat stand 😊 What a clever clogs you are 👏

Excellent decluttering Wednesday2000 👏 Hope you manage to find enough warm jumpers to keep 🤞

Gers, you are on maintenance decluttering which we all aspire to 😉 Well done on getting ex-OH to tidy up the cabling 👏 What a great word ‘guddle’ I had to look it up - I did blush at one of the definitions ☺️ Nothing wrong with keeping reminders of your working life especially something as marvellous as a name block 😊 Not patronising at all - just a lovely bit of cheerleading & a rather nice reminder of Are You Being Served 😉

Great cheerleading bit_by_bit 😊 Excellent work re previous planning for Christmas 👏 Hope you had a lovely evening out with your friends. 

Good work VickyV 👏 Are you sure eating biscuits doesn’t count as decluttering - so that’s where I am going wrong with my diet 😂 

Fingers crossed that the BG engineer keeps his appointment florianatwobob 🤞Ouch to your ‘random gravity test’ 🤕 You were very lucky that you didn’t suffer worse injuries 🍀 😮‍💨 I can imagine you were a bit annoyed at yourself 😔

Very generous of you short_bird even if it wasn’t your idea 😔

Great news about your cataract being successfully decluttered EnergyShifter 🙂 Good decluttering 👏 but a shame about the slippers. Hopefully Santa will bring you a new pair 🤞

Here’s to a fall free day, Wednesday2000 🤞

Oh dear weenancy 🙁 Always surprised by what parents do 😔 & as you say it can lead to a lifetime of pain & resentment (Great advice for parents 👏) 

What a nightmare Gers & not sure why your DM would think it OK to give away a present 😔

Back shortly as I am just having a bowl of hm soup.

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

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 2125/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £469.22

bit_by_bit

Congrats on the op @EnergyShifter. MiL has cateracts and is really struggling.

R.E. decluttering for children. I always did it with my daughter. She made the decisions and it was up to me to get rid. She isn't a hoarder now which is what I was aiming for. As a child I had nothing much and so when I started getting stuff it made me feel better and now letting go is hard. It is getting better though.

Welcome back @Natty68

I had a lovely night with friends last night and was up early as I had childcare duties. I did a half day today.

On the way home I popped in two bags of waste paper to a neighbour who uses it to raise funds for a local scout group. I also dropped into the library where there is a collection point for home made blankets which is being run by the local BBC radio station. I also passed on some seeds for the seed bank (run by the library) which I had collected from plants in the autumn. sweet pea and poppy.

Off to see brother in Blackpool later for the weekend. DSis x 2 and 3 nieces also making their way up from Portsmouth so going to take up their presents and cards too. Doing a Santa run again as passing everyone elses cards and presents too.

I am enjoying the clearance of the shelves where the gifts have been kept They are refilling with gifts for me to distibute here at Christmas so it is ony temporary. 

Have a good weekend all. 

bit_by_bit

Do you think you might run the decluttering thread again in 2023 @Mrs_Salad_Dodger ?

Gers

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

Gers, you are on maintenance decluttering which we all aspire to 😉 Well done on getting ex-OH to tidy up the cabling 👏 What a great word ‘guddle’ I had to look it up - I did blush at one of the definitions ☺️ Nothing wrong with keeping reminders of your working life especially something as marvellous as a name block 😊 Not patronising at all - just a lovely bit of cheerleading & a rather nice reminder of Are You Being Served 😉

There are a great many words in the Scots language to describe a mess of rather impressive proportions, with terms like ‘tip’ and ‘midden’. Less well known, perhaps, is the word ‘guddle’ which has the added appeal of describing not only the mess typical of a teenager’s bedroom but also any confusing or complex situation.

 https://scilt.org.uk/News/NewsView/tabid/1311/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1529/Scottish-word-of-the-day-Guddle.aspx

I didn't know it had any other meanings, especially the groping for fish!

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

Last of the hm soup eaten with some shop bought focaccia 😋

Sounds like a touch of regret on your daughter’s part, TC77 or just selective memory 😉 I have every faith that if we all keep up with the decluttering we will all reach maintenance mode 😊 I only have the one room that is not a Room of Doom & that is our bedroom 😉 

Good luck with getting the laundry dry, ironed & put away Fizz2015 🍀 Excellent decluttering & well done on exceeding your 500 target 👏 One Gold Star ⭐️ on its way. Fingers crossed that you can get away to the Canaries on the 31st 🤞Hopefully involving your daughter in the decision making will not only help her in the future but is also a gentle reminder that if she can do it so can you 😊

What a great mum you are Siebrie 👏 Loving the two stage process - as you say once they are used to giving away items then the decision that some things cannot be recycled will be easier 🤞

Wow you have been busy grandmanerd 👏 Good news about the boiler & hopefully the plumber/gas engineer will get the parts quickly 🤞Nice to hear that your builder is on the ball & is appreciative of all your hard work 🙂 Shame you can’t meet up with your brother & niece BUT  you need to start looking after yourself 🙏 You have earned a lot of TLC as well as a rest from garden labouring 😊 There is also a Gold Star ⭐️ on its way. 

Good luck with replanning toy storage, Fizz2015 🍀

I am in awe of the amount of work you do grandmanerd 👏 - no wonder you are exhausted 😩 Very pleased to hear that you are pacing yourself & are now working just to the point of exhaustion rather than past it 😉 Good luck with the indoor organising & tidying - hopefully you will get some assistance from DS3 & Beloved 🤞

Natty68, no need to sneak back in - you have just been too busy to post 😉  Good decluttering 👏 I hope you have given your Christmas list to Santa 🙂 Enjoy yourself decorating the tree.

Great work short_bird 👏

Lovely post bit_by_bit 😊 Sounds like you have a lovely weekend planned seeing family & delivering presents + having a temporarily empty shelving unit 👏 And yes, I will be running a 2023 thread. Plans are afoot for the 2023 Decluttering Thread 😊. I intend to keep The EDT running as we have kitted it out so well & everyone has got used to the facilities that are available 😉

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

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 2125/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £469.22

daisy_1571

 I am aware of the fish tickling meaning of guddle but I've only used it as the mess/confusing/complex meaning usually with the qualifier'right' (I've never tried getting a fish that way - in my experience fish come in newspaper or on a plate with a lovely coating of batter, salt and chippy sauce, mmmmmm).  Uses include 'I was knitting and watching TV and got in a right guddle' or 'I've no idea what my xmas spending is this year, my receipts fell out my purse in a right guddle' or 'I cant be bothered shopping at tk maxx, everything's usually a right guddle'

Another phrase used is to describe somewhere a mess is 'Paddy's market'  no idea if this is a scottish description or wider?

Daisy xx