2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

nannywindow

Hello all, things have been a bit hectic here but all errands have been done and the shopping finished, there's only the cooking to do now. The only decluttering that I've done recently is a xmas cake to Dad, a few empty cardboard boxes to recycling, several parcels to DD and umpteen baskets of clean washing to her too ( she'll have her xmas cake on Christmas day) DD's kitchen is coming together slowly and some of it is yet to be finished, including the utility room ! Hopefully it will be all useable today, but at least the cooker is in and working, so they'll probably have xmas dinner at their house if they can work out how to use the 2 new ovens 🤣 We'll have Dad here for lunch then go to DD's for tea and everyone will be here on Boxing Day for DH's famous curry. We've collected our DGC twice this week and they, plus DD and Jasper dog, stayed for a roast dinner yesterday, even the dog ate one ! DGS just had to have a couple of slices of bread to mop up his gravy, ever open mouth that one. The only thing I wish I could declutter is a head cold, shared by DGD...... thanks but I'd rather share a box of chocs 😂
I wanted to send my love and thanks to everyone who posts on here, you have been a very lovely and helpful group of people who I feel you have been at my side through my bad times 👼 Many thanks to the staff of the TLC carriage for letting me help 😁 
 MrsSD special thanks for starting the 2022 thread and the never ending cheerleading, you are a national treasure ! Here's a medal for you because you're absolutely worth it 🥇 I hope to see you all in 2023.
Take care all
nan

🤶Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All🎄

Fizz2015

Evening All, I'm still decluttering but temporarily stopped counting. Too much else going on. Went into the office today and was very quiet. They are actually turning off the electricity to some floors 28th -30th and we have to work from home. Quite hard when you have children and family at home. 

I have 2 Xmas dinners, 2 days work and a catch up with family and friends over the next week and will then be going on holiday. So excited to unwind in the sun! Just need to book parking at Bristol. 

This thread is friendly and supportive without judgement which is great and people feel comfortable sharing snippets of their decluttering journey and parts of their real life. It's lovely.

Wishing all and everyone of you a peaceful Christmas and holiday season. See you all next year on the 2023 thread.

Fizz xx

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi everyone
I went into town for a few last minutes things and dropped off 2 old bras at a collection point. Also re-purposed 2 small plant pots that I'd kept in the garage - had bought  individual hyacinth bulbs which i planted in the pots and gave as gifts - both gratefully received Also re-used a bottle bag (still got about 50 gift bags left though!)
Hope everyone is well and wishing you calmness and joy
thank you for this lovely thread Mrs S_D 
Deni xx

TC77

Just had a couple of friends round which was so lovely and the first time for months and even longer for in the house ( summer was in the garden). Made the dining room and kitchen tidy  whixhw as fine as ate and drank and chatted round the table but sitting room too crowded. Would be so lovely to be able tonhave friends go in any room ( not bedroom) and not be hours of preparation. Will be an aim for next year. Pile of things on free site which no one wanted has gone to landfill but not huge among and was just causing problems. 
Safe journeys for those travelling. Hope to pop in tomorrow as need to wrap presents , tidy my room and clear up more generally. X

Floss

@TC77 how lovely that your friends came round, and that you had some comfortable space to spend time with them. 

I'm wide awake with a tickly cough & sore throat, just had a mug of lemon & ginger tea with honey and am tucked up in bed with the cat, who is taking more than her fair share. 

Eldest arrives tomorrow (today!) and youngest & lovely daughter-in-law are calling to drop off the wine for Christmas Dinner. I need to finish tidying & freshening the front bedroom, clean the bathroom & d/s loo, make yule log, trifle & starter, wrap presents & go to Tesco - not necessarily in that order! 

I have got several things to get rid of: a large bag of soft plastic for Tesco, a bag of plastic trays etc & a couple of other things for the tip, and a small bag of donations (that can live in the car boot until next week). 

Hope everyone has a lovely time, whether celebrating or not.

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

Managed another 3 hours sleep before getting up to a Friday of torrential rain. The rain continued for about 4 hours 😬 Cleared down more programmes from the TV planner & did a bit more knitting. DH & I finished the hm soup for lunch. I had a long soak today & washed my hair. DH made the last HF meal - pepper crusted venison steaks, dauphinoise potatoes, green beans & a dressed peashoot, walnut & fried apple salad. DSis had a fillet steak as she is not a fan of venison. Unanimously voted as our favourite HF meal. I wudupa.

2205 - 2211 Kitchen & office recycling, small cardboard box, cardboard packaging, 2 plastic bottles, drinks cans - recycling 
2212 - 2213 Kitchen detritus, plastic packaging - binned

GrannyKate, sounds like you are fully ready for Christmas 🤶 Sorry to hear about the power cut 😔 Excellent decluttering  👏 We are also having a quiet Christmas Day - just the three of us 🙂 Sounds like you have a houseful for Boxing Day 🙂 The three of us are being picked up on Boxing Day & will spend the night at DH’s niece’s place. 

Ooh roundtuit - what treasure you found in that 4th drawer 👏 I love the plan for the drawer - all your Christmas bits & bobs in one place 🙂

Excellent decluttering GrannyKate 👏

Sounds like you are almost there with your Christmas preparations EnergyShifter & have managed to declutter a few bits as well 👏 Exciting times ahead for 2023 - developing your own product 😊

Good work Wednesday2000 👏😇

Excellent work short_bird 👏

Siebrie, great news about the free recycling 🙂 & excellent decluttering especially of frogs 👏

oceanspirit, I will wish you a happy holiday whilst I remember 🙂 Great work on reaching your 2022 decluttering targets - two Gold Stars ⭐️ ⭐️  on their way. Good luck with your health goals - sounds like you have made a start & here is to full success in 2023 🍀

Just noticed the time so I am off to bed 😉

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

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 2213/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £679.22

GrannyKate

Early start as decided to get some fuel as very low and needed odd bits including wrapping paper which I ran out of.  Resisted the urge to buy 3 for price of 2 and just took the one roll.  I have hair appointment soon then whole house to sort out.  DS2 will do the cooking so I won't meddle with that.  Small MrT and B&M were almost empty and plenty of parking.  I have put some washing on the line.  It may not dry much but beautiful blue skies and some breeze.  Another short power cut last night so I'm glad I didn't do cooker clock the night before. 

1335/1336 Two extra carloads of pruning to tip to add to car load I counted yesterday
1337 Random garden waste bucket to tip as split down one side - could be frost but more likely to be 7 year old elf (DGD4) who was spotted bashing the ice on it the other day.  
1338 Plant pot repurposed to contain gift plant
1339 Wrapping finished - all presents accounted for (decided not to look at my bank account now until after Christmas's it is depressing although I know I am fortunate compared to many)

Onward. 

QueenJess

Sorted out another drawer of clothes with DD this morning. She enjoyed taking everything out and packing it into a bag for charity. I think decluttering is probably ingrained now!

 

5054- plastic coat hanger (binned)
5055 - bag (used)
5056 - extension cable (buy nothing)
5057-81 - kids clothes too small (charity bag)

bit_by_bit

DD arrrived last night. Room not quite ready for her but soon done. She has bought a load of goodies from a hamper she had from work and the contents of her 'fridge to add to the piles of food. Cucumber anyone?

Today DH is fitting a stairgate to stop the ankle biters climbing the stairs without permission and DD is going to go over the floors downstairs with the mop. I am the CS for the afternoon.

This morning we are using up the last of the apples from the plot to make apple cake. Better get to it.

Have a lovely peaceful Christmas day eveyone. 

grandmanerd

I'm declaring myself finished for the year and have achieved my target 2022/ 2022. I have 2 pages a day of the things I've done in the last 3 days but sitting here listing them all is not a priority - you'll have to take my word for it. Anything done from now on will go under 2023, starting with unpacking my suitcase - still had all DS3's stuff in it from selling at the last convention (it just went back under the table he'd put the suitcase under). I have to take things downstairs to pack as I can't get the suitcase downstairs alone.

Lots more I wanted to do but I want to get to DS1's today with my stuff (clothes, presents, CPAP machine, books to read) and not be so exhausted when I get there, that I just sleep for the next 6 days. I've been putting things into a couple of new bags for life (proper jute ones) since Thursday and listing them in a small notebook (19 items in one small toiletries bag). I've emptied my 'handbag' - more of a small briefcase, bought it for my ex-m-i-l's funeral in 2006 (31st of October no less) and the only options were tiny glittery bags (I've had purses that were bigger) and larger briefcase sized ones - it has 3 sections big enough for A4 papers and a couple of zip up bits inside, holds an incredible amount (I will put a row of decaffeinated soft drinks for the journey in the bottom of the middle section) and looks elegant not boxy.

I've been warned not to arrive 'too early' - DS1 was out for drinks with work colleagues last night and didn't want to roll out of bed at the crack of dawn to clean (he'll be cooking most of tomorrow). I was aiming to get there for 3 pm (before it's pitch black and hopefully avoiding those who've been celebrating since yesterday lunchtime) but it might be later. DS1 messaged with the phone number for a local taxi service and said to get a taxi to there's if I struggle getting from my drop off point in Mc city centre to the place where their bus leaves from (a couple of blocks and the Piccadilly Gardens and Plaza to cross).

I'm leaving the house in an awful mess (despite my best efforts) but it's  mostly DS3 and Beloved's mess so they can fix it or stew in it. I know how I'm going to tackle the records and where I want things to move to (plus the outside stuff) but I'm just going to make my bed with all the lovely clean bedding and then do what I can before New Year without overdoing things.

I hope you all enjoy the celebrations in the way that you choose (be that quietly and peacefully with a pile of books or up watching your children or grandchildren emptying the stockings you only finished 10 minutes before - one year we'd brought the outside toys inside and DS2 was riding his tricycle up and down the landing at gone midnight - he knew he hadn't been good).  If it's a time of sadness for you' then treat yourself kindly and feel free to go into another room to cry/ sleep/ scream as needed.

If you aren't celebrating the way you would like to, think about why that is and how you can start to change it next year. If the whole family descends on you and no-one ever does anything to help, start dropping hints about going on a cruise next Christmas, try allocating jobs (even if it's just asking your children to step in before a 'difference of opinion' escalates into shouting, sulking or fisticuffs. Again feel free to absent yourself and go into another room and sit with a book, a stiff drink or chocolate cake (according to your preference).

I know a couple who hosted Christmas for many years. When one daughter had children, the venue switched to her house. As the husband approached retirement (the wife was older than him and nearly 70) they announced that they wanted to stay in Blackpool in a hotel by themselves for Christmas, you should have heard the howls. At this point they were still taking both daughters, their partners and assorted children on a summer holiday each year(+ 2 daft dogs if it was in this country). So if you aren't happy, set changes in motion now.

See you in 2023 (I'm taking mu laptop but don't know if I'll be online.