2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

QueenJess

Just got on with it this evening and boxed up all the larger size clothes and labelled them all. Put them in smallish boxes so I can more easily get them up the ladder to the attic. Then went through DD’s next size up of clothes with DH and we managed to get rid of a few more clothes although I still think we have too many. 

Also packaged up some stuff for buy nothing and added to the pile of toys to go into the attic for rotation. Slowly making progress in DD’s room… Honestly it still doesn’t feel enough, but will keep doing bits until it does. Next job will be to move the furniture around in DD’s room to make a final decision.

494-495 - plastic bags (used)
496-505 - kids clothes (school charity bag)

Edit: Just realised I’ve misfiled the PJ’s in the wrong box and now they don’t fit nicely. Aghhh! Can’t deal with any more tonight, but will pick it up tomorrow night as I need to dig out coats to box up anyway.

Keiths_Mum

Soontobeoap said:

Well an emotional afternoon trawling through photographs and greetings cards. I have thinned down the photos. Having taken out the fuzzy ones and some scenic ones that i couldnt remember locations of. Also some doubles. Basically the ones that i would delete from my phone these days. 

Then onto the wedding cards, baby cards 25th and 40th anniversary cards and all of the birthday cards and letters rhat children and grandchildren have sent through the years. I am afraid that they have all been packed back in box and put away again. DH came up at one point and asked why i was crying. I told him they were happy tears! Not sure he gets it!!! Anyway it was a lovely afternoon and a quarter of a bin bag cleared. I am counting it as 1 due to the emotional roller coaster I went on to manage this. 🤣. Then 7 year old Grandaughter rang to tell us that her poem has been published in a book. I asked if they could get one for me but it sounds like I somehow missed that boat so nothing else to add to the boxes yet. 

Cant believe how quickly those 3 hours passed. 😊

Well done! I think this is the hardest type of decluttering, I have a box of cards my Dad saved and I can't tell you how many times I've opened it and then shut it after a few minutes as it's quickly become overwhelming. I'm saving this kind of clutter until last although I'm not sure it that's a good thing or a bad thing.

All this talk of hedgehogs, I remember my first encounter with a group of them. Me and my brother were staying with my aunt in Norfolk, she lived in a bungalow so the bedrooms were on the ground floor. We were awoken in the night by what seemed like an enormous racket, we were scared and ran to my aunts room. My Uncle came with a torch and shone it outside the window and there was a group of about 4 hedgehogs snuffling about outside, we were such townies we'd never seen then before, i was about ten. We put food out for them the next night. We also saw bats for the first time on that stay, that's another story altogether.

Back to paperwork decluttering as working all day and tired in the evening, but determined to do  bit every day. 58 pieces of paperwork shredded, 44 pieces recycled. About halfway through number 4 of 6 boxes.

DundeeDoll

@Liverpool_Anne - lol re the gift - and who knows, he might make someone else very happy
@gettingthrifty - I love hedgehogs
@Dfw38 sending hugs
wow to all the frogs - today I ate a work one that I've been putting off for 6 months - I know, ridiculous! and then when i came to attach it to the email i couldn't find it! 10 very panicked minutes later hooray. worried i'd missed the bus but he was just switching his engine on and waiting for me - what a star - and only home 5 mins late - mum already had supper cooked, how lucky am I (lasagne and garlic bread, yum). Upstairs, put on Call the Midwife, did my 23 mins (working my way through the boxes and bags of 'stuff' in my office) then spent the rest of the time on the exercise bike (now no longer a clothes horse, look what impact you're having @mrssd and realise the desk I need for my home office is currently sitting in my bedroom. embarrassing i know, but with 2 children having moved out just before covid and mum moving in last september not really surprising the stuff i need is maybe already in the house waiting to be discovered. Very excited about being able to move it into my office. 

weenancyinAmerica

Day 10 with no phone and limited Internet. Am changing companies after years - my parents were with the current company when I was born 75 years ago. Realized that we hadn't heard from doctors and pharmacists in all this time. Went to see what medicines hadn't been picked p yet and found 7 for one roommate and 2 for the other. Got my one roommate to his doctor's appointment before going to my therapy. 

Cat decided I should get up an extra hour early this morning and is now having the zoomies - rain must be coming back again.
Managed to get the errands done this morning with just a few moments of rain. Then the sun came out - now clouded over again. 

vulpix

Dfw38 😁 fabulous news. Don’t google, do some celebratory decluttering instead. 

 LiverpoolAnn that gift is a shocker. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

 Energy shifter, it is indeed a shocking detour. Somebody has selfishly put a load of big hills in the way. 🤣

 pasbatur I quite agree with you. 

 Secondstar. Have you got ‘the feeling’ about the house? If you can’t forget about it then go for it. The people who you inherited furniture from won’t mind if you rehome it. New start, new property, new you. I would say though if you want less work in your house, do you need a big garden? Can you get a parking space in the garden? Ultimately would it resell easily?  

NannyW well done on your decorating. I have always done my own but last year was I think my last time. It’s the ladders that finish me off!

 There are so many posts today, so many I would like to comment on but I just can’t retain it all. Mrs SD it must take you such a long time for your comprehensive replies to everyone. 

The little piece of furniture is now a bookcase. I have taken the glass door off and I prefer it. It won’t be long until it is finished. 

 39. Cupboard sold
 40. Poster frame frog

 Vx

shabbychic12

Well lve moved outside to the sheds of doom which need doing but finding getting rid hard.I actually want to replace both sheds with a large home office/spare room that’s my aim and lm saving like mad. I will do it this time as previously lve started then stopped but lm in a better place mentally l feel,so a bit at a time,weather dependent. When the weathers too bad l will do my clothes a few at a time and as life for most of us has changed lm saving nothing for best as best never happens and by the time it does it no longer fits 😂I’m a new comer to Nick Knowles programme but l love it just some of the ideas l can take onboard to make storage better will make life simpler but as he’s says ‘you need to get rid of the clutter.’

daisy_1571

Liverpool_Anne glad Mr warthog on way to someone who will love him, wouldn't it be funny if he is mentioned in some future pos by a perplexed recipient lol
Secondstar lots of great suggestions here, I agree if you keep thinking about it plus if it can ever get a wee sunroom added that could significantly increase your sq footage.   Definitely agree the people whose furniture it was likely wouldn't want you missing a golden opportunity for the sake of their furniture.  It might be sad to move it on but think of the benefits.  Plus if you do get rid of the stuff you have but don't use, should you find time or inclination in future to craft, instead of sorting through the stuff you have now which clearly doesn't inspire you trying to find something, you can have the joy of purchasing just the right amount of something you do want to do.  Small space doesn't mean you either live like a monk or that you live hemmed in by stuff, if you can find the right balance it might be very calming and peaceful?

Hugs all round

Daisy xx

Ps thanks for the flowers, flowerpot, still blooming in their virtual vase

bit_by_bit

@Dfw38 . Not the worst news. lets hope that waiting list moves faster than the quoted 41 weeks. 

Just a quick fly though to generally catchup. I have been working on my own stuff, putting together all the tems i have for sale in manageable boxes.

Also to in laws for more sorting tonight/

Righty off to bed as chilcare in the morning. 

Sleep tight all.

Dfw38

Thanks @vulpix, celebratory decluttering indeed....an interiors magazine (which was rubbish by the way 🙄😁) and a Box of chocolate this evening....and I don't even feel guilty 😋. 
Thanks @bit_by_bit, I am sure the nhs are decluttering their way through the waiting lists as we type! Good luck with the sorting tomorrow at in-laws.
A heartfelt thanks to you all for the support and well wishes. Makes you feel not so alone and you have all been a big emotional support for me over the past week especially, much appreciated. 😘

TC77

@Dfw38 so glad you've found support here, wonderful community who have helped me and others through more than decluttering.  Take care
 
Keep staying up too late to tickle frogs. One more eaten. Will try and remember to my total. 
Setting myself the task of tidying desk and chest of drawers in my bedroom tomorrow. Night!