2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

bit_by_bit

Big hugs @QueenJess. Things are always worst before they get better and this is only a temporary situation.

I am in awe of all the determined decluttering going on here and even more so for the stupendous cheerleading from @Mrs_Salad_Dodger

I am popping by to report another bag to the charity shop and a spare boot liner to DiL (counting as two bags)

I had GS3 today. His parents are splitting up. DS1 goes first thing everyday to look after the baby while DiL works. The last two days have not been pleasant. I am trying to keep out of it but it is sometimes hard to bite my lip.

I won't be in tomorrow as I am travelling down South to visit family and pick up inlaws from Southampton docks on Friday morning. I hope to take some stuff with me to drop at various distribution points along the way. 

Take care all. I will allocate Saturday just to catch up with all the posts I am going to miss. 

Ginmonster

I managed to find a few more bits that needed to be binned today - mostly old cosmetics but also a pair of very holey socks so 10 more items gone. 

Still no luck getting rid of the toys I listed on the Freecycle group. The second person was supposed to be collecting them this afternoon and hasn't shown up either. I just don't understand why people say they want something if they aren't going to bother to show up. It's just so rude.

Anyway, I'm up to 173/2023 now so I'm doing ok. 

regnbue

Hi everyone

Not one item to the charity shop this week.  WHAT?!

I've been focusing on tidying and cleaning as the broadband engineer is due here in 2 weeks and I want to get the place ship shape in good time rather than leaving it till the last minute like I usually do.

I've used up 4 beauty items. 

A pack of rusty sewing needles and the contents of a first aid box (which expired in 2012) have been binned.  I was going to donate the empty first aid box but it's very sturdy and will do for my overflow sewing box.

Some plastic rods that came with some boxed shoes, I think to keep their shape in transit.  I saved them because they are useful for sewing - poking into bag straps when turning inside out.  There are 6, I only need 2 so 4 binned.

Consumed 6 slightly out of date food items.

Finally a broken plastic ruler as apparently I have 5 others - who knew? 

It felt good to have a sort out and know I will never have to buy a post it note ever again.

2 mags read and recycled.

19 items and 43 papers (counted as 4) recycled = total 23.  

I love hearing about everyone else's experiences and look forward to reading the posts every day.

Decluttering 264/500           Photo albums    /16         Nail polishes 1/45       Cleaning products     /28
Magazines       5/50             Hair mousse     /11          NSD Jan       /15         Make £100 in 2023  £33/100

Regional Xmas Tree Wrestling Champion 2022 🏅⭐️💐

"The only time I'm happy is when I'm doing absolutely nothing" - Ava Gardner

Dfw38

Right caught up! 
Even though it is really hard and time consuming, You are doing the right thing @QueenJess. Everytime we have emptied a room for decorating or carpet fitting (like the Severn Bridge in this house....!) The dc just love running around in the space and making up games in the room even with no toys in there - just cushions and blankets etc . You will find your dd will love the space more than what would have taken the space up. It should hopefully make life easier for you too with regards to organising, cleaning and the ongoing decluttering as your dd grows older. We are going to do the same when I have the big bedroom decorate and reshuffle later this year. If we put in the work now we should reap the rewards in no time! 

Crikey @bit_by_bit that holiday for your in laws went quick! Hope you managed to achieve what you wanted and you have greater peace of mind of what you still need to do now you have also organised your progress too.

Today I took 2 of the 4 bags to the cs, managed a 7 mile walk.... very long circular trip. I have decided that I am going to dedicate February as 'frog freeing February' might not get much decluttering improvement done in my box count but instead am tackling everything I have put off and any jobs that have not been done as often as they should have been.... ooops.
Well have a lovely evening all, I am going to be checking out the SS programme alongside most of you I imagine!

stellata

Sold another small thing on eBay, only £10 profit but a thing gone and £10 is useful. I used to not bother with small stuff selling but I've decided that it's going to happen this year, after all 10 x £10 things would be £100. 3 done already this year.

Florenceem

stellata - I have stuff that I could Ebay - just getting around to it.
I found something else that came from Mil's stuff - 

vulpix

Hi,

 oh bit by bit poor DS1. Rough seas ahead but in time it will be calmer for him, and you. Xxxx 
 
 I have eaten a frog which tasted nasty and I didn’t get any satisfaction from doing it. MIL is now very ill and confused. She has written a letter to her friend. I have written a covering letter to explain and tell the friend she will not be going home again. Sad days ahead. 

 On a brighter note, my Mum is much improved and will be moving in with my brother next week. 

 57. Beaded light shade. New one makes an incredible difference. 

 58. Christmas olives. Will I never learn? Mr V does not eat olives and completely over estimates how much other people like olives. I will not ask him to pick up olives again. 

 59. Church candle holder 
 

 61. 2 decorative wooden boxes 
 
 62. Glass tray 
 
 Vx

retiredinfrance

Here’s my latest stuff out:

1pile shopping bags
1 pile plastic cutlery 
1 pile paper from admin files 
1 pile corks
1 pile pop socks( thanks Keith’s_Mum!)
1 card of handmade cat face buttons
1 bar of fancy too smelly soap
1 milk jug
ood dried up body butter 
1 bottle vood “off” wine - no too foul to drink - we did try!
1 weird smelling face cream
1 ceramic wall plaque 
17 books
6 magazines 
1 pile of Royal Mail stamps - about £50 worth sent to DS in UK

I send to CS if in good nick , to recycling or bin as appropriate.

TOtal= 36+ 40= 76/365

Some of you will recognize where I have picked up your ideas. The Kiwi Crush story has reminded me that we have lots of sample pots somewhere in the garage, so when the weather gets a bit warmer I will hunt them out. The irony is that we found it too tiring to choose so we just told the painter to paint all the walls white and we haven’t regretted that decision.
From my list its clear that I am now wandering all over the house randomly decluttering. I don’t mind , out is out. 

Hugs for you all and keep safe everyone.

retiredinfrance

In case anyone is wondering about all those stamps, I will explain. Pre-Covid I used to visit DS in mid November and being a MSE person I used to bring my Christmas cards with me , stamp them and let DS post them later. Then I used to buy lots and stick the stamps on in France and over the years I must have collected up quite a few unused ones that got forgotten about. Anyway they were pleased to get them- well they represent cash!

Keiths_Mum

Wednesday2000 said:

Keiths_Mum said:

Good to hear everyone's up for using their stuff rather than saving it for best. As a certain House Doctor Ann Maurice would say, if you're not using it, 'it's taking up real estate', and I don't have any spare real estate in my one bedroom flat. 

I was thinking about that show when people were talking about decluttering TV shows on here.:)

I'm annoyed as the charity shop people didn't take the three cushions yesterday as they didn't have a fire safety label on them. I need to find somewhere else that might take them.

I loved the House Doctor back in the day. I'd just moved into an unfurnished flat and had no money to buy anything, so had a lot of donated by friends and family mismatched pieces and I used to watch it for inspiration. I loved how she transformed their homes using what they had and buying minimal pieces. Mostly what she did is declutter of course, she came across quite a lot of reluctant declutterers, but she always stood her ground and was always right in the end. I certainly never saw anyone's House look worse. Sadly quite a lot of them just packed their clutter up and took it with them, rather than using it as an opportunity to get rid.

My favourite Youtuber at the moment is Aurikaterina, self professed worlds best cleaner. She is Finnish, her channel is more about hoarding than decluttering, she cleans homes for free but also tells the story of how the person ended up in their particular situation, its very interesting. She also has some very good cleaning tips.

So I have continued with decluttering box number 6 of paperwork and its been a bittersweet box so far. Just found a letter from my friend, writing to tell me about her daughters first day at school. She died eight short years later leaving four children, I'd forgotten I had it. Then I found a photo of me being presented with a qualification certificate from a job I had 18 years ago, I look like I'm gurning, as I do in most photos, I hate having my photo taken. Shredded 33 pieces and recycled 20.

Stellata if I had ceramic handled cutlery l'd definitely use it every day too!