2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, moved some of the wood but spent most of the time fighting with the gate at the side of the house. It has been poorly for about 18 months but today the wood support finally gave up so the gate has to be lifted to get it open. Frog alert, been on my to do list for at least a year This prompted me to hunt down the number of a joiner I have used before to see if he can make a new gate and side panel. He said yes, send me the measurements and he'd send a quote. Hunted down the tape measure and sent them off, then he asks for a photo, did that. Then he sends various options for things, I clarify and a quote is sent and accepted . Of course there is no date for this to be done as it is weather dependent and he only does weekends as his own business, working Mon - Fri for a bespoke kitchen firm. I did tell him it wasn't urgent but asked him to give me a bit of notice to get the cash sorted. He has done some work for me before replacing some floor boards and he is a lovely young man, he looked so young I did question his experience and qualifications but all fine he's just one of those people who look younger than they are .
I watched the footie and had a text conversation with my nephew who is STILL lounging on a beach in Goa but was watching the match .
Made tea, lo vegan Spanish chicken for me and meat chilli for OH both with cauliflower rice so some lo used up.
After tea I had a good sort out of my bag, it's like a small rucksack so there was loads of carp in there which was binned or recycled.
Then I went back to my emails and deleted some more.
I finished the knitting but need to get it wrapped to post, hopefully tomorrow if I can hunt down a card to go with it . My next project is a baby blanket but as I didn't have the right yarn I had a  rootle in my bag and have started to crochet a blanket for OH, (always cold), from the yarn left over from the hot water bottle covers, I went a bit mad in the cs and got loads This will go in my wip bag when I get the baby yarn, probably on Tuesday as the baby blanket is more important

@Mrs SD,  I don't always count texts and phone calls but I will be counting the ones to the joiner and I will consider others depending on how complicated it is and how long things take to sort out iyswIm so

251 moved some wood
252 contacted joiner 
253 uu some lo food
254 handbag sorted
255. 100 emails deleted
Take care everyone
255/2023

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks

2. Commence ‘Operation Frog Tickling’ I have an acronym - I.R.I.S. being Identify, Re search, Implement, Sign Off

3. Implement a new sleep/wake up regime - start going to bed earlier (target before 2:00 a.m.) get up earlier (target by 9:00 a.m.)

4. Deal with daily mail immediately 

5. Don’t put it down, put it away

6. If I spot a mini task deal with it immediately e.g. refill olive oil pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc

7. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed

Started to write again at 4:56 p.m. = 3 x 23 minutes away. DH is back from shopping& we have packed everything away. Meanwhile I have prepped vegetables for tonight’s dinner + peeled, chopped & prepped the rest of the bottom of the fridge vegetables for roasting so I will have a full oven 🥳 The only veggies left are a few mushrooms & pepper for omelettes & the newly purchased mushrooms for risotto 🙂 DH now has a full bag of peelings to zizz for the worms 😉 Stopped writing @ 6:15 p.M to cook dinner - pork steaks, roast potatoes & parsnips, roasted carrots & tomatoes, cabbage & curly kale & mashed sweet potatoes 😋 Wudupa. Currently watching the new series of Vera recorded earlier. Resuming cheerleading at 11:30 p.m. 

384 - 386 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, plastic bottle - recycled 

387 - 388 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned

Good luck with the digital decluttering Bored 🍀 & I hope you find time to drop off the CS bag 🤞Pleased to hear that your mum is now the proud owner of a new plant - you can never have too many plants 😉

Very pleased to hear that your brother & nephew are pitching in with the decluttering at your Dad’s house TC77 😊👏 Sounds like it has been a real eye opener for your brother BUT it is NOT an excuse to fill your home with nostalgic items 😉

Well said vulpix, I think Floss has spent enough time & effort 🙂

Florenceem, sorry to hear that you are feeling poorly to add to the bad back ☹️ & poor MrF - you two are both in the wars at the moment 😔 I think you should both pop into the TLC Carriage for some rest & relaxation 😉 Rather lovely that MrF understands your voracious appetite for books 😊 It would be a really good earner if you were paid to read 😉 😅 2020 was a good year - over 4 books per week 🤩

Liverpool_Anne, I love the idea of a doll and teddy hospital 🙂 Shame it rained so no wood moving but what an excellent session of electronic decluttering 👏 Dare I ask how many emails are left 😉

MuddyWalker, very well put & you are so right bullying & nastiness “….. should never happen” I love our safe space & again would like to give Martin ‘MSE’ Lewis thanks for keeping the OS Forum alongside the purely Financial Forum 👏 Sounds like you had a wonderful walk, MuddyWalker just what the doctor ordered 🙂

Very pleased to hear that you have started your course of B12 injections, Millie2008_2 👏 Hopefully you will start to feel the benefits quickly & the brain fog will lift 🤞 Sounds like I need to change DH’s shopping day to Friday especially as I have a bit of room in the freezers 😉 excellent bargains 👏 to accompany the excellent decluttering 👏

Wow SecondStar 🤩 What a brilliant start to your packing/decluttering odyssey 👏 I am so impressed that you decided to tackle the most difficult room first & also very impressed at how much progress you made - 3.5 hours of exhausting work & 2/3rds done 🤩 One Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊  I hope that you are over the moon at how much you have got done 🥳  Congratulations on having your mortgage application accepted & I am definitely crossing everything that Monday’s mortgage valuation goes well 🤞

Nice to see you Madbat60 👋 Pesky RL getting in the way of your decluttering 😉 Good luck with decluttering the under stairs cupboard 🍀 I hope that isn’t code for you lost your handbag 🤞& just means that you were either surprised or shocked at the contents you decluttered 😉

I agree ~FlowerPot~, before & after photos are a must 😉

mhagster, So sorry to hear that you’ve been feeling a bit blah & that your vavavoom has gone on holiday ☹️ Yet you have still managed to declutter three items that have created space 👏 Medium sized items count as 2 points each & the large desk counts as 4 points 😉

Lovely post Floss 😊 I do like your advice to look at planning & sourcing items of furniture etc as a fun activity 🙂

SecondStar, I am reading your post and I am full of admiration at how well you are handling such a difficult situation 😊 Decluttering can be difficult at the best of times but enforced decluttering can be so much more difficult & I am in awe of your commitment to looking forward to a new, brighter future.  Fingers etc will continue to be crossed for Monday’s mortgage valuation.

Thanks for the info re WW2 items, weenancy 👏

Thank you for your thought provoking post, daisy_1571 👏 

Great decluttering Florenceem 👏 Btw what happens to the SA’s excess books?

charlies_tribe, just one more reason to tackle paperwork decluttering 😉 Good luck finding your passports 🍀 Being curious, as is my wont (stet) is DD3 going somewhere warm? Sorry to hear about the leaky toilet & I hope DH can sort it out quickly before there is any lasting damage 🤞

gettingthrifty, you have not derailed the train at all 😊 This thread has grown organically over the years from decluttering physical items to encompassing emotional & mental decluttering 🙂 Only made possible by all the lovely people who are kind enough to share their experiences 😊 No need to hop off the train, at the speed it is going you might do yourself an injury 😉 How about spending some time in the TLC Carriage 🙂🙏 Good luck with the hospital appointments next week 🍀 

Sounds like a lovely Saturday nu1isit? 😊  Shame you have to work on a Sunday 😔

Excellent decluttering Keiths_ Mum 👏 Six boxes of paperwork reduced to 3.5 boxes is amazing 🥲Good luck with decluttering the desk 🍀

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏

vulpix, I think I would have been disappointed too 😉 No need to slink into the TLC Carriage vulpix - walk in with head held high 😊

Good advice Floss 🙂

Excellent decluttering DundeeDoll 👏 The office looks great - your hard work has paid off (nothing wrong with saving up your daily 23 minutes for a blitz 😉) The added pleasure is that your bedroom is now tidy again 👏

Excellent decluttering in DD2’s room, TC77 👏 I am loving the rewards system - Schnapps & Nintendo golf - definitely a recipe for fun 🤩 You are on a roll now 🙂

What a great cheerleading post Liverpool_Anne 👏 Well done on decluttering the box 👏 Justin is no longer welcome 😉

What a great Saturday weenancy 👏 a working phone, faster internet & a refund from the old provider 👏🥳 With the distances & different time zones in America, a funeral by Zoom is very sensible 🙂Good luck with your book 🍀 Once it is published you will have even more entries on Google etc 😉Excellent decluttering 👏 Fingers crossed that the husky stays on the steps 👏

Wonderful post 2Scratters 👏 Full of useful ideas for not only TC77 but also for the rest of us 🙂

😱 joanie 😱 Hope EnergyShifter’s information has helped 🤞

Thanks EnergyShifter 👏 Sounds like a lovely day out - I imagine the walk was very bracing 😉

Still trying hard to catch up 😉

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐

DH Awards: 🥇 

Decluttering Target 2023: 388/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

popthekettleon

Wow, go away for a few days and back to work and this train is like a Bullet.

Finally caught up with you all and hugs to everyone that needs them.

Over the weekend, tackled a cupboard of paperwork and shredded loads of old paperwork and put stuff in order. Much tidier. Also found some old photo frames with caricatures from a holiday from 2001 that have lurked in a corner since we moved here 7 years ago! No one likes them so removed the caricatures and listed frames on Olio. 
Still not sure how to count my stuff but happy that things are leaving the house 🙂.

Take care all x

GrannyKate

Decluttered children just for one day.  Decorator here painting hallway door frames - there are 8 doors.  Off in minute to see if I can get some chicken and fish which I am allowed to eat.  A couple of frogs lined up to do.

173 Ordered hinges for cupboard door after trying three different outlets without success
174 Ordered replacement cartridge - on my to do list but I will have to print lots of stuff for DS2 soon an no spare in drawer
175 Paid CC bill - ouch - covers holiday hotel from December.  DD paid flights. I pay it all off but only use card a couple of times a year. 
 
Need to make that list of frogs for coming months.  

roundtuit

Oh my. In the night I must have fallen out of my cosy recliner in the TLC carriage (where I'd taken up residence if I'm honest. Which I am)  and my blinkers fell off. Oh. Dear. 
I've come down and I'm walking through LR and kitchen thinking What. A. Mess. And they're not the RoDs!!! Oh. My. Days. 
I thought of @Suffolksue and her belief in 'the legend that is Round.' More of a leg end I'm afraid. Not sure if that makes me an ankle or a foot! Either way it's not good.
And breathe....
OK.
So it's not regular everyday rubbish - that goes in the bin.
It's not regular everyday recycling- that goes in the bins.
It's not dirty pots - I'm on top of the pots. 
It's stuff. And dust. And cobwebs. And more stuff. So. Much. Stuff. 😱

Scuse me while I have a silent scream. 

And breathe......

On a positive note maybe this means I'm coming out of the depression that's dogged me all winter. Hmm. Yes. Let's think positively. 

I'm going to get dressed. Have another brew. Eat breakfast. 

Hey. Last year I cleared an ottoman one sock at a time. I can do this. 

Watch this space....
Rxx

stellata

Oh the water slides date story made me laugh, not least because I had a very similar experience back then. Half an hour of watching him pose in his Speedo's on the diving board put me right off and there was no second date. I've been wondering about doing online dating recently, friends keep telling me to, but maybe not in case they're still out there. (The chaps who do pool dates, not the speedos). Off to work now with 2 small eBay parcels to drop off on the way, another £12 in 

Dfw38

You can do it @roundtuit!
 Well done with with dds decluttering @QueenJess.
I wonder how much stuff we have all decluttered collectively during this first month of the challenge? You should all be really proud of yourselves because we are all gradually making our lives so much easier (and others if we clear it so they don't have to when that time comes) and we are also changing habits that got us there in the first place. Hope you all have a super Monday, I am about to start filling box 7, hope I can get up to box 10 by tomorrow. 

bit_by_bit

I have been on the TLC carriage for the last few days with a horrendous headache and cough. Getting better now but having a slow day today as I have a few frogs to deal with.

@TC77, I know that overwhelmed feeling so well, Give yourself a break and don't look at at it as a huge job, just lots of small ones. Even if you cleared out a few small things a day e.g. used envelopes, empty bottles and such like that would still have an impact. They say that is how to eat an elephant. Try to create good habits instead with what comes in. E.G. We have a spot where all the paper recycling goes and it goes out of the house weekly. In answer to your question I have lots of little goes then a rush of decluttering when I have a 'moment' in which the lightbukb is on. It doesn't kast long but usually a lot goes out each time.

Big hugs @gettingthrifty. Someone at work used to do this to me, I realised that she was a bully.  I used to go into work trying to walk like a warrior with Sherlock Holmes (Ben Cumberbatch version- he didn't care) and Aragorn (quiet strength) behind me. A deep breath before I walked in made all the difference. I would also report to PALS. 

Great affirmations @~FlowerPot~  I have only understood all of that as I have go older really 

Thankyou for your kind words @Mrs_Salad_Dodger I did indeed rest in the TLC carriage on a diet of cake and intravenous tea. Feeling better today after a rough weekend. I am glad I cancelled my Saturday charity shop duty in advance too.

Welcome back @rootle

I love the idea of finding treasures @mothernerd I have found a few including my MP3 player this last few weeks.

Big hugs @charlies_tribe. 

Welcome @Neroli2 Thankyou for mentioniong the jewellery to the Alkzhiemers Society. I didn't know this and now I do will be collecting allt he stuff I have and sending it off to them. Another win. 

Yay @roundtuit Don't go and overdo it now 

Apologies for the long post. I have been out of it for two days and usually just jump in when I get over 120 posts to catch up with. I am procrastinating as I have my tax frog to do. I have been too busy then poorly to get it done.

So yesterday DH got rid of 'an in and out'. A jacuzzi blow up pool tht DS3 had picked up from work to sell.It as not a good sale as in the buyer was a problem but it is gone and DS1 very happy.

I have done a lot the last few weeks. I think I have learnt that if I plan in some time for bigger jobs they are more likely to get done. I have plenty more to do to make my house visitor ready for mid February but I will allocate the time. I also have some unfinished jobs at MiL so will need to allocate time for that.

Finally. DH is out of the house and at his new job today. I am loving the quiet. He abuses the computer a lot (or did from the last job)

Keep well all and hugs to all who need them 

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks

2. Commence ‘Operation Frog Tickling’ I have an acronym - I.R.I.S. being Identify, Re search, Implement, Sign Off

3. Implement a new sleep/wake up regime - start going to bed earlier (target before 2:00 a.m.) get up earlier (target by 9:00 a.m.)

4. Deal with daily mail immediately 

5. Don’t put it down, put it away

6. If I spot a mini task deal with it immediately e.g. refill olive oil pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc

7. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed

Monday is a bright day with blue skies which seem to have been absent forever 😉 but the temperatures have dropped 😔 I was up & dressed by 10:00 a.m. as I plan to nip out to the bank. DH is going round to see M & the plan is to accompany her to the pharmacy. I am having my first cuppa & taking the opportunity to reply to a few posts.

Sorry to hear that you have somehow injured your back grandmanerd ☹️ You started off so well, managing to finally get a bit of sleep & letting DS3 take in the shopping 👏 Then you forgot to rest & relax and did a mountain of decluttering & tidying  ‘wagging finger emoji’ Although reading further on you did do everything in stages interspersed with plenty of reading, playing games (on your phone/laptop?) & eating - so I will let you off 😉 Shame about the DW loading - I think once you are recovered it might be time for a training session on proper DW etiquette 🥲 Love the idea of “treasures” - those serendipitous finds that make life easier & decluttering more joyous 😊  Please, please do try to take it a bit easier until your back has fully recovered 🙏

donna73, what a lovely bonus to decluttering 😊 

Excellent decluttering Happy_Kitties 👏

mfwin2019, sorry to hear about your father, such a cruel way to go 😞  Hugs to you too. Excellent decluttering & tidying of the under bed storage box 👏 with the added bonus of fewer trip hazards in your bedroom 😉 Hangs head in shame - I hide magazines under other items in the recycling bin 😔 (I get five magazines a month & pass them on to my DSis who then takes months to read them, leaves them lying all around the house & has several on the go at once rather than reading one fully & recycling it 😩 )

Well done on stopping the emails joanie 👏 I did check my settings as I really didn’t remember ever doing it 😉

Wednesday2000, shame about the problems with mould & condensation 😞 Hopefully all dealt with now 🤞 Great decluttering 👏 Fingers crossed that the bulky waste collection will happen quickly & that the workman will finish the rest of the decorating soon🤞 

Pleased to hear that you are finally being kind to yourself TC77 😊 Wishing DD2 every success in her A-Levels 🙂 & fingers crossed she resumes at least some of her sporting activities when all the exams are over 🤞

charlies_tribe, I too used to ‘overthink’ but somewhere along the line I somehow just stopped - finally realising that the more I over thought the more distressed I got & as you say it is exhausting 😪Hopefully the CBT will give you the tools to overcome this tendency 🤞 You have had a time of it ☹️ - good luck to both you & DH & I hope that the repairs are quick & easy 🤞 Meanwhile enjoy your time in the TLC Carriage (there will be no kicking 😉) just a gentle nudge to clear all the items from under the sink 🙂

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, deleting 2,000 emails 👏 & still finding the time to declutter 🤩 That amount of electronic decluttering is worthy of a medal 🏅 which is on its way 🙂

SecondStar, sounds like you have the bit between your teeth now 👏 What a kind & thoughtful friend 😊 Seems like you have blown the cobwebs away & also enjoyed your physical endeavours 🙂 with the added bonus that you have the leeway now to make considered decisions about your possessions 👏

Just had a 10 minute break to chat to the window cleaner & his wife 🙂 

Liverpool_Anne, love the reminiscences about your TA 🙂 There must be some happy medium between being a ‘collector’ and being a ‘minimalist’ 🤞 Hope the weather stayed nice for your wood moving endeavours 😉

Well I think that is it for my first session 😉 I am having a 2nd cuppa & will deal with todays mail & then get the bus & bank my cheques. 

P.S. 389 one magazine recycled 😉

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐

DH Awards: 🥇 

Decluttering Target 2023: 389/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

Brie

My big declutter over the next 30 hours is to deal with my stock options.  Having been made redundant all my share save schemes (3 years' worth) come due tomorrow.  I decluttered the smallest last week as a change in the share price will make a minimal difference.  But I have 2 more to deal with.  I need to check what happens with ones that I convert to shares rather than do a buy/sell.  If I can convert them and then sell out of that batch in chunks then I can continue to watch the share price and time things that way.  But if I have to sell them all in one go then I'm likely to settle the share options by the buy/sell route as giving me the most flexibility.  I did intend to sort a lot of this out over the last year but the market has been a tad dire and is just now recovering.  I'd say I'd like another couple of months but that would just the deadline date and I'd still be on the penultimate day trying to decide what to do.