2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

charlies_tribe

Evening.
I tried to tidy some of the girls room this morning but they weren't having it. About 2 I could hear scraping and banging (they have laminate floor) so went to have a look and they had started doing a bit of it themselves. I tried to help but they told me to go away! Think my girls have been abducted and replaced 🤣 I haven't fetched the rubbish out of their room yet, I think they only did a drawer each but it's a start.
Instead, I went and did a quick wipe around bathroom and collected empty bottles and some bits that dd1 left when she moved out at the beginning of 2020 and haven't been used by anyone since.

334-337 400 emails
338-343 6 bottles
344-348 5 bathroom items

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, Research, 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

Wednesday’s plan turned out to be DH & I going out to drop off a bag of donations & one of bubble wrap at the CS then to pick up train tickets for a visit to Kent. (The 3 of us are going to an 80th birthday lunch for DH’s sister) & finally a visit to our usual pub in Greenwich where we drank too much & chatted happily for a couple of hours 😉 We made loads of plans as usual but this time I jotted them down in a notebook 😂 We always have plenty of good 🤔 ideas & then struggle to remember them but not this time 😉 We left the house at about 2:15 p.m. & got back at 6:15 p.m. Popped a lasagne into the oven and also reheated lo pizza & garlic bread for dinner. DH & I both nodded off for a couple of hours 😬 I am having a quick coffee before going to bed. So no cheerleading tonight even though I am 2 pages behind 😉

502 - 505 Kitchen & office recycling, plastic bottle, drinks cans - recycled 

506 - 507 Kitchen detritus, uu toothpaste tube

508 - 536 Bag of bubblewrap (counting as 2), unused Blood Pressure log book, 2 hardback books, 3 x DVD box sets, large road atlas, 12 old maps (for crafting) biscuit tin, 2 unused shower caps, 7 finger protector sleeves (counting as 1), motorbike aerial flag, 3 rolls of tape to CS

Off to bed now 😊

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐🍰🍾🌟

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 536/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, not much done today unfortunately. Deleted some more photos from my phone, put away dry washing and 2 loads more done. I developed a stonking headache and had to have a lie down but was up again in time for the union meeting which was a bit hard going to be honest but was expected. It was the AGM so I have signed up to continue my role on the executive committee but have said no to attending conference. It is in Glasgow this year and initially I wanted to go as the last couple were online and it is always nice to catch up with people but there was a clash with the footie and the footie won . By the time I got home I was just very tired so did nothing except sit and watch tv and a bit of crochet. The hoover has been brought down to do the lr but it never got plugged in so I will have to be up early to give it a going over.

@Vulpix I love those bubble vases

313 100 photos deleted from my phone
314 - 315 washing sorted
316 meeting, task

Take care everyone
316/2023

grandmanerd

Completed my first target of 2023/ 2023 and now setting a second quarter target of 2023 (currently 0/ 2023 but that will change).

Completion was achieved by bags and sacks to rubbish and recycling (including cardboard boxes to the paper bin after midnight), many many toiletries, cleaning supplies, otc medicinal items used up, a concerted effort to use up  the remaining tins, jars and packets from mum's stock (it's things like microwave rice that it would never normally occur to me to use or buy in the first place). Plus some cs donations.

I've done a first sweep of most of the house. It's not a spring clean because I haven't really got down to the cleaning yet but I've attacked any areas I've noticed as the visual clutter has diminished and the level of general grubbiness has reduced. I have lots of '5 minute jobs' in my sights.

On Tuesday I contacted the Waste wizards. They came to do an estimate yesterday and said they'd come back in an hour after visiting another client. It took them longer than expected but they took one load of bricks and will return today to do a second brick run and then take all the gubbins after that (gubbins pile is growing as I keep adding things I can no longer be bothered with - remaining branches of  the 'weed trees' and the larger pieces of ivy 'roots' (the bin men may decide they are over the permitted diameter for the green bin and it would take hours sawing the larger pieces into slices).

The waste wizard tally will  kickstart my second quarter target. They're also going to scrape all the debris from then backs (mortar, brick remnants, dirt, plaster etc) and move the last bits of next door's wall back onto their property. The gatepost had 3 huge slabs of stone at the base, top and middle which the hinges were originally attached to. I've been struggling to do anything in the backs as the ground is so uneven and I'm constantly afraid of falling. The need to unblock the two grids out there will become more visible but it's waited long enough, another month won't matter. The WW  did some tidying yesterday - they said they needed to bring their shovels, I said I had shovels.

pollyanna_26

Just lost a reply to your post GMN.Re the vinyl have you considered contacting Omega Auctions?

The resident DJ at our local sports and social club does all the weddings and other events. He has a huge vinyl collection and as he lives is your neck of the woods the club manager and commitee allow  him to store them under the stage in the function room

Reading about the Bowie sale yesterday made me think Omega Auctions could be worth a try. Of course it isn't a hand written copy   of Jean Genie signed and verified by him but I do think it could be worth sorting and valuing that viny so you'll be able to carry out your plans re youngest and beloved.

You'll have the Waste Wizards to pay again and they aren't cheap.

I was awake nearly all night. After reading about a number of things online I decided to look up some of my favourites from years ago and remembered Clifford T Ward . I had his Home Thoughts from Abroad Album.

They do say you should never go back but I did. He would never tour and preferred being in his home town.  His album was released in 1973.

.He was born in 1944 a few years before me and passed away with MS in Dec 2001. It does feel strange to read that about someone who loved their home area.

Someone , it might have been Thrifty Taylor had posted a lovely image of the Snow Moon on one of the threads. I love those moons and had been out in the frost and fog watching it rise. I always consult my Maine Farmers Almanac which explains the names so thank you for the lovely image.

No idea if I'll sleep at all. I'd watched the Stacy programme for the 1st time and like some of the ideas for makes. The men are pretty talented and a lot of the space saving storage could be useful for GMN and others.

I did feel quite sorry for the mum. I'm not one for clutter or mess. Years ago I used to watch Kim and Aggie through my fingers. That woman had so much stuff it must be quite a relief to be organised now

I noticed there was a copy of a Don Aslett book among the mess. He was a bit of a 60s guru an American with his own Janitorial company  in America.

His book was very popular in the UK in the 60s along with the modern cookbooks . Mine is still here because it has some good cleaning tips. It was also useful when eldest dd had make up. clothes etc all over her bedroom floor- I used to aim it at her!

After UNi she moved and now lives in a pristine fully renovated georgian cottage in a little Yorkshire village . Always neat as a pin but very home like.

pollyx

ETA I must have been really tired when I posted early today.I forgot to mention the djs vast collection of vinyl came from that auction company. it's possible to have valuations done at home. I think Omega Auctions are based in either St Helens or Newton-le- Wilows so a home visit could be preferable.

GrannyKate

Not much done yesterday but out last night for DGD4's concert in Sheffield.  Made it with 1 minute to spare as I never thought to book parking in advance.  DS2 got stuck in traffic jam and was late home.  Another large frog is looming. I am writing a to do list in front of my notebook.  My 🦈 cleaner is sitting by my bed - it has been there since Monday so I'd better vacuum floor today. 

217 Shredding done
218 Old bank card cut up and new one signed - I was wondering when it would come as old one expired this month

Need to get new CO detector - one in living room keeps beeping to say batteries need changing but have done it three times now.  Plumber was supposed to come and check toilet this week but no sign so far.  

Ginmonster

I haven't kept up with recording everything I've got rid of or reading this thread BUT I have carried on making progress so I am not disheartened.

Since last posting I've taken several more bags of books and clothes to charity shops and binned a whole lot more useless tat. What was a very cluttery corner of my living room is now clean and clear and every time I look at it it gives me great joy! I also re-covered the kitchen chairs which we'd originally got from IKEA and they only came with a cream seat cover (what a stupid colour to have!) so as you can imagine, even after washing the covers always looked grubby. It looks so much nicer now and wasn't as difficult a job as I imagined. 

I feel like I can really see a difference now even though there's still lots to do. Keep going everyone! 😀

vulpix

 Grandmanerd it sounds like the waste wizards are a fabulous find. It is great when you find tradespeople who are reliable and do what you ask. I have a huge pile of stone, a dozen concrete slabs and a dozen roll top garden edging to make disappear this summer. 

 pollyanna I remember Clifford T Ward though not until you mentioned him. A great era for music. Gentler times. Hope you sleep tonight.

 Granny kate,we had the same problem with the smoke detector and batteries. In the end we ignored it's complaints and it came round to our way of thinking!

 Mrs SD that is a good idea to write ideas down. I saw something on my phone the other day and asked if we could go for my Birthday and neither of us can now remember what it is !

 Great celebrations and jubilations. the plumber is coming tomorrow to move the radiator in the sitting room. It will be quite disruptive as he will have to run pipes down the wall from the bedroom upstairs. I have no excuse now not to make the new curtains and properly clean the house. One day the grit will be gone. The plumber does know that I have many other plumbing jobs for him which he will look at whilst he is here. Woohoo,at last things feel like they are moving. I would like the radiator in the back bedroom moving, fix the outside toilet, lead pipes, and of course new bathroom. I think when this house had central heating put in it was an empty house. No thought seems to have taken place as to where furniture would have to go.

 I will get the photo of my quilt and blanket storage for you Brie. At the moment DD2 is in residence in the spare room.

 Vx

 

daisy_1571

Morning all, lovely before and after photos vulpix plus thanks to anyone posting photos that I've forgotten to mention- I alway love seeing them 

Start target 836

Craft decluttering plus frogs - 31 (especially pleased at taking time to sort all the stuff we've had kicking around either not in frames or not in correct frame, we've ordered the right sizes and finally got stuff up on the walls including 2 with a lot of my concert tickets - sadly didn't think to keep them all, especially the more interesting ones before the boring more modern printouts - which are now in one of the downstairs toilets.  Some of the pictures have been unloved and languishing for years so thats a definite bonus.  Plus sorted my cupboard of books and stuff, now books sorted into type of craft, everything fits and there's space.  Love it.)

Records - 22 (found another pile of records so been listening to them and ones are ready to go including Donovan, Harry Seacombe, the seekers, Queen live, the bangles etc but im keeping rainbow, Perry como, ronnie barker, lena martell, and some 50s compilations - I have wide ranging musical tastes lol.  Some are no longer my taste, records from father in laws collection or scratched.  I don't mind ones that jump but can't be bothered with the ones that endlessly repeat till you knock them on)

General household - 15

Setting up proper folders for me, Mr daisy, this house, next house, our holiday cottage, various craft categories.   Now I finally have order in lots of paperwork and somewhere to put random bits I've kept in various places cos the never had a home.  I can put my hand on the paperwork relating to our most recent house move and ive got all the stuff we'll need for next move so it feels great using stationery for its purpose rather than files and folders unused whilst important stuff is lost in among piles of floorplans of house styles from local new builds etc.    I was also able to go right to a pattern i needed to make something the other day.  Loving my organisation and counting 28 for this

New target 740

Hugs to anyone wanting one

Daisy xx

QueenJess

Feel very behind after a day off and the house looks like a tip.  I need to catch up and tidy my 23 things for today and also for yesterday to sort some of this stuff out. 

I felt raring to go and so pulled out the big box in the cleaning cupboard under the sink to start sorting through.  I emptied it, cleaned it all out and then started putting back things I know I will use.  Then for some reason I got really overwhelmed and indecisive, so I stopped and put back the unknowns into the cupboard, but left the box with just the things I had worked out I would use thus far.  I don't know why I find this cupboard so overwhelming when it does need a sort out, but it's not that bad.  Anyway, it is back and I will see if I can make some more decisions later.  It'll have to be done in 5 min sections.  I've got a couple of things on buy nothing but not sure if they will go... if I have interest then I'll add them onto my totals.

I have pulled out my box of seeds and I will start sorting through later to see if anything can go or if anything can be started off indoors soon.

Tiny progress...  Buy Nothing is very quiet now I'm not posting all my stuff on it daily

1,642 - bathroom supplies (used up)

1,643-1,649 - random cleaning supply cupboard stuff (mainly empty and recycled)

1,650 - cleaning stuff (used up

I was in town yesterday and was surprised to see a few charity shops had notices up saying they were desperate for donations including clothes and bric-a-brac.  I was quite surprised as it feels like the ripe time for people to be having clear outs.  Maybe it's a mix of easier online selling (particularly for clothes), Buy Nothing groups and the financial crisis that's stopping more donations?