2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Liverpool_Anne

@Mrs SD, thank you for my medal and star Saturday was indeed non stop but I was really happy about it , pity I couldn't sustain the pace on Sunday but hoping for more days like that, I need them if I am ever to get where I want to be

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

6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - DH is in the bath & DSis in her room but has been decluttering/tidying 🥳 I am making use of my warming drawer - the green beans, carrots, mashed sweet potato are all cooked. The roasties & meat are in oven, the cabbage is prepped & just waiting for me to wash up a pan. Wudupa. Cabbage now cooking. Just the roasties to finish off & the Yorkshires to go in 🙂 Dinner was delicious 😋 & plenty of beef in gravy left for another meal 👏 Having washed up all the pans earlier, the rest of the washing up was a breeze 🙂 Just the one baking tray soaking. 

561 - 565 Kitchen recycling, 3 cardboard boxes, drinks cans - recycled 

566 - 567 Kitchen & lr detritus binned

Foofoopuppy, you probably didn’t spend that much time in the TLC Carriage but we are are currently vying with the Bullet Train for how fast we can go 😅Excellent rearrangement & decluttering/using up 👏

Excellent paperwork decluttering Keiths_Mum 👏 A tidy house & a visitor to look forward to 😊 Hope you have a lovely time out & about in London & that the weather is kind (as in NO rain) 🤞I think that now you are proving you can declutter successfully, a few days off will do you no harm at all 😊

TC77, hope DD2 enjoyed her uni day 🙂 Nothing wrong with having a bit of faith that you will get into your clothes 😊 but might I suggest a six month time limit & revisiting the clothing situation 😉Excellent & eclectic decluttering 👏 Hopefully your list of frogs will be a short one 🤞 As to your blunt sewing scissors perhaps cutting foil might help to sharpen them up 🤞 - not my idea, I read it somewhere 😉

Nothing particularly wrong with being set in your ways food wise weenancy 😉 as it can save money 🙂The Hello Fresh (HF) boxes that we have been getting have had the benefit of expanding my DSis’s palate (she is not very adventurous) with no waste as the ingredients have been precisely weighed out 🙂 Prior to DSis moving in, DH & I were experimenting with different foodstuffs, more spices etc but I cannot be bothered with cooking two separate menus 😉  Fingers crossed that the lightbulb lasts at least 8 years - perhaps set up a reminder 😉 You must be getting quite excited about the progression to your completed book😆 Hopefully no distractions in the library & plenty of space to spread out 🤞Just the two days vacation but a home away from home should make it enjoyable 😊

Liverpool_Anne, the simplest of things can make us extraordinarily happy when decluttering - so I am not at all surprised to hear that you were “ridiculously happy” at finding you had 8 empty card stock boxes rather than 7 😊 What a lovely OH 🥰 Also rather good that OH is finally on board with the ‘no more buying’ of plastic bags 😉 When I send my DH shopping he has a checklist before he leaves home: shopping list, wallet, phone, £1 coin for trolley, shopping bags. He gets rather irked if I interrupt him whilst he is going through his checklist 😅 You have been so busy that I am not surprised that the washing slipped your mind 😉 Shame that you have such poor mobile reception, as having a landline is quite expensive 😔 or so my DH tells me 😂

I have just noticed the time so I am off to bed. Unfortunately still 24 posts behind, so will try again to catch up late today. It is only 3:00 a.m & I am listening to the dawn chorus 🤔 

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐🍰🍾🌟⭐️🌟

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 567/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

wort

Would love to take Fluffy and Fomo 😂 love the name! Vulpix , but my big soft boy takes up the whole of my legs and couch🤣 will literally let you rub his belly and neck for hours.

1 of the 3 items that came in is going back , I think it was destined for fantasy me.

filled up the soap dispenser with shower gel as I have loads.

Have a good decluttering week to everyone, wishing you all a healthy happy time.

Moorviews

Thank you to those who gave your thoughts on sentimental items that cause me to cry. They were very helpful and I am on the side of keeping for now. Unfortunately, I seem to have accidentally binned a card from a very dear person and it has felt like I have lost them all over again. I went through the bin and all the recycling but couldn’t find it so it must have gone out in an earlier bin collection. I do have some lovely other things but I had wanted to keep that Christmas message with their handwriting on. Lesson learned not to get my piles mixed up when going through cards. 

@vulpix- your room is looking lovely in a very simple and calm way. I’ve been there with cleaning sooty dust and it is not fun so congratulations to getting to the end of it.

My sympathies with the bullied and I hope your daughter @Dfw38 can make some nice new friends. There will come a time in the future when most of those girls will feel very ashamed of the way they behaved towards her. I have had three apologies from people in my lifetime from people who had somewhat belatedly reflected on their behaviour towards me. I appreciated that they did that but it didn’t mean a lot to me as I couldn’t really care much for, or have any meaningful relationship with people who behaved that way, whether they be the leader or the followers. Nevertheless, it was an acknowledgment from them that they were in the wrong and it took courage to do, so in that sense I appreciated their honesty and humility.

On the decluttering front I have weeded out some uncomfortable spare pillows and managed to juggle things to get grandchildren’s toys and spare clothes into a cupboard and boxed up. Two sources of visual clutter gone. I am halfway through another desk drawer but need to have a breather on that. I’m impatient for that big hunk of furniture to be gone now though. Mr MV said we could replace it with something nicer - Nooooooo, I want the space 😂 The bottom drawer is just videos and dvds which will be easier. All the cubbyholes and little drawers in the top part are something I am dreading! Hopefully there won’t be that much that is really useful in there 🤞

Wishing everyone a good start to the week ahead and well wishes and hugs for those that need them. 

GrannyKate

Up and ready to declutter small people until Weds teatime.  They have a list of 'things' to do with me Thursday and Friday.  Off to PO with frog letter to post - will count when it's actually gone.  Need to sort all the papers out then and file as we will need them in April. Doctors on Weds am then I have a snowdrop walk with a local group.  

227 New doorstop fitted - spare one in garage household box. 
228 Rubbish from both cars either recycled or binned
229 Last of the frog stuff assembled and put in envelope and sealed ready for posting

Looking through dates for coming year trying to work out when I may be able to do a few solo trips and when and where I can take DGCs. DS2 did vegetables for slow cooker last night and I've added some defrosted YS chicken and turned it on. 

vulpix

 Thank you for kind comments about the sitting room,notice how I never post pictures of the kitchen hahahaha. I hope that is the end of the sooty dust,I think that was the third but most robust clean. I was influenced to pare everything right back after visiting the kids air b n b at Christmas. It was elegant and tasteful. If we move, I might have this house as a holiday let.
 I hate my kitchen,it is so small and dark,not enough surfaces and looks grim because of badly fitting units and grout, No door on the under sink cupboard,with lovely stains on the ceiling from an old bathroom leak. There has been a previous slap dash yellow paint job.It always looks dirty and tbh it is only just the right side of clean.I spend as little time as possible in there and consequently don't enjoy cooking anymore.

 I am going to Mothers today to dig up some of her mass of snowdrops in the lawn. She has been nursing them 20 years at least and are glorious this year. For now I will have them in a big pot. I don't have a lawn,there is the optimistically called wildlife garden on the disused lane but I fear it would be too wet for them as there is an overflowing stream up there that keeps the ground like a bog most of the year.

 Moorviews, that is interesting that old foes have apologised to you. I wish some of mine could be that mature and apologise. I apologised to someone that I went to school with a few years ago. I didn't bully him but other people did and I did nothing.I hate bullies.When DS was about 15 he got a detention for punching someone in the face at school. I had to sign the permission slip and wrote on it that I was proud that DS had punched someone in the face. He had gone into the toilet to find a gang terrifying a boy from the special needs unit. Because of his detention for fighting DS was not allowed to be a prefect. He was gutted as all his mates were prefects. Rules is Rules. I think he should have been Head Boy.

 Vx

Brie

vulpix said:

Hey vulpix!  You missed a big fluffy bit on the carpet!!! Shall I swing by and huggle it away for you??!!!  (what a sweetie!!!)  And I quite agree - how does one lose a large pan????  Not in the oven is it??

Major accomplishment declutter!!!  I'm so pleased with myself!!!!  The gardeners were here and decluttered 6 packs of bulbs into the garden, rescued the pink daffodils, and finally finally finally got rid of the bag of compost that the previous owners had left behind.  It's only been sitting on the patio for 5 years!!!  Gardener said it was actually very lush stuff likely from having been brewing for so long. 

Having the gardeners is my major treat to myself.  I know I'm not active enough to keep the garden as nice as I'd like it and I really do love having it look neat and tidy.  Young chap whose business it is is very good at taking instructions (unlike a previous service I had).  I've made it clear to him that I am not interested in a putting green lawn but something that's full of colour, animal friendly (visiting cats, hedgehogs and foxes as well as an occasional predatory bird or two) and just somewhat tidy.  He & his young apprentice do a great job.  

QueenJess

Still ill and can't hear out of one ear at the moment, which is incredibly annoying.  Trying to balance doing things for the half term with some rest.  As I've been pretty bored resting, I've been browsing the internet and ended up looking at project pan stuff.  I don't have an extensive make up collection as I don't wear much, but I've generally been inspired to use all the things I have or get rid of them if I don't want them.

Last night I used up a moisturiser (I have loads left as people seem to gift them to me).  I will paint my nails later with a nail varnish I've never opened yet to check I do like it.  I've picked 2 to cycle between now and the end of March and then will pick a different 2 for Spring to use (I only have 8 colours left now, but aim to get down to about 3 eventually and then will only buy more environmentally friendly ones).  I picked out a top this morning I bought second hand but haven't worn.  It fits quite well, so think I will keep.  I also wore a new jumper I got from Greenpeace that's really cosy that will be lovely to wear whilst working from home.  I'm also working on finishing a puzzle book I have before getting any new ones.

1871 - moisturiser used up

1872 - tin not needed (Buy Nothing)

1873 - socks I always avoid in the drawer as they are so uncomfortable (recycled)

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

Monday is a lovely bright sunny day but still a tad chilly. I didn’t wake up until 11:15 a.m. but did get up & dressed immediately 🙂 The headache I had from oversleeping has gone after drinking my first cuppa. DSis is asleep on the sofa 😔 DH is in his office and suffering with the knee on his bad leg - he can barely stand let alone walk ☹️ He has ordered a new knee support & will wait for delivery before resuming his training walks. I think perhaps doing 6,000 steps in one go is a bit too much, so I think I will have a gentle word about maybe doing three walks a day when he starts the Walking Challenge next month - perhaps 2 x 4,000 + a 3,000 steps. More time consuming BUT more likely that he will complete the 31 consecutive days 🤞 

weenancy, I always thought that cell phones were glued to people’s hands 😉 The problem is that they are so small now so easily lost 😔 

DundeeDoll, thanks for the fuller explanation of the toothbrush principle 👏 I don’t often use waxed paper etc & the drawer is so tidy now that I am loath to clutter it up again 😉 I will ponder & cogitate as I am sure a solution will present itself 🤞😉

grandmanerd such a sad case but now that Covid seems to be a permanent fixture like flu, I think even routine operations will carry an added risk 😔 Great work on your decluttering & using up 👏 Your pottering sounds more like conscious decluttering to me 😉 I love your shoe story 😊 A typical response of the time from an all male interview panel I imagine - “you made your dress so you should be a dress designer” rather than focusing on your qualifications & whether or not they were enough for the job you were applying for 😔 I do have to say that ‘not drinking tea’ seems to be an odd thing for them to decide would mean that you wouldn’t get on in the Civil Service 🤔 

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 Hope you can sort out the problem of spam filtering 🤞 

Neroli2, sorry to hear that your mum was discharged from hospital with no thought as to how she would cope 😔 Well done on getting it all sorted out 👏 After all that stress, I think you should remain in the TLC Carriage for some time whilst you recover 😊 Great idea to concentrate on Digital decluttering 👏

vulpix, I think that particular shoe story wins the prize 😉 I would have thought the young man would have been wearing the shoes to break them in or don’t men do that? I feel most sorry for your friend as I would bet that she has never bought herself a pair of expensive shoes ☹️ Poor MrV losing his storage shed 😉 but at least when all the decorating is done it will be his again 🤞I would definitely put a time limit on how long you store your kids stuff, otherwise poor MrV will never get his storage shed back 😂

Brie, wow OH doing something - presumably without being asked 🤩 No wonder you need to lie down in a darkened room 😅

Excellent decluttering Rootle 👏

Liverpool_Anne, oops 🙊 I assume your OH thinks that emptying bins is your job 😉 & that providing a new bin bag is being helpful 😂 If ever I am struggling to read a book I skip to the end - if it is interesting I will go back & persevere but if it is not interesting I stop reading immediately 😅 

That will be a big declutter SecondStar 😉 Fingers crossed that it happens soon & you can get on with your new life 🤞

Muddy_Walker, love the idea of “sinful shelves” 😅 Excellent decluttering & putting like with like will make it easier to make decisions about what else to declutter 👏  One medal 🏅 coming your way 🙂 I think I would join dog 1 - lying down & hiding the red ball from dog 2 😉 I don’t think it is the case that donations have to be dropped off round the back Muddy_Walker, as most of the charity shops I visit have no rear access. It leaves a very sour taste when staff in charity shops are rude ☹️ However, their loss as you will now find another CS to donate to 😊

Sorry to hear that the tooth extraction didn’t go well oceanspirit 😔 Hopefully time spent in the TLC Carriage is aiding your recovery 😉 Excellent decluttering whilst feeling unwell 👏 As to OH enjoying the fact that you couldn’t talk, into the stocks with them unless OH was keeping up with the decluttering 😉 

EnergyShifter, well done on getting to 8:00 a.m. Mass - it seems it set you up for a lovely day with DS 😊 Excellent decluttering - one medal 🏅🏅 each for you & DS 👏  I was rather pleased to read that someone else remembers the days of impromptu air travel 😊 You are very welcome - although I do need to get into a regular routine of cheerleading so that I can keep up 😉

Lovely to see you Deb4 👋 RL can be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to decluttering 😉 but well done on getting so much done 👏 I am especially impressed that you are taking up a new challenge each month 👏 January - chess, February - baking 🤩  

Right, I have got to the bottom of a page, so will post this & do something for 23 minutes then come back & have another attempt at catching up completely 😉

P.S. TC77 I have PM’d you 🙂

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐🍰🍾🌟⭐️🌟

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 567/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

vulpix

Found the paper. The most important thing I suppose. 

 Brie my kinda gardening. I follow a guy on fb called Andrew Clifton. A garden that looks like no body gardens it iyswim. You are welcome to join bit by bit in residential cat sitting duties. It does involve getting up many times an hour to let cats in/out of front/ back door and maintaining cat biscuits to the approved number. I love them but it is worse than having a baby. Mind you in the summer months they live in the woods and only come home occasionally. 

 Granny k you deserve a little break. You are so busy most of the time. 

 Queen Jess. Even when you are proper poorly you are still planning. Earache is horrible. Feel better soon. X 

 Vx