2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

coconurtaler

Hugs to everyone who needs them. 

Spent some time today recycling cut shrub and tree branches into chippings while DH moved a shrub that was too close to the path.

I'm going to call this another 50 items and added to the 7 shampoo/shower gel bottles from yesterday I'm making it  total of 293.
Slow progress but still progress!

Floss

Brie said:

....  The purpose being that no one could simply claim an item but had to put a value on it.  Obviously something that no one values can simply be disposed of in a suitable fashion....

This is similar to how me & my 3 brothers tackled our family home - we all had to agree to each others chosen items.

Florenceem

Day 18 - 

46 Emails

5 Large Bags

11 Bags for Life  

So at 188 as against aim of 171                           

oceanspirit

Dealt with the filing today.  A few more emails deleted as well.

nannywindow

I sorted out my baking cupboard again and 7 bottles of really OOD (2005 to 2019) food colouring have gone out, I only kept the ones I bought just before xmas 🙄. I decanted several bags of flour, sugar and dried fruit into kilner jars and the bags were binned. To the cs bag went several different biscuit cutters, I have kept some but don't really need 5 metal gingerbread ones, nor 4 plastic star ones all the same size. I have a metal gingerbread house one in a box that I will offer to DD for her school, if not to the cs it will go. I used up the last of the biscuits in the tin, half a tub of cherries, some almost OOD marshmallows and a bar of cooking chocolate in a Rocky Road, very moreish and naughty. Also used up yesterday some sad mushrooms and peppers from the fridge in a stir-fry. Waste not, want not !
Today I changed the bed, cleaned the bedroom and the bathroom got zoflora-ed, now everything smells of winter spice.  Binned/recycled from the bathroom - 2 old toothbrushes which I used for cleaning, they were great for getting behind my taps. An empty glass bottle of bubble bath, 3 interdental brushes and 2 plastic caps from ? . I also decluttered a large empty bottle of fabric softener, a coffee jar ( decanted the contents into the proper container) and an empty tissue box, now all are in the recycling.
From the kitchen drawer 2 metal toffee hammers (thanks Gers for prompting me to bin them) and a bottle opener which made a rude sound when used. An empty varnish tin which we used this week and an old, on it's last legs frying pan has been binned as I have a smaller replacement.
Hugs to the poorly ones and to those struggling at the moment. Take care all, happy decluttering
nan

skogar

Sorted out the linen cupboard today. Found a number of pillowcases which don't fit the current pillows as the laest ones I bought are fatter than normal. I know somewhere with a pillowcase shortage so have a good home in mind for them.

Attempted to declutter some woodworm. The woodworm killer has had the first coat put on (still more to do but it's a start).

Reel of wide white ribbon also gone. 

A lot easier to get things in the kitchen cupboard since the clearout.

Keiths_Mum

Gers said:

Unintended declutter yesterday. I had a delivery of new cutlery so took out the drawer insert to wash it (and the drawer).  These items were lurking under modern day things.

A toffee hammer - shades of Christmas in the 60s and 70s when big trays of toffee were received from 'Santa'.

My late DM's pastry cutter wheel - so many memories attached to that.

The Christmas nutcracker - Brazil nut shell everywhere for weeks.

My late DF's beer bottle opener which doubled up as a piercer for tins of condensed milk.

And my very late GM and GGM's wooden spoons.

I'm stuck between weeping at the memories and rejoicing in them.

You never know when you're going to need a tiny toffee hammer, I used one to bang a nail in a really tight space once, worked a treat. I think all of these things are still useful and are lovely, especially the pastry cutter, I love vintage kitchen utensils.

Donated 2 rucksacks that are surplus to requirements. Going to sort a box of stationery tomorrow, hopefully. I got a toogoodtogo box tonight so planning to do some batch cooking for the week also.

Brie

Keiths_Mum said:

Gers said:

You never know when you're going to need a tiny toffee hammer, I used one to bang a nail in a really tight space once, worked a treat. I think all of these things are still useful and are lovely, especially the pastry cutter, I love vintage kitchen utensils.

I was surprised that my brother (who isn't known for his ability to cook) insisted on having my mom's colander.  Now this is a honking bit thing - 15 inches high, inverted cone, removable from a metal 3 legged stand.  Looks a bit like a 1950s moonlander.  And the essential bit is the wooden - well I don't know what you call it - thing that fits in it but looks a bit like a conical spurtle.  The point of the whole thing is to cook something (it was always apples at ours) and the dump those in and then the conical wooden thingme could be rotated in the cone and it would squish the most perfect apple sauce out the sides of the colander into a bowl underneath.  Very heavy duty aluminum (I think) and I remember it from early childhood so I suspect Mom got it when she was first married and setting up house which would have been 1951.  

No toffee hammers in our house.  With a dentist for a father toffee wasn't really a thing to have about and I doubt there were toffee hammers about in any case.  Lots of nut crackers though.....  Oh and a cookie press that could handle the toughest dough!!!

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

All packed & ready to set off by 1:00 p.m. Left the house 1:45 p.m., round to bus stop, 3 minute wait, onto DLR station another 3 minute wait but arrived Greenwich mainline with 20 minutes to spare before train arrived. No seats available until a couple of stops later. Smooth & quiet journey to Rainham. Met by DH’s BiL so that DH could walk to house whilst DSis & I got a lift 😂 DH looked so sad 😞 DH’s great great nephew was visiting with his dad. Lots of chat & catching up. Dinner was for 7 of us - started with salad with salmon and/or chicken, main course cottage pie & mixed vegetables followed by sticky toffee pudding & ice cream 🤤 DH’s sister & BiL left shortly after dinner & then we sat around for a couple of hours chatting & laughing - wide ranging conversations with everyone in bed by 11:30 p.m.

Now in bed. Will catch up on the cheerleading & probably be asleep by 1:00 a.m.

Wednesday2000, I am sure the perfect navy cushion (or cushion cover) will find you 😉  I think not only is there a lot of decluttering taking place, but a lot of charity shops are short of volunteers. I know the one TC77 & I donate to is definitely looking for volunteers. 

Great decluttering QueenJess 👏 Hope your parents surprise you & turn up with very little stuff🤞

MadamMim2013, loved the ‘moooved several times 👏😂 Fingers crossed DH does sort out his clothing 🤞

Excellent decluttering Florenceem 👏 Hopefully one more trip should see the last of the charity bags gone 🤞Well done persuading MrF to part with some of his large bags 🙂

Brie, perhaps just take a £10 note when you visit all those charity shops as there might be something that you truly need 😉

Excellent tidying & decluttering Soontobeoap 👏 I think I would count as 3 as you dealt with 2 drawers & the baking cupboard 🙂

Great decluttering cocnurtaler 👏 Every item out is progress 👏

Floss, if everyone agrees that makes the whole process of clearing a relatives house far easier 😊

Great work Florenceem 👏 still ahead of target 🙂

Great decluttering oceanspirit 👏

Excellent decluttering nannywindow 👏 I see sorting out baking cupboards is a bit of a theme 😉 so will add to my To Do list & try to bake something as well 😊

A very busy Saturday & you got a lot done 👏

Great decluttering skogar 👏 Good luck decluttering the woodworm 🍀

Keiths_Mum, thanks for the suggested use of a toffee hammer - I think I will keep mine now 😉 Great decluttering 👏 good luck decluttering stationery🍀

Brie, that colander sounds like a marvel of engineering - although rather large 😉 If your DB is anything like my DH, then he loves a gadget so wouldn’t matter whether it was a kitchen gadget or not 😅 

Night, night 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 625/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £43.00

weenancyinAmerica

@Gers - I still use four of those things - the bottle opener, the pastry wheel, the nutcracker, and similar wooden spoons. I seem to collect older kitchen utensils. Enjoy using them, hope you will too. They don't make things that last as well any more.