2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Karamac

Hi all, I’m finally ready to make a start, having lurked for the whole of last year and being so impressed with how you’re all doing.
I don’t usually do the New Year’s resolution thing, as I’m wary of setting myself up for failure, but the timing works really well for us this year - my lovely hubby came home from hospital yesterday, after 10 weeks of chemo for leukaemia. He’s not completely out of the woods yet, with more treatment to come, but we’re a bit closer to being able to move to the retirement place we’ve been working on for the past year. 

And if we’re moving, we’ve got a huge amount of stuff to shed on the way - hence the need to declutter. We’ve lived in the same flat for 30 years now and raised our 3 kids here, and boy does it show!
I’m aiming for 2023 in 2023 - a mix of using up things we have too much of ie extra food stores we originally got in for Brexit and then Covid, donating ie the huge pile of books I may never get around to reading, plus a few items I may be able to sell. Not much landfill there, hopefully, just stuff to be chipped away at.
Wishing you all the best possible year and great success with the de-cluttering!

Fayolle

I’ve left the starting blocks for the year. It will definitely be baby steps for me, and I’ll hopefully see how it is working by having emptier surfaces. And of course, not forgetting the dreaded loft.
So today’s start was decluttering 2022 by recycling the old calendar, putting the almost dead basil plant from the kitchen windowsill into the compost bin, and starting the de-Christmasfying of the house - the wreath that hasn’t been used for 2 years and was rather the worse for wear is no longer in the house. A cs bag has been started and donations received from the family: 1 book and 1 pair of trousers. 

Wishing everyone a good decluttering year.

thriftyscotslass

DrCarrie said:

I have put myself on an increasing stamina regime, getting back to 10,000 + steps a day

I like this idea - I will give it some thought - I also want to increase my strength in different muscle groups

Floss

@callas I used to have boxes of tickets & gig programmes (those were inadvertently left in my ex-husbands attic when I moved out). I binned all the tickets as they were memories of my married life, but kept the gig flyers, adding to them from Ebay. They are now framed & hung in my downstairs loo as a visual record of my concert-going. I have a poster from an early Brian Adams gig, A5 flyers from Robert Plant, Quo, Jools Holland, Squeeze, Blondie & many more, along with comedy gigs such as John Bishop & Sarah Millican.
This was part way through hanging...

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

@Floss, love that idea for concert memorabilia!

Brie

vulpix said:

Brie , Tim Hortons has landed! They have several outlets in the uk. 😍
vx

Unfortunately none within a convenient drive of our place (south coast).  Strangely I think there are 8 outlets in Glasgow which is more than the rest of the country last time I checked.

thriftyscotslass

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger Thank you for hosting the EDT threads - it has helped get me through the Xmas and New Year period, which I always struggle with, and I feel in quite a positive place to start 2023. So here goes nothing:

1 - 5 Xmas Cards; Decs; Tree; Food & Drink - all to the bin, recycling or attic as appropriate. (Maintenance)
6 - 7 Calendar & Diary (Maintenance)
8 Twenty mins sitting cutting and shaping my nails (Self-care)
9 -10 Hat & Coat to bin - both too old to go to recycling or cs (Additional)

We have an unexpected 3-day trip to DH's Uncle's funeral to declutter - we're travelling Tues-Thurs staying two nights at a Premier Inn.

Good luck to everyone on your decluttering journeys - we've got this
Thrifty xxx

weenancyinAmerica

Barely made it to midnight. It was pouring down rain - so no fireworks at Disneyland, but two of the neighbors did illegal fireworks instead - one at 1:30 instead of midnight! That was done by the person living behind me and was really loud. Scared the cats. Spent the evening adding more things to the "to-do" list for the year. 

Up early to feed animals - 2 indoor cats, 2 outdoor cats, and big dog. Put the old calendar away in financial papers box. Our trash pick-up is delayed one day this week so not going out until Tuesday, but needed to take out the trash from the pizza party the boys had last night.

Realized that with roommate one starting her new job I will have to change transportation arrangements as we share a car. Will need to arrange transportation to volunteer job at Family History Center. And take the bus to a doctor's appointment this week- just a straight bus ride so no real problem. Her schedule is variable so won't know except a few days in advance. She has the day we work at the Library off so no problem there which is good as we have a box of books to take in for the book sale. Have a feeling though that that this will be a major frog every week. 

Cleared out over 100 emails today. Only have about 100 more to declutter and will be caught up. Most of these are from other frugal living sites - other stuff has already been cleared out. 

so far:
1: old calendar put away in proper spot
2 - pizza party trash out
3 - rearranged calendar for week
4 - cleared out 100 emails

Off to see what else I can clear off my to-do list. Need to hem trousers as only have two pair and one got wet yesterday reminding me of the need to sew up a loose seam in the other. 

gettingthrifty

Happy New Year all!
Well im completely overwhelmed. Still have a New Year and 2nd Jan birthday until i can really get going.
I virtually stood in my living room this afternoon thinking i just dont know where to start..so we took the tree down packed away the ornaments . I then emailed the council to collect the 2 white goods that broke down 2 weeks prior to christmas. No actual decluttering but first steps in place

bit_by_bit

Hi @Brie. He is from Ontario. Will remeber to ask for Timbits  I remember seeing the in Canada last year but didn't get to try any.

@vulpix: we have a Tim Hortons newly opened in Derby. Going to try it out when B comes over.

Sorry you are down @ChasingtheWelshdream. Being overwhelemd or depressed about the state of your place doesn't always kick you into getting started. Take your time and take care of your health. Going slowly will get you there.

I realised that I didn't put my target. I always set it at 100 bags for theyear but have always surpassed that. I could surpass it many times and still havee too much.

I am going to see family next weekend and will be taking some wool and kntting looms to a pair of nieces I have in Portsmouth. Prepping a bag this week for them as well as SiL for the knitting project I have set her. I will count out when they have gone.

Havea good evening all