2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

DundeeDoll

vulpix said:

 Dundee doll, where is the maze? I went to uni in Dundee, I imagine it wasn’t there back in the dark ages when I was. That event looks lovely. 

up at ninewells (medical school) though there is also a cloth one comes out once a month at the chaplaincy (city campus)
what did you read? how long ago?

vulpix

Dundee Doll, Social work in the mid 80's Lived at Stobswell with a friend of a friend then moved down the West end just off the Perth Road with other friends of the same friend. I had placements in Perth,Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Fond memories of a pub on the Perth road whose name I forget and sunrise on The Law, with baked goods from the bakery which was open about 3am.Walking over to a friends house at Newport on Tay. Dundee United home matches. A lot of partying but that was the people I lived with not course people. Good times. We drove up to Aberdeen last year for the ferry to The Shetlands and I made Mr V drive round my old haunts in Dundee. First time I have ever been back.

 Mrs SD curtain wrangler indeed. They are 93 inches long finished and very heavy fabric. The window curtains are almost done,just the header tape to put on them both tomorrow. They WILL be up at the window by the time Mr V comes home from visiting his Mum in Nottingham. I will never make curtains ever again. There is no need!

 Vx

 

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

Forgot to mention that I helped DSis free a pigeon from the bird feeder stand - it had got trapped between the main pole & one of the brackets. It’s leg was very badly damaged & it spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the lawn - not too sure it will last the night. Wudupa

688 Newspaper read & recycled

florianatwobob, good luck with the decorating preparations 🍀 Always difficult having to work around furniture 😔 Excellent work sorting & tackling fiddly jobs 👏

TC77, seeing as I got mixed up 😔 - whilst I remember - Fingers crossed that once washed your haircut will go from OKish to fabulous🤞 Sounds like both you & DD have been busy 👏 Shame about the car breaking down but hopefully the repairs won’t be too expensive 🤞 Good luck with your fl/bay sales 🍀Great work clearing frogs 👏 Not too sure that DH is ‘enjoying’ his walks but he is enjoying combining the walks with using the Tube & photographing the roundels at each station + he is seeing more of London 😊 Tuesday is his last training day & he starts the challenge on Wednesday 🙂 

Excellent decluttering Happy_Kitties 👏 Love the idea that the kitchen cupboard wanted to be decluttered 😉 

Excellent decluttering Brie 👏 Hopefully the drawer will recover from its ‘saggy bottom’ 😅

Excellent decluttering coconurtaler, you have been busy 👏 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 🙂

Excellent work oceanspirit especially nudging frogs along 👏

Sounds like a perfect way to recover, Liverpool_Anne 😊 Out for tea & then resting in front of the tv doing some crochet 😊 Any chance of a picture of your teddy 🙏 What a lovely dad 😊 A lovely supportive post & great cheerleading 👏  You might have ‘loft envy’ but I definitely have olive & almond tree envy 😉 

Excellent work decluttering books, weenancy 👏 Five boxes must be a good start 🤞 Sending you & your roommates lots of gws wishes but 🙏 take it easy until you are fully well 🙏 The hospital administration doesn’t sound very efficient weenancy 😔 Hopefully the medical care is better 🤞 You are definitely having really awful weather there ☹️ which I see was predicted by Punxsutawney Phil 😉although I did also read that he only has a 39% accuracy rate 🙂 I didn’t realise it was quite so bad that you are having snow & hail on the beaches 😱 

Dfw38, I was very pleased to hear that you have arranged a play date for eldest DD - it will help to build her confidence & hopefully ignore the bullies 🤞 You have done a really excellent job of decluttering 👏especially with 3 dc to ‘assist’ when they feel like it 😉 You are very welcome 😊 I had to smile at your comment about only clearing places that your DH doesn’t frequent 😁  Keep up the excellent work 👏 I am still pondering joining you in ‘Mini Missions in March’ 😉

I am off to bed now as I am flagging 😔 I will try to catch up a bit more tomorrow or should that be today 🤞

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

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 688/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £43.00

vulpix

 Weenancy, your weather made it to our national TV news last night. # Huskylife.

 I am sorry to keep talking about my Mother. Took 10 bin bags of clothes round. She cried and cried. I have never seen her cry in my life.  She hates being reliant on people when she has always been so independant and is sorry that she didn't sort her life out 30 years ago. So much saved for Justin, wartime mentality. Scraps of paper,scraps of ribbon,etc,etc,etc.Went through the bags with her, bagged most of them back up for Brother to take to the chazzer. Her bedroom at home is still not empty. Only done the blanket box, dressing table and one wardrobe so far. I made the mistake of looking under the bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! heavy suitcases and boxes. It makes me so relieved that I will not have to sort my life out and empty a big house at 89. I think she is finding it hard to be away from home. As for me,I am so glad that I have Mr V. I have arthritis and he is my strength and stamina.

 I asked her about the Teddy and he is 93.

 I have done a sneaky thing. My Mum worked at the same school that I did for a long time before me. She acquired a wooden desk and chairs from when they updated in the 70's. My kids played with it a lot. She thinks DS is having it. I have offered it back to the school. Just awaiting collection. 

 Off to finish the curtains now.

 Vx

Wednesday2000

I probably have mentioned my mother-in-law on here, when she died last year my husband and his brother emptied the house of so much stuff. I think he said there were about 20 bin bags of clothes that didn't fit her and she hadn't worn in years. Someone I know is clearing his Mum's house at the moment as she died a couple months after my mother-in-law and her house is full to the brim. He said as he is doing it on his own (his siblings live abroad) and he is working Monday to Friday that he thinks it will take weeks or even months to do.

I tidied my husband's wardrobe and took a before and after pic, but it wasn't that impressive so I deleted them. I only found one hoodie to donate as he has clothes that I don't particularly like and are scruffy, but they are handy for work as he works outdoors a lot.

I read a book yesterday that I bought at a chazzer for 10p and it was very good so I gave it to my husband to read on his commute. That will be donated afterwards. I am giving another book to my brother when I next see him too.

The donation bag has the hoodie, a skirt I don't want, a blouse that doesn't fit me and two bottles of unopened serum that irritate my skin. I bought a set of three serums and I only used it a few times a week and I think that is why I have had redness on my skin the past couple of months!

dND

Hello Mrs SD and everyone else, long time, no see

I think I need to be back here.  It's been a long time with Covid and the depression, (not clinical but just feeling down), brought on by the lack of movement in the house selling market around here in France. 

However there is now a glimmer of a light on the horizon so I really need to get serious about some de-cluttering - I have been doing bits over the preceding years but I need to knuckle down and figure out what is really important to me and then more importantly, get on and action it!

As I said, there is a glimmer of hope that I could return to the UK but it could be snuffed out very easily due to French bureaucracy and restrictions on land use (I have 12 acres).  But fingers are always crossed which is probably why so little gets done here    Part of the lack of motivation is that a lot of the items I've identified as not accompanying back to the UK I still need here, like furniture.

So I've decided to ease myself back into the forums and hopefully will be able to drop in here from time to time as you've always been such an encouraging lot.

Deborah

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

Tuesday is dull & overcast at 10:00 & although I am up, I have decided to stay in my fluffy dressing gown whilst I have my first cuppa & probably my second & third cuppas as well 😂

Well done on keeping up Moorviews 🙂 My olive tree does love the south facing garden but has basically been left to its own devices apart from a bit of amateur pruning & as a special treat in 2021 it had a professional shape & prune 😉 Very impressed that your decluttering mojo is so strong & that you are noticing the difference 👏 Excellent work continuing to deal with the sitting room ‘bureau desk of doom’ 👏 is it still going to be leaving your home? & no I didn’t remember, I just checked back 😅 Absolutely excellent decluttering 👏 & because you have done so much & tackled so many areas I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ I am also awarding you a medal 🏅 for not only decluttering your bedroom but for giving it a celebratory clean 👏 You now have a tranquil haven to remind you how well you are doing 😊 I would also like to thank you so much for your last paragraph 🙂 Hmm, perhaps we should gather together all these types of comments/observations for a book -  “Reflections of a Declutterer” might be a good title 😊 There I go again, off on a tangent - no wonder I keep falling behind on the cheerleading 😉

Floss, thanks for the reminder about ood meds 👏 

GrannyKate, what a lovely reply to Moorviews 😊 and thank you for sharing such beautiful memories of your mum 👏 Small people do tend to create a lot of clutter but I imagine you wouldn’t want it any other way 😊 Good luck with your 23 minute frog 🍀 I am very impressed that you are doing so well on your ‘no biscuits, cakes or sweets’ journey 😊 My vision of olive trees is visiting Italy & sharing a meal with family - lots of laughter & chat 🙂 but I do like the idea of a Greek taverna & wine 😄

What a brilliant post roundtuit 👏🤩 I am nearly at the point where I might join the Three Musketeers in their ‘March Mini Missions’ 😉 Now that Dfw38 has relit your decluttering pilot light I know that you will Not let work deflect you from your goal 😊 I love, love, love the work observation 🤣 so much so that I have copied it & added it to Notes with the button box pictures 😉

No worries at all Moorviews 😊 Sometimes being brief can be such a minefield but I am comforted by the fact that we always have someone to gently remind us of things 🙂 I find that “dealt with appropriately” is a good cover all phrase when I am trying to be brief 🙂 - not that you would know bearing in mind how long my posts are 😂

Good work in the kitchen Wednesday2000 👏 By the way, do you need any red lentils - I have a spare bag (see previous post 😂) 😉 Your wardrobe is a work of art now - an hour well spent 👏 & deserving of a medal 🏅 I especially love the seagrass & grey boxes 😊 

No worries at all Floss - I have to admit that I am always grateful for useful information & gentle reminders especially when something so important is being discussed 👏

QueenJess, if you are anything like me 😉 it might be an idea to copy & paste the pictures of the loft somewhere you can look at them easily just to remind yourself of your goal 😊 I really like the idea that you can supervise DH whilst he sorts out the loft 😅 Sorry to hear that you are still feeling the after effects of the migraine ☹️ so a good idea to take things easy until you are fully recovered 👏 Excellent decluttering 👏 and very MSE re organisers for your underwear drawers 👏 I was very pleased to hear that your dedication to tidying is paying off but even more pleased that you have acknowledged it to both yourself & us 😊 Although I am here to cheerlead (and declutter 😉) we can each be our own biggest cheerleaders 🥹 Keep up the good work 👏 Btw, nothing wrong with being excited about using up your last biro 😉 especially as you now know where to find a replacement if you should ever want one 😂

Nice to see you Slinky 👋 You might have been away for a while but you have done a huge amount of decluttering 👏 It sounds like the renovations that you started/did in 2022 are being finished off & you are well on the way to the home of your dreams 👏😊 Excellent decluttering of both house & garage 👏 & great to hear about your successful sales 🙂 One Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way.

I have reached the end of another page, so seems the ideal time to stop for a while 🙂 I will consider getting dressed 😉 The only decluttering I have done this morning was money to pay the window cleaner 😉 Rather fortuitous that he & his wife turned up today as I was dreading trying to clean off the very large deposit of bird poo on our bedroom window 🤢 DH slept in so will be heading off on his walk shortly 🙂 DSis is still in her bed 😉

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

DH Awards: 🥇 🏅

Decluttering Target 2023: 688/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £43.00

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I seem to have lost a post from yesterday, I check back to get numbers, so I will try to briefly remember what I did/said. I was quite rough yesterday and to be honest still not brilliant today. This lurgy comes in fits and starts so I think I am better but soon exhausted but I am sure it will pass. I am taking things a bit easy today though as I have arranged to see friends tomorrow and I have footy in the evening. I have had a minor sort in the fridge today. OH is a b* gger  for opening cartons of juice without finishing the last one so I never know where I am up to. Well I do now, they have all been binned and I have told OH to use the sharpie on the shelf to write on them when they have been opened
Yesterday I did very little as we were waiting around for the garage to call. OH was a bit freaked out about me being off colour so I did another covid test, defo negative. While lounging around I sorted and tested my tin of pens etc. I have kept 1 that is not working as I am sure I can get a refill for it. It is very slim line and grey marble effect metal, and I do love a nice pen. It is in my bag for when I am next in a stationary shop. There used to be a lovely shop here that sold beautiful stationary items like pens and onion skin writing paper but like many independent specialist shops it has gone sadly. 

@Moorviews your comments re using things to death resonates with me. During the first lockdown I sorted my bag of odd socks. I got 23 pairs out of it and they literally wouldn't fit in the draw. So I went through all my socks and put into the rag bag any with holes. Then I sorted out the oldest to wear out and put the rest in a cloth bag in the bottom of my wardrobe. I then did the same with my knickers. New ones to be placed in the draw only when I wore some old ones out. I started with 12 pairs of socks and 21 pairs of knickers. Since then I have thrown some into the rag bag but I am still wearing some of the original, especially the socks. What I have taken from this is that  it is amazing how long these things last even when in constant use. I don't need to buy either of those items for probably years and I usually get a pack of socks for Christmas from someone . I used to be a bit of a comfort shopper for these things if I had had a bad day a pack of nice socks would cheer me up and especially if they were a bargain . I plan to do the same with some of my other clothes.

@floss2 your point about OOD meds is a good one. The other day I was discussing this with ln who was clearing out a cupboard that had contained her DH s meds. He died before covid from a brain tumour. She was going to put them down the toilet until I told her to take them to the chemist even though they were ood they were happy to take them. 

@Vulpix thank you for telling us about your Mum. It must be very distressing for her moving out of her house to live in someone else's. No matter how nice it is still not her home. To have the added task of having to sort out all your things at someone else's pace when you are feeling vulnerable must be very hard. Hugs to you and your Mum. I hope you have managed to wrangle the curtains into place

@Mrs SD I will try to get a picture of the teddy today
So
408 - 421 pens and felt tips/highlighters binned
422 lr bin emptied
423 fridge cleared of open drinks cartons
424 100 x pictures deleted from my phone.
Take care everyone
424/2023

Brie

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

Excellent decluttering Brie 👏 Hopefully the drawer will recover from its ‘saggy bottom’ 😅

Oi! No need to get personal!!!  My bottom aint that saggy!!!  (oh yes - the kitchen drawer......)

QueenJess

Brie said:

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

Excellent decluttering Brie 👏 Hopefully the drawer will recover from its ‘saggy bottom’ 😅

Oi! No need to get personal!!!  My bottom aint that saggy!!!  (oh yes - the kitchen drawer......)

🤣 Thanks for that, I needed the laugh today!

Very busy at work today, but a few bits done (mainly last night!).

2763-2767 - online accounts deleted
2768-2777 - bookmarks deleted
2778 - paper (reused, then recycled)
2779 - pen used up (goodbye biros!)