2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

DundeeDoll

music room coming on - needed somewhere to store music, hence big bookcase move last weekend - however back was open and potentially drafty - had 3 large slate tiles doing nothing (left over from kitchen redecorate a few years back) and delighted two fitted perfectly. here it is before all music moved
 

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks to include MMiM - do this before I go to bed

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 ‘Urgent’ daily mail immediately & the rest at the weekend

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 

Would you Adam & Eve it 🙄 11:50 & it came over all dark & started raining. Quick dash outside, grabbed all the clothes but left the pegs in situ & have put everything on the clothes airer. Good job I was quick as it is now raining hard enough to hear it hitting the windows😬 & is almost dark enough to have to turn on the lr lights 😔 I hope the weather is better in Abbey Wood 🤞12:04 & I have just heard thunder 😔 Soup is warming up for my lunch.

Back to the cheerleading 😉

Wednesday2000, an excellent Thursday of decluttering & decision making 👏 Good luck with your selling 🍀 Like you I prefer hands free when I go out so am currently using a Harley Davidson rucksack - black with bright orange stitching & logo 😅

Lovely post Moorviews 😊 If I do ever decide that Pom-poms are the order of the day I will be very grateful for your assistance 👏 Estate paperwork sounds like a bloomin’ nightmare ☹️ Sorry to hear that you are feeling unwell 🤒  so please try not to do too much & please allow yourself some time in the TLC Carriage 🙏

Excellent digital decluttering QueenJess 👏 & good luck with the tidying 🍀 So pleased to see that you are noticing the fruits of your endeavours 😊

Nice to see you Deni_debt-free_dreamer 👋 I must admit that sometimes it is a bit difficult to leave the TLC Carriage but you obviously needed a decent amount of time in there 😊 Sorry to hear that RL has been so stressful what with medical appointments for your DDs & working so much ☹️ Excellent news that all your hard work is paying off & that you have almost decluttered your mortgage 🥳🥳 One Gold Star ⭐️ is coming your way. By the way MMiM is ‘Mini Missions in March’ - those tasks that you keep putting off & can do in 23 minutes or multiples of 23 minutes (if the task turns out to be a bit bigger than mini 😉)

12:44 Breaking off from cheerleading to say thank goodness I brought the washing in 😮‍💨 as it looks like the rain is set for the day 😱 I have also had a bowl of hm soup which had thickened up nicely after the addition of some peanut butter 🥳) DSis popped down to make herself a cuppa & has returned to her room. Really, really keeping everything crossed that DH & S are having better weather 🤞🤞🤞 

nannywindow, 😬 to your Dad’s supply of Justins of all shapes & sizes 😬 Well done on keeping him off the ladder - 94 is just a tad too old to be climbing ladders 😉 I am pleased to hear that your DH is now joining you on your Decluttering Journey 😊 - makes it so much easier 👏 Don’t forget to give him lots of praise 😉😅 just to keep him on track 😉 Excellent decluttering 👏

Florenceem, Well done on your perseverance in getting a doctors appointment 👏 Sorry to hear that MrF’s ill health won’t be a quick fix ☹️ but at least he will be on the doctor’s radar now 🙂 Also sorry to hear that you are SO stressed that cleaning won out over crafting 😔 

13:35 DH just phoned - he & S were not lucky - both absolutely drenched but feeling a bit better after having burger & chips & a large coffee for lunch. Now at the station waiting for their respective trains 🙂

charlies_tribe a busy Wednesday & Thursday 👏 I hope that, after realising you had no measurements for the shelving, the first thing you did when you got home on Wednesday was to take the measurements 😉 Shame about the first fan not fitting but well done to DH for successfully fitting the replacement 👏 Excellent decluttering & shredding 👏 By the way, I think perhaps it might be time to take a couple more photos from the same angles as your first two photos & then post them so that we can confirm to you that ‘you are making a difference’ 😉 

Nice post retiredinfrance 😊 “Bon courage” said in a proper French accent always sounds so uplifting 🙂

Another page caught up so will post this 🙂 The sun is shining now but every few minutes it starts raining again, so I won’t risk putting the washing out 😔 

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

DH Awards: 🥇🏅⭐️💐🏅 

Decluttering Target 2023: 870/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

Millie2008_2

Hi all,

I had fallen behind a bit, as work is so busy and I get so tired over the weekends, but I have had a couple of days off this past 2 days. Allowed myself a chill out day yesterday and today I was back on it.
From the last couple of weeks, but mostly from today...

168-172- Auction items for friend's charity
173- DD's outgrown trainers to friend's son
174-176- leggings to rag bag
177- 179- toys to charity shop
180-181- t shirts to rag bag
182- Pixar cards (unopened) plus album to charity shop
183 Broken coat hook- recycling
184- 185- toys to charity shop
186- last year's christmas cards- recycling
187 Recycling from DD's room - random bits of paper!
188 Broken toy- recycling
189 -190- dead flowers to garden waste
191 Soft plastics to supermarket recycling
192- 193 More toys to charity shop
194- paper gift bag to recycling

Very few items (if any) have ended up in landfill  so far, which I'm happy with 

Off to catch up with a cuppa now...:) Thanks as ever to @Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks to include MMiM - do this before I go to bed

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 ‘Urgent’ daily mail immediately & the rest at the weekend

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 

Brie, at least playing games is a step up from watching mindless TV which is what I frequently do 😉 Two Sand Art pictures coming up 🙂

Brie, We will all ‘let you off’ re not starting your unpacking until Thursday 😉 Far more urgent things to do like arrange a new boiler 😊 I also love the ‘oddly acquired travelling things’ 👏 so thoughtful 😇

Thanks ~FlowerPot~ 😊 I cannot believe how much better DH is now that he is only on one type of medication 😊 Good news that the breast cysts were clear but 😣 to the drainage. Is there any sign of a method to get rid of them completely? Yippee to DS2 cooking yesterday 🥳 

Happy_Kitties, excellent decluttering 👏 so one Gold Star ⭐️ (131/500 is over a quarter of the way to your annual target) to add to your medal 😊

Very big ouch Floss 😣 

~FlowerPot~ sounds so worrying ☹️ Sending you a very gentle hug 😊

Knock on the window - DH is home & he made good time as he arrived 14:21 🙂  It was so wet when he & S were walking around that rain got in between the screen & cover of his mobile phone 😬 He has already dismantled it & dried it off but is waiting before putting the cover back on. More dog tales today 😉 He watched a lady with 8 dogs who got all the dogs to sit in a line, fed them each a treat & DH was stunned to see that none of them stood up until the last dog had eaten his treat 🤩 He was so stunned that he forgot to take a photo 🙄 In other good news, the mooted holiday to India (with DH’s sister, BiL, niece S & her husband) has been dropped 🙂 As you can elicit from my comment, DH & I were not that keen in the 1st place 😔 However, we were prepared to go as DH’s DSis is 80 & BiL is 88 so it is nice to spend time with them without other family members 😊 We also now have an invite to the 60th wedding anniversary party of DH’s sister & BiL 😊 14:54 & the sun is out again 🙂

vulpix, sorry to hear that it was such a long & difficult time with MiL ☹️ I have just made sure that the lemon drizzle cake is there & I have quickly expanded the TLC Carriage to add an area for Labrador puppies to visit & be available for cuddles 🥰 

Floss, thank you for your reassuring post 😊

~FlowerPot~ from your lips to a ‘higher power’s’ ears 🤞

Florenceem, pleased to hear that the doctor’s appointment went quite well after the initial confusion over appointment time 🙂 Hopefully you have managed to get in touch with the doctor (a lot more quickly today) re the 2nd medication 🤞Well done on the decluttering 👏

charlies_tribe, hopefully you will get a quick referral to the breast clinic so that your mind can be put at rest 🙏 Excellent work by DH & excellent decluttering by you 👏 

Just seen that I need to charge up my iPad, so will post & run 😉 Only a page & a bit behind 🥳

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

DH Awards: 🥇🏅⭐️💐🏅 

Decluttering Target 2023: 870/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

QueenJess

I've fallen behind with the tidying again , but in my defence I've been doing 3,001 other things on top of my actual full time job such as:

• changing the beds
• doing 4x loads of washing, plus hanging out/putting away
• made a huge batch of the favourite banana drop scones to have as a treat for a weekend breakfast (lovely with sliced bananas and cinnamon sugar)
• made a birthday cake for DD (happy birthday to her today - she's 2 already!) and wrapped all her presents
  
• picked up a couple of things from the buy nothing site (I keep an eye out for the kids in particular... for DD's birthday I've managed to buy a helmet for a bike and a new teddy; everything else is handed down or free from buy nothing)
  
• keep making huge very healthy lunches for myself and DH (today was fish cakes with an enormous salad)
• researched into making a strip of my garden with pointless (and not well growing) grass into a wildflower border, then ordered the seeds
• went to the garden centre to pick up a chilli plant for DH as he loves chilli's, got a pot for a plant I got free from buy nothing, got seeds for DD to plant at nursery and got everyone their favourite crackers whilst I was there (they all got consumed within 20 mins!!!)
• spent 3 hours updating my CV and it's with DH for his opinion
• went to a play to watch DS do his bit this morning (he was brilliant!)

Scarily that was just the last 2 days!  If I get time after DD is in bed tonight, I may do my tidying up and I fancy tackling the kitchen today.  I will do the daily photo sorting for 24 March later tonight.  I also fit in an evening at the gym yesterday and will be picking DD up early today to sing her happy birthday, eat cake and she can open more presents.

Need to get rid of some more physical things still.  I just need to find out where they are lurking as it tends to be the odd thing here or there.  Just means I have to open everything and ask myself if I really need everything in there.  There's definitely more to tackle in the big cupboard of doom downstairs, definitely the kitchen, probably the attic and after DD's presents there is probably more old toys to go.  I am consciously ignoring the big pile of carpet off-cuts we kept and need to go through to figure out which ones we would turn into mats... I think I'll add that as a task for DH since he's going to be working fewer hours.

So decluttering progress:

10,162 - kitchen overstock used up

10,163 - loyalty card binned (already cancelled the account and deleted myself)

10,164-10,263 - emails permanently deleted

10,264 - photos/videos deleted

10,265 - bathroom supplies used up

10,266 - online accounts deleted (only 6 left!!)

daisy_1571

nannywindow, 😬 to your Dad’s supply of Justins of all shapes & sizes 😬 Well done on keeping him off the ladder - 94 is just a tad too old to be climbing ladders 😉

My granda was over this age when he decided to go up on his garage roof with a flame and a pot of tar to fix a leak!   Mr daisy almost fell off our bike coming home one night past his house, glanced over and could hardly believe his eyes lol.  (He stopped to help of course)

Been reading along and can't remember all the posts should be commenting on but hugs all round

Daisyxx

Blue_Doggy

Thank you for your comprehensive cheerleading, Mrs_SD, you sum things up so neatly. It’s such good news that MrSD was able to get right back into his stride again!
 

Luckily Canine Doggy didn’t need to go to the vet. It’s been a patchy week: Monday and Tuesday afternoons out with friends, Wednesday a bit of shopping and requested a repeat prescription. Thursday a dog-walk with another friend, but we had to cut it short ( only 45 mins, we normally do at least 90) as it started to rain when we went out, and got heavier and heavier until we got just about home, when the sun came out! At home today, laundry and home chores.

Decluttering done:

- 3 papers for shredding
- tidied my stationery drawer
- unused small glittery notebook for CS
- unused pack of small sticky notes with kittens on for CS
- pair of oven gloves for rags (scorched areas didn’t survive washing)
- dead flowers x 2 into garden waste
- magazine to recycling
 
23-minuters
1 cleared new papers from top of desk, opened letters, discarded envelopes, reorganised piles on dining table and merged new items
2 paid two bills - one was a cheque written & prepared for post, the other was a not fully automated “pay by phone” and a long wait in a queue 
3 cleared several items which came in in the post but needed online action
4 cleared filing pile

There are still several piles to work through: more online “to-do’s”; items requiring written or phone action; begging letters from charities (I do wish they wouldn’t) - some I may support, others sadly not; two documents to compare; energy bills to analyse, a heart-sinking 🐸 but has to be done as they seem to make up the amounts by guessing. By which time more paperwork will have arrived ...

Best wishes to all. 

Florenceem

I got up and went out - sent Mr F back to bed. Medication has taken a while to sort today - still not completely done - the Dr we saw yesterday was day off today.
I have been at SA sorting out bric a brac for tomorrow's table top sale. I got a late table booking this afternoon so 14 tables are taken - had to ask our officer to borrow folding tables from another Church-  so we can have some SA stalls - we only have a total of 14 tables ourselves.
My Dd came with what I thought was going to be money from sales of goodies and leftover stock - it all went - so just cash for SA I sent her off with another 7 bunny bags to take into work on Monday.
Mr F has not even got dressed today - most unusual for him. He is really unwell.
I will see how he is before I go off to the SA at 7.30 am tomorrow. It is a long day as time the sale ends at 1 - all the clearing away and setting up for Church on Sunday and counting money - means that I don't get home before 2.30 pm.
No decluttering to report.

EnergyShifter

Thankfully tooth was OK after deep drilling on Weds so was able to enjoy belated Mother's Day meal.  Day off today - took my friend out for lunch as a thank you for giving me a lift home after both cataract surgeries.  She drove us out to a nice country pub - which felt special.

We popped into a Farm Shop afterwards, which as well as having the usual food, had some really pretty Easter decorations.  My friend treated me to some.  I used to have quite a few Easter decorations but kept forgetting to put them out once DS got to secondary school so I decluttered them.  Since becoming a Christian a couple of years ago Easter has taken on a new significance so its nice to have some again & they will be a reminder of a lovely day out with my friend. 

Tasks:
Ordered new (fancy) glasses !   

IN (running total 59)
60-64 - 5 x Easter decorations

OUT (running total 293)
294-6 3 x jewellery items to friend
295. ornament

Lots of love to all especially Dfw  

weenancyinAmerica

The sun has come out - until Tuesday when more rain is expected. We even had a tornado touch down in the Los Angeles area two days ago. Can't believe the weather we have been having - our normal rainfall from March to October is 0" - usually nothing. We have had more rain in the last two weeks than in a normal year. But the weeds are loving it - some of them are now taller than I am and we can't get out there to cut them down as everyone has been ill or it has been too wet. The local cats are getting lost in the grass in the front yard.

Still trying to declutter stuff into the rooms where we moved the roommates who changed floors. When I went to the FamilySearch Center yesterday, three people had brought books for the Book Sale next month - have to cart them over to the library Saturday. Four boxes worth. Last month a couple of them brought bags to the sale itself - and we used them all.

The roommate who has the most to declutter has actually had a job the last few days. So no decluttering done by her. But she needs to be working.

Just the regular trash out including about 20 empty boxes from soft drinks - several weeks accumulation though. Did eat several frogs though this week. Working on a small list for this weekend and Monday.

Have a good week - the last of March.