2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

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   

DH & I spent 4 hours in the garden today 🙂 We managed to sort out the large garden box containing the bird food bins which was emptied & vacuumed. Meanwhile I started emptying the shed finding sacks of bird food, peanuts & boxes of fat balls, fat candles & fat logs. We then filled all the bins & repopulated the garden box. Completely emptied the shed apart from the shelving unit, then swept & washed the floor. Before returning anything to the shed we attached battens for a trellis that we will be putting up once it is painted. We then went through everything before returning anything to the shed. Also managed to finally move the filing cabinet from the living room into the shed 😉 although it is currently empty - the micro sorting will take place next week. The potato bags & potato pots are now on the lower shelf of the table top bed together with the garden sieves. A rather large supply of thin branches which had been kept for Justin (as plant supports) have been left out & will be chopped up for the chiminea. We can now access everything in the shed. We managed to get rid of 2 bags of rubbish, a bag of rusted metal for Tip, a mould covered hat, 4 chewed (by squirrels) plastic bird feeders & 4 small cardboard boxes. Very happy with our afternoon’s work 🙂 Dinner was steak, oven chips, fried onions, dry fried mushrooms, roasted tomatoes & carrots, & peas 😋 Wudupa.

949 - 955 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, 4 cardboard boxes, paper packaging - recycled 

956 - 959 Kitchen detritus, 2 bags of garden detritus, garden hat - binned

960 - 964 Bag of metal, 4 bird feeders - Tip

Sorry I haven’t done any cheerleading but I will do better tomorrow 🤞

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

DH Awards: 🥇🏅⭐️💐🏅 perseverance medal 🎖️ 🥇 🏅 

Decluttering Target 2023: 964/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

daisy_1571

wow, that must be satisfying Mrs sd.  Love it when a place gets emptied, sorted and organised but a whole shed and the garden box must have been quite hard work.  Well done

Daisy xx

Pennypincin

I seem to be adding to my stuff again.
Just some cheap bottles of shower gel, hand wash, toothpaste and toothbrush I like waiting to be added to the other bits.
I was also given a pair of trainers my my mum, as I thought I'd have to buy the some sooner than I thought as I'm really beginning to feel the pinch in a big way at the moment.
Well done everyone with decluttering.
Hope people who are not feeling well feel better soon.

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, it's sunny here and a load of washing is on the line I put on last night. We had a lovely meal yesterday at OHs sister's, OHs very pregnant niece, nephew and partners were there as well, but the traffic was quite bad on the way up as there had been an accident on the mway and the journey which normally takes 1 1/2 hours took 3 1/2 hours so we were all starving by the time we ate and despite the table groaning under the weight of food there was only a couple of stalks of broccoli left . She had also made a lovely lemon pudding which was a cross between a trifle and a cheesecake which was also demolished though we had to bring our chocolate bunnies home as we were too full to eat them. OHs sister gave us both a haircut so that job is off the list . She is not a hairdresser but has been cutting the families hair for over 30 years and does a great job. Unfortunately we also came home with a glass bauble thing. She had one hanging in her hallway and OH admired it and she had a spare one which was promptly wrapped in kitchen roll and handed over. I think she had got them from OHs niece who has recently moved and had decluttered them but they had been taken out of the cs bag , now one of them is here . In the grand scheme of things it is minor but I had to bite my tongue 😝.
Not sure what I am going to do today as I am not sure if OH is working but I am going to have a second cuppa and whizz around to see what can go into the bin / recycling. Hopefully back later having done something

@Mrs SD do you put your fat candles and logs into a container or just hang them? I have looked at them but thought the pigeons would just demolish them without them being in a container. 

Take care everyone
Still 588/2023

wort

@Brie I fold and roll my scarves Marie kondo style , for all thin and thick ones so I can see at a glance.
@vulpix I am also falling to pieces, had 3 dentist appointments in 2 weeks, infection,when she  told me I’ve bone loss at the back and will eventually lose my teeth there!!!!! Not the decluttering I want to do! Followed by a check up which after I arrived home a piece broke off my tooth and had to go back for a filling the day after, now it’s sensitive to hot and cold.

I'm hopefully going to sort tools at some point, as my nephew is in need of some and I have stuff I don’t need. Glad to have 2 days off now for Easter 🐣. Meeting up with family over the next couple of days . Beautiful sunny day and washing is on the line.

hugs to those in need , and happy Easter 🐇🐣 to you all.

EnergyShifter

DS is home safely from his trip.  It was lovely to see him but after the initial feelings of relief I've been very up & down in mood.   I had CBT this morning.  The practitioner thinks that maybe I have PTSD rather than anxiety which is why the work around worry isn't making much headway.  My gut says she's hit the nail on the head.  She's going to look into what else can be offered.   I thought I'd recovered from DS getting ill so I'm a bit disappointed, especially after having gone through the EMDR last year (which did help) but pleased that I may now get the help I need.  

I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit over the Easter weekend.  DS & I went to a beautiful outdoor Good Friday event at Blackheath yesterday which was very powerful and moving. 

Tasks:
CBT

IN (running total 71)

72.  Funky new varifocals have arrived! 
73.  Cutlery holder

OUT (running total 308)
309.  Cutlery holder (too big) 
310.  Toilet brush (will need to replace

Sending prayers @Florenceem🙏💕

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   

Saturday is another bright sunny day. DH was up earlier & has had a bath. I am up & dressed at 10:00 & having my 1st cuppa. Feeling a bit worse for wear after yesterdays work outside but hoping a bath will put that right. Going straight into cheerleading 🙂

Well done on saying ‘NO’ Dfw38 👏 & also to having a chat with DD1 & switching your phone off for the weekend 👏 Very pleased to hear that the play date went well 😊

Excellent decluttering Florenceem 👏

Thank you for the information re your bathroom renovation vulpix 👏 I am looking forward to seeing the photo/s of the finished room 😊 Sorry to hear that MrV is working over the weekend but do enjoy your time in the garden 😉

TC77 Pleased to hear that you had a friend to help with getting furniture to the restorers 🙂 Good luck with your sales 🍀

Liverpool_Anne, sorry to hear that you lost your post twice 😖 Great work decluttering & organising 👏Hope you have a lovely time in Morecambe 😊

Fizz2015 sounds like a lovely busy week 😊 Hope the weather is kind & you can enjoy your time in the garden over the long weekend 🤞

TC77, sometimes the flitting from task to task can yield benefits 😉 Sorry you are feeling so overwhelmed & good luck dealing with your stated list 🍀 

~FlowerPot~, belated birthday greetings to your DH 🎉 Walking up a hill - sounds like a lovely present especially if the ‘hill’ is fairly flat 😉 Excellent if unintended decorating & cleaning - well done on getting so much done 👏

Excellent decluttering daisy_1571 👏 Still on target for the year 🙂

Brie, how very entertaining for you 😉 I just love that your cats would object vociferously to being groomed but then turn over to get the other side done 😂 I hope you stayed outside to let the birdies pick the cat hair off you 🙃

Florenceem, I love Nannie’s Rule 😉 Shame about the your 3rd Dgc no longer eating chocolate. So sorry to hear that MrF hasn’t been coping with his paperwork/business 😔 Hopefully now that you know about it, it can be sorted out 🤞 Really hoping that MrF is appreciating all your hard work & realising that he must see a doctor asap 😟

GrannyKate, ‘a metropolis of ants’ 😬 Good luck with the traps 🍀 Excellent decluttering & well done on maintaining your weight 👏 Hope you have a lovely time next week & that the weather is kind 🤞

Another page caught up, so will stop for a while 🙂

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

DH Awards: 🥇🏅⭐️💐🏅 perseverance medal 🎖️ 🥇 🏅 

Decluttering Target 2023: 964/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

vulpix

 Wort,I get it,I will eventually lose all my teeth. I find it very difficult. I have always looked after my teeth and although not pretty they are in good nick. My problem is the blood pressure medication I have taken for 30 plus years. When I had DS I was extremely ill with pre eclampsia. I have taken blood pressure medication ever since and it affects my gums. Boo hoo, I mourn every tooth. The dentist offered to take the tooth out on Thursday but I just couldn't face it so soon after the other one.

 Muddy walker, I hope the doggies are feeling better today.

 The plumber isn't here yet,he did say he was going for a drink last night so he may not come at all! I have enjoyed a morning in bed,reading. It's alright this getting up at 8am but I've had a week of it already.

 Liverpool Anne, haha about your glass bauble. I admired some silk flower decorations too much at a wedding last year and was given one. I was only being polite as the grooms Mum had made them last minute when the florist let them down.

 I am thinking about things that can go. It will take me a few days to form a plan.

 Vx

Moorviews

I have been still delving into the depths of the cupboards in the spare room/study which is where I keep all my craft, sewing, knitting etc. stuff. This is my second time going through. Mrs SD you are quite right to say that I am building up my decluttering muscles and I am encouraging myself to get braver with what I move on. Including just donating items to the charity shops and clothing banks that I could most probably sell on in some way. The space and a clearer mind are more valuable to me now and the money is needed by the charities. We also have only a very small income so this is a good way for us to donate and I hope someone else will get pleasure from buying them. I realise that I am echoing what some other people in the thread have already said but it rings very true for me too. I am trying to keep to that idea of just keeping 50% and this is helping me to discriminate. Although, I don’t hoard newspapers I have found that I will keep the tiniest scraps of fabric, thread or wool or the smallest amount of paint in a tube! I am learning to dispose of these and absolve myself of the guilt. My big questions for everything now are: “Will this be useful to me?” and “ Will I actually use it?”. If I don’t get a Yes to both then it is going. Sounds more efficient than it is in reality as I take ages to decide the answer 😂

@Florenceem - I’m very sorry for what you and your husband are going through at the moment. He sounds very frightened which unfortunately doesn’t help with getting him to see a doctor. It used to be the case that you could speak to the GP about concerns over another person and then the GP would call them, or invite them in for an appointment. I don’t know if this is still possible, or if this could work for you but I know that you will find a way. He is very lucky to have you helping him in all the ways that you are. 

Wishing everyone a good and enjoyable long weekend. Plenty of r and r all round for all those needing a break. 

bit_by_bit

So sad to hear of your struggles @Florenceem. Positive vibes and big hugs for you all. I know it is difficult right now but nothing lasts forever so nor will this situation.

Soo much great decluttering and helpful advice on here.

So my Stepmum, Sister and Niece have just left the house and DD has just arrived from Manchester. It was a great meetup and I feel I can do it again now.

I have just got three bags of in and out out. Bag of clothes, a bag of light bulbs and a bag of plastic storage baskets. The place is looking good.

We have done loads of washing butthe weather is so good it is geting dry quickly.

Right. Off to eat then to my shift at the CS.