2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

DrCarrie

MrsSD - thank you for all your energy and care you take with the cheerleading!

DundeeDoll

Day 3's 23 minutes: I suddenly remembered a tip - fly lady? - about have 3 boxes when sorting - put away, throw away, give away - worked very well though haven't yet done the put away box. Then lovely DD2 helped me move the 2 tables from my office down to mum's office and the table from her office to mine. Mum is very happy to be reunited with the tables she gave to me thinking they'd be good for my home office; I am very happy to be reunited with the table I used to have in my home office 🤣
Day 4's 23 minutes: more sorting, 5 cardboard boxes now flattened, I can once again walk to my home office desk. The new paper recycle bin is already half full, I have 2 boxes for the charity shop, this is going well. Many thanks MrsSD

wort

@Suffolksue , I no longer bring the service sheets home. AsThe Minimalists say memories are inside us not in physical things, and I certainly would rather have happy memories of the person than feel sad looking at a funeral service sheet.

Re the clothes hanger method, can’t recall who mentioned it. I know it’s helpful to some people, maybe you can sort clothes into seasons and do them that way as each season arrives at the end of the season see what is not used and get rid of. But before starting go through and look wether they still fit ,or if you want to keep it, Minimal mom says if it’s Not a definite yes then it’s a No and should go .

wort

Yesterday got all the decorations into the garage and will ask Dgson to lift onto the rafters when he calls.
I then did a good clean of the kitchen including the tops of cupboards and fridge freezer , which also got pulled out and cleaned behind,dusted down the walls and blew the dust from behind radiators with hairdryer. 

The living room had similar treatment coving and skirtings getting cleaned along with hovering dusting and mopping.
 Beds changed,that is being washed with towels today. It poured all day and night but sounds windy this morning and looks less likely to rain later ,so fingers crossed.

Moorviews

Thank you for the welcome 😊
I too was awake for a long period during the very moonlit night @nannywindow. What an excellent idea to declutter emails and make use of the time - I shall certainly borrow that one!
We did get all the Christmas stuff packed away and into the loft and the Christmas tree is chopped and bagged up ready to go on the next trip to the recycling centre. Due to unexpectedly having visitors, I only made a start on the bedroom messy corner so was glad of having just a small target. I was rewarded with finding a cheque book and also the dog’s vaccination record! I shall be back in there today. There won’t be much to throw out but everything needs putting away. 

For tea I got rid of a single cooked chicken leg from the freezer, some turkey stock and vegetables by throwing them all in the pressure cooker with a tablespoon of barley. It made a very tasty soup and saved me heading off for fish and chips after my visitors had left.

GrannyKate

Trying to decide on a 23 minute froglet to tickle today.  I am going to pop into the bank to ask some questions about savings account so I could count that. Meeting (family history) this afternoon and then DGCs for the rest of the week. I have quiz questions to write for Thursday and then some 'homework' for my history group.  

41 Random Christmas things forgotten on first cull - to loft.

Re sentimental and inherited stuff this is definitely a marathon not a sprint.  I found that other family members were happy to take a few specific things they wanted/liked but did not want to be the one making the decision to dispose of things.  I don't think they particularly realise the burden they place on you when they do this.  I am determined not to leave my children the same task. Clothes were the easiest and I only kept a few odd scarves, hats and coats which might be useful.  Some provided a dressing up box for DGDs but have all gone now. As far as mementoes, papers, photos etc I still have unresolved boxes but I have sorted them into smaller boxes of like with like which has helped enormously.  eg Old family photos, my generation photos, children, grandchildren etc.  Many are duplicates as both grandmothers had the same pictures of my children and grandchildren.  It was easy enough to cull mil's holiday and outing pictures as these mean nothing to me and rarely included her in the pictures.  So out of 6 packets I might keep 2 or 3 individual ones showing her on holiday somewhere.  I have about 6 small boxes of things now and one large box of photos (mum has been gone 9 years but DH and MiL less than that) - at one point I had about 20 large boxes in the loft.  This has been a very gradual process and I have to be in the right mood.  I do not consult my siblings anymore - I think they trust me to do the right thing and sadly there are only 2 left (of 5) and they both live overseas. I shredded a large box of my own letters going back 70 years last year.  I was just in the mood - I didn't want to read them and I realised I didn't particularly want anyone else to either and I had no regrets once it was done.  I have my memories good and bad of the people who wrote them and they mean nothing to anyone else.  I have however kept my father's wartime letters (hundreds of them) as they probably have archival value. My mother also had her mil's papers and photos and she died in 1960. 

Ornaments came at me from all sides.  There were some small possibly antique things which I put in a box but otherwise I made a decision that, as I like glass items and wooden boxes myself, I would keep any of those to add to mine and get rid of ceramics and other things to CS shop.  Anything damaged went in the bin. 

~FlowerPot~

So today inspired by how much you are all doing, im going to make my self accountable by listing jobs!

*Windows in lounge

*Tackle Basket of stuff STILL sitting on table

*take 2 bags to chairty shop that have been under the stairs for several months !

*Also take 2 large pictures out of porch to said charity shop , 1 was a painting i did 35 years ago at sixth form, and gave to my grandma, but I dont want it, just dont also want to give it away!! but it is TIME FOR IT TO GO !!

*Take passport to post office

*list 5 items to sell

i will be back to check off my progress!!

flowers

x

-taff

using up cheese - macaroni cheese for one. Jamie Oliver made a creamed spinach with an oaty cheese crumble topping one year, I've made variations a couple of times, the last one was brocolli and spinach cheese, I didn't bother with creme fraiche, I just made a white sauce and put the cheese in that. The oaty crumble topping is nice though, whizz up roughly some oats, some cheddar or any cheese except soft cheese and put on top. You can put the turkey in it as well. Fry up the turkey bits with some stuff to make a kind of turkey stir fry either sweet with spices and maple syrup or substitute, a few onions [:)] and some shredded sprouts, actually Jamie Olivers sprouts would be good with the turkey, shred finely in a fp, fry a few onions, add the sprouts, splash of water, then a few tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, it's surprisingly meaty tasting...https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/brussels-with-hustle/

diminua

Item 3 - open decongestant spray emptied and recycled
Item 4 - open tube of E45 anti-itch cream. 
Item 5 - a travel sized 'hair lifting and thickening spray' emptied and recycled - like other people here I've a number of things from beauty advent calendars that I'm hanging onto and need to use up. This really was useless to me though, my hair needs weighing down if anything.  

I also took one handcream and a handy pack of tissues into work, where they're more likely to be used up, and when I'm back in on Friday I'm going to bring in all bar one packet of the cough sweets I have and leave them in the kitchen with a note people should take if needed/wanted, but I'll count those when they go. 

I'm expecting a parcel with a fountain pen today - so that will be the second thing in this year.

vulpix

 I don't know about EDT, I think it's a bullet train at the moment. You are amazing keeping up with it all Mrs SD.

 Good idea taff with the Jamie Oliver recipe, it sounds lovely. nanny window I was going to say make copious amounts of cheeses straws and freeze them for the Grandchildren. I was also going to say freeze the turkey meat for a later date.

 Liverpool Anne, building work always takes it out of you. I am not looking forward to having a new bathroom or kitchen but I have to be brave and just do it. The guy I have is always snowed under, I just have to have him when he is free or wait a couple of years. I am with you Mrs SD about bathroom decisions. Should I keep the bath or just replace with a walk in shower? It is a faint possibility that this house will be a holiday cottage one day. I keep yoyoing about having a bath or not. I love a bath,Mr V only showers. What would a guest like?

 Weenancy, I agree with Liverpool Anne about the dog. He needs to be somewhere where he can use up his energy. It would simplify your life if he was rehomed. Difficult I know but it is a dog you didn't choose to have. Sorry to sound harsh. I would just like your life to be a little easier.

 I agree with you GrannyKate about not leaving a massive job for my children when I am gone. Completely on board with that one. Has anyone got any idea what I can do with gifts from close family that I don't want but don't want to upset them by ditching it? DD1 gave me a quite large photo in a frame of a beautiful beach we visited in the Shetlands. Mr V has given me some hideous Russian doll cats. I have other stuff from my Mum too that she has made,makes it even worse to get rid of it. Help.

 Things not going back in the spare room

 a small wicker basket and a metal basket.

 Vx