2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Florenceem

GrannyKate - poor Sonil - hope the driver is paying for a new bike through her insurance.

2Scratters

Stuff arrived from my parents house - not quite what I had expected to have Dsis ooh you like this!
statements. There is a boxful of cards of various sorts and me trying to future proof into early retirement took them. The cards had no envelopes attached to them - ugh! so yesterday a task of sorting the envelopes into sizes - that was no mean feat when you have old and new mixed.  Then same with the cards, then placed into piles of sorts of cards and fast together with elastic band and pretty label (albeit mostly obvious) what they were. Pleased with myself all done and dusted managed to throw just one smaller box away. Other items were sorted too there is a gift of candles heading out boxed up ready for DS's GF she will love it. You can barely tell that stuff has arrived all tidied properly and placed with like stuff. This would have normally been lying about for weeks waiting for this to happen.

 Thanks, to all you Peeps here on this fab thread.

2 Scratters xx

Blue_Doggy

vulpix said:

 
 I am dithering about some very old baby nightdresses that were my Dad’s. Maybe next pass. 

Just running in to suggest it may be worth contacting https://www.cherishedgowns.org.uk/
to see if they can use the nightdresses. They usually take unwanted wedding dresses to make into burial clothes for babies who have passed away before or shortly after birth.
 

If they can’t use them, there may be other similar charities which could use them.

foxandflowers

Can I join you all REALLY late? I'm reading through (on page 78 - long way to go to catch up!)
We are hoping to move soon and while I've always been minimal in my head, it's quite hard to be minimal in practise. I have way too strong attachments to things, and sentiment rules my life a lot of the time, so it would be nice to declutter properly and not take boxes of stuff with me when we relocate. The new house is going to be bigger, but that doesn't mean I want to bring useless things with me.

So far, I have decluttered a hairdryer, and a mini curling wand to my stepdaughter. Given that I have dreadlocks, I'm not sure why I was keeping them. I should really do the same for my straighteners, but I've had them since I was 18 and they're still excellent, so when my fringe goes perhaps they will come in handy? Or for the little one's hair for discos etc. Oooooh. See what I mean? Waaaaaay too attached to things. 

Anyway, my belated goal will be.... at least one thing a day, that does not include rubbish or recycling. It has to be tangible.
And I will try and eat the frogs I have been avoiding along the way. 

Case in point, the genetic referral from the breast clinic, I need to fill in the questionnaire and return it, and I have been putting it off for approximately a month so far. Oops. 🐸

QueenJess

foxandflowers said:

Can I join you all REALLY late? I'm reading through (on page 78 - long way to go to catch up!)
We are hoping to move soon and while I've always been minimal in my head, it's quite hard to be minimal in practise. I have way too strong attachments to things, and sentiment rules my life a lot of the time, so it would be nice to declutter properly and not take boxes of stuff with me when we relocate. The new house is going to be bigger, but that doesn't mean I want to bring useless things with me.

So far, I have decluttered a hairdryer, and a mini curling wand to my stepdaughter. Given that I have dreadlocks, I'm not sure why I was keeping them. I should really do the same for my straighteners, but I've had them since I was 18 and they're still excellent, so when my fringe goes perhaps they will come in handy? Or for the little one's hair for discos etc. Oooooh. See what I mean? Waaaaaay too attached to things. 

Anyway, my belated goal will be.... at least one thing a day, that does not include rubbish or recycling. It has to be tangible.
And I will try and eat the frogs I have been avoiding along the way. 

Case in point, the genetic referral from the breast clinic, I need to fill in the questionnaire and return it, and I have been putting it off for approximately a month so far. Oops. 🐸

Of course you can, it’s never too late to join. Welcome!

I started my journey the same way, with a house move. I was doing all the packing and most the moving myself to cut costs (it was only 10 mins away!), but I couldn’t bear the thought of all that packing, then subsequent unpacking (counts as dull tidying in my book) for stuff I didn’t want!  I combed through everything twice before I moved and got rid of two car loads of stuff.

Good luck 🍀. There is lots of good advice and support on here and @Mrs_Salad_Dodger is basically a superwoman cheerleader 📣 🦸‍♀️

Florenceem

I have been spurred in action by having Mr F in hospital - fills my time - sorting and decluttering.
Put a plastic crate and a wooden bedside chest of drawers outside - hope they go as otherwise I will have to move them - I need to put out my blue recycling bin and the food bin + boxes of cardboard and red bags of paper/card.
Off to the hospital this afternoon.

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

Wednesday was a lovely sunny day ☀️ DH had a bath & has lost another 300g We both had a dentist appointment, fingers crossed no work required 🤞& we  did our usual post dentist trip into Greenwich & spent 3 hours in the pub. We had good trips to & from the dentist - no waiting times when changing lines or changingg to buses 🙂 It was very pleasant walking in the sunshine. My appointment was the cheaper - check up & clean (£25.80) DH had to have a crown refitted (£77.00)

Before arriving at the pub we popped into M+S & picked up some lasagne & garlic bread for dinner. When we got to the pub we shared a lamb & wild garlic Scotch egg & a pork sausage roll & had a few beers 🤤 We were there 3 hours & after some general chatting I got out my notebook & pen to note down the  important bits of our conversation 😉 We planned & prioritised the garden tasks as we were building up to the planning & prioritising of financial matters 🙂 Both lists are very long 😱 Left the pub 18:45 & went straight home, cooked dinner, watched TV & eventually went to bed. I didn’t do the washing up but instead stacked the dishes neatly ready for Thursday morning 😔

1094 - 1097 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, newspaper, cardboard box - recycled 

1098 Kitchen detritus binned

Thursday I was up & dressed by 10:20, did the wudupa whilst making my first cuppa. Also put the first load in the wm as it is a beautifully sunny day perfect for line drying 🤞 Now to catch up on the cheerleading using the 23 minute method in between doing tasks 😉

Liverpool_Anne, I hope your team won on Sunday 🤞 Excellent work making the most of the drier weather  👏 Yippee to the bt bag finally arriving 🥳 Don’t forget to add a photo of the postage receipt to the photos of the bag & contents 😉 I am still waiting to see if anyone likes the new text editor 😂

Florenceem, the joys of the new text editor 😅 but I am sure they had more valid reasons than ‘the IT bod was bored’ 🤣 Excellent decluttering 👏 & well done on getting organised before DH gets home 😊

Fizz2015, sorry to hear about the shocking energy bill 😬 I see you are having a Coronation party - enjoy 😊

Florenceem, excellent decluttering of the medical bits & pieces 👏 reminds me I need to go through ours again & be a bit more brutal 😉 Hope the landscaper gives you a good quote & that you can find a couple more chaps/ladies to quote as well 🤞 

Excellent advice Brie 👏 My thought was astroturf - the benefit of greenery without the work 😉 Your Tip sounds like ours - happy to take household items for free but not rubble, bricks etc 🙂 

Nice to hear that reading along inspired you to do some tidying oceanspirit 😊 One of the reasons it takes me so long to do the cheerleading is that I read something & think “that will only take a few minutes” & go off & do it 😅 Exciting if stressful times ahead - sale of 2 homes & the joy of looking for a joint home 😊 Good luck with your decluttering 🍀

Will post this & be back later 👋  Would you believe it the text editor has reverted back 🤔 

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 1098/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

Florenceem

Landscaper came - he gave me a figure - no offer of a written quote and it was not far off £10,000! I am going to talk to a builder who worships at SA. I have another landscaper coming to quote tomorrow.
Found 22p today.

daisy_1571

Welcome foxandflowers, never too late to join - id say watch this first and have a knowing laugh 

George carlin on youtube talking about stuff  (sorry I can't link it like an earlier post did it, its worth searching for though)

Siebre hope things are peaceful today, sending hugs

Grannykate, hope sonil is feeling less bashed about today, gentle hugs

Everyone else, have a good day.  I'm carrying on trying to get my xstitch done with some status quo on the cd player, so tidying still on back burner.  Going to our first u3a monthly general meeting this afternoon.  Hope its good, always nerve wracking walking in someplace for the first time - esp as we don't look like your Terry and June sort of retired people ((love that sitcom)  ) that I'm imagining will be the majority, we are slightly more..... bohemian might be a kind way of describing us.  Or pulled through a hedge backwards ?  Lol

Daisy xx

Craving_space

daisy_1571 said:

I'm carrying on trying to get my xstitch done with some status quo on the cd player, so tidying still on back burner.  Going to our first u3a monthly general meeting this afternoon.  Hope its good, always nerve wracking walking in someplace for the first time - esp as we don't look like your Terry and June sort of retired people ((love that sitcom)  ) that I'm imagining will be the majority, we are slightly more..... bohemian might be a kind way of describing us.  Or pulled through a hedge backwards ?  Lol

Hi @daisy_1571 Well, if you can xstitch to Quo I'm sure you'll sail in through the doors as if you owned the place! 

I've been catching up slowly, so best wishes to Siebrie, Mrs SD and Florenceem, and a big pat on the back for keeping on keeping on.  In fact, well done everyone that's moving towards their clutter free dream, baby steps get us there in the end.

I'm losing track of what I've decluttered, only small amounts, but:

1 x magazine to work colleague
1 x bag of clothes to charity shop
1 x 176 emails deleted/unsubscribed as necessary (not sure who suggested grouping by sender, but definitely helps, so thank you!)

I'll find my total and update it soon fingers crossed. Ooh, which reminds me, how do I access the new text editor? Tried signing out and in again, but no change? TIA