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

My initial break was filled with peeling & slicing 800g of mushrooms for risotto, completing puzzles in my TaB & folding completely dry clothes - the rain held off 🥳 I will start dinner about 19:15 to be ready for 20:00 when DH is due home 😊  I have been away quite some as after dinner I started watching TV 😬 DH got back 20:15 as there was a problem with the buses. G is still making progress - today she walked to the bathroom accompanied by a nurse 🙂, ate dinner with no assistance required & is generally looking better 😊 The risotto was delicious 🤤 & plenty lo for risotto cakes tomorrow. Wudupa

1099 - 1102 Kitchen recycling, newspaper, drinks cans, cardboard box - recycled 

1103 Kitchen detritus binned

Welcome aboard the EDT foxandflowers 👋 As several of the ‘declutterati’ have pointed out it is NEVER too late to join us on the Decluttering Journey 😊 I for one love it when someone new joins us as they always bring their own experiences & insights to add to the mix 👏 Exciting times ahead - a new home which will only have those items you use/wear & those that you love 😊 One practical tip - if you are umming & aahing over an item, take a photo of it & put the item in a bag/box for the CS. Then look at the photo every now & again - it may help you to break your attachment to the item itself 🤞I am looking forward to cheering you along & celebrating your successes 😊

QueenJess, thanks for the lovely compliment 😊 superwoman cheerleader 📣 🦸‍♀️ which I will add to my signature as I love a nice emoji 😅 Thank you also for sharing your memories of the start of your decluttering journey 👏

Florenceem, fingers crossed that the items on your drive are picked up whilst you are visiting MrF 🤞Ouch, that quote seems very steep 😬 Hopefully the builder at SA will be able to advise you as to what is a more reasonable quote 🤞

Lovely post daisy_1571 😊 I am still resisting your blandishments to watch George 😂 Love the idea of doing xstitch whilst listening to the Quo 🙂 I think every u3a meeting should have a Bohemian couple 😉

Lovely post Craving_Space 😊 Good decluttering 👏 Not too sure what is happening with the new text editor 🤔 It seems to have made a brief appearance a couple of days ago giving us time to dislike it 😉but even the message seems to have disappeared 🤔 

Great post vulpix 👏😊 Sounds like you had a lovely visit with bit_by_bit 😊 I am pretty sure we have at least driven through Matlock Bath 🙂

Sorry to hear you are drowning under a big pile of work QueenJess 😔 but well done on relieving the pressure by sneaking in bits of decluttering 👏 Good luck to DH tomorrow 🍀

Great decluttering Wednesday2000 👏 Good decision to keep the tops for hair colouring 🙂

Florenceem, hopefully something useful will be put in place before MrF is discharged 🤞 

Muddy_Walker, at least one wine spritzer wouldn’t break the bank 😉 Good luck phoning the bank tomorrow 🍀 - hopefully they will answer quickly & the resolution will be swift 🤞Sorry to hear that the dogs are not quite fully recovered 😔 I hope you have a treat for the dogs whilst you are eating your cream tea 😉

Florenceem, sorry to hear that MrF doesn’t have a definitive diagnosis 😔 Hopefully the bin men will be OK with the amount you have put out for collection - as long as it is all bagged up neatly 🤞 Hopefully the weather will stay fine for DGS to mow the lawn 🤞

bit_by_bit, lovely supportive post 😊 Sorry to hear about your friend 😔 Another busy day for you 👏with a lovely visit from vulpix ‘the very good influence’ to break the day up 😊 

Good night everyone 

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 1103/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £74.70

Florenceem

Fine day here - weather forecast was morning rain now they say it will rain this afternoon - just when my Daughter's school is having a coronation tea party outside.
Lots happening here today so must get on.

GrannyKate

Just popping in to start the day.  Not got back into the swing of things yet.  Son in law was better yesterday and was able to do some work (he works from home).  Claim will go through insurance so hopefully he will get bike and helmet replaced although I guess it will take time.  Found a couple of bookmarks and set aside for DGS1 who was moaning he didn't have enough - avid reader with several on the go at once.  Teacher once said he was one of the only boys he had ever suggested read less. 

588 All May cards posted except DGD1 which is at end of month. 
589 Finished up last of random partially used deodorants  - recycled pot and started shiny new one. Think I need to use up various lotions next
590 Quiz done and paper recycled
591 More meeting papers recycled
592 Egg boxes/trays returned to farm shop
593 April banking totted up - almost broke even for first time in months (£44 more out than in) 

Went to farm shop for eggs and veggies and got some meat from butchers. Managed to wash up this morning without dropping anything.  Hope dishwasher person turns up today.  I have told them exactly what is wrong and they have machine details so hopefully they will have the right part on van.  My grandchildren have coronation picnic today so guess it may be inside as raining here too.  Right need to do school run so I had better get them up and dressed. 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I think I have caught up with all the posts . Everyone is doing amazingly.
@foxandflowers, welcome to the train
@Florenceem, glad things seem to be going better for Mr F. I don't know where you get your energy from, whenever I have been visiting family in hospital I have barely been able to do the minimum. I loved the photos of the ships. We are very lucky here as the tall ships are quite frequent visitors, though they haven't been for a while. When they are here I always go to see them. At the moment the city is full of Eurovision stuff
@Mrs SD so sorry to hear about your uncle, hugs.
On Wednesday I spent most of my time on 2 different union things. 1 is sorted while the 2 nd might need more work at some point in the future. In between times I did empty the bathroom bin .
Yesterday I took myself off shopping. I had a couple of gift vouchers to use. I got myself 4 new t shirts for my holiday as I decided while I have enough for everyday some are a bit baggy and some are really only fit for gardening or decorating. I also picked up 3 birthday presents, 4 birthday cards and then went to do a food shop. 1 of the presents and card need posting today but the other 2 will be delivered next week. When I got home I put all the shopping away and just collapsed onto the couch   with a cuppa. I was cream crackered.
OH has a Dr appointment at 8am this morning so I am having my 1st cuppa before I get weaving.
Hugs to everyone who would like one
658 bathroom bin emptied
659 shopping sorted
Take care everyone
659/2023

Fizz2015

Morning All, torrential rain here as well. Been awake since silly o'clock. Anxious as going away with the school mums and DD friends this weekend. 8 of us in a caravan and I like my own space. Sure we will have fun or go mad with cabin fever!! Will be hitting the M4 this evening and hoping to avoid worst of the traffic.
OH has handed his notice in and leaves his job in a week to go self employed. So, I will need to be very supportive as there are lots of frogs to get sorted and arranged in the next couple weeks.

Soontobeoap

@Fizz2015 sometimes it is good to take the leap. When my DH left work at 54 from a very pressured job we had a gap year whilst we reevaluated our lives. The children had left home so we sold up, moved away, bought a run down house and spent 2 years working and living in the dust and upheaval as we renovated it. We slept on the bathroom floor for 4 weeks as it was the only clean room. It was like going back to our teenage years when it was just us against the world! We got small jobs when we needed them but there was no pressure. I hope that you discover it is the best move DH ever made. Good luck. 

oceanspirit

Welcome to foxandflowers. 

All the best to your OH, Fizz 2015 for going self employed.  It was the best thing I did - it turned out to be way less stress plus more money for me.  Fingers crossed it works out that way for your OH too.

A few more things into recycling yesterday plus several consumables uu.  Must get washed and dressed ready for home valuation this morning.  I have warned him that I won’t tidy up for this - I would rather use my time and energy finishing the decluttering ready for photos and viewings if we decide to go that route, but I will move a couple of trip hazards with OH’s help!

Fizz2015

@Soontobeoap and @oceanspirit thanks for your good wishes. He's going to be working as a subcontractor for a company based in my home town and they have a good setup, well organised and very supportive too. Good excuse for visits home to family.  He has been discussing it for years and now it's happening! Exciting and scary in equal measures.

2Scratters

Well finally the clutter in the back of my car went to the CS I had intended using, was a bit of a faff DH said he would rather support local. So local it will remain. So that was 2 sleeping bags 1 quilt and 5 good blankets. I think this charity prefers the practical items as it supports the homeless. I will share the fancy bits with another local charity. 
Must get the car cleaned today, no excuse now.
Been to parents house again last night with DSis, and yet again, I have come home with more than intended but a lot less bulky. Yes there are more cards :
There is a little leather purse that we both remembered as children and it turns out was our grandmothers, this I will be using as I loved it then and still do now. As it is small it will be fine in the bags that I use to go out with, I'll save it for best. 
@foxandflowers welcome to this journey thread - here you will find experience and lots of lovely help and advise. You made me smile re the hair tools and then added you have dread locks. Your message also made a thought come to mind too.
WE should be the borrowers and if we have an item to be lent out and it has not been used in a while/long time or ever! then it goes as a gift to the one who asked to borrow it. 

Must get on the weather is warm and I need to empty the car again.

2 Scratters xx

Brie

Garden table moved to front of house and posted on freegle.  Hoping someone will be quick to take something for this weekend's celebrations.

@Florenceem
Please think very carefully about the help that MrF will need when he comes home.  As someone has said discharge can take some time but make sure they take into account what your home is like and what your life is like.  If him coming home means he needs to be lifted, bathed, watched over then they should be providing support for that, possibly equipment as well.  That will mean someone coming to your home and doing an assessment to see what you have and what you need. 

Please also take into account how much you can do.  None of us are as young and fit as we'd like to be so be realistic about what is possible.  I remember MiL then about 90 insisting at the hospital that she was perfectly capable of getting FiL in and out of bed, lifting him if he fell etc - none of which was true of course but she didn't want to look like she was incapable or unloving.  And she wasn't either of those things - just not as young and fit as she once was.  We had similar considerations when she was going to be discharged from hospital and flatly stated that we could not lift her if she fell etc etc.  I know it seems heartless but there's 2 people to consider - MrF and you as well.  No point in him getting home only for you to be injured trying to cope.  And life can become very limited when looking after someone full time.  You need to be able to do "you" things as well.

Sorry - I'll stop nagging now.