2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:

Tasks Completed:

• Emailed earbud company re: return

Stuff - IN: 

3. Pair of brand new blackout curtains left by a neighbour for someone to take

Stuff - OUT:

11. Recycled Christmas Cards

Took two large sacks of stuff (already) counted to the charity shop.  Good to get it out of the house not least of all because there were a couple of things in there that I had been pulled back out of the charity shop bags last minute a few times before  

Tasks Completed:

• Cancelled Prime membership

Stuff - IN: 

4. Toilet roll holder

Stuff - OUT:

12 & 13. 2 x knives

14-16 -  3 x pairs posh chopsticks (We only ever use the disposable ones from Itsu)

@LiverpoolAnne - Thanks for your suggestion - I do charge for no-shows & last minute cancellations for my private clients - very similar to your OH .  But most of my client work is as an Associate and each company has different rules!   I have to say the novelty is wearing off with this one & I'm not the only one feeling that way.  I really need to make more effort getting private client rather than relying on Associate work. 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, only 3 pages to catch up on today
@CMD79 excellent advice and I wish I worked with you, I love pickled beetroot

@Blue_Doggy, don't worry we all go at our own pace but you are right Mrs SD is a superwoman

@Soontobeoap welcome aboard

@gettingthrifty, I can relate to wanting to find uses for things, well done

@Moorviews, that bag definitely counts as a frog

Well today has been a bit frustrating. In Dec I had a phone call to say to go and get my covid winter jab and was directed to a chemist who do walk ins. When the lady checked she said it was too soon and to come back after boxing day. I went today but when I got there they were shut for lunch. Having over an hour to wait I went for a walk in the park, which was lovely, and picked up a coffee. Back to the chemist only to be told they haven't started the clinics yet, have no idea when they will start again but book a slot online. So back home via my local chemist to pick up my b12 jab, appt on Saturday, (explains why I am once again knackered). Phoned the dentist to book a check up but sent to an answer phone so left a message but no call back yet. I might have to call in as I did hear my dentist is thinking of retiring which will mean I will have to find another one, wish me luck with that . Booked in for covid jab Jan 19th.
Very little else done but I did manage to finally use up a tin of lip balm. Honestly I have loads, when I was working I had them in every coat pocket, every handbag, my desk and various places around the house. I have also binned one kept by my computer as it has a pink/red colour to it and just freaks me out when I catch sight of myself in the mirror I also joined the ramblers today, I need to do more walking and exercise in general and I am hoping this might motivate me. I do go swimming but the public swim sessions are quite limited, get quite busy and are not at the best of times, usually being either very early in the morning or after 7pm by which time I am both tired and hungry. 
I also put the old telephone directory in the recycling as new one delivered. Bin day tomorrow so I checked all the bins in the house but none were full so just put the wheelie out. I made a start on some email decluttering but OH came home and needed the laptop to do some work stuff so will not count them yet as too few.
After tea I did some knitting.
Looking out for meteors again tonight but it is so cloudy I can't even see the moon
31 & 32 tasks
33 uu and binned lip balm.
Will have to do loads tomorrow
33/2023
Take care everyone

-taff

TC77 said:

Just caught up with posts @GrannyKate I agree about letters, I've friends who pour over their parents diaries and letters. My mum asked me to write something using some of her stories and diaries, but I know she had some down times, and difficulties with other things and I don't think it's for grandchildren to read.

Sites like ancestry are a lure for those who don't know about their history and may not be interested in it until they are quite far into adulthood. Keeping your mothers words may mean a great deal to your children when they grow up, I know I wish mine had kept diaries..I might have found out sooner i had a Polish not a Scottish grandfather...and dsicovered a whole new family...Not that I am saying your children will, but they may appreciate her writing later on...

florianatwobob

I wouldn’t say that ancestry is just for people that don’t know much about their history. Both my parents knew a lot of their family history but it has solved some mysteries, allowed us to detangle exactly who my G Grandad was talking about in his WWI diary ‘(saw Uncle Thomas and borrowed a horse and cart to see the old folk at X’ only gets you so far)  and put us in touch with some more distant cousins. 

Liverpool_Anne

The sky cleared briefly and I saw 2 meteors before it clouded over again and I fell asleep

daisy_1571

WeenancyinAmerica  so very very pleased to hear you have the go ahead to rehome the husky.  Very good outcome for room mate who has no more moral responsibility,  you who will now not only not have the actual responsibility but also have extra work from clearing up after it but most especially for husky who hopefully will get a more fulfilling life with someone who knows what huskies need. 

I wouldn't waste your time going through rehoming her yourself with all the drama and uncertainty you'll have about her potential new owners.  I had a friend who used to run huskies attached to carts with wheels in summer and on snow in winter.  There was a huge group of them that travelled all over to regular meets.  I'm sure it was 'mushing' they used to call it.  Check to see if there's any in your vicinity as they will likely know of someone needing to increase their pack.  Try general Internet and Facebook for those clubs and/or maybe see if you can find a specific husky rehoming, as a breed specific rescue will get her to a much more suitable home than a general rescue.

The only other idea I have here is the same as any potentially contentious agreement- get it sorted quickly otherwise there may be vacillating and I think from what you have previously said that you know in your heart that this doggy deserves a life more suited to her very specific husky-needs.  Many dog breeds were specifically bred to do particular jobs for humans making them less suitable as a breed for being domestic pets (im talking about the breed in general not specific individuals) .   Huskies are one of those but the fact they look so gorgeous means they often get themselves into homes that just cant cope with them.  (A sad by-product of human intervention where person A breeds specific traits in for specific reasons then Persons B, C, D etc expect the animal to be an all rounder and fit into our human world cos they like the look of them.)

Good luck finding somewhere and please don't be swayed by her puppy eyes looking at you, start feeling guilty and think you are better keeping her.  Remind yourself what she needs, she needs to be out running miles a week with others like her not getting bored and destructive in a garden on her own. 

(weenancy plus anyone else who may be now or has been in the past struggling with this issue) People often think giving up a dog is 'failing'.   Please beleive me, it most definitely is not, its recognising a dog requires more than the current owner can do for it and allowing it to get a better life elsewhere.  Its often the most selfless, loving thing an owner can ever do for the dog.

Take care of your emotions and remind yourself this dog came unbidden into your life however you are now being allowed to help her get the best possible life for her future,

Daisy xxx

donna73

Thanks @gettingthrifty for mentioning that you got rid of coffee shop points cards - that’s made me think I should really go through my purse and bag and see what tat is lurking!

GrannyKate

Late waking up so rush to get DGCs off to school.  Need to get dressed as off to quiz but various items corralled together in porch to go out with me.

47 Fridge shelf box (cracked) from old fridge - kept for Justin - another poster mentioned throwing hers away so I did the same
48 Christmas flowers thrown away - they lasted well even though DD thought dog sat on them on way here
49 Christmas doormats forgotten - one to loft the other to bin as it is too light and you trip over it
50 Last few perishable Christmas things from fridge binned - although I still have cheese but trying to eat that up

I have some notes to write up for history group, a document to check and papers to read so they may be my 23 minutes froglets for the next few days. 

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks

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 daily mail immediately 

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

I did pick something off my list on Wednesday - the crockery cupboard 🙂. Emptied, cleaned inside & out & restocked. I left the bottom shelf unaltered but rearranged the other 2 shelves - one item relocated, a plastic pot & an unattached plastic lid recycled & enough space created to add a couple of bowls from another cupboard. I also carried on knitting another beanie. 

DH was out for 5 hours - still unable to find DSis’s milk of choice, then onto the hospital. M was in the same room she had been discharged from. Apart from a few minutes here & there M was asleep the whole time DH was there & was mostly unaware that he was actually there. Apparently she even slept through her scan & X-ray. M has a very nice nurse who couldn’t understand why she had been sent home. DH also saw the dr who had originally booked M into hospital. DH has kept the family updated & will be visiting again tomorrow. Dinner was Chinese takeaway. 

22 - 26 Kitchen recycling, cardboard packaging, drinks cans, plastic pot, plastic lid - recycled 

27 Kitchen detritus binned 

Great work LookingForPeace 👏

You certainly did have a challenging day EnergyShifter but you handled it with aplomb 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏

Sorry to hear that both you & DD3 are unwell, charlies_tribe 🙁 but pleased to hear that you are feeling a bit better. Excellent decluttering 👏

The E(lectric) D(ecluttering) T(rain) seems to have morphed into an Express DT, ilovetea 😉 We are blowing away the cobwebs 😂 Excellent decluttering 👏 although from your lack of appetite I infer that you have been unwell 🤒 Hope you are on the mend 🤞

Nothing wrong with a bits & bobs day ~FlowerPot~ it is still decluttering 👏

Keiths_Mum, it would be interesting for you to know if your grandparents were ‘collectors’ or ‘minimalists’ - I sadly don’t remember if mine were but do have a vague memory of my paternal grandmother liking ornaments 😉 An excellent way to approach the shredding of paperwork 👏 - home shredders are notoriously ‘fragile’ - they need lots of rest in between shredding sessions & your cat needs time to ‘discover’ it’s new toy 😂

Lovely post daisy_1571 😊 A gentle way to deal with funeral order of service brochures until such time as a permanent solution is hit upon 🙂

Cats are such individualists Slinky 😅

Welcome aboard the EDT andyad, lovely to meet you 👋 Many of us love a list as they are a tangible representation of both our good intentions & our successes as we complete & cross off each task 🙂You have made an excellent start 👏 I am especially impressed with the wardrobe clearance 👏 Now that the clothes are out, might I suggest that you split into 2 piles - first grouping for CS (then bag & deliver asap) & second grouping to list for sale maybe 10 items at a time 😉 As to your DH perhaps you can get him to start grouping the garage items & gently persuade him to plan when & where i.e. which car boot sales, he is going to attend & then hold him to it 😉 I am looking forward to accompanying you on your decluttering journey 🙂

Great idea re onions -taff 👏 Glad it isn’t just me who gets those hard to peel onions - I thought I was doing it wrong 😉

First batch of cheerleading done ✅ so will take a few minutes minutes to drink my cuppa & be back again to continue 🙂

MrsSD

Decluttering Target 2023: 27/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5:00

bit_by_bit

Just popping by to register the three bedside drawers i emptied totally last night. Rehomed some items, binned or recycled others. There are some things to go though still and I have a nice little stack of bookmarks. I have been using bits of paper lately.

Today is a chores day. I have a long list which includes the in laws covid tests, printing off forms and dropping bags of stuff off at various points around the city. 

Have a good day all.