2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

nannywindow

Hello all, sorry I seem to have decluttered myself from the thread firstly through illness, then holidays. Please forgive me not reading back as there are about 1500 posts I have missed 😳.
We arrived back from holiday on Thursday and the house is now a tip with lots of things to be sorted and put away. The only thing I seem to have done is washing, and yet more washing plus emptying the caravan. The garden is now a jungle and the bottom of my wardrobe looks like the aftermath of a really good jumble sale 😱 I feel overwhelmed and sorry for myself at the amount of stuff I need to do, so feel free to give me a kick up the backside !
I did make some progress in the decluttering dept today and binned a pair of winter bootie slippers as the bottoms have gone and I washed a small rug which left a trail of backing stuff in my wm and all over the kitchen floor ! The rug is now in the bin and I've cleaned out the wm and hoovered the floor, it seems to be 2 steps forward and 3 back. 
I've also recycled 3 caravan mags, umpteen pieces of printed paper, lists no longer needed and shame on me for not checking often enough, some bread flour which had weevils 😖
Sorry for waffling when I really should be doing something productive.
Hugs to anyone in need.
nan 

Florenceem

Decided to empty and clean the top shelf in my food cupboard - 10 items were decluttered.
My back is hurting now so I have put my dinner on to cook.
I have a full sack of fabric/clothes recycling to take to SA recycling next week.
Already have a full black sack in my rubbish bin.

stellata

Another bank hol weekend, another 3 days at home alone. Not entirely a bad thing, I've got plenty to keep me busy. 

Took doggy for a sunny walk across the common and chatted with a few people, it helps to get out. The garden has got away from me but I've decided to let it do that this weekend while I have a rest and try to get organised. Next week I have to take 2 days off as otherwise I'll lose them, (didn't take them last year so carried over) so I'm thinking I'll have tues and Fri. 

Have sorted out a huge box of clothes but last lot I gave to chaz are still there on their rails. 

Food wise I'm eating my way through the freezer and cupboards.

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

So, I did get dressed & joined DH in the garage. DH had moved the Harley Davidson out of the garage & onto the driveway so we had room to move. The bed frame with bolts is now easily accessible 🙂 We then tackled various pots, containers & boxes of bits & pieces & put everything we came across into it’s appropriate tool box - DH has many, many toolboxes 😥 Next task was to go through all the drawers (one at a time) in the heavy duty tool chest (see pic 1) Every single one is now organised & we managed to put away lots of extra tools & removed 2 useless shelves which were not really designed for garage tools (see pic 2 - orange plastic pieces in bin) The work bench (currently hidden behind the bed frame see pic 3) is now almost clear 🙂 Lots of bits & pieces binned including paint brushes, shelves, broken tools, general tat etc - I am counting as 100 so new total is 1349/2023. As the Harley was on the drive & the weather was so nice DH decided to replace the shock absorbers (a cane toad as he had the new shocks for about a year 🐸) Whilst he was doing that, I relocated several items to the shed, changed the birds drinking water & watered the seedlings. The bike is back in the garage & I can still access the fridge/freezer 🥳 There is still plenty to sort out in the garage but we are both counting today’s endeavours as a resounding success 😁 Tomorrow we will revert to working in the garden & continuing the patio restoration 🙂 The Tip bag now has the 2 old shock absorbers + 4 bits of old exhaust pipe (next part of DH’s bike repairs) - new total 1355/2023. 

Now back to cheerleading 

Brie, great ideas re Florenceem’s photocopier 👏

Florenceem, definitely sounds like an industrial photocopier 😬

Brie, more great ideas 👏

Siebrie, great ideas to track down the paperwork 👏

Florenceem, good luck tracking down the photocopier paperwork 🍀 I was wondering if MrF’s new location will be more or less difficult to get to? Thanks for the before & after photos of the office 👏 Am I correct in thinking that photograph 6 on the before pictures shows the photocopier on the righthand side? Oh, I have answered my own question by looking at the after photographs 😅 Muddy_Walker is spot on with her description ‘jaw dropping’ 🤩 & is also correct that medals are not enough 😉 so I am awarding you a trophy 🏆 to add to your collection of medals & gold stars 😊

Well said Muddy_Walker 👏 & you are absolutely correct that Florenceem’s office decluttering deserved more than a medal 😉 Hopefully the tests will identify what has happened to your dad & a treatment plan can be put in place 🤞 Party time re last week of TB 🥳 🎊 🎉 A great opportunity to practise your beatific smile 😊

Wednesday2000, ‘a dramatic transformation’  indeed. Florenceem has done such a superb job 👏 How sad about the charity shop fire ☹️ Well done on finding items to donate 👏 & good luck with the wardrobe search 🍀

Lovely post QueenJess 😊

One more page caught up 🥳

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 1355/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £116.90

QueenJess

Parents came and went today, bringing with them a new toy for each of the kids and a pile of clothes that they need/will soon need.  Not too bad and today I managed to send them back with two plant pots with some plants I separated from patio pots that have gone a bit crazy and an absolutely enormous bag of peanuts for the birds.  It felt more balanced than usual!

Despite all my decluttering, we still have a bit too much stuff and I really do need to kick my habit of overbuying food.  Nothing ever goes to waste, but as it starts to run down I overbuy again and stuff the cupboards and freezer to overflowing.  I do have some old stuff at the back of the cupboards that need to be used up as well.  Some progress where I convinced the kids to have broken ice cream cones (DD smashed them all up before I removed them to a higher cupboard) and they ate the last of a big tub of ice cream with it.  One thing gone from the freezer at least.  About a million things left to use up   I want to feel calm and in control in the kitchen rather than permanently trying to catch up with myself.  The silly thing is that I have fresh veg/fruit and milk delivered every week and this is the majority of my diet anyway, so no idea why I have so much other stuff in!

To make myself feel slightly better, I just challenged myself to find 10 things in the worst areas in the house (garage including some stuff lurking outside and kitchen).  It was stupidly easy which probably shows there is more to do in those, but at least a bit more is gone and I doubt I spent more than 5 mins just looking and pulling the odd thing out.  When pressed I know where the worst drawers/cupboards etc are that stress me out and the time pressure to just get to 10 items was quite helpful as I made fast decisions.  Might try it again tomorrow, although it can't work indefinitely as sometimes you need to pull things out to see what is in the back etc.

However, excellent progress I feel since I also entertained parents, kept kids under control, planted about 1/8th of my to be large wild flower bed, planted out the sweet peas I sowed indoors, made lunch from scratch and also made shortbread as a treat for everyone.  Tomorrow and Monday will be days out with the kids, so less time to do things around the house, but then that's ok as I will be having precious family time.  Loads of time to catch up in the week next week as work is much quieter.

Digital:
15,073-15,074 - emails deleted

Physical:
15,075-15,076 - flower pots (given away)
15,077-15,081 - plastic containers (recycled)
15,082 - plastic box (Buy Nothing)
15,083 - bird feeder (Buy Nothing)
15,084 - indoor compost bin (Buy Nothing)
15,085 - bird feeder (Buy Nothing)
15,086-15,088 - yogurt pots (recycled)

Edit: A minor thing, but I finally closed all the open internet browser tabs on my phone.  It is gloriously empty now!

Soontobeoap

A busy tidying and cleaning day. Reorganised wool into empty crates in craft cabin. Then used the shelf for bulk buy food items. Cleaned bathroom and little loo, did ironing and sorted fridge and freezer. In the process I sorted bathroom and cleaning cupboard and finally discarded some odd socks that have been without their partner for at least a month. Believe it or not  i gathered half a bin bag of rubbish. Counting as 1

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I did get something done this afternoon. 2 loads of washing sorted and 10 items removed from the conservatory and put away where they belong. Only scratching the surface but it was so hot in there even with both doors open I could only work in fits and starts with breaks to cool down.
This evening I did some crochet, the blanket is nearly done, just the border to do now and as the baby will be here one way or another by the 2nd I need to crack on with it so I have pencilled in to do it while keeping track of the footy tomorrow
Hugs to everyone who would like one
709 & 710 2x loads of washing
711 10x items put away from the conservatory
Take care everyone
711/2023

ETA forgot to count the financial frog sorted at the bank this morning So
712/2023

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Oops, I forgot to add the pics 🙊 

Pic 1

Pic 2



Pic 3




Dinner was cottage pie with spinach & spring greens for DSis with the addition of mashed parsnips for DH & me 😋 Wudupa. I have just watched Tina Turner Live in Concert 2009 🤩 

Night, night sleep tight.

MrsSD

Florenceem

Up later today - washing is on - I will iron yesterday's wash after breakfast.
I have Freeglers coming to collect items today.
Not going to Church even though I tested negative yesterday - I don't want to worry about coughing during the service - I will watch online.
Hope to visit Mr F tomorrow.
Going to deep clean the porch and downstairs cloakroom today - no decluttering to do in those areas of the house.

GrannyKate

Morning all - got up early to put washing out only to find I had not turned it on last night.  

712 DS2 put pool ladder together - it was something of a challenge
713 Lots of cardboard from house and DS2 work taken to recycling centre
714 General rubbish to tip
715 Various items potted out - I did buy a few more flowers for planters
716 Managed to get some compost out of bottom of compost bin and used to half fill some pots for veggies
717 Plastics to recycling at Coop
718 Large but very shallow lidded glass container to CS bag.  Nothing wrong with it but annoying and rarely useable. 
719 White Board calendar in kitchen updated for June which looks busy although holiday at the end which will be nice