2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Brie

Didn't do an exact count but about 50 cds decluttered to the CS today.  First one said no as they already have too many but second was happy to take them as well as a slightly used eau de parfum by Issy Miyake (didn't really enjoy the fragrance) and a Garmin fit watch with 2 spare wrist bands but needing a new battery.  I've another 10 or so cds that will go in my car and I'll give them a listen and then dispose of them if I don't enjoy enough.  I tend to buy cds from CSs so sometimes it's a case of 2 in and 1 out depending on what they have available and if the prices are right.  

vulpix

Steps to top garden and Goat heaven. Hard to imagine but this is a disused lane and under all the growth is a stream. 

Blue_Doggy

Thanks to @QueenJess ‘s tip I was quickly able to find my last post (only 19 pages ago!) and catch up. 

@Moorviews and @Mrs_Salad_Dodger my transplanted blueberries look good, but the strawberries are considering their options. Virtually nothing done in garden this week, except watering.

@stellata - have you a launderette near you? They usually have some extra-large capacity washing machines (king-size winter duvet type), and large driers if wrestling your large wet bedspread onto the washing line might be too much for the line if not you. I use the launderette for my very large living room curtains, and find it very satisfactory.
Everyone making wonderful improvements!

Apologies in advance, this is a “large economy size” post. 🙂

Tuesday: Friend due to visit at short notice on Wednesday afternoon, living room not fit to be seen, cue panic decluttering of piles of toot into Room of Doom and Study.

- bathroom bleach uu, bottle binned, replaced with new bottle from minor RoD

 -dried up kitchen cleaner discarded, note made of need to replace

- 2 lots (approx. 10 items) cardboard boxes Justin had been keeping in the cloakroom, to recycling

- lots of dust and dog hair decluttered from living room

- 3 part-used (!) boxes of disposable dusters used up

- Canine Doggy’s Jackson Pollock-style wall-art (executed in locally sourced mud) removed from hall walls, and his nose-art removed from patio doors - while it’s original and authentic art-work it is not really in the Banksy class

Wednesday: My birthday, 🥳 lunch out with friend S and tea at home with friend J

• a dozen envelopes decluttered
• several items earmarked for declutteration at a later date
• cardboard flower delivery box of complex origami design deconstructed and recycled
• several sheets of wrapping paper into recycling (not saved for reuse as would previously have been done - not sorry, Justin!)
• Gift bag to stash for reuse (was given to me, I reused for friend who has just given it back to me, so it has had three uses already)
• Several sheets of bubble wrap into Justin’s stash for later reuse or discarding

 Thursday: 2 hour walkies with friend (S2) and Canine Doggy in the morning, visited friend in hospital in the afternoon and caught up with Sewing Bee in the evening.

• another flower delivery box deconstructed and into recycling bin

Friday: Something has changed inside me: I was looking round the living room this morning (nothing that was taken to the RoD has yet been brought back) and thinking that I’m ready rearrange things and move some on and/or out. Even revisiting a plan I had for refurnishing the house when I retired/reached 70/other milestone. My furniture at present is a mix of my tastes of 40-50 years ago, plus bits and pieces that were my parents’ and often secondhand/passed on/inherited. This plan is not MSE, but since the things I currently have are very MSE, I think it may be time to spend some money being “me”.

Best wishes to all!

Florenceem

So tired after yesterday - slept in until 7.25.
Did some washing and went to prayer breakfast at the local Catholic church. Not a cooked breakfast but rolls, salami, smoked ham, cheese, pate and crossiants.
Walked in to town after visiting Home Bargain. for the extendable cleaning mop and an extending feather duster. Got some numbers in there for my wheelie bins - I am going to scrub my empty blue bin inside and out while it is sunny.
Got a bus to the shopping centre - big charity shop has opened - lots of new items in there - I needed a new drainer and got a new Bundt tin for £5.
Wheeling my trolley with extending items sticking out was tricky. I visited B & M - got a lampshade for the bedroom but now not sure if it is big enough - only £4 so I will send if to CS if not happy with it. They had £6 shades but I didn't know if they were too big. Will have to stand on the bed or steps to try the lampshade. 

Brie

Florenceem said:

Will have to stand on the bed or steps to try the lampshade. 

NO!  Don't do it!!!  Get one of the younger more bouncible family or church members to do this for you!!!

GrannyKate

@Florenceem - please wait for DGS to do lampshades

834 Pruned some bushes and trees back and pulled out bindweed 
835 Trip to the tip with garden stuff etc
836 Posted some cards

Like the bathroom and garden steps @vulpix

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

Saturday is dry & bright but no sunshine yet. Up & dressed by 11:45. DH already up. I have my first cuppa & have settled down to try & catch up with the cheerleading 😉 Forgot to mention that DSis’s hair is now very, very short 😬 

Lovely to see you dND 👋 Sorry to hear that you are getting stressed & having panic attacks about your move from France to England 😔 Well done for coming onto the thread to ‘offload’ 😊 Now you have everything written down, you can see how well you are doing 👏 Hopefully the sensible part of your brain will start to gain traction & you will start to sleep a little better 🤞 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that your buyer would like you to leave lots of items that are in the barn - as I seem to remember that she is intending to be a farmer🤞 You are doing so well on the decluttering & I am very impressed at your organisational skills 👏 So impressed that as an encouragement I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ for the decluttering so far, a Gold Star ⭐️ for making all the travel arrangements & a Gold Star ⭐️ for your arrangements for your cats 😊 I know you can do it 😊 & we are all here to offer at least virtual support & encouragement 😊

Lovely post Brie with lots of practical suggestions 😊

You are very welcome retiredinfrance 😊 Maybe the lure of a gold star will encourage MrRiF to complete the garage decluttering 😉🤞 Pleased to hear that you took a day off from the decluttering & had such a lovely day out 😊 Well done on resisting the temptation of ‘the blouse’ 👏 one more medal 🏅 coming your way 👏 Good luck with the clothes decluttering 🍀 Lovely support & suggestions for dND 😉

Floss, love the idea of your cat going into long term storage 😂

Florenceem that was a very long day 😩  Very pleased to hear that the cottage hospital is such a lovely place 😊 Although sorry to hear about MrF’s swollen feet 😔 Hopefully the doctor will get that sorted out & MrF can start to regain his strength 🤞 

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, well done on offloading the ‘temporary’ job 👏 Great news that DD1 has sold some of your clothes on Vint*d - hopefully lots of pennies 😊 Yesterday seems to have been the day for haircuts 😉

florianatwobob, fingers crossed that Operation Paint Kitchen is finished today & that you have a lovely day at the seaside on Sunday 🤞 Excellent result for your mock exam & especially impressed that you did it ‘closed book’ 👏🥳 

Excellent decluttering of items & tasks Liverpool_Anne 👏 Brilliant work in OH’s garden especially reaching the apple tree 👏 As you have worked so hard yet again! I am awarding you a medal 🏅 Please try to get at least some rest today 🙏 Good luck with Sunday’s ‘Front Garden project’ 🍀

Lovely 2nd post Liverpool_Anne 😊 Very supportive & entertaining as well 😊 I agree that it sounds like someone is trying to avoid repaying their sl 😖 although not sure why he picked our address as I am very careful to shred anything & everything with our address on it 🤨 

stellata, you never know - the freecycler who eventually collects the bedspread may have an industrial sized wm 🤞😉

TC77, excellent suggestion for stellata’s Freecycle listing 👏 Good luck catching up with work & fitting in some tidying 🍀 Have your employers managed to recruit any more staff? as I seem to remember you mentioning that they were going to do that 🤔 I too have been finding the conversation about decluttering parents houses quite interesting & am wistfully wishing that I had had that information when we sold mum & dads house in France back in 2018. It would have helped DSis & I no end 😔TC77, if the typewriters are manual & working I think they will sell for a good price 🤞 

Lovely post 2Scratters 😊 And great advice about enjoying the sunshine & topping up our Vitamin D sensibly 👏

GrannyKate, fingers crossed that DS can be persuaded to sort out the garage 🤞Excellent electronic decluttering 👏 I had to look up ‘keychain’ as I am rather computer illiterate 😉 I believe DH uses the same thing - I do like the idea of ‘auto filling’ passwords but………… What a lovely surprise to have more light in your garden 🥳 

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 and another medal 🏅 for DS 👏 You are training him well 😉

Lovely post vulpix 😊 Thank you for the reassurance about our glacially slow decision making re a new bathroom 👏 I have a feeling that we ‘might’ go the same route but both DH & I do struggle to get out of the bath 😔 Thank you so much for the pictures 👏 Love the fixtures & fittings 😊 Is there still football going on - whatever happened to the off season 🤣 

Excellent decluttering of CDs Brie 👏 

Definitely goat heaven vulpix 🥳😊 & you have even been kind enough to supply steps 😂 Will the goat also be given access to the lane? 😉

Lovely post Blue_Doggy 😊 I did grin at your comment the “strawberries are considering their options” 😁 No need to apologise for a “large economy size” post 😉 after all you are catching up from 19 pages ago 😅 Wow, you had a very busy & successful Tuesday of decluttering & cleaning 🤩👏 Having visitors can be a great motivator to clean, tidy & declutter 😊 but still very stressful 😱 Belated Happy Birthday for Wednesday 🎉🥳 🎂 Sounds like you had a lovely day 😊 & you even managed lots of decluttering 👏 Pleased to see that only very useful & money saving Justins are being given house room 😉 

Hope your friend in hospital is recovering & will be home soon 🤞I am a Sewing Bee fan 😉 I admire both the contestants sewing skills & their bravery for entering in the first place 🤩 I also love the way that the longer they manage to stay, the more confident they get 😊 What an epic decision you reached yesterday 🥳👏 Your stressful day of decluttering & cleaning in preparation for your visitor on Wednesday has had an enormously beneficial effect 😊 You have given yourself ‘permission’ to be you 🥳 Enjoy ☺️ 

Florenceem, I am very pleased to hear that you managed a lie-in this morning 😊 after such an exhausting day yesterday. The prayer breakfast sounds delicious & a chance for you to get some rest 👏 I see that you didn’t rest for long but are still continuing on your quest to declutter & clean in preparation for MrF’s return home 🙂 I am fully in agreement with Brie’s comment/instruction in response to “Will have to stand on the bed or steps to try the lampshade” I will quote her just to get the point across “NO!  Don't do it!!!  Get one of the younger more bouncible family or church members to do this for you!!!” I don’t mean to ‘shout’ but I am very concerned after your recent fall in the bathroom 😔

Well said Brie 👏

GrannyKate, definitely agree that checking the lampshade should be left to Florenceem’s DGS J 👏Well done on the continued work in the garden 👏

Party time - I have caught up on the cheerleading 🥳 

DSis has gone shopping for new trousers for the funeral as sadly she has nothing that fits 😔 & DH has gone shopping - I did manage to write him a shopping list whilst catching up 😉 

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 1398/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £116.90

Dfw38

@daisy_1571 the way it is going we will have more acronyms than the American govt has departments 🤣

Dfw38

@vulpix a 🐐- super exciting!
@brie especially after you worked so hard to make all that extra iron 🤣. Think we are making progress with b@rclays.... 10 days they say until dad's account is closed and we should have the statements so I can do the gift part of inheritance tax soon....watch this space. Thank you for the info and if it comes to it I will implement. Sorry you have been through similar.

Dfw38

Thank-you @Mrs_Salad_Dodger, it is an ongoing battle but I don't quit 😃. I was expecting the valuation to be that kind of price to be honest. There is subsidence.