2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

QueenJess

For those feeling overwhelmed, I often feel it as well and I am meant to "just" be maintenance decluttering (aka holding back the tide of kids stuff ever coming through the door!).  Forget the overall picture and do something, anything.  Even if just picking up some rubbish, looking at a single shelf or whatever.  I like to look at a small bit of whatever stresses me out the most as it's almost always not quite as bad as I've built it up in my mind.  Or, look for some quick wins to make yourself feel better and spur you on.  If you combine that with concentrating on bringing fewer things in, then you'll be surprised how quickly the tide can turn.

I usually have problems keeping up with this thread, but have absolutely no chance right now! @Mrs_Salad_Dodger (aka 🦸‍♀️).. my hat off to you keeping up!

Not much happening here... I'm just going with the flow.  If I feel like doing something I do and if I don't, I just wait until the next time.  Not stressing about it.  I may tackle the kids book collection and see if I can weed a few out later.  I am a book magnet as I love reading, so probably acquire far too many for them (if you can have too many books?!).  Now DD is getting her own little likes and dislikes (almost 2), it's time to get rid of a few I know she won't look at.

Just some organic reduction here for now:

27 - socks with holes (recycled)
28-30 - envelopes (donated to DS’s school)

Floss

SecondStar said:

Sunk costs IS difficult.

Not just sunk financial costs, but sunk emotional & mental costs, too.

I’ve still not be able to spend enough time in the house to begin decluttering yet, but I know that sunk emotional costs will be hard to deal with.

Personally, I have lots of art & craft materials that I bought with the intentions of doing certain things, making certain things. I tied a lot of ideas, ambitions, and dreams about MYSELF to these objects....

I was like this when I split from my now ex-husband. I had lots of different craft materials, fabric, patterns & books and loads of baking & cake decorating equipment.

I gave lots of stuff to my sister-in-law for my young niece & older niece's classroom & sold other stuff on Ebay or Fbook marketplace.

I couldn't bear to think of the ££s, but did come to the conclusion that the emotional cost was connected to the state of my marriage & wanting to live in a world where I did all these things. After realising that, it was easier to let things go to a new home, and while I still have a stash of stuff I may never use again I know that I'm no longer creating a fantasy life to avoid my real one!

Floss

Wheelie bin emptied today (and recycling will be done tomorrow thank goodness) so I can begin to fill it again. Christmas is ready to go back in the attic and I have another full box for donating. I think I will do that on Monday when I'm on my non-working day, then I will have time to chat rather than drop & run.

mhagster

Hello. 

Have had a sort through my wardrobe this morning and have a big bag sitting at front door waiting to go into car to go to charity shop. 

And put two items for free on local FB page waiting person who wants them to get back to me ( slightly annoying…why ask if you’re not going to follow up! ) so hopefully they are out of the house today/tomorrow. 

2Scratters

Morning Peeps,
@ruby_eskimo I get you! If it has been paid for by me especially (as I know how much it cost) I need to use it up. It is slow  but still progressive. As Taff also mentioned there are also some good supportive suggestions there too. Do what works for you.
Our tree is undecorated and now has the secateurs at its side ready for taking down in stages for the fire. I have finally managed to dispose of some decorations  that I have been questioning about for a few years. All put up into the loft and tidied away. As always something has to leave the loft so down came a box of anaglypta wall paper. Sadly it could not be recycled onto the fire. So that too has left the house. 
A tin of buttons from my parents house (they moved into supported living last year) arrived at ours - excited to see the contents. They have been removing "stuff" for a very long time. Less trauma for later in life.
We have just decluttered much coffee ground dust from the coffee  machine. Little big job of fitting multiple socket for kitchen accessories and the oven that can be switched off fully. Also one in the back bedroom (to be kitchen 2023)
Decluttered food items into meals.
Progress is progress 

2 Scratters xx

joanie

So today’s ‘ Biggish‘ item is 3 foot cheese plant and the rustic Pole that it would’ve grown up if I had actually repotted it? I did think about selling it but decided to just put on Facebook for free. After one ‘no show’ 🤬 the 2nd person came and it’s gone! 

It was part of my working from home covid ‘fantasy self’ 🤣🤣🤣 you know? the one who is going to have a house full of plants (I even grew a load of cactus from seed !!!!)

ive decluttered a few other things but need to get back on the photo de-stash for the big number wins. 

On another group some one quoted . . .  “ keeping something doesn’t make you richer just as getting rid of something doesn’t make you poorer” this is really helping me to declutter, hope it helps someone else too. 

Thanks for the mention in dispatches @Mrs_Salad_Dodger. I must admit it puffs me up with pride 😜

keep going everyone 😘

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I have managed to declutter the Internet this morning, unintentionally and annoyingly. I have spent 2 hours on the phone trying to get it sorted out but have now got an engineer coming on Monday. I have 2 jobs to do today, chop up the Christmas tree and clear OHs car boot stuff from the hall so the engineer can get to the connections. Currently using my phone but it's not the easiest so may not post as regularly
Take care everyone 

roundtuit

Hallooooo xx 

Inspired by the Nick Knowles programme last night - I turned off the TV and read some magazines, which made a satisfying 'thunk' when I dropped them in the recycling box this morning. Every little helps!

I've finished work for the week - 75% hours phased return,  AND had the car at the garage on Wednesday to look at intermittent starting problem ( had a phone call earlier to say they've sourced the part, so going back on Monday to have it fitted),  AND had a counselling session this week which I find exhausting. So too much going on to set to properly but I have just taken down the Christmas tree and it's all packed up ready to go upstairs. Said tree was once up for two years but that was a long time ago. 

I'm formulating plans of what to do this weekend.  Number 1 is to clear the coffee table which has attracted rammel over Christmas. I've started by unpackaging a Christmas present. Baileys in the fridge. Not decided what to do with the candle. Are scented candles on trend this year? I seem to have been gifted a lot of them. The best being a gift from DS labelled 'Mum's Last Nerve - and it's on fire!'. 🤣🤣 He knows me so well.

Right. 4 children's books to go in cs bag and 3 interactive children's books that aren't interactive any longer - bin.

Love to all.
Rxx

Muddy_Walker

Hi everyone! Big hugs as well xxx
i kicked myself up the bum in the end 😜

So this week I didn’t buy any new cleaning products (huzzah!) am using up what we have. I do actually keep cheap washing up liquid in the bathroom to sploosh down the loo cos I like the smell and the bubbles.
I have tidied up the kitchen and thrown empty envelopes out as well as brown packaging from that well known online store…..and got rid of recycling straight away. Did threaten dog 2 I’d recycle him if he wasn’t careful!!!!!! (I never would obviously but needs a reminder now and then that I’m boss…..)
today is injection day for my endocrine cancer and I am now pooped and not even had it yet. So cuddled up in bed with both dogs and a cuppa. It will wipe me out all weekend but I’m used to that. 

I also moved a nasty hospital procedure from Monday to the following week so much happier. Can only really deal with one major medical thing at a time!
take care all xxx

thriftyscotslass

My goodness - the EDT has set off at some pace!!!! I feel like I have been gone forever and it is only 4 days.

I'm totally exhausted after our trip away to Uncle-in-law's funeral - we successfully decluttered 2 travelling days and 1 funeral day (which was very moving and a lovely celebration of 98 well-lived years).

The travelling was tough - a long journey on rough seas followed by a long car drive & then the same again in reverse - but we did it, and it was lovely to connect with extended family

Was sooooo glad that we had decluttered Xmas tree & decs before we left. Today has been busy with unpacking; washing & drying and a much needed trip to Mr T's to stock up on provisions.

Still unsure of how to document my decluttering journey - I managed 10 items on the 1st Jan and the rest of the time has been spent on our trip away.

I think I'm going to take myself off to the TLC carriage and spend some time there recuperating (I've still got this 'flu )

Keep going everyone - you are all so inspirational