2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Natty68

Morning everyone.

I was good over the weekend and decluttered all the Christmas stuff into boxes, labeled them and put them in my car ready to go to storage later today. The tree is going upstairs in its box, it's too heavy and big to take to the storage unit, later this morning. But I think after the mad frenzied decluttering I'm popping myself on the TLC carriage until Wednesday as I'm still trying to get over this 'superbug' - I have the house to myself for the day so can declutter some more stuff 😉

DundeeDoll I love the idea of 23 minutes do you mind if I borrow it from you please 👍 I may not feel so overwhelmed 😃

ruby_eskimo

Morning all.  Thank you so much for the advice re: sunk costs and my existential crisis at the end of last week and just the support in general.  That's why I love this thread 🤗🤗🤗

I sorted through one drawer of my makeup and removed 16 items - all to be recycled and felt a lot better about it.  That then kickstarted a weekend of getting a few jobs done:

- Trip to the dump with a few things
- Christmas decorations tidied away and put in the loft.
- Sorted through the bag of Christmas wrapping bits and decluttered a few huge gift bags that we no longer need since we aren't transporting huge piles of gifts around the country anymore (passed on to a friend who has kids and will use them this year)
- Finally got around to replacing my headlamp bulb that I'd been leaving because it was too difficult for me (or DH) to unscrew.  Felt vindicated that it took 2 mechanics 45 minutes to do it in the end, so wasn't just me!
- Christmas presents (mostly) put away in their rightful places
- Constructed one of the lego sets that I got as a present and is now proudly displayed on a shelf in the office
- DH fixed our landing light which has been bugging me since we moved in 6 years ago, so now we can switch it on and off from both downstairs and upstairs!
- Sorted out the kitchen counters a little bit with the new utensil holder
- Finished my second book of the year

So after all that, the following items have now left the house:

19 - 35: Various makeup bits
36. Old knife block
37. Old utensil holder
38. Broken glass jar
39 - 68: Various bits of packaging, gift bags etc.

By the end of today I just want to have cleaned the living room; it's tidy but is in desperate need of a dust and vacuum.  

Hugs to all of those that need them, hope you're off to a great start this week.

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

Monday is currently dry but overcast. I was up at just gone 10:00 a.m. & came downstairs to find DSis already up - which puts me out of sorts - I do like to have my alone time with my first cuppa 😉 Movement upstairs & now DH is making his first cuppa. He will be visiting M later. Decisions need to be made as to my plans today 😉 What shall I do off My Ever Growing To Do list 🤔  Anyway cheerleading first 🙂

Sorry to hear that you are not sleeping well donna73 it is exhausting 🙁 I am thoroughly enjoying the ongoing conversation about sunk costs 🙂 The re-use component of our desire to declutter  is also a sticking point so I would like to thank you for reminding us that we can pass on an item for it to have its second life & that it’s 2nd life doesn’t have to with us 👏 Excellent work sorting the 3rd shed 👏 

You are welcome TC77 🙂 Excellent work in your bedroom 👏 waking up in a tidier room is so relaxing 🙂 but remember not to spend too much time admiring your handiwork 😉 Good luck dealing with your frogs 🍀

EnergyShifter, it is nice to find someone like Minimal Mom - practical & realistic makes decluttering so much easier 🙂 Thank you for the flowers 😊

Welcome aboard the EDT Radish72 👋 and thank you for being brave & joining us 👏 No need for numbering - just remember to celebrate your successes 😉 Sadly the shove it in a cupboard system only works for so long 😅 although is useful for a quick tidy up 😉 There are so many useful ideas here that if you can spare 10 minutes to read I think you will stay motivated & focused 😊 The 23 minute method is very popular this year so well done on on all the 23 minute sessions you have done so far 👏 An excellent start to your 2023 decluttering journey 🙂 

Sorry to hear that the situation is getting you down vulpix 🙁  Your love of wood shone through your mini tutorial - what a lovely hobby to have 😊 & thank you so much for sharing your expertise 👏 You are not related to Will Kirk (The Repair Shop) by any chance? 

Lovely supportive post bit_by_bit 😊 A great way to look at the big tasks - when done gentler decluttering will carry you through the rest of 2023 👏 What a stroke of ‘luck’ (or did you ask DH’s current employers to let him leave early 😅) - decluttering, tidying & decorating the in-laws home will be far quicker & easier with both of you working at it 🙂 Please remember to give yourself a bit of TLC each & every day 🙏 The 23 minute method should do nicely - 2 x 8 minutes + a 7 minute block 😉 you know it makes sense 😊

You are very welcome florianatwobob 🙂 I often wonder with so many people having to complete their own Tax Returns what do HMRC actually do now 😉 Excellent work on decluttering cleaning products & replacing them with hm eco friendly solutions 👏

Nice to see you Natty68 👋 Excellent decluttering 👏 Looking forward to seeing you in the TLC Carriage - you can plan your 23 minutes 😉 I still haven’t got around to incorporating it into my day but with it being so popular & useful I don’t think it will be too long before I join you 😂

More to the point, thank you for starting off the Sunk Costs conversation ruby_eskimo 👏 What a busy weekend - excellent decluttering of physical items, DIY jobs & dealing with frogs 👏 I did a rueful grin at the tale of the headlamp 😔😉 It is always a great relief 😮‍💨 & a boost to one’s ego when even the professionals struggle with a supposedly simple task 😂 Your tidy living room will be far easier to clean which is one of the many upsides of decluttering 😉

DH is currently outside in the freezing cold & is filling the bird feeders 👏 DSis is supervising 😉😉 I am just about to have my 2nd cuppa & make a decision about my tasks for the day 😉

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖 💐 

Decluttering Target 2023: 59/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

roundtuit

Hello all xx

Very sad here. Came down this morning to find Sweetie (my much loved budgie) dead in the bottom of his cage. Rather a shock as he was his usual self yesterday. Many tears have been decluttered. 

Sweetie has been buried in the garden, next to Charlie, his predecessor. I'll deal with the cage later.....probably in baby steps. 



Rubbish and recycling have been put out including a box that had to be torn up first.

Two bath bombs gifted to S. 

I'm being gentle with myself today but I have no intention of falling off the EDT. The only way is UP, baby....

Rxx

GrannyKate

Joining you for a cuppa Mrs SD with a slice of the yellow sticker carrot cake from Mr T - reduced £3 to 75p. I have no reason to go out until Weds morning so trying to stick to that so I don't spend money.  DS2's chicken and leek pie was delicious last night and all from yellow sticker shelf.  Some left for tonight as well.  

80 Sorted dates, calendars, schedules moving forward for childcare as far as possible. (23 min froglet)
81 Scanned picture postcard, posted it on relevant local history site, saved scan in correct folder and filed away
82 Post picked up off mat, read and filed and/or recycled - not touching a surface again
83 Emptied out 4 kitchen drawers with cutlery etc - lots of crumbs and bits of food - all containers wiped out along with drawers themselves and various items returned to their correct place.  Kitchen still looking spic and span. 
84 Some DIY catalogues to recycling 

Sorry to hear about Sweetie @roundtuit - hugs

Millie2008_2

I'm so sorry, @roundtuit, such sad news. I remember your name from years ago, it's nice to see some familiar names Do be kind to yourself

Thank you for the welcome @Mrs_Salad_Dodger and for noticing that I'd under-counted

I'm not having a good day, health wise. heart was objecting to me being up and about (I have severe anaemia), but I have managed to do a micro de-clutter on DD's wardrobe - a stealth move, now she's back in school!

27-30 4 x DD's outgrown t shirts

Dfw38

Thank you for the welcome @Mrs_Salad_Dodger, your cheerleading is second to none!
Had the scan today, sonographer said there is something there but she needs to analyse it tonight and send to Dr. Wish I never asked 🙄. Dr appt is in 2 weeks so I anticipate 2 weeks of extreme decluttering brought on by the need to distract myself and nervous energy. Sleep was OK, 2nd dd decided to come into our bed at 2am so sleep quality wasn't great! 
Couldn't rest after my bath last night so started filling a 3rd box, will continue with that later. I don't know whether to be grateful I am finding stuff so easily or horrified how I am still finding loads to go when I am pretty much always decluttering..... I will go with grateful for now! I treated myself to 2 bunches of flowers in a cheery yellow and white combination. 
Hope you are all having a lovely day and that your decluttering efforts are paying off! 

Wednesday2000

Sorry to read about little Sweetie.xxx

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

Back again 😉 Our HF box turned up & rather annoyingly it contains the wrong meals - our replacement order which we checked twice before submitting has been completely ignored 😡 Unfortunately we didn’t make a note of our selection & got their selection - none of which DSis will eat hence our replacements  (HF also take down the menu so we cannot recreate our order) DH has cancelled the order for next week & explained why. I do have to say that the HF website is not at all user friendly 😔 We will give them one more chance but will print off a copy of our selection & if they fail us again we will cancel completely. One good outcome is that I do have several recipe cards for meals that will be repeated 😊 DH has set off for his visit to M & will do a bit of shopping on the way back so that I can feed DSis 😉 I am currently dealing with drafting letters & thank you  notes before they turn from froglets to frogs 😅 I have 2 to write in English & 2 to write in French.
Once drafted I will select the appropriate items from my stationery stash 😉 

Sorry to hear about Sweetie, roundtuit 🙁 Please be gentle with yourself. Sending lots of hugs 🤗 

GrannyKate enjoy your carrot cake - I always find yellow stickered items far tastier than full price 🙂 Good job I didn’t come for dinner last I do like a nice chicken & leek pie 😉 sadly leeks are one of the many things DSis doesn’t eat 😔 By the way, excellent decluttering 👏

Sorry to hear about your health issues Millie2008_2 🙁 but had to smile at your ‘stealthy micro declutter’ 😊 Well done it all helps 👏 
 

All this praise will go to my head Dfw38 😅 Sorry to hear that there was no immediate diagnosis from your scan & that you have to wait a couple of weeks for your Dr’s appointment 🙁 However you have found the silver lining - lots of displacement decluttering 😉 I would definitely go with “grateful I am finding stuff so easily”. It proves that you are honing your decluttering & decision making skills - the first time around you were practicing & the 2nd time around your mind & eyes are fully attuned 👏 Love the bit of TLC - treating yourself to flowers you devil you 😉 I am still nursing the flowers that DH treated me to before Christmas- brightens up the house no end 🙂

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖 💐 

Decluttering Target 2023: 59/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

nannywindow

Hello all, can't keep up with the speed of this thread so I've given up trying to remember everyone who did/said what. Think I've got my colander head on permanently these days 😵 😟
I have over the weekend decluttered 2 loads of washing and now the bedding from last weeks bed change is dancing in the wm. Today I have put an unpleasant microwaveable soup bowl and a finally finished (from summer hols) magazine in the recycling. I've also had a smashing time and decluttered a large glass all over the kitchen floor ....... Clumsy Clara strikes again ! 
We have decided to tackle a very ginormous frog and start decorating the lounge. This has been on the cards for about 3 years as I'm not looking forward to the upheaval of shifting furniture and living in a mess 😱. However it's not going to be a quick job as we both go at a snails pace these days. Anyway we have been wallpaper shopping this morning and brought back several bits of wallpaper and then decided on 2, one main and one feature, neither of which are in our normal comfort zone. (normally I'm Mrs Magnolia 😂) Now we have to go back to the shop and spend an arm and a leg buying enough of each. When did wallpaper and paint get so expensive ?
Roundtuit so sorry to read about Sweetie, it's heart breaking when a much loved pet and friend passes on. I've had a few budgies, they were such characters and I am always devastated when any of my pets pass away. Many hugs xx
Dfw38 I hope the result isn't as bad as you fear.
Millie sorry you're feeling under the weather, take it easy for now. 
Hugs to all in need of the TLC carriage, I'm sure I'll be popping in now and again and I'll bring some extra gooey cream cakes with me.
nan