2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

vulpix

PS, dND,it will be extra luscious when you can cuddle up with your cats again and potter in your new garden. I think you are being extremely patient.

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

Another day of doing nothing but have finally watched all 239 episodes of Silent Witness (no wonder I haven’t done any decluttering 😉😔) & finished knitting another scarf 😉 Time to start knitting beanies 😉 DH went shopping today. Now that the motorbike has been repaired, he says it is like riding a new bike 😊 Shopping all put away. Dinner was shop bought lasagne & garlic bread for DSis & me but moussaka & garlic bread for DH. Wudupa.

2257 - 2260 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, cardboard packaging, newspaper - recycled 

2261 Kitchen detritus binned

Liverpool_Anne, pleased to hear that your persistence paid off & you now have all your meds 😮‍💨 Great decluttering 👏 & well done on sorting out the ends of candles 👏 Lovely chatty post 😊 See, I knew I was right about the perils of mobile phones 🤣

vulpix, sounds like MrV is definitely on board with the decluttering - now that you have done the bulk of it 😉 I am awarding him a medal 🏅 for sorting out a box of ‘stuff’ without being asked 🥳 I love that description “The house is perilously close to having everything away in it's own home. It's taken 2 years to reduce everything enough for it all to comfortably fit. Upstairs is done, I am happy with it. I feel comfortable with the amount of possessions we have.” You are about to enter a new phase of your decluttering journey - ‘Maintenance Decluttering’ 🥳 Just a thought…. maybe the missing door curtain is in one of the two boxes you mentioned 🤔 Good luck with both the kitchen cupboard tidying & the reduction of Christmas decorations 🍀 I take it that the sheds will be next years project now that the house decluttering/renovating is almost completed 😊 How exciting, that your lovely stepson will be turning up with his magic drill 😉 Great decluttering 👏

Excellent decluttering short_bird 👏  You appear to have mistyped your number progression 😉 I believe you are now on 3918 😉

~FlowerPot~ surely a couple of hours notice is more than enough 😂 Well done on resisting the siren call of DS1 😉👏

GrannyKate, I hope DGD4’s ankle is fully healed now 🤞 Excellent decluttering of various tasks 👏

Florenceem, very impressed that you not only did a stock take of the freezer but also a rearrangement of contents 👏 49 is an impressive number of meals 🤩

Brie, I love that idea for ~FlowerPot’s son 😊 I must confess that I rather like using a laundromat aka launderette when I am on holiday 😉

TC77, sorry to hear about your daughter having shingles 😔 Hope she recovers quickly 🤞(DH still has some itching of fingers after 18 months 😬) Keeping everything crossed that your DBro will help you move/rearrange/declutter some of your excess furniture 🤞

Just noticed the time so I am off to bed 🙂

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 2261/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £569.00

weenancyinAmerica

@dND I was told that bleach just changes the color of the mould and if you want to get rid of it, use water and vinegar (half and half). Hospitals over here use this for disinfecting. This is what we used very successfully.

Bills have cleared the bank okay - wasn't sure yesterday as there was a major glitch here in our banking system all day. A lot of people weren't able to access their direct deposits to pay their bills. A least I knew that even if the money hadn't shown up, my Social Security check would still be counted as having been deposited so I could pay my bills. Now I don't have to worry about the remaining bills until the 15th (3 to go).

We went to a health fair this morning run by our local State Senator. Getting to know the local politicians as several levels of politicians were there (we already know several of them on a first name basis). At least we have some good local people. The ones at national level, I'm not sure about. Then did remaining grocery shopping. Shouldn't have to buy anything for at least a week. Bought a mat for the dog to lie down on - hoping she doesn't try to tear it apart. She likes to tear things up. 

Went by myself to the library to drop off more books and sort some more. Did five boxes of books and got them onto shelves. Also got one large box of books onto the the shelves in the Book Nook (our bookstore in the Library).

Then spent too much time helping roommate Di clean up her email file - deleted over 4000 emails - 25 at a time after checking each one to be sure it didn't need to be saved. Covered only two years - 2016 and 2017, plus some extra folders she really doesn't need!  Trying to get her to do some more work herself. 

Tonight is the night we change our clocks. Had to replace batteries in several. Yesterday had to replace batteries in smoke detector. Seems to be a theme here. Fortunately I had bought packets of batteries in the right size two weeks ago. Only have 4 more clocks to change. Now I get the terminal jet lag feeling most of you had last week.

Just had a call to tell me my best friend in Colorado has Covid. She is a year older than me and lives in a very cold area of Colorado. She has no family there. One neighbor has been helping her, but I am concerned as she had horses, goats, cats and dogs to care for. Her house isn't finished as she has been building it by herself. She only has two places to plug things in yet. And uses a wood stove. Her neighbor helped bring the wood closer so she could get it in. But she sounds in worse condition than we were. She had Shingles last year which took forever to go away. Been praying a lot for her. 

maggiem

@daisy_1571 I think it was Lady with a Plan who wrote of the interview with the brain doctor. I haven't checked though! 

Found this comment on there
 I am abroad - and on the way out watched a doc by Dr Daniel Amen -0 he is a brain doc who also radio images brains as well as being a psychotherapist. I have read a book of his before but hearing him talk about brain health and how it affects everything - including how weight gain leads to slower brains! 

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

Sunday is bright & sunny with a decent breeze at the moment (11:30) so 1st load of washing is in 🤞 

Liverpool_Anne, the funeral sounds very moving 🥹 & I was relieved to hear that the rain stopped for the service 😥 You had a very busy Friday so no wonder you were exhausted. Lovely chatty post 😊 I especially enjoyed the tales of ln’s granddaughter 😂 

QueenJess, cwtches coming your way 🤗🤗 It is at times like these that I wish the TLC Carriage was real 😔 Is it possible to get an appointment with the doctor & get signed off for a while as both your mental & physical health are getting worse? Is there anyway MrQJ can help ease the burdens at home for a while 🤞 I agree with both vulpix & ~FlowerPot~ that your health must come first. Although I am sorry that I have no practical solutions to offer 😔

EnergyShifter, I am pleased to hear that your mood has been uplifted by the prospect of no more noxious smells & the invitation from your cousin for Sunday 😊 Keeping everything crossed that the bathroom renovations will be fully completed by the end of the month 🤞

vulpix, such a lovely post 😊 Your empathy shines through & I might just have to co-opt you to the cheerleading squad 😉 as you are rather good at it 👏 Shame about the car that MrV had his eye on, being sold but hopefully that means there is a better one just waiting to be discovered 🤞 Great work sorting out the 2 kitchen cupboards 👏 An eminently practical solution re stopping the squatter chap getting back in to your Mum’s house 👏 Hopefully your brother will finally pitch in properly now that the house is empty 🤞although from what you have said previously I won’t hold my breath 😅😔

daisy_1571, sorry 😢 I had a quick check in my bookmarks but couldn’t find anything 😔

~FlowerPot~, I love your post 😊 some great responses 👏 An empathetic & sympathetic response to QueenJess’s situation 😊 & if at all possible you should also seriously consider your own advice 🙏 

Excellent decluttering Rootle 👏 Lovely to see you 👋

Such wonderful news about your son Crazycatlady2 🥳 Congratulations to him for being such a good apprentice that he has been kept on as an employee 👏 You have every right to be proud of him 😊 & we do love to hear good news so thank you for sharing 😊👏 Fingers crossed that “your marbles” return 🤞😂 

I have caught up a little bit but I can hear that the wm has almost finished so, as the weather is still fine, I will hang out the first load in the hopes that it will dry 🤞Back later 🤞

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 2261/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £569.00

vulpix

By Jove, I’m in. 

 Thank you for Mr V’s medal, he is bemused by it. 

 So, all sheds searched and all that was found was yet another lamp. In the spare room for now. There are 2 impossible places I have not looked. Saving that treat for tomorrow. I must have had a brain fart and got rid of it. I need to let it go. 🤣 I have found a leather hold-all in my fruitless search that can go. I have also found a winter coat I had forgotten about too. 

 Weenancy, your poor friend. Her situation is far from ideal.

vulpix

I love a bit of mid century furniture. Here’s one I did last year. The teddy belonged to my great aunt. Both drawers were saved from landfill and were free  

Wednesday2000

I haven't caught up on all the posts I missed!

I think I caught Covid or a flu while I was away as I started feeling terrible yesterday for a few hours, shivery even when covered in lots of layers and coughing badly. That is how I felt for a few hours when I caught it back in February. I need to buy some more Covid tests this week. I have woken up feeling much better today.

I have been moving stuff around and having a general sort out this morning. I have moved all my skin, hair and body care into the ex-bedroom that we are using as a living room as I have some full length mirrors in there and there is good lighting. It took a good few hours as I had to take everything out of the drawers and clean it all and rearrange it. I was watching a YouTuber I follow at the same time as he was talking about finally getting his first house which was nice.

I have thrown away a coat hanger I broke. I put a top, a toy and a free diary into a reusuable donation bag that I also got free to give to a charity shop.

It is an absolutely gorgeous day which is a nice change after all the rain I had during the week.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Just to cheer everyone up I am posting a couple of photos 😊
First one is cousin R’s new puppy 
2nd pic is even cuter 🥰 




Hope everyone is having as good a day as possible 😊

MrsSD

Brie

Loving the photos MrsSD!!!

And @vulpix I'm loving the Wachtmeister cats above your dresser!!  We have mugs and a couple of shopping bags with her designs.  

Meanwhile my ongoing struggle to clean off the table in the garage continues.  2 trays with a total stack of paper about 8 inches high has been reduced to about 2 inches.  1 inch is stuff from when we bought our house.  Not sure we'll ever need it or be able to find it as we're not planning to move anywhere ever again but I thought it best to set it aside.  A huge amount of the other inch is recipes.  Photo copies or printed emails.  I went through the huge amount and decided to get rid of anything I'm unlikely to ever cook (pieorgies for instance or stuff I will just make up like soups or stews) and then try to get rid of all the blinking duplicates.  I used to save all my recipes on my work computer and every time I changed employer or job I would email everything to myself and/or print them off.  Also if I needed to cook something I'd print it off, or go to visit mom where I would do a lot of baking.....  Hence have 10 copies of the same thing.  I've whittled it down but will now have to double check to see if I actually have a version on my home pc - version being the operative as I never stick to a recipe and am continually revising them.  So many marvellous cakes that I've never made but when there was a bake sale at work if there was something really good I'd get the baker to pass me the details.  Hence the vegan stuff from an ex colleague I haven't seen in 20 years, and have never made the things either.  

Also lots of correspondence from when my FiL died - 6 years ago so no longer required.  I did however find some details about a pension scheme my MiL was in and left in 1958....so wondering if I should write to see if she was owed anything.  Unlikely given how pensions were run then....

So this leaves 5 jewellery boxes to tidy away, instruction manuals for various appliances, and a stack of about 20 framed picture - these all will need OH to go through with me.  Once that's done the table can be cleaned and the outdoor cushions stacked on it and wrapped up for winter.