2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

GrannyKate

Morning all.  Tried doing challenge to reduce energy by 20% for one and a half hours yesterday sent by my provider.  Not sure I will have succeeded as yesterday must have been the coldest day of the year.  Turned tv and computer off and sat reading my iPad in the dark.  Only one room - the kitchen - left to clean but children back this pm.  Trying to make some space for extra groceries for Christmas.  A bit cold in garage for dried goods and we do have occasional furry visitors.  

1757 Medicines disposed of OOD
1758 Random junk binned from both bathrooms
1759-60 Bathrooms thoroughly cleaned including mirror, windows, skirtings etc
1761 Bag of plastics dropped off at SM
1762 Remembered to put batteries out for collection with recycling today
1763 Fridge cleaned out and three OOD jars rinsed out and recycled
1764 Food shopping list written as I go along - some items purchased and put away when I popped out to local Mr Coop
1765 Christmas money and a present ready to take to DDs next week
1766 At least 1x10 items put away 

Right I need to get dressed. I may go to Mr S this afternoon on way to do school run as I have some vouchers.  Nectar points doubled up £40 vouchers from £20 of points. 

London_1

Most people I know have a 'junk' drawer in their kitchen I have three so every time I open one for whatever reason I make a point of discarding something from there I have done really well so far, and the one by my kettle I can actually see the bottom of it now whereas before it was difficult to shut

 I wonder why we chuck stuff in the drawer to save 'just in case' I've found odd bits of plastic stuff I don't even remember why I saved them or even what they are for But I'm getting really ruthless now and stuff is definitely going . I think I have found so many tea lights. I'll be using more of them up now the darker days are here

Onwards and upwards chums its gotta go

JackieO xx

QueenJess

London_1 said:

Most people I know have a 'junk' drawer in their kitchen I have three so every time I open one for whatever reason I make a point of discarding something from there I have done really well so far, and the one by my kettle I can actually see the bottom of it now whereas before it was difficult to shut

I only recently discovered that a junk drawer was a thing. Never had one growing up and don’t have one now. Still confused by the thought of it… I just put things where they are meant to be.

Broken random bits are binned. I have filed a small bag of bits broken from toys that we do fix back together (I give it to DH to deal with), but if it isn’t fixable it’s binned.

ruby_eskimo

Thanks for the welcome back @Mrs_Salad_Dodger and belated happy birthday to Mr SD.  Buffalo is a lovely city, not the busiest place but the people are lovely and a real sense of community with lots of co-operative stores and even an amazing bakery with the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had.

@TheMillions if you want to do more stretching, I'd recommend either Yoga with Adriene's daily practice on Youtube or if you just want some pure stretching for after exercise then Fitness Blender's stretching and cool down videos are great too.

@QueenJess - our junk drawer growing up was the place to find batteries, takeaway menus, pens, odd screws, a torch and probably a lot of things that came out of Christmas crackers that might be useful (plastic measuring spoons etc).  We don't really have one in this house but we do have drawers that could do with a lot more organising!

Managed to tick a few things off of yesterday's list:

- Putting away the massive pile of washing that's been collecting on the spare bed
- Tidy hallway and landing
- Clean skirting boards in main bedroom
- Vacuum / wash floors in bedrooms: 1 down 2 to go

Also tidied away all the travel stuff we had lying around and have a box ready to go in the loft when we get up there on Friday to get the tree down.  Decluttered a few things from the travel stuff and will no doubt have a lot more to declutter when I properly get a chance to go through it next year.  Realised that I also have a lot of baking stuff taking up space in the kitchen so need to try and make some more bread as bread flour seems to be the main thing we have lots of.

Hope everyone has a good day.

vulpix

Hi, Happy Birthday Mr SD xxxxx

 Wow busy day yesterday, didn't get home until 7pm. Lots of errands done.

 The sofas look like new after their clean. I am very pleased with them. I bought them for their diminutive size rather than their off white colour! Very mse, 2 Laura Ashley sofas for £200 and £120 to get them cleaned.

 Today we are off to the garden centre to look for house plant things my secret Santa has asked for. Then onto the local fabric mill shop to look for fabric to back the Christmas quilt. Finally I have decided to buy curtains for the sitting room. I have been looking for second hand but I have decided that me altering them just isn't worth it, neither is me making them. There great expense and madness lies.

 The millions, I agree about the weather making you want to eat more. I also eat clean with low carbs and low sugar. Yesterday I just wanted bread and was fancying chocolate. I do sometimes have a biscuit when pressed to be polite and tbh they're not as nice as the memory of them,

 I don't have a junk drawer but I do put things like elastic bands in the cutlery drawer for a few weeks before I throw them away. Hahaha

 Right I need to go and make some soup for lunch. 

 Have a nice day people

 Vx

charlies_tribe

Good morning. Happy belated birthday MrSD.
Thank you for the comments about the shed. Will speak to DH and DS this afternoon. 

The junk drawer! I currently have a few in each room 🤣

Yesterday I decided to do half hour in the conservatory before catching the bus to collect DS,  if we do get a shed there's no point rubbish going in there. Was .ainly just rearranging things so I could get in there. Some children's paints that were on the floor in front of tge art drawer, they'd dried and gone hard. Some posters that had fallen off the wall. a pile of paperwork I'd kept moving round, mainly the children's work from lockdown as the conservatory was the 'school' room. Then stuffed some sleeping bags that had been thrown in there back into stuff sacks. It looks a bit better already, even DD2 noticed this morning. 

This morning I've done 2 balance transfers as promotion rates end tomorrow and I kept forgetting. Now sat with a cup of tea catching up on Virgin River while DD2 is doing her maths work.

2193-2203 11 workbooks-pay it forward site
2204-2209 600 emails deleted
2210-2219 10 a4 posters (faded from being on conservatory wall)
2220-2227 8 bottles old kids paint binned
2228-2237 10 inches paperwork recycled/shredded

Wednesday2000

carolbee said:

Wednesday2000 said:

I have just decluttered a lot of money for the plastering! The flooring is being done next week and then the painting should be the week after.

I just had a GP appointment and it is quite chilly, but really bright and sunny here.

I saw that Location, Location, Location tonight is about Margate and Broadstairs so I am going to be watching that with interest as that is we were want to move to.

If you come down to have a look around any time let me know, could meet for a coffee 

Yes, I can definitely send you a PM when I know when we are going there next! I know we are definitely coming down to Margate in July (19th) as we just booked tickets for a concert at Margate Dreamland. Suede and Manic Street Preachers. We are going in the Spring too at some point.

I realised I had seen that episode of Location before! It was last year, in fact, but I wasn't thinking of moving then. Ramsgate by the harbour looked quite nice so I am going to look at all three areas. I recognised the estate agent window the couple in Broadstairs looked in as we looked in when we were there at the start of November this year.

We might be moving in 2025 rather than next year so we will take our time to explore.

Wednesday2000

We have two junk drawers in the kitchen as I sorted them out last night. We have things like blue tack, kindles, chargers, torches, hand lotions, scissors etc... in them.

I moved the hand sanitiser from the drawer into my handbag as I keep forgetting to take it out with me and I have a hospital appointment tomorrow. The hand sanitisers were empty when I went there two weeks ago. Also my mini hairbrush went into my bag.

I got my husband to move his tool set from the drawer into the garden storage boxes as well.

I need to go through my sleepwear drawer as I have got lots of extra tops lately. There is a £1 rail in a charity shop near me and I always look for cosy looking tops to sleep in, but I hae lots of them now so I can see if I get rid of older ones or use them for hair dyeing.

carolbee

Wednesday2000 said:

carolbee said:

Wednesday2000 said:

I have just decluttered a lot of money for the plastering! The flooring is being done next week and then the painting should be the week after.

I just had a GP appointment and it is quite chilly, but really bright and sunny here.

I saw that Location, Location, Location tonight is about Margate and Broadstairs so I am going to be watching that with interest as that is we were want to move to.

If you come down to have a look around any time let me know, could meet for a coffee 

Yes, I can definitely send you a PM when I know when we are going there next! I know we are definitely coming down to Margate in July (19th) as we just booked tickets for a concert at Margate Dreamland. Suede and Manic Street Preachers. We are going in the Spring too at some point.

I realised I had seen that episode of Location before! It was last year, in fact, but I wasn't thinking of moving then. Ramsgate by the harbour looked quite nice so I am going to look at all three areas. I recognised the estate agent window the couple in Broadstairs looked in as we looked in when we were there at the start of November this year.

We might be moving in 2025 rather than next year so we will take our time to explore.

Lots on at Dreamland next year. Check out Quex Park too, we’re going to Ibiza Orchestra night, Scouting for girls on at Sausage and Cider Festival. 

D123456789

Ok I have missed 96 pages 🙄 since I was last here …..

  I went to bake cakes yesterday but the flour had a bit of a smell ( fortunately I had another bag) but It prompted  me to do a quick check for ood food in the cupboards. I found quite a few baking goods and spices that I decided would have to go. Also some really old vinegars - not sure if it goes off, but as it’s sat there open and not used for a long time I decided they could go.

school are collecting coats for wrap up London so off to raid the cupboard for any that LO has outgrown. DH has loads that he never wears but I darent  declutter on his behalf… 

I got a free desk tidy from olio and sorted LO pens and crayons, she was thrilled with it 😊

still trying to keep the regular habits going so that the house remains passable if unexpected visitors arrive! 

I just saw the comments about junk drawers,  I don’t have one, but it’s a battle to keep the kitchen tops clear and things put away. 

LO has boxes of junk - although she refers to it as treasure, so best leave it be 😂