2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

charlies_tribe

Sending get well wishes to all that need them. 

Mayhem here. Finally bought christmas presents so trying to wrap as they arrive. Made all cards and DH has just gone to deliver some after he had put all the christmas lights back up that had blown off in the wind. Massive clean up needed too.

I'll hopefully be back with a few more things leaving before the end of the year.

QueenJess

Been enjoying the posts, but currently walking around like a zombie, so apologies for no individual replies.  I loved those Shetland photos though and I too like watching Shetland and 50% of it is to enjoy the scenery.  One day I'll make it there for a visit, but as I am down South, it is really very far away!

DD has had a temperature for 2 nights and I realised on the second night it was entirely teething based.  Means it always lasts 2 nights and then I get some sleep again (last night).  However, as I spent the entire night keeping DD the right temperature with blankets on and off on Thursday night, I ended up going to bed at 6:30am and got up again at 8:30am.  So basically I am a complete wreck.  Slept for 10 hours last night and putting my feet up before it gets dark as we are off for a garden light show that is meant to be amazing and we booked around 2 months ago.  Going to have to try and rest as much as is possible until I feel human again.

Still working through the tidying.  This last 5% of tidying seems to take 90% of the time and I never seem to quite finish.  It is getting better though, so just need to keep chipping away at it all.  I emptied DS's school bag and found he had 100% school attendance certificate for this term!  Apparently 53 people got that in a school of 270.  There was other colouring and bits in there which he recycled and I've added to my totals.  Everywhere is 96% tidy and generally fine and not embarrassing if someone pops over.  DD's room isn't quite under control with her tat, so I need to work that out.  She's probably slowly transitioning from baby/toddler toys to having more small bits and pieces, but I refuse to change the storage in her room until she goes into a big bed and I need to rearrange the whole room for that anyway.  Will just store some more bits downstairs, but just need to go through it as the kids have 4 cupboards and 3 drawers for their stuff in the kitchen/diner.  Honestly is a 30min job max, but not got round to it yet.  I'm sure Xmas presents will destroy whatever I've done anyway and I'll be working out how to fit them all into DD's and DS's room!

Anyway, I did manage to declutter a lot of stuff and even restarted looking at some digital photos etc.  Slowly getting there.  Despite my zombie status, in the last few days I've made 2 batches of banana drop scones (kids love them for breakfast), 2 batches of chocolate brownies, a big batch of celeriac soup, a big batch of veggie stew, an enormous amount of braised red cabbage and 2 loaves of bread.  Still got another loaf of bread to make, an apple crumble and some shortbread tomorrow and then I'm done with cooking for a while!

Decluttering progress:

Digital:
1 - text message conversation deleted
55 - favourites removed from wish list
3 - emails deleted
3 - documents deleted
379 - photos deleted

Physical:
1 - packaging used up
1 - clothes (charity bag)
1 - medicine used up
1 - baking overstock used up
1 - wrapping paper used up
8 - DS tat recycled
2 - kitchen over supply used up

That all brings me to a new total of 39,652.  Nearly at 40k!!!!

weenancyinAmerica

Can't have visitors yet as there is no place for them to sit down. Going to be hard to get roommate moving on cleaning up, but we are expecting a check to arrive for her and will use part of it to have more bookcases built in her bedroom to try and contain most of the books she has. Also she will be able to see what she has in duplicate - many books from what I've seen - that can go to the bookstore. That is our major problem here - books. And family history papers. That is about 95% of the mess here. But they have taken over the house and garage. If we can just sort out the book problem, we will be well on the way to having a decluttered house. I am also putting together a bookcase to go in my room. We already have it as it was in another room of the house, but it fell apart when we went to move it. So I am reconstructing it. My goal is next week, so I can move several boxes of books onto the shelves. Ready for this year to end - but not ready for next year. Next week will be rough so I am drawing a chart of what has to be done before the next year starts. 

Brie

weenancyinAmerica said:

Can't have visitors yet as there is no place for them to sit down. Going to be hard to get roommate moving on cleaning up, but we are expecting a check to arrive for her and will use part of it to have more bookcases built in her bedroom to try and contain most of the books she has. Also she will be able to see what she has in duplicate - many books from what I've seen - that can go to the bookstore. That is our major problem here - books. And family history papers. That is about 95% of the mess here. But they have taken over the house and garage. If we can just sort out the book problem, we will be well on the way to having a decluttered house. I am also putting together a bookcase to go in my room. We already have it as it was in another room of the house, but it fell apart when we went to move it. So I am reconstructing it. My goal is next week, so I can move several boxes of books onto the shelves. Ready for this year to end - but not ready for next year. Next week will be rough so I am drawing a chart of what has to be done before the next year starts. 

It's a well known scientific fact that books multiply.  The loss of energy for this multiplication is balanced by the energy that is generated when socks disappear.  I'm sure if we google we can find someone's physics thesis.....

Crazycatlady2

Today I had Tesco delivery and did 2 loads of washing....some of which part dried outside 

Have made mash potato and stuffing and peeled carrots ready for Monday and put turkey in fridge so less prep for tomorrow 

Wednesday2000

I have had to throw away two pairs of tights today as I saw one had holes and then as I was walking upstairs my husband said the other pair had a hole too. I think it must have been my dog jumping up on me.

My new washing machine arrived so I have done a load of laundry including the bed covers. Such a relief.

There was a beautiful winter sky when I went out to the shop earlier, but I didn't have my phone with me.

I did some electronic decluttering earlier as I sorted out my bookmarks and deleted quite a few I never use and then moved them around. I have set up Rightmove bookmarks for the areas in Kent I want to move to as well. It took me a long  time, over 30 minutes 

We are watching Law & Order tonight and I'm having a whiskey with lemonade and fresh lemon slices. My husband is having Southern Comfort and lemonade. Not a fan of that stuff!

weenancyinAmerica

Thank you Brie, that really made me laugh. I needed that.

London_1

Brie said

It's a well known scientific fact that books multiply.  The loss of energy for this multiplication is balanced by the energy that is generated when socks disappear.  I'm sure if we google we can find someone's physics thesis.....

spot on  

I went to see eldest DGD and her OH and my two eldest DGGDs (near 4 and near 6) Oh boy are those little girls excited about Monday. Had a lovely lunch and exchanged presents so two bags of stuff (nice pressie stuff though ) decluttered to them for Christmas.At the moment I have eldest Dads and families stuff to get to them and youngest DDs stuff ,although the youngest 's house pile is bigger as all her  four sons are home for the holidays.But my house will be even clearer now.

Golly it was great to see the back of the carful of clutter go this morning I'm just glad than my new car hasn't arrived yet as I'm changing it next month to a smaller one from the 7 seater now all the DGC are all grown and flown I really don't need such a large car anymore.but I was glad of it this morning as it turns into a small van when the last two seat are taken out.
DGS Ben also planted a few more bulbs for me when he was here after we had been to the tip.He's such a good lad, like his three brothers they are all really helpful to their old Nanny, the do tease me quite a bit bless them but they are all good hearted young men if rather tall all 6 footers, 

Now a bit of relaxing until the New Year then its full steam ahead again  

Cheers chums 

JackieO xx

oceanspirit

Moorviews said:

Oceanspirit - I hope you can ward off your OH’s efforts to reclutter the kitchen!

Managed so far - went shopping today as have been invited to friends and are making fruit salad to take.  OH was very good and only got what was on the list.  Also popped into a shop for a last minute present for OH (something which grumpy rellie normally gets for him every year but clearly hasn’t this year - too busy creating chaos amongst everyone), and left him outside so he didn’t see what I was getting and although there were lots of lovely things on display tempting me to buy them, I was pleased I managed to ignore them.

Had a tin of soup for lunch so used up another short dated item.  Need to make HM soup tomorrow which will use up another tin of beans.  More space will appear when presents are delivered over the next couple of days.

Lots of little jobs to do tomorrow so hopefully will find a few more things to go.

short_bird

Deferred decisions total now 568:
a John Rocha jacket
a green glass vase I inherited from my Mum (that she inherited from her next door neighbour)
a glass sculpture/bowl 
2 books and a DVD 
all to the charity shop. 
Glad I'm not back at work till Wednesday.