2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Moorviews

@charlies_tribe - how wonderful that you donated your breast pump for a baby in the SCBU. Such a special gift to someone at Christmas ❤️ 

Having over-catered, as usual, we have loads of cooked food and other things to eat so the family can just help themselves for the next few days. Guests were sent away with substantial portions too. Everything will get eaten or frozen as I hate to waste food. January is typically a month when I barely need to buy groceries at all. Wrapping wise, I need to fold and store all the reusable wrapping and trims. There will be plenty for ongoing years so I won’t need to buy any more. Our bin men don’t accept printed wrapping paper in the recycling; we’ll use the small amount of that on the fire. Brown paper will be recycled. 

I hope you all had a day that leaves you feeling content in your own way. 

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

Having gone to bed before 01:00, I woke up at 07:05, got up & had a small cocoa before going back to bed at 08:05. Dinner on Christmas Eve was lo cottage pie, cabbage & carrots for DH & DSis. I had a fried egg sandwich. Wudupa.

2535 - 2537 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, magazine - recycled 

2538 Kitchen detritus binned 

I woke up again at 12:15 & sat down with my first cuppa on a grey damp Christmas Day. About 14:00 we sat together & opened our presents - I was spoilt rotten with lots of lovely presents - 2 Richard Osman books, brooch, tree of life pendant necklace, smarties, box of chocolates, lovely top, 2 scratch cards (I won a fiver), a small fabric needle case & a hanging glass window ornament from DSis + a heated cushion, specialised garden hand fork & cultivator, a Goldwing keyring & a pack of LOTR playing cards from DH 😊

I cooked the smallish turkey joint first then parboiled the potatoes, parsnips & carrots which were then roasted in the oven. I called DH & he prepped the cabbage, fried the parboiled sprouts with bacon, chestnuts & maple syrup then cooked the duck & venison whilst the rest of the vegetables cooked on the hob.

I set the table with help from DSis. The warming drawer (my ‘must have’ when the kitchen was renovated) is wonderful. It kept everything hot until I was ready to dish up 👏 Dinner - turkey, venison, duck, roast potatoes, parsnips & carrots, mashed potato & swede, cabbage, sprouts. Champagne for DH & me, snowball for DSis. It was delicious & there are plenty of leftovers for bubble & squeak for at least a couple of days 🥳 We played shut the box for who would do the wudupa - I lost 😉 There was not a huge amount as I had been wudupa as I went along.

2539 - 2541 Kitchen recycling, empty champagne bottle, wrapping paper - recycled 

2542 - 2543 Kitchen detritus & non recyclable wrapping - binned

DB phoned DSis from Germany - he had been to the gym for a couple of hours in the morning & was out fishing with his elder son during the afternoon 😉 DSis & I watched a few recorded programmes & I went to bed at 03:00, read a couple of chapters of the first R.O. book & was asleep within 15 minutes. 

I am hoping that everyone had as lovely a day as possible 😍

Boxing Day is another grey & damp day. I was awake at 07:45, so have my first cuppa & have settled down to catch up on the cheerleading 🙂

TC77, you are welcome & congratulations on reaching your target 👏 Great work & fingers crossed that all the items taken to DD1 will be accepted 🤞

weenancy, what a positive outlook - “Have a good day if you can today. If it turns into a disaster, it will become a part of the family lore for years to come. So either way, have some memories today” 

Liverpool_Anne, well done on the decluttering that you managed on Christmas Eve 👏 It sounds like you had a peaceful & restful Christmas Day planned 😊 & I hope it came to pass 🤞 I hope that you manage to have a quiet & relaxing Boxing Day 😊

Moorviews, excellent work decluttering your wrapping paper stash 👏 I hope you had a lovely Christmas Day 😊 Shame about buying more Christmas crackers. I had fortunately decided against them whilst out last week & was lucky enough to find the last 3 from last Christmas 😮‍💨😉

Foofoopuppy, I love it - already planning next year’s decluttering 😊

Fizz2015, hope you managed to get some rest yesterday after such an early start 😊

charlies_tribe, I hope you weren’t too exhausted to enjoy Christmas Day 🤞 I agree with Moorviews what a very special gift 😊

Liverpool_Anne, hope your day went well 😊

Brie, belated Season’s Greetings 😊

Wednesday2000, sounds like you had not only a delicious Christmas dinner but also an MSE one 🤩 I hope that not too many of your Christmas presents are going in the cs bag 😉😂

EnergyShifter, sorry to hear that you were so exhausted that you had to have a  super-nap 😔 However your new Christmas dinner of gnocchi & veggie meatballs sounds delicious 😋 

retiredinfrance, sounds like you had a lovely day 😊 Sorry to hear that your DH’s injured foot is not healing as quick as he would like 😔 but it sounds like he is making some progress 😊 Hopefully ‘patience & resilience’ will be rewarded & the fracture will start to heal 🤞🙏 A lovely post & I can confirm your seat is reserved & target noted 😊

StickyTheStickInsect, a hectic day catering for 8 😊 I have trouble with just the 3 of us 🙊 Bubble & squeak for several days - be careful as my DH might be round when we run out 😂 You definitely have the decluttering bug - listing glasses on Christmas Day 😊

oceanspirit, sounds like you & OH had a lovely day & I hope today is just as lovely 😊 I think the best Christmas present you had was probably the compliment from your OH 🤩 Such a lovely feeling when your work is noticed & appreciated 😊 Please take it easy over the next few days & conserve your energy for your New Year’s Day entertaining 🙏

Moorviews, nothing wrong with over-catering especially if it means that you can have an MSE January 😊👏 “I hope you all had a day that leaves you feeling content in your own way” - what a lovely sentiment 🥹

All caught up & quite conveniently as I have just finished my first cuppa 😉

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 2543/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £679.00

vulpix

Hi folks, I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas.

 We went to see my Mum then something I have never done before in my life! We went to Mr V's local pub. Plenty of folk in who I knew,including an ex parent who was very pleased to see me. She had been at the pub longer than us! The landlord had thought Mr V's wife was made up until we finally met.

 Not many gifts as we do secret Santa with family. People must think we are avid drinkers. I very rarely drink and Mr V is a 2 pints per week man. Another 3 bottles of whiskey,6 bottles of gin and a bottle of prosesco. On top of the 2 bottles of whiskey for Mr V's birthday last week. At least we always have something to give to raffles. Oh how I would love some toiletries.  

 We are off to the supermarket shortly. DD1 and bf are travelling down from Scotland today. Tomorrow we all descend on Oxfordshire for our Christmas.

 MR V is off now until NYE. He says he is retiring from gigging after that one. I will believe it when I see it. He did almost kill himself the other week,up at 5 to do a radio show, concert at the cave then a 70's night till 1am. Then break down all the kit and get home about 2:30. He is a pensioner now but loves what he does. Very good at it too I might add. At least the days of carrying hundreds of records about are over. He sent about 20,000 records to the charity shop a few years ago. He has kept a few special edition ones,the first ever picture disc etc. Anyhoo I am waffling. Gotta go.

 Vx

TC77

Afternoon, where has the time gone? Lovely time at DD1s, played the family game I bought ,and only brought back one item of furniture - a storage bench we used as a table and 2 of the 6 wine glasses I took over.Lovely presents including earrings which is a reminder to sort out jewellery.

Brought back item to return via post office for DD1 as I'm a few mins away. Been sorting wrapping paper and tags and going to not buy any more in the sales (although tempting) and using clear zip wallets (DDS had for school stuff) to put paper and tags in so I can see them). Also sorted greeting cards and have packs of thank you card suited for DDs when young for their grandparents etc but not really suited for an older me or my young adults! 

Only used about 30% of xmas decorations this year but feel wrong time to donate to CS so maybe pack up for say september. The thought of ever moving with about 70% of my belongings being justins etc is scary but doesn't quite push me to be ruthless - need to work on this!

Hope everyone is able to take it easier than normal or will do if they are hosting today and for those working that you have a day off soon!

Reported meter readings and email frog required, instruction DVD for my TV which I understand enough to watch n*x

Mrs SD, glad you had such lovely pressies and thank you for another year of cheerleading. 

Brie

yesterday was nicely quiet and relaxed.  Him indoors did a lovely breakfast of eggs benjamin, followed by opening stockings and presents - with him getting more from me than vice versa but I had gifts from friends and colleagues so we came out about even.  Small problem that 1 book I bought for him he already has so that needs to go back to the shop - I'll use the refund to buy me some bits and pieces there as it's also does art supplies and one can never (!!) have enough paint and brushes etc.  Dinner was a lovely confit with rocket.

Part of what made it relaxed is that there was no zoom with my family - always tricky across 8 time zones - because mom has been so unwell.  Bro who is local to her has reported she has started being able to eat and take her meds again which is a good thing so no doubt the zoom will happen in the next couple of days.  We do these most weeks which regularly jams up my Sundays but while they are a pain at times they can also be good fun.  

Wednesday2000

I'm back to serious decluttering. I threw away two pairs of brown tights as I never wear them as they make feel like a old lady! I had two lots of holes in my black tights so I binned them a few days ago so I only have about 3 pairs of tights left now.

I put a used up glass candle into the recycling. The charity shop bag has some unwanted xmas decorations, a packet of spare wrist straps for a watch (as I donated my watch last week) a pair of slipper boots, a jacket and 4 scarves.

I have to use my treadmill today as I barely moved yesterday. We just had dinner and then sat watching TV and films all night. Well, not too late as I was so tired I went to bed about 9 and had almost 11 hours sleep. I have my GP phone appointment tomorrow morning so hopefully I can get some answers as to why I am so tired.

It is meant to be chilly today, but it doesn't feel too bad to me.

flamingo747

Hope everyone had a good Xmas, I'm about to dash out again but wanted to ask:

Toiletries/makeup and expiry dates- do you follow them or chuck them?

Floss

If it's eye makeup then definitely follow the date guidelines. Also, if something smells "funny" then bin it. I recently binned my only mascara even though it was less than 4 months open as it smelt odd.

Muddy_Walker

Hello! Happy Boxing Day 😘😘😘 
I went from feeling rough 23rd to managing to do Christmas Eve with family which hubby then brought me home early from to being fatigued and dizzy and ill Christmas Day.  Covid tested negative so lots of fluids and rest and I m feeling a bit better today. I try not to blame every illness on the cancer but I think it wanted a party all by itself and to remind me it’s still there…….
I made sure hubby went to his family yesterday as he couldn’t do much except watch me sleep and was on the end of a phone if needed. Dogs 1 and 2 cwtched up to me all day and I did get up later for a couple of hours.
not the Christmas we planned but never mind eh!
Am currently munching on cheese and crackers with a slice of Christmas cake and a big cuppa tea! Very nom.

short_bird

Afternoon, all! I'm back at work tomorrow every day till New Year's Eve so just need to make sure I have enough gluten free food to sort 2 lunches and snacks for that time between the end of shifts and getting home.  
Totals after the last couple of days: 
4612-4643: items to bin
4644-4644: items to recycling
4645-4646: 100 emails deleted
4647-4691: 45GB data deleted