2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

coconurtaler

Hi all, 

I've been catching up with this thread over the last couple of days and hope to jump on the declutter train. 

My house needs a serious clear out especially the spare bedroom which is full of boxes of everything we probably don't want but might be useful for Justin or Ron.

There are toys that my children (22 and 19) don't want anymore but I have trouble parting with plus loads of other bits and pieces.

I'm hoping that this group will motivate me to get started so I can eventually turn the room into an actual guest room.

The other rooms are not so bad but cupboards and draws hide all sorts of clutter that needs to go.

I did have a trip to the tip 3rd January so am going to count these as my first items.

broken whisk that had been on the kitchen worktop since last Christmas.

old now tv box that doesn't work anymore.

cardboard and boxes

box of rubbish from the garage

About 10 old clothes for rag

Box of bottles to recycling 

There was possibly more but I can't remember now.

Also sent empty plastic sweet box away with my DD with a cheesecake she had made.

I'm going to call this 16 items.

Our local scout group have a jumble sale twice a year so I'm going to start my collection for the next one in March.

Biggest frog , getting my DHs tax return done but I'm currently further ahead with it than I usually am at this time.

short_bird

210-223: 14 GB data deleted...

QueenJess

short_bird said:

210-223: 14 GB data deleted...

Wow… that is seriously impressive!

weenancyinAmerica

Hi there from rainy California - it is pouring again. Expected to last until Wednesday or Thursday - and clear up for our book sale.
Already sold $5 worth of vinyl records for the sale. Had them here at the house and the repairman for our Internet bought them. Unfortunately not able to repair it yet - will be back on hopefully tomorrow however, so will have phone service again. Called and gave sisters my roommates number so they could call in if any problems. Unfortunately, only call received was from youngest sister to tell me her father-in-law had died (husband died in 2009, but his brother was living with her up until 2 years ago - now he is back in Mississippi with his new grandchild). So had still been close to father-in-law. 

Managed to get shopping done and home before the rain became a torrent. Our rivers in Southern California usually don't have any water in them. We used to hike down them when I was in Scouts. The first time my sister and I saw the Colorado River, we went running up and down yelling "Water in the River". Everyone thought we were crazy, but though we lived less than 1/4 mile from the Santa Ana River then, we never saw it with water in it. If there was water, it was too dangerous to get near it. Every year someone dies trying to ride the river during the rain storms - it never works. It is overflowing now in some places. Parts of Northern California and Central California are a shambles. We still have two more storms coming in. 

Hope everyone there is staying day and safe.

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

Thank you all for the various medals & flowers - as you can see I am very chuffed to add them to my signature 😊

Another batch of cheerleading, I am gradually catching up 😉

Excellent decluttering Liverpool_Anne 👏 Frogs dealt with, successful & unsuccessful queuing & to top it all you found treasure 😊 I have button envy 😉

GrannyKate well done on sorting a froglet before your weekend at DDs 👏 

TC77, don’t despair you will have a tidy bedroom & a tidy downstairs 🙂 After all you are a decluttering demon 😉👏

JingsMyBucket , the little & often approach does work as you have already noticed a difference 👏 Not that I think sorting out clothes is remotely classed as a little task 😉 Well done on trying on & returning  so many clothes 👏 More importantly you have had your refund 🥳 Good luck with your next round of clothes sorting 🍀 Excellent decluttering of cardboard & packaging 👏  Well done on sorting your desk before heading out fro your workshop 👏

EnergyShifter, Sorry to hear that you have woken achy & tired from the emotions & exertions of the past few days 😞 but it does also sound like it has been quite cathartic for DS 🙂 Hope you enjoy your gentle pottering & sorting 😊

Well done on clearing your bedroom surfaces oceanspirit & using up food 👏 Good luck with tackling Mission Control tasks 🍀

Good luck peatles_2 🍀 with your kids on board the playroom will be tidied & decluttered in no time  😉

vulpix, sounds like you mum’s mind is made up 😊 Plan A & Plan B 👏 I don’t think any of us are hoarders we are just collectors 😉 and the older we are the bigger our collections 😂 Well done to your Mum for reaching such a monumental & life changing decision 😊 Hopefully should it come to Plan B your brother will have mellowed a bit 🤞🤞 So sorry to hear that MiL has dementia - not an easy time for either you or MrV 🙁 Hugs to both of you 🤗 Excellent decluttering & well done on dealing with the password frog so quickly 👏

bit_by_bit, so very sorry to hear that DS1 has officially split from his wife. The whole situation is made so much worse by there being a child 😔 Hopefully the two adults can reach an amicable & equitable decision re their son, once the situation has calmed down a bit 🤞 Excellent decluttering & completion of tasks at FiL’s house 👏 I am so sorry but I did smile at the tale of woe re the DVD player 😀😔 Great work gathering together items for sale/donation & finding a suitable storage space until you have more time to deal with the boxes 👏  Sorry to hear that life is such a rollercoaster - family dramas are so enervating 😔 Lovely cheerleading 😊 - I might have to sub contract 😉 An excellent session of tidying & sorting 👏 & all because you wanted to send a bag of folders to DSis 🙂 I hope that the bags were ‘proper’ donations & not rubbish clearance 🤞 - I only ask because I have been reading along on another thread “Charity Shop Workers - please share your tips” & there are some horror stories 😬Very well done on resisting the temptation of ‘trinkets’ 👏😊

fritzie-65 wow 14/14 NSDs 👏🤩 You are either a marvel or a recluse 😉 Excellent & generous decluttering 👏 Yah boo to inconsiderate people 😖 

Lovely to see you sumb7170  👋 & I would love to accept a medal 😉 You have been very busy 🙂Absolutely excellent & eclectic decluttering of items & frogs👏 which has earned you Two Gold Stars ⭐️⭐️ - well done 👏 You are also making excellent progress on several of your other tasks for 2023 👏Please take of yourself with all that furniture rearrangement 🙏

QueenJess, you certainly have got your ‘decluttering mojo’ back 😊 A great start in your DD’s room 👏& hopefully your online investigation will lead to a better layout of furniture in her room 🤞 I am very impressed with the excellent decluttering in DS’s room 👏 He is definitely a ‘decluttering hero’ & I am awarding him a medal 🏅- long may he keep up the good work 😊 You are very welcome QueenJess 🙂 Now you just have to get DD to join in so she can get her medal 😉 Sounds like your online research has paid off 👏 Hopefully when the bedroom is arranged to your liking, the bit by bit approach to sorting DD’s clothes will be far easier🤞

Excellent decluttering mfwin2019 👏 Definitely party time in your house - decluttering followed by cleaning 🥳😂

Thank you for being so generous in sharing your experience with the debate about elderly parents staying at home or moving into a care home, Brie 👏

~FlowerPot~, what an excellent use of a rainy day - staying warm & dry & decluttering the airing cupboard 👏 Excellent decluttering 👏 and well done on another room/area sorted out - 4/18 😊 At this rate you will have everything done by the end of February 😉 Well done to DH - a pleasant surprise for you that the decluttering bug is catching 😊 & well done to both of you for sorting out a couple of shelves in the pantry of doom 👏 Ooh flowers 💐 thank you 😊

Great work short_bird 👏 Good luck with your errands 🍀 More great decluttering 👏 That is seriously impressive - 14GB of data deleted - one medal 🏅 on its way 🙂

Nothing wrong with buying beautiful things at such a good price, mhagster 😉 as long as you pack them away immediately ready for next Christmas 😊 I think that is a very generous division of labour in favour of your children - you decluttering an entire house & your children just having to sort the garage 😥 

Just watching the end of an episode of Taggart & then off to bed 🙂

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖 💐 🤩 🏅🦸 🏅💐

Decluttering Target 2023: 163/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

Moorviews

This thread makes inspirational reading so thank you everyone for keeping up with the sharing. 

@bit_by_bit - Thank you for the advice regarding disposal of paperwork. I’ll certainly look into finding a local service as, due to various legal responsibilities, we will have far more than just our own to deal with. I am very sorry about your son’s situation; it’s painful as a parent to witness their heartbreak. I hope a peaceable way forward can be found. 

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger - That was some epic work in the office! Well done to you and your husband. Tops of cupboards are often evil, grimy places so congratulations on making your bathroom cupboard all clean and shiny 🎉

Declutter Day 12 - dealt with that file from 2013 so I am all caught up with those. I couldn’t help noticing how packed the filing cabinet is unfortunately. I’m not tackling that yet though! All the Christmas catalogues were gathered up and put into the recycling box. 

Declutter Day 13 - I commenced the store cupboard stock take. Two shelves cleared and cleaned with all items listed along with their weights and BB dates. The remaining two will be done today. Along with putting everything back. There are more food cupboards in the kitchen which I will try and work through during the coming week. 

villagelife

Still find it difficult to keep up with reading along.

79-80 books. It is one of the things which I hate leaving the house.

81 an empty cardboard box. No idea why I hadn't previously recycled it.?

82-83 a couple of business cards

84 some crumpled paper. I will never use it.

85 a broken hoover. I have tried to fix but with no luck.

Dfw38

@bit_by_bit so sorry to hear the heartache your ds has been going through. My fingers are crossed that the room to rent comes through for him. A huge hug for you too.

Radish72

Decided last weekend to pull out all stuff hidden under a bed in the spare bedroom, mixture of stuff to recycle, stuff to bin ( a lot of dried up pens) and stuff that can go to a charity shop. Can't really count as all still in the bedroom apart from the recycling. Need BF to help with the box of cables that was under the bed as I have no idea what they are for. Also pulled some carboard boxes out of a cupboard that I think can go but need BF to confirm as mainly from stuff he had bought but now out of warranty

Did manage yesterday to take the huge haul of plastic bags, dead batteries and dead printer cartridges to the recycling point at the supermarket

Inspired I have also spent 2x23 mins deleting emails, think over a thousand have gone and unsubscribed from a few sites

Have bought things needed/wanted into the house, cushions and a throw for the sofa and ordered a side table. 

1 frog finally sorted, got new light bulbs for the kitchen light so now dazzled in there (2 out of the 4 bulbs had blown)

Love, hugs and tickles to all

bit_by_bit

Thankyou @Dfw38

Thanks to all for your kind words re DS1.

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger: I need to make a correction re the folders. They were my sisters. She died a few years ago and I had sold them online. She would have been proud of me though. I wanted just to refund the guy rather than sort out the space.

Today: Off to look after DS1s son for a few hours then to inlaws for some more cleaning/clearing. DH and DS3 are working on a project. To see if a free blow up jacuzzi is working.

I hope to do more with my stuff tonight but we will see how I feel.