2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Fayolle

I don’t think that I’ve posted since last weekend, but I have been (trying) to keep up with you all. I am in danger of spotting just too many places that are candidates for decluttering and the getting overwhelmed because I can’t sort them out quickly.  I need to remember (thank you to whoever reminded me of it the other day) that the clutter didn’t happen overnight, so neither will the decluttering. I also don’t want my DD having to face clearing all this stuff, deciding how many tip runs to make, what she should keep out of some form of guilt etc etc, as we have had to do a few times over the past few years.
Thank you especially to @QueenJess for all the helpful posts. Hugs to @vulpix, it is so hard, but your mother has come to the decision herself, which is always some comfort, I think. @bit_by_bit, sorry to hear about your DS1.
So this week’s decluttering…
- a travel sized bubble bath was repurposed as shower gel. Finished and bottle into the recycling.
- the drawer in the utility room which has stupidly been built into a corner so can only be opened when all the stars align, it’s a full moon, the vacuum cleaner is out and the wm is not being used (all my excuses for it being a total state!) has been relieved of various short and questionable bits of string, broken elastic bands, and the broken string for the inside washing line.
- finished and flopped hyacinth bulbs moved off the draining board to outside, waiting for planting in the garden.
 - the big case from the loft opened, duvet covers need to be rehomed, but new towels (brought back from my mum’s house when she died, packed away and forgotten about) moved into the cupboard with other towels, which in turn led to tablecloths being sorted, and a new and bagged plastic table cover (rescued from an aunt’s house when cleared, you are probably getting the picture with regards to the sources of much of my clutter!) and a lace table cloth (wedding present 30+ years ago, never used) into the cs bag.
 - tablecloth decluttering found yet more wrapping paper (!!) which had slid down from the drawer above. The new sheets made it into my now lovely tidy wrapping paper drawer, useless bits into the recycling.
- 1 distorted plastic box into the recycling, promptly taken out again by DH, as he might be “able to fix it in the shed”. It is no way making it back into the house, he can keep it out there !
 - finally (sorry for the long post) I made 4 cards from my card making stash (rescued - you guessed it - from clearing my mum’s house) which covers early February birthdays. I probably wouldn’t have felt inspired to making them if it wasn’t for this thread.
Lots of dust and general dirtiness decluttered, but I’m taking that as a Flylady win 😉, not part of my decluttering campaign.

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@mhagster so envious of you sitting by the fire with a doggie. One of my wishes when I retired was to get a dog but the house and garden just aren't ready for a dog yet. OH is insistent that it will be a puppy so needs to be super ready.
@-FlowerPot-, thank you for the flowers, I love them
@Vulpix, I think having money in the bank is a common thing. I remember when my Mum needed work doing she said she couldn't afford it. As it was essential, wet rot in a floorboard, I arranged for my sister and I to pay for it. At the time I had recently got divorced and was really struggling with the mortgage but it had to be done. Also she would sit in the cold rather than put the fire on in case she couldn't afford the bill. When she became ill and I took over collecting her pension and sorting her bills etc. she suggested I arrange for her building society account to be joint signatures in case she needed access to it. When I did that she then told me about a couple of other accounts she had at the post office, honestly she had loads of money she was saving for Justin and I had a job on to explain to her she needed it now. She refused point blank to pay for carers which meant I was doing everything she couldn't as well as nursing her and working full time. I was exhausted and eventually I persuaded her to get a carer for an hour a day to make sure she got breakfast and lunch as I started work at 6am. She died about 4 weeks later so mercifully I never had to make the decision about care homes. Luckily my parents had moved about 3 years previously so they had decluttered a lot of stuff and I only inherited the sentimental junk my sister didn't want which initially went into my loft and has been mostly cleared now. Though my Dad's tools were a wrench and I do still have my Mum's knitting needles
Yesterday I was a bit lazy. I tickled the frogs but they will need more work. I also went through my meds bag again and managed to rehome various things so I should be able to find something better than a plastic bag to keep it all in that won't look too bad in the lr. I listened to the footie on the radio while texting my nephew in Goa, he was sitting in a bar watching it I didn't post the hub thing because I completely forgot it was Saturday until lunch time by which time the post office was shut so it will have to wait until Monday. After tea I am afraid I fell asleep but woke up in time to torture myself by watching match of the day . So
106 frogs tickled
107 meds bag restored

Today I have just been pottering but I am now on my way to pick up the ladders from ln so OH can have a check of the rose in the pendant light in the lr. OH is currently on a rare Sunday lesson atm so time to get busy. I am also going to suggest I help put all the stuff back into the car boot in the hope this will prompt a sort out

Take care everyone
107/2023

MadRatters

Morning, 
I've already tackled ;

#9 - Sorted fridge & pantry of food before shopping
#10 - Sorted food cupboard of cooking ingredients

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

A dry start to Sunday - 8:45 a.m. & I can see a bit of blue sky 🙂 I have my 1st cuppa & although I ‘forgot’ to do the washing up last night I have decided to catch up on the cheerleading first 😉

Sorry to hear you were feeling a bit down yesterday, Florenceem 🙁 but well done on ploughing on anyway 🙂 Excellent decluttering 👏 At the rate you are going you will reach your monthly target in the next couple of days 🤩 

Great decluttering diminua 👏 If you have a garden perhaps the sun lounger can be set up for you to ‘catch a few rays’ when the weather warms up 😊

Madbat60, how relaxing watching your new hedgehog 🦔 build her nest 🙂 I must confess that I would have spent all day & night watching on the Hog cam & would have got nothing at all done 😉 So well done you - electronic decluttering & cleaning 👏 Your DS’s girlfriend sounds like a definite keeper 😊

Millie2008_2, watching ballet & being mugged for carrots - sounds like a happy day 😊 Now, now there is no such thing as ‘just 2 items’ when you are on your decluttering journey - every item out is a win to be celebrated 👏

Thank you DundeeDoll 🙂 A convert to writing things down 🥳 👏 I think my favourite part of writing a list is crossing things out when they are done 😄 Great use of your 23 minutes - finding time on a  busy work + dealing with frogs 👏 You are on a roll 😊

weenancyinAmerica, thank you for sharing your memories 😊 When I read about the aunts by marriage (on your fathers side of the family) swooping in to lay claim to everything, I pictured locusts 😔 I am sure most families probably have family members like that - selfish & greedy which leaves a slightly bitter taste 🙁 The move by your mothers family from Oklahoma to California was a big one - at least 1500 miles 😬 - no wonder so much was left behind 😥 Remember you have done so much work already in your house with little or no help from your roommates that I am sure the repairman will get access to everywhere he needs to 🙂 As to your house looking awful, please remember it is a work in progress 🙏 You are doing a great job 👏😊 

Dfw38, well done on doing something for yourself 👏 one medal 🏅 on its way to remind you that it is OK to treat yourself 😊 I did smile at your comment re my ‘kindness’ re your DH’s lack of motivation for romance 🙂 Excellent decluttering - 4th box sorted very quickly 👏 Good luck with Box 5 🍀 Lovely post to bit_by_bit 😊

I broke off cheerleading at 10:15 - the siren call of a 2nd cuppa + the insistent call of the washing up 😉Wudupa whilst kettle was boiling 🙂

charlies_tribe, good job you managed to get a decent night’s sleep 😉 otherwise all that furniture rearrangement & decluttering would have completely exhausted you 😥 I am sure that DS1 will enjoy doing an assault course to get to bed each night 😉 Excellent decluttering especially deleting so many emails 👏

EnergyShifter, pleased to hear that you are feeling better 😊 You should be very proud of yourself doing so much work towards completing your accounts 🥹 You definitely earned your reward of watching a couple of episodes of the Nick Knowles decluttering programme 🙂 Excellent decluttering 👏 Hope you have a lovely lunch - it is so nice to have extended birthday celebrations 😊

Keiths_Mum, thank you for the photo 🙂 I must confess to a twinge of jealousy at such a beautiful item - I do love your Thunderball (although I never realised that is what it is called 😉) I have copied the picture & can now drool over a Thunderball as well as a Button Box 😂 Excellent decluttering of the hold-alls 👏 & what a lovely idea to scrapbook some of your travel paraphernalia 😊

Blue_Doggy with your new mantra you have definitely entered into the spirit of decluttering 🙂Excellent & eclectic decluttering 👏 Thanks for the reminder about flowers - I need to sort mine 😉

Welcome aboard the EDT coconurtaler - lovely to see you 👋 You have made an excellent start on your decluttering journey 👏 One good thing to remember about the spare bedroom - most of your Justins & Rons are probably all in one place 😉 As to the toys, if you are finding it difficult to release them to a new life, perhaps you can take some photos? If you can look at photos it might just be easier to bag up the toys ready for a trip to the CS or even the start of a bag for the Scouts jumble sale 😊 Good luck completing & sending off DH’s tax return 🍀

Sorry to hear that it is raining again weenancy 😔 I am keeping everything crossed that the rain doesn’t stick around as long as the weather forecasters are predicting🤞 & am also sending positive vibes that your book sale can be held outdoors 😊 I am not at all impressed by your phone company - how can it take so long to get you back online & get the phone working 😖 It is lucky that one of your roommates has a different company so you can receive calls & get some work done 🍀 Sorry to hear the sad news about your youngest sister’s father-in-law 🙁 I was hoping your first call would be to tell you that you had won the lottery 😉 Thank you for sharing your childhood memories 👏 Hopefully your weather will revert to having ‘mainly’ dry river beds 😉 Please stay safe & dry 🙏

There was me thinking I had caught up with the cheerleading 😉

Thank you for your cheerleading Moorviews  👏 There is still lots to do in the office but it was very gratifying to do as much as we did & I forgot to mention that DH was very brave in binning a whole tin of tiny cardboard playing pieces for a game that he & his teenage friends used to play (adding 1 to my total)  🥳 - I now have my sugar tin back 😉 A lovely tin but I think it will be washed & donated to cs 🤔 Excellent decluttering of paperwork 👏

villagelife, not sure there are enough hours in the day to keep up with reading along, decluttering, living life & sleeping 😅 Great decluttering 👏 but such a shame about the hoover 😔

Well done on tackling the hidden stuff under the bed Radish72 👏 (I tend to forget - out of sight out of mind 😅) You have made an excellent start & getting all the recycling out is a huge success 👏 I am also very impressed that you utilised a couple of 23 minute sessions to delete so many emails which coupled with the unsubscribing has earned you a medal 🏅 Also well done on dealing with a frog 👏

bit_by_bit, no correction needed 😉 You definitely would have made your sister proud 🥹 Enjoy your childcare 😊 & good luck with the cleaning/clearing at your in-laws house 🍀 Fingers crossed that DH & DS3’s project has a successful outcome 🤞

Fayolle, what a lovely supportive post 😊 Well done on noticing the reminder about the clutter taking a long time to build up so will take a long time to clear 👏 Please, please try not to get overwhelmed 🙏An absolutely excellent week of decluttering - an eclectic mix  & finding a bit more wrapping paper meant you could admire your handiwork of a tidal drawer & remind yourself that you are a successful declutterer 😊👏 No need to apologise for a long post - I find that that long posts can keep you motivated 🙂 & more importantly remind you that you are doing a good job 👏 I am very impressed that you are also ‘doing’ Flylady at the same time as decluttering - medal 🏅 on its way.

Thank you so much for your generosity & kindness in sharing such a difficult & sad time of your life Liverpool_Anne. Tickling frogs is definitely not lazy - the more tickling the easier it is to finally consign frogs to their rightful place - in a pond 👏 😂 Enjoy your pottering - you can get so much done as I believe pottering is akin to tickling frogs 😉

Excellent work MadRatters - 2 big jobs done 👏

And breathe 🧘‍♂️ Will get dressed now & wake DH. The plan is to have another coffee & write up the 2 letters I drafted at the start of the week 😉 

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖 💐 🤩 🏅🦸 🏅💐

Decluttering Target 2023: 164/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

short_bird

QueenJess said:

short_bird said:

210-223: 14 GB data deleted...

Wow… that is seriously impressive!

cheers! some days it's an easy win!

joanie

On the surface I seem to be doing quite well, but yesterday I started on the spare bedroom and the cupboards of doom and at the same time I was doing the cupboard under the stairs (!) 🤦‍♀️ about half way through I seriously lost my mojo 😢
I carried on until about 9:00pm as most of the house looked destroyed with everything I had pulled out and put in other places ready to go ‘somewhere(!) and the end result was a small pile of almost insignificant stuff to be decluttered. I really need to be more ruthless as I am a becoming a clutter  mover rather than a declutter shifter! 

I decluttered a lot of artificial eucalyptus stems I never use, then got them back out again thinking if I had flowers they would bulk up the amount in a vase, then I said ‘no’ and decluttered them again. Now as I type this I can think of a few things I put back in the cupboard that I should have got rid of. I’m going to go grab them now! 👍.  Two steps forward , one step back! 

Keep going everyone 😘

vulpix

Hi.
 Liverpool Anne hugs for sharing. I fear bringing lots of stuff home from my Mum’s and Mil’s when the time comes. My Mum has already said she wants me to clear her house as I know what’s important! 

 We set off in pouring rain this morning just for a change of scenery and a coffee. Beautiful blue skies now 🌤️. Miles from home I was recognised by someone I went to school with. Happens all the time,apparently I am exactly the same, not changed one bit. How lovely. Proper bucked me up. Mr V knows how to earn brownie points. He says she was obviously in a class years ahead. 🤣

 Sold some more things on fb. 

 Tonight Mr V at work so I am going in the pantry of doom which has had more stuff shoved in than ever because of the building work. I am looking for the remote to the new fire and some wool. 

 Confession. When I tidied my bedside drawer I turfed out a pretty little Occitan’s tin. Sp? Chuffin auto correct. I took it down stairs and have put it in the table drawer for Justin. 🤦‍♀️

 Vx

Soontobeoap

@joanie I am the same. Especially when it comes to clothes and my craft stash. Perhaps we can learn to be more ruthless together! 😂. S.

Sending best wishes to all of the people struggling with bad health and difficult times. I am grateful to you all for sharing your storys and am hopefully looking forward to happier outcomes for you all ahead. 

Today is the first dry day for  while so I took the opportunity to start decluttering the craft shed. 4 recycling bags of plastic bottles filled and outside ready for binmen. Why so many plastic bottles?  you might ask. Well to cut a long story short, for the last 2 years I have made santa boots  to fill with goodies for the grandchildrens teachers but I definitely over stocked! 🤦‍♀️. DH told me I was keeping too many so I have successfully smuggled them out without him spotting them! 😂.
Also another bag of bits that have got damp into a black bag and into general waste. Most things are stored in plastic crates but I put a lot of stuff down there when people were coming at New year. ( Out of sight out of mind!) it would have been far quicker and easier to dispose of stuff immediately. Hopefully a lesson learned. 

DD asked for a baby photo of herself as she is attending a baby shower. I have been churning through 2 big crates of photos and old school reports. ( Mine where all "she has it in her, just needs to try harder!) I found photo but have also discovered a whole new area that needs decluttering soon! The more I do, the more I find!

Thanks for thread. It is helping me to keep motivated. I usually think that I havnt achieved much but writing it all down makes me feel much more positive. 

Brie

weenancyinAmerica said:

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.

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. 

Parts of Northern California and Central California are a shambles. We still have two more storms coming in. 

Personally I would have held the vinyl for the repairguy to ensure he returned quickly!!!

The storms sound a bit extreme from what I'm hearing on the news - hope you're not downstream from any of the "dry" rivers as they can be a right nuisance when they burst their banks!!!

Meanwhile here in the UK there predictions of snow storms.  Last time we had any snow worth talking about was 5 years back and the 6 inches we got stopped the whole area for about 3 days (no plows or no one who knows how to plow - which I find shocking!)

Hope your sister is ok.

Good luck with the book sale!

QueenJess

I'm still concentrating on everything DD at the moment.  May as well declutter before I reorganise/restructure the furniture so there's less to sort out.  DH has promised to rearrange the room in the week when I'm in the office so we can make final decisions.

In the meantime, I took a quick look through a bunch of toys.  I now have a box of things to go into the attic to rotate and a handful of things to get rid of.  I think it's nowhere near enough, but fine for a first pass.  I'll keep going through little sections and come back round again.  I'm sure I'll still find more next time!

I'm in the office most of next week, so there won't be much time for decluttering.  Hopefully I won't lose my mojo whilst I'm there.  I'll then get to DS's room during half term as I may do some rearranging of his stuff (plus decluttering) as his room is getting a bit messy.  Plus he has his birthday just before that, so we're bound to need to make room.

468-72 - kids toys (buy nothing)