2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Siebrie

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger Great success for your friends in decluttering their fantasy-them!

I'm decluttering in my head, mainly. As soon as I have time I will follow through in real-life; the choices have already been made. (The room-divider-with-attached-desk in the living room needs to go; I'm planning what to do with the content).

Out:

- old fitted sheet (with plastic underside; the cotton top has now worn through).

- 4 mice

- some old papers

carolbee

Moorviews said:

It’s amazing how much you have got done Mrs SD and shows how much better you must be feeling now. It’s a shame that the boating experience ended as it did but much better that everyone finds out now, before investing in buying one. It was such a good idea for them to explore it with a holiday first. I hope that it is okay to give you a medal 🥇 in case you forget to award yourself one. 

I have not been anywhere near as productive as my fellow declutterati, however, tidying has been happening and I have decluttered some fabric. I have made a new pair of pyjama trousers with a piece of jersey cotton and also binned some unpleasant polyester fabric scraps. I bought the polyester fabric by mistake and used the rest as a toile but I couldn’t think of a use for the scraps. Various bits and pieces of pasta went into last night’s macaroni cheese, which has helped to clear the cupboard a little. Pruning down and simplifying is proving very satisfying. As is shopping with a basket rather than the usual trolley. 

All this moving talk is giving me itchy feet! I am vicariously enjoying hearing about house offers and new homes and keeping my fingers crossed for you all 🤞Enjoy your house hunting next week JackieO! I hope your next Margate trip is a bit better @Wednesday2000. 

I have visions of MSE’rs criss crossing the UK moving house! We had our place for sale last year but removed it as nothing happening and we went overseas for a couple of months. Really want to relist soon but wondering about it sticking around too long. Hoping the budget might kickstart things. I’ve been watching George Clark programme about renovating industrial and commercial properties.

on a decluttering aside, I’ve just defrosted the freezer!

short_bird

quick dash through as I'm at work from 4.30 and need to get the bus - and get fed - before the school bells ring at 3.
772-773: 100 emails deleted
774-780: items to recycling
781: leaflets from communal hallway to recycling
782-806: items to bin
807-810: recycling and binbag taken to downstairs bins
811- 829: 19 GB data deleted
830: old papers shredded (so old stuff disposed of total now 60)

D123456789

Afternoon all!

cupboard under the stairs is tidy and organised.

shoe cupboard is tidy and organised!

kitchen surfaces all clean after batch cooking.

fridge a bit emptier now too!,

I have taken 1 bag of games to the CS this morning. I have collected 1 bag of clothes to go next time I am nearby.

very pleased to have sold a few more bits on Vinted, but also bought too many. Some don’t fit / wish I hadn’t bought them so they are in CS bag too.

a big bag of books went to LO school.

decluttering is going ok I would say, need to work harder on the cleaning!,

QueenJess

Well that was painful and not very successful, so I thought I'd add it in here now   Asked DH about DD's winter gear as she appears to have 5 woolly hats (over zealous grandparents buying/making things we don't need).  I tried to convince DH to drop it to 2 (1 here and 1 at nursery), but failed and seem to have settled on 4 and no scarf.  He really is rubbish at getting rid of stuff... I had to fight for the scarf despite DS never wearing it and DD not needing one as her coat zips all the way up.

Digital:
1 - notes deleted

Physical:
2 - DD excess winter gear not needed (charity bag)

New total = 5,386

I didn't dare ask DH why he has 8 coats hung up in the cupboard that are all nicely spaced out taking over 60% of the space (I imagine instant stress).  Meanwhile, DD, DS and myself are trying to squeeze our coats into the final 40% of the space...  BUT don't forget that DS is a self proclaimed minimalist *rolls eyes*.

Brie

All I've managed is to declutter the fridge of some dinner leftovers which I had for lunch.  Now wishing I hadn't as I didn't much like the meal first time around.....

EnergyShifter

There's been very little decluttering going on around here and my in:out ratio is not what I was aiming for.  Because I am in "maintenance mode" its not so easy to whizz around and get rid of items and not really much point getting rid of stuff for the sake of numbers (even though I was tempted 🤦‍♀️ )  .    I know there's stuff in the garden shed etc that can go but that will have to wait until it warms up a bit.  I think I need to chill out about my numbers. 

Tasks:

Haircut

In (running total 37)

38. Celtic prayer book

39. Purple merino wool jumper from CS 

Out (running total 66)

67.  A collection of holey socks

re: Houseboats.  I used to like the fantasy of living in a canal boat until my friend actually did it.  Marina life was idyllic in the summer and she lived in an area of London she'd never have been able to afford otherwise, but winter was tough.  In fact for a few years running my friend came and stayed with me for months at a time.   I'm sure it's a different story if you live in one of those houseboats you see on Grand Designs but I'd have never managed in a tiny little dutch barge like my friend.  

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks + a weekly Jettison Junk in January

2. Sort out sleep patterns - target bed by 2:00 a.m. & up by 9:00 a.m 

3. Deal with mail & email on a daily basis

4. Don’t put it down, put it away + deal with mini tasks as soon as they are noticed e.g. refill olive oil pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc

5. Commence ‘Operation Frog Tickling’ using the acronym - I.R.I.S. (Identify, Research, Implement, Sign Off) - One per quarter

6. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed

Good morning my fellow declutterati 👋 now evening oops 😬 It was so nice waking up with my lovely DH lying next to me 🥰 Sadly he & DSis brought the rainy weather back with them 😔 Up & dressed by 10:15 & I have my first cuppa. DH is awake but is staying in bed as he is finally warm 😉 No sign of movement from DSis yet. I take that back - DSis got up having just received a couple of scam calls (from a mobile number) saying monies have been paid out on her credit card - quite a clever trick as she only has a debit card 😡 Has deleted the scam calls & gone back to bed 😉 I have put DH’s washing in the wm, wudupa last nights washing up 🙊 & put away the bit of shopping that DH & DSis did on their way home yesterday. I have also put a couple of banana skins in the wormeries. Detritus from DH’s bag & the kitchen have been binned & plastic bottles & cans have been recycled - nos 340 to 343 - very kind of DH to bring stuff back for me to add to my numbers 😂

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 very impressed that you revisited the box & reduced the contents by more than 50% 😊

Liverpool_Anne, very pleased to hear that you had a good long & restorative sleep on Sunday night 🙂 Shame that you weren’t able to sort out the electrical problem at OH’s house but great work tidying up the garden 👏 Treating yourselves to a coffee & getting sidetracked into HB sounds like a lovely way to spend some time 😊 especially as you restricted yourself to only buying craft bits & pieces for the German branch of the family 👏 Your friend’s mum sounds like she was a very lovely lady & if the Gibraltar apes story is anything to go by, the funeral will be a celebration of a life well lived. 

EnergyShifter, very pleased to hear that the brighter weather, together with your own strength of character, has perked you up 😊 Excellent digital decluttering 👏 for which I am awarding you a medal 🏅 Fingers crossed you went to the gym 🤞

Wednesday2000, sorry to hear that your exploration of Margate was curtailed due to ill health 😔 However what a great idea to watch a ‘walking video’ 👏 Plenty of time to do more research & make plans for your next visit 😊 Sounds like you are definitely in Maintenance Decluttering Mode, if you looked round your house & nothing was demanding attention - congratulations 🥳 

Brie, perhaps you could take photos of your painting efforts 😉

Excellent work dealing with your clothes Dfw38 👏 I admire your decision to donate rather than sell as you just want everything gone 🥳😊

Great decluttering Brambling 👏 Very MSE to swap books & then donate to CS 😊

Excellent decluttering GrannyKate 👏 I will keep my fingers crossed that the weather stays fine so you can get washing done & dried outside 🤞

Excellent decluttering Crazycatlady2 👏 & well done on mowing your lawn 🙂 No chance of that here as the ground is sodden 😔

London_1, sounds like you & your lovely neighbour are really going to miss each other 😢 - are you sure you can’t take her & her family with you 😉 I hope both you & her are as fortunate with your new next door neighbours 🍀🤞 

Florafauna, good luck with your first viewing 🍀

Great decluttering SuperLooperSaver 👏

ilovetea, unfortunately it was a one off - usually I get up, have 2 drinks & then contemplate doing some housework or decluttering 😉 Excellent decluttering 👏 Please remember to update you signature 😊

DH is up & dressed - more cuddles - we have 11 days worth to catch up on 😊 I let myself get distracted by watching the Panorama programme about Royal Mail 😬 DH went to MrS for a small shop - needed milk* & a few bits that I forgot to ask for yesterday. *I had cancelled our milk delivery when I thought I was going on the canal boat trip & when I looked it was rather complicated to un-cancel 😔

Moorviews, thanks for the lovely comments & the medal - which I have already added 😊 There does seem to have been a bit of miscommunication between DH’s niece G & her husband E - each convincing themselves it was the other one’s dream life 😉 & both coming to the realisation that it would be more of a nightmare ☹️ You have still been busy with both the tidying & the sewing 👏 Like you I am living vicariously through all the tales of planned & actual moves 😊 

Breaking off as I have just seen a lovely rainbow 😊

Excellent decluttering Mrs_Money_Penny, especially the emails 👏 A second Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 🙂 Congratulations to your husband on his impending retirement 🥳 I imagine you will be keeping him busy 😉

QueenJess, more excellent decluttering 👏 & well done on being so successful in decluttering the downstairs cupboard 👏

daisy_1571, apparently the starting bid was 3 days which eventually came down to the walkthrough with a toss up between booking me into a hotel or driving me to a station & letting me make my own way home 🤣 Looking forward to seeing your numbers as I think I probably owe you a couple of awards 😉

Great decluttering Pennypincin 👏

Liverpool_Anne, you have been busy 👏 Wise man your Dad 😊 I must admit that I dislike being in debt but am rather more lenient when it comes to people owing me money 😉 In some ways I am rather pleased that G & E decided on a boating holiday at completely the wrong time of year 😉 If they had tried it in the summer months they might have persuaded themselves it was the right thing to do 😱 G did a video walkthrough which DH has just shown me - it was so cramped that I think it might have been one of Dante’s circles of hell 🤣

Well done on tackling so many health frogs Dfw38 👏 Good luck with the DGCs clothes 🍀

Bozwood, sounds like your house move is coming along nicely 👏 Good luck with the viewings 🍀

Wednesday2000, thanks for the reminder that Stacey is on tonight 👏 DSis & I watch Richard Osman’s House of Games & frequently have to look up who people are 😉 I think the word ‘celebrity’ is rather misused nowadays 😞 sorry to hear that the costochondritis has flared up again 😔

Siebrie, I think DH’s niece’s entire family are all relieved that the fantasy self has been decluttered completely & permanently 😊 Some good decluttering & well done on planning the next stage of decluttering 👏

carolbee, I have a slightly different vision - MSE’rs selling houses to each other 😂 & only realising when they post on one of the threads 😂 Now that you have defrosted your freezer 👏 would you mind popping round to my house & doing mine 🤣

Excellent decluttering short_bird 👏

Great work on both the decluttering & tidying D123456789 👏 Once you have more clear areas the cleaning will follow 😊

QueenJess, I am keeping my fingers crossed that gentle (or even not so gentle 😉) nudging will eventually persuade DH that he is NOT a minimalist & if he can’t let go of his own stuff, you should at least be allowed to declutter DS & DD’s stuff 🤞😉

Brie, at least you know never to make that particular meal again 😉

EnergyShifter, as you are in Maintenance Mode, I would definitely not worry about numbers 😉 I must admit that at one point I might have been tempted but only in my late 20’s & only if I could travel to Europe 😂 However, now that I am old & like my creature comforts living on a houseboat/barge no longer appeals 🤣 Your friend was lucky to have you 😇

It has taken me all day to write this 😔 but at least the washing is done - although it had to be tumble dried 😞 About to make dinner but might be back later 😉

MrsSD: I AM A ⭐️ - 🥇 🎖️ 💐 🌟 🏅 💐 🎖️ 💐 ⭐️ 💐 💐 🥇 

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 

Decluttering Target 2023: 343/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £43.00 

Brie

Mrs SD

I don't know that I would want to take photos of things that are failures in the painting realm.  I'm unlikely to refer back to them in any format frankly.

And I'm not to blame for the meal - that was the OH.  Usually he does much better but he's trying out a new range of Med sauces.

Florenceem

It was cafe Church on Sunday afternoon - we stayed behind to help set up for Monday's playgroup.
Monday was a very busy day. I started by counting with the officer. Someone phoned and wanted to practise piano for Saturday's music festival - officer couldn't be there so asked me to unlock. I popped home after counting for a snack then went back to SA to go with officer - C - to a house where a man was moving into sheltered accommodation. We went in the mini bus so it was much up and down of stairs carrying bags of clothes/shoes/towels/blankets and other stuff to the vehicle.
A Church friend who is a builder came round and replaced ridge tiles on my roof so that was money decluttered. After another snack at home - it was back to SA for the pianist to practice - which she did for 2 hours - same tunes over and over. I sorted donations while she was on the piano.
Meanwhile Mr F did three trips to charity shops with stuff that I didn't want for fund raising.
Went home for dinner and then it was back to SA to take in the food delivery. 
Very tiring day.