2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,

@QueenJess a list on your phone is a good idea or even a list left somewhere DH can see it all the time so some things might get done at the weekend or in the evenings. I know what you mean about doing the thinking, it can be exhausting when you have to do all the thinking as well, it seems so obvious sometimes it's difficult to understand how others can't see it.

@dND yes I think one of the things the vet told my niece was to use a specific cleaner to stop the cat being able to identify the spot as it was something about marking territory as having the builders in was causing the cat distress. I think he also recommended an air diffuser thing that calmed the anxiety. I am sure you'll find what you need in the pet store.
Good news about not needing an rsj, sounds like a plan

@Brie can I suggest you just give your opinion and then tell them if they don't want to do that then it's up to them to sort it out and you are not going to spend all your holiday going round in circles about it. As long as your Mum is happy and cared for that is all that really matters.

@GrannyKate good luck with the house hunting

@weenancyinAmerica as you have a pool could you try swimming to help with the blood pressure and weight? I know being in water always calms me down and it is the best non weight bearing exercise. I know you are always very busy and finding time to do these things can be hard but you must take care of yourself first or you won't be able to look after everyone else, big hugs

Yesterday was very warm here and I got all the washing dry on the line, in fact some of the first load was dry by the time the last load was going out so I was a very happy bunny I spent a fair bit of time chopping things in the garden and 2 bags of green waste into the bin. I finally made it to the massive bramble and have cut through the stalks though it is so tangled up with other things I haven't yet extracted it all but at least I have hopefully stopped further growth . It is much cooler today so I will try to get a bit more done before the rain arrives but I have to pop to the sm first. Something is aggravating the back of my hand. I can't see anything that could be causing it so I have had a sort of my meds draw and found the itchy cream which helps and although nothing decluttered the draw is tidy . I also emptied the kitchen recycling but must have done some more decluttering as I noticed this morning it is nearly full again

Well I better get weaving or the day will be gone . Hugs to everyone who would like one

1036 - 1038 LDFPA
1039 & 1040 garden waste
1041 kitchen recycling
1041/2024

vulpix

used up another reel of thread.
4 beakers,4 plates and 4 dishes in the bag for the mud kitchen. 
jam jars given away on thrift. 

Lampshade given away on thrift 
finished making a tote bag for the chazzer
made a cushion cover with selvage edges from the quilt fabric. I rather like it. I don't need it so it may be given away.
I have had an epiphany about the vintage fabric I have been carting round with me for years. It can go. I will list it on thrift .

Dnd, that's a lovely idea with memory plants.

Brie, not heartless at all, I am with you. It's only stuff.

 Off to see the house shortly, it's about 15 miles from where we are now. It needs total renovation and I am excited at the prospect. My only concern is cat related. There is open countryside but they would have to go through someones garden to find it! No major roads.

 Weenancy  I think you need to rest more, difficult for you I know. I have taken high blood pressure medication for over 30 years and can tell if I need to have a lie down with a cold wet cloth on my face. I have had my medication tweaked recently as I kept feeling faint. As for weight loss I cannot talk, I have lost 3lbs this year! Last year I cut out processed food and I lost 28 lbs with no effort.

 Right off to list the fabric.

 Vx

QueenJess

My parents are visiting and have brought the least amount of stuff yet, however, they still brought:

4 boxes
4 coins
4 coin pages
1 jumper
1 card
10 books
1 apron

So that's 26 things in...  at least I have 4 boxes to pack it all up into for charity I guess..

So as usual feeling completely overwhelmed when they come.  They did bring a book for DS that he wasn't impressed by, so they are taking it back to bring again for DD.  I did try to tell them she has never been interested in that topic so it's a waste of time, but I could tell they weren't listening as usual.  They mentioned some of the stuff they have in reserve for DD and talked about culling it down to a few things in each category.... I can live in hope

A few things out just whilst I was tidying up as it's a decluttering day off in theory.

1 - plastic bag (recycled)
3 - DS school tops destroyed (recycled)
2 - tights full of holes (recycled)
1 - plastic bowl (charity bag)
1 - instructions I don’t need (recycled)
12 - memory box stuff recycled
1 - DD tat binned
1 - food kids won’t eat given to sister
New total = 14,026

July In: 52, July Out: 839

-taff

@weenancyinAmerica I watched my mother die from diabetic complications so i wil say this..If you don't put your oxygen mask on first, you won't be putting anyone else's on...Your health is more important than a book sale, or any thing you have planned, because if you aren't healthy, you won't be able to do anything. So that's my finger wagging post for today.

In the interests of declutter things, I did a tip run this week with the remains of the goth box, wood, various bits and pieces, an old phone, buckets, metal bin lid etc. the boot was full and it was mostly wood so i cunningly parked right next to the wood bin and didn't have far to go each time...

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks + a weekly Mini Mission in May

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

Saturday: I was up later than yesterday - about 11:00. It is bright but cloudy & the temperature is 23C apparently only rising to 25C today 😊 However it feels very muggy & the forecast is for some light rain in the next hour which will hopefully make it feel cooler🤞 It really was light rain & only lasted a few minutes but it does feel slightly fresher 😮‍💨 The sun has made an occasional appearance but mostly just overcast 😕

1183 Used up pen binned

Brilliant cheerleading as usual Liverpool_Anne 🥳 Sounds like you have had a busy week of decluttering 👏 & I am very impressed that you mostly resisted the siren call of new plants when you visited the Tatton flower show on Thursday 👏 As you say a very good idea to visit earlier in the week when it is less crowded 😉 Weekend crowds really don’t bear thinking about 😬 I hope you didn’t overdo it in the garden yesterday 🙏

QueenJess, I had to read your post several times & am still in a state of shock that your DH got everything done by 13:00 🤩 As promised I am awarding him a medal 🏅 The list obviously wasn’t long enough 😅😉 apologies I am joking 🙃 Although I do agree with you that he now needs to step up to the plate as regards the thinking & planning stages of creating a To Do list 🤞 

Floss, looking at the map I think that starting in Brussels would be a great idea, then onto Strasbourg where we can resume the rest of the journey to Istanbul 🧐 It would also appear from a quick Google that there are plenty of clothing shops in Strasbourg where we can get kitted out 😊 

QueenJess, excellent work with the memory boxes 👏 Please, please don’t put any pressure on yourself to get 1,000 items out in July 🙏 The In/Out challenge is quite enough & you are currently at a ratio of 1:31 which is amazing 🥳 

dND, very pleased to hear that you are AWOL for such a good cause 😊 Sorry to hear about the builders 😔 but pleased to hear that the issue with the RSJ was fully investigated & that a solution is in the offing 👏 Your comment “I’m not enjoying the heat; the heat was one of the reasons for returning to the UK.  I’ve had a year of cool temperatures and I’ve adapted already so yesterday and today have knocked me sideways. 🤣🤣” exactly describes my DSis 😉 Excellent decluttering in the garden 👏 Hopefully your recycling chaps will make a better job than mine 🤞

vulpix, well done to MrV for selling equipment & building up your ‘Dining Table & Chairs Fund’ 👏 Hopefully you managed to arrange another viewing of your potential new home & are still just as enamoured 😊 Ooh, hg strawberries 🤤 I am hoping that you have enough of a crop to allow a few of us to sample 😉 Good luck with the tote bags & the quilt 🍀

Brie, sorry to hear that you are not looking forward to visiting Canada 😔 although I do empathise at how wearying & frustrating it will be 😢 Just wondering if Floss’s idea has any merit 🤔 or maybe you have already tried this approach 🤨 Pardon me for saying that it does appear that all your brothers require a very forceful kick up the backside 🤣 I am with you in that I think it is very sad that old style photos end up in the bin 😢 Especially when you bear in mind not only how much it used to cost to get them developed but also how few we used to take 😔 As ‘they’ say the world moves on even if not always for the best 😿

Floss, love that idea 😉 although I have a feeling that Brie’s brothers might be too set in their ways 😅

suzeesu2000, sorry to hear that your DH is suffering so much with his bad back 😔 Hopefully the new mattress will help his recovery 🙏 It must be a relief that this has led to you arranging clearance of the back yard 😮‍💨 Good luck with the sitting room re-rearrangement 🍀

Excellent decluttering GrannyKate 👏 Good luck with dealing with frogs & also Monday’s viewing 🍀 

weenancy, I will bear that in mind, although I do like to throw in a bit of reality to proceedings 😉😅 Yippee to making it through another book sale 🥳 Relieved to hear that it was held indoors with the outside temperatures being so high 😥 I hope it was well attended 🙏 So very sorry to hear about the high blood pressure, diabetes & weight issues 😔 Hopefully the insulin will give you a good start on getting to a healthier state 🙏 Good luck with the Mystery Book Store visit 🍀 Hopefully you can find the last book 🤞 Definitely another very busy month ahead of you but I am still holding out a faint hope that your roommates will be a bit more responsible for their own health rather than relying on you so much 🤔 Sending you cwtches 🤗 & a plea to find some time for yourself 🙏

Such lovely cheerleading Liverpool_Anne ☺️ A very busy Friday & well done on getting so much gardening done 👏 Please be careful with the brambles 🙏 & I hope the itch on your hand clears soon 🙏

Excellent decluttering vulpix 👏 & congratulations on your ‘epiphany’ re the vintage fabric 🥳 Your potential new home sounds like a lot of work although you do definitely thrive when you have a major project on the go 😊 Lovely comments for weenancy 😻 I think you two would get on like a house on fire 😊

QueenJess, I do hope the boxes are small 🤞 Very sorry to hear that your parents seem completely deaf to your very reasonable request not to bring ‘stuff’ back for your DD especially when your DS has already rejected it 😕😔 It seems to be one step forward & two steps back with them, so no wonder you feel overwhelmed 😿 Maybe the solution is to visit them & drop off boxes of stuff ‘that they might find useful’ 🤨 Cwtches coming your way 🤗 

Thank you for your post -taff 🥹 A true ‘finger wagging post’ which I really hope weenancy takes on board 🙏 Excellent decluttering 👏

It has taken a long time to write this post as I got distracted by the Diamond League Athletics 🙊 Knowing how ‘distracted’ I will be when the Olympics starts I need to pull my finger out & get some decluttering done in the next week 😉 otherwise I won’t get anywhere near target for the year 😕  Back later 👋 

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1183/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £303.85

D123456789

Hello all

Mrs SD you are right ……… LO is putting me to shame. She is tidying up her toys whilst I am reading posts on here 😂. I have decluttered some packing for our holiday which is good, as I am usually very last minute. I decluttered some of LO school uniform to a friend. 

Not sure who suggested using damp socks on your hands to clean shutters, but that was very effective too. And LO socks were fit for the bin ( do they take their shoes off at school, run around all day then put them back on again to come home ? It seems that way! 😂) 

I have done minimal cleaning as it has been super hot. But I do have a plan to do some major decluttering of clothes on Tuesday which is end of term, as I have a half day at work as school finishes at lunch time. So I promise to update on Tuesday evening. Now I’ve said that, I have to do it!,

love to all, I have enjoyed reading about house moves / plans to move and everyone’s “wins” in their decluttering journey 😊

TC77

Hi, been reading along, last night on train to my dad's. Thanks all for advice including @ruby_eskimo and @Floss among others.
Friday am dropped off in electricals bin a mid century infra red/untra violet lamp, they have one at the wellcome foundation so thought may be of interest to someone, but clearly not. As they said on the Swedish programme because we've brought things in we assign value to them
That was quite a big step for me, and will try if not to empty a room, do a wall or section so I love it. I have when I've cleared and sorted say the top of my dresser and its been very calming.
At my dad's , 3 trips on foot to drop off things at CS, and DB has just done a tip run, including some old coaster. I did get some ins - the other day some jeans from local CS that gets seconds from companies, then a coffee pot (mine broke last year - or the one I use a lot - yes I remember I said I have many), and some placemats as will need them for the new to me table, as old one had heat resistant cover and plastic tablecloth after DD1 years ago spilt nail varnish remover.
Going to say 1070, I am putting things in a drawer of a unit coming back to me things I may want but will cull before it is dispatched, but alot more going to CS or to tip
I feel accepting that everything is always changing, me , the house and relationships, and brining one or two things in means many more can go out. Not sure if this makes sense.
A few things I want to see if we can sell so taking photos and list to post when home.
Sorry I haven't kept fully up with all going on. Behind with frogs re compensation for the car, work, admin for DDs and house stuff, but moving in the right direction and accepting of it.
Hugs to those who would like one, and scones, tea and some chocolates dropped off in the TLC carriage. Offers made to new people for work, so hopefully in place in next 2 months or so some light there.
Take care and stay cool and dry - depending what the weather is doing !

Brie

Floss said:

@Brie could you not engage with them, and say "you decide" to every question? Maybe dithering brother might see how frustrating it is...

No they always want to have a consensus.  Oldest brother is a good business person and so will try to move conversations along whereas I'll take short cuts and say "we should do...." rather than "I wonder if this might work, what do you think".  And the more the ditherer dithers the more he seems to pull at least one of them along into indecision.  Maddening!!!

Will give them 1 warning that I've got big kicky boots and then I'll let them suffer.

daisy_1571

QueenJess said:

My parents are visiting and have brought the least amount of stuff yet, however, they still brought:

4 boxes
4 coins
4 coin pages
1 jumper
1 card
10 books
1 apron

So that's 26 things in...  at least I have 4 boxes to pack it all up into for charity I guess..

So as usual feeling completely overwhelmed when they come.  They did bring a book for DS that he wasn't impressed by, so they are taking it back to bring again for DD.  I did try to tell them she has never been interested in that topic so it's a waste of time, but I could tell they weren't listening as usual.  They mentioned some of the stuff they have in reserve for DD and talked about culling it down to a few things in each category.... I can live in hope

A few things out just whilst I was tidying up as it's a decluttering day off in theory.

1 - plastic bag (recycled)
3 - DS school tops destroyed (recycled)
2 - tights full of holes (recycled)
1 - plastic bowl (charity bag)
1 - instructions I don’t need (recycled)
12 - memory box stuff recycled
1 - DD tat binned
1 - food kids won’t eat given to sister
New total = 14,026

July In: 52, July Out: 839

You've counted everything up to 26 however you got rid of 22 other things today.  Plus 4 of the new things were the boxes you asked for and you know are temporary.   A quick look at the books, apron and jumper and probably they can go in the first box as the start of a charity box or in the bucket as appropriate.   That only leaves the card and the coins.  The card will get recycled soon.  If you don't want the coins and they are valuable get them sold, otherwise put them into any charity collection box, they all have ways of getting some money back for old or foreign coins.  So in 5 minutes you probably had the new stuff sorted.  What I'm wondering is, why do you feel so overwhelmed by this small amount of decisions ?   From the outside it doesn't seem a lot to deal with?  

Also, why didn't you just take the other book ?  It could have gone straight to charity with the others.  I bet you are going to keep thinking about it and wondering when you'll see it again?  That way it would have dealt with already. 

Just idle thoughts, no need to explain, 

Dxxx 

Oh and they did bring you boxes as you asked so they do listen sometimes lol

daisy_1571

weenancyinAmerica,  listen to taff  

Dxxx