2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, quick post as I am knackered and I am visiting a friend tomorrow for lunch, covid test permitting as her dh is very vulnerable so I will test in the morning . On that note I sent OH off to the chemist today to get the free tests armed with the information required, thank you @Floss, unfortunately they didn't have any in stock, though they did have some you could but , but they have ordered some to collect next week so all good.
Yesterday I was at the match but got a few things out, 2 packets of ood food that OH had bought from somewhere and completely forgotten, 2 bags of hard plastic dropped at the tip on my way to the match and the lr bin emptied. Today I have spent ages sorting garden pots that have reappeared from under the ivy. About 60 have been washed and bagged to be delivered to an ex colleague next time I see her, not counted until they go . She grows and sells plants for water aid so is always looking for pots. I also have a bag of broken pots waiting for the next trip to the tip 1 LDFPA and another 2 loads still drying and 400 emails , and I did some ironing .

@Mrs SD I use those plastic take away tins to freeze soup as they stack in the freezer really well. The small ones hold a single portion. I also use a piece of cheap masking tape as a label . I use the deeper containers for a substantial portion of veg stew and they all stack together really well in the freezer draws . 

Right my eyes are closing so off to bed, hugs to anybody who would like one

1221 & 1222 ood food
1223 & 1224 hard plastic
1225 lr bin
1226 LDFPA
1227 ironing
1228 - 1231 emails permanently deleted
Take care everyone
1231/2024

Crazycatlady2

Been majorly stressful here 😢

Have done some decluttering at both houses and now have a big pile that eventually salvation army can collect when husband is ready to let it go but at least I now have a downstairs that works for us as our son with special needs can now go without worrying he will break something as we cleared out one room so he is safe while we work. 

Kids back to work and school next Mon/Tues but what a horrible holidays it's been. Eldest 2 are away for 2 nights with my mum and I was meant to go but haven't as didn't want to leave my husband to look after youngest alone while he's struggling.

Universal credit did not pay me so now it's 5 days late 😢

GrannyKate

Hugs to all who need them. Last minute plan changes so looks like I will have some time to myself before my France trip.  DS1 came yesterday with family for the day which was nice as I don't see them so often.  DD arrived at lodge in Devon only to fall down wooden steps so up early nursing lots of bruises in the hot tub - thankfully no serious injuries but very sore.  DS2 in process of moving which has clashed with pre-booked weekend away and his last week on his course in the Midlands.  A bit chaotic all round.  I hope for some developments in the house move this week but all very slow. 

997 Blouse - unworn but doesn't fit right - to CS bag
998 Shorts to CS bag 
999-1000 Two biscuit tins to CS bag
1001 Broken ornament binned
1002 Calendars updated 
1003 Last of August cards posted - started buying September ones
1004 School shirts replaced for DGD4 - can go to school sale

Packing tally 8 boxes plus 1 bag

DS1 says he agrees I have got rid of lots but thinks more could go.  No he didn't want to take anything!!  He mentioned the loft but I was pleased to report there is almost nothing up there - Christmas and Easter boxes, a few suitcases, some papers I need to keep, framed pictures (if they don't go up at new place they can go) and boxes that specific things go in. Hopefully after this week DS2 will take lots of his stuff but he has little storage at his new place.  

Removal firm coming to give quote today and another one tomorrow. 

Gers

I have finally resolved the tricky problem of what to with the beautiful tablecloths I inherited from my late DMum. She had an array of these which had been lovingly embroidered by my GrandM over a hundred years ago. My DM treasured them as do I but I don't even have a table any more so these lovely items have been lingering in the barn since May 2021. I've been agonising about them ever since as they are too good to go to a charity shop and 'this' side of the family have only male descendants.

Last week I attended a family event for the 'other' side of the family in Germany so took over the tablecloths and distributed to the three great great granddaughters there.  They were delighted to have such family heirlooms even though they, of course, never knew the maker. I am equally, if not more, delighted that the cloths are now in safe family hands which will both use and treasure them.  The cloths have stayed in the German side of the family from where they came.

It was worth the wait!

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks 

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

Monday: despite it being a lovely warm day I ended up doing nothing apart from watching a few more episodes of The Walking Dead 😉 The gammon shanks I had taken out of the freezer didn’t defrost in time so DH ordered in burgers & fries for himself & DSis whilst I finished the shepherd’s pie 😉 Wudupa 

1413 - 1416 Kitchen, lr & office recycling, drinks cans - recycled 

1417 - 1418 Kitchen & office detritus - binned 

Tuesday is a slightly cloudy but warm day with a forecast high of 25°C 😊 DH is filling the bird feeders which led him to deciding to clean out the garden box. Having completely emptied the box, he used his builders vac & three quarters filled the container. Quite a lot of soil content so DH emptied it into the compost bin. The box is now tidy & relatively clean & ready for the mice to move back in 😂 Whilst he was doing that I pruned the tomato plants & managed to find 2 ripe tomatoes 🥳 We have only one bin of seed so DH  will need to order some more 😔   Now to the cheerleading 😉

crazybunnylady4, a busy Bank Holiday with lots of housework - cleaning & tidying 👏 I trust that Mac was more cooperative by the evening 😉 Really didn’t envy you re the carpet scraping 🤢 I hope you had a relaxing evening 🤞

QueenJess I was surprised & delighted to hear that your parents brought so little with them 🥳 no wonder you were in shock & needed a glass of wine 😉 Although I will admit to be rather envious of the 2kg of blackberries 😉 More excellent decluttering & well done on keeping up with the tidying 👏 I really, really enjoyed reading this “As soon as I think of something I need to do, I'm trying to do it that minute rather than putting things off and ending up with a huge list.  Obviously it's not always possible, but I have blasted through quite a bit of stuff recently.  Not at the end of the to do list, but I do seem to have quite a bit of free time at the moment now the house is pretty much sorted…. it's quite disconcerting!” Your consistently hard work is paying off 👏

MuddyWalker, love the idea that you are looking forward to being at work today to get some rest 😂  Well done on having a productive Bank Holiday 👏 Just wondering if your pet visitor has dug a deep enough hole to plant something 🙃 Thanks for the book recommendation, I have earmarked the information & will investigate further. 

More excellent work in the garden Pennypincin 👏 Now wondering if there is a special name for garden gremlins 🧐 

Thanks for the info on soup storage & labelling oceanspirit 👏 Excellent decluttering 👏 & wishing you success in cleaning the remaining kitchen shelves 😊

Welcome back oceandreamer 👋 I remember you posted earlier in the year, so I am very pleased that you have popped out of lurkdom 😊 What a wonderful success story 👏🥳 especially as so many of us do struggle with sorting out our clothing & shoes 😔 Hopefully we will see you again - we are a friendly group & will continue to cheer you along with your future decluttering projects 😊

weenancy “Chickens like the slugs to eat. Maybe being eaten is their "goal" in life.” - every time I read this I laugh 🤭 Not sure my neighbours or my DH would appreciate me having chickens in the back garden 🤣

I am struggling with my concentration so will post this & try to motivate myself to do something or should that be anything 😅

I hope everyone is having a good day 😊

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1418/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £381.70

daisy_1571

well done oceandreamer,  its amazing how sometimes a phrase or saying will just suddenly resonate and can become quite profound 

Dxx

suzeesu2000

london_1 so glad you’re enjoying the island. The scooter rally is always brilliant and they are usually very well behaved indeed. As for the refuse collection are you aware that on recycling/green bin day you can put bags of recycling, cardboard etc out with your green bin as well? Do you have a little green food caddy too for the food waste that goes out every week too? Hope your binmen are as lovely as ours are. 

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks 

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

I couldn’t find the motivation to do any decluttering so cleared down a few more programmes from the TV planner including “Guy Martin’s Lost WWII Bomber” An absolutely brilliant programme & with such a moving outcome 🥹 Dinner was the now fully defrosted gammon shanks with chips & baked beans for DH & DSis whilst I had a couple of fried eggs rather than gammon. Wudupa.

1419 - 1422 Kitchen & DSis’s bedroom recycling, drinks cans, glass bottle - recycled 

1423 - 1425 Kitchen, lr & DSis’s bedroom detritus - binned

Liverpool_Anne, hope you had a lovely visit with your friend 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏 & thank you for the tip re freezing soup 👏

Crazycatlady2, sorry to hear that life has been so stressful 😥 Keeping everything crossed that universal credit will turn up today 🤞🙏

Just noticed the time so am off to bed. Sleep tight everyone 😴 

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1425/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £303.85

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
Just popping in to say I had a nice visit with my ex colleague, this is the lady who's DH had a strike so a drive to her house for coffee and cake. Things are still quite hard going for her but she has at least got a blue badge for the car. They are paying for a physio to visit twice a week but attendance allowance is covering half the cost. They did have an assessment from the community physio but he has now left and she has heard nothing so will have to chase it when she has a minute. I have again offered to go over and sit with her DH for a couple of hours on a regular basis to give her some respite to just go out and do something for herself and I think she is thinking about it. We shall see. I have done no decluttering at all and have had a night of no sleep for no reason so I expect to be like a wet dish rag today .

@Gers what a lovely thing to do with the table cloths. I have none of my Mum's embroidered stuff, she made them for her Mum I think, as it stayed with her Dad and when his second wife died her family snaffled them all. Mum was quite upset about it I remember

Right I am going to make a cuppa and see if I can get anything done. Hugs to everyone who would like one

Take care everyone
Still 1231/2024

TC77

@Gers well done with the table clothes that's such a lovely solution.
Been busy and not posted but some progress in between other things,  back to cs and added cushions and covers, and started new cs bag with jumper ( I have kept 2 new ones I ordered) ,ood food  a few times, dd2 invited friends over to help her decorate the airing room/ her study, abit stressful as came home when she started on her own  to washing up bowl with dishes all dark green as didn't empty the sink before washing dishes and a trail but all emulsion so showed her how to clear up. Friends helped but couldn't reach to the top so I'll get a longer ladder and she can finish it hopefully soon. Had to buy more paint but rolls of masking tape used up, some paper declutter and old Halloween stuff going back with her to uni. Sold dd1 item packaged and posted. Brought too much back from my dad's , which db thinks is saleable but I think will go to CS as can't find my own belongings! 
Will do nos later.