2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

vulpix

 I made crumble too, but it's already half de cluttered. Plum with extra thick crumble topping. I also made a mixed veg stew to go with garlicky, lemon roast new potatoes. Yummy. I used the last of the green beans from bit by bit's allotment. The end of an era.

 We will be playing removal people at the end of the month for DD1 and BF , when they leave the Shetland islands. We will take a hire van from Sheffield over on the ferry from Aberdeen, staying a few days, attending their leaving party and then doing it all in reverse. Fingers crossed for a smooth crossing. It has to be very bad before they cancel. Force 8? that's for wimps. DD1 starts her new job in October, BF is just starting to apply for stuff. Though it is a bit early atm for interviews.

 In other news we have narrowed down a cruise for November. We have stuff on until then and Mr V does most of his work in December. He is of course retiring on New Years Eve.

 Went in a couple of charity shops today to look for some dishes, no luck but some "yoga" pants and a hoody jumped out at me. I have decided to go back to yoga next month, I should have never stopped. I hope my knee in particular will let me participate.

 I have identified some garden ornaments that I will list to sell. Quite a few Victorian rope top edgings to list and some stable block tiles. Left over from making the garden here. There is also the stone patio I bought. Not sure what I am doing with that yet.

 Another viewing tomorrow. The EA has been ghosted by the woman who turned up here very early, he is not impressed and was very apologetic. Lets hope the viewing tomorrow is the one.

 Vx

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

Thursday was another bright sunny day but temperatures only rose to 22°C with a cool breeze. Recycling bin not emptied today. DH went shopping on the bike rather than in the car (to avoid traffic) as DSis ‘forgot’ to get up 😉 All shopping put away as soon as DH got back. I did nothing all day apart from watch TV, do puzzles & knit 😔 I was so lazy today that I got DH to order in - Chinese. Although I did do the wudupa.

1431 - 1435 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, 3 newspapers - recycled

1436 Kitchen detritus binned

1437 Obsolete wiring from DH’s office added to Tip bag

I will try harder tomorrow 🤞 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1437/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £381.70

London_1

Good morning chums up bright and early today.
Had a smashing last day of DGS Bens holidays with us .He goes back to London yesterday afternoon after him being with us for a month as school reopens next Monday.
He's really enjoyed himself and done a good bit of fishing, and even caught, gutted, cooked and ate a nice brown trout which he was very pleased with.

Yesterday we went to Mottistone Gardens as it was a lovely day and he fancied a stroll around.had a nice coffee and a natter with a couple at the next table.Everyone is so friendly here and will chat to you. 
The gardens looked gorgeous and we popped into the second hand book shop there and I came out with two jigsaws and three books :)at what I thought was a very reasonable price of £7.00 once done they will be donated to my saturday history coffee morning which helps to run the family history place in Northwood.So NT got some cash and my coffee morning will get some funds when donated. True recycling and both charities benefit

When we came out I treated him to a nice lunch at The Blacksmiths Arms pub on the Newport Road. Decent food and a lovely view. Ben is as brown as a berry and has filled out a little as we have been giving him lots of decent home cooked food .As a teacher he tends to not eat that well because of lack of time and money His brother Henry and he pay £2100 a month rent for their apartment plus they both are paying their student loans back so tend to eat a deal of quick ready to eat junk food.
But he is looking really good and I know he will miss both the IoW and the family and the fishing ,hiking and food bless him .But he will return in the half term 

Today I have some bit for the charity shop in Ryde as I amok for the audio clinic this morning as my hearing aids need new moulds.DD will drop me off as she works in Ryde and it saves me trying to find a parking spot as there are still lots of holiday makers here.I can easily get the bus back once Ive been to the audio centre ,the charity shop and probably the coffee shop as well.

Life is so much easier here, yet I seem to be doing more, but at a slower pace IYKWIM. DD loves her job and having the weekends off is right up her street after so many years of having to work them. My son-in-law is still sorting out the builders for the renovations we want doing plus doing lots of odds and ends at home.
All in all its probably the best move we all have made and walking the dogs down on the beach ten minutes from the house in the evening as the sun is going down is lovely.
Hope all is well with everyone, `i realised last night that Ive been here 7 weeks and rarely watch tv as there is so much else to do.The garden is taking shape nicely and once my sitting room is sorted I will have evermore space and a good deal of stuff I brought with me can be given to the CS or to the tip Our local tip is brilliantly run and I can book a spot the next day without any problems all a few clicks online and its done.Very well organised there as well and the majority of stuff is recycled.Even the Boots chemist in Ryde recycles empty blister tablet packs.Very eco over here which is great.The nicest thing is very little fly tipping at all, probably because its so easy to go to the local council tip so the countryside is kept beautifully.
Right time for a shower and a cuppa I think then sort myself out for my trip into Ryde.for this morning 
Cheers chums

JackieO xx

GrannyKate

Never been to the Isle of Wight but the descriptions on here make me think I should visit. On the list for next year.  DS1 did a school trip there many years ago when we lived down South.  As expected my house is descending into chaos as DS2 and gf try to move out of her place and mine at the same time.  The new place is theirs from 1st but he is away all that week which cannot be helped.  GF is living out of suitcases in various houses.  My purchase is not progressing well.  I sent chase up email to my sellers and my solicitor has done same to their solicitor.  Nothing I can do except wait.  They haven't sent the contract through so nothing can happen.  I suspect they are delaying as they have the entire house to empty and no-one lives locally.  

I was checking safe and realised I had some unworn bits and broken items.  There was gold necklace bought 20 or so years ago that just did not sit right - I have a few items which I know my daughter would like but most stuff I have is never worn.  Selected a few bits including my original wedding ring which was very thin and had been cut off and sent to MSE recommended gold place for sale - pleased to receive money (just in 4 figures) - posted Tuesday am - paid Weds pm.  Gave DS2 half towards his house move and the other half will be spending money for France (2 weeks today).  No point in moving with this stuff just to put it in safe again. 

Yesterday was a nightmare as I had things to do and all my IT seemed to have gone to pot.  Seems alright now.  

1005 Banking done
1006 Jewellery items sold
1007 Weeding and some pots emptied to fill garden bin before it was collected
1008 Two removal surveys done and quotes received (ouch) 

I have packed one small box of glass ornaments but won't count it yet as I intend to put small packed boxes inside  a larger box. Plan to get a skip when I get back from France to empty garden pots into along with broken pots and wooden troughs which I am not taking.  I also need to get some stuff down out of the loft.  DS2's GF has lots of cardboard boxes from her work which I can have as she empties them at her new place.  Not sure what my place will look like when I come back from France.  Children still need stuff here as they will have to stay on school days until I move.  

Right time to get dressed. 

~FlowerPot~

Morning,. Bright and sunny here 
I have managed to spend a good few hours in the garden this week and so some of the beds and paths are looking better! The bindweed has got particularly bad though and is smothering the raspberries. We have 3 beds of raspberries and so far it's taken over 2 hours and haven't finished one! 🙄 Hopefully will get that one finished today.
Decluttered some double glazing units yesterday. We had our bedroom windows replaced and 2 in the hall upstairs. They look lovely and while I was clearing the bits of the windowsills getting ready for them I decided it was time to finally shift the bits from DDs roomthat were Still on the landing!  (from. June 😩) And also a biggish bookcase which had 2 shelves, one with kids books and one with inherited books from my sister. DD managed to let go of over 30 books and they are in a pile downstairs and I have let go of about 10 more of my books. The children's books wanted are now boxed up to be kept and the other books have been placed on another bookshelf but they are doubled up. Not ideal, but I still need to read and let go of many more!
But good progress nontheless
AND because the hall was finally clear we have moved the dog crate into the corner of the landing so he is not in our room, long story, but never intended on letting the little monkey sleep in our room! Funny how things turn out!
Anyway he is now sleeping in the hall and we have reclaimed some space back in our room hurrah!
Next major job is to decorate our bedroom, 2 walls have been stripped, but motivation seems to be slipping!!
Lovely to hear everyone's news. 
London ~ you are very near me, just across the water, but I still haven't been to the island and we've been here nearly 9 years!
Queen jess - very very happy to read you last post, I am so pleased that you are finally happy with all you decluttering efforts, you have worked so hard I am really pleased you are finally able to enjoy other things
Granny Kate - fingers crossed the move gets a move on and it's not too much longer for you to wait.
Love flowers x

ruby_eskimo

Afternoon all.  We've been in the new house just over a week and things are still a little chaotic to say the least!  Moving day was actually relatively smooth - DH did a nice thing and booked us into a hotel the night before so we could sleep in a proper bed (had to take ours apart for the move) and so I didn't have to worry about him messing up the bathroom after scrubbing it from top to bottom the previous day.  The movers we had were worth every penny - 4 of them had the whole house emptied in 3.5 hours (including a few tea breaks in there) so we had time to vacuum and wash floors.  We were out by 12:30 and received the call about 15 minutes later.  New house is just 5 minutes up the road from the old one, so we had the keys and were fully unloaded by 3.30pm.  Movers even put the bed and wardrobes back together for us so earnt a hefty tip each too.  

We had the ceilings taken down due to asbestos between exchange and completion so I expected the house to be a bit dusty from that but I wasn't expecting the disgusting toilets, the layers of grease all over the kitchen and all the random bits of furniture that the owners left.  Slowly working my way through the deep cleaning but not going to lie, I'm exhausted because we've just been going non stop for about 4 weeks now if you include our trip to Paris (Olympics was amazing, we would have gone back for the Paralympics if we could have the time off, loved every single minute of being in the city with that kind of atmosphere).

So the list of things we need to do to the house is getting longer but we've started decluttering things already including two drawer units, a lot of cupboard doors from the built in wardrobes that we're eventually going to pull out and all the weeds from the front garden 😆  Will start keeping count again this weekend when we continue unpacking again.  Hope all is well and will be trying to keep up with the thread again.

Crazycatlady2

Can't believe we are coming to the end of the school holidays, it's been horrible and crazy.

Have now done some work in garden and started work in the extension in new house, got quote for gates and fence and a skip arrived. Discovered grumpy teen daughter likes breaking up furniture and removing wall tiles 🤣 

Pic below is of the 1 ton of stone we put down and I've ordered another ton

Ordered 2 beds to get them at sale price and will pay rest nearer to delivery which I'm hoping is November. Working through paperwork and valuing stuff so can apply for probate etc 

So much to do and I'm ready for a rest but not getting one anytime soon. Next Wednesday is 3 year anniversary of MIL death so hubby as you can imagine is not doing well and will be taking more time off work yet. 

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

Friday is another warm & sunny day with temperatures set to rise to 23°C 🙂 I was up before 11:00 but have done nothing much apart from a bit of paperwork including today’s mail 😔 Decided to tackle ‘bookmarks’ & have spent an hour & half rearranging, tidying & deleting. I am about half way through but have now lost all enthusiasm 😉 I have found the conversation about ‘bins’ very interesting & agree with vulpix “Bins ! We need a national strategy. Every local authority is different.” Of course, I don’t hold out any hope 😔

1438 Shredder bin emptied

QueenJess, you are an inspiration 🥹 Unfortunately as I have fallen behind with the cheerleading I missed out on the Bundt cake & pancakes ☹️ 

Excellent work decluttering the shed oceanspirit 👏

vulpix, thanks for sharing such a comprehensive strategy for dealing with clothes 👏 

Nice to see you Fizz2015 👋 Excellent work with the Welsh dresser 👏 & good luck with the big clothes sort out 🍀 

Liverpool_Anne, sorry to hear that you were so tired on Wednesday 😔 but very pleased that you had a good nights sleep & had such a good Thursday 😊

Lovely to see you BudgetingBelinda 👋 Sounds like you have been busy & quite successful despite the building works 👏 Good luck for the rest of the year 🍀 Absolutely loved your comment “It’s amazing when you start how contagious decluttering is!” Now I just need to get started 😂

Caught up a little so will post before I forget 😉 Hope everyone has has/is having a good day 🤞 

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1438/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £381.70

suzeesu2000

london_1 I am so glad you are loving the island and doing so much too. Seems you have really immersed yourself into island life. Reminds me of how we settled 24 years ago. We started renting a small flat in Ryde as Neither of us know the island and didn’t  know where we wanted to settle. We found ourselves visiting the west almost every day so that where we are now. So peaceful, lovely neighbours who I could call on at any time, in fact in 2019 when DH had massive HA and had triple bypass, my neighbours were taking it in turns to visit every day: anything you need/want, have you got bread and milk? They were all lovely. Funnily enough, out of our six houses, none are islanders, we have all migrated here. Maybe that makes us appreciate even more how lucky we are to be here? 

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

Stayed dry all day 🙂 DSis watered the garden. I had another session working on ‘bookmarks’ so now about 2/3rds done. We each had different dinners tonight - DH finished off the Chinese; egg, bacon & chips for DSis; tin of tomato soup & olive ciabatta for me. Wudupa

1439 - 1444 Kitchen recycling, tin, drinks cans, glass bottle, 2 booklets - recycled 

1445 - 1446 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned 

QueenJess, thank you for sharing your strategies 👏 Excellent decluttering as usual 🥳 Good luck continuing with your target of 10 a day 🍀

Excellent work in the garden Brie 👏 I do think that all extra bins/bags which have to be paid for as extras are a bit of a con 😉

crazybunnylady4, sounds like it was a good job you didn’t progress - it saved you having to decline a 2nd interview 😉 What time should I turn up for rhubarb crumble 😂 Hope the work thing goes well 🤞

Happy_Kitties, great decluttering of neutral items 👏 Pleased to hear that you are seeing some space at last 😊

One more page caught up 🙂 I do need to try harder 😉 Cwtches to all 🤗 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1446/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £381.70