2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

vulpix

Moorviews, ugh, kids stuff I did manage at one time to get rid of it all and declared my loft empty with the exception of suitcases. What the crafty blighters did was keep it at my Mother's and when I emptied the house, it came here. DD1 will have a shock when she is reunited with it all very soon. Only 3 weeks until she moves back and reunited with boxes of my little ponies and beanie babies. Particularly keen to get rid of the mattress and furniture of hers in the back bedroom.There are a few toys of DS which he has to introduce gradually for baby V. Their house is small and DIL doesn't like clutter. I can't fault her there. BTW the massive wooden trunk of rocks is still at my Mother's house. She has only been asking my brother to take it away for about 45 years.

dND, soon. Never will a RSJ be more appreciated when it comes!

Hope you get some relief from the heat soon Wee Nancy,

 Well done Mr SD in finding a car full of stuff for the tip, Does the stuff breed? Mr V is forever finding stuff in the sheds for the tip, then a few months later he can find a load more.

 It's getting difficult to close Mr V's clothes drawers, probably because he screws them up and shoves them in. Obviously time for a cull.

 Another sleep avoiding night. Gave up at 3 and went in the spare bed, then Fomo woke me at 7, thanks mate.

 Love to all Vx

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, a slow decluttering day yesterday. It rained all day . I did a bit of sorting and a few random things went into the bin and the recycling. A sort out of a draw resulted in a swimming costume being binned as it had started to go along the seam over the bum, not a sight to behold . Emails were tackled and 200 deleted. I also had a message on my phone to say I was getting close to full storage so I spent some time deleting wierd videos that people had sent me over the years. I have realised I have a lot of photos on there that I need to move somewhere else or delete, I have a few empty pen drives that used to have work stuff on so I can use them for photos. I remember about a year ago I was able to reunite a video with the sender. It was of her son doing an impromptu performance of a Beatles song in a bar in Columbia while he was travelling in South America. They were over joyed to get it back as they had both lost their copies when they had accidents with their phones. I just handed my phone over and they spent a while transfering that and a few other videos and photos . I must admit I do look at the photos fairly regularly but odd ones can definitely be deleted . I think that will be a job for a winter day . I have a union thing to sort today and I have a meeting on Thursday in my old school, Friday I am helping with a mosaic at the footy club and Saturday I have a union meeting and a home footy match so I need to organise my time a bit this week . Today as it isn't forecast to rain the washing machine is on and I need to nip to the sm. OH needs icing so that should help to free up the ironing board .
I have heard today that my Dniece is back in the UK tomorrow and they have exchanged on the house and will complete on Wednesday . They have a couple of house sits organised but apart from that they will be working on the house and are hoping to have it ready to rent before they return to Bequia at the end of October. I must admit to admiring their optimism knowing how long it has taken others and myself to get jobs done .

@Vulpix I didn't think your house looked cluttered at all, apart from the bits you have in the second bedroom which as you say will be gone soon I thought it was beautiful.

Right better get weaving . Hugs to everyone who would like one

1383 swimming costumes binned
1284 & 1285 emails permanently deleted
1286 phone cleaned up a bit
Take care everyone
1286/2024

ruby_eskimo

Oh I missed the 6 degrees of separation posts but I have a funny one - I'd been dating DH for a few months when he invited me round to his mum's house for dinner for the first time.  He tells me the address and I say, "oh I used to be friend's with someone who lived down that road".  Get to the house, ring the doorbell and his sister opens the door...who was the girl I used to be friends with when I was at school, but obviously not close friends as I never knew she had a brother 🤣  Was a little awkward because the last time I saw her, she was shouting at me over a boy she had a crush on who I was just friends with.  I've been with DH 18 years and she's still a bit funny with me over something that happened over 20 years ago 😆

Three trips to the dump this weekend to get rid of most of the deconstructed built in wardrobes.  Probably 2 more trips at the weekend and then the garden will be clear.  Ended up having a little go at a guy at the dump who was throwing away some amazing drawers that I would have rescued if I had somewhere to put them.  Told him to list them for sale next time and he'd make some money back!

vulpix

 5 tee shirts, 2 baseball caps, numerous broken earphones, bits of paper etc etc. drawers now close easily. Also out a pair of old slippers, only 18 months since he had new ones, which are themselves due to retire soon.

 We are going to view another house on Wednesday. I have reduced Mum's and our house today. We have a viewing on Friday. 

 It really has been the best thing for you to move London 1, it's as if you have been there years already.

 Ruby, that’s a hilarious story. 

 Liverpool Anne, you are very kind. I have come home from the Estate Agent and put lots of ornaments in cupboards. If your Niece fancies up North in the future, I am always looking for a cat sitter so we can go on holiday. 😻

Vx

QueenJess

I'm following along, but work is currently quite busy and will be for the next couple of weeks, so house stuff is a bit on hold at the moment and I've not got much time to post.  I got quite behind with the tidying, but started to make inroads into it again and at least put all the dry clothes away and packaged up a large box for the charity.  I'd like DS to put his own clothes away (I'm working on him being more independent), but if I put them in his room I think they'll end up all over the place until I sort his room out.

I've been finding a few more bits to go and I'm sure there will be more clothes stuff as I rediscover my winter wardrobe.  Need to still finish working through the library (but might be pending for a couple of weeks) and need to do something about DS's room that just seems to have stuff everywhere.  It doesn't help that DS wants everything "on display", which stresses me out.. I'm more of a put everything away so you can't see it person.  I'm working on a few solutions with my limited brainpower at the moment.  One thing I was thinking of was getting one of those glass frames that you can slot tickets etc into - DS has loads from events he's been to and that will be a way of seeing them whilst also keeping them contained to a small area.  Not looked properly yet, but looks like they are £30 which seems very steep to me... I wonder if you can buy a box yourself and then I could put my own label on it.  Something to look into.  I keep trying to convince him to put some things on display and others away and then rotate, but it's all falling on deaf ears.  Will keep thinking on other solutions for the bulk of the problem.

Kitchen stocks are very slowly declining, mainly because I'm being quite strict with my budget.  Once it goes down a bit more, I hope to get some more of the cupboards/drawers more organised.

Sorry, I can't remember who posted that newspaper article now, but I find a lot of online social media stuff very extreme.  They hook into the latest "fad" and do it to an extreme.  Sometimes I like to watch a bit of those things as it sometimes the extreme ones give you ideas, but also makes me realise where I want to be on the scale.  I always get bored quite quickly with these types of videos - I watch a few, then tbh I get the gist of what I wanted out of them and the rest are just saying the same thing over and over again.  I started out with a very clear goal; I wanted to be able to keep on top of the house, have everything clear and all cupboards/drawers must be really easy to put things away (otherwise I won't do it).  I resent time spending tidying, cleaning etc as I want to take more time to do things I want, eat well and spend time with the kids.  This is what I consider to be quality of life to me.  Therefore I kept going until I reached the point it didn't stress me out and I could keep on top of it.  Could I get rid of more?  Yes, probably, but why spend so much time agonising and thinking about it when I'm comfortable as I am and could spend that time on something I would prefer to do?  Just need to nail the ongoing maintenance now as we still seem to have a fair bit of stuff that comes in (generally young kids), so I need to make sure we have a fair bit leaving as well.

Digital:
18 - photos deleted
1 - app deleted
1 - emails unsubscribed from
10 - documents deleted

Physical:
8 - DS clothes (charity box)
1 - odd sock (recycling)
2 - baking overstock used up
1 - duvet cover (charity box)
6 - paper reused, then recycled
1 - jumper I never wear (charity box)
1 - thin top I never wear (charity box)
7 - spare earring backs mostly broken (binned)
10 - craft supplies used up
1 - recipe book I never use (Buy Nothing)
1 - packaging reused

New total = 15,237

ionafan

QueenJess said:

It doesn't help that DS wants everything "on display" ...  One thing I was thinking of was getting one of those glass frames that you can slot tickets etc into - DS has loads from events he's been to and that will be a way of seeing them whilst also keeping them contained to a small area.  Not looked properly yet, but looks like they are £30 which seems very steep to me... I wonder if you can buy a box yourself and then I could put my own label on it.  

@QueenJess the Swedish shop does a frame called Sannahed which is 6 cm deep and easily adapted to 3D items (I have artificial roses from our wedding cake in mine), and it's only £5 for the 25cm square version.  It would hold a lot of tickets, and maybe you could get someone with a jigsaw to cut a "postbox" slit in the top.

My grandson wanted everything out on display, so his parents gave him some open shelving but with labelled clear plastic boxes for smaller items such as lego bricks or pens, so that putting away and dusting were easy peasy.  At the same time you could introduce your DS to Dana K White's "container" concept.  She also has a video about decluttering kids' stuff.

Hope that helps x

Floss

QueenJess said:

...  It doesn't help that DS wants everything "on display", which stresses me out.. I'm more of a put everything away so you can't see it person.  I'm working on a few solutions with my limited brainpower at the moment.  One thing I was thinking of was getting one of those glass frames that you can slot tickets etc into - DS has loads from events he's been to and that will be a way of seeing them whilst also keeping them contained to a small area....

The Range have some in different sizes: 
https://www.therange.co.uk/home-furnishings/picture-frames-and-wall-art/picture-frames/single-frames/square-deep-box-frame/#847636

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 was another dull overcast day with temperatures forecast to rise to just 18°C - Autumn is definitely here ☹️ Fingers crossed that it stays dry 🤞Feels a lot cooler than 18°C but DH is braving the garage where he spent 2.5 hours tidying, sweeping & rearranging. There is a lot of floor space now but there are still a couple of stacks of stuff that need to be sorted. I dealt with my mail 😉 Dinner was compliments of my DSis - lasagne & garlic bread, with trifle for afters. Wudupa.

1523 - 1526 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, 2 cardboard boxes - recycled

1527 - 1531 Kitchen, lr & office detritus, plastic packaging, large bird seed sack - binned

Brie an excellent start using up your food stock from the garage 👏 Good luck moving the rest of your food supplies indoors 🍀 

vulpix, so pleased to hear that you & Liverpool_Anne enjoyed your meet-up 😊 A lovely idea to have a big meet-up but can you imagine the logistics 😥 Excellent decluttering of clothing 👏 & well done on decluttering the ironing 👏 Not sure about modern tastes being towards minimalism 🤔 although I do think that lack of imagination & overblown expectations might be contributing factors to slow house sales 🤨 A conundrum indeed. 

dND, you couldn’t make it up 😞 Sorry to hear that the saga of the RSJ is still ongoing ☹️ Keeping everything crossed that the stars align & that both the RSJ & workmen arrive soon 🤞 Although it does sound like you have been extremely busy 👏 Hopefully the cats are settling in as well as you 😊 Cwtches coming your way 🤗 

oceanspirit, sounds like OH has taken up the challenge 😉 Excellent work by both of you 👏 Long may OH’s enthusiasm continue 😊🙏 

London_1, that weather does sound very odd 😧 makes it very difficult to decide what to wear if you venture out 🤨 Hopefully the weather will be a lot better when you rebook the Tip trip 🤞Sorry to hear about the injury to your arm 😔 Hopefully the wound is fully healed now 🙏 You have a very busy week ahead 😥 so please try to get some rest 🙏 Re the cost of 1st class stamps, I tend to post Christmas cards 2nd class although still quite expensive (17s) Fingers crossed for some warm, dry weather 🤞

weenancy, I am surprised you didn’t melt - 105°F is way too hot 🥵 The party sounds like it was a roaring success 😊 Everything crossed that you finally get rain 🤞

Just noticed the time so I am off to bed. Sleep tight 😴 I will try harder to catch up with the cheerleading tomorrow 😉

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

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 1531/2024

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £381.70

oceanspirit

OH had a good day yesterday - went to jewellers and sold some old gold chains for me that I never wear, got his watch repaired and my silver bracelet repaired - the watch has been sitting around for at least a year and he only has the one.  He also repaired a picture hook for me so the picture is now back up on the wall - that has only taken six years to do and it took him only five minutes.  Lots of papers were coming out of his room yesterday into the shredder and recycling bin.  So yes, I think the message has got through and long may it last.

London_1

Good Morning chums, well I 'bit the biscuit' as my late Mum used to say, and rang the surgery about my drippy arm (I'm really not one to bother the surgery with stuff but just wanted a bit of advice really)  and bless them, they said can you pop in and we will sort you out some dressings for it.
Elastoplast just doesn't work.

So I nipped down there ,its only ten  minutes in my car.This was at 5.15 last night .Not only did I get it dressed ,I also saw one of the practice nurses, and she's referring me to the lymphodema clinic.
I haven't been to one of those for well over 8 years as my previous surgery one just closed down for no apparent reason (probably money and/or lack of staff )

She redressed the arm with this special dressing and gave me two further packs to use, and even a small pair of scissors to cut them with.

They are so efficient there and the staff are fantastic.I had originally rang to ask if I got some of that spray -on plaster would it seal it up a bit, or would it cause a problem.

The nurse said it might help but the dressing would be better.

I'm so pleased with the surgery and the staff they will definitively be getting some home baked stuff at Christmas
Nothing seems too much trouble

They text me with dates for various injections, and I have my flu and my covid ones already booked for the winter. They are so on the ball there after my last surgery in Kent, its as different as chalk and cheese.

So last night it was great not to have this blooming leaky arm, and not having to keep mopping it all the time. Plus the washing is piling up as I was going through a couple of jumpers and cardi's a day and with the bad weather it was getting silly.

This morning I'm a cheerful old lady again with a nice dry and dressed arm

 If anyone on here has lymphodema they will know how much of a nuisance even a tiny paper cut can be and you dread getting a' flare up' from an infection as its several days in bed on strong anti-biotics, and its like a dreadful dose of the flu with shivers and fever and feeling altogether awful.

Today, weather permitting I have two wash loads to get out and dry before tea time as it due to be a bit rainy then but dry after for the rest of the week.
I'm hoping the local tip will reopen later this week as there's still the tip run to do.

I did manage to drop off a big bag of books to the CS in Ryde yesterday Then treated myself to a nice coffee in Yelfs coffee shop. Its nice and quiet in there, and the coffee is good and the armchairs are extremely comfy and there is always someone to have a natter to, or the crossword to do in my paper 

I certainly do a great deal less than I used to, and the shops in Ryde High Street ,and the road leading down to the front are mainly all little independent ones, and there is even a nice Victorian shopping arcade with really interesting odd quirky shops.

I'm really very pleased after all the hold ups and living here is certainly just the job for me, and I'm loving every bit of it the people are friendly and no one is in a mad rush to do anything.The assistants in the shop are lovely and will often pass the time of day with you I've always said it like life was 40 years ago but with the convenience of the 21st century

My DD says I should definitely work for the tourist board Even she has found it a lot less stressful in her job, and is enjoying her work life balance. Her and her OH are going out to dinner this Saturday night on a 'date night ',something they never had time or energy to do before moving here. I'm quite happy to 'dog sit' and she says its nice to get a bit of a change from all the stresses she had before in her job.

Right now its time for me to drink my cuppa and sort one of the numerous boxes out that piled up and see what else I can declutter that we really don't need

Cheers chums

JackieO xx