2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

QueenJess

DD is finally better and DH has taken both the kids out today to give me a break.  So I am partly resting, but also catching up on washing and trying to catch up on some baking as well.  Not much decluttering has been happening (unsurprisingly), although I am doggedly working through some bathroom overstock which will probably take most of 2025.  Kitchen stuff is being stocked up for the 10 day child feeding frenzy (they just don't stop eating!) and then stores will be slowly used up over the next few months with the aim to defrost the big garage freezer by Easter time.  Last night I made a huge cottage pie and everyone had seconds and then two helpings of my apple and blackberry cake.  The kids were then demanding more food before bed.  I seem to have accidentally slipped into a Harry Potter book level of feeding here...

No time to finish rearranging the library or sorting out the baking cupboard.  Probably a 2025 job now!  Not sure when I am meant to have time to earn money and work, but I will need to get a job to tide us over.  Better get back to the baking (bread is proving and I am about to embark on the xmas red cabbage recipe that I can freeze).

Digital:
24 - photos deleted

Physical:
8 - packaging/gift wrap etc used up

New total = 17,622

QueenJess

Massive pile of xmas red cabbage is currently being frozen in individual portions (I love red cabbage...) which used up a huge amount of the fridge drawer and the bread is cooling on the side.  Now just sorting out a few things and tidying up a bit before I make dinner.  Managed to use some things up as I went along:

2 - seed packets used up
1 - laundry bag broken beyond repair (recycled)
1 - OOD medicine (chemist)
1 - DIY items used up

New total = 17,627

I think my focus for 2025 will be to make sure we are using everything in the house (if not, it can go), using things up for an organic declutter and not bringing too much in.  I have brought in a fair bit recently from Buy Nothing, although this did include £250 worth of xmas tree with lights and decorations (DH says this is by far the best thing I've managed to get!) as well as some things I've stashed for the kids birthday presents.  I'll need to sort out the present drawer next week ahead of xmas and figure out what I've already got for DS's birthday presents.  Getting things like games, puzzles and books for free really keeps the costs down when all the family birthdays occur in the first 3 months of the year!

Florenceem

Church this morning - Mr F went - first time for 5 weeks.
At the last minute - I was asked to light the Advent candles.
Normal jobs after Church and then back home in time to take in parcels  It was 2 parcels of selection packs - I carried one box round to SA straight away.
Quick food break then it was out to get picked up for singing at a retirement complex.
Went back to SA - lots of donations outside to bring in. Then a woman turned up with a car full of stuff.
I hadn't put the lights on as it wasn't properly dark - I went flying over a foam floor mat that was out ready for playgroup. I hit my face on the carpet - felt my glasses cut into the bridge of my nose. I didn't break my glasses. I have carpet burns on my hands and my knees hurt. My injury bled a bit.
Been wrapping parcels after doing dinner.
About to list on V.
Mr F is Santa tomorrow at playgroup.

Floss

Queen Jess your lovely children might be prepping for a growth spurt, with eating everything available!

weenancyinAmerica

@Florenceem take care - sounds like it hurts a lot. 
@vulpix - I enlarged the picture and am working out the instructions for the snowflake - have almost got it.

Up early and wrapped anniversary present for Sis and Bil and Sister's birthday presents and made a birthday card for Sis and an anniversary card (from what I learned in Publisher class). Then other sister picked us up and we drove up to the Christmas open house - lots of goodies from friends and neighbors, but I still think the best ones are the pumpkin bread and the fudge my sister makes herself. She had 12 floor-to-ceiling trees decorated in three rooms, plus two skinny tall trees and 3 5' trees. She did of them herself as we hadn't been able to get up there and help her. She will have us up there for Christmas and she will have a couple more open houses for her fellow ornament collector clubs. The trees don't usually come down until February. Home again for dinner and to get ready for last computer class of the year.

Still blue skies here. Good luck there. Keep warm and dry. Hugs for those who need them. 

GrannyKate

Quick post - morning all.  Take care @Florenceem.

Curtains were hung up and look really nice.  Make the room look lighter than the chintzy ones which were here. 

1727 Banking done
1728 Shredding done
1729 Second hose to DS2's house - I only have one outside tap here
1730-1732 - Sort in garage found 2 light tubes, bag of tat found on shelves (put rubber gloves on and put in heavy duty rubbish sack - no idea what some of it was), two wooden clothes props (I already found a brand new one in garage still in box)
1733-1734 Karcher cleaner and box of car things taken home by DS2
1735 Some garden trimmings to tip
1736 Broken plastic box to tip
1737 Three sets of curtains up, old ones in bag for CS and most of the hooks in bin as they fell apart as you took them down.  

The garage shelves were lined with newspaper from 1996 which is probably the last time anyone touched the shelves. Still waiting for roofer.  

vulpix

oh dear Florenceem, I do hope you at least think about slowing down and having some rest.

weenancy, I like the sound of your sisters house more and more. I would like a bigger house only for Christmas decorating and Christmas hosting. Fab that you can work out the snow flake pattern as Mum says she must have de cluttered it.

 It sounds like you are making the bungalow your own Granny Kate. I am still thinking about the house we missed out on in the summer. Not the practical one, the hundreds of years old  schoolhouse with the fabulous inglenook fireplace.

 The bun fight went very well and they enjoyed the food which was a relief as they have a very different tastes to me and I was making stuff I didn't try. I did baby roast potatoes, funeral sandwiches and an ice cream bar. I had a salad butty and a sliced orange with rose water and icing sugar. I met my step sons partner for the first time. I am pleased that he wanted her to meet me. They all went to an event afterwards that Mr V was comparing and I did most of the washing up. DD1 came later and we thrashed out a plan for Vulpixmas.

 We have had a Christmas card, hand posted with a lovely message to us by name and saying we must have a catch up as it's been too long. We have no clue whatsoever who these people are. They obviously know us and where we live!

 I have a lot to do today. Sort and pack things to take to Vulpixmas and sort what to take to Amsterdam and sort things to take to Oxfordshire as we won't be coming here in between the two. We go tomorrow morning, get back Friday afternoon and Vulpixmas starts Saturday. 

 I don't imagine that I will post for a bit, so Happy Christmas to you all. Thank you for your company this year and special Thanks to Mrs SD who is magnificent in dedicating so much time ,grace and effort to the thread.

  V xxxxx

TC77

Been reading along but difficult to remember , although @Siebrie belated happy birthday.
Took a computer monitor and some cables to donation hub, and some paper declutter, also quite alot of emails and unsubscribing going on, but also alot of lazing .
1817

2Scratters

Not sure how I managed to find how to delete 26K emails on one account, I clearly don't use it much. It had been causing a storage problem which has now resolved itself. It sits in an account where I refuse to pay for storage. An unexpected digital declutter win there 
I really haven't got Christmas moving much at all. I have written most cards (UU from stores) that need posting and will use the old Christmas stamps for sending them off today. I have checked they are still valid. 
 I will get DH to come with me today and pick a small real tree as DS and his crew will be here for Christmas dinner. We used an artificial one that came from parents house last year where it was on its last legs. I have removed the baubles with the intention of putting them onto a wreath. Perhaps a job for 2025 if I don't get emotional and decide practical looses.
Small items have been drifting out as they arise not really actively getting any big stuff out though. I have been slightly successful in emptying 1 wardrobe from the back bedroom and the 2nd is in progress. Items are still coming down from the loft each time I go up there. We are a bit on a status quo but there is some space in the loft that has appeared hoping I haven't managed to give stuff a place instead. It will be a constant turn around and checking the contents, the longer they are up there hopefully less attachment to the items.

Wishing that all recover well and others stay well.

Have a good week peeps

2 Scratters xx

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, quick post as we are out for lunch and have an hours drive to get there . Yesterday was a very lazy day. 1 LDFPA and I had a sort of the sock draw so 1 pair to the rag bag and 2 pairs that were gifted to me still with labels but too big for me repurposed into gifts for a friend . I did more wrapping and bagging and some ironing. Apart from that all I did was bit of reading and listening to the radio and general chilling . I did feel the need to rest as I was quite tired but feel much better today . OH did do some batch cooking so we have stuff to drop off for the niece who lives near where we are going to so space will be made in the fridge and freezer .
Right I need to get a cuppa and get sorting so hugs to anybody who would like one

1881 LDFPA
1882 socks to rag bag
1883 & 1884 socks register
1885 ironing
Take care everyone
1885/2024