2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Florenceem

~FlowerPot~ - love the painting.
 I did the second trip into town so more stuff left the house.
I have my shopping trolley and a bag ready for tomorrow's trip to the charity shop - if it's not too windy.
Been very wet here this afternoon.
I went to visit Mr F - he saw 3 Drs today - one was Neurology who discharged him as it isn't Encephalitis.
They didn't phone me.
Mr F is having a blood transfusion tonight as his red blood cell count has been falling. His infection levels have dropped.
Mr F's gown was covered in food again and he hadn't been out of bed.
I spoke to a nurse as I just couldn't be bothered to ask for a Dr today. The nurse said that the EEG showed Encephalopathy which is brain changes.
Nurse said to Mr F - can you remember what I told you this morning - so they must think he has memory issues to ask such a question.
Nurse said Mr F will be seen by Occupational Health and Physiotherapy to see how mobile they can get him.

retiredinfrance

Oh@Florenceem, I really feel for you. MrF’s situation is hard for you both. Talking to the nurses is a brilliant idea , you might get more information from them . I know I did when MrRif was in hospital. Look after yourself. Take great care with the coming storm.x

scandimore

Hello, joining in if I may for a much-needed motivation boost to declutter this house! 
I won't set a number target as I'll go out of my way to avoid meeting it strange way my brain works! 
I have listed the areas of clutter from mostly clutter-free to full of juicy clutter. It's just knowing where to start!! 
Living room - did this recently so shouldn't be too bad. 
Bathrooms - shouldn't be too bad
Hall landing stairs - a veritable tower of boxes of who knows what, originating from the office and left on the landing to die by Mr S.
Office - small but full of things, will have to see what can be got rid of as it's mostly business stuff / equipment and tech. Mr S has trouble keeping on top of it all.
Kitchen - all sorts. Organisation needed more than declutter.
Little's room- so many toys and books and teddies. Apparently all these items are friends and can't be disposed of so I shall have to do the remove - store elsewhere - get rid jig. Very attached to inanimate objects. Sounds harsh but it's just too much stuff.

Our room - horrendous. So many categories to cover! Lots of things that don't belong. Further contents of office thanks to Mr S.

After that the loft, garden, greenhouse, shed and garage but out of sight out of mind for now.

Lots of neurospice kicking about in our house, coupled with a frequent lack of motivation to get started and some long term health problems and here we are! We have plenty of storage but just aren't using it effectively so I'm really ready to tackle it. Have read all of this thread (rather than actually starting!) I'm realising that a lot of people struggle with various things but still prioritise their environment so need to get on with it now.

Blue_Doggy

Welcome, @scandimore 👋
 
Wishing courage, strength, and energy to all who need it, thinking of @Florenceem and @weenancyinAmerica especially.

I seem to have decluttered most of my energy for the present after two successive nights of having to take my dog for a walk at around 3 am because of “tummy upset”. He refuses to do his business in the garden so I have to wrap up and take him out. The first morning I got back to sleep quickly, but no such luck this morning. 

 

The only practical things I’ve done are an hour’s ironing and dealt with some emails, one rather upsetting.
 

Hoping to be back in decluttering fettle tomorrow.
 

Stay safe in the storm, everyone. 

weenancyinAmerica

@scandimore - Little ones learn by example. Maybe start on your own room and when she sees how nice it is , she will do hers.

Almost have my one area around the bookcase clean. Will have to wait till after the rain this weekend to put them out for collection by whoever it is that picks up cardboard. We have a metal scrapperson and a cardboard one. 

Visiting nurse came and sorted out the medicines for Di. I am getting a bagful of out-of-date medications to turn in . We take them to a certain doctor's office nearby that has a special box for discarded medicine. Took G to his eye doctor and then went back and picked him up. Took him to Aldi's and he bought what we needed while I waited in the car. I think I am addicted to their pain de chocolate. So I try to limit the number of times I go in. He then made us lunch. A good sign he is doing better. 

It is currently 27C outside. Supposed to drop to 15C on Sunday with rain Saturday and Sunday. We really need the rain to help water the plants, but they are worried about landslides now in the fire areas. We have 12 different fires burning in Southern California right now. It has been so windy that a giant box that had a couple of sofas in it has made it all the way down the street and is starting its way down the next block. When I was younger we would have used it for a playhouse, but I'm not sure the younger generation has the same imagination about reusing things. We have had wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour. I need to go out and track down cat plates soon as they have gone all around the yard. 

Ignore anything our idiot in office does. I am.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. If I could just get some help organizing the house, things would be better. Alittle bit less of medical problems would help too. 

Hope you all stay safe with that new storm coming in. 

TC77

@weenancyinAmerica hugs and please take care of yourself. In awe of how much you do x

Dizzycap

@ weenancyinAmerica  | @scandimore - Little ones learn by example. Maybe start on your own room and when she sees how nice it is , she will do hers. I totally agree and it worked wonders with my duaghter 

Sending you hugs & prayers weenancyinAmerica make sure you take good care of yourself xx

@  ~FlowerPot~ LOVE all your pictures  It's like a daily meditation and refreshing to the soul. All that skilled  decluttering of paint on canvass 

Not had a bad day at decluttering what's left & I did manage to go through my packaging and find a few recycle bits to throw out. I carried on but it got wiped out before I posted. Probably just as well as I would hate to clutter up the thread

I'm still not looking behind the last 2 doors of the mega wardrobe as I know I'll burn myself out of what little energy I have and be left with a pile of stuff all over ready to be sorted. Besides, I'm suppose to be bed resting which I have really had to do mid afternoon today Having now had some sleep, I've got energy to list a few items which I hope to declutter to a new home asap  and then it's time to declutter one last cup of coffee before going back to bed.

sqwiffy

What a busy lot you all are!  I've finally read all the posts and I'm exhausted. And as there are lots of you, I'm trying to get me head round remembering you all, let alone all your posts.

@Florenceem

Bless you, you're really going through it. It must be very frustrating hearing all of these possibilities but no diagnosis. A lot of it seems like a combination of the behavious we've had from my mum with her dementia, but also my mum in law from when she had a fall last year. Eventually they said she had broken her arm only but I'm not so sure. She went very odd for a while and now her deafness has got much worse as has her sight and her memory is not as good. She was so sharp before. Falls can be so hard to get over when you get older. Everyone is right though, you need to take care of yourself first or you won't be able to look after him when he is discharged.

@vulpix

I think you should hire yourself out locally. You seem like a godsend so no wonder everyone wants you to stay. I want to hear more of your valuable advice and the chair. I've got a project one in my living room if I can ever get round to it! I feel a theme here....

@Liverpool_Anne

I've known a few anxious mum's and they generally relax in time, so I'm sure you'll get to see the baby before too long. Sad to hear about the stress to call your sister as I have 3 wonderful sisters who I couldn't do without. Do some deep breathing and hope it's okay.

@soontobeoap

the rooms look sooo good.

@flowerpot

Love your art.

@mehefin

I think we're going to get along well. Your humour seems just like my OH!

I did a stint at my mum's from Sunday to Wednesday and a few hours today. One of my sister's and I took her to a singing for the brain group she loves but it was hard to get her up and ready by 10am, into the car and then out at the other end. But it was worth it as she was having an alert day and recognisd some faces as well as smiling for us after singing.

I have done some decluttering here and there in doors as well as a minimum of cleaning as I'm back and forwards to mum's. Luckily we live close to each othere.

I need to work out how to add targets with colour and symbols and colour for adding your names to the replies but I have a new laptop ( my Christmas pressie from OH) and it's relaced an old windows 7 with this windows 11 so it's taking a bit of getting used to, plus I'm not great at tech ! Another thing to try and improve about myself but I'm a work in progress!

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks
2. Concerted effort to sort out sleep patterns - Realistic targets: bed by 2:00 a.m. & up by 10:00 a.m 
3. Continue dealing 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

Finally got around to slicing, bagging & freezing the cooked beef + had enough left over to make a soup (more like a stew) 😉  - so DH has made a soup/stew for the next 2/3 days lunches. Whilst DH was in the kitchen, I went upstairs to strip & remake our bed. Tomorrow’s task will be to do the laundry. Dinner was spaghetti bolognaise. Wudupa. 

152 - 153 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans - recycled 

154 Kitchen detritus binned 

Apologies I have fallen behind again but am off to bed & will catch up tomorrow 🤞Sleep tight 😴 

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Decluttering Target 2025: 154/2025

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Florenceem

I was awake at 4 - I did go to bed at 8.30. Got up just after 4.30 as I couldn't go back to sleep.
Very windy here. It is bin day so hoping the wind eases before I put out the paper recycling and bins.
I have ironing to do but 2 cups of tea first!