2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

QueenJess

sqwiffy said:

Do any of you recommend any decluttering video's or programmes or books? is that what has helped you? Or tips from on here or from someone? Do you think you ever finish decluttering or do you believe that if you didn't work on it you'd end up back to square one?

And what do all your initials stand for in your posts? I figured out OH - other half, SM -supermarket, CS - charity shop, but I can't work out if some are titles, or relationships or just initials of people's names??

Hiya - so I got to a point where I just couldn’t keep the house tidy because there was just too much stuff in it and frankly I resented the time I had to spend dealing with stuff as I wanted to spend that time with my kids. I still believe I had less stuff than the average, but it was too much for me to deal with. Everyone has their right level of stuff.

So I went on a binge for about 2 years decluttering as I was absolutely determined to stop and spend time on things I loved. I obsessively watched videos on You Tube on minimalism as my encouragement. I have no actual desire to be a minimalist, but I like watching videos on people that are extreme as it really pushes me to consider what I actually use and care about. I don’t have anything specific to recommend as I tend to watch a whole bunch from one person and then get bored and move on since really one person only helps so much and then they just say the same thing over and over after that.

If I had not done the binge I may have got where I am, but it would have taken years and years and years. It massively accelerated everything and although I still have some stores to use up, I don’t have decluttering to do in general. Obviously my kids are young, but when they move up a size I immediately get rid of the old things. They are also both decluttering experts having done that with me many times. I regularly do paperwork with them and then do toys and other things on an ad hoc basis or before Xmas/birthdays.

The thing about decluttering is that it really highlights what is coming into the house - and to make progress you have to stop that to avoid ending up where you started. I was better, but this year I’m really concentrating on that and using up the things I have before I buy anything else. I’ve now severed any interest I have in “stuff” and only shop when I need something, although my count of stuff in this month will highlight if that is actually true or just what I think is true!
So yes, the decluttering can stop. 

Whenever I realise I don’t want something as I don’t use it, I immediately eject it from my life. You can’t go through life never making a mistake purchase or changing so that you no longer use something, so some level of decluttering will be required. But for me I barely spend any time on it anymore as I use everything that is left and I am truly in maintenance mode bar some digital photos I need to go through.

You don’t need to declutter like I did with obsession; do whatever works for you. If it’s little and often then do that. If it’s focused amounts per day also do that. Just go with it, but the more you do it, the better you get at it and the more you want to do it as you are encouraged by the progress you make. I can’t remember the number of times I stared at a drawer, a shelf or some other tiny area I decluttered for motivation to keep going. Also, I found layers worked for me - so you find lots of things to declutter, but when you go back to the same area later you find more things you want to declutter etc. Eventually I found that I’d run out of things as I used it all.

It takes me ages to work out acronyms, but the common ones are DD (dear daughter), DS (dear son), DSis (dear sister) and many others on a common theme! WUDUPA got me for a while, but is wash up, dry up, put away.

I hope some of that rambling helped!

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

Dinner was gammon hocks (DH & DSis) fried eggs (me) + oven chips & baked beans. Wudupa

206 - 209 Kitchen detritus, drinks cans, plastic bottle, coffee tin - recycled 

210 Kitchen detritus binned 

🙊 forgot to come back, as I fell asleep on the sofa, so a quick post just to say Sleep Tight 😴 

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️ ❤️ 🏅 💐 💐 💐 🏅🥉🏅 🎂 🌟

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 210/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, up at silly o'clock as I was in bed quite early. Up early Yesterday for my jab but I did go back to bed when I got home and did very little all day 😁. 2 LDFPA from the maiden. for @Squiffy load of laundry dry, folded and put away 😁. That's all I did 😂
I am feeling a bit brighter though today and I have a load of washing swishing and am hoping to get it out on the line when the sun is up 😁, another load waiting 😁
@Squiffy I use a couple of initials, ln for my lovely neighbour and lr for living room. There might be others but I can't think of them now 😁. It must be strange if you are new to see random initials in the middle of people's posts but feel free to ask anytime you don't understand something 😁.

I have been keeping up with all the posts but haven't been replying so 

@Florenceem so glad things seem to be going ok with Mr F at home and I hope he continues to improve, big hugs

@Muddy_Walker I can only echo what others have said, you are not an imposter and quite honestly I am in awe of what you manage to do, I have a silly thing like b12 deficiency and it knocks me sideways, you are amazing, hugs and💐💐 

@QueenJess you did an amazing job with your decluttering and along with @Vulpix are examples for all of us that it can be done 😁. Your comment about not bringing stuff in is a very good one, I bring very little into the house these days except consumables that need replacing, unfortunately I think OH is addicted to little parcels delivered by the postman 😂😂😂

Right I'm going to get another cuppa and have a read until the washing is done and hopefully out on the line and then make some sort of plan for today 😂, so much still to do 😁

Hugs to everyone who would like one

175 Jan
176 & 177 LDFPA
Take care everyone
177/2025

Liverpool_Anne

Oh forgot I did a small batch cook of some veg that needed using up into a veg Rogan josh without the chilli 😁 so scrummy tea and 2 portions into the freezer for when I feel lazy 😂😂

Florenceem

basketcase -  really enjoyed reading your post - pleased your mojo has turned up even if you did have to share the cake.
suzeesu2000 - it is annoying - on V - I would accept a lower price but still didn't have a sale. Time wasters.
Iloveyoutoo - re packaging - keep and reuse any that arrives in the house. I didn't have any complaints about reusing packaging from my buyers. Ask on Freegle for bubble wrap and packaging. Mr F got me a load of poly bags from a clothes shop in town  - been ripped open but perfectly usable - so ask in shops. If you know how much you want - V is good - Ebay hits you with fees which V doesn't. I made over £4,500 for my SA corps in 7 months.
StickyTheStickInsect - my back is sore from helping Mr F out of his chair and off the toilet - he has no upper body strength. These actions would not be helped by carers coming in as there are no set times when Mr F needs to use the toilet. I will speak to the nurse when she comes. Mr F has a special chair with arms to help him and rails around the toilet but still struggles to manage without help.
weenancyinAmerica - Even upping the size would not work re the slippers - they are not opening far enough for him to get his feet in. The pair he lost opened right up but I couldn't see that style at Cosyfee. anymore - will look online for another supplier. For now he is using the diabetic sandals which open up fully.

Florenceem

QueenJess - I have watched lots of decluttering videos. Sometimes watching the extreme hoarders programmes from the US helps - hate to get as bad as that.
I want - like you - to get to a level where I question everything that comes in the house - do I need it - not do I want it? Can I live without it?
As a crafter - my nemesis is craft stash.
I gave Mr F a cup of tea in bed - getting him to sit up to drink it - he doesn't seem to have the strength to push himself into a sitting stance.
I have taken up his breakfast - again - a struggle for him to get himself in a position to eat. 

florianatwobob

@sqwiffy I used to sell on eBay but a lot of the hanging around ‘high value stuff’ has now been sold so rarely do now. However when I did I used recycled packaging that had already come into the house/ asked friends etc so newspapers, reused boxes, scraps of bubble wrap. Sometimes you need some ‘specialist’ bits like the ‘do not bend’ envelopes but you can get those cheaply online. 

I think your items, clothes especially, would sell well on Vinted. 

I did sometimes post on my listings that reused packaging would be used for environmental reasons and to keep P.&P costs low. 

I have a box on the go continually for selling on World of Books now. Previously I used to have a periodic cull of books and DVDs. Once they’ve served their purpose and aren’t going to be watched/read again Into the box they go and are sent off once I reach their buying limit. Anything not sellable to them goes the CS/book swap at work. 

There’s usually a bag on the go for the CS most of the time. Handy when decisions are made spontaneously as you can just pop it in the bag as you pass 

Your local reuse pages/marketplace are good for larger items you want to leave the house. 

The other bit is making sure less comes in than goes out! Easier said than done, I came home with a large murano (style) glass flamingo yesterday!

vulpix

Ey up, I have been missing again. I have been in hospital.That was a bit of a shock. Like you Muddy I always feel a bit of an imposter if I need medical attention. There are always proper poorly people. Anyway, I have had a stroke. I had a clot in my left eye and have lost my sight. It is unlikely to return. It was a bit of a saga and I ended up in a hospital 45 miles away. Home now and catching up with sleep and coming to terms with changes. Having one eye is very different with perception and distance and stuff. I cannot praise the NHS enough.

Squiffy, I was baffled too about the letters when I first joined. I also use DSS, Dear step son and DSD dear step daughter.

I decluttered like Queen Jess because I was uncomfortable with the amount of stuff I was responsible for. Like her, I make very quick decisions and get rid as soon as I discover something to go. I don't bring stuff in with the exception of clothes but I do get rid of them regularly. Mr V, like Liverpool Anne's other half loves those little packages arriving. It's mostly electrical gubbins so it lives in his sheds. I don't watch minimalist stuff but I do watch a hoarders programme if I catch one. I am not minimalist but I don't want to be. More could go but I am happy with the amount of stuff we have in the house. The sheds are a work in progress, but not far off being ok.

I would like to stay in bed but my son and grandson are on the way to visit, it takes 3.5 hours to get here so I have got time to get my act together. My eldest daughter is also coming. It is her birthday next week so we will have a bit of a bun fight as she will be at a wedding on her actual birthday. 

I received  parcels of wool ( thank you Mrs SD )and have used one of the the boxes, wrapping paper to cover it and loads of tissue paper to wrap lots of little birthday gifts. Like QJ, it's all about using stuff up for me now.

I have only caught up on the most recent posts,sorry. Vx

Wednesday2000

Sorry to read that Vulpix and MuddyWalker.xxx

Duchess2

So sorry to read about your problems @Vulpix. It must be a very scary and disconcerting time for you. Take very good care and don’t push yourself. It’ll all still be there tomorrow. Hugs xx