2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

oceanspirit

8 portions of soup into the freezer today.  UU 2 tins of chickpeas, some dried onions plus some fresh veg.

Cancelled vegbox this week as we have plenty leftover from last week so need to get a new meal plan sorted out.

Just a few more emails deleted.  Could do with reading more of the papers from the reading pile as it’s recycling bin this week so would be good to get rid of as much as possible.  Will have to see where energy levels are tomorrow.

sqwiffy

I'm very impressed with the amount of recycling that so many of you do. Florenceem is like a whirlwind, back and forward to those CS's! And even those of you who are quite poorly with no thing or another, still chip away at their tasks and goals. Such a lot to live up to. I'm going to have to get a bit more organised than I am so far! I am actually an obsessive lists person, so much so, that without one, I have no clue what I have to do! But going back and forth between my mum's house and mine is causing me to feel completely out of kilter. I don't seem to be home enough to do much more than a few little jobs or I'm too tired to be bothered to start anything so I just watch some mindless programme and go to bed. And I'm doing hardly any of my usual routines with friends, hobbies or voluntary work. I don't know if this is my new normal or a transition period. I'm sure it will all pan out in the end.

QueenJess

Bit late and need to get to bed, so another very quick check in (this full time working lark is definitely not for me all year round!).

Still chipping away.... and on that note my email inbox is now down to under 15 items after spending the whole of 2024 sorting 10 emails a day.  I've now unsubscribed from so many things and hopefully not buying much that I am now trialling dealing with 5 emails a day to see if that keeps me on top of it.  My aim as always is to do as little as possible as admin is dull, so if I can eliminate more emails coming in then I will.

Digital:
4 - online accounts deleted
1 - unused savings account closed

New total = 459

New use up total = 19

Net physical things in/(out) in Feb = -2

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, ok day today but I did have a snooze on the couch this evening so I am wide awake now 😑. Decluttered the podiatrist who was very nice, we chatted about football while she was hacking away 😁. The kitchen bin was emptied, 3 LDFPA, cracked mug into the bin which upset OH as it was a favourite but if it won't hold water I can't even use it for a planter but I will have a hunt for another one as it has road signs on it and I got it when OH qualified as a driving instructor, just can't remember where I got it 😂. I topped up the bird feeders and sorted through some more clothes and have a few things to try on but it was too cold to be undressing etc 😂. After tea I did some crochet as I really need to crack on with this blanket.
Tomorrow I am meeting some friends for afternoon coffee and have a few bits to pass on put by the front door so I don't forget them 😂.

@Vulpix, yes to the meet up, I have been very remiss in my research but will try to get on it this week 😁

@Willowtree222 it's great isn't it when you feel you have made some progress, even if it's just a small area 😁, keep going and I am sure you will get there 😁

@Mrs SD, ouch to the opticians bill. I must admit I moved onto varificals when I needed 2 different glasses, bit more expensive than one pair but I couldn't cope with changing them depending on what I was doing 😂. They did take a bit of getting used to but I am happy with them now 😁.

@DundeeDoll 406 items in a month will be amazing 😁. If you did it every month for a whole year it would be 5729 items 😁

@Squiffy I am a bit of a list person as well and always feel better if I have one somewhere near 😁. You are doing so much right now I am not surprised you are feeling a bit out of kilter. Not sure how you keep your lists, I am old school and use a note pad. Would it help to have 2 lists, one for home and one for at your Mum's, use the front and back of a notebook for example so you can jot down things for different houses in a different place, if you remember something you need to do at home while you are at your Mum's you can put it on the list and vice versa and then just forget about it until you are in the right place to deal with it. I started using a list when I was doing a very hectic lab job with lots of things needing monitoring through a 3 shift day and supervising 4 staff even when I was at home asleep 😂😂. It got to the point if someone asked me if something had been done I would say did you see me write it down? If not then no it hasn't been done 😂😂😂.. If you can try to fit in a few things with friends as it will help keep you sane 😁, and don't beat yourself up if some things don't get done as often or as quickly as you used to, there is a lot changing in your life right now and it will take time for you to get back on kilter. Rest when you need to and take care of yourself, big hugs.

Ok starting to feel sleepy now so heading off to bed 😁
Hugs to everyone who would like one

187 podiatrist
188 kitchen bin
189 - 191 LDFPA
192 cracked mug
Take care everyone
192/2025

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

Tuesday continued: It did stay dry all day. I read a bit, watched TV & napped. DH ordered in - burgers & fries. Wudupa

220 - 224 Kitchen & office recycling, magazine, drinks cans, newspaper - recycled

225 - 227 Kitchen, lr & office detritus - recycled 

vulpix, sounds like a lovely visit with toddler V, no wonder you were tired 😊 Very pleased to hear that you are getting plenty of sleep 😊

Excellent decluttering of craft stuff Soontobeoap 👏 I am always amazed at how much I can get on top of my wardrobe so not surprised that you found so much 😉

vulpix, fingers crossed 🤞 

basketcase, it does sound like a marvellous stash of yarn 😊 

Excellent work QueenJess 👏 

Thanks for the extra information kiss_me_now9 👏 Good luck decluttering your office/craft room 🍀 Fingers crossed for a speedy sale 🤞

Lovely cheerleading Liverpool_Anne 😊 & some great tidying up 👏 Shame that you couldn’t get your washing line dried ☹️ It is so easy to get distracted by the antics of squirrels 😂

Great work with the cleaning Wednesday2000 👏 That is a lot of mould traps 😉

Just noticed the time so am off to bed. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 227/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

GrannyKate

Morning all - not much to report.  First 4 windows replaced yesterday and they did a tidy job. Sox not impressed as he was confined to the kitchen all day.  Today he will be in back bedroom - I will change litter tray and put that in there as well.  Hopefully old smelly carpet in there will go on Saturday.  One of the fitters is a cat person (he has three) but Sox remained aloof except to take a treat off him.  I had to go and buy a cat flap yesterday and meet up with ex DIL as she needed things DGCs left behind (PE Shoes etc). I need to do some admin today.

Had a chat with some people viewing empty bungalow next door.  It needs even more work than this but it would be nice to have a neighbour on both sides.  I had empty house next door to me at previous home for some 5 years - family did not want to sell but only came about 6 times a year.  Fencer has not contacted me back yet about missing area of fence.  

208 Meeting frog completed
209-212 Four windows decluttered and taken away - replaced with shiny new ones.  

Right I need to get dressed, move stuff away from window in small bedroom and sort bathroom stuff out as it is all on the floor of shower. 

Florenceem

redofromstart - every little helps.
-taff - I love a clear hall too.
Willowtree222 - I know how you feel - yipee to all that leaves the house!
redofromstart - I am happy with the cheapest glasses available - they all work the same. I pay £69 a pair. I can afford to pay hundreds but choose not to.
Dizzycap - well done on all your decluttering.
DundeeDoll - I have done the monthly challenge - 1 - 1st day etc. 
Doctor phoned - Mr F hadn't picked up the video link so it was a voice call. In fact he didn't speak to her - I did - he said that as he doesn't remember a lot of being ill - best for me to tell Dr.  A district nurse is coming in 2 weeks to do a blood test - he is still anemic but improving - Dr wants him to have another iron infusion but it is for the hospital to decide.
Dr said Mr F can wear his compression stockings - may help with the swollen legs. Dr said the weight gain is fluid and wants him to have the protein drinks.
I booked Mr F an Endoscopy for March - give him time to be fit to visit the hospital - they are looking to see if there is a loss of blood in his upper body.
Mr F is getting better each day - more upper body strength - can get himself up and into his chair and the toilet which saves my back.

Brie

sqwiffy said:

I'm very impressed with the amount of recycling that so many of you do. Florenceem is like a whirlwind, back and forward to those CS's! And even those of you who are quite poorly with no thing or another, still chip away at their tasks and goals. Such a lot to live up to. I'm going to have to get a bit more organised than I am so far! I am actually an obsessive lists person, so much so, that without one, I have no clue what I have to do! But going back and forth between my mum's house and mine is causing me to feel completely out of kilter. I don't seem to be home enough to do much more than a few little jobs or I'm too tired to be bothered to start anything so I just watch some mindless programme and go to bed. And I'm doing hardly any of my usual routines with friends, hobbies or voluntary work. I don't know if this is my new normal or a transition period. I'm sure it will all pan out in the end.

I know exactly what you mean Sqwiffy.  I get so bogged down with the amount of stuff to be done that I don't do any of it.  Despite a list being beside my place mat on the dining room table for months on end I rarely tick any of the items off.  I'm currently on a bit of a mission needing to do stuff for my family in Canada to prepare for my mom's memorial party.  But I'm also aware that there's a whole back list that goes along with that - like needing to book our flights, getting paperwork here signed by banks so that OH & I can get our foreign SP paid properly into our UK accounts, which also means getting me joint on OH's account, which also means taking MiL off that joint account as she died 2 years back and the bank still hasn't been informed.  It seems each task has a whole series of actions that need to be taken to make things work.  It's very draining.  I don't know how some (like our dear Florenceem) manage to charge along at break neck speed breaking all world records on decluttering and all the rest.

redofromstart

Recycling spectacles

There are (were) three long term wearers of glasses in this household, and some of us had multiple pairs for different things.  Between us I have identified over 20 pairs that can go.  The local Sp3csavers donation bin is full to bursting (on three visits over a month) and I finally got round to looking online for other options and found this which is Lions who use them for rehoming via vision charities in other countries or recycling if they are beyond reusing.  You can post them, or there is a map with drop off points.  For me there are three local options, one of which I know well and know I can park outside which takes some stress off going. 

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

Wednesday is bright & sunny with clear blue skies with a forecast high of 9°C although only 5°C at 10:00. I woke up for a bathroom visit but have my fluffy dressing gown on & am making myself a cuppa. Although I will probably go back to bed once drunk 🤔 Meanwhile I will take the opportunity to catch up with a bit more cheerleading 😉

MadamMim2013, you tease you 😝 Your OH will be on tenterhooks the next time you visit a book shop 😂

Another busy day on Monday Florenceem 👏 I am very concerned about the dizzy spells 🥺 so I do hope you got in touch with a doctor 🙏 

Brie I do hope you get to see the owl 🤞magnificent bird 😊

Muddy_Walker, not sure I would classify “to raise the affected leg to hip level” as gentle exercise 😉 but hopefully you can build up to it 😊 Great decluttering especially using up bathroom products 👏

Excellent decluttering over the weekend CRANKY40 👏 & brilliant work on Monday disposing of so much stuff to the Tip 🥳 Worthy of a medal 🏅 which is on its way 😊

Florenceem, perhaps the nurse can help weigh MrF on her next visit 🤔 & it might be worth mentioning your dizzy spells 🙏  Well done on getting the washing & ironing done 👏

-taff, excellent work emptying, decorating, adding shelves & decluttering the under-stairs cupboard 👏 Hopefully OH can be persuaded that the heavy vacuum cleaner can go onto a new life somewhere else 🤞

What a busy Monday Dizzycap 👏 I imagine you slept very well 🤞 Excellent work in the bedroom & good luck with your listings of items behind door 4 of the mega wardrobe 🍀 I am getting quite excited for you as it sounds like once the mega wardrobe has gone you will have reached the stage of Maintenance Decluttering 🥳 As to the supplies for Remembrance Day I do hope they left the house yesterday 😊

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, excellent decluttering to the CS 👏 & well done on decluttering the “tricky work meeting”

DundeeDoll, a good start to your February Challenge 👏 Keep up the good work 😊

Brambling, you had a busy weekend of volunteering 🤩 no wonder your decluttering took a back seat 🙂 Excellent work sorting out your wool/yarn stash & then moving on to your fabric stash 👏 I for one am looking forward to seeing whatever it is that you make with the silk fabric 😉

sqwiffy, very curious now re “I couldn't turn the TV off !!” It was either a very interesting programme or the remote and/or the TV was malfunctioning 🧐 Hope you managed to sort it out last night 🤞

Excellent decluttering of kitchen items suzeesu2000 👏

StickyTheStickInsect, how wonderful for Mr Sticky, it is quite uplifting to see a sparrow hawk especially if it is in flight 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏 Five bags worth is brilliant 🤩 Good luck with both your listings & Sunday’s car boot sale 🍀 Fingers crossed that the weather is dry & that buyers turn up in droves all wanting to buy your items 🤞

Florenceem, crikey you were up early yesterday 😧 I hope that neither you nor MrF have developed a cold 🤞 Sending get well soon wishes for your youngest daughter 🙂

Hope the weather is kind today & that everyone has as good a day as possible 😊

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

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 227/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00