2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Willowtree222

I've done the Dvd shelf today. 19 to be taken to the drop off bin this morning. 

I don't have a DVD player sp no idea why I waited this long.

Annoying, I put the non recyclable bin out last night by accident and someone has used up all my space. I have another week to go before it's emptied and it's completely full. I'm so annoyed. It's someone's actual waste as well and not just someone putting the odd bit in as passing. 

_Dolly_Rocker_

Morning all. 

I've been AWOL for a bit. My Mum's not been very well and honestly just not been in the right head space but I am back and feeling a little better now. 

I've not made any headway with the decluttering because Mum was staying with me for a bit so in fact it appears I now have more clutter - I get my hoarding from her!

I'll try to catch up on how everyone is getting on at some point. 

Hope you are all well. 

jacwins

I'm still struggling most with beauty, but went through my stash and picked some easy wins to make me feel like it was going in the correct direction.  I finished a body scrub sample pot, DD finished a body scrub and I finished a conditioner sample.
Food - we had beef dupiaza, bombay potatoes and pilau rice made at home to use up the sachets.  I'd run out of bacon for another meal and found a shredded gammon and left over ham in the freezer
Not counted in my targets, but I went through our collection of present bags.  Not sure why, but there had been lots of shop bags put there.  I recycled about 20 old paper shop bags and lots of dust!
Need to look in the playroom and see what else I can get rid of.  There are lots of craft sets, some new some used that I can target next I think.

vulpix

 Hello declutteratti,

 I have made a strong start today by sending two email frogs in hope of prodding the stream problem along. Already had a reply from the County councillor.

 That's me about done now. I am still with cold. No voice at all today.Not even a croak.

I must be past infectious by now so I am going to craft club as I need some help. I need to pick up stitches on the neck of my sons jumper and as it is Navy blue, I am struggling to see what I am doing. Honestly! it could have been my other eye, I am left with the rubbish eye!

 Thank you basketcase for liaising with my Daughter in Edinburgh last Sunday to send us some yarn. We won't catch up till weekend so I am looking forward to receiving our spoils. Thank you again.xx

I have put a cutlery drawer in the top drawer of my bed side table. It  looks like a tidy toiletries bin now.

Had a change of ornamentals in the sitting room yesterday. I have a change every couple of months. Put some in a cupboard and change about from different rooms. I think I worked at school too long. New displays every term. When I was first with Mr V he couldn't keep up. He would come home very regularly to all the furniture moved about the house. I don't have the scope for that here unfortunately.

I have already made tonight's dinner so technically I COULD do some house hold frogs, or get on with knitting another baby jumper. Hmmmmmmmmm?

 Daisy, I like Guy Martin, he has no fear at all. I am glad I don't live with him though. His family must be nervous wrecks.

 Vx

dND

Oh dear, I think my cold is making a bid for a comeback!  But still on my feet so making those incremental gains.

@Liverpool_Anne I totally agree with you; “I'd like to see the writer tackle my house in a weekend”.  Even with a skip they’d be hard pressed here. 🤣🤣

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger Thank you for your words of encouragement; sometimes I don’t clock what I have done and end up feeling discouraged.  I try to remember the bits that have been done but I think a lot of us are far to quick to focus on what we feel we should have done.  Time to get back to living in the present here.

@Moorviews I’m so with you on the marmalade front.  It took ages to track down the splashes and drips.  The same with the jars.  I’ve wiped them all twice but somehow I still find other slightly sticky spots. 🤣

I’m getting close to finishing a cardigan for myself and have been dipping into a few of my boxes of books looking for some specific craft books to give me some guidance as to finishing.  After 5 weeks of this I bit the bullet yesterday and the day before and spured on by some of the books beginning to smell musty, I began emptying the boxes and stacking the books.  I eventually found the 2 craft books and a cookery book that I was beginning to think I didn’t actually have.  They were all at the bottom of the 15th box I emptied over the 2 days!!  - I actually had 38 boxes marked as book on my TOR list.  I think that there are less than half a dozen still to empty.  Now all I have to do is find suitable storage for them. 🤣  That said, even though it was only a quick pass through them, I think I will eventually be able to relinquish some of them and some may only get one read before they go.  A lot of them I ‘rescued’ when a friend in France was downsizing and was taking them to the tip.  Things like the compete set of Pepys diaries which I think could be an interesting historical read.

While I have brought a few small things into the house – paper cupcake cases, a mini storage unit for lipstick, a mini OXO measure and a phone stand, all 50p each at my local charity shop, I decluttered over 8kg of dried cat food to the local rescue centre.  Cats are so capricious; they adored the food right up until I purchased a bulk order of it.  Since then, they steadfastly refused to go near it.  They’re lucky I love them to bits as it wasn’t cheap food.

Right, I’d better go and flatpack some boxes – the best of them I’ll store and hopefully I can use them if I can sell some of the unwanted books later.

Gentle hugs to all those who want them. Dx

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: another grey overcast day but doesn’t feel as cold as yesterday even though forecast high is only 5°C. DH was up & dressed before 10:30 which was when I got up. I have already done more than yesterday as the wm is already on with its first load 😉 Straight into cheerleading: 

Dizzycap, talk about a busy Saturday 🤩 but pleased to hear that in between prolonged bursts of activity you managed to get some rest 👏 Some excellent decluttering especially using up so much packaging that you now need to locate some more 👏 impressive enough for me to award a medal 🏅 which is on its way 🙂 Thank you so much for the ongoing ‘Tales & Antics of Babyface’ which always brighten up my day 😊

GrannyKate, I hope the weather was kind on Sunday so that you managed to do a bit of gardening 🤞 Please be careful if/when moving the bedroom furniture in readiness for the plasterer 🙏  Hope you were successful with any frogs you decided to tickle 🍀

Moorviews, it was a lovely outing & the more I think about it the more impressed I am with the skills exhibited by the artistes working on such a small stage 🤩 Pity about last week being taken up with “decluttering time” 😞 but it is still decluttering tasks although as you say not as satisfying as decluttering ‘physical items’ ☹️ Although very pleasing that you you finally managed to declutter the bags of clothing from your car 👏  And decluttered your laundry pile 👏 Great work 🥳

2Scratters, excellent decluttering & ‘frog marching’ 👏 It doesn’t sound like your DH has quite got the hang of Decluttering 😉 or maybe he just misheard & thinks you are Recluttering 🙃 A bit more training required I think 😂

Wednesday2000, now there’s a blast from the past - Papa Roach 🤩 A few years ago I used to have the TV on blasting out music & I especially enjoyed Papa Roach as not too heavy although the videos are quite ‘odd’ 😉 Your mention of them distracted me so I broke off from the cheerleading to listen to ‘Between Angels & Insects’ 😅 I have now bookmarked Papa Roach for future listening.  Sounds like between the afternoon tea & the concert, you had a lovely weekend 😻 although it is a shame that it was so cold ☹️

Nonnadiluca, love your name 😍 

vulpix, definitely worth seeing Cirque du Soleil 😊 Re This “I once went to see some Buddhist monks perform with drums. It was out of this world. Doesn't sound impressive but it was amazing.” I think it sounds very impressive 🤩 Thank you for reminding TC77 what a great job she is doing with her decluttering 🥹 Rather enjoying the current conversation about food stores which reminds me I need to revisit my larder to see what is OOD or needs using up 😉 Very pleased to hear that you were feeling better on Sunday 😊 & hopefully you are continuing to recover & are sounding less like Darth Vader & more like Han Solo 🤞Re the cross body bag perhaps take a photo & post it here on the Decluttering thread as a reminder of happy memories & then donate 🤔 Or maybe you can gift it to a family member or a friend 😊

Brie, what a great idea re using up Justins 👏 

Another page caught up 🙂 DH went out for a walk & was gone for about an hour. My first load of washing is done & is now tumble drying. Hope everyone is having as good a day as possible 🤞Cwtches all round 🤗 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 315/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

Fizz2015

Hello All, popping in to say hi.
Afternoon off work so treating myself to a haircut and mooch around the shops. Will try not to buy too much, I don't need anything. 

Florenceem

After doing our meal - I had a lazy afternoon yesterday - watched Mrs Miniver with Mr F - I have a DVD slot on my computer tower.
Blow the jobs - I have a slight cold - been sneezing and sniffing - sat and watched - All About Eve - so 2 DVDs leaving the house. A SA friend gave me the DVDs and they have sat on my desk so will be good to get rid.
I am having my first day indoors for nearly 6 weeks - it is cold and wet out there.
I tried to take photos of items to list but it is very murky here.
I went in my craft storage room - one of the RODs to get a sewing machine that I plan to try and sell. I couldn't find it but found a die cutting machine to list.
I ventured into the other ROD - my sewing machine was in there and I looked around - this is the largest bedroom - SO much stuff - it has to go!
I sat with a fleece blanket around my shoulders yesterday so I was warmer watching the films.
I did sit and repair a jacket this morning for someone at SA - I will give it to them tomorrow.
Hospital phoned to book an outpatient appointment for Mr F - I went for the end of March.
Mr F's blood blister is gradually lifting off his heel - no delivery of pressure relieving equipment yet.

Wednesday2000

Yes, Papa Roach are good Mrs SD. I have been listening to Milli Vanilli as well as Carly Simon the past few weeks, randomly!

It is a grey horrible day, but at least I didn't get soaked in the rain like I did yesterday. I did just buy a book from a charity shop, but I will donate it back after I read it and probably make up another bag to donate at the same time.

I just had my fifth class of the year. I met my friend from this forum yesterday and she is doing a flower arranging class and I might join her for that as well. I just went for a drink with a woman from my meditation class and she recommended the flower arranging place too.

I spoke to the therapist and she said the reaction to the craniosacral treatment is quite normal and it means your body is trying to heal itself. I have booked another session for next week. I think I will have a shower and wash my hair as soon as I get home after having it as that seemed to make me feel better last time. She did suggest taking a nap after if I was tired.

I have an appointment with the vet to have my cat's claws clipped in an hour. My husband can take her and I will quickly vacuum downstairs while he is out. The bulky waste was picked up yesterday.

Sort Your Life Out is on tonight.

Dizzycap

Florenceem - take it easy for a while and enjoy the warm snuggles with your fleece and afternoons of DVD's - I know I do, except I have to rest in bed, so I put the electric blanket on low.

It's been so grey and miserable here for the last 2 days and everyone is feeling down, including babyface. There's no one out and about and very few local deliveries, thank goodness - all that clutter keep arriving at neighbours houses

Declutter over the past 2 days, includes:

Usual HH rubbish bins decluttered twice daily into appropriate wheelie bins.

General cleaning, pulled out the washing machine to clean all the muck and dirt behind it, you wouldn't think I pull it out 4 times a year with the amount of dirt that's behing it leave to dry and put back followed by a sterilize wash, as usual.

Decluttered 3 large black bins liners full of parcels off to postie on Monday - Lovely! - the hallway looked like a rubbish tip until the bags went out pronto!

I've take both babyface's for their walks each day which they've enjoyed but not as much as if the sun had been out and it's going to get colder through the week Snuggly fleece time and cuddles for them both

I managed to go shopping this morning to pick up some babyface essentials at Sains and whilst I was there, the 2 broken down box net bins where full of flat packed boxes just waiting for me to collect - perfect timing as I've totally run out of boxes to declutter things in to a new home. You should have seen the shopping trolly - 90% flatpack boxes and the rest shopping I've stored them all this afternoon so they've not been dumped in the hallway

I'm now off to put a pile of clean clothes away and a pile of clean thick babyface fleeces to put in her storage basket. No doubt she'll be checking each one as it goes in to make sure I've not missed any and that they've all been washed in Sandalwood & Lavender sensitive liquid

I'm then going to declutter a large cup of coffee before sorting out more items to list, now that I have replenished my box stock - hooray!

I'm taking babyface for an extra walk at 4.30pm to collect 2 TooGoodToGo bags and clutter up on my neighbours inpost deliveries all of which will be decluttered back to their owners, except for one of the TGTG bags  

Then, it's eat and full rest time - hope everyone is having a good decluttering / resting day xxxx