2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

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: another bright sunny day (high 13°C, low 1°C) DSis is doing her laundry. DH left for his walk about 13:00. Now starting on cheerleading for Tuesday’s posts - you never know I might even catch up 😅

Dizzycap, good luck with listing & selling the rest of the clothing in your “Tardis Wardrobe of Doom” 🍀 & such a good idea using the proceeds for a long weekend break 😊 What an awful 2024, so very sorry 😢 Condolences to both you & your daughter on losing so many friends 😔 So much for hoping you had a good night’s sleep on Monday ☹️ Sounds like you got a full day’s work done between 3.30 a.m. & 6.30 a.m. 🤩 Fingers crossed that Gorda gets a clean bill of health 🤞

charlies_tribe, Excellent work dealing with the last shelf in the pantry 👏 Perhaps you could advise the ‘breaker of chargers’ that if they break the new one within 3 months then they will have to buy their own 😉 it might concentrate the mind & make them more careful in future 🤔🤞Hope yesterday’s shopping trip wasn’t too traumatic or too expensive 🤞 

Lovely chatty post Liverpool_Anne 😊 Good news that the dentist bill wasn’t as expensive as feared 😊 but bad news that your visit resulted in a bad back 😞 Although I am pleased to hear that you have been careful & that your back is on the mend 😮‍💨 You have had a few busy days & got a lot done - excellent work decluttering 👏 & fingers crossed that you can find a CS that is accepting donations 🤞 I am crossing everything else that the builder you have managed to contact will a) turn up as promised & b) will be able to start work asap 🙏 Hopefully the weather will remain nice so that you & ln can spend more time in your gardens 😊

oceanspirit, This “OH has received yet another little brown package and then told me I have more books than him. In our home, maybe but he has several boxes in a storage container which he is paying for.” sounds like your OH is feeling guilty 😉 Well done on the continuing disposal of ivy 👏 Everything crossed that today’s hospital appointment goes well & that all your questions are answered as well as the next stage of your treatment being put in place 🤞🙏 Keep up the good work on the reading frog 😊

vulpix, sorry to hear about your bad back but relieved to hear that you are now fully recovered 😊 Sounds like you need new scales 😉 Fingers crossed that frog 2 will remain permanently ”put to bed” 🤞 Hope you had a lovely time with your old school friend 🥹

Siebrie, sorry to hear that DD2 is having issues 😔 Hopefully you will get a quick response from the psychologist 🙏 As to the technical school, how odd that 13 year olds are left to their own devices 🤔 as I remember, all I wanted to do at age 13 was play sport 😉 Pleased to hear that the trees have been pruned & that you are now enjoying the benefits of the sunshine 😊

CRANKY40, no need to whisper - congratulations on decluttering so much of your make up collection 👏 This “…. stuff for my sister who has an olive complexion (mine is fair bordering on ghostly).” could almost be describing my DSis & me although the other way round 😉 as I inherited my skin colour from the Italian side of our family & my DSis inherited from the English side (as did my brother). 

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 Shame about the washing machine 😔 I can’t remember if you mentioned how old it was 🤔 Good luck with your search for a new one 🍀 There seems to be such a wide range to choose from that it would probably take me a month to decide on a new one 🤣

Wednesday2000, thanks for the heads up about ‘Project Pan’ might try that for cleaning products 🤔 Sounds like you had a lovely birthday weekend 😊 Just wondering if you saw anyone famous or more to the point anyone you recognised when you were at the O2 😉 Good luck with the rest of the living room rearrangement 🍀

Florenceem, Brief Encounter is one of my favourite films 🥹 Another busy morning yesterday & you got such a lot done 👏 I had a thought that the doctor didn’t mention the ECG & heart monitor until he could arrange both the appointments 🤔 

Great decluttering Yoshimi2025 especially the toothpicks 👏 (£5 is a great incentive to recycle 😊) Wow, you are so well organised 🤩

I have reached the end of another page so will post & have a little rest 😉 DH phoned - he is at the only lighthouse in London 😉 Hope everyone is having as good a day as possible 😊

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

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 437/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

Dizzycap

Liverpool_Anne said:

Hi all, quick post today as OH has a hospital appointment and I am chauffeuring as there is no parking close enough for OH to walk.
@Vulpix I feel your pain re waiting on the phone. I made the mistake of trying to contact HMRC yesterday as I wanted to pay my tax bill but couldn't find the letter. 5 hours in total I spent on that and still failed. 3 different phone calls and some time failing to get into my gov gateway. They denied I had an account linked to my email despite me having an email from them and I was told to open a new one. Couldn't do that either as they needed 2 of 3 security things. Passport, yes, photo driving licence, no I don't have one of those, date of when I applied for a credit card, ummm sometime around 1980 ish 😂. They had no plan b for those of us who can't meet those criteria. I left it at that point as I was in danger of getting cross with the person on the phone, the online help person, who didn't really know what he was doing and kept telling me to do things that I had previously been told I couldn't do 😏. Considering I was trying to give them money it beggars belief.
Apart from the tax office debacle all I did yesterday was deal with the post and empty the bedroom recycling and a random empty cardboard box from the back room put into the recycling.

Right time to get moving, hugs to anybody who would like one.

282 bedroom recycling
283 cardboard box
284 tax not sorted but I am claiming as it took so long 🙄
Take care everyone
284/2025

The HMRC App & Government Gateway have been an absolute nightmare over the past 2 days and they have been under maintenance due to an influx of users and it can't cope, much like the phone system Once it was back up and running, it crashed like a stack of dominos for another 3 hours - Pathetic! I'm just relieved that I only have to access the HMRC App every once in a while to check my Tax Code.

Decluttering update:

Aside from the usual HH Bins which will be decluttered tonight, I've decluttered a final pile of washing for the week which is drying lovely on the washing line, cluttered up on water & and 3 large mugs of coffee. I had 3 inpost Rememberance Sunday donations which arrived this afternoon and I've collected while taking babyface for her late afternoon walk. As the dolly trolly is now cluttered up with the inpost donations, I will be decluttering it @ the CS first thing in the morning

Gorgeous Gorders has been given a full clean bill of health & her nail clipping appointment this morning went very well indeed. It took 3 of us an hour, but she got there, and finally overcame her fear - bless her  She's a new dog as she can now walk properly without pain and trotted off like a puppy back to the car. She's now going to rest for the rest of the day as she's still a little groggy but full of love and affection I can't believe the difference. She's not aggressive towards any other dog, is constantly wagging her tail, and just goes into a happy fruit-loop hype when you talk to her in silly girl talk Her new owner is thrilled to bits and adores her and Gorder knows it and really feels it,so much so, that she is fully relaxed & open now about showing her true personality without barriers or fear(s) of being told off. She does what she likes, when she likes as long as it's not a danger to herself or anyone else. She's an absolute corker and her experssive vocal range os sounds is like listening to an opera singer - Amazing! I've gifted (delcuttered) Gorda a lovely brand new handmade large doggie quilt, which she loves, and a Harris Tweed Collar & Matching long lead. Not that the lead is ever going to be attached to her collar, only her harness. No spoilt Daxie in that house then?! But Gorda deserves every bit of unconditional love and freedom she can get for the rest of her natural life - "So the last will be first, and the first last." Matthew 20:16

Time to get babyface her dinner and delcutter another mug of coffee before I get my PJ's on

Toodle-pip for now xxx

_Dolly_Rocker_

Pulled out my big cupboard when I had a break from work. Only thing I've managed to declutter from there is a shelving unit which my friend is gonna use so win win!

Most of the stuff in there is gifts and a LOT of dog toys that I've picked up in the sales. I could get away with not buying another stuffed toy for my dogs probably for their whole entire lives - I am not even joking it is ridiculous! My problem is that I buy it, put it in a cupboard out the way and in my head it no longer exists so then I buy more. 

Actively trying to stop spending on anything that is not essential now so that will not be happening anymore. 

Of course when I had pulled everything out and was drowning in stuff my door went and it was the guy coming to pick up the nail gun I had hired to get my back fence sorted. Nephew didn't manage to get it all done but we've parked it and will get everything that we need in then I'll hire it again and he can finish it then I can let the dogs out the back garden again!

Out for my birthday dinner with friends tonight so gonna work till 5:30pm then get the dogs out a bit earlier so I can make it to dinner for 7:30pm. 

We're going to a vegan Asian inspired restaurant that we went to last month for another friends birthday. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but the food was delish!

Soontobeoap

So out today. 6 very large fir cones that have been decorating my fireplace.for the last 3 years. ( I am now using it to dry out branches for my DDs fire ready for next year) . Also taking the logs that have been in there drying for 10 years to help keep her and GSs warm whilst their home is a dusty shell. Started on our bedroom today found a few odd socks some Sunday knickers and a couple of tops to go. So that's another half a bin bag! Nearly half way to target and it's only March
 I haven't even started on the garden yet. House is beginning to look slightly more organized and dare I say it , BIGGER"

Wednesday2000

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

Wednesday2000, thanks for the heads up about ‘Project Pan’ might try that for cleaning products 🤔 Sounds like you had a lovely birthday weekend 😊 Just wondering if you saw anyone famous or more to the point anyone you recognised when you were at the O2 😉 

No, I didn't, but I wasn't looking to be fair. I'm not sure I would know these new bands anyway! I remember being at uni and watching the Brits with the Spice Girls and the one with the Jarvis Cocker and Michael Jackson incident.

Florenceem

Yesterday evening I did some listing on V.
Today I trimmed Mr F's hair and beard - he was very shaggy.
It was friendship/lunch club so we walked to SA - Mr F was very wobbly and I had to keep steadying him
I did some sorting of donations and then someone brought in about 30 bags so I gave up. I sorted out a few good bits to sell.
I walked home with some vintage blankets while the friendship meeting was on. Then I delivered a dinner & pudding to an elderly lady. Next I walked home again with dinners and puds. Back to SA to collect Mr F.
I printed some labels at SA and wrapped the parcels when I got home. After a cuppa - I set off to town to the post office and the off licence. I decided to get a bus home - just missed one.
I sat and waited for a bus - lovely in the sunshine.
The temperature has dropped a lot now.
I have done 10,500 steps so far today.

Florenceem

Vulpix - I was at the Dr's surgery on Monday with Mr F when a name was called out - an unusual one that belonged to a boy who was in my class. I hadn't seen him since he was 11 so wouldn't have recognised him. When he came out from his appointment - I spoke to him - he was guessing my name but didn't get it right.
_Dolly_Rocker_ - Happy Birthday.
I decided not to go to singing group as my throat is a bit sore - hope I am not getting a cold.
I am unlocking at SA tomorrow.
There is a delivery due at SA so I will keep my phone near to me in case I get a call to go round and accept it.

QueenJess

A tiny bit more progress today, but been ridiculously busy at work. Tomorrow the new washing machine arrives.  Must try and get a few more things out before the end of the week when my parents descend and traditionally bring a whole car load of stuff with them

I have been studying my bathroom drawer closely and am working through using up a number of items in there.  I think lots of them will be a year long task, but I am determined as once used up most won't be replaced.  Still not got round to all my frogs and not had time to finish the craft stuff... maybe later this week and then I can work on the next frog. I even thought about tackling reducing online accounts, but I really should stick to one thing rather than jumping around.  I did delete one though...

Thanks for my star @Mrs_Salad_Dodger.

Digital:
1 - online account deleted

Physical:
2 - packaging reused
1 - toothpick (binned)

New total = 781
New Use up total = 46
Net physical things in/(out) +30

vulpix

Many happy returns Dolly Rocker.xx

How lovely to meet an old school chum Florenceem. I seem to meet people from school all over the place. Glasgow and Bournemouth two of the oddest places. I don't recognise them, they know me and all say I am just the same! I am but just a bit more grey haired!

Another lovely evening with the band members in Nottingham. 8 degrees here and 16 in Nottingham in the afternoon. We did go to the £2 charity shop on the way and I bought a Primani jacket which fitted the bill perfectly. It will of course probably go to the chazzer the next time I have a sort out.

I did nip into the Estate Agent on our way out. She said property is flying off the shelves and to list now ,not wait. Upshot is she coming tomorrow at 11am! I am just sorry that my garden is still asleep. She also told me of a house we might like coming on the market in a couple of days.

My DIL is in hospital. She is very poorly with Norovirus. Poor girl. I have offered to go down and look after my grandson.Don't know how that will pan out yet.

Only thing de cluttered is a bag of soft plastics to the supermarket.

Vx

oceanspirit

Thank you for my medal Mrs SD.  We have a weekly vegbox and apart from that have been enjoying things we were given for Christmas and using up our excess stocks, hence the big gap between sm shops.  

Had a call from the hospital yesterday postponing today’s appointment as they need an up to date scan first.  They weren’t able to tell me how long that will take so it’s back to the waiting game.  A bit frustrating but I am glad to be having the scan as it makes more sense to do it so we know what we are talking about when the time comes.

No decluttering done today.  The freezer is now officially full after a batch of OH’s favourite bean stew yielded 7 portions.  I had planned to make soup as well but there’s no point when there’s nowhere to store it.