2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Brie

Floss said:

@Brie maybe you could suggest that to him? Has the hoarding prompted the S21 notice, or is the landlord unaware?

I don't think anyone could not be aware given that he has to clear things out of the way for any gas inspections etc.  But no, the LL wants to sell and knows it will be easier without a tenant.  

QueenJess

Just ran round trying to redeem myself slightly and reviewed the remaining contents of the gift drawer and had a quick look through DS's clothes.  More to find tomorrow...

Physical:
1 - colouring book (charity box)
1 - sticker book (Buy Nothing)
1 - book (charity box)
2 - DS tops too small (Buy Nothing)

New total = 795
Use it up last post 47
Net physical things in/(out) +24

Florenceem

I definitely have a cold - got a sore chest when I cough.
I went to SA to unlock this morning. I checked the front of the building - someone had ripped open the donation bags by the hopper - big mess - I left it. There are 2 likely culprits.
I popped down the side alley - found a bag of DVDS - brought them home - they will go to the charity shop - I have 4 that I may watch before decluttering them.
I started on eldest daughter's curtains - these are having separate linings but are 2 widths wide so a lot of fabric to man handle.
I went back to SA after lunch as a big delivery had arrived - used the sack barrow to move it into the office. Then a social worker arrived for a food parcel so I sorted that and the paperwork.
When I checked the front area of the building on that visit - someone had stuffed a bag of bric a brac in the hopper mouth so that had to be moved.
I carried on with making the curtains - my new sewing machine is wonderful.
I feel rough now so taken Paracetamol and having a rest.

GrannyKate

Quick post - not much decluttering done but slowly moving on with decorating.  Going to order kitchen tomorrow.  DIL has sold some kitchen stools of mine - £10 but every little helps.  I had my first premium bonds win for two years. £50 which was nice. 

326 Three large cardboard boxes dropped off at tip 
327 Quiz questions used up.  A friend asked if she could take my questions to use elsewhere.  

Will catch up one the weekend I hope.  

Dizzycap

Brie said:

Feeling somewhat virtuous by proxy after the gardener decluttered the lawn of excess grass.  He does a marvelous job and managed to clear out a lot of very large pebbles from an empty bit of the garden, put down weed cloth and plant a rhubarb.  The rest of the space is going to be for courgettes and squash (hopefully).

@Brie - You always manage to make me laugh Makes a change from you slinging the hoover around

I did contemplate whether to give the lawn a long cut this afternoon, but decided to leave it until tomorrow due to a full day and depleting energy levels

However, the decluttering is still going fairly well:-) I managed to take pics & list several more items, then had sales on Vntd, so I've spend all evening packing that lot up along with 2 inpost large dolly trolly runs with babyface tonight

Babyface is very content and is now in my bed snoring her head off. At least you now know who's running the joint!

As I went past the RM delivery office on my way to the inpost lockers this eving, the RM night lorry was leaving and the postie shouted from the cab, "The Quad Locker is totally empty, if you need it tonight!" Well, that's handy as I've had some eBy sales this evening, so I'll pack all those up and do another dolly trolly run after midnight to the quad locker after I've decluttered a nice large mug of fresh coffee Saves postie collecting tomorrow which also means I can spend more time in the garden in the morning with babyface & the swans and maybe sling the lawn mover over the grass in the early afternoon

I've decluttered all the Spring cleaning washing with everything put away and all the HH bins have been emptied tonight along with putting out the HH wheelie bin for decluttering tomorrow I still haven't decluttered the other dolly trolly with the CS donations in, but I'll aim for that at 9am tomorrow morning with or without babyface in tow - she's loving her night time sleep at the moment mainly because she gets so excited when we're out in the garden in the lovely sunshine for a few hours that she doesn't have time to snooze until the afternoon and then we're usually out and about again with parcel posting and feeding the foxes etc in the evening

Right time to pack some more parcels and get them postie before bed. Wishing everyone a peaceful night and hugs to everyone who would like one or two xxxx

Toodle-pip for now xxxx

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

Thursday: another bright sunny day with a high of 15°C & a low of 3°C. DH has  just left (14:00) heading to Harley Street to have a consultation about his Dupuytren’s contracture & if appropriate may have his first laser treatment. I will be out a bit later to get my pneumococcal jab. I left at 14:45 for 15:15 appointment, arrived early - checked in + booked face to face appointment with pharmacist re BP meds review & prescription renewal. Home by 15:45 after watching police cars tear arsing up & down the main road + a helicopter overhead - no idea what was happening. Found 2p coin whilst I was waiting at the bus stop 🙂 Received a couple of calls from DH - he had the treatment on both palms of hands + a knuckle. He decided to come back by bus - big mistake as he was on one of the route masters & it broke down 7 times before he got to a DLR station & so he didn’t get home until 18:45. Next appointment already booked. Dinner was linguine in a creamy bacon and pea sauce. Wudupa

442 - 445 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, glass bottle, cardboard packaging- recycled 

446 Kitchen detritus - binned 

P.S. I hope everyone remembered Crufts started today 😉

Nice to see you Blue_Doggy 👋 Sorry to hear about your ‘wrenched back & hip’ 😣 As I am ever curious I was wondering if you know how you did it so that you can avoid a recurrence. Fingers crossed that, now you are on the mend, the sciatica will soon be a distant memory 🙏 I am very impressed that you still managed to get so much done 👏 so am awarding you a medal 🏅 & also some  💐 Well done on your efforts to banish Justin 👏 I loved This “……. or puppy-wuppy was in the garden (he’s 12, but was a puppy once 😀🐶🐾❤️)”  ☺️ Please take care & I look forward to ‘seeing’ you soon 😊

Dizzycap, lucky babyface - she is certainly very fortunate to have you as her ‘staff’ 😉 Excellent work dealing with so many phone calls 👏 Very pleased to hear that Gorgeous Gorda passed all her health checks ☺️ Hopefully you will be able to get her nails clipped soon 🤞This “Came back at 11.30pm after babyface walk, which she loved, and I suddenly felt better……… 2 mugs of coffee while waiting for the dye to take, washed off and had a lovely shower . Strangely enough, I'm feeling as though my physical well being has become stable, but I know I must still take it easy, or as easy as I can” was a joy to read ☺️ 

Dizzycap, did you remember to post the cards on Wednesday 😉 Hope Gorda’s nail clipping went better than Tuesday 🤞 How exciting that the swan will soon be laying eggs 🤩

Liverpool_Anne, hope OH’s hospital appointment went well 🤞 You would think HMRC would bend over backwards to get your money 😉 Although having said that I seem to remember that the ‘gubbernment’ (stet) made swingeing cuts to the number of employees & now except us ‘the taxpayers’ to do all the work 😠 

vulpix, re This “It was lovely to see my friend, we met at school when we were 11. 55 years and counting. I was telling her about one of the houses I like and she said "O, you've liked that one for years" - that’s the trouble with old friends they have memories like elephants 😂 I was in hysterics at the idea that leaving your mobile phone provider is more difficult than leaving a cult 🤣 Hope you had a good time Wednesday evening & that you have more anecdotes for ‘the book’ 🤞

Lovely to see you regnbue 👋 How exciting - a trip to Japan 🤩 I really hope you get to travel on the Bullet Train ☺️ A very reasonable amount of ‘INs’ just over 1 item every 2 days 👏 & an excellent amount of decluttering & as you are more than a quarter of the way to your 500 target, I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ Excellent work & congratulations on sorting out the main bedroom, please find a medal 🏅 & 💐 

retiredinfrance, personally I think they should not only have thanked you but also written off the amount & apologised profusely for ignoring your letters 😉 

Oops, just noticed the time so will post & go to bed. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 446/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, awake early, 4.30, as I was in bed by 10.30 and asleep almost immediately 😁. Spent over 3 hours in the garden, some time pottering, some time having a coffee over the fence with ln and some time chopping back a bamboo. I could do this while sitting on the excuse for a lawn 😁. I got a big bag of it into the garden waste bin 😁. More needs chopping but even sitting down my back started to creak so I stopped before it got too bad 😁. Also 1 LDFPA, a fancy soap from stash uu,  100 emails permanently deleted and a pair of curtains into the cs bag so a bit done but I need to do more if I am going to get back to my target. After tea I did a bit of crochet but was starting to lose concentration and eventually realised I needed to just go to bed 😂. 

@retiredinfrance, @Vulpix and @Duchess2 thanks for the hugs, I am feeling a bit less distracted by it all right now, OH's attitude is 'it is what it is and there is nothing I can do about it '. Doesn't want to talk about it so there is no point me trying to so what can you do? I have gone down the rabbit hole of the nhs website and read what I can, followed a few links and got some information about possible support if we need it and OH has already got an appointment for a check up at the hospital in about 6 months. I can't spend that time constantly worrying about it so I have relegated it to the back burner for now, though I will probably do a bit more online research at some point in the future 😐.

@Brie sorry to hear about your friend, 25 years is a long time to live in a property and then be evicted 😐. I think your suggestion is a good one though I imagine it will be hard for your friend to accept. I also think the hardest thing for him will be finding somewhere else to live. Will you be able to help him with that?

@Florenceem take care of yourself, hugs

Right off to get another cuppa and I might head back to bed and see if I can get another couple of hours sleep. It is raining here and forecast to be wet all day so no gardening or washing planned 😂
Hugs to everyone who would like one

291 soap uu
292 garden waste
293 LDFPA
294 100 emails permanently deleted
Take care everyone
294/2025

florianatwobob

Decluttered my old set of desk drawers this week. 

I popped them outside the front garden with a sign saying ‘free’ and they magically disappeared! No idea if it was the scrap man or a neighbour/passer-by but that’s one more thing out of the house 🎉

charlies_tribe

Good morning. Those last few days have flown.
Tuesday we survived M'hall. We were there for opening and left before it got too busy. All I bought was a colouring book for DGD birthday on Monday. DD1 did buy some things but couldn't get what she went for. DGD decided she was staying at Nanas when we got back so I did nothing all afternoon. 

Wednesday DD1 wanted to nip to town as what she couldn't get the day before was actually showing in stock in our local store (only some character pjs for DGDs birthday) so off we went. I didn't buy anything! But did give DD1 3 bottles of American pancake mix from last year, the other kids didn't like it and id bought normal mix for this year. DGD decided she was staying again (I absolutely won't say no my children dont really know their grandparents) and was picked up about 5 by her dad. She did make us giggle as i got out of the car, i was walking around to her side and she said to her mum 'Nana better not forget to get me'. On the way back she'd also asked 'how do babies get in my tummy' i do love the curious age. So I did nothing again. 

And now I have a cold and dont actually want to move at all but its a tip in here so I need to make a start as we have our assessment for DD3F coming up.

Sorry that was a huge post for such a short list out. Have a good day.

150  large Cardboard box
151-153  3x pancake mix

Dizzycap

@ Mrs_Salad_Dodger - Dizzycap, did you remember to post the cards on Wednesday 😉 YES!

Up early and the dolly trolly is poised for action in the hallway for a trip to the CS for a 9am decluttering

Decluttering Plan for Friday:

Declutter at least 4 pints of water through the day - Half done

Declutter at least 4 latrge mugs of coffee through the day - Half done

Declutter the electric & gas meter readings and submit online - Done

Declutter the washing machine and hang on the washing line after 2 accidents with coffee this morning; 1 over my PJ's & 1 over my clothes along with a few other dark bits thrown in - Done

Declutter the dolly trolly at the CS @ 9am while taking babyface for a walk

Declutter leaves in the garden boarders as they're covering up my bulbs and put in the garden waste bin

Declutter a rough long cut on the lawn

Declutter time with babyface while pottering in the garden & the Doe swan by the river, who is feeling very lonely at the moment

Declutter phone calls, emails and messages - Done

Declutter the office desk & art room table of mess & dirt, and clutter up the paper tray in the printer

Declutter the floors of muck by slinging the hoover around for a while

Declutter & clean the bedroom side cabinate

Declutter the bathoom suit of muck, bleach the loo, and wash the floor. Declutter used towels into the washing machine & wash, change the bathroom mats & put in the washing machine ready to wash

Pack & Declutter any parcels needed

Declutter a full evening meal & a nice hot shower

I think that's more than enough for one day, but I'm sure I'll do more

Wishing everyone a fantastic decluttering Friday xxx