2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

TC77

Morning folks.... so lovely to read all the lovely posts supportive of everyone. 
DD2 was due to come home about 9pm last night saying she  wanted to spend time with me and I was going to go through a few thing before she goes back to uni today. Then she text to say would be late so I went to bed - falling asleep 10.30 when another text saying her friend's dad was brigning her home to collect her stuff and stay at her friend's (friend's b'day) and go to uni from there but inviting the dad in  so I could meet him..... I got up and dressed, he stayed in car and I briefly said hello as DD2 went out.  Then I couldn't sleep til about 2 and now awake.
My tiredness and grumpiness reduced by popping in here   

Frustration bigger than usual as have someone coming to help clean my house for a couple of hours this pm and had hoped to do deep clean of a room.... but  can't see one empty enough. Help is only available when they have a gap in their schedule and I'm at home so perhaps every couple of months.

But having got up for cup of coffee going to get help cleaning windows and sills at front of the house - I live a few minute from the town centre where there is so much construction and pollution and an old house with draughty windows ( v cool in the summer without opening the windows) that they get filthy. And  my living room which is largely unused and was stuffed full of furniture with some tlc today could be fit for visitors so that will be my focus

Off for another cup of coffee and then action..

@Dizzycap glad to hear you had a good sleep .and @weenancyinAmerica sounds amazing progress, and I love the picture of you in a cosy house with a few books and your cat.  

Sorry to hear about so many folk managing pain and difficulties and sending hugs 

Mrs SD's cheerleading and others' posts are a great tonic for early Sunday morning.

QueenJess

This is the post I didn't make on Friday (I give myself the weekends off at the moment).  Was a bit thrown on Friday by finding out someone I went to school with died leaving a son about DS's age.  I am definitely not old (early 40's) and although I haven't spoken to her in years and years, I did follow her progress through life.

I think I will change my decluttering requirements in the week to try to get rid of 1 thing a day (although more is obviously fine).  Just want to be in the habit of casting around to look for something so things don't pile up.  My net physical things in total is very slowly going down.  I know there should be a few items on their way out as DD is currently in-between 2 sizes of clothes so has her old size and the new size out which both fit.  

DH finally went to the tip on Friday to get rid of the things that had been piling up in the garage.  To be fair, barely anything makes it that far as I reuse/recycle absolutely everything possible, but he finally had got just enough to make it worth going.  He even took my advice and cast around his slightly cluttered garage for anything else he wanted to go and found a few things.

Two things in: DS's new to him sandals and the packaging it came in.

Physical:
1 - packaging used up
5 - paper, reused then recycled
1 - DS shoes outgrown (Buy Nothing)

New total 1,140
Use it up total 87
Net physical things in/(out) +71

@weenancyinAmerica sounds like some excellent progress has been made.  A shame BIL felt the need to shout, but I am hoping it came from a good place and you get a benefit from it.  You do so much for others and deserve a nice place to live.  Perhaps you should be a bit more selfish and think about yourself a more.

Soontobeoap

Clearing up for guests yesterday. Mainly craft stuff again but I did discover that if my cabin down the garden can be made watertight again we have enough storage in the house for everything we have. I cleared another bin bag worth of packaging and craft bits that were past their best. What was lovely was that it only took a day to get the house back up to how I like it and I have been pulling out craft stuff to use for weeks. It normally takes both of us on tidying and cleaning for 2 days solid and the air becomes a bit blue?🤣. Yesterday it was easy and needed just me. I am so happy. I must be getting somewhere. Also went up to club to start sorting craft donations and stuff there. One bag sorted for a cake decorator ( we will never use that stuff) half a bag so far for a local school and a bag for the bin. People always seem to give stuff that is no good to anyone but they don't want to throw it out so they recycle me so that I can do it. ( E.g paints that have gone solid or extremely watery.) Not counting craft group stuff though as that has not come into my house.

Florenceem

Feeling tired this morning - I didn't post yesterday - it was a busy day.
In the morning I went into town - I had run out of compostable bags for the food bin and had parcels to post. We had filled in our postal votes so I posted those.
I took a bag of donations to the charity shop before getting a bus home - bought a Birthday cake at nearby As..
We had our midday meal then set off to visit Mr F's friend.
We got off the bus where I thought was the right place but ended up having to walk a very long way to the care home.
Mr F's friend B is in a huge care home - he is on the 4th floor.
B did not recognise Mr F - not seen him for 31 years and he was then 22 stone. There was another couple visiting but his long term partner had already left so I didn't get to meet her.
It was lovely to see Mr F chatting to B as if they regularly met up.
We visited for quite a while then set off to the nearest bus stop.
I was slightly in front of Mr F - turned round - he had fallen. He didn't know what happened - just felt himself going. He wasn't hurt - no one came to help us. I got Mr F to shuffle on his bottom to a planter but he couldn't get up - so he got on his knees and I managed to get him standing again.
Eventually got home and had a cup of tea and some food. I had bad cramp in the night - probably hadn't had enough fluids.
Off to Church this morning then a restful afternoon at home.

TC77

@QueenJess  it's always a shock to hear about the passing of someone our age who we knew and they are still young , and leaving young children an added tragedy. It's always made me feel fortunate and reevaluate whats important.

House worse than earlier but progress
5 old food out, end of bottles of red wine vinegar bbe2019 and where duplicates with scrappings only, unknown teabags been lurking for at least 18 months. 
Saucepan, 5 of d2 stuff to cs and bag of rubbish/ recycling of hers, broken scratching post binned, pen and keyring, slippers, bits under sink.
Suitcase for donation hub ( open next sunday)
4 lots of paper clutter from kitchen and some like with like.
Opened box saying summer- ice packs and lolly making and more suncream !
Dd2s bin I sorted through included items ive rescued bike lock ( no key but may turn up) , reuse batteries, pack of tissues and blank paper ( will use for notes) couple of beauty type items which  can go to cs. Will sort later as off to zumba. Decluttered alot of coffee inside me! 

Pennypincin

Hi everyone.
Apologies again for not keeping up with the thread and decluttering.
I've finally managed to declutter the bits promised to people though.
I've 2 weeks half term still for adult education, so hoping to do what I meant to do while off to study plus do some tidying and decluttering.

Dizzycap

TC77 said:

@QueenJess  it's always a shock to hear about the passing of someone our age who we knew and they are still young , and leaving young children an added tragedy. It's always made me feel fortunate and reevaluate whats important.

I couldn't have put it better myself TC77 Great going with the continued decluttering. It always gets worse before it gets better x It has to because you have to sort and organise which is always messy business Keep decluttering the coffee

@ Soontobeoap - All the hard decluttering work at the beginning is clearly paying off - Light at the end of a slow marathon tunnel And it's put a smile on my face

@ Florenceem - I hope Mr.F is ok this morning and that you both have a well desrved peaceful rest after such a busy Saturday

@ Pennypincin - Great to see you and happy decluttering in between your studies

It's a bit of a mixed day here weather wise but I'm enjoying chill out time with babyface who is patiently waiting for the huge leg of lamb to finish slow cooking - There's a first Not a lot else happening except had a couple of decluttering sales this morning so all packed up ready to do the decluttering postie rock 'n' roll tomorrow - I'm not bothered by the pile of parcels in the hallway, as it's got to go PRONTO!

Wishing everyone a peaceful & relaxing Sunday - take care and ta ta for now xxxx

Florenceem

Mr F went to Church with me today - first time for 5 weeks.
We had a lovely service - the singing group was well received but I think some of the old soldiers weren't impressed with us singing praise words to an Abba tune. 
I was running around as usual - lots of stuff to put on tables to give away today.
Then I was told that a woman was sorting out her Dad's accommodation - he had died aged 50. She had brought loads of full black sacks into the foyer.  There was some food - I got a chap to carry it to the food bank room.
I got Mr F to sit in the foyer and bag up clothes as I sorted - we did 25 bags - someone arrived with a donation just as we were getting clear. We didn't get home until 2.15 from a 10.30 service. 
Had a rest this afternoon after doing a quick meal.
My youngest daughter ran the Paris marathon in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind today.

weenancyinAmerica

@Dizzyycap - Have you considered writing a book on a "Day in the Life of Babyface"? I can just picture her doing the things you talk about. Might even use photos as part of the book.

@Florenceem - hope Mr. F is doing better. That is scary when someone falls like that - especially when you have no help to get him up. Is he using his rollator when you go out walking? I wouldn't even try going out without mine now. Keeping you in my prayers.

Saturday Di went to her book club meeting in the special wheelchair bus without me. I stayed home and worked on the kitchen - and read part of my library book. Today I will be going to the library for a hour or so to make sure things are ready for our two-day book sale this week. Mainly just checking to see carts are labeled and figure out if we need anything else so not too strenuous. Will also go on Monday and Wednesday for about 1 1/2 hours at a time. Usually go Thursday as well before the sale but the Red Cross is doing a blood drive in the room we have to pass through to get to our books so we have that day off (to clean house!).

Hoping for a good week for everyone. 

Happy_Kitties

164) leaky hot water bottle binned, the top into recycling
165) another broken cat ornament of DDads-binned
166) cooking utensil very worse for wear-recycling
167) notepad book thing of DDads-recycling
168)-183) bits of medication and items to be disposed of at chemist tomorrow including water purification tablets that Dniece went travelling with years ago, why I still have them I don’t know.