2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

oceanspirit

Managed some papers out and some cardboard into recycling.  OH wanted some highlighter pens - was able to give him some from my excess so very glad they will be used. Wrote some recipes into recipe book so more loose paper can go - I like to try a recipe to be sure we like it before it is given precious space in my book.

SM delivery coming tomorrow so need to tidy up a bit to make space ie fill the tea caddy etc and move things around in the freezer.

Dizzycap

Evening all And some great decluttering going on

@ TC77 - well done with the well deserved gold star xx

Decluttering of the day: Still awake at silly o'clock

I surprisingly completed my decluttering spirt with sorting out the remaining 8 large boxes of things left to list and sell and then cleaned up the office before going through a weeks worth of paperwork either completing, filing and trashing junk all with mugs of coffee to hand Babyface had another long sleep this afternoon and woke up ready for action screeching to a halt as she hurtled her way down the hallway when she saw me in DDs bedroom Curiosity didn't kill the cat 2 minutes later with her rear end poking up out of the last box I was sorting through. All I said was, "I can see you" which sent her fruit-loops around the house before she dragged her large dino toy into DDs bedroom just as I'd finished the last box - impeccable daxie timing, as always! Guess who ended up playing silly girl games for 20 minutes before I could escape for a mug of well needed coffee? Nothing like be a prisoner free spirit in your own home - Book Title: The Tales Tails of a Daxie with the forward being a precise description of the anatomy:

 

Wishing everyone a very restful nights sleep & I'll leave you with how rumours can so easily get started with a missing word or two  , while I pop off to make a last mug of coffee before bed xxxx Ta-ta for now xxx

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

Started dealing with today’s mail - 1st envelope opened was my CC bill & happily I am still in credit 🙂 2nd one opened which I thought was a thank you for a charity donation was actually a congratulations - I won £5 in their raffle 🥳 Such a lovely surprise 😊 The last two were donation requests which I have ignored as I made donations in February. So numbers creeping up:

683 Paperwork recycled 

684 Paperwork shredded 

I spent the rest of the afternoon making pincushions - 4 in all: 2 with elastic to go round wrist & one with ribbon & Velcro. Not a great picture but I am quite pleased that I managed to source everything from odds & ends in my sewing boxes 😊 Whilst I was looking for supplies, I found a bag for life & a hanging shoe organiser which I have added to CS bag.

DH got back about 17:30 after having a late lunch of fish’n’chips with niece & BiL 🙂 The reconnaissance trip to Heathrow was successful & they are booked into a hotel in Terminal 4 🥳 I have started knitting another scarf in a tan colour. DH made cheesy pasta for dinner. Wudupa. 

685 - 688 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, 2 booklets - recycled

689 Kitchen detritus - binned 

Still replying to Sunday’s posts: 

Excellent decluttering Happy_Kitties 👏

Thank you sqwiffy 😊 Wonderful cheerleading 😊 Great decluttering & well done on tackling “the loft room of doom” 👏 I had to smile at This “Been doing a fair bit of handsewing …….visible mending…… Even DH agreed that I could do the same to some of his jeans as I long as I don't do any "flowers or insects thank you!" 😆”

Excellent decluttering & tidying Willowtree222 👏

oceanspirit, pleased to hear that you had a lovely holiday 😊 Although sorry to hear that you have “come home feeling run down with niggly health issues”☹️ Good luck with the hospital appointments 🍀 Hopefully efficient diagnoses can start you on the road to recovery 🙏Fingers crossed that you will soon be in a position to get a new kitchen 🤞

Florenceem,very pleased to hear that you had a good night’s sleep on Sunday night ☺️ & also pleased to hear that you intend to have a quiet & relaxing morning 😊

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏

Dizzycap, very pleased to hear that you were feeling better on Monday ☺️ & that you were pacing yourself to make the most of your energy 👏 Yippee to babyface’s stitches dissolving & getting the all clear from the vet 🥳 Gorgeous picture of babyface 😍 she looks very regal 🫅 

Great work keeping the kitchen clean & tidy 👏 Good luck with the bedroom decluttering 🍀

ionafan, hope you have a lovely time visiting friends & family 😊 Great work cleaning & tidying so that you return to a clean, calm & welcoming home ☺️

Brie, yippee to finding your marriage certificate & also the I looked for charging cables 🥳 Re This “……letters from my mom and dad - which I'll take to Canada with me in case my brothers are interested.  Otherwise I'll bin them.  (yes, harsh but if I don't want them who does?)” not harsh just practical 🙂

I have started Monday’s cheerleading but it is very late so I am off to bed. Sleep tight 😴 P.S. It started raining about 23:00 & has carried through to 05:00 ☹️

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️ ❤️ 🏅 💐 💐 💐 🏅🥉🏅 🎂 🌟⭐️⭐️❤️ 🍫🐾 😍🥇

DH Awards: 🏅 

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 689/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

TC77

Mrs SD I love the pin cushions. Can I ask if you stuff them with left over fabric or? My sewing skills are pretty basic  although learnt to use my machine for taking up.curtains etc 
Squiffy I'm on eof those people you and others help.  Found a £2 pair of shorts from cs has a broken zip. May take them to the sewing drop in to.see if they can show me ... embarrassing to say here with so many skilled creative declutterai . 
Have appts and work in office today but lunchtime meeting dd1 to give her a form to sign and also v small things I brought back from.my trip. Fridge magnet (requested), bookmark etc purposely didn't bring big things my friend was  encouraging me to buy. Did think of getting a one cup coffee filter for over a cup and then found one of my dad's.  Shopping  from my own home and my dad's is pretty fruitful and CS v.little bought new in recent years.

Moorviews

On Sunday I went through the freezers and fridges to see what needed using up and have a bit of a clean at the same time. I would need to defrost them in order to wash them out thoroughly. The bottom freezer drawer now contains items which are too far gone and will go into the food waste bin near to collection day. Some odd bits of roast meat have been chopped up and are making much appreciated dog food toppings. I found some cheese which is beyond its BB date so we will give that a try this week. I find the dates on things are often very small and almost hidden. An oldstyler long ago mentioned writing the dates on with a Sharpie. So sensible that I am finally going to start doing it!
Yesterday, was baking and batch cooking soups to get the vegetables used up before this week’s shopping. I made smoothies at the weekend to finish the fruit in the fruit bowl and end bags of frozen berries. 
 

Mrs SD I never think of sorting paperwork in front of the TV but it is a really good idea to make it less tedious. I really like the pin cushions and keep thinking that I should make one of those wrist ones myself. 

@dND - thank you for the encouragement. Despite the weather taking a turn for the worse I am feeling much better. 

@Florenceem - I hope Mr F has no lasting damage from his fall. I am appalled that nobody came to help as I can guarantee that any one of us here would have been rushing over immediately. 

@GrannyKate - your kitchen will be amazing after all the disruption! 

@nannywindow - I spotted you popping in here and it was lovely to see you. You and your husband have had such a tough time 💐
@oceanspirit - glad that you had a nice time away and hope you recover quickly. 

@Soontobeoap - you do an amazing job sorting all that craft stuff out. 

@Dizzycap - great that you have your mojo and some energy back. Babyface looking beautiful there and anatomy of a dachshund made me smile 😊
@Brie - I am so glad that marriage certificate turned up eventually!
@Floss - enjoy creating your new life 😊

@weenancyinamerica - I won’t forgive your BIL for shouting at you but your roommates were in need of a rocket. I hope that it all pays off in more help for you. 

@QueenJess - losing our contemporaries is very upsetting and somehow we don’t feel prepared for it. It is very sad for her family and friends 💐

I need to bake some bread this morning so had better stir my stumps and get on. Sorry for not mentioning all of you but I hope everyone has a good day. Typing into MSE seems very weird this morning so I shall get this posted before it disappears!

vulpix

Hello, here I am back from the holidays. We spent the day with my Grandson yesterday as we were on our way from Southampton back up North. Left them with Easter eggs, kids knitted jumpers and the knitted animals, son’s Birthday presents, a jumper I knitted for him while we were away, a smart coat I had resewn buttons on and a borrowed paper back book. Lots of space now on the spare bed. Just Easter eggs left waiting for DD1 and DD2. 

Woke at 5 am with Fomo sleeping on me and Fluffy sat on the bedside table watching me sleep. 👀

Suitcases emptied, waiting to go back in the loft. Most things put away. 2 loads of washing on the line and more to do. As I have put things away I am making up a bag for the charity shop. 

Cruise decluttering. Dress ring binned, the silver had worn off. paper back book given away on the cruise. all cruise paperwork and post dealt with and recycled. 

In the chazzer bag which will go this afternoon. 

3 pairs of earrings.
Evening dress, evening top, evening trousers, linen trousers. All too big. 2 pairs of beautiful evening shoes. Even with a kitten heel, I can’t walk in them anymore. Both pairs only worn once. 🤦‍♀️ I did toy with selling but realistically CBA. I just want them gone. There is another evening top and a sequinned vest and top that have gone back in the wardrobe. I may/ may not alter them. They have never been worn as they are too long on me. I will decide for the next cruise in November. I hope to have lost a bit more weight by then so the problem could be solved by being too big. 

I am shocked that I have only put 1lb on. If only I had a personal chef at home to portion control my food. 

Wishing you all a very happy Easter 🐣 
  Vx

QueenJess

I had a quick rummage through a couple of kitchen cupboards during my lunch hour and found more things to go (as well as more things that do need using up..).

Digital:
1 - notes deleted
9 - download files deleted

Physical:
4 - paper, reused then recycled
1 - DD puzzle (Buy Nothing)
1 - packaging reused
1 - sticker binned
1 - medication back to pharmacy
1 - plastic medical spoon binned

New total 1,169
Use it up total 90
Net physical things in/(out) +63

Dizzycap

Afternoon all

@ Mrs_Salad_Dodger - Absolutely love the pin cushions and especially as they are made from odds and ends. Nice decluttering gifts

@ vulpix - Welcome back xx I had to laugh at "Woke at 5 am with Fomo sleeping on me and Fluffy sat on the bedside table watching me sleep. 👀" That's the last time you're getting out of the house without the beady eye watching and the look of " Where do you think you're going?" WOW you've been busy since you arrived back. You must have had a nice break and rest

I've had another of my spirts today with shopping for a sick neighbour, collecting their inpost parcels and decluttering the lot off to them, having the waterboard out to sort out a blocked drain; which is all done now,  dropping off my old microwave at the tip; with not a soul about - perfect, decluttering off 10 parcels along with a load of free Mr. Sains packaging to postie, and then collecting a whole load of free flatpacked recycle boxes from someone a couple of roads away, so all set to go on the continued delcuttering sales front  . After that lot, I'm absolutely shattered and well beyond the need for mugs of coffee to keep me going Babyface is as miserable as can be, hiding in her fleece blankets as it's been contiunally raining since 3am this morning and she's definately not amused that I've switched the sun 'off' and it's cold Yes, it's all my fault! 🤭🤗 However, she always slips in playing her 'dramatic parts' with now just having a roll around on her back kicking her legs up for 5 minutes followed by throwing swany about, popping outside for a loo break, and eating a piece of dried cod roe with waggy tail before she realised, she's suppose to be sulking I can't believe it's nearly 3pm and it's still drizzling Time to declutter another mug of coffee Ta-ta for now xxxx

Brie

In case you are wondering why I was so concerned about finding my marriage certificate I guess I should show it to you.  I could get a replacement document but it wouldn't be as nice as this.

And just for reference, despite what it says we didn't live in Fonthill, we were just living there with my parents for a few weeks.  And yes we were married in Beaverdams.  First wedding they had had in a couple of decades as it was actually a retired Mennonite chapel being looked after by a nearby United Church (kinda like Anglican).  

WickedLady4

Gosh @Brie. We stayed at a b'n'b in Welland when we visited Niagara a few years ago. Halfway between family in London and Kingston. A very special document.