2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

StickyTheStickInsect

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said

Lovely to see you StickyTheStickInsect 👋 It looks like 2025 is going to be a very busy year but all in a good cause 🥹 Firstly I am keeping everything crossed that you find your new home quickly & that both purchase & sale go through smoothly 🙏 Secondly I will wish you good luck with both your decluttering & selling on V 🍀 I am also hoping that your DCs are of an age that they can help with the decluttering so that they will feel involved in the ‘adventure of moving’ 🙂 Good luck 🍀

Thank you Mrs SD, I have fingers crossed too, we need an offer on our house and then can start looking for a new one.
The DC’s are an age where they can help, DD is 9 and is completely on board and has actively helped to declutter her room over the Christmas break, DD2 has tried his best but he’s 6 and still needs help with the organising part. DS1 is nearly 12 and decluttering is not a strength of his! He’d prefer to do other things and his ADHD means he gets distracted very quickly even when I’ve got him doing stuff but hopefully we’ll get there!

@GrannyKate I’m sorry to hear your sad news, how absolutely devastating for your great nephew and his wife.
@Florenceem, sounds like such a tough time for you at the moment with Mr F, I hope the scan appointment comes quickly.

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

Sunday continued: Spoke to neighbour G as he was unloading a suitcase from his car. Unfortunately his Mum had a minor heart attack on Hogmanay & was rushed to hospital 😔 She is recovering well having had a stent fitted & blockages cleared but a horrible end to 2024 as she lost her husband just 6 months ago 😢 Also chatted to neighbour J - he has just got back from his mum’s flat having spent the day getting rid of mould 🙁 DH has just informed me that my DB’s FiL has a lung infection which will hinder his recovery from the quadruple heart bypass 😔

22 - 23 Deck of Italian cards recycled (can no longer see the numbers), 0.5” of paperwork - recycled

DSis was downstairs as I started prepping tonight’s dinner & advised that she will fend for herself, so just DH & I for pork steaks, mash, green beans & mixed vegetables from the freezer (cabbage can wait until all 3 of us are eating 😉) As I was in the mood for a teeny, tiny bit of decluttering I checked a couple of drawers in the wall unit & filing cabinet. Result: 2 decks of playing cards in a nice box added to cs bag (not counting until bag is dropped off) + replacement deck of Italian cards retrieved. Drawer is tidier & less full. The filing cabinet drawer yielded a couple of bits & pieces which have been binned. The Christmas cards are down & the string & drawing pins have been put away for another year. The nerdy part of me insists on counting & categorising Christmas cards received - family (11) , friends (9), neighbours (7) & charities (8) before I dismantle them & dispose of appropriately 🤣 I now have scrap paper/card for lists, 1” of paper to recycle & just 3 bits to bin. Our dinner was yummy 🤤 & DSis is enjoying her baked beans on toast 😉 Wudupa. DSis & I watched Call the Midwife - lovely bit of social history about the Isle of Dogs which I looked up 😊 Having had rain for most of the afternoon, it dried up & a rather strong wind took its place 🙁

24 - 26 Kitchen recycling, 1” of Christmas cards, drinks cans - recycled

27 Kitchen detritus - binned

redofromstart, enjoy using the skip 😊 Are you sure some of us can’t help you fill it 😉😂

Florenceem, a busy 2nd January 🤩 I do hope MrF was OK 🙏

redofromstart, crikey that was quick 👏 Hopefully there will be plenty of space left in the skip once the builders stuff is in 🤞Excellent work on the under bed drawers 👏 & very well done on completing the task 🥳 

Brie, I can just imagine the frustration at not finding the charity bags & typically not finding one until the last place you looked 😉 OH is a bit of a whiz - confit & cassoulet 🤩  now just needs to translate that same enthusiasm into a successful decluttering of his office 🤞😉 Sounds like you are going to be very busy for the next few months making sure you have decluttered your own home enough for you to be reasonably happy to allow someone in to keep an eye out whilst you are in Canada. Hopefully This “So potential deadline for his office and quite a lot of other stuff may be end of April.  (small scream of terror ending with a lot of whimpering.....)” will not come to pass 🤞 Good luck 🍀

MadamMim2013, excellent decluttering on the 2nd 👏 & yes decluttering long standing dust definitely counts 😊 Shame about OH’s knee operation being postponed but as you say the silver lining is that you won’t have to rearrange your trip to York 😊 

BlueJ94, I had to look up ‘Book Nook’ 😉 What a wonderful  & skilful hobby to have 🤩 Lovely photos 😊

Welcome back oceanspirit 👋 Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday 😊 & it is even more pleasing that it has led OH to appreciate that sorting out tasks at home will mean that you will be able to take more holidays 👏 Now that OH is fully on board, it will make decluttering, home maintenance etc so much easier & quicker 🥳

Another page caught up 🙂 Sleep tight everyone 😴 

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️

DH Awards:

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 27/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

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

Still catching up with the 2nd January posts. Monday 04:00 & it is raining heavily ☹️ I am not feeling sleepy so thought I would do a bit of cheerleading whilst drinking a cup of hot chocolate 😉

BlueJ94, what a lovely crocheted cow 😊

Excellent decluttering DundeeDoll 👏 

dND, fingers crossed that your heating bills won’t be as bad as feared 🤞 I love it “the moderating influence of the sea” your geography teacher certainly had a way with words if you remember them so long after they were spoken 😊

Blue_Doggy, yippee to vanquishing a frog 🥳 Excellent decluttering 👏

Muddy_Walker, I hadn’t realised we had such a large Welsh contingent 😉 Hmm, I will have to think about ‘decluttering days at work 🧐 

machasraven, you certainly sound ready for your 2025 Decluttering campaign 😊 Looking forward to seeing photos of your window seat 😊 so I need to speed up with the cheerleading 😂 Good luck clearing your freezers ready for all your hm meals & goodies 🍀 Look at that, having never heard of a ‘Book Nook’ now two mentions 😊

dND, This “I had a good day today.  I outsmarted the negative side of me and realising that it was going to be a cold day and that would be a good excuse to stay indoors, I dug out my thermal underwear.  No excuse then. 🤣” really made me smile 😃 What a very successful 2nd January - excellent decluttering, odd jobs completed AND you resisted the lure of cs buying 👏🥳  It would appear that there a few of us who have overindulged over the festive period 😔

Excellent decluttering Janeryan 👏 What a great start to your decluttering campaign 😊

QueenJess, hopefully more coming in than going out for the first couple of days of 2025 is just an aberration 🤞This “……as DH had voluntarily gone through his books and got rid of some *gasp*.  What amused me is that he quoted things I said about stuff being a waste if you never use it... he is finally on the decluttering wagon now that I have finished the rest of the house” stunned me so much that I almost forgot to giggle 🤭 Fingers crossed it will only take weeks Not years for him to join you on the Frugal wagon 🤞

mehefin, the Welsh branch of our Declutterati family seems to be growing each time I turn a page 😅 My education has been expanded - Percherons are lovely looking horses - I can see why you would be jealous 😉 More excellent decluttering 👏 & so pleased to hear that Mrs M’s clothes are finding a good home 🥹

Excellent decluttering Tjh1412 👏 As I am so far behind, I do hope that your moving day on the 3rd was trouble free & went well 🙏 I am also hoping that your new house will be ready soon (hopefully before the particular stresses of living with family in presumably cramped quarters start taking effect 🤞😉🤞)

What an excellent start to your 2025 Decluttering campaign Happy_Kitties 👏 Really impressed that you have already sent a box of neutral items on 2nd January 🤩

Excellent decluttering ladybird1106 👏 + earning a bit of cash 😊 Win-win 🥳

A great start to your decluttering Deni_debt-free_dreamer 👏 Reminds me that although I put up a new calendar I forgot to declutter the old one 😉 A job for Monday so that I remember to count 😉

Excellent decluttering of books Brambling 👏 & very well done on resisting the temptation to take any home 😊 Shame about the old boots but it does sound like they have given sterling service 🙂 Hopefully you have another pair which are just as comfortable & still fit for purpose 🤞

BlueJ94, I never knew so many wonderful items could be crocheted 🤩

The hot chocolate has worked so I am off to bed 🙂

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️

DH Awards:

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 27/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, not much decluttering yesterday as I was at the football. I got home with freezing wet feet but once I had put on some dry socks and slippers and had had something to eat we took OH's car to the garage as it is booked in for the service and MOT today. OH has posted the keys through the letterbox and parked it outside, I chauffeured home. I was quite tired by then, especially as while I was out OH had emptied the car boot into the hall so the boxes and bags it took me 11 months to get out of the hall last year are back. I am definitely going to suggest a sort out of it all today to see if it all needs to be kept and if there is a better way of doing it. After all if OH can manage without it for 11 months is it really needed? I did empty the bedroom bin and the lr bin and spent some time checking emails, 100 deleted. I think it's washing day today but no chance of it going out on the line as we are forecast rain. It was forecast rain overnight but as I still have snow in the garden I don't think it's happened yet. I will see what else I can get done, not feeling very organised this morning . I might go and look at new laptops

Right off for another cuppa
Hugs to everyone who would like one

23 bedroom bin
24 lr bin
25 100 emails permanently deleted
Take care everyone
25/2025

Florenceem

Morning all - I had no dramas with Mr F yesterday afternoon and evening - he just kept nodding off. I woke him for a snack and cups of tea and then his dinner.
I was so tired - I got into bed while Mr F was in the bathroom so I don't know if he was in there long - he was in bed when I woke up at alarm call.
In the evening I was finding sold items, wrapping and labelling. I have a trolley full and some in a bag. I am going to pop into town to post them. I really don't want to give up being able to pop out when I need/want to.
 I have cancelled a blood test for me appointment as it is very wet and windy and I can't face dragging Mr F to the Doctors at lunchtime.I would have to take him with me to the surgery as it would be too long leaving him at home on his own. SA isn't back to normal this week so I can't get someone to sit with him there.
Mr F has run out of one of his medications - goodness knows how as the prescription request is usually for all his meds.

BlueJ94

Morning!

Threw away a pair of pj bottoms as they were too small
Used last pair of contact lenses so must order new ones

Caught up on most of my washing, just need to put away! Working until 6 so won't get home until 6.45 then I plan on changing my bedsheets.

TC77

Thank you for the ideas for the cards and wreath, I remember there is a community craft club in our town centre, where I can pop in tomorrow to see if they will take them or a care home, and if not @QueenJess they could be working their way to you.... many years ago I made them into xmas tags but I don't really use tags and don't give many presents these days.
Back to CS dropped off but trains weren't running and got on the wrong bus so everything taken longer.
DD2 has sorted out her old school uniform (from 18 months ago) and a big CS bag for charity.
Will count things tomorrow.

London_1

Good Morning chums, well I hope all that have snow are safe and warm ,here on the IoW its just been very windy and rainy,No snow at all, but a bit nippy. At the moment the sun is shining and I'm awaiting the dustmen coming as there was one extra bag of rubbish I put in the bin but it means the lid won't close.As we only get general waste collected once a fortnight its been before Christmas since we had a collection.If they won't take it I'll book a trip to the rubbish site and take it myself in my car we can't leave it for another fortnight.Normally once a fortnight is sufficient but with Christmas and four large grandsons to feed there is extra rubbish. the odd week nineteen we have a recycling collection and we do recycle as much as we can.

Fingers crossed maybe if I smile nicely at the bin man he won't throw it on the pavement.Daft really as its obvious folk have more detritus after Christmas We already did a tip run with paper cardboard etc last week. after the normal recycling stuff had gone.

I'm sorting out some read books to go to the local big Tescos bookshelf. It helps to raise extra cash for local charities.

The snow drops are up in the garden and the spring bulbs are also poking their heads above the ground .Fingers crossed spring will soon be here.

My eldest DD and her OH are in New York until next Sunday visiting my eldest grandson and family, She's having a whale of a time as the little girl Daisy is 18 months old and has her Granny wrapped around her little finger, mind she is pretty cute.. They live very close to Central Park so Granny and Granddad getting dragged there every morning by this little lass. She loves it there and my DD walks everywhere with her and the weather so far has been dry so most mornings its either Central Park or the zoo.Daisy's Mum Hayley has a pass for the zoo for all the family as Daisy is fascinated by all the animals, and its her favourite place to go to. She's also carted her Granny and grandpa to the baby gym and DD joined in with her .I think DD will need another holiday when she comes home as the little lass is so much like my DD when she was small .my late husband said she was born running .:)  she was a very active little girl when she was tiny and hated being in a pushchair and her granddaughter Daisy is exactly the same.

Right time to do some more bagging up of books, I hope everyone is safe and warm I'm not going out today just too windy for me unless the dustmen don't take all the rubbish then it will be a trip to the tip and back.

Cheers chums 

JackieO xx

Siebrie

DundeeDoll said:

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Two friends I remember from the Marie Kondo thread were Mike and Justin. That’s ‘Mike Uminandi’ and ‘Justin Case’. I have kept far too much for these chaps!  

🤣 they have been living in my house far too long!

But that's the thing: they don't live in your house! They keep promising to come round and visit, but never do!

foxandflowers

Hello all. 

I made £6.05 this morning on World of Books - they are running a promo that if you use my referral code you get an extra £5 on any trade over £10. Feel free to PM me if you would like the code - every penny counts.

We have moved almost everything to the storage unit now, just the kitchen to finish emptying and a couple of boxes of straggler items, which will then have us pared down to basics. I need to sell my bedroom furniture - does one dismantle a wardrobe before selling it? Or leave the buyer to deal with that? 

On the decluttering front: 

13 books scanned and packed, 7 bagged up for donation to the Tesco bookstand, and one pair of headphones sold. 8 glass ramekins binned. 

I am setting myself a challenge this year, only 24 items purchased for me.  I also have to donate a like for like item. If I sell a like for like item, the item I have purchased becomes 'neutral'. 

29 items out so far, and only 1 brought in which was a Vinted purchase at a price I couldn't resist.