2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

vulpix

DD1 brought a bunch of daffodils yesterday, I am running out of vases now but they are a lovely cheerful pop of colour.

 Liverpool Anne, You are an absolute saint. You know I wouldn't be as accommodating of Mr V bringing stuff into the house. Mind, lesser of two evils. If he shoves it in the shed it very quickly gets forgotten about and the shed inaccessible. He is blind to putting stuff away properly, making more work in the long run I think. I do feel a bit mean because it's his home too but I couldn't cope living in his chaos.That's why the sheds are his territory. Happy wife, happy life.

 Dropping a bag of things from last year to my favourite charity shop on the way to see Mum. It contains all our Christmas card fronts too. A lady makes new cards with them to sell in the shop.

 Queen Jess, when I worked at a school we used masses of old cards to make party hats with the children for their Christmas party whilst they were hanging around whilst the Christmas play was being rehearsed. I could give you the instructions if you would like them. Very simple but very effective. I have in the past made lovely decorative balls and little houses with old cards too.My kids and Mum and I used to love doing this every New Years Day. Plenty of pics on pinterest for inspiration.

 Laters Vx

kiss_me_now9

Hi all! I am definitely in. 

I have made a decent start - my chest of drawers was collapsing under the weight of all the clothes I had in it and we had about a 1.5m high mountain of outgrown baby clothes in the corner of our bedroom (somewhat of a hazard to our toddler who runs around like a maniac most of the time. I sorted through all my clothes and the baby clothe mountain - including the wardrobes, some more baby clothes that were in the loft and some under bed boxes full of clothes from when I was a teenager - and am proud to report I donated 6 full black bin bags of assorted clothes to a local charity that provides items to families in need. I have kept some of the baby clothes vacum packed in the loft in the hope that we have baby 2 but have thinned it all out massively and instructed OH that if baby 2 doesn't happen, they are to be taken out the loft and donated as they are to the same charity. I have already kept the first couple of outfits toddler wore and if I go back through them I will just grow attached to them again! 

I have also sorted out toddlers books. We have far, far too many and whilst he does love reading, he tends to read the same things over and over again. I have made a pile of about 20 books (mostly baby books he doesn't look at any more) and will put them on Vinted today. I have also found a pile of old uni textbooks before Christmas that need to go up on there but am struggling with pricing them so have been putting it off. 

I would really love to have a more minimalist, tidy home that is clutter free and decluttering will really help with that. 

Wednesday2000

I bought my husband a new set of underwear from Amazon so I decluttered all his old ones. I had some old tights and newspaper to make two homemade draught excluders that my dog thought were toys and had to be binned after she ripped them up!

I got rid of a task this morning that I had to do since the middle of December which felt very good.

It is rainy and miserable here. We didn't get any snow here at all. I am just doing an online grocery order and then will be having a bath and starting one of my books.

ruby_eskimo

Morning all!  Can't believe how quick the EDT is moving!  Didn't manage to sort everything I wanted to this weekend but it was still kind of productive.  Managed to declutter between the charity shop and recycling centre:

5 - 15: boxes
16: old plastic matt
17: broken jig-saw to the recycling centre
18: old programmer box for the heating
19 - 20: tins
21 - 23: tote bags
24: 25: gift boxes
26: decorative tin
27 - 42: Christmas cards
43 - 44: paperwork
45: duvet set
46: sheet
47: lampshade
48 - 78: CD's

We're so close to getting the bathroom finished and I'm stuck on how to organise the airing cupboard.  The shelves are different heights to the ones in our last house so the baskets I used for corralling the duvet sets and towels don't fit.  Not sure if I just want to put the things directly on the shelves or if I want to try and get some new baskets, but can't seem to find anything online that will fit.  Only reservation about putting things on the shelves directly is that there's a vent in the roof directly above the cupboard so think I might want to have some baskets with lids to protect the towels and sheets?

My brain can't make anymore decisions at the moment as we've been trying to work out the optimal plan for our new utility room over the weekend too and there's too much choice!

Floss

vulpix said:

It is raining hard just now so the snow is melting. The pop up waterfall is back but we have had an email from the local councillor asking to come and visit with someone from the flood team. Of course. The world and his wife have been to look at it over the years, the problem is a broken/ blocked land drain in the privately owned wood. The owners just never seem to get round to doing anything about it! They live at the other end of the village so it doesn't affect them.

Ask about an enforcement order, that will require them to do the work

Moorviews

Lots going on, well done everyone 👏

I have been somewhat tardy in putting away my reusable gift wrapping so I did it this morning. Last year’s sort out of the packing and wrapping cupboard made it relatively easy this time. I might have too many brown parcel envelopes so I shall stop saving those until the number goes down. There was a good number of plastic bags from online orders so they will get reused when I need to put things into the clothing bank. 

PollyWollyDoodle

@ruby_eskimo I’m not sure about the vent, how likely is it that anything will come out of it? 

I wouldn’t bother with baskets, I put the duvet cover, pillowcase(s) and sheet for each set inside one of the pillowcases, it makes a nice tidy bundle and ensures that when you come to change the bed, you’ve got the complete set there.  

I roll towels into a nice firm sausage (there are various folding methods online) and stack them in pairs, I have sets of bath/hand towel in different colours. 

I don’t know if that helps, I find it easy to organise the airing cupboard this way, and I know which ones are single/double by the design. 

ruby_eskimo

PollyWollyDoodle said:

@ruby_eskimo I’m not sure about the vent, how likely is it that anything will come out of it? 

I wouldn’t bother with baskets, I put the duvet cover, pillowcase(s) and sheet for each set inside one of the pillowcases, it makes a nice tidy bundle and ensures that when you come to change the bed, you’ve got the complete set there.  

I roll towels into a nice firm sausage (there are various folding methods online) and stack them in pairs, I have sets of bath/hand towel in different colours. 

I don’t know if that helps, I find it easy to organise the airing cupboard this way, and I know which ones are single/double by the design. 

That's a good question @PollyWollyDoodle, pass!  There's been a lot of dust and debris on the shelves but think that might just be from where DH was boarding and insulating in the loft 🤷‍♀️  I already organise our duvet sets like you mentioned because as you say, it's so much easier to just grab a bundle and know it's all there ready to go.  I have never been able to fold towels properly so might go and investigate some methods on the old youtube, thanks!

Brie

Pleased with myself for remembering to put all the dead batteries in my pocket before heading to Taxco yesterday.  Must have been a dozen that have been gathering in a bowl by the front door.  Must ask OH about the bulbs that are there - he does have a habit of just putting things down rather than binning so I don't know if they just need to go to the bin or whether it's a reminder of what he needs to buy.  Think I'll just say "oh dearheart can you put these in the bin outside please?" and see what he says.  Maybe he can at least put them in his car instead so they are with him when he's out and about if he needs to buy new ones.  (but for what??)

Also pleased that what little decorations we had up are now down and almost ready to go back to the loft.  There was just a wreath in the hall way and our stockings that MiL made us a few decades back (beautiful cross-stitch) .  And the tablecloth and napkins of course - now in the wash.  There's also the Christmas china in the dishwasher.  My plan is to wait to the laundry is done and then iron allllll the napkins plus the tablecloth while still damp.  I've got room for all of them with the china so that will keep them quite happy and easy to find next year. 

There's also a huge pile of napkins in the cupboard - we've simply been using them and washing but not ironing so we've completely run out bar a couple of mismatched ones.  It's an easy job ironing but just time consuming.  And we like them much more than paper ones - mostly as we buy/make huge ones.  OH has said he'll do half so I'll go first and pick the ones I want to do (the easier ones!!) and let him do the others when he's ironing a shirt or 5.  Once done we should be good until maybe March or April - depends on how messy we are.  Ironing the lot might take at least an hour - I should count them some time but it will likely be like my scarves - too many.

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

Monday: I have done far better today as I was up & dressed by 10:30 🙂 It is a dark, damp day & although the temperature is currently 4°C it feels chillier due to the stiff breeze. A bit perplexed about the forecast high of 12°C as the hourly forecast only reaches 6°C 🤔 I have my first cuppa & am about to resume the cheerleading - last 2 posts for the 2nd January & then I will be onto the 3rd 🙂

basketcase, pleased to hear that you didn’t have to go out in the snow on the 2nd 😊 A double win as no unbudgeted spending & no risk of injury 🥳 Well done on decluttering container 2 - virtual containers take just as much time (if not more 😉) as physical ones to declutter 👏 This “The only other thing I did, as mentioned on another thread, was beat a really awkward dishwand into submission and repurpose it instead of throwing it away.” made me giggle 🤭 

What a busy 2nd January gsdloopy 🤩 Two allotments & chickens - that is a lot of hard work & time consuming 😱 Just thinking that it might be an idea to get a  3rd freezer - 2nd hand of course - (at least temporarily) to avoid food waste & then start making a concerted effort to shop from your own cupboards & freezers. A win-win - no food waste & saving money 😊 Congratulations on a very successful decluttering day - physical & digital with the added bonus of using up all your 8p vegetables 👏 and you found time to take DD2 to football 🥳 From memory parsnip soup is a little sweet & for me an acquired taste (which I have yet to acquire) although I do love roasted parsnips 😅 Excellent work selling the crafting lamp & well done  on donating the clothing immediately 🥳 With so much decluttered, you are ‘forgiven’ for ordering the circular needles 😉 especially as it will eventually lead to you decluttering yarn 👏

Now starting the cheerleading for posts dated the 3rd January 🙂

Liverpool_Anne, great work ‘not’ falling asleep on the couch & then getting so much done 🥳 Also very well done on the freezer Tetris 👏 I am still working on emptying the garage freezer for defrosting but it is so cold in the garage that I will be leaving it for a while 😉 I do hope you managed to get the smell of onions off your hands so that you could finish the baby blanket 🤞

charlies_tribe, you might have been 1 short but well done on getting rid of the potato sack 👏 Not sure I would have managed a walk in the freezing cold 🥶 I would probably have been slowing you down like your DGD 😅 Fingers crossed the recycle bin was emptied 🤞 & you managed to get rid of the pile of cardboard boxes 🙂

TC77, sounds like DD2 needs some decluttering lessons 😉 You might currently be feeling overwhelmed with ‘stuff’ But please remember how far you have come & how much less ‘stuff’ you have compared to last year 👏 More to the point, you have ‘not given up’ & are still taking every opportunity to declutter 🥳 so I don’t think your post sounds negative, more like a little sad 😢 Yippee for DD1 who is still helping you on your decluttering journey by taking more books off your hands 🥳 I would definitely count dealing with frogs, as generally speaking they are more time consuming than decluttering 😊

An excellent start to the New Year GrannyKate 👏 not quite sure where you get ‘a slow start from’ 🤔 Decluttering, booking tradespeople & even exploring your new neighbourhood, not sure there are too many hours left for sleeping & eating😉 Hopefully getting all the work done on the bungalow will be less stressful than the actual move 🙏 Congratulations on the excellent weight loss - 11 lbs is brilliant (almost a stone 🥳) & merits a medal 🏅 which is on its way (even if it is late 😉) Hopefully you managed to get your frogs dealt with on the 3rd 🤞

BlueJ94, hope you were successful in locating the odd socks 😉

Welcome back ruby_eskimo, lovely to see you 👋 Very pleased to hear that you are settling into your new home 😊 & now that the festive season is over you are turning your attention to continuing your decluttering campaign👏 Great decluttering already 👏 

nannywindow, excellent work decluttering & organising the contents of your freezer 👏 & what a bonus that it led to reducing your online shop 🥳 & gave you a good start to reducing your food budget 😊 No kindle here as I just love the feel of a book 😉 + fond memories of illicit reading by torchlight under the bed covers when I was a lot younger 😂 

WickedLady4, you might have had an “initial bout of inertia” but you have made a great start by decluttering not just one but two older items 👏 It is notoriously difficult to declutter older items due mainly to the emotional attachment 🙁

vulpix, This “Well, would you believe it? Who should turn up at our door yesterday by chance but our MP and a councillor. They were given a tour and history of our pop up waterfall in the garden.Great promises were made, we shall see.” I do hope you recorded the visit (like a police interview) 😂 I also really liked this “It sounds like your husbands have seen the decluttering light Brie and Queen Jess. Mr V was spontaneously talking about selling his big speakers today. It must be osmosis.” 😊 Now I just need my DH to be added to the list 😉 Reading about your kitsch ‘mouse in a’ ornaments, I suddenly had a thought about Mouseman furniture 😅 Excellent decluttering of drawers 👏 As to finding more to declutter perhaps family members are bringing their ‘stuff’ when they visit & hiding it in your drawers/cupboards as they know that you will do such a good job sending it on its way to a new life 🤨 Apologies - just being silly now 😜 I can see that you are determined to use up your yarn stash as well as your fabric stash 😊 keep up the good work 👏

Another page completed 🙂 Took me slightly longer than I intended as I got distracted by DH 🙊 After zizzing peelings & feeding the worms, he decided to make soup 👏 Of course this meant that I wanted to make sure he used up any leftovers so that I wouldn’t have to freeze them. I really am determined that the garage freezer will be defrosted sooner rather than later so am gradually moving items from garage freezer to kitchen freezer but without overfilling it 🤞 Should mention that DSis has braved the cold & finally gone out to collect her meds 😊

I have done a little bit of decluttering:

28 - 30 Christmas TV guide, completed puzzle book, 2024 calendar - recycled

Now off to make myself a hot drink & see if I can find a mini task to do 😉

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️

DH Awards:

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 30/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00