2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

oceanspirit

Cranky40 - hugs to you and DS.

Lots of important things done over the last few days so very satisfying from that point of view but sadly not much decluttering.  One more book found to go and that’s about it.  

TC77

@CRANKY40 so sorry to hear about your and DS's loss, hugs and please be kin to yourselves.

Worked late tonight but did recycle 2 lots of paper from frogs. I did cleaning before work yesterday but seems its an endless task like tidying.up.I have a busy weekend but will tidy and have to sort out few issues.
Hope people managing to stay coolish .
1082

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

Friday: I had a good night’s sleep - 5 straight hours then one bathroom visit before getting up & dressed @ 08:00 We finished the packing & are so looking forward to using the lift 😉 Buffet breakfast as the hotel is large & caters to coach parties. DH had a full breakfast, juice & coffee whilst I had a rasher of bacon & 2 slices of toast & marmalade, juice & coffee. Today we are riding along the West Coast to Ullapool then on to Kylesku. We set off just before 10:00 in brilliant sunshine which had been in evidence since about 07:30 - temperature already 19°C & is set to rise to 24°C as we ride around. Stopped in Ullapool to fill up with petrol. Then travelled to Auchiltibuie along a very scenic single track road. Scenery was spectacular as usual 🤩 DH was very unlucky with the old landmarks - one had changed its usage & another one had been knocked down (both were buildings). We then took the coastal road - single track of course - to Lochinver where we stopped at a cafe 14:30 to 15:00) for coffee & a snack - DH had a pork, jalapeño & cheese sausage roll 🤤 & I had millionaires shortbread. I also popped into the Post Office to buy stamps. Decided not to bother with any more old landmarks & headed straight to the hotel arriving at 16:00. Checked into the Kylesku Hotel & were shown to the same room as we had in 2023 😉 Some of you might remember that it is an attic room up steep stairs (but Only a single flight) & that the private bathroom is on the floor below down those same steep stairs 😱 I have taken pics & promise that we will both be exceedingly careful going up & down the stairs ☺️ Mind you we do have a good view from our room 😉 

View of the loch from outside

Picture taken at 21:30 

I have written the 5 postcards I bought the other day but still need to buy some more. DH has had a shower & we are both half dressed trying to cool down before getting dressed for dinner. One advantage this hotel has is a sun deck so we can enjoy the last of the sunshine 🙂 Got dressed & went down at 18:30. Had a drink on the terrace overlooking Loch Gleann Dubh. Lucky enough to see oystercatchers skimming the water. Sat down to dinner at 19:30 at a table overlooking the loch & lucky break for me I saw a seal 🥳 DH had king prawn tempura followed by half a lobster with chips & salad, whilst I had sweet potato soup with chilli bread followed by pan fried salmon on a bed of vegetables (pak Choi, green beans, asparagus stems, broccoli & small pieces of red pepper) & boiled skin-on new potatoes. (Apologies we forgot to take photos, we were too busy eating 😂) All the food was delicious 🤤 although DH had to help me by eating some of my salmon & taste testing the potatoes & vegetables 😉 DH then ordered a desert Cranachan cheesecake (I managed half a spoonful just to taste 😊) it was 🤤 After dinner we went for a short walk but unlike last night there is a fierce cold wind blowing so we only stayed out long enough for me to have a ciggie. We sat in the lounge for half an hour then went back to our room. The wind is so strong that the windows are rattling 😦 DH is now listening to a podcast & I am watching The Green Mile whilst catching up with the cheerleading:

YBR, yippee to the chair going 🥳 Hopefully the weather will cool down so that you can clean & repair the patio leading to you being able to dismantle the greenhouse 🤞

CRANKY40 so sorry to hear about your DS’s cat 🥺 Cwtches to you & your DS 🤗 Lovely to hear about your Scottish ancestry 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏 170 bits in 19 days is brilliant work 🤩

London_1, I have loved all the stories about your mum over the years 🥹 She was a remarkable woman ☺️ Love the idea that you are a Heinz 57 ☺️

QueenJess, whenever I come to Scotland I always want to have salmon (in all its forms) & venison at least a couple of times. I also like Cullen skink & haggis but have yet to have any so far this trip 😞 What a lovely DD you have, trying to keep mummy entertained whilst you are recovering 🥹 Remember the more rest you have now, the quicker you will recover 🥹 Although I know how hard it is for you to rest as you always want to be doing something 😉 Excellent work going through your jewellery box & excellent decluttering overall 👏 Please, please try harder to rest 🙏🙏 Hm custard creams 😋 - you are so talented 🤩

GrannyKate, fingers crossed that the weather cools down to more bearable temperatures so Sir Sox can stop hiding out 🤞Meanwhile you have done an excellent amount of decluttering despite the heat 👏 You might have got wet cleaning out the rubbish bin but I bet you were also nice & cool 😉

Excellent decluttering Florenceem 👏 I will keep my fingers crossed that you soon start to notice a difference, the more trolley loads of stuff you take to the CS 🤞 Talk about MrF being both single minded & unobservant 😬 It sounds like you might have to use toddler reins in future 😉 After all that, I do hope the stall holder had what you wanted 🤞

Brambling This “new underwear was found in the new cupboard which contains art and crafting stuff??” is so funny 😂 perhaps you have some arts & craft packages in a chest of drawers 😉 Please make sure you cool down tonight 🙏

oceanspirit, completing tasks IS decluttering 😊

TC77, well done on decluttering paperwork associated with completed frogs 👏

All caught up. Please take care in the heat 🙏 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’

DSis Awards: ⭐️ 

Decluttering Target 2025: 1048/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £228.00

weenancyinAmerica

@CRANKY40 - So sorry to hear about your cat. It is always so hard to have one pts. But they live in your memory from then on. We have currently a cat who will be fifteen in a couple of months, an eight-year old cat, and a 1 year old cat. They are family.

We had our book sale today. We have so many regular customers who come in early. And each month we have new people finding out we are there. Next month will be our big summer sale - children's books will be free. And the sale will last for two days. The Library itself is offering to let us have a room that is 10 times the size of our current book store space. And we could have the books available every hour the library is open instead of just 5 hours a month. We hope to be in there by this time next year. Then we would have special programs each month along with the book sales - and we wouldn't have any carts to move unless we move some out just for the sale. The librarian who has won many awards in the last few years (even during the pandemic the library was active) wants us to have vendors come in and sell pastries and coffee and things a few times a year. And we would have workshops and art shows, especially art by the children in school. We might even have a different school every week we have so many schools (at least 52 schools, if not more, including private schools). 

We've cleared at least 100 items out of this house this week - and it hasn't made a dent. We have 10 bags of cans and bottles ready to be recycled tomorrow. I have a couple of larger items to go out tomorrow also - my sister is picking them up in the morning. 

Hope everyone is staying as cool as possible. We are having fairly good weather here (22C to 26C) this week. But the eastern part of the country is under a major heat wave. 
 

Moorviews

@CRANKY40  - I am very sorry to read of the passing of your son’s cat. Always the most difficult decision to make when we love them so much. Hugs to you both xx

Great decluttering @weenancyinAmerica 👏 I would love to have your library nearby and would be one of the early birds to the book sale!
@Mrs_Salad_Dodger - I am greatly enjoying this year’s Scotland tour and thank you for sharing it with us. Lucky you catching sight of a seal!
@vulpix - I am hoping everything works out with the house selling/buying. 

Yesterday, I put away the winter coats as it seemed like it was finally time! The waterproofs will have a wash through and hopefully not be needed for a while. It hasn’t been as oppressively hot here so I have continued with light garden work. We did have a holiday in the sun but I prefer it here really, especially when we have a nice spell of weather. The suitcases are bagged up and back in the loft and thanks to the good weather, I have finished the post holiday washing. I need to gradually work my way through washing all the curtains in the house and also the sofa covers in the coming weeks. 

I hope you all have a great weekend 😊

TC77

Mrs SD wonderful scenery,  thank you for sharing and must be one od the best places on a bike.
@weenancyinAmerica what a wonderful.librarian and wonderful you and others with the book sale.
I've woken up and looking around and can't see the dent ..... I really can't blame my kids now - except dd2 bedroom and study. How can I fill my too big house for me ( but right size foe the carp). 
Have 3 birthday cards to write this morning from stash. 
Think 32degrees here , off to a gathering at 5 but outside London and zumba this morning so hoping some Airton.
Stay safe in the heat everyone 

London_1

Cranky40 sorry to here of the loss of your little pal I remember you calling your son the House Elf and I bet he is feeling the loss as well Is it really 16 years goodness the years seem to fly by don't they.
today its extremely warm and humid ,we had a very short sharp shower yesterday afternoon barely lasted 15 minutes but at least saved watering the garden. Our two water butts are getting very low so its a case of lugging the water through the house as the kitchen is at the front so through the hall,sitiing room  and conservatory until you get to the garden I can do all the pots plus the spud and tomatoes with five trips with the watering can and DD does the hanging baskets  with one canfull.
For reasons unknown the tap is at the front of the house next to what used to be the garage (now converted into my sitting room and downstairs shower room/loo. So the front garden is easy to water.But the lawn back and front can take care of its self. 

The Isle of Wight was the first place in the UK to go completely metered years ago and at first a lot of folk complained, (my late Ma-in-law included) but everyone seems to be used to it by now. I was metered when I lived in Kent and I'm pretty good when it comes to saving water. I just think of it as I would Gas or electric and I wouldn't leave those burning unnecessarily either  We have three showers in our house plus a bath, but we rarely use the bath as showering is so much quicker and easier. Its usually the dogs after they have been on the beach that get a small bath to get the sand off 

DDs friend arrived yesterday for a long weekend from Allhallows where she lives in Kent .She's never been here before and so far really likes it. Dd has taken her on a tour of west Wight as the music festival is on this weekend so steering clear of that side because of traffic

My son-in-law is trimming the lawn bless him I'm hiding under the sun brolly as although cloudy its very warm and humid and you can still burn even though there is cloud around.

I shall go and get him a large drink of juice as soon as he is finished to cool him down a bit 

I have a small fridge in my bedroom that holds  bottled water, and UHT milk for a cuppa as I also have a kettle (saves me trudging downstairs if I fancy a cuppa during the night)

 I have been putting a packet of wet wipes in the bottom of the fridge to keep cool, and if I'm too hot during the night a nice cold wet wipe is lovely to put on my forehead I also have some spare tins of cooling mist Home bargains are doing two tins for £1.98 at the moment and a quick spray of that is lovely when lying in bed trying to get cool. My Dd bought me one of those neck fans and they too are really good if your reading but a bit too noisy if your watching tv or listening to the wireless 

Being of the somewhat older generation ... its sensible to try and keep as cool as possible and also well hydrated in this heat wave. Luckily in a way the UK heat waves don't normally last as long as mainland Europe 

I was going to go into Ryde on the bus this morning to drop some books off at the CS but I think I'll wait until Tuesday when it will be a bit cooler and more comfortable for walking

I hope everyone is enjoying the good weather but do look after yourselves as sunstroke and being burnt can spoil your weekend I'm looking forward to Wimbledon starting I like to watch it on TV.usually the chaps though as I'm not keen on all the grunting and noise the women make

Cricket will soon be on Tv as well, so it will be feet up, knitting at hand and a large pot of tea with a ginger nut or two 
I'm easily pleased aren't I       

Have a good weekend chums Longest day today then the night turn and start drawing in  ! ! ! 

JackieO xx

Florenceem

"Longest day today then the night turn and start drawing in  ! ! ! "
JackieO - we had a friend who always said that.
Mrs SD - yes I reckon I was his best customer of the day - spent £74 on his stall.
I was so tired last night - got into bed at 9,45 and thought - I will soon be asleep.
Then Mr F fell over and I dashed out of bed - no glasses on but I could see blood on his head. He is on blood thinners.
I grabbed a tissue to put on his head - he had scraped skin off quite a large patch.
I had to go downstairs for my first aid kit. Patched him up and put a towel over his pillow in case the dressing came off during the night.
The blood came through but then clotted. I have redone the dressing today with a large plaster. Getting low on supplies of plasters.
I like to buy the plaster strips that you can cut to required size. 
An item was collected by a Freegler today.
We walked into town - took a trolley full of stuff to the charity shop.
Went to Saver.. but no plaster strips there.
I found boxes of plaster strip in £la,, - 1.5m in a pack so I bought two - I am well stocked just in case! 
So hot on the bus coming home - I did waft my fan but didn't help much.
I have volunteered to take in the food delivery at SA tonight.

oceanspirit

Love hearing about your wildlife spotting Mrs SD.  We had a seagull alarm clock this morning followed by the daily pigeon serenade.  They like the chimney - for the acoustics, apparently.

Stayed indoors and got on with the filing cabinet - nearly there!  Lots more shredding, recycling and a few onto the scrap paper pile.  A few more files to sort tomorrow then it’s onto the last couple of bags of papers in the living room.

Just did 10 mins in the garden in a supervisory role with OH 😄.

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

Saturday: Slept reasonably well with one bathroom visit at 05:30 & the next at 07:00 & yes I was very careful going up & down those stairs 😉 The howling gale that started last night continued all through the night & is still going on at 08:00 & although very cloudy it appears to be dry. Today we are starting to head south towards Inverness, stopping in Elgin tonight. Bags mostly packed before going down to breakfast. Went down to breakfast @ 08:50 - DH had a full breakfast, juice & coffee whilst I had some bacon, toast & marmalade, juice & coffee. Went back to room, finished packing then DH carried 2 bags down the stairs & I slid the other 2 bags down the stairs. We each visited the bathroom before DH took 2 bags to the bike & I settled the bill for dinner & drinks. Loaded then DH last 2 bags in the bike & were on the road by 09:50 with DH fighting to keep the bike upright against the wind 😥 It was overcast, very windy & quite chilly. One rather wonderful sight was the low cloud seeming to flow over the top of a mountain looked like someone poring cream over strawberries. As we drove further south, the wind died down, the clouds started to clear, the sun came out & the temperatures rose. One of the landmarks was the Highland Folk Museum. We made a donation & went in to use the facilities & cafe but were waylaid by the sound of gunfire 😱 There was a re-enactment going on - the Highland Rising - we managed to catch the tail end of the performance ☺️ I didn’t realise gunshots were so loud. Went into the cafe & had coffee + shared a slice of carrot & walnut cake & a chocolate Rice Krispies cake. Back on the road half an hour later with the temperature rising to about 28°C Delayed for about 20 minutes - aftermath of an accident - we saw two cars loaded on to tow trucks as the police tidied up & drove away but then saw a totally wrecked third car which had gone off the road & ended up in a field 😞 After visiting a couple more landmarks we eventually arrived at our hotel at 17:30. DH had to make a phone call to get someone to come to reception so we could check-in. Nice room with a lovely bathroom. Both of us needed a shower to cool down. Dressed & down to dinner at 19:30. DH had bread & oils from the nibbles menu as he couldn’t find a starter he liked followed but Thai Green Curry whilst I had prawn & chorizo skewers followed by Parmesan Chicken Milanese. 

A bit light on animals today: cows, sheep, horses, oystercatchers, swallows & seagulls.

Sorry I haven’t done any cheerleading but I nodded off in the middle of typing. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’

DSis Awards: ⭐️ 

Decluttering Target 2025: 1048/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £228.00