2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

QueenJess

Another update... I started on my bedroom, mainly clearing and cleaning surfaces and then got DS to go through his paperwork once he got home.  Then I did the medicine box and now I'm struggling in this awful heat, so not sure if anything else will get done today.

Stay cool and hydrated everyone.

3 - wooden bed guard & accessories (Buy Nothing)
60 - DS paperwork recycled
1 - stickers (charity bag)
1 - colouring book (charity bag)
1 - DS toy (binned)
2 - expired medication (chemist)

New total 2,971
Use it up total 242
Mini kitchen challenge 44/50

Big kitchen declutter challenge 37/150

Bathroom supplies -/5

Ooh - just noticed I'm very close to my decluttering target for the full year!  Must be more still here than I realised..  I feel like there is much more to go still.

Muddy_Walker

Home….we bought the picture a couple of years ago but it matches perfectly xxx

TC77

2 bags dropped off at cs, it doesn't seem  to
make much difference which is abit a scary. Many were things I have put to sell but decided to give up and pass on.
Also using up.some things but when running out seems silly to just buy one , two more saves time..However  I get an inkling why so much stuff as found sandals  that I like which is rare so thought maybe I should get 2 colours and bought some new underwear in sale so thought maybe buy extra. RESISTED with difficulty and had bought a not so good pair of sandals before so now have 3
 One pair ready for bin by the end of summer and why I'd been looking for a pair but somehow  once.i think of something I end up buying more than I need!
Hoping when dd2 away for a year I can make a big difference . She's just given me a box of things not for her room, some i kitchen stuff for her shared house when back so going to find somewhere for it other than my kitchen! So things don't fall out of the cupboards!

daisy_1571

tc77 it often seems like a good idea to buy two.   Mr daisy and I have fallen into this trap before many, many times! 

I was just thinking about that yesterday when a pair of suede clogs was depositing its plasticy/pretend leather inners all over my feet in little bits.  These were from lands end about a hundred years ago.  Id bought a pair of blue clogs and when they arrived I remember it went something like this,

daisy 'mm they're nice, oh they've put in another catalogue' rustle rustle pages turning.  'oh, look they do green too',

mr daisy 'get yourself a pair then.  In fact get two since you like them.  You wear clogs and you might not see another pair you like when you need them.' 

So i did.  I then used the 2, stored the third.  Wore out the blue, carried on with the green.  Moved both greens to our new house.  Finally discovered the new ones in the box and remembered I'd bought them.  They looked pristine compared to the old, suddenly bauchly looking ones, so eventually said why am I wearing these old things when I have new ones? so the old went out and the new are out ready to be used.

But yesterday I find they have continued to age despite looking fabulous. 

This 'buy two' was a well used argument in our house because yes, its true, sometimes you can't get exactly the same thing again when you want it.  However these clogs are now so old that, despite looking brand new and not yet a mark on the soles they are beginning to disintegrate.   So I actually won't get the hoped for another 15 or 20 years out of them, instead I should have let lands end keep them, save my money and house room and 2 years ago id have either carried on using the old ones for a while more but at some point I'd have gone shopping for one pair of new clogs. 

One in, one out.  Ah well, we live and learn. 

Well done you on resisting.  You definitely have turned a corner in your attitude to things and the need to keep them.  Its definitely showing in your posts, I hope you see that fir yourself too 

Daisy  xxx

Ps I've just checked,  lands end dont seem to do clogs any more however just a small quick google search has shown me plenty of nice ones in easy reach of me if I decide I need new.

London_1

Hi Chums decluttered five library books this morning that are due back next Monday.

Picked up from the 'free help yourself ' table in the library a Bill Bryson book I hadn't read, plus a smashing large print book on history about Robin Hood that my grandson Jack  can take back with him after his holiday break down here for my great granddaughter.

 So apart from the decluttered cash for the patio man who has finished (came from our House Fund anyway )     
Far too hot now to go shopping so hiding in the shade until it cools down a bit, its been a NSD today

Sad Djokovic lost bless him he was looking very tired 

keep cool and carry on chums 

JackieO xxx

 

daisy_1571

I'm currently rereading the bill bryson book about the house, absolutely fascinating.   I've had to read whole chapters out to mr d as its so interesting.   I also like the body one and the one about 1927, again just fascinating 

TC77

@daisy_1571  love your post, and how we rationalise..I  found things kept for best or spare which have disintegrated, and don't do this or very rarely..and also stopped wobbling about 18 months  ago. I have made strides over the years and also seen relapses ( notice periods of major stress) amd thank you for noticing ..also been in my house over 30 years and brought stuff from.my dads to me.( or some of it).
Dd2 sorted 3 footballs which she's inflated for the donation bag and 12 cds amd a case so 16 to add.

TC77

Forgot 2 medi ines returned to chemist  one use by 2016! 
Sleeping downstairs on sofa brought back from my dad's..much cooler downstairs and this time remember the back goes down to.make a bed - I knew it would come in useful 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, just to clarify on the pie definitely no dill 😂 . It's a made up thing by me so no cook books involved. Basically onions, vegan mince and quick cook lentils, a tin of tomatoes and some vegan relish that tastes like Worcestershire sauce with mash on top. I use half vegan mince for the texture as it is them acceptable to OH and half quick cook lentils as I like the flavour. I hardly ever use a receipe book except for cake where quantities are a bit more important, and even more rarely follow them, if I don't like an ingredient I just leave it out 😁 . My cooking is quite basic but after years of not meal planning and just looking what's in the cupboard and freezer I don't think I've ever not liked something I have made but I am not really a foody person, it's just fuel to fill me up 😂. I do use a lot of different beans etc being veggie but they are all interchangeable depending on their prep times as I get them dried where possible and some need an overnight soak etc. For example I made a jackfruit and black turtle been curry because those beans only needed a short boil before use rather than soaking and then boiling 😁, hence another reason for the quick cook lentils 😂.

So today was just a bit too hot for me. I didn't sleep well so was tired as well 🙄 but I walked to the chemist to collect my meds and picked up OH's as well. They asked me if they could do a blood pressure check while I was there as it is something they have started doing for anyone not on medication for blood pressure. I was happy to oblige as they had air con in the shop 😂.. All fine as I expected, it is checked by all the doctors and nurses I ever see I think because they look at me, short, round, overweight smoker and think I must have high blood pressure and I am always quite smug because apart from 3 months when they tried to give me hrt I have always had low blood pressure. I rejected the hrt, refused to get on to the merry go round of trying a different one until we get one that suits you and my blood pressure dropped to normal for me 😁. By the time I got home I was like a wet rag and decided to stay indoors though despite the windows and back door being open there was very little breeze so just as warm probably 😂. I set to work on my emails and deleted 600 which pleased me as I normally can't concentrate on them for that long these days. I have had a renewal notice for my car insurance and did a little search for that but I was losing concentration by then so I will look again tomorrow. I got the 2 LDFPA off the line from yesterday but it was still too hot outside so I cleared a couple of programmes off the planner. After tea I watered ln's pots and baskets and it was quite pleasant by then but I was too tired to do anything else 😁

@Vulpix I meant to say great news about being able to drive again 😁

@Mrs SD yes we have 1 week left on the cake decorating and at last I am doing something I think is really nice 😁.

Right I am off to bed now
Hugs to everyone who would like one

970 meds collected
971 - 976 600 emails permanently deleted
977 & 978 LDFPA
Take care everyone
978/2025

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 continued: DH & DSis went shopping. I managed to find space to put everything away. Dinner was salad. Wudupa 

1192 - 1200 Kitchen recycling, cardboard packaging x 2, glass bottle, drinks cans, 3 cardboard boxes, plastic bottle - recycled 

1201 Kitchen detritus - binned

Excellent paperwork decluttering QueenJess 👏 Hopefully you can persuade DH to start using up his bathroom products 😉 Good luck with completing the upstairs decluttering 🍀

Brie, dill pickles in a pie sounds rather unappetising 🤢 

vulpix, great work packing up one shed especially bearing in mind how hot it was 👏 Hopefully you won’t need any of the kitchen stuff you have packed 😉🤞If you do end up making the knitted dungarees I am putting in a request for a picture 😊

Brie, This “Knitted dungarees!  I made lots of crocheted things for my nieces and nephews.  I'm sure the only time that got worn was for the obligatory "say thank you to your aunt" photo.” made me smile 😊 Lovely story about your mum & your childhood ☺️

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 & great work encouraging your DS to sort out his paperwork 👏

Beautiful picture Muddy_Walker 🥹

TC77,  great decluttering & well done on getting stuff out 👏 Hopefully you will soon start noticing the difference you are making by consistent decluttering 😊 Perhaps DD2’s box of kitchen items should be kept in her room 😉 

daisy_1571, Great support of TC77 😊 That reminds me that I bought 2 pairs of men’s shoes for myself & rarely wear even one pair 😞 I must remember to check the 2nd pair & if OK donate to CS 😉

London_1, the history book sounds great & I am sure your great granddaughter will love it 😊 Well done on having a NSD 👏

Lovely post TC77  🥹 & some great decluttering by DD2 👏 Hopefully it will be cool enough downstairs to get a good night’s sleep 🤞

Liverpool_Anne, thanks for the recipe & so pleased that there are no dill pickles 😂 I absolutely loved This “They asked me if they could do a blood pressure check while I was there as it is something they have started doing for anyone not on medication for blood pressure. I was happy to oblige as they had air con in the shop 😂.. All fine as I expected, it is checked by all the doctors and nurses I ever see I think because they look at me, short, round, overweight smoker and think I must have high blood pressure and I am always quite smug because apart from 3 months when they tried to give me hrt I have always had low blood pressure. I rejected the hrt, refused to get get on to the merry go round of trying a different one until we get one that suits you and my blood pressure dropped to normal for me” especially the underlined part 🥹 Excellent decluttering of emails 👏 & I hope you sleep better tonight 🤞

Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1201/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £299.00