2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

suzeesu2000

I knew today would be good.

All garden stuff - except raised beds & compost - collected for local primary school. Very pleased they  have gone to a good home.

All ironing taken upstairs, sorted and put away.

Photographed all dresses, skirts, blouses & vest tops as I am cataloging clothing so I can keep better track of what I actually have.

Photographed 3 dresses to sell - never worn & still have tags on.

And its only 1pm!

Now to sort photos and start listing on eBay.

Hope everyone elses day is going as good as mine, stay safe chums xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Good afternoon everyone, I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday 😊 It is bright, sunny & warm here with a high of 24°C, low 13°C & humidity 47% Before I try to catch up with the cheerleading I will report on my weekend 😉 

Friday continued: we left the house 16:45 - bus, DLR, Northern Line & one stop on overground followed by a short walk to the B&B (Streatham) arriving 18:10. A remarkably swift journey as we were very lucky with connections 🙂 Checked in with the wonderful landlady Claudia. DSis had a ground floor room, whilst DH & I had the same room as last time we stayed 🙂 We settled into our rooms, hung up our wedding attire & pottered about a bit before heading off to the nearby pub (19:15) to have a meal. Very busy pub but managed to find a table, had a drink & then ordered food which DSis paid for 😊 DH & DSis had burgers whilst I had to settle for a chicken schnitzel with boiled potatoes & sauerkraut as no chicken Caesar salad ☹️ Turned out to be a fortuitous order as I made a friend of the canine persuasion 😂 A couple walked in with a cockapoo which took a liking to me Before I had my food 😉 The schnitzel was enormous so once I had my fill, we asked the couple if they would mind if I gave the leftovers to their dog. They were more than happy so once I peeled off all the breadcrumb coating I fed the dog  who was very gentle when accepting the pieces of chicken. Obviously once their meals arrived the dog lost interest in me 🤣 We were back at the B&B just after 21:00. Watched TV & finally fell asleep 00:30. Up a couple of times during the night & then finally up Saturday at 08:15. DH had a shower & we went down to breakfast at 09:00. Coffee, croissants, toast. Cereals were available but none of us were hungry 😉 DH & I went back to our room to get changed & vacate by 10:30 although we had access to DSis’s room until we left for the church & to store our bags for DH to pick up on Sunday. Claudia booked a cab for us although she was surprised we weren’t walking as the church was only about 10/15 minutes away. However we weren’t walking as it was a warm, sunny start to the day & we didn’t want to get sweaty 🥵 Forecast was for a warm day some cloud but mainly sunny with a high of 23°C. We packed managing to get everything (including the small case) into the larger wheelie case. Then pottered about until 11:45 when the cab arrived. Five minutes later we were at the church (Norbury) although we were not the first to arrive 😉 The groom F & groomsmen turned up a few minutes later & F seemed surprised that he wasn’t the first to arrive  🥲 He came over to say hello & said the sweetest & most romantic thing I have ever heard: “I was expecting to be the first one here. I had no idea so many people would be just as excited as I am” 🥹 More & more people arrived including the bride’s uncle & partner who had flown in from Australia, the bride’s great aunt & her two sons & their wives who had come from Italy & the groom’s family who had come from Portugal. Just to round out the multinational family there was the Jamaican side of the bride’s family (who all live in England). The church was decently full as we waited for the bride M to arrive. The music playing whilst we waited was an instrumental version of Simon & Garfunkel’ Sound of Silence. The bride in a beautifully elegant dress proudly escorted by her dad N turned up late but only 7 minutes 😉 A lovely ceremony conducted by a deacon as the priest was on holiday 🤨 Then photos inside & outside the church (I took the opportunity to light a couple of candles which are now electric & you press a button ☹️) whilst we waited for the double decker buses that were taking us to Putney to board the boat which was then taking us to the wedding reception venue at Trinity Buoy Wharf (just down the road from our house 🙂) The two buses were classic Routemasters with the open back. A pleasant journey especially if you were downstairs as there was a lovely breeze 😊 DH & I spent the journey chatting to the conductor. Once we arrived at the river we had some time to wait as the boat was in a queue to dock We were on the boat for a couple of hours - so travelled upstream for a while before eventually travelling downstream to the venue. There was a bar on board & once we started downstream we had a short stop to pick up some trays of food - just to tide us over until the evening meal. The weather was perfect for a boat trip & the photographer was in his element taking some lovely photos of the newlyweds with Tower Bridge in the background. Everyone seemed to have a lovely time chatting, seeing the sights & taking photos. There was a brief spell when music was put on but that was only for a few minutes before it was turned off as presumably there were objections 😉 Arrived at the reception venue 17:15 (opposite the O2 or to my mind still the Millennium Dome 😉) & were served drinks outside whilst M & F had some time to themselves & then emerged from the venue for the ‘confetti’ walk 😂 Went indoors about 18:00 & took our seats at the tables for dinner. Delicious meal & the wine flowed freely. The speeches were made between the main course & dessert. Although I didn’t cry during the wedding ceremony, I did have a few happy/sad tears during the speeches 🥹 A lot more speeches than I remember - father of the bride, groom, best-man, 2 bridesmaids, a cousin of the groom & finally the bride. All very emotional 🥹  There was also a Photo Booth, a telephone to leave messages & a wonderful surprise of a Jamaican food truck outside & an ice cream stand 🥳 Then came the first dance followed by father & daughter dance before a good 50% of the 130 guests took to the dance floor. Would you believe there was a security team at the venue - DH & I only found out when we were outside & found ourselves chatting to the head guy. About 11:30 everyone went outside & we lit sparklers - another new experience. Although we could have caught a bus home from the venue we treated ourselves & called a cab arriving home just before midnight. All in all a perfect & magical day 🤩

Here are a few pictures:

Just a flavour of the day & tried hard to keep the photos fairly general in terms of identifying people 🤞

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Well that didn’t work well - when I was adding the pictures it looked like they would be in rows of three ☹️ 

CRANKY40

Lovely weather for it too Mrs S_D.  It seems like it was all planned extremely well and ending up close enough to home to get a taxi back is perfect. I'm glad that it all went well too - when you've put so much time and effort (and money) into something it's good to hear that every bit of the wedding was enjoyable. I hope that the bride and groom have a long and happy life together. 

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 was a very quiet day. DH went on the bike to collect the suitcase so was only gone 2 hours. Sadly Claudia the landlady is closing the B&B at the end of this season as due to Br…t she has been losing a lot of European customers over the years & the business is no longer viable 😢 I unpacked our stuff from the suitcases & put everything in appropriate places. DSis now has the suitcase & will hopefully sort her stuff out sooner rather than later 🤞We ordered in - chicken burgers & fries for DSis & I. DH went out for a walk & when he got back he finished DSis’s burger (she only ate half) & had a yoghurt. 

Monday: I woke up very late 13:45. It is a gorgeous day for lying around & sunbathing - clear blue skies, sunshine & hot 26°C but no breeze. DH went out for a short walk to collect crab apples for the worms & is now chatting to his DSis - slightly late weekly phone call as he usually phones on Saturdays 😅 I am going to make a start on trying to catch up with the cheerleading, starting from posts dated Thursday (writing in the present tense), wish me luck 🍀 

daisy_1571, This “We recently got shot of the family christening gown to mr d's brother as he has kids so they will have the next generation to get into it for the obligatory photo, no point us continuing to store it.  We think it’s been in the family over 100 years.” 🤩 that is old 😅 & hopefully will be used for another 100 years 🤞 Well done on still being able to wear the red leather motorbike jacket with fringes 😊 As to the christening bracelet at 59 and a half-years, it is definitely ‘allowed’ otherwise I wouldn’t be able to count my very first ‘grown up’ earrings made & bought in Italy 1963/64 & worn practically every day & night since then apart from odd occasions when I matched earrings to outfits ☺️ So about 61.5 years old 😉 

Excellent decluttering TC77 👏 

Dizzycap, how annoying 😠 Hope you slept well 😊

Liverpool_Anne, a very busy & productive Wednesday 👏 Hopefully the TGTG bag will still be cost effective 🤞 I like the sound of those dresses - made in Italy so good quality & still going strong after 40 years  🤩 perfect for an occasion such as a wedding or maybe a garden party 😉

Excellent work in the shed oceanspirit 👏 Good luck sorting the final shelves  in the shed & I hope you managed to clear the admin frogs before they become urgent 🤞 Love This “OH was slightly embarrassed at being outed for his shed organisation strategy and has admitted that it’s just laziness.  I wonder if he will change his ways?  Probably not, lol.” 😂 

vulpix, I remember garters 😅 This “A lovely day yesterday with family and Shetland pony visiting. One of the ponies is 30 years old,the other one 24. DGS, loved seeing them take their hats and coats off and putting their jammies on and giving them their dinner in their bedrooms. He was awed by the other horses in the yard,some were huge. He was also very impressed by the yard tractor. After they had gone, I packed a banana box with the plastic animals, cars and kids books.” sounds wonderful 🤩 & I hope you took plenty of photos of DGS 😉 Sounds like the packing has gone very well 😊 so will keep everything crossed that you get a moving date soon🤞The shawl sounds beautiful 😍 

Brie, I thought it was wonderfully descriptive 😊

suzeesu2000, pleased to see that the weather has been kind enough for you to make use of your new washing line 😊 I will join you in hoping that London_1 & Florenceem are both OK & just busy ☺️

Willowtree222, great work decluttering used coffee pods 👏 

One page caught up 🥳 As we are having a roast dinner I will post this & make a start. Hope everyone is having a lovely day 😊

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1539/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

suzeesu2000

Mrs_Salad_Dodger glad you had a lovely time.
Been Very warm here today.
Did get all clothing catalogued. Found a skirt I had forgotten about as well. Gave me a reminder that I need to make a couple of petticoats for me, only waist ones so will only take a minute to make and will use some of my material stash. Looking to make a couple of nice cotton nighties too. 

Got 2 items listed on eBay, not expecting them to go quickly as one is quite pricey. 
Tomorrow I hope to declutter some of DHs long sleeve T-shirts and get another 2 items on eBay.
DH Decluttered a few annoying bits from the freezer too today bless him, grateful for that. 

Feeling tired this evening but can’t afford to doze just yet.

Have a nice evening everyone xx

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

Meat is in, all vegetables prepped & timings worked out. We will be eating late 🙊 Back to cheerleading:

Brie, thanks heavens you are in charge of clothing donations to the CS 😂 Good luck with the next box of clothing & hopefully just shaking out will be enough 🤞 Re This “Then there's the hat......I suspect it will be for the bin (very squashed) but he'll likely want to take the hiking pin off it first...” did make me smile 😊 

retiredinfrance, thank heavens the temperatures have dropped 😮‍💨 High 30’s into the 40’s is way too hot 🥵 You have been busy 🥳 Excellent decluttering of both books & clothes 👏 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way for reaching your first target 👏 This “A consumer organization in France has done a survey on the excess amount of clothing  we have . A group of people were asked to estimate the number of clothing items they had. The organization then counted the items and , guess what all underestimated the amount by about 50 percent. Worse was the subgroup of Charity Shop customers- they had nearly double their estimate. I realised  I’m in danger of having way too many clothes” is very interesting 🧐 I think I really do need to make a start on decimating the contents of my wardrobe although not sure that there is too much that is CS worthy 😞 

Lovely post TC77 😊 Excellent work wearing your clothing purchases 👏 & more great decluttering 👏 

vulpix, what a wonderful way to look after the ponies & horses 😊 

StickyTheStickInsect, a great idea to take advantage of the weather ☺️ And how marvellous that everyone got to experience & enjoy different parts of your adventures/outings 🥳 Hopefully after all that walking everyone has been sleeping well 😉 Excellent decluttering as well especially being able to pass on school uniform to a friend 👏

I have caught up a teeny bit more but need to concentrate on dinner now 😉 Hopefully I will see you later 🤞

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1539/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

TC77

Mrs SD glad the wedding went so well, sounds a very special day.
2 old instruction manuals
I've almost decluttered my freezer /fridge but find the one I want is out of stock , hopefully  not for long.
@Floss, I do try , but do need to remind myself.
Some other small bits as I tidied kitchen and dining table.some textile recyling and electronic decluttering 
1522

Dizzycap

short_bird said:

@Dizzycap "Has anyone thought about hiring out their vintage clothing / items for special occasions / events? Just a thought for your bank account    I suppose it depends on how comfortable you feel about handing over your precious item(s) to be used and returned in the same condition it was hired out in?!"

Things will not return in the condition they were hired out in.
If a garment has any emotional ties for you, renting is not the way forward.
(There was a good reason why 75% of the garments at the fancy dress shop I worked in were washable. Also, a vintage group I frequent has endless tales of rented vintage being returned in no fit state...)

Yes, I did wonder in this day & age 

just the usual HH basic decluttering going on here over the bank holiday weekend along with the usual garden & pots watering as I really had to clutter up on some well needed sleep/rest. It's forecast for rain from Wednesday onwards and this time I would like to actually get some as this week is exceptionally busy with appointments and I'd like a break from having to water daily as it's remained hot here whilst 5 miles up he road, it's been bucketing it down I know which I would personally prefer - old misery guts!  I've reached page 465 on the decluttering page but need to go and try & get some sleep - Well done every one with all the decluttering & cluttering up on wonderful experiences  Take care all & ta-ta for now xxxxxxx P.s both girls are doing just fine, although babyface had to have a bath tonight as she picked up some pollen on her when she went out for what was suppose to be the last toilet session of the day     Just about to peg out a load of washing with another completing it's cycle before we pop off to bed     

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

Dinner was delicious 😋 Roast beef, roast potatoes & carrots, spring greens, cabbage, Yorkshire puddings & hm gravy. The beef was tender & the roasties came out perfectly - soft & fluffy inside and golden & crunchy outside 🤤 DH went out for a walk in the cooler night air. DSis & I watched the last episode of Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins - sadly our favourite didn’t quite make it to the end 😞 Wudupa

1540 - 1546 Kitchen & lr recycling, drinks cans, newspaper, magazine, glass bottle, plastic bottle - recycled 

1547 - 1548 Kitchen detritus, 0.5” shredding - binned

Liverpool_Anne, loved This “Hi all, goodish day today. Chiropodist appointment 😁 now feel like I'm walking on air 😁” Some good decluttering 👏 What a nightmare regarding OH’s car 😱 I can see a huge claim by your OH in the future 🔮 Fingers crossed that you had a good journey to pick up the spare part & deliver it to the garage🤞

Finally starting the cheerleading for Friday’s posts 😁

GrannyKate, hopefully the DGCs can keep themselves occupied so that you can dispense with a couple of the croaking frogs 🤞What a lovely tale “I have attached a photo of a treasured picture made from stamps. It was made/drawn by a wartime colleague of my father who was a brilliant artist probably whilst they were in N Africa - he carried a small tobacco tin of stamps with him and made these when he could find blank postcards.  It needs a nicer frame but at least it is protected.” + the picture is stunning 😍 what a very talented gentleman 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏 Fingers crossed that the plasterer turns up & also that you can make a start on the next project 🤞 Sox seems to be staying very close nowadays 🥹

Lovely post Moorviews 😊 Sorry to hear that another kitchen appliance has packed in 😞

Willowtree222, so sorry to hear about DD’s hamster 😢 Sending her gentle hugs 🤗 

charlies_tribe, sorry to hear that you are still struggling with your energy levels 😔 Although it sounds like you have still managed quite a lot of work 👏 Hopefully DD1 can source some boxes so that you can list books/jigsaws 🤞Congratulations to both your youngest on their exam results  🥳

Lovely post vulpix 😊 DSis & I wouldn’t let my DH take any pictures of us (as we were both feeling fat & photos seem to add even more pounds 😉) I will post a photo of the dress which I forgot to mention that I wore without the t_shirt & I never needed the cardigan I had bought 😊 Hopefully buyer’s solicitor won’t ‘lose’ the new diagram 🤞Good luck with finishing the knitting challenge & dispensing with the large container 🍀

Excellent decluttering Happy_Kitties 👏 & congratulations on passing your neutral items target 🥳 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊

QueenJess, well done keeping up with the tidying even though work is getting busier 👏

Thanks Wednesday2000 👏 a very interesting article 🙂

Muddy_Walker, very pleased to hear that your concerns addressed in “The Meeting” & that you & your colleagues are now happier about the work situation  😮‍💨

Dizzycap, This “I've had one of the best feeling days with normal energy levels for over 14 months and I have gone decluttering crazy today 😮” was such a pleasure to read 🥹 What a very, very busy day 🤩 getting so much done interspersed with gifts from friends & neighbours & spending time with both Babyface & Gorda 👏 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊 No wonder you were ready for your PJs before 7.00 p.m. 😉 I was exhausted just reading about your exploits 👏

Willowtree222, This “We had a funeral this morning for her and put her in a plant pot with a lovely plant on top for us to remember her by. She was such a character.” was such a lovely thing to do 🥹 

suzeesu2000, excellent work with the clothes decluttering 👏 I really must follow your example & Not keep ‘just in case’ clothes 😉 Excellent work with the ironing 👏 one medal🏅 is on its way.

mehefin, absolutely you can jump in 😊 What a beautiful christening gown 😍 & such skilful embroidery 🤩

Willowtree222, loved This “My parents are currently staying with me. Dd has my mum wrapped round her finger and today she returned home with a waffle maker. Just when I had made space in the cupboards!” ☺️  Thank heavens it was only a waffle maker 😂

Excellent decluttering TC77 👏 especially the large cardboard box 👏 Fingers crossed that the weather stays dry so that the painting gets done quickly & the scaffolding can be taken down quickly 🤞

Yippee have just finished cheerleading for Friday the 22nd 🥳 Only 3 days behind now 😮‍💨 Sleep tight everyone 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1548/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00