2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

TC77

Just found a new to me top I haven't worn yet and love so hung up.to.wear before gets too.cold.and found a top for cs
1565
May find more in the morning and drop of cs bag tomorrow   feel more positive , thanks for all the encouragement and ideas x

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

Wednesday continued: I forget to mention that yesterday once the laundry was dry I did several repairs - 3 pairs of Sunday knickers & my ancient skirt (which is possibly over 30 years old 😉) 🙂 Straight back to cheerleading: 

Sound advice _Dolly_Rocker_ ☺️ As to the housework conundrum, I see that several of our fellow declutterati have come up with some great suggestions 😊

Muddy_Walker, great suggestions for _Dolly_Rocker_ 👏

Good luck _Dolly_Rocker_ 🍀 sounds like you have been inspired ☺️

Brie, This “This is me.  And the OH.  Neither of us will ever win a blue ribbon at housework.  That said at least I know how to read the manual for the washing machine and so can put the soap in properly.  I've been trying to get better and tackling bits at a time - it's a case of "what bugs me the most?" struck a chord 😂 By the way, thorough cleaning & tidying Definitely counts as decluttering 😊 just think of all the dust bunnies you are ousting & the cleaning products you are using up 😅 Excellent work on the physical decluttering especially the Tip run 👏 One medal 🏅 on its way 😊 Also well done on resisting your husband’s offer to go shopping 🥳

_Dolly_Rocker_ good luck with the kitchen tidying & cleaning 🍀

Excellent decluttering Muddy_Walker 👏 You have sailed past the point of your next award, so I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ 

London_1, This “when we downsized in 1995 from our larger house to a smaller one my late husband used to say ‘Think caravan’ meaning if you were living in a caravan you would have to put things away or hang them up straight away or you would be in a dreadful muddle’ 🤣 I did this and it soon became a habit and after moving last year I’m still doing it and automatically never go upstairs empty handed or pass anything that needs to go away in a cupboard or drawer” is brilliant 🤩 I am now imagining your late husband being a ‘master declutterer’ 

_Dolly_Rocker_  making great progress in the kitchen 👏

TC77, This “….. I work very hard at clearing up after myself but get distracted and maybe get 10 things out and put 8 away and this goes on.” sounds familiar 😬 Perhaps we can both work at reversing the numbers - 8 out, 10 put away 🤔 which should help us both 🤞 I have yet to listen to ‘Mindset Mentor’ but would agree that 24 hours to declutter your life seems very, very ambitious 😂 Good luck with your mission to “improve any area - maybe clear the sides and trip hazards!” 🍀

BlueJ94, pleased to hear that you are keeping the chair 😊

vulpix, This “It was international week and we had 100 people to feed from all over the world. She had us make mincemeat pies and found a couple labelled in the freezer. All pies cooked and served with custard. An American came up and asked if they should be eating meat pies with custard. 🤣 only the Germans at the next table had finished theirs!” is absolutely brilliant 🤣

BlueJ94, I was exhausted just reading This “Straight in from work, changed straight into comfy clothing, wash load on, emptied recycling, emptied rubbish bin, cleaned both bins, wash load onto airers as its STILL raining! I then made a start on room of doom which I stopped half way, I've decluttered another 136 items and gained another black bag full!! Just walked the dogs, was a short walk 31 minutes, 1.35 miles. Total steps for the day 18k. Going to finish sorting room of doom, have my dinner (OH is making) then have a bath and bed time!” A massive number of items decluttered 🤩 definitely merits a medal 🏅 which is on its way 😊 Pleased to hear that you have decided on a use for the chair 😊

We had spaghetti bolognaise for dinner 😋 Plenty of sauce left over to be portioned & frozen. DH went out for a walk after dinner as the rain had finally stopped after several heavy showers. I had several gristly bits of chicken left Currently watching The Rookie before doing the washing up & maybe having another session of cheerleading.

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1600/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

London_1

Mrs Salad dodger he was indeed a great one for decluttering bless him

we too had spag bol tonight and DD used up the last of the beef from Sunday minced up. My son-in-law isn’t keen on pasta so she dug him out some frozen curry and Mikey Dd and I had the rest of the joint with pasta and mushroom, tomatoes and a few bit of veg chucked in as well
im slowly being her round to the idea that streeetching meals can cut back on the costs a bit
Shes never really done it much as she’s always cooked a lot when all the five children were at home
she still tends to cook a bit too much but with the second under the worktop freezer and a bit of my creativity with left overs I think our budgets are working out better than she imagined
but then to I’ve been cooking a good deal longer than her around 65 plus years 🤣

tomorrow I’m going to tackle one of my wardrobes to see what I can move out
weather is supposed to be wet again so no gardening for us

Good night God bless all here
i think of the poor souls sleeping on the streets when the weather is bad like this, I know the hovercraft and some of the ferries were cancelled today 

JackieO xxx

suzeesu2000

Thank you @TC77 & @vulpix a MUCH better day all round. Hope yours was good too 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

Wednesday continued: Wudupa. DSis & I watched the last 2 thirds of The Quiet Man - a 72 year old film but still highly entertaining 😊

1601 - 1603 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, glass bottle - recycled 

1604 - 1605 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned

suzeesu2000, the thread was certainly busy on Tuesday & so much decluttering done 👏 Sorry to hear that Tuesday started badly 😔 Hopefully the stair lift engineer managed to fix the issue 🤞 This “Mum, aged 103, managed to cut her lower leg rather badly, lots of blood but not as bad as first thought. She lives in her own flat in a sheltered housing complex but the warden was covering other places today. Paramedics came and called another paramedic to come and dress the wound. Had to organise district nurses to come in and change dressing tomorrow as she’s leaking already. Next had to try to organise her carers as she’s moved from the social services support phase and has to pay for care now. Preferred agency can’t accommodate the times she needs them at. Back to social services again.” I do hope your Mum is OK now 🙏 Wow 103 🤩 Although I do think that it is disgraceful that your Mum has to pay for her care 😞 Everything crossed that Wednesday was a better day for both you & your Mum 🤞

TC77, you are still being hard on yourself 😞 Steadily chipping away at the clutter is working for you 👏 plus you always do more at the weekends when you are not working 👏

BlueJ94, I hope you enjoyed the time to yourself 😊 I am not surprised you were sleepy getting up so early 😥 A whiteboard sounds like a great idea 👏 Well done on sticking to your shopping list 👏

Only a day behind now but nodding off so I am headed to bed. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1605/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

BlueJ94

Morning morning! Guess what? It's raining still.. woke up a little later than what i planned today, I think all this decluttering is taking its toll Swagbucks paid me £50 yesterday just unsure where I'm going to pay it towards, I must sit down and work out debts as my signature is wrong.

To do today 

Get rid of plastic draws, see if I can pass them along to family 
Aim for 3L of water 
Do some surveys on break 

Thanks for the support so far everyone who cheers me along, it really does motivate me!

BlueJ94

Morning me again, I started another podcast called "a slob comes clean" she has a website too where you can print free checklists for cleaning and decluttering 

GrannyKate

Morning all.  Hoping the plasterers are going to turn up tomorrow - delayed from 19 July - room was empty but children have been playing with lego in there so I need to move that out today.  I shall scream if they don't come - not that that will help.

@vulpix - I sympathise fully with you on moving situation - I remember last year so well.  Long chat with sister in US yesterday - things in US are really too awful to contemplate.  She was at a clinic yesterday about some back issues and the doctor suggested a test and said shall we do it now as we know medicaid are covering this appointment.  She does have insurance cover but you never know what will happen going forward.  They are off to Canada in a few days for their annual trip to Stratford, Ontario to see some theatre.  I am looking forward to seeing her in Scotland in a month's time.  

Plodding on with yet more frogs to do but I am giving myself family history time (took one line back a further 3 generations and eagerly awaiting a marriage certificate in the post to confirm a connection which will give me details of 3 x great grandmother's life and death. Lots of people have this marriage for her on the public family trees on the big genealogy site but none of them have  her first illegitimate child, my 2 x great grandmother, who had a shortish and sad life).  Quiz this morning where there will be bacon rolls on offer as it coincides with church having a weekly coffee morning in the bigger hall.  Thursday is the market day and they get a good turn out for tea, snacks and cakes as close to the centre. 

806 Next May's holiday - another payment made as my friend sent her deposit and I paid more off of my half
807 Monthly banking done - a bit depressing really but I know I am better off than many my age
808. Plastics dropped off at SM 
809 Made Christmas hair appointment whilst I was getting hair done today. They get booked up.
810-812 Frogs done

First school pick up today. DGS4's last year at primary school.  All 8 DGCs now in double figures and the oldest are both 20 this year.  Very pleased with progress on the 1p saving challenge as I am two thirds of the way towards the £700 cash needed for my Christmas envelopes.  I have bought one stocking gift as well.  

Time to get dressed. Hope all have a good day.  Rain is much needed but Sox is not a happy cat.  He stayed in all day yesterday curled up on a fleecy rug on an armchair occasionally stirring to stare out of the window.  

TC77

@BlueJ94 I think many people like a slob comes clean. 3litre of water sounds alot in cooler weather but reminds me I need to drink some! 
Knew it would happen taken items off sites I put on 2 days ago. New sheets and pillow cases in CS bag and donation hub (8 items). Have bags to drop off to both, and a skateboard to drop off to a community project - hoping i can carry all with my trolley in one go but may be 2 trips. 
Also trying to sort our council's new parking system - each time they upgrade causes everyone more grief and is less intuitive.

YBR

We nearly had a DD2 crisis yesterday, coming home from her new school (1st day unaccompanied) she got off at the wrong stop and left her mobile phone on the bus. Fortunately it was just one stop early and she sensibly followed the bus route down the road and met DH. The bus then does a large loop and so while DH got on the phone to the bus company I headed off to the other stop and retrieved her mobile which had been handed into the driver, returning before DH had even got through to a human!

Mobile NOT decluttered. Fortunately. She has to have it for her bus ticket.