2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

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

Tuesday continued: after an hour or so when it got a little dark, the sun came back & now have blue sky with white clouds although temperature is noticeably cooler with a slightly chilly wind. Knock on the door about 17:50 neighbours (across the road) G & A’s elder lad M asking for DH. A major crisis as the water tank feeding the boiler had burst & G was unable to find the stopcock. DH explained where it was then put on his shoes & went over to help. Electrics had already been turned off 😮‍💨 The stopcock was very difficult to turn but DH & G were finally able to manage. Water pouring through the ceiling & through all the inset ceiling lights. DH came back & gathered up 3 trugs & a large bucket to take over to help catch the water. What a nightmare 😱 G & A have managed to get an electrician already but the plumber is turning up later. Plumber now been & gone. For our dinner I used a bolognese sauce from freezer topped with mash & grated cheese cooked in oven with some tomatoes roasted with a bit of oil, salt & pepper + frozen broccoli & cauliflower 😋 DSis & I watched GBBO & the the semifinal of Sewing Bee & were pleased with who got through. Wudupa.

1673 - 1678 Kitchen recycling, newspaper, 2 glass jars, glass bottle, drinks cans - recycled 

1679 - 1680 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned 

vulpix, definitely agree with This “It does a body good to spend happy times with family.” 🥹 I think the rain might have done you a favour - a chance to spend time with DD1 hopefully relaxing & chatting. I am not very successful with houseplants either so rather dread being given one 😂 DD1 sounds like she has not only green-fingers but green-hands 😊 Love that you overestimated the amount of clothing you have 🙊 which just proves how efficient you have been in decluttering your clothing on a regular basis ☺️ Excellent decluttering by both you & MrV 👏 I am awarding you each a medal 🏅🏅 Good luck using up the last of your fabric stash 🍀 Great news that your parcel of knitted items has been posted & that it was relatively inexpensive 👏 I will keep everything crossed that the rather cretinous sounding buyers solicitors accept the next access statement provided by your solicitor 🤞 Although once you have moved I think a complaint should be made to the relevant ombudsman 🤨 

Wow you have been busy suzeesu2000 🤩 Excellent work sorting both DH’s clothing & yours 👏 Good luck with your listings & hopefully you will get good prices especially for the tops with tags 🍀 Very impressed that all your meals are from fridge, freezer & pantry 😊 Fingers crossed that you can manage to extend the time to 14 days without needing to shop 🤞

dND, poor senior cat being banned from using the litter trays by the younger cat 😢 Fingers crossed that your lasting power of attorney frog will be dealt with completely by the end of the week 🤞 Still working hard on the garden I see 👏 That is an excellent electric saw - 5 years of frequent use & only now having an issue 🤩 Is it a French brand  & can you get a direct replacement?  😠 to the IT gremlins - such a waste of your time 😞 Hopefully Tuesday was a much, much better day 🙏

StickyTheStickInsect, pleased to hear that emptying DD & DS2 bedroom was easier & quicker than expected 😊 Great news that the floor is installed 👏 and you can now plan out how to divide the room 😊 Excellent decluttering 👏 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊

Fell asleep on the sofa & have just woken up 😉 So will post & head to bed. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1680/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

BlueJ94

Regarding the Credit card I posted yesterday with the 0% offer, I've just checked both my Credit cards and they've both gor 37.7% APR! Now advice is needed, my one Credit card has a balance of £1210 and the other is £796. Which am I better paying off first? I'll be closing or freezing both accounts once paid!

Moorviews

Mrs SD - thank you for both those ideas. I shall try a variation of the second one!  Instead of leaving them be I will put things together on the bed and request that they be put away. Well done to Mr SD for the weight loss!

@Fizz2015 - I am very sorry for your family’s loss. These times have their own pace and you will get back to everything else when it feels right to do so. 

@BlueJ94 - personally I would transfer the larger balance in order to save paying the extra interest on that. There are arguments for clearing the lower balance first though too. 

@vulpix - buying and selling houses in the modern age is even worse than it used to be. My fingers are crossed for you!
@dND - it is very nice to see you again! You have reminded me that we have not yet done ours. 

@suzeesu2000 - I am trying to stay out of the shops and get existing food stocks used up too. It is amazing how many meals you can make when pushing through. 

I still have a mountain of laundry as the expected drying day produced some very heavy showers! It is much slower drying indoors but I will get there in the end. It is still too warm to light a fire so no heating on yet. I do have a TD but only use it for household linens occasionally. 

Thank you everyone for all the inspiration you provide on a daily basis 😊

TC77

@Fizz2015 sending condolences and hugs for you and family. Be kind and gentle to yourself as you support OH and others x

TC77

Manages to declutter my wallet and credit cards/ bank cards, not sure why but had my going abroad cards as well. I didn't take it specifically  out of my bag but can only assume when I took book out to read on train or something came out ! 3 trains and a walk each way to north London hospital  with dd1. She will be stuck with some problems with her ankle but surgeon said taking out metal work may make it more comfortable so is on waiting list.
Nothing ore out here except a pen which has stopped working. Been under the weather so nothing doing after work.  Going to try and eat healthier and eat all the stocks of frozen veg and dried stuff for casseroles etc .
1606 
  

MadamMim2013

BlueJ94 said:

Regarding the Credit card I posted yesterday with the 0% offer, I've just checked both my Credit cards and they've both gor 37.7% APR! Now advice is needed, my one Credit card has a balance of £1210 and the other is £796. Which am I better paying off first? I'll be closing or freezing both accounts once paid!

Would it be possible to transfer both amounts across onto the new card? 

That way you could concentrate on clearing both the debts within the 6 months (as one) on 0% interest..

BlueJ94

MadamMim2013 said:

BlueJ94 said:

Regarding the Credit card I posted yesterday with the 0% offer, I've just checked both my Credit cards and they've both gor 37.7% APR! Now advice is needed, my one Credit card has a balance of £1210 and the other is £796. Which am I better paying off first? I'll be closing or freezing both accounts once paid!

Would it be possible to transfer both amounts across onto the new card? 

That way you could concentrate on clearing both the debts within the 6 months (as one) on 0% interest..

No as my credit limit for the card is £1200 and my debts total £2006. So it's not possible unfortunately! That's what my first thought was too when applying for it!

vulpix

 Fizz, I am very sorry to hear your sad news. xxx

 Thank you for the medals Mrs SD. We have been living with the contents of our upstairs in 17 boxes and 3 suitcases. That is everything. Bedding, clothes, decorative stuff, bathroom contents etc. I haven't needed to open a box at all so obviously we don't " need " any of it. I will be ruthless when we or should I say I,unpack.

 We are off to our solicitor to collect the document ,to take to another solicitor, to be witnessed signing it and returning it to our solicitor ! Then off to Nottingham. Just spoken to our solicitor, the woman whose house we are buying wants extra time to complete. Give me strength ! This move could break me. It may at the very least cure me of wanting to move again. I have never had such a difficult move in all my many moves before.

 Laters Vx

vulpix

Blue J, I would pay the minimum on the large amount and throw everything I could at the small amount then once that is gone ,throw everything at the remaining card. It would be satisfying to watch the smaller amount whittle to  zero.

suzeesu2000

Good morning all - 4 minutes to go!!

Had sky bangs and bursts of torrential rain last evening - was lovely. Hopefully its filling up some of the ponds and lakes for our poor wildlife that has been suffering through lack of water.

Been up and busy this morning as charity shop rang to say they will collect tomorrow - good motivator. Went through the remaining clothes in bedroom and decluttered quite a few bits including 4 pairs of pyjamas, cardigans, skirts and long sleeve tops. 

Brought everything down and all bagged and stacked with stuff decluttered at the weekend, all ready to go tomorrow.

Managed to move undies to one side of nightwear drawer so I can spread bras over the 2 stupidly small drawers in the other unit. 

Also decluttered a chunk of money to pay the water bill this morning EEK! that's risen a lot. From £91 to £166 is a big increase. So today will be spent looking for ways to reduce outgoings and increase incomings - along with all the other stuff I had planned for today!

Have a great day all xx