2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Muddy_Walker

MrsF I really really hope things start coming good for you both very soon xxxx

Blue_Doggy

@florianatwobob is your collector of candle ends part of a nationwide charity? Have you a website link please?
@Florenceem my word you have been through the mill lately, I do hope the right things can be put in place soon for you and Mr F.
@Liverpool_Anne what a very pretty baby blanket! Beautiful stitch work.
@weenancyinAmerica i’m glad to hear you’re safe, but what shocking devastation!
@Muddy_Walker I hope you feel better soon.
 

So, done today:
- read another ten double-sided pages of the insurance renewal documents. I’m sure it wasn’t as complicated as this when I first took out insurance.
- 2 loads washed & dried at launderette (channelling my inner student @Liverpool_Anne 😀)
- quick whizz round the supermarket for things not coming with tomorrow’s delivery
- one hour’s ironing
- part-used roll of bags too small for kitchen bin repurposed as liners for upstairs bins and taken to bathroom cupboard (instead of hanging idly about in the kitchen)

florianatwobob

Here you go @Blue_Doggy https://www.shapuk.org/candles-for-ukraine

The lady collecting has a drop off box at her house but also co-ordinates via her church. I dropped off to her house. 

TC77

I have been dealing along. @Muddy_Walker so glad to hear about your mum and then so sorry to hear you're not well. And echo others hugs and thought for @Florenceem and Mr F.
Been working alot and so only time to grab food and so chaos building up . Did some frogs but due to being in a muddle had to redo some documents, and still can't find important  things
Have cleared up bits of rubbish ood food and toiletries  which look worse for wear.
Counting as 88.
Have lots of washing and decluttering to do at the weekend hopefully. 
Hugs and a delivery to the tlc carriage.

Brambling

Floss said:

@Florenceem have a look at this:

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/

The citizens advice made be able to help as well Florenceem although you will probably have to make an appointment unless they have a drop in day.  

Nanny / Muddy_Walker I hope the restorative effect of the TLC carriage will help you both 

It was confirmed yesterday by the MSK team that my hip needs to be replaced and I'm being referred to a surgeon.  Not sure on how long the wait is, I'm told that as I have selected a private hospital doing nhs operations it will be quicker than the nhs hospitals on the list, they are a little further away so not chosen so often! Only 15 min further for me so not a problem.  But this means I really want to get organised and declutter / tidy what I can before being unable to do so for awhile.  In other words I need to pull my finger out, I'm not flexible enough to kick myself up the bum 😁

I use my airing cupboard in the kitchen for storage so that was tidied this afternoon, small very old slow cooker pushed to the back and not used in twenty years is added to the tip pile.  Some old biscuit tins have been recycled I'll keep a couple used for cheese straws at Christmas. Three old tea towels and a  frayed hand towel added to the tip pile as they have a textile bin.  The rest have just been tidied and it's amazing how much room that has made. I rediscovered my George Foreman grill which I haven't used in a couple of years, will need to either start using it or rehome it. A large waffle maker won in a raffle a year ago and used twice will be put on the local fb free page, no one else wants it and it's not something I make 

vulpix

 Liverpool Anne,  I had a tin opener for about 15 years before it broke then we have had years of short lived tin openers. We bit the bullet and bought the most expensive one from Tesco and it has been good for about a year. What I do this time is occasionally put some vegetable oil on the cogs. Seems to keep it running freely.

 I went through 4 little drawers in the kitchen, the size of where a wine rack could go. A pile of old dish cloths and past it tea towels in a bag for rags in DSS's garage. Some other dish cloths that I don't like to be taken to Mr V's work. A phone case for the charity shop bag. My stash of paper bags recycled. I save them for seeds but had more than enough. Mr V is doing a charity shop drop off tomorrow when he goes to work. The little oak chair I renovated and made a seat cushion for will be going to the charity shop too. Easy come, easy go.

 I finally washed the remaining throws from the sitting room. Cleaned the microwave and the door shelves in the fridge. I will do the rest another time, I don't want all the excitement in one day!

 Happy decluttering Vx

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, quick post and run. I have to be up early tomorrow as I have a funeral, it is about 35 mins drive but with the snow and freeze I will have to double that justin .
Busyish day, lr bin, 2 LDFPA, ironing, clothes sorted for tomorrow and a wardrobe tidy, computer sorted and a candle uu.

@Vulpix it's called a puffed shell stitch. I can't read crochet patterns either but I got this from watching a utube video so just google it 😁. It was really easy to learn and is my go to for baby blankets. The border is just shell stitch, 5 stitches per shell. The thing I like about it is both sides look the same so no right / wrong side 😁. Thanks for the tip about the tin opener 😁, same here,had one for years until it eventually died and since then they only seem to last a few months before they either fall apart or just stop working, I have tried different shops, some quite expensive, but I will give the current one a wipe with some oil and see if it helps 😁

@ruby_eskimo the blanket is crochet, if you can't get on with knitting it might be worth trying crochet, some people find it easier 😁

@Florenceem big hugs,. I don't think you will have to sell your house going on what ln's friend says. Her dh is in a care home with dementia, as it is her home they can't make her sell it though she pays about £200 per month and they take all her dh's pension and she does have savings. It might be different in different local authorities so seek advice before you do anything connected with money and don't think about putting your house on the market if you don't want to move.

Right off to bed
Hugs to everyone who would like one

54 lr bin
55 & 56 LDFPA
57 ironing
58 computer sorted
59 candle uu
Take care everyone
59/2025

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

I did watch the decluttering programme - nothing new but it was nice to see Dilly 😊 DSis & I are currently watching the 2nd set of 3 episodes of Season 2 of Daryl Dixon. Thoroughly enjoyed it & looking forward to season 3 🙂 Wudupa.

51 - 54 Kitchen recycling, plastic bottle, drinks cans, magazine - recycled

55 - 56 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned 

Still replying to posts dated the 6th

Lovely post vulpix 😊 & some great ideas for recycling Christmas cards 👏

Welcome aboard the EDT kiss_me_now9 👋 Lovely to meet you 😊 What an excellent start to your Decluttering Campaign 👏 You have tackled two of the more difficult areas - clothing & books 🤩 & because I am so impressed I am awarding you a medal 🏅 Congratulations 🥳 I look forward to following your decluttering journey towards a more minimalist home 😊 Good luck 🍀

Wednesday2000, I hope you didn’t declutter the old underwear before the new lot arrived 😂 Being a bit silly, I had visions of your husband tipping out all the drawers & laundry basket looking for the errant underwear 🤣 Draught excluders as dog toys - love it 🙂

Excellent decluttering ruby_eskimo 👏 you had a busy weekend 🤩 Re the heights of the airing cupboard shelves, is there a possibility of moving them 🧐 Hopefully a solution will present itself & you can get the bathroom finished 😊

Floss, great idea 👏

Moorviews, great idea for using up plastic bags 👏

PollyWollyDoodle, love the ideas for a well ordered airing cupboard 😊

Great work remembering to take the batteries Brie 👏 I must remind DH next time he goes shopping 😉 Now, now I am sure there is no such thing as too many napkins & doubly sure that there is no such thing as too many scarves 😉 unless you have more than 366 😂

Florenceem, so sorry to hear that MrF keeps nodding off 😔 Please try to take good care of yourself 🙏

~FlowerPot~ fingers crossed that the suggested treatment works 🤞You obviously don’t know your own strength if you can declutter an oven door 💪 well done DH for managing to reattach it 🥳 Great decluttering numbers 👏 Thank you for my medal🏅- we are definitely travelling as fast as the bullet train 😉

Rootle, week one & one bag decluttered 👏 a perfect start to your 2025 Decluttering campaign 😊

mehefin, I do hope that the sheet music will find a new home🤞Some lovely ideas from Flowerpot & Brie 😊 Thank you for sharing such lovely memories of your Mum ☺️

You have been busy Siebrie 🤩 Great work tackling frogs & expenditure 👏 You must be very proud of your DDs showing such an interest in finances 🥹 Hopefully once you have completed your spreadsheets you can see where the money is going & take appropriate actions 🙏 The cynic in me thinks that it might be something to do with your husband but apologise if I have overstepped the mark 😞

~FlowerPot~ & Brie, some lovely ideas for what to do with the sheet music mehefin found 😊

Excellent work WickedLady4 👏 Hopefully you will be able to get the various piles of stuff bagged up & delivered to the CS in the not too distant future 🤞then you will have 3 clear surfaces 🤩

Great work with the decluttering & batch cooking machasraven 👏 Fingers crossed for good results at your next hospital appointment 🤞

Oops, just noticed the time 🙊 Going to bed this late isn’t going to help me get up at a reasonable time 😔 Hope everyone had a good night’s sleep 😴 

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🌟 ❤️ ❤️ 🏅 

DH Awards:

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2025: 56/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £5.00

foxandflowers

Decided to sort out my wardrobe last night, a further 15 items removed, and majority placed aside to list for sale. However, I have put my packing bags in the storage unit! So will have to improvise. I spent a while debating the merits of keeping my black work trousers, but ultimately decided against it. I don't like wearing trousers to work, I am a dress person, and I've been warm enough all winter armed with thick tights and a cardigan. 

I have 8 dresses in my 'winter' wardrobe, and three pairs of dungarees. Sorely lacking on the t-shirt front, but all I have made a list of what I actually need, rather than want, which is currently, a grey vest, white tshirt, and a long sleeved black t-shirt. Will keep an eye out on Vinted.

In - one pair of jeans, as absolutely none of the pairs I had fit me and they all went on the 'go' pile. Due to my own complicated rules, this is now me on a no-buy for the rest of the month. I really hope these jeans fit! My rationale was that the closest store that carries them is 1.5 hours away by train, and it would cost me more in train tickets to try on than it would to buy on Vinted. If they are a no-go I can always sell them on. 

Running totals: 
IN 2
OUT 44

Wednesday2000

I watched the Dilly programme last night. I reminded me that I do need to sort out some electronic stuff. I put two of my old kindles aside as I was going to try and sell them, but I put them in a drawer and forgot about them. I know my husband probably has bags of cables and we probably have old mobile phones. I am going to have to look into what i can do with them locally.

It is very chilly again here and there is frost outside. I was up early as I ordered a heated throw from Amazon that is arriving today. I'm going to make a hot drink.