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

Oops, I forgot to post for yesterday 🙊

Thursday: a bright sunny start to the day with a forecast high of 18°C, low 13°C, humidity 63% & a 55% chance of rain. As DH & DSis are going shopping today I need to menu plan & write a shopping list…… vaguely done - 4 day menu plan + appropriate shopping list 😉 They left at 14:00 & as they pulled away I grabbed a pair of secateurs & went into the back garden. Spent 20 minutes on the peonies/camellia & dahlia plants cutting them down to ground level + pruned the 2 blackberry plants (not a single fruit this year 😞) + did some weeding round the olive tree. I was very lucky as within 5 minutes of being indoors the sky went black & the heavens opened - there was even a flash of lightning & a peal of thunder ⛈️ 20 minutes later & the sun came out 😉 Went out again to bag up all the cuttings - a whole bagful which is now in the garage. DH & DSis got back with the shopping & I have put most of it away. DH was on an 800kcal day so had a stir fry for dinner. I cooked bacon, egg & chips for DSis whilst I had egg, chips & roasted tomatoes. Wudupa

1690 - 1692 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, glass bottle - recycled 

1693 - 1694 Kitchen & DSis bedroom detritus - binned 

BlueJ94, fingers crossed that your new CC arrives quickly 🤞as I can see that you are itching to get started on your debt reduction ☺️ Good luck 🍀

Well done on the sale Willowtree222 👏

Great work decluttering the coat Green_hopeful 👏 Very sorry to hear about your husband’s detached retina 😔 & very angry & disappointed at the treatment from specsavers 😖 😞 Thank goodness for Scrivens & their sterling care 🥹 Fingers crossed that your husband gets an early op date so he can start on the healing process quickly 🙏🤞

Stayed up until 06:45 to wake DH. He wanted an early start for his last RBR trip - to Cornwall. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1694/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

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: DH set off at 07:20 hoping to avoid the worst of the traffic across London 🤞He will give me a call tonight. I eventually got up 12:45 to a bright sunny day although it only took half an hour before the skies darkened ☹️ The forecast is for a high of 18°C, low 11°C, humidity 60% with the chance of a couple of light showers. I have fallen behind with the cheerleading ……… again 😞 A bit like my sleep pattern - good for a day or so then back to bad habits 😉  I popped into the kitchen to get something out of the freezer for dinner & to admire my now tidy work surface 😅 Now settled with my first cuppa, timer is on & I am raring to go:

Liverpool_Anne, excellent decluttering on Wednesday - a Tip run, ironing, soup making & even found time to crochet 👏 I must admit to being surprised at who was sent home on Sewing Bee 😮 as over the previous weeks I had the sneaking suspicion that Patrick & Esme had already picked their winner 😉 cynic that I am 🤭 Hope you enjoy the “well-being thing” 😊

vulpix when I read This “5 hours! 5 hours between us signing the document concerning our sale and getting a string of messages from our seller saying she can't be ready until the end of October. For 5 hours I was optimistic. We are now considering pulling out of the purchase and taking the financial hit. Our solicitor has sent a strongly worded email to her solicitor saying we need a moving date within the next 24 hours. Of course I haven't slept.” I was absolutely lost for words 🤔 After all your seller has had months to get herself sorted out 😖 Hopefully This “I am due to go to see my oldest friend of 55 years this afternoon, we always have a laugh so no pressure J, you need your A game today. 😆” will help you forget all about it whilst you are enjoying catching up & putting the rest of the world to rights 🙏😊

daisy_1571, interesting post 😊 which led me to reading about the Scottish method of house buying.

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏

suzeesu2000, a successful day of decluttering 👏 I was especially impressed with This “Put 2 bags of rubbish out - have to pass the raised beds so added a couple of shovelfuls of compost to each. every little helps!” 🥳

Green_hopeful, such a lovely nurse & hopefully she has put your mind at rest (at least a little) during this stressful time 🙏 This “……While waiting for the appointment the hold music is bird song. How soothing to hear bird song and not rubbish annoying music.” is such a great idea 😊 Good luck with sanding the window frames 🍀

Lovely post regnbue 😊

Great post weenancy ☺️

vulpix, This “…... We are in an online Estate Agency sandwich. Both our buyer and our seller are using the same company. False economy, you get what you pay for. No news. We will sell our house whatever.” brought a smile to my face 😊 & also pleased to see that you are managing to find some humour (wry though it is) in the situation 😉 So glad you had a lovely time with your friend 🥹 Fingers crossed you managed a good night’s sleep 🤞

Liverpool_Anne yesterday might have been “a slow decluttering day” but at least it was productive in that you found out about the tai chi classes ☺️ Hope you have a lovely time catching up with your university friend 😊 This “Vulpix omg it's unbelievable isn't it? Do you know why the seller can't move? If she just needs help with her packing I volunteer to come and help her. ……….Big hugs” is such a great idea  🥳 A whole group of us could make a day of it & it would get done in no time 🤔 

Dizzycap, informative post 👏 Sounds like you are very busy at the moment what with looking after Babyface & helping your neighbour but please remember to find some time to relax & take care of yourself 🙏 The TLC Carriage is open & is well stocked with goodies 😉

BlueJ94, hope the new card has arrived now so that you can get started on your debt reduction 🤞

GrannyKate, what a pity that both the plasterer & joiner are unwell ☹️ I will keep everything crossed that they recover over the weekend & turn up bright & earlyish on Monday to finish the job 🤞Good luck with the frogs 🍀 & hopefully you will be successful in having an NSD (no spend day) 😊

I have almost caught up but am flagging slightly so will post & come back in a while. Hope everyone is having as good a day as possible 🙏 As an aside I am just wondering if anyone has heard from Florenceem or Siebrie?                                                                P.S. there has been a couple of short showers & it is still rather dark 🌧️ 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1694/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

daisy_1571

Pmd you Mrs sd

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: I just spent a productive half hour sorting kitchen cupboards 😊 The crockery cupboard has been slightly tweaked so I could store the salad spinner which had been hiding behind pans in one of the lower cupboards ✔️ Then I tackled the double cupboard (nicknamed the Brexit cupboard 😂) only one jar decluttered (2018 😥) contents emptied into a sturdy bag & binned, glass jar washed & recycled 1695 + a small cardboard box recycled 1696. However I did move several items to the larder (sorted a while ago & had the space) + moved a few food items from the dining room wall unit into the Brexit cupboard & still have a partially empty shelf 🥳 Now have my 2nd cuppa & will finish the cheerleading. You never know I might even tackle another cupboard later 😅

London_1, you have been busy - talk about a woman about town ☺️ + you still found time to do some decluttering 👏 This “Wednesday morning was Knit and Natter in Ryde and I was gifted a lovely King sized duvet cover and pillow cases from one of the ladies there who is also decluttering.” was so kind 😊 especially due to This “I know my youngest DGD Holly is desperate for extra bed linen, and she has a king sized bed so I have found a home for it. She is really pleased and it will be going to the mainland at the end of the month as my DGS Jack is picking up his brother to go back to Uni in Essex, so he will drop it off at Hollys for me in Kent” is what I would call serendipitous 🥹 As to the windfall apples, I will pop round later for a bit of apple crumble 😂 Good luck at the quiz night 🍀  Just noticed that you are making leek & potato soup - my favourite 😉

Good work Willowtree222 👏

Lovely post vulpix 😊 I do remember you mentioning that your seller had rather a “lot of stuff” 😂 but hadn’t realised This “I don't want to publicly disgrace our seller, lets just say she has more stuff than the average person. She doesn't work and has grown up children who I presume could help. She hasn't moved for 40 years and I assume it is all just lack of organisation skills and niavety. She did ask if once she moves could we hang on for a few days whilst she cleans!” It could be funny if it wasn’t so sad & inconvenient 😞 Hopefully not This “I slept last night and feel calm today. The calm before the storm?” just an acceptance that you have done all you can do & now it is just a waiting game 🙏

GrannyKate, just 😱 to This “vulpix - your issues remind me of my previous move 26 years ago when we arrived with the van to find the person had not packed and the house was full to the rafters.  Seller wasn't living there and had taken large items like beds and chairs many years ago but had left everything else including all his late wife's belongings, cupboards of OOD food and even washing in the machine.  We assisted as best we could but our solicitor said we should have got a skip and put everything in it - rather harsh we thought.  I did regret giving him some money I found as he refused to pay the extra costs of our removal (three more hours and help to pack everything into the garage, shed and spare bedrooms).”  I would still be recovering & not inclined to ever move again 😉😅

All caught up 🥳 See you later 👋 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1696/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

suzeesu2000

I’m being good. Last night I went through the little drawer unit by the airing cupboard to list what’s actually in it. It’s all medical and a few toiletries. DH and I are not in the best of health with both of us having multiple problems, so I like to have things on hand as you know darn well if anything is going to be an issue, it will do it overnight, weekend, bank holidays or Christmas! 

There are just a very few items I need to restock which was a nice surprise. Decluttered 3 bits of just rubbish. 

Then I did the final bit of my clothing. Hang my head in shame…..I have 9 pairs of jeans, 6 pairs of trousers and 3 pairs cropped trousers. Way more than I thought I had. I did remove 2 prs trousers, 1 still has tags on, and a skirt with tags all going on eBay over the weekend.
Now, I can look on my laptop and see every piece of clothing I own, excluding undies. 

DH has said tonight that, as I am making such a good job of getting clutter out and tidying everything, would I like to have a go at the landing cupboard. I know the middle shelf is full to capacity with DVDs - we don’t watch telly. No idea what’s on the top shelf and the bottom just looks like an explosion in a junkyard! It’s a challenge but I’m up for it. I’ve got the bug! 

Have a good night all, sleep well xx

London_1

Apples all stewed this afternoon must do
the soup tomorrow as I’d run out of spuds and time to do it so it’s my first to-do job tomorrow.
great quiz held in the orangey of Osborne House lovely  surroundings we didn’t win but two in the team wins prize in the raffle
bit was it rainy whe we came out though
its teeming down now as well

i fancy making a cake tomorrow as well I always like baking when the weathers bad 🤣👍 very autumnal at the moment
went with DD and grandson for coffee and cake this afternoon as the lovely shop in Shanklin is closing Down

Blueberry's is closing on Sunday which is awful as they make the most amazing cakes DD had a coffee and walnut slice, and I had the best pineapple upside down cake I’ve ever tasted. Very naughty really as my medication says I shouldn’t eat pineapple but one slice in a blue moon won’t kill me

DdDecided apple crumble cake with custard for the cooked apple and the kitchen smells she said like being at home when she was a little girl as my kitchen always smelt of baking when she came home from school

right enough waffling time to get back to
my library book
night night God bless all here 
keep warm and dry if you can 


JackieO xxx

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: We have had several showers but only one heavy one. Forgot to mention that the recycling wheelie bin has been emptied & only a day late 😉 There has been a steady stream of tradesmen going to G & A’s house (the neighbours who had the burst water tank 😥) including a man with a water suction vacuum. Having watched a couple of episodes of a TV programme called ‘Clean It, Fix It’ which has the odd useful cleaning tip including what types of ‘tool’ to use e.g. specific cloth, brush etc 🙂, I was inspired to tackle all 3 shelves of the condiments cupboard 😉 Emptied, scrubbed the shelves & reordered the contents resulting in one plastic bottle (contents smelt weird 🤢) & one small glass jar with barely anything in it being emptied washed & recycled - 1697 & 1698 + moved a couple of items into the spice drawer which will be tackled next. Then to finish off I  washed down the outsides of all the cupboards I had tackled today 😊      

18:05 DH phoned having just arrived at the hotel. He had to reroute twice to get across London this morning due to traffic & roadworks ☹️ Like here the weather has been changeable with lots of mini showers & a couple of heavier showers 😔 but also a bit of sunshine. He managed to get all his landmarks - old & new. Once he finished talking to me he was going to have a shower to get a bit warmer & then down to dinner. Apparently the hotel is in the middle of nowhere 😅 Cooked DSis’s usual Friday dinner of chicken & chips whilst I had a tin of broccoli & Stilton soup with rye bread which was OK but won’t be buying again. DSis treated us to a chocolate eclair for afters 😋 DH sent an email - he had chilli for his dinner so I was quite envious 😉 Wudupa

1699 - 1700 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans - recycled 

1701 - 1702 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned

suseesu2000, excellent work sorting out the medicine drawer 👏 & even better work sorting out the last of your clothing 👏 No need to hang your head in shame - you just have to make sure you don’t buy any more 😊 Good luck with your listings 🍀 As to This “DH has said tonight that, as I am making such a good job of getting clutter out and tidying everything, would I like to have a go at the landing cupboard. I know the middle shelf is full to capacity with DVDs - we don’t watch telly. No idea what’s on the top shelf and the bottom just looks like an explosion in a junkyard! It’s a challenge but I’m up for it. I’ve got the bug!” I do hope your DH is going to help & not leave it all to you 😉

London_1, as you are making the soup tomorrow I have time to get there just to taste test 😂 Sounds like you & DD need to do a bit more studying so you can win the next quiz 😉 I looked up Blueberry’s and saw that it has a new owner who is doing a full refurbishment. The original owners are talking about going mobile & making all their delicious cakes + some new ones. Apple crumble cake & custard 🤤 As to This “……. the kitchen smells she said like being at home when she was a little girl as my kitchen always smelt of baking when she came home from school” reminded me of how lovely the kitchen smelt when my DMum made apple pies 🥹

I do hope everyone managed to stay dry today 🤞Sleep tight everyone 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1702/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00

TC77

@suzeesu2000 well done on the decluttering.
I wondered whether you're only counting summer trousers? Or I ( and maybe others could be hanging head in shame  ) .
One of my CS sells trousers for £3. I was in need of black ones and found 2 pairs , then saw heavier weight ones so have 4 but just put one pair back in cs. Lighter weight one been v useful funeral and formal work meetings. I don't wear skirts and v rarely dresses and accept I'll  rotate cs wears and if not worn in a few months get donated back. But a cull is needed. 
Been reading along but only the trousers and a pen binned and 200 emails deleted..
Did wonder whether easier to open a new email.account and transfer the key emails and then delete whole.account than work through 2.8k unread emails and many other 000s? Anyone done this ?

CRANKY40

Good morning folks, 

Just a shortish post before I start on todays "to do" list which is a bit lengthy but there's no harm in trying is there? 

This week has seen a trip to the tip with some stuff from the shed. We didn't pack the car full - we just filled the back seat of the car and were at the tip, unloaded and on our way home in less than 30 minutes. Ds had a mini wardrobe declutter of some shorts that he never wears and several pairs of trainers that were way past their best. We have a carrier bag of "things" to drop at the charity shop today which includes the barely worn shorts but not the battered trainers. 

I tidied and listed another freezer shelf which was good as there was room for items to go in the proper drawers now and only 2 items had to be thrown out (one unidentified and one small bag which we will definitely not eat). Ds's t shirt collection needs pruning but that's a job for future us. The current declutter total is 125. This house really is the gift that just keeps giving 😮🙄

Mrs S_D I've been pruning/weeding our garden in 15 minute time spots. It's amazing how much can be done - I've filled our garden waste wheelie bin. 

Take care all of you 😊

Happy_Kitties

General items
348) soft plastics, as fast as they build up I get them out to the supermarket recycling
349)-350) items x 2 sold on V
351)- 357) items x 7 dropped off at DDs, but DD sent me back with 7 items, most of those items given to a friend. The remaining 3 items will go into a charity collection point today.
358) metal straws that were DDs, they were kept by DD
359) rubbish from drawer thrown out
360) finished night cream- pot into recycling. Bought by a friend, used it but didn’t like it, but hate waste. Just wasn’t me but used up

Haven’t done tip run yet, weather hasn’t been great and a bag of items ready for CS.