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