2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

vulpix

 Granny kate, that is a shocker. 

 The back garden is clear. Everything is at the front of the house now. I do have a lot of garden stuff.

  A lot of communication with our solicitor yesterday.We have a provisional date of 30th September to move. Not plain sailing as we now hear someone further up the chain has issues. I have realised why this move is so stressful compared to previous moves. The chuffin internet. Contact from the solicitor several times a day informing every high and low. I think in the past you would only get to hear of things on a need to know basis. Progress has been made though. I did get a little sleep last night.

 Today we are off to Sheffield. My bangle with all my rag tag collection of diamonds is ready. Sounds very grand to have a diamond collection. Just unworn rings really.

 We have some of the smaller garden pots in the car. They can live in DD1's garden for a bit. I just thought it would help slightly on the day, I have possibly 50 pots and it's not something that can stack.

My lovely Step son is on a rest day on our move date, so is his very loved up girlfriend. He is checking if she would mind if he came to help! They both work for the ambulance service and rarely have a day off together. I would feel very much better if he was on our team. Fingers crossed that she can spare him.  

 I may have asked for a set of drawers at 1 am today. I was very surprised to get a reply straight away. We will collect them on our way home. Just the job for the new bathroom. Obviously they will need some work but they will be just the job. I have converted Mr V to furniture restoration. He properly enjoys it.

 Gotta go Vx

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, absolutely lovely day yesterday. Drive up to Lytham was easy and arrived early so time for a chat before we went out for lunch. We went to Lytham Hall which had a lovely cafe. The weather was perfect. I would have liked to walk around the grounds but my friend T is waiting for a hip replacement so she couldn't manage it. I will return another time 😁. After lunch we went back to her sister's house and sat in the garden in the sun for a couple of hours chatting and catching up 😁. Her sister had an apple tree in her garden that had come from her Mum's garden. She was like a second Mum to me when I was at college 😁. I was gifted some apples from the tree so apple crumble will be made today 😂. I left about 5.30 as they were going out for tea with T's ds who is celebrating his 40th, how did that happen 😂. Drive home was easy as well 😁.
After tea all I did was clear some emails and a bit of crochet 😁. My new driving licence has arrived so I have checked that over and put it away safe. 
Ln has ordered a new chair from the Swedish shop and it is being delivered today but it is flat pack so I have volunteered to help her with that when it arrives. I am usually quite good with these things but I am curious to see how this will work as it is an upholstered wingback chair 😁. I also need to pop to the sm for some bits.

@Vulpix well 30th isn't so far away now, hugs. Re the pots if they are empty could you use some bubble wrap or even newspaper to sort of wrap and stack in a box of some kind? Or could you store some at your Mum's/ db's garden for a couple of weeks or would that be too difficult to ask? I have sent you a message. Eta reply received 😁

Right time to get weaving
Hugs to everyone who would like one

1279 & 1280 200 emails permanently deleted
Take care everyone
1280/2025

Brie

One thing leads to another....

A friend online did some ancestry detective work for me and when asked what she wanted in exchange asked for some peanut butter M&Ms.  Got those when I was in Canada in June and they've been in my desk cupboard ever since.  She's recently been in hospital so I thought I better get this posted to her as a bit of a pick me up.  So starts the hunt for an envelope.  And I have a big bag (very big) full of posting materials I picked up off freegle with the intention of ebaying.  Well that's been in my car since forever.  So I went to check that out and realised there is nothing in there I could use for anything.  So that's all in the bin, bag saved to unload some more picture frames at the next art group meeting.  And it turns out I have a perfectly good envelope already so that's fine.  Packed, addressed, just need to get to the post office.

And when I got the M&Ms out of the cupboard I found my spare watch charging cable.  Popping it in my bag for my holiday tomorrow!!

Now I just need to sort out the few apples that need to be prepped to be used for baking or saucing, press the grapes for juice (or chuck them) and decide whether I pick the green tomatoes on the plants or hope they survive a week without supervision.  

Oh and old garden gate which was disintegrating was taken away by the lovely young woodworker who built and installed a new gate for us.  He'll be doing us some new garden arches in a few weeks.   & hopefully take away the old ones if we haven't tipped them by then. 

GrannyKate

Afternoon all.  It's been a busy day as I went to 4 different shopping areas, dropping things off at the tip, CS and buying some random items I needed.  I have bought a carpet cleaner as I need to make lounge carpet last into next year and I will have three carpeted bedrooms.  DS2 will no doubt use it as well.  Pieces are out on kitchen counter - that is tomorrow's job.  Why are instruction leaflets in such small writing?  Will probably google and get it up on screen so I can read it.  

I have cut back the plants in greenhouse as tomatoes are out of control. There are so many ripe yellow ones they are starting to go off.  All picked and cut up and I am making a large pot of puree which I can freeze for later use.  A large bowl of small red ones will get eaten. I also have some apples so plan to make a couple of small crumbles.  DS2 having seaside weekend without children and they seem to have ok weather.  

867 Banking done and another holiday payment made
868 Birthday cards sorted - I have enough for October. One posted and money in another ready for DGS3 on Tuesday.  
869 Small tray in CS bag
870 Plastic shoes to CS - DGD4 does not like them so I gave them a wash and they can go
871 Dino lunch box to CS with DGS4's agreement - I've got him a more grown up one
872 Cleaned and sorted lounge - lots of stuff I can't move but corners and skirtings hoovered and dusted.  Lots of dust - I must keep the door shut when workers are here.  Tat thrown away.
873 Ink cartridges to recycling
874 Batteries to recycling
875 Yet more plastic to SM
876/7 Two full bags to CS
878 Awkward frog has generated an awkward answer - not a personal matter but annoying
879 Christmas gift bought using a voucher I had exchanged for cash with one of the GCs.  I meant to use it for my new handbag last week but completely forgot when I reached the till. 

I am working myself up to throwing a large bowl away.  It was a permanent fixture of my childhood but it has been so badly broken and repaired over the years that it remains hidden away.  Even in perfect condition it has very little value possibly £30-£40 so I really don't see any point in keeping it.  I can just see my children's reaction when I'm gone 'straight in the skip' and I wouldn't blame them.  Those memories are mine alone and mean nothing to them. 

Right I need to go and get on with making puree and the crumbles.  I hope to have a go at the carpets tomorrow and possibly do some gardening if weather permits.  DGD4 is apparently in the area with her friends so I can expect a goody and fridge raid at some point. 

vulpix

 Bon voyage Brie.

Liverpool Anne, I think another load of plants in pots will go to DD1's next week. There will be plenty left. She has to work on the 30th but will come and take some of my gardening stuff , leave it in her car and return it the day after. I have got a couple of strong boxes with empty pots and other garden gubbins she can look after for me.

 I am not thinking straight today as I seem to have a cold.

 Collected the bangle. Lovely job. £120. Diamonds from my engagement rings, eternity ring and Mr V's Grandma's engagement ring. I will wear a bangle far more than rings. Whilst I was there the jeweller altered a gold chain for me, no charge.

 Picked up the mid century drawers FOC. They are still in the car atm because I feel rough and the rain. I am going for a very modern Scandi look in the new bathroom. Once they are renovated they will look great in there.

 If I feel better tomorrow I intend to do some batch cooking and then pack up the pans. Very little left to pack now.

 Vx
 

suzeesu2000

London_1 Blueberry’s aren’t closing, they are just changing owners I read. Hope that’s the case as they seem very popular, always posting pics of the cakes on FB. 

Been a lovely day here. Started with some rain so nice and cool.
Had the bug to do something so I sorted all DHs clothes on the floordrobe. Made up what was already in the laundry basket so thought I might as well do it today. Got the airer out to dry the bits like DHs shorts, all undies and tea towels. Everything else was tumbled. I know but it was raining. 

Put dinner on and cleared the ironing from today too while that was cooking.
Dinner from the freezer, can actually start to see  some spaces woohoo.
whole house hoovered, Frankie was most unimpressed - he hates the hoover and the floor brush, funny little fluff he is.
This evening, I sorted through the contents of 3 bedroom drawers, small ones which are pretty useless. Moved some bits to the medical box. Emptied a half used tub of talc into the box I use daily and threw tub away. Now have 2 empty drawers, yay me!
Opened a parcel which contains the new beaded curtain for the bathroom window. We have a “strip” one at the moment but it’s so lightweight that whenever there is a tiny breeze - or you breathe too hard - the Blimming things wraps around your head. Tomorrow DH will reach it down for me so I can measure and trim. He can cut the wooden top bit and put it up me thinks.
Hope every one has had a good day too. Sleep tight xx

suzeesu2000

And this is my fluff: Frankie. Poor little man had a hard start to life and is a proper scaredy cat. He adores DH, follows him about all over. I love him to pieces but he’s still a bit wary of women, sadly the person who caused his sad start was a women. He does come to me and we enjoy tickles and playtime but he’s not ready for cuddles or being picked up yet. We’ve had him since December 2023, he was about six months old when he came to us so still a baby. Thought you might enjoy a pic, cos I think he’s so handsome, but I may be slightly bias! 

daisy_1571

What a very handsome Frankie indeed!  Love his white tippytoes 


Dxx

StickyTheStickInsect

On Friday the guy came to make a start on the concrete base for the shed, DH thought we’d just empty the shed, move it and then put the stuff back in and then do that in reverse to move the shed on the concrete base when finished. With most of the shed stuff still in the container, its seemed like an okay idea! Of course, it was much more complicated than that and involved emptying and then dismantling the whole shed. The dismantled shed is in the garden, the shelving is under a tarpaulin in the garden and other stuff unaffected by the weather is stacked up next to it. DH then went to work and left me with a garden full of boxes that had to find a home before the rain started. I got them all into the house yesterday and have started sorting through them today and realised that some of them weren’t shed boxes at all. I’ve found kitchen things! So 2 bags of out of date tins and packets went in the bin today and the stuff that is still okay, is now correctly put away in the kitchen. We then went out for DH’s birthday, so I shall get to the remainder tomorrow.

So a new total of 248/104 (312)

Love to everyone 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

Saturday: quite a bright start to the day with a forecast high of 17°C, low 12°C, humidity 71% with a 55% chance of rain. DSis was up early to have a bath & then headed off to off to Clapham Junction to briefly meet her DS (T) & his GF (S) on his way to Reading for his dad’s funeral (Monday) - staying with his paternal aunt. I was up 11:15 & wondering why my legs were aching 🤔 & then remembered that I was up & down my 2-step ladder yesterday sorting out the kitchen cupboards 😉 After watching an hour or so of the Athletics World Championships in Tokyo, I decided to go through my spices & herbs drawer + checked larder for spares. A successful & productive session 😊 What with decanting & rearranging I managed to declutter 4 small glass jars which have been washed & recycled. Short heavy shower about 13:45 then alternated between sunny & bright or dark & breezy with an occasional short shower. DH phoned 17:00 after getting his last landmark & was expecting to be home about 21:00. DSis got home about 18:00 - just as I was removing hair from the rollers after finishing vacuuming downstairs 😉 She had arrived at the meet up point in plenty of time following DH’s very detailed travelling instructions. They had a pub lunch in a crowded pub (football on TV) then they wandered around London for a bit as gf had never been before (school trip to Southampton only other visit to England) Then back to Waterloo Station where T & S train to Reading & DSis caught Jubilee line to Canary Wharf & then bus home. She was knackered with all the walking & didn’t enjoy the crowds of people that were about - a protest march taking place. Dinner was bacon & pea linguine which DSis & I had at 19:30. DH eventually arrived home 21:35 a bit cold - another of mixed weather with short intermittent showers. Heated up some dinner for DH as well as making him a coffee. Wudupa. Watched more athletics. 

1703 - 1712 Kitchen recycling, 3 magazines, drinks cans, newspaper, 4 glass jars - recycled

1713 - 1714 Kitchen & office detritus - binned

TC77, good luck with your cull of trousers 🍀 although to be honest if you generally wear trousers rather than skirts or dresses then you should have a decent number of trousers 😉 Your idea about a new email account might work although I know if it was me I would probably worry about deleting the old account in case I missed transferring something important 😟 

Excellent decluttering CRANKY40 👏 especially DS decluttering trainers 👏 Good luck with the t-shirt decluttering 🍀

Excellent decluttering Happy_Kitties 👏

Forgot to post earlier 🙊 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️ 🏅 🏅

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1714/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £379.00