2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Changeyourlife25

Allo Allo! 

Well, I haven’t been here since the beginning of the year! I started off doing really well at the beginning of the year….. and erm, kind of ran out of stuff to get rid of.

This group was so helpful for me at the beginning , I carried the methods on through the year but just haven’t been posting.
I’m still getting rid of stuff and not buying much also! My house is in a weird situation where we’ve got rid of so much but still have stuff around, there is 5 of us so it’s probably a storage problem! I’ll keep at it! 

Anyways, I was organising for Christmas today and got rid of 83 bits from Christmas past! I thought of you guys so decided to drop in and say hi!! 

I’ve started doing the 30 day minimalist challenge, think it’s called the mins game. 

I’ll keep chugging along! Keep going everyone , you’re doing great! I’m finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel ❤️

suzeesu2000

Brrrr it’s got quite chilly here tonight, lovely😁 the wind is blowing too, though nowhere near as strong as further up the mainland. 
The slow cooker did an amazing job on the rice, I will never cook rice in a saucepan again. It was so light and fluffy, best I’ve ever cooked. Overall was okay but needs something. Think next time, instead of chicken stock, I may add a cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup……or keep the stock and add some fake-cream-with-less-fat-that-I-can-never-remember-the-name-of. It just needs “something”. Anyway got 2 more meals over so in the freezer they went.
Decluttered a leg of lamb from freezer, will add other freezer stuff to it tomorrow plus the last sweet potato from the fridge.
Am quite annoyed too. Had a marmalade sandwich for tea, needed to open a new jar, still in date, pop went the lid as I undid it and the top of the marmalade is green with mould! Not a happy bunny.
Would be very happy if it doesn’t rain between now and Sunday afternoon….DH is definitely going to help. Will be wonderful to have one raised bed done. 

Have a good night all, sleep tight xx

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 continued: I bit the bullet on a frog that had became a cane toad 😉 Sat down with DH and completed the application form for my State Pension ……. on the computer 😅 It was very quick & painless so now just have to wait to see what happens. Made notes on how to find the document again if DH is unavailable. As I was in a ‘paperwork frame of mind’ I dealt with my post - a couple of charity donations followed up by transcribing recipes, notes etc from scraps of paper to their relevant notebooks. For dinner we had spaghetti bolognaise. There is enough bolognaise sauce lo to put in the freezer for another meal. Wudupa

1863 - 1867 Kitchen recycling, cardboard box, 0.25” paper, plastic bottle, glass bottle - recycled

1868 Kitchen detritus - binned

Excellent decluttering Surprisinglynice 👏 Nothing wrong with getting excited about something that will make your life so much easier ☺️

Lovely to see you Changeyourlife25 👋 Sounds like you are doing really well with your decluttering 👏 Hopefully the other 4 members of the household are pitching in with the decluttering 🤞 Good luck with the 30 day Minimalist Challenge 🍀 

suzeesu2000, the rice sounds wonderful 😋 Great work using up contents of fridge & freezer 👏 As to This ……..”Had a marmalade sandwich for tea, needed to open a new jar, still in date, pop went the lid as I undid it and the top of the marmalade is green with mould! Not a happy bunny.” I would have been annoyed as well 😖 Good luck with the raised bed 🍀

Oops just noticed the time so am off to bed. Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅 ‘Squirrel Whisperer’ ⭐️🏅🏅⭐️😇

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 1868/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £469.00

Happy_Kitties

@vulpix it is very kind of you to be making the lap blankets for the shoeboxes appeal esp with everything you have going on. They will be very well received, thank you.
@TC77 thank you for the kind words, I only do what I do because I grew up in neglect and would have loved a bag of goodies. If I can do it I give it my best, plus I’m a savvy bargain hunter!

another big delivery to the shoebox appeal, some items I just count as one ‘batch’ of items, but they support some amazing local projects aswell and are now able to finish off some local project bags with what I dropped off last night

Neutral items out 366+ 611 = 977 neutral items out so far.

Hoping to drop off more Dun elm Bags of Joy today

General items out
419) plastic thermometer that was useless
420)-421) pens x 2. One into recycling, one binned as leaking everywhere
422)-423) items x2 passed on to DD
424) huge amount of cardboard, boxes either used or recycling.
425)-426) shoeboxes x 2 dropped off
427) out of date medical stuff sorted
428) empty tablet packets to Boots recycling scheme. I received 100 advantage points. 

429) A gardening set that was going to be used for another charity but one of the cats badly damaged the packaging. Repurposed, items taken out, popped into a nice bag, added ribbon and a bow and popped into a Bag of Joy. 

Willowtree222

I am trying to keep ticking along in the background. Managed a bag of shredding yesterday so that has gone and left the house. I have some jigsaws that need to be donated.

Also located a lot of tea light holders when I was in my tea light phase. A lot are unused so going to make up little gifts with them for some of DD's teachers. I have bought some of the mini bottles of wine to go with them and a nice small candle. Means I save money and declutter at the same time. 

TC77

Morning, off on a long walk today so won't do anymore but up early ,more files sorted last night watching TV and lots on the floor to clear up tonight  or through the week. Another lever arch files and lots of plastic wallets for donation.  Damaged plastic wallets to bin, instruction manuals and other recycling and this morning put more in outdoor recyling bin including a vintage accordion file which I dithered for a long time over. Still a fraction of what needs to be done. Also pair of trews in new CS bag. Will add 12 to my nos when home. 

vulpix

Good morning,
 I had a lovely day with DD1 yesterday. We had lunch at a garden centre which also had a craft fair. DD1 bought a necklace and two plants. I am surprised there are any house plants left that she doesn't already have. We went on to a couple of charity shops. DD bought a couple of dresses as she is at a wedding in Scarborough next week end. She has masses of clothes, a chip off the old block. She also bought a big studio pottery dish. I bought a fancy green top for the cruise. I must say I donated some shoes about 8 months ago. They are still there in a glass case priced £55. Will anyone ever pay that much even if they are in fab condition? I know overheads are high but some charity shops are far too expensive. I think some have a national price policy which doesn't translate up North!
 DD made us a meal which was lush as always.

Happy Kitties, I have made 4 lap blankets to date. Do you know when they need to be ready for sending off?

 The weather is still a bit wild here but much better in Kent for Mr V.

  I decided I wanted to buy a toy panda for the new baby. Scoured the internet and even visited a couple of toy shops. Pandas don't seem to be in fashion these days. I have bought one but it is too real panda like for me. I wanted one like a teddy but black and white iykwim.

Take care folks. Vx

 

charlies_tribe

Good morning. Not much done the last couple of days but I have done another hour in the kids room. As well as the list, I have a bag of clothes that I had left by the front door for DH to take on his way to work. They're still there. Spent Friday chasing up the scan that should have been done after my doctors appointment 2 weeks ago but there's no record of me actually attending! The one that wasn't where the text message said it was. I can't get through on the phone to actually talk to someone so having to fill in the online forms, tgey reply by text that i cant reply to and then i haveto fill in another form that couldtake up to 48 hours to be read. I was gettinga bit stressed. New system coming in 2 weeks, hoping that makes it easier. I have an appointment for my last scan on Thursday so will just sort it then.

Not sure how much I'll manage today as lacking energy. DH has been up all night being sick. Im hoping its his reheated takeaway as I really can't think about a sick bug in the house.

DH has just got up so will go see if he wants a coffee or anything. 

1199-1203  4 bags for life
1204  Coat hangers
1205  Pillow teddy
1206  Broken folder

Moorviews

Sorry I missed your anniversary Mrs SD! I’m glad you received such a lovely card and flowers and had an enjoyable meal out. You deserve all the nice things 😊 xx

I have fallen off the wagon with the decluttering having had to spend too much time in the TLC carriage. Nothing serious, just the seasonal ailments. I have managed to sort out a lot of paperback books to go. Also, gone through the hot water bottles and sent them on their way. I was amazed to see how old they were! Larder use ups continue and I discover some things have not kept well at all and have had to go. Basically, anything with fats or oils needs using quickly so I have made a mental note not to overstock in future. Partly because I wasn’t getting out much I managed to shop very little and used up fresh and garden produce well. It made for a cheap September which was great. 

Despite plans to do the loft we have barely touched it. Summer was much busier than I expected with people and going away, also decorating, which takes ages. I always look forward to a long and lazy summer with loads of time to do just what I like. Never happens 😂 
I have been noticing how I still have a tendency to ration things out and make them last; a legacy from the need to be frugal. Unfortunately, it means that some products do go off before I finish them. It ends up being a false economy so I need to work on getting the turnover right and get comfortable with being a little more lavish with myself. It is similar with clothing, where it looks ill fitting on me because it has spent years on a hanger while I changed shape and got older. There is an art to this I am sure 😊 

Great to see your update @Changeyourlife25 😊

Brie

suzeesu2000 said:

Am quite annoyed too. Had a marmalade sandwich for tea, needed to open a new jar, still in date, pop went the lid as I undid it and the top of the marmalade is green with mould! Not a happy bunny.

Oh I've had this happen in the past.  Not marmalade (yuck!) but with Tiptree loganberry jam (which they have now stopped making).  Took some pics of the jar, the mold and emailed them the evidence.  They shipped me a box of 12 of their jams as an apology.  A polite complaint is always a good idea in my opinion.