2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Wednesday2000

The house feels so quiet without my cat as we put her to sleep yesterday evening. My dog is at the kennel too and my husband is asleep so it feels very weird to me. I have had a cat or multiple cats since I was 11 years old.

I decluttered a lot yesterday as the rescue centre picked up the four cat beds and the cat food and the cat litter. I left the cat carrier at the vet as they said they could use it and I took a bag with her medication and leftover flea treatment as I thought they could dispose of it all or maybe use the unopened things.

I am going out today to try and take my mind off everything.

vulpix

 Granny Kate, I cannot believe you have been in your house a year. You have done so well in being half way with the renovations in that time though. Half the problem is waiting for good trades to be available.

 daisy, I will take a pic of the vent. I think I would just prefer a hole than the brass. When I say it isn't in the middle of the front of the bench, it is a few cm's out which to my symmetrical liking eye, torments me.

 Green, that is exactly what I had in mind, both the curtains and the peaceful room. I will post a pic of my dining room for everyone to admire.

 diminua, it's a triffid.

 Happy Kitties, You are on a roll. You are so well organised. I will get on to knitting some scarves when I have finished the blanket I am making.Perhaps too late for this year, but I will build a stock up for next year.

 So as I waved Mr V off on his travels yesterday I gave him a doormat and the manky seat cushions off the window seat for the tip, and a pretty little lamp of ours for the chazzer. I foolishly unzipped the 3 seat cushion cases to find lovely green cotton velvet covers underneath. Obv I had to unpick them and they have been through the wash already. I feel a little patchwork throw or cushion coming on for the dining room. I did my best to do some hoovering downstairs and cleaned the cloakroom and kitchen,including the microwave. I also made some carrot soup. I then spent the evening knitting and communing with Fomo. Fluffy went to work at 4. She has a strong cat work ethic.

 Coincidentally, someone is giving a seat cushion away on thrift today so Mr V is going to collect it shortly. The cover although lovely will be saved for a future project. I don't know if I will keep the window seat long term, time will tell. Same for the curtains. I think once the new fire is in and the new plug sockets etc I can decorate and perhaps get new curtains. When I say new I mean new to me.I am second hand Rose after all. The fabric to lengthen the curtains may be another pair I have, when I unearth them that is!

 We spent yesterday morning updating change of addresses. Just a few left to do. I found out that I should have been having a work pension for the past year. I am owed a lump sum. Though not an enormous amount it will help with some of the work I would like to do. I gave all the kids a lump sum a few years ago to help with a deposit for a house. I also spent a lot of money renovating our last house so this renovation will be slower. This house doesn't need the big work the last one did though. Mainly knocking the kitchen and dining room together, new kitchen, new bathroom, re wiring and masses of hard landscaping. Hmm writing it down, perhaps still needs deep pockets. Luckily, Mr V is very happy to leave all finances to me. He is also happy to keep going out to work. When we were at the music event the other night the promoter is a friend of a friend so Mr V seems to now be signed up to do some compere work. He loves it. Although he keeps saying he is retiring, he never will.

 Right, time to see if I can do some little jobs off my very long list.

 Oh, my fabulous builder is coming after lunch with his notebook!

 Vx

oceanspirit

 Vulpix, that’s great news about the pension.

Wednesday, sorry to hear about your cat.

Yesterday was one of those frustratingly busy with things that didn’t actually get me anywhere days.  Email total went up but I have managed to get it back down to 116 this morning.

Nothing else to report.  Expecting a visitor shortly so not sure how much will get done today.

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, forgot to post yesterday 😅 

Friday: it has been raining on & off all morning & is currently very dark & damp with a high of 16°C (feeling 5° colder due to the wind) & a low of 13°C. More rain forecast tonight so might not get many trick or treaters. We had intended to go out for lunch but due to getting up late have postponed & will go next week. Handy really as neither DSis or I were feeling particularly good ☹️ I have spent the afternoon updating/sorting out my iPad calendar - created 2 new calendars & have reallocated every entry back to 2002. Carried on raining on & off all day. Dinner was fried chicken, boiled new potatoes & peas. First knock on the door at 17:30 & then only another 7 kids before the heavens opened at 20:30. Wudupa.

2027 - 2029 Kitchen recycling, magazine, drinks cans - recycled 

2030 - 2031 Kitchen detritus, one pair of broken safety glasses - binned

Sleep tight 😴 

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

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

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 2031/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £469.00

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

I forgot to post photos of DH’s carved pumpkins

London_1

Good morning chums ...just I have been decluttering a mountain of bramley apple peel as all the apples given to me this week are now peeled and cooking gently in water flavoured with honey and a little cinnamon .There is enough for a decent apple crumble for tomorrows pudding after lunch with some thick gloopy birds custard and enough left over to make some apple turnovers for when my DGS come down to visit

I'll probably peel the spuds while I'm at it as I'm sitting in the conservatory in the sunshine and its nice and warm so it will save a job from tomorrow I peel the spuds and cut ready for roasting and put them in water in my long tuppaware container plus I'll also peel the carrots as well. I can declutter all the peelings to our garden waste bin as its due to be emptied this coming week. The used pumpkins can go in there as well.We have a waste bin service tha takes all the bits to a composting place so nothing will go to waste.We pay for it separately as our council list for garden waste collection is full. But in actual fact the waste company is cheaper than the council  

The sun is out and its a nice crisp autumn day and tomorrow is due to be the same, then apparently rain for the rest of the week.
Last night it was pretty wet but we had about 15 lots of little ones trick or treating so DD was constanly answering the door for about an hour and a half
Only one rather rude lad of about 10 who said to DD
 'I only like the big packets of smarties haven't you got any of those ?'

Bless her having raised five children of her own, she didn't lose it but just said 'well take four of the smaller boxes then' 
The boy sighed and said
"Ok, I suppose that will have to do" ! ! !  

Shes' a lot more patient than I'd have been thats for sure

The local primary school have a firework night this wednesday so we will have classic FM on for the dogs as they get very stressed with the bangs The greyhound not so much, but the little Westie gets very distressed, and frightened, and DD has to sit and cuddle him for the evening 

Right time for a cuppa I think 

JackieO xxx


 

MadamMim2013

@Wednesday2000, so very sorry to hear of your loss..
I do hope that one day in the future a bundle of fluff in need will find you, when the time is right!.. 🐾 

It’s been quite a week.. I have a very poorly Ma, her health fluctuates at the best of times, currently it’s not so good.. Keeping an eye on her & hoping to avoid a hospital stay 🤞🏼.
It’s also been a productive (& expensive) week, with lots out yet some in..

OUT=
Mattress (was 3rd hand & sprung a spring or two 😬)
Airfryer (was 2 yrs old and the coating suddenly came off!😳) 
Microwave (15 years old & bottom was rusting out 🫣)
Large quantities of cardboard & packaging.
2 full bags of various items & clothes to charity shop.

IN=
New double wool topped mattress.. it’s blissful & not a pokey spring in sight.. ☺️
Airfryer.. (DS1 chipped in with the cost, so that helped!)
Various Yule gifts (they will be leaving again in a while 😉)

Also managed to deep clean the bathroom floors throughout the house..

Have taken a walk in the park this morning with the Hubster and came home for a bowl of chilli with some crusty bread.. Might give myself the afternoon off.. 😉

Hugs, sticks and bones for anyone who may be in need.. 💗

Brie

@Wednesday2000
Oh so sorry that your cat is gone.  It's such a big tug on one's heart when this happens.  Big hugs.  

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

What a difference a day makes! Saturday is bright  & sunny but very breezy with a forecast high of 16°C (feeling 4° colder) & a low of 9°C. It rained several times between midnight & 05:00 but is now dry with only a slight chance of rain at 17:00. All 3 of us were up before 10:30 - wonders will never cease 😉 DH was up first at 08:30 as DSis’s birthday flowers(+ small box of chocolates) were due to be delivered between 08:00 and 18:00 - arrived 09:30. I was up at 10:15 to add cards & a present (wrapped box containing 5 cards with the first part of a message on the envelope &  the rest of the message inside the card with a sum of cash) for when DSis got up which she did 20 minutes later. I cannot believe it - my baby sister is 60 today 😧 I remember when she was born - in the dining room of the flat above the launderette that our wonderful mum managed 😊 About 11:20 the postman knocked as he was delivering an enormous envelope addressed to DSis. When she opened it, she had the shock of her life - an A3 sized birthday card from her son T with a photo of him and his partner on the front + Happy Birthday Mum whilst on the inside were photos of her 2 cats who she had to re-home when she left France & a lovely message ☺️ Apart from the card from T, I think that her next best item is the 60+ Oyster Card (free bus & tube travel) - applied for last weekend which arrived earlier in the week 😉  

Now that I am up I should really make a concerted effort to catch up with the cheerleading … distracted by another knock on the door…. T has also sent his mum some flowers 🥹 Photos below

So starting with posts dated the 30th, here I go!

Liverpool_Anne, sorry to hear that the building work is stressing you out 😞 Reading on I see that the building work is almost finished so hopefully it won’t be too much longer before you can decorate & get rid of all the dust 🤞Very happy to hear that your DNiece is finally able to go home & hopefully she will be able to relax & catch up on her sleep during the flight 😉 As to your DSis, I will keep everything crossed that she continues to recover & will not need your assistance 🙏 As you say, all you can do is offer. Some great & eclectic decluttering & well done on keeping your birthday flowers going for so long 👏 I am keeping an eye on your decluttering number as it will soon be time to award a gold star 😉

London_1, The Blue Stop Café sounds wonderful 🤩 & it is always nice to find somewhere that provides tasty food & drink 😊 The IoW sounds like a marvellous place to live - beautiful scenery & friendly locals 🤩 Good luck with both the paperwork shredding & the apple preparations 🍀

suzeesu2000, excellent work sorting out under the bed 👏 Fingers crossed that you find the missing photos & also that you find time to sort out your fabric stash 🤞 Such a shame about the butcher’s shop closing 😞

oceanspirit, great work decluttering emails & more of OH’s stuff 👏 This “Tidied a bit more.  It’s starting to look a bit better - I need to go through a couple of drawers but they will have to wait until other things have been sorted and put away as I don’t want too many projects on the go.” is also great to hear 😊

TC77, pity you lost your post 😖 Some great decluttering, you are definitely on a roll 👏

I will post this as I have reached the end of a page & am also about to start on posts dated the 31st 🥳 I hope everyone is having as good a day as possible 😊 DSis is just sorting out her flowers & DH is heating up DSis’s lo rice for lunch so the kitchen is crowded - good job I made my coffee earlier 😉

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

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

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 2031/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £469.00

florianatwobob

4 seat pads (with labels) dropped at the CS today with an assortment of bits from
the shed sort last weekend.