2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

weenancyinAmerica

Thinking of you and sending hugs @StickyTheStickInsect. It takes a lot of time to recover if it is your parent - mine died in 2006 and 2008 and I still find myself having problems. Take it slow and easy.

The 28th will be our Christmas dinner due to illness in younger sister's family. Just hope she doesn't get sick too or we will celebrate later. We did celebrate Easter in September one year because household repairs on sister's house took longer than expected. She had already bought the napkins and plates so we waited to celebrate when the kitchen was ready. Things don't always happened when planned.

There was a tornado in Los Angeles on Christmas Day along with terrible rains and floods which stayed north of us. It is now nice and clear and expected to be cold and windy for the next few days - and then rain on the 1st and 2nd - just in time for the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game. Then back to dry again. At least I don't have to water for a long time.

Hope all of you are staying warm and dry, and aren't blowing away.

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: Good morning from an overcast & very chilly Kent  8°C feeling like 1°C due to the ENE 18mph wind 🥶 After a restless night, I was up & dressed before 10:00. 

Brunch 11:30 with S, C, W & T - bacon, scrambled eggs, baked beans & toast. We left at 13:30 heavier traffic than Friday but did stop off at D*nelm for some new bedding & pillows - used my 1p Savings Challenge monies from last year 😉 & were home by 16:00. DSis had been busy - vacuumed downstairs, washed the kitchen & cloakroom floors & scrubbed the downstairs loo & sink. She was feeling a little better but had been sleeping a fair bit. A relaxing & lazy afternoon & early evening. Dinner was turkey, oven chips, fried eggs & baked beans. Wudupa. DSis & I watched the Christmas Celebrity Pottery Throwdown - very good & I am still on a roll as I picked the winner 😊

Apologies for not catching up with the cheerleading ☹️ Sleep tight 😴 

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

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

DSis Awards: ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏅

Decluttering Target 2025: 2367/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £677.00

Willowtree222

Another sorry for your loss. 

Sending hugs as well to anyone who has had their first Christmas without someone. 

X

London_1

Sticky, one day at a time honey, talking and memories help I have found, look after yourself xx

Well chums another Christmas has come and gone, and by Thursday we will be in a brand New Year, anyone actually keep their 'New Year Resolutions' past the first week ?

I'm far to ancient for gym going, but I hope if the weather is kind to perhaps walk a bit more. Unfortunately having both lots of arthritis, my joints aren't brilliant, and are extremely dependant of dryer warmer weather so rain and cold don't really help.
But my DD got me a great warm padded coat which I am hoping will keep the chill out. So perhaps a short trip around the block every morning  may keep the bones moving.

Today we are 'decluttering' three of my grandsons back to the mainland, they all have things organised for Wednesday night with pals or girlfriends which is natural, we have had them for a week, and the sausage roll mountain hsas been depleted  I can hear movement downstairs as they are on an early ferry, DGS Jack is taking his two brothers to their sisters in Hoo then driving back to Goudhurst where he lives as he has lesson planning to do for the new term then he is off to Hertfordshire to see a couple of Uni pals for a New Year reunion, 

Ben goes back tomorrow afternoon ,he is missing his girlfriend as she is going through a bit of a traumatic time bless her as her parents are parting, so she's been staying with her sister. I think its possible he will marry this one as he's very keen and she seems to adore him so I have my fingers crossed for them both,she's a lovely lass and I do like her.

We have friends coming to see the New Year in then normality will resume at our house by Friday at least and it will seem very quiet after the DGS have gone. 
The tip run with all the Christmas recyling stuff went well with 6 bags all told taken Our recycling only is every other week with general waste being tomorrow.
I stripped the  turkey carcass yesterday and we had a huge curry last night for dinner with all seven of us really enjoying it There was a small portion left over which has gone in the freezer for a lunch for me at some point. The general rubbish has been sorted and will go out for the bin men tomorrow.

At some point this week DD and I are going to sort my double wardrobe out as its got far too much stuff in, and I have had some nice M & S gift tokens as Christmas presents, so a trip there to get some nice new stuff is on the cards.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy ,healthy and peaceful New Year. 

Onwards and upwards into 2026, before you know it the spring will arrive, and our garden will be alive with lots of stuff .We already have bulbs pushing up, and swathes of snodrops under the Bay tree in the garden
Ben did a grandjob of digging over the veg patch and we will be getting some stuff in when he returns at half term at the end of February

Cheers chums 

JackieO xxx

TC77

@StickyTheStickInsect hugs and so sorry for the loss of your mum. Echo others in hoping you take care of yourself and accept help and support wherever you can. X
@Floss glad no-one was hurt.. and glad the builder is resolving .

canvascamper

So sorry for your loss @StickyTheStickInsect

Feel like I've just about made it through Christmas mentally unscathed although exhausted. Decluttered a full binbag full of tat from DD11's bedroom this afternoon and a few odd socks and flannels with holes in.

I hope everyone gets some time to rest over Betwixtmas, I just had a nice long bath which was such a treat. 

2Scratters

Good evening Peeps,
just caught up with everyone and their December tales.

@StickyTheStickInsect sorry to read of the loss of your mum.

I have been MIA most of the year and getting back into the TLC carriage in readiness for 2026. I have still slowly removing variable items from their hiding places. Other items be afraid very afraid I am getting stronger and am coming for you in 2026.

Hope you have had the Christmas of peace and joy and here is to the New Year.

Love to all

2 Scratters xx

Muddy_Walker

Helloooooooooo

body decided to shut down for 2 days as it had been on the go for a while so lots of sleeps with a bear contentedly snoring away….
Pa in law overate too much rich food and is now in hospital- this happens every year and to be honest we are more than a bit fed up. But he knows better…….in all honesty he does have digestion issues but doesn’t help himself. 

I don’t know what goals to set for next year decluttering wise. There is always stuff to get rid of but I’ve joined the 26 for 2026 thread and want to combine both…..

Ideas welcome xx

Sticky very gentle cwtches xxxx

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi everyone

@StickyTheStickInsect, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your mum .

Hope everyone is enjoying the festive period.

I don't do a list of NY resolutions but I focus on one thing each year - in 2022 it was maximising earnings/minimising spends and at one point I had a FT job plus 6 PT or self employment roles!; in 23 it was my health so I began to see an osteopath regularly for my bad back, started a bespoke class for people with bad backs and exercised in general more regularly; 2024 was doing lots of celebratory things for my 60th; this year I've focused on my house - I've had some rooms redecorated and done some decluttering in the garage, had some minor annoying jobs done (bath resealed, leaking gutter repaired etc) also made progress in my garden; I'm not sure of a focus for 2026 just yet but it'll be related to having more time (as I've decluttered 13 hours pw at my FT job ..... 

Love to everyone and see you in 26 for more decluttering inspiration 

xx

TC77

@Deni_debt-free_dreamer I like the focus each  year. Hope yiunhave some fun and relaxation with your new to yiu 13 hours  a week. Doing little and just ' being ' can be good too.
Meeting dd2 at Gatwick and have promised myself I won' t mention decluttering to her until the new year.  Cousin visit is  delayed so will be in the new year ao may struggle with my target unless I count each button in the bag im giving to a craft group or.my collection of bull dog and fold back clips. Dd1 has declined taking any of the latter. 
2 Swedish benxh style tables wombled by locals after I put out, notebook recycled with some.pages kept for filing?  Torch and 2 batteries for recyling  when I remember and some other paper. Another 7.