2025 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD - The Joy of Decluttering

Green_hopeful

We had 15 for lunch yesterday. Lots of family wanted to meet the new grandson so we gathered several people at once. It was lovely. In order to get 15 round our kitchen table we had to move a random sofa to the office. One of my sons helped us carry it upstairs and win win my husband was embarrassed by the huge mess on his desk so today he decided to declutter it.  We got rid of a bag for life of recycling, a bin of rubbish and one small bag of stuff to be shredded. There are a couple of things to find homes for but it was a good start. He said he will do more but i won’t hold my breath because the mess has been there for at least 11 years. 

weenancyinAmerica

@D123456789 - Maybe you could put them on YouTube - "Decluttering for the under 15 Set" or something and help start them young. She might become famous for it and help other kids she knows at the same time. Never too young to start.

Went to Christmas dinner yesterday at my sister's. Came home with only a fourth of what we started out with and that is mostly food and gift cards. Plus 2 pr. of cozy socks and a notepad with family pictures on it for me and a Disney shirt for Di. And a bag of lemons for lemonade. I will then use the lemon peels for zesting, cleaning, and making my elbows feel better. I do need to put up the new magnets with family pictures on them up onto the refrigerator also whille I declutter the mess already on there. Of course, the fun part will be helping my sister "declutter" the Christmas decorations later in January. If it is the family tree, it won't take too long as those ornaments are mainly just wrapped and boxed. But her other ornaments need to be put back into their original boxes. Takes awhile to find the matching ornament and get it wrapped and into the box. She only had 15 trees up this year though not the 23 of last year, so it won't take as long. 

@Green_hopeful - I know the feeling. The mess in part of our living room has been there over 11 years also. And though two of the roommates are supposed to be cleaning it up, I am not very hopeful at this point. I promised  my two sisters three of the paintings on the other side of the mess, so I am trying to get help to them down safely. 

BlueJ94

Hello alllll,

Just catching up, been busy but got the next few days off work! Ive been buying stuff in the sales ready for Christmas and birthdays! I also baked a Bundt cake in my new tin my OH got me.

DundeeDoll

very impressive @BlueJ94

BlueJ94

DundeeDoll said:

very impressive @BlueJ94

Thanks ive just made bread too!

retiredinfrance

Good evening declutterati chums from chilly France.I’ve been following along but let posting fall by the wayside. In my defence I’ve been supporting two friends who decide to move back to the UK.Oh dear, it was hard going for them , very difficult frequently as they tried to sell their house and find something affordable in the UK, dealing with both French and English bureaucracy at the same time. My heart and compliments go out to those of you who have got through it. Then another friend broke her arm and couldn’t drive etc., so I helped out. No longer did I write a list but something happened. I’ve been decluttering stuff regularly to my favourite CS but then I would lose the list. 

I was at 75/365, so last week I set a target of 40 to bring me up to 115 as a round number for 2026.

20 books
4 magazines 
1teapot 
4 lever arch files
 2 cards of buttons for kids clothes 
5 piles of small toilettry samples 
1skirt
3 large toiletry items. 

The CS helps fund a Women’s Refuge and at Christmas the Girls are given a present of toiletries, a small gift , chocolates. Do I cleared some of my stash. 

Total for this year is niw
115/365 and I am going to try to post more regularly next year . 

Many thanks to our wonderful Mrs SaladDodger and to all of you who post ,
Sticky , so sorry about you Mum. I think of mine every day and it’s over 20 years now. Queen Jess- I visited my DS and 3DGC and I don’t know how you do it all. Bravo to you and all of you - may your troubles be fewer , your health better, your pleasures many and may contentment abound. 

See you all next year.  Rxx

StickyTheStickInsect

Thank you for your thoughts, wishes and helpful advice @suzeesu2000 , @regnbue ,@surprisinglynice,  @GrannyKate , @CRANKY40 , @vulpix , @daisy_1571 , @Wednesday2000 , @Floss , @Brie , @MadamMim2013 , @Pennypincin , @Moorviews , @florianatwobob , @weenancyinAmerica , @Willowtree222 ,  @London_1 , @TC77 , @canvascamper , @2Scratters , @Muddy_Walker , @Deni_debt-free_dreamer,  @Mrs_Salad_Dodger , @D123456789 , @Liverpool_Anne , @retiredinfrance

And anyone else I may have missed.

You are all lovely xxx

TC77

All the baking makes me want to get up and have a midnight feast. The tlc carriage i know services treats 24/7 
Met dd2 from her flight and she's so happy to be home albeit for 3 weeks but had been so homesick but happy to go back to uni as it Australian's start of the year Feb so new people and activities and then home in the summer. Best xmas present seeing her happy. She loved all the pressies the elves hurriedly put together including those from the shop of mum.
Decluttered a mug I knocked over and out a hand exfoliating cream from around 2010 and a day cream that was decidedly an odd colour ( don't count general use ups but these could have lurked for many years to come). 
1978 ao 47 to go. Have an eye on a few things but have to fit in sorting NYE food etc as hosting a few friends for dinner and working. 

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

Monday: I was up & dressed before 11:00. It is a dull overcast day but dry with a high of 7°C (feeling 4° colder due to a NE wind) & a low of 4°C Some decluttering mojo appeared from somewhere so whilst watching an episode of Sharpe, I have sorted out several box files including a broken one that I had euphemistically called a Memories & Mementos box file which amongst actual mementos contained a couple of years of old birthday cards for DH & me. The other two box files contained a mixture of birthday wrapping paper and Christmas wrapping paper, cards & bows etc. Now properly separated. Sorting out these box files has resulted in 3” of shredded card/paper for worm bedding + a broken box file binned (2371 - 2374) I also managed to find a few odd bits to relocate from my filing cabinet drawers into the box files.  Now I really need to catch up with the cheerleading starting from posts dated the 28th:

London_1, I was always lucky if I kept my new year resolutions for more than a day 🤣 Nowadays the classification is ‘Good Intentions’ 😉 which I really must get around to deciding 🤨 Hopefully it will stay dry & your new coat will keep you toasty warm as you start ‘Mission Walk Around the Block’ 🙏 You will definitely miss the 3 DGS who are going home 🥹 although at least you have Ben for one more night ☺️ Sorry to hear that his girlfriend is having a traumatic time 😔 It is never easy when your parents break up no matter how old you are 🥺 Excellent amount of ‘stuff’ decluttered on the Tip run 👏 The turkey curry sounds delicious 😋 “Onwards & upwards into 2026” is a perfect way to say goodbye to 2025 😊

Great decluttering canvascamper 👏 Liked This expression “…… Betwixtmas”☺️

Lovely to see you 2Scratters 👋 Pleased to hear that you are enjoying the pleasures of the TLC Carriage in preparation for your 2026 Decluttering Campaign 😊

Muddy_Walker, sorry to hear This “body decided to shut down for 2 days as it had been on the go for a while”  😔 but pleased to hear This “so lots of sleeps with a bear contentedly snoring away….” hopefully you are fully refreshed 🙏 Not a lot to say about your father-in-law 😧 I am in the same boat as you - no idea what goals to set - just know that if I don’t set any 2026 will fly by with nothing much done 😞 

Deni_debt-free_dreamer, I love This “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 ..... “ such a brilliant idea 🤩

TC77, it will be lovely to have DD2 home for a while 🥹 A shame that your cousin’s visit is delayed - I do hope she is OK 🙏 As to your decluttering numbers perhaps you can count the buttons in lots of 20 & the bulldog clips in lots of 5 🤔 

Lovely cheerleading post regnbue 😊

suzeesu2000, hope you can get your stairlift fixed quickly 🤞especially as you would think that 2 services would have flagged up any potential issues 🤔 Very impressed by your meal planning & use up of food 👏 That sausage casserole sounds delicious 😋 Now that you have mentioned This “Anyone else feel like this “dead space” between Christmas and New Year is REALLY dragging this year? I am not enjoying it at all”, it does seem to be quite slow this year 🧐 

Lovely post TC77 😊 

Great work florianatwobob 👏 Fingers crossed you manage your rummaging 🤞

I have finished the cheerleading for the 28th 🥳  Rather slow going as I kept stopping to either knit or watch TV ☹️ DH cooked cheesy pasta for tea & it was yummy 😋 with plenty left over for another 3 person meal 🙂 Wudupa

2375 - 2376 Kitchen recycling, cardboard box - recycled 

2377 - 2378 Kitchen & lr detritus - binned

Tomorrow I need to really concentrate to catch up with the cheerleading 🤞 Sleep tight 😴 

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Decluttering Target 2025: 2378/2025

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £677.00