2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

To use Guineapigsqueaks/Sa1sysoo words “A new thread for declutterbugs in (2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025) 2026!" 

My 2025 has been another washout on the decluttering & decorating fronts as my Decluttering Mojo went ‘walkabout’ presumably as a reminder that I should Plan Ahead 😔 A better year healthwise for my DSis - no hospital stays & overall feeling better in herself with praise from the doctors at her improved lung health. DH did well on his Weight Loss course & although he has slipped a little he is currently just about maintaining his new lower weight & will be back on the case in January including getting back into his walking & resuming his project to ride all the bus routes 🙂 An expensive year for DH as he had laser treatment on his hands for Dupuytren’s & bridgework on his teeth + the recent costs of getting the motorbike working. My health has generally been OK but I do need to make a concerted effort to lose weight & gain some fitness. 

Even though the weather for 2025 was generally better than 2024 I had a 3rd year running of NO home grown produce  🙁 not even potatoes. Several bright spots in 2025 - DH taking me to the Royal Albert Hall to see Cirque du Soleil in February, the RBR Awards Dinner (overnight stay in a nice hotel), an accident-free RBR trip to Scotland including staying with daisy_1571 & the rather beautiful Wedding we went to in August 🥹

Another good year for knitting & reducing my yarn stash - mainly scarves & hats plus a new item - baby bottle warmers. 

2025 has been a sad year for many of our Declutterati Family with the loss of family members, friends or pets plus a lot of illness and/or medical issues, so I believe many of us will be glad to see the back of 2025 & are ready to welcome in a shiny new year. Again there have been bright spots - several people have successfully moved house, welcomed new family members and pets & some have even become members of the Maintenance Decluttering Club 😊

I never quite got around to doing This “I do need to create a 2025 list of Good Intentions so I must sit down & concentrate  🤔 especially as I never quite got around to doing one for 2023 or 2024” maybe 2026 is the year 🤞

Now to cheer you all up (a little at least, I hope🤞)  a shiny new Decluttering Thread which in order to make easy to find, I am calling “2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution”  (Thanks to addacomment for the sub title. As she pointed out ‘Redistribution’ sounds so much more positive than ‘decluttering’ 😉) Despite not using it to its full advantage in 2025, I am again keeping “THE ELECTRIC POWERED DECLUTTERING TRAIN” aka EDT in service because we have worked so hard to make it a home away from home with separate Buffet & Dining Carriages; a Sleep Carriage with Japanese sleep pods; a Baggage Car & an Open Wagon Carriage (with netting to stop people falling off). The TLC Carriage is now many carriages (most with a constant supply of tea, coffee, alcoholic & soft drinks & snacks with the emphasis on cake & biscuits) as follows: the original TLC Carriage has Massage Chairs, sofas, tables & chairs with 24/7 waiter/waitress service; Hairdressing Salon including Manicures, Pedicures & Reflexology; a Spa with Massage Beds with on call masseurs/masseuses + a jacuzzi; a library with attached computer room; a cinema; a well stocked crafting room; The Padded Carriage incl. punch bags (for when RL is just too fraught 😉) & finally ‘The Quiet Carriage’ - NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES ONLY BOOKS + Butler Service for Drinks & Nibbles (mostly cake). 

Plus we upgraded the EDT to include a “Teleportation Device” & a new glass-domed 2 storey carriage (new restaurant on lower deck kitted out to look like the Orient Express) was coupled up between the last two carriages being the Baggage Car & the Open Carriage (with netting to stop people falling off). We only managed the one trip to Canada but there are trips planned for 2025. Sadly we didn’t manage any trips but 

P.S. I have been reminded that I forgot to mention the ‘Fluffies Carriage’ where all manner of pets are available for cuddles but especially kittens/cats/puppies/dogs & rabbits 😊

SO 2026 HERE WE COME!

As has become my habit, I will start with a ‘not so’ concise explanation of the intentions & ethos of this thread gratefully ‘borrowed’ from oceanspirit 👏

“……..this thread isn’t just about getting rid of things, it’s about changing houses into homes, it’s about understanding ourselves and how we got into a mess in the first place and learning where we need to make new habits to prevent a rematch.

Mental clutter (frogs and long “to do” lists included) and electronic clutter as well as physical items contribute to holding us back from doing other things in life so keep posting for as long as you wish to continue.  I for one love reading about … projects … as it helps inspire me to continue to look forward to having both physical and mental space to get on with pursuing my dreams rather than moving things around all the time” 

Plus a new action to ponder - ‘Use It Up’

So with the above in mind who will join our lovely new thread?  ALL are welcome to join our Declutterati Family 👋 Whether you are doing a major declutter or a maintaining declutter. This will continue to be a supportive & encouraging thread - our aim being to declutter our lives of physical & electronic items & maybe even the stress of having too much ‘stuff’ plus keeping each other’s spirits up in these difficult times. A laugh & a joke, a shoulder to lean on & a place to vent (within Forum Rules) - is hopefully provided here. I will quote Floss “We're here to support, cheer on & celebrate those changes - from the small (drawer / shelf / table top) to the big (bags / wardrobe/ room) and we have your back.” Photos are also gratefully received & they don’t necessarily have to be about clutter - 2025 saw us celebrating our pets, our crafting, our countryside & our holidays abroad 😊 A real bonus is that decluttering makes our homes safer, cleaning easier & can have the added bonus of reducing stress 

Gold Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ will continue making an appearance, as well as medals🏅🏅

Plenty of options are available on numbering the clutter out …….

2026 in 2026 or 52 in 52 weeks even 365 in 365 days or maybe by room. If you are feeling really adventurous á la basketcase (2018) - you can weigh the clutter out 😉 There is also the option of splitting out the counting - Tasks Completed + Ins & Outs. Basically, there are no rules, no deadlines and no must-do's (Floss 👏)

Whichever numbering option you choose or you may choose not to number, we would love to hear both your success stories & your ways/methods of decluttering - they may not have worked for you but they may work for someone else. All ideas are gratefully received.

I am hoping that everyone who posted on the 2018 through to 2025 Threads will also post on the 2026 thread 🙂 + we all love to welcome new people & those returning to the fold after any absence (for whatever reason) 🙏 

I know I am a bit late in setting up this thread but it can help to plan your decluttering - ‘To Do Lists’ can be your friends 😉 (Perhaps this should be the year I should take my own advice & write a Good Intentions list for 2026 🤣)

So after another year of decluttering & sharing our journeys, please join me in my continuing quest to have a clutter free, tidy & decorated home with no hidden horrors 😆 I am hoping to see many of my old friends & hopefully make some new friends as well - my version of recharging my batteries is by reading all your posts, ‘borrowing’ decluttering ideas & cheerleading 😊

MrsSD aka Mrs Salad Dodger

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.

Wednesday2000

I’m in for 2026.🙂 Thanks for keeping us all going with this thread. I’m very glad to see the back of this year.

lilian1977

I would like to join please. We have a new bathroom going in, a new kitchen ceiling (related to the reason we need a new bathroom!) and originally planned a new living room, but the bathroom but the kibosh on that, so would at least like to make the living room a pleasant  place to be (we haven't done anything to it since we moved in 16 years ago and it was a relic from the 80s even then!).

So, plenty of decluttering of worn out candles, unnecessary kitchen bits, unloved toiletries, crafting stuff that 15 year old DS doesn't need any more. I have enough books to easily last 2026, and if I run out it will be off to the Charity Shop rather than buying new. 

I already have a pile waiting to go to the charity shop, I should really have done it before Christmas as there are new kids games in there, but just didn't get around to it. I would also like to get the loft bedroom decluttered and usable again by the end of 2026.

Good luck all!

oceanspirit

I'd like to join in for 2026, please.  I will be focussing on frogs, email clearance and the final box of papers to sort through plus reading and getting rid of books.

I also need to prioritise health and wellbeing as this has taken a back seat in 2025 and it really needs to be no. 1 priority.

GrannyKate

Signing up again - will try to get nearer the target next year.

suprisinglynice

Count me in again please. I'm getting braver with posting but am still more of a lurker. I love to read of people's successes.
Thank you @Mrs_Salad_Dodger for setting this up.

ladybird1106

I’d really like to join in this year please.  I have lots of things that need to be mentally and physically Decluttered. It would be nice to earn some money from items leaving the house but it’s not essential. 

Love 🐞

Betharooni

Please can I hop on board the EDT for 2026 MrsSD?

The last couple of years have been pretty rough with two major family bereavements and my mental health has been pretty bad. In 2026 I want to push on with clearing as much of the unwanted stuff in the house as I can and clearing the many frogs that have piled up this year. 

No target figure to clear, but an intention to post weekly at least and to have less physical and mental baggage by the end of 2026. 

B x

boultdj

I need to join in, the wool is taking over, Christmas food still abounds and draws are getting hard to shut.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi Mrs S_D, please count me in for 2026
Love Deni
xx

florianatwobob

Looking forward to joining again for the New Year. 

This year we are tentatively exploring the loft conversion and extending the family with a couple of moggies.