2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

_Dolly_Rocker_

Sending you lots of love and hugs @Florenceem

Florenceem

My bestie phoned me - told me to put the personal things in a box to keep for sorting when I am ready.

Decluttered today - lots of photos and postcards, purse, carrier bag x 2, knife x 9, bag of soft plastics, paperwork, folder, envelopes, tool kit, garden spade, garden fork, ream of paper, folder inserts, travel cot, cloth money bags, plastic money bags, converter of pounds etc to decimal currency, playing cards x 2, watch x 2, 18 books, plastic box x 2, box of pens, lens cleaner x 4, address book, peg, cardboard box x 2, tie pin, 2 pairs cuff links, cut off wedding ring (previous marriage), passport x 2, booklet, health card, plastic holder, bank card holder, toner refill, plastic bag, colour catcher.

Brambling

I'm sorry for the absence I've been slacking when it comes to decluttering. I did take a large bag to a charity shop today, it's in a local charity garden centre and they have extended their existing CS to a Superstore which has the added benefit of parking outside the door. I picked up 6 paperbacks for £5 all authors I read but none of them needed! I also picked up a butter dish I've been looking for a China one to replace my plastic one and found a vintage poole pottery one, looks like their 1960/70s design. I grew up near Poole and my late aunt always gave poole pottery with similar pattern as wedding presents to older siblings and cousins then 😁in fact for over 60 years weddings and big birthdays we all got Poole Pottery from her 🥰.

I'm preparing myself that if my elderly friend has to stay in a nursing home and it's looking more and more like she can't go home I'll have her flat to clear I had started to help her with stuff before she fell so I know what there is 😳. The job may need a lot of gin to tackle! I'm currently feeling guilty that the LPA means I'm doing what is best for her and not what I know she wanted.

On a more cheerful note my sister and I have booked two weeks in Northumberland for August (she still works so it has to be school holidays) we both loved it there when we went just as my hip was beginning to cause issues, the 8.5 hour drive up was the killer. We are hoping my brother and SIL will be able to come up from N Yorkshire for a couple of days which they did when we were in the Peak District two years ago,

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Daily To Do List - written the night before
2. Sort out sleep patterns - initial targets: bed by 03:00, up by 10:30
3. Don’t put it down, put it away + deal with mini tasks as soon as they are noticed e.g. refill olive pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc.
4. Commence ‘Operation Financial Frog Tickling’ using the acronym - I.R.I.S. (Identify, Research, Implement, Sign Off) - One per quarter
5. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed
6. Plan & Execute ONE Major Project - 2026 New Bathroom
7. Target 2026 items out

Monday continued: forgot to mention that whilst looking for something for DSis, I found 3 packs of way ood Covid Tests which have been binned (365 - 367) DH & DSis left at 10:45 & arrived within 20 minutes (for an 11:30 appointment) as there was no traffic. Fortunately DSis was seen almost immediately & they were home by 12:20. DH had a message stating that the recycling wheelie bin would be emptied by 15:00. You’ve guessed correctly that there was no sign of anyone 😖 With no Olympics to watch, I caught up with other programmes We had a couple of rain showers late afternoon & early evening. Dinner was the rest of the chicken with mash & frozen cauliflower & broccoli + chicken gravy. Wudupa.

368 - 373 Kitchen recycling, newspaper, 2 plastic bottles, glass jar, drinks cans - recycled 

374 Kitchen detritus - binned 

I will catch up with the cheerleading tomorrow. Sleep tight 😴

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🙏💐💐🌟⭐️❤️💐💐 

DH Awards: 🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 374/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

vulpix

Brambling, you have a lot on your plate. Your friend needs to be safe foremost, try not to feel guilty. My Dad was like your Aunt. he bought my Mum a Beswick horse for a gift once, she loved it and thereafter got one for every Birthday, Christmas and Anniversary for over 40 years!

Not everything done off the overnight visitor ready list but a good bite at it. I distracted myself when stripping the bed. It turned into hoovering the mattress and divan. Gosh the mattress is a heavy blighter. I am a master at distracting myself. I thought I would just fill the hand soap dispenser after a bathroom visit. That turned into filling the bath soap dispenser, shampoo dispenser and then cleaning the bathroom! Oh, emptying the hoover then turned into washing the cylinder and the two filters. I can't help myself!

We did put the curtains up in the decorated room. I love them. They looked nothing when the room was magnolia but they stand out now the room is darker.

I sewed up 5 bodies and 10 arms of the Dennis the menace jumpers last night. I will take them to craft club today to make me finish them. If I only take them I can't distract myself with a shiny new project, as I did with a crochet blanket last night.

Time to get a wiggle on. I notice the top shelf under the sink has collapsed in one corner again. Might be time to screw it in place. At least I am very familiar with the contents of the under sink cupboard recently!

Vx

florianatwobob

@Brambling I agree with @vulpix you’re working in your friend’s best interests. If your friend had capacity it would be her right to make what others may consider ‘unwise decisions’ just as we all do everyday when we reach for that extra treat or think ‘stuff it’.

However your friend doesn’t appear to have capacity to make all the decisions she may wish. In which case you are weighing up all the information you have to choose the right course of action in the circumstances.

It’s a big responsibility but you are doing your best.

Wednesday2000

I have woken up not feeling very well so I'm going to have a pyjama day at home and miss my class. I'm going to start my book.

My husband is going to drop off the donation bags. I have three of them.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Daily To Do List - written the night before
2. Sort out sleep patterns - initial targets: bed by 03:00, up by 10:30
3. Don’t put it down, put it away + deal with mini tasks as soon as they are noticed e.g. refill olive pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc.
4. Commence ‘Operation Financial Frog Tickling’ using the acronym - I.R.I.S. (Identify, Research, Implement, Sign Off) - One per quarter
5. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed
6. Plan & Execute ONE Major Project - 2026 New Bathroom
7. Target 2026 items out

Tuesday is a brighter day with some blue sky visible & the sun is trying to put in an appearance 🙂 However it did rain earlier. The forecast is for a high of 14°C (feeling 3° colder due to a SSW wind) & a low of 11°C.  I have my first cuppa so will get stuck in with the cheerleading:

Wednesday2000, pleased to hear that you have recovered from your ‘sound bath’ experience 😊Good luck going through your wardrobe 🍀

Excellent work decluttering excess art supplies Pennypincin 👏

_Dolly_Rocker_ the lodge sounds wonderful ☺️

Green_hopeful, great work with the decorating 👏 especially creating enough space to paint the 3 metre lengths of picture rail 👏  Hope the weather improves for your camper van trip 🤞

Florenceem, another very busy day 👏 Please, please follow your Doctor’s instructions & try to eat more 🙏 It sounds like your “bestie” is a mirror image of you - caring & observant 🥹 

crazybeautiful, well done on the digital decluttering 👏

Oh Florenceem, pleased to hear accept some gentle cwthches 🤗 

GrannyKate, such a kind post 🥹 A good bargain on the seed compost 😊 Good luck silencing the frogs 🍀

Nice to see you Foofoopuppy 👋  I know you mentioned that you wanted to move this year so congratulations on accepting the offer on your house 👏 I will keep my fingers crossed that the transaction proceeds smoothly 🤞 Good luck with the packing 🍀 Just wondering if you have already found your new home 🤔 

Excellent decluttering Florenceem 👏 a Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way.

Lovely to see you Brambling & no need to apologise for your absence 👋 RL has a habit of getting in the way. Well done on decluttering a large bag of stuff to the CS & being so restrained in your purchases 👏 I agree with vulpix & florianatwobob that you are acting in your friend’s best interests, so please try not to feel guilty 🥺

Lovely sentiment vulpix 🥹 Excellent work getting visitor ready 👏 you have already done so much work that I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ Good luck finishing off the Dennis the Menace jumpers at craft club 🍀 You do realise that once your fellow crafters see them you will probably get orders for more 😉🙊

Beautifully expressed florianatwobob 🥹

Wednesday2000, sorry to hear that you are unwell 🤒 Hopefully a day of rest & being looked after by your husband  will set you on the road to recovery🤞 

The sun has managed to put in a proper appearance as a lot of this mornings clouds have disappeared (possibly due to the wind being stronger & reducing the temperature by 4°) 😊 Hope everyone has as good a day as possible 😊 Cwtches are available & don’t forget the TLC Carriage is always open 🤗 
P.S. a photo of the most recent hats I have knitted

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🙏💐💐🌟⭐️❤️💐💐 

DH Awards: 🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 374/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £41.00

Florenceem

Mrs SD - love the hats. My bestie is a wonderful person.

I told J to arrive at 9 instead of 8 as he would be making a noise taking the furniture apart. I phoned R about another tip run - he asked if J could cut in half the large piece of desk as his car is small. J didn't have a saw so asked if Mr F had one - I said no way could Mr F manage a saw - it would have been an emergency dash to A & E. My bestie said Mr F would have sawn his hand off - she knew what he was like at diy.

J went to his grandparents to get a saw but still had everything done including sweeping up the mess in half an hour.

The other J - builder arrived and is still here - planing a door out in the front area at the moment.

I thought I would phone the bed place just to ask if they had a date for my mattress delivery. Good job I phoned - it was being delivered this afternoon - had delivery changed as builder is working in the room and the bed is covered with bags that I had to move out of the way.

This morning I decluttered and cleaned the other side of the garage ready to store craft stuff in there. I have already moved some stuff into the garage. Attaching a photo - just the start of moving stuff in there. I have decided that I will do the sorting/decluttering of stash when I am putting stuff into my new units. There will be lots for my daughter's school.

Having a day indoors until bestie picks me up at 5.30 for the Lent course. My Dr asked me if I was fasting - good job I wasn't as she wants me to put on weight.

R is doing a tip run tomorrow afternoon.

Pennypincin

I managed to declutter a really big bag of soft plastics to a supermarket recycling point, plus a few assorted tins/packets into the food bank container at the same time.

Recycling out along with food waste and housework decluttered except dusting.