2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

_Dolly_Rocker_

Thanks all for the well wishes for my little Luna-tic.

She's getting there with the healing, as it was a tear it's taking a little longer but the wound is clean and dry so just a waiting game now. Might be another week on the lead - she won't be amused with that but it's for the best.

My car broke down on the same day I made my mortgage overpayment of £600.00, this was the last chunk of my savings so panicking slightly.

I've got a little bit of money in my purse, my mum owes me some and payday tomorrow so I am hoping it's not too expensive.

I had to call 7 different local garages before I could get anyone with space to look at it! Everyone off for Easter break.

greent

Afternoon all!

I ahve been rubbish at decluttering recently (too tired!) and will try and be better for the next couple of weeks. Stuff gone in the past 3 weeks is:

Declutter 2026
386 - 392 random sturdy boxes (with no purpose other than 'just in case' given to colleague for house move

393 - 395 - items sold on v1nted

396 - 400 - packaging used on v1nted (some things double packed)

401 - 409 - too big/ too tatty underwear from me & DS1 binned

410 - 426 - cupboard doors, backing panels and shelves from a wardrobe which have been sat in garage for a year smashed up and binned

427 - 431 more cleaning products UU and replaced from stash

432 - 441 - random smaller boxes and packaging found and recycled

442 - 466 - books sold

467 - 470 - boxes and packaging used on books

471 - candle UU and replaced from stash

472 - 473 - broken coat hangers binned

Digital Declutter 20026

2849 - 3848 - whatsapp messages from 2020-22 deleted

3849 - 1 email thing unsubscribed from

3850 - 3899 - emails deleted

3900 - 4000 - photos and videos deleted from phone and 1 app

includes 12/26 unsubscribing target

Declutter 26lb

Another 2lb gone - running total 11/26

I haven't kept up with everyone's posts, sorry - hugs to those who need them & congratulations where that's due! There are individual choc mousses in little pots and crumbly shortbread for anyone wanting to indulge! xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. 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

Forgot to post yesterday 😬 

Sunday is an overcast cold day with a forecast high of 11°C (feeling 5° colder due to a brisk WSW wind) & a low of 3°C. DH set off at 10:15 on the motorbike for the RBR meet up near Coventry. I was up to say goodbye. When he gets back he will need to replace a bulb in the headlamp - a very fiddly job which will take ages so won’t get done until tomorrow 😞 I have started packing a couple of bags for the CS - see pic of the most recently knitted hats & a scarf using up odds & ends of yarn. 

I will add to my numbers once delivered to CS. Did an invisible mend on a sweater that is being donated to CS. I had the last of the hm soup for my lunch. DH phoned 15:45 - drizzling where he was & also drizzling here + the wind has picked up, strong SW & cooling temperatures by 8° He was on his way to the last landmark. DH called again 17:31 from Canvey Island & is on his way home. I prepped everything for dinner. DH got home 18:30 Dinner was a roast in the bag chicken, roast potatoes & carrots, green beans, Yorkshire puddings & chicken gravy from stock cubes 😋. Wudupa. DH had a long phone call with my brother T. Currently recovering well from a ‘male’ surgery. T is yet another person who has had to cancel a holiday 😞 He was taking his family to Egypt but has now rebooked & they are going to Norway instead. 

565 - 570 Kitchen recycling, cardboard packaging, newspaper, magazine, drinks cans, plastic bottle - recycled 

571 Kitchen detritus - binned

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

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🙏💐💐🌟⭐️❤️💐💐⭐️💐 

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 571/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £73.00

Rootle

11/52 - food warmer given away. Always makes me feel good to give something away that someone else can use and enjoy.

12/52 - DH made a start on clearing a box of his items handed to us from his parents on their last visit. It was a good start!

Green_hopeful

@volpix its worth keeping a bit of carpet for repairs. We had someone spill some nail varnish on our cream carpet. She tried everything to get it out but i got it patched with a spare bit. You couldn’t see it once it was done. The carpet fitter replaced about a foot square. It cost £35 as opposed to thousands for a new carpet.

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81942241#Comment_81942241

If it's clothing that's the issue you could do one (or more) of the following:

make piles of the same type of items - tshirts, trousers, skirts etc. look at each pile and get rid of the worst (stained, ripped), duplicates, wrong size, a colour you will never wear.

group by outfits - what will you wear with what - get rid of anything that won't go with anything else.

think about who you are and how you want to present yourself to the world - too much mutton dressed like lamb? Maybe lamb is a look you should try? Too funereal? (my problem for work clothes). Too casual? Too formal?

Get rid of anything that won't make you happy to put it on.

And as with any decluttering of clothes - have a bin bag for garbage, another bag for charity shop and maybe another that you will take the time to post on Vinted (and make sure you post)

And just so you know - I need to do allll of the above!!

purplevamp

A few bits and pieces in and out for me:

67) Jar of mouldy apricot jam (bin)

68) Junk mail (recycling)

69) 1D Top Trumps (ebay)

70) Book (ebay)

71-72) 2 x tops (ebay)

73) Another saucepan with a pinprick hole (bin)

74) Star Wars crochet book (Vinted)

75) 10 x wheels from my old dishwasher (ebay)

76) Another t shirt (ebay)

In - 2 new stainless steel saucepans (no non-stick for me anymore), silicone food bags, food clips - all from Ikea.

Nothing major decluttering-wise but a few little sales. My DD has been sorting out her room, mainly under her bed and has got a couple of bags for charity. Just need to take them to the shop.

dND

Welcome back @Dizzycap 😁

@Florenceem I hope the laminate went well 🤞

Well done @vulpix - I think I need you to project manage my place, mind you I get exhausted just reading all you have done each day. 🤣

@_Dolly_Rocker_ I do hope the car repair isn't too much. It's sod's law isn't it.

Lovely knitting @Mrs_Salad_Dodger

I'm still hanging in here. I am definitely spreading myself too thin but there is just so much to do everywhere I look. However my DS1 and DDiL1 came over about a week ago and DDiL1 started shifting a pile of gravel that's been in the corner of the parking area since the builders left, (she weightlifts). She couldn't finish it as I only had one bag. I bought another one which I'm starting to fill but I have a feeling that even that isn't going to be enough.

I though DS1 was coming up to do the odd little jobs that I can't to by myself such as the large panel of plywood. He not only cut the ply but also put my whirlygig line in. I am so happy - ridiculously happy - at being to get my washing out on a line again. I've been able to get a full wash load done and dried in 3 hours rather than the half load done and taking 2 days to dry on the airer. 🤣🤣

But the main thing he wanted to do was the catio. After a day's work on that we were pretty close to finishing it so he came back a couple of days later and we (mainly he), finished netting the area. We then let Gino explore and discovered how easily he got out before we installed netting. 😱😱

I think I need a lot more cable ties so that there's no gap large enough for Gino to get his nose into. 🤣🤣 I think he's been building up his muscles on his exercise wheel in readiness for an escape bid!

Cable ties and excess netting will be trimmed once we're sure it's Gino-proof.

Apart from the usual weekly detritus going out - where does it all come from - money decluttered at the vet today, mainly meds for Jewel. It was annual booster day for both cats; I've joined the vet's monthly payment plan that covers their boosters, flea/worm treatment and claw trim. That last bit is really important as Jewel's claws are now growing into her pads since she sleeps most of the day and doesn't wear them down at all.
7 bags of garden waste were collected last Friday, 3 of which were the Spanish bluebells and after a hour or so this afternoon I've half filled another bag with the bluebells. There's still more to go. 😱😱

Well done everyone on all you've done, even if it's only a bit, as I tell myself, every bit is a bit more out of the house. Hugs to those who want and love to you all. Dxx

BlueJ94

Afternoon all!

No decluttering today so far anyway! Going to make dinner soon and have a shower get it my pjs and hopefully have an early night ready for my 4.45 alarm!!

Florenceem

Mrs SD - lovely knitting.

R managed to clear everything from the front garden today. I went out to sweep before it rained.

I thought - laminate man should be here by now - got a phone call from the shop - they couldn't get to my property as the road is closed. I carefully said - you can come in from the Ellington rd end. More time went by - they followed the sat nav which takes people to a block of flats which isn't coming in from the road I told them. Eventually they arrived - lad was helping to put down the underlay then he went off to help another fitter.

I decamped to the bedroom only coming down to make coffee for the fitter. I emptied the 2 black sacks of clothes that were lurking - now I have drawers to put them in. Then I unpacked 2 black sacks of fabric into the under bed drawers. Fitter was still working so I pinned and hemmed A's trousers. Did a few bits of ironing.

My neighbour came for her key - locked herself out again.

Fitter finished - now I need to chase the builder to get the skirting board fitted.