2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Florenceem

Morning all.

dND - I don't have back pain it is situated in my lady garden - sorry for the slang word.

Deb4 - my middle son and grandson went to Porto yesterday for the match. I love the diamond painting - can I ask where you got it please? I don't do diamond painting but have a friend who does. Only thing - I would have to ask her to do 4 - 3 son's and a grandson are mad about Forest.

MrsSD - My youngest daughter R who only took up knitting recently is making herself a cable jumper. R started with hats and a pair of bootees. My friend said R is like someone who has learnt to bake a sponge and goes on to tackle a wedding cake. I get videos and questions about knitting from R.

I did have a better night although I had to get up to take painkillers and get another freezer pad - the pain didn't last as long and was a tad less severe.

J has arrived and is putting a top coat on the skirting board.

I washed my winter coat yesterday evening and left it out on the frame overnight. I am hoping that my mountain warehous. jacket will see me though until a top layer is not needed.

When J has finished the painting - we can move the completed units into place but not back against the wet paint. J will need to remove the masking tape before the units are right in place.

Then we can move the furniture upstairs on to the landing.

Next will be building 4 more units. One is going to be left in the box and put upstairs if I find - as I fear that it won't fit in the craft room. The unused unit may go in the large bedroom which is going to be a lounge. I only have a chaise longue and and chair bed plus a small table for the room at the moment. I bought the chaise longue and chair bed 9 years ago and they have been sitting - covered up waiting for the room to be done.

Hope everyone has a good day.

GrannyKate

Morning all. Been shopping with DS2 and now waiting for carpet fitter - he sent a timeslot of 12-2. Paid decorator so thats done. I have cash ready to pay carpet fitter. Very pleased to discover I had already dealt with a frog that was needed for tomorrow evening but I hadn't sent it out. Done now. I bought a plug in mosquito killer to take with me on holiday. My brother has a small reservoir at the edge of his property which probably contributes to the insects.

Talking of crafts - DGS1 who is almost 21 is very keen on knitting and crochet and is secretary of a group at Uni. Last week he was crocheting on the train on his way back from Glasgow and spent much of his trip chatting with an old lady sitting next to him about knitting etc. I remembered to buy a light bulb for bedroom 3 lamp - I will no doubt now find the one I saved from the old lamp. I put it somewhere safe!

406 Post meeting frogs dealt with and various emails sent

407 Form completed and submitted

408 Further frogs dealt with

409 Painter paid - money decluttered

vulpix

I haven't gone to my charity shop volunteering today. I have a cold. I planned to go, it's not a bad cold but I have been awake all night. I felt sleepy when I should have been getting up but sleep has since eluded me. Such a waste of a day. I am rubbish when sleep deprived.

Mr V has taken the best of the linens into the charity shop along with the worst for ragging. I have 2 friends both with little grand daughters. I am going to make an embroidered cloth into 2 tote bags and make a sausage dog each to go inside. This will also use up some of my fabric stash too. I knew keeping some bits of green velvet curtain would come in useful. They were once DD1's curtains, faded down one edge and I used them to recover my dining chairs. Waste not want not. Think my Mum gave DD the curtains originally so they have had a full life.

DD2 is visiting later, not seen her for ages. She works funny shifts.

My cleaner admired a little Caithness glass vase yesterday, I gave it her. I like it but have never found the right place for it to go.

The opticians cabinet is sold and being collected later. Good. It's in the dining room and in the way!

Deb 4, I think a black frame would be good. Mr V is also a Forest fan.

Thank you for the kind words about the little bedroom. I don't like the wallpaper but it could be worse.I thought it might be hiding a multitude of sins if I took it off.It makes the light odd when it is sunny. The room looks much better and a darker blue on dull days!

Vx

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

Thursday is not as bright as yesterday although the sun is trying to break through the clouds 😊 The forecast is for a high of 21°C (feeling 3° cooler due to a brisk WSW wind) & a low of 8°C. I have written a 4 day menu plan & a shopping list for DH & DSis. The recycling wheelie bin has been emptied 🥳 so they only missed last week. Once a fortnight seems reasonable but not once a month 😉 DH & DSis left just gone 14:00.

dND, thank you for the lovely compliment about my knitting 😊 Please, please be careful with your back & try to limit your time on ladders 🙏 You have made an excellent start on sorting your CDs 👏 Fingers crossed you can thin out your collection - maybe 2 or 3 at a time 🤞 Excellent work outside the house 👏 You have taken full advantage of the better weather what with digging up Spanish bluebells, jet washing paving stones, clearing guttering & even cleaning windows 🤩 A Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way.  😖 to the pressure washer breaking one month out of guarantee 😖 Definitely worth contacting  Karcher & fingers crossed you get a good response from them 🤞 Also hope that there is good news about the insulation, from the assessor next week🤞  Enjoy your knitting group ☺️ remember you also need to rest & relax 🙏 Gentle cwtches 🤗 coming your way 

BlueJ94, that breakfast looks yummy 😋  Very well done on not having an energy drink for 2 weeks 👏 hopefully it has saved you some money 🤞 A medal🏅 is on its way & a hope that you continue to resist temptation ☺️ Sounds like you are well rid of that foundation 😉

Deb4, great work getting all your washing done & hopefully drying on the line means that only a few items will need a quick iron 🤞 The farm visit sounds like it went well + I hope you managed to cope with the Mario film 😉 Your DS is very lucky ☺️ That diamond art is beautiful 😍 

A lovely cheerleading post Moorviews ☺️ I am very impressed that you tackled the shed rather than treating yourself to some gardening 🤩 Great willpower ☺️ Well done get the job sorted & please accept a medal🏅 in recognition of your hard work 😓 

Florenceem, your daughter R is amazing 🤩 & I definitely agree with your friend 😊 I only started tackling cable knitting a few years ago 😉 Pleased to hear that you had a better night 😊 Now keeping my fingers crossed that you will be able to sleep through without the need to get up & take painkillers 🤞 I see that you are keeping J busy again ☺️ Good luck building the units 🍀 

Great decluttering of frogs GrannyKate ☺️ Loved hearing about DGS1 🥹 what a pleasant way to spend a train journey ☺️

vulpix, sorry to hear about the cold & your lack of sleep 😔 Looking at it a different way, rather than wasting a day your body is telling you to have a rest 😉 You have been busy, busy, busy for months so no wonder 😞 Congratulations on selling the opticians cabinet 🥳 & what a lovely gift to your cleaner ☺️

All caught up 🥳 Hope everyone has as good a day as possible 😊

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🙏💐💐🌟⭐️❤️💐💐⭐️💐❤️ ⭐️🎖️

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 628/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £73.00

Deb4

@Moorviews thank you it took me around 2 weeks not sure in hour but by the time I had finished I didn't want to see any more red or white diamonds

I think black would be best I know ikea sell white ones so I will have a look there

Deb4

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger the farm was lovely and it was £10 per child and could stay as long as you wanted, the film was okay and it was with free tickets so that was even better

@Florenceem thank you the picture was one I found on the Internet and then uploaded it to amazon were it's made, hope you son and grandson enjoy Porto it looks very nice

Not sure why but the last couple of days in the afternoon I have ached all over and had to take one my pain killers which have helped.

My blood test has come back and I've got appointment with the nurse in a weekstime, I know one will be able my high cholesterol and I do need to get back into eating better.

Tomorrow DS needs some new school shoes and in the shopping centre and they have got dinosaurs 🦕 all round so will having a look at them.

Just got home before it started to rain so got my washing in.

Just ordered some cupcakes for my birthday that will red and white, as it my 50th I need some ideas on what to, we are going out for a nice family meal but other than that I have no idea 😢

Take care everyone ❤️

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81955606#Comment_81955606

Definitely needs a black frame. Go the The Range and see if they've got a nice size one with a white mat. That should do it nicely. Because it's the diamond art you may have to do without the glass but see how it goes.

My art teacher rates them for decent quality at the best price.

Florenceem

J was here 5 and a half hours. He painted the skirting board first.

He moved the furniture boxes out of the old office doorway so I can start to sort out what is going in the units downstairs.

J and I made 4 units. So much cardboard in the garage - it is not collected until next Friday.

I decided to pop out to the shopping centre. I got my winter coat in before I went out as there was a chance of rain.

It was a lovely day until the afternoon when it clouded over.

I contacted J the builder - he may be able to fix the units to the wall tomorrow - if not - next week. I want to start filling the boxes. I can just take them out when he is drilling and screwing.

Floss

@Brie could your OH discuss with the carpenter what he'd like for his hats, so that something bespoke can be designed?

oceanspirit

6 part frog has taken on a mind of its own and become much bigger in an exciting yet scary way.

Decluttering continues in the meantime with a number of bags being taken to a new CS who were very grateful for the donations - kitchenware, clothes, books, dvds, a fleece blanket I have never used, some brand new games. Also a small box of bits and pieces plus a broken airer to the recycling centre.