2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Florenceem

The number of bags in the hall for the charity shop is now 7.

Young J and his mum have been and collected paper and card plus craft bits. So one side of my hall is empty.

The other young J picked up a shift on his day off - the seller on marketplace replied to him - she didn't to me when I wrote to her. Now J is working he has told the seller that he can't collect until 11 tonight or tomorrow at 9 am.

Bestie has finally had a scan - results take 2 hours!

I have started to sew up the finished glove. Soon be time to peel potatoes. I only have to cook them and warm up a sausage and some veggies.

Decluttered - A3 paper, box x 2 of card, belt, feathers, plastic bags, basket of crochet worm book marks, box file x 2, collection of magazines, wooden stamp, polymer stamps, ink pad x 17, pack of eyelets, pair of socks, skirt, fabric, yarns, ream of paper x 2, carrier bags, labels, wipes, brown paper packaging, tape measure, chalk pencil pack x 5, chenille stems, sofa cushion x 2, bag of yarns and started knitting x 2, box of paper & card, empty crystal glasses box, table runner x 2, neck cushion, tissue paper, curtain

TC77

@Brie why do things always look very cute and as if they will fit and suit in the sale/ I've found many items with labels on… decided to keep some and cut the label off and put to the top of the drawer and others will be passed on

@Suzeesu2000 hugs

Mrs SD I think you are too generous thinking a final push is all that is needed for my bedroom - I had to move things to take the photo!

I did sort 2 more drawers and added 4 tops including a couple unworn to the CS bag and have just dropped it off at the CS, and 5 medicines to the pharmacy, also took bag with 5 towels/linen to the animal rescue (I may have counted these but as I sometimes forget things counting), notebook, receipts out, papers x2 , book, ood food, and labels and tags taken off items. 21 to add to yesterdays 30

new total 518

DB is doing lots at dad's as refurb going on and I've listed the last few items so hoping v large power tools and cooker going in next few days, hoping other things too. hoping for a couple of sales of my things. I've put out a new CS bag to encourage myself. Toiletries for the teenage project being dropped off tomorrow and counted then.

@Dizzycap and others, I love hearing how your gardens are progressing and the photos, and also your dedication and love for babyface is motivating to spend more time with big and little cat (DD1 and 2 are meant to be their responsible but AWOL humans.

Brie

Got out to the garden to take off the tops of some clumps of grass growing in the borders. These are random bits of weedy grass but clumps that are at least 18 inches across at the base and grow 3 feet tall. I've no idea where the stuff came from - it wasn't here when we moved in 8 years back (I have the previous owners' "map" of what's in the garden) but there's now 4 large clumps - 2 in the side border and one in the border at the front of the house. Anyhoo - I took the tops off as it's all going to seed (!!) and I didn't want it to spread any further if possible. Gardeners will do the heavy lifting of actually digging the clumps out. They've already done one and apparently it's a bit of a pig to shift.

While wandering about I decluttered some bindweed (clingweed?) and then decided I needed to ensure there was proper rubbish in the bin as well ready for tomorrow's collection so went through a box that had been left outside in the carport for the last 8 years. Some stuff I don't know what to do with - like OH's academic stuff on floppy disks/cds & discussing with him would be too upsetting so I've just tucked that away on a shelf out there. There were a few old AA road maps for various countries some nearly 20 years old so no resale value, some rusted out calipers, packs of chewing gum, lots of post it notes that I'd written and were likely on our pc when we moved. All into the bin. Nice to have actually made a hole in the mess. I noticed (again) that there is a couple of boxes that I had filled to take to a charity shop. I'll see about looking at that again in the coming week and if it's too much a mess now I'll have an empty bin to dump it in ready for the next rubbish collection in 2 weeks.

Floss

@TC77 re the clothes with tags - I found it very cathartic to shift my work-wardrobe clothing out of the house, and while I do spend a lot of time in jeans I do have meeting-appropriate and going-out clothes too, just not as many as I had.

I found finishing work was a good opportunity to be honest about what I wear & what was aspirational.

Yorkie1

Well done everyone

@Florenceem hope the news for your bestie is good

Soontobeoap

House still looks a bit messy but I have managed to clean out 4 bed drawers and one cupboard. All blankets and throws now stored in bed drawers and sewing machine and sewing box are now on a cupboard rather than down the side of the bed. It is a big job to literally go through every storage place but I think I am winning! Did find lots of fluff and cobwebs under the bed. 😱. Also sorted out a drawer in another bedroom cupboard and cleared one whole bin bag of rubbish. 38 areas now sorted. 🎉🎉🎉

florianatwobob

@suzeesu2000 I understand the sadness of the finality of your mum’s furniture being sent off to find a new home. We’ve still got our mum’s dining table and chairs in the shed and I was very teary when we got rid of the cooker!!

It’s not like Mum had been emotionally attached to the cooker but she was a very good cook and it was another link to her gone.

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 continued: I wrote a 4 day menu plan & then the shopping list. DH & DSis left 14:00. It is feeling rather chilly now 🥶 The recycling chaps turned up at 15:30, a huge & welcome surprise especially after a Bank holiday 😊  Fortunately I noticed them arriving as I hadn’t wheeled out my bin last night 😉 DH & DSis have just got home 16:05. Roadworks on the roundabout to get off the Isle of Dogs & then back on again caused serious delays 😞 I eventually put away all the shopping & realised that my cupboards are a mess yet again ☹️ DH brought back chicken burgers & fries from a newly opened fast food place. Tasted better than KFC. Wudupa

805 - 808 Kitchen recycling, 2 cardboard boxes, drinks cans - recycled 

809 Kitchen detritus - binned

Lovely to see you dND 👋 I completely understand where you are coming from - the days just seem to disappear 😞  Fingers crossed that your new pressure washer turns up soon 🤞 I loved your description of being a “Goldilocks Gardener” ☺️ although I do hope that having spent so long working in the garden on Tuesday that you were still able to move on Wednesday 🤞 & get to knit & natter ☺️  I am sure your peanut butter cookies will be well received ☺️Your visit to Aberfan with your friend sounds very moving  🥹 The house insulation/upgrade saga sounds like it is turning into a bit of a nightmare 😱 I do hope it all comes good in the end 🙏 Sorry to hear that April was such an expensive month 😔 Hopefully you can start to rebuild your bank balance in May 🤞 Great photos - I can see how busy you have been 🤩 I love that, despite your ponds not being full of water just yet, you already have a resident newt 🥹 I will keep everything crossed that all the stars align & you can get rid of the honey fungus in short order 🤞🤞

Excellent decluttering TC77 👏 I am sure that you will soon start to notice a difference ☺️

Wonderful cheerleading post Dizzycap ☺️ Pleased to hear that you managed to do what you needed to do in the garden before the rain came 😮‍💨 Fingers crossed that Birty the bully pigeon can be kept away from your new clematis 🤞 I’m with Babyface on staying away from magpies 😉 vicious birds albeit quite attractive. I am very impressed that you have resisted the temptation of the Snickers bar 👏

Excellent decluttering vulpix 👏 I especially liked the bag being decluttered to your DS 😌 Good luck reviving the very poorly plants 🍀 Sounds like the work in the front garden is going really well 🥳

Great decluttering oceanspirit 👏 I had to laugh at the tale of the shoes 😂 They definitely didn’t owe you anything 😉

Excellent decluttering Green_hopeful 👏 What a result finding another drone for your friend’s son 🥳

dND, I like the idea that you will be ‘mooching’ in the archive 🙊

Florenceem, sorry to hear that you had another bad night 🥺 Sounds like you need to have a chat with your doctor.  Good luck with your continuing project to tidy the small RoD & empty the large RoD ready for decorating 🍀 

Florenceem, This “I had a break and got a lolly out of the freezer - a mini one but I can hear my dear dad saying - you need your strong glasses on to see it” had me in stitches 😂 More excellent decluttering 👏 Hopefully you can deliver the 6 bags to the CS & clear your hall soon 🤞 Sending get well soon wishes for your bestie 🥹

Oops just noticed the time 😅 so am off to bed. Sleep tight everyone 😴 

MrsSD Awards: 💐 🙏💐💐🌟⭐️❤️💐💐⭐️💐❤️ ⭐️🎖️🥇 

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 809/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £165.11

Moorviews

Back onto the mission of getting all my current clothes to fit me properly so that I actually wear them. I decided to tackle the jeans and researched various hemming methods. Practised on my gardening jeans, which I usually just cuff. They fill with detritus and I have to empty them before returning indoors. So not practical! I wasn’t entirely successful as one leg is now slightly shorter than the other 😂 never mind, I shall unpick and make the necessary adjustments. I think I know where I went wrong. I need to buy some jeans thread to make the best job of it too. I have at least two other pairs that I eventually want to alter.

Trying on the various jeans with different shoes meant that I emptied out the bottom of the wardrobe. Some very nice high heels are now in the CS bag. I boxed another two pairs away as for some reason I am convinced that I might wear them one day. Plus, they are pretty! All of my wearable summer footwear is now out of boxes and neatly in the wardrobe.

Florenceem - I learn so much from how you go about things in such a practical way. I hope that your bestie is okay xx

Dnd - I too am a Goldilocks gardener 👨‍🌾 It’s a perfect phrase!

Yorkie1 - the executor file is a fantastic idea, thank you 🙏

suzeesu2000 - hugs xx it is a huge transition to make and I understand the sadness 💐

Hope everyone has a good day xx

QueenJess

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81986092#Comment_81986092

Was that a bracelet or one of those stretchy bands? I find the stretchy ones that are quite tight and dig in (you have to place them properly) do help. I used to wear them when pregnant as I felt sick 22 hours a day 😱 Couldn't sleep without it on!