2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Florenceem

Cold here today.

I walked into town and got some cash. I had to ask for help to get the bag of donations out of my shopping trolley when I got in the charity shop. I had filled it and wedged it in.

I popped to the blinds shop to pay the rest of the blind money. I had a quick look at pattern books but need to choose a wall colour first. I did see a couple that I liked.

My medications arrived before I left home so I didn't have to go into the chemist about them.

I met a friend P that I worked with - she didn't know about Mr F. P is 5 years older than me and a widow - she is very badly affected by Rheumatoid arthritis. I am so Blessed that I can still knit.

The heating went on when I got home plus a hot cup of tea with a doughnut warmed me up.

The Easter egg is no more

They had forecast it to rain at 11 am so I was hoping to miss the rain. No rain here yet.

I am going to have another cup of tea while I sew up the completed knitted glove.

Then I will go upstairs to tackle the large ROD.

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 hasn’t quite gone to plan 😞 I fell asleep on the sofa & woke with a start at 07:45 probably due to the brilliant sunshine & noticed that DH’s bags were still here. Before going upstairs I filled the kettle to make DH a drink. Woke DH at 07:50 - he had forgotten to set his alarm. Whilst he got dressed I made him a small, strong coffee. We said our goodbyes & I went to bed. I heard the bike pull away at 08:15, so not too much damage done 😮‍💨 I fell asleep quite quickly & managed another 2.5 hours of sleep. The sunshine has gone & it is now a dark overcast day with a forecast high of 12°C (feeling 3° colder due to a brisk N wind), low of 4°C & rain for a couple of hours from noon. There was a moving van on ndn’s drive (the rental house) so had a long chat with V, H & T. Apparently since V’s other daughter M moved out they have been struggling to manage the rent. Daughter H was given the responsibility of looking for a new home & managed to find a bigger house for less rent in the area where she & her siblings had grown up. So today they have packed up & are going back to Walthamstow. The added bonus is that daughter M is living nearby ☺️ Hopefully the next lot of tenants will be just as nice 🤞 DSis had an appointment at the doctors for a blood test today. All done & dusted & she was only out for about 25 minutes. 

Soontobeoap, what a relief to find the crayons 😮‍💨 Happy you & happy GCs 😊 I am happy to tell you that a quick check of my records shows that your current awards are as follows: You - 4 Gold Stars + 3 medals whilst your DH has 2 medals 😊

Yorkie1, nothing wrong with having a completely restful day & recharging your life batteries ☺️ It definitely worked judging by the amount of time & energy you spent working on your allotment 👏🤩 Pleased to hear that your hand is virtually healed ☺️ Hope the installation of your fibre BB has gone/is going well 🤞 Loved This “Dad always used to write names with ink, and then addresses with pencil, to allow for tidy updating” is absolutely brilliant 🤩 Thank you for sharing 👏

Florenceem, what a busy Sunday afternoon 😊 I am not surprised to hear that your craft stashes are not reducing as quickly as you would like despite taking 12 bags of ‘stuff’  to the CS over the last couple of days 😉 It might have something to do with dismantling curtains & adding to your stash 🙊 Hopefully all these pairs of gloves you are knitting is reducing your yarn stash 🤞 I do love your knitting - not only great colours but so neat ☺️ I see that you have had a busy Monday morning 👏 Sorry to hear about your friend P’s Rheumatoid Arthritis 🥺 Good luck tackling the large RoD 🍀

I can’t believe how chilly it is & the rain which started (as forecast) isn’t helping much 🥶 Looking on the bright side at least the steady drizzle will do the garden a world of good 😊 Hope everyone has as good a day as possible & I will see you later 👋 

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 822/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £165.11

vulpix

I had an epiphany today. Had the telly on at lunch time and they talked about treen. It suddenly dawned on me that the word treen originates from the word tree!! Doh!

It's been one of those days where the best laid plans etc… DD2 came last night and stayed over so I had to be a bit sociable with her, hahaha so I haven't done what I intended. I then waylaid myself with looking for wool in my stash and spent an hour sorting it out into colours. I have a lot of little bits that I have been given but it will all be used. Then had a chat with J the builder and made some decisions about the hoggin circle. Also researched supplier for that which turned into research for my friends garden which is clay and North facing. very limited in choice for that. At least some washing has been done and is out on the line.

The reclaimed stone for the patio is gorgeous and will look the business.

I MUST go and finish painting the chest of drawers from our room instead of procrastinating here.

Hope your next neighbours are nice Mrs SD.

Vx

Willowtree222

Two bags binned today. They had broken and were not salvageable so have gone in the bin.

I might brave a tip run tomorrow. I have a few things to take and although I procrastinate it, I usually feel better once it has been done.

Yorkie1

BB all installed! All very quick although I had to search Zen's internet site to work out how to get the phone working because the installers had connected the cables for that up wrong 🤔

The emails had said it would take either 1-2 hours, or 2-3 hours (depending on whether Zen or City Fibre had sent them). In the end it took about 45 minutes, including the discussion about where to put the box. I'd booked a half day off work, so had done a couple of hours' work before they arrived, did the washing up and some gardening once the installers had arrived, and then went back to work at about 230pm. The front garden is no longer an embarrassment of weeds (mostly). Not sure I can move the green bin for recycling later this week, with all the garden and allotment weeds …

Walthamstow is nice, Mrs SD. The CofE vicar is an old family friend.

It's been a chilly day hasn't it? Once I sat down this afternoon at my desk, I needed to put on the mid-warmth Oodie-type garment I have. Now have a heated pack on my lap too.

TC77

@Vulpix, I do understand how focusing on one room can really give you somewhere peaceful and also provide motivation for other areas rather than seeing chaos everywhere. Alas, I can't decided how to rearrange clothes as I can't remember I've changed one drawer already but do agree getting my bedroom sorted should be a priority. I have taken a spare chair (was with the dressing table but too big) and some other things out, but will aim to sort by the end of the week. I keep going out, tried a meditation class this morning and cooking group tonight.

Not working I seem to be eating much more, so maybe won't declutter the bigger clothes 😄

Some papers out, ood food. Had lots of watchers on items listed for sale but nothing came of it, and debating whether to abandon but not all would go to CS. I do have BHF coming on Saturday to collect 3 items.

Still can't find DD2's laptop so putting that on my list to look for tomorrow along with another bedspread.

Hope everyone is staying warm as its got so cold and putting extra layers on me and the bed!

Florenceem

vulpix - what do you use the oddments of yarn for please. I have lots of them.

Well I had a lazy afternoon - I sat and knitted + watched You Tube craft videos. I haven't watched 1 minute of tv.

I sewed up the knitted glove and worked on the other one.

I was watching YT plus knitting + texting bestie - went wrong on my knitting - seriously - this is after 6 pairs of gloves!

The rain arrived - quite a lot of it.

I had a spurt of energy in the evening and moved 3 boxes from the large ROD into the old office. There is no more room in the old office now.

I have carried 2 boxes downstairs and put them in the garage. Three more heavy boxes are ready for J to carry down tomorrow.

I finished knitting the glove and have started on another pair. I am thinking that I will do 10 pairs. They can go to daughter's school in September and the unsold ones to the SA charity shop or the Christmas fair.

A retired SA officer phoned tonight to ask how I was and that they miss me. He understood why I haven't been worshipping at my old corps. His brother died and the widow couldn't bring herself to worship where they were regular and involved members. She started to attend a different Church.

My J will be here at 9 tomorrow morning - he hasn't been here since last Monday.

BlueJ94

Morning!

I need to get my bum into gear and keep posting because once I stop i spiral 😂 taking my mam to the CS later she's so excited haha!

vulpix

Florenceem, It's 5 years since I used up all my oddments of yarn in items for bit by bits's friend to take to a maternity hospital in Africa. I made little hats to a very simple pattern and crochet blankets. With the blankets I just used all the different shades of one colour and I loved them. The nicest ones were in yellows and oranges and shades of blue.I have amassed quite a lot of oddments again and will do the same but for Ukraine this time, hopefully via Happy Kitties. I am making adult hats at the moment with the last of the chunky wool. One more to do and I will make some of the kids hats and post a pic. The Ukraine charity have asked for adult hats, older children's jumpers and knee blankets for the elderly. I know what your friend means about arthritic hands. My Mum can only do a small amount of knitting a day now as her hands are very disfigured and locked in place. Mine hurt after knitting but I think, use it or lose it!

Blue J, I didn't know that charity shops accepted Mothers! That is decluttering at it's finest!🤣

Right ! I am going to give the chest of drawers yet another coat of paint. I am finally happy with the colour. I think it makes me happier about the bank of built in wardrobes too. I will live with it a bit and see how we get on.

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

Forgot to post again 😞 

Monday continued: I finished the last of the hm soup for lunch. DH phoned at 16:15 having stopped for coffee & a bun. It had been raining for a while but then the sun had come out so he had dried off. He wasn’t as far along as he would have hoped due to heavy traffic, unsigned diversions & roadworks ☹️  I finished another scarf.  18:40 DH phoned again from the hotel. He had showered & was just having a coffee before going down to dinner at 19:00. Despite the rain he reckoned it was a good for motorcycling 😊 DIs & I had beef in gravy with mash & green beans for our dinner. Wudupa

823 - 825 Kitchen recycling, magazine, plastic jar - recycled 

826 - 827 Kitchen & lr detritus binned 

vulpix, thanks for that….I learn something new every day 😊 A bit of a frustrating day then 😉 I had to look up “hoggin circle” so learnt a 2nd new thing 😉 Apparently there have been no viewings on the house, so not expecting any new neighbours for a while. Hope you managed to finish painting the chest of drawers 🤞

Every item decluttered is a win Willowtree222 👏 Fingers crossed that you managed to find time for the Tip run 🤞

Yorkie1, pleased to hear that your new BB was installed so quickly 👏 & ‘almost’ efficiently 😉 Excellent work in the garden 👏 a medal 🏅 is on its way. Hope you managed to stay warm 🤞

TC77, pleased to hear that you are trying your hand at new things ☺️ Hope you enjoyed the meditation class & that you enjoy the cooking group 🤞Good luck finishing off the tidying & decluttering of your bedroom 🍀 I think the eating more has less to do with not working & more to do with the weather 😉  Hopefully it won’t take too long to find DD2’s laptop 😊

Florenceem, pleased to hear that you had a relaxing afternoon ☺️ Hopefully it didn’t take too long to rectify the knitting mistake 🤞 It is such a shame that the current SA officer wasn’t as empathetic & understanding as the retired SA officer 🥺 

Sleep tight everyone 😴

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 827/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £165.11