2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

SpikyHedgehog

I saw family on New Year's Day,  and redistributed 1 gift bag by filling it with my sister's birthday presents.  She and other sister then redistributed 1 full carrier bag from each of them to me...  contents sorted at home, and reallocated to carrier bags based on destination. 



Best friend came round on the 2nd, and Elder Son had a day off (first in 18 days,  don't be a chef if you'd like a social life) so came to the kitchen to chat to Best Friend and have some cake. (Last jar of mincemeat used up in the cake. )  I had been saying I wanted to be able to put the basket back on the spin dryer at the time,  which prompted him to sort it later. 



Tada! First goal achieved,  thank you Elder Son!   He also put his tools away and vacuumed the dust his work generated.  

Saturday,  I sorted through excess bedding.   I put the set for the sofa bed back in its bag,  and piled up 1 thick double duvet,  1 thick single duvet,  3 duvet covers and pillow cases for double duvet and 2 flat single sheets. 

Current redistribution place is in my bedroom,  on top of the Christmas decorations box in front of my wardrobe...  I need to ask mum if she can take some things to the hospice shop or household waste reclaim centre for me. 

I had a seizure at the end of December,  and though I'm apparently fine,  can't drive till I've been seen by the First Fit Clinic,  which will be at the beginning of February.   So, I'm off work from preschool till we know what's going on,  which gives more time for work on the house,  but less ability to take things away from the house. 

Sunday,  I took the big carrier bag from my sisters off to church. Empty plastic box filled with church pens,  later used in the service by children doing colouring and mazes.  Colourful blanket put in the children's area.  Roll of paper in the cupboard. Stickers and craft boxes in the craft cupboard.  This is of course why they give me stuff! Should I count it as decluttering from me?  Well,  maybe... because sometimes it takes a long time to get to where I want it to be.   The other carrier bag is still in the hallway,  as that's for preschool. 

Also really decluttered to church,  bag of clean tea towels returned to church kitchen,  poly pocket of reciepts to the treasurer for payment.   I stick the reciepts onto the back of a4 paper that's been used on 1 side and write what they're for.  Then use one of the many poly pockets that are on the house.  So this is eco decluttering 😆   I found a stash of reciepts last year that had faded so I couldn't ask for reimbursement,  and am really aiming not to have that happen again! 

Younger Son was with a friend for the weekend,  so I cleaned his window and net curtain when I got home.  I then ironed the net curtain dry,  as it needs stretching back out after washing.   So did more ironing till Call the Midwife was over,  and went to put the stuff away.   I then found more ironing lurking on the chair in my bedroom,  and mending... so brought that down to refill the ironing pile. 

boultdj

Deb4 said:

Today I have made lasagne and I used a jar of sauce that we had in so didn't need to buy one, I also cleaned and tidied the utensils drawer out I found 14 of the medicine little cups so I will take to college and see if they can use them, I found some plastic knives and some of the wooden spoons and a tea leaf holder they went in to the bin and give everything a good clean

Try advertising the medicine cups on craft group pages if the college does not want them, the measuring marks are handy when you are adding scents and dyes to soaps and candles.

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 oil 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 is another gloriously sunny day but oh so cold 🥶 with a forecast high of 2°C, low of -3°C & a WNW wind. I was up at 11:15 & now have my first cuppa but not yet awake so will do a little knitting before starting the cheerleading - still cheerleading posts dated the 1st 😉 I have sorted the Christmas cards which have had to be binned as our council do not accept plastic coated cardboard in kerbside recycling 😞 Fingers crossed that everyone is managing to stay warm 🤞

23 - 25 Office & DSis bedroom recycling, cardboard box - recycled

26 One inch of Christmas cards - binned

TC77, I think we are outpacing the Bullet Train 😉 Good luck tackling the emails 🍀 hopefully you can get into a routine of spending a set period of time each day concentrating on emails🤞This “Dd1 texted me happy New year along with 'we will make 2026 the year your house is decluttered'.” did make me smile 😊 & hopefully this means that DD1 will be helping you 🙏 Remembering how ‘curious’ I am, is there any news on your job? 

MadamMim2013, well done on sleeping through the fireworks on New Year’s Eve 👏 No chance here as people were still letting off fireworks at 04:00 New Year’s Day 😖 I do hope ‘hubster’ made your breakfast 😉 Pleased to hear that you took a day off from ‘doing’ & spent time resting/relaxing 😊 Congratulations on reaching a 1000 posts 👏 Just wondering if MSE still give people a badge 🤔 

Welcome aboard the EDT Deb4 👋 Lovely to see you again 😊 Please don’t pressure yourself to read all the posts, especially at the start of the year when the EDT is moving so fast 😉 Brie’s advice is very sound 👏 after all this is your decluttering journey 🥹 & we are here to support each other ☺️ Good luck especially with your selling 🍀

BlueJ94, talk about a busy New Year’s Day 🤩 Excellent work emptying a room & then smashing up the wardrobe 👏 You have earned your first medal of 2026🏅 - congratulations 🥳 Good luck 🍀 but please remember to rest in between sessions of decluttering 🙏 the TLC Carriage is always open 😊

Well down on getting the tree down & doing the dusting ilovetea 👏 A good start 🙂 Your wardrobe sounds like mine 😞 so good luck with decluttering clothes🍀 Are you sure you aren’t my twin as I also “want to declutter a few lbs” actually make that many lbs 😉 although I will settle for a few 😉

florianatwobob, I am very impressed with you working out your mortgage finances in long hand 👏 It definitely keeps the brain working & I confess that it is my preferred method of dealing with calculations & weirdo that I am I find it fun 🙄

I am breaking off here to make myself a drink, so will post & start a new post in a few minutes. See you later 👋 

MrsSD Awards: 💐🙏💐

DH Awards:

DSis Awards: 

Decluttering Target 2026: 26/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £0

Moorviews

@SpikyHedgehog - I hope you have a clean bill of health soon and can get back on the road. Sounds like you are doing really well with the decluttering in the meantime!
@Crazycatlady2 - good luck with everything ongoing with your health. I love your adorable fur family 😍

All the decorations and tree have been put away in the loft and I have vacuumed and cleaned throughout downstairs. It’s amazing how much dust built up. Mr MV has waylaid himself with more loft items and processing them. My cooling racks have gone rusty so they are out for the RC. I forgot to drop off a bag at the clothing bank today so that is back inside. My car has to go to the garage and I don’t want it to look too cluttered 😂

GrannyKate

@ionafan - thanks for your ideas re kallax unit. I think it is too deep and heavy for utility room. I have thought of using it in garage but may try selling it first.  Too cold to do much and trying to avoid turning heat on all day.  I made a start on frogs but pottering around is warmer than sitting at computer.

I went through filing box and box of receipts kept from last year.  I kept a few receipts for things brought in December plus some appliances.  Loads of receipts added to shredding pile plus a few things from filing box.

60 One frog dealt with
61 Receipts tin sorted most for shredding kept a few
62 Filing sorted through and some items out 
63 Shredding done - large bag in hall with CS bags to drop off Thursday. 

Willowtree222

Raffle prizes that were earmarked to leave have now left and been donated to a local place. 

All Christmas present wrapping now disposed of. 

DD is back at school tomorrow so her room will be the target to fit in some of her Christmas presents. 

Bag of clothes also starting to mount up. Local collection points are overflowing at the minute so going to wait and dispose when they have been emptied. 

Yorkie1

I have to ask - what's a "frog"? 

BlueJ94

Yorkie1 said:

I have to ask - what's a "frog"? 

Basically something thats a big task that upu put off for so long and you have to eventually do it, if that makes sense?

Deb4

boultdj said:

Deb4 said:

Today I have made lasagne and I used a jar of sauce that we had in so didn't need to buy one, I also cleaned and tidied the utensils drawer out I found 14 of the medicine little cups so I will take to college and see if they can use them, I found some plastic knives and some of the wooden spoons and a tea leaf holder they went in to the bin and give everything a good clean

Try advertising the medicine cups on craft group pages if the college does not want them, the measuring marks are handy when you are adding scents and dyes to soaps and candles.

@boultdj thank you for your suggestion, I will send a message to college tomorrow so I don't take them if I don't need to.

Not done much today as DS isn't back at school till tomorrow so I will have the day to myself which I'm really looking forward to and i can go through things properly 

Thank you @Mrs_Salad_Dodger for your support 

DawnW

Snowy and icy here and the roads are bad, so didn't want to go out. We made the most of the day by washing down the kitchen walls and ceiling. I then took down and washed the curtains and cleaned the window. We think the room looks better without the curtains, which cut out a lot of the light. The room isn't overlooked, and it isn't a large window, so I think I will just put up a pelmet / trim at the top to make the room look finished but still admit the light.

Binned a plastic tub with no lid, a plastic bag sealer thingy that doesn't work, and several out of date covid tests.

More things were put in the charity bag, and other things relocated. It looks a lot better in there now.

Looking forward to being able to get to the charity shop to actually get the earmarked things out of the house. Hopefully tomorrow.