2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Dizzycap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82020192#Comment_82020192

@dND - WOW! I just popped in and yours was the first post I landed on. It was the tonic I so very much needed. I've sat staring at your beautiful garden for the past 20 minutes and I'm now so relaxed, I'm nodding off - Thank you for some sanity in an exceedingly mad world 🤗😍……….

I hope everyone is doing ok and I hope to be around a little more soon and catch up with all the wondrous decluttering posts. Take care all and ta-ta for now xxx

TC77

@dND amazing garden and looks so peaceful.

Alot of admin stuff done but little decluttering , paper, pen and item to textile recycling.

778

oceanspirit

Pair of trackies to CS for rags - the waistband has parted company from the trousers. Spent some time today adding to master list and used some old coloured pens to categorise it. It is a very long list because am years behind with everything and with low energy levels there is only so much that can be done in a day. Having the list is good though as it has reduced my worry levels and that in itself will hopefully add a little to the energy pool and it is also helping me to easily find something to do that matches the energy levels at a point in time.

Brambling

snap Mrs SD I also so. £100 with my PBs, that will cover the gutter clearing I had done last week. Just in time for some torrential rain and hail

I'm building a pile of stuff for the tip, I sorted one of my outside cupboards (old coal shed) and I've Started to break up an old wooden outside table. My sister is eying uo any possible space in the car for a few bits, I'm not sure it there will be room!

Green_hopeful

@Soontobeoap sounds super frustrating. We use the plastic tubs with clip tops for most of our dry goods. I like the clip elements.

One of my pet hates is when people try to open a big block of cheddar like a packet of crisps. It never works and tonight the cheese wrapper was totally ripped apart. Just neatly cutting with scissors works so much better but the boys in my house are not good at listening.

I have been invigilating at our local college. I have been in one of the larger halls with 231 students for the Maths and English GCSEs. The college has about 1000 people sitting the exams at a time. They don’t have enough invigilators so get staff to help. We have a team of 4 or 5 invigilators in the Sports Hall who set up and clear up at the end. They are really lovely and its nice to work in a team with people who know what they are doing and work so well together.

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

Wednesday - having gone to bed at 08:00 I managed 5 hours sleep. It had rained but stopped by the time I got up. It is a damp, dreary day with a high of 18°C (feeling 5° colder due to a stiff SSW wind) & a low of 13°C. The HH waste wheelie bin has been emptied & I have put a new bin liner in. There is no more rain forecast but who knows 🤔 DH & I sorted out next door’s wheelie bins - they were nice neighbours BUT never quite got the hang of the bins ☹️ - it is a good job I don’t count “INS” as we have retrieved a rather nice wooden box, a wooden tray & a heavy duty metal tray. DH then resumed the prep work for the decorating - sanded the filled areas on the wall & sugar soaped then rinsed the ceiling & the walls one last time. DSis popped out to pick up her meds. I treated us to a takeaway - DH had fish & chips, DSis had sausage & chips whilst I had chow mien & sweet & sour crispy beef. Wudupa

939 - 941 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, newspaper - recycled 

942 - 943 Kitchen detritus, uu pen - binned 

Lovely to see you Deb4 👋 I loved your description of the tranquillity now that the children are back at school 🥹 Excellent decluttering 👏 & great sewing work very MSE & just in time for a hopefully lovely summer 🤞 A medal 🏅 is on its way.

GrannyKate, a pity that things aren’t going to plan but hopefully you will get back on track by Friday & have a rest day 🤞 Now that you have a jackhammer, I have this rather fanciful notion of you in full protective gear & being watched over by DS2 🙊 Although more practically you were probably supervising 😉 Excellent work by both you & DS2 which has earned you a medal 🏅🏅 each. Hopefully you will find a way to dispose of the rubble & any excess earth - maybe you could advertise it on a free site 🤔 

Me too, dND 😊 I do enjoy seeing photos of beautiful gardens 😊

Florenceem, more great work by young J 👏 Are you sure we can’t borrow him 🙊😉 Pleased to hear that the furniture has been delivered & is now in its temporary position 😊 Hope that you can get used to the colour 🤞 Sounds like you are thoroughly enjoying your mini spending spree & getting your home just as you want it to be 🥹

Rootle, you might be “plodding through treacle” but you are still on track with your decluttering 👏

Green_hopeful, pleased to hear that you are back home with your mum & her cat ☺️ Definitely an eventful trip 😉 not sure that I would have been quite so sanguine so I am very impressed at how well you handled your “comedy of spills” I am curious as to what your mum’s cat was watching on TV 🤔 I am leaning towards Countdown 🙊 Hope you can take some time to relax after such long journeys 🙏

TC77, maybe just for your own viewing you should take pictures of both your & DD2’s pen collections 😉

TC77, I think both you & your DB are doing a great job at sorting out your Dad’s house 👏

Brambling, you are such a good friend & I will be keeping everything crossed that a satisfactory solution is found 🤞 Good luck with the plants from the “sad corner” of the garden centre 🍀

Lovely post vulpix 😊 Excellent work in the garden & I was especially pleased to hear that you are pacing yourself 👏

TC77, fingers crossed that you can find another charity 🤞 Please remember that you are a successful declutterer & you WILL find the best method for you to keep areas tidy & clutter free 🥹

I keep falling behind with the cheerleading, so will try to do better 🤞 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅

DSis Awards:

Decluttering Target 2026: 943/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £226.61

GrannyKate

Morning - quick post. Looks like notifcations may have reappeared this morning. Thanks for the medals Mrs SD. I think the jackhammer may be out of my pay grade. I had one go with the chain saw a few years ago and nearly sliced through cable and myself so not touched that again. I can manage the hedge trimmer (no cable!) but it is surprising how holding it is hard on arm and shoulder so short spells only. Torrential rain off and on so no gardening but garden should be diggable once it stops. DGCs are back to their mother after school today so not here until same day next week. Quiz this morning with bacon butties - think I'll get the car cleaned again after trips to tip with woodworm infested wood which left sawdust everywhere. Car place is opposite the church hall where the quiz is held. Photos downloaded this morning as up an hour early.

With regard to pen collections - late MIL had hundreds (I posted about them before) - they only meant anything to her really. As I recall a fair number of them had dried up to the extent they couldn't be used and had to be binned. The others I have gradually used up over the years. She would have been happy with that as she was a very practical person.

I need to renew my railcard - but was hoping some more Mr T vouchers might arrive to go towards it as they are due. I am considering whether to download it this time and have it on phone instead of hard copy.

Right time to get dressed and organised. Have a good day everyone.

549 Photos downloaded and/or deleted

550 Daily notebook used up - last one I have so I'll make one up with scrap paper.

Florenceem

suzeesu2000 - yes I have that cream - Gynae prescribed it for me - use twice a week - maintenance she said. I have Amitriptyline for pain.

In a lot of pain before bed and when I settled down but went to sleep.

Furniture man is due between 11 and 12.

Delivery of my chairs is a 2 hour slot late morning.

Been raining - stopped now but the sky is becoming dark.

When I made the bed - emptied another shelf of the airing cupboard onto it. Lots to sort from that shelf.

Decluttered - 5 towels, flannel, pieces of carpet, boxes of shakes, fabric x 2, duvet cover, 4 curtains, bedspread, sheet, pack of shoe laces x 5, nightshirt, apron, pillow protector, pillow, paper, dress, earring, mattress cover, yo yo, box of envelopes, greeting cards, bag of ribbon, bloomers, tablecloth and a petticoat.

vulpix

Good morning busy bees.

I am concentrating on the garden. Yesterday I got Mr V to help with a big inherited concrete planter. I have emptied it and made it up with a cordyline and some succulents. I placed a lot of plants in pots around the garden where I think they should be planted. Mr V moved a stack of left over reclaimed bricks for me. This means the car is easier to get on the drive. It was so windy with intermittent rain, I only did an hour or so. Oh I also clawed out a nest of crocosmia at the start of the drive to reveal where the "rockery" starts to help with reverse parking.

I needed to be prepared for my friend today. She is kindly coming to plant up. She is a whirlwind and will want it done in one go. I on the other hand deliberate more. Some of the gifted plants I cannot identify, I will wait to see what they are when they flower. If I can find my spirit level I will dig in some brick stepping stones.

The plan for the cobble circle is to have Mediterranean herbs in pots around the sun dial. I do have the herbs in pots. They are somewhere amongst the plants in pots jungle along the side of the house. Some of these plants I have no clue what to do with. I might try to sell them.

Laters Vx

Florenceem

MrsSD - I won't have to get used to the pink sofa. Furniture store man has been - I am having a new sofa - purple. They will take it away when delivering the new one. He said that I could use the pink sofa but I won't - will keep it covered.

While the store manager was here - I had a delivery - chair for my summer house.