2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

QueenJess

It's still too hot today and I've been watching some minimalist videos for inspiration. I have a feeling I still have far too much stuff and could get rid of a lot more.

I've been back to the same desk drawer multiple times in the last few days and each time I find something new to declutter in it. It's gone from full to half empty. This is definitely going to be very slow going, but I am genuinely happy with any progress :)

3 - packaging reused
1 - nail varnish I don’t use (Buy Nothing)*
1 - suncream used up
1 - colouring book DD doesn’t use (charity bag)
1 - tech accessories I don’t have a use for (charity bag)
3 - packaging I have no use for (recycled)

*I was going to challenge myself to use this up. But I worked out how many times I would need to use it and given I only paint my toe nails once or twice a month max and often leave them bare as well, it would take me years and years to use it up. And although the colour is lovely, I never use it because the colour doesn't go with any of the clothes I wear. So I would basically be forcing myself to use something I don't want to use for years as some sort of torture. That was crazy, so I am getting rid. If no one wants it, I will try and find out how to dispose of it properly.

I am trying to look around my house and ask which things I truly love as a way to get rid of more stuff. No, I don't "need" to get rid of more, but I feel like we have more than I can manage (and it stresses me out) so I do want to downsize more. I am a lazy person, so if something is too hard to put away nicely then I won't do it. It means I need half empty drawers and cupboards so I can put something back easily. My kitchen is currently the worst, but I haven't the energy to tackle that one yet. I think I will need to concentrate on using up surplus food stocks one item at a time and then deal with anything left. Too much food is my nemesis… I hate waste, but also overbuy when I'm not concentrating because the idea of not having anything in is stressful. The reality is we always have much more than we really need.

I've mainly been living in one room this week (portable air con unit), so it's slowly getting easier to work out I don't need most of the stuff I haven't put into my living room this week!

New total 1,917
Use it up total 491

florianatwobob

A very slow early walk to the inpost lockers to send a couple of Vinted parcels.

3 loads of washing on the line and a tiny bit of gardening done before 10am. The sum total of today’s work

BlueJ94

@QueenJess I watch similar videos but on Tiktok! I feel the same, I have sooo much more I can put into charity or bin!!

BlueJ94

I plant to pop into the bargain shop on the way home to pick up a new sweeping brush for £2! It's only going to be used for the garden and porch steps, I also want to get some clothing stored away in bags for Vinted. I have soooo much!

Siebrie

A few people reached out to me, inquiring if everything was okay, so I thought I'd respond in public rather than individually:

Thank you. Life is very busy. Two teenage daughters going through puberty one after the other, my 75% job, husband not really helping and having at least 2 mistresses (I have finally taken actual steps towards divorce), father passed away, mother having issues with water damage from upstairs neighbours and home insurance refusing full reimbursement. I constantly tell my children: 'sorry, my head is full', which is not ideal.

I have been decluttering and trying to stay on top of the bits of the home that were reasonably decluttered at one point.

My eldest has her graduation from secondary school tonight; she will go on to an extra year to up her general knowledge, and then to kindergarten teacher training. My youngest is in a technical school, prepping for university. She will likely change schools this summer, because there are no girls at all in her year and the year below and she yearns for a girl friend at school. Secondary school is free, just the cost of books and material; polytechnic and university cost around €900/year, so I'm saving up for that.

Our renovation fell through; we could not find an affordable contractor within the time frame of the building permit. It still needs to happen, though, even with the temporary repairs we made.

I have found evidence that husband has at least two mistresses; there are children as well, but I'm not sure if they are his. I have contacted a Notary, who has explained the steps I have to take. The bank has confirmed that I can take over the mortgage on my own with no change to the current fee structure (it's 2% interest, and I'd like to keep it that way!). If it is an agreeable divorce, we won't need lawyers, and the fees (Notary, bank, court, wills, mortgage, house deed, etc) will be around €5,000; I'm saving up for this amount. I'm writing the paperwork now, slowly, thinking it all through. Husband is turning our daughters against me, so I can't wait too long to finish this.

Due to the way we are married, all our assets will be divided 50/50. There are some amounts that fall under this division, that I feel are unfair, so I'm saving them in cash, to keep outside of the division: a €17,000 loan my parents forgave us, €40,000 from when I got fired, 3 x €10,000 gifts from my parents (maximum untaxed amount for parental giving under Dutch tax law). Where did all this money go, if it's not in our savings accounts? Well, your guess is as good as mine, but 'extramarital entertainment' and 'investments in home country without speaking them through with spouse' seem good guesses.

I've started reading along in this thread again, and am inspired by the progress everyone is making!

florianatwobob

Oh Siebrie what a time you’ve been having. You have been in my thoughts.

I’m glad that you have plans in motion to look after yourself and that your girls are doing well.

Floss

@Siebrie lovely to hear from you, but what a "nuisance" your husband is being... hope you can manage to ensure your monies stay yours.

Florenceem

Siebrie - sorry to hear what you are going through.

My J was here just over an hour - first job he did was to undo the rinse aid compartment on the door of the dishwasher. Then we moved the furniture and tidied up the stair rails into the corner of the room.

J knew that he hadn't tightened a wall socket so did that. As it was too hot for painting J put my clothes stand together. Then J built my console table for the hall - it is in my craft room until the sofa and carpet men have been here.

Even with the heat - the refuse men took my recycling and emptied the food bin.

I have a fan set up in my craft room.

I was met by a wall of heat when I ventured out to get my food bin in.

BlueJ94

And we're off! Ive worked out i owe 6k on my loan which was less than I thought. Ive paid £3.01 into my loan too, my other loan has £250ish left which ill pay on payday! CC has £20 which i will pay on payday too.

Im trying to do at least 1 hour a day of Surveys. I downloaded Yougov on my phone again and im nearly at the £50 payment threshold. Probably within a week i can get the £50 and that will go towards my loan. Ive also downloaded Swagbucks and ive got 3 product tests, one is cereal which im on the 3rd day of trying, ive got Pringles coming and also a Magnesium tablet.. I also had an email from Clicks Research and ive got a pillow mist coming.

My to do today's are

Repot the plant, it looks sad so im going to do this straight away i will post a before and after.

Clean down the front steps (I bought my brush especially gor this) - ive now completed this, I even cleaned down the door!

Clean kitchen (after ive made dinner later)

Thanks who follow along, catch you laters!

Yorkie1

Evening everyone; I've caught up 😊

@Siebrie I don't think we've "met", but I do wish you well with all that you are working through at the moment.

Travel down to Mum's on Sunday was fine. Her broadband and landline switch all went OK on Tuesday, as I predicted. The BB happened at about 910am, so I was able to log on for work by 930am. "Landline" (digital voice) took about another 24 hours. I still need to do some work on some phone handsets, but that's a job for tomorrow.

We're in the red heat area, just north of London, and it is definitely hot. I have spent today with a wet flannel on the back of my neck. I think my medication is interfering a bit with my ability to regulate heat. Mum's cat is preferring her wet food to biscuits, and because she is a bit of a houdini, mum doesn't want the windows open more than a crack at night in case she gets onto a flat roof, so there's no real respite at night. Still, the end of the heat is in sight (for now).

I was due to return to N Yorks today, but with all the Do Not Travel Unless Essential messages, I've moved my return date to Monday morning. Mum is thrilled with my extended stay, and work are being good about this. I didn't want to risk travelling tomorrow (still hot) or Sunday (probably busy, which might trigger a panic attack).

Those of you who have cats, do you have a preferred type and/or brand of cat litter? Mum uses T*o wood pellets, which are quite tidy but turn to sawdust and she isn't noticing when the tray needs to be changed. The litter tray is on a place mat, and I got some puppy pads previously as the cat tends to overshoot the tray …

Frankly, it does smell (particularly in the heat); I think some cat wee has dried onto the carpet. I wondered whether changing the litter might help. I will also need to find something to tackle the smells. Mum seems to be nose-blind to this.