2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

TC77

Wow @EnergyShifter well done on the minimalist game. Too much pressure for me.

Love the gnomes

Missed special delivery followed by useless long call to royal mail, then saw postie who was super helpful and gave me no for manager so to sorting office and got it but abit of a palaver.

2 big lined heavy cushion covers and picnic lazy Susan in new cs bag, some.ood food digital declutter and a pen finished. 1140.

oceanspirit

Spent much of today asleep however did make a start on the Big Tidy Up with some things put away, more off the reading pile and found a couple of things to go which will be offered to friend tomorrow and if she doesn’t want them they will go to CS.

StickyTheStickInsect

It’s been a long time since I posted as I had to remove DS2 from his primary school and it’s been quite full on with other stuff too. It took a while to get DS2 a new place but he seems to be happy at a new school but is only managing part time at the moment. DD went on her year 6 residential and had her transition day at her new secondary school and DS1 is just being a bit of 13 year old! My Dad is finding stuff challenging at the moment too, so I’m trying to support him where I can.

The decluttering has taken a back seat but back into it this week as our 40 ft container has to be emptied by tomorrow night! Last Sunday DH and I did a sort out and moved all the stuff we are going to sell at the car boot or online to my Dad’s garage which we had cleared out over a couple of weekends last month. Today I finished work early and we moved all the stuff that is being kept, especially furniture that needs to come back to the house once we are sorted downstairs to a new 20ft container on a friend’s yard. We only have this one until the end of September, so we have to keep on it, to ensure it is empty by then.

Whilst I’ve been away from the forum, we’ve had a new floor laid downstairs to replace the cream carpet with wood, we had to buy a new dining table as the leg snapped off the table we brought from the old house, whilst we were moving things for the floor. I loved it, it was big with benches but in honesty, it was a bit big for our smaller house. DH has started to build the wall of kallax units in the front room and we’ve moved the TV.

We have the final bits to move from the container to my Dad’s tomorrow and then hopefully have a quieter weekend next week as it will be the first of the summer holidays as all 3 children break up next Wednesday.

My decluttering round up;

May : 1 bag to the library and 6 bags to the local freebies site.

June : 4 bags to the local freebies site.

July : 1.5 bags of DS2’s old school uniform back to the school, 1 bag of grey school trousers and socks to a friend, 1 bag of expired medications to the pharmacy, 25 bags to the tip including the dining table and benches (the benches went to their resale site as they were in good condition), 3 bags to the RSPCA charity shop and half a bag to fabric recycling.

My new total is 117.5/208

For my Dad from the clear out of the garage, 15 bags to the local freebies site and 10 bags to the tip.

My Dad’s new total is 234.5/416

Love to everyone xxx

weenancyinAmerica

@MadamMim2013 - so sorry to hear about Gizzy. They are definitely a part of your close family.

@London_1 - I remember when Ben was just starting at Uni. It doesn't seem that long ago - and now your youngest GS is graduating. Wow!

@vulpix - hope Mr. v is paying attention to you about taking it easy. Maybe you should threaten to sit on him to get him to relax more.

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

Saturday continued: Dinner was sausage linguine with spinach plus DSis had treated us to a cheese & garlic tear & share bread 😋 Wudupa

1192 - 1194 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, glass jar - recycled 

1195 Kitchen detritus binned 

Florenceem, how lovely to see middle son & DGS yesterday 😊 Good luck finishing your first girl gnome  🍀 I imagine however many gnomes you take to church tomorrow they will all be snapped up immediately 🥹

EnergyShifter, well done on getting the bulk of the work admin done 🥳 I am in awe that you have completed 17 days of the Minimalist challenge 🤩 and are Al reading planning day 18 👏 Your DS’s holiday project is definitely a keeper - hilarious 🤣 Not exactly what I would call a helpful response to your enquiry about how to dispose of the bags of gypsum 😞 Hopefully some of Declutterati family will have useful suggestions 🤞

A busy morning Yorkie1 👏 Sorry to hear that you are fatigued by anxiety & stress 😔 Time spent with your friend & then an evening at a play sound like the perfect antidote 🥹 Happy Birthday to your friend 🎂 🥳 

moginstein, a useful idea for use of the gypsum 👏 

Lovely cheerleading Moorviews ☺️ Remember maintenance & upgrades are just as important, if not more so, than home improvements 😊 As the tradesmen are coming back, if it was me I would wait to do any repainting 🤔 Pleased to hear that your ‘piles of stuff’ are carefully curated so that returning items to cupboards should be a relatively painless process 🙏 A medal 🏅is o its way. You might even find that you declutter even more items 😊 Good luck disposing of the ”trade waste” 🍀 Thank you for the halo 😇 A medal 🏅is on also its way for MrMV for keeping up with the watering 😊

Florenceem, sounds like all the finishing touches have been done by Bestie’s DH & DD ☺️ Fingers crossed it didn’t take too long to sweep up the dust & bits from the drilling 🤞 Good luck with Amanda’s 2nd plait 🍀

EnergyShifter, good luck decluttering the gypsum if you decide not to use it in your garden 🍀

Excellent work QueenJess 👏 DH mentioning he was doing a Tip run certainly spurred you on 🤩 Hopefully it wasn’t too hot & stuffy in the loft 🤞So impressed that I am sending you a medal 🏅 

vulpix, so pleased to hear that all your hard work in the garden is paying off & even more pleased to hear that you have had a day off for some self care 🥹 Glad to hear that MrV is finally starting to feel better 😮‍💨 Hope you enjoy going out for afternoon tea ☺️ So sorry to hear about the lady next door 🥺 Wow that is a lot of broken bones 😣 no wonder you were on first name terms with the staff at the fracture clinic 😉

More excellent work in the garden Soontobeoap 👏

Brie, thanks for the tip about getting rid of bindweed 👏 and a huge thank you for sharing the story about your brothers 🥹 I love that they are still blaming each other so many years later 🤣

suzeesu2000, absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of yourself having worked so hard & then on top of that also cleaning your carpets 🥹 A newly polished Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊 Good luck with the last session of carpet cleaning & putting everything back in place 🍀

Soontobeoap, please don’t forget to have a proper rest 🙏 hopefully with your DH having some free time you could  supervise as he does the work 😉😉 

Florenceem, that is sad to hear that C doesn’t learn from his mistakes 😞 Not at all surprised that you felt exhausted after having 7 family members visiting 😩 despite them putting up your TV 😉 I rather like Albert 😊 & Amanda is very cute ☺️ 

EnergyShifter, fingers crossed that the gypsum is gone soon 🤞 Another successful day of the Minimalist game 👏 

TC77, thank goodness the postman was helpful ☺️ Great decluttering 👏

oceanspirit, sounds like you really needed the sleep ☺️ Well done on making a start on the Big Tidy Up 👏

Lovely to see you StickyTheStickInsect 👋 Sounds like you have had a bit of a time of it, as I gather that dealing with the educational establishment can be rather like wading through treacle 😞 Well done on sticking with it 👏 Sorry to hear that your “Dad is finding stuff challenging at the moment” 😔 Very impressed that you have managed to empty the 40 foot container & have split the contents into items to sell currently in your Dad’s garage) & the remaining items to a new smaller container with another 2 and a bit months to sort 🤩 Great work keeping the decluttering momentum going with both your stuff & your Dad’s stuff 👏 As you have passed the halfway target with your own decluttering I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️  Good luck with the sales 🍀

Lovely post weenancy ☺️ I do hope you are OK & are coping with the heat 🙏 Gentle cwtches winging their way to you 🤗🤗 

All caught up 😮‍💨 Sleep tight 😴 

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1195/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £226.61

vulpix

Brie, at the moment I am feeling confident with the bind weed, quite possibly misplaced confidence.I will certainly keep the bamboo cane treatment in mind. Hahahaha for your brothers. even my dare devil son didn't try that one !

Florenceem,an amazing achievement to have so few broken bones with 6 children, don't worry my DS has has taken more than his fair share of fractures. He moved onto skate boarding as a teenager and he is still at it as he plays rugby. A broken finger stopped him joining the RAF. Possibly a good thing with his accident record. Hahaha.

Thank you for my star Mrs SD. The flat breads are just equal parts plain flour and yoghurt and a tiny bit of olive oil and salt.roll out, dry fry, yum yum.

Sticky, it has been full on for you. Well done for calling in on the thread. You will always find support here.xx

I just don't want to say this. Mr V has fallen again.Our back step is higher than a usual step. He had been to the car to bring shopping in, didn't quite lift his still very bruised and sore leg enough, fell out of his slipper , lost his balance and rolled down the freshly cleared piece of land onto the drive!!!!!!!! Today he has a massive hard bruise on his thigh where he hit the "rockery". I have had a sleepless night about these "falls". One more and it is off to the Doctors with him.

I am back on it today. First make some soup, then make dinner. Upstairs tidy, laundry put away. First load in the washer. Front garden beckons. I am putting in some stepping stones which will be hidden when the plants grow. My next task is to make up some pots to go on the gravel circle in the middle of the garden. Has anyone got a solar powered fountain? Where did you get it from and would you recommend?

Vx

MadamMim2013

Thank you everyone for your kindness, it’s nice to know I am not alone in grieving so hard for what some perceive to be “just a cat”.. 😔 I am giving myself the grace that I would grant others during a difficult time.

Today I have decided that I want to get certain areas/things organised properly, that way I can see what we have of certain things and decided with the hubster what is no longer of use to us and can be rehomed/recycled etc.

🐾💗

Floss

@vulpix definitely keep an eye on Mr V. I have a solar fountain - bought from Amazon. It's an AISITIN 6.5W fountain with battery backup.

Moorviews

@vulpix I am really sorry to hear that about Mr V falling again. I can understand your concern and can only hope it was something like tiredness or lack of attention. As you say, having a check up would be essential if there are any more incidents. We have various dangerous bits of our house and garden and no longer wear slippers unless lounging on the sofa in the winter. For safety reasons we wear comfortable and flexible shoes indoors these days as we have both taken tumbles. It also discourages any tendency to shuffling or not lifting our feet properly which is unfortunately more common as we have aged. 🤞there is no more of it and he takes it seriously.
Apart from swapping out mare’s tail for ground elder we have the same problems! Good luck with getting on top of it 😊

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger - thank you for our medals 🙏 I agree with you about waiting but think I might try getting some cleaning and preparation done in the meantime.

@suzeesu2000 - well done for completing your hall, stairway and landing. It is the hardest do and a massive achievement to keep at it despite your health problems. I hope you can take full pleasure from it now 👏

@StickyTheStickInsect - lovely to see you, although I am sorry that you have had to deal with so much. Good luck with the final emptying of the container. Just think what life will be like once you have finished processing all the ‘stuff’ and the weight of it all has gone.

The @ is playing up again so I will stop there and wish everyone a peaceful and pleasant Sunday. I am going to apply myself to some sewing and reading. I have a rare incidence of a peaceful house and want to make the most of it!

daisy_1571

Vulpix, its so easy to do any of tge individual things mr v did but added together it was even more likely. Perhaps getting tge steps evened out will be on the list for some point? Well done on getting so much done out there and gentle hugs to mr v.

I love my solar water features. We have had a cheap affair from the r@nge, where the water is pumped up to an urn, then trickles out that into three shallow dishes with runoffs, stepping down to a large dish at the bottom. They all balanced on a metal spiral so the whole thing was easily shoved back in its box over the winter but I loved the trickle and the sparrows could all choose a level for multiple baths rather than having to queue 😆. Sadly this year we were down to urn, 1 dish and the big dish but the urn got chipped then the pump finally gave up. Not bad for about 10 years of pleasure. Tge big dish still in use as a more boring bird bath.

Then we also have a bubbler. Individual components bought off big river, reservoir, pump, solar panel, little fountain. Mr d has cleverly drilled out the middle of a curling stone. That sits on pebbles inside an old wok (with a hole drilled in it) which sits atop the reservoir. The whole thing sits inside a wooden box of sleeper off cuts. Not impressive as a fountain fountain but lovely as a bubbly fountain.

I love it when it gets bright enough to switch them on and less chance of the water icing up of course. Sad when they get packed away beginning off winter. Birds drink, bathe and sit on it. Wasps and bees drink from it too, standing on the pebbles and drinking from the water running down the sides

Anything you get make sure you can clean it easily, amazing how quickly smallish amounts of water go green which blocks small pumps. A larger thing probably self controls better