2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

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 continued: we set off just after 10:00 in a light drizzle & a 17°C temperature. The drizzle only lasted about 20 minutes but the temperature only went up to 20°C & it was overcast all day. The cloud cover was very low & we went through several places where it had rained. Only 2 current landmarks (as DH has already taken photos of all the old landmarks in England) We went over the North Yorkshire Moors & despite being a teensy bit chilly it didn’t rain & we even saw the sun for a minute before it was obscured by clouds. Stopped for coffees & cake at 14:15 & took our time. We arrived in Kirton in Lindsey at 16:30, checked in & were in our room by 16:40. Lazed about for a while then got showered & changed.

Blue_Doggy, your cookery books sound very interesting 😊 Excellent decluttering especially the magazines & brambles 👏 Also well done on wrestling the pan lid away from Justin 🥳 Fingers crossed you get some 🌧️ 

vulpix, wagging finger emoji 😉 I don’t think you are a lost cause as I am still hoping that once you have finished getting everything to your liking you will be so much in love with your home that you won’t want to move 🙏 Hope you & MrV managed to complete your jobs list for Sunday BUT please be careful moving the stack of bricks 🙏

Lovely cheerleading dND ☺️ So pleased to hear that you managed to get both a siesta & a good night’s sleep 💤  What a bountiful amount of fruit & such lovely plans for it 😋 Good luck with the air-con unit 🍀

Heading down to dinner now, so will see you all later 👋 

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1384/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £297.61

florianatwobob

I have a laptop issued as standard for work. When out and about I use the built in keyboard (which feels cramped) and a wireless mouse.

My ‘at home’ set up is a full sized adjustable height monitor (on a riser too to get it at the perfect height), separate keyboard (it’s a cheap gaming keyboard as I like the disco lights on it), wired gaming mouse (you might see a trend forming there with the disco lights) and a separate adjustable riser for my laptop. I then have the monitor attached to my laptop via an HDMI cable. I can either replicate the laptop ‘desktop’ on the full sized monitor or as I prefer extend the ‘desktop’ so I can drag between screens which is far more useful for me when comparing or referring to multiple documents.

Green_hopeful

my husband felt emboldened by my son giving up some shirts and gave up 14 of his shirts from work which he hasn’t worn for two years. I added the white shirts and a dress and then today I added two hockey shirts we found when clearing the garage of doom. So going with 18. My husband had left his shirts on the landing so i brought them down and left them in the way in the kitchen. Yey he took them to the charity shop while i was at the vet.

Poor little cat has pancreatitis. We thought they might give her some fluids today but they couldn’t get the drip in so I have brought her home and decluttered £220 in the process. She is currently sat on my sons lap purring but her tail is wagging so I guess she is still in pain.

Brie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82105979#Comment_82105979

many people opt for a large stack of books…. encyclopedia work well as do bibles! & readily available either way as reference sources!!

SpikyHedgehog

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101932#Comment_82101932

Thank you Floss, this is good news! We don't have an 1kea near us though, so depending on how many returns he has, it might be more cost effective to not return them than drive to Thurrock or Norwich.

I was listening to Dana K White's podcast earlier, while making Elder Son's door curtain, and she was talking about the importance of having a focus for a room. So if you've got a music room that is also used as an office, the main point of the room is being able to play the instruments, but you also need to decide if you have a small desk, or a place for the laptop...

It made me realise why my living room is so chaotic. It's the access from the hallway to the kitchen. It's where the tv and sofas are. It's where Younger Son's computer is. It's where Elder Son's motorbike top box and panniers are stored (for now!). It's where my ironing and mending basket lives. Food for thought as I rearrange the house without Elder Son's stuff.

I also thought about how I need to be more mindful of what I bring into the house. There is currently 2 boxes of duplo in the house, because we've been given it for church but it needed washing. I need to get that lot back to church. (And plan where I'm washing the rest that's still at church...)

Empty can of spray starch to the recycling bin after I'd done the ironing.

QueenJess

My new YouTube obsession is the Space Maker Method. It's so good! It's full of people who are overwhelmed or don't know where to start in rooms of doom. It's such a lovely gentle method and shows it's an ongoing process and you don't have to do it all at once to see benefits. Makes me feel better about my house :)

Not much happening here, although DD left a little pile of goodies outside her room for me to deal with. I did declutter the very odd thing today and sent another kitchen item into the "not sure" cupboard. I am very slowly working through the food stores.

Kitchen stuff
1 - ice pack we don’t use (charity bag)

Bathroom stuff
1 - OOD medicine (chemist)

Kids stuff
4 - DD tat binned/recycled
2 - DD paperwork recycled
1 - DD toys (charity bag)
1 - laptop case not needed (charity bag)

New total 5,442
Use it up total 739

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 continued: dinner was delicious 😋 DH had a crayfish & prawn croquette in a spicy sauce followed by Katsu curry on a bed of rice & Pak Choi then a trio of icecream 😋 Whilst I just had a main course - pan fried salmon on a bed of leeks & peas with a poached egg & Hollandaise sauce & hash browns. It was so tasty that if we were staying a 2nd night DH would have picked it 😉 The food is obviously really good as the pub was full to bursting ☺️ Still pleasant outside & no rain yet. We were back in our room by 21:10

Great decluttering florianatwobob 👏 A worthy cause to support 🥹

Wonderful cheerleading Yorkie1 ☺️ 

Great suggestion SpikyHedgehog 👏

florianatwobob, wishing you success in your gardening endeavours 🍀

dND, that all looks sooooo delicious 🤤 Now you just need a freshly baked loaf & you will be in seventh heaven ☺️😉

Florenceem, your Bestie is wonderful 🥹 Oh 🤩 what an experience for your dancing grandson 🤩 I am probably not the first to ask, but please could we have a photo of the cute fluffy chicks ☺️🙏 

QueenJess, that is brilliant news that your Dad noticed your DS’s decluttering efforts 🥹 a real boost for your DS  👏 I am awaiting DS’s numbers with bated breath & am currently polishing up a gold star for him 😉 More excellent & eclectic decluttering 👏 & good luck with your to do list 🍀 The banana bread was yummy 😋 

Excellent news that your friend is helping re the Tip run EnergyShifter 👏 Good luck completing your gardening before the rain 🍀

TC77, so pleased that you have found photos proving to you how much decluttering you have done ☺️  Perhaps transfer them all to a memory stick to create space on your phone for holiday photos 🤔 

Florenceem, sending more gentle cwtches to you & your family 🤗 

I have made a small dent in the cheerleading but am nodding off so will post & try again tomorrow 🤞 Sleep tight 😴 

P.S. Rained steadily & heavily from 21:30 to midnight

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1384/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £297.61

Floss

@florianatwobob that's a similar setup to mine when working - laptop, keyboard and mouse + screen at home, and 2 screens when in the office.

I've decluttered the sweet peas & nigella from the raised bed as they have struggled in the heat. The hanging baskets gave up a few weeks ago.

vulpix

Sunday, 4 trips to the tip, the 3rd one Mr V got there and realised he had left the builders bag on the drive!

Monday, one trip to the tip. Someone came and dug the pergola up and took it away. They also took about 20 rope top edgers.

In looking for a Birthday gift for DGS that I bought months ago I found the trousers I was waiting till the belt turned up. It's had enough time. It will turn up immediately the trousers go. Into the ongoing chazzer bag with them. Also found a pack of nappies that can go to the food bank.

I cannot find the Birthday gift which is annoying. I have been through every cupboard in the house, some of them twice. I have found some foodstuffs for the food bank. Bought when we had visitors and not used.

Didn't know you were on tour Mrs SD. Have a lovely time. I think you are in granny kate's neck of the woods.

Willowtree, I am sorry to hear about the passing of your rabbits. They must have been very happy, 8 years is a good age.

dND, lovely preserves. I asked Mr V to pick the blackberries in the garden before he chopped the bushes down. City boy he is he cut every one off with secateurs.❤️

It's raining. Proper, real wet rain. Forecast until tomorrow afternoon.

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

Tuesday, I have had another restless night - sleeping for 1.5 hours, 2.5 hours & 1.5 hours until 05:30 so thought I would try a little cheerleading in the hope of nodding off & sleeping for a couple more hours before getting up for breakfast. The rain has definitely stopped as the pavements & roads are well on the way to being dry. Went back to bed after 30 minutes & slept for another 1.75 hours before getting up at 08:00 to go down to breakfast at 08:30. A glass of orange juice to start, then I had a pot of tea for the 2nd day running, DH had a couple of cups of coffee. A full Lincolnshire breakfast for both of us - sausage, bacon, egg, mushroom, tomato, black pudding & baked beans + toast.

Liverpool_Anne, you have certainly been busy in the cooler weather 👏 Please make sure you don’t overdo it 🙏  Hopefully OH’s hospital visit went well 🤞 Empathetic words for Florenceem at such a very distressing time for her & her family. 

Florenceem, a wonderful offer from your Bestie.  

SpikyHedgehog, excellent work sorting your outside space 👏 I imagine you brought the bag home ready to refill with even more donations 😉 Also excellent work with all the sewing 👏 I love that you are using your grandma’s sewing threads 😍 Hopefully the next lot of rain will be more useful & start filling the water butt 🤞

Willowtree222, so sorry to hear about your rabbits 🥺 Great work filling the skip 👏

weenancy, 800 cookbooks 🤩 I imagine that as they are mostly WWII or earlier they make for very interesting reading 😊 I love the idea of a “Cookbooks Anonymous Group” although I can see that it could get out of hand 🙊 Your friends 4000 cookbooks collection being a case in point 😂 Fingers crossed you can get your computing issues sorted when you purchase your new computer 🤞

Brie, very sound observations about getting the best out of laptop use whilst looking to replace a computer 👏

We will be setting off about 09:20. Hope everyone has as good a day as possible 😊 I will be back to catch up with the cheerleading once we get home.

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1384/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £297.61