2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

EnergyShifter

Yesterday was a bit more balanced - ie not all day in the garden…… sadly 😂

Garden activity was contained to painting two chairs and the garden table legs in a lovely "Urban Slate" colour - it needs another coat but already I can tell its going to look good.

Neighbour gave me a solar light for garden - another 2 to come today.

Visited an elderly friend from church in hospital in the afternoon and in the evening went to Worship Night.

Today we have 2 appointments for / related to DS - Psychiatrist this morning then Family Therapy this afternoon. Can't imagine there will be a lot of time / energy for much else but will try to get some admin done and another coat of paint on the chairs if I can.

@Florenceem: Those cushion covers are really charming - love the fabric!

daisy_1571

Dnd perhaps you should think twice about popping the heavy stuff back up in the loft ? Unless it's something you use up there, then its not going to be things you can put up and get down without help. Presumably then its not something you use a lot so do you really need it?

Plus, if you being forced to bring everything down, I'm sure its an ideal time to go through it all even jn a cramped space and I'm sure there will be less going back up there when its refloored.

(We've definitely got a lot less up there now. I'm glad we decided to put the Xmas stuff in an awkward cupboard under the stairs as this December we won't be opening the hatch, losing all our heat up there when it's likely freezing up there and we won't be bringing the boxes down all attic-dusty. Once we put the decs up, we then used to put the boxes back into attic and a few weeks later it all gets done in reverse with another 2 hatch openings, cold and dustiness. Glad the light bulb moment struck and we swapped it all with the stuff that was in the cupboard that was actually long term storage stuff so actually should have been in the attic all the time 🤣)

GrannyKate

Not a great start to the day as no water at all at my house. Major burst pipe followed by a second one cut off entire town. School was open but guess they have low pressure as I've just been to pick them back up. Plasterer had hoped to finish today but needs water so he has gone to help his mate on another job just across the road from me.

910 Hall ceiling and 2 walls plastered and various joinery bits done. Now waiting for water.

911 Plumber contacted to come and fit radiator

912 Decorator contacted and will come and give me a price and date once plasterer has finished

I need to find something useful to do whilst surrounded by chaos and things out of place. I might do a bit of gardening between rain showers. DGD4 has stayed at her friends after bringing DGS4 to meet me.

dND

@Willowtree222 Commiserations and good luck with finding a new job. ❤️

@Floss That's the general plan once I get rid of all the workmen. I've already identified empty boxes to go out, (stored until guarantee period gone and of course forgotten about), The larger boxes will be distributed into smaller boxes where possible such as Christmas decorations which can be brought down piecemeal. Most of what's up there is household stuff which was hurriedly stored up there when they said that if they didn't have clear space in the house they wouldn't do the original survey work. My winter is going to be a Winter of Decluttering not discontent. 😁🤣

2Scratters

Just been reviewing the kitchen location of items after a lightbulb moment last night whilst going to sleep. Moved some items around to make it flow better. As there is quite a lot of storage its a matter of finding of what works where. There will no doubt be some more of this activity as the months progress.

Stuff from the loft is slowly coming down as I still stick to something must always come down when I do, no matter how small. I have a bedding box up there but it has no bedding in it yet as it contained many items from the previous smaller kitchen and items from our house moved 11 years ago this week. Needless to say more came down 🤗 I have also moved items around and more like with like. There are 2 large boxes of trophies which belong to our son he asked us to keep. I don't want them here anymore but his storage is a lot less than ours. They are happy memories but are really not wanted anymore. I think I'll ask him if I can at least get rid of the tarnished ones to reduce the box size and keep the very special ones.

I have been reducing the bedding that we have and have used some of the quilt covers to cover the roof by stapling it to the rafter beams to reduce the draft - it is very ventilated up there not necessarily cold but a good air flow. If I am up there doing some bits of craft or small sorting it just helps. It doesn't block or interfere by being in contact with anything. It is organised and tidy I just need to do more to get items pictured and onto ebay. Cash is better than clutter I just need to recycle it with a lot more effort 😌

Have a good day all

2 Scratters xx

Florenceem

Morning all.

Willowtree222 - sorry to hear about your job.

EnergyShifter - it was Ike. fabric I found in my stash - left over from making curtains for son & dil at their old house. So something out of my stash. I have missed going to worship for 2 Sundays - no Church near my son & dil in walking distance.

I went out yesterday afternoon - bestie left a bag in my porch - ready meals and cakes - she said instead of flowers.

I went down a wide alley after I got picture hooks from The Rang. - I thought it would be a short cut to B & . I got a frame for a print bestie gave me - wrong size so I will change it today but will avoid the alley.

I got lost - walked 10,00 steps yesterday. I got picture frames from B & . and a diffuser refill from Dunhel. - then went home.

I have batteries and water jug filters to recycle so will do that in Tesc. today.

Bestie was coming for me and we were going to visit a friend in hospital this morning. Bestie came here but we aren't hospital visiting - she is going to get the house ready for our friend to come home - she has had a stroke which has affected her speech. It explains why she wasn't making sense when I phoned yesterday.

Kitchen curtains had been left in my son's new house. I found a pair of retro fabric ones in my stash - my dil loves them. I removed the old single heading tape and replaced it and cut off enough fabric to make tie backs.

Photo of watercolour my dil painted.

Florenceem

I have put my grandson's drawings in the frames I bought yesterday - I will get young J to hang them.

My dancing grandson J is back from Japan while the sets are moved to China.

It is wet and cold here today - glad I got my washing done and outside yesterday.

Bestie brought me a hand crafted birthday card from folk at Church - I am going to get a box frame and hang it in my lounge as it is red flowers.

My heavy sewing machine is in Cheshire - I want to add another piece of heading tape onto the dining room curtains that I made for my eldest daughter - I don't like how they hang.

More worry for me - my eldest daughter had a lesion removed yesterday - she already has blood cancer.

I am going to have a hot lunch today. Bestie was feeling the cold as well as me.

When I stayed at my son's, it was in my grandson's old room. I saw the PE bag I made for him 21 years ago.

I feel so much for Jasper's girlfriend - I think she will find it hard to trust another man.

Yorkie1

So sorry to hear about your job @Willowtree222 I hope that you find a replacement which gives you enjoyment.

@GrannyKate I also had a water cut this morning. After an initial panic that I might have to get a plumber out, I realised I could hear generators in the street, so wandered down to the workmen and confirmed that they were from the water board. Nothing on the website to say they were in the area. Apparently there had been a water leak or two, and they were here to mend it, but found the water main was in very poor state (1930s) so they are recommending it is all relaid. Apparently neighbours have seen the pipe and wouldn't drink from it without a filter!!

I went shopping to T*esco and decluttered money there instead of waiting for the water to come back on! Also took some items for the local foodbank.

Now deciding what to do for the rest of the day…

Brie

@Willowtree222 Is the redundancy a good or bad thing?

Having been through it a few times myself I realised it was a great opportunity to change how things were going and it could be a good way to push me into moving from a job I didn't love. I had one employer that put me through the redundancy process 4 times in 14 years changing roles each time before I actually left - and then very willingly as I knew they had a generous redundancy package which was wonderful given that I was 64 at the time and had started to think about retiring. I didn't actually retire for another 3 years after managing to get a nice tiddly part time job for a charity I'd been involved with while working. It's amazing how useful contacts can be to help land that next role!!!

Florenceem

I spoke to my eldest daughter - it is skin cancer - they say it is Basel Cell Carcinoma but tissue will go to be checked. She sent me a a photo - obviously she can't do clinics but will do telephone appointments. She has the stitches out next Wednesday. They were talking about a skin flap - tissue from an ear but she wanted primary closure.

I went out to post a birthday card and change the frame I got yesterday. I also got a box frame for the decoupage card I received.

I had 5 months of water jug filters to recycle and some batteries so that meant visiting Tesc.

As I have been away - a lot of cardboard was in the garage to hopefully be collected tomorrow. I have already had to go out and stand it up again.