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

Wednesday is a dark damp day & looks to remain so for the whole day. We had some drizzly rain just after 02:00 & a light drizzle from 11:30 The forecast is for a high of 23°C, low of 16°C & a SSW wind making it feel 2° cooler. Although not forecast the sun has put in an appearance  🥳 HH waste wheelie bin emptied - on time 👏 It is our 34th wedding anniversary today so I have now been married more than half my life (DH reached that particular milestone 2 years ago 😉)  

Lovely to see you Blue_Doggy 👋 Your random approach to decluttering seems to be working for you ☺️ with some excellent & eclectic decluttering 👏 a medal 🏅is on its way 😊 I am still waiting for my mojo to put in an appearance 😉

Excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 especially impressed that you have ousted another cookbook 😊

Florenceem, your penultimate pair of crochet mitts are a lovely colour 😍

Brie, sounds like your gardener has done an excellent job 👏 I will keep my fingers crossed that the rose bushes revive 🤞 Good luck with your new smartwatch 🍀

Excellent work Deb4 👏 Good luck with your listings 🍀

Lovely cheerleading TC77 ☺️

Brambling, what an amusing tale - brought a smile to my face 😆 Pleased to hear that you are finally recovering from the lurgy and/or reaction to paint fumes 😮‍💨 Congratulations on the 4lb weight loss 🥳 I admire your perseverance as it is so ‘frustrating’ trying to deal with incompetent people. I will keep everything crossed that you find one person who is still proficient at their job who can get the ball rolling 🙏🤞 Your friend deserves better from the local authorities 😔 

Excellent decluttering & tidying suzeesu2000 👏 Very pleased to hear that your sales are still ticking along nicely ☺️ & that your DH is doing such a good job 🥳

Excellent work dealing with frogs Willowtree222 👏

Good luck dealing with your frog emails TC77 🍀

Lovely post vulpix ☺️ Surely DGS is not 1 already - time is flying by so quickly 😰 Congratulations on being slimmer of the week again & also slimmer of the month 🥳 Definitely worthy of a medal 🏅 & also 💐  Very pleased to hear that your knee is less painful ☺️ Please don’t put off the knee replacement 🙏 you never know it might also alleviate the back pain 🤔 + you wouldn’t want your DD telling you off 😉

Great decluttering TC77 👏

Great work at the library weenancy 👏 I think it is probably easier to declutter ther than at home because you probably have help & don’t have roommates hindering you at every turn 🤔 Talking about cats playing with bottles, in the U.K. there are currently a couple of very cute & entertaining TV ads for a well known cat food (Wh…s) showing what cats dream about 😊 Good luck in your hunt for a mattress 🍀 I agree with you that it is harder to shop nowadays - way too many choices 😞 I always end up getting frustrated & then inertia sets in & I end up not buying anything for fear of making a mistake or being disappointed in my selection 😞 

TC77, the house you looked at might not have appealed to you but if it has acted as a spur to you decluttering more then it has been a good use of your time ☺️

daisy_1571, great ideas for weenancy 👏 a medal 🏅is on its way

Miss_BaLu, my condolences to you and your family at such a sad time 😢 Such a young age.

More excellent decluttering QueenJess 👏 especially impressed with your use for the glasses wipes ☺️

GrannyKate, well done getting DGD4 organised 👏 & also planning ahead for DGS4 👏 Very useful that both boys & girls are now taught to cook ☺️

Florenceem, shame about the unraveling but obviously no problem for a master crocheter like yourself ☺️ Yikes to the problems with the front door 😱 Good job young J turned up 😮‍💨 Hopefully it is all sorted now 🤞 Hope the window cleaner does a good job 🙏

Sorry to hear about your church friend EnergyShifter 😞 no wonder you couldn’t turn your mind to admin frogs 😞  Well done on completing them this morning especially rewriting your professional bio 👏 Good luck mending the fence 🍀

QueenJess, good luck in your continuing challenge to declutter cookery books 🍀

All caught up 😊 DH has made a soup so now have a little wiggle room in the kitchen freezer 🥳 Hope everyone has as good a day as possible & that the weather is kind 😊 See you later 👋 

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1639/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £373.61

Green_hopeful

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82151403#Comment_82151403

mrs SD the robin sings to me all the time but he is camera shy. Every time I get my phone out he flies away. Beautiful song though.

Miss_BaLu

Struggling to motivate myself at the moment.

Obviously lots going on with family but work is super stressful at the moment. We've got a new system which feels like we've gone back about 20 years, so many problems and it's just making our work so much harder than it has to be.

Feel like we're getting nowhere and we have SO much to be getting on with.

Also I'll be off for 2 weeks so I'll need to try and cram as much in to the remainder of this week and next week to keep up.

TC77

Sorry work adding to stress at this very sad time.

I'm leaning into the chaos as part of the process but surprised ( probably shouldn't be) at how long phone calls and emails take to sort things out. Picking up some new ( really new but sale) clothes so started to go through winter clothes. Lots of summer clothes I didn't wear but I think partly as I lived in shorts as so so hot and mainly at home so will see what next spring brings and the life I have then.

Took 2 unused duvets to donation hub and 4 parcels to post office so lots of packaging, vintage crockery, apron and skirt which may not have been good for cs.

Trying to divert myself of single bedding as I don't have a single bed but then may I will or a DD so may keep a sheet as a Justin. I do have a sofa which converts so somw thought to be given. Not sure why i have so much extra bedding as given so much away...

Crockery x 3 in cs along with mattress protector, packaging binned and papers.

1585

Mrs SD you're right seeing a smaller house has helped motivate me plus seeing a removal van in my street today . The horror of neighbours seeing my stuff being loaded into a fleet is daunting 😀 I had 2 admittedly smaller vans bring stuff from my dad's and db bringing stuff in his car x2!

weenancyinAmerica

I have over 800 cookbooks. I like to read them - I don't cook right now. Just use the microwave. When I last moved, half of the van was books. When my youngest sister last moved, half of the van was clothes. When my other sister last moved, half of the van was Christmas ornaments. We've all added to them since then.

Miss_BaLu

800 - wow!

I've got 3.

Just about to finish work and I'm getting cosy on the couch and not moving.

I've got a bag of empty toiletry bottles that I'm going to throw out tomorrow, I'm going to keep a used up list of the stash so I'll update that before I recycle them.

Off to declutter some bourbon creams.

Florenceem

I got young J to sand the bit where the door was sticking and the underside of the door - we seem to have fixed the issue.

The window cleaner hadn't arrived so I sent a text - he turned up in the rain - did I want my windows done. I said yes as they would be cleaner than not doing them. I am used to a window cleaner with ladders - this one uses the hose type of cleaning. I am pleased with the price and the job he did - took him a while as they were mucky.

Last pair of mitts are finished.

dND

@Miss_BaLu So sorry for your loss and thinking of you and your family.

@weenancyinAmerica Wonderful news that at least one housemate is leaving. Wishing you so much luck with your upcoming operation and a very speedy recovery.

Happy Anniversary @Mrs_Salad_Dodger and Mr SD, 💕 Here's to many more. 🥂

Brain is in overload here as anxiety kicked in so I no idea what is going on most days. House works are happening but days are being changed around as problems arise. It's getting sorted but the old brain is fretting when there is really no need. As a result, decluttering has halted and most evenings I'm just sogging in front of the TV, binge watching TV I missed out on when living in France. Currently it's Downton Abbey. 😁

In the meantime I'm still processing tomatoes and prepping for winter and thinking about where to start on the house in about a months time when all workmen have departed.

Hugs to all who would like one and love to you all. Dxx

suzeesu2000

@vulpix well done on you weight loss, I am emerald with envy, but well done you👏🏆

 @Miss_BaLu sorry for your loss

@Mrs_Salad_Dodger Happy anniversary to you and Mr SD💐

So, 1 eBay parcel out this morning plus a big box of LPs were collected; they are off to be appraised and a price offered - a nice one I hope.

Did another tote condense and gone from yesterday 3 down to 2. Phew

Went through the 3’ high pile of DHs clothes. Have been a bit choosy so have got it down by about 25% which will go to the charity shop. I rang the Salvation Army Homeless Service on the island this morning and was very surprised to hear that they don’t accept any clothing at all. Was just a thought as I do have another place clothes can go. I also went through the box with my clothes that I have already listed. Took a few out as no interest for a long time so CS might as well have them too.

Finally cleared in front of my wardrobe. Got DH to help in moving a couple of big guitar stands to the other side of the bed.

Dinner for both was fridge.

I was going to suggest a touch of Vaseline on the door frame @Florenceem might help with unsticking your sticky door, but you’ve already done it, clever you 👏

Good luck on the mattress hunt @weenancyinAmerica, there is far too much choice nowadays. I always remember the old saying : Buy the best pair of shoes you can and the best mattress you can as if you’re not in one you’re in the other. I do not envy you the heat. I am still wearing a summer vest top and am in front of 2 fans. Don’t know how you cope, my cousin in Arizona is the same though.

So nice to hear the rain at 0230 this morning, it was proper rain too.

Have a good night all, sweet dreams xx

TC77

Reading posts reminds me I threw out an aloe Vera aftersun gel. Looked fine but know I haven't used in the last couple of years and Google said should dispose after 12 months which i know is erring on the cautious side but definitely predates Covid and potentially twice that age!