2026 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD - our Year of Redistribution

Yorkie1

Well done on the hosue number plate @vulpix and the various boxes for people sound so thoughtful @Happy_Kitties

Waiting to declutter 2 hours' free electricity. The dishwasher and washing machine are primed and ready to go!

Floss

@vulpix should I keep my eyes open for another bag of wool?!

I've just decorated my front porch for Halloween - all except one (spider curtain) are paper and will be used again in future years. The spider curtain will be replaced next year by an old long spare voile adorned with home made spiders (which I didn't have time to make this year).

oceanspirit

Friend took away ragbag and 2 pairs shoes for recycling yesterday. Small bedroom tidied and a couple of plastic storage boxes now waiting to be washed ready to be refilled.

Large pile of papers sorted, mainly shredded and recycled plus a few on the scrap paper pile to be reused.

Kettle descaled and washed out.

QueenJess

Aha - my parents and sister are here and finally they are going back with way more than they came with! 🥇They decimated the pile of puzzles to go to charity and I found an ingredient that needs using up that they use and I'm not sure how to use up. I also cleared up some of DH's room (it ends up as some of the dumping room for stuff that needs doing) and I investigated the purgatory kitchen cupboard (where I shoved things I didn't think I needed, but wasn't 100% sure). 2 items remain in the cupboard, but the rest are now gone.

I also folded up the final bit of bed linen into the cupboard post the worms issue (no point in folding if you use everything basically immediately). And today is designated "use up stuff in the fridge day". Final portion of stewed fruit used up in porridge for breakfast, for lunch I had the leftover macroni cheese, DS had the leftover leek and potato soup, DD had the leftover beans (with toast) and I made DH a big salad with an extra portion for his lunch tomorrow and another for my lunch to take to work. Dinner is a big beef roast using up cauliflower, carrots and cabbage. I think the fridge is heaving a sigh of relief!

Physical:
Bags and packaging
14 - packaging reused

Kitchen stuff
1 - freezer overstock used up
2 - food cupboard overstock used up
1- broken sieve (binned)
2 - glass jars (Buy Nothing)
4 - silicone freezer bags (Buy Nothing)
2 - glass storage (Buy Nothing)
1 - loaf pan that’s too large (I just use my bread tin now)(Buy Nothing)
1 - food cupboard supplies (given to family)

Books and Paperwork
1 - borrowed book returned to owner

Kids stuff
5 - DD cuddlies (Buy Nothing)
1 - DS clothes outgrown (charity bag)
1 - DD tat (charity bag)
1 - DS shoes outgrown (charity bag)
5 - DS lego sets (charity bag)

New total 11,836
Use it up total 1,018

There's definitely more progress that needs to be made, but I even demolished half of my packaging whilst packing things up for charity, so feeling very accomplished today!

Brie

I've been trying to be good but there seems to be more coming in than out. I'm hoping the garden doesn't really count - lots of weeds gone but several new shrubs purchase and not all yet in place. I hope the cold snap doesn't bother them much. And lots of bulbs to go in pots. I know the squirrel will likely declutter a few of those without asking permission!!

And had a look at my clothing and realised I don't have any good trousers any more. Lots of jeans, lots of very casual but nothing for going out - if you know what I mean. Well I do actually have a pair of navy trousers but they have massively wide legs and are starting to drag on the ground now I've lost a bit of weight. I'll be giving them a good looking at and hopefully get them into a chazzer bag. But it means I have had to buy some new ones…..

So looked online as I don't much like shopping in general. I'm a power shopper - charge in, grab piles, charge out. And I do similar online.

Saw a pair of really jolly black jeans with lots of flowers printed on them. Saw too that they had lots of flat heel black shoes so ordered 3 different pairs. Had them delivered to the local store knowing that I wasn't going to be keeping all the shoes. Went and tried on the shoes - all dreadful and the jeans were much too small despite me thinking I had the right size. So net zero on that.

Went on the M&S website and ordered navy trousers - 3 styles, 2 sizes, so 5 pairs in total. Turns out 4 out of 5 are mostly polyester which I can't wear. But the 5th are nice fitting mostly cotton and have been approved by the OH. (he's a fashionista type so knows). The M&S store isn't that fair away and OH needed some onions to make tonight dinner so I popped 4 pairs back already.

Went on the White Stuff website. Notice 2 nice looking tshirts. 2 pairs of trousers in green, 2 in brown and 2 in navy. All corduroy so not dreadfully formal which suits me. The tshirts didn't fit nicely. Neither did one of the green trousers. But the other green and the brown ones (same style) are fine. And having decided to keep the navy ones from M&S I didn't even try the WS navy ones. So only 2 items in officially even though I haven't managed to get the other 6 items returned yet. The WS store is further away and I'm wondering if it would be better to lose £2.50 to the post office to return them rather than drive a distance and likely have to pay £2.50ish for parking. I'm thinking it over and will decide in a day or two and also consider if I need both the green and brown cords.

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

Sunday is another crisp, bright & sunny Autumn day with a high of 15°C, low of 8°C & a NNE wind making it feel 4° colder. Today is the day I catch up with cheerleading 🤞

1791 Cardboard box recycled 

suzeesu2000, great work getting your laundry done including the ironing 👏 I love gazing at washing drying on a line 😊 I just don’t get the same joy gazing at the whirligig 😉 Excellent work emptying your kitchen 👏 a medal🏅 is on its way. Ouch to the cut hand 😣 & yikes to your DH taking a tumble 😰 I do hope he is OK 🙏 Hopefully it was a one off 🤞 but if it happens again please urge him to see a doctor 🙏 Good luck packing up the last of the kitchen items 🍀

Lovely cheerleading StickyTheStickInsect ☺️ Sorry to hear about the ear infection 😔 I hope it clears up quickly as it is no fun being unbalanced 🤞 Good luck counting puzzle pieces & decluttering complete puzzles 🍀 Very useful information about libraries offering access to Which? online & Ancestry  - thank you 👏

oceanspirit, peppermint essence on porridge doesn’t sound too bad although it is a strong flavour 🤔 Excellent work completing admin tasks & tidying the bathroom cupboard 👏 Keeping everything crossed that you can keep on your feet long enough to manage some cooking 🤞

TC77, I think you are describing my house 🙊 Your Dad’s tuxedo sounds rather splendid ☺️ Not surprised you were distracted - what a fascinating story 🧐 

vulpix, I went down a rabbit hole & listened to several short clips of Georgie Carroll - she is hilarious 😹 no wonder you had a headache from laughing 😆 

Lovely cheerleading 2Scratters ☺️ Good work fixing the radiator to the wall & emptying out the bathroom 👏 Very sorry to hear that your DH is in hospital 😔 I do hope he will be home soon 🙏

Florenceem, GBSB is fine to watch but I have no idea why anyone would be a contestant 🤔 so much pressure 😔 Fingers crossed that the gloves & scarves sell well 🤞 & raise even more funds for the SA. Good luck finishing the penultimate gnome 🍀

GrannyKate, pleased to hear you found time to attend the history meeting ☺️ Always a relief to pay off a mortgage especially in recent times with everything else costing so much. 

Excellent decluttering of clothing Green_hopeful 👏 Good luck finding items to top up your wardrobe 🍀 Fingers crossed that you remember to unsubscribe rather than just delete 🤞 I will pop round later to help you & your stepson finish your roast dinner 🙊

Florenceem, how cheeky of your daughter & granddaughter 🙊 Hope you enjoy the film when you get to see it 🤞Sylvester is very colourful ☺️

suzeesu2000, “adorable” is a perfect word to describe Sylvester ☺️ Very sorry to hear that DH had another fall 😔 Hopefully he can get an early appointment with the doctor 🙏 Well done on emptying all bar one of the kitchen cupboards 👏 Good luck getting the hampers completed & delivered 👏

Excellent decluttering TC77 👏 Thanks for the reminder about both the TLC carriage & getting my flu jab 😉 Definitely colder as I have had to put on a fleece 🥶 Not sure I will be able to hold out until the 1st November before turning on the heating 😞 

I broke off here to weigh out & prep ingredients for dinner which took a while! Always takes me far longer than recipes allow 😉 We had a short shower which I didn’t notice 🤷‍♀️ As my concentration has been broken I will return later & finish the cheerleading. Hope everyone has had as good a day as possible & also managed to stay warm ☺️

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

DH Awards: 🏅🏅🏅🏅⭐️ 🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅

Decluttering Target 2026: 1791/2026

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £463.61

TC77

Mrs SD, I think another gold star for you for all the cheerleading. Prep always takes longer than recipes say. I think the writers don't actually make them and if Jamie O or someone someone else has done the prepping. A friend of a friend had a job on cooking shows doing the ones they bring out at different stages.

So my house is getting even messier. And buried my keys somewhere so had to track down the spare ones! Last year I bought a Geox waterproof jacket (properly waterproof) and it seems to have vanished ! I have pulled out everything including DD2's room, and have no idea when I last wore it. I frequently lose hats, scarfs and gloves but never a jacket. And buried my keys somewhere so had to track down the spare ones!

This was in preparation for a walk with a friend and luckily as I have a sore toe we got the DLR back from Greenwich as it started raining and my other jacket def not waterproof.

2 books added to CS - I did pause to think about trying to sell a bundle but just want out, and with some papers I got to 25/50 of my target and did say I'd be happy with 50% :)

@StickyTheStickInsect you are so sensible and good helping your dad and great he is letting you. Most of what I'm getting rid of is from my parents. Found a Norwegian cardigan prob also from the 40s with a missing button. I thought I recognised them, quite unusual engraved metal buttons and found one in my inherited button collection!

Going to try and tidy abit and at least find keys.

Hope everyone staying warm and dry.

GrannyKate

Thankyou for my ⭐️ Mrs SD. Not much to report in today. Water company have kindly advised me I may have a leak. I was worried about my new plumbing in hall and I have asked plumber to come back. I have, however, an idea that my loo may be running silently between flushes. I need a new loo as nothing will clean the years of limescale off the bowl. Not really ready to do that yet.

I have mainly done paperwork today before going down to DS2s for Sunday lunch. He is away now for the week but children are with his partner tonight and she will drop them off in the morning on her way to work. I have booked a Hop on/off bus for two of our days in Paris. I need to think about what to put in my small case. There has been mention of house numbers - I have one sitting on my windowsill waiting to be put on gate post.

DGS4 and I spent ages looking for Sox late last night. Nowhere to be seen but DGS was the first to spot the dead mouse in the hall so he had been in and left us a present. He appeared just as I was going to bed. He has taken to asking to go out of the lounge window, then he comes back and sits on the bench outside where you can just see his little head staring through the window looking pathetic and waiting to be let in. Meanwhile his catflap is open.

I was bad and went to garden centre and spent money

Plan to do school run, quick shop then stay in tomorrow.

1001 Tour bus booked and paid for Paris

1002-4 Three follow up frogs from meeting done - a few more to go

1005 Some hanging baskets emptied and more weeding done - starting laying black weed control stuff at front

Floss

@GrannyKate have you tried citric acid in your loo?

@TC77 maybe you could think of things as having value to all charities, and perhaps be a bit less worried about sending the right item to the right place? I'm worried you are overwhelmed x

Florenceem

Lots of heavy rain here.

Went to Church with bestie.

Bestie's hubby was well enough to go to the cinema so I got out of that. Bestie told our friend S - who I went to the cinema with last week - that I missed out on seeing the film today. He asked me when I wanted to go and I said - I didn't - I was only going to use a spare ticket to save it being wasted. I am going to see Wicker with my bestie and her daughter next month. S wouldn't like that film as he doesn't watch - "women's films"

I finished Anthea today so packed away all the gnome bits.