As you may already know, we’re having a kitchen extension built later in the year, so in preparation I’m trying to run down the supplies in the cupboards, the fridge and the freezer so that there is less “stuff” to pack away.
Yesterday we signed off our plans so I knew it was time… as much as I hate the thought of it, it needed to be done. Perhaps next week I’ll give you a little glimpse of whats to come!
This might not look like a lot of progress… but for someone who likes to be prepared for all situations and bulk buys a lot of the food we eat, empty cupboards fills me with absolute anxiety… and I’ve been putting it off for 3 months… yes!
Today I cleared out the food cupboards –
– threw away anything that was out of date
– made a pile of items we likely won’t eat to donate to a local food bank
– cleared out the snack cupboards and refilled the wall cupboards so things were easier to access
Alongside last weeks freezer audit and yesterdays fridge clearout I now have a full inventory of what needs using up, and I’m starting to meal plan for the whole month ahead. I won’t assign meals to days just yet but being able to plot and assign food to meals will hopefully stop my urge to bulk-buy new stuff until we get the new kitchen.
It might not look like much, and it’s certainly not perfect… but its a start!
Alongside the kitchen and porch area (which is the key priority) I’ve also been decluttering other areas of the house! I’m taking a little and often approach so as not to overwhelm myself.
I’ve been through my clothes and given lots of jeans away to my sister which are 2 dress sizes smaller. I was optimistic I would one day be thin enough to wear them again… but sadly its just taking up space and I can’t keep clinging on to those hopes. Ive popped a lot of summer clothes and dresses on vinted… and I have a bag of shoes and bags that I now need to do the same with!
I raided the bathroom cupboards and pulled out lots of toiletries we no longer use, gifting them to family who use those products or putting them in bags for charity
I’ve started listing excess camper van parts on facebook marketplace and our instagram page so that local people on the same journey can hopefully reuse some parts
The spare room is currently an office come dumping ground for various storage needs but I’m confident over the next few months as the van build progresses, we’ll be able to reclaim the space and put it back to how it was.
The loft needs some major attention… and a GOOD clear out! I’ve got a lot of great ideas for upstairs but that is currently on hold until downstairs is completed… unless we win the lottery of course and we’ll blitz the whole house in one go. Yes, we’d still stay here because we love the house and our neighbours so much!
Sooooo… thats it for this weeks update. Decluttering progress continues. Closing off with a reminder that organisation is a journey, its about putting systems in place that work for you and it needs constant adjustment to keep it right.
Love, Jo-Anne x