My home is a mess

devondoll

Evening all! No I haven't been lost under all the boxes in my bedroom (they are still there & not sorted out yet). The more I read of this thread, the more I think we all live in the same house - my hallway is so messy I can't get the front door opened sometimes due to the mountain of shoes behind it - my kitchen worktops fill up with cr*p as soon as they are cleared, and as for my bedoorm - I once told a plumber who had come to fix the shower in our en-suite that we we'd emptied the loft temporarily whilst we insulated it:) - it was really just how it always is. But - I have thrown away 4 large bags of paper - can't describe what - just rubbish cluttering various surfaces. Aim for January is to clear the bedroom - I can't open my wardrobe doors for boxes in front of it - thank goodness for picture rails to hang clothes from. I'm enjoying this thread - only for the fact that it makes me feel normal:D

laurel7172

soupdragon10 wrote: »

hall table was obscured by so much junk mail!

The credit crunch saved me.

Honestly, I used to get 10-15 loan and credit card offers per week. Sometimes four in a day. And because you're supposed to shred them to stop identity theft/fraud, they just used to build up and up and up...

I'm so sorry for those who can't get a mortgage. But it's keeping my desk clear

(Only Amex constantly beg me to borrow money now. I've been "pre-approved" for a platinum card again today. Clearly they have no idea how much I don't earn:rotfl:)

GreyQueen

Good morning Messies, how is everyone feeling today? I haven't opened the curtains to see what the wind may or may not have done last night - it got a bit whoo-whoo here about 11 pm yesterday. The blessing is that there is nothing outside my flat for which I have responsibility.

Just hoping that my allotment inc its shed on the hill a mile away are all right. Won't be able to check on that until Saturday, anyway.

I've been a bit frail for the past few days due to the dreaded cold and haven't done very much domestically; the supper things sort-of get done at breakfast, or just before I need them again, in the case of saucepans...........:rotfl:

Yesterday, disgusted with the tides of kipple threatening to slide off the sofa and the table and link hands across the floor, I gently lifted some of the topmost layers and studied on them. It's mostly notes to myself to do something.

Some were expired and were shredded, some went onto a fresh pile on a fresh surface. After all, that scrap of paper telling me how to de-register for the phone books will save me clutter later. I also decluttered 2 books to the c.s. where I am gift-aid registered but as they were Mum's and have only been in the house since Monday, they can't be deemed in-house clutter.

Oh, and the bathroom will need 4 coats of paint, I've discovered. NEVER paint white over a coloured wall, it is so tiresome, I almost wish I'd never started. I've pals coming over Sunday week and would like to have most of it done by then but it's finding the energy with several health problems and a job to do.

And I've now been diagnosed with anaemia, no wonder I'm so tired and breathless after mild exertion. Have tablets, anyone know how long it takes to feel a bit better?

Took first one at 7.30 am and can't see any difference yet....:rotfl:

The post about having less junk mail since the recession made me smile and remember the cartoon in Don Aslett's book Freedom from Clutter which was of an astonished postie seeing the mail he'd just posted being spat back out of the letterbox of the cartoon-face door. How I have wanted one of those sometimes!

I mean, I already have double-glazing, and even if I didn't, this is a council block of flats, so its utterly pointless to leaftet us anyway, we're only the tenants. Plus I never buy takeaways but get bombarded with menus and offers to buy a single carp meal for about the same as my weekly grocery spend.........tempting (not). Then there all the other goods and services which just aren't going to be purchased and it's hard to find a bit of proper post under it all. Straight into the recycling bag it does.

BTW, I have one of those immaculately-tidy halls (ducks expected hail of missiles) with only 2 mirrors and a rug. The reason it's immacualte is that it is only 75 cm wide and has 7 doors opening into it and is the only entrance into the flat. No room for even the littlest hall table or lamp in there and leave a pair of shoes underfoot and you will be dicing with death, plus constantly moving them around to open doors.

Necessity can cause tidiness to happen, sometimes.

Right, suppose I better pack up lunch and and see if those things I left in the washing up bowl have miraculously cleansed themselves and levitated into the draining rack.

Laters, my lovelies, keep it low and slow, we mustn't peak too early in 2012.

thriftwizard

Morning everyone! Bit blowy here too this morning, but the good thing is that the very last of the huge washing mountain is out on the line now, the penultimate wash having dried out there overnight. Mind you, it is looking as if the whole lot will sail off into the Channel (4 miles away) shortly - the sheets are mostly horizontal.

I'm planning to try to declutter the desk in the conservatory that I fondly imagined would function as a family office today, before & after work/catering/laundry duties. I think I may as well flog it off once it's unearthed, cleaned & spruced up; it's just a clutter magnet out there, because it's too cold in winter & too hot in summer to sit out there for any length of time. I have a Cunning Plan to sell the tall freezer under the stairs, too, and buy an undercounter one instead (there's also a big chest freezer out in the garage) & build in a small understair officelet in its place. Much more central, much warmer, and there's a phone point under there for no known reason. It would be good to have all the paperwork & the computer, the phone and the bin all together in one well-lit, well-organised, comfortable space.

loudmouth

Morning:)Many thanks for your welcomes. Having been kept awake most of the night through fear of a tree falling through the roof, I don't feel like tackling much this morning.I do intend to clear stuff that has been stuffed behind the sofa when I had a mad tidy round when the tree went up.The bins have been emptied now so I have no excuse to chuck out old papers.If I do this today I aim to declutter a cupboard tomorrow:rotfl:

Fruball

MessyMare wrote: »

Well. Last time I had to go into work today. Originally panicking so bad I couldn't leave the house, but mum has been an angel and also the Dr gave me valium...so I'm currently doped up to the eyeballs. Not great but I'm relaxed for the first time since Saturday and oddly clear headed. Home wise, I had a quick tidy, washed up and put the clothes away from upstairs. Trying for the little and often theory!

Rather fond of the Valium myself! Known as Auntie 'V'

MessyMare wrote: »

Laurel, you just got me thinking, about our standards. I think our standards are...

Health and emotions before a perfect show home
Celebrate the steps, because each step gets us closer to where we want to be
Acceptance, for everyone
Laughs are more fun than ironing
And most of all...

Don't write in the dust!

I think that sums up our standards perfectly... and as someone else said, our standards are not lower, just different :T

devondoll wrote: »

Evening all! No I haven't been lost under all the boxes in my bedroom (they are still there & not sorted out yet). The more I read of this thread, the more I think we all live in the same house - my hallway is so messy I can't get the front door opened sometimes due to the mountain of shoes behind it - my kitchen worktops fill up with cr*p as soon as they are cleared, and as for my bedoorm - I once told a plumber who had come to fix the shower in our en-suite that we we'd emptied the loft temporarily whilst we insulated it:) - it was really just how it always is. But - I have thrown away 4 large bags of paper - can't describe what - just rubbish cluttering various surfaces. Aim for January is to clear the bedroom - I can't open my wardrobe doors for boxes in front of it - thank goodness for picture rails to hang clothes from. I'm enjoying this thread - only for the fact that it makes me feel normal:D

I did a similar thing last year when the plumber came out... explained I had just moved from a very big house to a very small house and "it doesn't always look like this".... 4/5 months later he came back to do another job - house looked worse

Awww thanks for noticing I was missing, Helen

Sorry i've been MIA folks... (well Missing in In-Action actually ) but not only could I not be bothered to do any chores, I couldn't even be bothered to turn lappy on :eek: Thank goodness I have a holiday (which I can't afford ) booked fairly soon so I will get some much needed sunshine and warmth :T I am sure I will feel much more like decarping the house after that

I'm feeling a bit under the weather... Not ill as such, but not well either if that makes sense. So, I thought I would have a quick catch up with you folks and then head up to bed for a few hours then do the school run and take DDs out to meet our friends for dinner - Carvery anyone? Nom nom nom After that I am going to go to bed at same time as DDs and watch Living with the Armish - we love that programme and I think its last in the series tonight. Bit OT but Wild at Heart starts again on Sunday :j which is my favourite show ever... WaH means early nights sundays with DDs in bed with me as they love it too... Sets us up nicely for the week

I was a good girl last night and sorted DW and kitchen (more or less) and DD2 has finally (well, has done it once) learned to put her school clothes neatly in a pile so she knows where they are the next day :T Just need DD1 to copy, which she will as she can't bear DD2 getting praise for something that she herself hasn't/but could have done The joys of 5yr old twins - competitive - which can be used to my advantage

Right lovelies - I am off to munch something in the kitchen then head up for a cosy nap

ps - Hope Cat501 is ok

Fruball

Ooooh, just in case anybody needs to [STRIKE]procrastinate[/STRIKE] relax... HERE is a link to youtube guided meditations... some last 5 mins, some over an hour... Very relaxing - quite a find me thinks

I'm a real fan of hypnosis CDs and relaxation CDs so this has opened up a whole new world of free relaxationness :money:

Rummer

To those hassled by junk mail register with the Mail Preference service I have no junk mail other than local shop leaflets now. There is also the Telephone Preference to prevent cold callers . One other service that I hope you and your never have to use is the baby preference service which is for people who have sadly lost a baby as it stops all the baby related mail coming through.

On a tidier note I have been a whirlwind today . The living room just needs hoovered as I have removed everything that shouldn't be here and I have started to do the never ending laundry. Still dishwashing my way through the contents of my cupboards to freshen things I do not use often.

Also put everything away in the bathroom so that I can just clean it later.

The weather seems dry and clear today so I think I may venture out and assess the damage in the garden and start my mental planning of the veggie garden

kittywight

hello everyone

ds has gone back to school today so i thought id do a bit of cleaning .... then ended up on the internet

i have taken all my christmas trimmings down, and ive bleached/wiped down my wall and windows theres a bit of mould from condensation.
made ds bed and put my yankeecandles on

errr ... thats it havent gotta go get him until 3 so lets hope i can do more by then....

very happy the tree is gone though, theres so much room now

xx

kazire

Hey all thanks again for the motivation got loads of bags of rubbish the black bin full now! Dunno what to do with the other 5 bags! Cleaned all the kitchen cupboards and sorted them all apart from the cleaning cupboard need to also clean the floor! OH home for lunch at twelve need to try n get this floor done going to give blood this afternoon so won't feel like it after that.