Debt free by 40 -- 19 Months and counting

Buffythedebtslayer

Hello Steph


glad to read things are going so well, that is good.


A friend sent me this link,


http://jershaanddup.com/konmari-checklist-free-printable/


Thought it might be good for you?


I like the approach but until Mum goes away I won't have any block of time to just get it done. I am going to Kondo the life out of everything


XXXX

debtfreewannabe321

Thanks EE I spent ages looking through that thread yesterday! I feel inspired to join in as my house definitely is due a declutter! Buffy that list is HUGE :eek: I think I might be there for 10 years trying to get through all of that :rotfl: but next time I go to the library I will print it off (as my printer is broken...perhaps I should start the decluttering with that as it's taking up valuable space and is of no use :think: !!) xx

Eager_Elephant

to Buffy's list!!


I am just working my way through the list they have on the thread on another forum.


I have started with my clothes but cannot do it all in one go like MK recommends - I started with emptying my underwear drawer on to the top of the chest of drawers and then sorting through, I got rid of half my underwear!! As items came out of the wash I then did the 'joy' test and have kept some and got rid of others.


I have done tights/belts/socks as they all live together.
I then did tops - again I got rid of loads.


I am working on trousers and skirts at the moment and will then move into my hanging items.


I am also doing little bits of Kondoing as I do housework - if I see something in the lounge or kitchen that doesn't bring me joy I am getting rid of it straight away.


Even DH has got in on the act and wants me to Kondo his underwear!! His t-shirts definitely need doing, he has way too many and his drawers are full so he wears the same ones over and over as this sit on the top of his chest of drawers.


I can actually imagine my house being completely clutter free once I have been through it although I know in the future I will have to keep on top of everything.


My DS (18) is a nightmare and has kept all his books he has ever had so as he is at college I have been into his room and had a quick tidy up of some of his clothes, taken loads for charity which I know he has not worn for ages and left all his trousers on his bed to be sorted when he gets home.


Sorry to take over your thread Steph - how is your new routine going?


Hope you have had a good weekend.

StressedSteph

Hi all


Great to see the Spring Cleaning bug is catching on. I will check out those lists Buffy when I get more time tonight.


I am still loving my "HomeRoutines" App.


So today I have completed all the tasks in my "Early Morning / Before School" category.


Now onto the "Morning" category. I am abit late starting that as I went to meet the lady who is offering me 4hrs per week cleaning her B&B lets. I have just got back from there.


I start on the 10th April, so should be a little more regular income coming in.


Todays FOCUS ZONE is Zone 1, which is quite an easy one for a Monday - Hall, Stairs & Landing & the Boot Room.


I will start on those in a minute which shouldn't take long.


Tesco's in delivering between 12-1pm, then after lunch I think I may start clearing out my wardrobe. Trouble is I don't want to Kondo too much stuff otherwise I will have nothing left to wear..


Oooh Mr Tesco is here, will update again later xxx

dawnybabes

Oooohhhh runs off to goggle home routines app

StressedSteph

Morning all,


I have achieved all my "Early Morning Routines". Washing machine is on, Dishwasher emptied, Clothes hanging on the washing line.


Feels good to be getting organised and the house is looking lots better. Not perfect by any stretch, still lots of dust and areas that need decluttering. but I can safely say that if someone dropped by now, there isn't a room that would embarrass me. Which is extremely unusual .


I reckon if I stick to this for a good 3-4 weeks then cleaning the house will be so much easier as most of the big jobs will have been tackled and hopefully if I stay on it, they won't get that messy again.


I am sure something will go wrong, I will probably have a very busy week and then forget it all completely, but I am hoping not.


The plus side of all this de-cluttering, Is I have listed lots of things for sale on Ebay and books onto Amazon. Hopefully it gets me a little more money coming in as well.


Just balanced my Bank statement against YNAB and it looks like we will just about make all the bills this month.


Still got HMRC (£335) and the school sportswear (£200) to find, but I am hoping to get that sorted during March/April.


I am getting really worried about how I haven't managed to put any money away in savings yet. Anything I make in my little jobs and the sale of Ebay items will HAVE to be put into the savings account, otherwise I can't see us getting much saved before hubby operation date comes through. Before I know it double MOT time will come round in July and that makes me feel sick .


Oh well. I will repeat my mantra - I can only do what I can do.


It's not like we are being frivolous with our money, we never do anything or go anywhere so the money can only stretch so far.


I must admit to having four days booked at a campsite over Easter. Its all paid for and was super cheap. Just got to find the money for the fuel to Devon and some tinned foods for while we are there. Should be do-able hopefully.


Oh well, got to go. Hope you are all enjoying some sunshine xxx

debtfreewannabe321

No sunshine here, it's grey.

The easter hols sounds like just the break you need. After this years MOT how about adding that category to ynab and putting money away each month? I put £80 in our car fund each month and I can pay for the insurance (in one hit so saving money) tax (for the year) and MOT & a service and the odd tyre here and there out of that. It's a huge relief not to have to find it each year out of one pay packet.

Perhaps all the stuff you are decluttering can be sold at a boot fair or fleabay and put towards savings?

Well done on the B&B job too

StressedSteph

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

No sunshine here, it's grey.

The easter hols sounds like just the break you need. After this years MOT how about adding that category to ynab and putting money away each month? I put £80 in our car fund each month and I can pay for the insurance (in one hit so saving money) tax (for the year) and MOT & a service and the odd tyre here and there out of that. It's a huge relief not to have to find it each year out of one pay packet.

Perhaps all the stuff you are decluttering can be sold at a boot fair or fleabay and put towards savings?

Well done on the B&B job too

Hi DFW,

I must admit, that as long as it isn't pouring with rain, I am really looking forward to camping with the children. Funny how your standards come down after a year of trying not to spend a penny more than you have to .


Last year I did manage to do little savings pots, but for some reason it just seems impossible this year. I will stumble through as best I can but next year once the debt is virtually gone, I will be building up little savings pots everywhere. Our vehivles are too old to be getting to MOT time without anything saved :eek:


Any money saved at the moment has to go towards hubbys unpaid recovery time from his op that should probably be happenning April/May time. But after that I will definitley be running some savings pots.


Hope all is good with you DFW, I will check out your diary soon I promise xxx

StressedSteph

Morning


I have my little cleaning job this morning and I could'nt feel less like doing it. . The day started off good, but Ds put me in a terrible mood over his Viking Fancy dress day at school.


I have been nagging him for days about letting me know if he wanted to go to the fancy dress shop to get some items for today. He kept brushing it off and then this morning gets dressed in jeans and a bright blue top :eek:.


Hubby told him that unless he will make an effort to dress up then he has to go in his school uniform - Cue screaming and crying and lots of drama. :mad:.


In the end we managed to get him dressed in brown-ish home clothes and he has taken some bit I fashioned out of hesian and a brown belt to school but I know he won't dress up in it.


We have had so many things going on in school lately, I could really do without needed Viking costumes three days before the end of term .


I hate having such a horrible chaotic start to the day and now I have to go and listen to the works elderly lady moan about all her woes. Blah.......


oh well....Will check in when I get back later. xxx

debtfreewannabe321

We had the same thing yesterday! I was literally given one days notice that ds2 needed a knight/king/prince outfit :mad: I made something out of an old towel and some felt /cardboard & tinfoil but it was a total nightmare and not brilliant! We've had easter bonnets too and lots of drop-in sessions and stay and plays and assemblys! Plus DS1 starts his GCSE exams (:eek: ) after Easter so he's flapping, i'm flapping and the school keeps asking us to go to talks about them and I have had to pick him up after "revision sessions" nearly every day which totally clashes with when I need to collect the other two kids (who are at a school 4 miles away!) Roll on Easter, :rotfl: I think us parent's need the break more :rotfl:

Don't let ds spoil your mood for the day, smile...even if you don't feel like it! It really helps and eventually you'll be smiling because you mean it xx