2018 - No Clutter To Be Seen

Molillie

Pens for kids sounds a brilliant idea, Rose C., and I know what you mean about there still being lots of stuff, even when you've been getting rid of it, I am still shocked by some of what turns up tucked away and forgotten about. My big thing will be to remove un-needed storage as soon as it's empty, as I definitely kept thinking that things were fine if it was all put away.
Mrs S D, you are amazing picking up litter. I think I might start doing a bit of it on the Rec. round the corner. I'll put my gardening gloves on, though. Still actually slightly nervous of doing it because of the poisoning cases earlier in the year, but litter is horrible, and encourages more.

My tree surgeon has started, so that's a huge declutter. he is also going to take down the shed, which is getting rotten, and I'll replace with one of those garden storage boxes. He is then going to level and returf the lawn, which will be much easier to mow. The new turf and things will be a cost, but is also a home improvement, so is worth it. It will look bland now that I've decided to get rid of all the trees and shrubs, but will be fairly low maintenance, and easy to keep tidy. It's been a change in my attitude, I still want to help birds, etc., but this is not going to be my house for too much longer, so preparing for sale is what counts.

marmiterulesok

I'm taking a set of plastic drawers and three plastic dividers to the cs today.They're light but bulky, otherwise i would take more with me.

Rose_Crow

Molillie - it's crazy but so satisfying clearing it though! Check with your council about litter picking. I've been litter picking for a couple of years around my area, i get a strange satisfaction doing it. My council are very appreciative and supply thick purple bags, a grabber and gloves. I can just tie the full bags and leave them by any dog poo bin and they get collected. It's a great feeling and so many more people should get into it. I do it when i can, usually just twice a month.

marmiterulesok

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I'm taking a set of plastic drawers and three plastic dividers to the cs today.They're light but bulky, otherwise i would take more with me.

Six miscellaneous kitchen items added.

Happy_Kitties

Hangs head in shame
House is a mess and I found a bag of missing clothes I had brought back and just dumped in the living room while emptying it. Really wondered where they had got To!

More decluttering done
*253 birthday present sent. Had to climb right under the bed for it last night. Knew it was somewhere just glad it has been sent before it just disappeared

*254 packaging to send above present
*255 eBay item sent, what isn't wanted by me I'm glad someone can use.
*256 packaging for the above eBay item.
*257 lots of paper and cardboard gathered and packed up ready for recycling from the big living room sort out (still haven't arranged a decorator yet but at least decluttering)

Hopefully back later if I manage to get more done.

Molillie you did make me smile when you said about the American couple who had stuffed all the bits inn the cupboards but the cupboards were checked aswell.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. IF I NOTICE SOME SMALL TASK NEEDS DOING - I WILL DO IT IMMEDIATELY

2. I WILL LEAVE A ROOM TIDIER THAN WHEN I WENT IN - WITHOUT HIDING THE CLUTTER EXCEPT for the wardrobe room which is currently the storage room (sr)

3. THE LAST WASHING UP OF THE DAY WILL BE PUT AWAY BEFORE I GO TO BED

somerandom - slow & steady wins the race but the 100 items locked your decluttering mojo into place :T - no. 2 above is very good for decluttering odd bits & pieces (the Dave Clark Five song just popped into my head :rotfl:) as well as tidying things into their proper locations

RoseCrow, I much prefer your new user name - the old one kept getting auto corrected :eek: My excuse/reason for cleaning the under sink cupboard was that every now & then there was a rather unpleasant pong :eek: which was still there after cleaning the wm trap. However the pong still persisted (only once in a while if there was an air current) Finally discovered the cause when I washed down the kitchen window & door frames & the window sill :T prior to cleaning the windows - I had a rather fancy ecloth thingy (which was not fit for purpose as it started falling to bits after a couple of uses :mad:) but as it was quite expensive I thought I would use it to destruction & then bin - it was that :eek: Anyway no more pong :T:T as it was binned & collection was this a.m. :T
Re the litter picking - I just do it on a random basis - as I now know where most of the street bins are, if I see something I will pick it up & bin it - the 108 the other day was just because I hated seeing soooo much litter in one place knowing that most of it would end up in the dock once the wind picked up :mad:

marmiterules :T:T

Molillie, I only usually pick up cans, plastic bottles & large bits of plastic packaging but after the marathon pick up (it still makes me smile that someone else joined in ) I am now carrying a plastic glove & a small plastic bag so I can pick up the smaller bits as well. Litterbugs make me soooo cross but as long as there are people like us :T trying to make a difference maybe others will join in
Re the garden box - as you will probably be taking it with you when you move it might be worth investing in a good one (for that read slightly more expensive :rotfl:) We initially bought a couple of cheaper ones (just to keep things dry - bird food & overflow tools from our original shed) but not only were they easy for the garden mice to get into but they also started to fall to pieces with extremes of weather :eek: (became brittle & started cracking) We replaced with two sturdier & nicer looking boxes which can also double as garden tables :rotfl:

Happy Kitties - none of that no need for hanging head in shame I will bet that 10-15 mins here & there will make a massive difference & it looks like you have made a good start :T

The following is Tuesday’s activity report :rotfl:

DH was a busy bee - the collapsible table for the shed is now painted and fully functional - a work of art :T:T My DH is becoming quite a dab hand at building wooden items :T He then did some more garage tidying & a bit more office tidying :rotfl:

DSis had a headache all day - thinks it might be her new medication - but did do her washing & drying.

Not a lot of decluttering but a bit of cleaning :rotfl: For the last few days I have been getting a whiff of a rather nasty pong in the kitchen :eek: - cleaning the wm trap & emptying out & scrubbing the under sink cupboard did not resolve the issue I was coming round to the idea that it was just me as DH & DSis couldn’t smell anything but I then decided to wash down the kitchen window & door frames & clean & tidy the window sill prior to cleaning the windows & door glass. Lo & behold I discovered the source of the pong :T the rather fancy & pricey ecloth thingy (which had started to disintegrate after two uses but was going to be used to destruction before being binned :rotfl:). It was immediately binned & no pong. I have learned my lesson ‘do not get charmed by pretty cleaning thingies’ :rotfl: - I will stick to cheapo sponge scourers, cloths & elbow grease in future :rotfl: Various bits from the window sill were allocated to their proper places & the whole sill now looks wonderfully tidy :T It seems to be the little things that seem to give me the greatest pleasure :rotfl: Scrubbed the sinks & draining board with disinfectant down the plug holes & wiped down all the stainless steel handles, hob etc using my specialist wipes :rotfl:
Then spent three hours making lasagne & peperonata. The kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off but the end result was well worth it DSis is not a fan of the peperonata which pleased my DH no end :rotfl: but she devoured the lasagne with gusto :rotfl: Enough left for DH & DSis’s dinner Wednesday - not sure what I will have. After dinner it took me just half an hour to tidy, clean & do the washing up :T you would never know I had cooked :rotfl:

Re my three mantras: aired & made bed; washed up as & when; filled sugar bowl; worktops washed down; general tidying

The day to day decluttering generated

C521 - C534 Non recyclable - plastic tub & lid, 3 plastic bags, 2 lots of plastic packaging, plastic tray, 5 plastic trays & packaging, ecloth thingy, polystyrene tub - Binned
C535 - C540 Tin can, 2 milk cartons, 2 Food tins & lids, small glass jar - Rinsed & recycled
C541 - C542 Tin foil tray, magazine - Recycled

I will return later re Wednesday’s efforts :rotfl:

May your decluttering mojo continue to be strong :rotfl:

MrsSD
C542/C2018

Rose_Crow

Had a busy day today so no de-cluttering. Working tomorrow and Friday so they're both out too. I do have new book 'Goodbye Things' a minimalism book so i look forward to reading that and being inspired further

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. IF I NOTICE SOME SMALL TASK NEEDS DOING - I WILL DO IT IMMEDIATELY

2. I WILL LEAVE A ROOM TIDIER THAN WHEN I WENT IN - WITHOUT HIDING THE CLUTTER EXCEPT for the wardrobe room which is currently the storage room (sr)

3. THE LAST WASHING UP OF THE DAY WILL BE PUT AWAY BEFORE I GO TO BED

RoseCrow, a new book Please let us know if there are any new ideas to help with the decluttering :T:D

The following is Wednesday’s activity report :rotfl:

DH was a busy bee again today - the collapsible table has had the last paint touch up, he also did the touch up painting on the shelving unit, he chopped down & shredded two bushes & positioned the hand built table top garden bed as well as adding a shelf to it & bracing planks :T Now I just have to decide which herbs to plant :rotfl: DH also changed the brake pedal on his motorbike

DSis is headache free today, so went out for a few hours

No decluttering apart from los & food stocks (baked some choc chip biccies for DSis ) & also did the sniff & taste test on DSis’s food purchases which were fine & consumed by DH & I, but a couple of odd jobs done - los decanted to suitable dishes for reheating - so no cooking :T kettle descaled, phoned council chasing my replacement recycling wheelie bin - surprise, surprise none in stock :mad: even though I had been told I would receive one in 5 working days from the 23rd August

Re my three mantras: aired & made bed; washed up as & when; filled sugar bowl; worktops washed down; new black bin bag in wheelie bin; general tidying

The day to day decluttering generated

C543 - C548 Non recyclable - plastic bag, 2 lots of plastic packaging, plastic pot, 2 plastic trays & packaging, - Binned
C549 - C550 Tin can, milk carton - Rinsed & recycled
C551 Newspaper read & Recycled
C552 - C553 Two bushes chopped down, shredded & put out for garden waste collection

May your decluttering mojo continue to be strong :rotfl:

MrsSD
C553/C2018

marmiterulesok

Mrs Salad Dodger I used to pick up litter too, but do it less now.Well done!

marmiterulesok

Sorted out today for the cs:
14 ceramic plant pots
2 wooden things to hold an opened fan open
1 wall clock
1 small clock
9 light bulbs.

To go to the dump:
1 salad spinner
6 lightbulbs
1 small pair earphones

Recycled:9 magazines.