2018 - No Clutter To Be Seen

stellata

So annoyed at myself for grinding to a halt, lots of family stuff got in the way including new grand baby so I had other things to do with my time. Back to the declutter now though, I shall just do my best but won’t meet my original 2018 target now.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Stellata,
Onwards fellow declutterer - do not forget to count recycled plastic bottles, tins etc several posters (including me) have said that EVERY item out is a win :T so please do not get disheartened - remember you still have 7.5 months of the year left And if the weather is very nice for a long while you will see things that start to annoy you by their presence & out they will go :rotfl:

So keep on keeping on :T

MrsSD
F1173/F20,180 :rotfl:

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

A very upsetting (took me by surprise ) declutter has just taken place:( Lots of crying by all three of us, DSis, DH & me The cats have been picked up :(

So with a very heavy heart :(

F1174 - F1175 Two cats (mummy Chloe & daughter Skye) to a foster home in The countryside run by a couple on behalf of the French Cats’ Protection League :(
F1176 - F1235 Various cat related bits & pieces including large bag of cat biscuits, toys, meat sachets & tins, cat brush, bowls, worming & flea tablets, bags of cat treats, a large cat carrier & a donation from me (without DSis’s knowledge but with DH’s approval)

I am sitting crying while DSis & my DH have gone off in the car to pick her DS up from the train station & take him back to his place (the local trains are on strike for no apparent reason - just because .......... :mad:) Mind you it provides a distraction of sorts

The cats have been with DSis for ten years - she found two kittens when she was walking the dog (who has since then gone to doggy heaven ) - a few days old brother & sister, took them in & cared for them. What she didn’t know for a few days was that mummy was visiting them nightly & after a week or so when she knew they were settled she moved in as well
Sadly a couple of years ago Apollo went missing - posters put up locally but no joy - & then my poor DSis finally discovered his poor body a few weeks later & realised he had been hit by a car on his wanderings, dragged himself towards home but never quite made it It was heart wrenching for DSis.

Now for the first time ever (she is in her 50’s), DSis has no access to a pet either cat or dog. DM & DF had always had cats or dogs & occasionally chickens, ducks or rabbits

On a more positive note, Prior to the cats leaving, we managed to declutter the four large kitchen cupboards - kept a few plates etc to tide us over until we leave & the rest are stacked up for the cs collection tomorrow morning - so

F1236 - F1305 Plates, cups, bowls, serving dishes, pots & pans etc - CS collection

Will post again tomorrow

MrsSD
F1305/F20,180 :rotfl:

bit_by_bit

Hi all, still alive but been busy training for the Moonwalk. All done and energies can be rediirected to the mass declutter. So over the weekend we had a new wardrobe delivered, this allowed for a bit of a clear out. A bag of clutter went to the charity shop 22/52 plus a small wardrobe has gone to the alotment to be used as a raised bed. Finally a small thing that was used as a stand for a monitor has been put on the burn pile and is officially out of the house. I have had this item hanging around for at least ten years.

It is good to see that you aare all hard at it. I hope to one day be as good

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

bit by it, you are as good I for one am not training for a moonwalk :rotfl:

F1306 - F1318 Forgot yesterday that the 3 yr old daughter of one branch of the French family friends, found a pot of 12 pairs of crafting scissors & claimed them as her own :rotfl: She clutched the pot tightly to her little chest & would not relinquish them even when mummy & daddy were strapping her in the car :rotfl: With older twin brothers she has already learnt to hold onto HER belongings - as they do like to tease:D

MrsSD
F1318/F20,180 :rotfl:

villagelife

MrsSD it must be upsetting. Let's become a part of your life and it's sad without them.

677- pair of broken glasses.
678- an old tie pin
679- a broken brooch
680- small leather pot
681- a broken watch
682- an old cardboard box that earrings came in.

bit_by_bit

MrsSD. I feel very sad at the loss of pets for DSis. I am not very sentimental by nature but still miss my dog, Sally after at least 6years since she went walkies in the sky.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

I am back - hogging the thread yet again :rotfl:

bit by bit & villagelife, thank you for your kind thoughts:T My DSis & I are both still finding ourselves crying at unexpected moments - my DSis I can understand as she looked after Chloe & Skye daily for 10 years I on the other hand am not usually prone to sentimentality re pets but maybe that is because I have never actually owned a pet, although I have been around them all my life However, Chloe & Skye were like members of the family & for some reason it has knocked me for six maybe I am getting more sentimental as I get older

Anyway the reason for posting here is that the CS collection has taken place :T - they were here for 25 mins start to finish & EVERYTHING is gone EXCEPT some dried decorative flowers/foliage & a large plastic garden table which DSis & I will be using when the rest of the furniture is stored or on the van to London :rotfl:

I am upping the guesstimate to 1,500 items as the ‘room’ where everything was stored measured 10m by 3.5m & we could barely move :eek:

F1319 - F2818 Toys, games, cuddly toys, lamps, ornaments, crockery, pots & pans, bean bags, pool chairs, small electricals, very old TV (weighed a ton), larger electricals, CofD, several small tables & storage units, DVD racks & DVDs, books, wall hanging pictures, photo frames, 2 seater sofa with foot rest, foot stool, towels, bed & table linen, the large rectangular antique ceiling light fitting with 8 small lampshades, & on & on & on :eek:

F2819 - F2821 still wrapped quilt covers - DONATED to new owners

We are all feeling a lot better - but still a lot to do in the house :eek: our excuse is that there is not a large black bin bag in sight :rotfl: so DSis & DH have gone off to finish dealing with officialdom & buy a few more rolls of bin bags :eek:

We still have several bags of towels etc to take to the ‘cat lady’ who arranged the cat fostering + need to make a financial donation; the grandmother clock, huge table & the very large dresser need to be moved to storage; a Tip run is required; a carful of excellent quality items need to be taken to the charity Shop; huge crate of DVDs to sell at second hand shop; 4 full cutlery drawers need to be sorted & dealt with; the tall standing freezer, fridge, td & gas bottle cooker need to be collected at the weekend; I must stop as I am getting depressed :eek::( with all the things still left to do :eek:

And super important - I have to go to the doctor again as my face has swelled up again & I need more antibiotics :eek: When I get back to London an urgent dentist appointment is on the cards & I will have the tooth pulled :eek:

So I will be reading along but probably won’t post until Friday after DB & DH have set off in the van for London :rotfl: but no promises

MrsSD
F2821/F3500:rotfl: (don’t think 20,180 is a total anyway has )

basketcase

Mrs SD – If I’d written yesterday, I’d’ve cheered at how well you’ve been doing. Today, though, I read about the cats. AND about your face swelling again... Dodgy hug definitely in order – whether you want one or not:rotfl:! :grouphug:

Saver-upper – Sounds like you were busy over the weekend.
Villagelife – what a lovely random collection.
Stellata – I’ve ground to a halt too. Life has a (sometimes annoying) habit of getting in the way of plans doesn’t it? Congratulations on the grandbaby! Was it a boy or a girl?
Bit by bit – I’m with Mrs SD. Training for the Moonwalk along with everything else is impressive. Don’t undersell yourself!

Yesterday I got the princely total of 1.25lbs of recycling out of the door. I did also advertise some things on Freegle, but they’re still with us.

As for the next week or so, RL has indeed got in the way of decluttering. This morning the car decluttered itself to the garage:(. It broke down on a major thoroughfare (which was a bit embarrassing). It would have made an impressive addition to my totals (hmmm, tempting); but, hopefully, it’ll be coming back. It sounds as if it MAY be expensive. It’s certainly inconvenient from a decluttering pov. It can’t be fixed for at least a week...:wall:

In good news, the Bugs Bunny Cupboard was nearly emptied. If I finish that, bag everything to go, and store the out-of-the-house stuff in there till I have transport that might be productive. Could then crack on with converting DDs room back into a bedroom. This will include getting rid of a futon (to be replaced with a single bed), so I may get the charity I’m hoping to donate it to to pick it up earlier than planned.

I’ll think of something.

Anyway, yesterday’s paltry contribution of 1.25lbs brought the totals to:
Day’s Total 1.25lbs
Running total 625.25lbs

Happy decluttering all. :hello:

Saver-upper

It is a day off for me today.While kids were at school,I mostly sorted through my 3 shelves of clothes.My clothes are all kept in a unit similar to this,but mine only has 3 shelves :
http://www.argos.co.uk/product/8757685 and on the top of the unit I keep a box of socks,a box of underwear,and a box of toiletries.
From tidying and sorting it,I have donated:
906-913:8 t-shirts,3 still with labels on
914:skirt and matching blouse set that I have owned for over 20 years,but as new condition,have hardly worn it,is a style that never goes out of fashion.
915:1 pr leggings
916:jacket,with labels
917:skivvy,with labels
918:sweatshirt
919:Joules scarf,in box,never worn
920-964:bag of 45 rags for textiles recycling (underwear,odd socks,bleach-stained clothing from my cleaning business

Recycled:
965-969:5 boxes that have been on my shelves for years-a box shoes came in,a boxelectric toothbrush came in,etc.I keep them "just-in-case"


Donated to school:
970-974:5 pr socks.I did also offer 2 very sturdy paper storage boxes,but not needed.Will send them to charity shop next time I go

Given to friend:
975:short-sleeved top,labels on

All the clothes still with labels,it is not that I over-buy.In fact,I hate buying clothes.They are all clothes that my mum-in-law has kindly given me for birthday,christmas,etc,but I wear clothes until they are so worn out,I can never keep up with everything I am given,so stuff gets left in on the shelves for ages,but never used.Better to be donated when others can use it.

Binned:
976:handful of extremely old panty-liners

Given to teenage daughter:
977:box of not needed tampons found in the box of toiletries
978:shirt with label.It was actually a lovely,blue-striped shirt,but I have had it for so long,and never got around to using it.I count it even though it is not leaving my life, but it is being bought out of "storage",and about to start the life that was intended for it.