2020 - banish the clutter

retiredinfrance

Hugs to everyone and thanks to those of you who I missed.I got bag number 4 for march sorted yesterday - our bin day. Just a pile of broken plastic pots and other dirty garden plastic scraps that could fit into bin bag.We are fine here, no food shortages, and limited going out. DH is out on his daily walk with his completed form and passport.I've started doing the tax declaration due mid may and keeping busy in the garden.I'm planning a first April bag of paper work. With no Charity shops open nor any others I'm saving money , but it will be an absolute scrum when the CS open again. Working on the walk in wardrobe on wet days. Here in rural France my son says we are always self-isolating ! Keep safe, everyone, and don't beat yourself up because you haven't taken up calligraphy or similar. Getting through the day is an achievement in itself.

greent

Thanks for your comments, Mrs SD

Latest small batch from me:

901 - 912. Magazines around 10 years old - recycled

913. face serum – used up

914. eye cream – used up

915. face cream – used up

916 -921. Board backed envelopes and Amaz0n wallets – recycled

922. Small ‘Add1s’ tub (cracked) – bin

923 – 924. 2 tubes of hotel conditioner – used up

925 – 938. CD-R cases binned (paper inserts recycled)

939. Membership card to a garden centre which no longer exists – binned

940. 2 inch high pile of paperwork from home office (DH) – recycled

941. around a dozen drawings (DS3) – recycled

942. more paperwork relating to my Nan – shredded/ recycled

943 – 945. Heaps of old house/ life paperwork inc old statements etc (re new tax year) – shredded/ recycled

946 -947. Old credit card cancelled – card and paperwork shredded

948. Bag of filter coffee (BBE 07/2015) used up

949. Several ood sachets of coffee (brought back by son from uni) – used up

950. 2 leaking pens removed from DS2’s pencil case and binned. Replaced with 3 new ones from stash

I have lots of pending items for flebay/ fbook which I'm looking forward to attempting to sell when this is over (Not included in above totals)

short_bird

195: box of redundant paperwork to recycling.
196-197 2 bags of jumbled paperwork now categorised
198: hotel shower gel used up, acquired last August.
199-204: socks retired, due to be recycled into draught excluder.
205-206: printer cartridges returned for recycling.
Still living off the larder: originally, it was a "larder for when I'm ill" and then developed a "gluten free" section, was briefly a "Brxxit" cushion and is now a "phew, I don't have to go out" panacea. 

ailz95

I've had to move a lot of dried food out of one cupboard - where I had it because the cupboard backs onto the boiler in the next room and keeps salt and flour dry - because something (?) had invaded it.  All the edge of the sheves were chewed and several sealed packs of polenta, flour and nuts had been chewed into.  DH thinks that the chewing was a squirrel - got in from the garage via gaps around pipework - and the eaten into stuff was mice. O the joys of living in the country.  The squirrel was probably chewing the shelf so that it could make a big enough gap to get to the food as the top shelf is full of metal polish and such.  One of the cats sleeps in the kitchen and the other in the room where the boiler is, but it doesn't stop anythng invading.

We're having to leave the car unlocked in the garage as the alarm keeps on going off.  Again it's squirrels.  We saw one do it last year - they come in under the roof tiles, onto a beam, onto the car and then look around the garage to see what they can eat.

I've now put jars and tins in there.  Stuff that won't mind the warmth, but can't be eaten into - they can and do eat through plastic bird/cat food containers.  This has meant a further rationalisation of the kitchen - and made me realise what a hoarder I am (sorry the correct terminology is apparently: I stockpile, you hoard, they panic buy).  

So that's more stuff gone into the garage - which also needs sorting - ready to go to a charity shop.   I go online and look at storage solutions and then try and find items I can use around the house.  Sometimes it even works. lol

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:

256. Extended notice at work
257. Finally got around to taking out "Zoom Pro" - been procrastinating on this for aaaaaaaaaages.... 

Today was my last opportunity to get stuff done on my week off (I'm on a virtual course for the next 2 1/2 days).  Didn't manage to do the recording for my accreditation because I was so wiped out this afternoon.  I attended a virtual gathering to honour the life of my friend who died a couple of weeks ago.  We timed it to coincide with her burial which of course had to be a very private affair.  It was really lovely and very emotional and quite honestly I didn't feel like doing anything much afterwards.  Other than raising a glass to her.  My new Zoom Pro came in handy though as I was able to host the gathering.  
258. Assembled DS' new computer chair 

oceanspirit

Sorry to read about your friend Energy Shifter.  Great that you were able to arrange a virtual gathering to celebrate her life.

I still seem to be very busy with just day to day stuff at the moment and haven't been able to get stuck into decluttering.  Some small wins though:-

1 paperwork item recycled
1 food item ood and beyond eating, binned
4 ood food items uu

Total as of today, 300.

Willowtree222

Not sure of my total up to now, so will update what I have got rid of, and will update my signature again. 
5 old batteries taken to the recycling point at work
1 craft thing maker that DD got for her birthday, isn't very good, and she used all the stuff to make it anyway. 
1 volcano exploding set given to DD and all used to. Again, not the best. 
lots of little bits of DD's toys, but I haven't been counting so just left them. x

Gem-gem

Good evening all, 
Have been working from home past four days so not much done. Only the washing and ironing. I did take a piece of voile down and was it as well. 

Binned: 
damaged clothes line protector
bag of waste from kitchen 
old elastic bands
uu pen
Recycled:
cardboard box.
empty beer bottles (hubby) Enjoying his Christmas presents.
unwanted mail and used envelopes
paper
ribbon
chocolate box packaging
hot chocolate packaging ( put into kilner jar)
 

TC77

EnergyShifter - hugs for you at this time.

A couple of days to add - only abit done at lunchtime and abit in the eveing. Been sorting out files mainly

648 - 657 paper declutter (alot gone)

658 around 60 plastic wallets put neatly away for reuse

659 general rubbish from bathroom. Have 2 so DD2 now has bathroom to herself and found 7 tubes of toothpaste, one binned, and 5 with about 1/4 left!

660 - 661  made new draught excluder which I like and stuffed with old socks cut up

662 some finances now online and bill paid.

Going to set up a box with things not quite ready to get rid of but may make more space and then I may be able to part if I can see the benefit of more space.

Will have to declutter my phone with all the memes etc people sharing to brighten up the days.

stay safe

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. WRITE AND USE “TO DO LISTS” - MINIMUM 30 MINUTE BURSTS OF ACTIVITY AT LEAST TWICE EVERY DAY

2. KITCHEN WILL BE LEFT CLEAN & TIDY EVERY NIGHT

3. I WILL ENDEAVOUR TO BE NICE TO EVERYONE & TRY TO SEE THE FUNNY OR PECULIAR SIDE TO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
4. DAY TO DAY DECLUTTERING WILL CONTINUE

Thursday overcast but no rain - planted potatoes & some garden tidying. Picked hg rhubarb - washed, chopped & frozen. Finished scarf no 34 & started scarf no.35. Also had my first trip out in 20 days - out for approx. 25 mins - walked to post office (closed) but posted letters/birthday cards/competition entries - saw 10 people & on way back about 3 dozen - my solution for distancing was to walk up the middle of the road 😉 which worked very well. Dinner was sausages, mashed potatoes & baked beans. 

An even lazier Friday - 😞 to say that even though it was a gloriously sunny day we did nothing in the garden & nothing much indoors either 😞 I did cook up lo chicken breast, two mushrooms, half an onion, one lo sausage - bagged & frozen. Will add cream & cream cheese to make a sauce for a tagliatelle meal in the next couple of weeks 👏 Lunch was the last of the hm soup for me, toast & cheese for DSis, ham sandwich for DH. I am 2/3rds of the way through my Dan Brown book. Dinner was baked salmon, boiled potatoes & broccoli for DH & DSis. I finished off the lo tuna pasta. 

676 - 678 Two lots of kitchen recycling, large cardboard box - Recycled 
679 - 680 Two lots of kitchen detritus - Binned

Nice to see you Holmefarm 👋 Well done on the home schooling, decluttering & planning 👏

Hiya retiredinfrance 👋 I knew about the form but not about the passport 😬 - my DNeph stayed in France when his mum came back to U.K. Rural France is definitely self-isolating 😉 You have hit the nail on the head - getting through the day is definitely an achievement 🙂

Great work greent 👏 rapidly heading towards your next gold star 👏 

Good work short_bird 👏 I do like the description of your larder contents 😉 I must admit to feeling a little bit smug that I was Br*x*t prepping 😳 Also have the added advantage that DH is our designated shopper 😉

Oh dear ailz95 ☹️ The silver lining is that rearranging, repackaging etc does keep you busy 😉 I hope you didn’t lose too many supplies. Surely it should be ‘I prepare, you hoard, they panic buy’ After all, stockpile has negative connotations 😆 

EnergyShifter, that sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate a friend’s life in lieu of a wake. 

oceanspirit, Day to day stuff seems to take up more time in the current situation - probably some sort of thesis in that 😉

Good work Nicnak 👏

Good work Gem-gem 👏 

There have definitely been some very funny things posted TC77 🙂 but they can clutter up your phone 😉 I do not own a mobile phone - never have, never will 😉 so I have to go looking for funny items. Alternatively, I just read OS Forum Threads 😆 lots of amusing stuff 👏 

Stay safe everyone.

MrsSD ⭐️ 
680/2020