2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

mothernerd

My day so far.
Reached the battery box from the top shelf and set up my sonic mouse deterrent and took it to the shed, all packaging to relevant recycling bins
One bin bag of halved plastic bottles out into the garden.
Smaller ones (going to be used with watering spikes) to the area I have been working in, outside.
Dirty clothes to the washing machine (not a full load but expecting to discover more as I go along).
Pile of clean sheets to mum's bed.
Pile of pillows to mum's bed.
Two of the pillowcases and the dress I was wearing into the wm. Handiest thing to put on first thing but then noticed marks on it.
Small rubbish bag from the corner, hung from my bedside trolley so I could add bits as I went along

Short break for sit down, drink of water and a slice of lemon cake.

Phone put on charge in the front room
Remains of a bottle of balsamic dressing added to the rice salad made yesterday.
2 apple cores to green bin (last night's supper and house had already been locked up for the night). Moved 2 ladders back to the rear.
As I was going to the kitchen I took my CPAP mask and set it to soaking.
Gathered numerous garden bits (mainly the watering spikes and the bits that go inside them to regulate the flow +other oddments), packed them into an empty popcorn tub - taken outside

Another short break

Wire cutters and gorilla tape into tool box
Dressmaking shears and 2 pieces of sandpaper into sewing tin (suspect they need sharpening) plus some stray ribbons
Two wip embroidered cushions on top of the box of threads (temporary but will not get splashed with soil or water from seedlings)
More empty bottles, cut bottles etc posted through bedroom window into yard (saves walking out of my room and through mum's room).
One face mask, 4 arch supports, 2 tea towels, 2 rags, 1 pillowcase and finally 1 sheet added to wm at various points. WM set off.
Had a look in one of the bed drawers - 2 more jigsaws and random bedding (shut it again quickly).

Another short break

Very tired so going for the easy wins 1 sheet and 2 pillowcases to pile in mum's room
2 file boxes onto top of drawers (other stuff can go on top if it needs to
Dressing gown hung up
Top and summer cardigan moved to drawers (not enough room over that side to get in them yet). Long side from bed to window mostly clear.
As many things as possible cleared from around the chair I was sitting on. Small pile of important paper and recycling started. 
Handfuls of rubbish into bag.
Wraps from the freezer so mum can finish off the tuna (she hasn't been eating bread but I have emergency wraps).
Moved living room furniture and mum's bedside drawers back into place.

Paused to put food in the oven. 20 minutes to cook so cleared the bed (large items into the broken drawer, next lot on a wooden tray). A few empty bags and one filled onto the floor at far end of room. Important stuff onto bedside trolley.
Straightened the mattress cover as much as possible, swept with a small brush then used a wet cloth and sponged any marks. Finally turned it through 180 degrees. Made it back to my food at the perfect moment.

Allowing myself a good rest now (at least half an hour maybe more) and then will go back and make my bed. Will shower and smother myself in moisturiser and then see how I feel. Remaining stuff can be dealt with one bag or box at a time.

Did a count before I sat down and got to 22. May be more but 22 sounds okay. 
Sequins picked up but if they end up on the floor again they're being swept into the bin.

bit_by_bit

@mothernerd: i have jsut read your laast two posts and am utterly exhausted.

I have just returned from a trip down th Portsmouth to see family. A long trip done in one day but now I can stop worrying about them.

Arranged to help with DS2 to help clear out two sheds. One next month and one the month after. She is a diagnosed hoarder but has been working on if for some years. I can see her lounge floor and walls plus she has a clear coffee table and dining table. It was all walkways a few years ago and high up the wall. 

She needs to move but the council won't let her until the hoard is sorted.

Saw DS3 who has just given up work due to stress. She is doing some freelance teaching and so I gave her a big bag DS1s folders that she wanted.

That is nearly all the stationary out of the house now. 

TC77

@Gers - our charity for people who are homeless or refugees takes used things but says should be clean , serviceable and you would accept yourself. I've given households goods but also stationary as some will be studying/kids at school
770 - 771 item sold, packaged and posted
772 unsubscribed
773 -774 another item in CS bag, and then bag dropped off,
775 - 776 2 items returned to shop now open,
CS didn't want sofa as fire label has come off, so trying to find someone to take it,

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. KITCHEN WILL CONTINUE TO BE LEFT CLEAN & TIDY EVERY NIGHT

2. JUST DO ONE THING EVERY DAY (courtesy of bit_by_bit) OTHER THAN DAY TO DAY CLEANING & DECLUTTERING 

3. CLEAN ONE ROOM (TOP TO BOTTOM) EVERY MONTH (hopefully 3 weekly by the end of the year)

Monday was a mixed day - quite a lot of sunshine interspersed with periods of overcast skies & still the chilly wind. DH did an initial sort out of the garage. I spent the day watching old movies - The Last Hurrah, Rock Around The Clock & All The King’s Men + The Fisher King - all first time viewings. Lunch was hm soup. Dinner was oven chips, fried eggs & baked beans with ham for DH & DSis. Mr & Mrs Mallard visited again & were in the back garden for over 2 hours. One excellent bit of news - the builder starts on the wall on Friday. 

779 - 780 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans - recycled
781 - 782 Kitchen detritus, bag of garage detritus - binned 

Excellent decluttering TC77 👏 Hopefully your DD will not suffer too much pain from her footballing injury 🤞Thank you for the info re homeless/refugee donations. Shame the cs couldn’t take the sofa, but hopefully you can find someone else to take it 🤞

You are welcome ruby_eskimo 🙂 Good work on the decluttering & cleaning 👏

Good work GrannyKate 👏 shame about the decluttered money for a new computer ☹️

I think I prefer Mr & Mrs Mallard to Monsieur et Madame Pigeon 😉😉 I have to agree with GrannyKate - that type of sorting is strangely satisfying & therapeutic 👏 Anything that makes us happy & costs nothing is a real win 🙂👏

Nothing wrong with nostalgia stellata 🙂

Oh dear mothernerd ☹️ I was exhausted just reading your post 😓 you have tackled an inordinate amount of work 👏 Well done on getting the alarm sorted out 👏 it drove me a bit bonkers just reading about it 😉 You are putting us all to shame mothernerd 🙂 are you sure you only have two hands 😉 Just remember it doesn’t all have to be done in a couple of days 😉🙂

No problems short_bird 😉 Don’t forget to polish your star ⭐️ every now & again 🙂😉

Another excellent spell of decluttering Gers 👏 Please take care when relocating the tinned goods 🙂

Excellent work bit_by_bit 👏 One medal 🏅 coming your way for sorting & disposing of the stationery stash 👏 What a lovely thing to do for DS2 & hopefully DS3will stay stress free now she has changed to freelance teaching 🤞

MrsSD  🏅🏅🏅🏅 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Decluttering Target: 2021    782/2021

2021 Savings Pot:  £41.00 to end of March

vulpix

Good morning lovely people.

 The house looked as good as it could be for the Estate Agents visit. Valued at 20k more than I was expecting. He was very confidant that it would sell very quickly. He said he had listed 22 houses in the last 3 weeks and 21 had already sold. The only fly in the ointment is he didn't take any photographs,someone else from the office will come and do that. We have to keep on top of everything until then! 
 We emptied the blue shed (car) where we shoved stuff whilst he was here. Box of unsightly cut up wood for the fire,my tender plants in their banana box etc etc. We then took some stuff to the charity shop. yay. Nothing purchased except take away coffee.

Today half a car full of stuff is leaving,woohoo. About 10 orchid plants, 12 fish bowls,bag of fairy lights, 4 large glass vases,box of jars and bottles,a wool throw and a large indian cotton bed spread. I am not counting any of these things.They have only passed through and were never my stuff. The vases are mine and will hopefully come back after the wedding. Oh also birthday and Easter gifts various post .

 I am going to meet my future daughter in law at her bridal shop for a dress fitting. my son and Mr V will have a little walk and transfer all their stuff over. We haven't seen each other for since last August. Coming home with us will be Christmas gifts,Birthday ditto,Mothers dayetc and a pineapple plant that I rooted and gave my son but he hates it,haha. He hasn't got the patience,it takes a couple of years for them to grow fruit and it takes up his only sunny windowsill.

 Epic drive bit by bit and just epic times mothernerd. I would have got the men to put the furniture back for me. I have even asked passers by to help me lift stuff in the past!...#noshame.

 Gotta get my skates on,2 hour drive and we need petrol and coffee too.

 Vx

Happy_Kitties

181-190.   Fabric items x 10 including a cushion into charity collection bag and are currently outside waiting to be collected
191 finished my big Woodwick candle yesterday. Lovely candle but powerful. I have an aim this year to use up 21 candles as I have so many.
192 very old plastic sundae thingy into plastic recycling.

im missing something, cannot remember but will report in later to hopefully take me over the 200 mark

oceanspirit

1 magnetic notice board from kitchen
17 pieces of old wrapping paper and other packaging from Christmas decs box.  More to sort through before I can finally put them away until later in the year.  I will put the Easter chicks in - they just stayed on a kitchen shelf last year gathering dust so nice for them to be properly put away this year.

bit_by_bit

Thankyou for my🏅 @MrsSD. Happy to help my sis now she is accepting it.

Very exciting times for you @vulpix. Sounds like great work has been done 

First day at the CS this afternoon. Got a bag of rags for them and a bag of clothes. Not mine as passing though. Not counting.

I have a few people who channel their CS stuff through me as it make it easier for the. Lucky MiL does this as I found her glasses in a coat pocket she would have lost

Willowtree222

I'm still here in the background just busy. 
I have decluttered under the cupboard stairs, sold some items and have two bags of clothes for the clothing collection point as well. 

I will keep going in the background. x

mothernerd

vulpix said:

Good morning lovely people.

 

 Epic drive bit by bit and just epic times mothernerd. I would have got the men to put the furniture back for me. I have even asked passers by to help me lift stuff in the past!...#noshame.

 Gotta get my skates on,2 hour drive and we need petrol and coffee too.

 Vx

One of them is the son of mum's (now deceased) partner, the other was his friend (retired electrician). I was trying to keep them away from mum. We haven't seen the son since the funeral and the planting the ashes in the churchyard and I don't think he has been to the house for the 18 months before that when his dad went into a home. He had dementia and mum looked after him at home for more than five years to the detriment of her own health. Even after his own doctor had said it was time (he no longer recognised anyone but mum and then only some of the time) mum left the decision up to his family and they opted for increasing day centre visits to 5 days instead of 2. One of the sons and one of the daughters has kept in contact but the others may send the odd card.

I don't like this son (mum tells people I don't like men, I'm fine with men but have a low tolerance for idiots). This one is an A grade idiot and frequently makes racist and sexist remarks (grr). I had blocked off access to the back yard as 1) he had no business going any further than needed to do the repair and 2) I wasn't going to stay polite if he started to lecture me on how I was doing the garden all wrong and telling me what I should have done stage by stage (probably getting a man to do it). I think his only purpose was to drive his friend and possibly hold the ladder.

He came into the front room but mum told him she was clinically extremely vulnerable (I've finally got through to her) and he should keep his distance so he said he would sit outside (I'd moved the garden chairs but left a stool which is covered in bin bags). Then before they left he came through saying he was just going to the toilet. So I wiped the bathroom, all the door handles and anywhere else I thought he might have touched as soon as they had gone.


I don't really think I'm doing a lot, it's just that I'm so decrepit that every little thing takes me so long. I took 4 pillows into mum's room, I brought 2 back and the others one at a time. The choice of sleeping on the floor or the couch was a great incentive. I knew that if I could have a bed clear enough to sleep in. I would be okay. I would have settled for just putting a sheet over the mattress, plonking a couple of pillows on it and either covering or rolling myself in a couple of things to keep me warm if I'd had to.

When I woke up all the mess is in my eyeline again but I can ignore it for a bit, I do want it properly sorted, not half done and the rest just shoved in bags but I did a food order last night to come this afternoon and that's my main job for today. I put my washing out on the line before mum was awake and I have filled 3 large buckets with loose soil (already dug with spade). Bins need to go out (not the one I thought it was) but no extra demands today. Everything else can wait, I have a bed, I have books, mum isn't feeling well so I may watch a film if she goes for a nap (catch up with the embroidery).