2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

TC77

Morning all,

Broadband and landline finally fixed - 6 days with none but relied on mobile data which is slow, DD stressed with GCSE revision and I'm well behind with work!

Can I count dead rat in ceiling - part decompose so waiting for flies - still not sure if it could have been trapped in house after we blocked drain or found another way in! 849
Counting all chasing and emails to broadband provider and openreach as time consuming 850 - neighbour told 5th may so my persistence paid off.
851 -853  emails deleted, unsubscribing and resetting passwords
854 -855 large box and large cushions used by one of our cats - grubby and snail trails. Recycled 

Really hoping to get back on track with work and other stuff this weekend. Hope everyone gets to relax.

@leelad hope your daughter recovers quickly and fracture clinic goes well. 
@GrannyKate impressed by sorting photos... they are in the way too difficult box for me at the moment.

GrannyKate

TC77 the problem with the photos is they have been in the 'too difficult box' for about 20 years.  When we moved here nearly 22 years ago late DH and I sorted our own photos although I am now getting duplicates of those from both mother's collections.  Plan to pair up and keep the best.

balabooberlies

Leelad, it's always wonderful when you are appreciated.

GrannyKate, I feel for you.  Going through someone's things after they have passed has it's own kind of sadness.

bala

x

moneyonmymindsam

Morning everyone, I did the lounge as well as the kitchen and washing last night. 

I have had an ultra rare lie in until nearly 8am as I always expect to be up two hours earlier I am behind lol.

So dogs fed and walked and back to bed with a coffee  still haven't moved and think we walked to far this morning.

Bit of financial admin to get up and do now. Out with friend and when I come back more dog walking and feeding. 

Will do the bathroom and bedroom later today. 
The more I can do today the more I can rest over the next two days. 

The thought of doing nothing sounds devine 😂

@balabooberlies hope you have a lovely weekend ❤️😘


Glad to hear about daughter @leelad
☺️
Sam x

vulpix

 I helped a friend empty their MIL's house, I hated it, I felt like a burglar. Hopefully my children will not have a massive job after I am gone.

 Phew,had to go to bed early last night after my exertions at Step sons'. Only half of the giant leylandii tamed. He has  chopped 2 of the behemoths down and dug out the roots to be able to reposition the shed. His garden is looking so much better and a lot bigger!

 Going to Sheffield today to see DD1,will take a dress to a dress agency.


 209. mixer sold. DJ thing,no idea.

 214. more tee shirts to SS

 215.Printer died in the middle of printing stuff for the solicitor. Electric recycling at the tip.
 
 216. Superking bed to tip. do not even go there with the time waster.More messages yesterday and agro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! entitled           millenial.


  Pounds gained  £265

  Vx
 

balabooberlies

You too lovely Sam

x

villagelife

549 a fabric sample
550 an ornamental clown.
551 a square of astroturf

May be back later with some more.

mothernerd

vulpix said:

 

 215.Printer died in the middle of printing stuff for the solicitor. Electric recycling at the tip.
 


  Vx
 

I thought you were being a bit casual about the death of the printer (I imagined him as little and gnome like) then realised you were talking about a machine

I have made progress but no numbers atm - diary and notebook in current use have both gone awol. Have done a little bit in the yard each day, The first two raised beds are nearly full (because of the slope I might need to put a small board inside the front to stop soil trickling out of the 'higher' end (bed is level, the flags underneath slope so the level bed has a space between the bed and the flags IYSWIM). I have started filling in the bit behind the bed (gap due to accommodating posts supporting the fence and random lumps of concrete which have no discernible purpose but I'm not spending time trying to break them up and get them out) and have put one of mum's clematis back in place (been on holiday in a bucket full of soil so they didn't get damaged).

Still pacing myself - used smallest buckets one day and only half filled those. have had several 'indoor' days due to the weather. Yesterday I filled eight small buckets from a container (ready for moving the soil in them - can't move the container when full), then had a look at the bird table. It was an old plastic tray (originally a table) with a wire 'cage' about 3" tall with holes for smaller birds to get inside. The wood pigeons bounced up and down on top of it until they could get at all the tray, rather than odd bits. Jumped so hard the plastic tray is broken up - it's been in use for over 3 years so is a dirty grey colour so good service for something made from 'leftovers'. 

It's screwed onto a dead tree stump (which is also full of termites or similar) and has fungus branching off it and mum has finally decided it can go. I'm normally an advocate for wildlife in the garden but this lot ate half of my newly planted out cabbages after I'd spent 3 weeks clearing a bit of soil for them. Broke the tray away from the stump (black bin this week so I will break it into smaller pieces and it can go in one of the two bags I already have on the go - don't want to cut the binman or break the cart with large lumps of plastic). Went to get my trusty tree saw and did a few starter cuts - stump is very near the fence so not a lot of room for the saw. Poked at the bottom with my trowel. Wood is spongy and wet so dug out with my trowel where I could, cut through the hard bit and eventually got most of the stump out (about 3', probably more). Last bit is still in the ground but soil has to be dug out there and it might be easy to get out then.

Sat on a chair, sawing part way through in several places (need smaller chunks to put it in the green bin) and dug out two bucketfuls of 'wood pulp' with my trowel. I don't know what the termites use to get it like that and don't want any details, if anyone else knows. It was slightly disgusting but comparatively easy. Will deal with the stump in stages between other jobs (my shoulders are feeling it this morning. Mum said how clever I was (must record every time mum says something nice to me or even 'thank you').

Need a re-think in here ('my' room). The mattress is still travelling. I've pushed it back in place 3 or 4 times this week and it's currently overhanging a foot at the side and about six inches at the bottom - which means things are currently falling over the top end. Things I like to have near me at all times - medicines, creams, diary, foils of pills, pens). It might be the way I move in the bed or maybe it just really hates being this way round. Think I will dismantle the 'headboard'(it's made of toilet rolls but there's room for them in the kitchen cupboard now), switch back to sleeping on the outside of the bed and have two trays on the wall side (half of the bed I'm not using). I like to keep water and electricals separate so the one currently behind my head (on top of the toilet rolls) has my CPAP machine and my new reading lamp (was previously using a tall lamp of mum's but it broke - uplighter bit works but too dim and far away for reading). My cup of water and some of the previously mentioned items go on the other tray. If I move back to the 'outside' of the bed I will be able to use my bedside trolley properly (can't reach it from the wall side of the bed, especially not in the middle of the night).

If I'm really motivated (my back, shoulders, neck and lower legs say they're going on strike), I might check and note the contents of all four bed drawers and see if there's anything I can discretely dispose of or re-use somehow. This is mostly mum's back up bedding (and second back ups and third). I'm currently using some of the sheets from there and the first time I put them on, one of the sheets ripped across about a foot from the end so my plan is to use them (I hate them) until the 'nearly worn out' status becomes obvious. They would make lovely dusters/ cleaning rags.

Last month was a bit rough - mum messed her pills up on the 8th and the running round to sort it (3 taxis and a bus) severely limited my mobility for most of the month. I walked to the post box and back last Sunday and walked (very slowly with lots of rests and had a taxi back) to the SM on Thursday (3 shops this month are down to mum not telling me when she has started on the last 'pack/ bottle' of something but waiting until it's all gone). I feel that I'm very behind and in the middle of so many things, so this month I'm starting in crisis mode. This means starting with the essentials - food, clothes, bills (because we all need to eat, have clean clothes to put on and take care of anything urgent/ time limited - bills are on DD/SOs). Sorting in order of today, this week, rest of the month. 

Food Mum has 6 portioned up meals in the freezer and I've 3 made earlier for me in the week plus odds and ends from the fridge/ freezer. There' a large foil pack in the freezer that I think is either beef or lamb (already cooked) so that will do Sunday lunch and possibly a casserole or curry and then I'll do another fridge/ hidden in the corners of the freezer round up (I bought a £3 wonky veg box on Thursday and donated to the food bank as I've neglected that recently) and see what I can make. I've added used up items to the shopping list as they've been finished off (frozen berries) except for things bought as festive treats (chopped up chorizo went in a crustless quiche) and put in an order for delivery (must check available slots today and see how it fits - lots of space in the freezer but want to use anything that's been there a while before it gets hidden again).

Clothes Old painting clothes retired (expired?) this week. Identified two other dresses (both about 3 years old with small holes and marks on them) which I'm happy to wear about the house and for painting, digging and anything else. Plan to be wearing these most of the time so newer/ smarted clothes can be saved for outside the gate (that scary place, the outside world) and planned 'rest days'. I only need to do 2 or 3 washes a week these days (no need to wash every day but C'mas and Easter Sunday, 3 loads some days when I had 2 in nappies). Clean clothes will be put away when I can get in the drawers properly (after mattress moving?).

Urgent Mum has a blood test appointment on Tuesday so I need to find the papers I already collected or phone so that new ones will be printed and ready to collect when I take her to the infirmary (our surgery is upstairs and most clinics happen on site). Garden is ongoing, will try to do a bit each day. I'm ready to start the next batch of painting (sitting down) and sorting out the shed means a lot can be stored safely but accessibly. Several other projects that I will break down into baby steps during the week.

Paint arrived Thursday - very helpful delivery man. I opened the packs on Friday, stashed them all under my painting table out of any wind and rain, boxes dismantled and added to the paper recycling (get it done before I start thinking what a useful sized box that is).

newlywed

A waterproof hat into the charity bag - planning to keep only 2 coats (a very decent Cornish make)  and they both have hoods and are waterproof. So no need for the hat.

a skirt into the “mum please can you make into a tote bag” as love the pattern but not liking it as a skirt  

Bar of soap I don’t like binned... lack of smell and very solid, not much lather - and I have several other bars.

bathroom decluttered. Put away things that make it feel like we are still in a pandemic... extra antibacterial liquid soap in the cupboard, bleach in the cupboard etc. Cleaned all round the edge of the tub. Looks much more tidy. 

Clothes tried on... a little bit to go before the smaller size fits (it zips up but I can’t breathe )

Have decided when they do fit, which clothes will land in the charity bag and which will be adjusted and reduced in size.


ordered my favourite white shirt (too big now) in a slightly too small size, so hopefully when it fits, that will be my new guide of when to reduce the sugar treats. I don’t often buy clothes brand new but can’t find this online second hand (and its 50% off so that will do nicely).  I do have it in blue in size that fits now, but the white I loved and wore more. 

Went through my handbags and decided I’m not ready to let any of those go... I love having matching outfits (for work and weddings etc) and whilst I am thinking of just having one pair of winter boots, I can’t seem to let the other colour bags go yet. 

Scarves and hats all checked through. One scarf might go, will wash it and see if the fluffiness returns first. 

Gem-gem

Binned:
old trainers

Recycled:
lots of receipts
unwanted mail
unwanted jars
finished compost bag
foil from chocolate bunny 😺
cardboard packaging x 3 from new make-up
10 more containers swapped for 2X £10 off in JL

Book finished - waiting to go back to Aunts
2 books taken to Mum's.