2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

vulpix

Good morning,

TC77, I make it sound like I have masses of stuff but really I would say apart from the clothes in the bedroom and a few spare bed linens and the like there are about 8 banana boxes of stuff in the pantry to sort through. This is everything we own with the exception of some pans and crockery in the kitchen cupboards. 2 boxes are paper and photos mostly belonging to Mr V the rest is kitcheny stuff and ornaments. I am happy to let kitchen stuff go now. I am saving a dinner set and a Portmerion coffee set, the rest I am not bothered about. It is things like serving plates ,trifle bowls and the like ,things for parties. My next struggle is Pictures and ornaments. As I unpack ornamental things I am putting them out in the sitting room. Some are going into a carboot box, some are staying ,some I am undecided about so in all honesty will go. Moving to a very small house and not wanting it to feel smaller because of clutter has helped me realise that I don't need most of what I have. Use it or loose it as they say.

 Vx

Siebrie

I had a rootle around in the attic again, and dds now have winter coats (received secondhand/new from friends when they cleared out their attic, stored for several years, timeless cut), 3 have been donated to a shelter.

Several empty bags for duvets are now in the 'donate' area of our attic, waiting for winter gear or old textiles. I fill them up, and as soon as 1 is full it goes into the textile container at the container park.

There were a bag and a cardboard box I hadn't looked in for some time, and it turns out they contained bed linen. My former employer, a hospitality head office, was looking for new items for their hotels about 6 years ago, and had trials of every possible item you can think of in a hotel. After the trials, they put out whatever was left, for people to take home. Hardly any of my colleagues took anything, so I asked and took the lot Most items I have sorted, donated, gifted, used up, stored. The bag and box contained mattress protectors, sheets, fitted sheets, and about 60 pillow cases! I kept the hypoallergenic ones, and the sheets in sizes we use. The rest is now in the donate pile; it will go to husband's African relatives.

I also found a stash of disposable razors (still in their cardboard hotel amenity boxes); they are also in the donate-to-Africa pile. I'd kept them for any of husband's friends, for whenever they stay with us, because they tend to show up without even a toothbrush, but they all have houses now, and I have told them often enough that they need to bring their own; we have even given them sponge bags as gag gifts (also from this hospitality head office trial stash).

Oh my goodness, the amount of thinking I do, and the back stories I have for every item! No wonder I can't exactly speed through the clean-up process!

Finstickle

Hope you have a lovely cruise @3secondmemory, I often find that last minute events and decisions can be the best ones :-) 

210-211     2 pairs of DD's trousers, one to recycling, one to the CS bag.  Both these bags are pretty full now so I will get them dropped off this week.
212-215     4 of DD's outfits sold and out the door

I have 2 other items due to sell later today so they'll go out tomorrow and then I think everything else will be taken off and added to the Charity bag, no movement in a few weeks and not really any views.  I have more to list so will hopefully get some of that done this week also - I find the listing is a boring so end up putting it off, but with the sales later today i'll have made over £100 in the last couple of months, so 100% worth doing!!!

I also took 5 bags of soft plastic recycling to Tesco yesterday, I don't count that in my total, but very nice to get it out of the garden.

OWD_nana

Been mia again but reading along. Seem to have been very busy this month. Lots of my U3A groups have restarted and several birthdays recently.
Am trying to Autumn tidy/clean one cupboard or draw at a time. Working on the kitchen atm.
325./ 34 Plastic containers & lids - RC
35.small china bowl CS
36. Large oval china roaster - CS
37/40 Tea plates CS
41. Mug CS
42. Glass CS
43/44 China bowls CS
45/46 Glass bowls CS
47/48 Medicine measures RC
49/50 China planters CS
50/51 Used batteries RC
52 Old towel - bleach holed - Rags
53. Broken timer - Bin
Other  bits and bobs
54. Top CS
55. Nightie CS
56. Book CS
57. Used up biro - bin
58. Small flower pot - Rc
59. Glass moisturizer jar RC
60. UU Sample hair conditioner
61/62 travel size toiletries uu
63/96 Paper dress making patterns - lady sewing teacher
397. Box of air freshners for vacumn cleaner.- Bin - horrid smell
398. Cardboard box gifted to friend for packaging

All for now. Welcome to those new to the thread. This is good place to come for help of all kinds, and a sympathetic ear. Also Mrs.SD always on hand to cheer us on our journey to a clutter free home.

bit_by_bit

Wow @3secondmemory You don't mess about. Enjoy your travels 

Thankyou for the star @Mrs_Salad_Dodger Not sure where the girls are but the DS's father's side of their family is full of boys.

@vulpix: I can see what you mean about not wanting your hosue to be smaller because of stuff. My house is full size and I feel the same more and more now. Well done on what you have lt go so far. 

@Siebre: you should write a book In fact with all the stories on this thread we could write a very interesting and useful book between us.

So DS1and wife moved house over the weekend. I had offered may help early on but the DiL said they were alright. I just got on with my own thing. I spoke to DS1 on Friday and he said he could have done with some help. Having not let me know I felt a little irritated. I said I couldn't read minds and to give me a shout next time. Usually I would have felt guilty but they are both adults. 

Anyway we delivered a two seater sofa to them last night and a bag of other things including bee bombs for the meadow they want at the end of their garden.

As with big tasks, once I stop I get overwelmingly tired for a few days. I am having a rest until Wednesday then I should be recovered enough to get back to the house and garden. There are no crops to harvest

oceanspirit

8 items paperwork today

That brings my total to 1013 - 2 items over my target for 2021.

I shall continue to declutter as I find things - I may not be able to do a big push over the next few weeks.  I do however have my next few items in mind for the Friday Frog challenge as I find it helpful to be accountable when it comes to the more difficult things.

TC77

@vulpix thanks, and inspiring how you go to move to a smaller house.

Decided if I don't become more ruthless I will spend decades sorting things out (has only been bad last decade!) and my father has been sorting things out, and wants his care home to be near his house to sort things out instead of moving closer to me or my brother. Added 3 things to CS bag, clothes and a desk organiser - just another place for papers . I have too many places to look for each type of thing. Yes, I know like with like. 2 bags taken to CS and bread bin collected from freecycle, and ood food out - counting as 7, and emails and calls made - several count as 1 so 10 in total. 1673

A game never used put in new CS bag 1674.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Thank you very much for my medal Mrs SD!
After a few days sped past without progress I knuckled down this evening and got a good chunk of files taken care of, shredding shredded, paper in the recycling bin and the rest safely back in place. Went from the back and made it forward to Po which was really good. 

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. ONCE A WEEK LEAVE THE HOUSE (e.g. Go into city centre for bank & butcher;  go to local town for cs dropping off or buying; visit the pub with DH 😉

4. CLEAN & EMPTY SURFACE AREAS - DAILY

Monday was supposed to be dry & sunny all day but hasn’t been ☹️ This meant that all my washing has been/is being tumble dried because I couldn’t be bothered to dash in & out to line dry (possibly) 😔 Last week DH made a decision to finally start decorating our bedroom 🙂 However this is fraught with difficulties as we have nowhere to put the furniture 😔😱 so cannot empty the room ☹️ Heaven knows how we will get a new carpet in (badly needed) Regardless DH has made a start - he has taken down the curtain pole & curtains, sugar soaped a third of the ceiling, a third of the wall beside the bed, window wall & one whole wall & is currently rinsing the ceiling & walls. He has also changed 2 of the wall sockets & started work on changing the door handle 👏 My contribution has been to tidy up after him, keep him supplied with hot drinks + soup for lunch 😉  We are ordering in tonight - posh burgers. DSis has spent most of the day in her room but has had a bath & is now trying to rid herself of a headache. Received a lovely bit of post today 🙂 (rather than the usual bills & begging letters) A thank you card with a family photo from DH’s great nephew - apparently the baby blanket is ‘gorgeous’ 🙂 & is already in use 🙂👏 

1849 - 1853 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, plastic bottle, magazine, newspaper - recycled  

1854 - 1855 Kitchen detritus, bag of bedroom detritus - binned

vulpix, sounds like an idyllic setting for DD1’s new job & a great place for you to make frequent visits. What a lovely gift & just in time for the change in weather 🙂 “More sorting done, I would say about 1/3 of the boxes in the pantry. I have realised that I didn't acquire all this stuff in a couple of days so it will take more than a couple of days to reduce it. Saying that, the amount of stuff that I have is a fraction of what  I had six years ago when we lived in a much bigger house. i am enjoying having much less stuff. You never know my next move might be to Shetland in a caravan!” I agree with TC77 a timely reminder that it takes us years to clutter up our homes & somehow we think that we can sort it all out in a few months 😉 Not too sure that a caravan in Shetland would be too homely 😉😉 vulpix ‘I wanna be like you ooh ooh’ - now you will have that running around in your head 😉Seriously, I am very impressed 👏

TC77, RL has a knack of getting in the way of decluttering & decorating 😉 I agree that being ruthless is the way to go but where can you & I obtain “ruthlessness”? Someone must know 🙏 Good work on the decluttering 👏you are keeping your numbers ticking along very nicely 👏

What a wonderful treasure trove attic you have, Siebrie 👏🙂 Excellent decluttering 👏 and please keep the stories coming 🙏 I do so love reading them 🙂 even if it does slow you down 😉                            

Good work Finstickle 👏 Excellent work on the sales & I wish you continued good fortune with your new listings 🙂

Nice to see you OWD_nana 👋 Judging by your numbers you have been very busy 👏 so busy that you have earned a Gold Star ⭐️ as now more than 3/4 the way to your target 👏 Thank you for the mention 👏

bit_by_bit, definitely a shortage of girls on my maternal side of the family as well - one female & two male cousins, one female & 3 male 2nd cousins + I have 3 nephews & no nieces 😔 Absolutely no need to feel guilty as you did offer your assistance 🙂 & then ended up helping out anyway 👏🙂 Excellent idea to recharge your batteries 👏 Shame there is no harvesting to do ☹️

Excellent work oceanspirit 👏 & well done on reaching your target 🥳 One Gold Star ⭐️ + the Gold Star ⭐️ I missed when you reached your 3/4 total 👏The Friday Frog Challenge I started a couple of weeks ago has stalled due to FB, WhatsAp etc being offline 😖 but I will find something to do as I agree it keeps me accountable as well 🙂

Absolutely excellent work Wanna_Bee_Free 👏 

MrsSD 🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Decluttering Target: 2021    1855/2021

2021 Savings Pot:  £466.45 to end of October

3secondmemory

@bit_by_bit

this is my impulsivity showing through! I always was a spur of the moment person before I was hobbled and housebound. I’m excited but so anxious. I’m a nervous wreck just getting on the train today to go down to Devon. 

I noticed a drawback yesterday that travelling in the dark is problematic for me - I was terrified on the bus yesterday because I couldn’t recognise anywhere along the route – my brain was not playing the game! 

I feel a bit like Nicole Kidman in the Others  when she tries to leave the house and the further she gets from it, the thicker the fog becomes. 

Just having a quick tidy up for the cat sitter