2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

nannywindow

Thank you Bala, BitbyBit and MrsSD for your kindness, I will admit that my health and MH has been at rock bottom. I saw the GP today and my thyroid levels are not high enough to warrant the shaking hands or wonky walking ( they will be checked again in 2-3 months ) but he is sending me for a cat scan 🙀 and a neurologist appointment......... didn't see that coming ! Anyway I'm not going to dwell on it.

Our drive builder finally got started last week and hopefully it will be finished this Friday. I can't wait as at present we are living in a sea of mud from the pavement to the front door, around the side of the house and up to the back door. He will want paying at the end of the week too so thousands of £'s will be decluttered 😭. I almost emptied my freezer last week, or rather DGS did as he was here for a week with a bad cold and cough, got hollow everything that boy 🤣 so I'll defrost it before I try to fill it again, the freezer not our DGS, as I have a delivery arriving on Sat.

My poor DD ( double jabbed ) has caught the dreaded Covid so she is in self confinement and holed up in DGS's room. She is receiving meals on wheels foot courtesy of SiL🍽. None of them caught it when DGD had it in Oct and now Sil and DGS have tested negative again, it's a weird illness, it seems very picky. We feel so useless as we are not allowed anywhere near ( DD's orders) but we are trying to keep her spirits up by sending her daft GIFs and texts. She says the sweats and not being able to taste or smell anything are the worst parts.

I only posted my xmas cards today as I keep thinking xmas day is next month 😏, I don't know where I am lately. I also recycled lots of cardboard via the dustman as DD had left quite a bit when she took her parcels away the other week and the packaging from a ninja foodie ( joint xmas pressie ). Right I'll stop yacking as I'm sure I've bored you all enough for today, hope this post makes a bit if sense too.

Take care all, stay safe and hugs to those in need.

nan xx

OWD_nana

Been Awol i know . But reading along. Some large this time for me as trying to really get to grips with too much in a small space.

Tip run courtesay of a good friend.
449/50 Two bedside tables
451. Clothes rail - kept collapsing from too many clothes.
452. Odd dining chair
453/54. Two wooden doors taken from a tallboy i upcycled
455. Bag of left over fittings from new rail that is secured to the wall

456/59 Books
460. Broken hanger
461. Pedometer
462/65 Dead battery, old cream, 2 used up cotton reels
466. Long sleeved top - to friend, too small for me
467. Bag of soft plastics to Mr S
468. Glass decanter
469/74. sort of card box found  new ones I wont use - CS
475. China mug
476. Paper 3D Flower

Jewellery sort. Looking for xmas earrings found
477. Brooch - still in box never used
478. Bracelet
479. Earrings

Sort out of Xmas decorations box and gifts box managed a few more out
480/81. Tree decs taken by my daughter
482/90 More decs to CS
491/93. Unused pack of xmas teatowels as raffle prize
494. Unused massager (impulse buy!) donated to local hospice.
495/97 Magazines
498. Bag of ribbons for Art group
499. December china mug CS
500. Faded black jeans - Material bank

Hit my target. Hooray. Will keep going though.

501/2. More books CS
503. Another broken hanger
504. Too tight shirt.

I apologise for the length of this. Really appreciate this thread and the other Old style ones. Keeps me going on my journey to one day achieve my plan of a cosy but minimal home. Thank you all for posting and keeping this thread going all year and big virtual hugs to Mrs SD for her cheerleading with humour.
Caz

vulpix

Thought you would like to see the cake my friend made for her Nephews Wedding. The cake board was growing as an oak tree at the side of my house until very recently!

TC77

Wow, what a fabulous  cake !!

Bala... I agree about the small things to help yourself to. I drop round one bag of crisps, a banana, etc one of each opening packets and taking one or two out.  Agree with others the principle can apply to other things. 
I frog moved along.  I think  2224.

TC77

Nos wrong 2228. Using phone to type - not easy! 

Liverpool_Anne

@vulpix love the cake and the cake board

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

Tuesday was another dry day & reasonably warm for the time of year - 11C 🙂 DH left at 9:30 a.m. for 2nd leg of going through all Tube Stations - Bakerloo Line today. He was out for approximately 5 hours 😱 I managed to cross off a couple of items from my ‘To Do’ list 🙂 One financial phone call before it became a frog 😉; descaled kettle - only 2 days after I added it to my list; put contents of gift hamper in the appropriate places ( I now have a very smart box which I will utilise as a First Aid Box); sorted XMas monies for bin-men & recycling men, window cleaner & milkman 🙂; hand washed cloth face mask; gave half of the hg leeks (thoroughly washed 🙂) to ndn D. Dinner was spaghetti Bolognese 😋 Los boxed & put in freezer. Wudupa + scrubbed & disinfected both kitchen sinks. 

2257 - 2259 Kitchen recycling, cardboard packaging, glass bottle - recycled 

2260 Kitchen detritus - binned 

TC77, I think being generous with counting keeps us motivated 😁 So sorry to hear about your DD1 - sounds like she is going through a very tough time 😞 Hopefully with your support & some luck with getting support systems in place she will start on the road to wellness. Your poor friend - sending good wishes that she has a full recovery. I really like your description of us being a ‘real community’ 👏 Well done on dealing with a frog 👏

What a lovely post balabooberlies 😊 & thank you for sharing your experience 👏

What a lovely thing to say vulpix ☺️ Your poor MIL but she is probably safer in hospital. Thank you for the holiday recommendation - I will add Bakewell to the list of places for us to spend a couple of days. Edinburgh is already at the top of the list 😉 What a party animal you are vulpix 🙂 - you will be exhausted 😉 I have bookmarked the Chester Parade 👏 What a fabulous cake - there will never be another one like it 🙂

Yet another lovely post, bit_by_bit 😊 Such a sharing community 👏 Great idea to earmark funds from sales for a specific treat 🙂 Hopefully the birth of her baby will mean DIL will become less touchy 🤞 Well done on getting the Christmas decorations out of the loft 👏

Yippee Finstickle, target reached 🥳 One Gold Star ⭐️ on its way - hopefully it won’t get delayed in the Christmas post 😉 Please be good with the saucepans/frying pans & only keep the ones you absolutely love 😉 Good luck with your listed items 🤞

mothernerd I am absolutely exhausted reading about all the work you have done 👏 A prodigious amount - no wonder you are feeling a bit unwell 🤒 Please, please don’t try to do too much - I want you to have a wonderful Christmas 🙏 Pleased to hear that DS3 & Beloved are still pitching in. As to the 3 year old, if it had been my home he trashed he would never have reached age 4 😖 

Excellent work short_bird 👏

Hopefully your cat scan & neurology appointment can be organised quickly, nannywindow 🤞Then something can be sorted out to help you on the road to recovery. Yippee to the drive builder 🙂 but boo to depleting your bank account ☹️ Your poor DD 😞 - what a horrible illness Covid is ☹️ As you say, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to who gets it. I am a bit of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas - I cannot wait for it to be over 😔 Btw not bored at all. 

Lovely to see you OWD_nana 👋 Excellent decluttering 👏 and hitting your target means one Gold Star ⭐️ on its way. Also a medal 🏅 for your friend 🙂 Btw no need to apologise for reporting your successes 😉 Thank you for the hugs 🤗 

Perfect timing - I have stayed up long enough to give the milkman his Christmas card & pay my milk bill 😉

MrsSD   🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇🥇🏅   ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Decluttering Target: 2021    2260/2021

2021 Savings Pot:  £675.00 to end of December 

balabooberlies

Thank you Vulpix and Bitsy and Mrs S.D

and all of you lovelies.  It is an excellent warm community here that I am grateful to be a part of.

x x

Proofread100

Good morning all you wonderful people. 
I need to join in a wee bit if I may. I know it is nearly the end of the year but I have a few days off here and there so intend to make a bit of headway.
I am now queen of my home and just have my 2 DDs (22 and 14) living with me (DH gone!) and there is too much clutter and untidiness for my liking. 
I have been reading through the thread. Managed the first few pages then skipped to the end. Lots of lovely familiar names that make me very happy. 
I was here on OS for many, many years as Rosie 383. Used to be very active on OS before and now I can be again because I am my own boss for the first time in 24 years!

New start and a new me hopefully. If there is a brief guide to getting started on decluttering and cleaning then I would be very grateful. I've treated myself to a few pages this morning with a cuppa, but if I wade through all 5000+ pages I won't get much done!

mothernerd

Yesterday I messaged the waste wizard to see if he could do a collection - much easier than having a skip. Not well enough to take food to the food bank - will be Thursday now as no food bank on Wednesday - so moved books into the spaces where I'd taken out ones to go to the charity shop. then moved 'Christmas' stuff (wrapped and unwrapped presents, things to return to DS1 and DS2, non-alcoholic wine to take with us) and discovered the seed box which will make a token present for my newest daughter-out-law (wasn't sure if I had sent it to the cs). Freed up a box for packing more stuff (in preparation for the move) and a large bag for life.

Blue and green bins went out in case I was too tired to do it in the evening. Eventually got a taxi at 3 pm and went to my house for 2 and a 1/2 hours (food delivery coming). Put the blue and green bins out - said several times that when they have been emptied all the paper and card under the kitchen table needs to go in the blue bin for next time (will be after Christmas).

Used the hoe and rake to dislodge more of the ivy. Could only manage about 5 minutes but made a dent in it. Sat on a garden chair and scraped greenery from the ground (very long reach on that hoe). Made a start on removing the rotten slats from the garden 'fence' (made by me to fit a specific space, approximately 23 years ago using other people's cast off wood). nearly done when the top bar came away. 

As this is what we attached the washing line to, I hurriedly switched to declutterig the washing from the line. Moved dry washing from the dryer, airer, radiator and 2 doors and replaced with wet washing from the pile in front of the washer (stuff that was outside will get a quick spin before processing). Stopped to eat, then went upstairs and emptied the wardrobe that I was using - removed 'best clothes' (being wearing all my holey scruffs during the pandemic - until the holes got big enough to show bits not fit for public consumption), remaining toilet rolls and hangers.

Suggested that as they will be storing clothes differently (removed the old curtain pole suspended between two wardrobes and 3 of those little rails used for extra hanging space) - more drawers and and possibly a trunk or bedding box for 'outfits' and coats (Beloved rarely leaves the house and one season appropriate coat could be left downstairs), that they do a hanger cull (all the nasty black plastic ones can go, I want to keep the good metal ones and the wooden ones).

Folded all the dry washing and bagged it in sections. They elected to send some t-shirts to the cs and they have a small to go pile upstairs. I put bagged cans, a quilt and some other items on the walker to go to the recycling point (has a charity clothes/ shoes/ textiles container) but was nearly time for my taxi and not sure I'd get back in time - so loaded walker to go.

When I got back the waste wizard had messaged me back, he's going to come and look today and give us a price for removing the 'junk'. passed the messages on to DS3 and reminded him which things still need to go out. DS3 assumed he was paying for it, so I'm going to let him (as we remove the 'mess' I keep seeing all the bits that need doing (hole in kitchen ceiling, uncarpeted stairs).

I have me CBT session up to lunch and mum has a late afternoon podiatry appointment. I'm going to see if she's willing to go on her own as otherwise it will be 4 pm before I can get there (last push before the cleaners come). I had a missed call from the opticians - need to phone back as my varifocals are so loose I can't wear them (the arms are splayed - 5 minute job but need to book in as it's a small narrow shop).

This morning I've started bags for rubbish, paper, plastic bottles, drinks cans, washing up including recycling which needs a wash before binning, another bag for tins to go back in mum's room (rice pudding and grapefruit were added to the SM order as they were quite low but mum hasn't been eating her prunes so any I find can go in the food bank pile) and a new bag of books for the cs.

36 in total, 829/ 2021 running total.