2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

oceanspirit

I know it’s a bit early to post an end of year roundup, however I want to declutter the piece of paper it’s written on so here goes:-

Items decluttered goal was reached and surpassed several weeks ago.  No new target set as I didn’t want to feel pressured.  Electronic goal not yet reached but there are still a couple of weeks to go so still achievable.

Big progress has been in not buying new things such as clothes, nutritional supplements and health foods.  It feels really good to walk around my bed without getting my feet tangled up in clothes.  Toiletries, notebooks, nutritional supplements and health foods have gradually been used up and there are more to go in this way.  These have not been included in my totals, so the actual amount of things gone is much higher.

I have always been a small scale prepper so there are still stocks of food etc which have to be stored somehow.  We live in a rural area which gets cut off when it snows etc and I like to be self sufficient in a crisis so these stocks will stay despite me wanting the space back.  Does anyone else have the dilemma of wanting to declutter more - v - needing to feel secure?

Looking ahead to next year, 2022 should see each room clear, clean and tidy.  I can’t wait.  The main issue is still paperwork and now that the obvious things have gone, the remaining items may take longer to process as the decisions are more difficult.

The final large category is clothes.  I am glad I have left these as it is an emotional category for me.  I slop around at home in old tracksuits and big cardigans and quite frankly look a mess.  I have a wardrobe and cod full of lovely clothes which are comfortable to wear. I have discovered that I don’t wear them because they are “too good” to wear and need to be kept for best.  I need to get over that and remember that I am worth it and it’s ok to enjoy wearing lovely clothes every day. I don’t feel as though I deserve to wear them and also that I mustn’t spoil them by getting them dirty!  However, there is no point in keeping clothes for fantasy me, when fantasy me is perhaps real me who has been hidden behind clutter and unhelpful thoughts (mental clutter).

Edited to add that decluttering has now become a habit.  If I find something in a cupboard or drawer that I don’t want or need, it goes straightaway now.  This will prevent clutter taking over again and I am so happy that this is now ingrained.

mothernerd

A rough count of the bin bags in my yard is 100 (counted the ones I could see and guesstimated how many rows were behind/ on top of them. The alternative would have been to move them to the far end of the yard and count as I went but throwing bin bags even a few feet was beyond me (especially over 100) so will double check as they go out (Ds3 has had a lot of success putting extra bags out alongside the regular collections - the Council started allowing this during the first lockdown and DS3 just carried on doing it). Not very environmentally friendly and something I want to get back under control once I move back but leaving it all to fester in the yard would be worse.

Yesterday I made a quick and easy Sunday dinner. Cut all the lamb, we ate half and the other half was sliced bagged , labelled and frozen. Did the same with the brisket, all sliced, divided into generous portions (enough for dinner even with an unexpected guest or two or leftovers to be turned into a stew or curry with whatever vegetables are around. One will be Christmas dinner and one New Year's (mum may yet get invited out for Boxing Day). Was awake in the early hours one day so I did a home delivery order for here and one for my house, for the 29th. A good mixture of basics, simple easy food (some prepared veg so we can have choice and eat healthily if I get worse or don't improve), a few treats (+ party bits squirrelled away in the corners of the freezer) and back up tins of soup, fruit and rice pudding for if we both feel thoroughly wretched and can't eat much at all. Want to have some easy options for mum when I'm not here all the time. i plan on doing a small order this week (looked but mum had very little freezer space for the things she'd asked me to get) or perhaps drop into little Arseda in the last hour before closing.

Spent a lot of time on Sunday taking my storage jars out of mum's kitchen cupboards (flour, sugar,, herbs and spices, dried beans and pulses). wiped them all and put tape across the lids to avoid spillages so they were ready to take out and put straight onto my shelves at home. Mum said I could have the shoeboxes from her new slippers for the smaller jars. 4 bags for life filled and some smaller boxes and odd items still to be bagged.

Whilst I've been going through tinned stocks (left anything mum will use, stuff she won't - anything not available in 1940, has been divided between myself and donations to the food bank) I used a few small boxes (will hold 24 tins), put like with like and filled them. Unfortunately I only had a few boxes so excess tomatoes and kidney beans were bagged. I've had a delivery and other times when I've needed a bag or bags so the toms and kidney beans have been in and out of the bags so we nearly had roller derby.

Yesterday I put the boxes in a neat stack inside the bedroom door. The filled bags went on a row of dining chairs in the front room (right height for me to pick up easily) and I used the table (gateleg currently closed up) to gather oddments I didn't want to forget about. added a set of cardboard  drawers which hold most of my embroidery threads (down from 4 sets)

I still need to go through the stuff in the bottom of one wardrobe, stack what's staying (will put labels on the inside of the doors so people other than me can get things if the kitchen cupboards need restocking. I went through the original soupery contents with mum but she's slept since so probably already forgotten. I've also binned several items of mum's which are (very) ood (2016).

This morning I decluttered the cold by switching on the central heating before mum's getting up time and set off a machine load of clothes (the majority of my clothes are now back at my house - had a mild panic the other day when I thought I was going to have to wear some of mum's old pj bottoms (now binned).

Took 6 bags to my house today . I've done at least 2 trips to each bin (some about 6 but sometimes only small amounts - just get it shifted before it scatters again. Washed my mask and hose as this bug is bringing me down and don't need to keep inhaling my own germs. The waste wizards arrived later than expected (the end of their working day so any hold ups on earlier jobs accumulate) with a small removal sized lorry, which they proceeded to fill. Most already counted but I did move several items forward to make sure they didn't get missed. I also neglected to include the old rotting fence panel which I took apart and added to the pile and a hose and various other items from the cleaner's visit/ not compatible with taps etc.

When the waste wizard went (with their lorry filled to the rafters), I took a duvet cover to the textile bank and 3 sacks of can to recycle point. Needed bicarb to clean the freezer (left the box at mum's)   + some other items. Got cash and my balance from the machine. Someone had messed with it's circuits because I only wanted £20 and it gave me more. Even allowing for the vagaries of tapping the screen instead of precise buttons, they must have been mixed up as they usually go up in stages. Last time I went all the machines were stuck on Welsh, which made things interesting. Tried to decide which shop could supply most of my needs (aching legs and feet). did quite well but no bicarb - too tired to go somewhere else. 

DS3 ordered food for me. I've moved all the pans from the under the stairs cubby holes onto the counter (they are going to live in the small cupboards either side of the stove or hung up on hooks again - not bought because I think there are some in my toolbox stuff. four bags of storage jars decanted (some in temporary homes because two of the shelves are still supporting the farmhouse table top) and then moved one of the trolleys to the front of the house to set up the food bank items for delivery tomorrow. 

I had little rest upstairs after I'd eaten and then got DS3 to help me with the freezer. I put the remaining defrosts contents into bin bags (brought back and put in mum's bin - still room to do a rubbish round up and add it to the kitchen bin before it goes out for collection tomorrow). a laundry basket and 3 more bags for life have been brought in DS3 poured the melted ice into the sink, I wiped them out and he put them back inside the freezer. Switched it on and told him he can put the stuff from the small freezer in there tomorrow morning and I will move the stuff from the freezer here. I have another bag ready for the food bank here and will try to go through the remaining tins (can use the empty bags to sort).

I've jotted down figures as I've been writing and my total is 235, running total 1129/ 2021 yippee (and may be more bags as I go through them).

Want to get to my house early tomorrow, put the freezer items away (breakfast and lunch both came from the fridge/ freezer contents, do the food bank drop off and try to move some of the furniture to their new positions (DS has also assembled his exercise bike). shuffle round in the bedrooms before the bed from the Hospice shop is delivered (I'm paying for the delivery) hoping to sleep there tomorrow.

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:

1073. dead pants
1074. Xmas cards written & hand-delivered
1075. enamel sign
1076. Top 

16 items to meet 2021 target

Well I decluttered work for a couple of weeks - hoorah ! Not back until 4th January but already started to worry it won't be long enough.  . I did a little sprint to the finish line with my actual decluttering.  I would love to join the challenge again again next year.  Not sure what my target will be.  Like some others I have got to a stage where the bulk of the physical decluttering is done.  I feel there is another level I'd like to go to  but I think that is very much linked to what I want from the next phase of my life. That's not clear to me at the moment so I need to spend time reflecting on them over the break.  I've enjoyed including tasks this year and it's really helped me stay more on top of things so I will definitely include those in my target again next year.  Anyhoo....

1077. Birthday care & presents for friend's Mum's 90th
1078. Candle holder
1079. frame
1080 & 81 - 2 x blankets
1082. card
1083. recipe book
1084. pillowcase
1085. Giftbox
1086&7 - 2xcloth masks - unused
1088 & 9 - 2 x coasters
1090 & 91 - 2 x slate hearts
1092. toiletries bag 

2021 target reached  🥳🥳🥳

vulpix

A big bag of donations taken to the local charity shop including the painting that I won in a raffle last week and some of Mr V's Birthday gifts from his Mum. The unwanted gifts were a mug with Happy Birthday on it, 3 pens, and a cotton bud holder. I won't count these as they were never permanent residents here. I see on FB that the shop had advertised and sold the painting already.

 I told Mr V that I will not be buying clothes next year, he thinks I will last 2 weeks!

 Thank you for duvet info. I hope when we have a new roof the house will be warmer. Currently no insulation up there and a good wind whistles through the place.

 Vx

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

Well I did get dressed 😉 The only other thing I did was make cottage pie from scratch (NO packet mix 🙂) - enough for 2 nights dinners for 3 + a couple of portions for freezer when I create space. The mince was bulked out with red lentils & I added extra vegetables. Dinner was cottage pie & cabbage + roasted tomatoes & ‘last leg’ parsnips for DH & me. This version of cottage pie is definitely tastier 😋  than the cheats version made with packet mix 🙂 Wudupa twice 😔 

2299 - 2304 Kitchen recycling, 2 cardboard boxes, paper packaging, glass jar & metal lid, Uu shampoo container - recycled 

2305 Kitchen detritus - binned

vulpix what a lovely offer 🤗 Re the pause on buying clothing & toiletries - remember for clothing the one in, one out rule is very useful 😉 & for toiletries only replace used up items IF you like them 😉 As to fripperies - these can be a reward for good decluttering & cleaning 😉😉 Fingers crossed that you get a lovely warm duvet in the Boxing Day or January Sales 🤞Well done on the decluttering 👏 Was it a good result for the painting? you know by now how nosy/interested I am 😉 As to MrV putting a 2 week limit on how long you will last without buying any clothes - shame on him ☹️ I think he should set up a piggy bank & put in £5 for each week you keep your purse closed - resisting the siren call of new clothes 😉😉

Great work Happy_Kitties 👏 I also just noticed that I have been remiss with the Gold Star awards 😔 One Gold Star ⭐️ for when you reached 375/500 🙂

Good work TC77, especially the frogs 👏

The wool duvet sounds interesting elsien 🙂 but not sure that DH or I could cope with a heavier duvet though ☹️ Shame about the old duvet though ☹️ Fingers crossed that Gitdog’s dental work is the minimum amount possible 🤞

Excellent decluttering nannywindow 👏 Hopefully your dad does remember even if he hasn’t apologised 🤞 Well done on keeping your craft room tidy 👏 Like you I am very grateful that so much is shared 👏 When something strikes a chord I write a note & try to incorporate it into my decluttering journey 😉 Everything crossed that you & all your family remain negative 🤞

Excellent decluttering GrannyKate especially the cobwebs 👏 Keeping everything crossed that you & your family stay negative & that your Christmas plans go ahead 🤞

Brilliant work in both the kitchen & living room oceanspirit 👏 and I love that you are prioritising the most useful decluttering & tidying 🙂👏 Yippee to OH for offering to cook lunch on Friday 🥳 oceanspirit, it is not too early to post a roundup 🙂 I hope you are very proud of yourself - a very successful year of decluttering & setting up new, ingrained habits 👏 As you have set your stall out for 2022 I have reserved a seat for you on the Electric Train. Btw you definitely deserve to wear your nice clothes - I think fantasy you is here 🙂👏 Perhaps dress up one day a week regardless of whether or not you are leaving the house 😉

mothernerd, I cannot get over how hard you graft even when feeling unwell - each time you post you astonish me with how much you have done 👏 Not only are you decluttering with almost military precision but you are doing all the preparation work for your mum to be able to live independently (to a degree) 👏 The waste wizards sound great 👍 & they seem to take as much as they can cram in 👏  I hope you are counting each time a cupboard has been stacked neatly 😉 to add to your rapidly growing numbers 👏 You must be really looking forward to sleeping in your own home 🙂 but I imagine it will feel a little strange 😱

Yippee EnergyShifter 🥳 Brilliant decluttering to reach your target 👏 One Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 🙂 As to your plans for next year you have plenty of time to clarify your thoughts & goals 😉 Safe to say that I have reserved a seat for you on the Electric Train 🙂

MrsSD   🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇🥇🏅   ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Decluttering Target: 2021    2305/2021

2021 Savings Pot:  £675.00 to end of December 

Vascodakarma

elsien said:

I am trialling an wool duvet. It wasn't cheap, even in the sale, but I do find it regulates my hot/cold temperature swings better than my previous synthetic one. I'm allergic to feathers/dust so can't use down.  It is heavier which takes some getting used to, very slightly reminiscent of being back at uncentrally heated grandparents with many layers of blankets piled on till you can't physically turn over. 

Still not much going on here at present. Work carries on getting harder -  more people leaving, extra pressure on the rest of us - all a bit of a cycle. I'm trying really hard not to think about January. 

Duvet had to go to landfill as although it was newish and clean I couldn't give it away and they don't recycle.
Roll of wallpaper and an old bag. Some Xmas decs earmarked to be binned rather than be put back in the loft when they come back down again. 

Gitdog is due to have some teeth decluttered on Wed - wish him luck that it's not too many. 

I bought a wool duvet earlier in the year and I absolutely love it. The only thing I regret is buying the lightweight one because although it’s warm enough for spring and Autumn, I was expecting it to be heavier and I was hoping to incorporate the weighted blanket feel with a more breathable filling. 

I just bought the heavier one tog 10 to 14 for one of my boys and his beau. They live in a freezing attic/flat. Not cheap but apparently more hygienic and sustainable than synthetic hollow fibre. I downsized to a double to single life easier, and don’t intend to buy another duvet in my lifetime. I will have it cleaned regularly and hopefully, in 20 years or so, it can be donated to charity - the gentle art of Swedish death cleaning in action 😃 i’d also like my Hiking gear which amounts to several hundred pounds now, to go to a Homeless charity 😃 Christmas and the upcoming New Year have been a great opportunity for me to reaffirm my low impact, sustainable green dream to the kids - they get me! 😊

I’m trying very hard to focus but anxiety is getting the better of me. I’ve think I’ve mentioned before that I have a lot of trouble keeping track of days of the week and I knew it was going to be very difficult this year because of all the extra holiday days. Well - this week I thought I yesterday was Tuesday and I was supposed to be flying tomorrow. 

 

Siebrie

@oceanspirit "Does anyone else have the dilemma of wanting to declutter more - v - needing to feel secure?"

Yes, I do! But I have learned that feeling secure also means being able to get my hands on my stuff easily, which I can't do if there is stuff in the way, or stuff that needs decisions being made about it. 'secure' for me also includes 'easily accessible'.

"The final large category is clothes.  I am glad I have left these as it is an emotional category for me.  I slop around at home in old tracksuits and big cardigans and quite frankly look a mess.  I have a wardrobe and cod full of lovely clothes which are comfortable to wear. I have discovered that I don’t wear them because they are “too good” to wear and need to be kept for best.  I need to get over that and remember that I am worth it and it’s ok to enjoy wearing lovely clothes every day. I don’t feel as though I deserve to wear them and also that I mustn’t spoil them by getting them dirty!  However, there is no point in keeping clothes for fantasy me, when fantasy me is perhaps real me who has been hidden behind clutter and unhelpful thoughts (mental clutter)."

I get more done when I feel well about myself; it took me some time to get over the 'waste' of not wearing clothes to pieces, but I'm more or less there. It helped me to get up, wash and get dressed, and only then go down and have breakfast; this prevented lounging forever in pyjamas. In our shared wardrobe I have just 1 single section of hanging rail and 4 shelves, so my clothes have to fit in there, otherwise I need to get rid! I have 1 pair of trousers that I really wear to pieces for gardening, cleaning, etc. Old T-shirts also get worn to pieces, but only undertneath sweaters, to keep the sweaters nicer for longer.

"Edited to add that decluttering has now become a habit.  If I find something in a cupboard or drawer that I don’t want or need, it goes straightaway now.  This will prevent clutter taking over again and I am so happy that this is now ingrained."

Yes! I have embraced the word NOW. If I hesitate, or see my hand putting something back, or see something that needs doing while I'm waiting for something else to happen (typically waiting for water to boil) I tell myself NOW and act.

balabooberlies

Great Posts..........

x

Blackberrycurved

I need to declutter my need to control things and people so letting go in all senses. 

vulpix

 I am not trying to be humorous but I really didn't know there was such a thing as packet shepherds pie mix. I just don't look at convenience things in the supermarket. I have always made things from scratch for money saving and health. I wanted my children to have a better relationship with food than the one I have, If I eat processed food it makes me feel a little unwell. Biscuits excepted obviously.   The ONLY proud thing I have done as a Mother is to ensure my children were not overweight (secretly) and enjoy all foods. I was an over weight kid and have struggled all my life to have a normal relationship with food. My Mum does not have a good relationship with food either and I am happy that I broke the chain with my children. ha, that was unexpected, I didn't come here this morning with the intention of saying that! that's what I like about this thread, it throws up interesting things to think about. I suppose that is the root of my struggle with letting kitchen things go. I have always prided myself that I was a good and bountiful cook. I am so over the  catering thing now though. These days I cook a couple of times a week and freeze it. My kids are both good cooks I am pleased to say.

 Ocean spirit. I think I also have a level at which I am comfortable. I could let some more go but I am almost at a point where it would feel uncomfortable to have much less. When I had a 5 bed house I felt uncomfortable being the custodian of it's contents. I feel much happier now I know what I have got and where it is. I don't care what happens to it all when I die. The kids will be able to empty the house in a day which I cannot say will be the case with my Mum or MIL.

 Mrs SD the painting sold for £10. I imagine much less than they sell for in the Gallery.

 Vx