2021 MISSION DECLUTTER and CLEAN

mothernerd

Slow going here but still going. A couple of heavy days - cleaners last week and 'bed day' this Tuesday (DS3 did all the actual bed moving but I needed to move things around, put sheets/ duvet/ bedcover on, set up my CPAP machine) my legs are permanently aching, walking is slow and getting up and down the stairs extremely difficult. Coping with this by doing upstairs jobs for a while, resting whenever I can/ need to and then a few kitchen jobs (sitting wherever possible). I've also adapted some of my plans and prioritising.

Building lists - a number of house jobs for next year but will need to build up my bank balance again first. House diy things (low cost or already have the materials) eg I have some paint left over from the last paint all through and there are several small walls with lots of grubby finger marks which could be spruced up - but not this week or next, it will be done whilst the bank balance is being rebuilt. Bath seal need re-doing (have the seal, bleach and cotton wool failed to clear the mouldy bits) but not so bad that it can't wait a week or two.

Walking is so poor that I couldn't get to the food bank during their opening hours (will continue to donate next year) which meant I had to think of a way to complete the reverse advent calendar. I have a jam jar full of pennies (mostly 1p and 2p with a sprinkle of silver) in my drawer so yesterday I took it out with me, gave a handful to a homeless man and handed over the pot and remaining money at Oxfam. So have now completed my Reverse Advent Calendar and will be adding the 300 to my total. I also gave one of my bags for life to the woman in front of me in the queue at B**ts. She had bought multiple gift sets and was wondering how she could pack/ carry them.

Tuesday was bed delivery day (from the Hospice shop). Moved 10 bags including my CPAP machine from mum's to my house. Once I realised I wasn't fit enough to get to the food bank, I booked a taxi and just carried on packing stuff then chose which I wanted to move (some more stacked on the 3 dining chairs - mum was half expecting a visitor and I've told her to ask anyone with a car who calls to put whatever they can fit in their car and drop it off at my house). I must be desperate as I rarely ask people to do things for me, I'll ask for mum but not myself.

Got to my house and the bed was already there (due at 2 pm, they came at 10 am). DS3 refused to take money from me (he paid for the bed, I was paying the £15 delivery charge) but I have to buy 2 under bed drawers (done). DS3 does not know the best way to move furniture between bedrooms (the only reason I kept the connecting door) but as he'd already half dismantled his bed I thought it wiser to say nothing.

I squeezed 7 extra bin bags into the bins and put them out for collection. I unpacked some of the things I'd taken but also sat on the couch (started new bags for cans, paper and plastic bottles and glass). Have done the same at mum's (can and glass bags behind the bins). they will be brought to town and taken to the recycle point but not a priority (more room in the bins for other stuff, added a sack of paper from my house to mum's bin and probably room for two more. Started another lot (only carrier bags) so that I can sort up here as i go along and they can be added to the others later.

Paired off candles and tealights with 2 lanterns, 2 candlesticks and 12 votive holders and arranged them along the window bottom. can live without a tree or other decorations but need candles, twinkly lights and greenery.

DS3 did not take my bed upstairs until eventually I went for a lie down on his bed (legs and back really hurting). Beloved messaged him (not sure if it was 'your mum is in pain' or 'I'm freaked out with your mum in this room') and he brought the pieces up (yelled for help at one point and let me get half way down to him before telling me I wouldn't be able to do it) and put the bed together. I put bedding on, set up my machine, had a wash and crawled between the sheets. Asleep before 8 pm. Woke frequently but mostly fell asleep easily again.

Yes it's wonderful to be back in my little house. I just need a couple of days to decompress and then I will start to recover. Meanwhile I'm thinking about what I want, what I'd like to happen, what I can realistically achieve and prioritising. If I get to rest I could do some of the jobs, bit by bit during next week. Possibly I could buy an all day bus ticket and hop back and forth moving things on the walker - bus should be quiet as there will be fewer appointments and many workplaces still keep the old factory holidays. Not altruism to close a factory for a whole week, it's uneconomic to get the boiler started and heat a whole factory for less than a whole week.

When I woke up my legs were barely working, it was lunchtime before I could do more than shuffle across the bedroom floor. Hung clothes in the wardrobe that the cleaners had put in the drawer. I'd emptied everything out of the wardrobe because I knew it needed to move. I'd wrapped clothes around their hangers (very good way when moving house - take several clothes on their hangers, lay them flat, then fold the hangers down and wrap the clothes around them. Place in a box or bin bag and they come out the other end no creases and ready to be hung up). This is a bigger job than it sounds because I had to move stuff out of the way so I could open the drawers and get to the wardrobe.

Had a list of things to do and worked out the best order to do them. Went to the library as they close at 2 pm (had finished the book I was reading and wanted back up, if I didn't get back to mum's - had phoned mum to check on her earlier). Then went to the bank to pay back the extra cash the machine gave me (receipts were right, it just decided I'd asked for more than £20) so that I could order the under bed storage drawers and a surprise chair for DS3 (trying to get him working at a desk with a proper chair - better for his back).

Will stop for now - may be back with other jottings as I come across them (2 newish but spoiled notebooks, 2 old notebooks out). I make that 358, 1487/2021.

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

Sorry I haven’t posted for a couple of days 😔 Tuesday & Wednesday were both dry & very cold 🥶 All I have managed to do is write a revised menu plan & small shopping list + sorted out the fridge - had to bin a couple of items way past their use by date 😱. Tuesday’s dinner was hm cottage pie with broccoli from the freezer (2 portions for freezer) Wednesday’s dinner was sm chicken & mushroom pie with oven chips & baked beans. Wudupa both nights.

2306 - 2309 Kitchen recycling x 2, drinks cans x 2 - recycled 

2310 - 2314 Kitchen detritus x 2, Uu biro, ood food x 2 - binned 

Thanks for the info about wool duvets Vascodakarma 👏 Do you get yours dry cleaned? I love that you are a proponent of Swedish Death Cleaning 🙂 For those who are not aware it is not morbid - just decluttering & sorting whilst you are alive & not leaving the task to your family 😉 Hopefully once Christmas is over your anxiety will abate & the days will come back into focus 🤞Ooh, an electric blanket 🙂

What a marvellous post Siebrie 👏 I do so love these chats about our decluttering strategies & am very impressed that you have embraced the word NOW 👏 I think that needs to be my mantra for 2022 😉

Easier said than done Blackberrycurved but if anyone can, you can 🙂

vulpix, the packet mixes are just the herbs, spices & thickening agents 😉 Lovely to read about how well you brought up your children & that they have a healthy relationship with food. I really do NOT believe that this is the only thing you have to be proud about ‘wagging finger emoji’ Like you I love the topics that we chat about on this thread - plenty to think about & ideas on how to hone our decluttering skills 🙂 Over the years I have come to the conclusion that decluttering is a skill that can be learned through practice 😉 Someone got a bargain with the painting 🙂

Do you have any recommendations for books ruby_eskimo? I kind of know what I should be doing when it comes to food but it would be nice to have a book to turn to when the brain stops working 😉 Well done on decluttering the job 👏

More useful info about wool duvets, thanks -taff 👏 Unfortunately for my DH I am the one that usually steals the covers 😉😉 Well done on bringing your decluttering to a halt & wishing you a relaxing Christmas 🙂 Btw I have reserved you a seat on the Electric Train 😉

Great decluttering short_bird 👏 Fingers crossed that the LFT is negative 🤞

EnergyShifter no such thing as bending decluttering rules 😉 You have reached a natural conclusion to your 2021 decluttering journey & have started your 2022 journey 👏 As to your original Life Vision I understand completely & I think I need to sit down & work out exactly what & where I want to be over the next couple of years. A good blanket is worth it’s weight in gold 😉 so I can quite understand your reluctance to part with them 😉

Chieveley, Thanks for the reminder that research is key 👏

Have run out of charge so will return later to finish cheerleading.

MrsSD   🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇🥇🏅   ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Decluttering Target: 2021    2314/2021

2021 Savings Pot:  £675.00 to end of December 

oceanspirit

Kitchen tidy and clean is going well.  May not get all the papers cleared in time but they can be swept into a bag to finish later.  Cleared lots of rubbish out of the Christmas wrapping box and will do the card writing box later today.  Still have about 15 cards left to write so will try to do those today plus 2 presents to wrap and deliver locally.

Have an admin frog to deal with this morning involving a difficult phone call.  Will have some breakfast first plus a shower so I feel more awake and with it.

balabooberlies

Mothernerd

Huge congratulations on being home.  There is nothing like it.

bala

x

retiredinfrance

Good strategy, Oceanspirit, never approach a frog on an empty stomach!
Steady progress here.

13 books all for exchange in a shop/cafe tomorrow, hopefully fo ra book or three and some of their rich fruit cake for us for Christmas day.
3 books for CS
1 pile of magazines for CS
1 pair earrings CS
3 hanks wool CS
1 bag patchwork pieces for CS
1 linen blouse for recycling
All the above is a bag waiting for the CS to open after Christmas.

Total23=24/365=47/365

Lots of hugs for everyone and hopes for a relaxing day/days for us all.
And keep very safe.
That's why I'm not having my cake in the cafe- I want to be relaxed not wondering about any other customers even though all masked.

retiredinfrance

Your empty stomach - not the frog's!

ruby_eskimo

Morning all.  So glad to hear you're back home @mothernerd hope the new bed helps you get some much needed rest. 

One book I've just finished @Mrs_Salad_Dodger about food an how to help your relationship with it is called 'The F*** It Diet' by Caroline Dooner.  Some of it is a bit too evangelical for my liking but overall the concept is sound and is rooted in scientific studies (basically you have to eat, your body knows best and we may gravitate towards emotional eating because we're not dealing with the emotions properly - some helpful tools to cope with that are included).  Another one that I haven't read yet but I know the author through work is 'Food isn't Medicine' by Dr Joshua Woolrich - who covers more about health at every size and debunks misleading tales on the benefits of certain foods.

Last working day of the year for me today 🥳  Only the second year in the last 16 or so that I haven't had to work on or between Christmas and the new year.  So far today I've washed the cover that goes on our spare duvet downstairs (it's hidden in the footstool most of the year but comes out during winter to keep us warm on the sofa) - currently drying in the airing cupboard.  Also put the last load of laundry on which can go on the airer soon with a view to putting away tomorrow.  Also finally set my printer up with the recurring ink delivery service, not that I use it a lot but it just doesn't seem to have ink when I need it.  Turns out I had a £10 credit waiting to be used so that's almost a year's worth of printing for free and replacement cartridges are on their way now 👍   

Tonight I'm getting the turkey out to start the defrosting process and then tomorrow I'll be cleaning out the fridge ready for all the other food.  Also going to vacuum and wash the floors tomorrow while DH is working and then set the table ready for the big day on Saturday (one less job to do!).  Once that's all done, I've planned to open a new book and just sit and relax for the rest of the day.

Wishing you all a merry christmas and happy holidays to those that celebrate.  Hugs to all those that need them, and will try and check in again before we all board the electric express to 2022.

bit_by_bit

Just popping in to say hi.

lots going on. I haver ead most of the posts but it has already fallen out of my head.

I have  been out of action following my Covid booster. Did give a bag of coats to my MiL that I had been given to donate or share. 4 other bags to the cs but not counting any as all in and outs from others.

Became Nana to Oliver yesterday. Very proud but not seen yet.

Off to meet partner of Sister who died a few years ago for lunch then clearing the downstairs for Christmas day and out tomorrow. Hope to be doing a lot of decluttering between Christmas and new Year though. 

Liverpool_Anne

Well I am a bit miffed. I was out at the footy last night and arrived home to find the kitchen a total mess. OH decided to start cooking something but not finished it, the flowers from next doors daughter which were passed in yesterday and I handed to OH as I was dealing with the plumber, ( we were checking the central heating system was ok after it had been drained and refilled so a radiator valve could be replaced), were still in the sink and there isn't an inch of clear worktop. I have walked away and am about to take a quick trip to the tip with the dead plumbing bits and a few other things I am not sure what bin to put them in. Then I am going to get the last present I need. When I get home I will finish my wrapping. If I have to deal with the kitchen again there will be words. I am leaving it until tomorrow.
Take care everyone

nannywindow

Bit by bit congrats on baby Oliver, a proud nana moment. Hope Mum and baby are doing well.
Liverpool Anne hugs to you over the messy kitchen. DH loves to cook but he thinks he's the chef and I'm his cleaner upper 😂
Not much decluttering here sorry, unless you class the builders over xmas, they haven't finished and though there's not much to do the rain has stopped play. I'm glad really because now I can concentrate on xmas stuff. All the food and drink has been gathered in and what isn't there....... well tough luck. There's plenty too much as usual again. DH is making his famous boxing day turkey currries today, they taste much better when they have marinated for a couple of days. I on the other hand have a very long list of stuff to work through today and tomorrow. Sadly I thought I was more organised this year, not so it seems, I'll still be rushing about like a headless chicken tomorrow 🤨 Best thing this year is that we get to spend time together as a little family, just 6 of us 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 (SiL is going to watch his beloved Liverpool as he always does every year on Boxing day, however he's welcome here if the match gets called off.)
As I won't be posting again over xmas I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas 🎅🎄
Hugs to the poorly ones, the families, the sad and lonely and anyone and everyone in need 🧡 I hope everyone keeps safe and well. Hope your Christmas is peaceful and full of good cheer.
Love to all
nan