2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Siebrie

@OrganisedMe "I have suffered from debilitating OCD in the past and still have difficulties with certain items that cause me great anxiety both to have in the home and to get rid of (chemicals, electricals etc), and decision making/procrastinating (so things are often earmarked to go but never leave, frogs hang around for too long and cause worry…). I’m hoping having some accountability and support on here might help me with this too."

I'm guessing 'debilitating OCD' means that everything has/had to be done Just So, and if it can't/couldn't be done Just So, why bother at all? I feel you (although it was minor in my case.) I have simple routines in place to help things along, for instance:

- all mail is taken from the mailbox every day

- sorted before opening, some (commercial stuff) goes straight to the old-paper

- letters are opened, envelopes go straight to old-paper

- any payments are made immediately through the app on my phone, invoices are marked 'paid' and go on the pile in the office room (pile still to archived - it's a weak point, but at least I know that everything in that pile is dealt with)

- letters where I have to take more action go on the kitchen corner, to be dealt with in the evening when dds are in bed

- important dates go on the kitchen calendar at once. A pen is always clicked to this calendar, and husband and dds know I loose my sh*t when this pen is not there.

- my old-paper is a small cardboard box or paper bag in a quiet corner in the kitchen. I store the old-paper standing up sideways, so the box only needs to be A4 size. Too big a box is a nuisance, a waste, and bad for your back.

- when full, it gets moved to a corner in the garage, and once a month it's put outside for collection. The paper is tightly stacked in the box, so it won't fly all over the street.

- Before, when I lived somewhere without collection, I would collect the paper in a sturdy plastic bag, and every single time I went outside and would get past an old-paper bin, I would take the bag with me, no matter how much paper it held.

You have to keep these things moving along!

Next frog: stop paper coming to your house

donna73

Thanks for the info about posting via eBay @Floss I’ve checked and the nearest parcel boxes are a car drive away on various industrial estates , guessing they could be pretty full if the businesses there use them , but being able to drop at the post office would be great. 

EnergyShifter

Beautiful & moving post Mrs SD 💐

bargainbetty

Sitting here listening to the gales blowing and wondering if I might get decluttered in a Wizard of Oz style! My mini-shed just slide across the back yard and I don't know if I'll ever see my wheelie in again, but staying in gives you a chance to do some admin. 

I've decluttered all my notebooks into a pile (like with like is a really good system) and torn out the old pages straight into the recycling bin. A few more bits of clothing have gone into the charity bag and I've got another two items on Ziffit for eventual sale. 

Baby steps, as always.  

Hope everyone is safe and battened down. 

bit_by_bit

Popping in on a break from cleaning the car. You could grow spuds in the driver footwell. That is the problem with using it like a van and going to placed that are mucky. Having to recharge the vacuum cleaner ist so bad.   

@nannywindow: When things are bad even one thing is good enough! Self care is the mmost important thing, recognising your needs and what to do to get out of the doldrums comes first. When you get your energies back you can carry on flinging stuff. 

Thankyou for the birthday wishes @marrob It was a great birthday week and I am still smiling becasue of it.

MrsSD I am with @florianatwobob re the star, indeed a 🏅 might be also appropriate. Thankyou for taking the time to keep up with us depiste what is going on with your family 

@Siebrie: routines really help e.g. paper. Its taken me years to get in some of mine but the big one is sorting post and junk mail immediatley. 

TripleH

I know if I ever feel I'm stuck in the doldrums for whatever reason,  I actively go out of my way to change something in my life even if its unrelated to what is the issue.

My office is full of stuff and nothing is being done about it. That would get me down normally, it isn't because we're having floor put in (hence the mess in my office) and the progression being made in my life is keeping my spirits up.

Last year when we were trying to buy and it was all going wrong, we set a deadline when we had to move and did so (rented yo rented).

Later on in the year when we were trying to buy and it fell through, we bought a car (we'd sold our previous one when we thought we'd be city centre living). This opened our opportunities and any slump in life was shorter lived.

I suppose the point is if you do loose enthusiasm for a task, do something else and it will help pick you up making coming back to what you're stuck on easier.

Stay safe everyone.

Vascodakarma

@bargainbetty
Brace yourselves! I’m looking forward to some wild weather but at the same time, I do hope everybody’s roof tiles stay intact. 

I’ve been in a complete state of paralysis for the last fortnight. Waiting for a call from the mental health team. My memory is just terrible – I’m losing whole days at a time. 

Gem-gem

Afternoon all, hope you are all safe and will not experience any issues from the gales. 

Hugs to all those who need it. 

It has been a funny few days...

Had some sad news, an old work friend lost her fight to breast cancer at the weekend. She was only mid thirties. RIP Laura.😢
Also, had some good news, BIL was told that he is clear of cancer - had two operations on the throat last month. 👏 
Finally, step-sister tested positive on Wednesday evening after we had lunch together to celebrate her birthday - now the waiting game to see if any of us have caught it.

On the decluttering front:

184. Old statements from saving accounts shredded.
185. Old passbooks - fronts removed and depersonalised. Any used pages shredded. Back parts put aside - great little note book - to write the next few weeks shopping lists on. 

186. Receipts recycled. 

187. Covid testing box recycled. 
Usual kitchen bits recycled. 

Update to one of my targets for this year. It has been 13 weeks (1/4 year) since I have bought any toiletries. 😀

accidentalglixch

hey everyone,
I'm Sorry this is a bit of a downer post and hope everyone has stayed safe with today's gloomy weather!
Hugs for those who need one and hope everyone else is okay too.

Just wanted to pop in and update and such ... sorry I've not been around...too much life stress going on at the moment.

Was told my team is shutting down and that I'd have to move to a new team for the 5th time in 2 years. But I wasn't told I was moving nor given a choice to where I would be moving but everyone else was. So due to uncertainty, I was looking for new jobs. 

My Nan passed away, we were told she had weeks to live but passed away the day after we were told. 
We knew she was dying for a long time due to Alzheimer's but we just didn't expect so soon after she was hospitalized.

Then I accepted a new job offer for a new company and I start 28th & my last day was today. Still feeling massively stressed about if it was the right thing to do. 

Spent £100+ on funeral clothes which makes me feel a bit sick now thinking about it (Emergency fund since it hapnned so quickly!) as I didn't have anything suitable. I didn't think it would be appropriate to wear a leopard print furry ill-fitting coat with muddy/worn/black & white trainers. I did buy all black skater (skateboarding) shoes though - my nan would want me to be comfy and something I can wear again!  & a new coat ... Didn't know what to wear as nan always said "no black" but mum says nothing too bright so I played safe and went for all black dress (Sorry Nan...you know I'm the gothy/punk type and that you didn't mind too much! or I hope so...) 

Remi's getting on fine but we've recently let him out the pen all day and sleep with us again so it's been weird to share a space with a little one... we keep bumping into each other/waking each other up and Remi's teething badly still (just a few more to go I hope) but he's becoming a little minx which has been wearing me out but I still love him.

and doctors aren't happy to give me the medication that works for me and now weaning off them which has been the hardest thing out of all of this as it gives me bad withdrawal symptoms/messes with my head & feelings, on top of dealing with the above...

So I've felt really down & depressed and shut off for a long time. Only just getting back to feeling...sort of ok. Not much but getting there. 

I've spent today deleting some emails & Files on my computer. Just to feel a bit accomplished and more on my feet.
A cleaning routine has been started but not at a great level right now.

Guineapigsqueaks

A few slates have been decluttered off our roof! Ended up in my daffodils rather than on the car, so that was lucky (I had suggested we move car away from house before the storm, but apparently not necessary, enough said ).  Nobody hurt, that's the main thing, although I will be anxious to get someone up there asap to check nothing loose/dangerous. Bit of a pain, but others have had much worse. I imagine insurance company lines will be busy.
Stay safe everyone.
Guineapigsqueaks x