2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

Siebrie

Husband has received news that his mother (in Africa), who is diabetic, is in hospital and on the edge of slipping into a coma. He is looking into going there earlier than planned (2July-30 August) to help out / say goodbye / attend her funeral. Problem: he has an abcess on his gums, which is infected all the way upto his eye; he won't be able to fly as long as that is active so he is now on antibiotics (he wanted to wait it out and cure it 'naturally' with thyme, salt water, ginger, sage, kinkeliba, mouth wash, ...). I'm also pushing him to remove the false ceilings in all the rooms upstairs, ready for the construction crew.

We have no idea how old his mother is; calculating by the age of her 8 children, she is between 70 and 90. Husband finally persuaded her and his niblings last year to take her meals more seriously with regards to balance, but apparently, the grandkids nicked bits from her plate all the time, and everyone let them. It was already a major change that she had a plate to herself, and didn't eat from the women's dish.

It's been really hard on my husband trying to manage her diabeticism from afar; he has consulted several doctors here in Belgium, and relayed the advice to Africa, and then tried to follow up by calling during mealtimes to check what was on her plate, and give her advice.

Siebrie

Oh, yeah, also:

Out: drawing books, calculating books, sticker books aimed at ages 3-6 from the bottom of a drawer in dds' bedroom, hiding underneath the bath towels. DDs are 11 and 13

QueenJess

Decluttered my 2 physical items today and a few digital ones.  Going back through the rooms in more detail (and will tidy as I go), although not got any further than the bathroom and bedroom yet!

2082 - moisturiser I couldn't quite use the end of as it irritated and dried out my skin (more like an anti mosituriser?!)

2083 - double sheet that doesn't quite fit the bed properly and keeps popping off (to be fair it's done that for the last 7 years and only now I give up!)

2084 - 2093 - digital photos deleted

2094 - 2103 - emails permanently deleted

DuranGirl

One completely empty lipstick left the house today as part of project "use it up, wear it out". A small step but a step forward nonetheless. 

First pop-up event for my little reduced waste shop today. Please send good vibes, as we're approaching last chance saloon with the business.

basketcase

Greetings!

Just delurking to check in. Congratulations and hugs as needed and good vibes to you,@DuranGirl

I've not been completely idle.  Since I last reported I've managed to:

• Get rid of 5 bags of general recycling
• Rehouse all the bedding in 1 storage unit
• Organise my yarn stash into boxes (my goodness, there was a lot more than I thought!) and put them all in 1 unit
• Unpack our self-isolation kits and bring the stuff back into general use
• Empty 3 banking boxes of "things I really must sort".  Why didn't I just sort it in the first place?!
  
• Wash and de-bobble winter jumpers ready for storage.  I'm not behind with this - it still gets cold (to me) where I am...
• 1 bin bag of clothing to Fire Service collection point
  
• Take second duvet off bed and put away

Mrs SD - and Mr - glad you had such a fabulous holiday.  Hope the jet lag isn't too bad.

sammy_kaye18

I am here. 
I am mulling away in the background. 
I seem to have decluttered a fair bit from the garden but today I am working on the house. 

I have managed to move a bag of clothing from one room to the other,
declutter a load of paperwork into the recycling bin ready for collection on Tuesday and cleared out one area of the living room. I will be tackling another quarter of the room today and being ruthless. 

I also ventured into the attic and whilst I seem to have gained more things I forgot were up there - I also have a few bits to get rid of as well including a large box of VHS tapes, and a duvet. My front garden is filling up with rubbish and Im not quite sure how I am going to get rid of it all when the bin men come - I may have to find a waste man to pick it all up but I know it will feel so much better afterwards! 

mhagster

Hi, 

can I join in? I usually just post on 5OSP thread but have a lot to clear. 

My mum passed away last week ( not unexpectedly but still a surprise if that makes any sense…I wasn’t expecting it last Tuesday) 

My mum was a hoarder and has stuff everywhere, in every room, on every surface, in the garden, in the shed, in the garage and heaven help us up in the loft ( which I thought had already been cleared when she got insulation put in a few years ago…apparently not!) 

We have taken what she wanted us to have and I have the unenviable task of going through her many, many possessions. My sister was up to stay for a few days and has just chucked stuff ( as my mum knew she would) without (to me ) a care. I’ve been mums main person the last four years and feel her things need a bit more respect than that and a bit of time taken to acknowledge and remember why they were important to her at one time. 

So going forward from today : 

I was round there myself this morning for the first time, there’s always been someone else there so far so that felt a bit strange. 

However I finished clearing out a chest of drawers from her dining room ( started yesterday) 

Have enough stamps and envelopes and writing paper to start my own post office. And some photos that I’ll keep for now and others that went in the bin. 

I’ve set aside a box for me to keep , a box for paper to recycle, boxes for charity shop, boxes for taking to recycling centre. 

I took 3 bags to clothes bank in supermarket car park this morning on way home. 

1 bag of paper went in recycling bin which was just emptied this morning. 

1/2 bag of plastic bits & pieces that were in the drawers.  
1/2 bag of rubbish for the bin ( was just emptied Wednesday and is almost filled again but I can take that down to recycling centre mid week) 

Going out in half an hour to pick up some empty boxes someone local was giving away which will mean we can decant stuff into appropriate boxes. 

Brought home a huge lavender bush that was bequeathed to me and a little copper kiwi bird for the garden. 

Onwards…

QueenJess

Easy decluttering today - I tidied away a few things and saw a bunch of things to declutter whilst I was doing it. Easily reached my target of 2 physical things today. I’m quite excited that I have a few drawers half empty now!

2104 - 2105 - plant pots I don’t use
2106 - 2113 - napkins I never use because I refuse to iron anything and definitely not napkins!
2114 - composted a plastic bag
2115 - 2116 - cardboard boxes recycled
2117 - 2126 - digital photos deleted
2127 - 2186 - emails permanently deleted
2187 - a belt I never wear

I’ve still not finished the bedroom, although I can’t totally finish as there are lots of decisions to be made re: clothes and I have to see what happens over time with most of those. Not sure where I will go next..

mhagster

Back round for two hours and just back in. 

Picked up as many boxes as we could get in my car. 

Pile of photo frames for charity.
Pile of watches ( think there were about 20 at last count) for charity. 

Mum collected frog ornaments and froggy things so I’ve taken a few nicer ones and have placed them in my garden. The rest out for charity and hopefully another froggy person finds them! 

Three bags in the clothes bin at supermarket on the way home. 

DD1 burned some paperwork in the very cobwebby incinerator in the garden. 

Chat to next door neighbour and she has asked for a ladybird and bee that we’re on mums shed, so that’s two more things out. 

I brought back a plant we’d just bought  few weeks ago and picked some cornflowers. 

DuranGirl

Well, something just found its way into the house.. a freegled desk for my craft room-in-progress. It's a little earlier than planned, but it was too good to pass up. Zero cost to me (other than time and a little petrol) and something rescued from the tip. It will help to organise my craft stash and declutter bits I dont need as well.

Sorry to hear about your mum @mhagster, good luck with working through everything, it sounds as if you've made a positive start.