2022 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

grandmanerd

Floss said:

@grandmanerd I am amazed at how much you do, but also concerned that your DS3 & his partner leave so much for you to do, and don't seem to do thrir own chores like laundry. How will they manage when they are not sharing your home with you?

They normally do their own laundry, but I've been going round scooping things up, changing bathmats etc and grabbed anything lying around. Because I had the back wall rebuilt and new washing line posts installed, I'd anticipated having outdoor space to dry stuff (not getting in my way and I do get depressed by wet washing hanging all over the house). Two weeks ago I bagged up all the sheets, covers and curtains to do after I had washing line posts.

I washed the new curtains I'd bought because I'd pulled them over me one night when it got cold (possibly when I was ill for about 4 weeks running so very little got done). When they came back I took down the ones in my room (bought when DS2 was at uni so 17 or 18 years old) to put up the (new to me but another cs bargain) as the older pair will go in the front bedroom with me when they leave and I get it back - they can take the purple ones because they chose them and I'm not a purple fan.  I have been using some of their towels and the bathmat in the bathroom (grey ones) in turn with the turquoise ones that came from mum's. They did a big tidy up when their friend was coming to stay and I may have said to throw anything down that needed washing. I added a few things of their's to make up a load of similar colours - they had washed the pile of clothes that were in the dryer. I pulled them out and put them on top of their kitchen bins and they've stayed there.  I told them both about the nightie and hot water bottle cover that were in with one load I did.

I can't use the bath any more so it's their job to clean that - sometimes I get passive aggressive and was squirting some old green bath stuff of mine onto the 'ring' - DS3 likes to have a bath nearly every day but wouldn't get in with the bath stuff so eventually he'd scrub the bath in order to get in it. He does 'tall  person' jobs - his gf only comes up to his elbow so if I'll ask if he can wipe the bathroom window over when he stands up to get out of the bath, he only needs to squirt and then wipe with the cloth I left him. He used to say he couldn't do more than one job a day so I've said things like 'it's one job but there are several parts to it' (when I wanted the old net curtain taking down and a new rail and curtains putting up). Other tall person jobs are getting things from the top cupboards, changing lightbulbs and he's excellent with duvet covers. 

They can cook, she's excellent, he was taught by a friend and then by me to make some of the things he eats most often, but for maybe the past year she's been in a rather deeper depression (they're both vulnerable so didn't go out during the pandemic except to attend health appointments), she's lost a lot of confidence and now cannot leave the house without him. He said a while ago that he was worried about her 'leaving him' and later on I thought maybe he was frightened that she would try to kill herself. And she's possibly the only person in the world who's frightened of me so I don't like to scare her too much. She's not cooking so much but they order their own takeaways and DS3 has recently added food for me onto his order sometimes. One of his arguments for not unloading the DW was that he didn't use plates, he eats his food straight from the box. He's a wonderful  mattress wrangler and can screw a new toilet lid on (or reattach one that's worked itself loose) in minutes and he does the meter readings.

They don't do enough (when she moved in I hoped we could get him back in training but she seems to have fairly happily settled for his level of slobdom) and I'm mostly too ill to argue. In the past I've bagged and labelled stuff and shoved it back in their room. It doesn't help that I was at mum's for nearly 21 months and they're used to having the house to themselves. And I do tend to 'nest' and have everything around me whether on the bed or on the couch. So I'm just sorting my stuff as much as I can and reclaiming a bit of space at a time.

vulpix

 It’s hard living with adult children. Mine have come back at times and we get on but it was nice when they moved on. When they visit the house is a tip instantly with shoes, coats, bags etc. 

 I am in awe of you weenancy. I am too old and set in my ways to live with other people. Mr V does understand that our arrangement is under constant consideration. 🤣 I think the fact that he works a lot and a lot of evenings suits us. 

 I am watching the football. It is getting very exciting. 

 So, not as much progress as hoped. Feel a bit ropey with sore throat, earache n stuff. Changed the bed, put all the clean laundry away and randomly gave all my houseplants an overhaul. Washed up and did a bins run which hadn’t been done for a few days because the bin lids have been frozen shut. Changed the battery in the clock, ate birthday cake for lunch and have sat doing a cross stitch which is a kit of Noah’s Ark. 

 In short no cleaning and no Christmas tree…yet. Cuppa tea 2 paracetamol then it will happen. 

 Vx

QueenJess

More stuff gone from the house today and I’ve packaged up all the charity bags from the former room of doom to take tomorrow morning. My room of doom is nearly clear now. Just a little bit of light tidying needed.

5030 - broken dummy (binned)

5031-3 - kids clothes too small (charity)

5034-35 - packaging (used)

5036 - socks with more hole than sock (recycled)

5037 - broken plate (binned)

EnergyShifter

EnergyShifter said:

1086.  Booked British Gas visit - radiators playing up.
1087.  Portable phone charger 
1088.  Covered the top of some ikea steps with wipeable vinyl.

It's been a bit of a weird day due a combination of the weather and me being in a funny mood.  Didn't make it to Church - made 2 attempts but on attempt 1 10:30 service- train was delayed & I wouldn't have made it in time.  attempt 2 - 5pm service Missed the train as I nearly slipped on ice 3 times & next train wouldn't have got me there in time.  Instead I washed the floors and had a good tidy round which at least felt productive. 

The penny dropped this morning that its a only a week before Christmas and I have only bought one present and written 2 cards!  Thankfully I don't have to buy for many people but I really need to get my act together over the next few days.  I think having the op earlier this month threw me in terms of preparations even more than usual.  

1089.  Furry scarf - seen better days
1090 - 3 - 4 x books 

Deni -  Sympathies re: green rug! I can just imagine my cat doing that .  He's elderly and gets confused.  I try to keep him out of the room with the rug if I'm not there but its not the easiest thing to do - 

Weenancy - Congratulations on the amount you have fundraised !  What an achievement.  

oceanspirit

Energy Shifter - I knew I had been decluttering for some time but am shocked that it goes back as far as 2010!

Definitely on the home straight now and determined it is not going to get that bad again.  I do have to be careful not to buy lots of clothes when the emails come in from favourite shops but am now much more aware about the difference between my life as it is and fantasy me and am better at not getting things for the sake of it.  Have unsubscribed from most now and just receive emails from the top favourites.

The other stumbling block for me is papers - it’s about keeping information.  But that information has held me back from living my life and most of it hasn’t actually been needed. It has prevented me from using the most important bits of information hidden in those files that would have helped me to improve my health.  I am now on the path to better wellbeing now that the useful information has been exposed and the excess papers have gone.

This weekend more tidying has taken place and a bit of getting organised for Christmas.  OH has taken some of the shed contents to his conservatory as it’s drier in there.  Plan to clean some more items from the shed tomorrow so they can come back indoors.  

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks

2. Deal with Old Frogs & potential frogs ASAP but at least one on FROG Fridays.

3. Reduce/Restrict time watching TV during daylight hours 😉 AB2 playing zero - 20/9/2022

4. Declutter/Relocate one item every time I stand up.

5. Don’t put it down, put it away

6. Continue to keep kitchen clean & tidy - before going to bed

Sunday was rain, rain and more rain ☔️ but at least it melted most (but not all) of the icy snow 🙂 DH filled the bird feeders again. DSis tidied her room & had a bath. I finished a 3rd scarf & started on a 4th. I also went to sm by bus. It was raining but as I was wearing DH’s Auxiliary Air Force Goretex Jacket (almost reaches my knees 😉) I stayed dry 👏 I still appear to be the only one who masks up on the bus & in the sm. A fairly large shop including Christmas TV magazine. Packed everything away then made dinner. Bolognaise sauce with penne 🤤 Snack portion lo was bagged for freezer, as well as half the Bolognaise sauce. Wudupa. Started making a soup using up lo bits & bobs + sad vegetables. This week we are receiving both HF box & vegetable box. The plan for tomorrow is that DH & I will go to M&S (by bus) to pick up a few Christmas treats & hopefully I can sneak off & buy him a little present 🤞P.S. Forget to mention that the recycling wheelie bin was emptied Saturday morning 🥳

2183 - 2187 Kitchen recycling, 3 plastic boxes, cardboard box - recycled 

2188 - 2189 Kitchen & DSis bedroom detritus - binned

Get well soon vulpix. Your friend’s house might be decorated but I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate it if I was freezing cold 😉 Belated Happy Birthday to MrV 🥳 Fingers crossed that you are both well enough to celebrate on Monday 🤞 

You have had a very busy day Fizz2015 👏 Fingers crossed you get your holiday packing done quickly🤞

Wow florianatwobob - I am very impressed 🤩 What a success story 👏 Even more impressed that you have already started a 2023 Ziffit box 🙂

Oops just seen the time - I am off to bed  

MrsSD  🏅🏅🏅🏅🥇 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 🏆 

I AM A STAR 🌟 

Decluttering Target: 2189/2022

2022 - 1p Savings Challenge: Running Total £679.22

roundtuit

Morning all xx 
DS and GF visited yesterday afternoon   - and the portable heater they'd lent me (when my boiler packed up) went home with them.
Every little helps. 
Rxx

florianatwobob

Ah, the Ziffit box…. Although, I’ve succeeded in my mini challenge of reading 1 book per month (in order to attempt to clear the TBR pile), I often have a couple of books on the go at the same time. I’ve at least one extra to finish, and possibly more, before the end of the year. They tend to be the more weighty/brain taxing tomes rather than a frivolous read so take me a bit longer to finish. 

Siebrie

@grandmanerd Do you have these 'grabby' things to help pick up stuff from the floor? One on each floor or even in each room? Maybe the GP or physiotherapist can prescribe them? I've found that the cheapest ones don't always have the 'grip' part the right way round, so make sure you can actually pick stuff up easily with it. (I don't have any, I just helped at an environment clean-up mission and the group had several different grabbers, with large differences in quality and success).

Maybe some compliments on her cooking will help Beloved feel confident again? Although you are not a/her therapist, of course. Is there any idea of an end date to them living with you? DS3 may be helped with propersized furniture to sit in; too small furniture is very tiring to live on. I'm 6', and lots of furniture - weirdly enough - is just too small. Tell him it's something to look forward to when he has his own home

I didn't intend to be patronizing, and hope you don't take it that way; it's just that I see you struggling so much, wanting to get ahead and being waylaid at the basics every time. I have a similar problem at home, where husband does not 'believe' in routines, and will almost actively disrupt any routines we have or try to install. It's so tiresome! I just don't have brainspace left to deal with anything extra, trying to maintain the minimum.

Anyway, out:

- 2 pairs of hiking boots (too small for dd2). I'll offer them to a friend with a dd 2 years dd2's junior, otherwise they go to Africa;

- 2 pairs of jeans (also too small for dd2) to Africa;

- some mcd toys

- dd2's old drawings/craft projects (some with her approval, some sneakily)

- old craft stuff

vulpix

 On the way to see friends in Louth. Just passing Chatsworth, looks to be a very busy day for them. 

 Love driving, singing along to Christmas music. 

 Cleaned the sitting room last night, started to decorate. Spent ages finding a spot for the lanterns which were a wombling gift from bit by bit  cage on the chair now in the pantry of doom. 

 Vx