NST May MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM

mothernerd

Clutter Fairy 5 minute hacks
(had to go back and find the episode and watch it through).
Clarification : you might not finish the job in 5 minutes but all things that can be improved in five minutes (sometimes getting downstairs once takes me longer than 5 minutes).
5 Minutes to
*   Take out the trash (Dawn of A Slob Comes Clean recommends frequent 5 minute pick-ups)
*   Handle the mail (junk into recycling, bills to the bill payment file, mags to the 'reading spot'
*   Handle today's clothes - hang up or put in laundry hamper 
*   Load or unload the dishwasher
*   Take donations out to the car (probably by the front door in my case)
*   Clean out your purse or handbag (women tend to add things but not subtract until they collapse under the weight)
*   Load or unload the washing machine (continuous process when you have young children)
*   Clean out the car - another dumping ground. 

A few amusing anecdotes - one couple she worked with (they were very young) just bought new clothes as they hated washing them, but they were thinking about having a baby. One viewer told about a man who's wife divorced him, so he moved back in with mum, taking 105 sets of underwear for her to wash. I like jobs like loading the washer and dishwasher (not my responsibility for the new one) as I can let the machines do the work and feel I've been productive (and mostly I have so few clothes that I end up having to wear my nightie and have a 'stay home' day - currently wearing all the old clothes and checking now and then for holes that reveal too much).

Sometimes self-care is exercise and eating right. Sometimes it's spending time with loved ones or taking a nap. And sometimes it's watching an entire season of tv in one weekend while you lounge around in your pyjamas. Whatever soothes your soul. (Nanea Hoffman)

Several lists but mostly very long so will do another time 

apple_muncher

Oooh, mothernerd, I was noting last night that I want to 'do/tidy/remove 3 things per room per day'. Like your 'do 3 things to make the room better' idea. I really like this 5 min thing. Heck, even 1 min is do-able and can make a difference over a few days.

Toni'sfriend

Mothernerd - I love all these cleaning/organising tips of yours. I've got lots of notebooks (a great source of amusement to the boy who thinks everything should be done digitally) so I'm off to get them and start recording. Another thing I should list is where I put things that are rarely used. Couldn't find the December lights last year because I couldn't remember where I'd tidied them to.
 
Money - Still on NSD No 6. Bought a beef joint and potatoes for Sunday dinner with the Boy and a few items for the food bank collection point. Not too much of a spend today.

Home - Did a few little extras plus the normal daily chores. Found a pot for my free seeds and repotted some pansies that were getting too big for the one they were in ("helped" by my three year old neighbour who seems to be fascinated by the flowers and their names and colours). Some of the others will be needing moved up a pot soon so I'll to buy some and order more compost when I get back next week. Still using up from stores. Had a really nice curry from the freezer plus some frozen rice. Another two things gone.

Me - What can I celebrate this week? Getting into a routine. Decluttering. My pots beginning to bloom. The Boy feeling a bit more upbeat (he found the joiner!) Feeling happy and less stressed. Actually I'm very lucky compared to a lot of people and I should remember that when I'm feeling down.

So a bit to do today. Packing to organise (I did remember where I'd put the case even if Himself couldn't find it). Fridge to be cleaned, etc.

Have a relaxing Sunday.

Shrewbie

Happy Sunday turtles!
I had a lovely day yesterday, I survived the two birthday parties and actually had fun. I spoke to so many people... not like me at all. 

The first party they had laid on sort of kids’ party finger food (it was a 39th and no kids present) which was great, and there was a free bar. Good for my purse but not for my head. Luckily I was quite restrained. 

Need to do a meal plan for next week and update spends... Grateful having had some great conversations, for a lazy Sunday morning, for sunshine. Off to study mothernerd’s post in more detail xx 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for clearing some space a few days ago so that I could easily sit at my sewing machine and do a few seams today, for dc coming out with me, for a lovely neighbour mowing all our front patches of grass (I've realized it's no mow May, so I'll not do the back), for 85% chocolate, for getting my workout done outside..

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Evening turtles

I had a relaxed morning, reading in bed, did some back stretches and had a bath.  Glad my back feels a bit better than before.    
Dusted and hoovered my bedroom. 

Have done lots of work for my 2 x PT jobs, has felt boring to be working all afternoon/eve but i've achieved a lot - also a NSD

I like the 3 things idea and have adopted it  

Went for a short walk in the sunshine.  Dried another load of washing outside on the line.  

Grateful for - beer; Michael Ball on R2; nice phone calls with DDs

love Deni 

mothernerd

One I forgot 5 minutes to put your shopping away. Clutter fairy had lots of stories about finding onions growing in the  pantry, eggs that exploded and bags of new clothing left on the bottom of wardrobes. I'm quite bad at this - partly because when I have home delivery I'm trying to take stuff out of the crates so I'm not holding up the driver and then I need to sit down before I start hauling bags into the kitchen.

DS2 was in hospital once and I was just changing buses when the driver phoned me - the delivery I thought I'd asked for at 9 pm was there at 9 am. I told her to shout up the stairs and DS3 and our lodgers did come down and bring the groceries in. Unfortunately that's all they did and when I got back that evening the freezer stuff was gently melting. It made a lasting impression because DS3 never forgets to put the freezer stuff away as soon as it arrives but other things can stay by the door as far as he's concerned.

Having quite a productive day, the contents of 3 drawers (toiletries, medicinal creams and first aid stuff) are nearly all neatly in one drawer (using a multi toiletries bag of mum's - small see through bag that can be velcroed onto the main bag or used separately). The reason I have so much is because some was mum's supplies. I finished another 3 use ups this morning and have found other part used items to substitute (I tended to keep plasters and antiseptic cream in several locations for mum (kitchen for garden and kitchen accidents, front room because that was where she spent most of her time and the bathroom because she might notice a cut when she was there - and she would go in there to avoid dripping blood on the floor elsewhere).

I'm going to try moving my bed as the problems with making the bed are bothering me. I don't want to have further to go to the bathroom so I can't turn it through 90 degrees so I've decided to move it away from the window wall so that I can walk all the way round but it means I'm cutting the pathway from the door, going across the room down from 4' to 2' or 2'6" (depending which way round I choose to put the bedside trolley). The CPAP machine can go on the trolley (may put the big wooden tray on top) and it will all be on my left which is easier to reach. May find the shortage of floor space drives me potty but can only try. Did a quick food shop as lunch used up the last of the freezer stocks - just veg and some fish in there now.

Going to go and ask if DS3 will bring the turquoise trolley upstairs for me - I can probably do it (quite light when it's empty) but it would be awkward.

Grateful for yummy lunch, easy tea, making progress.

Thrifty_Taylor

Great advice @mothernerd.

NSD#5
I've had a lovely day! Walked just under 5 miles with DH after breakfast. Sat with my book on our return & ate my dinner, then spent 3 happy hours in the garden, snipping branches into the compost heap, removing dead ornamental grass & replacing it with new, then removed loads of dandelions from a quarter of the garden. I want to leave some for the bees, but there are thousands in our garden, so a few less won't make any difference! I'm also doing no now May @apple_muncher.
DS2 painted the fence down the drive towards payment for overspending on his holiday. He's off for a 3 day residential with school tomorrow, they're off to the neighbouring island of Hoy, should have a great time!

Grateful for a beautiful day, laughs with DS1 & next door neighbour, DS2 painting the fence

beanielou

I have dealt with some big paperwork frogs.
Very very pleased 

wishus

I was mid-putting away all the ironing when OH came home - ill!

He is coughing and has a temperature, so I have packed him off to isolate with paracetamol, honey lemon and ginger and some lucozade. Test was negative but ..
Tomorrow is the last day we can cancel our hotel if we can't go. Our cave trip is non refundable. He seems to think he might be better tomorrow. Hmmm... Going to stay downstairs with a duvet in the sofa and read a book or watch one of the Soho comedy specials on Prime.