Prosperous soul, mortgage neutrality & creativity Year 2

SandyShores

Sorry to hear about the driving test, but best that she is safe, and hopefully she knows what to work on now.

Sounds very positive with your counsellor.

Merlin's_Beard

Bad luck to DD, I failed my driving test multiple times but eventually got there. Just very annoying at demoralising at the time.

A kitchen/bathroom that needs updating isn't the worst thing in the world that will put everybody off. My house was newbuild so all new of both, but all it means is I can't justify changing them to suit what I actually need and have to make do with what I've been given! At least if people are coming in knowing they need redoing, they can picture their ideal and not yours.

skint_spice

Sorry test didn’t go well for DD

savingholmes

Thanks Sandy, Merlin and Skint

Well yesterday and the evening before I planted out a few more onions, some tiny survivors of my beetroot neglected watering and similar for dill - so will see if they survive. All the broccoli is now planted. My outdoor sugar snap peas have finally germinated - now I have more confidence to direct sow some more. I over-watered the indoor ones and there's no sign of them yet. Some peas (in a cardboard pot) that I moved after they were nibbled by snails are recovering and putting on leaves. I bought some lobelia, begonia and petunia - a week or so ago and am planting them out a few at a time too. I have multitudes of tiny aquilegia in my gravel so gradually rescuing them and moving them around my garden and into pots. I still need to direct sow some marigold and nasturtium.

Before the valuation - ideally I'd get the following done (with help if possible):

1. Weed the garden - particularly between cracks in paving
2. Move the bins
3. Tidy random items in the garden, put the hose back on its wall hanging reel
4. Finish off bits of paint around the house that need touching up (banisters, ensuite, kitchen, room of doom and DD has some peeling paint)
5. Touch up kitchen tiles
6. Declutter and tidy
7. Tip run - for wires, batteries, old curtain pole, old blind
8. Charity - take bag of stuff to charity. Ideally find more stuff to donate
9. Clean windows and mirrors

Before professional pictures: 

1. Pressure wash hard landscaping
2. Finish fence painting
3. Paint other rooms if needed? Unlikely to have time
4. Stage house - e.g. Hang more paintings and mirrors, mostly remove stuff

These are all jobs that could expand to fit the time available so I need to be wary of that. What I get done is very dependent on whether I get help. My cleaner is back next Wednesday before the valuation but I imagine I'll mostly need her to clean. My handyman may or may not be back. I need to work today but then I have a run of 5 days off. With two valuations on the 5th day and one on the 6th. 

lucielle

Would setting a timer and doing things in 15 minute spurts help?
L

beanielou

15 minute bursts are great & work really well for me.

savingholmes

Thanks Lucielle and Beanie

I spent a lot of this evening decluttering my work from home space where papers and art supplies had completely taken over. I've filled 1.5 kitchen recycling bins, half a black bin bag and filled 3 or 4 bags of stuff to give to charity. I've sorted out some of my craft drawers and made room. I've emptied a huge 1k3a blue bag and a couple of other bags and boxes.  Sadly - it feels like such a drop in the ocean compared to what needs doing - but I need to celebrate the wins. Tomorrow I'll drop the stuff off at a charity shop and do a tip run and hopefully that will then motivate me to continue.

Fortune_Smiles

Wow SH!  That's fabulous progress.  My mantra when I was moving house was 'moving a mountain one rock at a time'.  It felt like I'd never get through such a massive task but moving a rock or two every day got me there in the end.  You'll get there too. Well done.

Fortune x

Starlight_at_Sea

Hearing of your progress has motivated me SH. I also feel like the progress is sometimes lost amongst the mountains remaining. But, I'm heading to my own house later today (where there is much to be done!) but will go and do 15 min in mum's kitchen cupboards (as she requested) now as I know there are old metal shelves etc that need to go to the tip, and I could do that on the way. 

Blackcats

You are doing very well with clearing and tidying.  My house looks tidy which gives a sense of complacency but inside the cupboards and drawers is disorganised.  I've just spent an hour tidying a chest of drawers and organising winter scarves, hats and gloves.  I was listening to my book so I actually enjoyed doing it and had a good feeling when I looked at my finished work.  I proudly showed it to OH who commented that if I didn't have so many scarves, hats and gloves I wouldn't have needed to organise them - he does have a point but ..... I need that many in order to match with my many coats and jackets 🤣