2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

ruby_eskimo

@Dfw38 That sounds like the volume of stuff I'm dealing with at my parents house at the moment but they're still here to help me with it.  We managed another 4 bags gone yesterday on the way to the hospital to visit my dad and I have 2 bags of recycling, 1 bag of general rubbish and 2 bags for the charity which shall be going today.  Also a crate of books but I'll take those to my local Oxfam bookshop as they know me there and have parking round the back.  So that's 14 bags from this house so far, and we're actually starting to see progress I think.  The main issue is my dad's study area which is full of boxes, blocking the desk.  SO rather than deal with the boxes, he's decamped to their dining room table and taken over half of their living room with boxes of files, his computer set up etc.  Don't want to push too much but if we sorted the desk area then he could move back in there and then my mum could get her living room back!  Will try and see what I can do in the next couple of days while he's still in hospital and at least condense down whatever is in the boxes for them.

Siebrie

Took 1 carful of stuff to the recycling park. It's only a Kia Picanto, so it wasn't too much, but still, out:

1 single mattress, lots of hard plastics (including laundry basket), 4 laptops with leaking batteries, corks, bottle lids, 4 energy saving light bulbs, a string of lights, small bagful of metal bits and pieces. Because it's all recycleable I didn't have to pay anything!

Dfw38

@ruby_eskimo it is staggering how much stuff can get accumulated over a lifetime. I wish you the best of luck. 😪 the saddest part is that my parents were always in debt, never went on holiday unless i paid for them and must have been stressed when the chasing letters came in the post... and there were plenty of them in the piles of paperwork i have been working my way through. All for stuff that was mostly unused, not loved and most of it dumped because beyond salvation or rehomed because us kids have no space for it or it is not our taste. 
The property was valued yesterday, £100,000 under the average value of houses in the street due to condition and also unmortgageable so the estate agents advised that we go to auction when time comes.

GrannyKate

Just reporting in - not really started on study as RL got in the way and now I have small people from this afternoon for 8 days or so with one short break.  I like the idea of JJiJ (is that Jettison Junk in June?) as I'm sure the garage fits in there.  Quiz this morning - questions written up last night whilst watching TV.  I caught up on competitions this morning. I need to get rid of at least another 204 items to be half way to target by end of June.  

808 Emails answered, filed or deleted.  All inboxes, sent items, junk and bins empty.  I tried to do this most mornings as they breed if left unattended to. 

Right get dressed, breakfast, quiz, charity shop before DGCs arrive 

Quick edit 

809 Monthly banking completed - I seem to have spent lots on things to come in house which is bad
810 Small pile of shredding done and outside before paper collection today
811 Bag of dead batteries added to bottle/tin box before collection today

TC77

@Dfw38 you are doing so much and @ruby_eskimo glad you are able to work with your parents. My dad spent his last few years after my.mum died trying to sort things but was too much and I found it hard when he struggled to do daily activities trying to sort things out. We still have lot sorted his house more than a year later..I watched a Peter Walsh video yesterday  which reminded me that if I take a lot of things then not helpful in so many ways and doesn't identify what is meaningful to me. Also made me realise I have to tackle some of the reasons I hang on to things ( incl ex saying he'd make sure I had to work full time etc, not dealing with bereavements etc so fear of scarcity at an emotional level).  bringing together emotional and rational thoughts is not easy. 

2Scratters

@Liverpool_Anne I have garden envy of your OHs house. 
@Dfw38 it is sad when property has become damaged through the collection of stuff and the walls being unable to breath. I have a sister who lives like this and refuses to have any help to get it reduced to a safe level.
@TC77 you mentioned some bottles being dropped off a boots, what sort are they please not heard of this before.
@Florenceem re DH being moved 50 miles away, it clearly is not good for you. Sadly there are not many MH hospitals that happen to be local to most service users families as they are spaced out (unevenly) in the country. If I could be of any help please ask.
We are still making slow progress of getting stuff from parents house and getting it ready to market. My own (including DH ) we are at much at a standstill for now whilst other stuff that is visiting ours is sorted out quicker. 
I removed our summer clothes from the loft yesterday one of my items will go to CS bag. I'm hoping tebay is on offer this weekend to get some items listed. 

Moving forwards

2 Scratters xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

1. Write a daily To Do list - only 3 tasks to include MMiM - do this before I go to bed

2. Commence ‘Operation Frog Tickling’ I have an acronym - I.R.I.S. being Identify, Research, Implement, Sign Off 

3. Implement a new sleep/wake up regime - start going to bed earlier (target before 2:00 a.m.) get up earlier (target by 9:00 a.m.)

4. Deal with ‘Urgent’ daily mail immediately & the rest at the weekend

5. Don’t put it down, put it away

6. If I spot a mini task deal with it immediately e.g. refill olive oil pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc

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

Thursday is dull & overcast with a chilly breeze. Up & dressed before 9:00 as I got my times mixed up & whose coming 😔 Thought DH’s niece S, great niece S & great great nephew R we’re arriving at Greenwich at 09:37 😱 Turns out that only niece S & great great nephew R are coming & arriving at 10:37 😉 🙄 Oh well at least getting up so early means that I can catch up a bit more on the cheerleading + added bonus public transport for both DH & I will be free 👏

Lovely to see you back ruby_eskimo 👋 Sorry to hear that life has been so hectic & very sorry to hear that your Dad has been having health issues & is in hospital 😔 As you say, it is the best place for him & he will now get the the treatment he needs 🙂 What are your parents like 😉 acting like ‘naughty children’ & hiding their clutter 😂 Well done on getting your Mum to start the decluttering process 👏she probably just needs you to hold her hand whilst she gets used to the idea that “less is more” when it comes to possessions 😉 Hopefully the more your Mum declutters the more she will want to declutter 🤞 Perhaps you can set up a separate count for your parents home? I see from your figures that you have decluttered 106/365 👏which means that one Gold Star ⭐️ is on its way 😊 Good luck 🍀

Siebrie, you certainly had a very busy BH weekend 👏 Really well done on having the space to be able to reclaim your belongings from your neighbours house 👏 Rather mystified as to why your husband thought he could offer you any advice or even comment on how you should deal with clothing clutter 🧐 Although it will be useful that he is on side with getting your DDs to try on clothing before turning it down 🥳 I am awarding you a Gold Star ⭐️ for all the hard work + a medal for Not throttling your husband 🤣 Pleased to hear that you have what sounds like a beautiful wardrobe back in your room & in use 😊

QueenJess, you have my sympathy as I always found it difficult to adjust to the working week after a long weekend 😔 It must have been especially difficult this month as there were 3 BH Mondays 😥  Hopefully, there won’t be too many new projects 🤞Great work checking bathroom supplies & fingers crossed that you can use up excess supplies at a reasonable rate 🤞 although it does sound like DH needs to make a bit more of an effort 😉 Keep up the good work 😊

TC77, the hankies sound great for cleaning glasses 🙂 Good luck dealing with your urgent tasks 🍀

nannywindow, nothing wrong with being a butterfly 🦋- it has worked for you 👏 Excellent work sorting out the spare bedroom 👏 Remember tidying & cleaning both count as decluttering 😊

Almost 10:00 so need to think about getting ready to leave the house to meet S & R 😉

See you all later 👋 

MrsSD (a superwoman) 😇 🎖💐🤩🏅🦸🏅💐🏆 💐🍰🍾🌟⭐️🌟 💐🏅💐🏅💐💐💐🏅💐 ⭐️ ❤️🏅🍾🏅 📣🦸‍♀️

DH Awards: 🥇🏅⭐️💐🏅 perseverance medal 🎖️ 🥇 🏅🏅 

Decluttering Target 2023: 1389/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £116.90

Florenceem

2Scratters - Mr F hasn't been moved to a MH hospital - he is in a rehabilitation ward at a cottage hospital.
DGs J has been to help me put out my recycling - usual wages - box of sweets and a chocolate bar.
Under the 26 bags of shredding are 4 red bags of card & paper + a large cardboard box and 3 broken down boxes - Mr F liked to keep boxes Justin.

TC77

@2Scratters boots have a recycling of beauty type products (for me it's face and body cream but not sure how broad the category is. I think with a boots vintage card you take 5 things to recycle get 200 points or a voucher for 500 points when you spend £10. No-one really knows how it works,  had to go back as no-one knew how the scanning system works so had points added manually.  Also used my expiring tesco clubcard points for  a railcard. From mid June they are reducing the value of points for partner things. I'm.bad at never using gift cards and vouchers so trying to do this . 

ruby_eskimo

@Dfw38 I agree.  Think it all stems from my Dad being kicked out of his house when he was 18 and didn't really go back.  When his mum died, he kept all her furniture because it was from the happier parts of his childhood.  Childhood trauma has a lot to answer for!   Hope the sorting of the house and the move to auction goes smoothly for you all.

Thank you for the gold star @Mrs_Salad_Dodger 😁  Think I will keep a tally of what's leaving the parents home too.  Can't count every item but will count bags and aim for 100 so we're already 11% of the way there: 11/100 (forgot about the bag of books we took to her friend's yesterday!)

@Florenceem That could be the pile of potential shredding I have to work through 😳🤣  Hope Mr F doesn't get moved too far away from you.

Not only am I helping my mum with the decluttering, but while I'm here I'm helping her with her frogs as well.  So today's task is to the bank and sort out how she's going to actually be able to do her banking when her local branch closes at the end of the month.  Wish me luck, it could end up being quite painful!