2023 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN Mrs SD

Brie

~FlowerPot~ said:

Apparently it's reading week next week, so 'could you come and collect me? ' was our phone call at lunch time. 
Don't you just love your Children!!! 🤔
So much notice he's given me.!! So I've told them to get a train! I do feel a little bit guilty, but actually they need to be able to be a bit more independent! I also said I would pay this time! 
I was on the phone with DS1 last night and he didnt mention it at all🤦
I would have driven, but my face pain is a bit nasty today, so not up for a 4 hour round trip on a Friday tea time 😳
Anyway moaning aside i can't wait to have him home, made his room up, i have missed him loads. 
Happy Friday everyone

And when he gets home tell him the washer and drier are broken and point him towards a local laundromat.  Just to see the reaction.....

TC77

@~FlowerPot~ my dd2 has been home for reading week , either been with friends or library. I have done her washing and tried to ask her about things to go but she's still behind and recovering from her shingles. 
Neighbour picked up 2 bits of carpet for their basement playroom. 
Debating whether to pass on electric heater as have an oil one but maybe I need 2 in case of problems.  - super draughty  house. Took one to donation hub a few weeks ago. A few things on free site to hopefully go this weekend.  Dbro staying next week and driving up with some photos and papers for me to sort through and a book case and will help me put it together
 

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, not much decluttering done today. The funeral was very personal and very moving with contributions from both daughters and partner and included something which my friend had written to be read out at her funeral while in the palliative care ward before she died. The burial was in the middle of a grove of trees. We were very lucky with the weather as it had been lashing down earlier and started raining again afterwards. I didn't stay late as I was quite exhausted by then. I'm meeting a couple of friends for lunch who have driven up from near Poole for the funeral. OH will join us if a break can be worked into the day. I am also out for tea with a friend for her birthday so no cooking but probably no decluttering either except her present and card which has been wrapped and bagged from my stash this evening . The card is also from my stash and has been written this evening. Apart from that all I did after tea was some crochet.

@Vulpix I am not surprised you have almost reached maintenance mode you have worked practically non stop this year and I am fully confident you will get through the small amount you have left to sort by the end of the year Your mention of 1960s footy programmes made me smile. I have a trunk full of footy programmes in the loft dating from the 70s onward. I have told my nephew they are his inheritance

@~FlowerPot~ you are not the only parent who drives all over the place to deliver and collect children and I quite agree that they should be getting more independent. I travelled independently from quite a young age but then my parents didn't have a car so it was hobsons choice . My ln's grand daughter once phoned her Mum from Cornwall where she had gone on holiday with some friends, interupting a very important zoom meeting to say she felt really ill. Mum suggested she went to the walk in if she was ill, and said no she could not drive to Cornwall to take her. It turned out she was on the beach with a hangover . Another time she phoned from the main railway station as she was going to visit a friend in Leeds but didn't know what train to get on. Mum told her to look at the departure board. She phoned back to say there were no trains to Leeds on the board. Look for trains to Newcastle and get off at Leeds. The next call was because there was no Wi-Fi on the train and she couldn't do her work. Honestly I don't know how she didn't kill her . She is now living and working in Jersey for a year as part of her college course after spending her summer holiday travelling all over Europe visiting various friends from college so it was worth the training . They do eventually get the hang of it

@Florenceem, wow you won't have to shop for weeks with 49 meals in the freezer

Right off to bed so hugs to anybody who would like one
Take care everyone
STILL 1459/2023 as nothing has left the house

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

DH & I left at 12:10 & arrived at the dentist about 25 minutes early - first patients after lunch. When we went in our dentist Igor came & sat with us in the waiting room as he wanted to tell us that an hour earlier he had sold his dental practice. After 22 years he had finally had enough as both his physical & mental health had been suffering over the last few years 😔 He had built up the practice from 1,500 patients to over 12,000 🤩 Although he still loves dentistry (he is very well qualified) he has had enough of the excess paperwork & the hoops he has to jump through for the NHS 😔 He also took the opportunity to slate the government who are slowly but surely decimating NHS dentistry 😖 The relief on his face was clearly visible 😮‍💨 & he is really looking forward to spending more time with his family & friends, before deciding what to do. So sad as DH & I are to lose him, we are very happy for him 🥹 He has recommended a colleague who is staying on with the new owner. Then it was time for my check up - no issues found - scale removal & polish. Paid my bill, gave Igor a farewell hug, said goodbye to DH & headed home (arriving back 15:50) with a very wet head - the Geltex jacket I was wearing kept the rest of me dry 😉 The reason I left DH at the dentist was that after his appointment he was heading in the opposite direction to pick up the repaired motorbike. Unfortunately DH’s appointment lasted longer than mine & involved the first stage of a root canal treatment 😣 - he has to go back on the 15th & will be treated by the new dentist. DH then went & collected the bike - another £1,600 on top of the £1,500 he had already paid 😱 & because the chap who does the MOTs was off sick, DH has to go back 😔Finally arrived home about 18:30. Dinner was mash, grilled burgers & baked beans. Wudupa.

2254 - 2255 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans - recycled 

2256 Kitchen detritus binned 

See you all later

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 2256/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £569.00

QueenJess

I am firmly sat in the TLC carriage and not sure when I’ll be able to leave. Went to the office on Thursday (waste of time as I was on teams calls 85% of the time with people not in the office) and then felt so ill by the time I got home, I had to go straight to bed with a migraine. Still got a headache now and not feeling great at all.

Have to do something about the work situation as it’s making me really ill, but can’t speed up finding a job. Looking for a solution if possible that isn’t either stopping going in and seeing what happens or resigning without another job to go to. I have requested to take the rest of my holiday for the year once a week (so I only have to be in the office once a week) for Dec-Feb when it’s quieter at work as a short term solution that at least means I get fully paid. Still waiting for boss to get back and let me know if that’s ok.

I’m also avoiding putting in my formal flexible working request which moves my hours early to early so I can drive to and from the office as it seems so final and absolutely does not work from my or works perspective. They will agree to it as no other options, but the hours are killing me and it’s making it very stressful as I can’t join the meetings I need to and I no longer have enough time to do my actual work.

The whole thing is ridiculous and I’ve worked from home for 5 years with no issue. I’m happy to be in the office when necessary or would be more efficient, but that’s very ad hoc and not within their rigid rules of 3 days a week (2 for me as I luckily have Weds off which is an office day) and has to be for a full working day. Trouble is that the traffic round the office is really bad and often it can take an hour to get a mile around rush hour. I would request working from home (which arguably is already my agreement, but not actually in writing), but they’ve already said that there are no exceptions and they will not approve any of these requests. I get that once they approve one they have to deal with everyone else the same.

Obviously I have to leave, taking the skills they really need with me, but the aim is now trying to not be ill before I go. Clearly as soon as my notice is in I shall be ignoring the requirement to go into the office..

EnergyShifter

Good Morning All!  I'm in a much better frame of mind than when I last posted (which isn't saying much ).  Bathroom work continues but the builder has found an alternative method that doesn't involve that horrible smelly hard-wall that triggered my allergies. 

There's no point trying to do much in the house - other than a basic clean & tidy - until the bathroom is sorted.  I think its going to take at least another couple of weeks.  Tiles are ready to go up next week so hopefully it will at least be a more pleasant environment.  Lovely cousin who I cried to the other day has invited me to Sunday dinner and a bath tomorrow. 

Tasks 

Birthday Card to Niece

IN (running total 188) 

189 . Book

190 & 1 - 2 x protective goggle set

OUT (running total 579)

0

Oceanspirit, Vulpix, Liverpool Anne - thanks so much for "Bathroom Sympathy" - it really helped reading your comments. 💐

vulpix

 Goodness Queen Jess, what a dreadful situation. Similar to my son. He has finally thrown caution to the wind and told his work that he will be leaving next Easter. Could you do something similar? Take a job,any job just to be under less stress. Please don't put pressure on yourself to declutter whilst you are feeling grim. You have done enough already for the house to tick along without too much trouble. It is time  for change in whatever form it takes. xxxxxxx

 LiverpoolAnne, I did think of you with the footie programmes,two of them were Liverpool matches. He has kept half a dozen,one 1966 world cup and Nottingham Forrest. He has done so well with releasing stuff over the years. It doesn't come easily to him. His Mum had OCD and he used to come home from school and all his toys would be in the dustbin. I have trained him by osmosis! it's ok to let things go and even better if it's your own decision. I have never nagged him but I have planted seeds and fully praised him when he gets rid of stuff. Your friends funeral sounds perfect.

 Mrs SD , what a shame about your dentist, similar happened to me but my new dentist is old school and a fabulous find, sounds like your's will be too. A pain about the bike too. Anything with wheels costs. I haven't asked how much the alloy wheel repair  on our car was. The car is booked in Monday to have a mystery supermarket scratch repaired. All this just to sell it! The car Mr V had his eye on has sold so a trip to some far flung dealership will be on the cards. I agree, your knitting pattern would make a lovely baby blanket. I may get the needles out tonight and have a practice.

 I sorted two of the kitchen cupboards yesterday. I have managed to fit all the excess cleaning materials into the cupboard under the sink. Probably a decades worth for the average household,or more if it's me! I don't use many cleaning products. Just damp dusting and a bit of a bleach frenzy now and again.

 I have also listed stuff on the thrift site of DD1's and my Mum's. I am not counting in my numbers although I am putting the effort in! My goodness my Mum's house is a massive job. I said yesterday that I will empty the stuff but I am not doing tip runs or skip hire. When the time comes my brother can sort all that. I will never see anything from the sale of the house and that's ok but i'm not going to break my neck over clearing it all. I am doing it for my Mum who wants to ensure her stuff is re homed properly. The only saving grace is that the house is at the other side of the village,not miles away like some of you are contending with. To stop the guy who was squatting there being able to get in I have locked the back door and left the key in and we are using the front door. He has a back door key and a lot of his stuff is still there. Tough.

 Need to scramble, Mr V has been and done a days work and I am still in bed!

 Vx

 

 

daisy_1571

morning all,  I'm trying to find a post i know I read somewhere.  Somebody had listened to an interview with a brain doctor.  Was it this thread?  I've skimmed back about 14 pages but cant see it and I know I read it recently 

Cheers

Daisy xxx

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

Saturday is a brighter day although I can see it has been raining as there are puddles everywhere 😉 I have my first cuppa, timer is on & straight into cheerleading 🙂

EnergyShifter, you have my every sympathy re your ‘Bathroom Renovation Woes’ 😔 I am hoping that since you posted you have managed to get rid of the migraines & that the builder has fully sorted the “pong” 🤞 

Excellent decluttering GrannyKate 👏

Fizz2015, hope you managed to get the bathroom & route to the bathroom tidy & clean on Thursday 🤞I am sure Mama Fizz & your friends will not waste time inspecting your home - they will just be happy to see you & enjoy your company 😊

vulpix, thanks for the birthday wishes for my DSis 😊 Not fussy at all - if the drawer renovation is not to your liking then it will stress you out every time you look at it 😥 Better to sort it now than later 😉 Hopefully it won’t take too long to sort & we will be rewarded with a picture 🙏😅

Lovely post oceanspirit 😊 Fingers crossed that now you have located the whereabouts of your car, it will soon be repaired & back with you 🤞I am also keeping everything else crossed that the work is not too expensive 🤞 Hopefully the ‘button in the filter’ was the cause of the noisy wm & now that it has been removed you can have noise free laundry sessions 🙏 Thursday is also our recycling day & this week they did turn up on time like yours 😮‍💨 The last few months they have been a bit hit & miss - turning up every 3 weeks instead of weekly 😔 I hope you spent ‘fatigue day’ in the TLC Carriage & that you have now managed to get your packing done 😊 Step away from the poncho 😉😉😉😉 Oh dear oceanspirit 😔 it is so exhausting repeating yourself over & over again & still being ignored 😪  Maybe ‘accidental’ movement of OH’s things - E.g. misplacing keys or accidentally covering wallet with a pile of newspapers or clothes 😉 

vulpix, now that the drawers are renovated to your satisfaction I can ‘feel’ the pride in your endeavours 😊👏 Your craft stash is probably really enjoying its new home 😉 & it will also make it easier for you to see what you have 😊 You should definitely frame & hang MrV’s bravery certificate 😊👏 🦸‍♂️ a lovely reminder of how proud MrV’s mum was - as she kept it safe 🥹 Steady decluttering 👏

Florenceem, nice to see you back 👋😊. I hope your trip away was restful as the week since you have been back has been anything but 😉 You have been extraordinarily busy - even more so than usual if that is possible 🤩 Saturday’s table top sale was very successful - a huge amount of money raised 👏Hope both you & MrF are staying safe & warm & not overdoing things 🤞😊 The lemon sponge pudding sounds yummy 😋 

~FlowerPot~, like you I had been wondering where Florenceem was as I couldn’t find her in the TLC Carriage or on the ‘bust your craft stash’ thread 😉 

TC77, remember electronic decluttering is just as important as physical decluttering 😉 Great work getting so much done 👏

The timer has gone off twice so I will post this, make myself another cuppa & watch an episode of SW - I am on the last series now 😮‍💨 

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

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

Decluttering Target 2023: 2256/2023

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £569.00

~FlowerPot~

Brie said:

~FlowerPot~ said:

Apparently it's reading week next week, so 'could you come and collect me? ' was our phone call at lunch time. 
Don't you just love your Children!!! 🤔
So much notice he's given me.!! So I've told them to get a train! I do feel a little bit guilty, but actually they need to be able to be a bit more independent! I also said I would pay this time! 
I was on the phone with DS1 last night and he didnt mention it at all🤦
I would have driven, but my face pain is a bit nasty today, so not up for a 4 hour round trip on a Friday tea time 😳
Anyway moaning aside i can't wait to have him home, made his room up, i have missed him loads. 
Happy Friday everyone

And when he gets home tell him the washer and drier are broken and point him towards a local laundromat.  Just to see the reaction.....

I told him yesterday on the phone not to bring any washing as we dont have a dryer and really struggling get get stuff dry as it is ( and he listened!)

TC77 said:

@~FlowerPot~ my dd2 has been home for reading week , either been with friends or library. I have done her washing and tried to ask her about things to go but she's still behind and recovering from her shingles. 

 

Really sorry to hear your DD2 has had shingles, nasty, you are very kind doing all her washing!

Liverpool_Anne said:

@~FlowerPot~ you are not the only parent who drives all over the place to deliver and collect children and I quite agree that they should be getting more independent. I travelled independently from quite a young age but then my parents didn't have a car so it was hobsons choice . My ln's grand daughter once phoned her Mum from Cornwall where she had gone on holiday with some friends, interupting a very important zoom meeting to say she felt really ill. Mum suggested she went to the walk in if she was ill, and said no she could not drive to Cornwall to take her. It turned out she was on the beach with a hangover . Another time she phoned from the main railway station as she was going to visit a friend in Leeds but didn't know what train to get on. Mum told her to look at the departure board. She phoned back to say there were no trains to Leeds on the board. Look for trains to Newcastle and get off at Leeds. The next call was because there was no Wi-Fi on the train and she couldn't do her work. Honestly I don't know how she didn't kill her . She is now living and working in Jersey for a year as part of her college course after spending her summer holiday travelling all over Europe visiting various friends from college so it was worth the training . They do eventually get the hang of it

:

lol! that made me smile, im sure he will get there to, eventually.!!! He is 21, so should be a bit more mature than the other first years, but he isnt really, hes very naive and narrow in his focus. If things go wrong he finds it hard to get back on top of it !