2024 DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN MrsSD

short_bird

basketcase said:

Plus a yellow Mr S bag (almost literally the elephant in the room!) and an under-the-bed plastic box which contained stationery stuff and mixed CDs/DVDs other bits and pieces.  All of which know made perfect sense when I put them in there “for sorting later”, because they always do…  In other words, Round Tuits. 

I'm sure I've mentioned this before: the ADHD community have named these things DOOM boxes, it's short for "Didn't Organise Only Moved" and it's well worth a search for ways of using them, why they accumulate and strategies for sorting them out. (I'm stuck on step 3...)
Also, a Doom box or bag or whatever receptacle is invaluable for keeping essential stuff together, the equivalent of the box with the tea bags and kettle when you're moving house. 
Blooming weather eh? Hope all are well and that @Florenceem has has contact from the medical profession.

Florenceem

Brie - I have to say that when Mr F was a lot heavier - he got Cellulitis more. I think some people are just prone to get it - a Church friend - thin, tiny lady got it often.
Mrs SD - Friday was a busy day - as usual. Not for Mr F - he was tucked up in bed with his legs raised.
London 1 - I always knew it as reinforced steel joist. Learnt something new.

basketcase

@vulpix - " nice cafe or husband creche"  🤣🤣
@London_1 - what a lovely Christmas ritual

We never used to put up our tree etc till Christmas Eve (although my sister used to do theirs earlier for my DNiece's birthday party on 9 December.)

My parents used to make it like a party.  Mother, sis, niece and I would be in the kitchen doing veggies etc.  We always made a big meat and potato pie at the same time.  Then we'd clean the kitchen for Christmas Day, set the table for the meal and wash up the stuff we'd used for prep.

Meanwhile 'The Men' would light the fire, move round the furniture in the living room, hoover the carpet, bring down the decorations and set up the tree and put the lights on.

After the meal - once all the washing had been done and put away (and not before!) we'd all go into the living room.  Once my father had checked with my mother that the lights were distributed to her satisfaction (which they always were!) we'd decorate the tree together.

Not only did this family get together make a nice tradition, it was a really sneaky move (and, I suspect, my mother's idea!)  It meant:

• everyone contributed to the celebrations and felt part of them
• my mother had less work to prepare for Christmas Day
• same for my father regarding getting the heavy jobs in the living room done
• it didn't feel like work
• it passed the time without anybody noticing
• it was very relaxed because was no 'Christmas Day pressure' to Have Fun, so we did
• everyone - especially we children - behaved impeccably (because He hadn't Been yet!)

Since DD went away to Uni (DS went local) we've got the tree the last weekend before Christmas and decorate it then.  We keep them up till after 12th Night, so down on the 6th.  I'm not quite sure what will happen this year, because she's away for Christmas then meeting friends abroad and back probably about 2nd January.  So our Christmas will probably extend to the 8th.  Given that Christmas used to be until Candlemas, we're fine with this.

Florenceem

vulpix - I was open mouthed when I read that you stood on the sofa arm! Naughty!
London_1 - I think you are out by 100 years. 1522 + 602 is 2124.
Muddy_Walker - I am usually there on a Wednesday when the meal is cooked - Mr F eats his there and I take mine home as no time for me to eat as I am running the lunch room. They couldn't deliver on Wednesday anyway as we were at the hospital. It takes me 5 minutes to go from home to SA and back so not a problem.
short_bird - nurse arrived at the house while I was out  - why didn't they phone to tell me they were coming.

London_1

Florenceem you're right  my laptop sometimes has a mind of its own and will put what it thinks it should be ,not necessarily the correct bit IYSWIM.
Hope your husband is feeling better and the meds are helping

Its blowing a hooley here on the IoW and we are only about ten minutes from the beach so the wind is quite strong I went over to Northwood to The Range and bought lots of nice bits for the new shower room. But boy was it windy and teeming with rain a perfectly horrible da but DD wanted to get some bits for her OHs birthday so I went along and we got some odds and ends and some Christmas candles as well.

Its due to be worse tomorrow so I am definitely not going out in it no matter what.The wind is really howling at the moment so I'm really glad I'm indoors in the warm. Chicken curry for tonights dinner so that will warm us up a bit .

Keep safe and warm and dry chums

JackieO xx 

Florenceem

London_1 - we are also 10 minutes from the beach. The pier is closed off which means the end of pier restaurant has to shut.
I redid the dressing on Mr F's leg - it is healing - always a worry about ulcers as you get older.
I went into town - very windy here. My outing didn't go well - in the post office as I patiently queued for my turn - 2 men came in and spotted that the postmaster was just finishing with his customer and jumped the queue. I did say to the postmaster - obviously those men can't read - sign says - queue here to be called to a counter.
Next stop was Save.. - I wanted a can of starch spray - out of stock.
Then I went to £lan. - the packs of Turkish delight were £1 when I was in there last week - now £1.35 - I didn't get any.
It is quite a walk to Ald. - I was nearly blown over by the wind gusts.
I got what I wanted in A... apart from sugar which I couldn't find and couldn't be bothered to go searching.
Last stop was Home Bar..... - that didn't go well. I did find a diary for £1.49 - I like a week to a view. When the cashier went to scan my shopping - there was a large puddle on the conveyor belt - a disinfectant spray had leaked over my diary and well everything that was there. I used to work with the cashier and he told me about a former colleague who had passed away in her early 50s.
I walk home past the SA so went in to tell C that the side gate was open. I also wanted to collect some packaging material that had been saved for me. When I was about to leave - my phone went - it was a nurse who had been to the house - no answer as Mr F was upstairs and asleep without his hearing aids. Nurse said she would discharge Mr F to the GP after I told her he is on the mend.
Mr F's leg is still very red but it usually takes weeks to return to a normal colour.
This afternoon I ironed some clothes ready for photos tomorrow and started a charity bag.

London_1

Hopefully Florenceem he will be on the mend .I'm in bed and going to have a read as there's no chance of sleeping just yet
The wind is really howling, and the rain is lashing down  Even my daughters three dogs who like to run around the garden after their evening meal stood by the conservatory door looking out, and the greyhound just turned round and went back to the sitting room followed by the little Westie who normally loves to roam around the garden even in the dark, didn't want to go out
 Her old lady Jack Russell is a bit like me, and her legs don't like the rain or damp she just peered out and returned to her warm nest in the sitting room
My son-in law said he will try to walk them before bed even if its only down the road and back.I think he will have his work cut out, and none of them look in the slightest bit interested in going out and I don't blame them.

My late Mum used to say 'pity the poor sailors on a night like this' when we had a bad storm. Its supposed to get even more windy tomorrow  Not a night for anyone to be out in.

JackieO xx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

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

2. Sort out sleep patterns - target bed by 2:00 a.m. & up by 10:00 a.m 

3. Deal with mail & email on a daily basis

4. Don’t put it down, put it away + deal with mini tasks as soon as they are noticed e.g. refill olive oil pourer or salt cellar, stitch up a hole in a garment etc

5. Commence ‘Operation Frog Tickling’ using the acronym - I.R.I.S. (Identify, Research, Implement, Sign Off) - One per quarter

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

Sorted out birthday flowers - 2 vases into one - clean water & feed, before I went to bed. Saturday is a wet, windy & dark day but a lot warmer with a forecast high of 14°C - practically tropical 😅 I was up at 11:10 but won’t get dressed for a while. I have my first cuppa & am settling down to write a shopping list. DH & DSis left 14:30 - traffic was awful there & back + sm was quite crowded. I have had a completely snobby day - a bit of knitting, a lot of TV & naps. Eventually put away the shopping. Dinner was a use up - lo cottage pie & fresh green beans for DH &DSis whilst I used up lo cheese sauce with some freshly cooked leeks 😋 Enough of the leeks in cheese sauce to add as an extra vegetable for Sunday’s roast dinner. Wudupa. As I am still on ‘Mission Defrost Freezers’ I have been using up various bits & pieces which led to a sort out of food storage containers - 7 plastic boxes with lids & an odd lid recycled 🙂 Now no risk of being ‘attacked’ when I open the cupboard 😂

125 - 134 Kitchen recycling, drinks cans, 7 containers with lids, 1 lid - recycled 

135 Kitchen detritus binned

London_1, lovely post & beautiful memories 😻 Thank you for sharing them with us especially the rather wonderful explanation of how & why your great granddaughter came to be named Daisy 🥹

Florenceem, thank you for taking the time to post & let us know how you & MrF are getting on 👏 Hopefully the antibiotics are working & his leg is getting better 🙏 You have been so exceptionally busy that I am putting in a plea that you take care of yourself as I wouldn’t want you to fall ill as well 🙏 You have raised an impressive amount of money for SA by your sales on V 🤩 On average almost £140 per week 🤩 Hopefully MrF will continue to improve & the results of the blood test will be forthcoming today 🤞 

Brie, sounds awful 😞 I do hope said doctor was sent for retraining 😠 

Excellent decluttering vulpix 👏 Shame about the broken glass cup from the punch bowl set 😕 Just wondering if you decided for or against a 2nd coat of red paint on the Christmas chair 🤔 Hope the Christmas Fair went well 😊

GrannyKate, sounds like you are settling in nicely 😊 You have already got a lot done & I am impressed at how very organised you are 👏 At the rate you are going you will have all your boxes unpacked before the end of the month 🤩 Please remember to take time to enjoy your new home 😉

London_1, excellent decluttering of paperwork especially as it was from 1995 👏 It didn’t quite manage to reach its Pearl anniversary 😂 What a lovely story - your late DH was definitely a “scallywag” 🥹 A lovely tradition to continue in your new home & perfect timing 😊

vulpix, mentioning the North Wales Abakhan sent me down a rabbit hole 😅 Love the mention of a “husband crèche” aka cafeteria 😂 Fomo obviously decided that you need looking after 😊 especially as you are now performing acrobatics ‘wagging finger emoji’ I do hope the Christmas Fair went well & that the nasty weather didn’t keep people away 🤞+ I hope that you are loving the new to you car 😊

London_1, I remember you mentioning ‘Gods Providence House’ - it does sound wonderful ☺️ I especially liked this “Outside the cafe is a notice saying well behaved dogs and husbands welcome” presumably even better is if they pay 😂

Lovely post Duchess2 😊

Muddy_Walker, that sounds like a perfect Saturday 😊 & well done “sleepy dog”  for slowing you down 😉

short_bird thanks for this “……… the ADHD community have named these things DOOM boxes, it's short for "Didn't Organise Only Moved" and it's well worth a search for ways of using them, why they accumulate and strategies for sorting them out. (I'm stuck on step 3...) Also, a Doom box or bag or whatever receptacle is invaluable for keeping essential stuff together, the equivalent of the box with the tea bags and kettle when you're moving house.” I have bookmarked DOOM Boxes for future reading 😉 

Florenceem, I am really hoping you had a less busy Saturday 🙏

basketcase, lovely Christmas  traditions & memories 🥹 Very canny parents 🥳

Florenceem, lovely post 😊 I knew you were quite close to the SA building but hadn’t realised just how close 😉   grr to the lack of common sense shown by the nurse 😾 

London_1, that could make for some interesting miscommunication 😂 “blowing a hooley (hoolie)” such a descriptive & evocative phrase 🙂 Very pleased to hear that you will be spending Sunday indoors & watching the storm from the safety & warmth of your home ☺️

Florenceem, sorry to hear that your Saturday “outing didn’t go well” 😔 An understatement if ever I heard one 😉 Although I am pleased to hear that MrF is on the mend 😊 Sending lots of positive vibes that MrF will heal quickly 🙏 

London_1, very sensible dogs 👏 Although I do hope your son-in-law managed to get them out for their last walk 🤞& that the wind calmed down enough to allow you to fall asleep 🤞

All caught up 🥳 Sleep tight 😴 

MrsSD: I AM A ⭐️ - 🥇 🎖️ 💐 🌟 🏅 💐 🎖️ 💐 ⭐️ 💐 💐 🥇 ⭐️ ⭐️ 💐 ⭐️ ⭐️ 🎖️🎖️ 💐💐⭐️

DH Awards: IS A 💎🏅 🌟 🥰 🏅🏅

DSis Awards: 🏅 💐 💐 🤗 ⭐️ ⭐️

Decluttering Target 2024: 2029/2024: New Target 366:  135/366

1p Savings Challenge Running Total: £681.70

Mrs_Money_Penny

London_1 said:

Good Morning all, although looking out of the window it doesn't look very good . Extremely wet and windy, like a baby, as my late Mum would have said

Don't think I will be venturing out in it today, so a good reason to do some serious paper decluttering

 I'm pretty sure I don't need all the paperwork from the buying of my previous house in 1995 anymore I seem to have reams of paperwork filed 'just in case' well today they will be shredded and' just in the recycling'  

I want to sort out stuff that will go into my new sitting room, carpet is being laid on 2nd December so once down, we can connect the tv, and get lots of stuff moved from my bedroom down stairs to my sitting room. 

No more boxes cluttering up my bedroom at last I will actually see the radiator, just in time for the cold weather

I'm really looking forward to it and my youngest DD said the tree she had spare last year, which is a small pre-lit one can go in there, as we always put the decorations up on the 2nd December as its my eldest DD Shelley's,  birthday.

When she was born in 1967 my late husband picked me up from the maternity hospital in East Croydon, and on the way home to our tiny two roomed flat said.... 

"Oh I meant to tell you I forgot to get some coal in so it might be a bit chilly when we get home, and I've run out of cups as I've not really bothered much with the washing up so its a bit piled up in the sink". 

My heart sunk, and I just thought goodness what sort of mess will it be in, as I had been in hospital for 12 days after having her.

 I'm thinking if its that cold I'm going to take the baby and I off to my brothers house for a day or two until he gets it sorted
The atmosphere in the car was to say the least as frosty inside as out as it had been snowing.

Well arriving home and climbing up to the first floor where our tiny flat was I opened the door and in the sitting room which was spotless, and everything shining and polished was a lovely fire and the room decorated, and a tiny tree up in the corner, and on the mirror over the fireplace he had written with a bar of soap
'Happy Christmas and welcome home Mum and baby Michelle' the kitchen too was spotless and tidy
 The scallywag loved winding me up at times, but he was such a softie when it came to family.

 Every year since then right up until I lost him in 2003 he would always write on a mirror in our house 'Happy Christmas to all here tonight', and we would put the decorations up and the tree and to this day both my DDs put their tree up and decorations and write on the mirror 'Happy Christmas to all here tonight'  on my eldest DDs birthday.I can't believe she is 57 this year and her sister will be 55 on the 19th December I had two Christmas babies.  

it will be the same here as well.There is a Christmas decoration shop in Ryde and my DD has bought an ornament to go on our tree that says 'Happy IoW  Christmas 2024' as it will be our first Christmas here. She's as daft and soft as her late Dad at times bless her.

JackieO xxx

 

What a wonderful story xx

GrannyKate

Morning all - I took a day off yesterday and went with DS2 and DIL to two different outlets in York (not the City centre) to do some Christmas shopping mostly for stocking presents.  Left home at 10 and got back at 7.  Several roads closed which made the journey longer but DS2 was driving.  It is mostly just very wet here - it is a little windy but nothing like some places.  

I got up and did some tidying away.  I bought a small bin for recycling in the kitchen which fits perfectly in a small spot I had in mind.  Council bins are quite close to back door but I don't want to go out with every piece.  Sorted through bathroom and travel boxes and reduced from three to two which both have space to live in huge bathroom cupboard.  This is a left over from when there were hot and cold water tanks.  I will lose it probably when bathroom is remodelled but really useful at the moment.  Electrician is coming at 11 and luckily DS2 is coming up to talk techie with him.  

I noticed I missed a number in my last list but several items were for more than one thing so I guess Mrs SD will let me off. 

1636-1645 Ten things from bathroom (meds cosmetics etc) either recycled, binned or to CS
1646-1651 Bottles of stuff from bathroom disposed of and bottles recycled
1652 Soap dispenser washed out and to CS - gone from 2 to 1 bathroom so I have two of everything
1653 Shower accessory to CS
1654 Bathroom mat to CS - I have bought a rubber backed one because of carpeted floor
1655 Reviewed application document for DGD1 and sent it back

I have a further 19 changes of address to do for business/interests type organisations.  There are a few which need letters but no printer until broadband/computer is set up on 30th. Family and friends are going with early Christmas cards.  I think DS2 is going to take some large plastic boxes today and I will probably do a tip run later in the day.  May save CS stuff until tomorrow after TV engineer has been as I can park near a favourite animal charity shop on a weekday.  I have found my bathroom scales so I had probably better check my weight as that is another target.  I am going to attempt to use my new microwave now and cook some bacon.