Progress is...

beanielou

Love your postie 🤣

Watty1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82026227#Comment_82026227

me too 🤣🤣🤣

Humdinger1

I know you already have more than enough on your plate @rtandon but are you preparing to go to the police, evidence in hand? There's a pattern of behaviour here and it would be useful to start logging it. You mightbfind that other/s have done so. You're fab, love Humdinger xx

rtandon27

Yes our postie is a lovely young woman!

@Humdinger1 - I've bypassed that route entirely! Council & lawyer have been involved - the conversation was the last step in the process to 'attempt' civil conversation - next step is a legal letter - simple, end of! It's all the drama and lead up to it that was stressful. His pattern is known to other neighbours and they have used this route as well - problem is they are my immediate neighbours!

rtandon27

So ladies (& gent) - as I'm sure you've figured out I'm currently in survival mode - and so it seems is one of my utoob favs - Diane in D - thought I'd firstly post g00gleAI's synopsis of her survival strategies which really are helping me keep sane atm!

1. The 10-Minute Morning Routine

• Make the bed: Do this immediately upon waking up to create instant visual order.
• Swish and swipe: Do a 30-second wipe of the bathroom sink and a quick swish of the toilet bowl.
• Empty the dishwasher: Get it done first thing so dirty dishes never pile up in the sink during the day.

2. The One "Tiny Task"
Instead of cleaning a whole room or zone, you pick exactly one micro-task that takes less than 5 minutes. Examples she used in her recent prompts include:

• Decluttering just three pieces of paper from a pile.
• Wiping down only one shelf in the fridge, not the whole appliance.
• Setting a timer and clearing off a single "hotspot" surface before the timer dings.

3. The 5-Minute Evening Routine

• Shine the sink: Clean and dry the kitchen sink so it is completely empty before bed.
• The 5-minute launchpad: Lay out clothes for the next morning and put keys/bags by the door to prevent morning chaos.

The core philosophy of this version is "progress, not perfection." She emphasizes that if you are exhausted, sick, or moving, doing just these three steps is a total victory.

…and then a list of her 5 minute prompts…

The 5-Minute Morning Prompts
When Diane ran her 2026 Reset, she stripped her morning focus down to a single, hyper-specific action prompt each day. The goal was to build momentum without causing mental fatigue. Examples of these prompts include:

• The Outerwear Check: Go to the hallway or entryway coat rack. Remove exactly two items that do not belong there or are out of season, and put them away.
• The Medicine Cabinet Audit: Open the bathroom cabinet. Check expiration dates on just three bottles. Toss what is expired; do not organize the whole cabinet.
• The "One Drawer" Shuffle: Open your silverware or utensil drawer. Remove any broken items or duplicates you never use, then close it.
• The Handbag Reset: Turn your daily bag upside down over a trash can. Dump out receipts, wrappers, and loose crumbs. Put essential items back.

The Stripped-Down Meal Planning
Her survival approach to meal planning eliminates the pressure of cooking elaborate, multi-ingredient dinners. It relies on a "low-energy template" to keep feeding yourself stress-free:

• The 3-Day Rule: Never plan a full week. Only plan exactly three days of meals at a time to prevent food waste and allow flexibility for high-fatigue days.
• The "Zero-Prep" Blueprint: Every 3-day plan must include at least one meal that requires zero cooking or chopping (e.g., a "picker plate" of crackers, cheese, fruit, and cold cuts).
• Double and Freeze: When you do have the energy to cook a basic meal (like soup or a casserole), make a double portion. Immediately freeze half so you have a home-cooked meal ready for days when you have zero energy.
• The Shop-Your-Pantry Prompt: Before buying anything new, spend 2 minutes looking only at the tins and packets you already own. Build one meal around a starch or protein that is already in your cupboard.

These bare basics are really helping me survive the typoon of life atm!

Watty1

I actually really like that. I'm thinking it would be helpful to me. Especially the 3 day meal plan.

Baileys_Babe

Thank you for taking the time to share @rtandon27 especially as you are dealing with so much at the moment.

This is very similar to what my basic foundation list was like, this has fallen by the wayside. I will use this to decide on my basics/non negotiables and restart.

I like to deal with the bed first thing but usually this isn't possible as my OH is still asleep or resting - he has a number of chronic illnesses 😢 I need to find a way to slot it in later.

badmemory

I have had a cage on the bed for years as the weight of the covers on my feet gives me backache. I fold the covers back over the cage airing the bed.

beanielou

Thanks for sharing.