March Forward Into Spring

redofromstart

I finally took several bags of shoes, bric a brac and two truly hideous mirrors to the closest charity shop.  It is very liberating to not have to live with things you don't like!  

(I did accidentally bring back a rather pretty Portmerion botanicals vase, but volume wise far more went out than came in.)

Makingabobor2

This is a great idea, can I join in please.  I have been decluttering since new year, slowly, but I have several other little jobs that I seem to keep forgetting about, even when they are on my list....lol.  I just tend to think, "oh yeah, I can roll that over for another day" as its not desperate.  So maybe if I write a long list of the annoying jobs, they will actually get done. ..

To start with I need to 
Ring dentist and make DH a check up appointment ('cause he forgot to make it when he went last time)
Order new watering can, as ours leaks and the rose bit doesn't stay on
Order new filter for the cooker hood....been meaning to do that for about 3 months! 
Sort out my emails and unsubscribe to lots of companies
Clean inside windows & upvc, especially round back door, where its grubby as door seal is not good....yes we really need a new door, but that won't happen yet. 

Think we'll leave it at that for now, as if I make the list too long, I will get demotivated if I don't get through it.  
I've spent the morning doing financial admin, so that counts as a boring job...lol

Good luck to everyone else on this journey

Sallyforth

A good day has been had. I’m hopeless at remembering and responding appropriately to others’ posts but believe me I’m watching you all intently! That said one thing stood out @redofromstart and that is there is always space for a random Portmerion botanicals vase.

The hosepipe erection was a massive tick despite the promised 10 minutes running into hours and much YouTube video scrutiny. Thanking the geeks who have nothing better to do than post “how to fit a Hoselock blah blah” and make it sound riveting! It’s fixed and works and is about 20 metres longer than we need but it’s smugly coiled up in its expensive little reel holder thingy. Money well spent? Not sure but a case of you get what you pay for sometimes and it’s saved us killing each other.

The two plant pot decorative wall hanger is in place next to the meter cupboards. It’s in a shady spot but will enhance our Northern approach to the flat! 

We’ve removed a bit of a wood gate panel we put up last year to try and maintain some privacy from our downstairs neighbour. Too long a story here but enough to say this year he will not intimidate us - it’s our space and he can get lost.

There remains a 10cm piece of vertical wood which I’ve decided to paint yellow (seen a Cuprinol tester which should do the job) and made another Etsy impulse buy of two hand painted brightly coloured wall mounted pots to put on it. I plan to put geraniums in those later - very Mediterranean.

These impulse buys are actually not as indulgent as they seem because we don’t buy each other Christmas or birthday gifts but put aside some money for things we both really like which we might not have otherwise splashed out on.  Just saying.

I’ve also bought the gravel and spread it ready for Dave the frog’s anticipated arrival - apparently he’s hopping on his way from Wales to Yorkshire.

I planted out the remaining alpines in my titchy rockery so that look respectable now.

The terracotta pots around the back were unearthed from the bushes behind our car parking spot. It’s a green belt council bit and of land buffering a motorway so not only has it become a lovely wildlife haven it also serves as an informal storage space.

The pots (a couple of huge ones) I inherited and can’t believe how expensive they are to buy new. I just hope nobody around here realises their worth before I clean them up to move to front for Summer bedding plants. I managed to get the various hibernating slimy beasts out of the bottoms and transported a couple of earthworms to my rockery. I cope with most critters other than slugs for which I have quite a serious phobia yet I don’t believe in killing anything.

Tomorrow I need to make a proper list as I have 101 non garden frog tasks to consider/tackle. One I will leave here which is to devise some sort of workable online filing system for emails - similar to a paper based one where I can readily find bills, statements etc.  I used to be so organised with paper but now everything is just clogged up in my inbox somewhere.

rachmac3

I've put off returning a speeding letter for almost 3 weeks. If I put it off much longer I'll be in big trouble. Today I managed to put it in the envelope and address the envelope. Hopefully tomorrow I'll take it to the post office and buy a stamp!
I have quite a few work related things I want to get done by the end of the month. Things like reading boring policies.
I'd also like to do a bit of decluttering. Every little helps. I've sorted through half a box of papers this evening. The box had been at a friend's house for 2 years.
So yeah, lot's of small annoying things to get done, things that have been bugging me for weeks/months/years.

redofromstart

It sounds like your garden efforts are really paying off sallyforth. 

I did go and do a bit on the spare room, sorting out a bookcase that used to be in the youngest room but had been dumped contents and all at some point. A black bag of stuff gone and a few nice bits that Mr Redo made for them rescued, plus several blank notebooks which DS1 and I pinched. The bookcase itself can go, it's an ancient rickety billy that had long since lost its back. 

still haven't sorted their car insurance. Must do that tomorrow. 

Blackcats

@Sallyforth - I set up an email address for the house - it's actually just street and house number @ ....
I only use this email address for household things like bills, receipts etc.  then I have folders in the email account for gas/electricity, car, water etc etc.  it works well and keeps my personal email free for other stuff.

a productive day today to kickstart the remainder of March.
5 minute burst was tidying my wool stash.  It took more than 5 minutes because whilst left unattended several balls of wool had tangled themselves up into an almighty mess.  They were punished with a scissor attack and rewound. 
2 tasks from general task
5 tasks from wtl including 3 variations on a theme that have been hanging around for at least 6 months!

PennysIntoPounds

Bravo @redofromstart, that's loads. Definitely enough space made for a pretty vase. And sorting insurance will be a big job done  

Most welcome @Makingabobor2, that sounds a very good list

Oh my gosh @Sallyforth what achievements! Good on you for deciding to not be intimidated by neighbour over your own space. Saving gifts for each other when you actually want something is such a good idea. And not killing each other is very mse 😁

Good plan @rachmac3, especially sorting that potential fine! You'll only kick yourself if you don't 

Excellent task-doing @Blackcats, especially the six monthers!

I have done my three aims of trying on and taking pics of clothes to list, finishing that job as far as can be for now, and doing the Wedgwood pics and listings. I'm rather sore and knackered this evening so will select the Smashing March jobs for tomorrow, tomorrow but they WILL be smashed 

Spendywendywoo

Spendywendywoo said:

Thank you for setting up @PennysIntoPounds! x 

So I have some basic tasks today but also a few things that I’ve been putting off for a fair few weeks now;

* one wash (I’m up to date other than towels so will wash these today)
* empty dishwasher
* change energy supplier for a relative who I support, BG have closed their account with no forewarning and for no reason (it’s a split residence so think they’ve confused with the other property) but have done nothing to address - and the relative is vulnerable. This has been ongoing since January so needs resolving quickly as it’s causing me anxiety
* 3x work to dos - one I’ve been putting off preparing as it’s a meeting I lead with hundreds of people and it’s daunting
* make bread (for the first time ever) - this has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long while now, I made the mixture last night and it’s risen so I will make this tonight alongside making dinner 
* put dry washing away (I can do numerous wash loads in a day but it takes 12-14 business days to put away in this house - it’s all contained in the utility room so out of sight out of mind until someone runs out of underwear 😂) 

I did a brainstorm last night but want to approach it methodically so I’ve chosen a task that causing anxiety, a task I’ve wanted to do for a while, a work task (well 3) and a task that just needs doing 😂

I did all my tasks today except one (yes, I made bread for the first time ever and the family loved it, we had it for dinner!) 

so outstanding, I just have change energy supplier. Work was really busy today and I think it’s a task to do first thing whilst thinking clearly, so to avoid putting it off too long, I have time blocked an hour on Friday after my first call. 

Instead of doing the energy change, and having cleared the declutter effort from the garage to the recycling centres at the weekend, I worked through the charity box and I’ve given almost all the items away, just a couple of school uniform items to pass on tomorrow and a charity bag to be collected on Thursday, and the space is now clear again - a whole worktop! 

Really productive day, hope you’re all feeling proud of yourself for the progress you’ve made, 
Wendy x 

KajiKita

Made no progress on the big tasks but I have:

- Cleared out a plant that got lost at the back of a dining room windowsill and dried out - I tried to recover it but it’s dead and sad looking, so it’s now in the scraps bucket ready for the compost bin.
- That released a plant saucer so I have shuffled plants around and given another couple of dry ones a good drink … <ahem 😉>

- Cleared all the books from the sofa that were too dirgey or worthy and have started something more digestible 😊
- Prepped clothes, questions and responses to job description for job interview tomorrow 😊

KK

beanielou

Positive vibes your way for the morra.