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Original poster

'One project a day' thread

975 replies

BlueLobelia · 18/04/2021 12:51

... many years ago when i was first on MN I started (or maybe just actively participated in, cannot quite recall) a one (house) project a day. It made the most profound difference to my home. The project could be time consuming or not. It could take seconds, minutes or hours. I recall things like changing the lightbulb and lampshade in a hallway table lamp for example as a single day project. One day i also threw away holey and raggedy cushion covers and bought news ones. Little things, that really mattered.

If anyone is interested I wish to start another thread.

Today, as my one project a day, I cleared out my dehydrated and weed-ridden window boxes (2 of them). I put new compost in them and planted them with lobelia (obviously!); red geraniums and some dianthus. I am happy looking out (and in!) my front windows now. :)

OP posts:
2020nymph · 24/04/2021 19:38

@ShortSilence

Finally sorted that shelf! I think I’ve missed a day on this thread but even so, the thought of it has been really motivating and I did the shelf yesterday, then pruning today. And dug up some of the black-eyed Susans patch that was encroaching on our japonica and kind of smothering it.

Our garden needs SO much work too, 2020nymph. It’s a bit embarrassing. I don’t know what half the inherited plants are Blush

Haha, same re the inherited plants, I've been using the Seek app to identify them!

mogloveseggs · 24/04/2021 19:39

Tomorrow's job is very little but I need a home for my sewing basket it is currently down the side of the armchair. Also put the books on the bookshelf properly.

rosegoldwatcher · 24/04/2021 19:45

Sanded the rest of the fire surround. Cleaned the marble hearth and back bit; they were a lot more dirty than i thought (bad eyesight!)

Ordered paint for the surround from local small business.

I have (temporarily) had it with dirty jobs and am looking forward to some lovely sewing next week.

ShinyHatStand · 24/04/2021 21:11

Tomorrow I WILL finish painting the fence that I started 2 months ago

17bluebirds · 24/04/2021 21:19

Tomorrow I have to put up the tile stickers I got a few days ago

Isittimenow · 24/04/2021 22:15

@ShinyHatStand I feel you with the fence thing. Mine has taken me many many weekends and still isn’t finished. It’s such a big job!

ShinyHatStand · 24/04/2021 22:33

I quite enjoy the fence painting once I start. I listen to audiobooks.
It's just getting the motivation to get started.
But easier now it's warmed up a bit.

Sparklynewname · 24/04/2021 22:39

DH has done more filling in the downstairs loo. He has more to do tomorrow- hopefully he’ll do it before he goes out with the woofers and then he can maybe start painting?
I have emptied my Covid grab bag- when the pandemic first started ramping up myself and several colleagues the world over made a grab bag to keep in our cars which included a few days of underwear, done sleepwear, toiletries and I also had my air bed, pillow and sleeping bag in case we got stuck and had to crash out on floors in the hospital. I was fortunate and never had to use this bag- (I did have shower toiletries which were used on a daily basis before leaving work- that shower each night/morning was a godsend. A time for quiet reflection and pause). Anyway, bag was removed from my car in October and has sat in my hallway since then- just in case. Now it’s all put away and hopefully that chapter is closed.
Painted my toenails. All washing done and folded except last load which is on the dryer now.
Have done much flyladying today.
Much thrown away- much found and placed on stairs ready to go up and Christmas items found and put ready to put back in the loft.
Bulb replaced in the lamp as it blew last night.

Chunkymonkey123 · 25/04/2021 08:01

@2020nymph from IKEA I always need the food bag clips and their resealable sandwich bags (the large size) are brilliant and can be used for batch cooking.

DinosApple · 25/04/2021 09:11

This thread is great, I'll join you!

I'm often overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have to do, so helpfully procrastinate and don't do anything at all Hmm.

Today I'm going to clear some boxes in our conservatory. We moved in a few months ago and there's still a load of boxes and random shit to declutter - and today my parents are coming up (double motivation). Looks like it might be chilly so if there's space they can sit in there whilst we sit in the living room.

If I pull my finger out I'll try to add a self care activity each day too!

Cassandraprobs · 25/04/2021 09:47

I really need to join this, get on top of the house for once!

Today I'll be mould spraying the shed (oh joy) and drinking a decent amount of water instead of forgetting 😁

SimplyGrateful · 25/04/2021 09:55

Thank you for this thread, OP - it's just what I need at the moment.

I have used a To Do list with great success for many, many years. I could not survive without one. If anyone is interested in a cheap and cheerful version, may I suggest this one, which I really like - www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-things-to-do-notebook/p/0479941

My issue is with the things that never make it into the list as they aren't the most urgent things to tackle but which nevertheless play on my mind or otherwise make things difficult and less pleasant. That's what I shall concentrate on for my Mumsnet daily task.

Also, like you, OP, I need to pay more attention to self care. I have had a pretty horrendous 5 or 6 years with ill health, some of it life threatening, but I haven't managed to lose the weight, deal with the stress etc which would improve my health. I'm going to do a Mumsnet daily self-care task too which must include include either one reading for pleasure or an artistic task (I used to love both but I haven't painted since my first illness and I read only on holiday).

So, today I shall tidy up the area at the side of my greenhouse and, for self care, drink 8 glasses of water (this is something I have tried to do several times and have failed so far!).

SimplyGrateful · 25/04/2021 10:03

Just to add that gardening isn't going to play a great part in my daily tasks as I love it and can spend hours gardening without noticing time pass.

For newbie gardeners, please don't rush to plant out bedding and other tender plants such as tomatoes as the risk of frost hasn't yet passed. Even if there is no frost, tender plants do not like the cold and you might set them back by putting them outside now.

Also, when you are planting tomatoes on into bigger pots, bury the stems a little in the new pot. The roots will grow from the buried stem and make sturdier plants.

Finally, thank you to the poster who recommended the app for identifying plants. I have now downloaded that together with another for identifying inspects. My husband has also shown me how to use the QR Code on my mobile so I can now scan the labels on the plants in the garden centre too, rather than waste time googling them - brilliant!

2020nymph · 25/04/2021 12:27

[quote Chunkymonkey123]@2020nymph from IKEA I always need the food bag clips and their resealable sandwich bags (the large size) are brilliant and can be used for batch cooking.[/quote]
Thank you, I stocked up on the food clips last time but not the resealable bags!

Sparklynewname · 25/04/2021 12:38

DH has done more filling and sanding in the loo.
I have washed my front door and mopped the path and the patio out the back.
If I can find my screwdriver I might change the bathroom door handle. Ddog 2 and I got locked in there a couple of months ago so I bought a new handle that day.

LlamaGiles · 25/04/2021 14:41

Missed yesterday because of a non napping toddler so two jobs today: put the winter coats/hats/ mittens away for the summer (hope I'm not being over optimistic) and bought a food waste caddy for the kitchen to make getting it to our compost bin a bit easier.

Breathmiller · 25/04/2021 14:59

I put away stock at my business premises today. I was going to dump it and run but thought it would take 5 minutes to just put it where it goes even if rudimentary for the moment.

I plan to go in these next few weeks before re-opening mid May and do some prep and cleaning work. So the house might not get a project done each day as I focus on the business.

Dh has finished stripping tge wallpaper today in the living room and we paid the builder. We then need to stop and take stock where we are financially. And what jobs can be done next in the major work we have going on.

happinessischocolate · 25/04/2021 16:27

Sorted out a phone socket for my mum next to her chair so she can answer the phone without getting up and then painted 2 of my sheds when I got home. Result 👍🏻

Sparklynewname · 25/04/2021 16:38

I have cleared and cleaned out the fridge. Dear lord. It was revolting. 3 bags of out of date food sent to the food waste 😩
Hopefully DH will actually look in the blooming thing before he goes shopping from now on. I’m getting really down about the amount of food he wastes. Daily! He seems to be in a habit now of cooking 2 meals/main parts of meals and there are only 3 of us. And he is dead against leftovers being eaten another day 😬

ShinyHatStand · 25/04/2021 17:36

I failed to finish the fence but I did do 2 more panels. And these were the annoying fiddly ones where I had to be careful not to splash on the built in seating. Only 2 more to go. Hopefully will do them one evening this week.

So I'm at
Day 1 - fail
Day 2 - 2 fence panels
Day 3 - 2 fence panels

Week days are harder so for tomorrow I'll just try and sort out the drawer in the hall that has all my crap in it.

BeautifulandWilfulandDead · 25/04/2021 17:59

Wallpapering done. Tomorrow's job will be sanding down the wardrobe ready for painting.

Wildernesstips · 25/04/2021 19:08

Washed my car and the inside of the car windows which were really smeared.

Also cleaned my microwave, kettle and toaster and deep cleaned one side of my kitchen.

2020nymph · 25/04/2021 19:10

Not sure I should admit to this! 😂 huge mountain of clean clothes put away and four more loads of washing done. Still need to remake our bed.

I've ordered the new hangers for DS1 room and some more vacuum pack storage bags so I can put away the clothes DS1 has grown out of in the loft ready for DS2.

Have almost caught up on the normal housework too, phew!

Catname · 25/04/2021 19:25

Today I’ve planted 8 plants, put down weed killer, and spent the afternoon at FIL’s clearing his belongings by bringing them back to our house to distribute to various charities/the tip etc. Most of it is now out of the car but the hall is looking very untidy.

springisintheair2021 · 25/04/2021 19:41

Finally moved the ( FB bargain) oak bookcase that was just sat in my narrow hallway for the past month. This meant no-one could reach the coat rack nor open the door wide enough to get in and out.
Moved the huge carpet rolls that have been balanced in the utility room for three months since I moved here up to my bedroom understairs cupboard.
Cleared my bedroom of boxes and bags ( again just sort of balanced on top of each other for the past three months)