This is a new thread to replace the minimalist journey one which is nearly full!
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.
Housekeeping
AdoraBell ·
12/04/2013 12:54
Arti fingers crossed for DF, I hope you get through to his Dr.
Ponderosa I feel more positive when I can walk into the lounge/kitchen/bedroom and not need to move things in order to do something. I hadn't realised just how much the clutter was affecting me until I started clearing things out. That positive feeling effects everything from my time keeping to having things ready when I need to leave.
Oh, and two hours drinking tea with DM and DS isn't wasted time, that's quality time. Fact.
Not much more that I can get rid of now, if we do manage to sell OH will still work here so he'll use excess kitchen things, towels, bed linen etc. I am eyeing up the airing cupboard though as it's bulging and last week in a fit of pique I put the towels I'd just washed in the recycling box. I did eventually squeeze them in but it just confirmed to me that we have far too many towels
Was it Sockmonsta with the boxes of baby clothes? Just give them back, they may not have space but neither do you and they said they want them kept. I had a light bulb moment a few years ago, gave an expat friend some magazines I was finished with and when they moved on she gave them back to me. I remember her saying that their home goes into a 20 foot container, and they have no clutter. We are allowed to return things that have been lent to us.
educatingarti ·
12/04/2013 15:12
Mrs P - Frauds? You and me both at the moment. But I agree the thread does keep you inspired! I like the idea for the thread title too - will you start it?
I've managed to speak to Dad's consultant and they have reinstated one of his drugs but he wasn't that certain it was making any difference really. 
His prognosis isn't brilliant. Dad's lost nearly all his swallow reflexes at the moment. He thinks that "his only hope" (consultant's words) is to get his shunt adjusted and see if that makes any difference. Otherwise we are "just waiting for a fatal pneumonia" and "not sure how much we want to fight for things if his quality of life is so poor". (Actually I'm not sure it is as poor as consultant thinks, however I am certain that Dad is unhappy being in hospital.)
Dad has a shunt to relieve excess fluid on the brain (normal pressure hydrocephalus) and there is a possibility it needs turning up ( his swallowing improved a lot once he had the shunt fitted last year!). Well - you would have thought that in such circumstances it would be easy to get him seen to do this....
But "shunt consultant" is 30 miles away from the hospital Dad is in at present and is on holiday till Monday! his current hospital consultant has spoken to the secretary and left messages. I've spoken to the secretary twice. She is adamant there is no one else she can speak to and it has to wait until shunt consultant is back on Monday. Then she will ask him whether Dad can be seen more quickly (currently has an appointment for 13 May!!) I've tried to explain to her how critical it all is!
On plus side - I've discovered a new charity shop literally 5 minutes walk at the end of my road. It's for brain and spinal injuries support which I'd like to support as it ties in with Dad's difficulties. So - once I get back to decluttering it will be very easy to get rid of stuff there!
OP posts:
ArtemisatBrauron ·
12/04/2013 16:23
Can I join? Just read the whole thread nd started in on the original one too! I am a de-clutterer by nature but married to a hoarder who is the son of two super hoarders (my PILs house gives me panic attacks just thinking about it!)...example - I take very ugly picture which I hate off bathroom wall and put it in charity shop pile. DH removes it and puts it in his office, saying "but x gave us that, I'll keep it if you don't want it". It can be very frustrating to live with someone who literally WON'T let things leave the house without a massive sulk.
We have just had a conversation about the 100s of CDs, computer games etc which never get used but he can't bear to part with, now he is mooching about looking miserable.
sommewhereelse ·
12/04/2013 20:53
Sorry about your Dad Arti. Tough times
I'm glad you've got some RL support.
I cleared my desk recently. Today my bank statement arrived and even though it's Friday evening, it was easy to deal with it straight away because it was the only thing out of place on my desk.
Ponderosa, I guess that having less clutter on my desk has made me more organised.
I should probably be going electronic on bank statements but I feel out of control if I don't tick off my transactions. (Another fraud 
)
wendybird77 ·
12/04/2013 22:36
Oh how exciting to come back after a couple of days and have 2 pages to catch up on !
Arti - So sorry to hear about your Dad - it sounds awful even without all the chasing Drs around.
Welcome to all the newcomers! Ponderosa I think having less clutter definitely helps you to be more organised with your time and your remaining things. I don't think people realise just how much time and effort is required to take care of so many things - moving them around, cleaning, stepping over, etc. When you start clearing all the excess stuff out of your life you do have more time and less stress. Your evenings and weekends become your own as you don't have to spend them taking care of your stuff. Even wiping worktops takes so much less time if you don't have to move piles of art / post / decorative jars. For me, if my house is a cluttered mess so is my head and I forget things and feel anxious.
I've been a decluttering diva the past couple of days. I went through my clothes and managed to fill a large Tesco bag for life of stuff I never wear. I also opened my box of shoes and got rid of half of those. I'm down to 3 fun pairs (one of which should go as I fall over in them. repeatedly. but they are red and I luurve them.) I also kept my hiking boots, running shoes, a pair of flip-flops, a pair of converse and my brown winter boots. That is it for me shoe-wise. I went through DCs wardrobes and donated everything that doesn't fit. The kitchen has been unpacked and organised. Nearly two boxes of kitchen gear gone to charity. DH even got in the spirit and put a few shirts in the charity box. All in six boxes to the charity shop. And two car loads to the tip. I'm moving into minimalism here!
Sokmonsta ·
15/04/2013 09:06
Thanks Wendy. That's very sensible advice and I will listen! Have a few hours this morning to tackle so bits so fingers crossed it works
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.