Hi all, and welcome to new folk!
I fell off the thread, had a couple of weeks where I was just completely failing to do anything other than panic. Pretty much hit meltdown point. I seem to have bounced back a bit though.
Came up with a plan as to how to navigate sorting out everything, we’ve been clearing out bottom of the huge wardrobe (one of those sliding door affairs that takes up a whole wall) and putting the properly packed boxes (ie one of duplo, some of a set of books etc, rather than Boxes of Random Crap) in there to get them out the way. I think this way we can feasibly avoid the need to use my friend’s garage, which I suspect would be fine as I have decent tubs, but the anxiety I’d feel about everything would make it very stressful.
TBH this has involved a little churning, for example I’ve taken things like Polydron out of the perfectly adequate trofast unit in order to store it in a sealed tub. BUT this does feel productive. The rule is, and the Caglets are (slightly reluctantly, but with understanding of the reasons) on board with it, that anything boxed up in the wardrobe is Out Of Bounds. Until we move house. A big deal for them as it will be a few months (don’t exactly know when which is really stressing me out). So basically we are putting all but their most played with stuff away. They also have the incentive that they’re getting Minecraft once everything is sorted (all their toys and clothes, plus they have to help me with craft stuff and home ed supplies). As schools are on easter break, we are taking a home ed break too (apart from trying to get into good habits with some online learning stuff - we get great deals with a home ed group, but TBH I hoard them... bargain prices but pointless if we don’t actually use them!) so no book/paper stuff or projects for a couple of weeks, in order to have more time to tackle the house especially as most of their clubs don’t run out of term time.
We have moved our pyjamas socks and underwear into a couple of emptied trofast drawers which meant we could get rid of the hanging fabric organiser things, which were really pointless TBH as things kept falling out of them onto the floor. I don’t know why we kept them for so long.
Massive catch up on laundry done by DH between shifts as the rest of us were at mum’s. Loads of stuff that had been crumpled on the floor of the wardrobe included! Managed to choose some stuff to get rid of too, in fact we filled 3 shopping bags of bedding and clothes for charity and chucked a few bits.
Huge thing, we got rid of all the Happyland. 😱😱😱😱😱
Has anyone seen the rubber duck videos on FB? They cut one open and it’s gross. I have known this for a while and in fact the other week DD had to get rid of a doll that she had used in the bath and water had stuck inside the head and you could see mould spots. Happyland figures have holes like ducks and I was paranoid as it was, about not being about to get it clean. I washed it all, and was thinking of Milton etc, but even then you can’t actually drain it out properly. And I realised that no matter what I’d never actually feel like it was properly clean, enough to give to DD2 in a year or so. Anyway the Caglets agreed it could go, I’ve promised that they can choose her some new sets when she’s old enough (which will never go near a bath and will be properly stored). Today we chucked all the figures and animals, and I’ve cleaned up the big rocket and vehicles (no insidey bits to get secretly gross) and given them to my friend, a reception teacher with no toy budget, so everyone’s a winner! Such a huge amount I must have spent on all that over the years, but in terms of play value it’s been worth it a million times.
We’ve also agreed to donate a den building kit (fine, but frustrating) and I’m pondering the play food.
I’ve waffled enough! And my curry is nearly here :o