The decluttering on thing a day thread - part 11

[StealthNinjaMum]

We’re still here.

After 10 threads my house still isn't tidy!

So join me and a lovely group of mumsnetters who simply get rid of one thing a day and report back. Gradually we’re developing good habits, reorganising ourselves, often improving our mental health and having friendly chatter along the way.

So newbies are welcome, just check in with your news and join in the general chat about recycling, organisation and housework.

Previous thread here.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/3760076-Decluttering-one-thing-a-day-part-10-the-countdown-to-a-clutter-free-Christmas?pg=1

ALSO many of us have set a target to get rid of 2020 items this year and will report on that.

I am going to hold off on the lentils for a few days, I am really embarrassed by the results. I have also discovered that it’s ok to boil risotto rice and use it as normal rice. I have about three half opened packets of old risotto rice and one child hates risotto but I can use it normally.

Today’s one thing is the box an Xmas present came in. It was from my lovely boyfriend (i’m obviously still at the smitten stage) and I thought I would find something to keep in it but I haven’t in four months so it’s going.

I painted the side fence and finished the bucket of paint this afternoon. Nice to get some fresh air and to start some of the outside jobs.

More gardening has been going on here with another 4 sacks to go out.

Stealth, we're copying you on the mash tonight - we've made double so we can freeze some to use in the week.

Wow, that's brilliant work!

I decluttered an elderly jar of mincemeat into Mary Berry's mincemeat loaf cake today, with extra apples instead of dried fruit. It was a triumph, and if it lasts beyond elevenses tomorrow I'll eat my hat 😁.

I've also tried to insigate some Rules around tidying up and taking care of things - we're not going to manage to be six in a semi-detatched house without everyone clearing up after themselves. However, various parties are resolutely Not Listening, so we will see how that goes.

Oo, well done on the loaf cake, Willow! I've been doing similar things in an attempt to actually use what's in our fridge-freezer, rather than going shopping. I have managed to use up some frozen, stewed apples, which I'm sure must have been in there for about 2 years! (They were nice though.) A bottle of very sweet, ginger wine. A pot of home-made, curry paste. 2 half-empty stock pots. Even the cat got lucky - I found some frozen chicken from when she was ill a while back!

As I'm writing I can hear the man next door coughing. I think I might give them a knock tomorrow and check they're OK.

Hope next door are ok, Sand. I am trying to get us to eat things up, and in a sensible order, particularly now the Council have changed their minds, reinstated the recycling collections but stopped food waste 🤮. It is proving challenging as DS2 particularly is a bottomless pit and would empty the fridge daily given the chance!

The big freezer is down to some slightly esoteric stuff - does anyone have any clever ideas for using up 4kg gooseberries? 😂

I know this is a shit situation but I am quite enjoying the challenge of eating weird food ingredients. Today I discovered I have four bags of sesame seeds so I am intending to make a Chinese sesame sauce with them in the next few days. It’s also making me think about how I really need to write lists before I go shopping because there’s no need to have three slightly out of date risotto rices in my cupboard.

Gooseberries? Yuk. Jam? Then instead of sitting in the freezer forever they can sit in the fridge!

I may split the difference and stew them into a pie - jam seems like a terrible waste of sugar at present! The real problem is they want pushing through a sieve to deal with the seeds and I really cannot be bothered!

Gooseberry pie? My mum used to have gooseberry bushes and I'm sure she made pies with them

Willow - Sent that too soon, sorry. (Tired and not wearing glasses). I think pie would be nice. We're 'pie people' in this house!

I actually got a tesco delivery slot last night!! I had to stay up late and then got too excited to sleep. Worth it though! (Even if we do have to wait 3 weeks.)

Last night's dinner used up another 2 containers of leftovers from the freezer, leaving quite a lot of space - much more than we usually have anyway. So, I cleaned out the flour cupboard and put as much as I could fit in the freezer. Apparently, it's good to do this for 48 hours to kill off any bugs. I figure this is probably a good idea since I'm determined not to bin any flour even if it's quite old.

Back after an unexpected extended period overseas due to DH accident, surgery and spell in hospital.
Currently more ins than outs to facilitate DH safe movement around home, but glad to be back here.
Some outs when the District Nurse visits - sharps items (15), also, thankfully no longer needed, emergency amazon purchase of catheter bags donated to District Nurses' supply cupboard.
Fantastic support from GP practice, Physio dept and outpatients all by phone/distance communication too.
Had hoped to take loft cleared items to dump but now closed. Relocating to garage the items (mainly suitcases) to be returned to loft pending boarding out being completed - they have postponed work due to lockdown restrictions.
Also decluttering the freezer of Christmas 2019 canapes not used - Coquilles St Jacques were a success, profiteroles not so much.
621/2020

Oh gosh, Pollyanna, hope your DH is ok and recovering well. What a time to be stuck overseas.

Pollyanna sorry to hear about your dh, I hope he is getting better.

Today I had a third of a tin of prunes for breakfast, that should last three mornings. I am also throwing away a tonic water because it went off a couple of years ago and google told me it is nice for up to 9 months after the use by date. I don't know anyone who drinks gin so it seems pointless to have it.

sandandsea is it ok to eat flour that still has mites in it even if you've killed them by freezing? You know me, I rarely throw food out, and scoff at best before dates but I think eating flour mites would probably be too much even for me.

Thanks Willow. DH is definitely improving each day. And we are fortunate to have a level downstairs with reasonable sofabed, although now with a proper mattress, and a shower room so DH feeling much more comfortable.

All involved overseas were great and I have to credit our travel insurance with a first class service throughout.

pollyanna - So sorry to read that about your husband. I hope he gets better very soon.

Stealth - I don't know. However, I do remember spotting lots of moving creatures in my mum's flour, years ago. She seemed oblivious. I realised then that I'd probably been eating them for years without realising.

Gooseberry ice-cream is really nice although again you need to strain the seeds. My mum makes something a bit like Eves pudding with gooseberries too. Some sugar needed though!

DH came in today and announced he thinks we shpukd go through room by room and declutter! I couldn't resist pointing out I have been saying this for months but I think being stuck at home had made him realise it would be much easier to keep on top of the house with less stuff.

Pollyanna that sounds scary, I'm glad that he is on the mend.

Willow I think we must live in the same area as our council has done the same. I am unimpressed that we are losing our food waste collection as with a toddler it gets well used as he still drops loads. Will compost the vegetable scraps bit that's only a part of it.

I've got a few plastic outs today - all have gone to recycling: 3 very worn out beach spades and a broken frisbee.

The broken frisbee has led me to trying to find another one and consequently, finding several old, rusted dog leads, none of them safe to use any more, so, they've all got to go.

sandandsea yuk! I think they're probably harmless. Maybe extra protein? I have used loads of out of date flour in the past and never encountered them. Or perhaps I've eaten them?

This morning I put a face pack on a 'free' item from Claire's Accessories - The.Worst.Shop.In.The.World.

I'm also using hair gel that looks nice but makes my hair feel a bit crusty and loads more handcream than usual. My bathroom cabinets are half - full (used to be completely full) but I would love them to be minimalist and tidier.

I also had out of date prunes for breakfast again.

Checking back in - it’s been a while! Hope everyone is coping in these very difficult times.

Recent outs for me include some manky old cat toys that were chewed to bits, and about 3 vacuum cylinders worth of cat hair from the sofa that my cat sleeps on. It hasn’t been cleaned for about a year but looks so much better now. So not a lot really but better than nothing!

I need to do a stocktake and meal plan tomorrow to use up any food in the fridge that will soon be out of date - I hate waste at the best of times, but don’t want to waste a thing now it’s so hard to buy food. Once that has all gone we will move onto the frozen stuff.

Thanks for the good wishes for DH.
Only item decluttered today was the last of a coffee and walnut cake from the freezer - made ?Autumn 2019.

Good to see you again @wondering7777 ! You've reminded me I need to hoover the music room sofa - it's also the second-tv sofa, and and DS3 tends to eat snacks in there so it silts up really easily. I'll do that today while DH is walking the 🐕.

No outs for a few days, except loads of polystyrene from the garage so that we can use a really huge cardboard box for overflow cardboard recycling. Plenty of furniture shuffling, though - we now have a small chest of drawers under the stairs for Overflow Stuff. Yes, I know the aim of this is not to have the Stuff, but right now I do! This means I've unsilted the landing since DS1 came home, but put a lot of it under the stairs... Oh well, it's all closer to the garage, I suppose!

I have, however, started a compost heap and redesigned our food waste system, because there's still bones, gristle and fish skin. Maybe that's why we should all go veggie (not going to fly in this house!).

@RaspberryBlonde, if we are in the same area, give us a wave on the way to the King George V Playing Field for your Government Mandated Exercise! .

Sadly we're not quite walking distance to George V field Willow as we live in one of the villages, so not on our current Government Mandated Exercise list. But will give you a wave once we are allowed out again!

Yesterday's item was an elderly tin of golden syrup which was decluttered into chocolate cornflake cakes. Added bonus that licking the bowl kept both DC quiet for 10 minutes!

Not sure what I'll get done today as everyone is grumpy and having been quite calm about everything I'm having a wobble about this being life for the foreseeable future. DD is really starting to miss school and friends now and doesn't really understand why I don't know when she will be back.

Spooky we also have a King George V playing field near us just the usual recycling out and few clothes into the rag bag. All just stacking up in the garage waiting for charity shops and tip to reopen