Hoarder's Anonymous, Part 6

[Solo]

Well, here we are embarking upon part 6 of our epic journey of sorting out our homes.

We are a varied group of likeminded householders that are leading somewhat challenging lives; be that living with too much 'stuff' that we find difficult to deal with, houses that are falling apart (mine included), health issues within the family unit, wider family, or ourselves that makes sorting out our households challenging, to say the least. So...

Anyone and everyone is welcome to join us for support, adding their own ideas to help others out, storage ideas, even tips on actually getting those items out of the house which sounds so simple when you say it. Encouragement abounds here, and we do not criticise. EVER! We even try not to criticise ourselves as it's not helpful to anyone.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't know where to start, can't be bothered but really do want to be bothered...think you are lazy, just need to see it in print here...we'll help. We'll virtually fist bump your achievements - small or large, and virtually hug you when the need arises, and if you want a hug, just ask because we are here for you. Here for one another because we get it - the highs and the lows, the art of washing up is sometimes our great achievement of the day, but it's still an achievement.

Welcome to thread #6 of Hoarders Anonymous - Carrying On Sorting It Out

HERE

I’ve done nothing since I last posted really. I got DS to put his birthday presents away but that’s it.

Plan for this week to do some admin and make some appointments. I am distracted by the tennis (Australian Open) and will remain distracted for the nature fortnight. But I need to keep on track!

checking in to get my gold star!

I have spent two hours cleaning the bathroom.
got the ladder out and cleaned the developing mould off the wall, ceiling and around the windows. I need to buy mould spray but that will wait until next time it need cleaning on the basis that the perfect is the enemy of the reasonably acceptable. firstly keep the kids healthy, then reduce the mess in the worst places first.

cleared the windowsil and washed the windows and everything on the windowsil (keep a row of stuff to act as a half blind as we have never got round to putting one up as we never finished the bathroom. )
cleaned the bath, tiles, basin and toilet and the pipework at the back of the toilet.

I had to move a lot of stuff so I could get the ladder in so dismantled the drawers, moved them, wiped them and put them back together,

put the recycling on the top of the stairs... yet to be dealt with but I am knackered and have to go and collect my car. It passed it's MOT so phew.

Also today I have found the V5 so I can get a new numberplate soon.

hoovered a bit of floor in my attempt to get at the V5 which was not where it was supposed to be.)
threw out some old documents from the car two cars ago, (coming up to 15 years out of date) some gone to the compost bag. I shall rip up and compost.
put three buttons away in the button pot (bloody things keep escaping. ) (only you lot will understand this rather than moving them about)

put some recycling in the bag on the door. There is still room in the communal bins so will take that down asap. (ie tonight sending down with ex)

I am going to enjoy doing sod all for the rest of the day guilt free. (must feed the kids though!)

unless I can wangle ex feeding them

guide to decluttering.

don't have kids
don't be autistic
don't have autistic kids especially...

my excuse and sticking to it!

Gold Star! To you Susan and very well deserved :)

I had a big nothing weekend here unless I count the washing up, laundry, and cooking meals. The intentions are there, but the 'do it' is not .

I'm having so much trouble with Dd that I have no energy left.

This afternoon I bought some essentials. I also ate the last of the Christmas chocolate coins.

Gold stars for getting anything done today @BlackeyedSusan especially when we could be watching tennis @WellTidy

@Solo just treading water is still an achievement - all uniform was ready for school and homework painfully extracted here, but at least I didn’t feel like I went backwards despite visiting DB which took out all day Saturday.

I’m trying to mono task so I actually complete something but I really struggle to focus on one task and I’m swimming against a tide of more stuff that has crept in since Christmas. A few hurdles with having to sort out some presents that didn’t work properly so had to be returned/exchanged that now seem to be sorted but waiting for refunds. This week is full on with work so will just be maintenance until Friday now. Then will attempt to get boxes into the loft (the kind I’ll only need if any more stuff has to be returned within 12 month guarantee).

Thanks.

One was fed by ex one had leftovers.

I have managed to put a few dry pots away. And sent out some of the recycling.

Today was reclaiming territory.
Some days is maintaining territory
Others slowing the rate of decline.
Some are resting so you can fight another day!

Just think how much worse it would be without having done washing up and washing...and decluttering chocolate sounds good too.

Doing laundry and washing up dishes is a good achievement, stops the slide backwards.

I bagged up some recycling yesterday.

I sewed some Velcro yesterday. So instead of having to buy something new, that's 25 quid, I made do. So I'm pleased I had Velcro in my sewing stash! And I was extremely impressed I could find the Velcro!!

Yesterday I was searching for some cif, and I found some waterproof spray for my shoes! That was a lucky find, I wouldn't have thought to look there for it.

for BlackeyedSusan

Very impressed you found and used your Velcro DownUdderer

I agree with FiniteSagacity that treading water is still to be celebrated. So all round.

I struggle to remember what I’ve posted and what I’ve just thought about posting IYSWIM. I chucked some bits and bobs from my desk yesterday. Today has been very unproductive. I did manage to empty and nearly refill the dishwasher, to do a load of laundry, and fold and put away some dry laundry. Plus paid work, school runs and feeding the family. Running to keep still really. Oh well.

I washed up. I also made a very large slow cooker stew which I will be putting on low in the morning before I leave for work. I used loads of different veg and pulses, legumes and the like, and cheap shin beef. I might get some fresh suet and make soft dumplings on the top tomorrow too. Yum!
Need to wash up again, but I might leave it until tomorrow...

Not much happening here - busy with work which is lovely after a few years unable to work, but it’s tricky trying to fit everything in. Not done much since my productive decluttering afternoon on Sunday. But today I have got some old towels and blankets out for a cat shelter so that saves a bit of space :)

It all helps sing. all helps.

today I have been to Sainsbury's to get antibac spray as there's is the only one that deos not make my hands sore. I wanted to go before masks became optional. I will do an Aldi run tomorrow for the same reason. God knows where I will store it all but kids are clinically vulnerable and rates are still so high. Not risking their health on saving BJ his job.

also taken in the Morrison's delivery and put away the cannot be out of the fridge items. I shall tackle the rest over the course of this evening.

Sing it's good to have made space by donating old towels. Working and trying to 'do' and all whilst living with chronic illness...difficult.

Susan I'm still going to wear my mask everywhere public iyswim.

I washed up.
My slow cooker stew and dumplings were fab yesterday and today stew with mash. Fab again.
I made some space in the living room this afternoon/evening. I lit my gas fire which I haven't used in more than 2 years, but I made space so that I could. It's colder in my house than in the street.
I have been through a box with all kinds of things in. Got rid of some very out of date cup soups because I know they'll taste stale. I found a load more stock pots which I've removed from their boxes and will be putting them into the stockpot basket tomorrow. Got rid of stale curried chutney and damp coffee. A small amount of vacuuming. I've made a difference today :)

You’re all making much more progress than me. I’ve barely don’t anything for a week. I have done things, don’t get me wrong, but nothing that has made a dent in the old clutter and bags of stuff. Worse still, I’ve had to buy some new educational toys for my youngest, so more in that out. Unavoidable though, so not feeling bad about it or anything.

I’ve done lots of admin - made appointments for things for the children, haircuts, chased the window cleaner to come as our windows are shocking, arranged for a curtain track repair person to come as ours have stopped working properly etc.

You've done loads WT.

Me too with masks solo but Aldi was particularly bad for voluntary mask wearing. Asda is bigger, less busy, and slightly more compliant. Aldi is too cramped and busy...

Today I have rooted about in the back of the kitchen cupboard. Sent some stuff off with ex to use up.
Used up some short date tins for tea.
Washed up a lot of stuff
Put some of the washing up away
Transferred some of the kitchen cupboard tins to the easily accessible storage to be used up. I need to rejig the kitchen cupboards so that food is more easily accessible and can rotate stocks more frequently.

agghhh... need an emergency tidy and clean as it is really bad.

11.30:
going to do the worst area in each room. so far I have started hoovering the stairs
started the recycling (sent some down last night but gathering another load to take to the bin/tip)
started putting the pots away
put some tins under the dining room table to use up but not finished the job
started collecting the post together..

can you see a theme developing?

oh well at least some places are less bad than before. Trying to get it down a level overall. some places are getting better but they are still shocking. (just slightly less shocking.)

I did take the bin down and squish the bag into the last space in the communal bin. really pleased with that.

keep doing a short burst...

Now:
can add: tidied up more living room floor.
did some more washing (PE kit for Monday)
have cleaned the corridor half of the hall. (hoovered, and wiped down paintwork, radiators that get mucky with spilled drinks) (ds fell asleep so the rest is waiting until tomorrow. )
got ds a snack.
Need to put on more washing and do some washing up.

I baked a cake yesterday. It turned out quite good. I'm pleased.

I did three loads of laundry yesterday, and hung it all under to dry.

I booked appointments for the kids jabs.

I start posts and then get interrupted - I just lost a long message with personalised comments. Well done to all making progress no matter how small

I’m coveting cake and stew with dumplings! What type of cake was it DownUdderer?

The dishwasher is empty and I put on a load of laundry, but annoyingly yesterday’s load is still damp.

I can’t decide what to do so end up doing nothing. Time to grab a black bin bag and pick up the obvious rubbish - might need to set a five minute timer to get me started.

I’ve been trying to sort paperwork today. Stressful! But I have a small pile of recycling, and have divided lots of other stuff into categories which should make it a bit easier - including some piles for the DCs and DH to go through, I’m expecting quite a bit to go from them.

I get the can't decide what to do terror too. About what is most important...

At this point doing anything is better than nothing.

I sometimes try to pick up five things...as something achievable...or take something upstairs when I go to the loo..etc.

Yes, BlackeyedSusan that’s exactly it. Good tips, thank you.

Posting my intentions here definitely helps me - I picked up a partially filled black bin bag that’s been sitting by my desk for weeks and managed to fill the rest of it in a very short space of time after my post this afternoon so my house is a full bin bag lighter.

More washing was dried and folded (not yet put away) and another load of laundry washed and hung to dry.

I’ve caught up on texting friends and making phone calls, finished reading my latest decluttering book and fed the family. The dishwasher is filled and ready to go on.

I know I’m just keeping up with the basics rather than tackling the excess stuff or doing any deep cleaning, but it’s better than nothing.

SingToTheSky paperwork is such a hard category to tackle but must make such a difference to reduce it. I shudder to think how much time I waste digging through boxes and piles of paper. Fingers crossed your DCs and DH are feeling ruthless when they go through their piles

I've gone through another load of papers and put for shredding or recycling. I've also got a carrier bag of rubbish.

I've done all my laundry except for bedding (one sheet and a duvet cover currently). I have a dehumidifier that helps get it all dry.

I have not washed up for 2 days!

More tomorrow.

Solo, your post reminded me that I set aside a pile of papers to shred once the schools. Will try to remember to do that tomorrow.

No progress here today, except for catching up on a few admin tasks