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

dry pots put away
tomatoes watered and fed
one empty milk bottle sent to recycling
collars scrubbed (only those that were worth it though. if the shirt already has ink, paint or something else oion it then I have not bothered)
boy is now home

I had a lie down and listen to cricket and do nothing hour and a half while he was out.

Ds1 new room arrangement complete and DH has admitted it's better with nice clear surfaces (only achieved cos I took several of his (DHs) books off the shelves and bunged them into cardboard boxes and thence to a dark recess..
My new study/room of requirement is ds1's old boxroom. Luckily it has a wardrobe. All the files and papers and my clothes (no wardrobe in my bedroom)are piled up in the boxroom now. Tomorrow I will try and declutter some more before putting anything to rights. There is too much really, and it seems such a bright space all hoovered and empty.
Down sorry lockdown is back again in Australia, three shouting children is exactly how I felt last year, it is pretty paralysing when you can't get out properly even with a garden. Your brain's capacity to flexibly respond to the problem shrinks, along with the tterritory;you just start thinking what you can't get done in circs .
Jigsaws sound lovely though. I tried to d clutter a 1000 piece beauty and beast one today but last time DH saw it in bin he retrieved it so I have to wait for his memory of this treacherous act to fade before sneaking it out. Today I went up to him and said I'm going to give these Mr Men books away. To which he replied they are collectors items and reshelved them!!! Small thing but teaches me decluttering for him is just impossible. He just doesn't "see" what difference it makes to throw one item away so he would rather shoehorn it back into the house. I suspect it might be easier for him to focus on global gains in terms of space, light air than focus on the item being thrown. The item for him will always have more value if I draw attention to it.

Bedroom for ds1

Last angle

Nettle your house! It's gorgeous! I'm so envious. Does Ds's room have an old fireplace/cooking range area?

Me:
Yesterday I took some clothing back to the supermarket to be refunded and bought Dd a couple of tems - more of which need returning . Got a couple of bits from the charity shop for me. Top great, jeans (brand new Per Una) must have been mislabled, so they need returning too.
When I got home, I cleaned the bathroom basin, bath, window sill, and the shower curtain. Pulled a couple of things out of cupboards that I will give away too. Cleaned the big pot that we keep our toothbrushes and toothpaste in, threw a few bits away from it, and put back the things to keep/in use.

Today.
Went to mum's and swept and mopped her floors in the kitchen, hall, living room, and her upstairs bathroom. Changed her bedding,

I've done 2 washloads here at home.

Washing up is being kept on top of.

Yes, Solo, the recess used to have old range in it but when we got there it was the potterton boiler cupboard. I should have put a fireplace back but I thought it was worth creating more storage at the time we moved boiler to utility...and tbh the room is never quite" right "without the fireplace (even non working kind (no chimney). Still, useful to store things behind sofa, or what was there before,IKEA desk.

"Solo", it's a beautiful house, albeit shabby, which is why like MissingtheSea I get frustrated by the way its human inhabitants pile it full of stuff, which we can't make decisions about!! Me included.

Did 30 mins in box room. I started sneezing immediately because of the dust. Decluttering still not going well. I think I must have churned the same three ripped shirts and unflattering but useful dress 20 times and now yet again. I must just close my eyes and fill a black sack.
The whole family is now gravitating to ds1 so far "empty" room. Cats, dog, DH and the 19 year olds. Maybe I need to shrink wrap it till ds1 comes back. He hates cat hair.

Well done on getting rid of artworks.

I'm just feeling happy to manage putting laundry on today.

I'm putting my expectations pretty low and I'm not focusing on anything too much. Just get through the days.

So I have gone through the filing today got a carrier bag full for DH to take to work to shred so that saves a job.

We’ve put our planning permission in for an extension. I just keep thinking how much better things will be be once it’s done and the rooms moved around. But it will only be nice if things are sorted.

Also cleared the shoe cabinet and the paperwork on top dusted the hall abs mopped it and the bathroom. Now I just need to keep on top of things and keep this space clean and tidy.

I’ve also been tidying and cleaning our room while ds was watching tv before bed. Put all my clothes from the floor in the wash basket where they should have been. Now sorting socks so ds has some for school tomorrow.

An extension! It's difficult though when you are in limbo.
I threw away a magazine today
Cleaned bottom of fridge
Wiped worktops
Cooked various odds and ends up (lentil curry)
Recycling
Food compost
Dishwasher (it's been mended)
Threw away broken shelf from fridge
Bought two houseplants to absorb formaldehyde from sofa (it's making my eyes itch...I think it's the particleboard) ( woo Google...also need some woollen rug to go over it, that is apparently detoxifying there is one upstairs but I need to wash it and it is sooo wet outside.

Luckily we are at top of a hill.

Hope everyone has been alright with the flooding? Elle??

Nothing doing here.

Went to work, returned some clothes I bought for our holiday, did some shopping, picked Dd up from school, cooked dinner...now need to wash up, do Dd's lunch, get clothes ready for tomorrow, and go to bed.

today was friday tidy.... delayed shopping delivery.

hoovered kitchen, hall , stairs, landing, ds's room and bathroom. keeping up with the landing and ds's bedroom which are new additions to the cleanable easily rooms.

also wiped paintwork in the narrow corridor part of the hall.
put away an empty bag. from holiday, last bloody summer.

washed up a pot rack full.
heated up tea. (dd found an emergency packet of microwave rice and a blue peter dinner. )

received shopping. sorted into mine and ex's sent ex's away with him
emptied bin, sent down with ex.
sent a bulging pizza box of recycling away with ex.

also had time to sit in ex's garden this morning and had a nap.

I've packed away the fruit and veg box. I'm waiting for the supermarket shop to be delivered and then I've got to squeeze things in our fridge.

I started a jigsaw with dd2 today, quite enjoyable so far.

I returned 4 cardboard boxes to fruit and veg delivery people this am....missed returning them last four weeks (horrendous understairs cupboard as result)

Holiday sounds good "Solo* you deserve one

No outs but did manage to tidy a bit of Ds room tonight and change his bed. Moved a book rack out of his room so could move some bits around to fit the desk in.

The book rack is full of books that are probably too young for him but he won’t get rid of them so they have been moved to the spare room.
Think I will keep the rack until 🤞we get the extension done as may have a use then if not then it’s out.

I need to get the house, particularly ds room and the playroom in some kind of order ready for the summer holidays and friends coming over.

Morning all :)

Not quite caught up yet, will sit and read the last 2 pages later. But I did want to say I agree with the child SN paperwork stress! We don’t have a vast amount but that’s mainly because 1. We have been so crap at filing it away that we’ve lost bits (should probably do a request at the doctors for new copies of all reports? That’s a thing right?) and 2. We’ve been so overwhelmed that we never appealed DS’ rejected DLA, and haven’t even attempted to apply for EHCP(s) yet :(

Anyway, I’ve been mostly ignoring the clutter for a couple of weeks, as I had a job application/interview. Didn’t get it but all round an excellent experience (with the charity I volunteer for so they’re very supportive). But anyway that’s over and I need to crack on, especially as DH and DD1 are isolating again (due to a contact) and so we should really make the most of having more time at home.

I did get some random crap out the other day after a quick bag sort, and when my parents visited last week I sent them home with a trolley shopper thingy that I had forgotten we had in the cupboard, so that’s more space saved!

Cooked dinner. Put a wash load in, now need to put it on the airer to dry and put on another load. Need to wash up before bed and make packed lunches for the morning.

I'm just getting through each day one day at a time, our lockdown has been extended.

I've enjoyed doing some jigsaws, some cutting up fabric ready for sewing and some crochet.

I've had the robot vacuum going a few times.

Five shoes boxes and three cardboard boxes thrown away yesterday.
A bag of rubbish from my boxroom. Pushed some bags to side of room and I can now get into it put clothes in wardrobe too.

Nothing done at home except washing up from last night. washed out the food waste bin. This morning I had to drop a test for Dd off at the hospital and take a test sample to her GPs.

Keep going folks!
Today we have finally emptied the landing cupboard, and put a couple of big things in the garden (tip run planned for next week). This has meant we could put the books I’ve sorted to sell (so far) in there, and I’m now going through the games to check for completeness etc. 15 to sell so far and a few with pieces that need reuniting (will still put them in the cupboard but in a separate box)