Monday 6th December
After a lovely relaxing weekend I have a busy-ish week ahead of me, mostly to do with the decluttering. Whatever I manage to do this week won't complete the task but will clear another big chunk of stuff out of the house and garage.
Today and tomorrow I'll concentrate on placing adverts on local sites for cash on collection sales. These will be the last adverts I place this year though I think there will to be more to sell off in January. I also have some more donations for the charity shop so will have a final search in cupboards and aim to dispose of all of that later in the week. There's also a couple of bags to go to the recycling yard, but they can be moved into the garage if I don't have time to do a recycling run this week - I'm not sure whether you still need to book a time slot.
I've sorted out the trumpet and a stack of music books for my great nephew. We were leaving it to be collected at Christmas but I've decided to post it and get it out of the way. If I don't do that, it's quite likely that I will still have it after they've gone home because there won't be enough time to fit in all they want to do and it'll be forgotten in all the excitement of the holidays!
I also have the quotations for the specialist items I want to sell so I want to make time to sit down and decide which ones to accept. The good news is that the items will definitely be sold, and although they won't clear much space, they will realise enough money to make it possible to replace the piano earlier than planned.
M will be here either Wednesday or Thursday to give the garden a final tidy up for this year and I think M (a different M!) will be here to service the boiler - I stupidly forgot to note the date but I think it's one morning this week. I'm entitled to my state pension now and I'd promised myself that I'd resume having a cleaner once that happened, so it's time to arrange for some of the local companies to quote and then make a decision. To be honest, I'm slightly anxious about this but ... it is time to start living life in the way I want to and I really do hate housework!
I don't have plans to meet with anyone this week partly due to friends having work commitments, family issues, or the need to isolate. So in between all the decluttering tasks and piano practice (which is not going too well at the moment!), I'll immerse myself in the family tree research and work on tidying up some more of the entries in readiness for the release of the 1921 UK census documents on January 6th ... not long to wait now. 😀
I think you have been amazingly purposeful with your decluttering, handing on, selling, reusing, as little waste as possible. That does take time but must be a lot more satisfying that just discarding. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteI think that, once it is all set up and routine established, you will really be glad you decided to get a cleaner. I know I am - I fought for years against the idea but wouldn't be without them now. It makes a huge difference. It's not strictly speaking essential;, but it makes a big and positive difference.
xx
Although it's taken much longer I'm glad I tackled the decluttering in this way.
DeleteI had a cleaner for a while once before but stopped just before the first lockdown. It did make a big difference so it'll be good to get back to that ... honestly, anything that means I don't need to do the housework myself! 😂
I've somehow managed to miss the announcement for the release of the 1921 census so thank you for that, exciting news. You've done so well with your decluttering and made some good sales that's very impressive. You're not the only one who hates housework and treating yourself to having a cleaner come in sounds good to me although if I'm honest it wouldn't be for me, I can understand your anxiety.
ReplyDeleteI had to look up the date. I thought it wasn't until April for some reason so I'm glad to be wrong! It is exciting, isn't it?
DeleteI've asked a couple of local cleaning companies to quote. I know what their hourly rates are but need them to say how long it will take them to do everything I want them to. I think I'll be okay once they start and I get used to having someone else in the house but I can understand that it isn't for everyone. x
As others have commented, you are doing great on the decluttering! How wonderful to be able to sell enough items to allow you to purchase your piano sooner rather than later! I hope you are able to get someone to do the cleaning. It'll be a nice gift to yourself. Hope you have a lovely day, today.
ReplyDeleteI will be able to place the order for the piano earlier than I'd thought but I doubt that I will actually get it any quicker as most of the stores are awaiting new stock. I want to buy from a local supplier to keep the delivery charge and any ongoing maintenance/service costs as low as possible.
DeleteI've contacted a couple of cleaning companies and am waiting to hear back from them. It'll probably start in the new year now.
Hope you have a lovely day too x
Wonderful news that there's a possibility of the new piano sooner than later. The plus is all the stuff is going to be gone from your space freeing things up. It seems in our local community many are thinking along the same lines as you - so many ads looking for a weekly cleaner, it's a whole new area of industry opening up. Good idea to mail the trumpet & bits to the family, so it's another done deal & not hanging around for you to re-sort out :)
ReplyDeleteI plan to drive to the piano shop in Bristol (about 30 miles away) between Christmas and New Year to try the model I want. They are the only local shop that has one in stock but the casing is scratched so I don't want to buy that one, but I will know after playing it whether it's the right model for me. Then it's a case of waiting for the January sales to place the order and waiting for the new stock to arrive in the country.
DeleteThere seem to be lots of people advertising cleaning services here, a sign of the times I suppose as people try to make an income where they can. The trumpet is on its way. I think it's better this way and then it doesn't look as if he's getting more at Christmas than any of the others. x