Decluttering and home maintenance

[Former-Member]

Did look at a couple of Marie Kondo YouTube clips @Sophie1. Found some ideas helpful 👍.

Have used the "take out everything" method only on a couple of occasions and that has been when I had some dedicated help as doing this myself has resulted in a larger mess 😬. I don't mind the slow but steady approach of dealing with one item, a small pile, one drawer etc. allocating a space and containerizing as I go. Finding the "not buying unnecessary stuff" approach has also made a difference. 😀

[Former-Member]

Am finding the big clean up a difficult job.  

[Smc]

@Former-Member, any specific reason/s? Beyond sheer scale...

[Determined]

Do you have anyone who can help @Former-Member 

I find for myself sometimes just company can be the biggest help when embarking on a project like that. It is a big job to tackle alone especially if Mr D is finding things stressful. 

[Former-Member]

As we have been decluttering for a while, volume is much reduced and manageable. It is fly sh*t and marks on walls and doors, cobwebs, some ceiling mould in one room  (just had roof replaced and gutter fixed so source dealt with).  Our split system got damaged by an unknown person (think someone reversed into it) so waiting on parts/repair.  Garden needs a little more tidying. 

[Smc]

@Former-Member, one of the best cleaning hints I've ever come across is let water do its work. You know how if a plate has food stuck on it, you leave it in the sink to soak for a few minutes... (Presuming you don't have a dishwasher.) Same trick with walls, benchtops, whatever. Wet them down with the soapy water, leave them for a few minutes, then go back and scrub or wipe down.

An accompanying hint was to have two buckets and two cleaning cloths. One bucket of the clean sudsy water, and a clean cloth to apply it. Another cloth to wipe off the grotty sudsy water, and a dirty water bucket to wring and rinse out the wiping down cloth. That way you don't get to the point where the cleaning water is carrying more grot that the wall.
It's a massive job, but I know these hints have been valuable for me, and I'm not usually a "fan" of household hints. All the best with it.

[Former-Member]

We really don't have anyone who we would feel comfortable asking to help us @Determined. Will see how we go and if necessary will call in a cleaning service.

Have perhaps made more progress than I give us credit for, thinking that seeing our place through a prospective purchasers eyes and how much of a "renovators delight" it is has been disheartening.

On a positive note, donated a heap of biscuit shapes to a family with a lot of kids = another drawer clear 😀.  

[Former-Member]

Three ornaments donated today and a bag of clothes added to the collection to go to the op shop. 

[Former-Member]

@Smc 

The "spray and wait" before wiping down method = 👍 works a treat.

Am tackling the first of a few cupboards that need sorting. Cannot believe the stuff we have that we are not likely to use. Came across some more unwanted gifts tucked away out of sight. 

[Former-Member]

Bless his heart, Mr Darcy took the stuff to op shop today 🙌.