December Declutter: Home and Hospitality 2018

[Harriet]

A year of decluttering work on our homes is a success, but does not finish a thing, of course, since decluttering will always be an ongoing project.

Still, the month of December gives us a pause to look around and realize that others can be offered hospitality as a result of our efforts. That's profound. We can provide a place for meaningful, memorable celebration, and welcome those the Lord has given to us as family and friends. We can appreciate the space and refuge that our lovely homes were meant to provide.

If DASHing through the snow makes for stash-and-DASHes (and it will), remember this time to make more than a mental note about getting back to the stash-and-dash. Put it on the calendar! "bag shoved under bed has mail !" There are no bad stash-and-dashes, only bad follow-up.

Do you have year-end Clutter Goals that you are reaching? Let us know, we're interested. Are there failures that frustrate you? We have BTDT. Are you forming a plan for making 2019 more of a success that 2018? We hope it will be the best ever.

[Harriet]

I won't be offering hospitality this year except on very small scale. There's good and bad in that. A different year.

The old refrigerator is out and a lot of declutter done for all of that - lots of small decisions.

Re-organization time coming up, as soon as the new one cools enough to allow me to bring food back from the front porch and portable coolers.

I specifically requested the box, which dgs and dgd would rather have than the most expensive toy, but they don't allow you to have it. They say each box is used as the container for all trash related to that installation, so they are not allowed to part with any box and must return with all of them. I didn't know that.

I made the trash pick-up this morning at 7:00 a.m. but missed the recyclable pick-up because the refrigerator people were already here and I couldn't leave them or think about anything else at that moment. Too bad. Recyclables are only picked up biweekly.

[Nancy]

One small stack of things to go this mo. Delivered them, yea me!
Dgd is coming after school once a week that is fun and not overwhelming.

[BookSaver]

A sad declutter task today as I took 2 scratching posts, a crocheted mat, and some old toys out to trash. (None in good enough shape to donate anywhere.) There was only room in the bin for 1 of the posts so the other will stay in the shed outdoors until next week.

I have told DH that I don't want another cat in the house for a long time. The house needs several major repairs. All the carpets need to be replaced. I want to gut the downstairs bathroom. The kitchen needs serious work. I don't want to worry about construction workers accidentally letting a cat out the door. I'm also assuming that we will be moving within 5 years and relocating is always so terribly stressful for pets. In the meantime, I will enjoy watching the fosters that live at Kitten Academy on their 24 hour livestream.

A happier report:
I have several pieces of fabric ready to take to the freebie table at sewing group meeting on Saturday. Hoping that I will have time in the next 2 days to sort through some more to fill the bag.

[Twins' Mom]

What a sad decluttering job, Booksaver. I hate it for you, especially knowing it's not the right time to adopt another kitty. I remember you mentioning your naps with kitty - so sweet.

I am making a little progress in my garage. Dh took his work stuff for the work party yesterday. I've boxed up my front porch pillows in see through bins that stack on the top of the shelves in the garage, so I can find what I want. Today I will take another bag of books and a box of Goodwill stuff, and I have a contact to take the computers for hard drive shredding next week. (There are five laptops out there!)

And the dresser that was dmom's is not in great shape, but I hate to let it go. Dfriend M has volunteered to go with me to dd's to help us decide if it will fit there. If not, it goes upstairs somewhere. Discussed with dh last night and that's the best choice for now, even tho he's not crazy about getting it up stairs and where it will go...