Tuesday has been overcast and gloomy! And cool, too, with a high of only 76F.
In the morning, I brought in the trash cans and strolled around the front garden, looking at things. Bunnies have eaten several succulents, but, some other succulent leaves that had fallen off the plants have started to form new baby plants; I placed them in spots I would like them to grow. Afterwards, I took a stroll around the back garden and spotted two more okra flowers!
Brunch was leftover uppuma with some roasted chick peas added to it. Later, I boiled two eggs to make egg salad sandwiches for tea. I added some finely chopped green chilies to the egg salad, in addition to freshly ground black pepper.
After brunch, I vacuumed the living room, dining area, kitchen, and hallway leading to the bedrooms. I also vacuumed part of the family room, again. I plan to vacuum the bedrooms and the bathrooms, tomorrow.
I called the library to find out if they accept old text books, but, they said they don't and also, they are not accepting any donated books, right now.
Afterwards, I called the charity I usually donate to, to schedule a donations pick up. That has been scheduled for September 20th. Which gives me a little extra time to get a few more items decluttered and added to the donations pile. They will not accept more than 15 bags and boxes at a time and nothing which weighs over 60lbs. That should not be a problem as I don't have any heavy items to donate.
Then, I rested, and that was the end of my productivity! I was planning to clean my bedroom, but, didn't! I watched the news, instead, went through this week's grocery ads (this week's "deals" are not really deals in my opinion), oiled and brushed daughter's hair, wrote a blog post, and cooked a sausage stir fry (smoked sausage, carrots, onions, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini) for dinner. Friend R called while I was cooking and I called her back after I finished cooking. Daughter and I had dinner after she finished her piano lesson.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Weekly curbside trash pick up
- Being able to walk in my garden
- Being able to do my housework, again
- Phone chats with my friend
- What I was able to accomplish
Today's joyful activity was relaxing at home with my daughter, chatting about this and that, and, yes, sharing a cookie or two!
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August Decluttering Challenge:
8/1 - 1 pair gardening gloves
8/2 - non-working heating pad
8/3 - old purse/handbag
8/4 - 1 computer CD containing a report
8/5 - 1 plastic lid that cracked and broke in two
8/6 - 1 hooded sweatshirt (received a new one to replace it)
8/7 - old make-up I no longer use
8/8 - 6 plastic laundry detergent scoops (I use powdered laundry detergent; each new box comes with its own scoop; I don't need to keep the old ones, but, it seems such a waste to toss them in the recycling bin)
8/9 - 1 sponge paint brush (unused, but, so old, the sponge is no longer spongey!)
1 plastic food container
8/10 - 1 blouse (given to daughter); will be donated as she decided it didn't fit her properly
8/11 - 1 broken clothes hanger
3 bras
8/12 - 2 Zucchini! LOL! Eileen informed me that the zucchini don't count!
8/13 - Daughter's old artwork: A poster
8/14 - Daughter's old artwork: A painting
8/15 - 1 long dress (given to daughter) - she had urged me to buy it for myself one year for all of $1, but, I didn't wear it. She, on the other hand, loves it! It looks much better on her than on me!
8/16 - 1 coffee mug
8/17 - A book on cake decorating
8/18 - 1 bottle of perfume spray (an "our version of a famous perfume" that someone gave which doesn't smell good to me)
I will join you in decluttering this September! You've made great progress. I just got home yesterday after a month at my sister's caring for her following surgery. It went very well and she's healing now. My brother is also on the mend. I'm happy to be home knowing my family is well. I followed your declutter project, thinking that's what I need to do! So I'm in! Celie
ReplyDeleteHi Celie, glad to know your sister and brother are recovering and you are back in your own home. Glad to have you join me in the September decluttering! :)
DeleteAs soon as things slow down a bit, I need to schedule a pick up for donations, too. The spot where I regularly collect them is getting full. Good job on you decluttering.
ReplyDeleteThank you, June. Selecting what to keep and what to give away is not easy for me, but, I am making progress. :)
DeleteI have already started my September list and have today's items on it.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a successful challenge for me and I thank you for putting it out to us.
I have slowly been decluttering for years now. I don't have an overly cluttered house but still I have what I now realize is a lot of stuff!
When I really started to "review" the items in my home I realize it is full of things I no longer use or want.
Having a challenge like this keeps me slowly moving forward. When you declutter slowly it takes a long time to really notice the effects of your efforts.
But I am at the point of noticing. There's much more space in my house.
Personality-wise I am more of a jump in and hit it hard kind of gal but my husband would not be comfortable with that approach.
So slowly we go over here.
lol
Glad to have you along on the September decluttering journey, Debra. I've been decluttering for years, too! "Slow and steady wins the race" as my mother was fond of saying. :)
DeleteWell, I am back to blogging and enjoying on catching up with you all. I will have to go back and find out why you were not able to do housework, and hope it was not due to illness. But glad you are back at it, if that makes you happy.
ReplyDeleteOur local private library recently brought their annual book sale back, but they didn't accept any books this year as they had lots from 2020 when they were not able to hold the sale. We would have liked to donate quite a few of our smaller paperbacks. We were out of town when they held it, so there was no temptation to add to our stash. I like the idea of de-cluttering things a day at a time. Kudos to Eileen for the idea, and you for the follow-through. I wouldn't mind lightening the load around here so I may join in during September. Clothes and old makeup, as well as almost empty bottles of shampoos and lotions, would make my list.
Glad to see you are back, blogging again, Susanne. I had checked your blog, a couple of times to see if you were back! I had a really bad attack of sciatica in May that took a long time to wear off.
DeleteGlad to have you join the September decluttering! 1 item a day (or more, if that's what you want). :)
I added some unused greeting cards to the items I have put by for the charity shop. I'm thinking of donating a crocheted sleeveless jacket, too, but I have to wash it first and then decide.
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning the unused greeting cards! I have some that I keep passing over (they came in a box of assorted cards) - time to donate them, I think! Take your time deciding on the crocheted jacket; it sounds lovely. :)
DeleteI think you had a successful month's decluttering and hope that September is just as good. I think I will probably continue listing my efforts on the blog as it makes me accountable and I do need to get it all done.
ReplyDeleteI have unused greeting cards I can donate as well because I can't see that I will ever use them. Thanks to Bushlady for the reminder.
Thank you, Eileen. I think September will be a good month! I feel ready to declutter some items I have continued to keep during previous decluttering sessions. :)
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