<p>BTW regarding cleaning ladies (or people): Some people are very uncomfortable hiring people to do jobs they would prefer not to do. I figure that one can either spend one’s time and energy doing a task, or spend one’s money paying for someone else to do the task. </p>
<p>I generally fall in the latter camp.</p>
<p>After years of consideration, I’ve decided it is fine for me to hire someone to do any task as long as I value the work they are doing and let them know it.</p>
<p>My wonderful person is here today. I work on the house while she cleans. I recycle, purge closets, do laundry, sort the pantry, pay bills. I usually clock at least 3 miles and many stairs on the days she is here. I know many like to come home to a clean house but I see this as a good time to hunker down. I really do not do much between her every other week visits. We also change the master bed sheets together–a nice gift to myself. She does floors and bathrooms to perfection. NO complaints ever from H.</p>
<p>DH objects to spending $$ on tasks that are now my territory since I am home FT. I am waiting to see if he mows the lawn the weekend, as he said last week he would do. (My cardiologist has forbidden me to do it.) If it doesn’t happen this weekend, I am calling the yard guys for a biweekly cut until S2 comes home.</p>
<p>He is supportive about me being home until something doesn’t get done the way he wants – then it becomes a big rant. (And yes, I do see a counselor about this.) If he had some interests beyond working til he drops, he might realize that there are other joys in life. As for me, I have taken two major medical bullets and I know all too well how precious life is. I want to use my energy on things that matter to me. Wish he’d see that, too.</p>
<p>But I digress from the topic! </p>
<p>Can I count large piles of deadwood and yard waste as part of the bag a week? I have made a pile large enough for a bonfire…</p>
<p>CountingDown, of course you can. In fact, you’re allowed to count lint from the dryer. </p>
<p>Yard waste definitely counts! I have 8 cans to be picked up this week. 5 of them are from pine debris that came down this winter in the storms. We cut up the big branches, but in picking up smaller sticks to prep for mowing, I realized that the needles on the ground were in fact attached to smaller branches.</p>
<p>Moved this weekend. Good lord. Disgusting amount to trash. Disgusting amount to charity. Still had many hours of professional movers. I think next time I will just burn down the house. </p>
<p>More donations to go too because we are combining houses. I feel very very wasteful. </p>
<p>As my grandfather used to say, one move is worse than 2 fires…</p>
<p>Note to self: need to secretly toss some more printed articles. It is all online now, and Mr has not touched them in ages! He did not notice the disappearance of the first batch. B-) </p>
<p>One large bag from my closet. I am beginning to purge my beloved decorating/home plan books.
TempeMom, I do thank you for the motivation. I hate the feeling that I have been wasteful. I wanted new table linens for a gathering this Sunday but I have decided to make do with what is here. </p>
<p>The speed of my tossing has definitely slowed, but someday it might turn warmer and I can go outside and purge a bunch from the garage.</p>
<p>I purged my big wicker basket in which I keep some “important” papers, including current bills and my checkbook. Went through it today and wound up filing some, tossing some, shredding some, and the remainder has now gone to a much smaller basket. </p>
<p>Not much, but as we moved a year and a half ago, I had already gone through some major purging.</p>
<p>DH is on board! He shredded a whole basket of OLD papers and bills. Woohoo! </p>
<p>I am in “the bag every other week club” because I can’t quite keep up. Having housecleaning service every other week is a great motivator because it gives me a little deadline. I don’t feel compelled to clean before the cleaners get here, but it does seem silly to have them pick up extra stuff,clean underneath, and replace.</p>
<p>I have found it very helpful reading everyone’s posts…it has helped me keep on track. </p>
<p>I have to get rid of a bag today - literally. I need to find an old purse of some sorts since I just bought my dream bag!!! OMG, I’m so excited. But the rule is the rule: new in, old out. I think I have a “vintage” Coach stashed somewhere that I kept with the hopes of restoring. </p>
<p>orangepurple: a bag every other week is better than no bag. You are doing great. :)</p>
<p>thumper, high five! When I returned home from my East Coast trip a couple of weeks ago, I discovered that Mr B had shredded a large trashcan full of old bank statements and receipts!</p>
<p>On the divergent topic of hiring people to do household tasks–we only hired a lawn service after I hurt my back and my wife had to mow the lawn a couple of times. Somehow I just never went back to mowing, even after I recovered. Just a hint on how this can sometimes be handled.</p>
<p>Oh Hunt. My elementary school friend lost a finger when cutting lawn. Therefore, I will never own nor use a lawn mower. I also break out around chemicals, so Will hire a pool man and never touch pool chemicals. If I had a husband, and he wanted to do these tasks, just fine and dandy. I don’t consider these wonderful people ( my pest control man, pool man, gardener) as luxuries; they are necessities to me. </p>
<p>Ask me about the time I was repainting my bathroom, and passed out with the chemicals in paint & grout. I had my son get me outside and call poison control. There are limitations to my DIYs.</p>
<p>Does it count that I took things that were unsafe and unhealthy from my parents’ home and trashed them? Found two bottles of salad dressing that expired in 2011 and 2013, one jar of onions that had a cover beyond rusty and tarnished, an open jar of marinade that was best used by 2011. Quietly put them all in brown paper bag and tossed. Also asked them if they were planning to eat unopened chutney and spread made a year ago (they never consume them and we LOVE the stuff). We brought it home as our reward. </p>
<p>Mom tossed about 4 unidentifiable containers of moldy and inedible things from the fridge. I tossed some other moldy things I had found in the fridge–ICK! </p>
<p>Himom–pretty sure the tossed things count 2X’s for each. You both tossed and saved a life.</p>