Organize the clutter: Ideas & tips

[Deleted]

I read the NYT article on Smart and I can't really figure out what she does either LOL. But I know she's very very good at it!

I had a pretty craptastic day. Some bright spark (ie either DH or DS1) left my car unlocked at some point and somebody stole my earbuds, phone charger, GPS and DH's Disabled Card.

I am SO SO bummed. I know it's only money, but we have spent PLENTY of it with the holidays. Except for the Disabled Card, and we don't really know if that is replaceable. I sure hope so. Plus, all this just a couple of weeks after getting all of my papers back, now DH and I have to go back to the police station tomorrow.

The good news is, I did indeed spend all day today working. I've done all of my absences and all of my Excel sheets, except for two columns: the online learning column which somebody else does (I am still waiting for those marks), and the participation mark, which I always do last (so I can push somebody from failing to passing if need be).

I still have one more set of essays to mark. I planned to do the essays today, but there was too much hullabaloo here.

In fact I'm glad it worked out that way. Three of my classes are COMPLETELY done, excel sheets and all. Four of my classes are VERY NEARLY done, just those two columns left on the excel sheet. It will take me an hour or so once I get the online marks.

Good thing I got most of that done BEFORE I took the car out late afternoon and realized about the theft.

Laundry is all caught up. House has definitely looked better.

[startsmart]

Beth - it's a little hard to describe but basically I create systems for businesses where the owner is getting busy and needs more help but wants things done exactly how it's always been done. It covers a lot of bases but generally marketing, sales, software, client contact, customer service, and program launches online.

Big clients (like this one based in Asia) pay me to come in and change what they're doing into automated systems that run online. Other clients are just starting out and get basic instructions, videos, worksheets and accountability.

Norway- shah, no one else knows about my cottontail Loved your to do list!

Debt- unfortunately the NYT article wasn't focused on my new business (bummer) so it didn't go into much detail. So sorry about the stolen items, people suck. I'm really jealous of your laundry catch up. Mine is a mess and the dogs keep tracking in mud and jumping up on my (white) sheets. Sigh.

[redwagon]

Norway - loved your description of Startsmart's day lol.

Hope you all had good Christmases! Ours was good, but nice to be home and not "on" all day long. Although it was nice to have other people tending to the babies most of the time! Now I need to organize all their new clothes and toys, and organize/store all the clothes they've outgrown already. Today's doctor's appt had them at 10lb6oz and 9lb6oz! How did they get so big already?

I also need to do my new freelance project by next Wednesday. Excited to have another project and some extra income, and glad it's while DH is home from work to watch the babies.

Not happy I only have a month left before going back to work. I don't know how I'll keep life organized AND work. Stuff to figure out in a month, I guess...

[Saving4Norway]

Dec 27, 2012 18:12:18 GMT -5 startsmart said:

Norway- shah, no one else knows about my cottontail Loved your to do list!

The down-side is I only got three of them done!!! I spent around 6 hours in my chair, on the Internet, researching things to do in Iceland.

[startsmart]

lol Norway if you really want to envision me as ms energizer bunny I ran numbers last week on content in 2012:
83 blog posts
80+ media contributions
50,000 words of fiction
55 email newsletters
Created 5 new programs

After that I promptly took a nap. I'm working on my sales and projections for next year and the good news is that now I know exactly how much business I need to bring in in 2013 to make my goals. The bad news is I know exactly how much business I need to bring in.

This international client proposal is keeping me up, my mind is racing and I already got confirmation that the business is investing in the software that I recommend "I am making a big bet on this software and mainly on you and your reputation that we will kick a$$.... "

Gah! need to sleep. Too excited.

In decluttering news I took the glasses out of the cabinet to clean. That's it, just took them out. Didn't clean the cabinet yet but now it's super easy to find a glass.

Mom arrives in a week for "3 or 4 days, maybe longer" so I've got to get cleaning this weekend so she had a bed to sleep in.

[Saving4Norway]

Holy Cow, Start!!! You are rockin' it! Congrats on your new Asian contact. You are one amazing woman!

I remember way-back in the way-back when you were working in the office with the annoying girl who never did anything and at the video store just trying to make ends meet. Does that seem like forever ago?

[Saving4Norway]

Oh no, Debt!!! What a depressing PITA to have to deal with!

A K for you now for having 3 of your classes done and let me know when you get the 4th finished.

[redwagon]

Laundry day... good times! Going to try to actually put it away, too. Although I just discovered that Blue_wagon has been putting dirty laundry into a laundry basket that was full of clean clothes... might have to rewash it all because he doens't know what was clean and what was dirty. Men!

[startsmart]

Norway honestly it feels like just last week I was working 4-5 jobs, I'm used to being very busy but this work is much more fun.

[grits]

I am currently going through closets, and mounds of stuff. I've already made 6 trips to the dumpster. I haven't even made a good dent. I shall keep on going as long as I can on this.
I did find something for which I'd searched off and on for two winters. It was nowhere that I'd ever put it if I was conscious. This sleep walking organizing has got to stop.

[mizbear]

grits- If it makes you feel any better- I am doing the same thing because Momma Bear and I are moving.

red- My mother does the same thing- and then looks at me and goes "Those were clean?" "Yes Mother- I don't usually fold the dirty ones"

smart- I want to be like you when I grow up! I have been working on business, personal, health and financial goals...

My internal systems manager quit and my owners manual is apparently for another model of my body- like the one from when I was about 14. Things have to change this year.

[startsmart]

Just a quick heads up - I'll be back online Tues to start the new thread up and have the moderators lock this one (if you'd like to volunteer just msg me so we don't confuse everyone lol)

With that I'm off social media for 3 days. No facebook, twitter, Skype or message boards.

I figure it's the only way I'm going to finish writing my new book by the end of the year.

So although early - Happy New Year y'all!

[mizbear]

I can start the new one Tuesday- I'll be on

[Deleted]

A K for you now for having 3 of your classes done and let me know when you get the 4th finished.

Thank you for the K Norway! In fact I have 3 out of my 8 classes completely finished, and another 4 finished except for the "online learning" marks that somebody else provides (I'm still waiting for those.)

I still haven't done that last 8th class though.

It's a RARE treat having all four kids home, so I'm procrastinating.

I am also still very, very down about the stolen items from the car.

[Deleted]

Thank you to Start and Miz for offering to start the new thread. <3

[redwagon]

new name?

I went through all their clothes and packed up the newborn stuff. Got a little sad about it, especially the stuff I bought in my elation that Periwinkle was allowed to wear "real" clothes in the NICU finally. She looked so tiny in that stuff, and it hasn't fit her in a few weeks. My preemies aren't tiny anymore! ::sniff, sniff:: I also organized the 3mo sizes and all the baskets that are serving as drawers.

I also got all the toys organized and onto the open shelving in an attractive manner. No more crib full of toys! I'm going to swiffer the floor and then call it a day in there. Feeling much better about having it organized though!

Then I have to dig into my freelance project again. I got 30 pages done last night. Hoping for double that today. It's mostly recipes, so I just need to get through the intro sections that are denser text and then it'll fly.

[Saving4Norway]

Red - I'm taking it as GREAT news that "Periwinkle" and ...?... "Lavendude"? are too BIG for their preemie clothes anymore.

Are there one or two tiny pieces that you could keep for their baby books?

[redwagon]

He's Indigo. Lavendude has a nice ring to it though lol. They actually were never in preemie sizes, just newborn. They were born big for 35 weeks (over 5lbs each). And now they are both right around 10lbs - they've doubled their weight! I'm keeping all the clothes for when we have another kid(s). Eventually I want to make a quilt out of my favorites. I also donated some of my less favorite ones.

Done with the intro 50 pages of the book I'm editing. Woo!

[Saving4Norway]

Red - So perhaps you can keep Lavendude in mind for a future wagon? ;D Hooray on taking a big bite out of your editing/freelancing assignment.


My mission for tomorrow will be to pair-up/sort/thin-out tupperware and other plastic storage containers. It's a job I don't think I have ever started and finished on the same day. It's not that it's big or hard but it's un-fun and I can easily find better things to distract myself with. Like eating leftover Christmas treats.

[startsmart]

End of December List:
Clean out the rest of the kitchen cabinets and restock
* top cabinet with glasses
* top cabinet with pitcher storage
* food cabinet (4 big sections)
* utensil drawers (2)
Scan calendar - about halfway done
Sand more of the bench frame and spray paint it - still working on it
Trade in books and movies at bookstore (on next trip to Sac)
Caulk the hallway baseboards
Go through the box of clothes in guest room (sort for donation, cosignment, save)
Steam clean the master bedroom carpet AGAIN
Clean out the bottom of the china cabinet and donate bowls I don't use
Clean off the guest room bed (put away projects)
Put away tubs of pictures (need to find a good place to store these for awhile)
Put DVDs on Amazon for trade in

Ironing:
* cloth napkins from Grandma
* Clothes for consignment
* everyday cloth napkins
* sheets
* Christmas fabric for runner

Got about half of my book written in a first draft Now just trying to get my brain ready for writing the second half.

[Saving4Norway]

Geesh, I should have guess that Smart is the kind of wondergirl that irons her sheets. ;D

I'm up a little earlier than normal but that doesn't mean that I'm tackling the Tupperware fiasco any time soon. I have a couple other things I'd like to accomplish as well.

* Tupperware nightmare
* Finish pile of paperwork in the white tub
* Cut points on stakes
* Poop scoop in the back yard (tied with Tupperware for worst job)
* Pick up pics from Walgreens
* Deliver stuff to MIL&FIL
* Find top of dining room table
* Pick clothes up off bathroom floor
* Clean up kitchen
* Finish up last little bit of laundry

I'm almost embarrassed to say how un-horrible Tupperware organizing was. I guess since it was such a disaster last time I had it in my head that it's always that miserable, but it wasn't. OTOH, poop scooping is still making me gag and I was done with that 2 hours ago. Why can't my cat poop in the never-used front yard like all the other cats in the neighborhood??

I also:
* thinned one huge box and one small bag of clothes and kitchen stuff to donate
* made a savings plan that I really like (the first 4 versions just didn't meet all my goals by preferred deadlines) this one is just perfect
* cleaned up the outdoor candles leftover from Christmas eve
* am making sausage and wild rice soup

That otta keep me out of the cookies for a while.

Who am I kidding?

Cookies - 1
Chocolate - 2
Other desserts - 2
Real food - 2

[startsmart]

lol Norway, I'm so not the girl who irons But if I get the new ironing board for Christmas then I can get work on ironing at night when I relax and watch TV Mostly I need to do the cloth napkins since some of them wrinkle terribly and don't fit in my little basket.

I'm working on scanning the calendar, determined to get it done today since (don't judge me) it's from 1993.... yeah. It was a weekly calendar too so there are 100 images, not just 12! And they're super cute Americana. And... I have no other excuses.

While I got a few things cleaned up in the guest room yesterday I still have a LOT more to do. Thinking of working until about 5 tonight and then cleaning up around the house. Unfortunately my biggest dog is a huge scaredy cat and will freak out if left alone with all the noise of New Years. My low key plan is to put the little dogs in their crates, play some music and write in the New Year while trying to keep the dogs calm. I might even have some wine.

End of December List:
Clean out the rest of the kitchen cabinets and restock
* top cabinet with glasses
* top cabinet with pitcher storage
* utensil drawers (2)
* food cabinet (4 big sections)
Scan calendar - almost done
Sand more of the bench frame and spray paint it - still working on it
Trade in books and movies at bookstore (on next trip to Sac)
Caulk the hallway baseboards
Go through the box of clothes in guest room (sort for donation, cosignment, save)
Steam clean the master bedroom carpet AGAIN
Clean out the bottom of the china cabinet and donate bowls I don't use
Clean off the guest room bed (put away projects)
Put away tubs of pictures (need to find a good place to store these for awhile)
Put DVDs on Amazon for trade in

Ironing:
* cloth napkins from Grandma
* Clothes for consignment
* everyday cloth napkins
* sheets
* Christmas fabric for runner

[startsmart]

allllllmost done cleaning out my pantry! I threw away a lot of food (found some that wasn't sealed properly) and have been organizing so everything is brought forward since it's such a deep cabinet.

I'm using a lot more glass jars and containers to organize and taking everything I can and putting it in baskets. Right now working on my baking stuff so the boxes, sprinkles, cookie cutters and chocolate chips aren't all over the place. I'm probably going to put all of my chocolate into jars to keep it fresh. Next section is the drinks (coffee, tea, lemonade) which I'm realizing is kinda silly. I should probably keep the coffee... I don't know... next to the coffee maker?

[startsmart]

New Thread is Here!

notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=wir&thread=29652

[Wisconsin Beth]

I'm asking a mod to lock this thread.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Hi All.

Per Beth's request in thread, and via PM, I'm locking this thread to new posts.