2013 Declutter & Organize Thread[{locked}]

[Saving4Norway]

Awww, dang, Karmas are gone with the new format.    Uh, oh, I don't see any dancing bananas, either.      

[dogmom]

Wow, they did the update! Here's my girl.    She was being goofy at the groomers.  Mornin' all! 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Well, I made it in here. Couldn't from home last night. Probably just as well. I'd have bitched about DH and this morning I'm over it.

Worked on the workshop last night. It's a small room in the basement with a workbench, 50 thousand empty cardboard boxes and odds and ends of stuff. I broke down most of the boxes and stuck them by our recycling cart (which is now full); tossed out old dog leashes and toys (sniff, sniff); part of a cat box; etc. I didn't keep a count but I'm going with 80 things.

You can now walk in the workshop. Sadly, it smells musty. I discovered that the Kevlar boat we stored down there was still wet when we brought it in (a few years ago, I think) so I've got that draped over stuff in the laundry room (where the dehumidifier and floor drain are) in the hopes I can dry the damn thing out and see if it's moldy or not. I did keep a couple of larger/sturdy boxes and if the boat is ok, it's getting folded up and stuffed into one.

I was thinking of Debt and Doxie when I was working on this last night. Debt because of what she and her H are doing. Doxie for 2 reasons - 1. the keep shoveling piles of shit around deal and 2. sacred cows, which is why the dog stuff went. But I've still got the collar and tags. Couldn't bring myself to toss those yet. I may drive a nail into a stud and just hang them up.

I also mentioned to DH that we could possibly turn that room into an exercise room, if he wants. I don't care one way or the other but thought now is the time to deal with it. I think we can fit both the treadmill and the Bowflex in there but I didn't measure.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oh, I also folded 4 baskets of laundry after I was done in the workshop last night. DH dealt with the kitchen.

Next up is more laundry;
Sweep the workshop floor as there are nails everywhere.
Finish up with the boxes - there's a couple filled with packing peanuts, etc.
Talk to DH about his 70s Star Wars stuff; Johnny West collection and the ventriloquist dummy.

[Waffle]

I completed everything on my list last night. So far, I don't have much on my list for today - I may add to the list later today.

Go to Post Office.
Do 1 load of laundry
Finish the bookkeeping that has to be done before I can fill out the tax form.

[sheilaincali]

Darn it all.  I got everything done on my list except for the pots and pans cupboard.  Oh well.  Something to add to today's list I guess.

Even mated all of the socks. 

Mailed out the dvd's so I am at 178/2013 items  

[Wisconsin Beth]

OK, I poked around on my old posts and found my numbers. Including the 80 from last night I'm at 120/2013.

[redwagon]

booo to no more karma!

I really need to tackle our bedroom but the babies are napping downstairs and I don't want to leave them. Trying to find stuff downstairs to do... like unearthing our dining room table.

[startsmart]

hmmmm, the no karma thing is obnoxious.... last 2 years *wasted!* lol

But I do see the thumbs up so you can say that you like something.

[redwagon]

Wasn't on my list, but I took all the DVDs and xBox games off the entertainment center and put them in a pretty tray we got for Christmas, which is now on the bottom shelf of the entertainment center. Woohoo! No more dust collectors on top!

[moosmommy]

Still 82/2013 but tonight I am going to find at least ten items to add to my total. I hope to hit 100 items by the end of the week. Here is my list for this week (doing this week because I can never seem to finish the days):

1. Hang up mirror in living room (DH has to do)
2. Get tax documents together (still missing a few)
3. Shred papers already in shredder.
4. Go through two files in computer cabinet for anything we can discard.

[Saving4Norway]

O...

M...

G...

Karmas are gone. If I can't earn a K for finishing my list I won't be motivated to finish a list ever again. Heck, I won't even be motivated enough to make a list. Oh carp. I'm not even going to be motivated to get out of bed in the morning! 

[redwagon]

we can all like your posts though, apparently

[moosmommy]

Tax stuff is together. And instead of doing two files in computer cabinet I ended up organizing the whole thing. So I have bunches to shred. Two out of 4 on my list ain't bad. 84/2013

[Deleted]

So disappointed about the K too!

We did nothing last night, with very good reason ... we had a blackout! The lights went out at about 8pm and came back on in the middle of the night.

DH says he needs to catch up on work and doesn't want to do any more in the basement for now. There are only four shelves left (out of 24!) but I think it's probably wiser if I don't push it, given how much he has done. It sure is frustrating though. DS1 comes back on Sunday so if it's not done by then, it won't get done for a while (hopefully not another 13 years though).

Today is catching up on laundry day (I don't work Wednesdays so I always do 2 or 3 loads.)

[Deleted]

I was able to do one of those last four shelves myself, but I can't do the other 3 without DH.

So 21/24 down, just 3 more to go. I know I said I'd "leave it" but we are SO close to being done, it's sort of driving me crazy not to finish lol.

[Waffle]

Jan 15, 2013 9:52:04 GMT -5 Waffle said:

I completed everything on yesterday's short list:

Go to Post Office.
Do 1 load of laundry
Finish the bookkeeping that has to be done before I can fill out the tax form.

Today's list:
Go to Post Office
Do 1 load of laundry
Create/format 2013 sales spreadsheet
Do something in the ebay room, I'm not yet sure what, but I've got to make a start in cleaning up that room, there's almost no room to work.

[Deleted]

I wish I could give you K Waffle! What kind of things do you have in the ebay room? Would transparent tubs help? Or one of those small wooden drawer-things? Start had a great one from Ikea.

I've got a box of books ready to go to Book Club tomorrow night (a friend there organizes used book sales for her school and church), and two boxes I hope to take to Goodwill today. So that's three more boxes off the basement floor!

[Waffle]

DARN IT! DARN IT! DARN IT!   I just wrote a long answer out about my eBay room, but I forgot and used the quick reply button - so it just disappeared!


Ok - here I go again this may be a shorter version, than the first time I typed it.

The ebay room is actually a spare bedroom that's maybe 10 x 11 which includes a small walk in closet.  The closet has three book shelves in it - one on the back wall and two facing each other, with just enough room for me to walk in between the two that face each other.  The room itself has 4 bookshelves in it.  All of the merchandise is supposed to be on the bookshelves.  There is merchandise that is already listed in my ebay store (about 200 items) and there is merchandise that hasn't been listed.  The merchandise has spilled on to tables and the floor.

There is an old style kitchen/dinnette (2 person) table which I use for photography and two 6 foot long tables.  One table is supposed to be my desk and the other table is supposed to be the weighing/wrapping station.  In addition to merchandise, there are office supplies, a few cleaning supplies (small stuff like brass cleaner/ paper towels, etc - no big tools), wrapping supplies, including lots of empty boxes.

I think I just have too much stuff in the room and I need to take a hard look at the room and see if some of it needs to go elsewhere.  The only really organized thing in the room is a 5 drawer plastic cart that fits under one of the tables.  That's where I keep all of the jewelry that is already listed in the ebay store.  I do have some empty decorative boxes - that could fit on the book shelves.  So another thing I need to do is see if it makes sense to consolidate some smaller stuff into those boxes.  Like for example,  I have lots of jewelry that hasn't been listed yet a lot of it is in plastic bags on the tables - some of it is just loose on the tables.  It's a mess.

I think, LOL, that this post is actually turning out to be longer than the first one I wrote.  As I'm writing it - I think the first thing I will do is gather all of the bagged and loose jewelry, and consolidated it into some of the empty decorative boxes.  At least that much will be done.  I'm not sure what the 2nd step will be.

Hopefully, I'll be able to keep myself from being here a lot today.  I have a lot of work that I need to get done at my job.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Damn.  What the E is going on with my replies?  And where'd the "good" emoticons go? 

[Deleted]

One table is supposed to be my desk and the other table is supposed to be the weighing/wrapping station.

Waffle
do you need two six-foot tables in there? Could you use one as both a
desk and wrapping station? That would free up a lot of room and then you could fit more plastic carts, for example. Just a
thought!

Just got back from Goodwill, bye bye two boxes! DH went
through some things during a short break from work so now we've done
22/24 shelves! Just two more to go! But his project is due tomorrow so
that won't happen today.

[redwagon]

Meal planned through 2/16! That should help with transitioning back to work!

[sheilaincali]

Stupid new format keeps eating my posts.  So I'll try this for the 4th time this morning.
Gotta say- not a fan of the new format for the board.  Sorry if other's love it but I'm not liking it so far.

Didn't accomplish anything last night.  Had just enough time after I got home from work to eat dinner and clean the kitchen before company came over.  Why people want to "hang out" on week day nights and not leave until nearly 10pm is completely unknown to me.  Oh well. 

Today DH just texted me to tell me he finished painting the family room - which was totally on his list so yeah.  The bad- he never listens to me and I told him I didn't want the desk and all that re-arranged but he did it anyway.  So now I'll have to gently tell him I don't like it and to move it back the way I had it.  I have a freaking bachelor's degree in Interior Design you'd think he'd listen to me but nope.  He is shocked every time when colors match or he likes the paint color I picked out.  It's getting annoying.  He described how he rearranged it and I know for a fact that it won't work and won't look good at all.  Blurg- guess re-arranging the office area is now on my to do list tonight.

Sent back the receivers and remotes for the DirecTV today.  Already counted the "cable" itself as an item when I cancelled it so I'll only add 5 items (3 remotes and 3 recievers) which will bring me up to a grand total of
183/2013 so far.  On average to make my goal for the year.  I figure I have to get rid of 168 things a month to make it to 2013 by December 31st. These winter months much more will go out then during our much busier summer months.

Debt- really impressed with your husband for stepping up and working on his piles/shelves of stuff.  Good luck with those pesky last two shelves  

[Deleted]

Sheila, thanks, I am REALLY proud of him! Although those last two shelves are driving me nuts lol. Patience is not one of my virtues.

Well done for your DH on the painting, but I get you on the rearranging furniture. I hope it goes quickly! I'm not a big fan of weeknight get-togethers either.

And good for you for getting rid of so many things!

[WholeLottaNothin]

I got rid of some old paperwork. Not too exciting but its a few less things in the apartment.

I'm at 66/2013.

I think if I were able to get sleep regularly then I would be going gung ho on this
decluttering/organizing stuff. My 19 month old has decided to start waking up at night after
he had been sleeping thru for months. : P I will get thru this but it sure does make the days
seem REALLY long.

[Deleted]

Red good job on the meal planning!

Nuttin, having older kids definitely makes decluttering easier! Good for you for doing the paperwork!

Between marking, that entire weekend spent on DH's papers, the holidays and now Basement Project 2013, I am way behind on my paperwork. If we can finish the basement before Sunday when DS1 comes home, I can catch up on my paperwork next week.

I've also been applying to new jobs (in addition to my job, not instead of), which another reason I'm in a rush to get this done. But mainly, I'm just fed up with it lol.

Saving, happy homecoming to your puppy tomorrow! And Dogmom, yours is a cutie.

[sheilaincali]

DH just texted me to tell me "You're right I don't like the desk that way either. lol  I'll move it back when I get home" 
Dork.  If he'd just learn to listen to me the first time he wouldn't have to move it again.  Oh well. 

He also asked if I'd hang out with his friend's wife tomorrow night (same friend that was over last night).  Her husband has to go out of town and she gets "anxious" home alone so I'm supposed to invite her over for dinner and to watch a chick flick to "entertain" her for a few hours.  Than another friend texted and wants DH and I to come over to a party at their house on Friday.  All day Saturday DH will be at a tournament too.

Jeez Louise people.  It's winter in Minnesota, we're supposed to hibernate until Spring not be all busy hanging out and going places. 

I'm putting my foot down now. I'm not doing shit on Sunday.  That's my day dammit.  No people over, no going to see people, no way no how.  Unless you're married to me or I gave birth to you I don't want to see you on Sunday! 

[busymom]

We're in the process of going thru the house & cleaning out drawers. We also made a run to a local store that has a recyling bin for old batteries. Since we have a "battery drawer" (the good ones stay in packaging, the bad ones are loose in the drawer), I got rid of all of the "used" batteries today.

Sheila, I'm in the Midwest too. This is the time of year I go thru stuff. Visiting is mostly for when the weather is nice. Why can't your friend's wife just read a good book, or something? That's what I'd do...

[Waffle]

I threw out 6 little things from the eBay room, 32/2013.

I was only 2 for 4 on my list tonight.  I decided not to do laundry, because I didn't have a full load.  And I didn't make it to the Post Office.  I did create my 2013 spreadsheet, and I straightened up the jewelry in the eBay room.

[startsmart]

This Week:
Sand the ENTIRE guest room ceiling until it's smooth
Patch rough spots on the ceiling
Sand again
Dust off the fan, the ceiling, walls
Take down the AC vent and clean it (repaint or replace)
Buy 2 gallons of ceiling paint at Home Depot
Pick up a new vent so I can...
Replace the AC vent in the main bathroom
Buy a new MDF shelf to replace the bathroom shelf that's broken
Paint the guest room ceiling
Touch up blue wall paint
Clean the fan blades
Caulk the seams of the baseboards - about 1/4 done b/c I ran out of caulk
Clean up the drop cloths - moved out of the room, need to beat and wash
Steam clean the guest room carpet 100%
Clean the guest room blinds
Wash the window
Re-hang the blinds - washed and drying overnight
Rotate the guest room bed frame
Move in the bookshelves and restock
Move in the file cabinet
Wash the curtains
Rehang the curtains
Rehang the lights
Bring in the mattresses and remake the bed
Rehang the pictures and mirror
Sweep and mop the hallway
Sweep and mop the kitchen/dining
Steam clean the living room
Steam clean the master bedroom
Clean out my car

THEN I can:
Catch up on laundry - working on it
Sort box of clothes in the guest room (donate/consign/keep) - about halfway done
Call consignment shop to find out what season they're taking
Go through hallway and consign 3 jackets/vests
Iron and hang up clothes going to consignment
Add 10 DVDs to trade-in on Amazon
Finish sanding and spray painting bench "arms"
Flip bench frame and sand/spray paint the bottom bars
Re-hang cabinet doors in the bathroom - one more to do
Paint 5 more cabinets in the bathroom and add vinyl
Replace the last shelf in the bathroom cabinet - paint and add vinyl
Find all pictures (closets, baskets) and do a major sort
Send all family pictures home with Mom
Organize my photos into scanned/not scanned
Check my stock of paint leftover from projects and find a better way to store it in smaller cans
Trade in books in Sacramento

SLEEP