2015 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[tcu2003]

Updates to include the latest Peter Walsh #31Days2GetOrganized Challenge items:




DAY 1 - FOLD YOUR LAUNDRY!
DAY 2 - GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T BELONG IN YOUR MASTER BEDROOM!
DAY 3 - SET UP A DONATION BIN!
DAY 4 - TACKLE YOUR PLACEMATS AND TABLE LINEN!
DAY 5 - INSPECT THE LOWER THIRD!*
DAY 6 - DEMOLISH JUST ONE STACK ANYWHERE IN YOUR HOME!
DAY 7 - CONQUER PLASTIC FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS!
DAY 8 - CLEAR OUT THE SPACE UNDER A SINK!
DAY 9 - TACKLE KIDS' ARTWORK OR YOUR PETS' CLUTTER!
DAY 10 - TODAY'S THE DAY TO TAME YOUR MAGAZINES!

DAY 11 - EXAMINE YOUR MAIL ROUTINES! Is there mail lying around in different areas of your home? Today’s the day to go room by room and collect all of the mail that’s been accumulating. Then, first step: get rid of all of the junk mail (yes, I know you haven’t looked at that catalog and you really like their stuff but I promise you they’re busy working on a new catalog that will be in your mailbox before you know it)! After the junk mail, separate out any bills or other important paperwork that you need to deal with right away. As for the rest, put it in a pile for you to deal with before the end of the week. Just 10 minutes is all this should take to get your mail organized.

*Explanation since this one is a little non-descriptive: Everyone has piles of clothes on their shelves or in their drawers – many that you just don’t wear. Today’s the day to tame them! First, look at your piles of folded items - T-shirts, sweaters, undies, jeans - chances are that the bottom third of the piles are items that you just don’t like that much and seldom wear. Inspect the lower thirds of clothing stacks – if you don’t love and wear the items then let them go!

[tcu2003]

I've been slacking off this week thanks to another work trip, and the procrastination I did for a presentation I'm giving to some high school girls tomorrow on being an engineer at a conference regarding career for women in science and technology (note to self - I really could have finished this much earlier since I've known about it since October ). 

I have kept up with the mail, and the decluttering of the master bedroom I did over the weekend.  Tomorrow's plan in the afternoon once my presentations are done is to try to return something to Ikea that DS got for Christmas from the ILs (hoping I can get store credit without a receipt since they didn't give us that), and get a bookshelf that we can use for toy storage.

[Deleted]

MPL: start systematically getting the totes out of the room/house, by category (ie who they are for).
- Put the clothes for younger son in his room (and ideally put them away).
- Give the totes to your ex next time you drop your older son off / your ex comes to pick him up.
- Put the donations in your car.
- Toss out what you need to toss out. 

As soon as you do ONE of the above, you'll have fewer clothes in your room, and the rest will be easier to deal with. :-)

We have a huge problem with clothing moths. I keep buying mothballs, gels, cedar balls, nothing helps. Yesterday I got dressed in the dark so as not to wake up DH because I started very early. When I got to work I saw I had 3 holes in my cashmere sweater (a gift from my kids) that weren't there last week. Lovely! Nothing like looking like a bag lady at work. 

So on the way home I went to 3 drugstores trying to find something stronger. I bought a bug spray that kills cockroaches, mosquitos and wasps and sprayed DH's and my closet. The woman who manages the local mini-market told me about a "miracle product" she uses, so I immediately ordered it on amazon. 

I'm sure part of the problem is DH's closet is too full. His clothes are shoved up against the back wall and the air doesn't circulate (the insulation isn't great). So I've told him he has to do something about it ASAP. I don't have a lot of clothes and I can't afford what I do have to get eaten by moths. 

Bunny never goes upstairs to our room, so no worries about that. The product I ordered on amazon is animal-friendly, so I'll use that downstairs and in DD's and DS3's bedrooms.

[kath74]

checking in, and I'm feeling very motivated to do some more decluttering this weekend after catching up on all of the posts here so far!  Well done everyone!
40/2015

[Wisconsin Beth]

I decided to send a small bag of outgrown kid costumes to Mom's for neighbors.  If I find the rest of the costumes (Woody's hat and holster and Buzz's skullcap thing) later, I can send them over.  Taking them to Cabe's old dcp is just not working - I've been trying to get them there since Sept. 

I did get the "old" laundry folded and put away last night.  Then did 3 more loads.  Since my dryer isn't very efficient anymore, esp. on heavier fabrics, I'm backed up.  I meant to put the towels in the dryer this morning but forgot.  So keep up with laundry is one of the goals for this weekend.

I did cull out what I think are the last of the size 6 pants for Cabe.  I have a "new" Goodwill stack going. 

Also on deck for this weekend - go though Keira's dresses (some costumes, some really are dresses) and see what fits and what doesn't. 

I'm at 38 items out, by the way. 

And I don't know if it's good or bad or what but I'm impatiently waiting for recycling to be collected so I can a bunch of old pill/supplement containers into it.  This damn snow means Sanitation is plowing and salting instead of collecting it.  I think they focus on trash first in getting caught up.  If we don't get more snow, I think we'll have a pickup at the end of next week. 

Oh, 2nd edit - go to Target and get storage for crayons, paper, etc for the newly defined table space in the living room.  And damn, there was something else I wanted to get at Target too. 

[Waffle]

Jan 11, 2015 17:49:15 GMT -5 @debthaven2 said:

Welcome Chloe! :-)

To all of you newcomers to the thread (or those returning) I would REALLY urge you to stay even slightly active. You can post as often as you want. For those who tend to start out strong and fade, set a goal for yourself: post once a week, or once a month, or once a quarter.

You may not do everything you hope or plan to do, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you decide to post regularly (even if it's not often), you'll do more than if you just "disappear" from this thread. 

Whether you do one tub / drawer / closet / shelf per week or month or quarter, it's still progress, and it adds up! Like Busymom says, you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time. 

Good luck to all of you! :-)

This post has been haunting me. I disappeared from this thread quite some time ago and while I've made some positive progress - like taking things to Goodwill and improving my organization system for my ebay items. The "everyday" things - like the state of my master bedroom have grown steadily worse. I'm coming up on a very busy time at work, so I can just imagine if I don't have a plan things will just continue to go downhill.

My first two goals for this weekend:  Clean off the top of my bathroom dressing table and Clean off the top of my bedroom dresser. 

[plugginaway22]

Debt that is so strange about the moth damage!  I own 2 cashmere sweaters and have had them for 3? years.  This week I found a hole in one of the sweaters and have never seen that damage before.  Guess I need to get something for our closet, which between DH and me, is pretty packed with clothes and shoes and purses, etc etc.  Our bedroom and closet is my focus for this weekend.  I am sure there will be a large garbage bag of things to donate/get rid of.

Do you actually see the moths flying around, or just the damage they do?

[plugginaway22]

I was just looking at the plastic bins of Christmas stuff in basement ready to be put away.  I want to pitch some, and consolidate to free up at least one bin to use for something else.  It just looks like way too many decorations, but some are sentimental, we have definitely put out fewer things the past 5 years.

[busymom]

Hi Gang! I made it back. DD is settling in to her apartment, & her roommates all seem nice, so hopefully this semester will go well. I really need some sleep, so I'll read up on what you've all been working on tomorrow.

[Deleted]

Pluggin, occasionally we see the moths flying around, but rarely!   My part of the closet is not overcrowded but DH's is, and it's really one big L-shaped closet (he has 2/3, I have 1/3). 

Busy, glad you're back safely and that your DD is settled in!

I've got a high fever, so no plans for the weekend so I can rest and hopefully be able to work Mon. (I'm an adjunct so no work = no pay.) I have an appt with the GP this morning. 

[kjto1]

Debt - I hope you feel better!

[busymom]

Debt, you feel better, Hon! I'm off to the post office, & get Mom's laundry. Then, I've got bills & plenty to catch up on with at home. Not to mention, I might sneak in a nap this afternoon.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 14, 2015 23:04:15 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

So, this week, my goal is to take care of the living rooms. Neither should take more than 30 minutes.
I want to:
1. Label the cords; get rid of unnecessary cords
2. Purge the unnecessary picture frames
3. Clean out the baskets that are holding goodness knows what
4. Clean out the blue bowl (supposed to be for keys and earbuds. They seem to have mated and produced weird things.)
5.

While cleaning out the baskets, I found my car/house keys. I lost them November 2013. I have no idea how they got there. 

I need to label the cords today and then make a targeted decluttering plan for next week. 
This morning we're going to do a serious straightening up and wiping down of surfaces. Grocery shopping this afternoon. 
Sunday, we have a girls trip for some ballet stuff for DD#2 and two of her ballet friends and clothes shopping for DD#1. 
Wednesday is DD#2's 13th birthday! Monday is a government holiday (MLK) so we don't have work or school. I will plan for a few hours of decluttering that day. 
I'm off to Pinterest to determine how to label the cords!
Happy Saturday, everyone!

[startsmart]

Gah! I had a nice long post and my browser crashed. 

Here's my rough to do list: 
bag up items for donation
fix the legs on the ottoman
put away all the dishes
wipe down the kitchen counters
clean the microwave
sweep the kitchen floor
put away the printer paper
set up the new printer
figure out how to sell/recycle the old printer
put f.t. on craigslist for sale

Garage: 
remove the rest of the trim on the door frame
measure and cut the new trim for the door
move the garage door opener
cut and measure the pegboard
paint the new pegboard

Outdoors: 
take down the christmas lights on the tree
use the leaf blower to clean the side and front yard
cut back the rose bushes

[Angel!]

Today was a large attempt to get more organized cooking. I have decided to try the freezing meals that then go into the crock pot to cook thing. Spent about 5 hours today putting together 7 freezer meals. If I do it again I expect I will be faster since I will have a clearer idea as to what I am doing. Plus I can do double batches, this time I didn't want to make too much in case we don't like a meal. I think each meal will really last 2-3 meals, so I might cook one every 3 days. So I am hoping this lasts for around three weeks or more. I really hope this experiment pays off and we get some good meals.

[busymom]

Ok, I made TWO trips to Mom's today.  As I suspected, she had a lot of dirty laundry.  So, I ran home & did it all, & returned it to her this evening.  I'm also caught up on most of the family laundry, too, except I'll have to try & get the sheets & pillowcases done either Sunday or Monday.  Bills are caught up.  Which means next, I need to try & whip the house back into shape. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I bought a label maker today!!!

[3catslady]

I went through 6 boxes of squares and separated 2 colors between sweeping up a broken candle and glass holder and bandaging up a knee on my 3 year old grandson that got cut by the glass, and feeding, changing and playing with my soon-to-be 1 year old grandson.  I also worked 30 hours at the store.

This week my DIL goes back to college and I don't know what my hours over there will be.  I do know that I have Monday free until I go to work at 4 so I should get some more colors separated and boxed up.  Then I found green stuff growing in my one cabinet which means I have to clean that out.  

Today I have to plan my menus for the week and then my grocery list.  I still have a dozen frozen veggies and chicken to go with them but I only have 8 single servings of mashed potatoes.  I am good this week for that part of my meals but I need to get some more Fiber One bars and something for breakfasts.  I always have to get cat treats, food and litter.  That about does my week of decluttering.  For those of you that quilt, have you ever used the lining of coats and other things as patches?  I found at least 20+ pieces in the boxes.

Once I get the next 2 weeks in with DIL's schedule, I'll know more of the time I will have to get rid of things.  Until then, it will be a hit-and-miss sort of cleaning. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

I bought a 3 bin wheeled thingy for the kid art supplies.  Now I need to transfer the art supplies to it.  I"m at work now so that's today's job.  I may try to rearrange the living room, around DH and the kids. 

Kids and I are off on Monday.  We're meeting DH for lunch by his work and I was thinking about surprising the kids with an afternoon at the water park near his work but DD starting coughing and sniffling/snuffling like crazy last night.  So it might be a good thing they don't know about it yet. 

I got takeout pizza last night and they overcooked my pizza enough to make a new one.  So I ended up with 2 large pizzas last night, one parbaked.  I brought that one into work for the dispatchers.  Does that count as decluttering?   

[bobosensei]

Don't ask where I've been.  It's like I forgot this thread existed.

I quit my volunteer job.  The guy I've been working with the last 6 months is an ass.  It got to where it took me so much mental strength just to do the things I was supposed to do, that it was ruining my day and keeping me from taking care of myself and the house.  Hopefully this helps me.

I made a wreck of the office.  It's where I keep the sewing machine, and I had to use it to sew something for DH.  I made a giant mess where my patterns and thread and stuff are.  I don't heat that room so I don't want to go back in there to have to fix it.  It is easy to forget because the door stays shut, lol.  Maybe I'll fix it on Monday.

[Deleted]

I have bronchitis. I'm finally feeling a bit better today after 2 days of antibiotics. I haven't left the house since Fri except to go to the doctor yesterday. 

DH emptied out his closet shelves today so he could spray them with the bug spray. We are gradually putting his clothing back and he has been getting rid of a few items. I am helping him because folding is hard for him since his accident. I'm really hoping we'll be done tonight but I'm not sure that's going to happen. 

[startsmart]

bobo- good for you! I too quit a volunteer job that became too much of a hassle - or more accurately I was "fired" for daring go to a funeral instead of do a last minute task from the crazy committee chair. I actually ran into another volunteer from the board awhile back and found out 80% of the board had been "fired" too. Some people are just not worth your time! 

debt - ouch! take care of yourself! this is the time of year when all that crud goes around. 

chloe- ooooo! I am in love with my label maker - it's not a super fancy one but it gets the job done! 

Today feels really quiet, probably because I went out to breakfast and then for a long drive. Tomorrow I am taking my mom and her brother to the airport so they can fly out for a funeral. Great uncle passed away and it's been ages since my mom saw her family in the mid-west. 

I got my new laser printer set up and running and it is fabulous! Now just need to get rid of the old one. 

Now to work on projects at my desk and get ready for Monday! 

[Deleted]

Start, I'm so sorry about your great-uncle. 

Bobosensei, could you turn on the heat in that room for a little while, on Sun night / Mon morning and then do it? Good for you for quitting that job if it wasn't working out for you, life has enough obligations.

DH and I finished putting everything back in his closet. We checked every sweater for moth holes. He got rid of 2 medium-sized garbage bags of clothes (including a bunch of moth-eaten sweaters, what a surprise). Unfortunately he put a bag with 4-5 more sweaters in the basement because he wants to wash and mend them (he did spray them first).  I told him I'd mend two, but no more than that. I'm not holding my breath. 

But he got rid of quite a bit for him, so I didn't want to argue. He got rid of a lot of clothes last year (he had no choice, his shelves collapsed). His side of the closet finally looks relatively normal. He's always thrilled when we do this ... so I really don't get why he can't maintain it, but on his own, he can't/won't.

As soon as the "miracle bug spray" arrives (sometime this week) I'll spray our closet again, and spray all the other closets as well.  

[Angel!]

I went through another desk drawer. I also got through the huge pile of clothes that don't fit the kids. Some are being saved for DS2 to use when he gets bigger. I also saved a few things that were just too adorable and memorable for me to part with yet. But, I did get 120 clothing items packed up to donate to either goodwill of friends that just had kids. I'm not adding it to my total til it is gone, but I am so glad that I've finally gotten to that.

[Sam_2.0]

2 more crib sheets out! Now at 265/2015. I have a box to deliver to a friend shortly - need to count how many items are in there. Its a diaper box full. Hopefully it gets me closer to an even 300.

I did go shopping this weekend and came home with a new pair of jeans. But i got rid of 4 pairs first, so thats good

[Works4me]

Well, the time has come to re-join the world and thereby this thread. New sectional with Chaisebis being delivered this Tuesday instead of next week so that means I have to hustle tonight and tomorrow! 

Clean/clear office for futon from living room, move desk, sort, organize, donate & toss.
Pack old dishes to donate - receive new dishes from JCP and love them already.
Pack cranberry Pyrex for widower SIL of a dear friend - cutting my collection by 50%!

My major problem is that I had stuff at my father's place in Cupertino that moved down here with him and I need to decide what to keep and how much/many thing to keep like good knives or Pyrex above, good china, family silver etc. 

I also have in storage that ranges from all DME from my father's illness to boxes from various moves over the last thirty years to who knows what. I want to use this as a place to sort and organize my thoughts and formulate a plan of attack because this I hereby declare war on clutter, crap and excess stuff!

[Works4me]

Bobosensei - since you know you are going to be in there working tomorrow, can you open the heater vents or do whatever you need to do tonight so that you are at least comfortable while working in there tomorrow? I know that the older I get the harder it is for me to work in a cold room.

[plugginaway22]

Well, wish I could list more that I accomplished...only excuse is DH and I are getting over that 'bug' and motivation is low.

Done:
Organized our closet and got a medium sized bag that I already dropped off for donation.
Finished putting away all the Christmas stuff.
Did about 5 loads of laundry.
Did food shopping to stock up the house again after holiday and travel time.
Re-arranged the dining room to maximize space.
Bought a new mattress pad/cover for our King size bed, will use the old one that kept popping off for dog bedding.

This week:
Organize all paperwork to get ready for taxes and year end stuff.
Pay bills for February.
Return items to co-worker that I borrowed.
Keep up on laundry.

We are away again next weekend so minimum will get done!
We work tomorrow, but many have a holiday, so enjoy if you do!

[Saving4Norway]

I'm overwhelmed with unfinished projects and a week's worth of mess in every room of the house.

One thing at a time, right? Uff da. Where to start, where to start...

[Malarky]

Jan 18, 2015 1:05:07 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

I bought a label maker today!!!

LOL.  I have decided that will be my reward when I'm done decluttering and organizing.  
I'm keeping up with the daily papers, but saving the serious purging and shredding of the file cabinet for last.  When I get to it, it will have pretty, new, neatly labeled files.  

I'm picking away at things.  I've tossed another 50 or so items, large and small.  The kitchen still has a few small piles I haven't quite figured out what to do with.  I'm rethinking where things "belong."   

We have been consistently using the dining room for (gasp) dining whenever all or most of us are home. Meals are plated in the kitchen, carried to the dining room-a matter of a few steps-and dirty dishes and condiments returned to the dishwasher or fridge.  It used to be easy to "forget" stuff on the kitchen table.  Since the dining room is essentially pristine, anything not put away is glaringly obvious.  

I realize I need to update my numbers even more.  I sent a dozen or so items to MIL.  Instead of taking her Christmas presents home with her, she expects us to mail them to her.      If you recall, I took her to a musical so I wouldn't have to do that this year!  I couldn't believe it when DH brought them from SIL's house, we didn't even host the family brunch.  Anyway...they were also cluttering up the kitchen.  

I keep looking for a card from one of the charities that pick up, but I haven't seen any.  I have lots of items and clothing to donate, but I'm not adding them until they have been physically removed from the premises.  If I don't hear from them soon, I'll either contact one of them, or drop the stuff at the Salvation Army.  I'm not fond of that neighborhood, though.

 DH is out of town for all of next week.  I'm hoping to make a lot of progress in his absence.  I find it a lot easier to focus on these projects without distraction.  Other than really loud music.  

It seems like everyone is getting things accomplished.  Way to go!  Seeing everyone else progress keeps me motivated.  Thanks, all.