2015 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

DD#2 had a performance this morning. Then, she had two classmates over for three hours so they could study. 
We decorated the Christmas tree, and I unloaded the interior Christmas decorations. 
Somehow, we've run the dishwasher at least three times today. 
I completed one class's grading. I have five more to go. Then, I did get some prep work done. 
I had a crazy Project Graduation this evening. 
It isn't being run the way I want it run, but I don't want to run it. So, I try not to complain. BUT THEY'RE DRIVING ME NUTS!!!

Monday
regular work day
teeth cleaning
chiropractor
pick up package at post office
make deposit at bank for Project Graduation
eat dinner
pick up DD from dance class and take her to a city council meeting for an award
take home dd; feed her
clean up the house
grade papers for 30 min
dust
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
finish interior house decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, sweep kitchen, clothes for tomorrow, 


Tasks To Accomplish After Monday
Get a gift for my niece (must be purchased and wrapped by Friday so DH can drop it off on his way to the MFH)
Create spreadsheet for Project Graduation finances
Complete test grading by Wednesday evening
Complete journal grading by Wednesday afternoon
Two contacts for Project Graduation
Complete Christmas Card
Schedule Date Night for December
Establish Christmas Cookie Plan
Keep up on housework--daily cleaning and this week is kitchen deep cleaning 

[snapdragon]

Dec 4, 2015 20:26:14 GMT -5 lund said:

snapdragon , Get better soon!

I'm getting there. I spent the whole weekend in bed sleeping, relaxing and reading or listening to a audiobook. I am better. Enough so that I was able to wash ALL the bedcoverings and get clean everything on the bed. I even broke down and used the dishwasher. Now I just need to start expanding out from the bed and work on the rest of the house when I feel up to it.

I still don't have my tree up and I like looking at the lights on the darn thing.

[startsmart]

I think my Christmas decorating is about done because I don't care to work on it anymore. It's kinda absurd for me to have so many tubs of decorations but I think 3 are full of ornaments which is great except I don't have room for a tree. Thinking I should cull through those before the new year, if I have some time.

The office cleanup is going well, I still need to move some journals so I can steam clean the rug (again) but the shelves and desk are looking good. I am loving the organizer on the wall with my folders for our upcoming projects.

Yesterday I managed to get a bunch of the tree branches and leftovers into the green waste trash which will get picked up again Wednesday. I'm almost done with those leftovers, I'll just need to take care of the larger branches and trunk after that.  

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Not going to get as much done as I planned. 
DD#2's participation certificate turned into a lovely presentation that had her as the winner of the essay contest. 
She won $50 and is going onto the state competition. 

[busymom]

Our garbage is already at the curb for tomorrow morning.

Mondays are always wild around here. I ordered some much-needed clothing online (at least it was on sale). Plus, I had to run down to the rehabilitation center my relative is staying at, and sign off on MORE paperwork.  (It never seems to end!)  Got some errands done too.

DS went to his friends group tonight.  Tomorrow I need to pick up more groceries.

[debthaven]

Congratulations to DD2 and to you Chloe! 

I'm in a marking lull until I get 2 reports tomorrow and 59 finals on Fri, so I'll be marking all weekend. I proctored 2 official exams yesterday ... 6 hours with no talking, no phone, no reading. OMG, SO boring lol! 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Thanks! DD#2 is most excited about the $50 cash prize. She is going to spend most of it on iTunes. Ah, 13 year-olds. 

That is an awful sounding six hours, debt!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Monday
regular work day
teeth cleaning
chiropractor
pick up package at post office
make deposit at bank for Project Graduation
eat dinner
pick up DD from dance class and take her to a city council meeting for an award
take home dd; feed her
clean up the house
grade papers for 30 min
dust
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
finish interior house decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, sweep kitchen, clothes for tomorrow,

Tuesday
regular work day
grade papers for two hours while sitting at DD's dance class
finish interior Christmas decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, clothes for tomorrow
Research ranges for other rental house. (It's officially dead.)
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
dust

Tasks To Accomplish After Tuesday
Get a gift for my niece (must be purchased and wrapped by Friday so DH can drop it off on his way to the MFH)
Create spreadsheet for Project Graduation finances
Complete test grading by Wednesday evening
Complete journal grading by Wednesday afternoon
Two contacts for Project Graduation
Complete Christmas Card
Schedule Date Night for December
Establish Christmas Cookie Plan
Keep up on housework--daily cleaning and this week is kitchen deep cleaning

[Jaguar]

Well I just threw out two old plants that were just gone, I've had them for 14 years. They both seen better days.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Tuesday
regular work day
grade papers for two hours while sitting at DD's dance class
finish interior Christmas decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, clothes for tomorrow
Research ranges for other rental house. (It's officially dead.)
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
dust
fill out paperwork for DH to go to the dentist

Tasks To Accomplish After Tuesday
Get a gift for my niece (must be purchased and wrapped by Friday so DH can drop it off on his way to the MFH)
Create spreadsheet for Project Graduation finances
Complete test grading by Wednesday evening
Complete journal grading by Wednesday afternoon
Two contacts for Project Graduation
Complete Christmas Card
Schedule Date Night for December
Establish Christmas Cookie Plan
Keep up on housework--daily cleaning and this week is kitchen deep cleaning

[busymom]

I got the rest (crossing fingers!) of my Christmas shopping completed online today.

I also did a bunch of laundry.

Tomorrow I do the final walkthrough on my relative's apartment, turn in all of the keys, & then that chapter should be done.

[debthaven]

Hope everything went OK with your relative's apartment Busy.

Today was my last MSc class of the semester. :-) Now all I have till Christmas is 3.5h per week of Personnel classes, marking finals, and a day at the main campus (meeting + Christmas lunch/party). 

Tomorrow should be a quiet day, I just have some local errands to run. I want to get them done before this weekend's marking marathon.  

Thurs
- pick up car
- pharmacy
- bank
- laundry
- call to confirm hospital appt
- call Mme M re: hours
- find books for D
- do participation marks
- update spreadsheets
- take leather jacket for repairs
- mark 2 reports

[busymom]

The apartment got a perfect score on the walkthrough!    I've noticed over the years they frequently replace the carpet when someone new moves in, & sure enough they're in the process of putting new carpeting in my relative's apartment (but then, maybe they're worried about the bugs...). 

My Christmas presents are beginning to arrive by mail, so I'm going to begin wrapping them tonight.  Over the years, DS has learned most of my good hiding spots, so I don't want any surprises spoiled.

I finally made it to the grocery store this afternoon.  We could probably use a bit more than I picked up, but it'll tide us over for a few days, anyway.

I'm behind on my preparations for Christmas, so I probably won't be doing any serious purging again until after the holidays.  (I'll give all of you permission to take a break for the next 2 1/2 weeks, too!) 

[debthaven]

Haha thanks Busy, I'm way behind too! 

[debthaven]

Fri
- take leather jacket for repairs
- mark 2 reports
- pharmacy (again)

[WholeLottaNothin]

I just put a cup in the cupboard and shut the door and the whole top shelf fell down. I cleared out half of our cups in about 2 seconds. Unfortunately I lost most of the wineglasses. Luckily we had a lot of cups to begin with.

[busymom]

Ouch, WholeLottaNothin!  That's a tough way to declutter.  (Especially if you liked those dishes & glasses.)

Today was a lesson in frustration here.  I got a call early in the morning from my relative's attorney's assistant, who needs all kinds of information to set up that trust fund.  A lot of the info they needed I don't even know, so I contacted my relative's social worker, and even HE didn't know everything.  This is getting messy.  I basically wasted most of the day making phone calls.

The one thing that went right was DH's Christmas present arrived in the mail.  So, I hurried up & wrapped it up before he got home. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Monday
regular work day
teeth cleaning
chiropractor
pick up package at post office
make deposit at bank for Project Graduation
eat dinner
pick up DD from dance class and take her to a city council meeting for an award
take home dd; feed her
clean up the house
grade papers for 30 min
dust
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
finish interior house decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, sweep kitchen, clothes for tomorrow,

Tuesday
regular work day
grade papers for two hours while sitting at DD's dance class
finish interior Christmas decorating
evening routine: straighten up house, clothes for tomorrow
Research ranges for other rental house. (It's officially dead.)
pay girls & have them pay their "bills"
dust

Tasks To Accomplish After Tuesday
Get a gift for my niece (must be purchased and wrapped by Friday so DH can drop it off on his way to the MFH)
Create spreadsheet for Project Graduation finances
Complete test grading by Wednesday evening
Complete journal grading by Wednesday afternoon
Two contacts for Project Graduation
Complete Christmas Card
Schedule Date Night for December
Establish Christmas Cookie Plan
Keep up on housework--daily cleaning and this week is kitchen deep cleaning


Thursday
accomplished:
survived the thunder and hail storms today
made dinner
got the week's grading finished
have grade print-outs ready for tomorrow
picked up something for project graduation

still need to:
evening routine: straighten up house, clothes for tomorrow, wash face, put away clothes

Friday 
wrap niece's Christmas present
fundraiser duties for Project Graduation 3:30 - 5:30
attend high school play 7:00pm

[debthaven]

Chloe your lists are starting to look like Startsmart's 

I'm picking up my biggest set of finals at about 6 pm. I'm hoping to have them done by Mon, when I teach and pick up the last batch. But it will be a stretch. If I finish them on Monday that's OK too. 

This week's marking - 59 finals
Fri
Class 1: 20 essays  
Sat
Class 2: 20 papers (essays + grammar + vocab)
Sun
Class 3: 19 papers (essays + grammar + vocab)  
Mon
Class 1: 20 grammar and 20 vocab

[Chocolate Lover]

Good luck to everyone with the long lists! My only list item: survive the weekend with sanity intact. DD is having a bonfire/birthday at my aunt's house tonight and the girls will be spending the night. Tomorrow evening is the candlelight Christmas thing at the cemetery where FIL was buried LAST Saturday so of course we have to go to that. I haven't had a quiet weekend since before Thanksgiving and if this introvert doesn't get some time away from humans soon, you may see her on the news. 

[snapdragon]

Dec 11, 2015 9:46:30 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Good luck to everyone with the long lists! My only list item: survive the weekend with sanity intact. DD is having a bonfire/birthday at my aunt's house tonight and the girls will be spending the night. Tomorrow evening is the candlelight Christmas thing at the cemetery where FIL was buried LAST Saturday so of course we have to go to that. I haven't had a quiet weekend since before Thanksgiving and if this introvert doesn't get some time away from humans soon, you may see her on the news. 

Chocolate - Barricade yourself in a room/section of the house and refuse to deal with anyone until you can relax by reading, listening to music, watching a movie or having a bottle of wine.   

[Chocolate Lover]

Dec 11, 2015 10:57:23 GMT -5 snapdragon said:

Dec 11, 2015 9:46:30 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Good luck to everyone with the long lists! My only list item: survive the weekend with sanity intact. DD is having a bonfire/birthday at my aunt's house tonight and the girls will be spending the night. Tomorrow evening is the candlelight Christmas thing at the cemetery where FIL was buried LAST Saturday so of course we have to go to that. I haven't had a quiet weekend since before Thanksgiving and if this introvert doesn't get some time away from humans soon, you may see her on the news. 

Chocolate - Barricade yourself in a room/section of the house and refuse to deal with anyone until you can relax by reading, listening to music, watching a movie or having a bottle of wine.   

Thankfully I can get a little peace at work (slow time of year) but it's still not the same. That's helping keep me off the ledge though.  I told my husband that anyone calling me on Sunday is not going to like it when I answer. lol

[Deleted]

Home today and very lazy, but picking away at the clothes situation.  I'm getting close to having them under control, but still have a ways to go.  To date, I have emptied 8 totes full.  I found another 20 or so pairs of jeans today, MAN, no wonder I've been struggling.  That brings it up to close to 70 pairs that were stored away, probably 90% of which DS never even wore or wore only a few times.  I threw some away, about half are going to SIL that is making jeans quilts and the rest are boxed up to go to the ex for his one year year old.  I can finally walk around my living room.  It had totes and boxes everywhere, but got them all cleared out.

I've also been moving books to the dresser.  I've decided to just keep my favorites and get rid of the rest.  Not sure where too and not sure what to do with the massive amount of kids books either.

After clothes and books is TOYS.  That should be fun.  I did tote up a bunch of matchbox tracks and cars that I think would look great in the ex's apartment. 

Stuffed animals - OMG.  Do we have a lot of stuffed animals.  Huge garbage bags full.   For a while I was "collecting" Santa bears and people were giving them to me all the time.  Now I'm overrun and don't know what to do. 

[debthaven]

Chocolate I don't do well when I'm overwhelmed with social things either. Thinking of you!

MPL, can you donate some of the toys and stuffed animals soon, before Christmas? 70 pairs of jeans, just wow! No wonder you had trouble keeping the clothes organised!

This week's marking - 59 finals/125
Fri
- Class A: 20 essays
Sat
- Class B: 20 essays
- 59 Vocab
Sun
- Class C: 19 essays
- 59 Grammar  
Mon
- finish

I got home at 6.30 and finished one set of essays at 10 pm. Now I have a headache. DS3 rightly said I was going to make myself sick / crazy, so I'm giving myself till Monday for this batch (instead of Sunday). Unfortunately I'm also teaching for 3h on Monday ... and picking up 32 more finals!    

ETA:
Fri
- mark 2 reports
- take leather jacket for repairs
- pharmacy (again)

Which means ...

Sat: 
- pharmacy (again)
- take leather jacket for repairs
- edit DS1's last US grad school essay

[Chocolate Lover]

Good luck with all that marking Debt!    I have an hour and a half of peace left before I get home and have 2 days worth of people/kids. I don't dislike most of them, I just don't do crowds well. 3 people is a crowd

[debthaven]

DS3 asked me when my marks are due. When I told him Jan 7 he told me I was being ridiculous LOL!

I told him as always, I want to be done with marking by the time HE is on vacation (after school on Dec 18), so I can enjoy being with him and DH and my other kids and friends, and really ENJOY my time off, instead of having the marking hanging over my head through Christmas and New Year. Plus this year is DS3's last year at home, although I'm sure I'll still feel that way when he's in college and only home for vacations. 

This said, maybe he's not wrong. So I'm going to continue to "bulldoze" (his word!) my way through these 59 exams as planned, but then maybe I'll take his advice and take it easier for the last 2 classes / 32 finals. 

Chloe, how do you do your marking over vacation? Do you spread it out or do you try to get it over with ASAP? I'm curious. 

[startsmart]

well I filled up the green trash can for the third week in a row (for reference it holds 96 gallons!) and the front yard is looking much better. Got rid of a full bag of recycling this week too from the office, I still need to shred papers so maybe this weekend. 

I finally steam cleaned the carpet in the office, this rug was getting really gross with the dogs in and out all the time. I really need to keep the door closed when I'm not working in here. 

Working on laundry and dishes tonight, those are my 2 big goals to finish so I can start the weekend with a clean slate. 

And, super excited to have closed a new client today which will really help with the projects I want to launch next year in my business, including publishing my book! 

[startsmart]

Weekend List: 
1. fix the gutter downspout in the backyard
2. pick up backyard (scoop poop & leaves)
3. vacuum living room rug, and master bedroom rug
4. clean off counter tops in kitchen
5. remake the bed
6. wash guest room bedding

trying to keep it simple this time 

[debthaven]

This week's marking - 59 finals/125
Fri - Class A: 20 essays
Sat
- Class B: 20 essays
- 59 Vocab
- 59 grammar
Sun
- Class C: 19 essays

+ Edit DS1's last US grad school essay

It's 3.20 6  9.10 pm and I'm REALLY done for today.

DS1 and DS2 are coming over soon so I'm going to do my last errands before they get here. 

[busymom]

I discovered last night that I didn't have as many boxed Christmas cards stored away as I'd thought. (Drat!) So, I went online once again & ordered more. It's normal in my extended family to send out cards late into January & even February, so if lots of folks get theirs late, it's not a big deal. In the meantime I'll write up the ones I have. (Bonus: I did find a good online sale.)

Today I'm attempting to try & get the house looking decent. It's a challenge. Sometimes I think I'm the only one in the house that even does the basics, like wiping the crumbs off the table & counters.

I'm toying with the idea of putting together the treat bags for the nieces & nephews tonight, but I can postpone that if I need to.  DD just messaged me today that she hopes to leave campus a week from Monday (hint-hint-Mom needs to pick her up...).