2016 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[Wisconsin Beth]

Tonight is take down the tree night.

[Saving4Norway]

Jan 8, 2016 17:57:53 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Tonight is take down the tree night.

At our house, too.

[debthaven]

Norway how are things going? Are you feeling better? You are in my thoughts. 

[attitude21]

Had a good week,

   Got hair cut, dog's haircut, all bills paid, did some paperwork on behalf of adult friend who I do finances for. (he has autism.... great person, we are like his second parents as his have both passed. )

Spouse and I to tackle office tomorrow...it has become a catch all...has the possibility to be a really nice room, we just gotta do it! lol

Spouse will be out of town all next week, so will try to get a few things made for me and son for next week. Did grocery shopping last night. Tomorrow is cleaning and organizing and cooking. Will let you know how far we get. We make it pleasant, turn on music or a show we like....

We have tackled so much last couple of years.... it really shows. It is getting easier over time .

Have a good evening and will check in later this weekend.

[busymom]

I was working on my Mom's estate today, & it ended up taking up a bigger chunk of the day than I planned for.

I still need to deliver the new clothing to my relative, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. Also, I need to pick up some laundry detergent.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Saturday & Sunday
Household Paperwork & Tasks
~Emotional clutter - think of someone you have fallen out of touch with that you would like to reconnect with; initiate contact with them, whether that is by phone, email, or in-person.
~Flier for Senior's PG info
~Sale Slip for PG Poster Sales
~Update PG's Financial Picture
~Reconcile Four Accounts
~Pay the Girls; have them pay their bills
~Menus for the week
~Dog's flea and tick meds
~Send out this couple of week's birthday cards
~Put away gift wrapping containers
~Walk the dog on Saturday

Cleaning
~Detailed Cleaning Zone for this week: Kitchen: 30 Tasks to complete | 6 currently completed
~Books - spend 5 minutes and gather books from wherever you have them all over your house and put them into one please. Apply the rule if you're not going to read those books, or you're past loving them, pull 5 out that you can let go of, then another 5, then another 5, and so on, until you're happy with what you have left, and they can fit on a bookshelf somewhere.
~toilets
~mop
~clean purse & bag

Classroom
~Grading Tests: 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th (Periods)
~Update Gradebook
~Journal Prompts
~Create Test #4 for 7th & 8th

[startsmart]

Today I bought Season 1 of Hoarders on Amazon to watch while I clean and declutter! Watching back to back episodes while I go through medications, my dresser and bathroom.

Added another 25 items that were expired meds or just needed to be tossed. I have a bunch more items to take to Goodwill that I'm not counting until they're out the door. 

While I have a lot of work to do in my business this weekend I'm hoping to spend a couple hours in the office working on papers too.

ETA: got 2 full paper bags of paper shredded so adding that to my total

[Saving4Norway]

Jan 8, 2016 19:41:06 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Norway how are things going? Are you feeling better? You are in my thoughts. 

Thank you, debt, you are so sweet. I'm hanging in there. I had another appt with the counselor. Not a ton of help from him but I'm still going to go to him for a while to give him a chance to do me some good. This was the first week back to school for me. It was a crazy-hectic week but I managed to do a pretty good job keeping my head above water.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Tree is out, lights and ornaments are boxed up and back on shelf in basement.

Today is funeral/visitation thing for my great uncle. He died last week at the age of 101.

[busymom]

Sorry about your loss, Wisconsin Beth.  Such a cold day for a funeral, too. 

DS & I are going to venture out into the cold, then we'll stay home, catch up on laundry, & I'll be working to organize the tax records from 2015.  Such a wild weekend!    But, at least we'll be indoors where it's warm!

[plugginaway22]

Wasted some time this morning!  Decided to return the bathroom cabinet for a different finish they had, so we did that. Stopped to drop off a bill that I only pay annually, grabbed breakfast with DH, and now we are back home. Still have a few Christmas things to pack away, most is done!
Really want to spend some time in our bedroom closet today as we both received some nice things for Christmas and I want to get rid of MORE that we are not wearing.
Happy de-cluttering to All!

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 9, 2016 11:30:25 GMT -5 busymom said:

Sorry about your loss, Wisconsin Beth.  Such a cold day for a funeral, too. 

DS & I are going to venture out into the cold, then we'll stay home, catch up on laundry, & I'll be working to organize the tax records from 2015.  Such a wild weekend!    But, at least we'll be indoors where it's warm!

Thank you. It's sad but hey, 101.

[moneysquirrel]

Jan 3, 2016 22:38:26 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

Weekly

School:



Update class web site once projects are assigned
Set up binder for new semester


House:



Maintain the cleared off flat areas 
Put away Christmas Items -- Nutcrackers, Nativity, Linens (after the 6th)

Keep up with the routine chores

Crafts: I think I will keep the same goals as last week.

Crochet at least 4 rows on afghan
Finish one stringing project

Try to finish the one new beading project that was started -- making progress

I did okay this weekend.  Managed to get almost every thing done on the list.  Once I'm back at school things have a habit of backsliding so I am hoping that being here will encourage me to stay on task.  Need to get to sleep as 5 am will be here very soon.

[moneysquirrel]

Still trying to complete a few more of these.

Will work on new list for tomorrow. 

[Ombud]

Here's how far they've gotten:
Hall bath
o Replaced mirror, sink, light
o Removed light, install overhead fan
o Painted all including ceiling

Other rooms:
o Repaired walls
○ Painted
o Removed blinds and installed new rods
o Office: light switch, built out shelving
o Moved TV from one room to another (hung on wall)

To do:
Garage: chain latch on side door
Kitchen: oven screw missing
Side yard: nail up one board

Coit confirmed for Tuesday

Community Mattress confirmed for Friday

Email confirmation from Salvation Army for Friday

then I can slack for awhile as work ramps up

[debthaven]

Beth I'm sorry about your great uncle. It's true, 101 is a grand age. 

DS1 came back home today with his GF to work on his last (UK) grad school application. It is so nice to have them here! DH helped him because I was working.

They are leaving tomorrow for a week in the UK. DS1 has two trainings coming up for his new UK job which he will probably start in Sept (with his employer's blessing, believe it or not) while his GF goes back to grad school. He is also applying to one PhD program in the UK so they MAY both be going back to school at the same time. Everything is still up in the air, and I'm not asking too many questions, since they are both incredibly canny and pragmatic.

DS2 is coming to lunch with his new GF tomorrow. We've met her once and REALLY liked her! They showed up unexpectedly the day after DS1's eye surgery, DH made breakfast but DS1 couldn't stand the daylight in the kitchen, so we all ate breakfast in the living room with the curtains drawn. I told her not to worry, we are not vampires. 

I spent ALL DAY either cooking or prepping for the upcoming semester which starts Monday. I'm starting to get very nervous, as I always do before a new semester. But I got a LOT done today, so I'm feeling better about that. Some of my classes are taught to a curriculum so I don't have to do all the lesson plans myself. This is the first year we are not necessarily keeping our classes for the whole year and I know my 3 new first year classes will be wanting their former teacher (who is a friend of mine, I got her into the school). Then I have to learn their names. 

I also went through a bunch of (school) paperwork, and either filed / burnt it / am bringing it in on Monday. 

I'm also really stressed about the new train schedule.

I'm hoping to see my friend A tomorrow, I won't be able to see her Mon / Tues and I don't want to go 4 days without seeing her. But as school starts and then the marking starts, I may not have much of a choice. I can spend Wed afternoon there, but I'd still rather see her tomorrow even for a little while. 

[debthaven]

As far as the house goes, DH wants a 60th birthday party in the spring. Five years after his accident, he's decided he wants a party.  So we are finally getting the LR ceiling redone! Our painter is on vacation now but he'll be back late January, which is perfect timing, because DS1 and his GF will be away for a month. 

I would also like to redo DS2's bedroom and turn it into a guest room / office but we'll see how much that would cost. That room (the second Master) became his bedroom when he was 16. He's nearly 28 so the entire (big) room needs repainting and new carpeting.

Once DS1 gets his Stuff out of his basement bedroom, and his furniture out of DS2's bedroom (because it couldn't make it down the basement stairs to his bedroom) we will have a lot of rearranging to do in DS1's and DS's bedrooms.

DH is in a band with 4 friends, two of them have a music room. I'm thinking maybe we can turn DS1's basement bedroom into a music room (with a lot of bookshelves lol).

[tcu2003]

Peter Walsh's #31Days2GetOrganized Challenge:

1. Set up a donation center (bin, basket, garbage bag, etc.) in your home and add 5 things to it
2. Look in your closet for the pair(s) of shoes that is most covered in dust, and add it to your donation pile. (He also mentioned the 80/20 rule where you wear 20% of your shoes 80% of the time.)
3. Pick any single room in your house and tackle the floor. Get every single thing that doesn't belong on the floor of that room off the floor, whether it is toys, books, clutter, etc.
4. Unmentionables - go through your unmentionables drawer, and get rid of at least 5 items that you don't need/love/wear because they're stretched out, don't like them, etc.
5. Bathroom - choose 1 drawer, cupboard, or shelf, and go through all of the lotions, makeup, medicines, etc. Throw away anything that is out-of-date, and items you do not use.
6. Kitchen plates and bowls - go through the drawers, cupboards, etc. that have plates and bowls in your kitchen, and get rid of any orphan plates and bowls that don't match, no one knows where they came from, you don't use, etc.
7. Emotional clutter - think of someone you have fallen out of touch with that you would like to reconnect with; initiate contact with them, whether that is by phone, email, or in-person.
8. Books - spend 5 minutes and gather books from wherever you have them all over your house and put them into one please. Apply the rule of 5 - if you're not going to read those books, or you're past loving them, pull 5 out that you can let go of, then another 5, then another 5, and so on, until you're happy with what you have left, and they can fit on a bookshelf somewhere.
9. Take down and put away all of your holiday decorations, but before you put them back in storage, go through them all and get rid of anything you don't use, need, or want.

[Jaguar]

I've started clearing out the paperwork clutter from other areas in my apartment. It's a process, but I'm going forward, cause I need to be clutter free.

[debthaven]

Whoo hoo Sugi you're on a roll!

[Jaguar]

Jan 9, 2016 21:31:56 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Whoo hoo Sugi you're on a roll!

Debt most of this paperwork is just pure clutter some from way back in 2000, and not applicable to my life now. It's insane clutter.

[debthaven]

It's great that you're finally going through it! You must feel so much lighter with every bag that leaves the house. 

[Jaguar]

Jan 9, 2016 21:36:03 GMT -5 debthaven said:

It's great that you're finally going through it! You must feel so much lighter with every bag that leaves the house. 

Oh I can't wait until the garbage truck gets here, it's incredible just how free I feel. I'm filling up the recycle bins and it feels so awesome !

[Ombud]

Just went out to put recycling in the larger outside bin. Apparently the contractor had the 2 confused: my garbage bin is the 20 gallon one / recycling the 85 gallon one. So I had to transfer them to the correct bins. Ugh

And, of course, garbage can is FULL

[Jaguar]

Our recycle bin is a big one and it gets taken every other week. I get them filled so quickly that my BIL has to find empty bins on the street for his items. oh well.

[busymom]

I did get my relative's clothes delivered. And, I got more detergent, so I'm trying to get the laundry caught up. It is NASTY cold out. If you sit within 3-4 feet of my windows, you can actually feel the cold creeping in. Brrr!

[Jaguar]

Oh this is so freaking good, just getting rid of this shitty clutter. I'm so happy and I feel so mentally energized. Getting stuff out of your home is a really good thing.

[dogmom]

Yesterday was cleaning out paper clutter. I really can't believe how much stuff we get that DH seems to think we have to keep.  Fighting a losing battle. 

We have a "bin" that we put paid receipts in, brokerage statements, etc.  I put the brokerage statements in date order and put them on the kitchen table.  NO KIDDING, that stack was 3" thick.  I want to go paperless, DH flat out refused.  I put old receipts that we didn't need any more in the shred box, he took them out and said we need these for reference.  WTH?

Anyway, on a positive note, we have a donation pickup scheduled for 1-28.  Do you think they will take DH? 

Congratulations on all you have accomplished!  Keep up the good work.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 10, 2016 7:03:10 GMT -5 dogmom said:

Yesterday was cleaning out paper clutter. I really can't believe how much stuff we get that DH seems to think we have to keep.  Fighting a losing battle. 

We have a "bin" that we put paid receipts in, brokerage statements, etc.  I put the brokerage statements in date order and put them on the kitchen table.  NO KIDDING, that stack was 3" thick.  I want to go paperless, DH flat out refused.  I put old receipts that we didn't need any more in the shred box, he took them out and said we need these for reference.  WTH?

Anyway, on a positive note, we have a donation pickup scheduled for 1-28.  Do you think they will take DH? 

Congratulations on all you have accomplished!  Keep up the good work.

Can you show your DH this information to help him not keep stuff?

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Saturday was not productive...

Sunday

Household Paperwork & Tasks

~Emotional clutter - think of someone you have fallen out of touch with that you would like to reconnect with; initiate contact with them, whether that is by phone, email, or in-person.

~Flier for Senior's PG info (finalize changes from yesterday's first draft)

~Sale Slip for PG Poster Sales (finalize changes from yesterday's first draft)

~Update PG's Financial Picture

~Enter receipts from DH's MFH excursion yesterday done
~Pay the Girls; have them pay their bills done

~Menus for the week

~Dog's flea and tick meds

~Send out this couple of week's birthday cards

~Put away gift wrapping containers


Cleaning

~Detailed Cleaning Zone for this week: Kitchen: 30 Tasks to complete | 6 currently completed 16 of 31 completed. I'm calling it done for this month.

~Books - spend 5 minutes and gather books from wherever you have them all over your house and put them into one please. Apply the rule if you're not going to read those books, or you're past loving them, pull 5 out that you can let go of, then another 5, then another 5, and so on, until you're happy with what you have left, and they can fit on a bookshelf somewhere.

~toilets

~mop (I swept the whole house, but I didn't mop)

~clean purse & bag

~dispose of flowers in my bedroom (well, I brought them to the kitchen; does that count? It's actually tulip bulbs, so I don't want to just toss them.)


Classroom

~Grading Tests: 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th (Periods)

~Update Gradebook

~Journal Prompts

~Create Test #4 for 7th & 8th
~Hall Pass update.