2016 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[WholeLottaNothin]

Hit 100! That was quicker than I thought it would happen. I can't believe we STILL have so much crap. This has to be the 4th year in a row I've been part of this thread.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Is anyone else having trouble with proboards? Since the new year, The font options and picture, link, tagging, etc options are not always available to me. 

[Jaguar]

Jan 10, 2016 15:02:14 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Is anyone else having trouble with proboards? Since the new year, The font options and picture, link, tagging, etc options are not always available to me. 

No problems for me, so far. Have you tried clearing your cache & cookies ?

[Deleted]

I am relining the kitchen cabinets with new vinyl liner (not contact paper, which is what is there now.). The old stuff is at least 12+ years old since it was here when I moved in.

 I did the set of cabinets where the countertop appliances are stored last summer, and it looks so cheerful and clean. So I started on the rest of the kitchen.  It's a great project because it forces me to look at every item on every shelf and decide if I need it or not.  I also look at every can of food to see if it is in date or anywhere close.  I found a tub of frosting that was best used by 2014! 

So far in addition to a few cans of "expired" food that I know we won't eat, I managed to put two sets of countertop heat pads (one unopened . . . sigh), four small white bowls that are about ramekin size, and six fondue forks that belong to the fondue pot that I donated last summer into the donation box.  Twelve items!

Off to update my signature!    I won't count the food.

[moneysquirrel]

Hope to complete this week:


School:


Run off tests for 6th
Correct 7th quizzes -- 121 
Correct 6th test --  80
Correct 5th project -- 65
Correct 6th project -- 80
Rubric for 6th test

House:


Maintain past progress
Keep up with the routine chores
Organize table linen storage


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



Crochet at least 4 rows on afghan

Finish one stringing project

Start a new beading project.

I did manage to complete everything this week but all the new grading will begin in earnest this week so I am not sure if I can maintain this schedule.  

[Jaguar]

I've just started gutting out another drawer, this one is already half done cause it's a small one.

[spartan7886]

Jan 7, 2016 8:01:19 GMT -5 spartan7886 said:

Jan 3, 2016 22:22:49 GMT -5 spartan7886 said:

To Do list for the work week:
-Take down remaining Christmas decorations (post-Epiphany)
-Assemble new desk (34 steps)
-Rebalance investment accounts after IRA funds and employee stock purchase program hit (probably also later in the week)

A short list this week, but that desk is going to be a major project.

Over halfway done with the work week, and I've accomplished 7/34 steps on the desk and that's pretty much it. I'll probably put that on hold and take down the Christmas stuff today. I did fill out the application and submit the registration fee for the daycare, so at least that's done, even if it wasn't on the list.

Well, including the weekend we managed to take down all the Christmas decorations. They're split about half completely put away and half still gathered on the dining room table. Up to step 22 on the desk, though. Apparently there was a 7 day hold on the investment account transfers, not 3 days, so that will be doable tonight. Only new task to add for the week is working on a baby registry.

[megaptera]

Jan 5, 2016 12:42:53 GMT -5 megaptera said:

Here is my stuff-to-get-done-by-Sunday-evening list:

1. Drop off some permitting paperwork at county office.*

2. Install towel rack in kids' bathroom.*

3. Figure out insurance on a particular medical bill.

4. Call city for inspection on recently installed water heater.

5. Drop off bag of donations (that's been sitting in my bedroom for at least 3 months) at Goodwill.

6. Finish organizing fridge (we finally bought a new one before our old one completely crashed).

7. Clean off the counter where mail/paperwork/office supplies live and multiply like rabbits.

Well, I finished most of the list (the unfinished one is DH's chore). I don't think I would have if I wasn't forcing myself to report to you all. This might actually work for me.

My new list to have finished by next Sunday evening:

1. Start new Goodwill bag/box, and add 5 items to it.

2. Declutter DD's clothes and get rid of stuff that she doesn't wear/is too small.

3. Organize my knitting corner of the living room.

4. Clean main floor bathroom. (This should be a weekly thing, but since it's not yet , I will add it here occasionally. (I'm only tracking non-weekly tasks/decluttering/organizing here.))

5. Clean out and replace filters in water filter.

6. Continue to slowly improve meal planning. :/

Have a great week everyone!

[Waffle]

Well, the weekend wasn't as productive as I thought it would be. Could have something to do with the fact that I didn't stay home much of Saturday.

Anyhow, I did get one goal done - clean stuff off the floors of two rooms (a doubling of one of Peter Walsh's challenges).    I sold several things on ebay over the weekend.  So a good chunk of tonight will be spent wrapping things for shipment.  I'll probably do a load of laundry and try to get to bed early.   I didn't sleep well last night, so I'll probably be ready to hit the hay pretty early tonight.

[Deleted]

Yay! I did another shelf in my "pantry" today.  We don't really have a pantry; what we have is a ton of cabinets.  The ones where we keep food are three standard cabinet doors by 3 shelves.  The shelves are 78" long.  So I've done two of those now.  One more to go!

[debthaven]

You guys are doing great!

Long day at work, then DS3's parent-teacher conferences, then rehearsal. I was gone from 6.55 am to 10.45 pm.

Emptied the dishwasher and started laundry. That's all for today.

Tomorrow is basically the same, unless I decide not to have dinner with our friend from out of town (DH is going with or without me, which is fine). I like this friend A LOT so I want to make the effort. I HATE going out during the week, especially in winter. I hate going out 3 nights in a row even more. (Two of them are rehearsals, I have no choice about those.)

I'm not getting the response I hoped for about my friend, even though 2 of the people on the email group are even closer than I am. I get that people are busy and I know they are doing other things but I'm basically asking for one evening PER MONTH. So I'm a bit disappointed. NONE of these women have kids younger than 11th grade, and most have adult kids who no longer live at home. So the issue is NOT about leaving little kids. In fact, the only 2 evening "regulars" are me and my best friend who has 2 kids in 11th grade. She's also the ONLY one who works FT ... I told her thank you but no not every week (she offered), but thank you yes to once every other week.

This said, people HAVE stepped up for this week (I couldn't do evenings this week although I can do days). So it's possible people just don't want to "sign up" in advance. Ideally I'd like to keep this up through February, but I realize that may not be possible.

I can do an evening most weeks, although I can't this week. I've put myself down for an evening per week except for this week. I absolutely do NOT want to be a PITA, but I thought that between the "core" of 6 people and the "occasionals" we could cover 8 evenings per month. Maybe not. We'll see.

PS In the email I sent out, I asked WHICH WEEK can you visit A in the evening? (Week of Jan 11, Jan 18, etc). I did NOT ask  ppl to commit to a specific day, although I suggested that whichever two people "take a week" confer to make sure they don't go the same evening (nothing wrong with that, but the point is to make sure A has company two evenings a week.)

Do you think I'm being a PITA? I've decided to finish organizing January, although I'm no longer sure I'll do February. If I can get her through January that will be 6 weeks.

She is on sick leave until early March. At that point, hopefully she will return to work, even PT, and have sorted some of the paperwork, and hopefully be ready to go out to close friends, and it will be less of an issue.

Thanks for listening.

[busymom]

I think you're a great friend, debthaven!

I was buried in paperwork again today.  And then, after a couple of days of getting almost no mail, the mailbox was packed full.  Oh well, at least my work is consistent. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

debthaven, I think everyone deals with death differently. (did not intend the alliteration there )

Some people want to openly grieve while others try to ignore something happened while others are easily accepting of it. So, it could be that some of the friends just don't understand or agree that a person needs to be there every night. Others may believe that it is close family members who need to be doing this. 

You are being a lovely friend for taking care of her so well. 

[Chocolate Lover]

debthaven, you are such a wonderful friend! 


@bamafan1954  ROLL TIDE!

[tcu2003]

Sorry for the delay - traveling since Sunday for work, but at the airport now to head home, so time to catch up on this and some other things.

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.
10. Kitchen small appliances - if you have duplicates of appliances in your kitchen, get rid of one and add to your donation. Also, if you have any appliances that you don't need, don't use, or don't have space for, get rid of that and add to your donation pile.
11. Outdated Media - choose of 3 areas (VHS tapes, record albums, cassette tapes); VHS tapes - get rid of ones you can let go of, and ones to be digitized, put in the car and take them someplace today; record albums - if you're not listening to them, get rid of them, or download the digital album first if that helps; cassette tapes - again, let them go, and download digital files if you need or want to
12. Office - pick any 2 shelves in your office and go through them; get rid of anything you don't need or want

[tcu2003]

Jan 12, 2016 13:56:28 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

Sorry for the delay - traveling since Sunday for work, but at the airport now to head home, so time to catch up on this and some other things.

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.
10. Kitchen small appliances - if you have duplicates of appliances in your kitchen, get rid of one and add to your donation. Also, if you have any appliances that you don't need, don't use, or don't have space for, get rid of that and add to your donation pile.
11. Outdated Media - choose of 3 areas (VHS tapes, record albums, cassette tapes); VHS tapes - get rid of ones you can let go of, and ones to be digitized, put in the car and take them someplace today; record albums - if you're not listening to them, get rid of them, or download the digital album first if that helps; cassette tapes - again, let them go, and download digital files if you need or want to
12. Office - pick any 2 shelves in your office and go through them; get rid of anything you don't need or want

Previously done: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9
Completed since my last update: 6, 10

To do: 3, 8, 11 (pretty sure we don't need to do this one, but I need to check and make sure DH doesn't have any cassette tapes stashed somewhere I don't know about ), 12

[Ombud]

Coit: done
To do:
♤ Garage: chain latch on side door
♡ Bathroom: Contractor replacing fan with quieter one
◇ Kitchen: oven screw missing
♧ Side yard: nail up one board
Friday:
♤ Community Mattress
♡ Salvation Army

[Jaguar]

All the garbage is gone, woo hoo!

[Martivir]

Let's try this again. DS's room is the only somewhat organized room in the house right now because DH got a bug up his rear and cleared it out of ALL toys. So kiddo has one bookshelf of stuff and the rest is downstairs in his play area. Which is now filled with totes of toys. That I need to go through because of course DH doesn't have the time and the kid wants to keep everything.

The thing I need to get done the most this week is my sewing junk. Clean up my area and do inventory. I finally started the business and inventory shouldn't be too bad since I started in Nov. and two weeks later everyone got sick and stayed sick one way or another till after Christmas. 

The good thing about this year( to me anyways) is that we have an Amvets closer than I thought. My new rule is if I want to go I have to bring something to donate. It's cheaper than the Salvation Army that is down the street and much cleaner. Friendlier people too. 

[debthaven]

In the end DH went out by himself, I stayed home and finished the laundry. No regrets at not having to go out 3 nights in a row.

I had a very long break at work yesterday so I cleaned out my 4 main teaching binders. I still have 4 more to do. I'll do them gradually whenever I have a free period, so it will take a few weeks. The escalators in the building (not the school itself) have been broken for 2 weeks and the binders are too heavy to shlep from the main building to the annex.

In the end I DID hear from the friends ... so I feel much better about that. Chloe, she doesn't have family here except for their young adult sons, she is foreign too.

Tcu, thank you for posting the challenges! I don't always have time to check them on FB so I really appreciate it.

[wvugurl26]

Debthaven it is very kind of you to try and set this up for your friend. I hope you get enough people signed up. I imagine dinner time can be very lonely.

[busymom]

Hiya Kids! It's another paperwork day here. My goal today is to completely organize my Mom's records so tax time will be easy.

[Ombud]

Martivir, there's only 2 thrift stores I buy at: Amvets & Hospice. But Salvation Army is the only one that'll pick up beds. They go to their shelter. Beds are in fairly good condition but wrong size & it's better than the .

W2 is ready for me to pick up so I'll work on taxes again Friday. Still need to wait for 1099s

[snapdragon]

Jan 8, 2016 17:10:29 GMT -5 snapdragon said:

Jeeze, 

I just got a call from my Dad he is dropping off one of K's bikes for me in the morning....That means I have to actually pick up the house and get stuff done tonight. Nothing like pressure, Right? And his version of early is going to be about 8 AM I'm sure, So much for sleeping in tomorrow. 

But than I will have a nice bike for riding with the nicer weather coming up.   

Well I managed to do some general picking up and cleaning so I felt decent about having dad in the house. And I was correct, he showed up at about 7:55 AM on Saturday morning. It's really funny, I picked the bike I wanted due to it having a really low frame (because I have short legs) and I figured it just would be easier for me to get on and off. Come to find out it is a electric bike so I can turn on the motor and go up some really large hills without killing myself. And I live on the top of a hill so this is handy.

Than we went out for breakfast and had a decent conversation about life and money and family.

[Martivir]

Snapdragon, I would love an electric bike. I think they are neat. I live in a nice dense area that is great for biking everywhere. However I am sorely out of shape and after a mile I'm toast. Within a couple of mile radius I have grocery stores, my doc's office, Target, our little main street with all sorts of cute shops, and my favorite comic book shop. I share a car with DH so I'm carless during the day while he is at work. 

Didn't get to inventory just yet but plowed through the disaster that was my kitchen. Kiddo has cub scouts tonight so I need to figure out dinner so we can be out the door by six. Looks like a grilled cheese and tomato soup night. 

[debthaven]

Snap my DD LOVES her electric bike! It was probably worth the early morning wake up. ;-)

I did errands today: supermarket (2 stores), bank, bottle bank. 

No rehearsals till next Wed  . (I enjoy the rehearsals, but not getting home at 10.30-10.45 and getting up at 6.) 

I didn't see my friend today because she has out-of-town guests. I will go (with food) on Fri. 

[Jaguar]

I'm still getting organized, but it's looking so damn good here, cause there are no clutter piles anywhere.

[debthaven]

Ombed I'm astonished anybody still uses a bedspread lol, but if you do, glad it will last for longer! 

DH hit me with a work bombshell yesterday, I posted on the job hunt thread. I may start a new thread about it but not tonight, I have to get up in 5 hours. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Hi. I'm tired. Mostly caught up on grading. Only maintenance cleaning done on house. Don't even know what zone I'm supposed to deep clean this week. Hopefully will be able to catch up reading all of your stories and chat with you all soon. 

[WholeLottaNothin]

I stayed home sick from work today. I have a cold that just won't quit. It started around Christmas time. Have done a little decluttering as the mood strikes. I'm up to 161 out of 1000 so far. I'm 16% of the way to my goal and we're still in January. I'm pretty happy about that.