2016 Declutter and Get Organized Thread

[debthaven]

Gifts update
DD - DONE!
DS2's GF - DONE!
DS1 - DONE!
DS2 - DONE!
DS3 - DONE!
DDIL - NEARLY DONE! I just found out DH got the tea! So I just need a shawl to match the dress, or (per DS1) a hat. 
DH - NOT DONE! BUT, I know what we're getting him and it's been put aside, I just need to pick it up Fri or Sat.

Just 2 gifts left, whoo hoo! We need to pick up the turkey we ordered but DH has promised to do that.

I also always get my people at school something, but since money is tight, I think I will try making fudge this year. Busy, would you share your recipe, if it's easy?

Fri
- DH gift
- DDIL gift
- order Christmas log
- pharmacy
- mark 2 last exams (EVERY year I get so fed up with marking, I end up doing this tiny class the day the marks are due)
- pick up turkey (DH)

[jeep108]

They are sending me to MD Anderson Cancer Center Cardio/Pulmonary Center in Houston, I'll be seeing Elie N. Mouhayar, MD. They will be calling me Tuesday to make my appointment. They thought they would be able to schedule me for the second week of Jan.

[debthaven]

Jeep, you must be so relieved to have that info. Is your family in driving distance?

I hope everything goes well. I know it's terribly stressful but it sounds like you will be in excellent hands.

[Jaguar]

jeep108, I hope it goes well for you. << BIG HUGS >>

[jeep108]

Dec 22, 2016 17:55:52 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Jeep, you must be so relieved to have that info. Is your family in driving distance?

I hope everything goes well. I know it's terribly stressful but it sounds like you will be in excellent hands.

Houston is 16 to 18 hour drive from where I live.  My husband works on cranes and his company is world wide.  He's gong to try and work from Houston. Other than that I will be alone.

[debthaven]

Oh Jeep, that is far. I really hope that your husband can work from Houston for as long as you're there.

Do you have family or friends your kids can stay with?

[wvugurl26]

So sorry that it's far from home jeep. I do hope it works out though that the doctors are gifted. I tend to take it for granted having so many great specialists near me.

[startsmart]

dee- I got the rugs at RugsUSA, check their clearance tab and you'll find them 90% off 

I was able to get the rabies vaccine to the county but the guy never showed up for our meeting. I think he got confused and thought I was at a different place. 

As we're getting closer to the holidays my goal will be to stay home 95% of the time (with the exception of the chiropractor tomorrow) and relax. 


My Thurs/Friday to do list:
put away all the clean dishes - mostly done, refilling the dishwasher
vacuum all the rooms and straighten up rugs
steam clean the office rug
take out the trash
get together paperwork for Thursday
send proof of rabies vaccine to county
Spent 3 hours in my office working on paperwork
dust the bookshelves and desk in the office
fix kitchen curtains


Weekend:
make orange juice
make orange rind, cinnamon spice pot on the stove
bake pretzel jello salad
open a bottle of wine
watch 2 of my new movies

[dee27]

Thank you, startsmart.

[moneysquirrel]

Another update -- Will continue to pull ideas from the list as I get them done (if they get done) 

Dec 20, 2016 17:05:34 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

Updating the list -- eliminated items that have been completed.

Dec 18, 2016 20:23:23 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

This week's list:

Home/Personal

*Organize the BR.
*Organize Bead Room
*Sam’s run
*Exercise – Monday and hopefully a few other days
*Gym gift cards for future training (GCs are on special now) -- got one plan to get another 
*Shred old documents -- Started 
*Deliver unusable-to-me craft books and material to give to friend -- packed in car for delivery later this week
*Write the last of the thank you note cards -- only about 4 left

School (hopefully done sometime during break)

*Update Field Trip Forms – to be given out upon return to school -- done need to wait for ok before printing
*Back up school files to portable hard drive
*Ignore emails as much as possible

Crafts

*Start new project for me
*Finish loom bracelet
*Decipher pattern for future project
*Organize patterns – those done and those to do
*Create list of items that need to be remade before craft shows in the spring– usually items that have proven to be good sellers.

Also got the car inspection done.  Still need to wrap presents but that won't take a lot of time.

[Sharon]

Congratulations Debt. 

[moneysquirrel]

Debt -- Great news.
Jeep -- Thinking of you as you go though the next step.

I got the car serviced this morning as well as catching up on laundry.  Shredded a large garage bag of old papers.  I am sure that if the mood strikes again that I can fill up another one or two.  Have only a few gifts left to wrap and the last of the thank you notes to write.  

I am slowly going through the bedroom and adding items to both trash and donation piles.  That is how I got started on the shredding this morning. I still have some items to go through so I should be adding to both piles soon.

Planning to stay close to home the next few days.  Traffic near the malls have been getting really crazy so there is no way that I am planning going any where near them.  

Signing off so maybe I can get something done. LOL

[busymom]

What fun, getting to buy baby clothes again, debthaven!  I know you'll really enjoy becoming a Grandma. 

We've got sNOw that's supposed to arrive here Friday, so I went to the grocery store early this morning to buy potato sausage, and they didn't have any.  So, I called after dinner tonight, & their truck had come in with some on it, so I ran over & got the sausage.    NOW I feel ready for Christmas Eve, regardless of whatever the weather decides to do.

[plugginaway22]

Shower
Haircut
Wine Store
Bank
Home to finish wrapping.
Bake another batch of cookies.

[busymom]

They're still talking sNOw for us today, although it hasn't gotten here yet. Today I clean house. (Not too exciting, I know...)

Sending more <HUGS> to jeep108! 

[debthaven]

Gifts update
DD - DONE!
DS2's GF - DONE!
DS1 - DONE!
DS2 - DONE!
DS3 - DONE!
DDIL - DONE! I got a shawl AND a hat, both 50% off.
DH - DONE!

Fri
- DH gift
- DDIL gift
- pick up turkey (DH)
- order Christmas log (too late. So I'll have to buy one tomorrow.)
- pharmacy
- pick up package
- more wrapping paper
- mark 2 last exams 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Still enjoying my week off with very little to accomplish or go do. 
Regular routines today, plus wrapping a few presents. 

[plugginaway22]

All done, except a few final gifts to wrap...so many people out doing the same thing!

[wvugurl26]

Was doing errands today outside of my normal area. Pulled into a shopping plaza and spotted a Goodwill. The bag of clothes is out of my trunk. I'm getting the new mats out in my car so that box will be out of the way. And the Christmas gifts go home with me tomorrow.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Have about 1/3 of my regular daily stuff done. DH and I ran some errands which took longer than normal because of the length of check out lines. It's quite rainy today; I"m not optimistic about walking the dog.  

[debthaven]

I wanted to finish my errands today but I had a stomach ache so it didn't happen. Since I couldn't get the wrapping paper, I couldn't finish wrapping the gifts.

It looks like a lot but it's all very local, so it should take less than an hour.

Sat
- buy Christmas log 
- pharmacy
- pick up Amazon package
- buy more wrapping paper, paper towels, Camomile tea
- wrap last gifts
- mark 2 last exams??

[startsmart]

debthaven - that's exciting! Congrats on the new baby in the family  

jeep - wow, that's a quick response around the holidays. Is it good that they're moving fast or frustrating since you thought you had more time? I'm hoping that your DH will be able to work in Houston while you're undergoing treatment so you have someone to help out. 

Just about done with everything I need to do until next week. I have enough work and cooking to keep me busy at home the next few days. 

Good luck getting it all done y'all  

My Thurs/Friday to do list:
put away all the clean dishes
vacuum all the rooms and straighten up rugs - halfway done
steam clean the office rug
take out the trash
get together paperwork for Thursday
send proof of rabies vaccine to county
Spent 3 hours in my office working on paperwork
dust the bookshelves and desk in the office
fix kitchen curtains


Weekend:
make orange juice
make orange rind, cinnamon spice pot on the stove
bake pretzel jello salad
open a bottle of wine
watch 2 of my new movies

[debthaven]

Sat
- buy Christmas log I got up early and got the one the kids asked for
- pharmacy
- buy more wrapping paper
- wrap last gifts
- last supermarket run (DH)
- switch kitchen and DR tables
- set table
- pick up Amazon package
- mark 2 last exams??

[Sharon]

debthaven please explain what is a Christmas log.  In our area the Christmas log is the big piece of wood that will keep your fire going all day, sometimes referred to as a Yule log.  Somehow I don't think your kids are asking for a specific piece of wood.

The office closed down at noon yesterday and I got quite a bit done.

Today's list
Pick up rolls
Make stuffing/dressing
Dust- In progress.  I am taking a dusting break.
Laundry
Clean Bathrooms
Vacuum
Find the table cloths
Deliver the last neighbor goodie plate
Change the sheets on the bed
Empty waste baskets
Take newspapers out to recycle bin

[NastyWoman]

Dec 22, 2016 13:09:24 GMT -5 debthaven said:

I have some great news!!! I have been sitting on it since we went to London, because DS1 wanted to tell DS2 (who just arrived back in Paris today) and his grandfather before I told anybody else... We're getting the BEST PRESENT EVER, in June!!!

Guess what... I'll have a second DGS come June. I have known for ~6 weeks now but since they have lost several pregnancies I didn't want to jinx anything by telling. DGS in his own cute, not quite 3yo way, told me that he was going to be a big brother and that mommy had a little brother for him in her stomach. After that I got a nice lecture about how little brother had to grow some more before he could come out 

[startsmart]

I think it's telling that I'm still working on the Thurs/Fri list! The office clean up has grown considerably so I need to finish getting things moved so I can do the rug tonight. I now have a huge pile of stuff in the hallway that's going to Goodwill on Monday, looking forward to getting that out of the house. 

My Thurs/Friday to do list:
put away all the clean dishes
vacuum all the rooms and straighten up rugs
steam clean the office rug
take out the trash
get together paperwork for Thursday
send proof of rabies vaccine to county
Spent 3 hours in my office working on paperwork
dust the bookshelves and desk in the office
fix kitchen curtains


Weekend:
make orange juice
make orange rind, cinnamon spice pot on the stove
bake pretzel jello salad 
open a bottle of wine
watch 2 of my new movies

[debthaven]

Oh HollynotJolly Congratulations! That's such a sweet explanation. I hope that all goes well this time.

Sharon the Christmas cakes here are long and thin, ie shaped like logs, and called a "Christmas log" (buche de noel)

[naughtybear]

I used to make a Christmas log each year...ohh memories.

[busymom]

We're running a little late on dinner here, but we're having our traditional Swedish potato sausage.  In spite of media warnings to watch out for ISIS at churches, there wasn't any problem here (thankfully).  We still don't know if we'll be traveling tomorrow, or staying home, as we could get a sNOw/freezing rain mix.

I haven't had a Christmas log in years.  That sounds yummy!     Congrats to NastyWoman!

[Sharon]

today's list
Pick up rolls
Make stuffing/dressing
Dust- In progress. I am taking a dusting break.
Laundry
Clean Bathrooms
Vacuum
Find the table cloths
Deliver the last neighbor goodie plate
Change the sheets on the bed
Empty waste baskets
Take newspapers out to recycle bin
Knock down the cobwebs
Change the burned out light bulb in the dining room chandalier

I will have plenty of time to vacuum tomorrow morning and I always iron the table clothes and set the table in the morning so all is good.  The turkey is 22lb so it will take about 5 hours to cook.  I will have plenty of time for last minute stuff.  I don't worry about doing a really deep vacuum before Christmas anyways.  The wrapping paper pieces etc always make such a mess I just wait until afterwards to do a deep vacuum.  I will run it around the middle of the room and call it good.