2017 Declutter and Organization Thread

[Iggy aka IG]

Dec 11, 2017 11:16:00 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Dec 8, 2017 10:48:48 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

This weekend's goals:
Priority-finish the two things I didn't get to last week (Christmas cards and Swiffer the kitchen floor)
The usual laundry and dishes
Added:  Tackle the storage container project.  I'll elaborate Monday after I'm finished.

This time last year DH and I had our previous house on the market and it was a very stressful time.  My goal is to have everything finished (I put my last Amazon order in yesterday, and I'm finished with work the 20th) so I can actually relax and enjoy the season this year.

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

I actually completed a to do list for the first time in a LONG time.  The cards took 2+ hours!

In addition to 5 loads of laundry, I also scrubbed 2 toilets, sort of dusted the rec room, and wrapped a few presents.

The storage container project referenced above:  I have 8 large plastic storage bins in a downstairs closet.  3 for Christmas decos, 2 for Halloween (last month a misc one was emptied to make the 2nd Halloween container), 1 for gift wrap supplies (tissue, gift bags, ribbon, etc.), 1 for Easter/Valentine's Day decos, and the last one ended up being another misc over the years.  I wanted it cleared out so I can put Christmas stuffed penguins and stockings into it instead of putting them into a plastic bag.  Saturday I listed a majority of the items online to sell (for free!), most of which are misc party decos and 12 gift bags.  I haven't had any takers yet, and if I don't, I'm going to drop them off at the church basement today where I donate clothes, etc.  (Ahem, I still haven't dropped off the bag of clothing from what, last month?)

[snip]

The box of party decos, gift bag with 11 other gift bags inside, and kitchen size trash bag full of clothes were dropped off yesterday afternoon.  What a fantastic feeling!

I then made the mistake of trying to find a parking spot at the post office on a Monday.  NEVER again.  Let's just say I had to get out of my truck and ask someone who was parked in a No Parking spot to MOVE their SUV so I could navigate around.  It seems no matter how early I start, I still get stuck in the holiday drama.

I finished my 2018 business calendar mailing for the most part, did errands in the big city and watched niece2's basketball game yesterday, and just picked up what should be the last of the stocking stuffers this morning at WW.  Waiting for several Amazon shipments, but other than that, I'm good to go. 

Now, if clients and underwriters would bug off.... 

[TheOtherMe]

I then made the mistake of trying to find a parking spot at the post office on a Monday. NEVER again. Let's just say I had to get out of my truck and ask someone who was parked in a No Parking spot to MOVE their SUV so I could navigate around. It seems no matter how early I start, I still get stuck in the holiday drama

Seeing this makes me happy I live in rural America.  Post office is open 6 hours a day and has 3 parking spots plus street parking.  I've yet to see it full and most of the people who live here have to go to the post office to pick up their mail.  I live in a new subdivision that was annexed to the city so I'm on a rural route.  That means I get my mail delivered across the street.

[Iggy aka IG]

Dec 12, 2017 16:38:36 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I then made the mistake of trying to find a parking spot at the post office on a Monday. NEVER again. Let's just say I had to get out of my truck and ask someone who was parked in a No Parking spot to MOVE their SUV so I could navigate around. It seems no matter how early I start, I still get stuck in the holiday drama

Seeing this makes me happy I live in rural America.  Post office is open 6 hours a day and has 3 parking spots plus street parking.  I've yet to see it full and most of the people who live here have to go to the post office to pick up their mail.  I live in a new subdivision that was annexed to the city so I'm on a rural route.  That means I get my mail delivered across the street.

We're kinda in rural America...?  Or so I thought...    Ours is open bankers hours, and only 2 on Saturday's.  Same amount of parking spots as yours, though.  Apparently no one has anything else to do during the day. 

[dee27]

Our P.O. was crazy yesterday, but Dh only had to mail Christmas cards.

[chiver78]

I offloaded one of the vintage bakeware items I got from my parents' house this weekend. a roasting pan w/stainless rack insert, $10. and, I'll be offloading a LLR dress I don't absolutely love that's identical other than solid color to the dress I'm wearing right now, on Thursday to my sis, for what I paid for it. today's dress is a soft mauve, the other is a light olive green. 

[Sharon]

I have been fighting a cold or allergies for over a week now and just feel blah.  Today I left work after half a day and came home and did my Christmas cards.  I then wrapped a birthday present for my nephew who is in the service and made the dreaded trek to the post office.  There was only one person waiting in line.   The main hold up was the stupid postal clerk who kept trying to tell me that I had the wrong customs form.  She kept insisting that I needed this other form and that she couldn't believe that someone actually handed me a stack of this form, blah, blah, blah.  Then she is reading me the regulations for APO addresses and how it has to be one of these 3 forms.  I show her that form number on my nicely filled out form.  OH, silence and she finally gets my package ready to go.  Hopefully it gets there because she was busy telling the clerk next to her what to do.  I should be done with the post office now until after the first of the year.

I have some milk that has a best buy date of 12/8, still tastes good, but I thought I would make some chocolate pudding to use it up.  Of course I don't have any chocolate pudding mix in the drawer.   Anyway two more holiday tasks done.  I think I will make some mac and cheese to use up milk.

[wvugurl26]

I am finally all moved. This weekend's task is finding a place for all my stuff. At least the duplicates will be used up eventually.

[TheOtherMe]

Dec 12, 2017 17:03:22 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Dec 12, 2017 16:38:36 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I then made the mistake of trying to find a parking spot at the post office on a Monday. NEVER again. Let's just say I had to get out of my truck and ask someone who was parked in a No Parking spot to MOVE their SUV so I could navigate around. It seems no matter how early I start, I still get stuck in the holiday drama

Seeing this makes me happy I live in rural America.  Post office is open 6 hours a day and has 3 parking spots plus street parking.  I've yet to see it full and most of the people who live here have to go to the post office to pick up their mail.  I live in a new subdivision that was annexed to the city so I'm on a rural route.  That means I get my mail delivered across the street.

We're kinda in rural America...?  Or so I thought...    Ours is open bankers hours, and only 2 on Saturday's.  Same amount of parking spots as yours, though.  Apparently no one has anything else to do during the day. 

Population 2000.  Not many places to work so most adults (except for retirees) are gone all day to other cities to work.  I have never had to wait for more than one person in front of me since they got rid of a clerk who was totally incompetent.

[startsmart]

Leaving the UK today to meet with clients back in the US before heading home. I had a great trip but picked up a head cold and need to kick this cough asap! I had a really great visit with family and will be seeing them in the US in a couple months for a wedding. Got a long day of flights ahead of me but then I can sleep for 10 hours and hopefully get back on the right time zone! 

[finnime]

Planning on getting it together.

I spent November doing NaNoWriMo, which absorbed all my attention beyond just keeping the lid on. I also had a good number of bake-to-order requests, which I do for fun and for spare dollars. That worked out pretty well. Have some orders for this month, too.

Now I'm emerging from my cocoon just enough to get a wreath on the door and make a plan to see DS in Manhattan on Christmas. Looking forward to that - I miss him.

DH was having some really rough symptoms: extreme fatigue, depressed, cold. Found out he'd run out of Synthroid and forgotten to mention it. Ugh. Now he's back on and symptoms easing up. Between diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol,  thyroid, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and chronic kidney disease he takes a lot of pills. Some have to be taken on an empty stomach; some have to be taken more than 1x per day. I've got to work out a system that helps keep all this organized.

My kitchen organization has really saved me these past few months. I'm grateful for the suggestions you all made. Plus the entryway and dining room. We've been ridding ourselves of a number of items by donation and by eBay, too. 

Now if I can just find a decent job. It's tough at 57.

[debthaven]

I'm glad your DH is doing better finnime . Good luck with the job hunt (I'm 58.)

This week
Home
- call plumber/Tues (he replaced a boiler part)
- make tuna salad for Wed's pot luck/Wed
- get Secret Santa gift/Wed
- get DS1's supermarket request/Wed
- call pipe guy/Wed
- Shitepile/Wed
- do papers for resin co complicated, will ask DH to do it
School
- teach Tues morning + pick up Job 2 Finals
- mark 18 Job 2 finals/Tues
- mark 17 Job 2 finals/Wed
- input Job 2 marks/Wed
- out-of-town meeting all day Thurs + pick up 3rd set of finals
Finals done: 59/150

I finished the second set of finals (just in time to pick up the third set tomorrow). So I'll spend the rest of today catching up on paperwork / calls / errands.

[WholeLottaNothin]

convertkit.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/documents/2521/938426/2018_in_2018.pdf

[WholeLottaNothin]

I know it is a little early, but it is a decluttering chart for 2,018 items in 2018, in case anyone is interested.

[debthaven]

This weekend
Marking:
Fri: 9 essays
Sat: 20 essays + 49 grammar 
Sun: 20 essays + 49 vocab
 
I need to finish these exams by Tues because I pick up the 4th/last set on Wed.  

DH got the tree today! We won't decorate it until after DS3 comes home (he arrives Sat evening). I have another all-day meeting tomorrow, but at least it's not 3.5h away (each way) like today's.

Doing laundry now.

[busymom]

Hi Kids!  I'm still working on Christmas cards here.  I hope to have all of the ones that need to go out by mail completed tomorrow.  (But then, those I hand out in person still need to be done.)

My contractor sent me a text, & plans to be back tomorrow morning.  One step at a time...


Anyone else beside me just plain tired?  And Christmas is still only 11 days away.  

[Opti]

I'm super tired. But I am sick and have high blood pressure not yet controlled by meds. I would like to do some Xmas cards. I like to come up with my own design and then duplicate them by hand if they aren't photo cards. I thought I'd have at least a design by now, but my strength etc. is much lower than expected.

 Any easy Xmas ideas for cards done with sharpies?

[debthaven]

Anyone else beside me just plain tired?

Yes me. And I have barely started my Christmas shopping. I ordered DS2's gift and gifts for the baby, but nothing for anyone else yet. 

ETA: Just ordered gifts online for DDIL, DS1 and DD! And DS3's gift is in my Amazon basket waiting for confirmation on size! Major progress! Thanks for lighting a fire under my butt busymom !  

ETA2: Ugh, I had to cancel DD's order because I got an email saying they can't guarantee delivery before Christmas. Hopefully I can get the perfume she wants at the mall near home or near school.

[Opti]

Dec 13, 2017 11:43:20 GMT -5 WholeLottaNothin said:

I know it is a little early, but it is a decluttering chart for 2,018 items in 2018, in case anyone is interested.

Wow. Although I am sure I do have that many items to declutter even if most are paper.

[debthaven]

I hope you feel better soon Opti.

[finnime]

debthaven, this is so hard. You are being a good and true friend.

[Iggy aka IG]

debthaven,

[Jaguar]

So sorry debthaven << BIG HUGS >>

[TheOtherMe]

Dec 13, 2017 11:43:20 GMT -5 WholeLottaNothin said:

I know it is a little early, but it is a decluttering chart for 2,018 items in 2018, in case anyone is interested.

This will be my goal for 2018.  Thank you.

[busymom]

Dec 14, 2017 13:43:05 GMT -5 Opti said:

I'm super tired. But I am sick and have high blood pressure not yet controlled by meds. I would like to do some Xmas cards. I like to come up with my own design and then duplicate them by hand if they aren't photo cards. I thought I'd have at least a design by now, but my strength etc. is much lower than expected.

 Any easy Xmas ideas for cards done with sharpies?

     Could you just do an outline of a holiday design for your cards?  Like a Christmas tree, a bell, or ?  Like this:


      

      Just a suggestion, of course.  

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Hi! Not a lot of down time this week. Hopefully I can Chat soon!

[busymom]

My contractor cancelled today:  sick kid.  It's just as well, as I need to take Bad Boy Puppy in the the veterinarian.  He's got a rapidly growing lump directly underneath his left eye.  It's developed so quickly that I'm concerned.  The vets office asked me if I wanted to get him in today, even after I described the problem.  That's a BIG yes!  

[Opti]

Dec 14, 2017 23:23:43 GMT -5 busymom said:

Dec 14, 2017 13:43:05 GMT -5 Opti said:

I'm super tired. But I am sick and have high blood pressure not yet controlled by meds. I would like to do some Xmas cards. I like to come up with my own design and then duplicate them by hand if they aren't photo cards. I thought I'd have at least a design by now, but my strength etc. is much lower than expected.

 Any easy Xmas ideas for cards done with sharpies?

     Could you just do an outline of a holiday design for your cards?  Like a Christmas tree, a bell, or ?  Like this:


      

      Just a suggestion, of course.  

Absolutely. Over the years I've done a couple similar things. One year I couldn't get my cards done in time, so I made a Christmas in February card. It was simply the outline of a green Christmas tree with a red heart hanging at the bottom of it. One of my favorites was based on the Star shining in the east and was a star done in silver paint marker with blue marker freehand over it for a background.

Many of my cards are simple, because I'm not yet using a printer to duplicate a more complicated piece of art. I go more complex when its a special occasion or I have time.

[Opti]

Dec 15, 2017 9:19:10 GMT -5 busymom said:

My contractor cancelled today:  sick kid.  It's just as well, as I need to take Bad Boy Puppy in the the veterinarian.  He's got a rapidly growing lump directly underneath his left eye.  It's developed so quickly that I'm concerned.  The vets office asked me if I wanted to get him in today, even after I described the problem.  That's a BIG yes!  

I hope bad boy puppy is OK. <crosses fingers>

[dee27]

I threw away two small bags of half used make-up, facial creams, lotions, nail polish and OTC products that were expired. DH had a slew of stuff that I know were several years old.

[startsmart]

Goals for today:

Pick up the dogs at the kennel
Start laundry from trip
Unpack my bags fully
Clean out the car 
Catch up on email


Seems doable except that last one