2017 Declutter and Organization Thread

[Sharon]

I haven't really gotten any Christmas decorations out this year.  The mantel is bare except for the Christmas card from DD that has their family picture.  The tree is up and I finally finished decorating it.  It still doesn't have the Christmas tree skirt around it and it may not this year.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I've been a complete bum for 1.5 days. I'll need to actually move around tomorrow. 
I'm glad the rest of you have been productive!

[debthaven]

DH went into his old office at 3 am to finish emptying it out. This is the man whose motto is "never put off till tomorrow what you can put off till the day after tomorrow." Guess where he's putting his Office Stuff?! Like I said, I have given up on the basement at this point.

I woke up at 5 am because somehow I put my back out yesterday. By coincidence I had an appt with the rheumatologist this morning, so it's much better. But since I was up, guess what I started doing at 5.15 am?!

Left this week
Home
- doctor/Thurs
- call ground survey people/Thurs
- buy gifts for DD's BF/DH/DS2/DS2's GF/
- pick up deliveries as they arrive: DS3's gift/baby sheets/DS2's gift? (DS2's won't be here before Christmas)
Marking
- Wed: 21 papers
- Thurs: 18 papers
Finals: 147/147 done!

I still have 1.5-2.5h/teaching a week but that's as good as being on vacation!

I'll go into town tomorrow to get the last gifts.

[busymom]

Hi Kids!  I'm on the "crazy train" today, trying to get a bunch of stuff done (errands, hair cut, etc.)  Bonus:  I recently listed some stuff on our local Facebook garage sale, & a woman is meeting me this afternoon to buy something.  So, a bit of extra cash, & one more item out of the house.  

[TheOtherMe]

Dec 21, 2017 7:27:14 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Finals: 147/147 done!

Congrats, Debt!

[busymom]

Woo hoo!  My contractor is supposed to be here Friday.  He wasn't sick, it was his new prescription meds that were making him feel ill.  (So, we'll see...)  

[debthaven]

Yay busymom!

[startsmart]

This week feels both super slow and going way too fast. I'm really glad I decorated before leaving on vacation because I have zero energy right now.

I do need to go through the stacks of paper on my desk and sort things out but I'm also halfway in holiday mode. I could very happily spend the next 2 weeks sleeping in, reading books and catching up on TV but alas: work. 

[busymom]

Congrats on getting those finals done, debthaven!  


The lady met me right on time, so I've got a bit of cash, & one less item in the house. Now, just don't ask me what the house looks like right now.  There's a lot to get done between now & Sunday (Christmas Eve).

[debthaven]

Change in plans for today ... DS2 signed the first papers for his apartment this week, so I'm going to Ikea to buy him his first down quilt.

[debthaven]

Finally, all the Christmas shopping is done! We got DS2's down quilt at Ikea, and DS2's GF's gift and DH's gift at the mall. We went to the supermarket on the way home and picked up a turkey (on sale). I've wrapped all my gifts but I need to replace the post-it notes on them with nicer labels.

Left this week:
Fri
- buy gifts for DH/DS2/DS2's GF
- groceries (turkey)
- pick up deliveries as they arrive: baby sheets/DS2's gift? (which won't arrive before Christmas)

[chiver78]

I unloaded some more stuff via FB yard sale this morning! a pair of 5lb dumbbells, a pair of foam bricks, and a yoga strap went to a nice guy that works on the base as a Christmas gift, for $10. woo hoo! 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Today's organizational goal: freezer inventory
Today's cleaning goal: master bathroom
Today's work goal: completing test questions for Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

[busymom]

Well, my contractor finally showed up today.  He's replacing some of the woodwork around some of my windows.  Two of them are now complete, & he'll do the last window after the holidays.  Those baby steps continue.  

Tonight when DH gets home from work, I've got a project or two to ask of him.  Like, setting up our Christmas tree.

[debthaven]

I put the labels on the gifts and cleared up the top of the kitchen buffet. There was a collection of items that didn't belong there. 

It's nice to have DH working from home now, but he's never going to win an award for tidiness.  

RE update: we put one of the studios on sale on the FSBO site (the nice studio, not the wonky one). We had ONE visit. The woman liked it a lot and said she was seriously considering it, but she was scheduled to see some other places too. We haven't heard back from her. We did, however, hear from several RE agencies. So today we listed it with a second agency.

 

[CCL]

Dec 22, 2017 17:57:00 GMT -5 debthaven said:

I put the labels on the gifts and cleared up the top of the kitchen buffet. There was a collection of items that didn't belong there. 

It's nice to have DH working from home now, but he's never going to win an award for tidiness.  

RE update: we put one of the studios on sale on the FSBO site (the nice studio, not the wonky one). We had ONE visit. The woman liked it a lot and said she was seriously considering it, but she was scheduled to see some other places too. We haven't heard back from her. We did, however, hear from several RE agencies. So today we listed it with a second agency.

 

Fingers crossed for you. Hopefully the new year brings you a buyer.

[startsmart]

December Final List:

Donate magazines to local assisted living home
Take a donation to Goodwill
Pickup items not sold at holiday boutique
Add 24 photos to my big canvas
Pick up groceries for weekend cooking
Clean up the kitchen
-scrub counter tops
-clean out the fridge and wipe down shelves
-wipe down sink, microwave, stove
Vacuum
-office
-living room
-bedrooms
-hallway
Organize bookshelf in living room
Make up the guest room
Put away the vacuums
Finish putting away clean clothes

Food to prep:
Breakfast casserole
Cinnamon rolls
bacon
Crab cioppino
rice
crispy green beans


I'm as ready as I can be for the weekend. I made the cioppino tonight and I'll heat it up tomorrow on the stove. I need to finish the breakfast casserole first thing and then make the green beans before lunch. 

I'm close to my goal of 800 items to donate so I'm rounding up magazines for assisted living and a few items to send to Goodwill. 

[debthaven]

We went into town today with DS3 to see DS2's future apartment. We went to a nearby street market and I got the very last present I needed, a birthday gift for A. I'm planning to visit her tomorrow but her children are here from out of town so we'll see.

And we found cranberry sauce, whew! It's not that easy to find here, so I had a bunch of jars in the basement. I realized last night that we had finally run out. 

ETA: Just picked up a delivery ... DGS's baby sheets for his bed here  

[Sharon]

Today is house cleaning day and I need to get busy.  Instead I am messing around on the computer while eating Christmas cookies.

[Sharon]

Please feel free to ignore my list but I need somewhere to keep track, I am so far behind getting ready for Christmas this year.

General Stuff
    Get out Christmas dishes
    Get out good silver
    Get tables from Dad- This probably isn't happening.  Dad is struggling with Dementia and when I asked about borrowing the tables he couldn't understand why I would want/need them.  He then said he would drop them off but I haven't seen them.  We will just do buffet.
    Make Stuffing 12/24
    Wipe down the pack n play

Clean
    Vacuum
    Dust
    Bathrooms
    Clean Oven
    Clean Stovetop

I am so tired.  It took me most of the day but I got every hard floor surface down on my hands and knees scrubbed.  I did take a lot of breaks.  I also got my stock made, the neighbors plates of goodies delivered, and did some general moving things around getting ready for the holiday.  Also did 3 loads of laundry, changed the sheets on the bed, and paid a couple of bills and got them ran down to the post office so they would go out today.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Dec 22, 2017 13:33:27 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Today's organizational goal: freezer inventory
Today's cleaning goal: master bathroom
Today's work goal: completing test questions for Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

I did manage to get these tasks done yesterday. 

I didn't do much of anything today as DH stepped incorrectly rupturing his right Achilles tendon.  
The ER went quickly because we live in such a small town. Occasionally, that has its perks. 

Tonight's goals are not ambitious:
Two loads of laundry (DH does laundry during American football season)
Grade first period's conventions tests. 

 

[busymom]

DH did put the tree up last night.  And, today he was also nice enough to put air into one of my tires that was getting low.  (It's very cold here, and Christmas Day could bring us wind chills between -20 & -40).  

The kids & I got some decorations on the tree, and I've begun the very early food prep for the holiday. I agree with Sharon that I am bone-tired.  This is a lovely time of the year, but there is so much to be done.  Oh, and I've got laundry in the washer and the dryer right now...

[CCL]

Dec 23, 2017 20:29:22 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Dec 22, 2017 13:33:27 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Today's organizational goal: freezer inventory
Today's cleaning goal: master bathroom
Today's work goal: completing test questions for Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry

I did manage to get these tasks done yesterday. 

I didn't do much of anything today as DH stepped incorrectly rupturing his right Achilles tendon.  
The ER went quickly because we live in such a small town. Occasionally, that has its perks. 

Tonight's goals are not ambitious:
Two loads of laundry (DH does laundry during American football season)
Grade first period's conventions tests. 

 

Oh no! That sounds painful.

[sealy]

Does anyone use a steam cleaner? Can anyone recommend one for me? I’ve checked online but don’t know which one is the best one.

[sealy]

I’d like to join in 2018.

[busymom]

Dec 23, 2017 22:09:12 GMT -5 sealy said:

Does anyone use a steam cleaner? Can anyone recommend one for me? I’ve checked online but don’t know which one is the best one.

    I own one, but want to say that the best carpet cleaning is done by the professionals.  Mine just sort of keeps the carpet "acceptable", until it isn't.     (Have a dog doesn't help the carpet any.  He likes to track in dirt, which my machine does do a nice job on.)  My machine is a Bissell.


     Oh, and wecome aboard!     The more, the merrier.

[Sharon]

Dec 23, 2017 22:09:12 GMT -5 sealy said:

Does anyone use a steam cleaner? Can anyone recommend one for me? I’ve checked online but don’t know which one is the best one.

I have a shark steam cleaner that I use in the kitchen and bathrooms.  It does a pretty good job considering the fact that my floors are old crappy linoleum.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Dec 23, 2017 22:09:12 GMT -5 sealy said:

Does anyone use a steam cleaner? Can anyone recommend one for me? I’ve checked online but don’t know which one is the best one.

I've never owned one. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Dec 23, 2017 21:01:11 GMT -5 CCL said:

Dec 23, 2017 20:29:22 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

I did manage to get these tasks done yesterday. 

I didn't do much of anything today as DH stepped incorrectly rupturing his right Achilles tendon.  
The ER went quickly because we live in such a small town. Occasionally, that has its perks. 

Tonight's goals are not ambitious:
Two loads of laundry (DH does laundry during American football season)
Grade first period's conventions tests. 

 

Oh no! That sounds painful.

Yes, it is painful,  but that's his secondary concern. When he realized he'd done something to his Achilles, he didn't think he'd fully torn it. He was correct and fortunately the ER doctor didn't think it was going to need surgery. We'll find a specialist to see next week or after the new year. He really doesn't want to have surgery. The pain is darned annoying to him. 

[CCL]

Dec 23, 2017 22:09:12 GMT -5 sealy said:

Does anyone use a steam cleaner? Can anyone recommend one for me? I’ve checked online but don’t know which one is the best one.

For carpets or flooring? I've have them for my carpets/upholstery for years. I've had the best luck with Hoover. Bissells don't seem to last long for me. With the Hoovers I can easily order replacement parts like brushes and hoses whenever I have needed them.