2018 Get Organized & Declutter Your Stuff

[Sharon]

Jan 9, 2018 23:54:08 GMT -5 CCL said:

Jan 9, 2018 10:25:59 GMT -5 busymom said:

Good Morning Kids!  Yesterday, the contractor completed all of the work on my windows, AND the access door to the pipes in the bathroom.  This week, he begins the remodel on the bathroom.  Not all of the materials (like the flooring) will be in for a couple of weeks, but with a bit of luck, I'll be getting my new shower and tub installed this week.     We're also replacing all of the mop boards in the bathroom (amazing what steam will do to woodwork over time).  The hardest part is picking out the new countertop.

What is a mop board? Or did you mean baseboard?

I think it is a regional thing.  In our area we also call them baseboards but once or twice I have heard someone refer to them as mop boards.

[busymom]

Ouch!  The siding guys actually got here early, but their truck with supplies hasn't gotten here yet.  Just as well they start early, as we've got a major snowstorm arriving tonight.  I'd prefer they'd be totally done before the weather hits, but don't know if I'll be that fortunate.      My contractor (for the inside) is supposed to arrive in about another hour.

[nidena]

List for Wednesday/today:

United number merge
magazines to friend
Grad School resume
Aramark project
package to Cali friend
HfH Restore
Schedule dental appt
Acquire HDMI cable
Connect second monitor with acquired cable
Check in for Southwest flight

[dee27]

Jan 10, 2018 10:10:08 GMT -5 nidena said:

List for Wednesday/today:

United number merge
magazines to friend
Grad School resume
Aramark project
package to Cali friend
HfH Restore
Schedule dental appt
Acquire HDMI cable
Connect second monitor with acquired cable
Check in for Southwest flight

Wow, you are going full speed ahead in decluttering!

[debthaven]

We went to Ikea and back in under two hours. The shelving wasn't budgeted this month with Christmas, but we both have time this week and DH finally agreed the old shelves had become too dangerous. DH has rehearsal tonight so we'll start tomorrow. I hope we can finish by Friday night.

This is what we bought, but with 5 sets of shelves instead of 4. We paid about $210. We have the same shelves on the opposite wall for DH's Stuff. We've had them for about 20 years. They're very sturdy, and still in great shape.

www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/S69046977/

We also picked up an Ikea high chair for the baby.

[dee27]

Debt,

What is the deadline to repair your house?

[debthaven]

dee27 I don't really know. They did the ground survey last Fri, and it will take about 3-4 weeks to get the report. They say they can work all year round but I'll believe it when I see it. I'm hoping it will be done by June.

That's only for the actual repairs, not to redo the two damaged bedrooms (ours and DS2's). We won't have the money for that, plus, they say we should wait a year till the house restabilizes.

It should take 2 to 3 weeks to do the pipe work, and 1 or 2 days to do the resin injections.

At this point the best thing that could happen would be to sell one of the studios and know that we'd have money coming in in a few months. That would be a HUGE deal for us. We'd have money for the house repairs, we could pay off all our debt except the rental mortgage, and maybe even update our car (with a small loan). 

ETA: If we hadn't waited hoping that insurance would cover part of it, the repairs would have been done by now.

[busymom]

I pray that one of those studios will sell, debthaven, at a good price.  


I've got a moment of peace right now.  They've stripped all of the siding, down to the wood, on the back side of the house, & the sides of the house are partially stripped down.  Looks like the supplies arrived, so hopefully they'll be getting that put up after lunch.  The bathtub & shower had to be cut into pieces to remove them from the bathroom, & now there is bare wood there, too.  We've still got a big snowstorm on the way, that's why I'm hoping my house will be "covered" before it gets here.

[debthaven]

So much of the house stuff is out of my control right now, so it makes me happy to do the little we can, ie replace the basement shelving.

We may evenutally add shelving to the first basement room (formerly DS1's bedroom) but we have to wait till DS2 takes or sells his furniture, and till DS1 goes through his stored Stuff again.

[debthaven]

Thank you busymom . I'm glad your work is finally getting done, although I know it's a lot to deal with at the same time.

I'd love to see pictures of your new bathroom when it's finished!

[busymom]

Jan 10, 2018 13:41:26 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Thank you busymom . I'm glad your work is finally getting done, although I know it's a lot to deal with at the same time.

I'd love to see pictures of your new bathroom when it's finished!

      Thanks!  The bathroom won't be as pretty as starting from scratch.  We're using the existing woodwork, which is what makes this project really difficult, as far as matching or coordinating colors.  Plus, we're trying to stay within a budget.  It'd look a whole lot better if I could "do what I want", but it'd cost twice as much, & we're looking at selling this house, so we're sort of settling for "good enough".  

[debthaven]

I think that's very smart! A lot of the time buyers want something completely different anyway lol. I hope you can "do what you want" in your next home.

[nikiz628]

I got knocked down a peg or two by good old germs yesterday. I felt like death. I managed to get to the grocery store to stock up on what we needed for the next week (before this massive snow storm they are predicting hits this weekend). I came home, took a hot shower while my 2 year old napped, and then curled up on the couch until H got home. Once we was home, he sent me to bed, where I stayed the rest of the evening. Everything hurt, including my skin. I haven't felt that horrible in a LONG time. After 24 hours of rotating through various meds, I kinda feel human again- just very congested and lots of coughing. I was able to straighten up the house today, so that it's at least clean. I think I may park myself on the bed later and start sorting through our printed photographs. At least it's a sitting down and resting type of job. 

[debthaven]

Oh, I hope you feel better soon nikiz628!

[debthaven]

Todays' Peter Walsh challenge (Day 10) is pens and pencils. Gather them all together, throw out what doesn't work, and donate what you don't want or won't use to a local school.

[nidena]

Jan 10, 2018 10:10:08 GMT -5 nidena said:

List for Wednesday/today:

United number merge
magazines to friend
Grad School resume
Aramark project
package to Cali friend
HfH Restore
Schedule dental appt
Acquire HDMI cable
Connect second monitor with acquired cable
Check in for Southwest flight

Also passed off a gift card to the local bra store to a friend--I'll shop there regardless but this will give her incentive to go.  We busty gals--FF+--gotta stick together.
Got my car registration renewed today too.
Tonight is laundry and then packing for my weekend getaway with my fella.  

That Grad School resume just keeps getting bumped.  lol.  It's merely a formality but they need it as part of my application package because it helps them keep their accreditation for their Master's program.

[nidena]

I ventured up to the attic today and discovered that of all the things that are up there--childhood books, childhood toys, original Light Brite, boxed up feather mattress, carpet remnant, cat carrier, and an empty suitcase--the only things that I need keep are the suitcase and the cat carrier.  The childhood stuff is gonna get sent to my brother (he has an 18 month old), the feather mattress is going to get dumped, and the remnant is going to get taken to the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

Kicking clutter's ass like a Mistress of Dominance.  

[startsmart]

Dropped off 14 items at Goodwill, 3 blankets to the animal shelter and gave 2 rugs to my house cleaner. The car is slowly getting cleared out so I can pack for an upcoming trip. 

The house cleaner got so much done today! Both of the bathrooms are shiny, the kitchen looks great and the kitchen/dining/living rooms all got the floors steam cleaned. 

Tomorrow is possibly jury duty so I need to pack a bag of books and stuff to do. 

[busymom]

Sorry to hear you're sick nikiz628.  If it's the same stuff I had, it could stick with you awhile.  Get plenty of rest!


The last of the siding guys left around 7 pm.  The house is not completed yet, but the outside is "covered".  We're getting what we call a "Lake Superior mist" right now, when it's raining so lightly that you can barely see it, or feel it touch your skin.  No working shower yet either, but hopefully tomorrow both the siding and the shower should be done.  The blessing is, the big sNOw has moved, so the heavier stuff is supposed to hit South & East of here.


I'm so tired.  What is it about listening to hammering, & other loud sounds all day that wears you out?  One more day.  I can do this.

[nidena]

Jan 10, 2018 20:30:31 GMT -5 busymom said:

Sorry to hear you're sick nikiz628 .  If it's the same stuff I had, it could stick with you awhile.  Get plenty of rest!


The last of the siding guys left around 7 pm.  The house is not completed yet, but the outside is "covered".  We're getting what we call a "Lake Superior mist" right now, when it's raining so lightly that you can barely see it, or feel it touch your skin.  No working shower yet either, but hopefully tomorrow both the siding and the shower should be done.  The blessing is, the big sNOw has moved, so the heavier stuff is supposed to hit South & East of here.


I'm so tired.  What is it about listening to hammering, & other loud sounds all day that wears you out?  One more day.  I can do this.

It's noise pollution.  I had to deal with something similar when I worked on the flightline.  All the sounds--from the power carts, the engines, the auxiliary power units--would get to be too much that I would get irritated and short with my troops.  If you google "noise pollution on mental health" all kinds of stuff comes up.

[Lizard Queen]

Received the bins I ordered from Amazon today. Not thrilled with the bigger totes--too floppy. Makes it hard to fill them. The smaller sturdier bins are ok, but I'm not really fitting more in this closet with them. Maybe I'll like them as a way to keep things neater and easier to access. If so, I'll order some more for the other shelves.

[Sam_2.0]

Jan 9, 2018 10:24:43 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I wish I could get all excited about cooking, but I just can't. PB & J with jelly or a frozen Stouffers dinner and even a bowl of soup is about all I can muster for a meal.

This is me, all the time. I despise cooking. It's even worse with 3 small children screaming for food, and then declaring they hate what I made and asking for a snack. We eat way too many quick meals because by the time I get home from work I have about 20 mins to get food in front of the kids to avoid meltdown .

[dee27]

I use the lidded, Sterilite plastic totes which are sturdy enough to store the large jars of candles.

[Waffle]

I found 27 things from my patio room to throw away. It was mostly flower pots and magazines. Total is now 29/2018.

[dogmom]

I'm lagging behind all of you over achievers. 

Yesterday it was warm enough to take down the last of the Christmas lights from outside.  They are also put away. 

[Lizard Queen]

We still have our Christmas tree up. It's been a rough week.

[Lizard Queen]

I discovered that my crazy headaches that won't go away with any sort of pain pills go away quickly once I take a Claritin. Worked a couple days ago, so I tried it this morning, and it worked like a charm. Must've been my sinuses.

[nidena]

Have a productive weekend, all!  I'm off to my getaway.  

[debthaven]

OMG replacing those shelves was a LOT of work. It took us 8 hours. We emptied the 2 sets of old shelves, took them apart, and carried them upstairs (in pieces). The old shelves are 6 feet long, and VERY heavy. Of course the contents of those shelves are still all over the floor in both rooms of the basement.

We built 4 of the 5 new sets. We need another pair of verticals to build the 5th set. No I did not miscalculate . But it's not easy to join 3 sets together, so we decided to do 2 + 2 + 1 instead of 3 + 2 as originally planned.

I still have too many boxes of the kids' old notebooks, binders, artwork, etc. I will have to cull those, but not this weekend. For now they're in a pile in the corner. Once I've gone through those boxes (again), we'll build the last single set of shelves and put them in that space.

The shelves are sturdy and stable now, I'm so pleased! I can start putting Stuff back, but we're both exhausted, so I'm not sure how much more I can do today. DH is definitely done for today, he did most of the heavy carrying.

Consolidating those boxes will be my winter project.

[nikiz628]

I didn't end up starting my photo organizing- but I did get my new address book in the mail! So, I worked under my heating blanket last night, on condensing 3 different books into one, organized and updated address book! 

Tossed the old 2, so that brings my count to 129/2,018!