2018 Get Organized & Declutter Your Stuff

[debthaven]

Home
- make soup/Thurs
- call boiler guy AGAIN/Thurs 
- mend sweater/Thurs

- dentist/Fri

- get wine + cheese + dessert/Fri

Work

- mark 5 third-year+MSc reports/Sat

- do oral MSc marks/Sat

We had a lovely lunch with DD. Then I took a nap. 

[nikiz628]

Went through the "character bucket" in our living room (its a canvas bucket that holds all the little toys that go with the Little People sets, etc). 

Tossed 18 Happy Meal toys into a donate bag. I hate those things. 

Total 696/2,018

[TheOtherMe]

Lucy and I took a nap.  It's been some time since I've been able to fall asleep during the day so that was a good thing.

Bill arrived for furnace repair and paid.  It was less than half of what I had estimated.  I always estimate high.  I do have another project for the unused money that I hope to get done in December.  For that I will call the other company.  

Vacuum cleaner died.  It's in the garage.  Bought a fairly cheap one since cleaning people will bring their own.  

Put a few more old clothes in the trash.

[busymom]

Well, this doesn't count as decluttering, but I completed most of my grocery shopping for Thanksgiving today, including the bird.     Everything I need for baking, side dishes, etc., except for the fresh produce that I'll buy at the last minute.  I will be back to working on boxes either later tonight, or tomorrow.  Unfortunately, my new pantry is officially overflowing with food.  

[FreeSalsa]

Hello Everyone!  Nice to see that this thread is still going.  I haven't posted or even looked at this in several years.  It's nice to know that people are still supporting each other's attempts at cleaning house.

We moved into our house 4 years ago and we still have boxes in the garage that are not unpacked.  We probably don't need the stuff, I guess.  DH is on board with getting rid of everything.  We moved so much stuff in and he does not want to move that much stuff out whenever we move next.

I read a great book called SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern.  I recognized her name when I saw it on the shelf, I think she's been on Oprah or something.  I really liked it.  She emphasized doing it a little at a time so you don't burn out, recognizing when the best time for you is to do it, keeping it positive, and figuring out why you have so much stuff, so you don't get yourself in the same place again once you've gotten rid of things.  I've made the most progress I've ever made and the only time I felt like giving up was the time I did too much at one time. 

Happy Decluttering!

[FreeSalsa]

P.S. Does anyone know if the Grocery Challenge thread is still alive in 2018?  The last I saw was for 2017.

[saveinla]

Nov 16, 2018 20:39:11 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

P.S. Does anyone know if the Grocery Challenge thread is still alive in 2018?  The last I saw was for 2017.

Hey Freesalsa,

How r u? There is no more Grocery Challenge thread. 

[empress of self-improvement]

FreeSalsa - don't feel bad. When my dad died, there were still boxes in the basement from when we moved there, 30 years before. Sadly, most of it went onto the trash. It was just a tad bit too moldy for my taste. And I really didn't care about high school coursework from the 1970s.

So, I've been sorting through my crap. I have boxes of stuff that I want to sell as they are my nicer things but too lazy to actually do it. I need to figure this out so I can get this crap out. I'm tired of looking at it. We have old cameras, Winnie-the-Pooh Bradford Exchange plates. I'd keep them but I really don't have anywhere to put them. Some Star Trek crap DH is willing, or doesn't remember, to part with. I have some Star Wars games. OY!

[CCL]

Empress - Maybe you could take some of that stuff to an auction? You'd have to pay a commission, but as soon as you drop it off you are done with it. In a week or two you get a check.

[empress of self-improvement]

Nov 16, 2018 22:10:39 GMT -5 CCL said:

Empress - Maybe you could take some of that stuff to an auction? You'd have to pay a commission, but as soon as you drop it off you are done with it. In a week or two you get a check.

Hadn't thought of that. Good idea. I will have to look and see what we have in my area. THANKS!

[moneysquirrel]

I am quite tired tonight and it has been a busy week.  Will write more at a different time but I will try to update my last list:

Nov 11, 2018 18:20:05 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

Some of these are similar to my last post but are on this week's list:


Meeting -- Monday
Call about repair on gutter -- Monday or Tuesday  Called and made arrangement for repair.
Run off handout for my class  -- just a little more editing and this will be done
Stained Glass Class -- Wednesday
Volunteer Class-- Thursday
Craft Class-- Thursday
Craft show -- Thursday 
Finish Thanksgiving decorating and continue getting a few items for the meal -- whenever I have time   Got most of the items but still need to get the fresh produce and anything I forgot on the earlier trips.
Work on incomplete project ( on hand and some progress made already)
(Re)Organize several areas as time permits
Household chores -- usual weekly ones and a few others
Continue to try to eliminate items from the house.
Exercise -- will not make it to the class but will try to get to the treadmill at least once or twice this week. Did not happen but did quite o bit of walking at an event today

[countrygirl2]

I got rid of an office chair.  It would pull up but wouldn't stay, someone can use it like it is I'm sure, otherwise its fine, I have 2 more.
Also a bunch of pieces of fleece, maybe for quilting?  A purse, wreath, just odds and ends of stuff over to the sale.  If the stuff doesn't sell it will be donated. More is going to go, I'm still at it, just slowed down for a bit with the holiday. Hope after its over to get back at it.

I also need to get rid of some decorations, there is too much stuff down there and I think some doesn't even still work.

[debthaven]

Welcome back FreeSalsa ! I'm glad you found a method that works for you.

This weekend (updated)
Work
- do oral MSc marks/Sat

- mark 6 third-year+MSc reports/Sat

I was planning to hem the new curtains this weekend, but they are SO long I don't think I can manage. I called a friend who sews as a side business. She's happy to sew them and even come pin them, so I think we'll do that. 

 

[plugginaway22]

Grand- baby Girl has arrived!  I have joined the club and it is very exciting!

[debthaven]

Congratulations plugginaway22 ! All the best to you and your family and a big welcome to your baby granddaughter!

[TheOtherMe]

Congrats plugginaway22  Now you get to spoil your granddaughter  

FreeSalsa I have also learned if I overdo things, I get overwhelmed.  I am still hoping to get rid of 2018 items in the year 2018.  

I went in to the office to scan some receipts for a rebate and came out with some old, old CDs with programs on them that will go in the trash.  

[Sharon]

Congratulations plugginaway22.  The grandma club is fun.

This week was so busy it is lucky I made it to Friday.  I ended up doing something everything evening this week.  One night I went with the realtor and looked at a rehab house on half an acre.  It has been on the market since May, yes it needs serious work.  I qualify for a rehab loan and was seriously considering it but hadn't put in an offer.  The listing is now showing as offer accepted with contingencies.  That is probably just as well because it needed so much work that I would have had to find another place to live for a few months while it was being renovated.

I am having new carpet installed in the living room/hallway and new vinyl in both bathrooms on Dec 3rd and 4th.  I decided against paying the extra for wood flooring since I am pretty much planning on selling.  The plumber will also be out a couple of times that week since the floor guy can remove the toilet to install the flooring but isn't allowed to reinstall the toilet.   Since I don't want to go overnight without a toilet it will be two trips.  I also decided that since the plumber was coming twice it wouldn't be a huge expense to put a new sink/faucet in the master bath.  Our city is on well water and it is hard water so there have been hard water stains all around the sink since I moved in. 

As I am getting all these things done it makes me wonder why I didn't do some of them years ago and actually enjoy them.  Other than I was a single parent and paying for so many other things. 

[debthaven]

I hope you're not too disappointed about the house Sharon . It sounds like it would have been a HUGE amount of work. I hope you find another house you like soon (ideally without having to move twice). 

Other than I was a single parent and paying for so many other things.

There's that, and also I think you got a raise at your new job.

[busymom]

Congratulations plugginaway22!  That is SO EXCITING!  



I baked a cake to test my new oven, as I wanted to see how evenly it bakes.  (In my last house, I'd have to, for example, turn a cake around midway through, as the back of the oven was hotter than the front.)  I am pleasantly surprised.  My new oven appears to heat perfectly evenly, and I now feel prepared for my holiday baking.  

[busymom]

Oh, and not to annoy you all, but I started writing up my Christmas cards today.  With the move, a lot of people don't have my new address, so it's easiest just to get those cards off in the mail early.

[startsmart]

I started cleaning the floors today, got the kitchen and dining area scrubbed and about half of the living room. There were a lot of cobwebs around the kitchen cabinets that needed to be cleaned up too. 

I relocated the scanner and pictures to the office so I can work in there from now on so I can keep the living room tidy. I've got a bunch of stuff to put out in my car (dog food, grocery bags, a box to ship, stuff going to the storage unit) and trash and recycling to take out but the air quality is still terrible so I'm waiting. 

I did clean up the drawer with all of my headphones and chargers. It was a huge mess and with those little velcro strips I was able to tame it again. 

[debthaven]

DH's side of the desk was a mess again. I told DH we're spending 30 min on it today. Even if we don't finish, it will be an improvement. We finished in less than 30 min!

As you know DH never opens his mail, I open it every few weeks when I get fed up. Since I updated his vertical file drawer recently, filing his papers is MUCH quicker now.

ETA: I did my Shitepile too.

[TheOtherMe]

You will be pleased to know that I open my mail as soon as I bring it in the house.  

[debthaven]

TheOtherMe me too.

DH suggested opening his mail once a week, which is HUGE progress. I told him I'll start doing that once my semester is over. 

No Terrible Tuesday this week BUT I'm working 5 days (Parent-Teacher conferences ). I have Wed afternoon off, exceptionally.

I'm not going to include it in my lists but I've FINALLY started seriously working on my lines. I'm happy because I basically know the first scene by heart (not perfectly). That scene is nearly half the play. This makes me think that maybe one day I can fit ALL the lines into my brain. 

This week

Home

- call NEW boiler guy/Mon

- shop for Thanksgiving (DH?)

Work

- mark 38 vocab tests/Tues?

- mark 1 third-year report/Wed?

[tcu2003]

DH and I (mostly DH) got our chest freezer defrosted this morning. I apparently don’t need to buy frozen broccoli anytime soon as there were 5 bags in there. 😯 I really want an upright freezer, but that would also mean I’d have to move it from the main level to the basement, plus buy one when my chest freezer is fine. So we’ll see.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 17, 2018 22:37:36 GMT -5 busymom said:

Oh, and not to annoy you all, but I started writing up my Christmas cards today.  With the move, a lot of people don't have my new address, so it's easiest just to get those cards off in the mail early.

I did that when I moved here.

We wish we had done that the Christmas after mom died as so many of the cards to him were also addressed to her.

[startsmart]

SO glad I cleaned up the living room yesterday, it's nice to have this space back after the last month! 

Opinions please 

I leave on vacation December 1st and will be back around the 12th. Should I put up my fake tree and decorate before I go and come home to the festive spirit or wait until I get back? 

There are 5 tubs of Christmas ornaments and decor plus the tree in storage. I could go Monday or Tuesday (with a face mask) to get them or Saturday/Sunday after it rains and hopefully the smoke has cleared. 

Which would you do? 

[NastyWoman]

I would put the tree up before I leave. It is mostly a light thing for me. When you come back from a wonderful sunny vacation the house can be so dark and dreary. Just plugging in the tree and enjoying the lights and decorations would make the transition so much easier (for me at least).

[Sharon]

Yesterday I took a step back and reevaluated some things.  Why am I in such a hurry to move?  Yes the commute sucks but I have ended up in this vortex of I must work every waking moment trying to get ready to move and if I don't then I feel guilty.  This was somewhat prompted by thinking about a Christmas tree.  I was thinking that I would need to delay getting a tree because it makes the living room look so much smaller and the furniture gets arranged in weird ways to accommodate the tree.  Okay I like really big trees and I like live trees. 

Then it came down to this is stupid there is no real reason why the house has to be on the market by the beginning of the year.  I went to church today for the first time in months instead of painting or doing some other project around the house.  I can't really decorate for Christmas next weekend since we have to move everything out of the living room for new carpet but once the carpet is in, bring on the tree and the decorations.

[debthaven]

startsmart I don't know if I'd put the tree up or not, but I'd definitely get it out of storage before you leave so you don't have to worry about making that trip to storage after you get back.

Then you can see how you feel/how much time you have. But at least you'd have the choice once they're out of storage and home.