2018 Get Organized & Declutter Your Stuff

[nidena]

Combo for today and tomorrow:

Get recorded copy of shared driveway to refi company ASAP
Macro homework due Tues
Bus Comm homework due Wed
Branding homework due Thurs
Gym
Book Club
Ship Stitch Fix rejects by 25th
Ship flour to PA friend
Re-Ship pkg to IN
Ship niece's toys
Review slides for Bus Ethics presentation on Friday

[debthaven]

This week
- bank
- make podiatrist appt

finnime , 45 servings of food?!

Rukh O'Rorke try not to bring the junk mail into the house. ;-)

[finnime]

I do a bit of baking/cooking as a side business. I love baking, and this satisfies my want.

[midjd]

I haven't been an active participant on this thread for a couple of years, but I'd like to start back up. 

I also just had a very long post that disappeared when I hit the quick reply button.    Long story short, my mom is planning to move soon, she already told me I was going to 'inherit' a bunch of boxes of photos and family stuff, and she is a borderline(?) hoarder so the idea of anything from her house coming to mine is already stressing me out.

The main living areas of our house are minimalist (largely in response to growing up in that house, LOL), but the two 8x8 bedroom closets upstairs and the unfinished basement have sort of become where baby clothes, kid gear, and non-functioning appliances go to die. Over the past two weekends I've gotten one of the closets into good shape. The other is mostly full of kid stuff (and random stuff I have no idea what to do with, like my mom's wedding dress I somehow ended up with when we cleaned out my grandpa's house). And the basement is a much bigger project. 

So I need some accountability! 
 
This week I need to make a couple of Goodwill trips. This weekend I think I'm going to try to whip the other closet into shape, although that may just consist of moving the totes of kid clothes to the basement. And the basement is more of a warm-weather project in that I need to organize a yard sale or take a whole bunch of stuff to the (or, more likely, both)... 

[finnime]

Today is the day I'll tackle general cleaning. It's my birthday, and friends are coming by later. I can't procrastinate any longer. I really am unhappy with how disordered everything is. So I will hit the LR, DR, kitchen, upstairs hall and bathroom. It's a start. Maybe this will expiate some of this tense unease I'm feeling again.

Haiku:


Second toe, left foot

Throbbing. Crushed by cutting board

Edge falling. It slipped.


Ouch.

[Waffle]

Happy birthday finnime.

midjd Good luck with your "inheritance"

Sam_2.0 Your closet looks so good!  (Mine looks like a tornado touched down in it.)

Congrats to everyone with the progress that's been made.

I took two nightstands to goodwill last night.  I'm also trying to throw out something "extra" above and beyond the regular trash each trash day.   Yesterday it was an old chair and box full of hangers.  The time before that it was one of those heaters that looks like a little wood burning stove.   (I cut the cord before I threw it out because the last time I used it I noticed the cord was hot when I unplugged it.)

There's a small aisle in the garage between my van and the mound of stuff that is stacked on the other side of the garage.   There was a box at the bottom that was sort of sticking out into the "aisle".  I rearranged some stuff so I could get to it.  Found out it was an UNOPENED box from one of the TV shopping channels.  I opened it and found a box of Nellie's laundry soda.  I have no idea how long it's been there - I vaguely remember my Mom saying she wanted to try that laundry soda .  But why she would have just left it on the floor in the garage, I have no idea!

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Jan 22, 2018 10:45:38 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

Todays Yesterdays Todos
15 minutes yoga
15 minutes paperwork
Read SEM literature on train to and from work
final edits to defense ppt
Do SEM homework today
Printout nonparametric readings

was too worn out to read on train into work, after all my pre-work todos.....already finding it hard to keep going.....one todo was to cancel a new service from cell phone plans they sneakily signed me up for when arranging for DDs international plan....took over a half hour

Today's Todos
yoga
paperwork
pick up DD's Rx to send her + letter
Finish SEM readings before class (train + lunch)
Printout nonparametric readings

Seems like I am just skating by today, but I guess I really am just skating by.....

Tomorrow's Todos
yoga

paperwork
finish defense ppt, time a practice run
Finish reading nonparmetric before class (train and lunch again.... )


Already feeling worn out and like I can't keep up with my 15 minute routines.....

note to debthaven....my days of Powering Through! may be behind me......limping through may be my moto this semester.....

It doesn't matter if I limp past the finish line, as long as I make it. And I need to keep up with my health and household too, so, I have to keep with the plan....

I think I will feel better by this weekend, if I get a weekend. two weekends ago fell down stairs saturday morning, hurt back and was in pain with every movement for 4-5 days, could hardly sleep because of pain if I moved an inch. This weekend all day saturday was spent on getting kitty to the vet - he is a stray I took in and is special needs, FIV positive, infection, etc. very sweet, but the bond of owner/pet isn't there and he fought getting into the carrier tooth and nail, quite literally....have to take him again to get staples removed.....he gets abscesses on his pads. hopefully won't take all day again, lol. Can't use clumping cat litter, that is an issue, loads of extra work there. Ugly smelly work....

Welp - off to do it.....

[Iggy aka IG]

Happy Birthday, finnime!  Sorry about your toe!

[Waffle]

Rukh O'Rorke

Instead of 15min of Yoga and 15min of paperwork each day, could you just concentrate on one of the two each day on weekdays?   Maybe Yoga could be Mon-Wed-Fri and paperwork could be Tues and Thur?   Or if you feel Yoga has to be everyday than just dedicate an hour each weekend to paperwork. 

Just thoughts based on how things work for me.  I wouldn't accomplish much of anything with 15 min of backlog paperwork.

[debthaven]

Happy birthday finnime !

LONG day (Tuesdays are my hardest/longest day). DS2 and his GF came for dinner, so so did DD. DH cooked . But that means I felt compelled to clean up the kitchen . I ran/emptied the dishwasher and started a load of laundry.

Rukh O'Rorke I'm not "powering through" much these days either.

It took me 90m to get home tonight instead of 30m because of train issues, so I couldn't even call the podiatrist. I really need to do both items tomorrow. This is probably my last week without marking for the semester.

We finally received a date for the house repairs: 19 + 20 Feb for the resin injections. By miracle I'm off the 19th. The 20th is a Tuesday, so I'll leave DH to deal with it. The pipework has to be done before that. Spoke to pipework guy last night, he said no problem. Here's to hoping that's true.

Because we haven't sold a studio it does look like we will have to borrow the money from our friends. I know they mean it, are totally sincere, and that they will not miss the money. It still REALLY bothers me, but not enough not to do the repairs (but only the repairs). I feel like a total fluck up.

This week
- bank
- make podiatrist appt

[Lizard Queen]

Happy birthday, finnime! You share a birthday with my mom. 😊🎂

I had to power through my workout today, but it was more like a limp. Hey, at least I got it done, right? It does make me feel better afterward.
I finally got rid of an old car seat with the trash pickup today, so yay! My DH put a bunch of the surplus from our garage into our family room, which has been driving me nuts, but also providing motivation. He also "decluttered" some of the basement by beinging up old printers, a computer and some other random stuff and sticking it in the family room. Ugh, thanks? He kept wanting to get rid of old boxes down there, but I told him to concentrate on his own stuff. (He's got 50,000,000 old bowling balls, and I'm only slightly exaggerating.) He also got a bunch of household stuff that his parents have him after their split and subsequent moves. Yet, he starts with empty boxes that might be of use to actually get stuff out of there.

My declutter number is going up pretty nicely. Doing 33 items on days I remember. Figured 1000 per month divided by 31 days. Got into my linen closet yesterday, and found an unopened box from QVC. Giant sized philosophy--and that stuff's not cheap. Got it out and started using it before it goes bad.

[debthaven]

midjd welcome back to the thread!

I know it's a LOT easier said than done, but remember, you are not obligated to house your mom's Stuff for her. Maybe you could compromise by telling her "oh that's way too much, I only have room for half of that"? You also don't know if / when she'll ever take them back, and I know you have several younger siblings, and you don't want to be everyone's storage facility. 

Again, easier said than done, I know.  

 

[moneysquirrel]

Managed to get to the dentist today and finished with him for 6 months.  Also managed to get the last of the laundry caught up.  Ran the dishwasher last night and have emptied it so that it will be ready for stacking used dishes in until I have enough to run again.  Average twice weekly. 

Maintaining most areas.  The flat surfaces in the BR need work.  It is my dumping area and currently has the materials for my beading project, library book, medicines, a few notebooks, etc. You get the idea.  I hope to get to it later today. Have slacked off of the decluttering for a few days and hope to get back to that as well.

I have been making progress on the beading front. I have a list of items that have sold well in the last years that I need to make as  I no longer have these items in my inventory.  I have been trying to knock out a few items from that list recently and feel that I am making some progress.  Also got a few new items done.  Need to take pictures and list them on etsy.

[Blonde Granny]

OK, I took the Coach cross body bag out of the garage  sale box. Tried to use it and discovered I still don't like it so it's back in the garage sale box and is staying there!.

[debthaven]

Haha Blonde Granny ! At least you have no more regrets lol.

moneysquirrel thanks for the reminder. I put a note in my diary to call my dentist in March for an appt in April.

[midjd]

Jan 23, 2018 16:20:52 GMT -5 debthaven said:

midjd welcome back to the thread!

I know it's a LOT easier said than done, but remember, you are not obligated to house your mom's Stuff for her. Maybe you could compromise by telling her "oh that's way too much, I only have room for half of that"? You also don't know if / when she'll ever take them back, and I know you have several younger siblings, and you don't want to be everyone's storage facility. 

Again, easier said than done, I know.  

Very fair points and I agree. 

I told DH that if the emptying of my grandpa's house last year is any indication, I'll be agreeing to take a lot of stuff just to move the process along and then swinging by the on the way home.

I'll need to look through the pictures/childhood memorabilia to see what needs to be kept, but I don't imagine the "can't throw away" pile will amount to more than a few boxes. Unfortunately, my minimalism is a double-edged sword in that I see empty space as freeing and she sees it as "Mid needs more stuff!" 

On the bright side, de-hoarding her house now will prevent us (me) from having to do it in 20 or 30 years... I don't see my energy or motivation levels improving between now and then! 

[debthaven]

Good for you for swinging by the on the way home midjd . Sounds like you'll be fine!

The difference between now and later is that later you'll have more time, because Mini Mid will be bigger, but less energy. So it's probably a wash.

 

[Chocolate Lover]

My parents had a pipe burst and leak in their garage over the weekend. Dad caught it quickly but since the garage is full except for a trail to the door and stacked to almost the ceiling it was an ordeal anyway. 

The best part is that they threw away 2 trash cans of stuff. Only 30 billion more to go! 

[debthaven]

Ouch Chocolate Lover! Maybe it will inspire them to keep going?

[Chocolate Lover]

I think Mom sort of, kind of wants to clean out the house/garage/storage buildings but she doesn't want to do it in small pieces over a period of time. And, mostly, she just wants to magically rearrange it so it's neater and easier to navigate. She's 71. I know that I probably still have years before I have to clean her house out when's she's gone, but I swear it will take a decade. Unless I quit my job, then it will only be 3 years. 

[bobosensei]

I have more stuff for goodwill.  I hate dropping stuff off there, but I know it needs to be done.  I'll be moving at the end of May and I don't want to move junk.  I moved so much stuff to this house that I ended up getting rid of, and when you are moving on your own you don't have time to pack and unpack and shuffle around junk.

I need to do more decluttering

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Jan 23, 2018 13:22:32 GMT -5 Waffle said:

Rukh O'Rorke

Instead of 15min of Yoga and 15min of paperwork each day, could you just concentrate on one of the two each day on weekdays?   Maybe Yoga could be Mon-Wed-Fri and paperwork could be Tues and Thur?   Or if you feel Yoga has to be everyday than just dedicate an hour each weekend to paperwork. 

Just thoughts based on how things work for me.  I wouldn't accomplish much of anything with 15 min of backlog paperwork.

I'm trying to develop habits so working on daily. I always allow myself to go longer when I can and have the time....

[countrygirl2]

I straightened my bathroom day before yesterday when I painted and put things

back, so its neat and clean, for now.

Tomorrow planning on starting on our bedroom, so will organize and store things.

I had a huge blanket cleaned and going to basement. I got new curtains for the

living/dining room so washed the others getting ready to go to basement. Tomorrow

also taking down the red bedroom curtains and the Christmas bedspread and red

sheets washing it all and storing in the basement for next year. I have pretty blue

sheers and a blue and white spread to put on after the painting and either blue or

white sheets. I like to change stuff out periodically. (Have to find those blue sheers they

are in the basement, in a box, going to try and label things better so I know what

I have, that's a big problem hubs and I have).  Things we want to reuse and can't

find them, no not very organized.

[ambellamy]

I've decided to give myself a year to wear all the clothes I decided to keep after I purged through my closet after the move. Anything unworn by next January is getting donated... and it feels super good to say that out loud somewhere...

Somethings might not fit right now, but I can't keep telling myself i'll loose the weight cause he's going to be three in freaking April... it aint baby weight anymore... it's just weight... and if I loose it, i'll deserve new clothes or my current clothes will just fit better.... and if i go to buy clothes, i'll just time-capsule the sucker. 

I'm also declaring a clothes buying ban until i get through everything in my wardrobe... I'm hoping to make it a year (minus socks, under clothes, and shoes). It's time to break my lularoe addiction. 

Today we got our window fixed and I gathered papers to file start our tax returns (which was soooo much easier after i cleaned out the desk last week)... We are getting a healthy for us refund (still waiting on a form i need to file so I can't just yet...) ... but i'm really worried about taxes for 2018 with the new tax laws (I so don't want to create a political crazy stream of comments)... But my take home pay increased a little and i'm wondering if that will affect refunds and cause us to owe instead of get a refund because now we will be on the edge of itemizing verses always itemizing and getting those personal deductions... 

[zibazinski]

My girlfriend purged 73 items of clothing from her closet. I keep hanging onto to stuff I’ll never wear because I don’t have the life I had with DH. I need to face it and move on with purging.

[snapdragon]

Jan 24, 2018 7:41:03 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

My girlfriend purged 73 items of clothing from her closet. I keep hanging onto to stuff I’ll never wear because I don’t have the life I had with DH. I need to face it and move on with purging.

Hugs Zib.    

[busymom]

Back when I was getting rid of clothing, I think my "office" clothes were the most difficult to part with, mostly because I'd spent so much money on them.  But, they DID go out the door.  

My contractor was supposed to be here Monday, and Tuesday, but that didn't happen.  At least he's here today.  Also, the electrician that is putting my outdoor lighting back up is supposed to be here today, too.


I've spent my time getting rid of stuff.  When I finally post my total, it'll be a big jump in number of items.  But, the stuff has GOT to go.

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 23, 2018 23:28:07 GMT -5 ambellamy said:

Today we got our window fixed and I gathered papers to file start our tax returns (which was soooo much easier after i cleaned out the desk last week)... We are getting a healthy for us refund (still waiting on a form i need to file so I can't just yet...) ... but i'm really worried about taxes for 2018 with the new tax laws (I so don't want to create a political crazy stream of comments)... But my take home pay increased a little and i'm wondering if that will affect refunds and cause us to owe instead of get a refund because now we will be on the edge of itemizing verses always itemizing and getting those personal deductions... 

Estimated mine yesterday based on the new withholding.  I would have owed close to $1000.  I have changed the withholding now.

I am not at the edge of itemizing vs not itemizing.  However, I am within $1000 of what the new standard deduction will be for a single person.  I won't get my personal exemption, so I lose--even with a slight decrease in the tax rate.

[nidena]

Jan 22, 2018 15:31:50 GMT -5 nidena said:

Combo for today and tomorrow:

Get recorded copy of shared driveway to refi company ASAP
Macro homework due Tues
Bus Comm homework due Wed
Branding homework due Thurs
Gym
Book Club
Ship Stitch Fix rejects by 25th
Ship flour to PA friend
Re-Ship pkg to IN
Ship niece's toys
Review slides for Bus Ethics presentation on Friday

Carrying the remainder over to the next couple days. 

[Lizard Queen]

Got rid of more old toiletries.  Holy hell, I had it stashed everywhere.  I had no idea I had so much hidden away.      Also glad we're not doing stockings with my MIL any more because I many hand sanitizers and body washes do I really need when I don't even use them in the first place?