2018 Get Organized & Declutter Your Stuff

[vetswife]

Cleaned out my delete box; it was way overdue!

[Waffle]

Jan 25, 2018 16:16:37 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Saw this and thought of y'all.  I like the fact she didn't buy any new organizers:

Transforming My Junk Drawer

I like this. There's several drawers in my bathroom that would benefit from being organized like that.

[Waffle]

I have a sideboard I've decided to sell, so Wednesday night I cleaned it out. Admittedly, somethings just got hidden away in another sideboard. Yes, there are two sideboards in my little dining room  .  Anyhow, I did find quite a few things to pitch and donate.   The most "interesting" trash I found in the sideboard were some Sears receipts from 2010. (I just counted all the paper I threw out as 1 item). Last night I loaded up quite a few donate things and dropped them off at Goodwill.  I don't have my count with me, but I know I'm at over 200. 

Goodwill wouldn't take the walker or shower chair.  So at the moment, they are still in my van.  I want to just throw them out on trash day - but I have a friend who is encouraging me to hold on to them. 

[debthaven]

Waffle are you allowed to put the trash out the night before? Here some people drive around and pick things up before the garbage trucks come. I'd put them out ... if your friends wants them she can take them off your hands.

[Waffle]

debthaven, yes we can put trash out the night before. When I have stuff I think someone might want, I always leave it out the night before. My plan, before I talked to her was to put them out this Sunday.   It's not that she wants them.   It's that she thinks I might need them for myself someday.   Like she used her late mom's shower chair, when she (my friend) broke her ankle.  I told her they bring back such bad memories for me - I didn't really want to keep them.  But, she thinks she knows someone who might take them.  He's involved with a charitable organization that loans out equipment like that.  So, I guess I'll wait a little while until she checks with him.

[debthaven]

Waffle I wouldn't want to keep those items "just in case" either. I understand about the bad memories. If you can donate them to that charity, that would be a win-win.

[Lizard Queen]

Cleaned out and dusted 1/2 of my bedroom so far. It became duch a dumping ground, i really cant believe how much crap was stashed, and there's still a lot more. Holy hell, the dust! I'm allergic, and considered wearing a mask and gloves. I didn't do that, but did wash my hands frequently.

[Sharon]

Jan 26, 2018 14:51:17 GMT -5 Waffle said:

debthaven , yes we can put trash out the night before. When I have stuff I think someone might want, I always leave it out the night before. My plan, before I talked to her was to put them out this Sunday.   It's not that she wants them.   It's that she thinks I might need them for myself someday.   Like she used her late mom's shower chair, when she (my friend) broke her ankle.  I told her they bring back such bad memories for me - I didn't really want to keep them.  But, she thinks she knows someone who might take them.  He's involved with a charitable organization that loans out equipment like that.  So, I guess I'll wait a little while until she checks with him.

When my Grandpa passed the things like the walker, shower chair etc. went to a veterans organization.  They loan things like that out to veterans who couldn't afford them. 

[plugginaway22]

Debt, keep an eye on DS, as my nephew had a bad collar bone break last winter that initially they said no surgery, but a week later the pain was so bad they went in and straightened and put a pin in.  He passed out twice from the pain.

[debthaven]

Thanks for letting me know Pluggin. Happily his GF is waiting to start a new job so she will be able to keep an eye on him too, especially when I'm at work.

[Blonde Granny]

Please ! Please! Do NOT take these semi handicap items back to the VA Medical Centers. We are not allowed to accept them and if dropped off without us knowing everything will end up in the dumpsters.

My facility will take clean used clothing, but not right now....we have too much and no more is being accepted. The same goes for quilts, throws, blankets and other hand made items. We simply get over run with these items....so if you must, call your VA Medical Center and ask for the dept. of Voluntary Services to see if they will accept them.

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 26, 2018 16:12:08 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Jan 26, 2018 14:51:17 GMT -5 Waffle said:

debthaven , yes we can put trash out the night before. When I have stuff I think someone might want, I always leave it out the night before. My plan, before I talked to her was to put them out this Sunday.   It's not that she wants them.   It's that she thinks I might need them for myself someday.   Like she used her late mom's shower chair, when she (my friend) broke her ankle.  I told her they bring back such bad memories for me - I didn't really want to keep them.  But, she thinks she knows someone who might take them.  He's involved with a charitable organization that loans out equipment like that.  So, I guess I'll wait a little while until she checks with him.

When my Grandpa passed the things like the walker, shower chair etc. went to a veterans organization.  They loan things like that out to veterans who couldn't afford them. 

Veteran's organization, not hospital.  

I know around here there are charities who take these items and loan or donate to people in need.  

[TheOtherMe]

We still have mom's wheelchair, walker and shower chair in case dad needs them.  I have my own shower chair.

Sister bought the wheelchair so she gets to decide what happens with that.

I just spent a couple of hours cleaning out emails--going back to 2008.

[busymom]

I'm so sorry to hear about your DS, debthaven.  Hopefully the healing will go quickly.


This week has been a pain.  There is a very small leak in the plumbing area of the new tub, that they're having trouble finding the source.  Of course, they won't be able to lay the flooring until it's found.  At least we can use the shower, but using the shower is when the leak is a problem.    

I'm going to either organize my taxes, or do more purging this weekend.  Maybe a bit of both.

[chapeau]

In preparation for taxes, I went through several folders of bills, papers, etc and shredded 2 bags today. Still have more to do. DH hasn’t even given me his business receipts yet. I usually find a grocery bag full of things he wants to deduct that are just wishful thinking.

[hopetoberich]

Decluttered for an hour. One table cleaned and shiny.
Got extras in the trash. Still have a long way to go.

Exterminator came today. He put some mouse traps down.

[Waffle]

The local Lion's club supposedly takes the walkers,etc. My friend's husband is in a group with a Lion member, the next time they have a meeting when wives are invited (sometime next month) she's going to ask him about them. They can stay on the enclosed patio until then.

[debthaven]

DH went through the two giant boxes from his office. He condensed everything he's keeping "for now" into one box, and put a bunch of things in recycling or garbage. Unfortunately, there are a ton more boxes from his office he dumped in a friend's office, and he still needs to go through those. Because in the six months that he knew his office was closing down, he didn't have time, apparently.

DS2's apartment purchase is going through, so at some point in the next few months he'll either take or sell the furniture that is currently being stored in his bedroom and in the basement, and DH and I will buy more Ikea basement shelving for DH's office stuff. But at least some stuff left the house, and the rest won't live upstairs.

I want to move DS1's bedding out of DS2's shelves closet before DS2 arrives. DS1 uses DS2's room too now because DS1's basement bedroom is not fit for a baby.

ETA: I managed to fit DS1's comforter, pillows and towels into one huge Ikea bag which fits at the back of DS2's hanging closet. This is the bag: www.ikea.com/fr/fr/catalog/products/10056770/ Baby's bed and mattress fits at the back of that closet too. That closet is under a staircase so it's quite deep. I'm glad everything can stay in the same room.

[debthaven]

A cancelled, so I did a big grocery shop for DS2/GF. I bought crap I never buy, like chocolate cake. I made a copycat Olive Garden soup. I cleaned out the fridge and stocked up the freezer so we should be all set for a while. DH and I shop as needed and/or eat from the pantry when it's just the two of us. I have no idea how long they're planning to stay ... knowing DS2 once he starts feeling better he'll want to go back to Paris.

I'm hoping to get DH to spend more time on the basement this weekend but I'm not holding my breath. I also rearranged a few things down there.

Digging through DH's Stuff I found a big bag of clothes DS3 has outgrown. Oops. It's in my car for my colleague who has two younger boys. I've also asked her if she wants our old 4-bike bike rack, she's checking to see if it will fit on her car. (We still have a bike rack for two bikes.)

Update: I put two bags of clothes in donation bin. Friend/colleague is coming next Sun to pick up the boys' clothes and the bike rack.

[dogmom]

I've been attacking paper clutter today.  We certainly have more than our share.    It looks worse before it looks better, right?  Well, at least I'm hoping so.

[Lizard Queen]

I hope so too.  I have all the crap I took out of my bedroom yesterday still in the living room.  Somehow, I'm going to have to figure out where to put it all.  At least the bedroom looks good--momentarily.

[ambellamy]

Jan 24, 2018 11:27:11 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

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.

Is there a website you can use to estimate your taxes with the new tables... compare apples with apples? (I use Turbo Tax)

[ambellamy]

Jan 26, 2018 13:47:01 GMT -5 vetswife said:

Cleaned out my delete box; it was way overdue!

I've been slowly going through mine a little bit each day.... delete 200 emails, unsubscribe from things as they come in... eventually i'll get there. Great job though!

[ambellamy]

So today is all about building the rest of our IKEA closet... which then means I can PURGE all of the boxes that in our bedroom once its built...


*****excited ****

Last night we got one of the frames up... and we put the light bars in our clothing closets which we put together a while ago.

[debthaven]

I forced DH to spend two hours with me clearing his side of the desk. It looks so much better now. Too bad it never stays that way.

So this weekend has been pretty productive in the end, since we're home with DS2 and his GF.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 26, 2018 11:50:07 GMT -5 debthaven said:

So, DS2 went skiing with friends for a few days. He broke his clavicle today, badly. No surgery. He's being repatriated home tomorrow. We vaguely considered going but it's a 7h drive (one way).

I'll go grocery shopping tomorrow morning to make some of his favorites. His GF will be staying here too.

Dangit!!!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 26, 2018 22:19:56 GMT -5 chapeau said:

In preparation for taxes, I went through several folders of bills, papers, etc and shredded 2 bags today. Still have more to do. DH hasn’t even given me his business receipts yet. I usually find a grocery bag Rory’s ofvthings he wants to deduct that are just wishful thinking.

Just out of curiosity, what happened typing-wise here? I only ask because that's DD#2's name! 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Happy Saturday!
So far today, I
~worked for about an hour and half this morning
~deep cleaned the master bathroom while DD deep cleaned "her" bathroom
~went to the gym

I still need to
~walk the dog
~work for another two hours
~make dinner
~figure out which deep cleaning chores I will finish for January

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 27, 2018 11:42:21 GMT -5 ambellamy said:

Jan 24, 2018 11:27:11 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

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.

Is there a website you can use to estimate your taxes with the new tables... compare apples with apples? (I use Turbo Tax)

I use Turbo Tax.  Will not need to buy in future.

I did it by a spreadsheet as my situation is extremely simple with no itemized deductions.  I took my income (pension, state tax refund and interest), subtracted standard deduction.  Used that amount to look up tax rate.  Did calculation.  Withholding the way it was using tables will not cover it.  

I am keeping track of itemized expenses just in case.  I don't see how I will go over the standard deduction.

My state uses federal AGI.  So far, they have not made any changes.  For the state, I just made sure I am paying in as much as I do this year.  If I owe, I don't want any penalty.

[debthaven]

Good news! DS2 has an appt with a top orthopedic surgeon on Mon for a second opinion. His GF's dad is a surgeon (but not that kind) and he very kindly asked a friend to see DS2 on Monday.

I'm VERY relieved because I looked up the hospital DS2 went to on Fri, and it has terrible ratings. The Alpine hospitals generally have great reviews because they are used to dealing with broken bones, but this one certainly doesn't. The ER doc he saw prescribed a painkiller and a brace that don't even exist anymore. Yikes!

We'll know tomorrow what time the appt is ... if it's early on Mon, they'll probably have to go back to Paris tomorrow night so they don't have to deal with the traffic. Hopefully that won't be the case, but we'll see. I'm so grateful that his GF's dad went out of his way to do this. (They have been together for two years, but we have never met her parents.)

ETA: I've seen the X-rays ... I'm no doc, let alone a surgeon, but I'm guessing they will end up operating DS2 to pin it.