2021 Declutter Stuff & Organize Your Life

[lund]

Decluttered this week:
2 buckets of garden waste (from garden to own garden compost)
1 old router (to recycling at )
1 old fax machine (to recycling at )
1 broken dehumidifier (to recycling at )
various other boxes, packing stuffing, and other recyclable paper materials (to recycling collection at the )

...and there will be more. This year's motto will (once again) be

Reclaim the space!

[debthaven]

Great job Lund! Nice to "see" you again!

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Work has been very hectic, 9 hour meeting yesterday to cap off a killer week.

Today - time to get back to domestic considerations - yet where to start? Everything is chaos to eyes....

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Still only maintaining the house--no deep cleaning or purging this week. 
Yesterday (Saturday) I worked from 8:30 - 3:00. Then had dinner with a SIL & BIL. 
Today is homework day. Must get that done. 

This week we're having a light fixture installed in our dining area. I'm thrilled. It's been eight years of darkness in that area of the house. 

[Rukh O'Rorke]

hey organizers! Anyone seeing clearance on xmas decorations?

always mean to buy after xams, every year get caught and this was the worse with so much sold out on line.

[startsmart]

Still haven’t built the trash can box, the weather has been crappy this week and my truck is taking up more time than I expected.

After looking at my options I’ve decided to pull money from my savings to buy a new used car outright and set myself the goal of 3 months to replenish it. Last week I brought in 4 new clients so that will help substantially. I still need to call my insurance company Monday and get a price quote on car insurance, I am hoping it doesn’t go up too much.

I’ll trade in the truck because they’ll give me 30% more than the guy I spoke to last week. It was good to have his number though so I could negotiate. That lowers the taxable amount a bit and saves me time and money getting new plates. Plus I don’t have to pay registration for the old truck in February or that insurance bill.

Oh and the dealership is including an extended warranty which covers most of the expensive repairs in case anything comes up after buying it. I’ll still have some regular maintenance costs but that would happen anyway.

I am working on the prep for my new laundry room floor which I wanted to finish this month and have done nothing on just yet.

[laterbloomer]

I got the spot painting done in the office. Now ai'm waiting for it to dry. It might not be the exact same light blue I originally painted that room. I might have to do the whole room. Cost ways it doesn't matter. I have almost a full can, that should be enough for one coat of the whole room. If it isn't the same colour it is close so only one coat will be needed.
I also got all my old phone equipment boxed up and ready to be mailed off.
I did a bunch of meal prep this weekend I wasn't planning on and cleaned the bathroom so I don't feel like a total slug.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 24, 2021 13:43:13 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

hey organizers! Anyone seeing clearance on xmas decorations?

always mean to buy after xams, every year get caught and this was the worse with so much sold out on line.

I got Christmas wrapping paper and a few more snowmen. Because 30 snowmen apparently not enough. 

[laterbloomer]

Jan 24, 2021 16:39:26 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Jan 24, 2021 13:43:13 GMT -5 Rukh O'Rorke said:

hey organizers! Anyone seeing clearance on xmas decorations?

always mean to buy after xams, every year get caught and this was the worse with so much sold out on line.

I got Christmas wrapping paper and a few more snowmen. Because 30 snowmen apparently not enough. 

😅

[debthaven]

lund reminded me. We put out a broken coffee machine and broken printer for the monthly bulk trash pickup last Friday (3rd Fri of the month). They didn't come. Then I realized last Fri was the 4th Fri of the month, not the 3rd.

We put them in the car because I didn't want to bring them back inside. Yesterday we went to the local Asian supermarket to stock up on rice. There was a small appliance recycling bin in the parking lot! So out they went.

I had never seen one of those bins before!

[laterbloomer]

Well it's off a shade or two, I'm repainting the whole room. oh well. I wasn't in the mood to do that tonight so I purged the fridge instead. We have all kinds of neat things GW is going to like., chocolate syrup, maple syrup, guacamole to go with the corn chips on top of the fridge...I always feel like I end up with more good stuff after I purge the crap.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Guys! DH is doing the shredding! DH IS DOING THE SHREDDING!





(My husband is great about laundry, cooking, cleaning up the kitchen, and yard work. He doesn't do deep cleaning/non-daily chores.)

[debthaven]

Hurray for Mr Chloe!

[chiver78]

another packing box is gone!   yesterday, I moved all of the throw blankets that were still on the corner shelf in my dining room down to a bucket I used to use for beach towels in the last house - on the floor next to the couch. the blankets are for the couch, for the pups. back up to the shelf - I unpacked the box of records and put them back where they belong on that shelf. woo hoo! I'll be setting up the record player on whatever sideboard I end up finding. I can't wait

I also unloaded a bunch of paperback books over the past few days. still have a couple left, but they are in my car. I'm stopping at Little Free Library locations when I see them, and putting a couple in each. most of the locations are pretty full so it has taken awhile.

[ohmomto2boys]

DH took recycling (there is a place 5 minutes from our house).  It is so nice to see the garage cleaned up of cardboard.   

[TheOtherMe]

Trash most likely won't be going any farther than the garage this week.  We are supposed to get 6-8 inches of snow between this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon.  I'm not dragging a trash bin through that.

[countrygirl2]

I emptied up several more storage containers, there was this and that in them. I sorted and put in with other items and must have 6 sitting there. Loaded up 6 books for a friend, only a few I know, but she will read them. I already have.  I need to take a ton of books I have bought and read down there and put them on my book shelf. Found another box of all kinds of cords for electronics for hubs, he is keeping them in his garage.

Washing some items, more lap robes and things and putting away.  I have a huge bag of trash to go out.  I have consolidated bunches of canning lids, plastic freezer containers. 

Also a lot to go to the renter for her yard sale, will be lots more. It's starting to look better down there. I told hubs if we ever move, much more will go.

[Iggy aka IG]

Jan 23, 2021 10:29:51 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Jan 20, 2021 21:14:44 GMT -5 startsmart said:

Okay this is more on the organizing side of things but I really want to make the trash can box tomorrow when the weather is good. 

I just need to pull out the 2x4 I bought, my miter saw and an extension cord. The rest of the wood is out and the trash cans are empty so I can make the box the right size without spilling any trash. 

Once that is done I can set it in place behind the fence and my trash cans won't end up in a parking lot because of the wind here.

I have enough wood to also make a compost bin so that'll come next, I would love to start taking out my kitchen scraps and let them make me rich compost for the garden. 

Um, yes, that is fantastic organization! 

Jan 20, 2021 23:29:29 GMT -5 nikiz628 said:

All kitchen cabinets have been degreased. If you have never completed this chore, tread lightly. I clean my cabinets several times a year with soap and water to keep them clean. Or so I thought. The water in the bucket when I was finished....ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. But at least now everything is ready for paint. 

Well, now I'm worried about mine. I wipe my down almost every month.

Jan 22, 2021 15:30:53 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Took another personal day yesterday.  This is a habit I quickly need to kibosh.

Why

Because 3 in one week doesn't pay the bills. 

[debthaven]

Because 3 in one week doesn't pay the bills.

Fair enough Iggy! So maybe every other Friday off (ie 2 days/month) and every other Friday working from home (so you can get some tasks/chores done between clients?)

My brain is FRIED. 13.5h on Zoom in two days. Another rough day tomorrow.

I ran and emptied the dishwasher, and did a load of laundry. I'm considering that a big win!!!

I also lost a crown (I found it!) so I have a dentist appt on Friday.

If I get through this crazy week things will calm down a bit for a few weeks. But marking. .

We have a very close friend who just had his second heart surgery in two weeks. CRAZY story! His very elderly Dad died of Covid a few weeks ago. The (very adult) kids were fooling around with their late Dad's oxy pulsometer. The nurse walked in while our friend N had it. She said, your reading is as bad as your Dad's. He was an 87YO who died of Covid, but you're only 60. You need to make an appointment with your GP YESTERDAY, because something is terribly wrong.

So N did. The first two docs said he was fine. He insisted on more tests. At some point (stress test? not sure) he was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Long story short he had 2 stents put in last week, and the third stent put in yesterday. He's home now. That wonderful nurse saved his life.

[Iggy aka IG]

Glad you found the crown, debthaven.  And yes, as of right now (I'm home for CE class), I found the perfect sunny spot to WFH in the future. 

[debthaven]

So happy for you that you found the right spot to WFH Iggy aka IG ! Can you please enlighten me as to what CE classes are?

[Iggy aka IG]

Continuing Education.  

[startsmart]

Decluttered my truck today so if I had a goal by item weight I’d be done for the year! I’ve got a new (used) car and went out of town to pick up groceries.

[TheOtherMe]

That nurse did save your friend's life debthaven

I finally got all of DN1 and his wife's papers into an accordion file folder.  Now their tax information is starting to arrive so I will need to scan that and file it.

[debthaven]

Another crazy week over. I don't know if I would have managed if I had to commute too.

This weekend
- send Zoom links/Fri
- dentist/Fri
- Shitepile
- fireplace paperwork
- mark 27 essays

I am now on a reduced schedule for 4 weeks (Job 2 is off for 3 weeks, and Job 1 for 1 week). 

I'd like to get the marking done by Monday but we'll see. I have a month till I see them again, but I hate having marking hanging over my head. 

 

[debthaven]

I REALLY don't want to jinx myself. But it looks like next week, we'll FINALLY be signing the first set of papers to sell the "wonky studio"! 

[finnime]

That's fantastic news, debthaven!

[Iggy aka IG]

Right on, debthaven!!! 

[TheOtherMe]

Fingers crossed debthaven

[debthaven]

Thank you friends!!!

The buyer is a professional, and he asked the RE lawyers for a few minor changes (nothing that would affect us). I'm worried that they may not be done in time for our Tues appt. But he's been waiting patiently for 11 months, so what's another week or two, right?!

For anyone wondering why we didn't sell to someone else instead:
- there were NO other offers
- you can't legally sell unless X, Y and Z are up to current regulations. We got scammed when we bought (my bad). The buyer has been working hard for 6 months to bring everything up to current regulations, and even paying OOP to make it happen.

For sure, our buyer is getting a GREAT deal! Good for him! In exchange, WE'LL hopefully be rid of this headache studio we could NEVER have gotten rid of if a RE professional hadn't decided to buy it. 

He's planning to transform our studio into a 1BR so that it's worth more. Again, good for him! Win-win as far as we are concerned!

PS He is 22 ... very young, but very smart, and very hands-on!