2021 Declutter Stuff & Organize Your Life

[debthaven]

Thank you TheOtherMe ! I'm much more cautious than I used to be, and order these items when we get down to the last one or two. I guess everything nearly ran out at the same time because we had a full house during Christmas. 

I'm glad you're having the cleaners. Ours has been coming since after the first lockdown. She wears a mask and gloves. We open the windows and stay away from each other. If ever we're in the same room (very rarely) we wear masks too. 

[TheOtherMe]

I'm going to go to the car again.  Now that it's winter, I will have to run the car so I told them the garage door will be open.  I have no idea of how long it takes to get carbon monoxide poisoning and I'm not going to find out.

I am going to open windows and will wipe everything down.

Having the cleaners forced me to pick up the stuff the accumulates because I don't put it away like I should.  I've got three months of that to take care of.

I am starting to take down Christmas decorations that are not lit.  I really like the 3 ft tree that I bought and will keep it up for a while.

[Sharon]

Everyone is off to a great start.  I am being an adult and taking care of estate items and those pesky things no one wants to think about.

laterbloomer does GW still live with you?  I think you had mentioned one time that she had returned to live with you as a renter.

[laterbloomer]

Jan 4, 2021 19:05:47 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Everyone is off to a great start.  I am being an adult and taking care of estate items and those pesky things no one wants to think about.

laterbloomer does GW still live with you?  I think you had mentioned one time that she had returned to live with you as a renter.

Yes, she's still here. She's working and figuring life out. Something of a late bloomer also. Overall we make pretty good roommates. 🙂

OH! That is something else I found! Housework gift certificates GW gave me for Christmas 3 years ago. She wouldn't do the chores without the certificate so I have closet organizing, bathroom cleaning and car detailing in my future 😁

[Deleted]

I am late to the party as always!

I decluttered a lot last year, but most of it was DH's.  Not all, though.

My two biggest areas that still need major work are the basement and the laundry room. The laundry room is easier because it is small and those are old cleaning products that need to get tossed.  The basement has some of that but also decorations.  And china although I have been working on that.

I forgot my Master Bedroom closet where all the art work I took down is stored.

No wonder this is so hard.  Stuff is everywhere!

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2021 13:02:17 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

I have slowly begun taking down a few items each day but a lot of the items will remain until January 6th.   I need to try to find some replacement bulbs for an old ceramic Christmas tree I did about 40+ years ago.  I received it back after DMom died and didn't realized that some of the pieces were missing.  Except for those missing pieces it is still in good shape.  I will check locally first but may have to buy online.  I have a year to figure it out.

Do you mean the plastic bulbs?  You can get them on Amazon.  Hobby Lobby had them before Christmas, too.

[tcu2003]

31 Day Challenge

www.frugalcouponliving.com/declutter-your-home-checklist/

Day 1 - Holiday Decorations and Cards.
Day 2 - Kitchen Cupboards
Day 3 - Kitchen Drawers
Day 4 - Fridge and Freezer

Fridge and Freezer didn’t happen as I took the kids outside to play, and then went and saw a local Christmas light show before it ends for the season on Wednesday. That task is probably one I’ll save for the weekend, and get DH to tackle it with me.

[Blonde Granny]

I didn't make it yesterday to organizer my "stuff" on my steel shelving. It's supposed to be about 60 today then 3 or 4 days of miserable cold weather, so will attempt to do that today.

I do have to make a run to Walmart Neighborhood Market and I'm promising myself I will stick to my list.

[bean29]

I have to declutter the stuff I bought in the last week!  Amazon shopping.  Grr.

I have something from Amazon I wanted to return to the UPS Store on Saturday, but I got there after closing.  They were closed on Sunday, and I worked through my lunch yesterday.  Today I will take a lunch, do some Amazon returns at the UPS store and then do a return of some Lamps I bought on the internet to Target, and the Nexxus Conditioner I bought for pickup that was Buy one get one 1/2 off + an additional 25% off.  The first time I purchased, I failed to pick it up in time, and they cancelled the order.  Luckily, It was still the same deal when I reordered, but I picked it up, and realized I only got one of the two I ordered.  I reordered from a different store, but now I have to return the single one.  

I had also ordered very similar lamps from Amazon.  The lamps from amazon are exactly the same as the target ones only a bit smaller.  I liked the larger ones better, but felt the on/off switch was awkward to reach. The Amazon ones respond to your touch and turn on/off.  They also came with an LED bulb and they have an on/off toggle switch on the cord.

I need to take my old lamps to goodwill, but I have some additional donation stuff in the basement, so decided not to do that today.

I would like to at least get out and disconnect the Outdoor Christmas decorations.

I have a ton of work to do this week, so I am off to the Grindstone.  

[vetswife]

I looked in the closet in the sewing room; hadn't been in there for a while and had forgotten what a mess it is!  I've got my work cut out for me!

[Iggy aka IG]

debthaven, you're not crazy re: stocking up.  I try and do that a few times a year from Sam's Club because we live 20 min away from the nearest grocery store.  To have canned goods, a stocked freezer, etc. saves time and stress.  Further, my 2019 Amazon HBAs stock up helped get us through the goofy of 2020, and continues to do so.  I walk down the hall for bar soap, deodorant, etc.    In fact, I do believe it's time for another order.

I took an unexpected mental health day yesterday.  Sunday I put away the Christmas decorations while watching the Raiders game.  I am pleased to report because I gave away the 3 gift bags worth of items, things not only fit in the 4 bins, but there is actually a bit of extra room.  The faux tree still needs to be put away, and it's usually DH's job.  He's not moving very fast with it though.  I'll then dust surfaces, and put back the year-round decorations.

[laterbloomer]

So the purging continues. Today I'm on the den, otherwise known as ISO's office/pantry/catch all room. Just one hour of purging stuff I was keeping for "some day" and the room is already twice as big.

I think the secret formula for me is 2 weeks vacation. The first week I was just a couch potato. This week I have had the energy and been motivated.

[TheOtherMe]

2 bins of Christmas decorations and a decoration that lives on a shelf are back in the garage.  A little closer to cleaning shape.

[debthaven]

I think the secret formula for me is 2 weeks vacation. The first week I was just a couch potato. This week I have had the energy and been motivated.

This makes perfect sense laterbloomer

This week
- send 2 course descriptions to Job 2/Mon
- go through top teaching shelf/Mon
- mail V's book/Tues
- 2 1 recommendation letter(s)/Wed
- take down tree/Wed
- DH's Quickbooks/Fri

I had to wait 20 min at the post office but at least the package is out of the house.  

Finally found out today that both schools are completely online for now. 

My semester starts tomorrow. I'm teaching my regular student classes 3 days/week. The 4th day is for my professors. (For any newcomers who care, besides my regular classes, I also "coach" 3 faculty members who teach in English but who are not native speakers.)  

So when we do go back to school, I'll only have to go in 3 days a week instead of the usual 4. 

[moneysquirrel]

Jan 4, 2021 22:10:57 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Jan 3, 2021 13:02:17 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

I have slowly begun taking down a few items each day but a lot of the items will remain until January 6th.   I need to try to find some replacement bulbs for an old ceramic Christmas tree I did about 40+ years ago.  I received it back after DMom died and didn't realized that some of the pieces were missing.  Except for those missing pieces it is still in good shape.  I will check locally first but may have to buy online.  I have a year to figure it out.

Do you mean the plastic bulbs?  You can get them on Amazon.  Hobby Lobby had them before Christmas, too.

Thanks, Amazon requires me to get 100 of the bulbs.  I only need a few.  I will check Hobby Lobby and others prior to next Christmas. I have already packed the tree away for the year. 

[moneysquirrel]

Just a quick pop -in posting as I managed to start the decluttering of old papers and other items.

debthaven -- I think that you are wise getting things that you will use in bulk.  No panic attacks when you can't find them and you need them.  Also that way you will not have to fight weather or crowds.  

I am continuing the process of packing Christmas away.  Still have several more days of doing this.  The two smaller trees have been packed away and I started taking a few ornaments off the main tree. 

I also attacked the pile of papers today -- some were filed and a lot of the older papers were shredded.  One room was taken care of by Roomba and one load of laundry was completed. Trash was put out for pickup tomorrow but not enough in the recycle bin to make me carry it out.  The little in there can wait until next week.
 
My car is in the shop and I have a rental that will probably sit in the driveway most of the time except for appointments -- 2 tomorrow. I have enough to keep be busy at home for several days.  Still have a few weeks before the volunteer gig starts up again so I will continuing going through and disposing of things.

[startsmart]

Today I brought stuff home since it’ll be my only store trip for the month. I got the groceries I needed, batteries, a tool for electrical work and all the stuff I bought at the auction.

It does feel like the opposite of decluttering but I know these will be needed and the price is right. For example,

A brand new wood lattice $6 (Home Depot sells for $30)
A garden hoe $5
2 matching solid wood bed frames $11
2 curtain rods $6

All needed items, I’m not even going to try to count the cost of curtains and rods for the 20 upstairs windows.

[wvugurl26]

No new decluttering today but an organizational win. We finally refinanced the loan on my car. We had to call since my DH has his credit frozen. I was able to easily lay my hands on the title, the loan paperwork and the pin to unlock the credit freeze for the bureau they use.

I know I've made good progress but I look around and see all the stuff that's not done. It's nice to know that while I'm not done, what I have done is working.

I printed out a habit tracker yesterday and started using it. I have 7 things on it that I'm trying to do consistently. I do good for a couple days then I go off the rails. I like coloring in all the boxes. I had a package of metallic colored pencils laying around.

I feel better about this year. Even if we are still home for most of it, I feel motivated.

[nikiz628]

I am not setting a numerical goal for decluttering this year. I am just going to continue working on decluttering and organizing as needed and as time allows. I have already started off 2021 on the right foot getting my living room and dining room deep cleaned and organized. I plan to work room by room. We also want to give our kitchen a little makeover this year. It's the only room we haven't touched since moving in, so it drives me bonkers. The plan is to paint the cabinets and walls, update the flooring, and change out the light fixtures. I don't want to spend a lot of $$, so just enough work to make me not hate the room. 

[laterbloomer]

I got my closet organizer in!!!!! This is so BIG!!! My goal is to put all my clothes from my dressers in the closet then get rid of my dressers. My bedroom is HUGE! This is going so well. 😁

[countrygirl2]

I got the last Xmas decoration in. I have it and a few things to take to the basement. We coiled all the electrical extension cords and hubs put them on those orange organizer. There is a whole red Christmas tub full. I started to lift it off the weight machine, had to put them where hubs could find it and it was HEAVY. I think they are all in there now. Finally in one place after all these years.

I also need to organize all our first aid items. I have some of those large packs for serious bleeds and could not find them, so maybe should do that next.

I am packing some Christmas stuff and its going, just need to put it in a bag.

Next I need to tackle my office, the hutch, the desk drawers, its a mess in there. I need to throw so much stuff away and straighten.

I bought a vertical sorter with sections for the LLC, DD, MIL, and the last is for hubs and I. I put everything in the pull out drawers and end up sorting stuff over and over, I hope this will work better.
And I need to take old items out and pack them in file boxes from prior years.

I need to finish at the mobile tomorrow, hang curtains, clean the one light fixture. Iron the kitchen curtains. I think that is all inside. Oh and set Raid insect sprays out and put out mice bait.

[debthaven]

startsmart those sound like great deals!

This week
- send 2 course descriptions to Job 2/Mon
- go through top teaching shelf/Mon
- mail V's book/Tues
- 2 recommendation letters/Wed
- put Christmas away/Wed
- edit P's paper/Wed

All caught up except for DH's Quickbooks, which I'll do this weekend. 

[TheOtherMe]

Today's goal:  Clean up all the paperwork that surrounds me so the cleaners can clean. 

[laterbloomer]

So ISO has been inspired by all my purging and asked for my help to purge his room! So my office has been bumped to tomorrow, but it"s so worth it!

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 6, 2021 9:39:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Today's goal:  Clean up all the paperwork that surrounds me so the cleaners can clean. 

Rage cleaning got the job done. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Jan 6, 2021 17:17:02 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Jan 6, 2021 9:39:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Today's goal:  Clean up all the paperwork that surrounds me so the cleaners can clean. 

Rage cleaning got the job done. 

You should see my kitchen these days.... 

[startsmart]

TheOtherMe- I should try rage cleaning, I’ve done some rage cycling today and wow

[nikiz628]

Rage cleaning is the best cleaning (as far as results go).

[TheOtherMe]

I don't think I ever rage cleaned before.  I may do more today.  

[laterbloomer]

I wouldn't say I'm in a rage, but the shit going on with you guys has kept me away from the tv.
So we pretty much got ISO's room done yesterday. including a friend with a truck doing a run this morning. The dresser he had was too bulky for his room and one of the drawers are broken, so that went to the and I gave him one of mine.
So, for years I've planned to put a closet organiser in one of my closets. To make a long story short, I took the doors off an armoire I had in a spare room and that fit into my closet perfectly. I will use the closet organiser in my new office. It really works better that way.
This extra week off is working out better than I dreamed.