2021 Declutter Stuff & Organize Your Life

[debthaven]

Wow laterbloomer you're on fire! Even a truck run! 

Press conf here. Universities closed till end of Jan, at least. 8pm curfew extended till 20 Jan, at least. Travel to the UK banned "till further notice". They can't ban UK residents or citizens from going, but I'm neither.

Went to the bottle bank today.

This weekend
- DH's Quickbooks
- frame store

[laterbloomer]

Jan 7, 2021 13:17:19 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Wow laterbloomer you're on fire! Even a truck run! 

Press conf here. Universities closed till end of Jan, at least. 8pm curfew extended till 20 Jan, at least. Travel to the UK banned "till further notice". They can't ban UK residents or citizens from going, but I'm neither.

Went to the bottle bank today.

This weekend
- DH's Quickbooks
- frame store

To be clear it was a half ton that went to the . Sorry to be carrying on, but this stuff has been on my to do list literally for years. It's all the prep I needed to do for the list I posted. Now I'm in a position that it would only take a weekend to paint a room, it is easy to push the furniture to the centre of the room. Or push it to one side to do the floors.

[debthaven]

laterbloomer  Wow!!! That's a LOT! To be clear, I do NOT think you're "carrying on". This stuff really makes me excited and happy! LOL 

How many rooms left?! Did you get to your office yet?!

This said, maybe you should take it easy this weekend before going back to work. 

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 7, 2021 13:17:19 GMT -5 debthaven said:

 Travel to the UK banned "till further notice". They can't ban UK residents or citizens from going, but I'm neither.

I feel the same way about Canada.  Not sure if it's still true, but grandparents of people living legally in Canada can visit.  I asked if I could adopt either DN1 or his wife.  

[TheOtherMe]

As far as cleaning for the cleaners, it's mostly done except for the things I will do in the morning.

[debthaven]

Oh wow TheOtherMe ! There's no such thing for the UK. 

I'm glad you decided to have the clearers this month. I'm sure you'll be glad too. 

[TheOtherMe]

Their attitude towards covid is still making me nervous, but I decided not being in the house with them gives me some protection.

I told my nephew to let me adopt him because my sister said she has no way to get there (refuses to fly alone and won't drive alone) and does not want to stay for 14 days, which is the length of the quarantine and she couldn't see them anyway.  So let me take her place.

[laterbloomer]

Jan 7, 2021 14:46:56 GMT -5 debthaven said:

laterbloomer  Wow!!! That's a LOT! To be clear, I do NOT think you're "carrying on". This stuff really makes me excited and happy! LOL 

How many rooms left?! Did you get to your office yet?!

This said, maybe you should take it easy this weekend before going back to work. 

I'm in my office today. I had kind of started on this a couple of weeks ago by selling the bed and vanity that were in there. Today I went through the odds and sods that were that GW hid there, sorting trash, donate and belongs somewhere else. I had hope to rip out the carpet and get a laminate in that matches the family room, but I can't shop for flooring right now (our lockdown has been extended 2 weeks) and the carpet actually isn't bad. We have my step daughter's carpet cleaner so I will settle for a good cleaning. I think I got notification that my office furniture arrives tomorrow. I'm not going to rush putting it together.

I would like to work on the spare room tomorrow but I took a good look at how GW2 left it and that isn't going to be a one day project.
Saturday I'm just going to do my weekly cleaning and Sunday we are having dinner guests (just 2, one lives alone and one hasn't gone anywhere else since before Christmas)

[debthaven]

I would like to work on the spare room tomorrow but I took a good look at how GW2 left it and that isn't going to be a one day project.

I'd do it anyway, as you planned, even if you don't manage to finish. I'm sure that room will be in MUCH better shape by the end of the day! Any chance that GW or ISO could lend a hand?!  

Rukh O'Rorke , you mentioned earlier on this thread that spending 15 or 20 min on the spaces suggested in the various annual decluttering projects is pretty useless. I disagree. I think the point of those threads is to get you to look around, improve what you can in any given area in 15 or 20 min, but especially to become conscious of what needs to be done, and make a plan. 

Even if you choose to focus on just one space like you focused on the kitchen a few years ago, it's still an improvement at the end of the day. 

[laterbloomer]

Jan 7, 2021 16:16:53 GMT -5 debthaven said:

I would like to work on the spare room tomorrow but I took a good look at how GW2 left it and that isn't going to be a one day project.

I'd do it anyway, as you planned, even if you don't manage to finish. I'm sure that room will be in MUCH better shape by the end of the day! Any chance that GW or ISO could lend a hand?!  

They have been helping with trash and donation removal. But I'm saving GW for the closet and kichen cupboard organizing coupons 😁

[moneysquirrel]

The house has been cleared of all Christmas trimmings.  Only things I have left to pick up are a few items outdoors but today's weather was damp and dreary.  Hoping for sun tomorrow so I can finish the last little bit.  House looks so empty without all of the decorations I usually put out.  Other holidays I decorate but not as much.  

Finished up several loads of laundry as well.  Most of these were holiday items.  Roomba most of the area as well.  Also I cleaned out and reorganized the cutlery drawer and a few other areas in the kitchen.  Will continue to do a little bit at a time in there as well as other areas that strike my fancy. 

I am continuing to work on my beading project  This one is a keeper and I have many more hours of work left to do on it.  Also using a lot of my scrap yarn to make dishrags -- lots of little pieces and not enough to do any big projects.  Some of them may even have several colors in them depending on the amount of yarn I have.  

I have not started any other projects because I want to finish the ones I have in progress. Or at least get a lot more done on them before I start something else.  Planning to stay home the next few days so I hope to just continue the small progress I have made in several areas in the house and on the craft front.  

[startsmart]

I got the Christmas decor boxed up and have matching boxes to go upstairs + a smaller one with just lights. Aside from changing my bed sheets and a few small tasks I did not get much done today.

[debthaven]

This weekend
- DH's Quickbooks/Fri
- DH's Shitepile/Fri
- Shitepile/Fri

- frame store/Fri

- pick up package/Sat

A productive day. 

[Iggy aka IG]

A cold war is happening at my house, that's all I'm going to say. 

Yesterday I removed the lights from the faux tree, put it and the stand away, packed one of the storage bins down the stairs (two more to go plus the tree), dusted and swept the living room, and put back to their original locations the exercise bike and year-round knickknacks.

This weekend I'll vacuum the storage closet downstairs before putting the bins back inside, and then vacuum the entire basement.  I need to vacuum the main floor, and launder the shower curtain.  We'll see how far I get as I have a birthday party to attend (small, outdoor) and then basketball on TV.

Have a fantastic weekend, friends.

[TheOtherMe]

The house is clean!  It looks and feels so much better.  

I don't know if it was because I could see the cleaners get out of their care in my rear view mirror, but they were both masked and were masked when they came out.  Maybe next month I will feel comfortable staying in the house when they clean.

[laterbloomer]

I ended up going to 3 stores for groceries today so I gave myself permission to slack on the cleaning and purging. But then I went looking for my blender. The next thing I knew i had cleaned and purged 2 cupboards. One of them was the Tupperware cupboard so I'm counting that as 2 all on it's own, maybe even 3. The other cupboard was the place that things I didn't know where to put went to die.

GW and ISO aren't sure what's gotten into me this week but they both like it lol

[debthaven]

Yesterday I reorganized the fridge. DH hoards condiments and it took me 5 min to find the horseradish he wanted. So I threw out a bunch (when he wasn't looking), cleared out one of the door shelves of other things, and managed to fit all the condiments in the door. Now we can see what there is without having to hunt for it. We have 4 kinds of mustard, and 4 kinds of chili paste. 

This morning I printed out and set up 2 of my course binders for Job 1. In retrospect I probably should have gone into school to pick one of them up. (The other binder is for a new class so I had to create that one anyway.)

PS Picked up the package ... new cushions for the LR couches. I loved the old ones we got on a trip many years ago but they were old/faded/stained.  

[TheOtherMe]

I found and tossed a litter mat that was Lucy's yesterday.  I'm going to put her rug in the trash this week.  Little by little her things are going

[startsmart]

I am almost done repainting the Kitchenaid mixer I bought secondhand and I am loving the new look! Then comes adding back all the pieces even though I lost my reference photos and taking it for a test whirl!

Today I am planning to replace a couple of electrical outlets, move the last of Christmas boxes upstairs and lay out the next few rows of my quilt.

[chiver78]

I took apart my vacuum this morning, and     but, BUT! it works like a brand new vacuum again. YAY! 

supposedly I am meeting someone to pick up 4 items I listed on the Buy Nothing page, but that hasn't happened yet. 

[countrygirl2]

After looking for curtains downstairs for the mobile, I told hubs this.
Do not let me buy towels, curtains, shower curtains, sheets, or blankets before looking downstairs. All those blankets are his mom and from mine. Not many from us. There are some bedspreads though, some I made that I change out periodically.
There are some from all his travels, us in and out of the motorhome. Moving here and taking a year to get stuff transferred so bought more. And just changing colors of accessories.

Also I need to check clothes before buying. And the old are made better then the new.

Hubs said we need to start down there before up here. We need to clear out DD's room down there. I don't have a clue about all those Monster High Dolls, I don't know how many we have but they are everywhere down there in original boxes. We would get in an argument everytime she bought one. So much wasted money.  I wonder if anyone collects them and would buy the lot?

I hate to start, but what a mess. I assume he will put a door up to the room down there, its all drywalled except the outside wall and the closet. The drop ceiling needs put in too. But its a smaller room then my sewing room.  We are moving our bedroom suit down there. He said that needs to happen soon, I agree, sadly, then we can start shifting furniture up here.

It will likely take a few months to do all of that, we are looking at a lot of work.

[TheOtherMe]

Two loads of laundry and the dishwasher has been run

[Sharon]

It has taken way longer than it should have but the bed is changed, bathrooms cleaned, dishwasher emptied and last load of laundry in progress.

[laterbloomer]

I mostly relaxed today, made myself a couple of really nice meals, watched a couple of movies. Then GW got home from work and decided tonight was the night to do the storage closet. This closet is 8' x 5'. We could turn it into another bathroom. It has shelves on the back wall and one side. When she pulled out all the stuff in there it filled the family room lol. We purged together. I found some summer clothes I love but thought I had donated by accident, and my favourite over night bag. This is the beauty of purging, get past the junk to the stuff you really like. At least for me, it's always the junk that is on the surface for some reason.

[countrygirl2]

I was looking for some paperwork in my office and cleaned out 3 drawers and a shelf, threw a bunch of junk away.  I need to go through 3 more shelves and a wide drawer. I am making headway. A whole trashbag of junk gone.  I actually have some room in my drawers now and in one of the shelves with a door front.

[TheOtherMe]

I already know tomorrow will be a day when I accomplish nothing of value.  Unless there are more covid issues, my men's and women's basketball teams will be playing tomorrow.  Two games back to back--one in Boulder and one in LA.  

The best thing is my Monday Night Piano Bar is starting again tomorrow.  

[laterbloomer]

Well my week of purging is coming to an end. But man I feel good about what got accomplished. I hope that I can get the rest of my list done in evenings and on weekends. I think it is possible because they can be done in 15 minute or half hour chunks. Not the painting, but with the prep done I could easily paint my room in a weekend. All in all a great start to the year. 🙂

[nikiz628]

I spent the day deep cleaning and organizing the master bedroom and closet. I was ready to purge a lot of my clothing. It’s so much more exciting to get rid of it because it’s too big and not the other way around. I washed the curtains, cleaned the ceiling fan, organized my dresser and my side of the closet, and cleaned up under our bed. It was totally worth the day spent on it because it finally feels cozy again. (It tends to be the catch all room).

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 5, 2021 11:54:38 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

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.

It's definitely a not-so-secret formula that I use! But, I'm a teacher, so I get two-week-long breaks three times per year. 

Jan 5, 2021 19:11:19 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

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.

Seriously, that takes a lot of organization to just do a refinance without unfreezing credit! Good work!

Habit trackers really help me. I find them calming--the colors and the "having/knowing the plan". It also helps me to realize that I'm not an epic failure each day, that I really do get at least some stuff done. 

Jan 5, 2021 20:02:23 GMT -5 nikiz628 said:

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. 

I don't even know how to set a goal for decluttering. I don't know if it's because we're pretty well decluttered as it is or that, because I'm so spatially challenged, that I cannot even grasp how many things are in this house/garage. 

For lights, I just went eight years without have light fixtures in my dining room. For some reason, it only bothered me and not my husband. We took out a HELOC this year because--with being at home so much--we realized there were a few big projects that really needed to be done. The dining room light fixtures weren't even on DH's list, but I insisted. I told him I cannot not spend money on this anymore because I HATE THAT ROOM without lighting! Anyhoo--I'm just glad I'm not the only one who has ever hated a room. 

Jan 5, 2021 23:14:15 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

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. 😁

PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 7, 2021 14:38:24 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

Jan 7, 2021 13:17:19 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Wow laterbloomer you're on fire! Even a truck run! 

Press conf here. Universities closed till end of Jan, at least. 8pm curfew extended till 20 Jan, at least. Travel to the UK banned "till further notice". They can't ban UK residents or citizens from going, but I'm neither.

Went to the bottle bank today.

This weekend
- DH's Quickbooks
- frame store

To be clear it was a half ton that went to the . Sorry to be carrying on, but this stuff has been on my to do list literally for years. It's all the prep I needed to do for the list I posted. Now I'm in a position that it would only take a weekend to paint a room, it is easy to push the furniture to the centre of the room. Or push it to one side to do the floors.

UMMM...This is totally the thread for carrying on about decluttering!

Jan 8, 2021 16:53:44 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

The house is clean!  It looks and feels so much better.  

I don't know if it was because I could see the cleaners get out of their care in my rear view mirror, but they were both masked and were masked when they came out.  Maybe next month I will feel comfortable staying in the house when they clean.

I'm glad it went so well!

Jan 9, 2021 5:16:02 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Yesterday I reorganized the fridge. DH hoards condiments and it took me 5 min to find the horseradish he wanted. So I threw out a bunch (when he wasn't looking), cleared out one of the door shelves of other things, and managed to fit all the condiments in the door. Now we can see what there is without having to hunt for it. We have 4 kinds of mustard, and 4 kinds of chili paste. 

This morning I printed out and set up 2 of my course binders for Job 1. In retrospect I probably should have gone into school to pick one of them up. (The other binder is for a new class so I had to create that one anyway.)

PS Picked up the package ... new cushions for the LR couches. I loved the old ones we got on a trip many years ago but they were old/faded/stained.  

Seriously, I label the spots in our fridge for condiments, sauces, jellies/syrups, cream, and pickles/olives/peppers. Now, sometimes, my lovely family will intentionally put stuff in the wrong spot just to annoy me. 

Jan 10, 2021 20:35:48 GMT -5 nikiz628 said:

I spent the day deep cleaning and organizing the master bedroom and closet. I was ready to purge a lot of my clothing. It’s so much more exciting to get rid of it because it’s too big and not the other way around. I washed the curtains, cleaned the ceiling fan, organized my dresser and my side of the closet, and cleaned up under our bed. It was totally worth the day spent on it because it finally feels cozy again. (It tends to be the catch all room).

I'm glad you made it a cozy, happy place!