2023 Declutter & Organize Your Life

[snapdragon]

I have been enjoying my time at home and not doing much of anything right now.

I am giving myself another week of this before actually starting on the list of chores that I wrote down. It's not complete but it's a start.

Everybody seems to be doing alright so I am thankful for that.

Keep on keeping on.

[finnime]

Applause for chugging along, Iggy aka IG.

And for you, too, snapdragon.

Keeping going is a win.

[Iggy aka IG]

Thank you finnime.

[Sharon]

The chicken poop scooper guy was back today, and brought his brother this time.  They tackled a private patio that is off my she shed.  They took 3 heaping pickup loads of stuff to the .  They pulled out all kinds of way over grown bushes, the tore down the fence that made it a private patio, grubbed out a whole bunch of tree sprouts and hauled off a ton of garden art.  In that area I hadn't really removed any of the garden art.  One of the guys finally asked me what is with all this art crap, I've never seen so much garden art in one place.  That patio also had an old water feature that they hauled off.  I also had them haul off two more cement water features that were in other parts of the yard, an old sand filter from the pool, an old cover for the pool, and a broken patio umbrella.

[saveinla]

Wooden shutters have been installed throughout the house 3 weeks ago - we got a person who quoted us half of what another one did. The house looks very good and it seems to help with the cold also. 

I travelled to visit family friends last week and came back to the news that my uncle (mom's brother) had passed away suddenly from a cardiac arrest. I have one last uncle from my mom's family - he is the oldest one. I have been talking to a lot of people these past 3 days and remembering. But my aunt is struggling - they have been together for 55 years and not apart for much of that time.

All to say - no decluttering has been happening, but the house is in pretty good shape for now. We still need to throw away some stuff, but between work and personal stuff I don't have the mental capacity to do anything else. Hope everyone is doing fine.

[Sharon]

I declared war on the kitchen this morning.  We have been doing so much work outside lately, and with 4 small children, there are many interruptions so the outside comes inside.  I had bungie cords, rope, wire snips, a screw driver, and a hammer on my kitchen counter.  Most of those things are back where they belong.  I know that DSIL will want the wire snips and probably some of the rope today but they are all together in one place. 

I started my second batch of turkey broth this morning and then am working on getting the beef broth canned.  All the various assorted pans, utensils etc have all been washed and put away.  Since I provided dinner last weekend DD will do the dinner for today and I have dessert duty.  I made a pan of chocolate chip bars.  Instead of baking individual cookies I just put them in a stoneware pan and made bars.  Easy, simple, and everything is cleaned up and put away.

I also got the all the waste baskets emptied and the garbage taken out, the sheets are changed, the laundry load of sheets is done and put away.  My floors are a disaster, there has been so much in and out with the kids, DD's dogs etc.  I don't worry too much about it because they are just floors and the kids are learning about working by helping as best they can, but they sure are nasty.

[stillmovingforward]

Looking at the house and realizing how much stuff a puppy can get into. Plus it appears DH will never be able to go upstairs again so we have to figure out how to get him some form of a bedroom downstairs. 
Injuries are not for the faint of heart when you get older. Sadly, moving is not an option either. 
I better get my butt in gear and get things organized again. I've been a slacker since Christmas. 

[debthaven]

I'm so sorry about your uncle saveinla . I'm glad you like the new shutters.

Sharon you need to bottle that energy and sell it LOL. 

stillmovingforward I'm sorry about your DH's injuries. I hope things work out with making your DH a bedroom. I'm curious why you can't move but of course you don't need to answer. 

This weekend
- baby gift/Fri
- change bedding/Sat
- call E

I changed and washed the bedding today since our cleaner is away for several weeks. DH and I flipped the mattress and vacuumed the mattress and the wooden frame. It's amazing how much dust was in the interstices of the frame. So that took a while. We also put on a new mattress cover because I wanted an elastic one that would actually stay on. I was shocked at how big it was. I will inevitably need to wash and shrink it.

It's a short month, but today is the one-month anniversary of my last cigarette. 

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 4, 2023 16:41:41 GMT -5 debthaven said:

It's a short month, but today is the one-month anniversary of my last cigarette. 

[debthaven]

Thanks TheOtherMe   I truly can't believe it LOL. 

Job 2 asked me about my plans for next school year. I told them I wanted classes in fall semester but not spring. They said they won't give me classes for fall if I won't commit to spring too. I get it. They offered me an elective, but electives are never sure to open. 

So it looks like I'll only be at Job 1 in September, which is fine. If I only go in 2 days/week, it makes more sense to do those days at Job 1 since I now have 8 individual private professor/staff classes there in addition to my regular classes. 

I plan to work the same amount till the end of 2023, and reduce further in 2024.

[finnime]

Congratulations, debthaven! On the one month anniversary, that is.

And i'm wishing your husband well, stillmovingforward. I know how that is. We need we had to move since DH came home from the hospital unable to put weight on his foot for what ended up being 5 months the first time.

[stillmovingforward]

Mar 4, 2023 16:41:41 GMT -5 debthaven said:

stillmovingforward I'm sorry about your DH's injuries. I hope things work out with making your DH a bedroom. I'm curious why you can't move but of course you don't need to answer. 

It's a short month, but today is the one-month anniversary of my last cigarette. 

We live in a very expensive area that is very safe and has everything DH and my mother needs within a short walking distance. We could never afford our house now. My mother lives in the MIL cottage that is set up for elder living and we will NOT kick her out. She came to live with us because she couldn't afford to live on her own. Now she cannot due to her memory lapses. She and my DH support each other while I'm at work so it's a cute dynamic. It's like he's taken over my place in caring for her. We COULD move. But it would be costly, exhausting, and they would lose their support systems. So we've decided it's better to make do with the current living situation. Someday, hopefully in the far distance, we'll be able to move into our 'elderly' cottage next door. 

Congratulations on your one-month anniversary of your last cigarette. My mom quit at about your age. 25+ years ago and she feels GREAT now. When she remembers 

[debthaven]

Thanks for explaining stillmovingforward . Definitely makes sense. We could never afford our house now. Same here. 

TheOtherMe how is your leg doing?

snapdragon how is it not setting the alarm?! (I usually set mine only 3 days a week these days lol.)

I'm working Tues/Wed/Thurs as usual this week, but online (mainly because of the strikes).

This week
- post office/Mon
- call E/Mon
- vape store/Mon

[TheOtherMe]

It's still hurts to walk.  My niece came over to help me shower and she said it's starting to move a little higher past the bend in my knee.  I thought so but I couldn't see it.  She said to call the doctor tomorrow to see if that's okay and to ask for anti-nausea meds and a medication to increase my blood pressure.  Between the two, she thinks that's why I am getting dizzy and not being able to do things.

She also worked with me and I can now use mom's walker.  I am already walking farther using it because I am not afraid I will fall.

DN3 said yesterday if I am not a lot better I shouldn't come to his wedding.  My niece said the same thing today.  

Good thing I have that extra large walk in shower as she could help me without getting wet.

[debthaven]

I'm glad you're doing a bit better TheOtherMe. I really hope you can make it to the wedding. 

[TheOtherMe]

So do I.  If it was tonight, I would not have gone.

[stillmovingforward]

Mar 5, 2023 19:45:20 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

So do I.  If it was tonight, I would not have gone.

Is wonderful you have your niece and nephews for support.

[Sharon]

Today I got my 9 pints of turkey broth pressure canned and they are cooling on the board.  I got the 9 pints of beef brother that I canned yesterday washed, labeled and put away.  Today I also figured out how to use my Instapot as a slow cooker so now I have chicken carcasses in both the Instapot and crockpot.  They will be done cooking tomorrow morning.  Hopefully I can get them cooled enough during the day to can them tomorrow afternoon. My goal is to get the last two chicken carcasses cooking away tomorrow to finish up on Tuesday.  I've already found things in the freezer compartment of the fridge that I didn't know I had.

DD and DSIL came over this afternoon and DSIL repaired a couple of sprinkler heads in the pasture.  One he drove over and one the cows broke.  He also loaded up his 4 wheeler and took it home.

This evening I got the floors vacuumed.  It's not ideal but they are better.  They need a good scrubbing, hopefully sometime this week.

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 5, 2023 20:22:13 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

Mar 5, 2023 19:45:20 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

So do I.  If it was tonight, I would not have gone.

Is wonderful you have your niece and nephews for support.

Yes, it is.  My niece told me not to count on her mom.  

[bean29]

Idk why DH decided to replace the floor in my DD's bedroom after she moved home, but she purged a good 6 garbage bags of clothing from her bedroom closet.  You would think that her room would have been virtually empty, but that is not the case at all.  My DS took his bed when he moved out about a year and a half ago, but there is still a dresser, DD's nightstand,a big table serving as an "office/filing station and a 6 cube cubby shelf and 4 chairs and a table in there.  Now DH added the new door for DD's room in there, and we moved a lot of the overflow of stuff from DD's room into DS's old room.  What was left in her closet is squeezed into DS's closet, the front closet and some stuff I think she will still purge went down on the guest bedroom in the basement.  The sliding doors are off the closet, TV is off the wall, TV hanging bracket is down, and the curtain rod is down.  There is still a vertical blind on the window, and DD's mattress is still in the room.  We have to have DS come and help DH take out the old Tempur-Pedic frame.  We got the temper-pedic from my Parent's when my Dad's mobility got so bad he needed a hospital bed.  DS and DH walked it in, I remember them saying how heavy it was when they brought it in.  DH did not remember that, but he must have gotten a good look at the frame, b/c he said he needed DS's assistance.  

DD will be home tonight and part of tomorrow, then she is going somewhere else on business, maybe Minneapolis not sure.  DH said she can sleep on the sofa downstairs for a bit.  I don't think her room will be back together until maybe next Sunday.

I have Stuff from DD's room all over my house.  DH said when he was taking the TV bracket off the wall that he is getting Arthritis in his fingers.  I told him yeah, we need to simplify our lives.  We expect DD to only be home for a few months, when she leaves her room will become a 1st floor office.  I think DH wants the other room to be a guest room, If DD takes her bed when she leaves, that would mean we would have to buy something.  I need new living room furniture, so buying bedroom furniture for a guest room that may never be used is not high on my list of priorities.  I would prefer it be a Sitting/TV room.  We will see.

TheOtherMe, I am so glad you have your walk in shower, and your niece and nephews are supportive.  I hope the blood clot improves quickly. 

Debthaven, I am glad job one will work for you next fall/spring.  I would be glad to have a reduced schedule.  If I could have health insurance form DH and I and work less hours I would.  My DH is self employed.  I plan to work until 65 when I will be eligible for Medicare.  I may or may not work until 66, when DH is eligible for Mediare also.  

StillMovingForward, do you have a full bath on the main floor?  What kind of space will you have for DH to use as a bedroom?  My Sister's MIL lives with them, and They have a large kitchen/Living room/family room on 1st floor.  She pretty much uses the livng rom as her bedroom, and there is just a half bath on the 1st floor.  She has managed until now, she just landed in hospital with bedsores, and went to rehab center to heal.  Idk if she will be able to return home or not, hopefully.  Maybe they can add a shower to the bathroom.  They would have to steal some space from the family room, but I think it is big enough.  

[debthaven]

I need new living room furniture, so buying bedroom furniture for a guest room that may never be used is not high on my list of priorities. I would prefer it be a Sitting/TV room.

bean29  could a convertible couch solve the problem? Then that room could be a sitting/TV room that doubles as a guest room. Bean yes I am very lucky with the healthcare situation here.  

This week
- post office (DH)/Mon
- call E/Mon
- vape store (DH)/Tues

DH is seeing his physio tomorrow ... his physio is on the same block as the vape store, so he'll pick up my nicotine e-liquid. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Sharon I bet it's starting to look very nice outside with so many things gone and your kitchen must smell amazing due to the broth making process.

I am sorry for your loss, saveinla.

Hugs, stillmovingforward.

debthaven   Good job!

TheOtherMe so glad you have the new shower during this time.

bean29 that is quite the project!

As part of my new year's non-resolution, I have continued tackling old to do lists instead of making new ones.  This weekend:

-4 loads laundry including the main floor bath mats
-Wiped down the washer and dryer exterior
-Finally read some important family documents which I'll then put into the fireproof box.  I procrastinated doing this for two and a half months.
-Did one load in the dishwasher, a bunch of handwashing, and scrubbed the stovetop
-Refilled the ice trays, Keurig, PTs, napkin dispenser and refrigerated water
-Made apple fritters, applesauce and fries out of apples and sweet potatoes a neighbor gave us
-A few weekends ago DH and I took a day ride and took the insulated soft sided cooler which we hadn't used since living in a hotel when we were between houses.  From the cooler plastic utensils, paper plates and napkins were relocated to use them.
-Replaced Valentine's Day decorations with St. Patrick's Day decor
-Unclogged and cleaned the drain in my bathroom sink.  It had been slowly draining for over a month.
-Here at the office, I went through my business card caddy to find a specific contact.  There are cards in there over 21 years old.  I purged some, but a bunch more still need to be tossed.
-I pulled tax documents from the filing cabinet to remember to bring them home so I can start working on filing our return.

[debthaven]

You always get so much done Iggy aka IG ! Have you moved the desk yet? My "desk" is the DR table, but I always face out the window too. 

This week
- post office (DH)/Mon
- call E/Mon
- vape store (DH)/Tues

DH did most of my list this week. 

My sister is having Mohs surgery again tomorrow.  I would greatly appreciate any good thoughts for her. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Thank you for asking, debthaven !  No, not yet.  I need to clear some items, first.  And, yes, I used to sit at the DR table before going official.  It's a lovely spot with beautiful views.  Too distracting for me.  

Sorry to hear about your sister's surgery.  I will light a candle for her this evening.  

[debthaven]

Thank you Iggy aka IG  

I will either make a quick trip to FL to see her later this spring, or a longer one this fall. We haven't seen each other since before Covid (we speak and FaceTime a lot). She used to come here regularly but her BF is very elderly and has health issues so it's hard for her to travel now. 

I'm pondering. 

[plugginaway22]

We are in FL for a month. Glorious weather but horrible politics. I can deal for a month! Loving retirement.

[debthaven]

If it's not indiscreet plugginaway22 are you visiting family? Did you rent a place? 

You know I LOVE to travel, but I am SO NOT tempted by the guest room in my sister's BF's apartment in a seniors-only residence in Boca Raton. But I really want to see her, so hey. 

We ALWAYS stay with each other. She would be heartbroken if I opted for a hotel, plus we'd miss out on precious time together. Plus hotels are expensive. 

I'm thinking, either I go there alone this spring for a long weekend, or DH and I make a vacation out of it during my fall break. I emailed DH's best friend from Cali (we've been on several road trips with them) to see if they'd be interested in meeting up on the east coast. My decision will depend on A's answer. 

But I want to see my sister this year. She's turning 77 later this month. 

[plugginaway22]

We are renting a friend's place while they went north. I would stay with family for about a week. Any longer than that I would rent a place. The weatherhas been absolutely stellar.

[TheOtherMe]

Staying in someone's house, I can handle about 3 days.  That's anybody, not just family.  I am set in my ways and so are they.

One reason I enjoy going to see the Toddler, is I can rent the guest for far cheaper than any hotel.  That gives me privacy and time away from the Toddler's noise.  I don't know if he would let me sleep on the couch now that he is in a big boy bed.  He'd probably have to sleep with me.

[plugginaway22]

My only sister and I are pretty close so I know that we could handle a week together. But yes, other family members probably 3 days would be enough.