2023 Declutter & Organize Your Life

[TheOtherMe]

Well, the cat box is clean and the trash is out.  I didn't wake up until  9:30 this morning because I couldn't get to sleep last night again so not much else was accomplished.

I did fill the car with gas at a supposed full service gas station.  They acted quite put out when I asked that the front and back windshields be washed.  

[Opti]

Almost a full week of being car-less and I still have to file the actual claim with the actual AAA approved case manager. As I sit here I wonder more what really happened.

I wasn't outside when the guy put my car on the tilted flatbed, nor the part where one switches from the trucks large tow hook to the small toe hook attached to the BMW. He used the back one, which almost never happens, and I realize I never saw my toe hook again. It is an OEM part, I had to specifically order it and wait weeks for it to come in. Its a simple solid metal loop which is not meant to hold the car when it is tilted down, but to bet strong enough to hold the car when the bed is raised to flat for transport. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Apr 24, 2023 14:59:30 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

I started selling on eBay vinyl records left here by sons. So far I’ve sold 5 for total of $122. Have around 30-40
So making some $ and will clean out a corner of a closet
Listed 4 today. It’s getting easier with experience. Ship them using media mail

jerseygirl thank you for posting this.  I have over 200 albums and DH has about that many.  I'd love to start letting them go.

[jerseygirl]

DH won’t let go of his records
So just selling old records from kids

[TheOtherMe]

New sump pump is being installed at the moment.  Put in new furnace filter and replenished salt in water softener.  

I am happy to give my business to a company located in this small town who has been very reliable over the last 13 1/2 years.

[debthaven]

They are on the last set of big French doors downstairs. They still have all 5 4 regular windows to put in upstairs. I truly regret doing both floors in one go.

There will be a LOT of fixing up to do because the old frames were smaller than the new frames, and quite a bit of the plaster is damaged. That's not their fault, all of this is really deferred maintenance. It should have been done years ago.

It's very stressful though. 

Three of my professor/staff students have cancelled this week. That's probably a good thing given the state I'm in. There's a 48h cancellation policy so I'll get paid for one of them. 

The new windows do look fabulous though! 

[Opti]

I have so many pictures that need hanging. Since I am home needing to do FMLA and short term disability if I am out long enough, I am trying to clear the wreckage of the last 5 years or so. Did catch my youngest sister on the phone, when I called to thank her for the unique birthday card she sent me. I told her about AAA trashing my BMW and she shared that she lost two BFFs in a couple years, both in their 40s. (She will be 60 late next year.)

Not much forward motion on the AAA claim form. 
Did not get to celebrate my birthday at work with my coworker who has the same birthday. 

[azucena]

Not feeling very positive about the cast party Friday night. Traveled for work Sun afternoon (best direct flight) and got back at 7 pm last night (Tues). The same 4 clean baskets of laundry were still sitting in our bedroom that I'd ask the 3 of them to put away as I left. Same dirty dishes, etc. And DD10 had friends over and apparently a lot of crafting was done. Great but my office/craft room looks like it was bombed.

Feeling irritated and resentful that no one in my house seems to care to pick up after themselves. DH scheduled game night tonight with his friends, has a work mtg tomorrow and then we'll go to DD14s show. When is cleaning going to happen?

Meanwhile, I'm picking up the work email from when I was gone. Isn't too bad but I'm behind on multiple projects and will need to work 'overtime' to catch up on one of them with a Friday deadline.

ETA - DD14 will be no help bc she's completely anxious about this show as she has a lead. When I walked in from the airport last night, I headed straight to the bathroom to pee and she followed me to download all her issues thru the door.

[debthaven]

I'm sorry azucena . That's so unfair to you!!!

Play or no play, they can all take the 15 min or so it would take to put away their clean laundry (yes, even the lead DD). And the 10YO (who isn't the lead) can "unbomb" your office.

You're much nicer than I am!!!

[azucena]

I feel like as work became overwhelming the last couple of years and I'm using too much of my patience there not to yell at stupid people, that I've been holding myself in check too much at home in fear of letting my temper boil over at them when so much of my stress is work related. Plus, it's just easier to do it myself than to spend the time and energy nagging and arguing. Something really has to give though.

All 3 of us females are having such severe anxiety right now that it's becoming really hard for me to cope.

[Iggy aka IG]

Being a fulltime working person, azucena I could feel your stress reading your posts.  I am sorry family members aren't being helpful.  I don't have kids, but several younger neighbors have three each.   Their homes seem chaotic compared to my mellow home with just DH, our fish and myself.  However, when I'm at their house and they bring it up (I never say anything, I just try to ignore the piles, LOL), I tell them yes, but their homes are full of love.  

I lined L out this morning.  When I mentioned my guilt about the floors, she said they are nothing compared to hers and the muddy paw prints.

The next four weekends are fully scheduled.  Knowing me, I'm going to get sick of too much peopling very quickly, so I'll plan a few personal weekdays off here and there.

Thanks for being here, ladies.

[TheOtherMe]

It's nice to hear someone besides me knows they have to pull back when they do too much peopling.  I think my people tolerance is less than yours, but we do share the same issue.

[TheOtherMe]

I need to start gathering things for the Goodwill truck on Friday.  I can't itemize on my tax returns, so getting receipts, etc. is not important to me.

[Iggy aka IG]

Apr 26, 2023 11:16:24 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

It's nice to hear someone besides me knows they have to pull back when they do too much peopling.  I think my people tolerance is less than yours, but we do share the same issue.

 

ETA:  Thank you for the reminder, TheOtherMe.  I'm planning another donation drop-off soon, so I need to gather additional items.

[debthaven]

I'm the same way. I (generally) see students all day long and DH is EXTREMELY social. I try to accommodate him to some degree but I need a LOT of "alone time" to compensate. 

Iggy aka IG what a wonderful idea to take some days for yourself during the week during this crazy period! We will have a similarly crazy period in June, so I'm taking notes. 

DH wants to hire painters. I told him NO FREAKING WAY. One, I can't afford it!!! Two, I need a break!!! We will have a loan after the outside work is done. I'm not doing ANYTHING else till that's ALL paid off. And I don't want to have to work for ANOTHER year to pay painters.

It has become too hard for us to paint these days. Neither of us feels comfortable on a ladder, and the LR has a cathedral ceiling.   But we or someone cheap can hopefully paint around the windows and call that "good enough". DH doesn't do well with "good enough", but he'll live. 

We'll still be paying off that loan through 2024 (at best).

[TheOtherMe]

The not being comfortable on ladders is why I am hiring the painting for my bathroom.  I would be here doing it by myself and the cats won't be of any assistance if I fall.

Cathedral ceilings and ladders are why painters will have to be hired for the living room, dining room, kitchen and stairwell to basement.  I am not getting on scaffolding.

[wvugurl26]

Since it's trash night I emptied the binders grandma had for home health and then hospice. I was able to stick a bunch in the recycle bin. I have a small stack to shred. I forgot I stuck the hospital discharge papers in there.

I'm trying to get moving again on getting rid of stuff.

[laterbloomer]

Dec 31, 2022 17:26:33 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

Okay, I'm in again. Full disclosure, my list is ongoing, I put new items on it as fast as old items get finished.
1. Redo GW's room for GW2. New flooring and painted.
2. Fix hairline crack in foundation.
3. Finish laundry room (get drywall finished, paint walls and put in flooring)
4. Paint downstairs bathroom.
5. Get second set of stairs off back deck which will make back corner of yard usable.
6. VPL flooring upstairs.

1. In progress
2. Done
3. Trying to get it done next week
4. Done
5. Starting to shop for materials
6. Still dreaming about it

[debthaven]

The foundation is fixed laterbloomer ? That was quick!

[debthaven]

Done with classes for the semester.  Just interviews with prospective students, meetings and professor/staff classes left. 

And all the windows are installed!!! There's still a lot of masonry work to do though. They should finish on Saturday or Tuesday (Monday is a holiday here.)  

My next "chunk" is 2 weeks of Bachelor interviews at both schools. 

[laterbloomer]

Apr 27, 2023 1:33:33 GMT -5 debthaven said:

The foundation is fixed laterbloomer ? That was quick!

I really like the company I got. They worked every day including the weekend, which is really impressive considering it rained and drizzled for a few days. They fixed both cracks, replaced the weeping tile in that section, refilled with good gravel, not the clay and muck they took out, repaired a small patch of the parging on the front corner of the house, fixed the gate leading to the side of the house and put down 4 inches of gravel and packed it down in 10 days. 

I'm not thrilled that I had to get it done but such is life. I am very secure that the area they worked on will last the rest of my time here at least.

[debthaven]

They do indeed sound great laterbloomer ! I'm glad that is behind you now. 

These people/companies are really worth their weight in gold. Our company said the windows would take 2 weeks. They started 2 weeks late. In the end they put 3-4 workers instead of 2, and they installed all the windows (4 sets of French doors and 5 regular windows) in 4 days. 

They still have to finish the masonry (which will take another 1-2 days, TBD). But they will work this Saturday if necessary to make up the lost time. We are impressed. 

The same company will also be painting/fixing up the outside of the house. I'm less stressed about that, because it's outside. By then the inside will be put back together again.

I'm sure doing both projects is why they gave us a good price. 

You've been through A LOT wvugurl26 . I'm glad things are finally calming down for you.

[Iggy aka IG]

Thanks, debthaven.  And congrats with finished classes and completed windows.  

I had an outside sales call for the first time in a LONG time.  It's a gorgeous day and the sunshine felt good.  I even washed the truck.  

[NastyWoman]

Another 10" of books and magazines gone. About 1/3 to donations, the rest to recycling.

I have also found some books I had forgotten I had but which I now thoroughly enjoy perusing.  So win, win. 

[debthaven]

All done now! All the windows and masonry!!! 

We asked the contractor for an estimate for someone to paint just around the new windows. It's not ideal but it's better than nothing. It'll be less visible once the curtains go (back) up. We don't have the money or energy to repaint the entire house.

It's a three-day weekend here. Very glad for the break before they start on the outside of the house next week. 

[TheOtherMe]

I ended up only taking the lighter box to the Goodwill truck because I didn't think I could get the heavier item in to the truck.  Too bad I didn't take it because a much younger man was there with an entire car load of stuff and when he saw I only had one thing, he took it and said he would put it in the truck.  He would have done the same thing with the heavier box.

I will take it to Goodwill the next time I go to town because they help get things out of the car.

[Iggy aka IG]

Excellent job, NastyWoman.  I   books!

Life has been so hectic I didn't have a chance to add to the half box of kitchen drawer and one cabinet items for donation this weekend.  Oh, well, I'm sure I'll be going to the big city again soon.  Perhaps then I can address the other cabinets.  And my clothes closet...  It's been, what, at least 4 years since I've addressed the latter and it's becoming messy again.

Happy weekend, everyone.

[TheOtherMe]

I'm going to see if I can figure out the model number of what is in the box and see if I can give it away.

ETA:  It's going to be picked up this evening.

ETA:  It's gone and I was thanked profusely.

[debthaven]

Excellent TheOtherMe ! 

We were hesitating between two sets of curtains. One set went on sale (30% off) so I ordered them. There's still a lot to do before we can put them up but I wanted to catch the sale. 

We are enjoying this long weekend without workers arriving at 8 am. They come back Tuesday to start the outside. That'll take about 2 weeks, but it'll be outside (except for fixing up the paint around the windows inside). 

I also asked the contractor to change our shower door because it leaks.

Not enough candidates signed up for Tuesday, so I'm only doing a half day instead of a full day. Less money but more sleep lol. And they put me on WFH on Wednesday. 

DD has a bed and convertible couch, but she can't afford to buy more furniture. I found 2 nice night tables for her on the second-hand website. We're picking them up tomorrow. I'm also hoping she'll take the old dining room table but I'm not sure.

 

[TheOtherMe]

Aside from the white dust everywhere, the having to be ready by 8 AM (they actually showed up that early), getting up that early was the 2nd worst part of the bathroom remodel.