2023 Declutter & Organize Your Life

[debthaven]

Yes I'm so relieved I finally started marking LOL. I'll finish the rest tomorrow.

This weekend
- mark 9 18 videos

[TheOtherMe]

House is clean and smells so good.  

I now have two cats attached to me because they spent time in the basement without me.

A mid century modern house came on the market yesterday that DN3 and his wife are very interested in.  Reminds me a lot of the house where I grew up.  It does give them 3 bedrooms and doesn't have a wonky layout like the house that was built in 1860 does.

I don't think either one of them would be happy in a newer type home.  

DN3 will have to give up his in town "farm".  His house has 5 acres now and my dad called it a farm.  It's not a farm.  He has thought about selling off the 2 extra lots and someone can build on them.  

Sounds like they plan to look at it tonight.   Fingers crossed for them.

It would also mean getting their stuff out of my basement.

[Iggy aka IG]

Nov 9, 2023 22:40:50 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Nov 9, 2023 13:39:23 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Sharon when you say you're not painting the cabinets, does that mean someone else is going to or are you buying new cabinets?

I'm hoping to some day get all new cabinets, counter tops, and do a little bit of reconfiguration of the area.  The cabinet doors are super thin and while you could reface the cabinets the insides aren't much better.  I would also like to move the stove from where it is to the wall where the fridge is located.  The fridge is at the end of the counter but I would like to move the stove into the middle of that area so there would be more counter space on both sides of the stove.  That would probably mean that the dishwasher would need to be swapped to the other side of the sink, which actually make more sense based on how much dishes are stored.  

My counter tops are granite but it is a very busy pattern and I lose things on the counter all the time, especially glassware.  You also can't see spills or where things are stuck on the counter.  For DD's birthday I baked her a layer cake and had it on a clear glass cake plate.  When I took a picture it looked like I had just set the cake on the counter and frosted it in place.

I like your vision, Sharon. 

[Iggy aka IG]

That's great news about your wrists, debthaven!

I'm happy for those of you who have a housecleaner.  I know having one sure helps me relax on weekends.

Speaking of, I've kept up on the dishes since Wednesday.  This weekend I plan on storing the Halloween decorations, consolidating items from the right hand now gym closet with the left-hand side.  I want to dedicate the right-hand side closet and cubbies to hand weights, towels, etc. (I may have already posted this.)  I also want to display a few things which inspire health and happiness, and I'll ask DH to do so as well.  And though we had it unplugged until our Halloween party, we're going to keep the mini fridge plugged in for water purposes.

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone.

[debthaven]

I found out today that Cirque du Soleil is coming here over Christmas. I just booked 5 (cheap) tickets for DH and I, DS2 and his GF, and DS3. The others aren't around that weekend.
I may need to work an additional semester to pay for them.

[debthaven]

This weekend
- mark 18 videos/Fri+Sat  

We're taking a colleague/friend to Ikea tomorrow. He just bought an apartment near us and he doesn't own a car.

[busymom]

Hi Kids!  Just a quick drive-by to let you know Rachel Jones (of Nourishing Minimalism) is doing a 6 hour Declutter-a-thon today, beginning in about 15 minutes.  (11 am Central)  I believe you can access it on Facebook, and she says she'll be reposting it.  I'll be home to hopefully participate in part of it, although I've got an appointment early this afternoon, so I'll miss part of it.  

I've been so over-scheduled lately that I'll have to check back in later to see how you all are doing.  Keep up the good work!  

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Nov 10, 2023 10:53:04 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

My cleaners will be here this morning.  Yes, I scurried around last evening and then the last minute things this morning  

Remember I bought a second cat box.  When I cleaned the cat boxes this morning, they are only using the new one.  I don't have a good place to put one upstairs and I know I won't go to the basement to clean it.  

I had to scurry around Friday morning also to get ready for the cleaning girl. I had a migraine set in about noon on Thursday. I went home an hour early and hid in the dark all Thursday afternoon and night. Cleaner gets here at 8:45 am, so I scurried from 8am until then. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Yesterday was mostly a lost day. I had the day off due to the federal holiday. Unfortunately I had a migraine. I did some laundry done,  made it partway through balancing accounts and got one work task done. Here's to a more productive remainder of the weekend. 

This morning, I've done more laundry and put way the remainder of the Halloween decorations. We never leave them up this long, but we were out of town last Friday - Sunday. 

I have several tasks for today, so I'll post a picture of my list. 

[Rukh O'Rorke]

hope you're feeling better Chloe!

I've been doing pretty good household wise. My Daughter visited and although I wasn't able to do everything I wanted to prior to her arrival, I did wipe out several long standing hot spots and washed the ruggables.

I had asked the cleaner for her last two visits to deep clean 1st floor one time, including oven and fridge (just do floors upstairs if time allowed), and deep clean the second floor the next time and quick clean the 1st floor. She said yes, also agreeing to a different day on the second week as I told her I was picking up my daughter from the airport. I bought an assortment of new cleaning products and gadgets, one handy little damp duster sponge thingy I had never seen at the stores before, and showed her how and where I bought it to be used (dusting the window rails). I had all the carpets pulled up for washing by the time she got here - so clearly - an event!

She didn't do anything different, she didn't clean the oven or inside of fridge. At an opportune moment during the second weekd, I pointed out some smudgy marks around the pull on an upper cabinet and said - oh don't forget about these! I had thought those would be taken care of in the first week's deep cleaning of the kitchen. Well she cleaned that pull and the one next to it - but none of the other upper cabinet pulls! So 2 of 11So weird. I had texted her the plan for the deep cleaning scchedule 3 weeks prior and she said she understood and agreed to it. So I am at a loss here!

The next challenge is to get the house even better for Christmas! But - being lazy this weekend, still cleaning up from DDs visit - not sure how we were up till nearly 4 am every day she was here! Cooking and games and puzzles and cocktails! Slowly crawling out of that pile of dirty dishes....that is all I'll do for the weekend I think....

[debthaven]

Rukh O'Rorke personally I'd get rid of your cleaner and start over with somebody else, less often. You've been unhappy with her for a while, even since the beginning I think.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Nov 11, 2023 16:05:02 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Rukh O'Rorke personally I'd get rid of your cleaner and start over with somebody else, less often. You've been unhappy with her for a while, even since the beginning I think.

yeah, I know.....like everytthing else, will reassess in 2024. seems lame, but it's only 7 weeks away!

firing someone before the holidays seems icky, and it was 2 years of searching and no one was that great. I tried 3-4 independents, 2-3 services, etc. There were so many that would charge like 400 per cleaning, I don't know what happened but the market conditions for cleaning really changed. At least this is the lowest priced of them all.

Maybe she didn't really understand what I was asking for after all? I'll try again for the pre-christmas cleaning... In this case, unlike the last one, I know the language she speaks so will try to plan something out.

But honestly - I think this is as good as it gets unless I go for the signficantly pricier ones. I can start looking around to see if anythings changed.

[Sharon]

I finished painting the kitchen this morning.  I also got the sheets changed, ran the dishwasher and emptied it, and did two load of laundry.

[TheOtherMe]

Tomorrow I will be ordering two more of the cat food containers so I can keep the bags in the garage.  The cat food is on auto ship and Maddow's will be arriving this week.

Hope critters can't get in to the bag inside of the container.  

[jerseygirl]

Back to selling old vinyl records on eBay
Gradually reducing. Sold most of these that were left by YDS in a closet. Now onto DD’s

Filing up bags for GoodWill. Most recent addition was a big meat slicer. We no longer eat roast beef which is only thing used for the slicer. Thought about using FreeCycle but never used this and think it would be a nuisance to make appointment then wait for person

[Sharon]

Yesterday DSIL got most of the one of the curtain rods installed.  He wanted me to hang the drapes before he finished.  The drapes are a little light colored for the space but it sure looks nice to have drapes in the room.  I really like the old fashioned pinch pleated drapes on a traverse rod and they are so hard to find now.  He left all his tools here so I wouldn't be surprised if they show up this afternoon around the time a football game starts.

When I was looking for a house where I am now Mom and I went to a craft show and I bought some wall art.  I finally got it hung up this morning.  I've been in this house almost two years and there was nothing hanging on the walls.  I kept waiting to paint first.  I hung this in the dining part of the kitchen.

[finnime]

Yeah for hanging art on your walls, Sharon!

[tcu2003]

Going to gently sneak back in here. I don’t necessarily feel like I’ve lost traction this year, but have not gained much, if any. And after going to mom’s this weekend with DH and my sis and our kids to help mom clean out her house in preparation to move up by sis and I, it was a kick in the pants to get my stuff in order. She had rented a dumpster, and we threw out so much stuff. And this is after her working **slowly** on it over the last year with donating stuff and trashing some things (and sis and I helping anytime we were down there).

I’ve also realized that DH has more of his dad‘a pack rat tendencies than I thought, so there’s also that. Most of his tend to be things like tools, his old clothes/shoes he can wear as yard clothes, etc, but it’s still stuff. And the stuff I want to hold on to tends to be the sentimental stuff. So just have to keep reminding myself I can keep a few things, but no one (including the kids) are going to want most of this stuff. Which is what we’re seeing with my mom. Sis and I don’t want most of the stuff.

Anywho, to keep me at it and hopefully not discouraged, going to set a goal of 15 minutes every day that I’m home (basically acknowledging that I travel a fair amount for work, or if I’m gone all evening for kid activities, I will not worry about it that day and be back at it the next day).

[moneysquirrel]

debthaven -- Wonderful news about your hands.  Also hope that you can relax a little since all of the videos have been marked. 

TheOtherMe -- Should we be sending good karma that your DN finds the right house soon as then your basement will be yours again and not a storage unit for them?


Knee Deep in Water Chloe -- Nice to "see" you again.  Know it is hard to check in during the school year.  Hope. the year is progressing well for you.

tcu2003 -- Welcome back.  Even a few minutes a day helps with decluttering. 

Iggy aka IG --Re: Flowerpots -- Sometimes when I purchase a terra cotta flowerpot I paint it.  Started during Covid and have done several over the last few years.  I seal it with modge podge first, then paint with acrylic paint (a lot from WM @50 cents a bottle),then reseal it when I finish.  I have used stencils for most of them -- flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, hearts, etc.  This  time I went rogue -- lots of triangles, rectangles, circles and just squiggly lines.  Then decided to add words (using a Sharpie -- original brand-- as it doesn't run) like smile, sing, dance, etc. inside the shapes. {{ Note : brands other than Sharpie had run when I sealed an earlier one so now I make sure to always use the sharpie brand. }}  It gives me a creative outlet and one that I can use around the house.  

Sharon -- You are making such progress -- drapes and wall art as well as a fresh paint job.  
finnime -- How many more art/craft shows are you doing this year? My friend and I have two more before the end of the year.  We try to only do indoor venues so we don't have to fight weather issues and a tent.
Rukh O'Rorke -- RE: Cleaning -- Hoping that you can find someone that suits your needs better in the forseeable future.

Will post this one before I lose it.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 12, 2023 17:28:28 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

TheOtherMe -- Should we be sending good karma that your DN finds the right house soon as then your basement will be yours again and not a storage unit for them?

Absolutely YES!  There is so much of my stuff in the basement that needs to be gone and I can't get to it easily.

[finnime]

moneysquirrel, I've got 4 images and some calendars and books in a gallery show right now that will continue through early December. Plus, we have a fair thie weekend and 2 on the weekend of 12/9, then we'll be done for the year. I'm hoping to make more sales through my website, too.

[moneysquirrel]

I managed to get everything done on last week's list.  Hoping to do the same this week but we shall see.  I will be in prep mode this week as the following week is the other cateract surgery and my activities will be curtailed for ten days again. DS will be taking me that day and for the followup the next day.  I will be spending the holiday with him as well.

Today I managed to get quite a few things put away that I had out for the first go around.  Still have a few things to organize and pick up as tomorrow I am scheduled for house cleaning.  I am sure that I have dropped things that because I have eye focusing issues -- one sees near and the other distance -- that I didn't get picked up as I can't find them.  Hope that won't create too much more work for her.  I try to provide as many clear flat surfaces as I can as I am sure that makes the job easier for her. 

I have already picked up all the paints and will move the flowerpot and clear that area of the rest of the painting supplies -- I use a $tree shower curtain as a drop cloth when I paint to protect surfaces, also use an old turntable to make moving the flowerpot easier when I do the rim and sides.

Upcoming goals:

*House Cleaning -- tomorrow 
*Sales tax form finished and mailed -- three fourths finished 
*Fee for the last show to mail off this week
*Zoom with a friend 
*Classes
*Packing -- I will be with family due to surgery and for the holidays
*Mail hold
*Monthly bills -- Expecting at least two this week
*Stretch goal -- get the Christmas tree up this week as I will still be restricted the week after Thanksgiving for a few days.  May not get it decorated completely but if its up then I can do a little at a time while activities are curtailed.
*Usual household maintanence
*Laundy -- get everything clean before I head to DS 
*Dishwasher -- do a final load before I head to DS
*Fill up car before heading to DS
*and many more that I am sure that I have forgotten.

[NastyWoman]

With my last donation I must have accidentally given my mojo away and I just haven't found any new one. This coming week I will try one more thing: I will set up my Xmas tree and then go through the last couple of boxes of decorations. Whatever I decide to keep will go on the tree and the rest will be donated. ... It seems like a logical plan to me. Now to see if I can find the energy to follow through. 

[debthaven]

LOL at accidentally donating your mojo NastyWoman !

You've all been busy these past few days! Glad you managed to get so much decorating done Sharon . moneysquirrel  you've been extra busy! 'Tis the marking season, so that was just the beginning. But I have less marking than before.   

Good to see you again Knee Deep in Water Chloe   tcu2003 and jerseygirl .

Iggy aka IG your home gym sounds like it's really coming together! TheOtherMe I hope you get your basement back soon.

Yesterday was very busy, between Ikea, lunch at our friend's house and then a last-minute invitation to a concert with DS last night! I got home at 1.30.

I worked a long day today so I'm catching up on laundry now. I have another long day tomorrow.

[Sharon]

Yesterday I just puttered around but did get some windows washed.  A bird had done a major crash into my office window so I got the bird and the window cleaned up.  Then I washed the outside of the living room windows.  They are fairly easy to wash on the outside as there is a brick window box that runs the length of the living room.  It is about a 4" step up from the front porch onto the window box and I just walk along there and wash the windows.  We get so much dust from the farming activities in the neighborhood that they needed to be cleaned.

[debthaven]

But honestly - I think this is as good as it gets unless I go for the signficantly pricier ones.

Rukh O'Rorke I was thinking about this comment. I get not wanting to get rid of her before Christmas. But once it's 2024, you might be MUCH happier with one of the "pricier" options, less often (once/month or every other week), depending on how finances are at that point.

[snapdragon]

Hi Everyone!

It was late October since I was able to login and here's what has been happening so far -- 

Contacted movers and they packed me up on the 30th. The whole house was stuffed with boxes and just a insane amount energy was lost on me. But the place was completely shipping ready in under 5 hours! It was taking me days and mental stress so very thankful I went the pack me up route.

Halloween - movers arrived about 9am and the place was packed up and in the truck before noon. Went separately to the Shore House and they had me unloaded before 5 pm! The guys were seriously adorable and they completely freaked out on seeing 2 live deer right across the street from the house. 

So, I pretty much killed myself the last week and a half to get the condo ready for sale and I have 2 offers. The place went live last Thursday. Location and pricing is right for the area-- very thankful about that.

There have been days where I am just in the groove and get so much done! Nov 1 was kitchen day with about 18+ boxes being taken care of. I also got garbage and recycling pick up just managing to fill the recycling for following day pick up! Been working on the study and I need to work in a few more areas - especially my bedroom and bath. 

Snap

[debthaven]

SO great to hear your wonderful news snapdragon ! We've been wondering how you were doing! Well done for hiring the movers, and congratulations on the condo selling so quickly!

You'll be so happy to just have one place to worry about lol.

[finnime]

Fantastic, snapdragon. I salute you!

[snapdragon]

Here's today's list - 

1 - load and wash dishes - Done they are drying right now
2 - set up computer in study - Done and now able to converse 
3 - update money journal, cost of things - Done checkbooks are up to date

4- strip bed and remake flannel? sheets - Done
5- start to work on putting clothing away in the dressers
6- start loads of laundry for bedding and guest room - Done
7- get new shelving pins for TV cabinet
8- work on getting bathroom stuff put away or re-homed
9- work on top of coffee table so it can be placed in LR
10- get small shelving put up and styled in MBR