2023 Declutter & Organize Your Life

[azucena]

I'm still working full time so input everything into my work calendar with pop-up reminders that link to my personal email. Everything includes work mtgs, family events, kids stuff. Anything family related gets fwd'd to my personal calendar, DHs and DD15s. This past year, DH has been much better about inputting his own events. DD15 is adapting to this method.

Also improved this year was to add who is in charge of picking up which kid and when as it's gotten complicated.

For work, I've also finished each day blocking any open work time spaces for the next day with specific projects that I need to work on. Saves me from so many last minute mtgs, plus helps me complete project to do lists.

When we are really on top of things, we have a family mtg during Sun lunch and look at the week ahead. DD11 adds her items to her school planner. This helps us get ahead of things like bday presents for upcoming parties, craft supplies for 5th grade projects, etc. It goes even better when I outline meals to go along with evening activities - which days to crockpot, leftovers and which days must be drive thru.

Alexa/echo alarms are my friend for current day reminders including random times to leave that I might forget and when the laundry will need to be switched.

[startsmart]

I love hearing how everyone stays organized on their tasks!

Over 5 years of using a bullet journal I keep honing in on what works for me and since I like seeing other people’s designs I posted my whole journal for a community I’m in for journalers.

I’m curious to track my time in January too to see how long my daily update takes. Right now it’s maybe 5 minutes to fill in 4 trackers (meditation, workout, health & weather).

I find it’s a lot like project management software - as I’ve told my clients for years, you’ll find one that just “clicks” with your brain, there’s no perfect software because we’re all different.

[snapdragon]

3- get new shelving pins for TV cabinet

5- work on top of coffee table so it can be placed in LR - got about 85% of stuff off the top - needs more fiddling. 

7- put tools and garage things into garage

8- put together the media cabinet

9-set up TV's and everything that goes with em. - 1 is set up

Still haven't started on the clothes. I have open boxes, but nothing is being put away and they aren't magically disappearing.

I did inform the post office that I have a mailbox key so mail will be sent my way. I have slowly been updating my bills as they are due.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 17, 2023 12:24:56 GMT -5 startsmart said:

I find it’s a lot like project management software - as I’ve told my clients for years, you’ll find one that just “clicks” with your brain, there’s no perfect software because we’re all different.

This is so true.  When I was working, I had an 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch calendar.  I wrote both work and personal on it as I paid for it and we didn't turn them in to the government.  I always wrote the work appointments in pencil because they were definitely subject to change.

When I worked at tax firms that required me to keep track of time by client in 6 minute increments, I learned it was much easier for me to do that when I put that file away.  Some co-workers did it at the end of the day.  When I tried that, I thought it was more time consuming.

[debthaven]

I spent the day in pjs ... the vaccines were sort of a good excuse, although I didn't feel great last night. I caught up on Shitepile today. 

Back to regular programming tomorrow. 

[finnime]

Show today. Small framed prints, unmatted and matted prints, calendars, books and greeting cards. We'll see how it goes. Hoping for good. Next shows are both December 9 with pretty much the same inventory.

I've got to clean, clean, clean this house between tomorrow and Wednesday. Plus do some baking. Then Friday I'll plotz.

[debthaven]

Good luck for the show today finnime

[moneysquirrel]

Nov 18, 2023 4:45:38 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Good luck for the show today finnime

Working on laundry -- again.  1st load completely finished and the 2nd is in the dryer.  There is at least one more in the near future as I want to do the bed linens before I leave Monday.

Tree is up but no ornaments on it. 

Ran several errands yesterday but staying in today to try to get a few things done. 

Have several items to add to an Amazon order but not placing said order until after the holiday.  Nothing that I absolutely need at the moment but will need sometime in the not so distant future. Some of these items I can not find locally -- believe me I looked.

Started the drops in the other eye.  Second surgery is Tuesday. 

Started packing for my time at DS for the surgery and the holiday.

Ok. Back to trying to get something else done.

[TheOtherMe]

Hoping this surgery goes as well as the 1st one.  Isn't it great to see again?

I still need glasses because I have astigmatism and cataract surgery doesn't correct for that.  I am not having lasik surgery until it is covered by insurance.

[moneysquirrel]

Nov 18, 2023 15:27:43 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Hoping this surgery goes as well as the 1st one.  Isn't it great to see again?

I still need glasses because I have astigmatism and cataract surgery doesn't correct for that.  I am not having lasik surgery until it is covered by insurance.

Me too.  I still have to use glasses for reading and other close work.  Doesn't bother me as I have been wearing glasses since 6th grade and that was many decades ago.  Great not having to wear them when driving, visiting with friends, enjoying a play or movie or just doing everyday routine stuff. 

[snapdragon]

Coffee table is presentable.. - Done

Working on media cabinet next.

[Sharon]

Today was one of those putter around days where I actually got quite a bit done.  It wasn't the good deep cleaning of the house before Mom arrives on Tuesday, but oh well.

- Changed the sheets on my bed

- 4 loads of laundry washed/dried and put away

- Ran and emptied the dishwasher

- Quick trip to the store for a couple of items, hopefully last trip to the grocery store until after Thanksgiving.

- Cleaned the bathrooms

- Took canned air and cleaned out my keyboards

- Wiped down the computer monitors

- Went through the various stickies, lists, etc on my desk and organized/cleaned that up.

- Took the butterfly net and strained out leaves/hay etc out of the cows water tanks.

- Emptied the waste baskets and took the garbage out.

[NastyWoman]

Nov 18, 2023 15:27:43 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Hoping this surgery goes as well as the 1st one.  Isn't it great to see again?

I still need glasses because I have astigmatism and cataract surgery doesn't correct for that.  I am not having lasik surgery until it is covered by insurance.

Did you have the surgery long ago? I had both eyes done a few years back ('18, '19?) and the lenses that were implanted adjusted for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They were not covered by insurance though as that only covered one single adjustment.

[Opti]

Been bad at decluttering but having a burst of sorting paperwork. Put some files into the file cabinet where they belong and moved an older folder to the overflow file cabinet since its no longer current always needed info.

Hope to finally file my 2022 taxes this weekend or shortly thereafter. Still dealing with bus schedules, costs and researching possible cheaper used cars. Might my paper recycling b4 bed tonight instead of waiting for morning. Feel the need to purge and straighten right now.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 18, 2023 20:32:20 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Nov 18, 2023 15:27:43 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Hoping this surgery goes as well as the 1st one.  Isn't it great to see again?

I still need glasses because I have astigmatism and cataract surgery doesn't correct for that.  I am not having lasik surgery until it is covered by insurance.

Did you have the surgery long ago? I had both eyes done a few years back ('18, '19?) and the lenses that were implanted adjusted for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They were not covered by insurance though as that only covered one single adjustment.

I had the second one done in 2009, so some time ago.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Nov 16, 2023 11:42:16 GMT -5 startsmart said:

I’ve finally got my 2024 journal set up because how is it almost 2024 already? There’s a lot of pictures but it’s online here if you’re interested: imgur.com/gallery/aMjsZWL

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Lots of holiday organization going on for me. 
14 of 142 Christmas cards are ready to seal. 
0 of 90 employee gifts are fully ready. They're purchased and the wrapping materials are ready. 

Everything for Thanksgiving dinner except for a few fresh veggies are purchased. We should be at 14 total people in our house on Thursday. 


We host a family gathering on December 9th. That should be about 30 people. 
The most immediate need is to send official invitations and what the people need to bring. 


We host DH's administrative team on December 16th. That should be 45 people 
I have the equipment and catering taken care of and cannot really do more than that until after Thanksgiving. 

[finnime]

I admire your management of large social gatherings, Knee Deep in Water Chloe. To me that looks like a crippling amount of work to juggle.

[debthaven]

Knee Deep in Water Chloe I'm even more impressed by you buying and wrapping 90 employee gifts! 

DH worked on the boxes in his office/DS2's room last night. I'm hoping he'll finish today but not holding my breath. 

[debthaven]

The boxes are nearly gone (just 2 left), but there are also some bags and objects ... including antique sewing machines DH plans to try to sell.  

It does look MUCH better. DH feels he's moving at the speed of light while I'm struggling because I need him to finish. Because 6 years wasn't long enough to sort all this stuff while it was at his friend's office. 

At least the bedroom is useable again, so that's progress.

He should finish next weekend (except for the sewing machines).

[TheOtherMe]

My bin for recycling is full.  I don't think I will be able to get much more in it and they don't pick it up for another week.  Last time, they only took half of recycling.  If they do that again, I'm calling the city.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Nov 19, 2023 6:15:04 GMT -5 debthaven said:

Knee Deep in Water Chloe I'm even more impressed by you buying and wrapping 90 employee gifts! 

DH worked on the boxes in his office/DS2's room last night. I'm hoping he'll finish today but not holding my breath. 

Please don't be impressed...they're not individualized gifts. This year it's all (secular) Christmas ornaments. 

[debthaven]

That's still impressive Knee Deep in Water Chloe!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Today’s list.

[debthaven]

Good luck!

[jerseygirl]

Friend is selling unwanted clothing on Poshmark. Anyone have experience buying or selling there?

[startsmart]

Today I tackled my bathroom and bedroom. After I rearranged furniture a few weeks ago I wasn’t happy with the flow of things. There was a shelf thing too close to the bookshelf where I keep my fabric and it was in the way of getting things in and out. So my nightstand is going away and the shelf goes next to the bed (bonus: the cats can’t stand on the shelf so it’s easier to keep coffee or water at hand).

I still need to empty the nightstand and move it to an upstairs bedroom

In the bathroom I rearranged a bunch of stuff, hung a new shelf and organized under the sink. I’ll be able to remove 2 floor shelves from there and it makes getting in and out of the closet easier. It’s just a door I hung over the water heater closet but I keep the mop in there and hate moving stuff out of the way to access it.

I tossed some old make up and gifted makeup I hated, washed all my brushes and now I’m restocking q-tips and cotton rounds. It feels slow but I’m getting better.

Yesterday I started on the dresser in my entry way and the top 2 drawers are done. There’s china to go upstairs and I tossed a bunch of gum that was pretty gross.

[Opti]

Might be able to get complex staff to move the dead TV out of my apartment if I can clean up the steps inside from all the stuff I store there. Basement storage is damp, moldy and unreliable so way too much of my stuff lives on the steps including a metal ladder and a smith & Hawken garden tool.

I am pretty sick and clearing stuff up today mainly because I did not sleep enough and have a horrible deep cough. I really should go see the doctor, but I am still car less and never set up with the county bus which is more than NJ transit bus fare but can get me to appoinments with significant advance notice like 3 plus weeks.

Sorted some paper as planned but was sad to confirm I am seriously behind on one utility bill.    Means I am in a bigger hole than I thought and some of my small bill cuts might not be enough to qualify for a used car loan. Hoped to accomplish more, but am happy I have not totally torn everything apart. 


Could use prayer and good thoughts. My boss was out with the flu per her one day last week and we both still have horrible coughs. She is younger by a decade and is on tamiflu. Trying not to call out sick as we are shorthanded as it is. Next week will be safer as the fourth person should be back from being out of the country. Boss is out for a couple weeks the end of December. Wish I knew whether I had flu along with my sinus infection and if I also might have RSV or worse as well.    Sitting out in the windy cold waiting for buses to and from work is probably doing me no health favors. 

[debthaven]

Sending you good thoughts Opti . I hope you feel better soon.

[Sharon]

Nov 19, 2023 13:42:05 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Friend is selling unwanted clothing on Poshmark. Anyone have experience buying or selling there?

I tried to sell some of my Dad's new with tags clothing on Poshmark, after he passed.  I didn't sell very much and people of course wanted it for nothing.  The things that sold the fastest and the easiest was men's pajamas.  I did like that I didn't have to deal with the people face to face.  We would agree on a price, then I would package up the item, print the label and drop it at the post office.

DD sells on poshmark fairly regularly and seems to do okay.  I think she sells mostly kids clothes