2024 Organize & Declutter

[debthaven]

I hope you feel better soon snapdragon . 

[Iggy aka IG]

Hi everyone!  I've returned from being gone an extra day.  I stayed home yesterday due to congestion caused by at least three area wildfires, one of which was about 1/2 mile away Sunday.  DH hosed down our home's perimeter, firefighters were quick to react, and we weren't asked to evacuate, but it was close enough to distribute ash on our vehicles, etc.  It's always something it seems.

I've had a lot of nervous energy caused by anxiety, so I've been trying to keep busy:
-At the beginning of the 4-day weekend, Wednesday evening I told DH I needed his help keeping the main kitchen counter cleared off.  It seems all I do on my days off is relocate things off that dumping ground.
-Completed the greeting card/picture/miscellaneous sort through:
-Cards I kept were put into two plastic envelopes with snap closures and stored.
-Photos I kept are in a lidded box and stored to organize at a later time.
-I listed three small picture frames online for free and have takers for 2 of them.
-Listed several more grouped items for sale online.  it's not going as well as I anticipated, so either I might slash prices or go ahead and donate all of it.  The items are stacked along one of the walls in my reading fort.
-Washed an easy 3 loads of laundry.
-Speaking of, I moved everything from the laundry room, swept, then dry and wet Swiffered the floor.  While doing that, I washed the area rug.  I'll wait until DH recovers to ask him to help move the washer so that I may clean under and around it.
-Scrubbed toilets, emptied trash, refilled PTs, TP, napkins, ice trays and the Keurig.
-Cleaned out the fridge, prepped food for lunches, and meal planned for this week's suppers.
-Made a batch of Budget Bytes not refried beans, a roast in the air fryer for lunch meat purposes, and a tray of enchiladas
-Spent a lot of time with the kittens yesterday.  They heard a neighbor and me talking in the garage, and they ventured over to us and explored that area for their first time. 

[debthaven]

Oh how scary! Stay safe Iggy aka IG ! 

[moneysquirrel]

Jul 8, 2024 20:22:45 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

I have a big box for goodwill this week. Cleaned out a credenza and putting lots of office supplies in box for Goodwill

You might be able to donate those office supplies to the nearest school or to a teacher in the area.  So many of them have to purchase those types of supplies out of their own pocket.  (Comments from a retired teacher)

[jerseygirl]

Good idea about teachers and supplies
But 4 years ago I ‘inherited’ maybe 100 very nice books from a former kinder teacher. None of the schools in town would accept them

[startsmart]

Y’all I’m so excited! There’s a crew outside my house right now taking down the porch which has rotted so badly it’s a hazard. They are shoring it up and protected the windows and it’ll be gone in a few hours.

I’m so very excited to spend the money to get that done! The continued wind and rain keep making it worse and I need it fixed. After it’s off I’ll get a separate quote for the rebuild. The guys are working hard so I went to sonic to get them drinks.

This is making me so happy - and I got reimbursed from my first month of work expenses so that helps!

[Opti]

I was very happy when I got maintenance to remove the old fish tank after they fixed the toilet. They actually moved onto the door because its always hard to deal with this time of year. 

[Opti]

Jul 9, 2024 15:41:00 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

Jul 8, 2024 20:22:45 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

I have a big box for goodwill this week. Cleaned out a credenza and putting lots of office supplies in box for Goodwill

You might be able to donate those office supplies to the nearest school or to a teacher in the area.  So many of them have to purchase those types of supplies out of their own pocket.  (Comments from a retired teacher)

Food pantries and similar often have a time in August they will hand out school supplies to those who can't afford all the supplies they need.

[Opti]

Jul 6, 2024 21:50:30 GMT -5 Sharon said:

I decluttered a very large item today, a piano.  I had listed it for free on marketplace knowing that selling pianos is very difficult.  There are a lot of mixed feelings going on right now.  It was my great uncles piano that he played daily.  When we took the piano the hope was DD would be able to take piano lessons but that didn't work out.  Even though I have had lessons on and off growing up it never took.  I probably wouldn't be feeling this way but the person who took it I'm pretty sure is a druggy.  I don't know if he thought there would be some value in it and since it was free took it or if he was here to case the house.

Anyway it's gone.  DD had made it very clear she didn't want it.

Then you made the right choice IMO.

[TheOtherMe]

Cleaning ladies come tomorrow!!!!!

[Iggy aka IG]

Jul 9, 2024 15:41:00 GMT -5 moneysquirrel said:

Jul 8, 2024 20:22:45 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

I have a big box for goodwill this week. Cleaned out a credenza and putting lots of office supplies in box for Goodwill

You might be able to donate those office supplies to the nearest school or to a teacher in the area.  So many of them have to purchase those types of supplies out of their own pocket.  (Comments from a retired teacher)

  I think I posted about it here, but several years ago I donated colored pencils, various pads of paper, stickers, a few smaller binders to a teacher neighbor friend of mine.  Last year I donated empty binders, numerous pads of paper, pens, 2 metal brochure racks, etc. to my preschool owner client. 

[Opti]

Jul 3, 2024 20:03:52 GMT -5 snapdragon said:

I just forgot what day it was last week on the recycling.

With all the wildlife (especially the bears and racoons) I am unwilling to take the actual trash out overnight. I would with 80% surety end up with the trash spread out all over my property and road.  

Been there. 

[Sharon]

I'm still in the midst of getting a new well.  There have been a few setbacks during the drilling phase.  I'm hoping by sometime next week to have a functioning well.

Today I cleaned the bathrooms.  I will sure be glad when DGS2, the 3 year old, improves his aim.

[startsmart]

The front porch is gone! It took 3 hours and $300 but I’ve never been so happy to spend money. They confirmed it was as bad as I thought and are willing to come back and load the dumpster with all the trash separately.

Also we found a huge copper pipe which I’ll be able to sell for scrap. My neighbor already came over and offered to “recycle it” for me 🙄 and the demo guy said don’t even touch it. Apparently just one of the fittings at this size is $90-100 not to mention the pipe itself. It was hidden in the porch overhang and not connected to anything!

[Opti]

Jul 9, 2024 17:29:34 GMT -5 Opti said:

I was very happy when I got maintenance to remove the old fish tank after they fixed the toilet. They actually moved onto the door because its always hard to deal with this time of year. 

Note: the toliet isn't really fixed. They need to replace the umm cock and ball assembly as the rubber/plastic is degrading and no longer making a seal that holds. Then it refilled about every 10 minutes. Now its about twenty. I do need to put in another ticket, but not sure I want them here when I am not.

I am hoping to move somewhere quieter and cheaper

[Opti]

Jul 9, 2024 20:09:32 GMT -5 Sharon said:

I'm still in the midst of getting a new well.  There have been a few setbacks during the drilling phase.  I'm hoping by sometime next week to have a functioning well.

Today I cleaned the bathrooms.  I will sure be glad when DGS2, the 3 year old, improves his aim.

Is this as expensive as my dad told me? He really should have done something to his well, as the water he had the last 10 years, or more was crap. But for him he said it was at least a $10,000 to $12,000 problem. He was in an unincorporated part of town, so city water and I think sewer wasn't available. (You add house heated by propane and you've hit the trifecta of things I do not want in a house!)

[debthaven]

Done! I'm off for 7 weeks.  

Yay for the front porch startsmart ! 

[Iggy aka IG]

Yay debthaven!  

This morning:
-Chicken is in the slow cooker
-Took out the garbage
-Fueled up the truck

Later today:
-Post office
-Pick up a misdirected check
-Lunch with a friend for her BD

Other than that, I will be hiding inside from the heat.

Thank you for being here, everyone!  

[TheOtherMe]

Amazon return has been picked up.

[moneysquirrel]

Wonderful news debthaven.  Enjoy your break.


startsmart -- Great about the porch.  You continue to make great progress.

Iggy aka IG -- You are as productive as usual.

Today I have been keeping busy. 
* Got the garbage out on time.
*I finished the custom order and will try to contact her about delivery next week.  I have too many things to do this week. 
*Currently have the dishwasher running
*And the gutters have been cleaned out.  Lots of dirt runoff from the roof.  Glad this person was recommended to me.  I called him early this week, he mentioned to me that he was out of town and would be back today.  He called earlier, was here in 30 minutes, was able to  get the job done in another 30 and was on his way.  Definitely a keeper. 
*Waiting on a call back on the possible backup person -- he had a death in the family. 
*I am on the list for the sand pumping -- who knows what # I am.  
*Updated several spreadsheets

I hope to get back to one of the projects later today.

[snapdragon]

I was busy this morning - 

weedwacked the entire backyard went through 2 batteries

took to tree loppers and have a large pile of limbs clearing/opening the area around the front of the property

threw on some swim trunks and put on my water shoes and pulled up all the milfoil (water weed) around my area out of the canal and it is drying on the dock

recycling has been put out early

I pulled weeds in the front yard for 15=20 minutes also.

The body is starting to get sore, so time for some more advil. 

Shower has been taken so no more outside chores for me today.

[TheOtherMe]

That is hard work.  Relax this evening.

[nikiz628]

We got home on Monday at midnight from my son's baseball tournament in Pensacola. I hit the ground running on Wednesday and got 5 bags of items listed on FB. Already sold quite a bit! I am feeling rejuvenated after a week out of the trenches. And I am telling you, there's something about standing in the ocean that just MELTS your stress away. I had a moment while I was standing waist deep, my kids were playing with their Dad.. it was quiet and I just focused on the sounds of the waves and breeze. Something just clicked. I realized I need to start putting myself at the front of the line more often when it comes to what needs done. Call it a Godwink, I can't explain how it felt. Just a sudden realization that things need to change. 

[debthaven]

nikiz628 having grown up near the ocean, I get it. I really miss living near the ocean. 

I got a haircut and gel pedicure today. I'm all set for summer lol. 

Knee Deep in Water Chloe I think you started your new job! How is it going?!

[startsmart]

In an effort to bust through my cleaning list this weekend, I invited people over to my house next week! Two on Monday and possibly 2 more Wednesday. Making my list about what I want to accomplish:

- sweep the front porch
- power wash or hose off the siding at front of house
- mop the office, entry, living room, bedroom, bath and kitchen
- wash the windows in the living room and office
- put away the misc fabric on the dresser
- put away garden seeds
- move stuff on stairs fully upstairs
- vacuum the living room chairs
- tidy up the coffee / tea cart
- do all the dishes
- clean the kitchen counters
- do laundry and put it away
- clean off table
- Fabreeze everything

[debthaven]

I went through my closet yesterday looking for a pair of shorts. No luck. Turns out I "lent" them to DS3. They'd probably be too small now so I bought shorts today (on sale). 

While looking in my closet, I packed up a bag of items for the donation bin, and returned a pair I had borrowed from DH. 

[moneysquirrel]

Good Morning, all.
I managed to get an early start this morning.  Cleaning crew was due early so I got my day started early as well.  Got the first load of laundry started before they came.  I had already picked up all the little things so that they would not have to deal with those things.  First load is finished and I started a second load once they were gone.  Also managed to water some of the indoor plants this morning as well.  

Last night I remembered to submit my wellness benefits to the supplemental insurance I have so that process has started.  Still need to download a form to take to my doctor when I go in August -- remembered to put it on my to-do list.

Dentist is done for the next six months and a few other errands were completed yesterday.  Don't plan to leave the house today.  Have a delivery expected and trying to decide if I want to order a dress.  Purchased one earlier this summer exactly like the one I am trying to decide about but in a different color.  There is no hurry I will have to see how this month's bills come out.  The electric one is the one I think will be the problem child as the AC has been getting a workout with the high temps we have been having recently.

Ok, time to get off the computer. Til later!

[debthaven]

Purchased one earlier this summer exactly like the one I am trying to decide about but in a different color.

moneysquirrel if you like the first enough one to want a second, you should get it. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Similar to what moneysquirrel said, the temperatures are soaring here, too.  Today's expected high is over 100.  This morning around 5 I asked DH to turn of the AC unit in the dining room to give it a bit of a break.  It was 73 degrees in the house by the time I woke up.  Very grateful for the AC here at the office and at home.

nikiz628 I love the term you used:  Godwink.

snapdragon , startsmart and moneysquirrel , nice lists!  debthaven good job on the donation bag.

I completed Wednesday's list that day.

I WFH yesterday during which I unloaded, reloaded and started the dishwasher, did a bunch of handwashed dishes, moved the burner grates so I could clean the stovetop, watered plants, refilled the Keurig, and straightened up the fridge.  I also put everything back in the laundry room including the area rug and then emptied the garbage can.  The floor looks 100% better since cleaning it earlier this week.

Not much planned for this weekend except to put away the few 4th of July decorations and the Sam's Club order DH picked up yesterday.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

[wvugurl26]

This weekend's goal is to catch up on filing and shredding paperwork. My cousin stopped by last night and I took a box and dumped all the mail and paper in it. The living room and kitchen table look much better after this. At least now it's all in one spot for me to deal with.

I also need to sort through my closet and see what kind of work outfits I can put together. I'm traveling the last two weeks of the month and I have a feeling a jacket might be the expectation.