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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 1, 2016 18:35:18 GMT
Happy New Year! I love the start of a new year. No matter where I might have fallen short in the past, a new year offers a fresh start, and that includes a fresh start in my home. I hope to make 2016 the year I get back on track with organization, both in my home and all around my homestead. What good does it do to have something useful, if I can't find it! Although I made a good start on this in December, I have a long way to go to be truly organized this year. It will not happen overnight, but if I work at it a bit each day, I know that over the 366 days of 2016, I can make a huge difference. midtnmama usually posts our Flylady tasks of the week, and many folks find this very helpful. Others chose a different path, and that's great, too. The important thing is that you find something that works for YOU. Please post what helps you keep it all together - we can all learn from each other. Feel free to share your to-do lists, your accomplishments, heck, even your epic fails, lol! Use this thread as a tool to keep yourself on track, and to help each other along the way. Make it yours. Here's to a successful and organized 2016!
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 1, 2016 20:17:01 GMT
I also love new beginnings. A new day, a new week, a new month, a new year. So glad the Lord gives us fresh starts...sometimes every hour or even moment by moment. I want to make a lot of progress this year with downsizing, decluttering and organizing. With my family's assistance I actually did make a fair amount of progress in 2015, but probably not even half of what needs to be done. My biggest challenge is my physical limitations, I get so frustrated and angry with myself when I can't do what I want/need to do. All my life I've been strong and healthy and found it easy to set my mind to getting something done, then just wade in and keep going until it was finished. Now, I can barely walk out to the barn or garage. I am unable to walk without a cane, unable to lift anything, unable to be on my feet for more than a few minutes at a time. But somehow my mind refuses to accept the fact that I am disabled. When I make plans for my day, I constantly overestimate my abilities. Then I get up and reality hits. I'm very thankful I'm still able to accomplish a little bit and that I have family willing to help. Just have to figure out how to accept what is, and how to make progress within my boundaries. Thank you for the reminder that I have 366 days ahead to make a difference! I probably need to work harder on focusing on certain areas, the shotgun approach is not very efficient for me. This week's target will be the kitchen, today I will aim at decluttering and cleaning one counter.
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 1, 2016 20:26:03 GMT
Wildhorseluvr: I've learned a lot watching my elderly inlaws age. They still get a lot done, but they do it differently. They plan their day, take breaks and use tools that help them. They have downsized the garden and make simpler meals so they have less to clean up. They figure out ways to bend less and reach safely.
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I, too, am excited for the new year. Flylady has allowed me to get things under control and now I'll be able to go deeper and declutter more. I resolve to throw things out when I bring things in! This year, I want to be efficient in everything I do and do it frugally.
I have saved some shoeboxes that I want to use for storage organization. I plan to take any extras and use them as mulch in the garden. I have furniture that I need to fix and use this year. I want to have more people over and have more chairs for them!
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Post by krisinmi on Jan 1, 2016 22:37:23 GMT
Here goes. . . I've spent about an hour so far today working on the study aka 'throw everything in there' room. Partly because it really needs it (I'm about four months behind on filing stuff in the right folders) and partly because while the grandkids have been gone this week visiting their other grandma (way down in SC) I started working on a 1000 piece puzzle. The puzzle is far from done, and the grandbabies will be home tonight, so it was time to clean out the study and make a spot to put the folding table my puzzle is sitting on (the study is baby gated normally; the only room in the house that is off limits to the grands, which is why it became the throw everything in there room )
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Post by countrymom22 on Jan 2, 2016 1:47:51 GMT
I started 2016 by taking down all the Christmas decorations and putting my house back in order. Around this time of year, I seem to crave order more than usual. I was quite proud of myself and youngest son for doing it all by ourselves. Usually hubby helps me but he had to work today and I didn't want to wait.
I also went through all the catalogs and old paper work and threw a bunch of it into the woodstove. It wasn't very time consuming and it wasn't a very big pile, but I still felt good getting it done. By the end of the weekend, I will have cleaned out my grooming shop which has become kind of a dumping ground while we have been working on the kitchen. But I have to start grooming again on Tuesday and I will have all the trim stained and varnished by dinner time tomorrow. Having a time deadline is a huge help for me.
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Post by susannah on Jan 2, 2016 15:00:11 GMT
Yesterday, I took the tree down and most of the decorations as well. I say "most of the decorations" because I can see three that I missed just as I'm sitting here looking around. They'll get packed away today. This is kind of early for me to take down the tree - I love having it up - but I figured I'll get to move ahead with organizing things quicker if I take the stuff down now.
One thing I need to do to start the year is to do an intense dust removal. Dust removal is a relative thing, since I'm constantly fighting dust. Guess we weren't prepared for how dusty it would be out here. Add in cedar board walls - the top of each board is a little dust collector; ceiling fans where the vaulted ceilings make it difficult to clean/dust the fixtures without some serious climbing...and I seem to have a never ending battle with dust bunnies (or dust bears). I AM going to try my best to minimize the dust this year. That's one of my goals.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 2, 2016 18:56:07 GMT
Wildhorseluvr: I've learned a lot watching my elderly inlaws age. They still get a lot done, but they do it differently. They plan their day, take breaks and use tools that help them. They have downsized the garden and make simpler meals so they have less to clean up. They figure out ways to bend Less and reach safely. I've been working on learning how to do things differently too, but severe chronic pain makes everything 10x as slow, and excruciatingly painful as well. I seem to swing back and forth from overdoing it to being unable to do anything at all. I think much of this is simply going to require a serious change of attitude and although I'm trying, my 'tude still needs some adjustment. My body no longer responds to my brain saying, "You will do this!" and I'm not very patient with myself. It's humiliating when my 87 yr old mother can do more than I can. Maybe if I could set my treadmill up in the living room where I could use it daily, I could build up some strength again.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 2, 2016 19:03:55 GMT
Krisinmi, I'm actually glad to hear someone else has a "throw everything in there" room. I have a "spare room", which is rather funny as it is the one place in my house where there is no spare room! Glad to hear you're making some progress, you've encouraged me to try to do at least 15 min. of decluttering in there.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 2, 2016 19:09:09 GMT
Countrymom22, congrats on getting the decorations put away. After all the holiday chaos and having decorations out for most of December, it's actually pleasant to be able to declutter and organize again in January. Susannah, I see you put your decorations away too.
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 2, 2016 22:06:36 GMT
Here goes. . . I've spent about an hour so far today working on the study aka 'throw everything in there' room. Partly because it really needs it (I'm about four months behind on filing stuff in the right folders) and partly because while the grandkids have been gone this week visiting their other grandma (way down in SC) I started working on a 1000 piece puzzle. The puzzle is far from done, and the grandbabies will be home tonight, so it was time to clean out the study and make a spot to put the folding table my puzzle is sitting on (the study is baby gated normally; the only room in the house that is off limits to the grands, which is why it became the throw everything in there room ) I really need to find new plastic expandable/or boxed file folders because our old folders are falling apart and need to be replaced. The hanging files have ripped as well. Makes filing difficult. This week I hope to package up all of last year's filing that needs to be saved for tax purposes and get things out of the everyday filing. Hit the 50% off sale at goodwill. I didn't find a sewing or bread machine, but I did find some other good organizing useful things. I found a box with many small drawers to put screws and nails. I hope to organize all my jewelry stuff into it. Also to fix some jewelry that is sitting/getting in the way that I need to fix or throw out. I find my frugal ness gets in the way of organization. For instance, today I bought very nice pillow cases for .50 each at goodwill. What usually happens is that the "new" ones and the old ones (that need to be thrown out) end up smashed into a shelf. I took out the bad ones today (yay!) But then, I tend to not get around to cutting things like this up for rags, and I have a plethora of "stuff" needing to be cut into usable rags hanging around. I hope to cut them up today and stick under the sinks! I intend to donate at least one of each thing I bought today (a skirt, some tops, two sweaters, two purses)I really want to pare down the closet. GET ORGANIZED IN 2016!!!
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 3, 2016 1:37:26 GMT
Midtnmama's comment about being frugal getting in the way of organizing is so true. Any degree of prepping and/or frugality seems to create a considerable amount of work and require a lot more space. Almost everyone I talk to has the same problem. At this point in my life I'm tempted to toss everything and go for a near-minimalist lifestyle. Anyone else ever feel the same?
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Post by mollymckee on Jan 3, 2016 14:39:54 GMT
wildhorseluvr, I understand what you are saying. Some days I want to chuck it all. Living a way from the stores and farming both mean for a lot of stuff! When you add in everything we have from 50years of marriage as well as all the family things my brothers sent me.....! Some days I think I'll let the kids decide what to do with all of it, other days I think I will get through all of it. DH isn't really concerned, except when he can't find something.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 3, 2016 17:07:19 GMT
Mollymckee, that is pretty much the sort of thing I'm dealing with. This is a family farm, I swear nothing has been tossed since 1941. Then DH and I combined 2 households, and of course we added stuff over the last 20+ years. If there is so much that it cannot be well organized, there's no point in keeping it as you won't be able to find it when you need it anyway. On several occasions I've had to clean out other people's households after they passed away. NOT something I want to force on my family. I want most of this stuff gone, and all the legal & financial affairs in order before something happens to me. DH ignored all of it and dealing with his affairs on top of all this stuff has been a nightmare. Thankfully we are close to the end of the probate mess! A few more months and that should be over! WooHoo! If I can rid my house of all clutter over the next few months, then this summer there will only be a few animals left to find homes for, and decluttering the barns & sheds...which is another nightmare. At the speed I move, just the outdoor stuff may take a couple more years. One day at a time.
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 4, 2016 13:57:58 GMT
Flylady tasks week of 1 4 2015 : Kitchen manygoatsnmore, wildhorseluvr, midtnmama, krisinmi, countrymom22, susannah, mollymckee, Mond:Really scrub down your countertops getting behind and underneath things Tues:Straighten and declutter your plasticware Wed:Deep clean your appliances : get the crumbs out of the toaster, really clean the coffeemaker, scrub the electric can opener, etc... Thurs:Using a toothbrush to get in the gunky parts, really clean your sink Fri:clean/polish your cabinets Spend 15 minutes decluttering every day in the kitchen: If you have more time after the 15 minutes per day, here is the detailed cleaning list: Kitchen: Detailed Cleaning List Empty refg/clean thoroughly Clean microwave inside and out Clean stove/oven Wash canister/knick-knacks Straighten drawers/cupboards Wipe fingerprints off walls Wash inside windows Clean fan/vent-a-hood filters and hood Scrub down cabinet fronts (only a few at a time) Clean light defusing bowls (glass globes over light bulbs) Clean under sink/throw away old rags Clean pet dishes
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Post by susannah on Jan 4, 2016 15:32:04 GMT
Wow, time's flying by! Seems like the kitchen just was the zone. That means I should be in really good shape this week, right? Excuse me until I stop laughing... Really I swear little gremlins run around in the kitchen in the middle of the night, creating all kinds of messes. The counter tops - I will definitely give them a good scrubbing today. I noticed yesterday that while they look clean, when I run my hands over them I feel uneven surfaces - and they're quartz and should be glassy smooth. Ick. Plus the backsplash are gets kind of ooky where it hits the walls. I ran the self cleaning feature on the oven a few weeks back - last time we were in this zone. The inside is still really clean, but the outside can always use a cleaning. And the microwave needs a good interior cleaning again. It seems to always need a good cleaning - again, I blame gremlins.
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Post by krisinmi on Jan 6, 2016 0:11:51 GMT
Not exactly following the order for this week, but I have been cleaning in the kitchen. Had to rearrange some cabinets in order to fit the new meat lugs I bought DH for Christmas (he's getting into sausage making and really needed some containers large enough to hold 15+ pounds of meat while seasoning). Also cleaned off the stove, and mopped the floor (and washed the rug--it always gets thrown in the washer when I mop).
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 21:08:24 GMT
Thanks for your encouraging posts, everyone - I need to read this thread every day to keep motivated, I think. I'm trying to follow the FlyLady daily tasks too. Did pretty well this week in the kitchen and today I'm going to try and give it an extra going over, specially in the pantry. A hint I've found useful is whenever I take a canister of something out, or a spice jar etc, I give it a wipe over, including the lid, before putting it back. It's so easy for stuff I haven't used for a while to get dust encrusted and having clean jars/containers is something nice I can do for myself.
Do any of you find that living in the country is dustier than in town? This house is much worse than the one we had in town.
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Post by countrymom22 on Jan 7, 2016 23:13:02 GMT
Our house is also very dusty. We are close to the road and have a gravel driveway that runs within 10 feet of the house. That really doesn't help! At least this time of year the ground is frozen or wet so it does cut down on the dust. But then again we have forced hot air heat, so we're dusty no matter what!
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Post by countrymom22 on Jan 7, 2016 23:15:36 GMT
Oh, I almost forgot! With the funeral that we attended yesterday for one of our friends daughters, my son's friends all stayed here the night before. Not all of them had funeral appropriate clothes, but they were doing the best they could. I went into the closet and found new homes for several suits, suit jackets and dress shirts that no longer fit my boys.
So it was a win win situation. The boys were thankful to get the clothes and I was thankful to get rid of them!
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Post by susannah on Jan 8, 2016 0:55:00 GMT
@kiwifarmgal, both my husband and I have commented many times on how much more dust we have now that we live in a rural area. It's amazing, really. Doesn't matter how often I dust, the house always seems to need more dusting. countrymom22, we have a gravel driveway too - never thought about it before but yes it sure must add to the dust. Going over this week's list, does "straighten and declutter your plasticware" refer to storage containers? I do have some glass storage containers with plastic lids, and they sure do like to party when I'm not looking. I think the containers throw the lids around or something. Assuming that's what was referred to, I straightened those today. Even if I'm wrong in my assumption, that cabinet needed straightening.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 9, 2016 0:06:21 GMT
@kiwifarmgal, I live on a gravel road, too, and have a lot of dust. Of course, if I dusted a bit more often, it would probably help, lol! I managed to get all the decorations down today except the valances. Everything is packed but the tree and a few odds and ends that didn't fit in the smaller totes I had in the house - still haven't brought in the giant wheeled totes that I usually put the tree and all the decorations in. I think I will end up putting the tree in a tote again this year after all - I'd hoped to just bag it and put it in the corner of the shipping container, but I don't have any bags big enough for that! At least I should be able to switch some things around and end up with an empty wheeled tote. I thinned the decorations a bit more before packing them all away. Still have many more than I really need, but I do use them all! While I was putting away decorations, I was also going through the overflow from my bedroom - found the box of whites that got rust stained when my filter was bad, so I have them in the washer now. Used rust remover on them and they are on the final rinse...really hoping they are bright and white again when I'm done. I also found more clothes for the grandkids and had Abby try on the cutest little black dress - it fit her perfectly, but she says it's too short (about 2 1/2" above the knee, so not overly short). She's pretty modest, which is a good thing. Found my supply of backpacks, and the rest of the reusable shopping bags I am using to stuff down comforters into for storage. I managed to fit 8 comforters into a giant tote - without the stuff sacks, I'd be lucky to get half that many to fit with the lid still on firmly. I now have a nice stack of plastic totes to take out to the shipping container, but I need to remove some of the gifts first and get them wrapped for grands' BDs. At least I have the bedroom and dining room both pretty much under control. I need to go through the cabinets over the stove and organize them again, and Abby needs to do the dishes. However, her hair is terribly tangled again, so she isn't doing ANYTHING else until that is done...I've been after her for weeks to get everything untangled. She has beautiful hair past her waist, but if she can't take care of it, I'd rather see her cut it. She's considering it. I also had the misfortune of going in her bedroom today....grr. Dirty clothes, dirty dishes, food packaging, it's a sty! She's on notice that if it is like that in a couple days, or if it happens again after this clean out, she will have to find another place to live. Not living in squalor in my home! Taking a break from cleaning to eat, read on HF, and rest up a bit. I have a stack of paperwork in front of me to sort while I eat. Time to get the paperwork all together for taxes. At least this year should be simple. I only have some income from my retirement fund, and with 2 of us, I should get back all the money that is automatically withheld for taxes. That will come in very handy.
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 9, 2016 19:44:20 GMT
manygoatsnmore , Your have certainly inspired me. You know Manygoats, given your daughters issues (don't know how to describe it) it reminds me that when I taught we "scaffolded" tasks for kids with a myriad of issues under the general heading of "learning disabilities," Anyhoo. A large, complex project can be overwhelming to them. You may want to break it down into (today you need to get all the dishes out of your room and laundry that needs to be done. Other clothing that needs to be put away should go in a laundry basket. Next day: put away the clothes in the laundry basket and change the bedsheets. Next day: wash your clothes--but this time put them away. Kinda like flylady, really. All the while complementing her for her effort and reminding her how much better her brain can think now that things are simple, not complex. Yes, she is an adult, but for kids like her, that part of her brain is still developing. She will get there--she has an awesome mom to help her get there. I have gotten the coffee stains off my laminate counter by gently scrubbing with melamine sponges. My dh says that stains are happening more now that the finish has worn off. I hope to clean well and seal with car wax. I've seen where this will keep your shower doors clean as well. -------------- I've tried to be better about swish and swiping (ala flylady) in the bathroom every day. Don't have much time, but I do a different surface every day and it looks nice between . Keeping the surfaces in the bathroom (well, everywhere, really) clean makes it so much easier to clean. Certainly to do a quick clean when you are running off to do something. ----------------------- Today I did a 10 minute decluttering in each: kitchen, lR, DR, bed, master bath, office. All the office junk paper to be thrown out was put at the bottom of the compost bucket (which I emptied in the garden). Hope to get all the holiday decorations done today. When you clean that fast, you really burn some calories. This afternoon, I'll sweep/vacuum and wash the kitchen floor. ----------- Did I mention that I have put my flylady control journal (or at least my todo list) on an excel spreadsheet? This allows me to add things when I think of them, but sort it by room. I can create a priority level for it to and sort by room and priority level. -------------------- Cleaning vents in the dishwasher? Wow! Mine need to be painted, "fer sher!" www.hometalk.com/12545389/how-to-clean-floor-and-ceiling-vents-in-the-dishwasher?utm_medium=facebook&date=20160106------------------ As I put things away in the attic today, I'll do a quick 10 minute look around for things that need to be donated or thrown out. This week, each time I go in the closet, I'm going to pull out something that needs to go!
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Post by countrymom22 on Jan 10, 2016 3:15:36 GMT
Planning on spending a rainy Sunday helping the boys reorganize their closets and dressers. They both got some new (much needed) clothes for Christmas, so we need to do the old "out with the old in with the new" thing.
Of course this isn't real high on their priority list. Actually, I don't think it would ever occur to them without my help! Dear hubby is working again tomorrow as he is on a deadline so our large closet won't get done tomorrow. We built this closet 3 years ago and I do not have a single piece of clothing in this closet! I can't get in there because all of his stuff is just flung everywhere. He also put some old pieces of furniture and luggage in there too. I'm tired of knowing what's behind the door, it is just draining my energy. So we have to get to that very soon. That will be a major accomplishment.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 10, 2016 5:22:03 GMT
midtnmama, thank you for the encouragement. I surely needed it! She's still plugging away at her hair, but also brought out several loads of towels for washing and a bunch of her dirty dishes. Baby steps. countrymom22, I so get the "energy drain" of knowing there is a mess that needs to be dealt with. Good luck with that closet. Today, while Abby dealt with her hair, I tackled my bedroom again. This time, I went through every shelf and bookcase. After removing everything from each surface, I dusted and wiped down with a damp rag, before sorting and returning items to their place. I spent a lot of time walking around my house putting things away where they actually belong, so I also got in my exercise. I made use of some containers I have had for a while (mostly GW Outlet buys) to store like items on the shelves. For instance, a small picnic basket (looks like a little suitcase) is now holding and hiding my commonly used tools so I don't have to run to the tool chests every time I need a screwdriver or hammer. A large laundry basket style tote is now hiding a whole lot of brand new tools and supplies (that are still in packaging) behind several backpacks. I even found a nice folding knife in a strap pocket of one of the backpacks! It was another GWO buy, so an extra bonus! I finally ran out of gas with just one big pile of paper to sort and a little more sweeping and mopping of floors, plus the floor of the closet. I might tackle a little more after I'm done resting, but I kinda doubt it, lol! My word for the year is PROGRESS and I sure made a lot of progress on my bedroom today. I also got Abby's gifts wrapped, so I'm set for her BD Thursday. Still have to bake a cake, but that's all. Then Friday, her hair HAS to be done, because we are having dinner out with her dad. Nothing like a deadline!
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 10, 2016 14:27:11 GMT
Week of 1 10 2016: Bathroom, Laundry Room and one other room
Monday:In the bathroom and laundry room, gather up all the empty soap, shampoo, cleaning spray bottles and throw them away. Tuesday:Bath: donate old, worn towels and linens to the animal shelter; in Laundry room: dive behind the washer and dryer and clean Wednesday:Bath: toss old cosmetics; laundry: match socks Thursday:Make a list of supplies you need to restock in the bath and laundry room Friday:Clean your bathtub and sink; in laundry room: clean the washer and dryer
Detailed cleaning list:
Bathroom detailed cleaning list
Wash area rugs Scrub/wax floor Straighten drawers/ cabinets Clean shower stall/ wax (not the floor!) Wash shower door Clean medicine cabinet Clean scale Throw away empty bottles Extra bedroom detailed cleaning list Polish furniture Straighten drawers/closet Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust rug Flip mattress Wash curtains Wash windows Clean window Clean bath tub Clean top of sewing machine Straighten bookcase Straighten computer desk Clean out the closet Put away stray items Fertilize plants Children’s bathroom detailed cleaning list Wash area rugs Sweep/scrub/wax floor Straighten drawers/cabinets Clean shower/tub stall Wash shower door Scrub bath toys Wash down outside of toilet Throw away empty bottles
Children’s bedrooms detailed cleaning list
Polish furniture Straighten drawers/closet Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust rug Flip mattresses Wash curtains Clean window Straighten toy shelves Clean under the bed Clean out the closet Put away stray items Sort out-grown clothes Vacuum under bed/closets Dust baseboards Clean fingerprints off door/walls Rearrange videos/games/books
Office detailed cleaning list
Clear off the surface of your desk Throw away pens that don’t work Sharpen pencils Throw out all the trash Put items to keep in a pending file for Wednesday (desk day) Do not stop to pay bills Straighten one drawer at a time Toss out old receipts from over 7 years Clean off the monitor screen Fill printer caddy with paper Establish a place for current bills Vacuum under desk and the whole room Dust furniture Clean windows Remove cobwebs Check supplies of paper and printer cartridges Stamps and envelopes Laundry room detailed cleaning list Wipe down the top of the washer and dryer Clean the gunk from under the washer lid Throw out empty bottles and boxes Empty the garbage can Check supplies of laundry detergent, softener, spot remover Sweep and mop the floor Remove the cobwebs Put away all clothes Look behind appliances for odd socks
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 10, 2016 15:55:46 GMT
My week was busy...I decided to spend the first part of 2016 concentrating on decluttering. At this point in my life clutter bothers me even more than usual and it's vital to get rid of all the excess (which my kids moved over here from my other house) before I lose my sanity. I used a weekly To-Do list and made out a simple menu plan, then picked the 4 rooms that are bothering me the most and wrote down as many tasks for each day as I thought I might be capable of. I'm only able to work for 3 to 15 minutes at a time, so I broke each task into tiny segments. Instead of "declutter the spare room", it was "declutter 1 bookshelf", "declutter 1 tote", or "declutter 1 kitchen counter". I do a little dusting or wiping as I go but am saving the deep cleaning for later. After a task or two in each room, I rotate to the next room and repeat. Half a day is scheduled for necessary shopping and errands and Saturday is a catch-up day for unfinished tasks as I tend to overestimate my abilities. Sunday is my day of rest & refocus. Having every task for the week on paper keeps me focused, and tracking my daily and weekly progress is a great incentive to keep going. I've made a huge amount of progress and hope to complete at least 2 rooms by this coming Saturday. My DD has hauled numerous bags of stuff to the trash bin, and the trunk of my car is stuffed with boxes and bags to be dropped off at the thrift store. There are 3 bags of books ready to be traded in for credit at a used book store and a large bag of books that will be donated to our local library. My goal is to finish all 4 rooms within the next 2 weeks, then spend another 2 weeks on the remaining rooms. It will be so much easier tackling the decluttering of barns and sheds this spring if I can relax in my home.
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Post by countrymom22 on Jan 10, 2016 23:58:16 GMT
Well, I didn't get around to the closets today after all. But I did dust, vacuum, did dishes, laundry and re organized my bills and paperwork. I also got rid of some of the recycling. I tied up all the cardboard for DH to take to work tomorrow and burn in the woodstove. It's much easier to find things now and I managed to get rid of some old papers that were out dated. So it wasn't a totally wasted day.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 11, 2016 6:22:54 GMT
I keep meaning to tackle the clutter in the den, and seem to end up in a different room every time, lol. Today, I started out to work on the den and ended up organizing the whole pantry! I didn't do the inventory, but I really did a good job of clearing up all the clutter that has accumulated in there. I moved around a lot of food, including case lots from last fall's sale, and have it all organized so that similar foods are together and where I can find them easily. I opened a lot of packages of different kinds of pasta and got them put into sealed containers, found an open shelf by the sugar tins where I could stack 4 25# bags of sugar (they are in plastic factory bags, so I won't need to transfer them to buckets until I'm ready to open them. That cleared up room to put away my water jugs (home filled) where they belonged. By the time I was done, I'd had an excellent physical workout, and the shelves all look so much nicer. Straightening and inventorying the pantry is on my to-do list for this month, so I was happy to get the organizing part done. The way it was before, I couldn't even walk through the entire room. I did manage to move all the wrapping paper, bows and bags back into the pantry from the den, so I guess that counts as working on the den, right? Best of all, I managed to plow through all the paperwork that had been stacking up in my bedroom - it is all organized and filed now. I should be able to file my taxes in a day or two, unless there is some reason on the government's part why I can't. Last year, I know I couldn't file until February. Also did a few more loads of laundry, and Abby did most of the dishes and worked on her hair. I also took down all the Christmas themed valances and got the regular ones on the rods again. I still have the tree and totes of decorations sitting in my dining room, but I hope to get them stored away tomorrow. I'm just too tired to even think about doing anything else tonight!
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 13, 2016 2:54:50 GMT
I was exhausted after a couple hard days of cleaning, so in the past couple days, I've just defrosted my little fridge I keep in my bedroom (I love having cold water at hand at all times, and being able to grab a yogurt early in the morning before I'm willing to wake up the house.), and sorted and organized the drawers in my nightstand. Other than the closet, which doesn't need much, I'm done with my bedroom. On to the den tomorrow!
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Jan 14, 2016 4:40:51 GMT
I got the den done today! I'm keeping up on the areas I've already cleaned and organized, and am adding a new room every day or two. I'm really seeing light at the end of the house-taming tunnel. I hope to get the kitchen cabinets straightened next.
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