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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 1, 2015 5:28:26 GMT
Starting the new thread for September - how are you doing on keeping your home and property clean and organized? This is the thread for sharing your progress! I know I struggle with organization, and having this thread helps me stay on track. I like to hear what methods y'all use to stay on top of the housework and keep track of appointments, maintenance, and life in general. MidTNmama is kind enough to post Flylady's zones for us, but you are not limited to one method. Share and encourage each other, and we will all have an easier time. Here are this week's flylady tasks (copied and pasted from MTM's post in the August thread): August 30, 2015 - September 5, 2015 This week we are in 2 Zones: Zone 5: The Living Room Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room Monday: Declutter the living room for 15 minutes. Tues: Declutter the front porch and entrance for 15 min. Tops!! Wed:Declutter the dining room (Mine really needs it!) Thurs:Sweep the front porch, entryway and shake out the entry rug. I've got some epic spider webs to remove out there! Friday:Do a maintenance vacuum and sweep of the dining/living room. You don't have to move the furniture
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Post by krisinmi on Sept 1, 2015 15:26:37 GMT
I think I'm going to try joining in for this month. All summer I had 8 people in residence at my house (and it was crazy!); two have now gone off to college leaving a couple of bedrooms that need to be cleaned and put back to use as #1 a guest room and #2 my sewing/crafting room. Plus, the rest of the house is just in need of a good going through and purging of unnecessary stuff before winter gets here and we're spending more time indoors.
And, I guess, maybe I'm hoping that if I can get things set back to rights, the two other adults here who are supposed to be helping with the daily running and cleaning (my eldest son and his wife) will be better at following through with that.
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Post by jen8753 on Sept 1, 2015 15:39:54 GMT
I'd like to join in
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Post by susannah on Sept 2, 2015 1:19:30 GMT
I'll give it a try - so I'm in this month.
Okay, it's Tuesday night. I see Wednesday is "declutter the dining room." I don't have a dining room, so I'll just backtrack and do Tuesday tomorrow. I don't have a porch to speak of, but my front door opens into what we call the "Useless Hallway." Seven feet wide, 20 feet long. ON ITS OWN LEVEL. Seriously. The rest of the house is either two steps up or one step down from Useless Hallway. And we have a two way fireplace (for no apparent good reason) and one of the ways it faces is...the useless hallway. (Turning Useless Hallway into a more useful mudroom is this winter's project).
Useless Hallway DOES have a closet (in need of decluttering) and a storage bench full of...I have no idea, I try not to look. I definitely have my 15 minutes cut out for me tomorrow.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2015 10:40:46 GMT
Yesterday, I finished our bedroom which was last weeks project. I'm not so sure as got off track with all the other chores this season brings.
Anyway, I'm with you all again this month. Monday and Tuesday zones are done. I feel confident I can manage the zone for today somewhere with the bushel and half of tomatoes that were picked last night. It's going to be a day where I feel I make more messes than I do progress cleaning.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 2, 2015 13:50:29 GMT
Good to have so many joining in - it makes it a lot easier when you are sharing the journey! I like having some accountability, too. I haven't done much on the Flylady list yet, but I did get all the corners in the kitchen swept, along with the main part of the floor. Oh, my, the dust bunnies were embarrassingly thick! I also got in my exercise, which is my daily goal this month, and easy to combine with daily housework and deep cleaning.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 2, 2015 14:42:58 GMT
I would like to join in. I'm a recent widow and disabled, and have to sell my place and downsize to something more manageable. Giving up homesteading is hard. Since I've only been disabled for 3 yrs, my brain keeps telling me if I just work harder at things, eventually I'll be able to do the things I used to do. Reality is: It's not happening. (Everything takes 10x as long as it used to and I need many breaks. Many activities are simply impossible now.) So I keep making these long To-Do lists and am lucky to be able to cross off 2-3 tasks each day. My biggest need is to declutter. This place has been in the family since 1941, many, many years of junk has accumulated. I've made a lot of progress but have a very long way to go yet. I won't be able to keep up with the rest of you but I hope you'll let me tag along...and look the other way when I don't get things done. I've spent the last several weeks decluttering my kitchen (just cabinets/drawers, haven't done pantry yet), and have been working on my living and dining rooms so looks like I'm right on track for this week. Susannah - LOL at your Useless Hallway! Good luck! Starting in with the dining rm today.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 2, 2015 16:34:41 GMT
wildhorseluvr, I'm so sorry that you are having to give up your place. It just bites when your mind is willing, but your body just won't cooperate. I'm not disabled, but I am much less ABLE than I was a few years ago. Chronic pain makes it more difficult to get things done. I find it's a good day if I can get just a few things done now, when I used to tear through so much every day, and without paying for it the next day (or more). So, I do understand, at least a bit. All you can do is what you can do, and if it takes you longer and you don't do as much, that's okay.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 2, 2015 23:59:54 GMT
Thanks. Yeah, chronic pain is, well, a pain. Today I unloaded a shelf unit and the 250 CDs that were on it. The shelving and CD's were given to me with instructions to keep what I wanted and drop the rest off at Goodwill. The next day the people changed their mind and told me I could use the CDs but could not get rid of any just in case they ever wanted them back. Four years later, the CDs are still taking up room in my dining rm and I've never listened to them. Have now packed them up and moved the shelf unit out of the dining rm and will return them in the next few days. Tomorrow I'm supposed to go shopping in the city with my DDs, I'm going to try to do some decluttering before we leave.
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Post by susannah on Sept 3, 2015 14:34:31 GMT
The storage bench in the Useless Hall contained two Denali fleece throws. The throws are so heavy and warm it's ridiculous this time of year, but are greatly appreciated in winter. Under the throws was the Christmas tree skirt, and an Amish made Christmas table runner and four matching place mats that haven't been used in...well, I know I've used the runner but I don't remember ever using the place mats. Why am I keeping them? If I haven't used the place mats in the 15 or more years since I got them, why do I keep thinking I'm going to start this year? I know someone who would like them - and use them. So the place mats will be going to a new home soon. Well, that's at least a BIT of clutter gone.
Since I kind of/sort of inadvertently did Thursday yesterday, I'll backtrack to Monday and spend some quality time with the living room...
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Post by krisinmi on Sept 3, 2015 15:42:49 GMT
Got Tuesday's areas done--areas because I did both my front porch (the length of the front of the house) where rarely we have guests come in, and the porch in my garage (five steps up from the garage floor is the floor of the mudroom, where you enter the house, so we put a porch there too) since I don't have a real 'entrance' and most people come in through my garage to the mudroom. Then yesterday I was going to do both Monday's and Wednesday's decluttering, but was pleased to discover I had nothing to declutter in either area! Thanks to DH going on a rant about other people leaving their um, 'stuff', all over the house earlier in the week, there were no unnecessary items in the dining room or living room. YAY!
Today's sweeping won't take very long, as I swept both 'entrances'--the front porch and the garage porch--on Tuesday, but I'll hit them both again for today's assignment (garage porch tends to dirty quickly) and give the rugs/mats in both places a good shake.
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Post by midtnmama on Sept 4, 2015 0:34:50 GMT
When you finish your 10-15 minutes a day OR don't have already accomplished the task, move to the deep cleaning in that area. Entrance Detailed Cleaning List Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
Clean cobwebs Dust window sills and front door Clean switch plate of hand prints and walls if needed Put plants in to the shower and give them a good rinse. Let them set there until you are finished. Dust furniture Dust baseboards Straighten the coat closest Sweep vacuum or mop the floor Put back the plants. You would hate for DH to walk into a jungle tomorrow morning. Add your own personal touches to make it more welcoming. Dining Room Detailed Cleaning List Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
Clean the cobwebs Dust window sills Clean the window Clean doors of china cabinet after you straighten dishes if they need done. Dust. Clean and straighten any drawer Clean off top of dining table and polish Rinse plants in the shower Dust the bottoms of the chairs. Dust the baseboards Move furniture and vacuum underneath (except the china cabinet). I turned mine over one time. It was not funny. Add your own personal touches to the table (table cloth, pretty bowl, flowers) Front Porch Detailed cleaning Sweep down cobweb and spider webs (In the summer, I leave them. I feed the spiders, too, LOL.) Sweep off porch furniture. Sweep the porch. Throw away any dead plants. Prune back unruly bushes from the entrance. Repot planters if necessary (in summer) Refill bird feeders. Wipe off tables, banisters, and light fixtures. Get rid of unwanted items. Add your own personal touches to welcome friends and family (wreath, welcome mat, bell)
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Post by susannah on Sept 4, 2015 13:49:47 GMT
Today I'm substituting for the maintenance sweep of the living room. Well maybe substituting isn't the right word - with sandy soil and a gravel driveway, a complete sweep of the living room at least once a day is mandatory unless I want the grit to add additional character, er, scratches to the hardwood floors. Since sweeping is nothing out of the ordinary, I'm subbing in something that caught my eye yesterday. We have knotty cherry cabinets in the kitchen and the fronts are shaker style - meaning each door has recessed panels. They're gorgeous, but talk about a dust and grease magnet...Yikes. So I'll be cleaning out all those little grooves today. I do it from time to time but apparently not enough. Turns out I actually did do a deep cleaning of Useless Hallway the other day. There isn't too much in Useless Hallway besides a storage bench and a futon (that will go into the guest bedroom after we turn the workshop into a third bedroom. Dh likes to call Useless Hallway the "staging area" - it holds things for future use). But other than that, Useless Hallway is pretty empty. That does make it easy to clean, though.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 4, 2015 16:15:43 GMT
Cabinets with anything other than totally smooth fronts are a pain in the rear to clean. When we remodeled the kitchen in our old (1894) house, I chose cabinet fronts that were almost smooth. Not as interesting, but much easier to clean. Where I really messed up was the color. The entire kitchen has pine paneling which I love, but I need lots of light in the winter so we bought white cabinets. I figured they'd brighten the room considerably. They do, but they also show every smudge, fingerprint and speck of dust. Now I'm back to living in our other house which has (golden?) oak cabinets. Not quite as easy to clean but at least it it isn't as obvious when I don't clean. Didn't get much done yesterday (in town all day) but hope to make up for it tonight and tomorrow morning. DD is going to a slumber party so I will have peace and quiet this evening and probably until at least noon tomorrow. I hope to accomplish a lot in the dining and living rooms. I plan on getting a nap today so I'm rested up and able to focus.
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Post by midtnmama on Sept 7, 2015 12:59:27 GMT
September 6 - 12, 2015
This week we are in Zone 2: The Kitchen
This month's Habit is: Before Bed Routine The monday through Friday tasks are meant to last 10-15 min. After that, if you have time, do the Zone cleaning that follows: Monday: Scrub the countertops well. That means to move things, get behind and under! Tues: Get rid of clutter like pans you rarely use or lids that don't fit any pans Wed:Really clean your small appliances. I'll be running vinegar through mine. Clean the can opener gunk, you get it? Thur:Really clean your kitchen sink using old toothbrushes to get the gunk along the edges. I have a chrome sink and will use chrome cleaner on it! Fri:Clean your cabinets. I use lemon oil on oak. I see a lot more splatters when I am washing the floor on my hands and knees. Perspective is everything!
Zone 2: The Kitchen The kitchen is the heart of our home.
FlyBabies: Focus on one little part — reclaim your kitchen sink. Empty everything out of your sink, shine it up, fill it with hot soapy water, and start washing dishes, one at a time.
Do a 27-Fling “Trash” Boogie. Trash is clutter. When the bag is full, take it outside, right away, to the trash bin. Clear out your mail hotspot. Get rid of the old magazines, catalogs, and advertisments. Clear the clutter off your counters one at a time. Clear the clutter off your kitchen table. Take a peek at your pantry. Don’t pull everything out and start reorganizing; just take a look, see what you need, and start a grocery list. If your kitchen is clean but still cluttered: start decluttering. Check out our daily missions. FlyLady usually sends out one during the week which concentrates on decluttering one small area of your kitchen.
If your kitchen is decluttered: (that means no more clutter — only the things you use and love) Start the detailed cleaning list. You will be amazed at how quickly the shiny sparkle from the kitchen sink spreads throughout the entire kitchen when the clutter is gone!
FLY Spot Welcome to Zone 2- The Kitchen. How often have you started cooking a nice dinner for your family only to realize you don’t have exactly what you need to be able to prepare your meal? From simple things like a sauce pan to the less common things such as a garlic press, it’s easy to miss some of the important kitchen tools we need. Our Fly Spot today is to take a quick glance through our cabinets and drawers and see what tools you are missing. Spend just a few minutes and make a wish list of the things you want/need! Have fun with this one!
Flylady is wonderful. As I have read her for many years, I think she is a fine lady: flylady.net/
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Post by susannah on Sept 8, 2015 0:29:09 GMT
I'm not one for keeping much stuff on the countertops - yippee! The only thing allowed to live on the countertop is the Keurig coffee maker. That makes Monday's chore pretty easy. That, and the fact that I don't have a lot of counter area and what I do have is very easy to clean quartz. Cleaning the mail hotspot - what helped for me is that when I go out on my hike to get the mail, I go in and out through the attached garage. Because the first room inside after the garage is the workshop (it will become an additional bedroom in a year or two but for now, workshop it is). In the workshop is the box for paper recycling. As I walk up the driveway from the mailbox, I sort out the mail. Most of it is junk mail that does not need to come in the main part of the house. So, I step into the workshop and deposit the bulk of the mail. Just past the workshop is Useless Hallway - and right off Useless Hallway is the magazine basket. Any magazines we want to read go there (for one month, then they're given to ds and ddil). So by the time I'm actually to the kitchen, many days I have no mail left. The very few things that are important, we try to deal with that day. This all came about after getting bogged down by mail mountains in the past. Bogged down - how about almost buried by mail? And unless we're having a meal, absolutely nothing is allowed to stay on the kitchen table except the "antlerabra" centerpiece (deer antlers around a candle grouping - dh and I made that one year after being absolutely floored by the price of one in a "nature" store up here). I am kind of obsessive about keeping anything that's not related to a meal we're currently having OFF the kitchen table. If you'd ever met my mother, you'd know that I come by this honestly...
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 8, 2015 14:32:23 GMT
Susannah, my mother was the same way but unfortunately it didn't rub off on me. I'm adopted so apparently it's not in my genes. Or else all the flat surfaces in my home are magnetized. Decluttering daily is a must for me. Speaking of which, I'm going to try to declutter my entire house within the next 10 days, even if I have to box stuff up and put it out in the barn, then bring back one box at a time and go through it. School is starting tomorrow (we homeschool) and I am sick of looking at clutter. We have 2 homes here and both were full of stuff (family has lived here since 1941). When my DH was killed last summer, my eldest DD's family moved into the other house. But first they boxed up everything in the house and moved it into my house. It literally left me with narrow paths to walk through. I've been dealing with it ever since, and being disabled, it's been a slow process. Most of it is just junk that needs to be tossed, but because there are important papers buried here and there in unlikely places, I have to go through everything piece by piece. I've made a lot of progress but it's still more than I want to live with, especially now that we're back to homeschooling. The remaining clutter is going out the door so I can get up in the mornings and not have to look at it anymore. Prayers appreciated!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2015 13:47:53 GMT
Susannah, my mother was the same way but unfortunately it didn't rub off on me. I'm adopted so apparently it's not in my genes. Or else all the flat surfaces in my home are magnetized. Decluttering daily is a must for me. Speaking of which, I'm going to try to declutter my entire house within the next 10 days, even if I have to box stuff up and put it out in the barn, then bring back one box at a time and go through it. School is starting tomorrow (we homeschool) and I am sick of looking at clutter. We have 2 homes here and both were full of stuff (family has lived here since 1941). When my DH was killed last summer, my eldest DD's family moved into the other house. But first they boxed up everything in the house and moved it into my house. It literally left me with narrow paths to walk through. I've been dealing with it ever since, and being disabled, it's been a slow process. Most of it is just junk that needs to be tossed, but because there are important papers buried here and there in unlikely places, I have to go through everything piece by piece. I've made a lot of progress but it's still more than I want to live with, especially now that we're back to homeschooling. The remaining clutter is going out the door so I can get up in the mornings and not have to look at it anymore. Prayers appreciated! As you state, the clutter started in 1941, almost 75 years ago. It is *not* going to go away with a week's worth of a Sherman-marching-to-the-sea campaign. If at all possible, only "touch" an item once. You won't be able to do this with all the "stuff" (I do so love George Carlin) but a lot of it you can. Keep, trash/recycle, donate, offer to family, or sell are my categories. Space is always at a prime, no matter how big your house/barn/garage is. If you can, get the trash/recycle and donate out of the area as soon as you can. Good luck and slow but steady you go.
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Post by susannah on Sept 9, 2015 13:55:57 GMT
Tues: Get rid of clutter like pans you rarely use or lids that don't fit any pans
Another relatively easy one. Okay, easy since I did this a few weeks ago when it was 50 degrees outside and rainy - and I was bored. I DID go in the pan cupboard and straighten things up yesterday. Even though the cabinet has lazy susan things and it should be easy to just give it a spin and put the pan in its right place on the pan shelf (and lid in its place on the lid shelf) for some reason I can't break the habit of just reaching in and shoving them wherever they land. Maybe it was all those years of not having lazy susans to make things easier? I don't know. Sometimes it takes awhile - and then some - for me to form a new habit/way of doing things.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 10, 2015 2:47:44 GMT
I found that one of the wire baskets I got at GWO is perfect for corralling all the jars of Alfredo sauce I bought - that's one more thing I can get put away in the pantry and not have to worry about jars getting knocked off shelves (earthquake proofing). It's a very small thing, but it's still progress! I also got more of the fair stuff put away, more cardboard taken to the garden (and out of my living room), and got my dd to do more of her room cleaning. Worked on the kitchen, too. Did some research on the snowboard I found at GWO (.89/lb, and it doesn't feel very heavy), and it looks like I should be able to list it for between $100-$150. If it sells for that, I'll have made a very nice profit.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 10, 2015 15:38:11 GMT
Susannah, my mother was the same way but unfortunately it didn't rub off on me. I'm adopted so apparently it's not in my genes. Or else all the flat surfaces in my home are magnetized. Decluttering daily is a must for me. Speaking of which, I'm going to try to declutter my entire house within the next 10 days, even if I have to box stuff up and put it out in the barn, then bring back one box at a time and go through it. School is starting tomorrow (we homeschool) and I am sick of looking at clutter. We have 2 homes here and both were full of stuff (family has lived here since 1941). When my DH was killed last summer, my eldest DD's family moved into the other house. But first they boxed up everything in the house and moved it into my house. It literally left me with narrow paths to walk through. I've been dealing with it ever since, and being disabled, it's been a slow process. Most of it is just junk that needs to be tossed, but because there are important papers buried here and there in unlikely places, I have to go through everything piece by piece. I've made a lot of progress but it's still more than I want to live with, especially now that we're back to homeschooling. The remaining clutter is going out the door so I can get up in the mornings and not have to look at it anymore. Prayers appreciated! As you state, the clutter started in 1941, almost 75 years ago. It is *not* going to go away with a week's worth of a Sherman-marching-to-the-sea campaign. If at all possible, only "touch" an item once. You won't be able to do this with all the "stuff" (I do so love George Carlin) but a lot of it you can. Keep, trash/recycle, donate, offer to family, or sell are my categories. Space is always at a prime, no matter how big your house/barn/garage is. If you can, get the trash/recycle and donate out of the area as soon as you can. Good luck and slow but steady you go. Thanks for the reminder to only handle an item one time. I have to make a concentrated effort to stick with that. Unfortunately, I'm all too aware this lifetime of clutter won't go away overnight. Even with my family helping, I estimated it would take at least 2 yrs to rid this place of clutter. My 10 day "campaign" is limited to just ridding the house of the totes, boxes and misc. stuff still taking up space, clearing surfaces, and getting rid of multiples, etc. so I can have a calm atmosphere when I get up each morning. Clutter makes it impossible for me to focus, and makes me cranky!
I'm 1 yr into my 2 yr war on clutter. We've come a long way but still have a long way to go. We've been clearing junk from garages, barns and sheds and I've even been decluttering animals (with more to go). Between the loss of my DH and being overwhelmed with legal/financial issues and a house crammed with clutter, last winter was really depressing. I'm wanting at least my house cleared before winter hits this year!
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 10, 2015 19:17:12 GMT
(((Hugs))), wildhorseluvr. I can't imagine what you've been through in the last year. Keep up the good work, plugging away at it. I'm doing the same thing here. I haven't been through the losses you have, but I did bring my Aspie dd back home a little over a year ago, and that has made life interesting, to say the least. I withdrew from my normal activities, and am still trying to climb out of the clutter and mess. I don't have your heart condition, but I am seriously OUT of condition, to the point where a few minutes work tires me out. I'm trying to get back in shape, and trying to get back to some kind of a schedule and routine. We can support each other along the way!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2015 23:29:59 GMT
As you state, the clutter started in 1941, almost 75 years ago. It is *not* going to go away with a week's worth of a Sherman-marching-to-the-sea campaign. If at all possible, only "touch" an item once. You won't be able to do this with all the "stuff" (I do so love George Carlin) but a lot of it you can. Keep, trash/recycle, donate, offer to family, or sell are my categories. Space is always at a prime, no matter how big your house/barn/garage is. If you can, get the trash/recycle and donate out of the area as soon as you can. Good luck and slow but steady you go. Thanks for the reminder to only handle an item one time. I have to make a concentrated effort to stick with that. Unfortunately, I'm all too aware this lifetime of clutter won't go away overnight. Even with my family helping, I estimated it would take at least 2 yrs to rid this place of clutter. My 10 day "campaign" is limited to just ridding the house of the totes, boxes and misc. stuff still taking up space, clearing surfaces, and getting rid of multiples, etc. so I can have a calm atmosphere when I get up each morning. Clutter makes it impossible for me to focus, and makes me cranky!
I'm 1 yr into my 2 yr war on clutter. We've come a long way but still have a long way to go. We've been clearing junk from garages, barns and sheds and I've even been decluttering animals (with more to go). Between the loss of my DH and being overwhelmed with legal/financial issues and a house crammed with clutter, last winter was really depressing. I'm wanting at least my house cleared before winter hits this year! I didn't mean to infer you'd get lifetime of clutter cleared in that week. More of a mantra/pick-me-up you can repeat to yourself if you feel overwhelmed during your 10 day "campaign". Celebrate small victories and by all means treat yourself here and there if you can.
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Post by midtnmama on Sept 11, 2015 12:17:34 GMT
wildhorseluvr: I salute you for being as far along as you are and that you have a plan. We need to remember to celebrate all the small successes instead of looking at what isn't done. I think that some of what held me back for years in my quest for organizing and cleaning peace was that I was a perfectionist. Just starting to declutter depressed me because I could only see what I "could not" do, not what I could do!
Had a very busy, stressful week, but most of the house did not suffer, except for the kitchen. But, I am proud that in spite of the craziness, we ate healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner in spite of it. I'd rather have a messy kitchen and healthy meal than a clean kitchen and unhealthy meals. ------------ When I go into a drawer or closet, I'm quickly trying to grab one thing that could be donated or thrown out. That way, I feel like I'm making a tiny dent until I have time to do more.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 11, 2015 15:16:44 GMT
Thanks for the reminder to only handle an item one time. I have to make a concentrated effort to stick with that. Unfortunately, I'm all too aware this lifetime of clutter won't go away overnight. Even with my family helping, I estimated it would take at least 2 yrs to rid this place of clutter. My 10 day "campaign" is limited to just ridding the house of the totes, boxes and misc. stuff still taking up space, clearing surfaces, and getting rid of multiples, etc. so I can have a calm atmosphere when I get up each morning. Clutter makes it impossible for me to focus, and makes me cranky!
I'm 1 yr into my 2 yr war on clutter. We've come a long way but still have a long way to go. We've been clearing junk from garages, barns and sheds and I've even been decluttering animals (with more to go). Between the loss of my DH and being overwhelmed with legal/financial issues and a house crammed with clutter, last winter was really depressing. I'm wanting at least my house cleared before winter hits this year! I didn't mean to infer you'd get lifetime of clutter cleared in that week. More of a mantra/pick-me-up you can repeat to yourself if you feel overwhelmed during your 10 day "campaign". Celebrate small victories and by all means treat yourself here and there if you can. I knew you didn't mean that but my response wasn't very clear. Since my major medical event, I often have trouble getting things across the way I intend them. I do need to celebrate the little victories, at the end of my day I tend to see my efforts as never enough, always needing to do more...which may have contributed to my heart problems. i'm having to learn to pace myself. Physically I can barely walk across a room without having to rest, yet mentally I still think I can jump out of bed and work like I used to...until I take about my first 10 steps.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Sept 11, 2015 15:40:18 GMT
MTM, thank you for the kind words. I would get no where without a plan. I am a perfectionist also (hardest on myself) and used to make huge To-Do lists and would be unhappy if there was one thing left on my list at the end of the day. Sometimes I would work until after midnight, then get up at 3 or 4 a.m. to get started again. Now I am having to learn a whole new way of doing things, I often use a timer and try to work for 15 min and then rest. Many days I can only work 10 min or even 5 min. at a time. Which means over half my day is wasted resting! But it is what it is, I just can't do any more and usually by noon I am wiped out for the day (I try to use afternoons for homeschooling, decluttering paperwork or other tasks I can do while resting.) My mantra for the last 3 yrs has been "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." So I try to be satisfied with seeing bites out of this "elephant" that I'm dealing with. I am blessed that I have kids and grandkids who help whenever they're able. Hey, tossing one or two things a day means 7-14 items are gone from your house each week! WTG on fixing healthy meals, I'm working on that here, hard to do when I can't spend much time cooking. DD and I eat a lot of salads and fruit. One thing we do is use a lot of paper plates and bowls. Very unfrugal, I know, but it keeps me from having to stand at the sink washing dishes. Hate the expense but have to make choices on where my time is spent. I do use the cleaner used plates to start my wood stove all winter so it's not a total waste.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2015 4:08:47 GMT
In your case, paper plates are frugal. We all need to remember what is frugal to one/some may not be frugal to others. Suze Orman says "people first, then money, then things".
And yes, too often we all think we should have accomplished more in X amount of time. Some times that true but it is never *always* true. After all, tomorrow is another day. Life as well as any "to do" is not a sprint, it is a marathon.
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Post by krisinmi on Sept 17, 2015 21:55:59 GMT
Too much going on lately and I haven't been able to tackle the 'extras' of house cleaning. Today, however, I did manage to get my stove top cleaned (apparently I am the only person in the house who can do this so it hadn't been done in over a month.)
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Sept 18, 2015 21:41:55 GMT
Having my back go out several days ago has put a crimp in my cleaning and organizing, but I'm managing to get little bits and pieces done. I'm pretty much bed bound for large chunks of time, but I can now get up and walk around for 5-10 minutes at a time before my back seizes up again, so I'm trying to get one little thing done each time I am vertical. Since I'm stuck looking at the mess in my bedroom, I see all the dust I didn't get cleaned up on master bedroom cleaning week, and am gradually doing something about it. Yesterday, I cleaned the lampshades (terribly fuzzy!), lamps and bedside table tops. It's a little thing, but it helped to make me feel like I'm doing something!
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Post by midtnmama on Sept 21, 2015 22:09:26 GMT
Flylady Cleaning and Organizing tasks for the week of September 20: Master Bedroom: Spend 15 minutes on these tasks, then proceed to the detailed cleaning list below as you have time:
Monday: Clean under your bed
tuesday: Get rid of extra, unwanted tights, socks and hose. I'll turn my tights into hairbands and tomatoe ties.
Wednesday: Dust the tops of the door jambs.
Thursday: Clean off the top of your nightstand
Friday: Clean the top of your dresser.
Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
Master Bathroom Detailed Cleaning List
Wash area rugs Straighten up makeup Straighten drawer cabinets Clean shower/stall demold Wash shower doors Master Bedroom Detail Cleaning List
Polish Furniture Clean off the desks Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust ruffle Flip mattress Empty trash Wash windows Cull some books from bookcase Straighten drawers Clean under the bed Closet Detailed Cleaning List
Straighten the top shelves Arrange the shoes Take Suitcases to basement Dust shoe bookcase
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