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Post by manygoatsnmore on Aug 1, 2016 23:55:04 GMT
I totally forgot to start the thread last month....thank you, MTM for getting it going. I posted my to-do list for the coming months (I'm sure it will take more than one) on the Prep Journal, and it is almost all about cleaning and organizing. I've let things get so out of hand over the last few months. Yes, I had a doctor's excuse, but I could have been doing things a tiny bit at a time and keeping things somewhat under control. Now, my house is a mess, and the yard is a jungle, and the garden would be non-existent if I didn't have some perennials and herbs growing out there. Having two growing kittens isn't helping either - they are into everything! I'm going to be working hard to get things tamed enough to allow guests in my home. So, what are you working on this month? Post your to-do lists, your cleaning and organization tips, and what you've been doing to conquer clutter and cleaning.
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Post by susannah on Aug 2, 2016 12:31:12 GMT
Oh wow. As I sit here and hear the pounding, the nail guns, the power tools in half the house on this level I'm thinking that my goals are going to be pretty limited while the contracted part of the remodel is going on. For this week? My goals are simple:
- Keep as many mosquitoes and deer flies out of the house as possible. I guess I should mention we're having a door replaced, a window replaced, and a new door installed where there previously was a window.
- Kill any mosquitoes and deer flies that get past my plastic "drapes".
- Keep as much construction dust and debris as possible from entering the rest of the house.
- Dust, sweep and vacuum up all the dust and debris that manages to get in the house each day.
We're hanging out on the lower level of the house these days. But a project I can do while "living" there is to go through the many boxes of stuff that was packed away when we had to give up 600 sq. ft. of living area, and arrange it in "keep" and "get rid of" containers.
Those would be my goals for this week, anyway.
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Post by susannah on Aug 4, 2016 12:28:44 GMT
Yesterday was a forced cleaning of the bedroom closet. This was brought about by the fact that the electrician was here doing the wiring for the remodeled part of the house - and the circuit box is in the bedroom closet. And wow that closet looked so nice when it was empty. And BIG. After the electrician was done with the work, I decided I did not want the cluttered closet of the past, so I wouldn't just be shoving everything back into the closet. First thing I did was go through the shoes - only the ones that are getting worn now were allowed to return. The ones we aren't currently wearing - dress shoes, boots, more wintery shoes - went in cloth bags under the bed. This fall, some of those will be rotated back in, while things like sandals and trail running shoes will take their former places under the bed.
Same thing with clothes - the closet contained everything from the lightweight summer shirts we wear now to quilted flannel shirts and fleece lined jeans. The winter clothes went in the guest bedroom closet. We do have plenty of closets. I'm not sure why we used the bedroom closet for EVERYTHING. The closet looks so nice, orderly - and clutter-free now. Hoping we will keep it that way...
Also, when moving all the junk that had accumulated on the closet shelves I was reminded of other storage areas that we have but I've forgotten about. For example, in the lower level powder room (which doesn't get used all that much) there's a vanity with a lot of storage space underneath. Perfect for the stockpiled toothpaste, deodorant and toilet paper, which has been in three separate areas. And in the "kitchenette" down there, there are two cabinets that would be perfect for storing the extra mugs, glassware and dishes that are cluttering up the kitchen. Besides, it makes more sense to do that. We have a coffee maker and mini-fridge down there (family room doubles as a "guest suite" when needed) so the mugs and drinking glasses would be right where they're needed.
Wow. And I thought I wouldn't be doing much organizing/decluttering, and wouldn't have much to report. WRONG!
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Post by feather on Aug 4, 2016 23:46:22 GMT
[SORT (physical work), TO SORT (brain work), SORTING (my continued life 2016), THROW AWAY (a challenge), TO STORE (if I keep it where will I store it ? will it fit in a box?), LABEL (do it now or lose it forever), FINDING JUNK to throw away (easy and not a challenge)]
The refrigerator--keep the veggies in the front and the dairy where you can see it, so it gets used every day. Premade food towards the front too. So it gets eaten. Pickles and jams, towards the bottom, they won't get rotten. Spices/mixtures/sauces, on the door. Chocolate in the freezer on the door.
The records--current records go in the filing cabinet. Anything old or taxes, gets put in a box and labeled, filed in the basement on a shelf. Warrantee info goes in the current records, medical, dental, insurances, bills, car repairs, all go in current records.
Nostalgia and pictures--no idea what to do with these in the end.
Cards to send, stationary, all school supplies, binders, go on the shelf unit in the living room.
Hall closet--all school stuff from my life, thrown out, shoes I don't wear, thrown out, kids shoes/boots/flippers, thrown out, extra shoe rack, thrown out. Winter/spring coats and jackets, shoes and boots that are worn, are kept, extra kitchen stuff, on shelf. I need to go through it again and sort it in case something is hiding in there.
Cabinet in small bathroom has medical stuff, make up, traveling supplies, toilet plumbing extras--this needs to be sorted again after I dump similar items from upstairs bathroom into the downstairs stuff. Keep triple antibiotic and bandages on both floors, it's impractical to do otherwise. Plumbing stuff goes in a box in the basement. We rarely travel, I rarely put on make up so there shouldn't be much to keep. Zip lock gallon bags come in handy here.
Thinking about sorting before I do it, does help when I finally sort things out. I'm tired. I'm glad you are all working on this too with me.
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Post by midtnmama on Aug 7, 2016 12:29:44 GMT
Flylady tasks week of Aug 8, 2016
Spend 10 minutes a day doing the missions, then proceed to the detailed cleaning list below if you still have time... Monday: Clean the inside and out of your trash can (I do this every time I wash the floor) Tues: Do a declutter of your pantry throwing out old things, combining things, etc.. Wed:Go through your pots and pans and take out any you don't use. Ge rid of widowed lids. Thurs: Clean the outside of your appliances Fri: Sweep and MOp the floor
FlyLady’s Detailed Cleaning List – Zone 2: The Kitchen “This week were are in Zone 2, our kitchens, This is my detailed cleaning list. Please print and add to your notebook. Copy and paste into a word document. Do not try to do this until you have decluttered your kitchen. Spend 15 minutes a day decluttering and then you can start doing some of your detailed cleaning. Do not worry about this. You have not done it in years and one more month isn’t going to hurt anything. Toss out the clutter first. It will be easier to clean.” – FlyLady
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 Aug 16, 2016 13:29:54 GMT
Decluttering - well, reducing clutter anyway - is my mission these days. I have two boxes of papers that were my mom's - much of the stuff will most likely be shredded in the future but I want to hold on to these things for awhile yet, just in case. I figured the best place might be the scuttle attic. Due to the hassle of getting things out/putting things away (read: ladder. NOT a fan of ladders) I rarely use it. But I got the ladder, and removed a garment bag and a giant useless suitcase (the suitcase is so big, if you ever come close to filling it you WILL exceed the weight limits on suitcases that the airports have and be charged extra). The suitcase was in rough shape and went to the dump. The wheeled garment bag was like new, but we no longer travel for business and don't need TWO wheeled garment bags. The one we liked less got donated to Goodwill, along with curtains, bathroom accessories, and clothes I will not wear (like the never worn pair of shorts I bought back before we moved here. They're...WHITE. We live in the woods and what isn't wooded is sandy or gravelly. White clothing does NOT stay white.)
After trying to get rid of a gasoline powered generator for years (ever since we had a whole house generator installed here) we finally found someone who wanted it and was VERY happy to get it. The next week, we found someone to take the tv we've been trying to get rid of. It's a flat panel LCD that works great but being older was pretty HEAVY - too heavy to risk putting on the fireplace mantle. Someone we know was looking for a larger tv for his basement and it was a win/win for both of us. Lots more space under the stairs in the basement (which will now have a clothes pole to hang out of season jackets). And with the generator out of the shed, there's a LOT more room there besides.
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Post by mollymckee on Aug 16, 2016 20:42:19 GMT
I'm trying to declutter as I deep clean. DH kept us well fed, the animals taken care of, and obvious things cleaned while I recovered from surgery but some things got overlooked. Ive started feeling better so it's time to get things back in order. I don't know how we have accumulated so much stuff! It must have been breeding somewhere in the basement! I'm trying to convince myself that I want to sell at lest some on eBay. It's not worth having a garage sale when you live three miles up a dirt road.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Aug 17, 2016 7:59:55 GMT
I spent a while bagging recyclables and taking them to the transfer station yesterday, and that was all from my sister's kitchen! It was better than watching an episode of Hoarders to kick start me into a major clean and declutter at home, lol. I spent hours today taking care of one task after another, while also getting Abby to do her assigned tasks. I managed to get all the water jugs filled with fresh water, all our own recycling gathered and removed from the house, did a number of loads of laundry, organized the bathroom, my bedroom, and the living room, and I'm sure, more that I can't think of at the moment. Outdoors, I set up the new pool, picked up clutter around the yard, scrubbed poultry water pans, and watered a whole lot of plants. The living room looks so much nicer...
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Post by midtnmama on Aug 20, 2016 16:12:03 GMT
I've been so busy I haven't done much and was pleasantly surprised that all of you have been busy. That motivates me. mollymckee,and manygoatsnmore,hope you are feeling better and better. After intense heat and no rain, we finally got enough to wet the ground and we were able to do some seriously needed weeding.So proud of that accomplishment. That and trimming trees and bushes. I am a lazy gardener--the trimmings are used as mulch in the garden to keep the weeds down.
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Post by midtnmama on Aug 21, 2016 19:27:54 GMT
Week of Aug 22: The master Bedroom This month's habit: Laundry
Mon: Spend 15 min getting anything out of the bedroom that belongs there. Tues:Work on the clothes pile that needs to be put away Wed: Spend 15 minutes working on your closet Thurs:Clean the top of your nightstand and dust it Friday: Declutter the top of your dresser
Detailed cleaning list: 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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Post by midtnmama on Aug 27, 2016 12:27:44 GMT
Today I plan to work on the porches and start painting metal furniture. I have a baker's rack on my porch that holds my gardening gloves, tools and that I use as a potting bench. I can't wait to spraypaint it to match the other furniture and look nicer. On my week's list is to polyurethane my dining room table. I have a relative whose home always looks fresh and fabulous and her secret is to polish and polyurethane everything so it looks bright and new. Monday I'm going to goodwill, so I plan to get a batch together to donate. What's on your plans? manygoatsnmore, susannah, feather, midtnmama, mollymckee,
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Post by midtnmama on Aug 27, 2016 13:27:58 GMT
Manygoats: My apologies, did I see someone reference that your sister passed away? I am so sorry to hear this. My condolences.
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Post by feather on Aug 27, 2016 19:33:11 GMT
midtnmama, I'm mostly working on keeping up with dishes and all the stuff that goes with canning tomatoes. There doesn't seem to be enough room to do all of that with counter space, stove space, roaster space, competing with a place to cool jars, dry dishes, make an occasional meal. Since there are hours here and there while things are cooking or while canning, I have some filing I can get done, a load of laundry, pay bills, and sort mail that is piling up.
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Post by farmchix on Aug 28, 2016 13:05:05 GMT
midtnmama , I'm mostly working on keeping up with dishes and all the stuff that goes with canning tomatoes. There doesn't seem to be enough room to do all of that with counter space, stove space, roaster space, competing with a place to cool jars, dry dishes, make an occasional meal. Since there are hours here and there while things are cooking or while canning, I have some filing I can get done, a load of laundry, pay bills, and sort mail that is piling up. I'm canning today in my "waytoosmall" kitchen. I feel ya!
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Post by midtnmama on Aug 28, 2016 16:44:00 GMT
Awesome work in the thick of canning, ladies! The benefit of following this all year is that when you are set behind because of canning, a trip, or sickness--is that you don't take quite as long to catch back up and keep going! Got the bathroom decluttered (big job because I had a lot of clothes awaiting stain removal there--did those) now am ready for a thorough cleaning.
I am trying to do a pantry tidyup each time I go in there. Got bakers rack 2/3s done and had some defunct cans of spray paint that had to be returned.
Have an issue of birds leaving bird do on furniture and floor of porch--Never had that before so don't know why or what to do? Help?
Back to breaking beans....
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Post by hobbitlady on Aug 28, 2016 21:11:37 GMT
As far as cleaning and organizing goes: I need to clean my room! Gads I feel like a little kid. DH and I have our own "office" rooms and mine(computer,papers office, plus crafts) is chaos. I'm doing the garden, pantry and kitchen and the rest of the house "under control" but my own room is just awful right now. Honestly I may have to wait for winter or the fall cleaning we do here before winter but it's starting to bother me already. Overall I love having everything in place though so thought I'd chime in as a newbie on this thread.
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Post by hobbitlady on Sept 4, 2016 16:48:34 GMT
Well,we got a new kitten and the antics he's up to are joyful and comical But it certainly has gotten me started "early" clearing up the clutter in my room! Boxes with packing materials or anything near the floor (like the cured garlic I hadn't braided yet)are subject to getting crashed into,torn to shreds or re-distributed. ROFL
Also it's turned cool at night and mornings and I'm starting to understand Fall is,indeed,going to happen. Sometimes our summer heat goes on "forever" and last year my growing season went to November. I dunno about This year (varies a lot here). I'm thinking I need to start "putting to bed" some of my raised beds that are done for the season. I don't fancy garden clean up in the rain and I'm wondering now if our rains will start a month sooner than our "drought years" (we had little to no rain in Fall for several years in a row).
And we bought into a house with Stupid pale rugs(this is a rural place---what were they Thinking!?!) so although with our dogs and cats we've covered the rugs with throws and runners and smaller cleanable rugs of all sorts; I Still need to haul out the rug cleaner and do the whole house a few times a year (we vacuum weekly but the blasted wall to wall carpet still collects dirt). So that's another thing I Want to get done while the days are warm enough to open all the windows so the job dries faster and airs out better.It's a decent machine and not-too-offensive pet-safe cleaner smell,but still,Better to get it done...
Ooooops-I just posted for August! I better look up Sept! for this thread.....
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Post by hobbitlady on Sept 20, 2016 21:35:31 GMT
I did something today that I over look for long periods of time. I cleaned all the doorknobs and light switches (and around them) and door frames our dogs and cats often rub while passing by (or use to "pet" themselves on the way to the next room,food or a cat box),haha. I get so used to dirty door frames below my knees I just forget about them. It was really nice to just use some spray foam and a sponge and walk to each one today. Little things can make a difference.
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