BiWeekly Declutter Thread May 16-May 29/16- *New* and *Improved*(like us!)
Hello To all the Cleaner-up-ers, the Re-Decorators and Re-Locators of things. Welcome to the decluttering thread where we aim to make our spaces including cars, drawers, under the beds, closets, apartments, patios, garages, houses-in-whole-or-in-part, laundry rooms, basements and backyards livable, enjoyable want-to-be-in-able spaces. Our environments contribute to how we feel. Let's make positive changes for ourselves.
This is a new 2 week thread. Let's see if that's a good fit for us! Post your decluttering goals and update as you wish. Welcome.
The purpose of this thread is:
Mini Decluttering.
Pick something you can accomplish in a week.
Big projects can be accomplished by baby steps.
What can be done in a week to make your environment better?
What irritating project can you put to rest this week?
MY plans for the day! (I'm so excited I am home 4 of the 5 days this week - I hope to get bunches completed!)
Kitchen: Dishes / clean off countertops, island, table / vacuum floor
Bedroom: Pick up all clothes / put away stuff / clean off shelf, fold it up and put in car / box up clothes that don't fit (or I won't wear) / put full boxes in the car / make bed / vacuum!
Living room: clean off end table and floor (PUT STUFF AWAY!!) psst: that extra emphasis was for me to do it!!
Walk / Water plant / fill out (3) sets of paperwork (this may have to be done on another day - but I'm going to try to start one!)
15 minutes - got about 1/2way through opening all the mail that had piled up when I was working 60 hour weeks this fall and winter. Most of it is crap or to be filed. Shredded the stuff that needed shredded. The rest of the pile plus the kitchen counters will be my goal for today.
Boo-hiss though, opening what I thought was just an EOB from insurance and found out my doctor is no longer in network. Crappity. This keeps happening.
Okay ... didn't complete everything yesterday, so I'm repeating the list today! #1 - EAT HEALTHY and IN PLAN!!
Kitchen: Dishes / clean off countertops (done), island (done), table (done)/ vacuum floor (added and completed wiping down stove, the pans, and under the pans (done))
Bedroom: Pick up all clothes / put away stuff / clean off shelf, fold it up and put in car / box up clothes that don't fit (or I won't wear) / put full boxes in the car / make bed / vacuum!
Livingroom : clean off end table and floor (PUT STUFF AWAY!!) psst: that extra emphasis was for me to do it!!
Walk / Water plant / fill out (3) sets of paperwork (this may have to be done on another day - but I'm going to try to start one!)
Wasn't on my to-do list, but it was something I have wanted to do for ages.
I have a "closet" (my house has a ton of spaces they like to call closets, but I am convinced are "oops, we can't make these angles work" odd spaces) that as I have been gaining and gaining and gaining, I would toss all the clothes that I "temporarily" out grew. Most of these clothes are less than 5 years old, some never got worn.
I took everything out of the closet today and sorted it. Got rid of some stuff I never really liked but couldn't bring myself to get rid of. Sorted out all the pants and shorts by sizes and arranged them in layers in bins. Put all the shirts in one large bin because shorting shirts by size doesnt really work, I have some smalls that fit me and some XL's that are too small and it all depends on how the boobs go. Organized all the other stuff. Bras, swimsuits, workout clothing, jackets etc. Put a small bar in the "closet" to hang all the dresses in because they are another that size is flexible. The bonus was in looking for storage bins I decided the "sentimental" bin had to go. I thought it contained my high-school theatre t's but it actually contained a bunch of t's that I couldn't bear to part with when I lost weight but were too big to wear. So I got some "new" t's for this summer and can get rid of my holey ones. I forgot how baggy I used to wear things. Most of these T's I couldn't have been more than 150 lbs when I bought them that big.
So now I am ready. I have one pair of pants for the next size on my closet shelf that I will try on every 10 lbs or so. And when they fit I can pull out the boxes and have a day of re wardrobing. I have a lot of really nice stuff at size 14 and size 10. And a lot of nice stuff smaller than that that I am not sure I will ever get to again, but they are stored for now.
The only thing that bugs me is I was sure I had 2 pairs of jeans at every size, and I could only find one in the next size. And some of my clothes that fit me NOW are missing. I thought maybe they got in the closet by accident.
#1 - EAT HEALTHY and IN PLAN!!CHECK - and weight is going down. Let's keep it up! )
Kitchen: Dishes (done)) / clean off countertops (done), island (done), table (done)/ vacuum floor (added and completed wiping down stove, the pans, and under the pans (done))
Bedroom: Pick up all clothes / put away stuff / clean off shelf, fold it up and put in car / box up clothes that don't fit (or I won't wear) / put full boxes in the car / make bed / vacuum!
Livingroom : clean off end table and floor (PUT STUFF AWAY!!) psst: that extra emphasis was for me to do it!!
Walk / Water plant (done))/ fill out (3) sets of paperwork (this may have to be done on another day - but I'm going to try to start one!)
I sure need to myself and get motivated ... this list isn't that difficult!!
Landlord will be landing in my apartment soon. I don't want to hear no backtalk from him so I have to get this space to "normal" standards once again.
I may even aim to go "above and beyond" today as I work on this for the bulk of the day.
My goal is to, simply, put things away. I need to remove what doesn't fit, what I don't use anymore, what I don't like, what I don't need. I am fed up with seeing excess stuff everywhere. The boxes, the bags. WTF? Who does that? Someone else can do that. I don't want to anymore.
So here are the zones I want to focus on to clear out:
1) the hallway from the front door to the kitchen
2) kitchen
3) living room
4) dining room/painting studio space
What this means ie. this is my MASTER LIST to be completed by the end of the month or sooner.
Hallway: -clear away boxes and laundry basket and carry bags that are lined up along the wall DONE -decide on the contents which include ceramics I have made. What to do with all this already made but not sold and may never sell stuff? Throw it out? smash it up and throw it out? Give it away? DO I have the space to store it anywhere? DONE
-straighten/declutter bookcase beneath thermostat DONE
-vacuum and wash the hallway floor and wipe down the walls where it looks grimey DONE
Kitchen: -clear off the top of the table DONE
-clear off the chair DONE
-put things away that are hanging around ie. find somewhere to put them which may mean making space in the bottom cupboards. I know there is space there cause they are poorly used and rarely accessed. Ex. of things that need homes: my two crockpots and my juicer. DONE
-clear stuff out from under the table, same deal as above DONE
Living Room:
-chaise as usual. Stuff on top of it again. Books, art supplies, blankets.
-Chinese chair next to it. Boxes on it. Sort, break down, make decisions about contents.
-Ditto to above re: stuff on the floor in and around and under the chair plus in front of the bureau.
-clear off end table near the couch.
-straighten out bookcases to make room for stuff I will keep
-clear stuff off of floor around computer at the end of the couch
-clean out stuff in tv stand
Dining Room/Studio:
-get everything off of the bench-all boxes and bags and loose objects
-sort, discard, break down boxes
-re-arrange furniture? Maybe.
-move plants back outside for the season
Backyard:
-Sadly, I must dispose of my brother's desk which never made it into the house after we went to get it last year. This is a huge emotional thing for me to let go of but it doesn't fit anywhere. It's been under a tarp and is surely ruined by now. So, it has to be brought to the curb this week.
-stuff under and on our tiny deck/backsteps goes to the curb
-patio umbrella and bbq area general clean up plus get propane for bbq season
Front Porch:
-get rid of empty flower pots and old plants in usable pots
-plant new pretty stuff
-weed the mulched areas
Some items will be fast. Others are complicated, tedious and difficult to wrap my head around. My priority will be in terms of visual impact when you walk in the door ie. landlord's immediate view.
So this means: #1 - entry hallway and bookcase directly under the heating/air conditioning box he keeps locked. The floor and the surfaces must be "normal". DONE
#2 - the view of the kitchen =sink area, table area, the floor and the countertops
#3 - bathroom floor and declutter surfaces
#4 -chaise area/boxes on floor-anything that isn't in the dining room space which is hidden from view
onebyone, many of your words really hit home with me. " My goal is to, simply, put things away. I need to remove what doesn't fit, what I don't use anymore, what I don't like, what I don't need. I am fed up with seeing excess stuff everywhere. The boxes, the bags. WTF? Who does that? Someone else can do that. I don't want to anymore."
Very powerful. Print it and hang it up. Read it everyday. (Just suggestions) As always, I love your lists!
It's been more than a few years since I started the big declutter (with you here). I never miss anything. Never. I still find great joy in cleared out simpler spaces. Still. It's never ordinary. I feel gratitude when I can just clean without having to move stuff all over the place. When I feel those good feelings I can so understand why my food goes better when my environment is decluttered.
So several weeks away from doing much in the yard and it's getting overwhelming again. Stuff (weeds) are growing fast. Yesterday after work I put the edger attachment on my mini tiller and edged one stretch of sidewalk. I cleaned up and put tools away after. It looks better. Tomorrow I would love to just dig weeds but I MUST install my greenhouse irrigation system. Plants are still in individual pots and must be planted soon. I only have tomorrow to do this.
So:
I made a drawing. It made more sense looking at a picture. I will go to Denver after work with the drawing and pick up the additional supplies I need. I will start in the morning, will finish the watering system and will plant the plants. It will be a challenge and it will also be fun. I am learning to like this.
Meanwhile, inside, I still keep things up. I am 95% unpacked from my trip. Laundry done, dishes done. House reasonably clean. Credit.
#2 on my Priority List: Kitchen
-do dishes started -clear off the top of the table DONE
-clear off the chair DONE
-put things away that are hanging around ie. find somewhere to put them which may mean making space in the bottom cupboards. I know there is space there cause they are poorly used and rarely accessed. Ex. of things that need homes: my two crockpots and my juicer. DONE
-clear stuff out from under the table, same deal as above DONE
Addendum: so I did the tabletop and the chair and I think I am going to go through my cupboards and get rid of some stuff in there. I am sure I have more than enough space to keep the things I want. I am dedicating as long as it takes for this then back to my main list for today. 1)Top Row of Cupboards DONE
-top shelf of all cupboards
-middle shelves
-bottom shelves
2) Cupboards below the Countertops DONE
-top shelves
-bottom shelves
-under the sink
Other progress so far: three garbage bags and a pile of broken down cardboard. Have a home for the juicer and both crockpots. Will be consolidating all spices, seasoning and flavourings in two small boxes set aside for this.
Finishing touches:
counters are clear/organized
surfaces are wiped down/clean
cupboard doors are wiped down/clean
appliances are wiped down/clean
floor is washed
baseboards/icky corners are clean
walls where it's grimey are wiped down
all dishes put away
I will check in off and on during the day as to progress re: this list. It would be such a relief to get the kitchen done. I imagine washing the floor in there as the crowning touch.
It's been more than a few years since I started the big declutter (with you here). I never miss anything. Never. I still find great joy in cleared out simpler spaces. Still. It's never ordinary. I feel gratitude when I can just clean without having to move stuff all over the place. When I feel those good feelings I can so understand why my food goes better when my environment is decluttered.
Thanks Lexxiss. I never tire of hearing that you don't miss all the stuff you got rid of. I 90% believe that as I threw a lot away when we moved here and I don't miss it either. Well except for my booth display pieces that were made to clamp onto my table. Those I miss but can now remake and probably improve. So, no, don't miss those either. I still worry that I will miss something and that stops me in the moment I have to make a decision but I am willing to suspend my disbelief and move forward into the unknown. Really, I need to deal with this more than I need to justify it in my mind.
AND.... I remember when the yard was something you really did not enjoy any part of and look at you now! Green house and everything. It makes me smile I tell ya!
Yesterday I consolidated my work and personal to-do lists. I much prefer paper, but it was becoming too difficult to manage. I'm pretty sure I added more than I crossed off yesterday. Sigh.
But I did get some stuff off that had been on there for a long time. Mailing some things that have been sitting, just waiting for a trip to a mailbox for weeks. My home mailbox can not be used for outgoing mail, so I have to go to some other mailbox.
Today I am actually going IN to work instead of working from home so I hope that means more X's than adds but not usually.
BiWeekly Declutter Thread May 16-May 29/16- *New* and *Improved*(like us!)
to you all with your plans!
Seriously -- GREAT JOB!!
day!
myself and get motivated ... this list isn't that difficult!!
for everyone to accomplish their goals!
Joining in
Today's focus is... Kitchen
crowning touch.
off I go.
