Update on progress. Filled another 5 gallon trash can and 1 box ready for goodwill. I wrote out a list for each room to finish but I do have 10 boxes to go thru. They were stacked in the utility room where it flooded last week. I decided unless the items are pictures, sentimental or unused product it's going out the door. Truth is i don't get into these boxes and haven't for a few years. Storing stuff just to store it. I would rather have clean space. I mopped the basement area and bathrooms, vacuumed entire area, now time to take a breather. Feeling like this could be done by November if I keep up my weekly pace.
50 percent finished with an art project. Need some strong glue and it will be done by this weekend.
Off to drive my daughter to an out of town college visit.
Look forward to hearing how everyone else is doing. Albert Einstein said a problem can't be solved with the same mind that created it. Starting to realize I have to name what keeps me from getting rid of stuff and being attentive to the daily action that goes with it. So Beck like.
Last edited by helping rachel; 10-15-2013 at 04:58 PM.
I'd like to jump in! We had some good progress today and I really want to start doing a little something daily to improve our home. I haven't got a grand plan right now and probably won't for at least a year, but if I can do a little bit every day, things will improve and, maybe more importantly, they won't get worse.
I know from my experience with Beck that the best way to get myself to do something every day is to log it. So, here I am.
Today's success was about 90 minutes with DH, reorganizing the mud room. We had work done on the sink about a month ago, so the impetus was putting away the stuff that had been sitting out after that project. Now that the sink works, though, we don't want quite so much stuff under it -- one needs some space to work at a sink, it turns out! So, some of the stuff needed new homes. It turned into a whole room reorganization. But, for the first time since we moved in, the mud room is fully functional. And since one of the reasons we bought the house was because of the mud room, that's really good!
For tomorrow, my task will be getting ready for the cleaning crew. They come every two weeks and the organizational effort it takes to get ready for them is the only reason that my house is in as good of shape as it is.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
I've been busy at it, re-arranging my studio space the past week. I pulled out my disassembled L-shaped glass desk from the crawl space cubby we have in the apartment and set it up at my studio. I realized that would be a great place for it AND it would make it more likely that I work there. I can even use the glass top for rolling out my inks which makes it a work table as well. Great. When my friend visited he suggested I put shelves into the far corner of my studio and store my rolls of paper on them. I don't really like my paper rolled up, but it is far better to have a shelf to put it on than to have them loose. Then I realized I already have what he was suggesting and DH considers them a "trap" (he says I lay traps all over the house ie. stuff that he stubs his toes on). Removing the two sets of shelves that sit on things (a desk and a set of drawers) will open up the "alcove" off the hall for DH's ever-growing comic book/box collection. And this means that we will be that much closer to having the spare room (where his comics are now) become a spare bedroom which we now need since my sister will be staying with us when she comes to visit my mom every few months. I am very focused on making sure she can have some privacy when here. And some comfort.
So with this in mind, ththis weekend we moved the next batch of boxes from our move (they were in the corner of the spare room) into the dining room and replicated Box Mountain. I got through Box Mountain once. I'll get through it again. And one more thing happened in regards to the studio space, I happened to run into my landlord there and he said he and his son would be able to install an 8'x8' sheet of drywall for me overtop of the cement block so I can have a smooth surface to draw on. That was unexpected and I was making plans to do it myself, in a very makeshift way. He said in two weekends he could get to it and that would be perfect.
I need my studio in good working order before winter hits. Actually I want it in place by the end of November. I am planning on attending Art Basel Miami and expect to be full of creative ideas after that and do not want to come back to a studio that isn't ready for me. Many things happening. All good for a change. I'm even thinking I could have a Christmas Studio Sale in December if the studio gets organized enough....!
Nice to hear of everyone's decluttering efforts! Keep posting.
I wish I could get here more often....It took me 26 minutes to actually get to the point where I could say hello tonight, although I read posts daily and with ease from my iphone (which isn't too response friendly). Anyway, now I really need to get to bed since I work at 530 tomorrow morning.
Life has been busier than I could have ever imagined several years ago. I believe the reason I am moving through it all without lots of off plan eating, stress and depression is because I keep myself really focused on keeping things organized and functional at home.
I'm still focused on my everyday tasks. My routine has become pretty automatic and I find myself constantly thinking of ways to be more efficient. More efficient=more time.
My reno is in it's final stages and theres not much for me to do there right now. The heating guy is working on the furnace set up. The glitch is my mom has 3 rentals needing work and it's my job to facilitate. The first is a major reno and two are yet to be seen (they vacate Oct.31). Right now I just bounce between work, rental and home.
I like when I work at my house best. I get to think about my progress and where I'd like to continue progress forward. I get to live my progress, too. I noticed the other day just how much "stuff" is gone. I tried to think of what I miss and truth is nothing. I just love "functional". I tried to guesstimate just how much I've given away/thrown away.....1/3....1/2....alot, anyway.
I contemplated how I would react if I had to move again since the rental I'm cleaning out was occupied for 25! years. This time around I would still lighten my load even more before moving...especially to smaller quarters. I like that I have room for everything now. Several years ago I did not.
My success strategies that continue to work to my advantage:
1. Pick up after myself every day, which includes making my bed every morning
2. Clean up the kitchen mess before serving dinner
3. Finding strategies to get DH on board and helping.
4. Having a master plan for stocking OP groceries.
I love reading everyone's successes! Time to head to bed!
Forgot to post last night, but I did clean up for the cleaning crew. Today we went out to MiL's so I knew I wouldn't have time and energy for much of my house project. My single goal was to get the plastic container that w brought home food in several weeks ago back to her. That doesn't sound like a big goal, but it didn't happen last time we went -- this time it did!
Tomorrow. I'm going to empty my In Box and catch up my Tickler file. I've been waiting until I had a better system to organize that stuff into, but there could be unpaid bills lurking in those two places -- it can't wait any longer.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
16: straighten up before cleaning crew
17: plastic container back to MiL's
18:
I could hardly wait to move my furniture to my studio so I loaded what I could into the car last night then thought better of it when the skies poured rain and it really wasn't an emergency. But I am just plain *excited* about my studio space. I moved in on my birthday last year, but I haven't really made the space my own. And the surprise of how cold it was in there last winter threw me. This year, I am preparing for it. I need to work through the winter. I cannot afford time off.
So I drove my stuff over after DH was dropped off at work then filled the car with my market set-up for the morning and will elave the studio keys with DH so he and his friend can take the rest of my stuff over in his friend's SUV while I am at the market tomorrow morning.
On other fronts, I emptied the bookcase in the alcove and moved it into the spare bedroom and gave DH the go ahead to re-organize my wall of bookcases. He said he'd do it. I resisted then thought "let him do it-he's offering-let it go" and so, I am. DH will have the sapce this weekend to pull his stuff out of the back bedroom and it's all perfect timing as an old friend is coming to stay for a few nights next week and I can give her a room of her own. Isn't that awesome?!!! I think so cause I had written that room off as ever being used as a spare/guest bedroom. I am amazed it's all just a few days away from being accomplished. Yay! Credit Moi!
Ok enough of this I do need to make some things for tomorrow.
I cleared the In Box and Tickler -- but in to piles on the floor of my office. 26 of them, I just counted. No lurking unpaid bills, though, so that was good. But a bigger mess than when I started.
I'm in the process of restructuring how I handle tasks, so it made some sense to make themed piles of these things, most of which represent tasks. If I get a good system in place, I won't need to have near this much stuff living in my Tickler file and it will likely function much better and not end up 13 days behind schedule like it just did.
So, what is the next step? I'm not sure -- which, I now realize, has been why I've been spinning wheels on this all month. I didn't have something forcing me to set a goal. I'm resisting the next step because it requires committing to a new system. And I hate to commit. As long as I don't commit, I can retain the fantasy that this new system will be perfect -- so perfect that I can get done everything I can imagine doing (and I have a very big imagination).
It's past time that I commit. So, tomorrow, I'm putting the skeleton of the system into place. That's my goal.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
16: straighten up before cleaning crew
17: plastic container back to MiL's
18: cleared In Box and Tickler
Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I am finding myself having to reach deep inside to accomodate two renovations and work my "real job". I've kept to my declutter/organizing principles through all this. credit. Every morning I get up and accomplish household duties before heading to work. This morning as DH and I sat and discussed everything over coffee I recognized again the benefit to us as we both know we come home from the craziness to a functional and enjoyable home. I'm grateful, again, for all of the "stuff" I let go of in order for this to be a reality.
I have to share....
We have been hauling stuff out of this rental house in order to do the cleanup and renovation. A guy had stopped by and was interested in several of the items we had placed outside.
Today he was back again for more! He helped us load stuff into the dumpster in addition to helping is pull stuff out of several sheds. It ended up being great fun (not to mrntion exercise) and a lot of stuff is finding another use. Yay!
So....I got home in the mood to work on my own stuff. I often use my timer to facilitate small progress forward. I'm not in the mood for a big in depth project.
I'm going to allot 10 minutes for each of the 7 rooms in my home. If I finish in one room faster I can add that time onto another room.
Then I am going to sit in my comfy chair and read my latest library book...
ETA-3 hours later I am finally sitting down to dinner then my book. I took longer and I added some stuff...a visit with my neighbors on both sides and doing some cleanup in the yard. The good thing was I knew it was a limited time frame if I wanted. I played my favorite tunes and had a good time....
Last edited by Lexxiss; 10-19-2013 at 05:55 PM.
Reason: ETA
I got the new system started, not done yet, but getting it going felt like I got past a barrier so I'm happy. Tomorrow, I want to finish that process.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
16: straighten up before cleaning crew
17: plastic container back to MiL's
18: cleared In Box and Tickler
19: start setting up structure for organizing tasks
The structure for my new organization structure is in place and an old structure from a year or so ago that was kind of in the way is demolished.
Tomorrow, I'm going to take a break from that kind of work and, instead, focus on getting the cabinet under the kitchen sink cleaned and organized.
I got the new system started, not done yet, but getting it going felt like I got past a barrier so I'm happy. Tomorrow, I want to finish that process.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
16: straighten up before cleaning crew
17: plastic container back to MiL's
18: cleared In Box and Tickler
19: start setting up structure for organizing tasks
20: finished setting up structure for organizing tasks
focus on getting the cabinet under the kitchen sink cleaned and organized.
Joy, I'll join you on my hands and knees at the adjoining cupboards (saucepans etc). It's truly filthy under there but it'll probably only take half an hour to clean. Yes, I am madly busy with other things but it has to be done and it'll be easier doing it in company, as it were!
Last edited by silverbirch; 10-21-2013 at 03:40 AM.
My decluttering plans are stalled for now. I have been getting my mother's house ready to rent and it's taking all my spare time. This makes me very frustrated and angry at times. She isn't appreciating the need to get her old, outdated house up to code so she doesn't get sued if someone gets hurt living in her house. Every repair is met with resistance! Fortunately she isn't living there any longer, and my sister and I have agreed not to let her know everything we're doing. We'll just show her the house after we're done with the repairs and she'll say she hates it but can't do anything about it.
So in the meantime, my laundry is done. At least my kids and I have clean underwear for the week!
Done! The area under the kitchen sink looks good. How did you do, silverbirch?
Our temperatures are getting colder more quickly than expected. Tomorrow's task is to clean up the tomato vines, rescuing both ripe and green tomatoes.
October daily household task log:
15: reorganize mud room
16: straighten up before cleaning crew
17: plastic container back to MiL's
18: cleared In Box and Tickler
19: start setting up structure for organizing tasks
20: finished setting up structure for organizing tasks
21: clean up & reorganize under the kitchen sink
the return of box mountain version 2.0
Joy, I'll join you on my hands and knees at the adjoining cupboards (saucepans etc). It's truly filthy under there but it'll probably only take half an hour to clean. Yes, I am madly busy with other things but it has to be done and it'll be easier doing it in company, as it were!
