H'lo all! Thanks for the welcomes! (We LOVE Glenwood, Lexxiss!) Flylady sounds like my DH. Whenever we work on a project, he works to the clock. I work until the project is finished. Needless to say, in the early days of our marriage, this difference in working styles caused some degree of resentments on my part, until I realized that his way was, in many ways, better. However, if I cannot finish a project, many times it ends up being abandoned as I deal with the latest crisis, so that is still my tendency.

My plan for today is to do TWO shelves in the office closet.....because I did not get the ONE done yesterday! I imbibed in a bit of creative procrastination/avoidance yesterday.....and I worked up a sweat doing so! My major goal this weekend is to help organize/clean the kids' rooms in preparation for school starting tomorrow. Too small clothing goes in a box that will be placed in the garage sale area. The office closet is where we keep the school supplies, so that MUST be done in order for this goal to be considered complete. My creative "avoidance" was to modify DS's desk to include a shelf on top. This has been on my to-do list for some little time. The shelf will hold his monitors so he can have more working space on his desk. I also affixed a drooping curtain rod in his room--this involved a good bit of drywall work. I only have to do some touch-up painting on the desk today, and his room is done! (I'll have to take a picture of his desk for you. It turned out so much nicer than I imagined. His desk was an office castaway, and all the shelving was from scraps, so that pile is also reduced!)

I will think about a list to post here. Such a good feeling to cross things off a list!

From Dr. Beck posted on our monthly thread this morning (ThxBBE!)

what are you thinking?
Use the following helpful responses to common sabotaging thoughts to create inspiration for making additional cards.
Sabotaging Thought: What's the use of walking for only five minutes?
Helpful Response: Walking for five minutes is better than walking for zero minutes. Exercise is essential, even if I don't do very much at first. I can build up the amount that I do over time, but I have to start somewhere.

It reminds me just how I can apply the Beck steps to my decluttering and home maintenance.
All I need to do is replace the word walking with cleaning or decluttering.
I didn't have much time this morning but I did my essentials...laundry, bed made, and kitchen picked up. Additionally, I took a small box which holds all my kitchen clips and cleaned and dried it. It is done. It took 3 minutes but I will notice it's new and clean status every time I reach for a clip. Credit.

SeeMyFeet, Glenwood is my most favorite place in the entire planet! How many times have you visited? My DH and I, too, have different styles. It's been an unspoken challenge for me to integrate him into the everyday workings of our home and I'm pleased to say it's working. We are coming together to achieve "my" goals in our home. I say my goals because he doesn't really care yet he is certainly a part of the process.

Gotta get to work!

I took a break
 

Declutterers, Hi.

I took a break from all the boxes and the putting things away. About all I did to move forward it remove the bookcase from the kitchen into the back bedroom for DH. I'm still at a loss as to what to do with the stuff in boxes, but I think I am going to open two more boxes tonight. See what appears.

I'm mopey today. It's so very cold and the wind is howling around the house. I did find a box full of handmade books my friend and I did as a project for well over a year. I think I will pick 12 of my favorites and make us calendars from them. So far I only have a calendar from a chinese restaurant and one from the Dion's Gas Station in Key West. I want one that's more personal that either of those.

Bye for now.

I was up early today out on my front porch with a heat gun taking old paint off cabinet doors. It's not that I love that kind of job it's just that I know it's the only way that this project will ever finish. I did come in for coffee breaks and sanding but fortunately I didn't look at the thermometer until I was finished.... It was a muggy 17° lol.
Now after an hour drive I'm sitting in the car waiting for my mom to finish her eye appointment. A stop at Home Depot then back home for an afternoon of work. We are going to have a massive declutter at the project before we start the kitchen countertop tomorrow morning.
The declutter was my suggestion since I've found we all work better when our space is more organized. We have lots of supplies and equipment that we are totally finished with on this project so will move them across the street for our start on the third rental. I'm thinking our cleanup today will help us recognize how far we've come and be able to see more clearly what we still need to finish. I have a list of small tasks that would be nice to put behind us so will do those today, too.
I guess I must have anticipated this all yesterday because I made a special effort at home to get all my chores done. I cleaned and two drawers one in my dining room and one in my kitchen. I found more than a few things I could pitch and put some others in the thrift box. Credit.

tough job but I am tougher.
 

Declutterers, Hi.

I completely distributed two more boxes and broke them down. *credit* thats 5 totally gone as three went with the garbage man today. I have one more that I am reusing for things to bring to the studio.

I got frustrated though and just shoved some things into the cabinet. I dont think this is good, but on the other hand it really looks like I am making progress.

I counted the boxes in my shrinking pile which I havent touched and it looks to be 9. Only 9. I am willing to open two more tonight. I can feel the end of the box issue. This doesnt mean I have dealt with all my boxes. Several were opened and left that way. But I am getting a clearer idea of what exactly I am dealing with and so I can sort this stuff into like things or activities. I know the next logical step will make itself known to me.

My next looming task is the taxes. We are way behind. I need to find an accountant. DH is vehemently against an accountant for some unknown reason but at this stage of our life together, we need one. So I am going to find one and go on my own first. Like getting the chaise lounge, DH was on the fence, leaning toward the negative end and now that its here he sees the value of it--ditto for the cabinets. Sometimes we do know what to do and should just do it.

Bye for now.

onebyone, I was at the job site last night and was majorly frustrated. I took 5 to check in at 3FC. It always helps. I saw your title, Tough but I am Tougher....it really helped me through. Thx for posting! The declutter didn't happen because I got back too late from my moms appt AND DH wanted to finish the cabinet work in his shop. I couldn't find anything so I regrouped AND finished the part of the painting which would allow the cabinet doors to be installed today. credit.

THE DECLUTTER WILL HAPPEN AT THE JOB SITE TODAY!

I got up early to a cluttery home. I "wanted" to just go to the job site and paint but I've taken time to do my daily essentials (dishes,laundry) plus an extra (I washed the dog bed and got it dried and back in place). Credit.
I had a moment to think through just how much those daily essentials help me. When I woke up there were dishes and laundry everywhere. It looked unmanageable. After I sorted the clothes in my office and put them in their proper place the clutter was gone. After I picked up all the dishes from upstairs and took them down and washed them, that clutter was gone, too. The bedroom still looked astray....I made the bed and that was fixed, too. I'm liking the word "essentials" right now because it's what I need to do everyday to make my home liveable. The extra projects move me forward.

onebyone, kudos to you for whittling down the boxes. Earlier in my decluttering I did exactly what you have done. Consolidated, thrifted, trashed and recycled. Then I often found room in a closet or corner to put a box knowing I would need to deal with it further. It still helped.

OK, off to paint.

I can do a little
 

Declutterers!

So this morning is a studio morning. My friend is coming to get me so I don't wiggle out of this. I will be out of the house until 1ish but that still gives me lots of time to tackle some of the clutter. I'm committing to dealing, completely, with 2 previously unopened boxes. I remembered this morning that I have a whole set of drawers at the studio that are sitting empty. I now know what will go there. It solves more than one of those "I don't know what to do with you" box dilemmas.

Lexxiss :hug: so many ongoing challenges. You are doing so great! Often I find too that the mess that I think is so out of control cleans up really quickly once I just accept it and deal with it. My greatest kudos to you for your ongoing efforts to keep things in good order. Awesome. I hope your renovation project makes a great leap forward today!

Onebyone, I'm excited to how your day went.

Yesterday morning I dealt with my Escentuals at home then went up to the project early. I was prepared to get to my painting right away. Instead I spent some time by myself picking up organizing and decluttering the project. I'm glad I did, it made everything so much more workable. Credit.

Late in the afternoon my helper and I headed over to the big box store for major supplies. We were going to pick up the new countertop. I suggested that we stop at the restore first. They were having a sale on lighting and we got six or seven light fixtures plus a kitchen sink with faucet for $86. It was a major score! I love both the idea of saving money and reusing items instead of purchasing new.

My coworker bought a leather loveseat at the restore which we hauled home for her instead of getting the countertops. I'm going for the countertops soon. As I perused the furniture I found a forest green leather chair. Instead of making an impulse purchase I decided to come home and really think it through. After talking it over with DH we decided it would be a nice addition. I will still give it one more look at before I purchase it but am going to give it a go when I go up to pick up the last light fixture today.

It's one of those mornings when I think I don't have time to do my essentials but the reason I'm calling them essentials is because it's important that I do them every day. Now that I think about it I've already started the laundry done the dishes and all I need to do is make the bed. Credit.

blink
 

Decluttering Friends, Hello!

Late night post but I realized I haven't checked in in a bit so here I am before bed.

I've been re-focused on art work and other things are sliding by the wayside.

I did do two more boxes *credit* and broke down some boxes too. Because of my recent cleanup and retrieval of books from boxes I was able to go to my shelves and find what I needed in order to get going on my artwork. I'll take a *credit* for decluttering/tackling the boxes for that. It's been a long time since I could do that.

Have a great night.

Hi guys, it's Sunday morning here and according to my weekly food and activities planning the weekend is my decluttering time. Today's things that will be done are:

Daily maintenance:
- Reclaim the kitchen
- Put the dry laundry away and do 2 loads of clothes

Decluttering:
- Finish putting Christmas away - and I will not beat myself up for missing the 6th Jan to do this
- Surface declutter downstairs
- Some garden pruning, if the weather is OK for that.

Hi Everyone!

I hadn't gotten to posting but I continue to do my essentials (laundry, dishes, make bed) every day, even though life has gotten busier. I also make an effort every day to keep my current clutter at bay. Friday I brought all kinds of misc. stuff from the car into the house. Instead of letting it all sit, I persisted and put everything away. credit.

I'm off to the project this morning.

Reporting back in:

Daily maintenance:
- Reclaim the kitchen - yes, pretty much. Or at least, dishes are up to date and counters are clear.
- Put the dry laundry away and do 2 loads of clothes - 2 loads of clothes washed and hung up. Dry laundry still around the house though.

Decluttering:
- Finish putting Christmas away - and I will not beat myself up for missing the 6th Jan to do this ... Or indeed the 12th Jan. Did a bit more but there is still a Christmas tree to dismantle.
- Surface declutter downstairs - made a start; we can now see the living room floor.
- Some garden pruning, if the weather is OK for that. - Weather was perfect. Did lots and lots of this, filled up the garden refuse bin completely. Found a 2m high wild rose bush entangled in an old privet hedge which is now freed up and should be lovely. And this year, for the first time since moving here 4 years ago, we should be able to see the view properly even when the hedges are in leaf.

So I didn't do everything, but all the house stuff can be done any time, the garden stuff is much more weather dependent so it makes sense to have done a lot of that on a good day. I'd be happier if I'd done everything (of course) but giving myself credit for what I did. Will check back in next weekend!

Yay systemaddict! ! Good for you not beating yourself up over a perceived imperfection. I think it's great that Beck teaches us to give ourselves credit for our progress forward.

onebyone, great job with the boxes!

I took down the Christmas tree this morning. Since I had done a big D clutter and reorganization of all my Christmas stuff in the fall of 2012 this was year two of putting everything away in an organized fashion. It's done and it feels good.

In the process I went ahead and hauled some other things to the basement that needed to go:
Our shop vac which had been at the project
Several cans of paint that had been at the project
A small (and very cute) cast-iron sink that I found at the restore last week. It will be for the coffee bar that we already have plumbed into the kitchen but it will be a while before I get to that project. Lol

Right now I'm sitting very happily on my new or near new leather chair from the restore. After we got it home I looked around and found the manufacturer tag. It was made in the United States and when I looked online these chairs are about $3000 new. That made me extremely happy about my $100 purchase!

I will do my essentials today before I go to work. It's too early to mill around and wake DH. I will note that although it's early I've had plenty of rest. I had kind of planned this time yesterday and so I went to bed early. I find when I get home from a busy day at work I'm just too tired to jump into these projects

Hi!

I did my essentials this morning, which also included child proofing the downstairs for granddaughters possible visit this afternoon. I "thought" I didn't have time for the cat box.....determination....sometimes it's just easier to push on through and get stuff done. I did it AND hauled the trash from outside to the car while I was at it. Credit.

My thought this morning was about how my essentials help me. They are a routine and the way I declutter and continue to maintain my clear space is with a routine. When I do my essentials everyday they don't add up and when they don't add up I have time and energy to work on other things.

Take care!

a few things
 

D clutterers, Hi! (thnx for the short form Lexxiss ;) )

Ok so no progress the last few days. I've been busy getting other parts of my house in order. It's going to be garbage day again so once more I have extra cardboard to cut down *credit for emptying boxes from before* and I'd like to toss a couple more into the mix so tonight I will open and empty two more boxes. I will also do one sinkload of dishes and out them away.

See ya's!