household organization

Countdown to SPRING (cleaning)

Yes, I WANT spring.  Desperately.  I am ready! (I will have the most fantastic garden this year, I just KNOW it. And I will love it and weed it and name it George, and by mid May, be over it) BUT.

There is that other part of spring, I’m not a fan of, and that is spring cleaning.  (actually, it is a known fact that I am not a fan of house cleaning on the whole, but that is another story altogether.) I’m sure I can find something to do that is more exciting. Absolutely anything.

“A place for everything and everything in its place” SOUNDS nice, but the practical application leaves much to be desired, as I like having my things out and around and available.  I do love pretty containers, but more often than not, I buy them for the wrong reasons, and they don’t get used the way they should. And, truth be told, while I probably have too much stuff, this house has too little storage. There isn’t even a coat closet, broom closet or mud room area!

My thought this year is to break down the house into manageable chunks, and assign tasks and days, and hopefully be finished by March 21. Then I can spend the vernal equinox trying to balance an egg on its tip in celebration!

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If I start on the 4th (I am away on the 1st and 2nd, the 3rd is my birthday and not particularly how I planned on celebrating….) AND I am of course, working 40 hours a week… lets see, thinking out loud here, can’t do it on Mondays, that’s Laylabug day…

Kitchen 4, 5, 6

  • clean out all drawers and cabinets
  • wash curtains, windows, floor
  • clean fan, cabinet doors
  • Refrigerator,-emptied, cleaned
  • stove, microwave

Dining room 7, 8, 9

  • clean out all drawers and cabinets
  • wash curtains, windows, door, floor
  • clean fan, all art

Living room   11, 12

  • Vacuum under/behind furniture
  • Remove rug, put liner down.
  • Vacuum couch, cushions/chair
  • wash curtains, windows, door
  • clean fan, all art
  • China Cabinet
  • Get rid of winter clothes/clutter at door

Den  13, 14

  • Vacuum under/behind furniture
  • Vacuum couch, cushions/chair
  • wash curtains, windows, door
  • clean fan, all art
  • all bookcases and side tables

Bath one 15

  • Under vanity
  • basic deep clean
  • Do linen closet as well

Bath two 16

Under vanity

  • basic deep clean
  • utility area

Bedroom one 18, 19

  • Vacuum under/behind furniture
  • wash curtains, windows
  • clean fan, all art
  • side tables, headboard
  • closet
  • change out clothes
  • dresser

Studio 19, 20, 21  Notice that it is conveniently at the end.

  • Vacuum under/behind furniture
  • wash curtains, windows
  • clean fan, all art
  • closet
  • scrapbook side
  • desk
  • fabric side
  • cutting tablepickerimage2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Anyone interested joining me? Keeping me honest?

 

 

Mountains O’things

It has been a very very long time since I have posted anything about 27-thing flinging, organizing or de- cluttering. Does it mean I fell off the wagon? Got lost under my mountains o’things? Not really. Just life and all that….

I probably stopped some time around Thanksgiving, because I took up the blog with Christmas Photo-A-Day posts, and right after the first of the year, my dad died. I’ve moved on to a Photo A Day on my other blog.

But spring is in the air (well, down here it is, at least for today!!) and I think it may be time to revisit some of the the ideas of decluttering, getting ready for spring cleaning! (oh, YIPEE!)

The major concept was to daily locate 27 things that could be removed from your household (living creatures do NOT count). Some of these things may be donated, some things may have always been trash but never made it to the garbage and some things may end up being given to someone else who can utilize them.

In order to make this a bit more ‘organized’ rather than random tossing, I had made a list of areas. This link takes you to the initial post last year.

This is the breakdown of categories I had come up with, and I have added to it how far along I feel I have gotten.

  1. Clothes-closet and drawers. This was done, and I ‘thought’ I had been successful. Sadly, Goodwill is my downfall. My new work around with this has been to force myself to wear something in the closet, and after I get it on, decide WHY I haven’t worn it lately, or get rid of it. My work clothes are starting to outgrow the location I had assigned them, so I am not putting clean clothes away, but emptying out the drawers, item by item, and WEARING IT. If it is tight, cut oddly, stained, ripped, frayed, torn, or collects cat hair more than other things, it is gone.
  2. Clothes-undergarment/socks. This is completed. Getting socks to not be eaten by the washer or dryer is another issue altogether.
  3. Toiletries/makeup. This area could certainly benefit from an expiration date check-up.
  4. Spices. Under control. Can’t change the size of the location they live, so I do have to remember to replace items as I go with smaller containers of spices.
  5. Kitchen utensils. Another section I feel has stayed under control.
  6. Dishware/cookware. Requires only a bit of tweaking as to what goes where. (getting dishes washed and put away? NOT part of this conversation.)
  7. Under the sink. I need to identify duplicates and get them used up, and really, could use another shelf of some sort under there.
  8. Refrigerator/freezer. It never hurts to go through this and toss anything hidden that has died!
  9. File cabinets Thirty minutes of my life would get this back to 100%.
  10. Knick knacks/home décor. The day to day stuff is in good shape. I LIKE it, and want to keep it near me.
  11. Linen closet. Our linen closet is too small for ANYTHING to fit in there, so I really need empty, disperse to other homes and totally declutter.
  12. Cat toys/supplies All beheaded and gutted stuffies are tossed upon witnessing their demise. Otherwise, contained and under control.Cat face
  13. Shoes Considering I don’t buy a lot of shoes because my feet are so bad, it is quite bizarre how many pairs are littered about throughout the house. If there was a place for the laundry basket to live other than in front of the closet door, I wonder if more would find a home in there? Probably can toss a few more pair.Disappointed smile
  14. Jewelry box/hair do-dads. Taken care of.
  15. Quilt fabrics IMPOSSIBLE!!! I DID the impossible. I folded all my fabrics and stored it in bins on the shelves in the studio. While doing that, I was able to purge a small amount and gave them to a single mother I know who is learning to quilt. ALL my fabric is in a container, most of the containers are in one location. (all in the studio)
  16. Quilt books HARD!!! But done. See Above. Of course I needed the space for the new ones. Quilt show is next week.Angel
  17. Quilt patterns HARD!!!  Ditto.
  18. Art supplies HARD!!! Haven’t even made an attempt.
  19. Paintbrushes/paints HARD!!!! See above.
  20. Glues and adhesives HARD!!!! See above.
  21. Papercrafting/scrapbooking HARD!!! (Ahem, cough cough) Ditto.
  22. Jewelry making HARD!!! You must be kidding! It is however CONTAINED. It all stays in one location, in containers designed to hold it, and seriously needs some editing.
  23. Magazines HARD!!! Done.
  24. CD’s HARD!!! Done. All 4500+ songs are on my iTunes/iPod. I bought two large CD books, tossed all the jewel cases, sleeved everything. Saved one shoebox full of interesting liner notes and the Christmas CD’s were not part of this. If I go into Goodwill one more time, I will need another book.Surprised smile
  25. Books HARD!!!! But, done. To Be Read (TBR)  are all in the bedroom on the headboard shelf. Keepers that have been read are on all the other bookshelves. Buying a Nook certainly has made this a doable goal. I didn’t get rid of any reference books.School
  26. Kitchen cabinets/pantry. Is this ever done?
  27. Photographs HARD!!! Digitally, I am half way there. Hard copies? HAH!Nyah-Nyah

Areas of interest not in my 27.

The den. That is Timmy’s domain. When we had the carpet installed the room was emptied, and he did his own version of de-cluttering while putting everything back.

The Attic. I have this small window of time that I can comfortably get up there and work. The location stinks. There isn’t enough room to stand up straight, the floor isn’t solid. And a lot of stuff got shoved up there during the carpet. But I was very careful sending things back up after Christmas, so I feel confident that Christmas can be moved to one side.

The Garage and Shed. Timmy’s domain, and he is interested in getting a shed that will pass inspection and then he can clean out the garage. ( He has this idea of putting a CAR in there? Anyone heard of such a novel use for a garage??)

How about a SUCCESS photo??

THE GUEST ROOM!

2011 2 15IMG_5982

New carpet, new bed. The bed has three full depth drawers under it. The wicker box under the window holds a lot of linens (see linen closet, above)

The bookshelves have ALL my genealogical stuff and old family letters and photos. The basket in front is temporary because I have an art show that I am getting photos ready for. (and the closet is de-cluttered, too)

I had a cancellation for next weekend. I’ll leave the light on!

OK, so I’ve fessed up. How are YOU doing??

Edit Attaching this link to a very interesting article…

Slacking…

Yes, I am a slacker. My 27 thing fling verve and vigor have evaporated. I can talk the talk, but walking the walk—well, it is a hard row to hoe.

Mini-vacation time is popping up here with regularity. A quick weekend here, a few days there, add a holiday gathering out of state, and my days off seem to be travel days, not stay at home and putter days. Then, when  I do have some free time, it’s used editing photos, or reading a book, or doing basic household chores and simply NOT keeping up with my flinging.

Part of the reason is very obvious to me. The easy parts are semi-done. It is all hard from here on in. We are talking studio flinging time! Uugh.  I can see possibilities in almost everything that sits in this room.  There is even a sign–

  • “I am not a squanderer. I have what I have because I keep it and not because I save it. Why should I throw away that which was kind enough to reach my hands?” (Pablo Picasso).

And to me, it is true. I think I mentioned once before, how when my cousin lived with me, he loved that he could ask for anything, and I could go into my craft closet and pull it out, or pull something that could do the job. It saved me many a late night trip to the craft store when my daughter needed a project for school. But there are no children here, and no grandchildren on the horizon that would benefit from the overflow of things in this room. I have to own this stuff. It is MINE.

And I want it. All of it. So therefore the thought of flinging this room, abandoning the possibilities of so much– it has paralyzed me. I think that is why I have glossed over the actual counting in the last few flings. I have been subconsciously trying to forget I need to keep flinging! (Do I need to or just want to?? Why do I want to?)

I guess now is when I need you, the reader, to stay on top of me! Make me accountable! Tell me of your success stories, give me some encouragement and make me do this!!!

I do know that one thing I think I will try to do is also add a 27 minute clean to my routine. That’s less time than I get for my lunch hour, and it goes by fast enough then! In those 27 minutes I think that re-enforcing the previously flung areas, clearing surfaces, returning things to their homes– the kind of busy work that just has stopped being a part of my normal routine. Once upon a time, when I lived in a two-story home, the rule was don’t go up or down the stairs without taking something with you. Being in a ranch for 7 years, I have lost that habit. I am trying consciously to keep my hands full.

I believe that 27 minutes will be an amazing amount of time—if I don’t get sidetracked. I  don’t think I can do it while cooking dinner, for example. Unless it’s already in the oven and can be walked away from for 27 minutes. I guess I will have to set my stopwatch on my phone to keep me honest. That and the shuffle on the Ipod….