Update of list!

 Even though I don't have them numbered on the sidebar, the list has been getting shorter and shorter (above the 'done' line). I'm posting some photos of the cleaned out closets... (and a before of the cellar one).

If you want to see the before photos, you need to check out two posts back. Pretty congested.

This is all the stuff that no one claims, so I recycled some (gave the hand lotions-extra dry- to my mom, brought the little 'sample' hand lotions to my work -we have a basket in the ladies room for all to use). The rest... I tossed out!! Yup! (THAT was hard to do, but I did it)

This is the before photo looking down into the cellar closet. It's got clothes that no one even knows are there and boxes of air. Yes. I said 'air'. I've kept boxes of small appliances (microwave, sewing machines, etc) for .... I'm not sure what. Well, I got rid of them.

This is the same section of the closet cleaned out.
I even found a lined jacket that I've been missing for almost 5-6 months!! My favorite, too!!!

This is the before as you come around the cellar stairs and look directly into the closet (it travels off to the right).

And this is the almost fully cleaned out section (I turned the white shelves).

If I took a photo of it NOW, all the clothes hanging (that you can see in this photo) are gone. As soon as hubby came home from work, he went through these coats-they were all his-...

Now it's really clean. It feels great!!

The List

I know there is a book called "The List", but this isn't it.

THIS is IT!

This is really about me trying to be efficient, organized and productive.
I'm on a 5 week layoff (seasonal- happens every year, it seems), and I'll have another one (same length of time) when I've been back for 5 wks. Actually, that's the best one, since it's springtime!

I told the girls at work, I'm gonna get things done this year. (I always have high expectations, but don't ever get as much done as I'd like). I've figured out how to do it though.... Make the list. "But...", you say, "what is different this time?" I figure I ALWAYS write my appointments on the calendar. And they get attended to. SO! I'm gonna put the items on my "list" on specific days in the calendar!!  When my mom wants to come over or go to lunch, I'll have to look at my calendar and schedule things for fun around them! Brilliant, huh?
There may be certain things that I won't have to put on the calendar (doing taxes, filing for unemployment,etc), but I WILL be productive and I WILL feel as though things got done, by the time I return to work! I'm famous for starting something, getting distracted in the middle of it, then not finishing it for a while. Yes, procrastinating is a 'close' word for it, but that means I put it off and ... well, .... I DO START them (most of the time). I even told Missy at work, I was gonna even put a 'time of day' to start things (she laughed... so did JoJo). Okay, I may not quite do THAT, but if it helps, I will.

Here goes.....

So. Are you ready?? I've started the linen closet (#1). That's been bugging me the longest! Top shelf emptied out and only the things I'm gonna keep are put back on it. Now it's only half full. It also made me realize that I need new sheets! (could this get expensive? Hope not). I put most of the 'stuff from the top shelf in the bathroom--yeah, I know. That's gonna be added to the list later.

The next shelf is the medicine part, so that will take most of the afternoon, but it will feel great when it's done. Back to work (see, this is how I don't finish stuff. I get distracted by -the computer- and don't get 'fully ' back to it. But this time, I will.

OH, AND I found some things that DON"T belong in this closet. My grandson's toys! (well, the toilet seat isn't a toy...) I think this is where mom 'hides' the toys she takes away from him when he's punished. I'll have to find a box to put them in.(They still live here, for the moment).

ps.... Did you notice # 17  on the list? Writing this just checked that off!

Promising start

It's always a great day when my daughter and her son head out for the day. Not to say I don't love them, but it's nice to think you can get so much done when they are gone. Our intentions are always one thing, but we did get some things started and that's better than where they were.

Intentions:

Lee: work until 1pm, then come home and unclog the drain in the tub (in the cellar, which means clear the cellar of Julie's stuff- Malakai's bed, foam tiles off the floor-in case of spills-, toys put away, etc).

Me: clean the den. This includes the piles of mail/papers/magazines/assorted stuff that's on the loveseat; clear the computer desks; sort and file papers that I don't need to do anything with; throw out papers that are too old to be of use; pack quilts into lined-wicker basket and make the room neat again. (What you don't see above is to the left of this photo on the floor in front of the closet, is a pretty wicker basket that should have quilts in it--but has a quilt in it, topped with magazines that I want to go through before I throw them out.) That stand with the cardboard mag holders (on left of loveseat) is really too much stuff in this room, but haven't decided what to do with the stuff it's holding. I don't think it will fit in the file cabinet. This room tends to be a 'catch-all, obviously.

Me: also, clean up the kitchen and plan something nice for dinner for just Lee & I.

In theory, this would have been wonderful.

What really happened....

Lee: worked until 1pm- check!
Lee: went on the computer, until my mom came over and we ready to leave... (see below)-- But some of the mess is cleared out. The box by the coffee table has magazines and genealogy stuff in it and really has to be gone through to sort into the right binder (I've been into genealogy for almost 30 yrs and have each surname I research in a separate 3-ring binder.)-- And some of the stuff on the coffee table is from my hubby when he came home from work today.

Me: cleaned out the den of quilts (put this storage container in living room, so it can be used when there is a chilly evening)- Results: This means more floor space- check! (see to the right corner--floor!) The bookcase is another day, believe me. LOL

Me: Cleared off the loveseat (of papers)... except now the cat has decided I did this for him. Not. (I scooted him off before taking the photo.)
 --However, where did those papers go?

Me: Some of those papers DID go in the trash...okay. More than some. However, there are now a few more papers on the computer desk, and they are almost in piles that are organized together (except for the ones that were there originally- but they're at the bottom of the piles now on the desk--see previous photo).
Me: did get a box (of 'stuff' thrown into the box to check out 'in a minute') cleared out completely and the box got thrown out in the trash. Results: One box down, more floor space.
Me: Found two pocketbooks that were 'broken' (one with a ripped strap and the other, had the strap holding on literally by one thread) and cleaned them out and threw them to the trash (no they are not fixable). Results: This only gave me more space on the loveseat.
Me: Found a box on the coffee table in the den that had clothes from the dryer on it (mine) that had our old DVD player in it. Still workable, we just happened to have been given a blu-ray player and I'd already hooked that up. I folded the clothes and put them on the staircase to take to my room, boxed up the old dvd player and put it in the cellar. Results: More space on the coffee table.
Me: had lunch...salad and toast.
Oops: mom stopped by. Well, come on, if you're 83 yr old mom stopped by, wouldn't you visit? I did. And I'm not sorry, my work got interrupted. The visit was nice... until we went to say goodbye. I'm not sure WHO suggested playing cards (hand and foot)...but the next thing you know, there we were. At the table, playing cards. 2 hrs later, she whooped our behinds!! Then she merrily went on her merry way and now Lee is in the garage (well, hey, the door was open) and I'm here updating how productive my cleaning was. Because I did such a great job, I'm gonna continue cleaning and may even post photos (I DID take some before photos, although I'm embarrassed to show them. This is what happens when you put things off. And I do. sometimes....
Ok. Really. I'm going.
Now.
Almost.

Okay, I did get half the kitchen done. not the island counter (which seems to be the catcha-all area). I can only control half of that, since Julie isn't here and a third of it is hers.
We're not done yet, but it's an improvement and a start!
AND we got to go to the movies!! (That was my reward for getting so much done in 1/2 a day).
THEN... I crashed!

Cleaning frenzy!

I thought I'd be soooo bummed if I didn't do more quilting/sewing while on my 2-month layoff.

I'm not.

BECAUSE.... I've gotten all those things I said I 'should be finding time to do", done or I'm still working on. I never knew how much stuff I held onto until I started tossing. And I mean TOSSING! I have a box at the ready, at any given time, that has been carried off to our church for their annual May Fair. I'm only sad because today is the last day they'll take stuff (although the woman in charge has told me to 'keep going' and she'll take it). I just don't think I can do it to her. So I'm gonna either 'pitch it' or post it on Freecycle (a website to recycle things).

I am reorganizing files in my file cabinet and THROWING THINGS AWAY!!! (I need to show my husband this post...) AND I'm rearranging rooms that I didn't plan to. I always thought I needed an emergency visit from Peter Walsh (Oprah's de-clutter man). I think I can do this myself....Well, I have to go. See you on the clean side.... (Just think if I'd posted before and after pictures! Maybe I will.....but I'll put them in a post called Before and after). I just have to remember that it gets worse before it can get better( due to the sorting process).

Start of my Lay-off 2009

Well, tomorrow starts my lay-off. I know it's seasonal, and I know it's for only 2 months, so I guess I can breathe better, knowing I don't have to go out and look for work. Last year, I had one month, so you can tell the economy has affected us, too. At least I have a job. Friends have said I should look anyway, but I've put in 18 years and have 4wks vacation and 1 wk personal. Not much other benefits.

I hope to see if we can refinance and get our interest rate down (presently at 6.25%)and the monthly payment down, so I'll do that tomorrow. Also, hope to get some repairs done on the house that are sorely needed (will check with my brother and a co-workers husband), then see how much is left to do the 'beautifying things'. Or not.

Our church has an annual Fair that I'm co-chairing, so I hope to clear out some stuff (de-clutter) and maybe do the painting myself (I just hate the 'prep'work).

I've gotten some time to sew lately... that's always good. Maybe I'll finish staining the doors that my brother put in there last year (or was it the year before?...). I feel like I need to clean the house before someone comes in to work on it, so they don't see my mess! LOL ... (Maybe it's because my brother's wife has a cleaning lady, but will a guy notice?? probably him, yes...LOL)