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Category: Decluttering/Organizing

Spring Cleaning

Blog365 Decluttering/Organizing 7 Comments

My plan for today is to do some spring cleaning. However, right now I’m reading about it. Why actually do the cleaning when you can peruse a million different ideas about it on the Internet?

My thoughts for a quick spring cleaning this year are really to just do a top to bottom cleaning and clearing of the entire house.

The top part usually presents challenges as I’m not super tall. So, the ceilings and ceiling fans might not get the treatment they deserve. A little is better than none, I think.

Some of the spring cleaning I’d like to do in the coming weeks:

Top

Clean the vent fan in the bathroom

Dust some light fixtures/ceiling fans

Clean off the top of the fridge (maybe the cabinets as well *if* I can get my husband to help)

Clear the ceiling corner cobwebs

Bonus item: I’d love it if I could talk my husband into repainting a few of our ceilings but that’s low odds

Middle

Wipe off all the kitchen cabinets

Dust pictures

Clean windows/curtains (I know I have this on my to do list for the week for some reason)

Clear off some cluttered surfaces/clean them when clear/hopefully get rid of some stuff

Refresh the mattresses

Bottom

Finally, we are almost to the end of the spring cleaning!

Wash all the floors and vents and add a drop of peppermint oil to them

Basement Bonus

Last one, clean off the desk down here and go through more tubs

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Before I leave here to actually go do this cleaning, tell me do you do a full spring cleaning? What’s on your list?

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Day 78/365

 

Basement Camp off to Slow Start

Chitchat Decluttering/Organizing No Comments

Well, my basement camp is off to a slow start.

I can see small differences but over all it feels a bit like a bigger mess than when I began. Not really following a set plan but doing what seems most needed and what I think will help make the space feel better. Some of these items were way overdue.

basement
A picture from before I started

Thought I’d just list out what I’ve done so far.

Monday Accomplishments:

We have a trundle type daybed down here partially broken though still functional. So my husband had to fix/replace the bed risers to get the 2nd mattress to go back underneath it.

Before replacing the mattress, I took the opportunity to deodorize (found an old jar of carpet fresh sprinkle stuff…a bonus declutter item!) and vacuum underneath it.

Washed the sheet from the bottom mattress though I need to replace it still.

Vacuumed part of the area in front of the bed.

Pulled down some hanging backpacks from when the boys were in elementary school (high school and college now!) to donate. Started a bag of books to sell to the used book store. Not looking to get rich from the books but figure that’s the best course for them.

Monday Distractions:

A late start because I had to run to the grocery store, wanted to post on my blog, and do a little laundry.

Also, I had to go pick my son up for lunch in the middle of my progress. He’s been wanting to just come home and eat lunch so far this week.

We had to go to the hardware store to get the risers. They actually lift the bed up too high so we’ll need to find a different set somewhere. That turned into another side errand with my husband so we could look at new doors and keyless entry knobs. Someone stole our neighbor’s truck Sunday evening/Monday morning and I’m no longer comfortable leaving the key in the mailbox as we’d been doing for our youngest son sometimes.

Tuesday Accomplishments

I’m not finished yet so I might have other items to come back and add. It was another slow start though.

Wiped off TV and TV stand (we have 2 remotes down here and neither seem to go to the TV so I do need to solve that mystery)

Vacuumed area in front of TV stand

Decluttered a trash can not in use and an old step stool

Shredded a huge pile of old paid bills that were just sitting on the TV stand

Had husband take down super dusty blinds that provide privacy from stairs (kind of a make-shift 3rd wall) and set them up outside. Washed them with some dish soap and sprayed off with the hose.

Fixed arms to my computer chair with duct tape (chair is very old but so comfortable that we just fix instead of replace)

basement

Tuesday Distractions

Husband decided in the morning we should go take care of some banking business that we both needed to be present to do.

Stopped to take pictures of trash and recycle bins for “evidence” in ongoing battle with our trash service. Had to figure out how to set the date/time stamp on one of the cameras. Turned out to be a mute point as they actually picked up our stuff today. (I need to turn the date stamp back off now)

Had to pick up J from band camp as he wanted to come home for lunch.

Writing this post.

On My Basement Camp List

As I “attend” my basement camp, I’ve been making a list of the items I need for down here. Here’s what is on my list so far:

  1. Duct tape (sounds a bit ominous but it’s just to fix my computer chair)
  2. Rechargeable stick vacuum
  3. cedar balls
  4. Big tub for extra blankets (I’m giving up on space bags which always seem to get holes in them)
  5. A tub for each of our sons to keep their yearbooks and school papers stored
  6. A small bin/tub for my boost file (it’s outgrowing the folder a bit and I need to store some of it)

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Although it doesn’t feel like I’ve done much, it’s been such a mess down here that even the tiniest bits should help during my basement camp week. I keep reminding myself of one of Gretchen Rubin’s secrets of adulthood: 

Things often get messier before they get tidier. 

 

I’m hoping to make the area nice for when the kids want to have friends over so they can have this space back as a hangout spot again.

Are you cleaning or decluttering any areas of your home? How’s it going?

 

 

 

Happy February Rudolph Day and A Declutter Update

40bagsin40days Decluttering/Organizing Rudolph Day 2 Comments

Somehow, I went from a slow week without much planned to a busy one. Happens that way though doesn’t it?

I went from not working at all to working yesterday, half a day today, tomorrow, and all of next week!

Thought I better pop on here and share my Rudolph Day plans (it’s going to be a quick Rudolph day morning now) and the promised update on my decluttering challenge.

Let’s start with the fun stuff.

Rudolph Day Plans

As I mentioned above, it’s going to be more of a Rudolph morning than entire day over here. However, I might circle back and do some of the suggestions after work. Depends on how the half-day work day unfolds.

Started with eating my flip yogurt in the Peppermint crunch flavor for breakfast. And I do have a hot chocolate packet to enjoy later. Snickerdoodle intrigued me for February.

If I had time, I’d be tempted to throw together a batch of snickerdoodle cookies to enjoy along side it. And of course, to share with my family.

The Rudolph Day suggestions for February include:

  1. Starting a holiday letter. However, I’ve not done a holiday letters for quite a few years
  2. Devise a plan for Christmas cash. Remember the days of Christmas club accounts? Sadly, not really much of a thing anymore.
  3. Keep adding to the gift closet.
  4. And just for fun, get ready for Saint Patrick’s Day. Happily, I picked up a Christmas themed green sugar cookie mix on clearance in mid-January (Don’t worry I checked the expiration date) to give new life as shamrock cookies in March.

Since I’m on limited time this month, I’ll probably just drink my hot chocolate and maybe jot down a few gift ideas in my Christmas notebook. Still, I might also order a few early Christmas gifts. In 2019, I purchased 2 Christmas gifts each month and it worked out very well.   

Hopefully, my March Rudolph Day is a bit more exciting. (And yes, I mentioned taking every Rudolph day off work but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Actually, do things ever go as planned?)

Let’s move on to the fun of cleaning up after the Christmas season.

Declutter Update

Mentioned a week ago about following along with the 40 bags in 40 days for the Lenten season. You can read that post here. I’ve been doing pretty good with the daily clear outs. And I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it’s all currently sitting in the trunk of my car! Definitely, an item for the weekend agenda.

However, it’s also exciting because it means I’m making some progress!

I started with the art supply/craft/cookbook/birdseed holding cabinet. Hey, why limit myself to a junk drawer? I have an entire junk cabinet! However, my husband hates it and wants to replace it with something else. So, in an effort to appease, I finally gave it a serious declutter.

Before:

After:

Another area I tackled: the other side of our pantry. We keep the trash bags and medicines plus paper towels and tp there. Weird combination, I know.

Before and after:

Last, I opted to change locations and concentrate in the main bathroom.

Under the sink’s been bothering me for a while now. It wasn’t awful just annoying. And then, I wanted to lighten the look on the back of the toilet a bit.

Before and After

You’ll see below I actually added more to under the sink but I wanted to do it. The cleaning supplies were just sitting on the floor of the bathroom due to lack of space. Now they have a home.

My husband recently added a cabinet back on the bathroom wall for me so I’m currently debating how I want the bathroom to look.

And here’s the project I’m procrastinating to the weekend:

Ugh. Part of the issue, besides all the junk, is the shelves here are not standard size. Maybe I’ll ask my husband if he can adjust them for me.

Other (not pictured) projects included a chair in our bedroom and helping J clean and clear off his dresser and desk. With working a full week next week, I’ll probably aim to keep the declutter projects on the smaller side.

Are you working on any decluttering projects?

Blooming Again?

Before I end my post, mainly because I don’t want to leave you with the image of my nightmarish hall linen closet in your brain, how about an amaryllis update?

I started watering the bulb again in late January without much hope and then, it started growing. And it’s still growing:

Perhaps I’ll have a bloom or two by the next Rudolph day? (This morning I noticed a second smaller bud  on the other side).

If you’re wondering about the plant in the yellow pot, it’s my lemon tree. Purchased it on clearance around Valentine’s Day and all the leaves died and fell off! Froze the poor thing taking it from the store to the car. However, all hope is not lost as I noticed a teeny tiny leaf emerging from it yesterday.

Here’s to happier spring and summer days to come!

Forty Days

40bagsin40days Decluttering/Organizing No Comments

Today’s the first day of Lent. And while I’m not Catholic, I have heard of giving something up for Lent. And I somewhat knew about the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge. This year after reading about it a bit, I’ve decided to participate.

The Basic Premise

You can find the detailed ideas and outline of the challenge over on the The White House Black Shutters blog.  However, the basic plan is simple: declutter one area of your home for the next 40 days. So, I guess I’m giving up clutter for Lent.

Bit of a Head Start

I do already have a box of items to donate sitting in our bedroom. However, I guess it wouldn’t be fair to count that box. Also, on Sunday, I did a small declutter project. It was before I thought about doing this. Again, probably not fair to count it. Yet, I still want to show my results.

What I’ve not quite affectionately been referring to as “the kitchen tower of doom”

A close-up of the mish mash:

And the new look after I cleared and organized:

Not completely done but much better.

Items about the new look I really like:
  • Cookbooks on the top, deciding still on others to display
  • The new “office” shelf. Been trying to figure out a pretty way to store a bit of mail/paperwork in the kitchen until I’m ready for it. The boys each have their own cardboard bin for their mail/paperwork. My husband and I are sharing one. It’s mostly filled with bills anyway.
  • The continued convenience of the sugar and flour easily accessible. Want to make labels (suggestion of J who thinks sugar and flour look a lot alike, inexperienced cook there)
Items still pending:
  • husband is uncertain about moving the potato and onion bins down a shelf because of the proximity of a heat vent.
  • His BBQ spray bottle and the foil he stores there. No idea what to do with those items. Don’t live by myself. Hardest part when it comes to organizing, all those other people! Ha.
  • I did move the chocolate chips and almond bark (used it on Valentine’s Day actually) to the pantry

My Plan For the Next 40 Days

One thing that appealed to me about this is the flexibility of it. I did print the check lists but it’s up to me what areas I pick on what days. Since I did a big clear out of the kitchen last year and it’s remarkably stayed fairly decent, I’m probably starting with the hallway between the kitchen and backdoor.

There’s a cabinet of doom there that my husband’s been asking to me to remove for years. However, it’s FULL. It’s also right by the backdoor. Might be a bit too cold to work there today. I did one side of the pantry earlier in the month. Did I ever share my photos? Can’t remember.

The other non-food side of the pantry isn’t as pretty. It holds medicines, brunch serving dishes, and drink mixes (tea and hot chocolate). Perhaps I’ll focus on it today. There’s also a cleaning alcove (very small) in the hallway that needs help.

Hopefully, I’ll remember to take my before and after photos. Then, every 7 days or so, I’ll share my progress.

Time to Start

Well, now that I’ve shared the plan, it’s time to start in on it. Plus, I’m getting a bit cold in the basement. Odd, it’s usually a bit warmer down here.

Are you giving up anything for Lent? Or working on a decluttering/organizing project? Let me know.

 

 

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