July Appointments for Declutter and Organization, 2013

[Harriet]

We are at the
EXACT HALF POINT OF THE YEAR!

What a wonderful time to start something anew, to make a plan, to dream a little dream of what could be by 2014. Join us for at least 15 minutes a day, set aside as a decluttering appointment with your lovely home!

And share with us "where you are" with your own decluttering in relation to the 2013 calendar! How will you keep track of "where you're going" with your decluttering for the next half-year? Will you track, calendar, schedule, MAP , or perhaps weigh those outgoing bags?

What about compliments? Do be sure to let your decluttering friends know about them!

[Harriet]

Some of us are following the Focus cleaning schedule in the Organization and Simplification Tools forum, and it might be helpful to declutter those rooms one week ahead. Focus cleaning is adaptable, of course, so even those following it drift in and out of different rooms as needed.

Here's a reference if you hope to find some friends decluttering in the same room "with" you each week.

Week of.........you'll find some of us

7/1/2013 - Decluttering the laundry area as we Focus Clean closets
7/8/2013 - Decluttering storage as we Focus Clean the laundry
7/15/2013 - Decluttering outdoors as we Focus Clean storage
7/22/2013 - Decluttering the kitchen as we Focus Clean outdoors
7/29/2013 - Decluttering the living room as we Focus Clean the kitchen

[Nancy]

Trash day round up for this week has begun.

[Ivy]

I wanted to say how I'm taking magazines, which I'm in, from 2006 - 2013, and I'm writing down the title of the magazine, month, and year. Then I write the title of what I wrote, if it was non-fiction, fiction or a poem or pet photo. I worked really hard last week, to put different magazine titles per their own stack, per year, in chronological order leaving Jan. issues on top through the year until Dec. issues on the bottom. This mess was all over the bunny room desk, it's uncomfortable to sit at the desk because of osteoarthritic hips and sacrum, etc... So....

I've put each stack on the taller pub dining room table, which I can stand at. I'm almost finished logging 2006, which was my most prolific year, until this year came along. I had 2 years, 2010 and 2011, where I barely sold anything, but I assumed the company went out-of-business. I wasn't being paid for what I was writing either, so I stopped. But then, months later, right before they did go bankrupt, they paid me in full! I was so fortunate! Now I work for a different company, love my editor and co-writer friends, belong to a group of them and I'm getting "carried away". I MUST have this magazine-logging job done by July 4 at noon. I would love to be done by noon on July 3. The magazines are going onto a long narrow office table in tidy magazine holders. What doesn't fit will go into baskets. So this is my project I'm working on right now. It's so time-consuming, but luckily, a year or two ago, I wrote in magic marker on the cover of every magazine, what page I'm on, so it eases needing to flip through the pages or trying to find myself in the front.

[Ivy]

I've decluttered the dining room table! I've gotten 77 items published between 2006 - 2013, so far, and the year's not over yet. There were 2 issues I need to study more closely to see which story I wrote. They left off by-lines and change titles. Anyway, it was enjoyable to go through the stacks of magazines, put them back into magazine organizers into the main office. I'm leaving 2012 and 2013 out, which was with the new company. I might put them into my small office in magazine organizers, but need to find a place, and as I look around, well.....

[Nancy]

Have the trash out to the curb with a few extra things I was able to make progress tossing yea for the exercise that gave me as a bonus!

[Ivy]

I put the last of the magazines, for 2012 - 2013, in a magazine organizer in my office, where I can get to them to review short stories by myself and others. Also, since the dining room table was tidy, except for vinyl place mats with kids coming on 4th of July, I'm leaving them to stay put, but I hung up DH's jacket, which was on one of the dining room chairs.

Then, I reorganized my end table top, made an eyeball inspection of the other one, which is fine the way it is, so those are done. Now I'm watering a plant from the bookcase in the great room.

I hung up clothes, which were lightweight cotton loungers from last night and this morning, put them away, but I'm keeping out my stretchy denim leggings to wear tomorrow while we do housework.

I got home from the dental cleaning, put away my file, receipt of payment, the toothbrushes, floss and my night guard. I found out the toothpaste I was using takes tooth enamel away, because of harsh abrasive things to whiten my teeth. I thought it was a good thing. It also is making my roots more sensitive, because this type of toothpaste is harsh on the teeth roots. So she recommended Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash for me, because of my medications causing dry mouth. I have 2 tubes of Biotene and put the "other" toothpaste in the guest/main bathroom for the boys. DH bought them each a toothbrush, in case they forget theirs, and I got a free one with floss today, too.

[BookSaver]

Donated 3 pieces of fabric to the "freebie" table at sewing group tonight. That doesn't sound like much, but I didn't have time to sort out any more. I knew I would not get around to sewing with them for several months so better to offer them to someone else.

All 3 pieces were quickly picked up by members who sounded very happy to have them.

[Ivy]

Decluttered & dusted the main office, bunny room, great room, dining room, & the bedroom is next. The bathrooms are decluttered & clean except for the master bathroom. Need to do kitchen counters, declutter then, & clean the master bathroom, too.

[Ivy]

I read more than 7 magazines, I saved 3, for special items for me for future reference, but I ditched 7 magazines into recycle. Out they go!

Also, I took DH's magazines, from the bottom shelf of his end table and put them in my silver box, on my lower end table shelf, where I store magazines. I'll read at leisure, cutting items out for pen pals, as I go.

I need to go round up my list of declutter items to do now, to rewrite, so it's on hand in my end table drawer, refreshing my mind, while the grandsons stay for 10 days.