February Appointments with Our Organizers, 2013

[Harriet]

What organizer? The organizer who knows more about your household and what it needs than any other in the world. The one who doesn't have to spend any time learning about your hopes, or finding out which areas bug you most, because she already knows. YOU ! If you will keep appointments that are just the equivalent of 15 minutes a day, you will not only have hired the finest organizing help anywhere to be found, you'll have gotten her to provide 8 hours of free decluttering, streamlining and straightening for your home by the end of the month!

How did the first month of 2013 work out for you and your organizer? Can you get along with her? Did you get in lots of appointments or a few marathon clean-outs? Is she on time for your appointments, or do you tap your foot waiting, saying, "dear me. that woman." ? So glad we each found someone we respect!

February is the month we're reminded to nurture our loved ones and give tokens of appreciation. How can we nurture loved ones through organizing and decluttering their surroundings (or the surroundings they'll find when they visit us)?

[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
1/28/2013 - Decluttering in laundry area as we Focus Clean in closets
2/04/2013 - Decluttering in storage areas as we Focus Clean in laundry
2/11/2013 - Decluttering outdoors as we Focus Clean in storage areas
2/18/2013 - Decluttering in kitchen as we Focus Clean outdoors
2/25/2013 - Decluttering in living room as we Focus Clean in kitchen

[Nancy]

Hummm I was mixed up thinking this was a thread about the planners and what to do for the month. Re-thinking this and can't believed it's taken me a mo. to figure it out.

Red shoes and purse going to the donations for this mo.
I'm looking ahead to Feb. and thinking what I need
to declutter ~ stuff in the yard and trash in
the utility trailer needs to be hauled off.

I got a couple piles of papers sorted & tossed some in the trash put away others so my office is looking mega better now! Yea for progress on the surfaces in there dressers mostly. Some school papers kids drawings etc.
Got some things in order for tax prep. as well.

[Ivy]

I worked on our spare room today, which is called MY "bunny room", where my collection is. I put a lot of yarn away, I got yarn totes together for an afghan project, I started reading through a file, which will be filed into the office filing cabinet when done reading it, and I have more to do in there.

I have some crochet patterns to file, I found a file with old, old writing in it, which "might" prove to be "usable" by myself.

I also have a mess on my side of the long office shelves, in the main office, where DH's computer is, but my printer, paper, and a lot of papers for pen palling, and other things are. Of course the messy side is mine. I don't dare touch HIS side because he saves things for --- a rainy day? But the shelves need to be tidied and decluttered.

I also have an idea AND a question: I have several crocheted facecloths/dishcloths. I don't use dishcloths in the kitchen, we use a sponge. I've got too many old faded, yet useful facecloths/dishcloths and rather than throw them away, I'm thinking of keeping the ones, which look good still, for my face/body and the faded ones can be stacked under the sinks in the 3 bathrooms, the utility room, and kitchen. I can use them for cleaning, dusting off the dryer/washer, and make good use out of them, plus they'll be encouraging me to keep the bathrooms, utility room and kitchen cleaner. I use crocheted hand towels to clean the granite tile in the kitchen, but there is nothing chiseled in stone- or granite for that matter- which states that I cannot use a smaller version of a towel, which is a dishcloth, which is dried with my cleaning supplies. So rather than throw these items in the garbage landfill, I think I'm better off hanging onto them, to help keep motivated and put them to good use.

How does that sound to you?

[Harmony]

Sounds just about right, Ivy! I made a beautiful turquoise dishcloth about a year ago, knitted, and it's as soft as can be and just the right size. However, it's the wrong yarn and doesn't absorb water AT ALL so it's totally useless! Dumb mistake. I guess I should toss that. Just wish it wasn't so pretty!

[Nancy]

Ivy I give hubby the clothes I'm done with in the house for cleaning the cars and outside stuff.

While listening to some pod casts on line I've been spiffing up my office dusting de-cluttering and it's time well spent this room is much more enjoyable now that I've spent time on it this week yea with some focused attn.!

[Ivy]

Nancy, It's good your DH can re-use old clothes.

I went through a big fat file, read the print-outs in them, on fibromyalgia, pacing out your day, goals, etc... PMA, and then put it away, in the filing cabinet. So there is ONE file done, from the bunny room stack!

Then, because I didn't get around to putting the baby girl patterns back into their page protectors in the baby patterns binder, I'll be able to sort through them again. I decided to keep back a few dresses patterns, we bought a box of mailers, and I can mail 1 dress at a time, in a mailer to Megan's parents.

I organized the eating bar end shelves last night, but found dust there. I didn't dust last night, but I'll dust those shelves today!

I'm also still going by my OMM list, too.

[ellyphant]

Recycling dropped off today. Returned library book and donated another book. Old pair of jeans thrown away...found a new pair on the clearance rack at store!

Good work, everyone!

[Harriet]

Embarrassed to say that it was the morning after I had slept so poorly that Kidney Foundation was to come (not specifically to me but they had called our area) and I neglected to get a bag out to the road for them. I hope that sort of thing is not too much trouble for them. I suppose it may cross the driver's mind that anything can happen, including even the bags being stolen, but I would so much rather have something present for them to pick up. I know they are mostly volunteer.

[Ivy]

Harriet, I'm sure the driver will understand that "Life Happens" and sometimes these things happen, too.

I got out a journal where I've written every room in it, every drawer, shelf, cabinet, etc... in the house. I plan on slowly going through it as I declutter, crossing things off or putting a check mark beside what I've done, so I can rotate and re-do things in 6 months or so. I'm planning on decluttering the house before the dgrsons come to visit this summer to help DH with firewood.