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Post by drsarah on Jun 4, 2016 19:18:43 GMT
Doubt I'll get very far with it, but it was half term this week so I had some more spare time, and goodness knows I need to declutter, so have been having a crack at the missions so far. Would love to hear from anyone else who is also!
#1 - Hall table
I don't have a hall table, so I cleared off the stairs, which definitely needed it - major hot spot in our house.
#2 - Dining room table
Another major hot spot, so I feel a lot better for getting that done.
#3 - Front porch
#4 - Coat closet
Same thing in our case - we don't have a separate coat closet. Ours is actually not too bad now since we hired The Skip last year and got rid of a whole bunch of junk (it is so nice not having the old pushchair taking up space any more) but we didn't do the coats/boots/hats/gloves at the time, so I did those. I've been meaning to go through the bag of hats and gloves as I know we have a lot of outgrown or odd gloves which it was worth getting rid of, and I also finally cleared out that coat I regretted buying but never felt I could chuck after spending money on it, and the denim jacket I used to love but that's now completely worn through at the collar (hmmm... maybe I'll keep that for sentimental reasons, but it felt good to get rid of the other one). Also found a few outgrown coats of the children that I hadn't realised were still there, and some shoes we could get rid of. Again, a good session of work!
Rest of June will be quite a bit busier - who knows how many others I'll have time to do. Still, feeling nicely inspired at the moment, and even if I only do those ones it's still been enough to make a difference!
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Post by medusahair on Jun 5, 2016 4:23:35 GMT
Going to try drsarah  Good Luck |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 5, 2016 16:26:24 GMT
Good luck, Medusahair! How's it going? #5 - front of fridge
Had a look at the front of the fridge, but actually decided to leave everything that's there. Certificates the kids got at school, which I want to leave up. Novelty magnets which I like. Half of the Kings-of-England list that goes with a set of magnets (lots of them are now lost, but I like the ones that are still there). The pad and pencil for the weekly shopping list, of course. I like it all the way it is, so I won't move anything unless one of the children comes home with another certificate and I want to move something to make room for it. |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 6, 2016 17:01:00 GMT
#6 - cupboard under kitchen sink
Again, pretty much left this. I keep the laundry stuff under here, and what I don't use I think my husband does. Did find one very old rusty metal box which looks like it'd be a good candidate for the trip to the dump I have planned on Friday, but have left it where it is for now!
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Post by medusahair on Jun 7, 2016 6:48:09 GMT
Just started the other day, now am up to the kitchen missions |
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Post by judy on Jun 8, 2016 2:14:28 GMT
I’ve just been doing a continuing declutter all year. I’ve thrown out a few things that DH would probably have kept  Im wanting now to get rid of a silver teapot he probably would not remember we have (its in a cupboard, unloved, unseen) , but if he saw it, he’d definitely say no. I also want to buy 2 new matching desks,- his (its always messy) and mine (id actually be able to sit and use it!!) I think getting rid of our big old desk and getting smaller ones, he would throw out a few pen (and junk) holders and stuff would actually be put away- worth a try??? |
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Post by judy on Jun 8, 2016 2:17:12 GMT
I threw out a lot of tall, skinny candles. I use the fat ones and the tea light ones a lot but not the others.
DH often comes home with more junk, today there are 2 wallets on the desk- I’ve no idea where they came from or why he’d take them home ..grrr
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Post by medusahair on Jun 8, 2016 21:29:34 GMT
well done Judy I have done all the missions on the flylady site, so am up to #11. I do keep on top of the pantry (mostly) but there were still a few things I had to throw out. I let DD play cook with them which she really enjoyed  |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 11, 2016 10:56:04 GMT
Yeah - isn't it a pain when you have that problem of knowing that someone will almost certainly never notice that such-and-such an item is gone, but you just can't quite risk it? I have that with DD, and we have so much stuff of hers that I'd like to get rid of - I'm sure she'd only remember a small fraction of it, but it's guessing which small fraction that would be that's the problem! Anyway, yay to all the decluttering & keep it up! The thing with separate desks sounds like a great idea. I find I can ignore my husband's messy areas when they're identifiably his, because I feel absolved from any guilt about them. Blast - I forgot to take that metal box to the dump when I went. Oh, well, one smallish box in an otherwise-unused area of cupboard is hardly that big a problem. I did get a load of stuff out of the house, including the huge analogue TV from the corner of my room that hasn't been used for years and won't even work with the new system (and if it did I wouldn't watch it as I'm not interested in live TV or in bedroom TV-watching anyway). Getting it downstairs and into the car was murder but luckily managed it without damage to me or property and now the damn thing is gone, along with several other bits and pieces! Also made it to the charity shop to get rid of the stacks of books I've been clearing off the shelves, so that was a great day's work. Even got round to changing my sheets. |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 11, 2016 11:04:53 GMT
OK, back to the Super Fling Boogie update... No. 7 - pots and pans
I skipped this one as it's the kind of thing that should be done by me & DH together, and I don't think he'd be interested in doing it. Plenty of other stuff to do and the pots and pans are not really a major problem. No. 8 - the pantry
Ah - definitely a useful one and I didn't have to think too hard about where I wanted to spend my time here. The children's sweet box. We just stuff anything sweet-related into there and it's a mess of piled-up stuff that the kids can barely find decent sweets in when they want to. I went through the whole lot, chucked out a bunch of half-eaten or old Hallowe'en stuff that no-one was going to eat, sorted biscuits into a separate tin as it was just too much to go in one box, and sorted the box with chocolates at one end and sweets at the other so that it's easier to find what you want. Also put some Easter stuff in there where it would take up less space than in the box. Then I put all of that on a different shelf (which now has some space thanks to me formerly clearing out some recipe books I wasn't using) where my son won't be able to keep grabbing stuff out of it the whole time, and put the boxes of leftover Easter chocolate on the shelf space where it had been, which in turn cleared up some space on the table at the back of the kitchen, which is going to be my next project. Sorry, I'm sure you found all of that totally riveting, but I like writing about it. Anyway, very pleased indeed with that one. So that leaves two more to work on this weekend if I can. I've started on 9, but hope to get more done and will post then. |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 11, 2016 17:08:22 GMT
No. 9 - the junk drawer
We don't actually have a junk drawer, because we dump our don't-know-where-to-put-this junk on the table in the back of the kitchen. So I worked on that instead, and on the shelf above it, since that was also a mess. (It's the one that the sweet box was on before I decluttered and moved it yesterday, so that was a great start and really got me moving on that one.)
I love those moments when you turn your attention to something that for years has been the Black Hole Of Unchangeable Clutteredness to you and realise that, actually, now that you think about it there really are perfectly good places to put most of this stuff. Why are there two packets of J-cloths on here when I always use the washable cloths for the kitchen? Why are these paper plates on here instead of in the cupboard where we keep the others? Holy flip, is that a plant pot on the back of the table?
Needless to say, it took me a lot longer than the 15 minutes that should have been allotted, but it was well worth it. I got the shelf completely decluttered and properly organised. There are still a few things on the table that I've left as either I still don't have another place for them or they're my husband's things, but it looks vastly better. Took the time to clean it off as well.
I now have a lot of other stuff to do this weekend, so was thinking I wouldn't have time for the last two kitchen missions, but then realised that was the wrong way to think about it; what I need to do is to think in terms of just spending a minute or two here or there to grab something that can be cleared out and clear it out. Even if I only manage that a few times over the rest of the weekend, at least that'll be something and maybe I'll get more done than I think I will! In any case, am very pleased indeed with myself for having cleared up that area, which was a total eyesore.
OK, am going to have a quick nap and then get on with other stuff I need to do - exercise, work letters and results, checking patient list for Mon, doing some CPD, cutting the turkey for dinner.
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Post by medusahair on Jun 11, 2016 22:03:15 GMT
well done drsarah |
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Post by drsarah on Jun 12, 2016 6:41:47 GMT
Well done to you, Medusahair and also Judy! You both sound like you're doing really well!
I've managed a few more things in the kitchen. Will keep working on it today as and when possible. My mother is arriving in an hour and twenty minutes to spend the morning together, so may not have as much time.
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Post by medusahair on Jun 13, 2016 1:32:14 GMT
here is the next zone's super fling boogie missions Zone 3- The Main Bathroom and Extra Room
Mission #12
This week we are in Zone 3: The Main Bathroom and Extra Room.
Today’s mission in the Bathroom is to tackle the clutter around your bathtub. Old razors, empty bottles of shampoo, body washes that smell horrible… time to declutter them. Don’t forget you can use any leftover “soaps” to do your Swish and Swipe. Remember, soap is soap!
Today’s extra room is the Laundry Room. Spend 15 minutes and get that laundry room decluttered. Put away the clean clothes, recycle the old containers, and get rid of broken hangers. You know what’s clutter and what’s trash!
Mission #13
We’re still in Zone 3: The Main Bathroom and an extra room.
Today we’re tackling the clutter under the Bathroom Sink. Like yesterday, remember that soap is soap and you can use it for your Swish and Swipe!
For the extra room, head into your office and let’s get rid of the clutter taking over our desks. Office products, piles of old bills, etc. 15 minutes to toss as much as we can. GO!
Mission #14
It’s time to get rid of some linen clutter. Take a look at your towels and washcloths and make a donation box of the old, worn-out ones with holes. Tons of places can put the ones we can’t use at home anymore to good use. Check with your local Animal Shelter!
For our extra room, we’re headed into the Extra Bedroom. Set your timer for 15 minutes and get rid of as much clutter as you can. Use your Put-Away, Give-Away, and Throw-Away boxes and do as much as you can until your timer goes off.
Mission #15
When was the last time you decluttered the medicine cabinet? That’s our mission for today. Here’s a link to help you safely dispose of old expired medicines: FDA Guidelines.
For our second mission, we are headed into a kid’s room. Set your timer and get rid of as much clutter as you can. If your child is old enough to help, let them help you decide what toys and clothes they would like to donate to another child in need. This could be a great teaching moment during our Super Fling Boogie.
Mission #16
I am so proud of YOU! We are now more than halfway through our Super Fling Boogie. Keep on flingin’!
Back to the bathroom we go! Let’s declutter those drawers. Set your timer for 15 minutes and get the clutter out. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done before the timer buzzes.
For our extra room: we’re decluttering the Back Porch. If you don’t need it, love it, or use it, let it bless someone else!
Mission #17
Today’s Mission: Hair stuff! If you’re like most of us, you have tried every product known to (wo)man. Spend 15 minutes and get rid of those products and gadgets that failed the test.
Crimped hair has already made it’s comeback so it’s probably safe to toss that hair crimper and aerosol hairspray.
Mission #18
It’s our last day in Zone 3 of our Super Fling Boogie. Our last mission is to gather up any trash that’s laying around. Toss it or recycle it and don’t forget to post your pounds flung: Pound Meter
Then head into your Garage for the last mission of Zone 3. This is our one and only declutter mission in the Garage so make it count. Race your timer and see how much you can get done before the buzzer. On your mark, get set, go!
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Post by drsarah on Jun 14, 2016 16:54:43 GMT
#10 - counter tops
Another one that definitely needed doing, so I wish I'd had more time for it, but it is one that can be done on the 'take a minute here and there' basis (unlike the shelf sort-out I did for the last one, where I really did need one uninterrupted block of time to take a whole muddle of stuff off and put it back on properly stacked and sorted). Got quite a few things moved - old drink bottles, post for the last people to live here (who moved out over TEN YEARS AGO - some of that post had been sitting there for a loooooong time). So quite pleased with what I managed so far, and now that I've got started hopefully I can keep shifting stuff with time. #11 - fridge
Again, didn't have time for a full declutter (our fridge actually isn't that bad, but there's definitely room for improvement) so concentrated on the drawer where we keep the processed meats and cheeses. It's easy for stuff to get buried in there and overlooked. As I have just once again demonstrated. Right - the out-of-date stuff is now in the bin, the rest is properly sorted, a bunch of disgusting crumbs/bits of stuff have been cleared out of the bottom of the drawer, and the whole thing looks a lot better. #12a - sides of bath
#12b - laundry room
Heh. I actually did a thorough bathroom declutter a couple of months back, and we don't have a laundry room. So there actually wasn't anything to do for Mission 12.
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Good Luck
Im wanting now to get rid of a silver teapot he probably would not remember we have (its in a cupboard, unloved, unseen) , but if he saw it, he’d definitely say no.