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Post by dtesposito on Dec 31, 2014 21:00:26 GMT -5
I've figured out what I want to challenge myself to do over January and February, so I'm posting here hoping someone will join me in making a goal for the next two months. I have three things I want to accomplish by February 28th. 1. GET PERSONAL AFFAIRS PAPERWORK IN ORDER. There are several things that I need to have up to date. My ID, a will (which I may not complete with witnesses, but I would at least like to write out on the proper form), a living will, the deed to my condo, a list of what’s in my wallet if it should go lost, a list of instructions for my sister if I should die before her, and a couple of other things. 2. CLEAN BLINDS. I need to figure out once and for all how to clean my blinds—to try one set in the tub and one set by hand, see which is easier, and clean the rest of the sunporch blinds whichever way is easiest (7 total) because they’re the most obvious from both the inside and the outside. These blinds have never been cleaned in the 18 years I’ve lived here, so this is a major, overdue job. 3. BOOKS IN THE LR. There are still 20 boxes of books stacked neatly in the LR. I want to remove 10 of them, either by listing for sale, or by finding other storage (meaning getting rid of something else to make room for them) elsewhere in the apartment. The majority of the boxes are sale books. Some of the boxes are books that I want to donate, but haven’t figured out where. 4 boxes fit neatly into a corner and really aren’t a problem. 2 other boxes are part of makeshift stairs that lead up to the cat table so that both of my cats can get up there (one is old and arthritic, the other is missing a hind leg). So those two actually should stay, unless I find another, better looking solution to use as steps. But I really want to get the excess boxes out of this room. An ambitious goal, but I’m going to try it. I'm also working on trying to get a cleaning schedule of some sort going, but I'm so much at the beginning of that that I don't even know how to formulate a goal with a measurable result for that one. So that one will be percolating in the background! I’ve decided to make this a two month goal, because one month isn’t long enough, but three months sounds like so much time that I won’t feel any urgency to work on it. Plus, I consider March to be spring already, so that will be time for a new goal. Two months is a little over 8 weeks, which is a good amount of time for planning out a schedule. It’s also enough time that if I should have an unusually busy week I should still be able to accomplish most of these goals. Please join me in making a goal—it doesn’t have to be major, and you don’t have to finish it by the deadline—you just have to try! Diane
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Post by angela on Dec 31, 2014 21:16:27 GMT -5
Those are great goals and sound do-able. I'll be cheering you on. :cheerleader:
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Post by jendela on Dec 31, 2014 21:22:38 GMT -5
Diane, I would love to join you in a 2 month challenge. I have some vague, unarticulated goals, so I may need to come back and edit this post. However, my general goals for 2015 are
* start prioritising social networks, which leads to
* get general living areas ready for guests. Getting a workable cleaning schedule would dovetail with this goal, and
* some type of exercise everyday.
Of course, getting papers in order is always on my to-do list!
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Post by tiggy on Jan 1, 2015 3:18:34 GMT -5
Diane - I'm in! I will probably have to come back and tweak as there are a few things floating around in my brain but I have two major goals I'd like to crack by the end of February 1. Get my paperwork/accounts for my biz up to date and under control. Starting with getting last years tax return in before the end of January so I don't get slammed with penalties, and maintaining (that word again! ) a workable system. 2. Tame the paper monster at home - I have power of attorney for my mum and I need a system where I can (a) file papers to do with that and (b) find them again, along with the paperwork involved with our house, cars etc. The piles on top of, next to and in front of the stuffed filing cabinet aren't really working!
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Post by larataylor on Jan 1, 2015 3:39:31 GMT -5
Great idea. I would like to join in.
For January and February … I would like to get into a new habit of recording all bills and expenses so I know what is going on in our financial life.
I want to launch my Kickstarter project.
I want to maintain the house.
I want to find some jobs and make some money.
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Post by saffron on Jan 1, 2015 4:13:51 GMT -5
Diane, Count me in! Eight weeks isn't too long, neither is it too short. My goals for this time period: 1. Finish my will, Five Wishes, and trust (if I need one)---I've started writing things down on scratch paper. I need to fill out the forms, have a lawyer check it, and get the proper signatures. I have already put the necessary papers, etc. in a small plastic tote box, so everything is ready to go. 2. Shred my DAunties papers. It's been 3.5 years since she passed, and I only needed to save the papers for 3 years. 3. Contact Carbonite and get all of my backed-up items to my refurbished computer. DSon will have to answer some questions for me. 4. Get labs done. Proceed from there for health issues. If I get those things done in a timely manner, I will add something else to the list. Of course, I still have to clean, declutter, purge my house. That's an ongoing thing. I have a long TODO list for 2015, but these are the most important things right now. Onward!
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2015 6:35:40 GMT -5
Fabric stash, use it or lose it! Yarn stash, wool stash stop storing it, start using it.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 1, 2015 10:24:45 GMT -5
WOW! I'm so happy to see so many people making goals! Even the bats woke up and took notice! Since I finally posted this, I guess this means that I have to actually start on those blinds, instead of just constantly talking about them. I'll have to take one down and try cleaning it in the bathtub, and if that's way too aggravating or doesn't make them come clean, I'll have to start cleaning them slat by slat. I'd better start soon, because if I have to clean them slat by slat it's going to take a lot of time. Of course, I have 7 sunporch blinds and 8 weeks, so wouldn't you think I could get one blind done each week? I do have some Formula 409 cleaner which is a degreaser, so I'm going to try spraying them with that, letting it soak for a while, then scrubbing with a brush--the problem will be moving the blinds around so that the brush meets all the surfaces. Then rinse with more buckets of water. My faucets don't take a sprayer attachment, and the shower head won't work either. I will do this on Saturday afternoon, because I should be home from mid-afternoon on with no outside jobs to go to. I'm so glad to have company in this thread, here's to a great two months of progress for all of us! Diane
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Post by cyn on Jan 1, 2015 10:34:22 GMT -5
I'm in too! I've got to get all my old mail sorted/shredded and find all the fiddly tax stuff for last year. This *has* to be done, NO procrastinating about it - the fact that I didn't do it last year is bad enough, but another can't happen. This is it. Also, maybe we can trade off crappy jobs? I'll clean your blinds, if you can fix my doom room.
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 1, 2015 10:38:52 GMT -5
I'll clean your blinds, if you can fix my doom room
I would take that trade in a second! Of course, you would come back to find your doom room strangely empty and echoing....
Diane
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Post by cyn on Jan 1, 2015 10:49:20 GMT -5
What?! You don't think that: clothes that are 2 sizes too small, or stuffed birds that sing, or old painting that used to hang in my grandparents' home, or old birthday cards, or painful pointy-toed shoes, or cool old glass jars, or________ are worth keeping?! Diane!!!
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Post by dtesposito on Jan 1, 2015 10:54:56 GMT -5
Okay, I might have a problem with the cool old glass jars--I have a few of those myself.
Seriously though, it would be so easy if we could look at our own stuff with the objectivity that we use to look at other peoples'. When we don't have the history and emotions and money invested, getting in our way.
I will come back here this afternoon with a more specific plan for the 8-weeks. If I don't do that, they sort of slip quickly away. Now I'm going to go find that bottle of 409 so I can't use the excuse of not being able to find it on Saturday!
Diane
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Post by cyn on Jan 1, 2015 11:15:03 GMT -5
I know, that's so true! My stuff is just a pile of crap, to anyone else. Some stuff is valuable on it's own (the glass jars, the vinyl records, the books, instruments, etc.) but anyone else could have that room cleaned out in an afternoon. The one good thing about doing all the truly icky jobs around here, is that I'm actually feeling differently when I enter the doom room. I'm relieved in there now, knowing that everything is clean! ! So doing a little purging in there won't be the end of the world. It'll be nice to have something to do, to make my home better, that *doesn't* involve rodent poop for a change. I used those lysol wipes on some very old greasy/dusty buildup the other day, and they cut right through it. Hopefully your blinds will come clean with the 409 and a scrub brush, but if not, I'll bet the wipes will work. Too bad we can't swap jobs...
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Post by larataylor on Jan 1, 2015 12:01:12 GMT -5
What?! You don't think that: clothes that are 2 sizes too small, or stuffed birds that sing, or old painting that used to hang in my grandparents' home, or old birthday cards, or painful pointy-toed shoes, or cool old glass jars, or________ are worth keeping?! Diane!!! Careful what you wish for, Cyn! We're all very objective and ruthless about Other People's Stuff. But speaking of painful, pointy-toed shoes … long, long ago when square-toed boots with chunky heels came into style, I thought: These are the shoes for me! I'm gonna wear these forever. And now I wish I could have bought ten pairs of them … because now toes are pointy again, and I hate that.
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Post by cyn on Jan 1, 2015 12:15:10 GMT -5
Yup, and don't I sound foolish when I admit that those shoes can only be worn for sit-down occasions, ha! I've donated all my high heels already (WTH? I used to *dance* in those?!) but I still kept the kitten heels. Even though I can't walk in them. Duh!
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