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Post by magda on Jun 15, 2015 18:58:05 GMT -5
Congrats to all who are chipping away! This was my first time doing a challenge and I am getting some but not all done. I did not think about the time of year -- end of school and all that entails -- when I picked my challenges. Some of them are truly better left to another time, as I have more pressing concerns. But tomorrow is the last of the four medical appointments! And I don't think I would have done those w/out this challenge. Making them and getting to them is challenging with work and school commitments, so I am pretty pleased they'll be done.
The weeding is next! Plentiful rain has brought a plentiful harvest. But I truly (well mostly) have only had free time at home when the weather was not cooperating. That is next on my list. I have my mulch ready to go! So a teensy teensy step was done.
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Post by phoenixcat on Jun 16, 2015 10:12:33 GMT -5
How did it go Sparkle?? I'm finally down to one room with a couple bins. On the 20th - we will have had our stuff in the house 7 months - that is when the movers arrived. By the end of next weekend - preferably the 20th but I will take the extra day - I would like our house to "be moved into". Nothing left to unpack or put away. We'll see But I started this challenge giving myself until the end of the month so if I need to stretch it a bit...... PC
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Post by dtesposito on Jun 21, 2015 21:06:48 GMT -5
I am stopping in briefly here tonight to say that I have not done one thing towards my goals for the past two weeks, because of being unusually busy with paid work. Only 9 days left in the month and in the challenge, and so much left undone.
Thank you to everyone who continues to work and post. Tomorrow I'll come back here with a full report, a goal for the last 9 days, and I will catch up on everything done by everyone else since the last time I posted here.
I have a much quieter week from today until Thursday, and I'll try to make the most of it.
How is everyone else doing?
Diane
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Post by flotsam on Jun 22, 2015 14:39:21 GMT -5
I also had more paid work than anticipated. I didn't finish the taxes so far (hopefully by the end of this week). I went on with decluttering. I worked mainly on papers and reported on the paper clutterer's thread. For me it's not about getting rid of much, it's about finding peace of mind, and I think I've regained some of that.
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Post by sparkle on Jun 22, 2015 22:58:14 GMT -5
phoenixcat, thanks for asking. The weekend was a bust. The man who said yes apparently changed his mind. I had started calling to confirm and set a time on Monday last, asked his girlfriend to ask him to call me but he didn't, called and got no answer on Tuesday and Wednesday and sent an email that evening that remains unanswered. Thursday I postponed the dumpster which was a good thing because I still haven't heard from him and he didn't show up over the weekend. Back to square one. I sent an email last night to couple #2, who offered, but haven't heard back yet. It's only been a day but I don't have a good feeling about it. At any rate the bin is currently on hold until the weekend of July 11th. I fear it may be coming time to call in the professionals. Many say that should have been first but I'm easing into this. Back off. I doubt I will be able to afford it but it's up to me now to find out. There is a place in the city called Service Master that has an affiliation with Matt Paxton and advertises Hoarding Cleanup on their website. If this last couple falls through I see no option other than to call them and get a 'free on-site inspection'. I simply can't do it by myself. I made it through the garage door opener. I can do this. We are continuing this for July and August, aren't we? I need a roll-over with this on my list as #1. I can't be in charge but I need to join in. I'm guessing some of you would like a clean slate, too.
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Post by dtesposito on Jun 23, 2015 9:01:28 GMT -5
Sparkle, I'm so sorry that people keep disappointing you--I guess when you don't live in a city your choice of help is really limited. I would think it would be less stressful to hire professionals because they work with cleaning stuff up every day, it's routine for them. More expensive, of course, but maybe if you can have them out for even a short time that'll give you the momentum (and space) to keep going.
Phoenixcat, it looks like you're almost done, considering how much stuff you had and that you work full time, I think you did well. What kind of memorabilia do you have in those containers?
I've really stalled on all my goals this time, I'm blaming the last 2 busy weeks of work but I've now had a couple of slow days and I haven't done anything yet. Stretching is almost stopped, I have probably done the exercises 3 or 4 times over the last 2 weeks. Which I guess is better than stopping them altogether--but they really won't help if I don't do them daily.
I have done NOTHING on books except to fill the few orders I've been getting for them.
I've done nothing else on the repairs, but besides the issue of needing a ride to a large hardware store for that, there's also another issue--the sewer smell in the building, which is what prompted this goal, has completely stopped. (All the repairs involve closing up cracks/openings in the apartment walls.) I've now been told by two different people that if there's a broken or open pipe somewhere, it smells more in COLD weather rather than WARM (which is counterintuitive). Supposedly it has something to do with the dry, cold weather causing more air vacuum/pressure throughout the building, so that sewer gas is drawn out of the pipe. Which means, of course, that it'll come back next winter.
But, it really takes the incentive to do these repairs away for now--which is good, because I haven't been able to get the supplies.
My clothing goal--I'm now down to two pair of jeans, but I did buy two additional pair. I have not sewn them though, and that's the hard part.
And I still have the one set of blinds to wash--the one thing that I WILL get done by the end of this month. I have a couple of light work days this week, and on one of them I'll move the cabinet and get that last set clean. Ever since I've started washing the blinds, I notice the dirt on the ones in the dining room every single day--so that's good--it means I want to keep going with the cleaning.
And yes, for sure we'll keep going with these threads. I feel like I've gotten very little done these last 2 challenges, but I have to remind myself that most of my decluttering is done, that the projects I'm doing now are a lot harder for me. I'm still getting more done than I would without a challenge thread. And there's still one week left for me to do SOMETHING.
Thank you everyone for continuing on!
Diane
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Post by sparkle on Jun 23, 2015 12:45:05 GMT -5
PC, I forgot to congratulate you on how much you've done, how close you are to your goal. My apologies. I didn't know you worked full-time, too. That is truly remarkable. Diane, I'm so glad this is going to continue and thanks for your encouragement. Would it help or hurt if I started doing daily stretches along with you? In July, please. Sometimes it's good to challenge with someone but sometimes it makes me feel worse. Degree of difficulty comes into play and mine are pretty easy. I've kind of been doing some lately, following your example, but most of the time I forget and I don't think any of my sessions has lasted 10 minutes. I could strive to improve that. flotsam, I'm glad you're finding some peace of mind. I'm sure your taxes will be more doable because of it. It sounds like you're almost there. Good job on paperwork and using that thread to help. magda, you've done a great job with your challenges, especially dealing with the end of the school year. that's always more than anyone ever thinks. same for my sil. Never mind the ones that didn't make the cut. just roll them over to the next Challenge. I'm going to have to do that but I'm glad I made some progress. Putting it out here has helped me stay focused, stay accountable. Good work, everyone. Celebrate. Get ready for the great rollover.
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Post by phoenixcat on Jun 23, 2015 13:07:00 GMT -5
YES Diane - I'm in for another round!! I didn't finish anything by the 20th like I wanted. Now I'm out of town until this next weekend. My new "unpacking" and "setting up" goal is July 12th. We may be getting some company after that and I would like to finish before that. While I'm gone - I have a shipment coming in with even more stuff to unpack and more memorabilia!! What I have is just general stuff - lots of pictures, letters, cards and a few mementos from concerts, etc. After I shifted it into plastic bins a few weeks ago - I can easily see that 80% or more can go - just need to take the time to sort it. I have no one to save it for - any relatives I have will just send it to the landfill. I might as well shred it and at least get it to recycling. And if I have someone to give it to - might as well do it now. Of course that is what I say - not so easy when I'm actually going through it! Good luck everyone! Hope you find someone to help Sparkle - I hate when you get all mentally prepared to do a tough task and then have to put it off through no fault of yours. At least these professionals have probably seen it all and maybe know a few short cuts or suggestions to help you. PC
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Post by flotsam on Jun 26, 2015 14:39:59 GMT -5
Finished the taxes, not early/in time, but earlier than last year. lucie's decluttering is so contagious that I picked 5 items of clothing that are already gone, and I also sought out some more books to go. I continued with tossing papers.
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Post by lucie on Jun 27, 2015 2:23:44 GMT -5
Great job on taxes, flotsam. I am glad I have inspired you As to my goal, my weight has not moved a notch. I am still on 68,4 kilos. So I am keeping it for the next two month. I want to get under 65 kilos this year and stay there.
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Post by dtesposito on Jun 30, 2015 22:18:30 GMT -5
Well, we've made it to the end of the month--I already have a list of things that I'm pondering for the new challenge--I'll start the thread tomorrow. Sparkle, it would help a lot if you were to stretch along with me, I always have more motivation if someone else is working with me, and I'm determined to keep putting stretching on these challenges until I learn the habit. It's ridiculous that I can't even do 8 minutes a day of an exercise that makes me feel GOOD. I did finish the last set of blinds today, I figured I had to finish one thing on this challenge by today and it worked out well because I had a huge chunk of time free in the middle of the day. I did get a bit derailed by unexpected work, but this evening I managed to just finish the last little section of the last set in my sunporch. I must admit, they look really good, but what a lot of work. Or at least, what a lot of work it SEEMS to be because I dislike this job so much. Blinds will be on my new challenge too--there are now 7 down and 6 to go. Congratulations to anyone who made an effort for this challenge, and I'll see you all tomorrow! Diane
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