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Post by Unswamping on Dec 27, 2016 15:14:50 GMT -5
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Post by Unswamping on Dec 27, 2016 16:45:17 GMT -5
i got all the dishes done, some even dried and put away. I will deal with the frig and trash later. I think i need a nap.
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Post by creativechaos on Dec 28, 2016 23:20:51 GMT -5
thanks, Unswamping! if this is what led you to create your own zones in your "once and done" thread, it's a good start, yes. i need to get back to my list of things to do. Congratulations on getting all the dishes done and some cleans put away! i think i will post another list here for tonight and tomorrow night's hopefuls. lately i like to keep my lists short so they don't overwhelm me.a few tadas: stuff went out of here! a big box of clothing to consignment and some smaller items to giveway in the communal laundry room. mailed two out of 3 packages i wanted to mail. the 3rd hit a snafu. will have to wait til Friday now. - and add a 4th pkg. added salad and vegies back into my diet again today. had done well over Christmas and was backsliding.
cc's list of to-dos: -i will be on the mainland tomorrow, so this is for tonight(Wed) and tomorrow night(Thurs)
2015 taxes - one hr tonight on income and receipts 2015 taxes - one hr or more tomorrow night (thurs) dishes work on door hanger tonight or tomorrow night finish sorting through christmas ornaments set alarm for morning make a list and gather what i'm taking to the mainland; bag up ready to go out door. make hard boiled eggs for tomorrow and pack snacks put away stray groceries, fold bag take out trashhad cat emergency when i realized there were serious signs and had been for a couple of days... dropped everything to deal with that and nurse him through the night and thursday... my poor baby... will reset this list later. praying he is on the mend now. not sure of long term internal damage - hoping for none.
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Post by Unswamping on Dec 29, 2016 13:09:12 GMT -5
creativechaos that link isnt exactly what i used to make my once and done plan. I guess it is a part of it though, so its a good start. There was (and is) alot of drawing in my plan. So the first thing i did was list all the activities i wanted/needed to do. Then next to each one, i wrote what room the zone would be in. (The living list and diagram was on my old blog somewhere). Then i measured and sketched out the floor plan, marking doors, windows, heat etc. (you might want to make a copy of that for part two) then i picked areas of activity, penciled that in. I look at that and considered how that would work and made any changes. I sketched in furniture. I found it helps to walk through an activity mentally and make a list.
For example sewing. I need a place to store fabric, the machine, notions, etc. i need a place to cut fabric. I need the iron and iron board for pressing (may as well live with the sewing stuff, i dont iron clothes and its the only reason i even have an iron). I need a place to actually sew. So for the furniture, i need a table, chair and storage. I did that for all the activities in the room.
Then on the copy of room floor plan (or you could sketch the layout of your whole apartment, i did the whole house on one sheet of paper), mark off squares. Base the size of the squares on what is a manageable size for you to declutter. For me, i picked 4x4 ft and 2x2ft square. I choose the four foot squares because i have alot of big totes and that area is about the size of one tote (or stack, because i can never just have one tote on the floor, it might get lonely). The two foot squares are about the size of boxes of papers and other dense stuff. You might choose one foot square, i think mouseanne and others do that. Look at your stuff and decide what works for you. Having a mix of sizes is perfectly ok (and recommended). Walkways and goat trails dont take as much effort to clear as a five foot stack of boxes filled with paper. So those areas can be bigger and the more dense stuff are smaller. I choose not to do layers. When i clear a square, its floor to ceiling clear.
After you divide up the whole apartment plan into squares, number them if you like. I started at the upper left corner of the floor plan (in my case, its a big rectangle). And went across in rows. If the numbering is going to trip you up (gosh, i need to go in order), then dont number. Its not important. Pick a place to start. Look back at the zone floor plan to see what needs to be in that space. Work on clearing that out, sorting as you remove things. I like a trash can, recycle bin, "keep here", donate box near the area im working in. Everything gets looked at, evelauated and put in one of the containers. Sometimes i find things that need to go in other rooms/areas, i just try to stash them as close as possible. I may put some "i dont know" things aside. I find if i put three items in a row aside, im probably suffering from decision fatigue and its time to stop. I try not to keep the maybe pile. I will leave it for that session but the next session starts with those items. A square does not have to be done in one day. Take as long as you need to go through it and make decisions. I will move things to other areas because they really belong in another area, i try really hard to not just shuffle stuff because i dont want to deal with it.
Once a square is clear, i clean it. Vacuum just that square, dust, decobweb, etc. move any furniture that needs to go in that area, to that area. Put the keepers back. No piles, arrange things so they are accessible, visible and attractive. It doesnt have to be perfect but dont let it be sloppy either. Take care of the trash, donate and recycling. Enjoy your efforts, admire the work youve done (and keep doing that, it really does help "keep it clean"). Color in the square on your chart. Post about it, shout it from the rooftops. Its a big accomplishment.
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Post by Unswamping on Dec 29, 2016 13:23:23 GMT -5
...(that was getting too long for one post). I started with the front door, because it would be easier to get things out if that area was clear. Then i did the square next to it, working the squares in a path from the door to the kitchen. So i did some of the living room, dining room, not all. Eventually i will get in to the walls, for me with so much stuff, i really needed to get the goat paths widened. Also by starting with walkways, you can rack up some easy "done" squares. (That really help give encouragement).
Ok, now that a square is "done", it needs to stay "done". It needs peeping daily. If you are sorting an adjacent square and need space to work, you can use a cleared section temporarily. But at the end of your time working that day, you need to reclear the cleared section. This is really hard to do. Right now i have a few cleared sections cluttered up again, i need to get those clear. Defending those cleared sections is what is going to make this work. Otherwise im just back to rearranging deck chairs on the titantic.
Im assuming you have graph paper. (If you dont, let me know, i have a ton of it) the graph paper does make it easier to do the room sketches and floor plan.
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Post by creativechaos on Dec 29, 2016 21:04:08 GMT -5
Unswamping, wow! that was so generous of you to share this - your process and instructions - with me! the hardest part of it for me would be keeping a cleared square clutter free - how tempting it would be to churn stuff to the cleared area! i really admire you for coming up with this plan and doing it admirably. it really makes good sense! i am going to copy these instructions onto a document so i can study them and start my process. sewing alone would take up the entire living room - there'd be no place to eat or sit for "leisure" but that would be OK since i never have anyone over here anyway. of course i have graph paper - but maybe only 3/4 of a ton of it. but thanks for the offer.
i had a cat emergency last night and dropped all plans. have been with him and sleepless except i did get some this morning. i will post on my blog about it. i thought he might die last night but he's doing a bit better today. i am daring to have hope. the nice holistic vet will see him tomorrow afternoon. i honestly think that taking her advice and instruction may have saved his life. hoping with all my heart.
taxes can wait... kitty comes first. and doing some housework, since this vet makes house calls.
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Post by Unswamping on Dec 29, 2016 21:32:25 GMT -5
creativechaos i hope kitty is ok now and that whatever it was is passed. That is very scary and of course takes priority.
Yes, there is the temptation to reclutter the cleared space, i struggle with it too. The nice thing about the plan, is by working one small area at a time, you slowly learn to keep one area clear. Because the area is cleaned and decluttered, its more obvious if something is left out. The good feeling helps too, which is why i go back and admire my work, again and again. The clutter track is deeply embedded in our brains, having that one space and looking at it over and over again helps write the track in our brains. Peeping daily helps too. If i forget to do it at night, i try to do it first thing in the morning.
Make your plan. Start with a broad few subjects. Sewing, eating, computer. Then take each broad subject and break it done further. Fabric storage, cutting table, sewing table. Mentally work through an activity. What are you going to cut fabric with? Scissors? Where will they live when they arent being used? You can keep twenty seven pair of scissors but if it means you have no room for thread, some scissors have to go. Pick the best and get rid of the rest. I know its hard. When they have a place they live, you will know where to find them, the extras become superfluous. Write it all down, pins, needles, thread, seam ripper, etc. Figure out where they will go, on paper first. Then implement it. Doing it on paper makes it easier to make decisions. You can always tweak it later. Having the "bones" down in black and white really does make a difference. Label things if you need to. "This is where x will go". Because you may forget that you planned to put x there and decide to put y there. Then there isnt space for x.
Nothing is written in stone, you can change things as you go along. Having a guide is a great help though. Its your home, whether or not you have company, you live there. Arrange it how it serves you. If you want your whole living room to be your sewing room, then do it. There is no rule that says you cant. Sure some people might not live that way, thats their choice in their house. When they pay your rent, they get to have a say. Until then screw them. Alot of people will admire you to stick to your true self and making your space reflect you.
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Post by razy on Dec 30, 2016 3:04:04 GMT -5
creativechaos- I hope your kitty is doing okay. Thanks for dropping by my blog and your kind wishes. I hope the New Year treats you well and you get to relax and enjoy life. You have been through so much in recent times.
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Post by creativechaos on Dec 31, 2016 5:13:15 GMT -5
thanks so much, razy. my kitty is doing better. i am so thankful. i like the idea of relaxing and enjoying life very much; would have to come with some retraining of my mind and my thoughts and habits.
Unswamping, i have to laugh at myself (i do this often). just as i was saying i don't really NEED a lounging space in the LR, when i cleared the loveseat for the vet to sit down (she never used it though) later i cuddled there with the cat and i really enjoyed having a lounging space in the LR again! going to have to think on all this some more! but i like the idea of starting with simple general lists. i read in Buried in Treasures that hoarders tend to over-categorize and that most of them have real trouble getting down to just 30 categories - and that sure was true of me.
i wonder if for some activities, you can have repeat items if you have to spread the activities into two rooms. ideally, it would be so wonderful to have ALL fabric and sewing and notions in the same room. presently i have fabrics in the LR and hall entry closet and the walk in closet between bathroom and bedroom. My sewing machine is in the bedroom. my cutting area is the bed or floor, although i'd like to have a folding table that i can use for cutting by raising and lowering the legs with pvc pipes. (this is how we do it at quilt camp)
if i had a daybed that doubled as a sofa in the LR i could maybe move all of that to the bedroom; but then i would hear the downstairs neighbors' blaring TV - and we worked so hard on that so that i could have a quiet bedroom for sleeping - so that's out. Call me superstitious, but i don't want anything towering and heavy that could crush me in the event of an earthquake, near my bed - while living in the ring of fire waiting for the "big one" (8+ on richter scale). it's tricky only having two activity rooms for art and living. and two big closets help, but things tend to be scattered.
Whatever arrangement i come up with in this small apartment, i still need to get rid of at least half my stuff! if you count the storage units, probably more like 3/4 of it all. AND i would need to stop acquiring or have the one-in, two-or-more out rule.
will think on this all. maybe i'm putting the cart before the horse. i think my activities will end up being all over the place, as they are now - and just focus on keeping what i really think i will use. it's hard because i love most of my things!
tomorrow (today! just 7 hrs away!) i start doing inventory for the office supply place, so i'll be doing that for several days. will get back to this list soon, and then start graphing things out. i am going to lose a lot of art display wall space, i think. at least for awhile while i am sorting..
tadas: cleaned up the kitchen cleared loveseat and used it for its intended purpose! taped/sealed up some boxes of fabric in storage unit against the mice/voles. very temporary measure. gave away small box of christmas ornaments to the downstairs neighbors.
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 11, 2017 5:19:35 GMT -5
been working on taxes today, and sorting through some boxes of fabric from storage, now that i found out i have MICE in both units.
i've been reporting what i'm getting rid of in that thread. not much else to report; still trying to get kitty better. his recovery is slow and up and down but i am happy to report that he is still home with me. i canceled two out of 3 quilt camps; very disappointing but i needed the money. still trying to figure out how to recoup some of the vet and animal hospital costs.
we have inspection next month; not sure what date. so all is hitting at once. i will get back to some list making soon.
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Post by creativechaos on Jan 26, 2017 0:50:40 GMT -5
taxes are done! i sent off my 1040-x for 2014, and hope to look forward to a refund! 2015 forms also sent! wooooo hooooo - i need to revive my list-making and get this place in better shape than it is. quilt camp starts tomorrow, so not much is gonna happen before monday. also paid phone bill through auto-pay. need to pay Q4 state quarterlies for 2016; believe i can do this online. due 31st of this month or before. everyplace is PILED with stuff i took home from storage; not good. cat is also not doing to great again, he seems to be blocking again. i don't know why.
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Post by sidestep on Jan 26, 2017 4:38:27 GMT -5
Congrats on getting those back-taxes done!
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Post by creativechaos on Feb 3, 2017 15:57:25 GMT -5
thanks, sidestep! sure glad to have taxes done! 2016 is next. i hope the IRS doesn't audit me if i do them on time for a change as some of you know from my blog, it's been up and down with poor dear kitty. he reblocked at least 5, maybe 6 times from just after Christmas until last week (Wed. to Friday) - i was all ready to hop on a ferry to take him to the animal hospital for the second time. he blew up like a balloon; i thought he'd die. miraculously he pulled through again. he;s been on antibiotics for a month; going to call the animal hospital to see if i should extend that because of the last scary episode. i'm hoping but scared to say he is better yet - there has been damage to his bladder and i think time will the the decider. at this same time i got mice in both storage units and am dealing with them. killed 4 so far - hated to do it but who knows how many are in our building. i think partly my regular presence there is a deterrent. got ALL of the dahlias divided up at the larger unit this week; another big load off my plate; now all ready to plant and sell/give in the spring. there are less this year. not replacing the ones that have rotted. i managed to get more paperwork done but have still more to go. right now, working on applying for all the parts of medicare. still need to do "part B." it's so complicated! i also need to start working on the PASS program with the ssi and disability people so i can start working again - i'll be writing more on my blog about that.
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Post by def6 on Feb 3, 2017 18:08:55 GMT -5
Congrats on getting your taxes done creativechaos and I hope your cat pulls through. He(or she) is a trooper!
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Post by creativechaos on Feb 4, 2017 16:42:36 GMT -5
Thanks! yes he is, def6 - i admire that cat so much! He's hanging in there. I think i need to make a list of brain-dump to-dos. i don't do lists well but will try. i'm kind of sick so not much may get done tada:filed a bunch of papers last night and moved some things around in the file drawers. Made some decisions about where old taxes will go (need to keep for 7 years, so they will be put in a file box, to make room for my burgeoning collection of social security papers and medicare stuff). TO DOsPROJECT A - broken into steps:take some measurements in corner of lg storage unit, where tall wooden shelves in LR might go. if there's space for tall shelf in storage, empty tall shelf unit neatly somewhere in LR. empty existing low shelf unit in storage to make room for taller shelf unit: release small unit? it's set aside for release at this time unless i can find a use for it. but i think not. IF all that works: bring unopened box of tall metal shelving home to the apartment, to replace the wood ones that were there. (they hold more and are sturdier) If i do this shelving unit swap, i will need help carrying both up/down the stairs - they are BOTH heavy! Arrange help; maybe pay neighbor to help me with that. IF i know i will not use the metal shelves, i'll try to sell them. IF i decide to keep metal shelves, assemble in LR corner - this means i have to move something heavy over about 3" which means unloading THAT. this may all be too much! yes, a sane person would simply release enough things to make this whole rigamarole unnecessary. i have to do that in tiny baby steps due to the hoarding. load fabric and related sewing stuff onto them. (object: eventually all sewing stuff in LR) PROJECT B -get file box out of storage; there's papers in them now that i need to figure out what to do with. box up temporarily until i have time to sort through. put former tax years in file box and decide where to store. daily or repetitive stuff:buy some fruit at the store. i am sick with a cold and want lighter food for healing. keep boxing up fabric until i decide what to do with it all - there's more than can fit in here! neatly stack boxes in corner. take a shower - finally cleaned up a bit but it's been too long. re-establish maintenance in kitchen on dishes , stove top, and small counter. sweep kitchen floor pick up stuff on floors! broom -sweep rugs to keep dust.dirt at bay until i can vacuum (when cat is out) check and re-bait mousetraps in storage units play with kitty buy a tiny funnel if i can find one (handy for mixing cat's powder to make liquid meds)
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