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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 3, 2021 20:01:42 GMT -5
This is Dana K White's list
First Do the dishes (I did 10 min)
Day 1 Plan and customized the 14 days
A. Write down each day and day of the week ex. 2021 Nov., Day 1 Wed. 3rd, Day 2 Thurs. 4thDONE
B. check the planner/calendar and put in any commitments, events or appts. pick up friend from airport, spend day with grandchildren, take daughter to dr. etc... birthdays Done
C. estimate how much time you have or want to devote to this plan on each day, given the current time commitments already allocated for that day.
D. Make room prioritizing worksheet. List the rooms in order of how much time guests will spend in those rooms. Leave space for a checklist under each room. about 2 or 3 rooms per page Done
Whatever time left for this project on day one, do the dishes, clean the kitchen
Day one is taking me a bit longer because it is now day 2 and I haven't finished C and D.
I'm having a difficult time deciding how much time that I'm willing to commit. I technically have quite a bit of open time most days, but so far I have trouble just doing the dishes for 10 min. sigh I don't want to over extend myself. However, I also want this to be a significant endeavor.
I have 8 rooms on my list. minimally 5 min per room, 40 min. I can definitely keep that time commitment. 10 min per room seems a bit more reasonable as 5 min seems a bit to short for meaningful progress. so 80 min for standard.
ok so 15 min per room = 120 min or 2 hours is Great. anything more than 2 hours will be Superb! Yay I now have a semi working time estimates.
now off to do 10 min of dishes then get to work on life stuff then on to day 2 (which is technically today)
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Post by goldenthreads on Nov 4, 2021 15:45:42 GMT -5
I'm bookmarking this thread and will join you tomorrow. I hadn't watched Dana in a while, so I didn't know she had this going. This year I'm hosting for the first time in years. It'll be just family who are used to me and my ways, but we'll all be cooking and such in my kitchen, and the whole place is a mess, so this is very timely. Thanks!
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Post by goldenthreads on Nov 7, 2021 0:07:01 GMT -5
Hi, puzzleqt. Thanks again for pointing this out. I just finished my two pages for Day 1. I'm very pleased about this process. When I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, I kind of like being told what to do and in what order.  |
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 8, 2021 14:24:47 GMT -5
Day 2
Step 1 Do the Dishes (yep, again)
Math time
On day one the amount of time devoted to this project for each day was set up. Take the time allotted for day 2. Divide the minutes by number of rooms. Then divide that number in half because I go through the set of rooms twice.
Example. 40 minutes divided by 8 rooms = 5 minutes per room. 5 minutes divided by 2 = 2.5 min per room per pass through
2. Take a trash bag and find trash in each of the prioritized rooms in order already decided in day 1
3. Take a donation box to each room in order of priority. Find donations and ok maybe more trash that escaped vision the first round.
Some rooms will take less time, some will take more. If the bathroom only takes 1 min to get the trash out, then I have 2.5 min plus the extra bath minute to use on a room that might need hours. 3.5 minutes is much better than nothing. Progress and better are the goals, with limits and time incentives, to prevent burnout and provide direction. This way everything gets some attention that needs it.
And here I am technically day 6 but really on day 2. Good points, I did some dishes (still not all). I spent 15 min getting out trash and sweeping my priority one room. I spent 15 min cleaning the tub in my bath that so desperately needed it (room 7 but hey, something). I did more than 10 min in the kitchen at some point, and started doing 5 min in my bedroom 3 different times in the same 30 as I go distracted each time after doing one or two things and starting the timer over.
I'm more aware of trash and putting it in the can when I see it or have it in my hand (tissues). I'm taking the time more often to put things where they go instead of putting them odd places for the moment.
I'm sticking with my 5 minute minimum for each room, aiming for 10, hoping for 15 and excited for more. Yeah Rah let's DO THIS!!!!
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 8, 2021 14:25:44 GMT -5
Great Goldenthreads! Glad to have the company!
Now, I'm off to do the dishes and my 5 min trek through the house for trash and donations!
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Post by goldenthreads on Nov 8, 2021 22:41:53 GMT -5
Two days later... Yep, it's Day 2!  I did the dishes. My culling of obvious trash was a little junk mail, a few tomatoes going bad, and a whole lot of newspapers that I was never going to read. I'm not a big consumer, so I didn't have any duh donations. I watched the Day 3 video, and I'm going to make my detailed list now. A nice thing about this process is that I have "permission" to ignore my bedroom, since the guests won't be using it. |
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 9, 2021 10:54:23 GMT -5
Yay goldenthreads! congrats on the dishes
I'm still super resistant to doing my dishes. I did do another 10 min of dishes. washed a couple of big mixing bowls. tossed some trash. decided not to wash the moldy food container and tossed it. did Not do the donation collection. put a few more obvious things where they belong.
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Post by goldenthreads on Nov 9, 2021 18:38:15 GMT -5
Day 3 Didn't finish the detailed list yesterday, so I did that today. Did the dishes, and spent five minutes picking up in the worst rooms. Now I will need to spend the evening doing some of those things on the list! I wrote that I would have three hours today. (Gulp!) Good going, puzzleqt! |
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 10, 2021 11:53:45 GMT -5
Yesterday I spend time carefully watching day 3 video and making an elaborate post. Just as I was finishing the last couple of sentences, poof - auto computer shutdown and restart and it was gone, sigh.
Oh well. I did spend 20 min washing dishes, picked up some trash, did the detail plan for the first room.
Day 3
Step 1 Do the Dishes (yep, again)
Step 2 Set timer for 5 minutes and quick tidy starting with room 1 on priority list
Step 3. Create Master task list for each room starting with first priority Room. Sit where people will sit. Look up, look down, look around. Write down every task that needs doing. Dusting light fixtures/ceiling fans, smudge marks on walls, windows, piles, laundry, papers to file, furniture to clear, furniture to move out, things to fix, paint to touch up, things to rehome, things to hang on walls, dusting tops of doorframes and pictures. EVERYthing that needs action. How the room should look to be inviting, comfortable, pleasant.
Step 4. Divide the remaining time by the number of rooms. Start working the list. Start with the First room, then move to the next, and so on, until time is up.
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 12, 2021 13:39:24 GMT -5
Day 4
Step 1. Do the Dishes (ahhhhh, sigh, ok)
Step 2. 5 min pick up
Step 3. Create Meal Planning Checklist
Plan each meal for each day I have guests or considered special Family Holiday Time
It doesn't have to be fancy for each meal, know what you want to have/make. Write how many people are eating at each meal. Even if it something simple like cereal and always available, write it down.
Write down everything needed for each meal and how much needed for the number of people eating.
Go through pantry and freezer and fridge to see what I already have and what I need to buy. Check expiration dates on the condiments and how much is left. just in case that salad dressing for the salad expired 3 years ago and what you remembered as good and plenty -- isn't. (this has tripped me up a time or two)
Remember that me and my family are still eating during this time and may consume my planned ingredients.
Establish the food/cooking timeline. What needs to be cooked when for the meals to be cohesive. Frequently, I've found my meal cooked and ready to eat, only to realize I never started the rice. Or I forgot to get the ground beef out of the freezer in the morning or night before, so it would have time to thaw.
Anticipate Prep time. prepare as much ahead of time.
Delegate, have others contribute
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 12, 2021 13:59:29 GMT -5
I did 20 min of dishes.
I prepped the pork roast for the slow cooker
I still need to do detailed action plans -- the master list for 7 more rooms
Still need to do 5 min tidy
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Post by goldenthreads on Nov 13, 2021 13:10:16 GMT -5
Hi, puzzleqt ! I will do the meal planning part of Day 4 sometime next week. This is going to be a potluck/joint cooking effort, and it's low pressure, too. So far one person has said what soup she'll be bringing. In addition, we will need to adapt at least some of the food to one person's diet, in which she is gradually adding back items from her elimination diet. We don't know yet what will be okay. So today is Day 6. (I didn't do the working the plan hard for Day 5, either.) So far I have some dishes soaking and have swept the kitchen floor. It's time to adjust plans to reality. The first thing is I have to admit that I'm not willing to commit to more than one hour a day on this, so my written-down available time will be erased and changed. I have a couple of very important life things to take care of that I need to work on each day (and recover from mentally). Second, I've been a little haphazard with my efforts, although I have done the rooms in prioritized order. So I want to post here at least some of what I've actually accomplished. Kitchen so far: Removed spoiled food from fridge a few days ago, and removed cobwebs; cleaned two refrigerator shelves today. Living room so far: got rid of old newspapers, and removed cobwebs a few days ago; have done intermittent decluttering of stuff. |
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 14, 2021 19:54:52 GMT -5
Day 5
Step 1. Do the Dishes
Step 2. Sweep the Kitchen
Step 3. 5 min pickup
Step 4. Room Priority work list
Divide the time you have available by the number of rooms
Set a timer for the amount of time each room gets
Start with the first room
Only do tasks that are on the list (except for obvious emergencies)
If I find other things in the room that didn't get on the list but I want on the list, don't work on it now.
If I really don't want to forget, start a new 2nd list for if there is time after the other lists are done. Make it quick, do NOT use up the precious time allotted for DOING! (my take)
If it didn't make it on the list when I went through purposefully, looking at what my guests would see, Don't Stress about it NOW. Chances are good it's not as important as my stressed out mind thinks it is.
Don't get distracted by all the other possibilities/problems/options.
STICK to the LIST!
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 14, 2021 20:18:28 GMT -5
Hi Goldenthreads,
Yep, this is the place to track all that. Way to go, something is better than nothing, progress is good. Glad your food thing is figured out. I'm also glad you adjusted your expectations. Nothing kills ambition like sticking to an untenable plan, just because at one point it seemed doable.
I've been pretty lax. I figure once I get through the 14 days I will start again. The second time most of the figuring time is done. That leaves more time to focus and direct the troops (DH and Children).
I did get DH to take the window air conditioners out and back to storage.
DD's curtain is also back up on her window, yay. small wins
also a wrongly bought product was returned and the correct one bought.
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Post by puzzleqt on Nov 14, 2021 20:46:02 GMT -5
Day 6 Adjust my plans for my Reality
Step 1. Do the Dishes! yep yep yep go go go I think I can, I think I can, I know I can do 1 dish
Step 2. Sweep the kitchen floor
Step 3. Set 5 min timer, do quick pickup/tidy
Step 4. Time to Adjust
Where am I now that I am at the 1/2 way point in this project. Am I ahead or on point, awesome, keep at it. Most likely, I am nowhere near the place I thought I'd be by now. Be ruthless, slash picky less important stuff, lower expectations. Give priority to things that make the most impact! or Add time (crazy I know, but more time worked on the big stuff means more gets done)
The GOAL is to let people into the home/ More enjoyable home Environment! Not do everything I intended to do in the past DECADE, but haven't bothered or managed to do yet.
A. Smells particularly stinky or unpleasant odors (garbage cans?)
B. Clear pathways to maneuver
C. Sanitation/ Cleanliness /germy places/ allergy issues
D. Biggest Obstacles or eyesores
E. Quick Easy stuff
F. Clear/clean Seating surfaces
G. Clear/Clean eating/cooking surfaces
Step 5. Work on adjusted room priority list
Remember, The VISUAL stuff counts the most!
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