get Organized thread

[binny]

An oldie but a goody!

Ok I need to this plan again, I admit it I have become a massive slacker in this department.

So who would like to do the Grand Plan with me again? This is technically the "Cleaning grand plan" but I find that if I follow it I become more organized in the process because I am forced to deal with stuff.
If we start with this now it will lead us right into the Holiday Grand Plan. I know that is Crazy to think about in June but that is an amazing plan as well. ( Holiday Grand Plan starts August 31st so we will overlap a bit but not too bad http://holidaygrandplan.com/ )


So we will start with Front Porch.
http://organizedhome.com/front-porch-cleaning-grand-plan


If you need help delegating chores try this website, its totally free and a great resource!
http://www.chorebuster.net/



So who is in?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

The first thread go around, I was too scared

to read it! I'll be checking in here tho!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Come on folks! Let's get movin'!

(OK...I know it's more about organizing than cleaning, but I don't have "organizing" clipart, and you gotta clean it while you're organizing it, right?!")

 

[lillygator]

very cool website!

 

[binny]

LOL Mare, nothing to be scared of

I love the cleaning clipart! very appropriate

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Okay, I'm in. Fortunately I don't have a front porch so I am happily ignoring Step One.

Teresa

 

[powellrj]

We started doing it last week ( just think of the very busiest week of your life- DFIL died on Monday and was buried on Wednesday- DS gets married on Saturday and we decide we need to clean out the house!)

We needed to get a dumpster for DFILs house and decided it would be a good time to really clean out our house while we had the dumpster to use. I think we took 20 sacks to goodwill and we almost filled the dumpster with his house and our house and all the junk. He had an entire cabinet dedicated to ratty dish towels. There must have been over 100 of them and they were all worn out with holes and no hems left. We found food that expired in 1998 in his house.

We got our downstairs done except the kitchen and I just cleaned out those cabinets in April so they aren't bad. The kids cleaned out their rooms, but I haven't been upstairs to check on them so there may be more things gone.

My next big job is to shred all the old papers. It will take days to do because there are several large boxes I have stacked in our bedroom. Thats going to be a rainy weekend job.

Everytime we do this I swear I won't let things get this cluttered again, but somehow it always manages to get away from us. I know once DS goes to college, it will be better because he is really bad about not putting things away. We will have 2 gone and just DD will be at home, so I hope I can keep up easier.

 

[ChrizJen]

I should subscribe to this thread!!

I just moved, so things aren't too bad. (YET!)
But the move itself was almost the death of me! I never realized just how disorganized I was until it came time to pack for a move!!

But now that MOST of the stuff is unpacked and in its place, I want to STAY organized!!

Count me in!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Okay, I'm in. Fortunately I don't have a front porch so I am happily ignoring Step One.

Teresa

We started doing it last week ( just think of the very busiest week of your life- DFIL died on Monday and was buried on Wednesday- DS gets married on Saturday and we decide we need to clean out the house!)

We needed to get a dumpster for DFILs house and decided it would be a good time to really clean out our house while we had the dumpster to use. I think we took 20 sacks to goodwill and we almost filled the dumpster with his house and our house and all the junk. He had an entire cabinet dedicated to ratty dish towels. There must have been over 100 of them and they were all worn out with holes and no hems left. We found food that expired in 1998 in his house.

We got our downstairs done except the kitchen and I just cleaned out those cabinets in April so they aren't bad. The kids cleaned out their rooms, but I haven't been upstairs to check on them so there may be more things gone.

My next big job is to shred all the old papers. It will take days to do because there are several large boxes I have stacked in our bedroom. Thats going to be a rainy weekend job.

Everytime we do this I swear I won't let things get this cluttered again, but somehow it always manages to get away from us. I know once DS goes to college, it will be better because he is really bad about not putting things away. We will have 2 gone and just DD will be at home, so I hope I can keep up easier.

I'm sorry to hear about your FIL's passing.

I cleaned out my mom's house a year and a half ago to sell it (she moved into assisted living), and I was amazed at the things she held onto for years. I found OTC meds from the 80's. She had an unbelievable collection of crappy dishtowels too...what's up with that?

I swore back then that I'd clean this house out so that I wouldn't dump the same issues on my own kids. I've done some cleaning out, but not nearly as much as I COULD have accomplished. Then my DD came home from college, after living off-campus and sharing a house with friends, and brought all sorts of stuff that she won't be needing next year...she's moving into a sorority house...but wants to keep for when she graduates (in 2010) and gets her own place. Oy.

 

[breezy1077]

Ok, I'm gonna do it. The first one should be easy - the only thing we have on the front porch is a doormat, but I will hose and wash it down and we definately have some cobwebs.

How often do we switch to a new job - everyday?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Organizing help from Real Simple Magazine:

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/channel/organize

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

How often do we switch to a new job - everyday?

Every day??

I hope not!

Binny...how often does Organized Home switch to a new area? I need to prepare myself mentally.

Off to go look at your links...that might help.

 

[MagicalMom]

Binny! It's been awhile since you got us organized! I"ll try to keep up!

 

[lillygator]

I can't wait to start this, well, yes I can.
I really need someone to just come and dump everything in our house. There is so much I want to get rid of!

 

[binny]

we get a new area each week.

So its ok to relax a bit, if you dont have a front porch you should check out your front door and see if things need to be tightened or scrubbed. Wash the doormat if you have one or whatever.


Keep in mind this isnt supposed to be really stressful it is supposed to make your life easier.



It really does help, I swear.


Today I swept and hosed off the front porch washed the mat and made sure that the plants were doing well.

 

[breezy1077]

Every day??

I hope not!
:

Me too!

we get a new area each week.

So its ok to relax a bit, if you dont have a front porch you should check out your front door and see if things need to be tightened or scrubbed. Wash the doormat if you have one or whatever.


Keep in mind this isnt supposed to be really stressful it is supposed to make your life easier.



It really does help, I swear.


Today I swept and hosed off the front porch washed the mat and made sure that the plants were doing well.

What about the back patio - or will there be a separate week for that?

 

[lillygator]

my patio - is a side patio!!

 

[binny]

Ok, so lets say ALL porches.patios and porticos does that work?

 

[PaulaSue]

Hold my place, we are moving in less than a month, 2 times, and I want to get started back on the right foot.

I know I should be better about getting rid of stuff while I'm packing (I did declutter while staging the house a few months ago but I could do better. ) but half of it I will need once we get the bigger place. Too bad I don't know which half.

A lot of the girls toys/crafts I don't think they really are missed so they might not get unpacked. I have been saving them for my craft room but I may be rethinking that.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Today I swept and hosed off the front porch washed the mat and made sure that the plants were doing well.

I am actually putting "front verandah" on my list for tomorrow! Problem is... the plants are doing great, and they're all weeds! Maybe when I sweep the dust into them they'll die? DH did go through with the chain saw on Sunday and got rid of the trees trying to grow through the hydangeas.

Will we have a different week for back deck/patio or do I have to combine that one in with porch?