Anti-clutter

Inspiration: Link 1 (momto2busyboys)
Link 2 (downwithclutter)

Hm...there is so much I want to do at home. Where to begin? I guess making a list is a good idea. (I already have several lists, but...I can't think of a way to end that sentence...perhaps something about procrastinating at work and avoiding thinking about my online game...ugh, procrastination...have I learned nothing!?) Although I can easily make my November Procrastination Challenge list from this.

Anyway...starting at the beginning...(green means good/done; red means top priority; orange means to-do-soon; blue means to-do-someday):

1. Front yard: We have some ideas from a landscaping company, but the $500-some quote is demotivating, especially with the need for a new roof looming (at a cost roughly 10x the landscaping quote)...so I think landscaping will have to wait until Spring (maybe); oh and I suppose we should put away the hose for the season and do some weeding.
   
2. Front door: Personally, I don't care for the shade of green, and it needs to be re-painted, but I have no idea when; also needs weather stripping at the top (I think)
3. Foyer: Nothing comes to mind except painting (which we have no time to do)
   
4. Front closet: Needs some major decluttering and organizing, but when??
5. Dining room: paint (someday); Mail bin needs to be emptied (again!) and some decluttering in the drawers; a hook to hang empty bags on in the broom closet
6. Kitchen: paint (someday); Declutter top of microwave; install new hardware on cabinets/drawers; deep cleaning (cabinets and fridge); check into cleaning/regrouting kitchen sink; fine-tune pantry and cabinets organization (esp. over sink cabinet and upper pantry)
   
7. Living room (TV half): dust around tv; wash sofa cover; hang pics; put up new wintery curtains
   
8. Living room (office half): hang arkham boxes and other pics; do the filing/purge old docs; log in coke rewards; toy purge
9. Laundry nook: figure out if there's a way to organize without leaving everything on top of the dryer (wall mounted storage solution)
10. Backyard: store summer stuff in the shed; get bags/bins for the stuff in storage; put away hose
    
11. Powder room: ugh, needs a complete overhaul...someday
12. Spare room/nursery: paint (someday); DECLUTTER; shift stuff to our room that needs to go (in prep for Bit's toddler bed even tho she isn't ready yet)
13. Bit's room (w/ crib): utilize pantry space more efficiently; toy purge/organization; storage tub for clothing to grow/season into
    
14. Bit's room (w/ toddler bed): set up new storage where pantry used to be; move changing table; solve lighting issues
15. Hall bathroom: fix tub surface; paint (someday)
16. Linen closet: organize and utilize
    
17. Our bathroom: paint (someday)
18. Our bedroom: paint (someday); declutter dresser top; unpack boxes; organize closet and underbed storage; move in stuff from the nursery; obtain secretary desk for N

Wow, for a 3 br, 2.5 ba, we have alot of spaces to work on!

Procrastination Update #2!

So, I'm planning to abandon my blog (tentatively) in 2009. But in the meantime... I did it! I did EVERYTHING on my original list! In a few days I'll write up November's list. Maybe I'll keep this blog just for the procrastination challenges alone. Woo hoo!

Updated list:

1. Install the pull out drawer in my pantry
2. Install the correct door knob on the spare bedroom door.
3. Fill in the mirror photo frame and hang it in the hall.
4. USE the Space Bags (sort of, using some for now)
5. Put up the new towel ring in the guest bathroom.(N did it!)
6. Hang the magnetic boards we got to display Bit's artwork.
7. New item: Install new shiny hardware on kitchen cabinets.
   

Link to Original Post

New Friends

I decided to do a small birthday party for Bit this year. Last year I gave in and invited all our families (well I think I only invited N's mom, but she brought her sister and neice anyway, which was fine). It was big, but a blast. Bit was the only little one there.

This year is a whole new ball game, seeing as she's an active toddler. So I decided to invite 2 little friends (1 for each year since she's turning 2). I sent the e-vite out last night and within an hour all 3 adults on the invite list had responded. How cool is that!!

I'm so used to my childless friends who are a nightmare to organize for anything. No offense to them, but it's so refreshing to have some brand new parenting-related friends who are, just, well, different from my old social circle.

My social network is vastly different than it was before having a kid and I am finally getting excited about it and more comfortable letting these newcomers in.

Fantastic!

Procrastination Update

Updated list:

1. Install the pull out drawer in my pantry--I did one but not the other. It'll be a pain in the arse, but get a box off my dining room floor that's been there FAR too long.
2. Install the correct door knob on the spare bedroom door.
3. Fill in the mirror photo frame and hang it in the hall.
4. USE the Space Bags (sort of, using some for now)
5. Put up the new towel ring in the guest bathroom.
6. Hang the magnetic boards we got to display Bit's artwork.
7. New item: Install new shiny hardware on kitchen cabinets.
   

Link to Original Post

Desperate Housewives

This is a show I never thought I would watch. However, when I went on maternity leave, I thought, why not? I thought I'd see if it was as stupid as it sounded. (I went through the exact same thing with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and now I am totally hooked on every Joss Whedon makes.)

So I quickly absorbed (and bought) Seasons 1 and 2. They each contain one of my favorite episodes. Season 1, the one where Lynnette has a break down and the ladies come together to talk about how hard motherhood is. That really spoke to me as a first time mom. My second favorite is from Season 2 where they focus on dads, particularly Tom. Tom & Lynnette are very much like me and my hubby, minus the lies and conniving. We're straight with each other, but I'm definitely the dominant one.

Anyway, Season 3 was less interesting to me, though I did like what they did with Edy. Season 4 ended spectacularly, though, and I love what they are doing with the show. I am now excited again. Woo hoo!

Procrastination Challenge: October

For this month, I want to focus on using the things I've bought that have yet to be put to proper use. This is because my list of things I want to get for the house is growing, yet other mini-projects are left undone. This is precisely the type of consumerist behavior I want to avoid, so I must complete my tasks before taking on new possessions. Make sense?

(Since I don't have any readers, I don't think it matters.)

Anyway, here's the list:

1. Install the pull out drawer in my pantry--I did one but not the other. It'll be a pain in the arse, but get a box off my dining room floor that's been there FAR too long.
2. Install the correct door knob on the spare bedroom door (it currently has a key lock instead of a passage lock due to some weirdness of the previous owners).
3. Fill in the mirror photo frame and hang it in the hall.
4. USE the Space Bags, stop being afraid of them! (or regretting buying them, whatever)
5. Put up the new towel ring in the guest bathroom.
6. Hang the magnetic boards we got to display Bit's artwork.
   

Cucumber

I blew up at my boss today. Not angrily, but ...exuberantly. I told her to take something into her office and stop over-complicating things (she was trying to not disrupt me, and in the process being disruptive). I was right, but that doesn't matter. If I can't keep my cool and calmly communicate, then I might as well be wrong.

Must work on some relaxation, calming exercises. I like the idea of taking 15 minutes a day and spending them in silence. (Presumably not surfing the net either.)

A Girls' Night Out

My mom has gotten some scary medical news recently, so we have been talking alot. She just rejoined Weight Watchers and is all fired up to make her success last this time. I am 100% behind her because I know the program works. It worked for me. I lost over 100 lbs. and I'm keeping it off!

So I suggested that I meet her for her weekly meeting and we have dinner together afterward. I could tell she was excited by the tone in her voice. I was excited, too. Once I found the center, the meeting was good. I bought a few treats and shared a little of my story. I got 2 star "Bravo" stickers and a free "Lose for Good" tote bag for my trouble. It was great! It actually inspired me to go to meetings again on my own.

Then Mom and I had a lovely dinner at Applebees (with their WW friendly menu) and we chatted for what seemed like hours. I can't wait to do it again next month!

Life is short: DO Something!

I'm subtitling this "An argument for productivity." It pays to be organized and motivated. Why? Because life is short and we should make the most of it. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have down time, but it should be conscious down time--time that you've specifically set aside for relaxation. Not just time where you happen to have nothing to do, or are slacking on other tasks, or are bored.

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity. - Henry Thoreau

I think the problem most people have is being realistic.

1. They are unrealistic about how much time they actually have in a day. No matter what you do or where you are, a minute is still 60 seconds. A day is still 24 hours. So don't try to cram more than is reasonable into finite limits. (Yes, this requires a little bit of forethought, planning, and even saying "No.")
   
   
2. They are also unrealistic about their priorities. Most people think they know where their priorities lie. Mostly they just know what they believe their priorities should be, not what they really are.

I urge anyone who feels out of control or unfulfilled to try this: Track your week.

Each day, make a list of the 3 most important things you want to (or need to) accomplish that day. After a week, go back and see what those things are (and note whether you accomplished them).

If you actually did your top 3 things, those are your priorities. If you didn't do them, but did something else instead, then your priorities aren't what you thought they were. Even if you did the top 3 things, you might find that the things topping your list (your actual priorities) are different than you expected.

Thanks to SimpleMom for her Daily Docket, which helped me identify my own needs (and also clear out some brain clutter).