Goals 2007 - Organizing Update

On the organizing front:

~ I have flung 250 pounds worth of stuff, old hangers from kids clothes, broken toys, ripped books, catalogs, magazines, old papers in the file drawers, hole-y socks & underwear. (super fling boogie is on over at www.flylady.net)

~ I winterized the Prince's windows & rearranged his room, he & Dad built a barn for his tractor collection, so I cut back his wheeled toy collection to fit in it (it is still quite large), fixed his closet, so we can hang clothes again, sorted all toys into bins by category, sorted through his old school papers so we are only keeping a few from each year, put all clothes that don't fit anymore into sell/toss/recycle piles. Still need to finish the corner by the closet, go through more school papers, move bed now that he started sleeping in the top bunk, we can put the trundle away.

~ In the MBR I cleared off the dresser, tossed anything that was garbage, started a donation box for anything I don't want anymore, cleared out under the bed. Still need to run new outlet so we can eliminate the miles of extension cords to the lamp on the dresser, find a way to move most of the clothes out of the large dresser, so we can get rid of it (we'd like to replace it with something more stylish/appropriate), sew a curtain to cover the nook we turned into closet space.

~ In the pantry I cleared off the dryer, moved the laundry sorter, tossed a couple of old food items (ok, so the cake mix I got from my Grandma was dated 1999, ewwww, don't know how I missed that), regrouped like items (they tend to wander when more than one person is putting things away), put more infrequently used items into long term storage (the upper cabinets, where I need a ladder to get to), grouped the painting supplies & paint under the sink, restocked the tool box with the basic tools (hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, tape measure) that were found all over the place. Still need to finish clearing floor, wash blankets, vacuum, put more stuff in long term storage. We want to be able to put down some new flooring this spring (right now it is carpet, not really my first choice for a laundry room (or kitchen, or bathroom, but that is what we got with the Money Pit.

~ In the dressing room (off bathroom, more like overgrown closet), we took the mirror doors off, took out the tracks, put shoes on shoe rack, moved my purse & gym bag to a shelf in the closet, they were on a hook in the kitchen, designated a shelf for folded towels, tossed anything old that wouldn't or couldn't be used, old catalogs, magazines from bathroom, outdated cosmetics & medicines. Still need to clear up floor in closet, find home for stuff, replace flooring (we ripped out carpet to look for crawl space door.

~ In the kitchen, I cleared off the counter to start from scratch with what appliances I wanted out, cleaned out under the sink, set up paper collection area at top of basement stairs (to be burned), finished putting away decorations, got out Valentine's Day stuff. Still need to clear off table in corner (we want to turn it into cabinets/counter in the future, for now it houses a table), organize spice cabinet.

~ In the living room, cleared off surfaces to "start over", especially on top the piano, it just begs for clutter, picked up all of the corners & under the furniture (found lots of little toys, blocks, legos, etc). Still need to put away the movies & games that get left on TV, shampoo carpets.

~ In the playroom/front room I sorted all the toys into bins, moved in a bigger table (was in the Prince's room, he got the smaller table back), moved a book shelf (videos, DVDs, video games & books). Still need to find a new home for the old couch (it's antique, so can't be used by the children), go through the other book shelves, shampoo carpets.

~ I haven't started in the Princess's room yet. I need to put away her clothes (in drawers, I do this regularly but she regularly empties them), some kind of toy storage need to be found, place for dress up clothes, sort stuff into sell/toss/recycle piles.

~ Office: sorted through a couple of files, tossed some old stuff, finished ice cream business's books, set up in box & to be filed box, still need to go through stuff on top of desks (lots out, but the drawers are empty???)

~ Basement: sewing room is almost complete, shipping center is started, holiday decor is in bins, furnace area is still full of coal ash, but dh threw his back out so it will be there for a bit, there are still a couple items that aren't organized yet. Still need to finish organizing shelves, put up doors to sewing room, get ash out.

~ Garage: work area is set up, all of the tools & benches are workable, the storage area is ok. Hard to do much out there now that it is cold & snowy.

We have made progress, but I still have a long way to go!!! Thankfully there are 11 months left :D.