It's officially the last evening of my summer. Tomorrow it's back to work and I'll be in Cuisinart mode for several weeks until the trainings, new crap and schedules calm down, so this is the end of the road for all attempts to clean and organize my house and my life.
So -- how'd I do? Well, I think pretty well overall, though the crap gnomes are hard at work and I don't have as clean a house as I had several weeks ago. The goals:
1: Clean out the cluttered spots in my house: computer desk, dining room, linen closet and dining room closet.
Three out of four ain't bad, as they say. Actually it's more like 3 1/2 out of four since I got about half done on the upstairs linen closet.
2: Clear out the basement so Hubby can have many fewer excuses to get a move on with finishing the basement.
Oh, it WAS cleared, I swear. Goddamn little crap gnomes have been hard at work down there. I think I will need a couple hours on a weekend morning to go hell-for-leather down there and polish things off.
3: Clean out the attic: give away the kids' old clothes, saving the special ones, organize the attic into specific storage areas (out-of-season clothes, holidays, kids' schoolwork/stuff, AC space, furniture etc)
Now here's the success story of the summer -- the ATTIC. The one place sane people never venture during the summer and I got that sumbitch CLEAN! It's likely still clean because nobody goes up there, but still ,it's done.
4: Paint the Drama Queen's bedroom and our bedroom (have colors picked, now just have to get the paint and tools and get it done)
Still at the halfway mark there. Have the paint, need the time and official OK to go ahead and get our room done. The way he reacts it will probably be next year before I get it done, unless I can convince him to go off with the fellas again to Florida for a weekend.
Curtains are still in pieces, have a plan but again no time to make that happen. Oh well. Haven't had curtains over the blinds for eight years, so I'm not getting all bent over that.
If I manage anything else or find some miraculous way of murdering the crap gnomes that keep leaving shit all over my house, I'll post again.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
It's Curtains For You, My Dear
The curtains I got via ebay definitely needed cleaning, but they were cotton twill so I figured they would survive a soak. Three did, two didn't. Actually, the liners on two of the curtains didn't survive the soak, and I'm glad I didn't pay to send them to the cleaners because they would have disintegrated there and Lord knows what I would have gotten back. I salvaged the vast majority of the main curtain fabric, so I am reasonably certain I can make some kind of nice roman-type shade with the three that survived, and then possibly make some kind of shade topper-thingy for the three windows out of the two longer pieces that were not completely unscathed. Think I have to get Mom involved in this project-- she's going to want to kill me most likely.
Elizabeth was here Friday this week, and I had the house about 90% picked up. She did a much, much better job on the regular cleaning since the only room that was a minor disaster was the toy room. I have GOT to get Hubby to finish off the basement so we can have the toys and kid crap down there (and the laundry facilities not backwards). Definitely this winter. Maybe I can get FIL to come help him when business is slow...
Leaving Thurs for the Austin/Vegas trip, hope that all goes as planned.
Elizabeth was here Friday this week, and I had the house about 90% picked up. She did a much, much better job on the regular cleaning since the only room that was a minor disaster was the toy room. I have GOT to get Hubby to finish off the basement so we can have the toys and kid crap down there (and the laundry facilities not backwards). Definitely this winter. Maybe I can get FIL to come help him when business is slow...
Leaving Thurs for the Austin/Vegas trip, hope that all goes as planned.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Reviewing the goals
1: Clean out the cluttered spots in my house: computer desk, dining room, linen closet and dining room closet.
Almost there. The gremlins keep attacking the computer desk and cluttering it up with more crap, but the dining room is under control including the closet, and I put a dent in the linen closet.
2: Clear out the basement so Hubby can have many fewer excuses to get a move on with finishing the basement.
Need more time -- have a bit more pack and pitch to do in the front half, but the back half where the old desk is and the cabinets where I discovered Hubby has been throwing in crap just to get it out of his way... well, that area is going to take something just shy of napalm to clear. It is a lot cleaner, though -- have to remember to attack it a couple times a month with the shopvac to clear the dust and kitty litter.
3: Clean out the attic: give away the kids' old clothes, saving the special ones, organize the attic into specific storage areas (out-of-season clothes, holidays, kids' schoolwork/stuff, AC space, furniture etc)
Ah, here's my success story of the summer. I got this organized and under control!
4: Paint the Drama Queen's bedroom and our bedroom (have colors picked, now just have to get the paint and tools and get it done)
Half done. Hers is done, mine is not (have the paint, but have to schedule the time to do it with Hubby who is being a pain about it.
What else got done? The stairway into the basement is organized with brooms and such hanging so as not to trip you on the way down. The Boy's closet is organized, and his old clothes got sorted/donated. Bought a bookshelf for my room, and that helped get the books off the floor of my closet and the top shelf of the linen closet. Got rid of several bags of toys from the toy room, and sent off a couple boxes to Auntie Mame so she would have a ready supply of stuff for them to play with when we are there. Polished some of the silver that needed it, rearranged the pictures on and over the mantel, and reshelved some of the books in the living room.
So what's on tap for this week? As much as possible on the basement, plus Drama Queen's closet and rearranging the linen closet. Tomorrow is closet day, Tuesday will be basement day as long as weather and kids cooperate. After that I'm screwed as I will have both kids all day, and organizing time will be over -- then I'll be in permanent cleanup mode.
Almost there. The gremlins keep attacking the computer desk and cluttering it up with more crap, but the dining room is under control including the closet, and I put a dent in the linen closet.
2: Clear out the basement so Hubby can have many fewer excuses to get a move on with finishing the basement.
Need more time -- have a bit more pack and pitch to do in the front half, but the back half where the old desk is and the cabinets where I discovered Hubby has been throwing in crap just to get it out of his way... well, that area is going to take something just shy of napalm to clear. It is a lot cleaner, though -- have to remember to attack it a couple times a month with the shopvac to clear the dust and kitty litter.
3: Clean out the attic: give away the kids' old clothes, saving the special ones, organize the attic into specific storage areas (out-of-season clothes, holidays, kids' schoolwork/stuff, AC space, furniture etc)
Ah, here's my success story of the summer. I got this organized and under control!
4: Paint the Drama Queen's bedroom and our bedroom (have colors picked, now just have to get the paint and tools and get it done)
Half done. Hers is done, mine is not (have the paint, but have to schedule the time to do it with Hubby who is being a pain about it.
What else got done? The stairway into the basement is organized with brooms and such hanging so as not to trip you on the way down. The Boy's closet is organized, and his old clothes got sorted/donated. Bought a bookshelf for my room, and that helped get the books off the floor of my closet and the top shelf of the linen closet. Got rid of several bags of toys from the toy room, and sent off a couple boxes to Auntie Mame so she would have a ready supply of stuff for them to play with when we are there. Polished some of the silver that needed it, rearranged the pictures on and over the mantel, and reshelved some of the books in the living room.
So what's on tap for this week? As much as possible on the basement, plus Drama Queen's closet and rearranging the linen closet. Tomorrow is closet day, Tuesday will be basement day as long as weather and kids cooperate. After that I'm screwed as I will have both kids all day, and organizing time will be over -- then I'll be in permanent cleanup mode.
Friday, July 20, 2007
On to the 20th
The dining room corner of crap has been cleared out, and the computer desk is fairly decent, although I am beginning to think that there are crap gnomes that roam my house at night and deposit more shit on the desk. I've packed up and moved most of the big stuff from the basement to the appropriate corners of the attic. Still have to do a bit on the wooden bookshelf, the top of the pool table has about a half-dozen projects that need to be moved elsewhere or completed, and the bookshelf that is falling apart needs to be completely dismantled. Other than that, the basement is not terrible -- it's ALMOST ready for the "Get to Home Depot and buy the sheetrock!" conversation.
Also started the toy room cleanout. Threw out 4 bags of broken things and a huge assortment of fast-food-meal toys, set aside things to give our neighbor with the one-year-old, and packed up boxes for the attic and to send to Mame and Wome's. After all that -- I barely put a dent in things. That was a bit frustrating. However, given the scale of things, I think the next really big push to organize and clean out should be when everything goes downstairs to the basement once Hubby is done with the walls, floor and new lighting (I detest the fluorescent industrial lighting he has there now). I can't wait to have a real playroom/toy room downstairs where the kids can go hang out and play.
Bad news: Hubby dropped something (he swears it was a spice jar) on the glass top of the stove, and he broke it. He has crisscosses of blue painters tape going all over the stovetop to keep the pieces together until it's replaced. The part alone is over $300, so my thinking is that if we have to pay for a service call, it would probably be cheaper to buy a new stove. How wasteful does that seem???
Today was The Boy's last day of camp, and Drama Queen has about 7-8 more days (she is done July 31) of daycare. As this day was my final day without any children this summer (not counting trip to Vegas), I think I did pretty well getting most of my goals accomplished or nearly accomplished.
Still to do:
Paint my bedroom. Hubby is being difficult about this as he doesn't want to sleep anywhere else. I can't imagine sleeping in noxious paint fumes for the first night or two. Eeuuuww.
Basement: clear bookshelves. Fix or throw out crappy bookshelf unit. File papers. Clear pool table.
Downstairs bathroom: go through cabinets and throw out crap. Reorganize so that towels are in closed cabinet. Put something pretty in open cabinet. Hang beach-theme platter over sink area.
Sewing projects: Fix pile of skirts that need new hems. Finish DQ's quilt that needs binding. Makeover curtains into roman shades for master bedroom.
None of that's getting done this weekend. Harry Potter #7 arrives tomorrow, and DQ has a birthday party. I think I have to go over to FIL's tomorrow, but Harry is coming with me and I will be completely asocial until I'm done with it.
Also started the toy room cleanout. Threw out 4 bags of broken things and a huge assortment of fast-food-meal toys, set aside things to give our neighbor with the one-year-old, and packed up boxes for the attic and to send to Mame and Wome's. After all that -- I barely put a dent in things. That was a bit frustrating. However, given the scale of things, I think the next really big push to organize and clean out should be when everything goes downstairs to the basement once Hubby is done with the walls, floor and new lighting (I detest the fluorescent industrial lighting he has there now). I can't wait to have a real playroom/toy room downstairs where the kids can go hang out and play.
Bad news: Hubby dropped something (he swears it was a spice jar) on the glass top of the stove, and he broke it. He has crisscosses of blue painters tape going all over the stovetop to keep the pieces together until it's replaced. The part alone is over $300, so my thinking is that if we have to pay for a service call, it would probably be cheaper to buy a new stove. How wasteful does that seem???
Today was The Boy's last day of camp, and Drama Queen has about 7-8 more days (she is done July 31) of daycare. As this day was my final day without any children this summer (not counting trip to Vegas), I think I did pretty well getting most of my goals accomplished or nearly accomplished.
Still to do:
Paint my bedroom. Hubby is being difficult about this as he doesn't want to sleep anywhere else. I can't imagine sleeping in noxious paint fumes for the first night or two. Eeuuuww.
Basement: clear bookshelves. Fix or throw out crappy bookshelf unit. File papers. Clear pool table.
Downstairs bathroom: go through cabinets and throw out crap. Reorganize so that towels are in closed cabinet. Put something pretty in open cabinet. Hang beach-theme platter over sink area.
Sewing projects: Fix pile of skirts that need new hems. Finish DQ's quilt that needs binding. Makeover curtains into roman shades for master bedroom.
None of that's getting done this weekend. Harry Potter #7 arrives tomorrow, and DQ has a birthday party. I think I have to go over to FIL's tomorrow, but Harry is coming with me and I will be completely asocial until I'm done with it.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Monday the 9th
Today's grand total was putting the old papers and bills from the desk pile into a bag and moving the bag to the basement next to the file cabinet, where I will hopefully remember to go an file all that next week.
Also cleaned up a good bit from over the weekend. I didn't get much laundry done over the weekend, so that is starting to pile up in the basement.
Three more days of curriculum slog, and then it's back putting the nose to the grindstone here for a week or so.
Also cleaned up a good bit from over the weekend. I didn't get much laundry done over the weekend, so that is starting to pile up in the basement.
Three more days of curriculum slog, and then it's back putting the nose to the grindstone here for a week or so.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Sunday the 8th
Didn't get anything noticeable done yesterday(weekend, family visitors etc).
Friday -- got the computer desk mostly cleared. Didn't get to the filing pile though. That will be today or tomorrow. Have to set up the desk so there's an order to it also.
Hubby did not want me to paint this weekend. We're aiming for next weekend (Friday into Saturday). Curtains have arrived, needing cleaning. They are heavy cotton twill, and I am thinking I may try Clorox 2 on them and sun them in the yard to deal with some of the age darkening.
This week: finish computer desk, finish dining room corner, move basement items to attic (books and furniture), clear top of pool table, and tape off bedroom to get ready to paint. HAve to see if I can manage most of this on top of going in to work 9-2 Mon-Thurs this week.
Oh, and it's Harry Week#1 -- Order of the Phoenix starts showing on Wed -- so nothing happens after about 2pm on Wed!
Friday -- got the computer desk mostly cleared. Didn't get to the filing pile though. That will be today or tomorrow. Have to set up the desk so there's an order to it also.
Hubby did not want me to paint this weekend. We're aiming for next weekend (Friday into Saturday). Curtains have arrived, needing cleaning. They are heavy cotton twill, and I am thinking I may try Clorox 2 on them and sun them in the yard to deal with some of the age darkening.
This week: finish computer desk, finish dining room corner, move basement items to attic (books and furniture), clear top of pool table, and tape off bedroom to get ready to paint. HAve to see if I can manage most of this on top of going in to work 9-2 Mon-Thurs this week.
Oh, and it's Harry Week#1 -- Order of the Phoenix starts showing on Wed -- so nothing happens after about 2pm on Wed!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Friday the 6th
Last day this week with no kids in the house for the day. Yesterday E was here cleaning so I went to work and did email, POs and cleaned my desk up. Productive!
I'm making good progress on my goals. Monday I got the attic organized and got rid of a massive amount of stuff -- about 10-12 bags of clothes (drove over to the bins by the Walgreens and donated them), and about as many bags of garbage including the stuff I tossed out of the basement. Under the pool table is all clean, and I swept and shopvac-ed the floor and the stairs. Also got out the hammer and nails and finished hanging up the mop/broom collection on the stair wall going down into the basement. Extremely productive day. Tuesday I got rid of the mountain of ironing that had accumulated and did some upstairs organizing. Hung the pictures on Sadie's walls, too, and went to the dentist to get my mouth guard fitted (45 minutes of torture). After that I better not ever chip any more teeth from grinding them -- I don't ever want to go through that again.
Wednesday was the 4th -- holiday, made a fresh cherry pie for FIL's birthday, wrapped Hubby's gifts for his dad, got the kids organized and spent the rest of the day at FIL's birthday party.
Today's goals: clean up computer desk area and finish dining room corner cleanup. This is going to involve a lot of shredding and bill filing in the basement when I'm done with the desk. Also have to mail in the dental forms and see if they'll cough up for the last several appointments.
There's a squirrel that has discovered my cherry tree -- and he's been busy stealing the almost ripe cherries that I left on the tree in hopes of getting one or two more bags picked sometime this week. Little bugger.
I'm making good progress on my goals. Monday I got the attic organized and got rid of a massive amount of stuff -- about 10-12 bags of clothes (drove over to the bins by the Walgreens and donated them), and about as many bags of garbage including the stuff I tossed out of the basement. Under the pool table is all clean, and I swept and shopvac-ed the floor and the stairs. Also got out the hammer and nails and finished hanging up the mop/broom collection on the stair wall going down into the basement. Extremely productive day. Tuesday I got rid of the mountain of ironing that had accumulated and did some upstairs organizing. Hung the pictures on Sadie's walls, too, and went to the dentist to get my mouth guard fitted (45 minutes of torture). After that I better not ever chip any more teeth from grinding them -- I don't ever want to go through that again.
Wednesday was the 4th -- holiday, made a fresh cherry pie for FIL's birthday, wrapped Hubby's gifts for his dad, got the kids organized and spent the rest of the day at FIL's birthday party.
Today's goals: clean up computer desk area and finish dining room corner cleanup. This is going to involve a lot of shredding and bill filing in the basement when I'm done with the desk. Also have to mail in the dental forms and see if they'll cough up for the last several appointments.
There's a squirrel that has discovered my cherry tree -- and he's been busy stealing the almost ripe cherries that I left on the tree in hopes of getting one or two more bags picked sometime this week. Little bugger.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
June 30: Some Success
Jam is made, and boy is it yummy. It didn't set up perfectly, but it tastes good.
Yesterday DQ and I went to McDermott's and bought the paint: hers, mine, and the white for the trim in both rooms. Also got the necessary tools (painter's tape, brushes, roller, etc) EXCEPT for the roller tray. How I got out without that I have no clue. I ended up using a disposable aluminum roasting pan, which worked reasonably well. Taped and did the cutting in painting yesterday during her nap, and finished with the roller work after the kids went to bed last night, then retaped and did the trim this morning. DQ now has a freshly painted room that looks pretty damned good if I do say so myself. Thank God for Benjamin Moore paint -- one coat does it. Goal #4 is part done! I think Hubby tossed out the cheapo plastic tarp covers I bought to protect the furniture, so I have to get a couple more before I do our bedroom.
Tomorrow is Harry Potter Marathon with the girls, so next stab at doing anything will have to be Monday.
Yesterday DQ and I went to McDermott's and bought the paint: hers, mine, and the white for the trim in both rooms. Also got the necessary tools (painter's tape, brushes, roller, etc) EXCEPT for the roller tray. How I got out without that I have no clue. I ended up using a disposable aluminum roasting pan, which worked reasonably well. Taped and did the cutting in painting yesterday during her nap, and finished with the roller work after the kids went to bed last night, then retaped and did the trim this morning. DQ now has a freshly painted room that looks pretty damned good if I do say so myself. Thank God for Benjamin Moore paint -- one coat does it. Goal #4 is part done! I think Hubby tossed out the cheapo plastic tarp covers I bought to protect the furniture, so I have to get a couple more before I do our bedroom.
Tomorrow is Harry Potter Marathon with the girls, so next stab at doing anything will have to be Monday.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
June 27: Day 3
The Drama Queen is off this week, so this is not the official start. However, I have gotten to put a dent in some of the projects.
Got a couple more paint samples today and put them on the walls upstairs. Have to check with Hubby, but I think I've got the colors picked. Definitely need some white paint for the trim in both rooms. McDermott's will be happy with me!
Took DQ to Marshalls on Monday and got her a quilt and sham for her bed, and got The Boy new striped sheets for his bed (more grownup than Thomas, though he hasn't complained).
Went through about half of the mess in the dining room corner while DQ has been nappingthis afternoon, and threw out three bags full. I'm getting good at this. Have a small pile to go to FIL's, a stack of kids' paintings/drawings/schoolwork to be filed in whatever bin/box/giant envelope I find for that purpose, and found a couple things I had been seriously missing.
Tomorrow is raspberry jam making day (Costco has had the most wonderful looking raspberries, so the Dormouse and I will be doing that together (along with DQ, which should be interesting). Don't plan on getting much else done, so Friday will be back-to-McDermott's for all the paint and supplies (roller + pan, brushes, white oil for trim, colors for walls, a couple plastic tarps, some paint thinner/remover). Should probably also get paint for ceilings...
Got a couple more paint samples today and put them on the walls upstairs. Have to check with Hubby, but I think I've got the colors picked. Definitely need some white paint for the trim in both rooms. McDermott's will be happy with me!
Took DQ to Marshalls on Monday and got her a quilt and sham for her bed, and got The Boy new striped sheets for his bed (more grownup than Thomas, though he hasn't complained).
Went through about half of the mess in the dining room corner while DQ has been nappingthis afternoon, and threw out three bags full. I'm getting good at this. Have a small pile to go to FIL's, a stack of kids' paintings/drawings/schoolwork to be filed in whatever bin/box/giant envelope I find for that purpose, and found a couple things I had been seriously missing.
Tomorrow is raspberry jam making day (Costco has had the most wonderful looking raspberries, so the Dormouse and I will be doing that together (along with DQ, which should be interesting). Don't plan on getting much else done, so Friday will be back-to-McDermott's for all the paint and supplies (roller + pan, brushes, white oil for trim, colors for walls, a couple plastic tarps, some paint thinner/remover). Should probably also get paint for ceilings...
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