Sunday, January 29, 2012

Not nearly as productive as I wanted to be...

On the whole, this weekend wasn't as productive as I needed it to be.  I ended up sleeping most of Saturday and today away.  Since last week was such a clusterf**k, I didn't really get to purge as much as I wanted and needed to (as part of my daily tasks).  So, instead of adding a new daily task to my list this week, I'm going to keep everything exactly as it is.

Saturday To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK! (Per Frank.)
Mail call:  CHECK!
Check calendar/planner:  CHECK!
Purge:  Nah.

Sunday To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK! (Per Frank.)
Mail call:  It's Sunday.
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Purge:  Yup.  I was able to give my sis some unused cleaning items.  She is setting up housekeeping and we all know that it can get expensive buying all that stuff.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Slacking!

I'm slacking on my tasks...and I'm okay with that.  It has been a hellish few days and I was lucky to just arrive at scheduled appointments/obligations on time.  Let's see, my last post was on Tuesday I believe and here's what happened from Wednesday to today:
Wednesday:  Fell asleep at 4 a.m. (downside of working nights) and had to get up at 8 a.m. and go to school.  Got out of class at 3:30 and drove home.  I was going to be able to lie down for a nap for about 2.5 hours before I had to change into my uniform.  I napped 20 minutes.  I went to work and ran my tail off for almost 15 hours and got off at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday morning.
          
           Wednesday To-Do's:
                      Feed the critters:  CHECK!
                      Mail call:  CHECK!
                      Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
                      Purge:  Nope.

Thursday:  Fell into bed at 10 a.m. and slept until 5 p.m.  I'm not even sure I moved during those hours!  Then I got up and got ready for work and did my daily tasks except for purging.  I worked until 7:45 a.m. Friday morning...and it was crazy busy!
            Thursday To-Do's:
                      Feed the criters:  CHECK!
                      Mail call:  CHECK!  (Per Frank.)
                      Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
                      Purge:  Yeah, right.

Friday:  Got off at 7:45 a.m. and drove almost 1.5 hours to school, went to class, and THEN drove 1.5 hours back to work and clocked. back. in.  Yeah, no typo on that one.  We were very busy and I said that I would come back in and help out as soon as I got out of class.  I worked 12:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.  I drove home and arrived at home about the time my husband pulled into the driveway with KFC.  (Bless him!)  But, did I go to bed?  NO!  I have only seen my hubby 6.5 hours in the past 8 days.  (I had plenty of time to calculate it when I was doing all that driving.)  So, he and I visited until my eyelids were too heavy to hold open any longer...and then I went to bed.  I was asleep by 7:30 p.m. and woke up at 12 a.m.  I have no idea why my body refuses to sleep when it should!  I'm going to be cranky by the time today is over.
             Friday To-Do's:
                      Feed the critters:  CHECK!  (Per Frank.)
                      Mail call:  1/2 CHECK.  (I got it out of the mail box and brought it to the house.)
                      Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
                      Purge:  Ha. Ha.

And that brings me to today, Saturday.  I have lots and lots and lots to do today, including getting some studying done...which may be best done right now since the whole house is asleep.  I will post today's progress tomorrow!  Hasta!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Day off

Today is Tuesday, my only real day off until Saturday.  I was able to catch up on some sleep today and lounge around a bit before being half-way productive.  I am planning on studying for an hour and then making supper.  (A quick Hot Ham and Cheese recipe.  Super yummy!)  After supper, I am going to do the dishes and wash clothes (so I have clean uniforms for work tomorrow and Thursday nights).  After all of that, I am going to sit down and clip coupons so I can grocery shop this weekend.

Truthfully, I am starting to get a little overwhelmed with working full-time nights and school...and keeping house and family/friend obligations, etc.  I am hoping that the next two years of school fly past quickly.  I am hoping that by next year I can go to days, but we are going to have to get some staff hired and trained on nights before that happens.  Enough whining...now back to business.

Yesterday was a total bomb.  I didn't do any of my daily tasks except feeding and watering the animals.  After working all night Sunday night and then class Monday morning, I was pooped when I got home at 12!  Thankfully, I am making up for it today.

Today's To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Mail Call:  CHECK!  (Actually, there wasn't any mail today but I did take care of yesterday's pile.)
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Purge:  CHECK, CHECK, CHECK!  (I chunked 2 large trash bags of crap today!)

Sunday, January 22, 2012

New Task Day

I have less than 15 min before I have to leave for work.  I'm hoping for a good night and no severe weather.  Apparently there is a 60% chance of tornadoes within 50 miles of my area.  Yikes.

Anyways, since it is Sunday, I will be assigning myself a new daily task for the week.  At the beginning of this month, I made a loose goal to purge one grocery bag full of stuff a day.  For the most part, I have done so.  I might skip a few days but then I make up for it with a major decluttering and purging session.  However, unlike most "organizational gurus" I include normal trash in this goal.  Because I am kinda bad about letting the trash pile up.  So, before I leave for work, I am going to take the trash out in the kitchen so I can give myself a check mark for the task today.

Today's To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Mail call:  It's Sunday.
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Purge:  CHECK!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Daily To-Do's and a Confession

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday.  I had class until 11 and by the time I drove home, ate, and got stuff ready for work, it was 12:15 and I was going in to work from 4 p.m. to 7 a.m.  (No, that's not a typo.  I worked over 15 hours.)  So, I laid down for a nap.  However, I DID get all my Daily To-Do's done except Mail Call.  Our mail doesn't run until after 4 and I left for work at 3:30.  When I got home this morning, I took care of the mail, ate, and crashed into bed.  And slept like a log.  A snoring log.

Today's To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Mail call:  CHECK!

Ok, now I have a confession.  I received one of my favorite mail order catalogs in the mail yesterday...and I didn't throw it away.  I love receiving this catalog and only buy something from it occassionally.  I decided that I wouldn't throw it away until after I browsed through it.  If I decide that I can't live without something in the catalog, I will mark the page and return to it in a week.  If I still think that the world will stop spinning if I don't own the item, I will buy it...BUT, something else has to leave when the new stuff arrives.  Seems like a fair deal to me.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

What day is it? What's my name?

Things have been so busy around here lately.  Today, I introduced myself to someone and stumbled over my name!  I feel like I have so much going on that I can't keep everything straight.  My sister is getting married in June, and as the matron of honor, I have been taking part in most of the wedding planning.  Today, she and I met with a woman about the bridal cake and we were going to go meet with the florist people, but ran out of time.

Thankfully, I have been good about keeping track of important dates/appointments/reminders in my planner.  It makes me feel less scattered when I know all my important data is with me at all times.  I am currently using the Erin Condren Life Planner and I love, love, love it!  Yes, it was pricey, but it is so frickin' cute and I love using it.  I also use a large wall calendar that is in my kitchen.  There, I write in the hours I worked and other important dates/appointments/reminders.  I might do a post one day on how I organize my planners, etc...but I guess that I might need to get a good system going before I do that post!  And I might need to attract some readers, too...

Today's To-Do's:
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Mail call:  CHECK!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Whew!

It has been an exhausting 28 hours since I got up yesterday.  We were busy at work last night and then I had class all day today.  The good news is that we got out of Lab a hour and a half early.  I got home at 4:30 and have been somewhat busy since then.

Today's To-Dos:
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Check planner/calendar:  CHECK!
Mail call: CHECK!

I also plan on getting at least 30 min of studying/note taking done before I crash for the night.  Looks like supper a frozen pizza kind of night here!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Kindle Feebie and Today's Ta-Das

When I got home from work this morning, I was totally exhausted!  I ate a snack, fed the critters, checked my planner/calendar for the next couple of days, packed my school bag and a change of clothes for tomorrow and went to bed.  Of course, I woke up about 3 hours later, at 12:30, wide awake but was able to go back to sleep until 2.  I'm getting ready to go to work now.  All I know is that it is going to be a long day tomorrow.  I'm in class from 10 to 10:50 and then from 2 to 4:30...and then I still have a 80 min drive home.  Yay.  I still have to check the mail and pack my lunch/supper/snack before I leave for work.

Today, I saw that the book, "Organized Simplicity," by Tsh Oxenreider is on sale for $0 (Kindle version only).  I have been eyeing this book for a while but never quite could justify buying it since I have other organizing books that I have purchased in the past and still haven't finished reading.  But, for FREE?!?  I couldn't pass it up.  Besides, it's on Kindle, so it's not like it is some book cluttering up my shelf!  I'm pretty pleased and I look forward to looking through it.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Day 6 and Awesome News

No school today!  I guess this gives me some extra time to declutter and finish reading Chapter 1 in my textbook. I think I am going to focus on my desk for at least 15 min, it is a cluttered mess.  I'm working tonight so I will also try to lie down for a nap before I have to leave home at 6:15. 

Today's To-Dos:
Check calendar/planner:  CHECK!
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Mail call:  Not yet, mail doesn't run until 4 p.m. but I will definitely take care of it before I leave for work.

I got the most awesome news today!  I checked my e-mail and I received a note from Laura at orgjunkie.com.  I received a copy of her book and Storage magazine!  I'm so excited because this couldn't have come at a better time for me!  I'm new to the blogworld and I'm not exactly sure of the blogworld etiquette and correct way to thank her, but I truly am thankful for this gift.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Day 4 and 5

I completed my required Daily To-Do yesterday, in addition to going to the grocery store for some much needed food and supplies.  We really didn't get that much done yesterday. 

Today has been a different story.  I have decluttered and organized on the office (AKA:  The Dumping Ground).  Frank has washed, dried, folded, and put away about 5 loads of laundry.  Frank also decluttered some of his underthings and socks that were in less than optimal condition.  We also cooked lunch and my parents stopped by for a plate, too.  Thankfully I had about a 10 minute warning before they arrived so Frank and I had time to do a "Dash and Stash" of all the crap sitting around in the kitchen, dining room, and living room.  Everytime something like that happens I tell myself that I won't let it happen again...but inevitably it does.

Since it is Sunday, it is time to add another daily non-negiotiable task.  This week's new task is to bring in the mail everyday and sort it appropriately.  If it is a bill, it gets put in the office's file folder that holds bills to be paid.  If it is junk mail, it gets trashed or shredded.  If it is a catalog, it gets trashed because Lord knows that I don't need anymore junk cluttering up my house.

Today's To-Dos:
Check calendar/planner:  CHECK!
Feed the critters:  CHECK!
Mail call:  CHECK!  (Even though the mail doesn't run on Sunday, I had some sitting in a basket from last week that I sorted as appropriate.)

Friday, January 13, 2012

Day 3: Busy Day!

It was busy last night at work, which is good.  (Job security!)  But, it made for a rough few hours this morning when I was driving and was SO sleepy.  I got off of work at 7:15 and drove over an hour to the college.  I got out of class at 10:45 and drove over an hour home.  Of course, the puppy (who had been in his kennel for over 5 hours) was wanting to play...so we played.  Thankfully, he was ready for a nap after 30 minutes of fetch.  :)  Anyways, we went to bed at 12:15 and I got up at 3 to let the dogs out.  I've only dozed since then.  Hopefully I will sleep good tonight because I have alot to get done this weekend.

Today I only checked my planner/calendar and fed/watered the critters. But, that gives me a CHECK for today's To-Dos!  I don't necessarily feel accomplished, maybe it's because I only have done one thing around the house today.  I'm looking forward to when I can sit and relax or study and not feel the pull of other "household" obligations.  (I.E.--The stinky-ass dishes in the sink, dirty laundry piled high, and that damn laundry basket that is STILL in the dining room floor.)

I have got some organizing and decluttering projects to do this weekend.  I also have to do some homework, grocery shop, and clean.  It would be great to also get some freezer cooking done.  I know that the coming months will be very busy and I think it would be nice to have some meals ready ahead of time.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Day 2

Ugh.  I have a pounding headache.  I'm on my way to bed now, hopefully it will be better when I get up this afternoon.  I got home from work at 8:00.  Since I've been home, I:
Ate a snack.
Paid bills.
Updated the budget spreadsheet.
Fed and watered the critters.
Got uniform ready for tonight.
Checked calendar/planner.
Packed a bag for tomorrow (Just in case I don't get to leave work in time to go home and change before school.).
Packed school bag for tomorrow (Spring 2012 Semester!!!)

Day 2 To-Do's---CHECK!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Beginning

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.  I don't know who said that, but I like it.  Every day you have the opportunity to change your own, or someone else's life.  I want to change my life.  I'm happy, generally speaking, but I know that there is definite room for improvement.  I feel overwhelmed and lazy.  I look around my house and see clutter and disarray.  I see a little furball floating gracefully across the kitchen floor and I can't even remember when I swept last.  Truthfully, I haven't been too busy the last two weeks.  But, with school starting back in two days, I decided to "take it easy" (Read: Be lazy.) the last few weeks before school starts.  I did do a few organizing tasks, but nothing too exciting.

I decided that the best way for me to be successful in this quest to change my life is to be honest.  Maybe the blogging will force me to be accountable to someone.  So, here's being honest...I have two dogs and one cat that live in the house with my husband and I.  We live in a 1350 square foot house and have one small storage shed and a 40x40 shop/garage.  There is NO reason for us to live the way we do.  I don't remember the last time I swept or mopped anything in the house.  I don't remember the last time I cleaned the toilets.  I don't remember the last time I vacuumed...maybe three weeks ago?  Maybe more.  I DO remember the last time I scrubbed our one and only tub in the house.  It was December 30.  It was the day after my husband's birthday.  His sister, who lives six hours away had come to town with her son.  She wanted to stay the night at our house, which I was glad for her to do because I adore her.  The next morning, I asked if she was going to shower before leaving the house and she said, "Yes."  I jumped up, grabbed a scrub brush and some Clorox Clean-Up spray and scrubbed the tub.  It was gross and it only took me five minutes to get it presentable.  Afterwards, I wondered why I procrastinate doing these simple, yet mind-numbing, chores around the house.  I will neglect the dishes until they are piled over the sink and spilling onto the counters.  If I just spent a few minutes everyday, I would be able to keep ahead of the mess.

So, I sat down and looked at my Daily To-Do list that I made out not long ago in a niave effort to become more organized.  I had made a list of about 13 daily "Have Tos" and then I crashed and burned when I became overwhelmed with the sheer volume of items that need/should be completed on a daily basis.  (I'm not even including my Weekly, Monthly, Semi-Annual, and Annual To-Do lists.)  What did I do wrong?  I now believe it was taking on way too much.

My new idea:  I'm going to take the most important item from my Daily To-Do list and make sure I get it done every. single. day.  No excuses and no whining.  As I look at my list, the most important thing would be to "Feed and water the critters." and to "Check calendar and planner daily."  Okay, those are two easy items and I'm already pretty good at doing, so I will start there.  On Sunday, I will add another daily task.  I will continue with those three tasks until the next Sunday.  At that time I will reevaluate how I'm doing.  If I'm doing good, I will add another task.  If not, I will stay on the tasks that I currently have as my non-negotiables.  Now off to do my Daily To-Dos...

...60 seconds later--Checked the dogs' foodbowl (It's a self-feeder) and there was plenty of food in it.  Fed the cat and put fresh water in their water bowl.  Checked my wall calendar and my planner...nothing scheduled for today or tomorrow except working tonight and tomorrow night.  Today's Daily To-Do:  CHECK! 

...45 minutes later--I was so proud of my first day of turning my life around that I decided that I would start a load of laundry. (Our jackets needed a good washing.) Then I decided I would challenge myself to work on the house for thirty minutes. Here is what I accomplished: Threw the jackets and some other color clothes into the washer and started it. (Side note: I just heard the washer turn off. I’m going now to transfer to the dryer. Please hold…Insert elevator music here…..Okay, I’m back. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.) Took dirty dishes found in living room to kitchen sink. Picked up dog toys and stray shoes out of living room floor. Folded one of the two unfolded couch throws (The puppy was asleep on one of them.) Unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it with the dishes that filled up most of the sink. Started dishwasher. Threw away some random trash found cluttering up the countertop in the kitchen. There are two overflowing laundry baskets full of clean laundry sitting in my dining room floor (right in front of the main entrance to the house), I took one of them and folded the contents and put them away. I didn't do the other one because that would be crazy!


Then I heard the timer go off…but I kept going because I was making good progress. ..

I have one dresser drawer that is full of “sleepy-clothes.” (Mostly lounge pants and pajama pants with mismatched shirts and several gowns.) As I was putting away some of my clothes, I realized I was putting away a gown that I wear out of necessity but don’t necessarily love because it is stretched out and faded. I tossed it. Then I found three long-sleeved t-shirts that I will occasionally sleep in (if nothing else is clean), but I don’t like the way they fit. So I tossed them. Then I found two sets of flannel pajama pants that I tossed. They were perfectly good but I’m so hot natured that I almost never wear them. So now, I have two sets of lounge pants (that are plaid and super cute!) and (I believe) two nightgowns. Sometimes I also sleep in my random t-shirts…which is a whole ‘nother subject because I have ohsomany yoga pants and t-shirts. THEN, as I put away my husband’s boxers, I found the new ones I bought the other day but he doesn't like the way they fit.  So I tossed them.

I put two other nightshirts of mine that I found but don’t wear because I don’t like the way they fit into the yard sale tote that I keep in the guest room.  I started a pile of handtowels that are to go in the camper next season on the bed in the guest room. Some of those towels will also be cut up for cleaning rags.  I found the uniform I need for work tonight and sprayed it down with Wrinkle Releaser (Best. Stuff. Ever.) and hung it up.

And that’s it. I worked no longer than 45 minutes and although the house should feel better, it kinda doesn't.  I guess it is because I have so far to go.  Now, I believe that I will lie down for a quick nap since I am working tonight.