The Projects Page
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I haven’t made much progress on my bathroom cleanup of late. But that’s the great thing about this Projects Page. It’s open ended with no timelines or deadlines!
But I did scrub down the kitchen, hallway, and living room walls and doorways today. It was a great workout! The rooms look so much better. My parent arrive next weekend.
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Project Tackle Photographs
Week one: ✅
Aug 20 45 mins
Found more priceless photos - 2003-2004
Aug 21 15
Aug 22 15
Aug 23 15
Aug 24 [3 hours major decluttering-closet, clothes, laptop]
Aug 25 15 (+10 in bank)
First time I teared up. 15 mins is a good duration when that happens. Found a poem I wrote, sweet messages from former students, a journal that our son dictated about my going off to teach my first class 😢 Perhaps it was too much after major decluttering yesterday; it can be emotionally tough. Just 5 minutes tomorrow
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themedalist wrote: »I haven’t made much progress on my bathroom cleanup of late. But that’s the great thing about this Projects Page. It’s open ended with no timelines or deadlines!
But I did scrub down the kitchen, hallway, and living room walls and doorways today. It was a great workout! The rooms look so much better. My parent arrive next weekend.
@themedalist
Sounds as though you’re doing a lot!! I do love that housework & decluttering raises our NEAT!
Thanks for your kind words. Bedroom & closet are much better & the second MarieKondo pass goes SO MUCH FASTER. I feel I’m better able to know what I love & what I don’t. And I know I’ve never missed something I gave away. I really like things neat now, with a location for each type of item. A big change. 0 -
Project Tackle Photographs
Week one: ✅
Week two: ✅
I decided I was not going to quit this project. I spent a few days doing massive projects in my closet, realizing Marie Kondo is right. It’s important to do clothes, books, papers, Komono (misc items), and THEN sentimental items.
The clothes in our closet now take half the space, and I had made many passes I. It before.
I figure I’m 2-4 days away from having ALL my clothing TRULY Marie Kondo’d. It definitely made my hour with my photos easier today. Found many photos of me at my highest weight (20 years ago). I concentrated on how sweet & happy I looked.
I’m not quitting. I know if I persevere I will have more peace.
Week 3:
Aug 27: 15
Aug 28: 15
Aug 29: 15
Aug 30: 5 in the Bank, need 10 more
Aug 31 need 15
Sep 1 need 15
Sep 2 need 152 -
@MadisonMolly2017, I love reading your updates! You are going to feel so much better when you’ve waded through your closet and purged what you don’t want or need. And I’m happy to hear that you are focusing on on the good, positive aspects of old photographs.
Every week a little more progress. There’s no hurry. There’s no deadline. But every week you are moving forward!1 -
Thank you @themedalist!! That means a lot!
And congratulations on 2600 days!!!!!!!!
Today, I went crazy decluttering/cleaning/organizing & had a blast the whole time + tons of steps and arm workout.
Kept working on jewelry & have just 7-8 articles of clothing in closet to decide upon tomorrow. Researched ways to clean old jewelry.
Put up a piece of art
Spent 90 mins compiling comprehensive to do list! 🤪 and filed, too! Whew! WhooHooo!3 -
Project Tackle Photographs
Week one: ✅
Week two: ✅
I decided I was not going to quit this project. I spent a few days doing massive projects in my closet, realizing Marie Kondo is right. It’s important to do clothes, books, papers, Komono (misc items), and THEN sentimental items.
The clothes in our closet now take half the space, and I had made many passes I. It before.
I figure I’m 2-4 days away from having ALL my clothing TRULY Marie Kondo’d. It definitely made my hour with my photos easier today. Found many photos of me at my highest weight (20 years ago). I concentrated on how sweet & happy I looked.
I’m not quitting. I know if I persevere I will have more peace.
Week 3:
Aug 27: 15
Aug 28: 15
Aug 29: 15
Aug 30: 15
Aug 31 15
Sep 1 15
Sep 2 10 need 5 (it’s getting easier!!!!). I went back to do the tub of memories that made me feel sad last week, and ended up spending 45 and felt fine this time!3 -
@MadisonMolly2017 , you are my hero!0
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@MadisonMolly2017 , you are my hero!
Mine too!0 -
I’ve been thinking a lot about my project. Initially, I was planning to do some regular decluttering as I always like how my house looks and how I feel after I’ve tidied up. But I just haven’t been able to dive in. Some of it is timing. I’m transitioning to a new job this month and that’s taken a lot of focus. But I also realize that right now, my heart’s just not in decluttering.
My goal in creating this project page was to create a space where we can plug away at projects we’ve been meeting to get to but just haven’t yet. Projects that left undone are causing us stress and detracting from our happiness. I do have such a project. Thank you letters. Multiple thank you letters that I’ve been meaning to write for in some cases more than a year. One of my personal goals is to cultivate gratitude everyday. I want to write letters of thanks to people and companies that have made my life fundamentally better. These aren’t thank you notes for gifts, but rather life changing ideas and products that have made my life so much better.
There are 4 letters I’d like to write this month. But I’m not committing to getting all of them done in September. Rather, I’m going to spend 15 to 20 minutes a day working on them. A little bit of time every day is all I need to make progress.
I will be updating you on my progress!3 -
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themedalist wrote: »I’ve been thinking a lot about my project. Initially, I was planning to do some regular decluttering as I always like how my house looks and how I feel after I’ve tidied up. But I just haven’t been able to dive in. Some of it is timing. I’m transitioning to a new job this month and that’s taken a lot of focus. But I also realize that right now, my heart’s just not in decluttering.
My goal in creating this project page was to create a space where we can plug away at projects we’ve been meeting to get to but just haven’t yet. Projects that left undone are causing us stress and detracting from our happiness. I do have such a project. Thank you letters. Multiple thank you letters that I’ve been meaning to write for in some cases more than a year. One of my personal goals is to cultivate gratitude everyday. I want to write letters of thanks to people and companies that have made my life fundamentally better. These aren’t thank you notes for gifts, but rather life changing ideas and products that have made my life so much better.
There are 4 letters I’d like to write this month. But I’m not committing to getting all of them done in September. Rather, I’m going to spend 15 to 20 minutes a day working on them. A little bit of time every day is all I need to make progress.
I will be updating you on my progress!
This sounds like a perfect plan, @themedalist !!1 -
Project Tackle Photographs
Week one: ✅
Week two: ✅
Week three: ✅
Got on a roll, finished off week 3 & 3 days of week 4!!! Have completed the bothersome tub of memories!!! Back to more photos!
Week four:
9/3 done
9/4 done
9/5 done
9/6 need 15
9/7 need 15
9/8 need 15
9/9 need 152 -
Granddaughter with August birthday loved her shark skirt! My September birthday skirt is finished except for the pocket. I've also hemmed a pair of pants. Yesterday my family visited my BIL who is having serious issues. We gave as much of his house as we could a serious cleaning. His problems make me feel that I REALLY need to stay the course with Healthy practices.3
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Granddaughter with August birthday loved her shark skirt! My September birthday skirt is finished except for the pocket. I've also hemmed a pair of pants. Yesterday my family visited my BIL who is having serious issues. We gave as much of his house as we could a serious cleaning. His problems make me feel that I REALLY need to stay the course with Healthy practices.
I hear you. @77tes. Lately, I've been seeing first hand how a lifetime of being sedentary catches up to a person when they are middle-aged or elderly. We can't avoid every disease and illness, but our lifestyle choices have a huge impact on whether we get sick or not. What's disappointing/frustrating to me is that the people in my life who I'm most concerned about think it's too late. It's never too late! People even in their 70's and 80's (even 90's I would think) can make improvements to their health and mobility. I've trying to find a local chapter of Silver Sneakers or Ageless Grace, two excellent senior fitness programs.
Congrats on the skirts!2 -
@themedalist
Yep, never too late, but I don’t know how to help folks I love begin to take baby steps...so many reasons...and set in their ways...I’m coming to the conclusion that all I can do is continue to focus on me & hope as I maintain, they get a glimmer of hope...1 -
Project Tackle Photographs
Week 1: ✅ 8/13-8/19
Week 2: ✅ 8/20-8/26
Week 3: ✅ 8/27-9/2
Week 4: ✅ 9/3-9/9
15 mins daily x 28 days = 7 Hours.
Two insights:
1) I’m going to fritter away little chunks of time less in future... they add up!
2) Seeing how long it takes to go through photos/memorabilia motivates me to discard/give away anything I don’t LOVE. I don’t want to have to do this again.
Week 5:
9/10
9/11
9/12
9/13
9/14
9/15
9/16
I was SO dreading this. I put it off for SO long. I had decided I’d NEVER do it. Then I began & I felt like giving up. I didn’t. Now, it’s a habit & quite fun!!
It’s also lead to a significant improvement in previous Marie Kondo groups. I revisited my clothes & they are now 99% done. Major improvements in kitchen. Most importantly, I can feel myself letting go of things - in a major way - that I couldn’t before.
BONUS: I found two art travel journals I did on 2 trips that are invaluable to me (and I’d forgotten both) and a diary- mostly dictated by our adult son when he was 5, just prior to 1st grade. Invaluable! I’ve begun a “Best Of” Designation with heart-shaped sticky notes!!1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 Wowzer! You are really doing great! I just started my digital photo project yesterday and am still feeling quite overwhelmed by it, but it's really encouraging to see that you already have a total of 7 hours! Those quarter hours sure do add up quick! You have given me a good kickstart of ambition by sharing your progress!
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This is the week I'm starting my photo clean up. I'm starting with the digital photos. Sticking to 15 minutes per night so it doesn't overwhelm me. I am making myself a note to look up Marie Kondo's book and see what it's all about. Sounds like lots of good ideas!
Project Organize Photos
Step 1 is to start by deleting photos I don't love, don't need or have duplicates of. Step 2 will be to date/name them. Laptop and iCloud first. Laptop done last night. iCloud is going to be a nightmare!
Phase I: Photos on laptop / iCloud
Week 1
9/3: 15 min / laptop done
9/4: 25 min / start iCloud
9/5:
9/6:
9/7:
9/8:
9/9:1 -
@PackerFanInGB @themedalist
I ran across this article tonight - pretty helpful!
https://simplelionheartlife.com/decluttering-sentimental-items/
Also, in another one, it suggested taking photos of things, such as letters from friends, rather than keeping the letter.
What a great idea! I’m going to do this or scan the letters, postcards, kid drawings. I can put them in folders on a hard drive & find & look at them more easily in the future, if I wish. (I really never do.)
I’m thinking I should scan my printed photos - down the road - and have all my photos in digital format except a few, actual albums: wedding, pre-school year’s, an ancestor photo album, etc. I must admit to myself that I prefer looking at our photos on-line & it doesn’t really makes sense to have two different formats...
I’m going to continue going through the older, printed photos, but I’m going to be more ruthless now that I know I’m going to have to scan them! LOL
I’m going to start scanning the paper memorabilia now, however. It just makes sense.
I’m even thinking I might scan my travel memorabilia. Would be so easy to make collages with PS if it’s all on-line. Wow, this is going to be great!
Wow! I guess I can scan the bulk of the flat art I’ve made over the years, too. Just keep the originals of the really good stuff.
Her point that “if it’s just for sentiment, then photograph or scan” really hit me. SUCH a great distinction. I’ve been keeping a lot to jog my memories, but an image on a computer can do this!!
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@MadisonMolly2017 Thanks for the link! That was a great article with good tips. I love the idea of taking photos of the letters, schoolwork, art projects, etc., that my kids and grandkids have made or given me through the years. I seriously have 37 years' worth of stuff in boxes in my basement! I hadn't even thought about decluttering those boxes until now! I was overwhelmed just thinking of photos (of which I have boxes full also) so this one will really be hard!
Some of the comments to that article shared some good ideas also.
I am a very sentimental person and wear my emotions on my sleeve, so I think the "sentimental" items other than photos will be a project for after I finish the photo decluttering. And I'm definitly going to have to start it on a day that I'm in a "throwing" mood!
Scanning travel memorabilia is a good idea too! I have boxes of that kind of stuff...brochures, menus, even a coaster and napkin from Sloppy Joe's in Key West! LOL! Oh boy, I can see I have a ton of work ahead of me, but the good news is that all I need to do is 15 minutes a day and I have years and years to do it!
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PackerFanInGB wrote: »
Project Organize Photos
Step 1 is to start by deleting photos I don't love, don't need or have duplicates of. Step 2 will be to date/name them. Laptop and iCloud first. Laptop done last night. iCloud is going to be a nightmare!
Phase I: Photos on laptop / iCloud
Week 1
9/3: 15 min / laptop done
9/4: 25 min / start iCloud
9/5: 25 minutes / created digital album for 2018 Trip to Minnesota. Gave each photo a "name". Still have a few duplicate photos to decide and delete.
9/6:
9/7:
9/8:
9/9:
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PackerFanInGB wrote: »PackerFanInGB wrote: »
Project Organize Photos
Step 1 is to start by deleting photos I don't love, don't need or have duplicates of. Step 2 will be to date/name them. Laptop and iCloud first. Laptop done last night. iCloud is going to be a nightmare!
Phase I: Photos on laptop / iCloud
Week 1
9/3: 15 min / laptop done
9/4: 25 min / start iCloud
9/5: 25 minutes / created digital album for 2018 Trip to Minnesota. Gave each photo a "name". Still have a few duplicate photos to decide and delete.
9/6:
9/7:
9/8:
9/9:
Well done! @PackerFanInGB !!!!
Yes, you have a lifetime!!
I went through a box of “memories”, took 20 pics or so, put most of contents in the box in recycling “to toss AFTER I have photos backed up” put a few things in my “Best if” Sorted Envelopes that I wanted to be able to touch. Massive reduction, box is empty now!
Re: travel memorabilia...my current thinking is to scan it & create a collage of each noteworthy trip & hang so I can enjoy our prior travels! For the time being, I’m keeping my already purged “travel stuff”
I have found the art from our son & cousins & students pretty easy to cull through now, years later!!
I’m getting a little confused on what to do first. It seems I should begin with on-line photos (and probably before that purging old emails) so I started & GULP I had over 31,000 sent emails. In about 10-11 years. Yikes.
I’m tempted to just search for family & dear friends & delete the rest.
Ok, so I think my plan is:
FIRST: Work Laptop
1A. Unsubscribe from all mailing lists.
1B. Clean up email etc on work laptop.
a) Get Inbox to zero
b) Beginning with oldest, move emails want to keep into NEW Best Of Folder (with sub-categories)
2. Transfer Best of Folders to home computer *** Get Hubby to Help with How To Do This
3. Clean up photos on work computer
4. Place in Best of Folders in categories
5. Transfer “Best of” photos to home computer. *** Hubby
Then tackle home computer...
SECOND: Do the Above for home computer
THIRD: Get photos from Hubby’s computer/hard drive & previous hard drives ie Find The France Pics & Japan trip
Simultaneously keep going thru printed photos/memorabilia, culling until I have just the Best Of, to free up space & give me a break from sitting at computer...
Then look at the Best Of printed/paper memorabilia/photos & the digital Best Of & Cull again Drastically (knowing I have a back up AND see that I still have wayyy to much... CULL AGAIN *** Hubby Help needed for back up & maybe a back up of the back up.)
Decide how to make Best Of easily available to locate & enjoy! And make that happen.
Done.
Suggestions?
Better approaches?
Thanks!1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 Thanks for sharing the great article on decluttering. Photography has been a passion of mine for years so I get overwhelmed trying to find the “right” way to organize my 1000’s of photos. I had a good system going until Windows 7 live gallery went away. I had thousands of them tagged and labeled but I lost most of that when my son installed Windows 10 and they didn’t back up properly. Then it was back to square one. I have an editing/ organizing program that would be awesome if I ever figured out how to use it. The article said once you declutter, you will have more “space, time, and freedom”. I’m working VERY hard toward reaching that day!
@PackerFanInGB Deleting duplicates and unwanted photos is the best first step and I know all about the woes of saving memorabilia! I’m excited about getting to that, but first I have to get rid of the things that take up physical space in my house. I looked through and recycled every magazine and newspaper that was in my house and now I’m organizing special emails I’ve saved from my kids and sisters since 1998. It will be the diary I always wanted to write😍 and I know my kids will love reading about their lives from my perspective some day so it’s worth every minute I spend. After the remodeling job left dust everywhere this summer I’ve been cleaning absolutely every corner of my house (I’m saving the basement for later) and it seems like one thing leads to another.There are so many bags and large toys in the back entry for Good Will that my husband offered to load up the pickup and take them in. Not a bad idea! Sometimes I pretend that I’m preparing to move and I ask myself if I would take the object with me or not. That helps with the decision more often than not.
I really enjoy hearing about everyone’s goals and progress. It spurs me on to want to keep going, too.2 -
@77tes how’s the September skirt coming along? Pics please🙂. I have some serious purging to do before I give myself permission to sew again but I’m working very hard and keeping on it. I’m sorry your BIL is not doing well. Cleaning his house for him must have felt like such a gift. I hope he’s doing better.Granddaughter with August birthday loved her shark skirt! My September birthday skirt is finished except for the pocket. I've also hemmed a pair of pants. Yesterday my family visited my BIL who is having serious issues. We gave as much of his house as we could a serious cleaning. His problems make me feel that I REALLY need to stay the course with Healthy practices.
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@nebslp
I love your email diary idea!!
I began doing this Final Declutter about 3 years ago for the same reasons. I want to paint etc and make our long term home feel brand new/different. I definitely feel less weight mentally & psychologically in addition to the actual weight I’ve lost so far!!
I don’t want my life to be about the past, so I’m clearing stuff I don’t love to make room for the New!! Who knew it would be Fashion Design & Illustration hahaha!! I spent a long time purging art/craft & setting up my Art Room which recently I am training myself to call my Art Studio All that previous culling & work was worth it as I’ve easily found what I needed & what I didn’t own. I also see that what I saved does indicate textiles AND painting/drawing/ink!!! Never thought of combining! 2 -
@themedalist I love your idea of writing thank you letters. It’s such a nice thing to do that isn’t expected and I’m sure the recipients will be wearing a smile all day because of your thoughtfulness. I have a few of those that I’ve been composing in my mind for weeks. Sometimes I think it’s been so long ago that they did what they did. Thanks for reminding me that it’s never really too late.2
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@MadisonMolly2017 I love your plan for tackling emails. But oh my gosh, I hadn't even THOUGHT about tackling those! That is even more intimidating than sorting through photos and sentimentals from the kids! I have my original hotmail email address from when I first got a computer in 1990's, a yahoo address that I use for things I need to check daily and a gmail address that I have health newsletters and Pinterest emails going to, and an email address for quilting and sewing emails/newsletters! Holy crow! That's crazy to even think about. Perhaps I will need to pick one and spend 15 minutes a day on it. Start by unsubscribing maybe? Deleting old emails? Try to get down to on or two accounts? (I also have a work email but that is a WHOLE different story! UGH)
I'll have to think about this one. Wow, when you really start thinking about all the things that could be decluttered, it sure does lead to more than just the junk drawer a a few closets, doesn't it? LOL!
@nebslp I love your idea of the email diary! I think your kids would love that! That's something you can read and "remember".0 -
Well, it only took me a minute to think about it...I'm going to just focus on getting photos done first. Continue with digital, then move on to the paper photos.
After that, I will move on to sentimental items from kids and grandkids.
Third will be going through boxes of "stuff" we moved with us from the last two houses (moved twice and still unpacked).
Fourth will be email accounts. I might do a bit here and there before I finish the above, like unsubscribing, etc.
Thank you for sharing your ideas everyone! I love this! Really gets me thinking of things I hadn't even noticed... 0 -
PackerFanInGB wrote: »Well, it only took me a minute to think about it...I'm going to just focus on getting photos done first. Continue with digital, then move on to the paper photos.
After that, I will move on to sentimental items from kids and grandkids.
Third will be going through boxes of "stuff" we moved with us from the last two houses (moved twice and still unpacked).
Fourth will be email accounts. I might do a bit here and there before I finish the above, like unsubscribing, etc.
Thank you for sharing your ideas everyone! I love this! Really gets me thinking of things I hadn't even noticed...
@PackerFanInGB
I like your plan!
Yesterday evening, I got on a roll!!!
** I deleted a few thousand emails on my work laptop (I’m going to have to return it or upgrade soon)...
** I also went through all but one folder on home computer’s Desktop, putting un-filed items in newly created folders - and then going through each & deleting all that were not Great! Goes fast!! Will finish that today.
** I also went through photos on Home Computer, re-familiarizing myself with what was there & deleting some, renaming folders so they are chronological....
AND the BEST NEWS of ALL!!!!
I Found our Trip to France Photos!!!!!!!!
(I thought I had lost them!!!)
Invaluable!!
Today:
Finish Home Desktop
Delete 5K emails from Work Laptop
Go through Folders I already have in iPhoto on Work Computer, renaming/purging.
Next up: creating new folders for photos that aren’t in one yet...
Basically, I’m getting computer cleaned up, so I can easily file scans/photos of printed photos & memorabilia... I’ll also see what I already have & if it’s enough, I won’t have to scan as much...
A big job, but I only work on it when it’s fun. And right now, it’s super fun and very liberating!! Being able to locate my favorite images and info will Really Improve My Life!!
Hugs!2
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