Get It Done Weekly Challenge

mothernerd

mothernerd wrote: »

List for the week starting Sunday January 4th 2015

Tasks for January
FINISH as many small embroidery projects as possible. Use up threads and declutter patterns when completed. Ongoing - hoping to have Mother's Day and Mum's birthday sorted by next week. Also using up one small notebook as a scribble book as it looks pretty but is not well-made.

IVY Need to continue doing as much as possible (will try to get DS3 to help). Want it done before any birds decide to build a nest. Store offcuts in sacks if too much for the bin.Not done - most of what I can reach has been done, DS3 refused and where I have to stand is wet and covered in wet leaves so will wait until conditions are safe.

Weekly Tasks
SHORT WALK outside every day unless weather goes icy again.Done
MEALS based on fridge use-ups, other ingredients from freezer and cupboards (aiming for a no spend January). Eat downstairs (more exercise). Try out new recipes.Done
DECORATIONS down and away. Anything in excess of the two baskets to be culled.Done
TIDY kitchen. Reasonable now but could be better - need more space to bake.Done Apple crumble (healthy version) and carrot cake slices in freezer.
NO SPEND STRATEGY Plan ahead. More detail on areas already outlined. Aim to keep plastic boxes and small dishes in use by batch cooking to fill freezer space, as it becomes available. Using up/ making/ re-using - explore alternatives to buying.Going well - working through the 'anti-shopping' list and identifying things I can do and items I can use. Too long to write it all out but found a great new thread on here 'Make do, mend and minimise' and now thinking about making my own knickers and DS3's boxers (his elastic is fine), using several 'junk' items (some left by DS2) to raise some of my containers for gardening this year (also going to ask extended family members if they are throwing out
carry cot stands or similar - lovely troughs available but around £50 each in the sales) and would like to use a small piece of laminate left by the builder as a splashback for the sink (only a single row of tiles width between sink and window bottom).
That's all -trying to keep it simple and flexible.

Have to put a message on the end as words between quotes don't count. Dannie and Mavvymoo don't know if it would be helpful (ignore me if it's not) but could be a good time to go round with a notebook and note any jobs that need doing in each room). All maintenance jobs are then written down so no fear of forgetting them - put them aside and don't fret. Each week (or when you have extra time) you can take 2 or 3 and add them to your weekly list. It also helps if you separate into easy (can do by yourself for little or no cost), larger jobs (decorating a room - break down into stages/ plan for bits where you need help like papering a ceiling or someone to hold a ladder or phone the ambulance if the person up it falls off) and things with high cost implications/ need a professional.

Also if it's a 5 minute job do it now (you're allowed to put it on the list after so you get the satisfaction of ticking it off). Another thing I do which others have found helpful is to look round the room you are just about to leave and do 3 little bits that will improve it. So if you have just got dressed for the day, it might be putting away a hairbrush, picking up bits that have missed the bin (when the boys were small I put carrier bags on all the door handles, as well as their normal bins, so usually managed to gather a handful of bits as I went round, which went in the carrier) and taking away something that should be in another room or you will need during the day (lived in the attic for a while and it really concentrates your mind if you know you are going to have to climb back up two flights of stairs for something you've forgotten. This only takes a few minutes but over time it really helps.

Now I am more mobile I am moving things that had to live on the bed with me (pills, creams, pens and paper, brush and comb,scissors, phone, purse,account book, - to check on bills and SOs going out) back into drawers and places they normally live and kitchen stuff is gradually going back to the kitchen (saved on trips up and down as could only do one wobbly trip a day at first). Kitchen stuff (can opener,peeler, knives) also moving back into drawers rather than on the kitchen table (so I could sit and do tasks).

Have a good week everyone. Thought for the week "Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you". Just try for 15 minutes a day if it's overwhelming you - have a set time and when time is up, leave it alone until the set time the next day. One contributor does this with her grand-daughter who has anxieties about all sorts of things - she lets her talk about it all for 15 minutes each day and then it is put away for the next day.

dannie

dannie wrote: »

Hi, decided to continue. I have been working upon the following list since last Sunday:-

1) Continue watching tv or listening to radio programmes whilst doing sitting down jobs.
2) Sort out bits of old diary and keep the outer covers to make simplistic bases to protect surfaces from hot drinks.
3) Prescription to sort out.
4) Hobbies/challenges file to update.
5) Check current household cleaners and DIY items for multipurposes. Use if required.
6) Food related -
reminders of how long things have been stored in the fridge.
noted menu ideas.
motivational phrase to eat/think more "healthily".
UHT milk order to be made.
maybe some reduced Xmas/New Year foods locally still.
check for January sales on normally purchased "health" products.

So hoping to have more direction again and will keep
considering/applying simplicity. Hope everybody is doing okay.

1) Watching programmes or listening to the radio was done. (It seems to offer an interesting diversion from whatever in life. Of course, the activity is also handy whilst doing tasks, tedious ones or not).
2) Old diary now gone apart from the made bases.
3) Prescription sorted out.
4) File updated.
5) The aim was to check for multi-uses of sugar soap, stored cement and tile adhesive. Consequently, then to consider using before buying more household/DIY type materials. The sugar soap was tested on various surfaces and will be stored. In contrast, the other two products are being disposed of. They were free anyway, probably beyond their shelf life, have many potential hazards whilst using and possibly "environmentally unfriendly". Pleased to have created more space.
6) Still working through current "food stock". The UHT milk order was done with very few items added. Just a few Xmas/New Year foods purchased via a friend who spotted them otherwise do not intend to go shopping myself. Also, kept checking for any sale prices on regularly bought "health" products. Lastly, eating/thinking more healthily was difficult so will continue to work upon.

So, there was some direction even if it was completing everyday miscellaneous tasks. Simplicity (or lack of) was often highlighted during the week so essential changes to be made this year.

dannie

Sorry for the delay Mothernerd. I saw your post (#562) yesterday thanks. It caused me some thought around the topic.

I do have a "household" notebook of where things are located and jobs needing doing so will have a look through this and make it more clearer. The " 3 little bits" idea sounds like my morning routine (a quick tidy of the kitchen and living room whilst waiting for the hot water). Also, things tend to have designated places. However, keep trying to reduce being "messy" in the first place.

"Do you own your own stuff or does your stuff own you". I can see how the "stuff" can take away valuable time. Taking your "thought" a little further, is one a home-owner, or does ones home "own" the occupant?

Good luck for your week.

dannie

List from today until the end of Saturday:-

1) Tidy up day (Sunday).
2) Send a homemade "thank you" card.
3) Wash the bicycle pannier bags.
4) Items to declutter - old battery rechargers, a bag of (protective) straw to top up the straw on a young strawberry plant if it has become exposed to the cold weather, recycle anything from a bag of various metals and a small amount of shredded paper to the compost bin.
5) Consider how much has been spent so far. Just milk (previous UHT milk order incomplete), the odd Xmas/New Year type of grocery reduction and odd "health" product(s) might be needed but otherwise, food use up month.
6) Menu ideas and efforts to eat healthily noted.
7) Continue to watch TV/listen to the radio whilst doing tasks; some additional to the above. Also, attempts at "me time" and "fun."

mothernerd

Tackled the ivy - still lots to do but at least I can see the branches that need to be sawn through - that will have to wait as they are above my head and to take it down safely I would need to take off all the bits branching from it (another 2- 3 feet). A little bit more that I can do yet, but not today.

Must think out my new list - think it's mainly more of the same.

Dannie you sounded awfully tired in your last but one post - suggest you add some 'me time' onto your list (in addition to tv watching to get through chores) and spend some time each day having some fun. All the little bits will add up, I promise.

dannie

Hello mothernerd,

Thanks for your comments. I'll see what's possible.

mothernerd

List for the week starting Sunday January 11th 2015

Tasks for January
FINISH as many small embroidery projects as possible. Use up threads and declutter patterns when completed. Setting a target of 30 for the end of the week,100 for the end of the month.
IVY Need to continue doing as much as possible (will try to get DS3 to help). Want it done before any birds decide to build a nest. Store offcuts in sacks if too much for the bin. Some done, will try again when rested.

Weekly Tasks
SHORT WALK outside every day unless weather goes icy again.
MEALS based on fridge use-ups, other ingredients from freezer and cupboards (aiming for a no spend January). Eat downstairs (more exercise). Try out new recipes.
LEARN TO ENTER CONTACTS ON PHONE, Enter 30.
GO TO MUM'S ON THE BUS Take completed cushion covers and Nativity Set.
MAKE A PATTERN FOR A DRAUGHT EXCLUDER.

NO SPEND STRATEGY Plan ahead.

That's all -trying to keep it simple and flexible.

dannie

dannie wrote: »

List from today until the end of Saturday:-

1) Tidy up day (Sunday).
2) Send a homemade "thank you" card.
3) Wash the bicycle pannier bags.
4) Items to declutter - old battery rechargers, a bag of (protective) straw to top up the straw on a young strawberry plant if it has become exposed to the cold weather, recycle anything from a bag of various metals and a small amount of shredded paper to the compost bin.
5) Consider how much has been spent so far. Just milk (previous UHT milk order incomplete), the odd Xmas/New Year type of grocery reduction and odd "health" product(s) might be needed but otherwise, food use up month.
6) Menu ideas and efforts to eat healthily noted.
7) Continue to watch TV/listen to the radio whilst doing tasks; some additional to the above. Also, attempts at "me time" and "fun."

Last week went fairly well. A good tidy up at the start of that week. Sent a homemade "thankyou" card for received Xmas presents. The cycle pannier bags were cleaned in the sink. Removing them led to revealing lots of dirt and some rust to be cleaned off the bicycle. All the decluttering was done so am continually making more space. An assessment of outgoing finances was calculated in order to plan the rest of the month and months ahead, as some other necessary outgoings may prove expensive. Consequently, a "milk order" will take this into account whilst making a few other "appropriate" grocery purchases to obtain the £1 delivery. There were not any more Xmas/New year reductions afterall and so far, no "health" products acquired. Still in a quest to use up what food I already have and to work around this. Lastly, the activity of watching or listening what is interesting to me was done combined with sitting down tasks. mothernerd's idea to include "me time" and "fun" was tried. It was a very difficult "learning experience" but did suggest how this might brighten everyday life.

Hope your lists went well too.

dannie

List from yesterday until the end of Saturday :-

Sunday tidy up day and put things away. Anything left out will serve as tasks to sort out or complete for this week. Living room particularly needs a good clean and brightening up.

General decluttering in order to trim down household items and hence spend time usefully, until the road conditions are safe for outdoor pursuits.

Check if the outdoor bike cyclometer is working. Keep it indoors in case the wet weather causes deterioration/malfunction.

Use up food perishables and existing food stores still. Make minimal food purchases excluding the "milk" to be ordered. Remember to include more fruit, veg, herbs and spices in the menu. Check for any offers on regularly bought items.

Sort out vegetable cuttings which have been providing salad leaves. Also, indoor plants care.

TV/Radio catching up and fit in enjoyable activities.

mavvymoo

Hi All sorry I am late to the party
Thank you for your advice both Mothernerd and Dannie much appreciated.
I am doing ok and have done a fair bit you will be pleased to know.

My jobs for this week are basically to finish clearing and cleaning the 2 kitchen cupboards I still have to do (have done the rest );)
Then start to clear the spare bedroom which has my stuff crammed in there clothes shoes boots and anything else you can name.
So will do small chunks at at a time and see how I go
Good luck with your lists
Mav x