DSL Problems

I haven't posted anything since last Friday because my DSL has been dying a slow death over the weekend. My provider is sending someone out tomorrow to check on it. Needless to say, I won't be doing much posting until it gets fixed. This dial-up connection just takes entirely too long.

I have been decluttering in the interim time. Our camper needed lots of declutter work and it is now ready for our upcoming vacation. I'll try to post some pictures once all is working again.

I will still host 5 Things I Can Live Without on Thursday (even if I have to go to the library or the neighbor's house). Until then, I'll be working just not on the computer.

5 Things I Can Live Without Thursday

It's Thursday again! One day closer to the weekend!! Of course it is also time for 5 Things I Can Live Without. Since I have been decluttering several areas this week, my list is going to be longer than 5.

1. Cell phone chargers for phones that we no longer own - how do these things not get removed from our home when the old phones go?
2. Diaper bag - found one of these in the back closet - my baby is 5 years old
3. Crochet needles - found several in the back closet - I haven't crocheted in so long that I don't even remember how
4. Car seat accessories - these were found in the back closet as well - why are they not with the car seat?
5. Dried up glue and glue sticks - found these in the drawers
6. Owner's manuals for appliances that we no longer own
7. Disorganized closets and drawers - it is so much nicer to have areas where can locate your stuff
8. Out of date fruit juice - found in the camper - I don't think I want to give my child something that expired in 2007
9. Christmas To-Do pads - found in one of the drawers - I let Boo have these to color on - I didn't use them at Christmas and probably won't use them in July either - why do I waste good money on this crap?
10. Wooden paper plate holder - this was just taking up space on my counter - since I'm not using paper plates much any more it has been holding several of my trivets - the problem is that it can't hold them all - so I have trivets in several places - I have gotten rid of the holder and put all the trivets together

So what can you live without? Take a look at what you have decluttered this week and share with us. Post your link or just leave a comment. Happy decluttering!

Works for Me Wednesday - Timers

TIMERS! That's what works for me.

I use my timer to

• keep me focused on the job at hand


• keep working at a job even when I may want to stop


• remind me when something else needs to be done (i.e., clothes moved from washer to dryer, 5 more minutes to bedtime, etc.)


• get us out the door in the morning


• take shorter showers


• declutter multiple times a time but not all day


• challenge me to hurry and not get bogged down


• remind me to stop working on the computer

What works for you? Visit We Are That Family for more ideas.

Declutter Day 40

Today I have tackled the back closet. Do you hear the horror movie music in the background? I did when I opened the door. SCREAM!!!!!
























Now, I'm hearing the birds singing and the crickets chirping and the soft sound of a cool breeze.








Once again, I can't believe all the stuff that was in there that really didn't need to be. Plus, we have some free space available in there now.





I love this hanging organizer. I put items in there such as

• gloves (which we aren't needing right now but they still need a space)
• glue that I don't want my 5 year old having access to
• glue gun
• bug spray
• flashlight (again away from the kid - he loves to run down the batteries
• cleaning cloths
• summer pool items

I have linked this post to Work on It Wednesday. Visit there for more inspiration.

Declutter Day 39

I have finally gotten all those kitchen drawers finished and am now ready to post my before and after pictures. It always amazes me how much gets tossed into these drawers and forgotten.

Before:

and After:

Routines and Schedules Help With Decluttering

Routines and schedules tend to help me with my daily life and decluttering. After some prompting by Joy at Just Organize Yourself in this post, I have decided that I need a summer schedule to be sure that I am getting as much done as possible. I have been feeling overwhelmed lately and have not been spending as much time with Boo as I would like to. I want him to remember the summer months as fun times and not Mama trying to declutter all the closets.

So this week I am making an attempt at creating and using a schedule. I will probably find that I need a couple of schedules (days that I need to work or attend trainings, days at home, days with outings), but for now I am focusing on the days at home.

7:00 - 8:00 a.m. Breakfast, dishes and cleanup, 1 load of laundry

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Decluttering and cleaning up the zone area for the week, 1 load of laundry

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Reading and learning time with Boo

10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Play time with Boo

11:00 - 12:00 p.m. Lunch, dishes and cleanup

12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Nap time for Boo and individual play time (if shorter nap)
Computer time for Mom (bills, blogs, email, etc.) and more declutter time if needed

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Screen time for Boo (TV, movie, video game, computer)
Mom finishes up any household chores

3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cut and Write time for Boo (can also be science or craft time)

4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Dinner, dishes and cleanup
Boo can play outside if not too hot (this Florida heat has been so bad this past week that I haven't let him out in it too much)

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Games and reading time as a family

7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Bath

7:30 - 8:00 p.m. Pickup time around house

8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Family devotion time with Boo, then Boo to bed

8:30 - 10:00 p.m. Adult time for parents

We may have to change around a few things, but we are going to try to stick to this attempt at a schedule this week. The only thing that I didn't slot for a particular time is gardening and taking care of the animals. We'll try to work around the hot weather for these things.

Declutter Day 38

Today I decluttered at school. When we got out, I left my room just as it was. I'd had enough that week and knew that I would be back to clean and straighten up. Boo went with me this afternoon and here is what we got accomplished:

• textbooks put on cart to be moved to book storage room
• new computer table put together and part of the computers moved to it - this table has a back tray to hide the cables so everything looks more organized - I have one more to put together and organize but there wasn't enough room to get both of them done without moving some other furniture
• moved extra desk over to my teacher desk to make an L-shaped workspace (added more storage and work area)
• organized differentiated instruction materials for easy access
• decluttered printer areas and reorganized
• decluttered magazines and reorganized
• old computer monitors moved out from under computer tables - these need to be gone through to determine what still works but now they have been moved to a place where I can check them out
• moved unassembled computer carts for the lab out of my classroom and into the lab - they just got put there when they were delivered and we haven't had a chance to get them assembled yet - there's more room in the lab than in my room

My classroom looks like a whirlwind has gone through it, but at least the decluttering and reorganizing has begun. We'll probably go back on Monday and do a bit more. Needless to say, no decluttering got done at home today.