Apartment Therapy January Cure 2022 thread

posted January 3, 2022 3:38 PM | |

Sun January 30 at 8:00 PM

Thank you, mochapickle! Was procrastinating a bit but after seeing this now I’m gonna go clean out that drawer! 😸👍
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 4:03 PM on January 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

Two drawers organized. One is...still full of project-related crap. BUT! The other drawer is nothing but the tools most commonly needed in the house. (Yes, I have another place to stow tools, but it is a mess, and nobody's walking to the barn at 11 p.m. because they need a tape measure.) Thanks for the nudge to do these tasks, mochapickle!
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:16 PM on January 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

I signed up when I saw your link in the Gently booting out 2021 Ask. I have actually failed the first challenge, but am working from home tomorrow so should be able to catch up on it then. So I guess I'm saying I have postponed it, rather than failing.
posted by paduasoy at 4:18 PM on January 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

Instead of a drawer, I tackled the top of my desk. Now I have an empty, clean surface where I can store the 7 paper bags containing each day's used N95 masks, rotated so that they should be free of any possible contamination before the next week rolls around.

Until today, I've been quite happily using my own homemade, well-fitting face masks with a polypropylene filter layer, but I've ordered a bunch of 3M Aura N95s to use until I feel safe using my cloth masks again. As I live in an apartment building and am at increased risk because of heart failure and a pacemaker, I've also stocked up on surgical masks to give out to anyone I encounter in the building who isn't wearing a mask or is wearing an ill-fitting one, and I've also ordered two cases of N95s to sell at cost to neighbors who would like them. I'm also trying to get my hands on rapid test kits to have on hand and make available, but, well....

I've stopped shopping in stores again, and only leave the apartment for necessary appointments or to walk the dog three times a day, but I do have to navigate the stairwells, hallways, and elevators of our building an alarming number of times per day!

Anyway, I'm looking to get the piles of crap under control, and I don't know if this January Cure will be the cure, or if I'll have to modify it to fit my own needs and energy but I'm grateful to have the company of Mefites while I navigate it!
posted by QuakerMel at 4:59 PM on January 3, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thanks for making the thread! I did the three drawers in our bathroom- pretty speedy. They look tidier now.

I did discover that I lost my flat iron in the past month, which is a conundrum. Considering that I have only used it once a year for the past decade, not a great loss.

Good on you, QuakerMel! It's very thoughtful of you to have supplies on hand for your neighbors. I just bought some from on/go's website today so they may still have tests available.
posted by dearadeline at 5:41 PM on January 3, 2022 [5 favorites]

Okay, top drawer of bathroom storage dresser thingy is done! I threw out some expired products and a never-used lip crayon that looked fabulous online but ended up being kind of orangey in real life. I also refilled the cute little gray and white qtip container which has been empty for weeks.

And paduasoy, you haven't failed! There's 20 different tasks (it sounds like we get weekends off?) and I figure if anyone following along does sooooome sort of cleaning they wouldn't have normally done, that's success right there.
posted by mochapickle at 7:26 PM on January 3, 2022 [5 favorites]

Thanks for starting this thread! I did my kitchen junk drawer today—threw away some items and found some things I forgot I had!
I am strangely excited to find out what tomorrow’s assignment will be…
posted by bookmammal at 8:00 PM on January 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

I just signed up. I've been making amazing progress (for me) in re-vamping my living space over the past couple of weeks. Some very small shifts toward coming out of a real slump and this is perfect timing. Thanks for posting this!
posted by Majorita at 8:26 PM on January 3, 2022 [4 favorites]

Count me in as well. Just getting email probably isn’t enough to keep me going along for more than a day or two, but I’m hoping that commenting here will push me to stick with it.

I didn’t do a drawer today, but I accidentally organized my hall closet—I went looking for the spare tissues it turns out I don’t have and things escalated.
posted by Ellen Alleyne at 10:12 PM on January 3, 2022 [5 favorites]

Thanks for this post, mochapickle! Like Ellen Alleyne, I accidentally organized more than I planned. I have a small utility closet that I think is meant for a vacuum cleaner and includes five small hanging drawers, if that makes any sense. I pulled out one drawer to get it organized and realized it worked best if I did all five and attempted to put like with like. I don't expect this to cure my disorganisation, but any improvement is welcome. Thanks for the company, everyone!
posted by Bella Donna at 2:11 AM on January 4, 2022 [5 favorites]

mochapickle, please check your MeMail at your convenience.
posted by Bella Donna at 6:30 AM on January 4, 2022 [1 favorite]

Liiiiiiiiist, whyyyyyyyyy. Every list I make gets ignored!
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:53 AM on January 4, 2022 [4 favorites]

The list thing is daunting! Part of me thinks they put a hard thing at the very beginning so I’d just keep organizing drawers to procrastinate from having to sit down and write it….
posted by mochapickle at 12:55 PM on January 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

I've done the drawer now - sorted a drawer which holds packs of playing cards, sellotape and parcel wrapping things. Unsure why they go together (papery things?), but they are much tidier now and I have thrown some bits away. And sorted a pack of loose playing cards - they were all there which was satisfying.

The list thing is absolutely overwhelming! I'm at the stage where I have a room I can't easily get in (too much stuff), so there's no way I could wander around my house happily making a list for each room and then whittle it down to 3-5 things per room. I already have a mental list (ongoing for several years), including among other things chucking a bit more stuff into the Room of Doom so that I can sort out the Room of Slightly Less Doom, so I'm going to leave it at that for the moment and call it achieved.

I am now quite keen to sort another drawer tomorrow, but the urge may wear off overnight.
posted by paduasoy at 1:30 PM on January 4, 2022 [2 favorites]

I did a list, but it’s really minor things. We’ll see what day #3 brings.
Meanwhile, I’m going to keep dealing with drawers.
posted by bookmammal at 5:24 PM on January 4, 2022 [3 favorites]

Day 2: I've completed the to-do list, and like most things I dread, it actually ended up being not as bad than I thought.

Of all the things on the list, I'm most excited about possibly repainting the laundry room, as it's the only room we didn't do much to when we bought the house, and now it's the one that gets seen quite often because it's how you get into the house from the backyard. Anyone have any recommendations for a good shade of green? I'm thinking a deep, silvery pistachio...
posted by mochapickle at 8:22 PM on January 4, 2022 [1 favorite]

I agree that the list thing seemed very overwhelming. I basically put it off all day and then jammed through a few rooms. Still have our offices to go through. My main takeaway is that I'm very interested in decluttering.

Pistachio sounds great! Or seafoam?
posted by dearadeline at 9:49 PM on January 4, 2022 [2 favorites]

I like a sage-y green. It's what I'm going to paint my dad's room when we get the wall paper stripped. I guess I should say my room, since once it's cleaned out, I'm moving into it.

I have a junk drawer in my dresser that I can tackle. I signed up for the emails, but *flails arms around wildly* I've not done anything.
posted by kathrynm at 9:51 AM on January 5, 2022 [4 favorites]

Day 3: I suspect this task is more than meets the eye, in that it’s sort of passively preparing you for the mindset of rethinking your stuff. The good news is I started this box in September and it’s been lying in wait in the guest room for this very moment…
posted by mochapickle at 8:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]

I do not have a box but I do have three pairs of pants that go into the box. Chugging along!
posted by dearadeline at 9:38 PM on January 5, 2022 [3 favorites]

I had already started my box! And I spent yesterday working with a little stereo next to my computer listening to old CDs and tapes and culling furiously. I started with one box of tapes and slowly added additional boxes. I've even started another box to be taken to the e-waste centre for all the dodgy home-made mixes and stuff I taped off commercial radio in 1994. I actually started to feel at a certain point, oh, if this collection didn't feel so overwhelming and only contained stuff I know that want to listen to, I would actually listen to it more! I've been dragging this collection around for 20 years, so this is a big win for me.

This is such a big win for me I'm going to take the day off today's challenge. I moved house only 6 months ago, I don't have a lot of toiletries and I just don't think I have anything that's expired.
posted by happyfrog at 12:15 PM on January 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

A few weeks ago, I cleaned out the fridge of the old expired stuff. So today's is done. I'm making my list (right after I get off the computer) and I'm going to tackle that drawer. Once I get all the Christmas stuff put away, I'll be in good shape.
posted by kathrynm at 12:34 PM on January 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

Day 4: Okay, this more of the kind of task I was expecting -- stuff like cleaning the fridge, wiping down your baseboards, clearing a spot by your door for keys and mail and bag. I'd done the expiry thing in the kitchen sometime in the fall, so I think most of that is set, although I'd really like to organize the cabinets more as they are calling to me in the night, with their quiet oaken voices.

So I went back into the bathroom and cleared out the storage drawers there, tossed some older products, found the plastic cap for the thermometer which was a total eureka moment, matched up all sorts of like with like. The good news is that I don't have to buy floss, toothbrushes, razorblades, or any hair ties for a very long time. The other good news is that I also rediscovered some pretty soaps that I'd forgotten about and now I get to use them. And the other other good news was that there wasn't any bad news.
posted by mochapickle at 8:33 PM on January 6, 2022 [6 favorites]

I did not address the expired things in the kitchen, but I did reorganize the counter space as well as completely take apart our guest bedroom/office.

Also, I just realized that at the bottom of my life preview it says, "Note: You're going to see these people in real life." Made me laugh. As though the reward for completing the January challenge is manifesting MeFites in my home to reinforce me for making my living space more livable.
posted by dearadeline at 9:27 PM on January 6, 2022 [5 favorites]

Day 3 disclosure—I did not do the box thing yesterday.
On to Day 4–clean all the floors. OK—vacuuming the carpets I can and will do. However, not sure about the kitchen/hallway/entryway. It REALLY needs to be wet mopped. I know it will feel sooooo good once it’s done. I’ve been putting it off forever. I’m going to try to do it!
The buying flowers thing—not going to happen. Sorry—not during a pandemic. I’m not going into shops these days. Maybe I’ll bake something as a treat instead.
posted by bookmammal at 6:36 AM on January 7, 2022 [2 favorites]

dearadeline, I marvel at your energy! Go you!

Having everyone over sounds nice in any other year! The January Cure is a cousin to the full Eight Week Home Cure book, which is the one I did several years and... goodness, four homes ago, and it gets your home to a point where you can have a cheerful, informal dinner gathering with a few friends. Like, in addition to the cleaning and organizing, there's a whole thing about how to roast a chicken and prep a cozy space for that event.

I'm a little squinty about suggestion to trot out to the market for flowers, which wouldn't work for lots of readers during a pandemic, but I like bookmammal's baking suggestion.

My floors look good but they could look better, so that'll be good work for the weekend.
posted by mochapickle at 8:06 AM on January 7, 2022 [2 favorites]

I think I'll go with some baking too. I really need to limit my spending right now.

ETA: I also found out how many friggin' USB cables I had in my drawer. Too many.
posted by kathrynm at 10:35 AM on January 7, 2022 [3 favorites]

I’m way behind but did a dump and scrub on a litter box and that feels like A Thing so I’m going with it. P.S. Hahaha clean the floors who do they think I am, the Organized Queen of England What Has Her Poop in a Group?
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 6:13 PM on January 7, 2022 [4 favorites]

Finally accepted that I will not use the orange blossom water that I bought 9 years ago. Progress?
posted by catdapperling at 6:42 PM on January 7, 2022 [6 favorites]

I don’t know why we had so much unopened bug spray that expired in 2016. What was biting us in 2015?
posted by clew at 6:48 PM on January 7, 2022 [7 favorites]

So glad I saw this!! Mochapickle is the best!!
posted by soakimbo at 9:08 PM on January 7, 2022 [5 favorites]

I was very productive yesterday. I got the floors vacuumed or swept. Gonna mop today. Started the clean out of my youngest brother's bedroom/the office. I have two baskets of stuff to go to a thrift store. I put a clean sheet on the bed. If I want to use the comforter again, I'll have to take it to a laundromat because it isn't going to fit in the washing machine. Or I might just invest in a decent looking blanket. We aren't going to be having overnight guests anytime soon. So the bed just needs to look tidy.
posted by kathrynm at 8:50 AM on January 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

I skipped the refrigerator declutter action and tending to the floors. If you saw my place and my deadlines, you would understand why. BUT: I did the other things. And today I did my laundry and hung it out, loaded and ran the dishwasher (it is churning away now; I'm in Sweden and the Eco program runs for 3 hours, no kidding), changed the sheets on my bed, took out trash and compost, and also did 2 hours of work.

That is the most productive I have been in weeks. Thanks for this group, mochapickle!
posted by Bella Donna at 9:06 AM on January 9, 2022 [4 favorites]

Okay: Medicine cabinet done. Floors swept and vacuumed and mopped where necessary. Laundry done, including delicates. I made bagels instead of buying flowers. I will at least start a list. My outbox collection is started. I even mended three things that needed fixing. My house is starting to feel better? Maybe?
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:21 PM on January 9, 2022 [1 favorite]

Argh. Life is happening, so I'm just gonna keep cleaning out drawers until things calm down. And when I run out of drawers I'll move to shelves in cupboards. Honestly that will go a long way towards helping.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 8:56 AM on January 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

OK, I went back and did the list, which seemed so hard. I raced through it in about 15 min before work. It was super easy to come up with things to do, and tbh I hadn't realised I was carrying around such a long list in my head. No wonder I was feeling overwhelmed. I didn't even really get to the atmospheric stuff, it was more like "oh yeah, you have been using lamps instead of overhead lighting in the living room for *checks notes* 6 months now, you need to repair the ceiling and book an electrician to fix the light."

It IS kind of nice to have all these tasks written down instead of free-floating feelings of guilt when I move through the space past things that need fixing... And a few of them are only single-step tasks... I will try to do the meditation after work today.

Thanks for reading. This thread is helpful!
posted by happyfrog at 2:04 PM on January 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Day 6: I really like the restriction to select a task that'll only take a few hours. I'm torn between either mending the slipcovers on the couch or painting something, anything, on the blank canvas that's been waiting in the dining room, still in plastic. I used to move so often that eventually I stopped hanging things on the walls in a new place, but after four years here I'm thinking a little art might be nice.
posted by mochapickle at 6:15 PM on January 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

I'm in. I'm a week behind, but I'm in. Wish me luck!
posted by ourobouros at 6:24 AM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]

Ok—I’m doing the closet thing today. I’m going to do my entryway coat closet because it’s the one I see most often. Hoping to gather some things to donate, and organize my tote of plastic/paper bags. If I’m still in the mood after that, I’ll tackle another drawer.
posted by bookmammal at 6:50 AM on January 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

Welcome, ourobouros!

Any progress is good progress -- over the weekend, I abandoned the floors project two rooms short and moved on to a cabinet, and like the whole time I was like TEE HEE HEE I AM A REBEL.
posted by mochapickle at 8:58 AM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]

This group really is so helpful! I have so much more spare time than I'm used to currently so it's good to have some structure.

Okay, I vacuumed two rooms a little bit. Floors are still pending. I picked my pantry for a home project and began clearing it out/better defining where our cleaning supplies live and so on. We have quite a few things to donate so that will be in progress.

I bought a plant at Trader Joe's during the weekly grocery shop- it's cute.
posted by dearadeline at 10:23 AM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]

I am cleaning out the seed closet (cough), and making a spreadsheet of what I actually have, which is shrinking my list of what I'd like to buy. That's helpful, and this was the nudge I needed to keep better track of what's on hand. Thanks!
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:47 AM on January 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

I currently don't have any closets that need cleaned. However, the pantry cupboard in the kitchen is looking a bit unorganized. I shall tackle that before bed.
posted by kathrynm at 5:53 PM on January 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

Here to report failure from yesterday. In blazing heat I walked three bags of stuff over to the op shop (thrift store), only to be told that they weren't taking any more donations today. Oh well. After work I tried to sort out all the bags in the wardrobe. Quickly got distracted/disheartened, and when I went to bed last night the bags were all over my bed. This morning, of course, the bags are all over the floor. What a bust!

But, you know. I've made progress. A bit of failure is OK.
posted by happyfrog at 1:27 PM on January 12, 2022 [5 favorites]

I didn't get to the pantry last night. So I'll try for tonight.

As far as today's email to clear everything out of your living room area... I'm just not. I can't do it yet. And tomorrow would have been my dad's birthday.
posted by kathrynm at 4:09 PM on January 12, 2022 [8 favorites]

You don't have to, kathrynm, and I'm sending a hug. These anniversaries can be difficult.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:24 PM on January 12, 2022 [2 favorites]

Thinking of you, kathrynm -- it sounds like a really tough time. There's no need to do any task that isn't helpful to you.

Did the floor cleaning task yesterday. This phrase...
"moving things out of the way as needed as you go to get a truly thorough clean"
...compelled me to clean up the mess of piles on the floor of my office and dressing area, which have been building up (and bugging me) for a while. Tricksy taskmaster!

I won't be getting flowers until this weekend -- I'm trying to minimize trips to the store given the Omicron mess -- but it feels really nice to have a more peaceful work space this morning.
posted by ourobouros at 6:31 AM on January 13, 2022 [4 favorites]

Kind thoughts to you Kathrymn.

I started the closet thing and I think I probably did 30 minutes, but I got really stuck on old clothing of mine. Clothing is such a strange part of identity.
posted by dearadeline at 10:15 AM on January 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Instead of flowers, I put the week's tangerines in a brilliant blue bowl. Lovely, seasonal, reminds us to eat our tangerines.

I am not dealing with my actual clothes closet when I don't know what year I could possibly wear the dancing dresses again. I'll sort my mending-sewing-refitting pile instead. Well, and change out the moth traps in the closet.
posted by clew at 12:08 PM on January 13, 2022 [5 favorites]

Not gonna plan a get together. I have y'all to keep me accountable. :)
posted by kathrynm at 12:48 PM on January 13, 2022 [4 favorites]

I hope yesterday was OK for you, kathrynm.
posted by happyfrog at 1:08 PM on January 13, 2022 [3 favorites]

We also serve who serve only as bad examples! I haven’t done anything for days as I focus on my client project which was due today and I got in much of it but two major parts are outstanding. So that’s what I’m busy with. There is no possible way I am going to do every part of this challenge. So everyone should feel good about how much progress they are making compared to me. I will not feel bad. I plan to feel good if I get even a quarter of the daily challenges completed because that will be 100% more than I would’ve done otherwise.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:04 PM on January 13, 2022 [7 favorites]

Nope—not planning having people over. Not for a long time.

As it turns out, I’m finding that most of my energy(physically and emotionally) is going towards cleaning out my parents’ house where they lived for 25 years. I just don’t have a lot left over for my own house right now.

I have 4 good, good friends coming to help me next week—packing things for donations—and that’s going to feel so good—and so much more manageable. Maybe after that part is done I can do some more stuff at my own place.
posted by bookmammal at 2:32 PM on January 13, 2022 [5 favorites]

Gonna go for the outside track on the kitchen clean. There actually isn't much to do since when I was stressing out a few weeks ago, I cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom.
posted by kathrynm at 5:34 PM on January 15, 2022 [3 favorites]

♥ kathrynm.

Day 10: I liked this weekend's task. The kitchen's looking good -- I went for the inside track. I still have a bit more to do, but I can report that I have totally reorganized the canned goods shelf and the baking shelf and I've also decanted the enormous bag of dog food, which had taken up residence in the corner next to the pantry doors, into multiple air-tight containers that can be tucked away on a lower shelf. It's good. Also wrote expiration dates on cans in Sharpie so I can see them better. I still have to do three more shelves, the pots/pans, and the shelf under the sink.

This week's pie is in the oven as I type this and I'm excited to see how it turns out.
posted by mochapickle at 8:46 PM on January 16, 2022 [1 favorite]

I can do today’s challenge! I have some art that is ready to be put up—I’ve just never done it. Today is the day!
posted by bookmammal at 7:13 AM on January 17, 2022 [3 favorites]

I can do today's too. I recently bought a bunch of matching frames for the pictures I took down from the hallway. I'm going to do a better organized collage wall.

Yesterday, I ended up organizing the storage containers on the lazy susan in the cupboard. I was tired of lids falling off when I turned it. I also got rid of a box of silverware that we never use and some steak knives.

I'm glad I waited for today to clean the kitchen. We have 1.5 feet of snow. Of course I was off work for MLK Day. Why couldn't the snow hold off until later in the week so I could have another day off?
posted by kathrynm at 9:14 AM on January 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

Okay dokie- did not even touch the living room reset but saving it in my back pocket because our living room is pretty mellow in terms of stuff.

Day 9 does not exist and we do not acknowledge it!

I cleaned the kitchen earlier in January to make room for a new appliance on the counter. I sorted out much of the food/cans/dishware then but I'm still in progress on trying to figure out where ziploc bags and our kitchen towels live. Stay tuned.

For Day 11, I'm possibly just compromising and putting up little holographic window decals because I am intimidated by framing art.
posted by dearadeline at 5:35 PM on January 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

The leaning mirror is now on a wall! Snow day mostly spent on tossing paper, organizing hobby supplies, and making food.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:12 PM on January 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

I have a snow day today. I *might* try to put up the new curtains in the basement. But the inside of the fridge does need to be wiped down.

However, there is a cat sleeping on my left arm with her nose buried under my boob. That makes it hard to do anything.
posted by kathrynm at 8:16 AM on January 18, 2022 [3 favorites]

“Cat sleeping on arm” takes priority. No question.
posted by bookmammal at 10:02 AM on January 18, 2022 [7 favorites]

OK, so I called and left msgs at four carpet places to try to find some replacement underlay. My order of gap filler and a paint roller at the hardware shop is waiting for me to pick up. I finally joined the local tool library, and this afternoon I'll head over to pick up the sewing machine I've rented for a week so I can try to make curtains out of this lovely material I've been saving. I have a box of art waiting to go to the framer, though with numbers what they are in my area I'm a bit uncomfortable with the length of time I'd need to be in the frame shop to pick out frames and talk to the framer, so I'm not sure when that's going to happen.

So I haven't actually improved anything on my projects yet, and it doesn't feel like progress. But I've... taken steps towards improving things. Pats on back? Pats on back!
posted by happyfrog at 1:45 PM on January 18, 2022 [7 favorites]

Yes, pats on the back! It's progress, happyfrog!
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:08 PM on January 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

Steps is steps, happyfrog! We don’t get there by teleportation.

Do you already have the curtain rods, or should they get added to the hardware order?
posted by clew at 9:28 AM on January 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

happyfrog, if you just need a smallish piece of carpet underlay, I had some terrific luck at a carpet warehouse remnant place where they had end rolls of new carpet and underlay and I was able to carpet my whole walk-in closet for about $15. Still feels like a victory. This was in the before times, but it was such a nice find and I hope to find go back to get some vinyl flooring for the laundry room at some nebulous point in the future...

I'm so into today's task for fixing up the couch. I slid right over Monday and Tuesday this week for Reasons, but(!) my slipcovers are in the wash this very moment and I think I have enough matching thread to mend the corners of the cushions that were chewed on nine years ago (by my dog, not by me).

Oh and the pie turned out nicely! Lemon custard with a saltine crust. There's a picture of it here.
posted by mochapickle at 9:48 AM on January 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

This has been a really nice thing for me to low-key participate in, while occasionally checking in on this thread. Thanks for making this space, mochapickle. I've done about half of the things on the list. I finally got around to hanging up all of my diplomas yesterday in my home office, which I will be teaching remotely from for the foreseeable future. I earned my doctorate almost ten years ago, and the other diplomas are even older, so it was high time. Honestly I really needed this push because there's a piece of me that feels like it's pretentious to be proud enough of my credentials to display them, despite the fact that I use them every day at work. Looking forward to chipping away at the rest of the list as I can, and to checking in on this thread and cheering everyone else on periodically.
posted by twelve cent archie at 11:35 AM on January 19, 2022 [4 favorites]

I think I might be psychic (just kidding). Yesterday, I pulled the sheets of the living room furniture and washed them. Cats. Can't live with them, can't live without them. The throw pillows on the couch didn't need fluffed because it used to only me by dad and me. He had a comfy chair that he sat in, and I never was in the living room at the same time (old westerns and fox news aren't my idea of good tv). He kept the throw pillows in his closet. Now it's just me. I decided I wanted the pillows out.
posted by kathrynm at 4:46 PM on January 19, 2022 [3 favorites]

I like and use the surface sweep. It runs into an obstacle when I return things to family members who have not made dedicated homes for their own stuff. Clean surfaces for some, boxes-o'-crap for others.
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:26 PM on January 20, 2022 [1 favorite]

I will do the surface sweep this evening after dinner. I've been dumping random stuff in random places the last few days because I've run out of spoons. I think I'm dealing with Long Covid. :(
posted by kathrynm at 4:19 PM on January 20, 2022 [3 favorites]

Thanks very much all for your advice and support! I do have the curtain rods (and, indeed, curtains, already - they're just not very nice). I only need a tiny amount of underlay (<3m) so that is a great suggestion mochapickle. Searching "carpet warehouse" has already given me a few more places to try. The other thing I've thought of is posting on a local neighbourhood group to see if I could make a trade for a few metres off a roll someone might have sitting in their shed.

I've had a few other space wins:
- I swapped out the huge black bath mat with electric blue fringing and a crocodile on it that I bought online because I thought it would be fun! and quirky! but quickly became, in situ, a hideous eyesore, for a small cheap plain pink one
- as instructed, I tidied and vacuumed the bedroom
- while tidying and vacuuming the bedroom, I solved a problem (ugly unused second bedside table, one too many lovely bentwood chairs for a small apartment) in what I hope was a stylish way (replace ugly bedside table with lovely bentwood chair!)
- I've set the sewing machine up and after many false starts yesterday have made curtain progress

This last is the biggest win for me. I often think things are going to be easy, and give up at the first sign of trouble. This project I have somehow taken more of an approach of, "Well, this is going to take a long time and you're going to make a lot of mistakes. Watch an instructional YouTube video when you get stuck and just do a little bit each day." I feel like this is a good lesson for my life generally!

I'm rooting for each and every one of you. That PIE, mochapickle! I want to reach through the screen and smoosh it into my face!
posted by happyfrog at 3:14 PM on January 22, 2022 [4 favorites]

My bedroom looks so much better for mopping the floor and dusting. I'll change the sheets tomorrow on their regularly scheduled day.

I'm hoping to finish my picture collages, but well, spoons. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.
posted by kathrynm at 3:41 PM on January 22, 2022 [2 favorites]

The pie looks so good! Props to everyone for their continued labors. :)

I have diverged from the suggested tasks, but I'm still pretty happy with how things are going. I donated a bunch of stuff, found a way to store our bedding in a chest in the bedroom, got some photo albums to put cards/photos in that are just sitting in a box.

I relate very strongly of your description of false starts, happyfrog. I try to keep in mind that slow progress is good, despite my expectations of myself.
posted by dearadeline at 9:19 PM on January 24, 2022 [3 favorites]

Day 17: We are on our last week!

My sleep schedule is upside down, which is how I found myself deep-cleaning the bathroom at 4 a.m. yesterday in advance of today's assignment. Everything is shiny and bright. I'm giving the grout an extra scrub today (whose idea was it to do light grout???) and calling it good, because it IS good! My bedroom is tidy and bright, but it's also the home to my sewing and tools and housepaint closet (my clothes are in another closet) and that's something that still needs work.

For my official project I ended up washing/mending/tailoring the slipcovers on the couch and I'm so proud of how they turned out. I'd literally spent yeeeeeears arranging the cushions one particular way so the frayed corners wouldn't show and now every cushion has crisp, perky corners that can go any which way. I'd made these slipcovers myself a lifetime ago and I had enough of my original yardage left to make an additional cushion, and the whole effect is really comfortable and welcoming.

There is still much to do (my house is small but I have a few rooms that remain fully unaddressed) and I plan to keep going through next month, and then I have a tiny but woefully neglected yard to deal with come warmer weather. Is anyone else planning additional work after we finish the week?

I'm so happy to read all of your updates and I've been so glad to have your company this week!
posted by mochapickle at 2:16 PM on January 25, 2022 [3 favorites]

This week? I mean this month!
posted by mochapickle at 3:04 PM on January 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

I hung one of my curtains yesterday and I can't quite believe it. I'll finish the other one this weekend. Thank you all for being here on this journey!

If anyone wants to share a picture of their tidied space, I'd LOVE to see. Obviously only what you're comfortable with. Truly I will take contentment from the organised inside of a tool box. I'll take a photo of these bloody curtains hanging up as soon as I have two.
posted by happyfrog at 11:13 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]

Was just thinking today that it might be fun to upload a photo or two. I'd love to see the curtains.

I am totally continuing through next month!

I took apart our dining room today- there's this giant bookcase in there and I was wondering if I'd like it in the living room. Moved it and determined that it is best it's current place. But now it looks way more organized.

We already have a home landing strip that's pretty functional, and I reorganized the shelf for the linens in the bathroom, but the under the sink storage/overall cleaning should be addressed.

It's been really fun checking in and seeing everyone's input, jokes, and progress.
posted by dearadeline at 6:26 PM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]

The entire first week of February has been a total whoosh but I just wanted to thank you all once again for joining me for January. You've all been such great company!

I'm catching up on some of the tasks I skipped and revisiting the ones that needed more work -- like, my self-assigned task for today is a proper scrub of the kitchen floor. It feels good and my little house seems grateful for the attention. No pictures yet but it's getting there.

Sounds like there's a Spring Cleaning event in March or April and I plan to post that whenever that's up. And I'd always love to hear about how your home projects are coming.

Thank you all again for the solidarity and support! Accountability works!
posted by mochapickle at 9:23 AM on February 7, 2022 [3 favorites]