Are you ready to start the January Cure? Hopefully you have some friends and family participating, too, but I'm going to be doing the daily actions with you and sharing my messes and successes right here on Apartment Therapy. Before all of our homes are cleaner and more organized, we must take the first step: make a list of goals.
I've lived in my current apartment in Boston for over 6 years, and while roommates have come and gone, there hasn't been a major refresh for a long time. My younger brother recently moved in with me (cue the awws), and I'm keeping the smaller third bedroom roommate-free so that we can have a guest room/office/additional storage.
While having a whole new room to play around with is exciting, it's been a little daunting. Keeping a running to-do list in my head was unconsciously stressing me out. When I set out to make a list of my goals, I realized how much better I felt once everything on paper. It's not as long as I thought it would be (only 2 pages!), and everything is completely doable in time.
Since we're only picking 3-5 things from each room to focus on, the task made me focus on what was most important to me. In The 8-Step Home Cure, Maxwell talks about the home version of the Hierarchy of Needs, and tending to the bones of your place (cleaning, fixing things that are broken, etc) should be done before the cosmetic stuff. I have a mix of broken bone-setting to do, mixed with some more fun projects to tackle.
Here is my final goals list:
Entry:
• Fix light
• Paint mail sorter
• Touch up trim paint
Bathroom:
• Paint
• Fix towel bar
• Refinish medicine cabinet shelves
• Fix doorknob
• Replace shower curtain & bath mat
Living Room:
• Paint
• Reorganize/style bookshelf
• Sell tea cart
• Replace blinds & curtains
Hall:
• Fix smoke alarms & lights
Office/Guest Room:
• Paint (sensing a theme?)
• Move desk from bedroom to office
• Better utilize closet space
• Drop off clothes to Goodwill
Kitchen:
• Hang pegboard
• Fix disposal
• Replace cabinet pulls
Bedroom:
• Fix scarf storage
• Find new home for laundry basket
• Restyle bed
• Find space for reading nook
What does your list look like? Are you excited to tackle it?
JANUARY CURE LINKS:
• Day 1: Make a List of Goals
(Image: Tara Bellucci)
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
A Real Dinner, Fast: 5 Favorite Types of Almost-No-Work Meals
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
My list is the same for every room:
1. declutter
2. deep clean
3. restyle/refresh
My apartment is still decorated fairly enough, I just need to purge my possessions! Moving city this year is a big motivation. Lots of baking will occur this month to empty my pantry...!
Excited to get started.
My new apartment is empty of things, I am moving in today, but I will keep these lists for future use!
Paint (but I'll wait until spring to do that)
Purge & reorganize
Polish & style my space. We've left this house almost untouched... shameful!
I won't be able to make my list until I get home, but de-cluttering will be a large component in every room.
I second that!
my list:
put away all clothes properly
clean out hallway closet
clean out office closet
clean out bedroom closet
clean out bedroom drawers
clean out hallway bureau drawers
clean out kitchen drawers
clean out desk drawers
clean out both medicine cabinets
clean out bathroom drawers
throw away old make-up
hang two light fixtures (electrician will have to come)
install a dimmer switch for bedroom ceiling fan so it can be controlled more precisely
buy a large indoor tree for bare sunlit corner of living room
Unfortunately, mine will involve a lot of sweeping/mopping.
I've only moved into this apartment three months ago, so there's not much that needs fixing, but it still looks a little unfinished in places. My list includes:
Dealing with the mess of cords in the entertainment centre so it looks a bit more put together
Selecting family pictures and more art to frame for the living room and hall
Doing a little gardening to make the balcony a prettier, more welcoming spot: bring in plants, create a comfy sitting area - it's summer where I live and it seems a pity not to make good use of the space when the weather is so nice
Cleaning all the light fixtures, which I keep putting off
Reorganizing the closets
My list is soooo long, but here's the edited version:
Entryway:
- Organize shoes
Living / dining room:
- Paint in white. I'm just one winter away from depression due to the awful greenish color
- Plug in new lamps (this may be complicated since they are American lamps and I live in France)
- Finish painting my giant blue artwork and hang it above the lamps (fun one !)
Kitchen:
- Finish building and painting a shelf
- Reorganize the pantry
Bathroom:
- I need to find a way to get rid of the mold I found in the shower when I moved in two years ago. Conventional methods don't work. Any idea ?
Home office:
- Reorganize the drawers
- One of the lamps is broken, repair it
- Find something to put in (already hung) Ikea frames
Bedroom:
- Frame beautiful artwork I got for Christmas and hang it
- Paint the beautiful but beaten nightstand I scored a year ago
- Tiny but very visible paint touch-up !
Daughter's bedroom:
- Put curtains up
- Finish some painting (we just finished renovating the room)
- Find a new mattress for her bed frame
Is it me or is most of my list completely doable in a month ? (It'd be better if days had 30 hors though). See you tomorrow !
Great lists, everyone! @Nanou, it's definitely doable, but remember we'll have daily assignments, so don't feel pressured to do everything in January! We want to be celebratory, not frazzled, by February :)
My list... I think if I had to summarize, it would be "clean" and "organize".
Bathroom:
-Permanently unclog sink
-Make the shower stop dripping
-Organize medicine cabinet and clean/fix it
-Organize shelves
-Clean doors, floors, ceiling, shower etc
Living Room:
-Organize shelves
-Clean door and floors
-Organize the whole room
-Get more seating
-Find an area for coats
Hall:
-Move guitar cases out of the hall
-Clean the floor
-Find a rug for the hall
-Organize shelving at the end of the hall
Small Room:
-Organize all the dog stuff
-Clean
-Find a place for the extra containers of food and miscellaneous
-Create video game storage
-Figure out what's going on with the closet
Kitchen:
-Organize pantry, shelves, cupboards, and fridge
-Clean and organize underneath the sink
-Clean the fridge
-Clean the floors
-Clean the oven
-Create a place for a small table and make the table
-Go through the top hanging miscellaneous area
Bedroom:
-Reorganize the Closet
-Get rid of the rolling cart and the small dresser and create shelving
-Clear off the top of the bookshelf, dresser and nightstand
-Hang bulletin board
-Find a place for the laundry basket
-Clean behind furniture
-Dust
-Clean air purifier
-Clean floors
Front Yard:
-Rake leaves and clean concrete area
-Pick up dog excrement
Back Yard:
-Clean up
-Make a fire pit
-Create seating
Cellar:
-Clean
-Use as storage area
Laundry Area:
-Clean the washer and dryer
-Fix the shelving
-Sweep the area
My biggest challenge: what to do with mountains of paper? Buy a scanner? Continue to spend every weekend filing? :/
So here's my list (not all of it to be completed or even tackled in January):
Entry
- Replace front door
- Clean and organize coat closet
Kitchen
- Make better use of vertical space in computer/home office area
- Purge/donate unwanted items from tops of cupboards
- Purge/donate unwanted items from linen drawers
- Repair wonky cupboard hinges
- Repair or cover hole under sink cupboard
Living/Dining Area
- Repair broken bookcase base
- Get rid of plastic 5-drawer storage unit
- Get rid of 3 (!) sofas and replace with one good sofa
- Purge CDs/videos/DVDs
- Organize photo drawer
- Purge some of the books
- Drink some of those many bottles of wine!
Bedroom 1
- Move chair (and the books on it) to another room
- Spackle/patch the bare spot on the wall
- Paint bedhead wall
- Purge LPs from the closet (donate or sell)
- Purge worn out, unused, unflattering clothes
- Organize photos
Bedroom 2
- Buy and hang up clothing hooks
- Use bookcase as headboard
- Move bed to window wall
- Make and hang curtains
Bedroom 3
- Move sleeper sofa cushions to use in living room
- Clean out and purge closet contents
- Purge unwanted books
- Hang curtains
Bath/Laundry
- Remove rotten woodwork
- Clean or replace shower curtain
- Give away unneeded extra towels
- Plan/install over toilet storage and/or under sink storage
Mine is another one that falls under "clean & organize"
Hallway:
- Declutter drawers
- Add coat hangers
Kitchen:
- Clean cupboards & drawers
- Organize them
- Clean floor underneath oven
Laundry Room:
- Fix the door (might be impossible, our landlord isn't very interested in keeping the place up)
Living Room:
- Declutter bookshelf
- Declutter sofa corner
- Organize Desk
Balcony:
- Throw out unused items
- Clean floor
- Set up puppy proof area
Hallway 2:
- Declutter & organize closet
Bathroom:
- Clean & organize drawers
- Declutter in general
- Clean bathtub area
Bedroom:
- Organize clothes & shoes
- Organize vanity
My biggest problem has always been finding organizing solutions that are easy enough to keep up, I tend to overcomplicate things, an in turn, never follow through with keeping things how they're supposed to be.
There will be an day dedicated to wrangling your paper! But that's definitely a great thing to add to your list of goals, and something to think about as to what will work best for you.
I'm not posting my list just yet because there will be much discussion as to whether or not this will include the guys rooms plus a more detailed look at the budget. If it costs more than $5 it will have to wait until after the 15th... :)
Mine is more of a list for the year because I'm in the Upper Midwest and some of these just can't be tackled on snowy, cold days!
Entry:
J: organize table and coat tree, scrub stairs, hem curtains
Yr: replace outdoor light, paint porch
Living:
Yr: decorate empty corner, move baby toys, curtains
Dining:
J: cull pottery, curtains
Kitchen:
J: Organize glass/mug/tea cabinet,
Yr: take down center cabinet/paint/new handles
Basement:
J: Organize storage and outgrown baby items
Yr: new carpet/ac/paint
Bedroom:
J: clean off top of armoire, clean ceiling fans, new curtains
Office:
J: new poster/print
Backyard:
Yr: seed, plant hops in the alley, landscape side and path
Here's mine - my boyfriend and I currently have a second bedroom that's a tool shop/vanity/my clothes/storage, and I'm having a hard time determining how to clean it up. There's not enough storage space in that room without it just looking like a storage locker. Any tips?
Entry:
-Declutter cork board
-File away papers in inbox
-Create coupon file system (currently they are stuck in an envelope on the cork board)
Living Room:
-Put away Christmas items
-Get baskets for Expedit at entry to hold shoes/blankets
-Organize area next to TV stand
-Sell wine rack / get small shelf for that space?
Kitchen:
-Put away honey sifting experiment
-Organize food storage cabinet
-Clean/tidy tops of cabinets
-Spice storage/organization - need corks for the bottles
Bathroom:
-Organize under sink/get baskets to corral items
Laundry:
-Organize shelves
-Clean top of dryer
"Put away honey sifting experiment" made me smile.
My husband & I bought our first house 18 months ago. We first gut-renovated the kitchen and have done a number of fixes/updates in almost every room. It's looking pretty good! However, I still feel stressed thinking about the homeless items laying about. I work at home and don't need that stress when I walk out of my office. Thank you for the January Cure! Here's my list -
General
- Iron, then take clothes to consignment shops to sell (find out what each shop takes)
- Take photos, look up specs and list appliances & electronics to sell (ebay, Craigslist, Amazon?)
My office
- Sort and file health insurance paperwork
- Re-organize lucite shelf unit
- Create home for job search papers/books
- Print photos to hang
Bedroom
- Re-organize top of dresser
Living Room
- Re-organize gaming cabinet
- Organize gardening information, prepare for next season
- Dust and wash/deep clean wooden and glass furniture, leather couches
Entryway & closet
- Find home for gloves, scarves, hats
Bath
- Deep clean glass shower stall (soap scum on glass) and re-caulk the stall?
Kitchen
- Clean top of kitchen cabinets and lay down wax paper so less to clean next time!
- Sort and re-organize junk drawers
- Re-organize appliance storage in pantry
Basement
- VERY SCARY - sort what to keep, sell, donate
- Sort and find homes for outdoor gear
Me:
Entry: Clean and paint door surround
Move TV to improve "landing strip"
Get rid of final box of papers from previous decluttering
Living/dining room: improve lighting
Continue working on bookshelves
Deep clean
Kitchen: organize food cabinets
clean fridge
throw out microwave that stopped working and see if I can live without it
Bathroom: Organize shelves
deep clean
finally get someone to put up a cabinet?
Guest bedroom: get rid of/move everything stored under the bed
move old lamp from living room and redo bedside table
empty enough closet space for guests to store clothes
hang some artwork
My bedroom: spackle and paint the wall with the holes in the plaster
figure out new blinds/curtains that would work
keep working on the closet
deep clean
Nanou @ Du Sel au Plafond....this won't help eradicate your bathroom mold, but your comment reminded me of Julie Delpy's character in the hilarious "2 Days in Paris" explaining to her panicked American boyfriend about French bathroom mold.
..."It's not black. It's green. Look at it. It's like blue cheese. It's probably good for you."
My list of things to be done in the kitchen is soooo long, much longer than for any other room. It has made me realise how important my kitchen is for me. Reading your lists, I came up with loads of new tasks for the other rooms in my appartment (like making a headboard for my bed), but apparently, it is not that important to me because I didn't think of it in the first place. Interesting....
Oh, I forgot to include the office, otherwise known as the "room of doom" in my list! Clearly an "accidentally on purpose" slip-up by my mind, because it seems too big to tackle.
Office: keep plugging away at the papers/clutter in 15 minute increments
get rid of some of the luggage stored in here
My list is more about decluttering than decorating. I sense my style is changing, and I do not want to do much decorating until mid 2014 when I will have graduated and perhaps will change jobs and/or careers and/or relocate. So for now I want to get the clutter out of.the way, to plan, to clean, and to enjoy my space while I study and make decisions. I ha w 17 months, and with full-time work and grad school, it will take that long. This is a great jump start.
Part of the problem with my own list is that a lot of the tasks -- especially organizational ones (papers! clothes! miscellaneous keepsakes! shoes! books, oh god the books! pantry stuff!) -- require furniture or organization containers that I don't have. While my budget-taste mismatch is an issue (I'd rather dither for ages and carefully stack books against the wall than get bookshelves I don't like, apparently), a much bigger problem is that I don't know how to drive, so I can't even pick up craigslisted items, make an IKEA run, or easily get a large plastic bin home from a store outside my neighborhood. While I've begged assistance from friends before, there's a limit to what's possible. Is anyone in a similar situation? Is there any hope (barring finally learning how to drive)?
If not, I guess I'll be continuing to use a carefully-concealed-and-covered cardboard box for an entry table. Argh.
I'm so excited to start this! My list is pretty small. To see it, go to http://sparkbyamy.tumblr.com/post/39501157871/im-participating-in-apartment-therapys-january-cure
OK, I am finally finished with my walk through and here are my areas to focus on:
Entry:
-Get some sort of table to house my husband's keys, wallet, sunglasses, etc...
Hallway:
-Get a runner that actually runs the length of the hallway and something with a bit of color.
Kitchen:
-Clean and organize the cleaning products under the sink. I have no idea why I have been putting this off.
-Purchase a new dish rack.
Master Bedroom:
-Clean and organize underneath the bed. We live in Spain and have zero storage space, so I need to organize my shoes to fit into containers that can be concealed underneath the bed.
-Style dresser; I do not like the current arrangement and desperately need a plant in there.
-Purchase a nightstand for my husband's side of the bed.
-Purchase 2 small lamps for our nightstands. I have been putting this off because we are most likely going back to the States in a few years and I hate to spend the money; however, lighting is important!
Bathroom 1:
-Replace current toothbrush holder and soap dispenser. I bought a set on a whim and do not like it. I should have waited and bought something I really liked.
Bathroom 2:
-Thoroughly clean the shower; this bathroom is so tiny that you can barely get inside and close the door, so we rarely use it, but the shower still needs to be scrubbed.
Office/Guest Room:
-Purge/organize paperwork.
-Clean and style desk.
-Organize bookshelf.
-Purchase new linens for the bed.
Living Room:
-Style the bookcase; I've tried a lot of things and I am always unhappy with the results. My husband's books are all dark and so is the bookcase, so it always looks "heavy". I've already taken Maxwell's advice on editing them down, so that I have 10% empty, but I still do not like how it looks.
-Hang art from Amsterdam.
Kids' Bedroom:
-Purchase new changing pad cover.
-Organize toy storage.
-Hang art work.
I think that covers it! Good luck everyone!
Here's my list, and here's hoping some of it gets done in January.
Entry
-Fix coat hooks falling out of the wall
-Find a solution to the overflowing recycle bin
Living Room
-Label VHSs (yes, we still have those. no, we don't have cases)
-Find/make/hang artwork
-Think of a solution to the perpetually missing remotes
Bathroom
-Paint cieling
-Paint walls
-Come to terms with the fact that a full renovation won't be in the cards for the next couple years
Bedroom
-Replace burnt-out lightbulb
-Get clutter off the nightstands
-Reclaim my underwear drawer
Kitchen
-Organize cabinets
-Clean cabinet under sink and put down contact paper
-Get a baker's rack/shelving unit for cookbooks
Library
-Paint top of desk with chalkboard paint
-Clean out desk drawers
-Re-hang artwork
-Get rid of broken file cabinet and find a replacement
-Try to sell old textbooks on Amazon
Laundry
-Find a new home for the kids' craft stuff
-Find a home in the basement for drop cloths and old rags
Upstairs Hallway
-Paint
-Find a window covering solution
Dining Room
-Paint space above the picture rail
Basement
-Pretend it doesn't exist
I need to work on my list when I get home from work tonight!
I will do my list with my husband when I get home tonight but I may have to break down and do a preliminary one at work!
THAT movie sums up everything. :) I love her sagging book shelves.
Here's my list.
Hall
Touch up paint on the wall
touch up paint on front door
Change out pictures
Bathroom
Reviews of contents of cabinets
Touch up paint on walls
Consider replacing mirror
My bedroom
Change out pictures
Second bedroom
Change wall plates
Kitchen
Reorganize kitchen cabinets
Laundry closet
Reorganize items on shelving
Living and dining room
Change out artwork
I wrote a list at the end of a long summer away. Time to pull it out. There are small and big projects in each room but the goal is downsizing to an uncluttered space where we can breathe and see empty surfaces.
I have just moved in to my boyfriends apartment since one of his roommates left, so the basics of the place are quite allright. It's just the finishing touches really! I must say the chores seem less daunting when written down! Here's my list, can't wait to start!
Entry:
- Build proper recyclecenter
- Move old bedframe to basement
- Clean
Hallway:
- Fix light (It broke 10 minutes a go when I switched it on to write this list!)
- Paint skirtings
- Get and hang hat rack
- Move tools to basement
- Find a proper place for the washing rack
Toilet:
- Buy new bathmat
- Put new pictures in frames
Closet:
- Get landlord to fix mould
- Deep clean
- Get landlord to fix floor (because of waterdamage, hence the mould)
Bathroom:
- Get landlord to fix mould
- Get new cabinets
- Hang new showerhead
Bedroom:
- Move bookcases to living room
- Move desk to living room
- Move furniture around (for better feng shui)
- Clean floor
- Put new pictures in frames
- Rehang guitares
Kitchen:
- Rearrange closet space
- Get new linnen for the table
- Very deep clean
- Paint doors
Living Room:
- Hang beamer
- Put pictures and art on walls
- Get a proper desk and chairs
- Tuft couch
We moved into our house in August, so we've been going crazy unpacking and setting up house. Going through each room made me realize how much more I wanted to get done! I'm trying really hard not to be overwhelmed since we looked at big and small things to change. For example I HATE our bedroom furniture (I've had it for 10 years and it's seen better days), but we don't have the money at the moment to go out and buy all brand new furniture. So while I added get new bedroom furniture to my list, I also made sure to purge the stuff in the dressers, and organize the stuff on top of it. Hopefully that can help me live with it for now.
I think to motto I'm going to have through this is organize and purge. We have so much stuff that hasn't been unpacked, and if we haven't unpacked it in 4 months I'm guessing we probably won't need it to badly. I'm excited to get started with this. I can't wait to start crossing stuff of the list throughout the year!
My list is definitely more about cleaning and organizing.My apartment needs both desperately. But, if I get the Schneuer lithograph that I have had for more than 10 years finally framed as part of this project, that will be my big win.
I just got home from work so will start my list later this evening. I have limited time in January, so am planning to focus on my kitchen this month. I know my list will include decluttering the counters, purging excess cleaning materials and cleaning the coils on the refrigerator. I also need to glue down some edges of shelf paper and paint and paper the lower cupboards. I'm also pretty sure there will be other things that surface as I go around the room.
A bit overwhelming, given it's a small rowhouse from the 1890s and it feels like everything needs work, even after 5 years. Luckily, we completed a number of items (not listed) around and before the holidays. I hope I can keep the momentum going! Here goes the edited list:
Living Room
- Fix overhead light (only light is the fish tank lamps, part of the day!)
- Fix coat hook (it's winter here)
- Organize shoes and jackets
Dining
-De-clutter desk and bookcases
-Install real transition strip at kitchen
-Plaster touch up and paint
Kitchen
-Declutter and find home for recycling, Comparatively OK
Den
-Clutter on both desks
-Overflowing closet
-Get rid of defunct computer
Bathroom/Dressing Room
-New toilet ASAP
-Declutter vanity and medicine cabinet
-Declutter linen closet and dressing room
-Plan for full renovation
Bedrooms
-Clean out clothes that don't fit
-Purge/donate old books/part of fabric stash
Basement
-New janitor's sink (may be a professional job)
-Vinyl flooring at laundry
-Pitch junk
Good luck to all in completing your lists!
I have a budget that's pretty much limited to the free section on craigslist, so I'm concentrating on organizing, cleaning, decluttering, repurposing, and revisioning. I've realized that my dining room has become a dumping ground (piles of papers & unorganized art supplies), and my second attempt at entryway shoe organization needs an overhaul. Also, I want to spend more quality time with family and friends, so I'm rethinking the layout of downstairs---comfy chairs around the table for conversing and playing cards instead of these stiff ones that hurt my butt. There are a lot of wish items that may be accomplished later during the year if some extra money magically appears, but tackling functionality and organization are going to be my focus.
I made my 5 page list for what's really glaring & have whittled it down somewhat. Hope I can really get this done as I am tired of looking at these every day.
Entryway
clean out shoes (donate/ toss/ move to closets)
clean out out-of-season sporting equipment & bring out the skis
find a piece of art in the attic to hang here
Living Room
add more hooks to inside of closet (for kids' backpacks)
re-arrange mantlescape (perhaps use some of those vintage jars I keep collecting?)
fix couch cushion button (again)
get window blinds
Bathrooms
deep clean & donate old towels to animal shelter
get a waste can for downstairs
replace upstairs sink & vanity if budget allows
Master Bedroom
get 2 under bed containers
sew bed side pockets for holding books (br is too small for nightstands"
finally buy a freaking bed skirt
Kitchen- this is the big one
finally tile the backsplash & add 2-3 small shelves
organize all cabinets
add cabinets to nook
oil all countertops & wood utensils
fix the dishwasher handle
Dining room
organize items in china cab
buy light fixture items & make it look almost as good as Lindsey Adelman's design (almost)
I hope we'll be doing this cure again as a group in the fall as I will need motivation to complete the other things that didn't make it to this list. Good luck everyone!
For the commenter above asking about organizing paper, you can get a siftsort.com account and email or scan docs for the free account OR pay a monthly fee and get a dedicated fax number and FAX your docs to yourself. Check it out and save yourself the agony of saving important documents. Interactive Corp used it as an HR benefit, Merrill Lynch is using it for its customers, so your docs are organized, safe and secure.
I read about getting rid of mold with the cotton "rope" for haircoloring from the beauty supply store and dipping it in 50/50 water and bleach. Then you put the cotton rope around the bath tub or shower where it is moldy, tucking it in so it makes contact with the mold. Let it stay overnight or while you are at work, then ta da! Mold is gone.
Coat closet:
Repurpose for in-season grab and go items
get hanging shoe pocket organizer and larger hanging organizer for hats, gloves, scarves, cloth shopping bags and other stuff
No more stuff on the floor!!
Bedroom closet:
Have already purged
get shoe and other item hanging organizers so I can see everything (no more black holes or stuff on floor!)
Bedroom:
Move TV to a spot where I can actually see what is happening on the screen
Relocate IKEA revolving storage thingie to the opposite corner
Last but not least, the scary storage room:
Bag ALL "if I lose 15 pounds, I can wear this" clothes. I have lost 15 pounds but I am no longer 30 and those clothes just do not fit. *sigh*
Make a written inventory of total # of bags, all furniture, decor and other stuff, arrange for Goodwill to come and get this stuff for once and for all
It feels good just to write this down. Good luck to us all!!!
Also, find a laundry solution. Towels and other stuff to be laundered just hang out on the floor until I do the wash. There has to be a better way. Baskets and hampers don't work for me because I am an out-of-sight-out-of-mind person. I don't know, maybe a mesh bag I can hang on the back of the door. Does anyone have any ideas?
Our place isn't too bad, just feels kind of "blah" and disorganized, which is why I'm doing the shortened Cure. Also, we're planning a cross-country move in the next year, so most of my tasks are related to clearing out and editing stuff, not purchasing things for long-term usage.
Entryway: contain cat food mess; remove clutter on butcher block
Kitchen: clear liquor bottles from counter top; clean and scrub range top; organize and clean out cabinets
Guest Bathroom: replace plastic shower curtain with cloth curtain; clean and bleach bathtub
Living Room: replace or cut-and-sew ragged curtains in front of slider; put up more art on the walls
Bedroom: remove boxes and clothes stacked in corner; clear out overflowing bookcase; clear out clothes piled in corner
Office: organize and store homebrew supplies in closet; put up art on the walls; return bag of clothes to Target
Master Bathroom: clean and bleach bathtub; unclutter and clear out cabinets under sink; organize shelves in shower/tub
Deck: clean candleholder on picnic table; empty out and wash leftover plant pots; prune plants; remove dead plants; clean up mess caused by rain dissolving carboard boxes on shelves
Bedroom Closet: clear out and organize stacks of clothes around milk crates; organize shoes, move off the floor; get overhead light fixture repaired
Office Closet: reorganize shelf spacing, add more shelves or boxes; organize homebrew supplies; hang up diploma to get out of closet
Hallway Closet: organize and contain wires and modem; reorganize space with shelving or a slim bookcase; add some lighting in the closet
Good luck to everyone!
Living in a furnished apartment has its challenges, but I am still trying to make it more personal. Needless to say wherever one lives there are always things to do and I have plenty to do this year. So here goes my list:
Living Room
Clean China Closet
Clean Sconces
Clean Window
Make Curtains and Buy Curtain Rod
Wax Floor
Kitchen
Organize Cabinets and Drawers
Clean Windows
Clean Refrigerator
Replace broken glass shelf in refrigerator
Wax floor
Hallway
Organize Linen/Utility Closet
Wax Floor
Studio
Organize Desk
Organize Papers
Wash Windows
Wax floor
Bathroom
Plaster and Paint
Wash Window
Make Roman Shade
Bedroom
Donate clothing
Organize drawers and closets
Wash windows and curtains
Wax floor
Kaaaaate, I know what you're talking about, transportwise. I don't know where you live, but I mainly use public transport to go to IKEA. Since they flat pack everything, it's usually not a problem to bring home some of the smaller things like organisation containers. When your friends can't help that often, just try to arrange everything you need done on one day. And don't ask them to come to IKEA with you, but ask them to come and pick you (and your stuff) up at a certain time. And by the way, a covered cardboard box can look really chic! I actually think it's quite clever.
Hi all,
this is my list:
- remove the cat marks from the wall in the entry
- declutter office shelves
- getting rid of my sisters stuff in the office
- cleaning that hard to reach spot next to the bathroom window
- major decluttering in the kitchen (all shelves, fridge and boards)
- cleaning the window in the kitchen
- getting rid of clothes no one wears any more.
- finding and installing a new wardrobe
- find a frame for my big scarf and hang it
- find space for my partner's photography stash (it's huuuge...)
- painting the living room
- hang new art
- wash the slipcovers of the sofa and the curtains
- declutter bookshelves
- bringing to chairs to the upholstery
- find a company to remove that small broken glass at the door.
After living in my little place for 2 years now, it is time for a reboot. Here is the beginning of my list:
Entryway
-Corral shoes/purses/coats/hats
-Set up desk to 'work' better
-Organize closet for outdoor-related needs: gardening supplies, toys, etc
Kitchen
-Overhaul food-storage situation. Already started with new shelving in a disused area on the way to the basement, need to finish up
-Sort out the pet-food storage. It isn't bad, I just don't love it.
-Organize pot/pans and other cooking prep goods. After 2 years they have gotten away from me!
-Wash EVERYTHING
Living Room
-Dust entertainment center
-Reduce the 'things' sitting around
-Increase the height of the sofa to better fit the room...would those bed-leg 'lifts' work here perhaps?
-Sort out things living below the sofa
-Hang pictures (patching/repainting as needed)
-Install ceiling fan, will need help with that one...
Bathroom
-Really, really clean the shower and toilet
-Really, really clean up the area around the kitty-litter box
-Caulk the tub surroud and fixtures as needed
-Find a bin small enough to live behind the door
-Install shelves in the vanity to increase storage
Bedroom
-Scarves, scarves, scarves...need to find a home for them all
-Make the odd-sized/shaped closet work better. Already started with a shoe rack for the fancy shoes that don't live by the back door, need to figure out a shelving option too..
-Make better use of the dresser space, somehow.
-Clean up the 'things' on the dresser
Basement
-Help my husband sort through and sell on Ebay to reduce the amount of space used on storing 'stuff' that is never used/enjoyed/seen the light of day in the last 10 years to help fund our 'fun' for the next year
-Get the laundry area under control.
-Get the spiderwebs under control.
-Clean out the dehumidifier
All Areas
-Clean the windows
-Clean the baseboards
-Clean the baseboard heating units
-Dust/wash/wipe-down/retouch/repaint as needed
Here goes nothing :-)
Entryway
- create mail organizer
- declutter shoes
- declutter counter catch all
Kitchen
- declutter kitchen counters - create storage for fruits, vegetables, etc (metal bins?)
- organize "catch-all" drawers & cabinets
- line all drawers & cabinets for protection from spills & scratches
- fix loose garbage pail cabinet
Living Room
- organize kids toys (perhaps create a wall storage area)
- organize & store books next to console area
- hang up more art & family pictures
- buy 3 new couch pillows
- professionally clean the microsuede couch & chair
- set up a music station for the kids
Den/Office
- convert room into office/TV room/playroom
- replace mattress with compact sleeper sofa
- create separate designated "doggie area" for her sleeping & eating
- clean out closet
- cosign wedding dress which is taking up room in closet
- digitize paper documents and therefore rid of file cabinet
- find dedicated spot for the vacuum cleaner
Guest bath
- paint walls
Master bedroom
- hang up more art & family pictures
- rid of hamper
- create secondary desk space
Kids bedroom
- hang up more art & family pictures
- organize closet; create storage for shoes, clothing (outgrown, seasonal, upcoming sizes), recycled toys, bulk items, blankets.
- create book shelving
- music station
Kids bathroom
- hang up more art & family pictures
- buy towels
- accessorize
Laundry room
- Organize -- create storage for tools, bulk items, laundry items
Utility room
- Organize -- create storage for tools, paint
Good luck everyone!
LOL @ pretending basement does not exist. Relationship with a basement is such a love & hate thing ;-)
I love reading everybody's lists... Here's mine.
MUDROOM
Goodwill drop-off
Add shelving
Curate cubbies
Optimize space
Curate bench
FOYER
Add to photo wall
Add lighting
Curate shoes
Curate bench
GUEST BATH
Clear tub
Clean fan
OFFICE
Clear daybed, floor
Curate book cabinet
Curate shelf
Clear desk
Dust
Vacuum
Add print to wall
CRAFT CLOSET
Curate 2 bins
Curate file cabinet
Clear floor
LAUNDRY
Clear floor
Vacuum dryer lint
Bleach washer ring
KITCHEN
Wipe cabinet surfaces
Wipe cabinet and drawer interiors
Clean fridge and freezer interiors
Curate cabinets and drawers
Wipe counters
Clear counters
Scrub dishwasher rim
Empty dishwasher filter
Sharpen garbage disposal blades
Freshen garbage disposal
Wipe fridge surface
Curate fridge and freezer
Clean oven
Clean stove
Clean microwave
Clean countertop appliances
Curate countertop
Empty mailbin
Add hooks for aprons/bib
DINING
Curate benches
Clean fruit bowls
Curate table top
LIVING
Curate CD shelf
Curate bar
Vacuum couch
Install new art
Scrub floor
Clean window
Clean balcony door
Curate cube
Clean behind TV
Clean chandelier
Clean blinds
Clean top of air ducts
Clean air ducts
Set up exersaucer
MASTER BED
Create pendant lamp
Install canvas art
Clean blinds
Clean top of air ducts
Clean air ducts
Clean crib
Install mobile
Install soother
Curate bench
Vacuum chair
Repaint scratches
MY CLOSET
Curate closet
Wipe mirror
Swap tracklight for chandelier
Create cover for safe
Optimize storage
HIS CLOSET
Clear floor
MASTER BATH
Clean fan
Curate drawers and cabinets
Clean drawers and cabinets
LINEN CLOSET
Curate closet
We're going to be having new flooring installed throughout the entire living area of our house in about a week. Prior to that, we're tearing out our pantry and will be installing an island where the pantry is after the floor goes in. My main concern at this point is getting rid of STUFF. Since I cannot afford (financially, emotionally, or relationship-wise) to start any more projects this month, I intend to live vicariously through you folks, and make an effort to throw out or donate at least 2 items per day in the month of January. This will help set me up for actually doing the january cure starting in february, and hopefully clear out some of the crap that will have to be moved over and over again when the floor gets replaced.
Okay I'm up and running with this! Day One list is made and scanned... It got really large.. really fast .. 3 pages. :) That is one of the problems I'll be working on: narrowing things down and getting them done.
Myrtle and Main
I’ve been reading this blog for a while now and I have finally registered! This is just what I need to get me motivated. I am currently in a one-bed condo/loft (just my kitty and I), but I am looking to purchase a home or loft this year or next year. For this reason, my main focus is on getting rid of clutter, organize and refresh. I would like to have more cocktail parties, etc. this year, so my goal is to learn how to utilize my space. (This is my first time in a condo that does not have a party room, pool, etc., so I am used to just utilizing that space for entertaining my guests.) So, here is my list –
Bedroom
• organize closets and dressers (donate clothes, organize shoes and purses, etc)
• add art, accent rug and curtains
• think of a way to hide the opening of lofted storage area
• remove and store mirror on dresser / mount tv once mirror is removed
• declutter and organize papers in nightstand
• add dim lighting
Living Room
• purchase chair for desk and stools for island (thinking of moving desk to bedroom)
• new bookshelves to showcases books, pics and achievements (in a creative way)
• purchase media console and coffee table/ottoman
• put up more art, mirrors and curtains
• steam clean floors, rug and furniture
Kitchen/Dining Room
• replace broken items (can opener, blender)
• better silverware storage
• decorate simply on top of cabinets
• new kitchen rugs
• purchase new garbage can and recycle can for my paper, cans, etc.
Bathroom
• new shower rod (bronze/curved)
• declutter several products under sink
• get bamboo bathmat and tray
• storage bench to put in towels, sheets
• replace light bulb
Hallway Closet
• Organize
• Create space for towels, toiletries, laundry, etc.
Hallway/Entrance
• add art
• console table for keys, etc.
• storage bench
• mirrors
Balcony
• Purchase furniture and plants for outside balcony
• Purchase grill
Purchases for Kitty
• purchase furniture or create bench to hid litter box
• cat tree
• pet bed and throws
Entire Space
• Purchase flowers/plants to place in condo
• Dust and deep clean everywhere
• Purchase shredder to get rid of papers
• Go through all magazines and recycle
• Purchase humidifier
• Purchase standing mirror (place in bedroom or ??)
This is such a great idea. I've been in my house for over 6 years now and have been overhauling it ever since. Even so there still seems to be loads of projects to do but hopefully by narrowing them down I might get some done this year!
Here is my list:
Kitchen/Dining Room
- Replace flooring
- Organise pantry
- Put up shelves
- Tidy boiler area
Living Room
- Replace gas fire
- Fit new blinds
- Redecorate!
- Reorganise bookshelves
Bathroom
- Replace floor
- Paint skirting board and doorframe
- Fit new towel rail
Main bedroom
- Reorganise closet
- Replace doorknob
- Put up shelves
Entry
- Repaint front door
Wish me luck and good luck to everyone else!
So excited to have a plan that will keep me on track and focused. And I love making lists! Here's mine:
Entry
-Find light to put beside door
-Clean welcome mat
-Organize cleaning stuff in closet
Living Room
-Deep clean
-Organize TV/media cords
-Hang art above sofa
-Purge and organize books and stage big bookshelf
Kitchen
-Deep clean
-Clean/organize under sink
-Organize kitchen tool and junk drawers
-Label canisters, etc.
Bathroom
-Clean shower
-Organize under sink
-Fix radiator cover
Bedroom
-Get full length mirror
-Paint or replace dresser
-Find plant for pot
Office/closets
-Find place to store fan
-Redo storage for Xmas decorations and some closet storage
-Find hanger for running clothes
-Take clothes to sell/donate
-Revamp filing
Personally, I live with my mom, who is a self professed packrat. But she's willing to work with me on getting our home to a cleaner, happier place, so I'm excited she agreed to the Cure.
Here's my list. I'm not touching her spaces, as a respect to her privacy, so everything on this list is basically something I can do myself.
My Bedroom
place old paintings on Etsy & Ebay
take back new paintings to school
scrape wallpaper off of walls
get tan chair out of room
frame map of middle earth
Spackle nail holes
paint the room a soft beige
get a rug for my room that I actually like
Office
organize and filter the messy bookshelves
put new light in the overhead fixture
get battery for the scale under the clothes rack
Living Room
vacuum
take down Christmas decorations (including the colored lights)
take decorations out of the house
take metal chair to the garage
put coats in the closet
take back the wrong size music stand
dust the damn room
clean out under green chair, assimilate, remove boxes
Hallway
clean out the corner that’s full of curtain rods
vacuum
put up carbon monoxide alarm
Dining Room
clean china cabinet with mom
dust china cabinet
dining room table
Front Porch
for mom - take clothes and such to time and again
take shovel and chairs to garage
clean off room on the desk for sewing machine
clear a spot for the outbox
Laundry Room
straighten out objects on the desks
pick up the tools and the buckets
make sure door closes properly
Kitchen
check batteries in the smoke alarm
put up the carbon monoxide alarms
Bathroom
assess quality of bathroom goo
clean the counter
kaboom the shower stall
clean mildew off of the paint above the shower
Since I having a baby at the end of the month and preparing to move cross-country in May my focus in each room is to clean, organize and declutter with a hope to finish up one or two on going projects.
My list is super-long (and you would think it wouldn't be, since I just moved my husband into my apartment after living apart for 2.5 years). Again, a lot of it is cleaning, organizing, and finding ways to maximize storage in a small apartment:
Entry Closet:
• Organize it, find space for boots, set up basket for winter gear
• Move canvas shopping bags/freezer bag to my car
• Donate unwanted bags to Goodwill
Living Room:
• Unpack boxes (!)
• Set up bookcase
• Set up entertainment area
• Cord control
• Rearrange furniture (do we buy a new sofa?)
• Go through books and sell/donate unwanted ones
• Create mail center at desk
• Put up curtains
• But cat-friendly plant (?)
• Set up desk for studying effectiveness (need to find desk chair)
• Find way to corral school binders
Kitchen/Dining Area:
• Finish unpacking boxes
• Organize/rearrange pantry
• Go through cabinets, donate unneeded items
• Organize cabinets
• Eat items that have been sitting in pantry/freezer that are still good
• Clean counter and make it usable for eating
• Set up recycling center for plastic/aluminum, paper and glass
Bedroom/Closet:
• Organize closet, move items to dresser
• Weed out items in closet, sell or donate to Goodwill
• Find larger laundry hamper that can fit in closet (or look pretty enough to sit out)
• Cord control with cable modem/router
• Put up curtains
Bathroom:
• Annual purge of expired medicines
• Organize vanity (including cabinet below)
• Buy étagère for bathroom storage
• New shower curtain/liner (and hooks if needed)
• Purchase new towels/organization items to corral bottles/soaps in shower
General:
• Frame letterpress poster
• Put up photos/prints
• Look for nice artwork (wait for art institute student sale in May/November)
• Start looking for TV cabinet or entertainment center and new bed frame
• Run items to Goodwill
My list is so long that I don't even think I could it all done by the end of the year (I live in a previously foreclosed house so pretty much everything needs work!), but hopefully I can at least get a good start this month.
Blogging about the January cure here. http://umisushimakes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/new-year-new-house.html Am pretty overwhelmed by my list but the flower buying helped soften the blow.