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TxZen
12-7-14, 5:40pm
I still have some items on my to do list to get done. It can be very overwhelming but what I am learning is to pick 1 smaller project a day and go for it.

That might mean painting just 1 wall, because of my arthritis, but a typical room can be painted in 4 days (4 walls) and then it's done. I break everything down into manageable bites when I cannot bear the thought of tackling something huge.

Closets- I completely empty and edit out immediately what I know does not go in there, I don't want, needs to be fixed, returned, etc. Next day- deep clean walls, baseboards, vacuum and asses hardware that might need to be fixed. Continue to purge and organize the clothing. I make like piles- all t-shirts, all jeans, all flip flops, etc. Next day, I decide what is going to go on hangers, what is folded on shelves, what is folded in drawers and just go to town until all is put away.

Painting furniture- I sanded the dining table and chairs in 1 day. It was about a 5 hours project, vacuum up mess and tack cloth everything. Assess for damage, fix loose parts, add lubricant to metal locking parts, etc. Prep tools for next day- paint, stain, brushes, cloth, drop cloth, tape. Next day, I start on the chairs, because they are more tedious- Complete 4 chairs one day with paint/stain. Tackle table the next day, same process. Day 4- sand down with light sander, tack cloth and put on final coats for all. Day 5- 3rd coat of poly on stained parts.

My point is break it down into smaller parts and you can do a lot every week and feel very accomplished. Just look at the task and list out the steps and go for it. Must easier than trying to do it all and getting frustrated and getting nothing done.

iris lilies
12-7-14, 9:46pm
Nearly a year ago we got a new computer with Windows 8 and too many old things didn't work. So I've gone nearly a year limping along, refusing to bring logic and order to mess.
But today, step 1: I got nearly all Excel and Word files sorted, named appropriately, updated with 2014 data, and organized into folders.

I've got 2 more major tasks to finish, but that step 1 was a big one.

JaneV2.0
12-7-14, 9:52pm
I take small steps. First, to find a socket set or box wrenches. Second, to fetch the liquid wrench from the garage. Third. to try to figure out how to take a defunct office chair apart. Fourth, to dismantle it. One of these days.

shadowmoss
12-7-14, 11:59pm
I had a 38 page document to scan - my full auto insurance policy. I did about half of it over 2 days and left the rest until tonight when I got tired of looking at it on my desk. Finished it up. It had sat there too long not being scanned at all, now it is filed in the folder until it is no longer valid. The scans are backed up in case anything happens to the paper document and I need to see what was in it. Thus goes my scanning. The piles of unorganized papers is getting smaller. Things that are iffy as to whether I'll need them again I'm going ahead and shredding after I scan them. By scanning things I eliminate the 'but what if I need it later' syndrome. A page at a time.

TxZen
12-8-14, 9:54am
We even put up the Christmas decorations in stages. Outside lights and a few items one day, tree, skirt and indoor decorations next, decorated the tree the next day.

Same thing with packing this week. We are taking a weekend vacation, since hubby has to work through the holidays. Today, I am packing up DS's items, tomorrow is mine, Weds is hubby and Thurs is dogs and off we go!!!

It is making my life so much easier. I love it!!!

kib
12-8-14, 11:50am
Kudos to all of you. Right now I feel so far behind, and I made the mistake of starting a cleanout project with a foot high stack of old writing, clippings, letters. I'm sort of ... aghast, I don't recognize myself, I don't like who I was, the repetition and rambling is shocking, and I feel as if I've been on a mental hamster wheel since I was about 10 as I read back in time. There is so much stuff in here that I don't remember at all, or that's coming back to me slooowly and probably not for the good. It's probably time for a nice bonfire, but I can't seem to let go. I should have started with the pots and pans.

Gardenarian
12-8-14, 1:14pm
Oh kib, unless you think there is something really valuable in your writings, I encourage you to light that bonfire! I shredded and disposed of all my old journals and it was a real weight off my shoulders.

I am in the middle of a massive move. I will have days where I don't have time to sit for a minute, and other days where I just feel completely inert. When there is a free moment I tend to dive into a book and just forget everything; I can only deal with so many issues in a day.

Having to haul stuff 350 miles really helps to loosen your attachment to it.

JaneV2.0
12-8-14, 3:51pm
I take small steps. First, to find a socket set or box wrenches. Second, to fetch the liquid wrench from the garage. Third. to try to figure out how to take a defunct office chair apart. Fourth, to dismantle it. One of these days.

Sigh. This turned out to be more complicated than I thought. Now to charge the cordless drill and find some sockets that fit. Before I wrestle the whole unwieldy thing to the top of the stairs and pitch it down...>:(