Revisiting my bucket list

I occasionally am inspired to share my bucket list on my blog. The first time I posted my bucket list was in early 2011. Since that time, I have taken my kids to Disney World and I've lost interest in meeting Adam Lambert. (He's cute and a good singer, but I'm well over my crush.) The one thing I do want to keep from that list is my first item, "write a novel." I sometimes write about vacations I want to take, what I'd do with a lot of money or if I thought I wouldn't fail, risks I want to take now that 40 is around the corner, etc.

Today's inspiration comes from author Karma Brown, in the form of a contest!

Some of these items might be from previous lists, but it obviously means that I still want to do these things.

1. Go to Hawaii. I think it would be something really cool to do for my 40th birthday, but I'd probably need a miracle to pull off that kind of trip.
2. Write a novel. I need to get myself back into creative writing in general first. I'm still full of ideas I can't seem to get down on "screen."
3. Take my kids to NYC. The last time they were there, my oldest child was younger than my youngest child is now. That was six years ago. I've been there by myself a couple of times since then, but it would be fun to give them a real New York experience, which would obviously include a Broadway show.
4. Learn how to drive the van. Yes, it has been four and a half years and yes, I'm still afraid.
5. Change my hair color. I'm still leaning toward blonde, like I was when I was a kid, but not sure how it would look on me now. Maybe I'll start with highlights?
6. Put my photos into an album (or two...or three). I have so many on Facebook or on my hard drive and I want my kids to be able to have printed photos to look back upon.
7. See Billy Joel in concert. My friend manages to go to every concert he's done on the east coast and I have yet to see him once.
8. Learn how to decorate a cake. I can bake it just fine, but I can't make it look as pretty as my friend's cakes do. I was telling her recently that my decorations are stick figures made with those icing tubes from the grocery store.
9. Stay in a luxurious hotel. I love the experience of staying at a hotel, but would really enjoy having all the perks that go with it.
10. Have a better organization system. I've lamented many times on how disorganized I am.

This blog post is a contest entry for Harlequin’s Come Away with Me Bucket List Contest located at http://bit.ly/1fhFAhz.

You've got (WAY too much) mail!

Sometimes I only get the chance to blog once a week. And since I can't always get up the motivation to think of a topic, it's nice to have other friends to blog with so we can take turns. I enjoy being challenged to write about stuff that might not normally come to mind and also reading everyone else's thoughts on the same topic. Blog Project 3.0 has been going on for about a year now, even though one of the group members changed after a few months. I love blogging with this group and I hope we can continue to inspire each other.

This week, Moma Rock chose the topic: What is something you're really bad at?

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic. I will be only posting links to posts on this same topic from my group. So check back if you were hoping to read their blogs and don't see a link yet.

Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

Right around the time we got our topic from Moma Rock, I received this fortune at a Chinese restaurant.

I thought it was fitting, since I can't really change something unless I'm aware of the problem to begin with. Well, I've been aware of my burgeoning inbox over at my Gmail account and have been loath to do anything about it. I've been hoarding e-mails there since late May of 2006, starting with a message from my friend Denise (NOT Darwin Shrugged), where we were joking about John Krasinski for some reason.

The amount of new mail in my inbox is only half of the total amount. My older son will look at my inbox sometimes and make fun of how many messages I have not opened yet. You'll also notice the folder called "Ads," which is where I have mail sent if it's for Groupon, magazine subscriptions, Goldstar tickets, etc. I could easily empty this mailbox, and I just never seem to get around to it.

The amount listed for my inbox was from Sunday. It has gone up to 10,849 as of this past Wednesday at 4:20 pm.

And here's the total amount of messages in my inbox. Brace yourselves...this is NOT pretty!

Having said all this, something I'm REALLY bad at is managing my e-mail. I not only have this account, but also three Gmail accounts related to my book blog (why I don't condense some, I will never know). In addition to that, I have a Yahoo account I rarely ever check unless I need to post something to a listserv I'm connected to there so that it doesn't clog up my Gmail account. There's also my Facebook Messenger inbox, which is quite a mess. And finally, my work e-mail, which I won't even try to make you anxious about.

Now that I'm aware of this problem, I realize there are some changes I need to make. I'm going to first start with my personal Gmail account. 

1. I'm going to go back to messages from years ago and just dump anything that doesn't have a picture attached to it. I'll do it in small groups as to not get overwhelmed.

2. I'm going to clean out my "Ads" folder, even if it's just deleting 100 a day. Again, small groups.

3. I'm going to create some folders into which I can place certain messages. I have a "follow up" folder for messages I know I need to reply to soon. 

4. I'm going to send anything book blog related to one of my book blog accounts to answer over there.

5. I'm going to unsubscribe from companies that send me ads that I don't even care to open anyway. (This will also be done in small groups.)

I think five is a good set of steps to start with. I will report back in a month to let you know where I'm at with this progress. I need someone to hold me accountable for inbox organization, and who better to do it than my readers! Here's hoping I'll actually be able to conquer these tasks! Wish me luck.

Physical embodiment of where my e-mails should go.

My laundry list

Remember the blog project I did in 2010 with three other women? Well, Froggie decided to resurrect it with me and we each got to invite another friend to join us. She invited a mutual friend (someone I met through her) and I invited a friend whose blog I really enjoy reading. So now it's Froggie, Mom of Many, Moma Rock and Merrylandgirl. Hope you enjoy the topics that we'll be exploring!

This week, Mom of Many picked the topic: What are your goals for next month?


Before reading ahead, first see what everyone else had to say on this topic:
Froggie
Mom of Many
Moma Rock

With the holidays going on, things have been rather hectic. However, it's nice to put goals into perspective sometimes. I really can't concentrate on much until the holidays are done for good, but I've put together a list of some things I'd like to get accomplished over the next month.

1. Read and review books I've promised scheduled reviews for at my book blog. Also read the book for the book club meeting at the end of the month.

2. Clean and organize in the house. I may not get to all the rooms, but I'd like to get to at least two. I need to go through clutter and my closet could use a major overhaul!

3. Start my entry for this magazine contest that ends in early December.

4. Get ahead of the game on book blog posts so I'm not rushing last minute all the time.

5. Catch up more on The Big Bang Theory.

6. Actually put away laundry. (Makes sense that this goal would be on a laundry list.)

7. Go costume shopping at the thrift store. They have cute Halloween costumes at really low prices and the kids use them for dress-up.

8. Work more with the pie crust recipe so it's perfected in time for Thanksgiving (my BFF needs to send it to me though).

9. Get on top of miscellaneous work items that have taken a back seat due to all the other stuff going on.

10. Enjoy autumn. Now that the weather is getting nicer and the leaves are going to change, I don't want to be stuck indoors all the time.

I'm sure there are plenty of more items for this list, but I just don't have time to think of them!

Futility has the word "utility" in it

Oddly enough, my efforts at cleaning the utility room have proven to be the opposite of futile. I'm pretty much done!!! There are a few boxes that need to be cleared away, but I'll use them to pack up chometz. I found some more items to freecycle, as well. The closet could use some work, but it's not dire at this time.

I also got more work done on the basement and have become obsessive over my kids cleaning up after themselves after they're done playing. I won't even let them come upstairs until that is done. And while I applaud their efforts, I nearly had a panic attack when some of the items got mixed up again. I fixed it though. I also cleaned out their art kits and condensed everything into two smaller boxes. I started working on the area that is out of their reach but was still a major clutter disaster.

Overall, I am really happy with my progress with both rooms. I think the next area to tackle is the living and dining room. It's a combined space, so it shouldn't be too awful. I also need to fix up the kitchen again and actually make good on my attempt to pack up chometz. I'm most afraid of the freezer because the utility room freezer is also out of space.

Finally, the clean-up of the utility room was made productive by the tunes of 90's female singers (most of who still perform these days) such as Gwen Stefani, Jewel, Alanis Morissette, Lisa Loeb, etc.

In 2 days time...

The FlyLady bathroom cleaning objectives for the last two days were to clean the mirrors and shine the shower. I did one task each night. Both were quick and easy. I now keep a spray bottle with Windex and some paper towels under the sink for easy access whenever the mirrors get spotted again.

In the meantime, I did about 25-30 minutes worth of cleaning in the utility room and basement both tonight and last night. Last night, I listened to my Styx channel on Pandora and tonight it was my Lady Antebellum channel. That was just for the utility room. I straightened the shelves some more and started putting aside stuff for my husband to look through. I cleared up a lot of floor space, as well. I also got started on one of our few walk-in closets. We use it to store clothes that need ironing, extra linens and luggage. I went through the clothes and separated them into piles to wash, take to the dry cleaners or freecycle. I'll probably freecycle some of the items I'm washing too. Speaking of which, our sitter took home some of the items I already put aside for freecycling, leaving more room in the box to add items tonight.

In the basement, I listened to Faith Hill last night and Jill Sobule tonight. I cleared the central carpeted area and went through the toy box that's next to the large shelves. I found some items I thought I'd never see again, including the device that plays the phonics magnets. I organized more items into their proper places and put all the games on the back shelves. I also straightened up the books. I still have a few more target areas upon which to focus, but the basement is looking good compared to the disaster that befell it during my younger son's party.

I don't know if I'll get a lot of cleaning done this weekend, but anything is possible. Our cleaning lady is coming next week to help us get ready for Pesach. I feel that through the FlyLady system, I don't have to rush around the night before "cleaning the house for the cleaning lady." When I was younger, my mom would always say "clean your room, the cleaning lady is coming." I thought that was such an annoying phrase. What was the point of having a cleaning lady if I was going to clean my room anyway? Now I totally get why my mom would say such a thing and feel like my bedroom wasn't such a big deal as compared to an entire house!

In any case, I really hope I'll have time to put away all the chametz and set up the counter space for Pesach soon. I usually procrastinate because I feel more productive when I actually have to get it all done, even at the last minute. I hope I will have some time to relax before Pesach though.

You Can't Stop Progress!

In "Muriel's Wedding," Muriel's dad says "You can't stop progress" a lot. That's how I felt about the cleaning process tonight. I tackled the utility room again, to a love song mix on Pandora (inspired by "The Last Song"). I mainly focused on cleaning off my desk. I didn't work on the insides of the drawers yet, but it looks a lot better on the outside! I put together a box of freecycling items too. I don't know if I'll post them right away or let friends look through it first. Probably the latter. :)

Next, I cleaned off my bathroom counter because that was the FlyLady bathroom focus for tonight. I also cleaned the kitchen table and the floor area that felt sticky.

Finally, I worked on the basement to music from the Dixie Chicks "Fly" CD. (How appropriate!) I was able to put a lot of items away and throw out more junk. I put the baby toys into storage and cleared out another box by doing so. I can use this box to store stuff that's laying around all over the place. Not sure what I want to put in it yet, but it's nice to have that extra bit of storage space!

After a busy night of cleaning, I kicked back with "American Idol" and the scarf I'm knitting.

I e-mailed FlyLady today to tell her about how well her program is working for me and also share my related blog posts. She sent me a very nice e-mail back and it made me want to stick with this cleaning process even more! I also credit my friends who blog about their cleaning and de-cluttering processes.

Clusters of clutter

I cleaned on the FlyLady plan tonight. I did 15 minutes for each area I was cleaning. I was successful in some areas and not in others.

I first started with the utility room while listening to my Ingrid Michaelson station on Pandora again. I was able to clear off some space on the shelves by the window and organized my gift bag and ribbon collection.

Then I went to the front hall closet and attacked the whole thing while listening to Jewel's "Rare Angels" cassette (yes, I'm still "old school"). I put all the plastic bags together and all the environmental bags together. I also hung up some items and put all the boots in one area. I moved the bowling bags to the top shelf, after reorganizing that, as well.

Next was the basement (still to the tunes of Jewel). I just picked up a bunch of items and put them back in their boxes/containers/bags. I made a box for all the items that go with the Jewish toy kits (i.e. Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, etc.). I put all the phonics magnets away when I came across them. I hope to one day find the piece they go into in order to hear the songs about each letter. Fifteen minutes wasn't long enough, but I knew I'd burn out if I stayed down there any longer.

Finally, it is bathroom week on FlyLady.net. I followed the task e-mailed to me today. It was to clean out the cabinet and reorganize it. I didn't find a lot to throw out or give away, but it's a lot easier to find things now.

I rewarded myself by watching "90210." :)

Side note: "Rare Angels" is an album put out by Jewel in the mid-90's. It has a lot of acoustic and improvised songs, most which never made it onto any other album. There is a song, however, called "Perfectly Clear," which was made into a country tune and also became the title of her country CD. In any case, I used to listen to "Rare Angels" a lot in college and listening to it again brought back memories. I even sang one of the songs at Theater of Ted (a midnight theater open mic at the college I attended).

Be Our Guest

The guest room is now ready for my parents to sleep in this weekend. I even cleaned out the closet in there! I went through old photos while watching "American Idol," instead of knitting like I usually do. After "American Idol" was over, I finished up in the guest room and went about cleaning out the linen closet. That was quite a feat. It's taller than me, so I had to stand on a wobbly step-stool to reach the items on top. The closet looks a lot more organized now. Yay! I think the front hall closet needs a makeover soon. The dining room also needs to be cleaned up before Shabbos.

Tonight's cleaning was done to my Ingrid Michaelson station on Pandora. It plays musicians similar to her style, such as Adele, Sara Bareilles, Lenka, K.T. Tunstall, etc.

Bedroom Eyes

Tonight I tackled the master bedroom to the tunes of Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and other alternative and grunge bands of the 90's. I put all my clothes away and put my husband's clothes aside for him to sort and put where he wants. I went through my closet and some drawers and even found some things I was looking for (such as one of my favorite hats). I got distracted for a few minutes by an old journal (in which I don't even recognize my own handwriting). It focused a lot on something that I'll be blogging about this Thursday. I also put aside a few things for freecycling, but less than I expected. I did freecycle some clothes earlier this evening, so that was nice. There was so much demand for the clothes!

I know I need to straighten up the guest room soon because my parents will be here starting Thursday evening. The utility room is a week-long project though. I don't even know where to start in there!

The kitchen still looks good. My husband washed some dishes, but there are still some more to tackle. I hope to get to them tomorrow.

Heaven's Kitchen

The kitchen is now organized (thanks to Little Miss Obsessive) and it smells of delicious vegetable soup (thanks to my fantastic cook of a husband). :) I still need to wash dairy and pareve dishes, but I'm stuck until the dishwasher is finished because I have to move more meat dishes out of the sink and into there first. I put away the dairy dishes that were on the drying rack though. I also found the time to organize my bag for work so it won't be as heavy and I'll be able to find things. :)

I can't decide which room to tackle next. I think our bedroom could use some work. I still have to put away the boys' laundry too.

I haven't really found much to freecycle yet. Most of the stuff in the kitchen was stale crackers and little pieces of junk that could easily be tossed in the trash. I think other rooms will provide more to actually give away. I'm just glad that I have less chometz to pack away now. :)

In any case, I'm proud of the work I accomplished tonight. I can actually see the counters and window area now!

Fly Lady, Fly

I know that Passover is around the corner (and you will see a related post about it soon), and everyone seems to talk about cleaning the house in preparation. I keep telling myself that it’s as easy as having our cleaning lady over a few days prior and packing up all the chometz in the house to “sell” (or eating a lot more so there’s less to pack). A friend of mine keeps a blog about how she is de-cluttering her home. Someone had suggested that she check out FlyLady.net to help herself get more organized.

As a result of this suggestion, I decided to check out the site and see what the deal was. To anyone first checking it out, it looks extremely overwhelming. However, I decided to sign up as a beginner and get all the e-mails in digest format. There’s a disclaimer that you should never try to catch up and just pick up from wherever the process is when you first get the e-mails. They don’t want to overwhelm new readers in any way. I find a lot of validity in what is being presented, but I still need some self-motivation. I’ve decided to tackle the house one room at a time. I am planning to start with the kitchen since that’s the most cluttered room of the house. Even more cluttered than our bedroom or the utility room, in my opinion. Sometimes our weekly sitter will help straighten up in the kitchen, but it ends up becoming a disaster anyway. I need to figure out a new system soon! It doesn’t help that there’s a giant box amidst all the clutter. This box is our new oven and it will be installed a week and a half before Pesach. I don’t know if that will throw off our non-Pesach cooking, but I guess we won’t have pizza in there for a while, unless it’s made of matzah!

Also, I recently received an e-mail requesting items for a Jewish community in Ukraine. Great way to de-clutter and also perform a mitzvah. I think Hashem wanted this all to come together (my need for organization and this mitzvah opportunity that happened to stand out to me from all my other e-mails).

Anyway, FlyLady thinks that 15 minutes is enough time each day to tackle the room or area of the week. I am obsessive and need to get it all done in one straight shot, if possible. I’ll put on Pandora radio and get cracking. I’m going to attempt this while my husband is in the middle of making Journey’s End soup, but there’s room in the kitchen for both of us. It will be nice to have his company during my “mission.” Wish me luck!