12 Before 2012 Follow-Up: Starting 2012 with a Clean Slate

In late December I vowed to complete 12 tasks before 2012. It was tougher than it looked, but I worked hard and powered through the list:

1.) Go through home with "trash" and "donate" bags. Clear out. Be brutal! Efficient! (Like Batman!)
2.) Host one more Big Bang yard sale. Put ads on Craigslist early, divide, conquer!

Oh, the home was CHAOS while I prepared for a yard sale and tried to donate as much as possible. In the end I donated about 5 boxes full of stuff. I could have tried to sell it at flea markets, but sometimes you just have to let it go and start fresh.

3.) Organize pantry.
4.) Go through books quickly, sell some I'll never read, separate and organize the rest.

I organized the messy pantry and sorted through the books, selling and donating about three boxes worth of books and setting aside a box of movies to sell. Now one of my seven bookshelves has two empty shelves! I clearly need to schedule more book selling and reading time...

5.) De-Junk kitchen: take out everything I don't use to sell or donate, organize remainder.
6.) Dust entire house: objects, walls, ceiling fans, everything!
7.) Sweep entire house: under furniture, everything!
8.) Mop entire house.

I didn't sweep, mop, and dust the entire pad until New Years Eve. So glad I fit it in, it was refreshing to start the New Year with a shiny, clean house. Look at the floor, shiny! Rather than covered with dust as usual. (I shall begin to mop weekly like a normal human.)

9.) ALL stuff to sell in boxes and out of the way.
10.) Quick closet run-through, toss all that's not worn.
11.) Finish blog revamp: new layout, update all subpages, clean-up social networks.
12.) Do something really fun for New Years!

Clean at last!

I "failed" at completing one task, the blog revamp. I worked on this and came up with many designs, but none that worked better than the current one before the deadline. I felt like it was better to take my time and do it right rather than force a new one just because I'd set a strict deadline.

PS: Love setting goals and making lists? Don't forget about my Sunday Goal Link-Up & Giveaway. I'll be back on Sunday with a new set of goals and to announce the contest winner.

How did you do on your 12 Before 2012 goals? I did a lot better when I stopped trying to do everything perfect and just got things done!

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