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BS: De-cluttering - part two
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 May 08 - 02:23 PM I've started a new thread and given each of us an assignment for June, to help us make the most of our summer clearing and rearranging. Here is the new thread and here is the older (first) de-clutter accountability thread. This was a great idea, Kat. I've gotten so much done this way! Sharing makes it go so much easier. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 31 May 08 - 11:58 AM Okay! It's the last day of the month, we have to make a big push to get out of May lighter than we entered it. I'm going to work in the yard today but this evening I'll work in the house. In the front by the porch I'm going to bite the bullet and "de-clutter" my bed with the day lilies and daffodils and such. I planted salvia out there and at one time even some lantana, and it is a thatch of plants with a few flowers poking through. This is a favorite color of salvia, so I'll dig a hole somewhere, prune this way back, dig it up and move it and see if it will come back. I want to put a little porch extension (a deck) a couple of feet out over where I took out cannas (a post a few weeks ago) at the back of this bed, and the front of it I want filled with interesting looking lilies and other perennial Old World looking flowers. Before that I must move these shrubs. In the house, I think it's time to aim at the eBay table again. It's a little full. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 30 May 08 - 01:04 PM Finished a costume piece for my son who will meet his sister in Dallas for their annual Anime convention. The laundry is drying--clean jeans and shirts to go in his luggage before we head to the train. This morning I got in a token declutter when I dropped off the newspapers at a recycle bin. That may be all I accomplish. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 May 08 - 06:37 PM I was all set to post earlier when I received an email from work urgently requesting images of a co-worker who has a retirement breakfast tomorrow. I missed his lunch today or I'd have had current photos, so I had to dig through my files. At least they're all in one place and it didn't take to long. Some of my life is a little bit organized! I shredded some more papers today, and filed others. May not have cleared up too much office floor real estate, but the stack sitting in front of the shredder is a little shorter. ;-D SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 May 08 - 10:38 AM This is your last chance, Liz, before she's too big, to remind her that you're the parent and at least one of you needs a clean room. :) (This is the "do as I say, not as I do" phenomena.) Actually, I think you'll find that if you move everything out of the room, clean the floors and windows, then move the furniture back and rearrange it and put the shiny baubles where they can be seen and used that she won't miss the 65% of the outgrown childhood crap that was on the floor and tucked away filling useful drawer and shelf space. That worked for my son. I also moved a set of sturdy wire shelves from my front room into his and put a television (garage sale, $40) on it so he could play his video games in there on a TV dedicated to games. He was so blown away by finally getting the exact room he requested (with a bed and the sofa couch for friends to sleep on and the TV so he could play games) that he didn't even notice how much I moved out. He walks past his old toys in the garage as I'm sorting and clearing and rarely even blinks at them. When I gave a Fisher Price castle with cannon balls and knights and draw bridges and such to my next door neighbor so her age 2-6 grandchildren could play with it, and told him what pleasure they got from this toy, he was okay with it. He's 16, he looks at it fondly but won't play with it, and it gives the kids at Jackie's house an opportunity to play together, side by side, which is a good thing with siblings! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Liz the Squeak Date: 29 May 08 - 03:00 AM When I say flooded - it's about 2-4 inches of water and as the house is on a gravel bed, it will disperse pretty soon, but if memory serves, it will be smelly. Luckily, we tend not to put stuff down there that doesn't like the damp. Although hiring a skip does sound like fun, I can guarantee that in this area, if we did that, it would be filled before we could pay off the delivery guy. I had a scrape around in the child's room... found a multitude of horrible things including 7 old drink bottles, oat bar wrappers, Dorito packets and 15 dirty socks. This now means there is more space for her to fill with other stuff so that I can reach the wall to put the shelf up. Trouble is, Raven kitty has manoeuvered his bean bag onto the shelf as it sits on the table and he looks so cute, curled up in the sun..... Ho hum. Back to the ironing! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 28 May 08 - 11:09 PM I boxed up the leftover bottles, today, and folded away the table they were on, which cleared up space for the mini-trampoline to be moved out of the living room. Also, Morgan and I took his cardboard dulcimer kit out of its box, which we chucked, and started putting it together. That involved buying paint in his chosen colours - green on the inside, blue on the outside, and staining the fretboard. I glued in the string-separator, set the end nails for the strings, and set in the bridge. Tomorrow, he will decorate it and we will glue the fretboard on and string 'er up! That will be THAT clutter out of the way and the kid and I will be able to play our dulcimers together! The gal who cleans my floors is coming tomorrow, so I'll try to do more before she gets here, but I have a dental appt. in the morning. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Charmion Date: 28 May 08 - 07:22 PM Oh, shit! But this might be God's way of telling you to hire a skip and heave the lot. It happened to me once, and that's what I had to do. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Liz the Squeak Date: 28 May 08 - 05:13 PM I would de-clutter the cellar, but in the course of sorting out the camping box and gas bottles, I discovered the cellar was flooded. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 28 May 08 - 03:18 PM Good going on the job hunting, Linn! That interview one sounds dandy for the short term. Good luck with it. LtS, it's okay for the stuff to sit there a bit longer, esp. when you are living with others who contribute to the clutter! Have some chocolate and put away the stick.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Bat Goddess Date: 28 May 08 - 02:57 PM Don't know how much de-cluttering I've gotten done today -- threw some papers away, filed some others, just schlepped two tarps full of dried leaves off to decompose in a better spot than under the hammock or in a flower bed. But I've also just applied for two jobs plus landed an interview tomorrow for what is probably not the world's best job -- doesn't pay a lot, either, but it's 10 minutes away, has decent hours, and I don't have to take it home with me in any way shape or form. And according to web sources, the company is professional and reputable. Any kind of income at this point is good. Think I'll do a bit of de-cluttering in the cellar and then take a break and read a book out on the deck or...what a concept!...in my hammock! Oh, better check the mail too (and count the ladyslippers coming and going) and probably throw most of THAT out. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: maire-aine Date: 28 May 08 - 12:57 PM LTS, please don't be so hard on yourself. "Failed" sounds so permanent. You just POSTPONED it for a while. You'll get to it. In the meantime, chocolate sounds good. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 May 08 - 10:40 AM Liz! Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! Kick a path through! You can make it, this is just like the point in Rocky where he's winded, he gets back up and goes into battle and is victorious. Someone wave some dark chocolate with cranberries under her nose. That'll help revive her. Dropped off stuff at Goodwill this morning. I have to go to work today, maybe I can work up another load of stuff for that thrift store near the university. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Liz the Squeak Date: 28 May 08 - 03:06 AM I failed again. Didn't do the box last night... guess I better do it this morning. But I'm supposed to go to work later... ho hum. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 May 08 - 10:54 PM I have stuff in the back of the pickup but haven't driven by the Goodwill when it was convenient to stop. Maybe in the morning. These items weren't photographed yet, they went in straight from garage to truck. This afternoon I took my digital camera with me and stood in a parking lot and got a few shots inside the pickup bed while my son was at his guitar lesson. The IRS doesn't care what the background looks like! I've hit a lull after the busy weekend. My allergies are acting up and I'll skip the shredding to get to bed early. Maybe I brought up too much dust yesterday. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 27 May 08 - 06:04 PM Looks like a fun session, MaryAnne! Thanks for the link. It's fun to see everyone and also each other's projects. I took a carload of stuff to the local, indie, alternative radio station for their upcoming yardsale. They unloaded it and were quite grateful, it seemed. I told them I have more to bring them this week as Friday is their deadline for donations. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: maire-aine Date: 27 May 08 - 04:51 PM Hello, all. It occurred to me that I've never exactly introduced myself to the group. I live just north of Detroit MI. I finally found a photo, taken by one of the guys in our session, that's not too unflattering. So here's me. I hope this link works. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Liz the Squeak Date: 27 May 08 - 01:17 PM My month wasn't that successful, but I am going to declutter the camping box this evening... if only to see if I can find the S hook to hang the lamp up with... got sick of bending tent pegs over. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: wysiwyg Date: 27 May 08 - 10:14 AM I think I'm the slow coach here, but I'm fine with that. I have no problem leaving the clutter behind to get out and get stuff done. This is because in the past year I have been learning so much about seasonality in my life, and it works for me. The LR clutter has been annoying, but I forgot that in just a few short days or weeks, hockey season will be over. At the end of hockey season, warm weather coincides (for our northern area). That means it will very shortly be time to unglue the glued drafty windows, put the comfy chairs back in front of them and away from the winter heating register. (The heat register and avoiding the drafts prompts the fall cleanup when we put the recliners closer to the TV for the all-important hockey games.) At this time, a pair of other chairs and a large couch also will be moved back to their non-winter positions. It will take about 30 minutes to circulate these items back to their summer position, and I can do it on my own without Hardi-- BUT As the clutter falls off the horizontal surfaces.... This annual event also always, always, always reveals not only dust bunny colonies that are then easily removed, but the amount of clutter that truly exists-- just when the increased sunlight and fresh air flowing through the summer-oriented household make it a heckuva lot more fun to clean and sort and tidy. Hardi will take care of the vacuuming and dusting; the stacks of stuff will be mine to deal with-- fair trade IMO! I'm just wishing for it a tad early, is all! :~) ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 May 08 - 10:02 AM I'd say we're closing in on a pretty successful month. This morning's trash collection included a large plastic bag of stuff I've held onto for way too long. Over the years as a park naturalist I picked up road kill to use for study skins. After skinning I salted or put borax on them, so they were green, never tanned. And years in the garage dried them out so much that they couldn't be tanned now even if I wanted to. I have a box of those chemicals that will go to the hazardous waste folks at the end of the week. I did keep a few interesting skulls, but one (an alligator gar) still had some dried meat on it so is sitting on an ant pile to see if they can clean it more. I'm not giving up my interest in being a naturalist, whether by employment or writing, but I am giving up hauling along samples. :) Kat, I've been chuckling about your trash can. Maybe when he gets older Morgan will graduate down to a waste basket behind the seat. A hammock sounds wonderful--but the flies and mosquitoes would make using one out-of-doors a misery down here by the creek. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Bat Goddess Date: 27 May 08 - 08:47 AM Another productive day yesterday. Jeri came over and photographed a whole bunch o' stuff that Tom intends to eBay. (She should really put "photo stylist" on her resume -- some things like a small crystal souvenir "vase" or something was very, very tricky to shoot without reflections or glare.) After she left I cut more brush -- up behind the rock garden and then down to the back of the back flower bed. Then, when I thought I was too zonked to do anything more, I raked four huge piles of leaves up from around my hammock "room" under the hemlocks. Later today, if it doesn't rain, I'll transfer each pile to a tarp and drag the leaves to some place more convenient for them to decompose. The hammock just got put up this weekend. It was a birthday present from Tom two or three years ago to replace the one that finally rotted away after 15 years of use. But I didn't really have any time to use this one until this spring! Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 May 08 - 09:37 PM Sounds like a good day all around! I've continued to rearrange the garage and placed two more boxes in the pickup for Goodwill. I've swept as I work, and when I could put in sturdier containers or rearrange shelves I've done so. I can actually SEE my bags of organic fertilizer and soil amendments, and see my extra little pots. The scrap lumber had been jammed in an old cardboard box under my work bench, but has been thinned and the culled scraps are at the curb while the usable pieces are stored in the retired green plastic recycle bin, again under the work bench. Meanwhile, as a measure of success, I think we are close to being able to open the pickup truck doors wide, simultaneously, on both sides and not hit stuff! Yesss! I barbecued some pork country style ribs and did a dozen extra burgers so we have leftovers for during the week. (Got a new recipe from a friend--they're tender and juicy and full of flavor.) Moonglow is coming by in a few minutes with a costume for her brother to try on (Anime convention coming up next weekend) and I'll ply her with fresh barbecue and send a loaf of frozen banana bread back home with her. I could use a three day weekend every week! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 26 May 08 - 07:11 PM You are clipping right along there, Charmion! SRS, I am glad I am not the only who does drop stuff on the floor of my car! With Morgan in the car, it got so bad, I finally bought a regular, 18" tall trash can and put it behind the passenger's seat. I can just reach across and behind and now all of the stuff goes in it and it is easy to dump. Morgan used to be really bad about dropping stuff, but he likes using the bin now.:-) We have had a productive day, finally! Rog carted all of the giveaway stuff from my sister, out to the car. He brought in a few things from the car which found immediate homes on shelves, in drawers, etc. He mowed the huge backyard, while I washed the dishes and a few more of my mom's bottles. He also decluttered some more in the kitchen so now, in his area, there is NOTHING on the floor and the pile of STUFF on top of the 2-drawer file cabinet is GONE!! (I saw him summarily dump an old footstool I kept thinking he'd fix and I was OKAY with that!**bg**) Yes!! He helped me plant the catnip and flax, in between letting my daughter's dogs out, twice, AND setting the water on her lawn. We also went to the garden centre and bought three heirloom tomato plants and got the pots ready for them. I have to buy more soil to mix up for them, tomorrow, or we would have them planted already. I also gave the dog a bath - he really, really needed it - and washed the towels and bath mat used for him, as well as our sheets, today. And, we have already made the bed, instead of waiting until late at night when we can't go to bed unless we do! And, I had a nice long talk with a friend on the phone, and an almost long one with my daughter and grandsons who live back East as today is their 10th birthday. I cannot believe they are that old, already! Phew! Time to relax a bit, I think. I love this thread; you all are so helpful! |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Charmion Date: 26 May 08 - 05:00 PM I hate clutter in the car, and make a real fuss when Edmund drops receipts and Tim Horton's doughnut wrappers on the floor and the unoccupied seats. Almost as soon as he was on the plane, I emptied the glove box of all the things I don't approve of, and now I can actually put the map book in there! Not to speak of some gloves. On the home front, I have packed up the crockery and gadgets purged from the kitchen cabinets and the limbo shelves in the cellar (where potentially useful things go to await re-homing). The crockery, baking pans and kitchen gadgets are going to the Salvation Army. The biscuit tins, large Mason jars and never-used George Foreman grill have all been offered on Freecycle, and the Mason jars and electric grill are already on their way to new homes. So far, no nibbles on the biscuit tins. I have also established a Craigslist account and offered my battered but quite usable copy of the 9th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (the "scholar's edition", if you please) for the princely sum of $100, about right for 25 volumes in crumbling leather bindings. Only the dedicated Victorianist need apply ... Next: the bins under the stairs! (No, not the bins!) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 May 08 - 11:27 AM I decluttered my truck glove box a while back--I hated having to force things into it to see if I could get it to close. Makes it very nice to get the few things I need. I have also figured out where to put a specialized vehicle trash bag (it has a strap to hold it in place). I'll try using it instead of dropping trash in my cup holder or on the floor. (I do clean that up regularly, but best not to do it at all!) Haven't touched the trunks yet. Soon. People can get in through the door past them. . . that isn't a very good sign, really, is it? ;-) I feel like I've had a big workout at a gym this week. My arms and neck are still aching from the tree trimming. SRS (200!) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: LilyFestre Date: 26 May 08 - 07:19 AM My car usually serves as both my mode of transportation and catch all from my daily routine. Work clothes, yoga clothes, teaching materials, kayak gear and sometimes a lunchbox are sometimes enough to fill my car. It has been my habit to empty it all out of Saturday so as to start the new week with a clean vehicle. Lately, this hasn't been happening so I'll be de-cluttering my car in about 10 minutes. The kayak gear will stay....I love to be ready to hit the water in a moment's notice....so there is a large tote full of everything I need for those planned and unplanned adventures. :) Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 May 08 - 12:34 AM And in your bank account? You'll have a lot of room there also. My sun room is packed full, making it impossible right now to reach my eBay area. I'll work on it in the morning, but this actually represents a moment of success, of sorts. The two trunks that are in the way (I thought it was three, but one is very tall) are the last of the stuff that had been in storage lockers before I moved into this house. A lot of those items were moved to the garage to sit up on 2x4s until I could bring them into the house. I'm not sure where they'll go yet, and I need to probably sell a couple of these, I have a lot of antique trunks. After I moved the trunks and rearranged some things I was able to pack a circular saw into its case and put it back where I can reach it easily--it had been used a (long) while back and set aside temporarily only to get lost under other stuff. It doesn't do me any good if it is buried in clutter. Laundry folding awaits. I'll try to stay on top if it for a while, since my couch looks so nice when it is cleared off. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 25 May 08 - 10:41 PM Just saw a vintage Vespa with sidecar on offer at Ebay. I think there is room for it in my garage. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: maire-aine Date: 25 May 08 - 10:33 PM I got to the plant sale early on Sat. It was a little chaotic at the start, but I found 4 nice heirloom variety tomato plants. I pulled enough weeds to make a place for them in the garden, do they're in and doing well. Also planted some summer savory and cinnamon basil that I got from the Farmer's Market. All the laundry is done, folded and put away. The sausage is done and made into patties & in the freezer, except one for breakfast tomorrow. So far, so good. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, if you're off on Monday. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 May 08 - 05:56 PM On the drive from Fort Worth to Albuquerque via Amarillo there is a long empty stretch of road that parallels an old railroad track for miles. Between the tracks and the road are old telephone poles with the glass inulsators still in place. I'd guess a lot of them are purple by now, but getting them down, that is the trick. I just returned from a wedding shower, and I went determined not to give them something that would occupy their shelves until they regifted or exchanged it. I took a 3-litre jug of extra virgin olive oil for the soon-to-be-weds. Use it, enjoy it, move on. . . SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 25 May 08 - 04:12 PM I've seen those, too, Susan, but I wouldn't trust them around my cats AND I don't think I'd trust breakables on them. We've got the brackets, just need to get the shelves and I'll bet I can find some at Habitat for Humanity. Q! good thought...maybe there should be some other *trinkets* besides my mom's ashes in her "jar." (Not canopic, though!**bg**) We got four more shutters out of the kitchen and up on the house!!! That leaves only three more to paint and they are the shorter ones, so only four left to put up. The kitchen is definitely looking better. Plus I boxed up the (20)bottles to go to a friend. Will box up the leftovers by tomorrow, take down the table they were on and move the mini-trampoline in by the treadmill which will get it out of the living room. (Still offering old bottles to anyone, plus old insulators...they are all clear having been boxed up for ages. I don't know if they will turn colour or not, but if anyone is interested, please PM me.:-) I see Daylight, people!!**bg** |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: wysiwyg Date: 25 May 08 - 03:07 PM I have seen used bathroom shelves or leftover louvered-window glass hung in a window to fill it with shelves. Much less hardware and no need for the glass to be cut to fit exactly. You'd put eye bolts top and bottom, and use wires strung through tubes at their crossings to make shelf-holders. Shelves sit on them with silicone plugs or other traction material to help hold them from slipping; the items sitting on the shelves hold it all in place. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 25 May 08 - 01:52 PM Going to the cemetery! Going to bury the treasures for future archeologists to find and collect? (Watching a BBC program on the tomb of Tutankhamom (sp.)) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 25 May 08 - 12:55 PM Great idea, Susan, thanks! In the past when I wanted a window shelf, half-way up the window, Rog would just put in a wooden shelf. A glass shelf would be much better...the plants would still get light and the bottles could turn purple and green. We got a tall, computer station from my sister's storage this morning which she gave us. Rog replaced his slanting tv tray thingie in the kitchen for the desk for his laptop and clutter which was on the floor. It looks much better, now, so that's a relief. He also got the fold-up, heavy-duty, 4' X 4' portable pet fence and put it around the flower bed where I will plant the catnip today or tomorrow as soon as I get some chicken wire or something to put over the top to keep the neighbour's cats out of it. I have compromised about the stuff on the living room floor which needs to go to the car for donations. We may go to the cemetery tomorrow, so I am waiting until after that for Rog to load books and LPs. I feel as though we are getting somewhere now! (Yesterday was depressing!) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: wysiwyg Date: 25 May 08 - 11:30 AM Glass shelves make a nice way to use all that sunny window space.... ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Bat Goddess Date: 25 May 08 - 11:00 AM What is it with coffee cups anyway? They're more prolific than coat hangers! Part of the declutterification process is to make a workspace for beading -- a place that doesn't have to be cleared off once a day for a meal. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 25 May 08 - 12:04 AM Charmion, Don't you know? The cups breed at night when everyone's asleep. I bet you thought that gentle rattling sound you hear in the house at night was a train passing on the tracks a few blocks over--nope! It's the cups humping. The DNA is so complex that they come up with offspring with all sorts of messages and designs--progeny do not necessarily look in any way like the parents. They're building retaining walls in the new housing development on the other side of our woods. I walked past slowly yesterday to get an idea of how they do it. I need to build one in front (semi-ornamental, but meant to front a berm I've built up in case any traffic decides to fly through the yard rather than stop at the corner where the road T's in front of our house.) Kat, I have lots of great beads I've accumulated, and a number of good pattern books now. The process of simply lining them up in the bead tray or making a sample swatch is good to a point--getting the whole thing to "hang together" (pardon the pun!) is the trick, isn't it? I found the doll furniture. The figures have moth-eaten clothes but are otherwise okay. The wood furniture looks good, though I had some inexpensive plastic furniture I'd added later that kind of stuck to the dolls--the plastic stuff is going in the trash. I need to clean it all out and do a few repairs and then this house will be ready for it's close up. No clutter in that house, at least! I picked up a beer on the way home from running errands this evening, but I'm so tired from the trimming that I won't finish it. It'll work well to attract snails and slugs in the garden tomorrow. They don't care if it is flat from sitting open in the fridge. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Charmion Date: 24 May 08 - 10:30 PM I have a sore back and a much neater front garden this evening, and now all I have to do is get the mason over here to repair the damage done to the retaining wall by the snowplow. The bastard took out more than four feet of dry stone wall -- you'd think he'd have noticed! The kitchen cabinets have been dejunked and tidied. (How did we acquire all those coffee cups?) The dining table is completely covered with stuff to go, and those darned cabinets still look just as full. How does that happen? The St Vincent de Paul is the target of choice for this batch. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 24 May 08 - 10:02 PM Thanks, Maggie. I am going to restring the necklace, though, there is something bugging me about the order of the beads and sizes.:-> They are carnelian and citrine beads with the gold pendant and three hangy-down carnelian pendants provided by my friend. I am going to have to find a sunny window with enough shelf space to put those bottles on. Right now the sunniest is full of plants and the next to sunniest has my collection of stonepeople in it with more plants.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 May 08 - 09:37 PM Understood about those handyman blues, Kat. Good luck on his making it to retirement before they get any bright ideas. Those bottles will look great on a table in front of a sunny window. And that necklace is lovely. What kind of beads did you use? They say Jim McCain has trouble lifting his arms above his head after years in captivity--I think maybe that's because they had him saw limbs from up in trees part of the time. I have several areas of the yard where I need to thin out branches and I did some limbs between 3 and 4 inches through--with that little blade on the long-handled limb saw that you can buy at Home Depot. My biceps are almost hot they got such a workout. I'm cooling off a little before I go take my bath--I'm afraid if I get in too soon I'll still be sweating from the work when I get out. ;-D I worked my way around the back yard and took out a lot of the branches and limbs that are in the way of mowing and the string trimmer (clutter!) and make my job harder when I mow. I also cleared out more piles of stuff beside the garage and have it ready for trash on Tuesday. If I can mow straight through an area without having to jockey the mower all around an obstacle, it will speed things. I'm also looking at how I've laid out some beds--I may reshape a few to make them easier to mow past. I'm done with the yard stuff now, I'll get cleaned up and spend a quiet evening in front of the television with the shredder. Oh--I haven't found that doll furniture yet, but when I do I'll link to a photo. It looks quite interesting. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: katlaughing Date: 24 May 08 - 07:57 PM LOL...glad you could join us, Q! For some evidence of my cleaning up, here's a not very good picture of the necklace I just made using a pendant provided by a friend and a fairly decent picture of most of the antique bottles I am keeping from my mom's collection: click here. Rog has had to work all day, home for one hour to eat, then home for another hour or so for supper then back to work, so there sits all of the heavy stuff I needed his help with. I told him his employer should pay for a handyman around here. He got upset, said the mother-company had laid off over 200 people recently, so he feels he has to go and not grumble/make waves. I really hope we can figure a way for him to retire next fall. (Sorry, I know we're only supposed to post when successful!:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 24 May 08 - 07:48 PM Bah! Humbug! To an old packrat-clutterer-camp robber auctionoholic like myself, this thread is obscene, PC, all those adjectives. (Blindfold me and send in a cleanout crew. Can't bear to see it happen) |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Bat Goddess Date: 24 May 08 - 07:40 PM Oh! AND found a new home for a bunch of obsolete Mac software -- including System 7.5 still in box!!! I really hate throwing things out. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Bat Goddess Date: 24 May 08 - 07:37 PM Today I consolidated some antique-ish stuff to eBay (get digital photos tomorrow), planted a deck planter with parsley (flat leaf), possibly found a buyer (without having to advertise) for my vulcanizer and rubberstamp making tackle (including all The Rubbersmith plates and matrices, etc.), and then got distracted while cleaning off the table enough to eat supper and ended up cleaning and rearranging the overflowing top drawer of the map chest that holds a substantial amount of my rubberstamps. And read and threw out some papers...but that's an on-going project. Tomorrow I take an even larger box o' stuff to a retired friend who is having a weekly yardsale. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 May 08 - 11:20 AM Congratulations! Our first graduate! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: freda underhill Date: 24 May 08 - 02:34 AM That living room sounds great, srs. i've finally decided my place is decluttered enough to resume normal life, and will be having a singing session there next weekend. it'll be the first after 3 years of absence, due to relocation and renovation. it'll feel good to have my living room ringing with music once more. when space is created, beautiful new energy can move in. freda |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 24 May 08 - 01:48 AM The living room looks pretty good! The couch is clear of laundry and I threw the woven shawl that was under all of it in the washer. I've used it on the seat to keep down the cat hair and crumbs if the kids eat in there. Earlier in the garage I spotted some antique trunks, mentioned above, but on top of them was a balsa wood and cardboard doll house that has to be 50 years old. It was a hand-me-down to me from the neighbors. I know the dolls and furniture are somewhere here and I'll dig them out now that I've removed the big trash bag I had encapsulated it in. It's on display on a pretty library table in the living room. Out in the garage I had it sitting on the solid base of a framed map of the world. The map used to hang in my bedroom (mid-1960s and on). Mom got the old wood and gesso frame at the Goodwill and put in the print so I'd have something on the wall. It is chipped, but gesso can be repaired. And for years, between the frame and the house, was a numbered print from my Dad's house. Geez. The stuff you find when you start clearing up! I suspect I slipped that in there when everything was in storage but before it was moved down here. For years this treasure was hidden away. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 May 08 - 11:05 PM I have a side yard that is much smaller than the space maeve described, but I decluttered it this evening. The greenbriar was trying to grow over old fence slats and chicken wire and landscaping timbers plus some other leftover construction stuff. Kind of in the way she has to wash dishes before soaking laundry, I mowed the front lawn before everything was moved out of the side yard. The timbers and slats were taken down to the curb to be placed on the mowed corner, for the trash or for someone looking for firewood. I pulled out the lawn mower and gave that area a thorough going over. Okay, a favorite (new) British mystery program on PBS is coming on in a few minutes. I promised myself that when it started I would sit in front of the living room television and fold all of the laundry on the couch and in the dryer. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: maeve Date: 23 May 08 - 06:58 PM I've decluttered the front yard near our farm stand by carting away most of the plants waiting to be divided. I'll need to get them repotted for sale or lined out in the perennial section of the tilled veggie garden, next to rows of basket and wattle willows.I have moved about half of my potting materials, pots, etc. The front looks much more inviting for potential customers, and the display gardens can be seen. We decluttered the shed a bit by taking out one wad of plastic greenhouse sheeting and got it attached to greenhouse #1. Now I have a place to set up seed trays and get them planted and growing. I can't seem to get to laundry lately. We're planting and digging and potting (and occasionally selling) plants from early until late each day. What glory it would be to chuck a load into a washing machine every morning or evening! To do the laundry means washing dishes and pots first, and then taking most of the morning washing and rinsing the clothes before finding places to hang them to dry. Dirt-filled workclothes must soak first, either in the bathtub or the kitchen sink. It's wonderful to have one partially greenhouse at least usable! I'd like some rainy weather so I can return to clearing out the house clutter to sell as much as possible. You've all done well with your progress forward. |
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Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - part two From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 May 08 - 04:12 PM You know, don't you, that jewelry, chocolate, wine, beer, and crystals never count as "clutter." The paper stuff goes slower when it is the type that really needs sorting. Maryanne, why don't you approach it a handful at a time, or maybe do it in stages; first simply sort into stacks--General and Bush. Then toss Bush (!) and leave the rest to do a handful at a time as you can. I've been working out a similar strategy with old legal papers and with kid art. Getting general stacks of related material makes it easier to choose which of those items you really want to keep. When they're commingled you can't remember if you already set one of those works or pages aside. I have found things to think about then toss or file. For example, I almost bought a beautiful house in the mountains east of Albuquerque right after the divorce. A job was offered and the paperwork was set to go--but through passive aggressive delays my ex's attorney messed up the paperwork and the house fell through. It was a cascade of disappointments, and I still have some material and photos from that house. I'd love at some time to live in the woods like that with a view of wilderness, but right now I live in a beautiful pseudo-rural area in a city. I need to work on this one so the best thing is to toss the old plan and move forward. Something else will come along. My office is significantly changed in the past month. Slowly but surely it is looking better, organized and more clear floor space. The couch in my living room is an explosion of laundry needing to be folded (like Kat's dishes waiting to be washed), one of those things that isn't pressing as long as you don't run out of clothes or plates or forks. :) SRS |
