BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3

Subject: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 08 - 02:20 PM

I'm getting a jump on this. I've spent time this morning working in a front flower bed, thinning the vegetation clutter and thinking about how the garden ties in so tightly with the clearing out going on in the house. I want a comfortable and attractive space indoors and out, as does everyone on this list. So how do we fine-tune our work to get there?

When I was an undergraduate majoring in Parks and Recreation, a newly-minted professor came along with a novel assignment: we each had to figure out what was our Philosophy of Recreation. Why was this activity as a career important to us? What were the goals, what should it achieve?

So I'd like to start this part of the thread, now that people have begun bailing out paper and books and bottles and kid stuff, to take a moment to visualize what their house would look like if they were to start setting it up right now. What is the philosophy behind the way you want to have your house set up? Imagine if it were completely empty and in good repair and you decided to take back into the house only the stuff that really belongs there. The pieces that would look really good, the books you really think you'll actually ever read, the comfortable chairs and the good lamps, the beautiful art and collections, the work areas. What would you put back, and why? What would you get rid of and replace?

---

My house is a one-story structure with brick and rock and a half-timber look on top. I have a smallish front porch and a 60/40 cloth covered back patio. The front yard looks better because the plantings have been in for a few years, the back yard is at least mowed and fenced. I have woods and a creek at the back, and woods across the street and neighbors on both sides and across the street on well-spaced lots (about 25 feet between houses).

You can walk up to my front door and look through the hall and big living area and out the back to the yard. I want that view to be of quiet elegance, not fussy, kind of the Hemingway look in the keys, or the adobe look of the desert southwest. A few big comfortable pieces, with colorful regional art on the walls (I have a lot of Indian rugs and family quilts along with various things I've collected for years from around the country). It would have to be a revolving collection.

I want the bedrooms to be roomy and inviting, every one of them has a ceiling fan but I'd like the windows to be covered in such a way that they can be open at night with the fans on. I want to end the struggle of cats vs mini-blinds.

We have tile floors and in general the house has very good bones, good woodwork, and a great location. I want to look out each window to a beautiful, restful view with birds, butterflies, flowers, or in winter, to have some greenery in the yard so it isn't the washed-out gray one can get in the prairie.

On my bookshelves I'd like to stagger the books with collectible items (I seem to collect old radios). My kitchen needs to have a few good pieces and a place for each of the counter appliances that I actually use. I also want to set up informal outdoor spaces from the back and side doors so I can cook outside in the summer.

Later I'll post a page of before and during (who knows when I'll ever get to "after") photos on the Mudcat Gardeners Google group I started. Here. If you're a gardener or enjoy talking about gardens, please join! Bird and critter talk is also welcome there, since it all goes on in gardens (this is for you Liz, with your impressive tits).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 May 08 - 03:34 PM

Wow! What a neat idea. I had a kind of BIG emotional event the other day. When I sat in my living room and looked around, I felt as though I didn't really care about ANY of it and wanted to start packing it all up NOW, even my heirloom books. I definitely want a neater, less cluttered look (and, shall have it!) Part of what is bugging me is lack of space and a kitchen floor still needing to be replaced, plus painting that has yet to be done.

I shall have to think on this assignment and see what I really *feel*. Thanks, Maggie!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 May 08 - 04:54 PM

I'd like to get rid of a dresser we have in the sitting room, and replace it with bookshelves. Trouble is, I'd then have to find a place for all the glasses that are in the dresser... it's a never-ending circle!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 08 - 11:32 PM

Do you need the glasses? If you were gone tomorrow, who would want the glasses? That's the kind of question I'm been asking myself all over the house.

I labored over the front flower bed today, removing all of the dusky yellow irises, and I just realized that I also tossed my few blue ones into the transplanting mix. (There are always extra to give away, but I wanted to split and grow more blue ones, I only have about three of them). I wonder if I can find the twist ties I put on them back when they bloomed? Anyway, I transplanted some daylilies that had been lost under the irises and moved a few things and am getting ready for my little porch extension and to redo a couple of beds. My neck and shoulders are feeling it right now and I got a bit sunburned.

I was in the yard so long I didn't get to the house stuff this evening, but maybe I can find some more paper to shred before I knock off for the evening. There are several areas now that I walk into and I'm pleased with the sense of space. One of them is the closet in my office. I can use the copier on a shelf easily and though I have more to clear in there, it doesn't have a claustrophobic feel any more. It is truly amazing how much larger any room can seem when it isn't crammed full of stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 05:26 AM

I don't care about anything today. My cold and I are being taken out for lunch where I shall hopefully tidy up half a bottle of sherry, at least one bottle of wine and some damned good food!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:00 AM

I'll work around the house this morning, but then I have to drive to Dallas to pick up my son and a friend has invited us over to swim and have lunch. I think a break is called for--all work and no play, as they say! Will report in later.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:33 AM

I think decluttering could be a full time job at my house!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 04:50 PM

What do I want in the house? Stuff we use -- not stuff we think she should use, but stuff we actually do use. And I want the stuff we don't use to leave.

The guest bedroom should have closet and drawer space for visitors. The sitting room should have comfortable chairs placed where people can read in good light and chat conveniently while drinking beer. The kitchen must -- repeat must -- function well as the workshop of the house, with tools, equipment and food stowed safely and conveniently, while accommodating movie-watching and people eating informal meals.

There should be nothing on the floors but carpets, furniture, the tray with the cats' dinner service, and human and feline feet. No stacks of books, no higgledy piggledy boxes, no heaps of boots. I must be able to see the baseboards in every room, and sweep under the beds.

And when moving day comes (next year, probably), I want to be able to summon the packers in confidence that nothing is going with us that don't want and won't use in the new place.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 06:33 PM

I don't think looking at what we have and thinking how I would want it is going to work for me. Too much of our stuff is old, shabby chic antiques which need work of some sort, but are serviceable. Barring getting them all refurbished or buying all new stuff, I have to have them or we'd have nothing. Maybe I am just rambling as it gets to me and I'll feel better after I've done some more.

We did get some stuff done. I finished boxing up bottles to go to two friends and told my son the rest are his to come get them. We moved a chest of drawers, a tv, some Christmas plates, and a suitcase to the curb with a FREE sign on them and they were gone very quickly. So that's that out of the driveway.

I also went through Morgan's art bin and cleaned it out. Went through a big bin out of the office which had all kinds of precious keepsakes...oh lordy where do I put them!. for now, the papers and some pix are in a three ring binder and the photos will be put in the album. I want to keep out the three baskets of seashells but have no surface space for them.

So...how do you organise stuff too meaningful to dump, but doesn't need to be out? By type, by subject, i.e. all of one kid's stuff in its own bin or all knicknacks in one, paper in another, pix in another, etc.?

Did find my grandparents monogrammed linen tablecloth to match the cloth napkins I have! I need to open a museum, then I'd have somewhere to display all of these things!

Oh, well, at least I got some things done in between laundry, today.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 10:46 PM

Kat, I have a lot of old armchairs from the family homes and they need refinishing or an arm is loose or the dowels need to be re-glued--and it is our everyday furniture. I don't have the option of getting rid of the old and bringing in new, but I have too much of the old, so should figure out something. I wouldn't want to replace them all, but I think I need a plan to gradually refurbish them (that was my plan when I originally chose them from the estates) and reupholster in a way that suits the piece (meaning they don't need to match). We eat at an antique dining room table set with the original leather chair seat covers.

My yard was completely mowed today and I did more de-cluttering out there. I had a firewood cradle thing, made of welded iron L-bracket pieces, next to the side door into my garage. It was actually upside down, the little feet at the top and the long supports dug into the ground. This way I had 24" of space where I could put things and also stack garden stuff on top of it. As I pulled it away from the door and moved a couple of pots and bricks I realized that this would be perfect for an outdoor table. Leave it upside down and get some redwood 2x4s and cut them into lengths to fit into the L-brackets on the bottom. Since I relocated the circular saw I'll be able to cut through those boards in no time. I'll post photos when I finish it, but this would be a great weather proof table for either the back yard or the side where I am wanting to set up to bake in the summer. Anyway, now that that thing has been cleared away, the spot is easy to mow.

BTW: we were creative with the stuff that was discarded when I remodeled this house. I had a new heat pump put in and they had new supports for it, so the concrete slab from the old air conditioner was going to just lie on the ground or be trashed. I asked the guys to lug it around to the back and put it beside the new garage side door and it is a perfect little landing.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 01:10 AM

That's a neat solution, Maggie.

I also have a bunch of old chairs, arm, rocking, and otherwise. I have one rocker I have for sale on craigslist, but have had no bites. I think mostly because the Western Slope of CO doesn't use craigslist much, yet. I would give that chair to the right person. The person I wanted it to go to lives in MA, so that's a no go. I also have another old chair which is going to my daughter's. That leave two which have to be reupholstered, but I don't think Rog will ever have the time to help me, so I'll have to see how much and if I can budget for them to be done. OH, and I don't care if they match, either. I've never had matching why start now?**bg**

That will leave only one chair in storage, a rocker kind of like JFK favoured, but mine needs a new cane seat and can wait.

I also finally hauled all of the recycling out! That feels good. It was such a clutter.

I told Rog I either need lots of shelves or drawers to store stuff in that matters, but doesn't need to be out. I am seriously thinking of letting go of a lot of my most favoured books. We never look at them and the ltd. space could be put to use in other ways. I cannot believe I am saying that!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 06:34 AM

Three huge boxes of clutter from the kitchen and basement are now in the car: destination Sally Ann. The stack of biscuit tins that no one on Freecycle wanted are in the recycle box. Two garbage bags are full of items that ended up in the basement because a part got broken and the rest seemed too good to throw away -- I mean, what are you supposed to do with a Melitta coffee-maker when the jug is broken and they don't make those glass jugs any more?

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 12:41 PM

LOL..good for you, Charmion!

I forgot to say we got the tomato plants out of the kitchen and into their pots outside as well as I got some flowers put in their pots, yesterday.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 02:13 PM

Well, now, this is going to take some thought. I was staring at my over-full bookshelves this weekend, asking myself the same sort of question. I just glance at the posts so far ('cause I'm at work right now), but I'll read everything, and post tonight.

First & foremost, I'm turning off the TV. That will save me a whole lot of wasted time.

L8r,
Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 03:36 PM

I turned off the DishNetwork a couple of months ago, and really don't miss much, except the movies on Turner Classic Movies. I wish my local reception looked better.

I'd really save time if I turned off the computer.

I shredded some files at lunch, tossed old owner's manuals from a long-gone computer and other equipment. Cleared out a couple of inches of file space. But this reminds me that there is a cardboard file box around here somewhere that is full of photocopies and ILL copies of articles that I requested during graduate school. To be true to this decluttering process, I ought to find that and merge the 2/3 drawer of articles with the full box of articles (I could probably purge some to make it fit). Keep the cardboard file as an academic resource and clear this cabinet file drawer for other things I could still stand to file.

Like Linn, I have a lot of maps that I've collected over the years. I find it very difficult to discard maps, so I should organize and file them if I'm going to keep them.

I'm sunburned today and still have a mild case of prickly heat from working so much in the yard this weekend. I am amazed by the transformation once the outdoor junk is organized or discarded. The space went from looking like just a mowed lawn to now looking positively park-like. I have a couple of antique wheelbarrows that need need handles, and I think I'm going to hunt up some new ones to restore these and whether they're put to use or serve as attractive yard sculptures, that's something to add to my list. (I looked at Home Depot, they no longer seem to have replacement wood for wheelbarrows).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 04:48 PM

I'm taking tomorrow as my day off, so hopefully I'll get something done.... if the weather is nice, I may even tidy the garden.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:04 PM

We moved over a cord of firewood and stacked it behind one of the greenhouses. We raked over the new septic field, removing stones, then using the many buckets of stones to stabilize and raise the lower driveway bordering our neighbor's lot. Planted more eggplant, tomatoes These make 50 in the two veggie gardens, hehehe), lettuce, dill, and cucumber seedlings, as well as shell peas and snap peas in the big veggie garden. Garlic chives are up. We added squash and sage to the farm stand, and planted a new crested iris in the peony bed.

Three bathtubs of laundry are clean and rinsed, and most of it is dry. I have to hang the last load while supper is cooking. My chook with the hurt eye has been dosed, and the gunk cleaned away, ointment applied, and rewarded with a little corn (maize).

In preparing for my Truelove to mow lawn that had been covered with greenhouse parts, we moved a plant display stand behind the house so I can have some order in the plants waiting their turn at division and repotting.

We can sit in the swing together and look out over our young apple orchard once again, Ahhhhhhhhhh!

I don't often post my progress because I'm usually too tired and hurting too much. I do read about everyone's progress and frustrations, and so I want y'all to know I'm continuing the battle here in Maine.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:44 PM

Cleaned out kitchen of old house and removed several bags of unwanted stuff. Also brought home 3 large garbage bags of clothes that haven't fit in 10 years....most was too big. The Salvation Army is my friend...may those clothes find great new homes! More to come soon!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 09:38 PM

I brought four 2-cubic-foot boxes home from the office -- cast-offs from the dreaded office move of two weeks ago -- for the clothes, shoes and accoutrements piling up on the guestroom bed. The drawers where Edmund keeps his gym gear and sweaters have been turned out and tidied. I can now get at all the bookcases in the study -- hooray for me!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 10:45 PM

maeve, that sounds lovely...sitting together and looking over the orchard.

I packed another box of bottles to go to one more friend, along with an old apron my grandma made and a book. I guess every little bit helps, right?:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 11:18 PM

Sounds like you cornered the market on old bottles, Kat!

As I was washing dishes I turned on PBS and have been listening to Pete Seeger on American Masters tonight--and clearly there is so much more you can do that is really important when you're not bogged down in stuff. The simple life his children had up in Fishkill, NY, reminds me of my summers at a cabin at Lake Whatcom in Washington, near the Canadian border. Very simple, the only running water was in the kitchen sink, via a pump; we had an outhouse, a dock, big trees, swings, lots of hikes, we were outside all of the time. My kids have been indoors so much of their lives, and it is centered around stuff. (I should note, I've actually been to Pete's house with a friend--we hiked past and said hello to Toshi who was outside. After we passed, my friend Michelle said "I don't know if you know who Pete Seeger is, but that's his cabin." (!)

Last week when my ex brought our son home after the weekend we were looking at the vegetable garden and I commented "there's a big fat toad over there," and he answered "there are always toads around here!" I realized that his little observation, expressing a "so, what's new?" attitude, was a validation that my desire to live lightly on my little parcel of land was working. There ARE lots of toads and lizards and snakes and tarantulas (and other big fancy night-time web slinging spiders) plus those creatures that more easily come and go, birds, squirrels, possums, tons of butterflies, etc.

This post has a bifurcated message--I've managed to live lightly on the land, but not lightly in the house. I have all of the appliances, but I think some of the list members are doing some of these chores with less machinery at their beck and call. Those chores take less time for me--so why am I not doing something more with my time that is free?

Gotta keep bailing out this house. Simplify simplify simplify.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 06:28 AM

I met up with a fat toad last night while hilling potatoes. Beautiful and very welcome critter he is!

Such a lot of clearing folks are doing. The weight is lifting for all of us!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 10:30 AM

Indeed! I've lost a few pounds with all of this work also. :)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 10:33 AM

I failed miserably. Even failed to get a whole day off work. Ho hum.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:03 AM

Liz. Snap out of it!

What is one little thing that you can get done to establish a toehold in the house? Clear of the kitchen counter? Clean the bathroom?

Find the smallest room in the house and clean it, and work out from there. Or find a comparable spot in the garden and bring it completely up to speed.

You can do it. We're pulling for you!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:25 AM

How do you organise the things which really matter to you, but don't need to be out all of the time? Any one have any suggestions? I don't want it all left in bins we never get to, but I also don't want the clutter of it all out. I envision clear boxes on shelves with very specific labels, but then who knows if any one would look in them, etc.? I am really trying to figure this out as so much of what I need to go through is keepsakes. The paper stuff I can file as I have a four-drawer brand-new filing cabinet that isn't even half full, but what about the other stuff?

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:50 AM

While we're sharing, my biggest problem is newspaper/magazing clippings and online articles that I printed out because I thought they were important. Or about a place I might visit someday. Or about some health topic. Or just a pile of little post-it notes that have something that I may need to know someday-- like where I can take #7 plastic containers for recycling.

I am pretty organized about important stuff, like taxes/receipts and legal papers (like will, etc). And all my genealogy stuff is neatly arranged in 3-ring binders in acid-free page-protecters.

But I'm beginning to think that if I ever succeed in getting it all "organized", someone will think I'm borderline obsessive-compulsive.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:59 AM

I have craft stuff that I don't want out but I want to be able to see when I need it. I went by Big Lots and bought a bunch of the clear plastic boxes with opaque lids and plastic hinged closures on two sides and a handle on top. For lightweight items. When I remodeled this house I put in a shallow cupboard along one wall that has 10" or so deep shelves. The "doors" are the pass-by mirrored closet doors you see in bedrooms. I sorted out a lot of stuff a couple of years ago to fit most of my craft stuff in there. I need to make another sweep through because I know there is more stuff in there I won't use that I can stand to clear out. But I can see into all of the containers. There are also little three drawer cabinets (plastic) that work for small parts and they all fit on those shelves as well.

Do you have a hallway or the back of a deep closet where you could put in a set of the bracket and board supports, either up high, or even an entire wall of shelves, for those kinds of things?

I've turned a rolling set of shelves into my pantry so I have some deep cupboards in the kitchen that I should use now for some of the things I don't need to see or use often. Maybe that's where I should put the paint cans I rarely need. The bottom couple of shelves are almost impossible to reach without getting on your hands and knees.

Does that help?

Not this Friday but next, that's when the neighbor's garage sale will be. So I'll identify and have all of my stuff priced to go.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 12:23 PM

Yes, Maggie, that does help. I have a few of the see-thru plastic things and a deep closet I need to clear out then repack with those, maybe. Maybe it's time to take the old trunks out, repack them in plastic and say goodbye to them. Shelves would help a bunch, too. Thanks! Now I just have to figure out categories as they are myriad!

I laughed when I read what you said about putting your paint cans away. That's exactly where I relegated our cans of paint, in the deep, corner lower kitchen cupboard no one wants to dig through for anything!:-)

Maryanne, one thing I did with all of those little notes was to get a large-sized recipe box or index card box with alphabetised separators. I took the lid off, then filed all of those notes under headings such as "CDs to buy," "books I want," etc. It works pretty well as long as I remember what I would classify something as.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 04:24 PM

Don Aslett to the rescue here: in Clutter's Last Stand he has a chapter on filing paper and what to do with those little scraps of paper. I actually used to do this at one time and still have a couple of the old books around with a few numbers still useful.

Under "I Know I Kept That. . . "

1. We see or hear something interesting. It's so great we want to save it, savor it, share it: a good joke/cartoon, an excellent article, a great idea, an exciting job, an important address or date, an intelligent quote, a tempting recipe, a solution.

2. We start to record it. Because of the unpredictability of the moment, we often end up with our valuable bit of information written on the back of a used envelope, a napkin, the corner of a program, a candy wrapper, a hanky or shirt cuff, a piece of board, a boxtop, the back of a business card (or if we're lucky, a notebook or phone pad or calendar square).

3. We search in despair. "I know I kept that. . . it would be just perfect for what I need if I could find it . . . Where did I put it?" If we do find it, we can't decipher it—too much time has passed!

4. Or use and share. . . This valuable material enhances our lives and others'. (If you are here you can skip the next page). [None of us here, that's why I'm continuing to the next page.]

Losing track of something we liked and saved is almost as sad as losing a cherished memory of a loved one: snatching gems of thought out of the torrent of life is one of our great pleasures. Develop your own system to be sure you save and use them. Your method will have to fit you, but it can help to get with someone who's a good "saver" and ask them to share their secrets (99 percent will be flattered to do so).

My system isn't sophisticated, but it works, and here is all I do: I save everything that impresses me (five to fifty tidbits a day). I carry a leather notebook shaped like an outhouse (you can be sure that no one wants to steal it). I has a pouch and a pad—everything I collect or job down goes in one of these.

My notes I write out on the spot in my notebook on a sheet titled "Write & Record." I write each separate thought out in complete sentences under a key word or topic heading. I don't go into full detail or describe it completely, just enough that if I do want to go back to expand on it I'll know clearly what I meant. Writing down the notes only takes a minute, if done right at the moment the thought strikes.

When I get home I drop all of Write & Record notes (snipped into their separate topics) into a box labeled "Write and Record," and drop all the printed materials, programs, photos, documents, forms, booklets, etc., I've picked up into the "Important Paper" basket on my desk. This way I have all my notes and gleanings in one of two places—not in pockets, bags, boxes, books. . .
I don't use prime/highly productive/all cylinders time—such as morning hours—this can be done in time fragments, on semi-sick days, while watching TV or tending kids, while waiting for someone, right before and after meals, on sleepless nights, etc.

My files are arranged so that I have a drawer for each of my important interests and one alphabetized "general" file drawer. My immediate-interest projects/current enthusiasms I keep in ring binders—such topics, for me, for example, as The Life Story I Will Write Some Day, Salable Article Ideas (I've accumulated over 8,000 without any effort to do so), Janitorial Humor, etc.

Ring-binder notebooks are cheap (most of my binders are scrounged "recycles") and simple to use, and you can assemble a useful library of your very own in just your spare time and odd moments.

I use an inexpensive rubber stamp to stamp my name on all my file materials—and I don't loan files! In seconds I can find anything I have and use it.

Every chapter in this book has lots of useful information, but I think this is one we all would benefit from. I had to dig trough notes on my desktop yesterday to find my daughter's address to mail something she left here over the weekend. Too much paper!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:14 PM

I started about 6 or 7 years ago collecting all those newspaper clippings about us or events we've participated in (etc.), pub schedules, gig posters, Bob Nilson caricatures, souvenirs, etcet, etcet into page protectors and collecting those into 3-ring binders. Called it "Life's Melody" and started out with 3 binders. I now have 24 and everything is not in them. Some of the earlier ones have several years per binder, but the more recent ones have several binders per year. And I started adding photos. And I have a "calendar" in front of what happened during that year (culled from the notes on my calendars which I've compulsively kept). There are still some accumulations (like the Stone Church calendars from the '80s) which have not been added -- but only because I can't FIND them!

I've got a whole ROOM (it seems) full of scraps of scribbled paper which needs to have SOMETHING done with it -- archived in an electronic file, transferred to a list, calendar, archive. Mostly for the past 40-ish years I've just kept everything on 3x5 file cards -- addresses, notes for speeches I've given, interesting things heard or seen, quotations from books or articles And I've got many file drawers filled with the cards. (Hmmm...Tom and I spent hours reading them on one of our first dates.) Alas, they aren't actually organized so I can FIND anything. I've started any number of times, but...

There used to be a great computer program -- very simple and elegant -- whose interface was a 3x5 filecard -- and everything was completely searchable. By the time I found out about it, the company that owned it made it more complicated, then more expensive, then stopped supporting it and I think it reverted to the developer. But now I can't remember what it was called. Sigh. I know I still have a demo around on one of my archive discs (probably a Zip disc). But it was best (to my mind) when it was in its simplest form -- because then it acted like that collection of scribbles ... but searchable!

Linn, who evidently has left her brain in her sock drawer

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:23 PM

I'm sitting in the smallest room and it's the most cluttered! There simply is no room to put anything out of the way whilst tidying other surfaces.

But, most of the shelves are labelled so I know where everything should go... even the cat got a label one day.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 07:34 PM

How'd the cat get a label stuck to it?!? My two wouldn't hold still for that. (Well, maybe Sabine, but she'd give me one of her superior looks.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,Logged Out
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 08:55 PM

I logged out because I need a safe place to talk anonymously, from time to time, about a particular type of de-cluttering; I'll probably send Joe a PM at some point so he's not confused about who is posting.

I need to de-clutter my mind. Apparently some strange events I'd been wondering about were three fairly small strokes a few years ago (according to CAT scan and the doctor I trust). It sure explains a lot. I know how I got the strokes, and I do not expect to have any more of them; my doctor agrees.

Now I need to find a good safe place to dump the fears and frustrations that have clustered around the change in how I think. Oh, I'm still way too brilliant-- no worries about that--but it's not all wired in series anymore and I know if I let the blockages (clutter) drain away in tears, etc., the miraculous brain will take care of its own re-wiring and I'll be a new woman. I'm looking forward to getting to know her, in fact.

Wish me well and I'll keep you posted.

LO

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 09:34 PM

Welcome LO. I have similar decluttering to do regarding the chronic migraines from which I've begun to recover. I do wish you well, and encourage you to move forward, a step at a time. Send me pm if I can help in some way.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 10:49 PM

The stuff we are discarding, redistributing, recycling, trashing, selling, etc., is baggage on various levels. I for one know that some of what is going out the door lifts weight from my spirits not just because of the space it clears but because of the associations that can go away as well.

Perhaps as you sort through mental clutter you'll also sort and file and discard objects in your surroundings that will help you visualize the brain de-cluttering and moving on. Or maybe this is the kind of clearing that needs a nice hot burn, a bonfire or something smaller, a chiminea or barbecue ceremony. Even a flame as tiny as a candle, lit at the proper time, can clear the air.

Good luck!

I picked up lumber, 2x4 cedar boards, for my outside table. Tomorrow I'll do some measuring and see what I come up with. I would love to have my outdoor cooking table ready to go as the summer heat arrives, and this could do it!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:27 PM

Oh--and I cleared out a few more file folders in the cabinet today and set up a container for the maps.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 11:30 AM

Thinking about Liz's difficulties in getting going:

Adaptive reuse is a part of decluttering. Finding a use for something that has gone unused or underutilized, or getting really creative with the stuff in the space you have. This isn't necessarily about getting rid of, but about compressing or reorganizing stuff. Rather than focusing on all of the stuff you haven't been able to get to, is there some task or organizational job you need done that you can accomplish with something that is sitting around the house?

When I lived in an apartment before this house I was forced to put storage shelves in the living room. I didn't like looking at the random boxes, so I got some pretty wrapping paper and I wrapped the outside of the boxes (these were like printer paper boxes, and sometimes I did the lid in a contrasting color). I was stuck with the contents, though I think by handling it was able to thin some out, but at least it didn't look so bad, it was a rather festive corner of the room.

Also, if it didn't work to start with the smallest room, how about a component? Start with a drawer. Organize it and work outward from there. One drawer. Then two. Okay?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 03:44 PM

Good day today. The answer is obviously to have a pub lunch and snooze on the train coming home.

I got home at about 4 and then spent an hour or more in the garden, so we now have a de weeded path!

I also cut some of the low branches of the buddliea bush down too, so the cats can sit in the garden and the birds in the bush above them can see them coming.

Replenished the bird feeder and hope to see some tits back out there soon.

Trouble is, just as I start feeling good and thinking 'Yay, I can do this', Manitas comes in and makes comments about the bits I didn't do yet. Humphf... just can't win, can you.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 03:46 PM

While I was going thru a box of articles last night, I found a 2005 article from the NY Times, which had a depression screening quiz. I also found the completed forms that I filled out in April & September of 2005. I went from "moderate depression" to "mild depression" then.

I took the quiz again this morning, and now I'm at "minimal depression". Now there's nothing scientific about it, but it does reflect how much better I'm doing now, than I was a few years ago.

It may take a few more tries, but I've made a start. I'll get it together eventually.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 03:56 PM

Since Manitas just had a b-day, one assumes he is all grown up and can do those bits himself, eh?!**bg**

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 04:58 PM

Negative observations about the work you are or aren't doing are not only not helpful, they are destructive. Politely request that Manitas help with these tasks, and that he not say a word. Those are the choices. Positive feedback is required with this work.

BTW, Liz, I thought I'd rescue a few plants my neighbor gave me some weeks ago in a plastic bucket. The lambs ears have expired but the daylilies still were viable. I picked up the bucket and tipped the whole ball of dirt into my hand, to be met by a toad that lives in the bucket! Peep! was the protest, so I tipped the whole wad back into the bucket, careful not to squash or trap him. I pulled the lilies out carefully and they're in the ground.

I'm doing a major eye-strain editing task today, so every two hours I go outside and dig for about five minutes. It helps refocus my eyes, gives me a break, and is slowly helping clear out the corner by the porch.

Do you know the feeling you get when you have been outside on a hot day, when you walk in the door of the darkened house? You're met by cool air, and there is a look that needs to go with that cool sensation. Part of that solid yet simple Hemingway/Mission southwest feel (the simple act of getting into heavy shade, whether in a house or under a porch or ramada can bring a wonderful sense of comfort). This week I seem to be working on that intersection, from the garden and porch through the doorway and the room immediately inside.

Maryanne, it takes some perspective to be able to see progress like you report. When you're doing work on your own behalf I think you help with the forward momentum. Good work! (And remember, depression is normal, it is often part of a healthy adjustment to things going on in your life.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 07:16 PM

Thanks, SRS. I think that since I've gotten older, the highs aren't quite as high, but the lows aren't quite so low anymore, either.

Starting on another box tonight, but it won't have my full attention. There's a hockey game on tonight. But I'll do my cheer-leading in the Stanley Cup thread.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 12:23 AM

I cut one of the cedar boards to see how it will work on my new old table. Four pieces and a couple of inches left over out of a 2x4x8. I'll use a sander to smooth the surfaces and round the corners, then space them and stabilize with backer underneath held on by carriage bolts. This is clearly an important component of the de-cluttering process--if you kept something because you're going to use it or fix it, then use it or fix it now so that's done and over with.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 04:06 AM

To be fair, Manitas does do a great deal around the house, without being asked, told or nagged... he's a compulsive tidier and I'm not.

But it is disheartening when you've spent ages doing one thing to have that ignored and the one thing you didn't do picked up on.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 04:20 AM

My dining room is pretty much packed up into boxes, just need to pack up the books and there's lots of them. Sheet music and music/song books have been packed up ready too.

Over the weekend I decluttered my wardrobe and it felt fantastic! I had SO many clothes that even pregnant are far too big for me. I've passed on a number of good quality suits to a friend who will get use out of them, there were 2 big bags of clothing that went to the charity shop and there was one bag of newish prepregnacy clothes which I will get back into by Yule. My once very full wardrobe is now very empty, but I suppose it won't take me long to fill it again! All harry's small clothes have been vaccuum packed and we've started packing toys up too...without him noticing too much! The child has far too many toys!

I've got the day to myself, supposedly for rest and relaxation but there is a pile of material and wool that needs sorting out that I should really get done before the boys get home!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 06:53 AM

" But it is disheartening when you've spent ages doing one thing to have that ignored and the one thing you didn't do picked up on."

Perhaps that's the one decluttering of the mind and spirit that needs immediate attention then. Sometimes family and friends can do harm without meaning to. This is an important point to clear up.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 11:07 AM

I agree. Celebrate the thing being done right now.

Progress in the yard. This is the cast iron form I plan to turn into a primitive outdoor table. I don't like to use chemically imbedded pressure treated wood so I picked up cedar planks. A few cuts puts me to this point in the job. It is roughed in, enough for today. My next step is to get out the sander and smooth the ends and round the edges for drainage. After that I'll put a board underneath each side and use carriage bolts to fasten them in place. These board surfaces will be removable. I'll consider if there is any modification that can be done with the upstanding former feet. Maybe a low wind screen or tool or implement rack?

I was able to do this little job very quickly (four cuts in four boards) because I've cleared out the garage junk that was an impediment to reaching the workbench and the tools. Success breeds success.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 03:12 PM

Light shredding at lunchtime has removed another expanding file (used to be in a box in my closet). Gives me about 1 square foot more of clear office floor.

Last day of school for my son. My time utilization curve may vary wildly for a while.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 04:40 PM

Well, I started in my office. I packaged up two books to be sent to two different friends and got another listed on ebay. Moved some give-aways to the living room where they wait for boxes. My goal is to free up the shelves in the office for the containers I will get and for the resurrection the ring binders I used to use like Linn was talking about. I think I would use ebay more if it just didn't take so darn long. I had a problem with it not taking my International shipping option. Finally gave up after they reported it to their tech dept. I have one more book to list, today, then maybe I will get more done, tonight. I also got a few things filed and put away.

Your table is going to really look nice, Maggie. Your backyard looks really pretty!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 05:46 PM

I have a lot to list on eBay, and I think that will happen more as the hot weather forces me indoors. I can't resist gardening while it's possible. Kat, the yard looks great now because we had good rain this spring. It's a struggle to keep some green area for the dogs once it gets really hot here. I usually have one of the circular pulsing sprinklers that I put in the center of that area so it hits the grass and those trees and shrubs you see. The back end of the yard turns brown. We've had high temperatures and high steady winds for the last two days so I think we're shifting into that dry period quickly.

It's nice when the stuff you don't need can go to someone you know who can use it. It goes from being clutter to a gift--what a great transformation!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 02:30 AM

Another hour in the garden, another two bags of garbage to go.... it's getting there!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 06:58 AM

Huzzah Liz! Good for you!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 07:15 AM

Fantastic Liz!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 02:57 PM

There is a Scottish Festival in Arlington this week, but my pocketbook and internal thermometer will limit my participation to probably an afternoon and evening, or morning and afternoon. Looks like it's time to get some more eBay items listed, and sort garage sale stuff for next week. And the garden is gradually coming along, a couple of square feet at a time (summer water restrictions are in place now so I'm having to discretely water small sections before I pull out grass by the roots).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 04:41 PM

Well, I supervised four hours of de-cluttering for my sister, today!**bg** I watched as the movers carefully re-boxed everything in her storage space and loaded it on the truck to go to Alaska. Hahahaha! Actually, I will be doing some de-cluttering of my own thanks to her empty boxes they left behind. I will use them to move out books.

Ah, Maggie, I know what the heat and dryness can do to a nice green yard. It's the same here, but we do have rights to irrigation water, so it helps a bit, except that we only use it to drip as we don't have a pump.

Yeah, LtS!!!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Alice
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 10:59 PM

Just spent the last hours cleaning out kitchen cupboards of old spices, stale products, etc.
Cleaned down shelves and refaced all packages forward, more organized.
What a relief to have that done! Now there is open space and I can see everything that is in there at a glance.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 11:25 PM

Good work Liz--I followed your lead by digging weeds and thinning out more irises this evening. I progressed a few more feet as I work my way along the foundation on the front.

In my house de-cluttering operation, I cleared a bunch of cut tile pieces off of a picnic bench on my back patio. It has been there for several years because it didn't really need to go anywhere and I haven't finished all of the tile work in the house. The porch looks better without all of that and the pieces are now parked in the garage in a box. I have to finish tiling areas in the house so I kept this for now. I should finish the flooring this summer to get that job out of the way.

During the week I finished shredding paper in front of a desk in my office and now I need to work on removing the stuff on top. And the eBay stuff awaits. . .

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 05:17 AM

Took about 50 old cassette tapes to my sister-in-law. She has a device she can play them on, which I don't, and I'm tired of waiting for JIK or son John to rig the stereo so we can transfer the music to CD. I know I'm going to regret getting rid of some of them, as they are not findable on CD, but it cleared a big spot on the living room floor where the tapes and their containers were.

Also took a big box of books down to her. In retaliation, of course, she sent two sacks of "stuff" back with me, but I think I'm ahead this time, at least temporarily...

Liz, yay for getting some decluttering done in the garden! I refuse to even look at the back yard, or I'd be running in circles trying to figure out what to do with that.

JIK scanned and "stitched" my family scrapbook for me so I can send it to a relative in Iowa, and is putting another file through OCR to send to the museum in my little home town, so computer/favor backlogs are being decluttered also. And why am I not doing both the above? Because he's the only one with the programs on his machine to do them... in other words, it's his own darned fault! (Of course, he did a beautiful job, so I certainly am not going to complain in his presence--LOL).

Son and soon-to-be-ex daughter-in-law have been moving things out of the back bedroom; the two dogs are now gone (one with DIL, one tonight with son); the laundry room is cleared out to where you can actually see the floor--Whew! I'm getting giddy just thinking about it. It's possible I may soon actually have a guest room for the first time in five years!

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 10:51 AM

That is the height of luxury, Lin, having a bona fide guest room! I have a room that I'll fix up one of these days. It's full of my daughter's stuff now, but I don't expect she'll move back. We'll set her things in a corner (a big corner--it needs weeding!) and go from there. I have a front room with a comfortable futon that is the guest room now, but it doesn't have a door.

I had my son sort through all of the stray papers around his computer and in his backpack. The school year ended on Thursday, he won't use most of these again, but I wanted him to go through, not just accept my edict that the papers must go and throw them. He needs to learn to fight his own paper battles.

I've figured out a loop I can make to get rid of stuff and stop at the feed and seed store to pick up some gardening items. I may also swing by the Scottish Festival (but I need to take a cooler so my tricogramma wasps don't deploy inside the pickup in the warmth while I'm listening to the music!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 02:09 PM

My plans for the weekend got side-tracked just a bit, because my power went out last night. Actually the whole block went out. On the hottest, most humid day of the year so far, with everyone running their air-conditioners, a power line broke behind the house. It sparked and crackled all night, but the fire dept said all we could do is wait for Edison.

Oooh. I just heard beeping. The power just came back on. Things are looking up. Good job, Edison folks.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 07:51 PM

Let your light shine...glad you have them back on, Maryanne!

I finally was able to do some real de-cluttering today. Not the usual stuff, but some really deep stuff. Got three BIG bins out of the office, went through them. Got them whittled down to just one, with a bunch of recycles, giveaways, and other stuff to be filed. AND, I shredded 2-3 years of bank statements. That was great!!! More to go and the living room and office look disaster areas, but there is an end to the chaos coming, I can see it.:-)

Also, now have the boxes to put the books in AND my two books on eBay have garnered interest. There are six people watching one and two people watching the other one I put up. I also have more stuff to put on ebay now that I feel will sell successfully. I intend to use the money to get our kitchen floor done, finally!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 08:01 PM

Alas, sometimes you get reinforcement that a certain amount of clutter is good. Today we put together an interesting booth for the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival at the Seacoast Local Festival in Portsmouth, NH out of stuff we've got lying around the house.

I found a blue tablecloth that I had forgotten I owned. Covered the top of the table and table cloth with place mats of maritime charts. Used a fountain base (rectangular metal "box") to hold the flyers (next time I'll cover the bottom of the box with shells, just for interest) and displayed a repro harpoon (made by Tom's former students), a deck light prism, repro scrimshawed whale's tooth and belaying pin. Guest BB brought a cardboard concertina suitable (safe!) for children to handle, some books and a festival scrapbook. We also contributed nautical flags (signalling "Splice the Main Brace") that we acquired about 20 years ago. We had two banners from previous years that we duct taped no longer current info out of sight on and hung them and the signal flags from the tent and on the front of the table.

We were winging it (once again) but, damn, it looked good! Effective, too -- picked up some contributions for the festival as well as more local interest.

Oh! And at one point when I was duct taping the nautical flags to the top of the tent I realized I had my arm extended straight up and I hadn't even thought about it!!! (Means all m my hard work and the physical therapy is working!)

AND, before I left for the Seacoast Local Festival, I Freecycled some clutter that I DON'T want to have around any longer.

Accomplished day. (Plus I came home to a phone call from a friend about a possible job opportunity. Yeehah!)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 12:52 AM

Interesting juxtaposition between Kat getting some "real de-cluttering done" and Linn who found an excellent use for the clutter around the house.

This is a line I am trying to be aware of as I work. There are useful things that may be in the way now and what they need is a place to reside, not to be summarily tossed in the Goodwill box. And there are things that I simply will never use, and if for some strange reason I should need, I can probably find one just like it at the thrift store.

Before completing this post and hitting "submit message," I took a few minutes and weeded out several hundred pages of stuff off of the second work surface in my office (it's two file cabinets about 16" apart with a plank of sanded plywood on top). It still has stuff needing sorting, but this was some printouts and newspaper clippings I don't need that are now about 3" of cellulose in the recycling bag. I compressed the stuff that remained on that work area and picked up all of the remaining stacks of paper from the floor and put them on it. There are still a few objects on the floor, but all paper is up. (Wow! Look at all of the dust kittens!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 10:57 AM

I have been thinking of that "place to reside" for the stuff which might be useful, but is not needed just now, too, Maggie. I think that is where the see-through smaller bins on shelves may come in. For now, I am happy to whittle it down the way I did yesterday. Last night, I got my second wind and did more in the office. It's starting to show!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 11:47 AM

Isn't it wonderful to walk into a room that has improved so much? My office has a lot of empty floor space now, and looks much better. Someone dissed Martha Stewart on that "Rod McKuen is to Poetry" thread, but she has a lot of good stuff in her magazine, including some useful storage ideas. And if you look at the article photos, they are uncluttered. She is onto the idea that anything can look good if there isn't too much of it. :)

I tidied my laundry room this morning. And before I go out to mow and garden I'm going to move some of those good paint cans into that lowest cupboard in the kitchen. Might as well use it to store the long-term need-to-keep items since it doesn't work for kitchen stuff.

I used to keep a basket of emergency food in that cupboard, but there really isn't a need to keep it there. I can simply put that basket on a less-used shelf of my six-shelf chrome wire rack in my sun room. http://tinyurl.com/4dchuo. And this was a wonderful Martha Stewart idea. I think they used the photo to show the trick with the bungee cord, but I saw these shelves and knew there was an answer to having no pantry. I had a shelf like this for craft stuff, but when I saw this article I moved crafts to the closet and started my movable pantry. If you can't get this link to work, visit www.marthastewart.com then search on "Supply-Securing cord." It was an idea in her August 2006 magazine.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 04:24 PM

At least half of de-cluttering is finding a real home for the stuff you're keeping. It's not enough just to edit and redistribute what is excess and in the way, but to organize the stuff you've got so you actually can FIND it when it's needed.

For too long I've been hanging on to stuff because it's too good to throw away, or I might need it "sometime" (now if I haven't found a use for it in 20 years, it's GONE), or worse yet, somebody ELSE might need it sometime.

I desperately want to dispose of the stuff that's not important so I can FIND the stuff that is. And the stuff I'm keeping needs to have a proper and logical place.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 04:44 PM

To borrow from Linn:

At least half of de-cluttering is finding a real home for the stuff you're keeping.

We need to find a succinct statement to describe the philosophy behind this process and make it a virtual etching, such as a crawling screen saver on the computer monitor, so it serves as a reminder without occupying any space.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 12:22 AM

I'm ready to crash after a long day in the garden, but a couple of times when I came in to get more water and cool off a little I went through files and pulled out stuff I don't need. I had at least a ream of paper from a textbook chapter I wrote a few years ago. I printed it out frequently in case the power died and I lost my electronic files (as you get near the end of a large project like that paranoia sets in). That all went in the bag of paper recycling that was dropped off at the bin behind city hall on a run to the store.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 12:43 AM

How about:

A Spot for Every Treasure - A Treasure for Every Spot?

Should be even more succinct, though, I think.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 02:15 AM

Kat--

Having "treasures for every spot" is how I got into this mess! Don't think that one will work for me... :>)

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 03:08 AM

That's a lovely sentiment Kat, but I have a lot of spots on my wallpaper.... and the walls are rapidly filling up with shelves of stuff!

Another day of sorting papers today, it's too hot to play in the garden and the bin is full of stuff already.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 09:24 AM

Though it hasn't been mentioned by name, the whole concept of "carbon footprint" has a role in deciding how much stuff is realistic for me to keep or maintain. Those online calculators always seem to get Americans on the the size of our houses. I don't think mine is very large, and on the various house design and remodel programs, this would be considered small. Yes, I bought this much house to be able to spread out and enjoy this much stuff, but I bought it more for the large yard and proximity to a creek and woods.

I'm not proposing offloading our houses! But they can run more efficiently and take less of an environmental toll if we do recycle stuff that doesn't need to be in them.

And once we've finished decluttering the house we have more opportunity to plant gardens to sustain our diets, eliminate food miles, and satisfy our souls. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 10:26 AM

Okay, okay, I knew there was something off a bit about it. Back to the drawing thinking cap!:-)

Maggie, yes!

I went through a box of grandparents' books last night and was able to cull eight which I do not want. Of the rest, I think my kids might want several. A few seem to be fairly valuable, besides sentimentally.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 01:30 PM

I guess I'd better get back to work tonight. I must admit, I've been slacking off this weekend. Tonight, I'll start with my bedroom. It needs some remedial tidying.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Alice
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 02:04 PM

Straightened out the tool table and potting supplies in the laundry room.
The room now has an ECHO!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:37 PM

An echo? Now that is extreme de-cluttering!

Rain is predicted today, though so far it has only drizzled. Good time to put out fertilizer, so I took a 5 pound bag of dry molasses (fertilizer for organic gardeners) that has been on the shelf by the door for too long and sprinkled it around a few of the beds and gardens I've been working turning over and planting. It may drive the fire ants crazy, or it may push them away, like my organic guru Howard Garrett claims. The yard smells like molasses now.

The room my daughter used (my future guest room) has a closet that has long been plagued by eau-de-cat-pee, and I finally found the source, a rolling backpack set to the side that one of my annoying cats hit some time back. I had to move it away from everything else and go back later to see if that was it, because those of you with cats know that after a little while everything smells like cat pee when you're looking for it.

I decided to wash all of the lower closet rack of clothes (proximity to the pack being one reason). She has been away at school for two years and hasn't worn any of this in ages, but needs a few sets of clothes here when visiting. I'll encourage her to donate a lot next time she visits, and we'll compress this down to a narrow part of the rack so I can put some seasonal things in here.

My office floor has a pretty little throw rug in the middle now, no longer the boxes of paper and books. Nice! (No echo, though.)

SRS (who smells kind of like maple syrup after the molasses episode)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 11:53 PM

Each of you is inspiring me to look around at all of the stuff I have ignored so far. I pulled several garments out of my closet today, I'm sure I'll make several more passes through that small room before I'm finished. Today was cherry-picking the obvious stuff I won't wear any more. I probably have more shoes than I need, but I purged the old and ill-fitting pairs last year, so I'm not too worried about them.

In my office I exchanged the simple throw rug for a small antique Persian carpet that has been rolled up at the side of the den forever. It looks lovely! I'd forgotten I had it.

I've made several trips in and out of Moonglow's bedroom this afternoon. I figured the only way to know for sure that what I hang up is clean is to wash it. I'm on about the fifth load of laundry, one more to go, hanging everything as it comes out of the dryer. I took the sheets off of the bed after excavating through stacks of costume patterns and material and school papers and gadgets and toys and lots of clothes and dust. Her closet is much better and I've been able to hang a fur coat in there, a family antique that I need to donate somewhere. The last batch (this family was from New England and had lots of fur coats) I donated to a theater group in town, I'll probably do the same with this, though I might give it to the theater folks on campus where I work. (My great aunt who owned this was rotund, and this could double as a mink pup tent if need be.)

Since the paint cans vacated my shelving unit to go live in a kitchen cupboard I'll be rearranging the shelving contents later this week. Maintaining already de-cluttered areas is so much easier than how things got done before.

My carbon footprint might in theory be looking a little better, but I'm contributing to the airborne dust particulate now so I'm probably not ahead of anything yet. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 11:06 AM

I gave away a vintage fur coat a few years ago, to a theatre group, also.

I made a pact with myself this morning. I would not sit down, again, at the computer, to work OR play, until I de-cluttered the top of my dresser. (Well, it's really an old buffet which works better then my high boy which is in the office!) I did that, folded some laundry, and straightened up our bedroom. IN the process I found the toenail clippers.:-)

I am curious, do any of you use music to help you with cleaning, de-cluttering? I grew up with music on when we cleaned house. Sometimes I forget to put it on when I get ready to do something around here. This morning, just by chance, I turned on our local community radio station. They were playing some hard rock from "psychedelic" days which reminded me of some fun times (sans drugs!) AND got me energised to really get going on my work. Made the work go faster and easier. Other days I prefer Irish music, folk, some show tunes, and/or classical. What do you like/use, if anything?

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 12:43 PM

Heavy rock, thrash metal and '70s prog stuff.. usually gets me going into manic clean up mode.

Put the Irish stuff on if I need to vacuum.. the cleaner drowns it out nicely. I don't do show tunes. Or hairy plugholes. Maybe there's a connection there?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 12:59 PM

I work best with Cajun and Zydeco music on the CD player. Except if I start dancing to it, and then I stop working.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 06:21 PM

I can't say I have a musical preference. Sometimes just silence and my own thoughts. But there are some disks that get me moving, were I to put them in. I have a CD my dad sent years ago by the Mazeltones called "Dancing With the Children" that is quite energetic. I love Zydeco for this also.

I worked on my pantry shelves today. They're going to look so good! It's nice to pull all of the sauces and seasonings out of the mix and give them their own space, and sort the veggies and fruit cans. Canisters for bulk are down below, and under the shelves I have buckets and a step stool and watering cans. Paper plates and picnic supplies on top, and a space at waist high for the water jugs and canned drink cases.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 07:14 PM

I find the best music to listen to while cleaning the house is Louis Prima -- talk about energy!

Maybe I should listen to Louis Prima more often. ;-)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 08:00 PM

One that really gets me going, if I am in the right mood, is Aqua...Happy boy and happy girls...!

I joined www.paperbackswap.com today and listed my first ten books, then ordered my first two. It was really fast and painless. They've made it very easy and quick to do. My two books on ebay sold, so I will be packaging them and sending them out the door. And, I have several other items I am going to put on ebay either tonight or in the morning. I like seeing the packages pile up at the front door to go to the post office.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 12:23 AM

My neighbor is supposed to have his garage sale this weekend, so I'll stack my items near the door ready to go.

The eBay collection hasn't grown lately, but there is a lot there to be described, photographed and listed. As usual, I can use the extra income!

The pantry shelving isn't in its final form, but it is looking better. My daughter's bedroom/guest room will be in transition for a while. In the same ol' same ol' category, I have toys and clothes and books stacked by the back door (on the same ol' love seat, stacked to capacity again).

And unrealted to all of that, we had fresh Texas peaches for dessert tonight! First of the season.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 02:00 PM

The peaches I've been eating (over vanilla icecream) the past few days are from a friend's trees -- but they've been frozen since last season.

Looks as if I'll have a bit less time to de-accession things -- I just came down with a job. And, though I told them I couldn't start until Monday, I'll be starting Friday after my check-up with my surgeon and registering my car.

Geez, first I can't get a job to save my life, then someone wants me and they want me RIGHT NOW!!!

(It'll be nice to be gainfully employed again.)

More details on my birthday thread -- looks like it's a birthday present!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 06:26 PM

I was poking around closet shelves in my office and have found about three reams of paper that have to do with finishing my thesis. I had dumped some already but more is turning up. The shelves in the office are much clearer, this is stuff that needs careful sorting. I usually have a brown paper bag in the kitchen to put my daily newspaper and junk mail in for recycling, but I've brought one in my office, dedicated to getting printer paper reduced.

You'd think after all of this time of pulling out extra that the house would be airy and clear. Instead, the clutter is less densely packed. I'm not ready to phone a friend to come on over for dinner; I'd still have to move a lot of stuff that is in the way so we could all sit down and eat. But that is a short term goal--before June is over, I want to have the kitchen, dining, and front rooms clear enough to comfortably ask friends over.

Maybe I'll put on the Mazeltones and dance as I clear those rooms. Anyone else have a short-term goal that will help with the work?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 07:52 PM

I just brought in the blue recycling box from the kerb -- another load o' stuff gone from my life. Biscuit tins, this time; I offered them on Freecycle and got no nibbles so out they went. Next is the growing pile of clothes on the guest-room bed, to be packed up in anticipation of the next pick-up call from the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 09:44 PM

I shifted some stuff in my office, today, to make it easier to get to the books I want to list somewhere, all of them old and deserving more than just to be discarded.:-) I also put away some packing materials which have been laying around. Picked up everyday clutter in the kitchen, living room, our bedroom.

Short term: get the kitchen painted and the new floor laid before Micca comes. Not sure IF it will get done or not, but that is what I'd like to get done!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 11:06 PM

I pulled out a spiral notebook that my son used a few pages of in the third grade, removed the used part, and will use it to transcribe notes that are clustered around my computer. Once transcribed, the scraps go IN THE TRASH.

Charmion, I have the same difficulty of discarding pretty or clever containers, but one can have only so many sewing kits or bead boxes or twist-tie bins. I've also recycled some, though exceptional ones turn up at the thrift store so you might get away with a donation to Goodwill.

I cleared a little credenza area (four vertical shelving units that add up to a dozen foot-square cubbies when pushed side-by-side) and put the small television on top. It had been on a box on the floor, the box I built to raise up my last computer (the one that was stolen three years ago). This box can be a step stool somewhere, but it isn't in the office any more.

I met a new neighbor today, and her children needed to use the bathroom. I'm still embarrassed to have people come into the house, so I know I'm not "there" yet. Having Micca come is going to light a fire under you, Kat, I know it! When does he arrive?

Good news Linn, but don't be a stranger over here at the de-clutter thread! Those of us who have naturalist tendencies have some unusual things to give away, and it adds up to interesting stories. (BTW, we did a tarantula flashlight tour with the new neighbors this evening! This after the girl asked to play with a life-size rubber cobra that someone gave me years ago. It lives under a library table, and occasionally gets used in practical jokes.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 12:49 PM

I know what you mean, Maggie. I wonder sometimes, though I could just ask him, if my son doesn't bring his girlfriend over because our house just isn't nice and a showplace like the one they are renting. I don't think I raised a kid to be that shallow and her mom has already been over...I hope I am being a bit paranoid rather than it be true.:-)

I took five packages to be mailed off this morning and cleared some more small piles of stuff around the house. I was getting discouraged thinking it should show more, but I think it's just spread out more as you say, Maggie.

When I look at the general cleaning that has not been done and I think of that AND decluttering I feel a bit overwhelmed. Part of it is because Rog has been MIA when it comes to helping out inside. He's either had to work during the weekend or had to mow the yards and other outdoor stuff to keep ahead of the weeds, etc. He promises to take time off, but I've heard that for several years now.:-)

Micca will be here around the 23rd of July, so maybe I will get the painting done, at least.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 03:26 PM

Cool! A rubber cobra!

I've just got a very realistic rubber snake curled around the beam in the bedroom. I used to have a bigger one curled around the beam in the guest room -- I'll have to see where that one slinked off to so it can greet ClaireBear when she gets here.

Also have a rubber gecko climbing a post downstairs -- I just like to see if anyone notices...

A friend once described our house as looking like the storage wing of the Smithsonian -- I chose to take that as a compliment.

Got rid of an accumulation of egg cartons today (I truly hate to throw out potentially useful things), and a couple magazines. Meant to drop off some yardsale stuff with a retired friend who has a yardsale every weekend, but she wasn't home. It's in the car, so it will get there soon. Hmmm... I wonder if Tami remembers that I'll be bringing her the tape deck this weekend that she "forgot" on the way home from Connecticut over Mother's Day. She may have spaced it, but I haven't. (I was asleep when she got here to pick up her truck.)

This afternoon's project is to extricate the box (on the bottom of the pile, of course) that has the Spinning Wheel magazines in it. Then I can call the guy who is going to PAY me for my accumulations of Wired and Horticulture. Anybody have any ideas as to who might be interested in film magazines from the '80s? I'll have to check out film schools between Boston and NH, I think. And I need to ask the printing museum in Andover, MA if they want a donation of typesetting manuals and other ephemera. Also have to call the guy who buys LPs an see how many I can unload.

And today I Freecycled a bargello kit I'll never get around to doing -- for a pillow I don't need.

While digging around in the cellar the other day I found a bunch more stuff to be eBayed.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 04:08 PM

Wow, Linn! You've been busy and congrats on your arm!!!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 12:31 AM


I cleaned off the dining room table, then pulled a box of odd little speciality cookbooks out from under a stack of clothes and left it on the table to sort tomorrow. These were books my mom collected, a lot of them appear to have been ordered from box tops or came inside the laundry detergent box (not really, but you know the era of free stuff that came with special packaging). I haven't heard a peep from mg about the Women's War Memorial stuff, or the old uniforms, but I saw some uniforms on eBay. Time to box these up, methinks.

I drove over to the office today (I telecommute most of the time now) and took in items I'd been meaning to take back because I don't need them here but didn't want to throw them out. And I picked up some stuff I do need here, so the trip is kind of a wash.

Linn, I hate to tell you how many real and faux critters are in this house and yard. There is a realistic-looking rubber big lizard, looks like a skink, in the window near where the cats lie (here behind the fat calico, for example) and lots of fake bugs. Fossils, feathers, interesting rocks and minerals, skulls, beaver-chewed sticks, you name it, they're around here.

I'm going to have to take some time off this summer, I finally have "use or lose" time, but I'll wait until next week and take Friday. My neighbor was going to do his garage sale this week but it had to be postponed one week. Darn! It's going to be hot out there!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,Logged Out
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 10:09 AM

I de-cluttered something really big today: most of my summer and, in the process, our vacation. I cleared out the planned but very unrealistic mixed-family get-together in favor of a very un-directed, wandering, go-where-we-will, real vacation instead.

I shed some lovely, cleansing tears yesterday as well. A long-awaited passage for someone we care deeply about came to pass, and was marked in a special way yesterday. Big boo-hoo opportunity, the kind where you happy-weep at weddings, only not at a wedding. One result was the image of a couple of places in my life where I know that certain people definitely "have my back," and the idea to look for one or two more folks like that in the places where, as Paul Simon sings, the wind blows. Or-- I could just go to Graceland.

I've reduced expectations in a number of other areas, as well, so I can let my poor brain work itself out in its own time.

LO

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 11:21 AM


Gardening this morning, watering and enjoying the effects of decluttering plants. The cannas that I disliked next to my front porch (they always looked so ragged and they took over more and more space) are thriving at the side of the house, now beginning to bloom. A hummingbird and I were over there admiring them this morning.

I emptied out the box of sponsored cookbooks. Pillsbury, Bisquick, Schilling (McCormick to you Easterners), etc. Some have that truly classic 1960's look, like glistening copper fondue pots on the cover. Looks like kitchens designed a la Frank Lloyd Wright. A few I'll keep, but I'll poke around the advertising ephemera section at eBay for most of these.

I had two rolling three-bin plastic storage things from my Dad's house--an attractive kind of marbled looking plastic, but I didn't need two side by side, so I took the wheels off the second and stacked it on the first. I used the one in the kitchen for my boxes and bins of tea, and it was packed full to overflowing. It might look a little odd for now, it might compel me to rethink how I store tea and spices. Maybe I need a taller shallow shelf (like the one I built in the front room that now holds VCR tapes and DVD movies).

Friday--and the possibility of making enough progress around the house this weekend that it won't be embarrassing to have the neighbors in! Perhaps I will reach that short-term June goal!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 04:44 PM

Contemplating starting work on the cellar -- the bins, the dreaded bins ..

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,Logged Out
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 06:03 PM

My thanks to a couple of you; you know why.

LO

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 08:27 PM

I don't have a cellar, I'm on a slab. But I still have managed to store a heckuva lot of stuff around here.

I decided this afternoon to give myself the VIEW of a serene clear kitchen, so I'm slowly but surely, once again, clearing off the kitchen counter in the middle of the room. The staging area for everything, the spot that ends up sticky or covered with crumbs, where meals are prepared and sometimes eaten, where fruit ripens, the bread box sits, where the mail sometimes is set, where drink glasses pile up (there are two of us in the house--I have to remind my son that he doesn't need to use 8 different glasses in a day. Last year I marked spaces on the counter with painters tape, for each of us to keep the one glass we use that day. I'll have to do it again.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jun 08 - 10:56 PM

I opened up my front door to come inside this evening and I *saw* my whole living room, dining room as if I was newcome or a stranger and I saw clutter and no sense of order/decor. It made me even more determined to change things. I like the idea of taking everything out and then putting back in ONLY what I like and want...what brings a serene feel to the place.

No calls on the chair I am trying to sell. I may have to give it away.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 12:38 AM

Donate it and claim the sales prices as a tax deduction. Make sure the price is reasonable, keep a photo, etc. IF you know of a comparable sale somewhere, keep a note of it.

That trick of being able to see your house through the "eyes of a stranger" is a good one. It also happens (unbidden) when a strangers or friend who doesn't usually visit your home walks into your house and you turn back to see how it looks.

I've moved a few things around this evening, set more out for the garage sale next weekend.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 10:17 AM

Even better is when you de-clutter and clean, and then you're gone for a few days and come back. Or even when you only go to bed for the night and forget you did all that work, and you walk in on your NICE "new" space. THAT is a really nice shock.

I'm the de-clutterer, but Hardi's the cleaner. The other day I came down late, one AM, after he'd left for work, to find that before going to bed the night before he had started the annual summer re-arrangement of the LR-- the post-hockey configuration where the chairs move to the breezy windows after cold drafts are gone for the season. And it really motivated me to de-clut the space that had been next to my main chair, becaue he had simply moved big stuff without waiting for me to de-clut so we could vacuum dog hair and dust as we moved each piece.

He had set his need to clean aside, in foavor of supporting my need to de-clut, and by moving things he had exposed the mess AND made more room to get IN to where it was lurking-- stuff that had tumbled off my chairside table, etc., was now easily reached.

Partnership is SO COOL. The LR always looks huge when we do this-- spacious and breezy and aimed toward the focal points that make us want to keep order. [sighhhhh.....]

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 10:47 AM

I pulled some items from the shelves on one side of the room and arranged them on the mantle. I view that area as a revolving display, but I hadn't set anything there for a while. Now it is an ecclectic mix of avant garde pottery and traditional Indian baskets. Kind of interesting! And this came about because I was moving items on those shelves. I did that while I was watching a couple of Friday night mysteries on PBS and then the very sad but beautifully edited Charlie Rose show, where the hour was dedicated to his old friend Tim Russert, who had visited the program every year over the last 15 years.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 12:23 PM


Donate it and claim the sales prices as a tax deduction

Thank you, yes! I have just called Heirlooms for Hospice and made arrangements to take to them today. I also called my son who is going to give a few houseplants a new home, including a seven foot schiflera, my mom's Christmas cactus, and some Phil O'Dendrons. This will help with the clutter and is something I never would have contemplated before this.

As for short term goals. I think I'd be more realistic in saying I will get the rest of the shutters painted and up before Micca gets here. That I know I can do on my own.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 12:56 PM

Oh, Kat, I hope you realize that Micca is the Prince of Clutter ... but both a gracious host and a downright fascinating guest!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 01:45 PM

I have had a successful day!!!

I decluttered and de-stickied the big kitchen cupboard today. Evicted all the out of date packets that were too far gone or never used - the best was a jar of Saxon recipe savoury spiced fruit sauce that was delicious back in 1999, when it expired, but had turned into something completely different. It did give my silver spoon a good shine though.

I consolodated packets, threw out dried up stuff, rearranged the racking and put the pasta and rice into its new storage boxes bought cheaply at the market this morning.

I discovered 3 tubes of tomato paste where yesterday there were none, another packet of chocolate chips, more silver sugar balls than any cake maker could possibly need, and a jar of marmalade I never knew I had.

I also discovered that both my good china mixing bowls have now got big cracks in them, so sadly I've had to say goodbye to my mums 35yr old huge mixing bowl and my own 20 yr old smaller one. Cakes just won't taste the same. But then, neither will they have bacteria from the cracks in them.

Then I started on Limpit's room... don't go there, not if you value your sanity!

So... a good day on the decluttering front - hopefully tomorrow will continue the same way.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 01:51 PM

Does getting rid of money (paying bills) count? LOL Still waiting for HIM to de clut the garage. I don't dare. I'd be shot at dawn, drawn and quartered, drowned, dis owned and divorced!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 02:39 PM

Congratulations, katlaughing!

You've discovered the de-cluttering method of sticking things in an envelope and shipping them off to some poor unsuspecting soul! (Tom thanks you for the book -- I'm looking forward to reading it, too -- we didn't have that particular Curmudgeon collection.)

I've been sending clippings, etc. to select friends over the years, occasional books, too. When I commented that sticking things in envelopes and mailing them off was how I cleaned off my table, another friend asked if I sent them to anyone in particular or just to addresses picked at random from the phone book.

What a concept! "Hi, you don't know me, but here are some interesting things off my table that I thought you might enjoy..."

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 03:00 PM

LMAO...oh, Linn! What a concept! That book made it there quickly! Glad it was one you didn't have; hope you didn't mind the no warning.:-)

Congrats, LtS!!!

Charmion, I *think* I knew that when I hear him talk about how many books and movies he owns and I know he enjoys all of the clutter Unique Knicknacks and Toys at Sinsull's house, but if he wants clutter by the time he gets here, I HOPE I have to tell him to go out to the storage caravan!:-)

I just took a bunch of my artwork off the Red Wall of Art...some goes down the street to my daughter, some will be mailed to my daughter back East and some will be sold or given or put away depending on if I think I'll want to look at it again. It is surprising how differently the wall looks without it all up there! (That picture was taken when it was fairly fresh from painting and before more clutter!)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 04:19 PM

THIS is a big deal to me: It is done. We delivered the Victorian rocker to hospice this afternoon. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 08:41 PM

I found out about a charity garage sale coming up in about 3 weeks, and they're willing to accept donations. So now I'll have a place to pass the "unique collectables" off to. My dining room table is still 95 percent clear. The 5 percent is stuff I take back and forth to work with me.

LTS! You opened the jar??? You must have nerves of steel.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 10:46 PM

Wow! All of you have had VERY productive days! Congratulations, Liz, for conquering the kitchen and breaching the bulwark that is Limpit's room. And Kat, many things we give away or don't need have an identifiable "value," but if they're in the way or not needed, then that value works against you, so this was a good move for that chair. Start a Word document now, date it, insert a photo, state the listing price you felt the chair was worth when you tried to sell it (give a little history if this will help validate the value) and then put it in your files for tax stuff for this year.

I finished clearing off most of the kitchen counter (had a friend over for dinner and I rolled out pizza dough on that counter!)

I puttered with some gardening work--I'm adjusting the watering system here, so I found some short hoses and clamps and such for making an irrigation system for the garden. I'm still battling ants, though this is for the benefit of future fridge or freezer clutter--if I don't get the ants out of the food plants I won't have so much to preserve later. I am also moving around pots for planting (I filled them with a new mix of potting soil today)

Kat, that red wall is a gorgeous color. Is it just one wall in the room? It's a great background for that art.

Linn, I still probably have a few manila envelopes packed around here somewhere, boxes of papers that my parents clipped and mailed. So that's what they were doing--de-cluttering their own houses!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 10:59 PM

Yes, Maggie, you had a friend over and cooked!! Good for you! Thanks for your kind words about the chair. I called the gal back and asked her to call me IF their upholstery person said they couldn't use it. (Bad of me? I just want to know it will go to a good home. I don't see any reason WHY it couldn't be recovered and she did say it was a beautiful old chair.:-)

That wall...oh, how I have loved that wall, esp. the colour, but it feels cluttered and wrong to me, now, even the artwork is going, well some of it. That wall is dead ahead when you come through the front door. On the right, as you come in, is the other red wall with some of the books. Those are some of the books I will be going through, the ones that have been friends for a l-o-n-g time. All of the furniture etc. has been moved and changed since that picture was taken. It's funny to look at those pix...it looks so much better to me then than now! I have a very strong sense of poignant sadness tonight, but a good feeling, nonetheless...feels as though good things are coming/happening...just change which rattles my nerves a bit, even good change.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Alice
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 11:10 PM

Friday I took two boxes and two large bags of clothing to the thrift store. Threw out so much stuff this week the garbage truck driver tagged my garbage can and told me to order a bigger one from the city.
No way. I'm the only one living here now, as Ryan has his own apartment. Just one store room and the garage left to clear out and the house will pretty much be decluttered completely.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 05:39 AM

Smug mode - sorted half the kitchen drawers out today - before breakfast!

Can anyone tell me how we managed to acquire 5 roasting forks, 6 cheese knives (not including the little chisel set), 3 assorted cake slicers, 8 whisks in 3 different styles and no less than 5 spatulas?

When I counted up the knives, there are 5 we use regularly, with another 27 available. So here's a serious question - how do I dispose of carving knives and serrated blades safely, without being labelled a Psycho-watching serial killer, allowing them to get into the wrong hands or damaging a refuse collector?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 08:35 AM

Back to the craft room for more reorganizing this week. It's one of those "but first..." projects: I want to do some machine embroidery work and needed to clear off the sewing table and put things away before I could fight with the laptop computer my embroidery software is (not) working on. I sorted two huge basketfuls of magazines, to take to the recycle bin at Dillon's Grocery, and put the ones I'm keeping in magazine boxes. I still need to label the boxes so I'll know what's in there without having to dig one out. Took care of some telephone calls I've been putting off and scheduled a couple of meetings for this next week. Scanned and organized a bunch of papers and photos my sister-in-law sent back with me from my last visit with her.

No guest room yet; stepson is still in there, AND in the other (storage) room at the back of the house, too. At least I can now see the floor in the laundry room, and the counters, and the top of the dryer--believe me, this is progress. JIK has been cleaning the wooden floor in the dining room (bless his heart), and bleaching out some critter stains from the two dogs who are no longer staying here. The silence from barking is wonderful!

Need to clear papers off my computer desk (AGAIN!) and do some more photo scans--there doesn't seem to be any end to that particular chore, although John does a lot of it for me.

Kat, I like the idea of seeing this place as a stranger would. We never use the front door to come in the house; maybe if I do, it would make it easier to see what needs to be de-cluttered next. The craft room is in the back of the house--not where strangers or friends would normally see it. I think I tend to do more in that room because the things in it belong solely to me and I can dispose of them whatever way I want to. Anything else I either have to have permission to throw it away, or risk getting complaints for "rearranging things so no one can find anything."

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 09:24 AM

Liz- We just fold stiff paper or boxboard around each knife blade (then use tape to secure it) before dropping the excess knives off at a recycling or charity shop. You've really managed a lot of de-cluttering lately: Well done!

It's raining today. We paid $20 for a used clothes dryer yesterday. I will gird my loins and venture into the unused nursery (changing into a guest room) to clear memories and child-things out. The dryer will help me immensely. Now if I can get through this painful clearing, I will then see about locating a replacement agitator for the wringer washer. Hand washing has been hard on me in many ways, but it is what's available for now.

Congratulations to you all for steady efforts in the de-cluttering department.

Yesterday morning, after transplanting more corn and squash, I decluttered a little more from the "Potted plants needing ground to be prepared and then planted" area. For the first time on weeks, I chose to plant one of the rose bushes and planted it just for my pleasure. It's a Morden Sunrise, and I planted it next to our new gate: a metal headboard (found at a church yardsale for $2) with a sunrise design. I'll be painting the gate periwinkle, with a warm butter yellow sun.

When the guest room clearing is well underway, I'll plant another rose just for our babies- Goldstern (Gold Star) shrub rose.

Warm regards to all who are clearing out and regaining tranquility and space.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 10:42 AM

The LR conversion to the summer configuration is going well, as slowly as it needs to for the high humidity and busy weekend we're having, but it is approaching that moment of critical mass where it's more "done" than "cluttered-and-impossible to get-done." How I can tell, aside from my own subjective sense, is that the dogs think the room is big enough now to wrestle in it. :~)

A surprising number of the extension cords that go with this process are right where I think they should be. Even the remote that controls a hard-to-reach fan (cools the LR all night long) was about a 30-second find.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 12:19 PM

Last night I was so tired when I posted that I turned off the computer and went to bed early. This morning I realized that of course I was tired, I'd also mowed the back yard (the big one) and mixed a big batch of potting soil and filled several pots along with the other stuff on my list.

Liz, do you think that now you've discovered them you might put a few more of those knives into use? Before I give away something like that I will use it a time or two to see if it is more useful than I thought. I have a couple of knives from my Dad's house that look quite ornamental, they are handmade and in their own leather cases, but I almost got rid of them as too fussy. Finnish fish fillet knives. When testing them, they really are the best thing for filleting fish, and they are also the best knives around for filleting mangoes. :) Oh, it is also my experience that you can never have to many spatulas (if we're talking about the rubber-scraper variety).

Alice, good job! You'll simply have to pace yourself, or get a few neighbors to help share your trash. I had a stack of fence slats that I wanted to get rid of but it wasn't time for bulky waste yet, so I took portion of the pile to the curb each trash day. It took at least three weeks (Monday and Thursday pickups) to get rid of it all. Plus, we have a recycle center near us and bulky trash can also be dropped off. I live in Edgecliff and it serves Fort Worth, but since I have a Fort Worth mailing address I can use it. I have a copy of the ex-spouses water bill handy in case I need it.

Linn, my craft room is where I also do my eBay stuff, and it is getting pretty full again. If I hadn't been so tired last night I'd have sorted and maybe listed a couple of things. It's the yard work in heat that really takes it out of you--quiet pursuits like researching old plates made in Northern Alberta just doesn't keep me awake after a day of lugging bags of dirt and compost.

maeve, I have used a wringer washer a few times, and my hat is off to you. They're a lot of work. My mother used one at our lake cabin where I spent all of my summers until my early teens.

Susan, extension cords are scary. Two or three years ago the fire marshal at the university literally banned them (at the university library) and made us switch to power strips (got compliance by threatening to seize any equipment that was plugged in, like radios, etc.), so at home I've gotten rid of most of mine, unless they are used for one small item and only because they go to a plug hard to reach otherwise. You might want to upgrade to power strips that are rated to resist electrical storm events. Much less fire hazard.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 12:57 PM

Thank you SRS. The wringer was so much easier than doing the wash by hand and washboard that it seemed a disaster when its agitator wore out. Well, it was a disaster, come to think of it :) I can almost remember the pure pleasure of using modern appliances. What we have is better than what we had, and I'm grateful.

Can't use the dryer until I manage the nursery battle, and I haven't managed that yet.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 03:22 PM

I wish we could all come over and help you, Maeve, even if all we did was sit and visit with you while you went through it all. {{{hug}}}

We took the seven foot schefflera, my mom's good-sized Christmas cactus, and two philodendrons to our son and his family, today. Now there is an very empty looking corner in the living room and I have decided NOT to fill it up! Rog was sweet when we came home and I was looking at it. He said, "Gettin' there...one houseplant at a time!" Of course he was grinning.:-)

My office is where I dump everything and do everything...ebay, books, jewellery, Morgan's arts and crafts, etc. I am grateful for the space being mine.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 05:31 PM

Wow! Sounds like there might be another echo in a Mudcatter home. Those plants had to muffle a lot of sound.

I've come in to cool off for a few minutes and eat a juicy grapefruit; we broke 100 today. I've been moving slowly around outside, staying in the shade, puttering. Working on a new drip irrigation system (dropped a timer and broke off the spigot--no way to fix that, darnit. Had to get another timer, and settled for one like the old fashioned kitchen timer that ticks down the minutes, isn't electric or programmable.)

Before I went out this morning I did another pass over the central kitchen counter. I had removed a lot of stuff that didn't belong there, but then I looked at the stuff that is always there but is never used. Cork-topped phone pad, recipe card holder (too fancy to use), a glass tray, ornamental things (there is a little shelf that is better for those anyway). The whole thing finally looks airy, not just the outer 2/3 of it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 12:56 AM

I transplanted an agave and a cactus from a place where I put them three years ago that turned out to not be a great place for them. The big agave has been planted (oops--forgot to give it a little water) and the spineless cactus moved. I have a whole bunch of baby agaves I may poke in the back yard and turn into an agricultural enterprise. A neighbor tells me that these things are expensive in the grocery store.

I've been letting a soaker hose soften up the ground beside the driveway (next to where this agave was) and I'm going to dig it up for another bed, the next part of the veggie garden.

There's a toad out hoping around in the tomato patch this evening, happily gobbling up June bugs.

I'm bushed.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 03:05 AM

Stilly - the knives are all ones that we haven't used for years - and I kept a selection of the sharper, more useful ones. How did we get two grapefruit knives (The ones with the bent blades) when neither of us eat grapefruit? In one of my mother's choicer phrases, some of them 'you could ride bare-assed to Bridport on and never notice'.

Besides - most of them are single bevelled edges and of course, they bevel to the right. Me being left-handed, I can't used single bevelled blades very well, without spraining my wrist in particularly hard cheese. So they're the ones that have gone. The remaining ones are double bevelled or serrated edge.

It's tough being a southpaw in a northpaw world.

It's the turn of the ovenware cupboard today...

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:22 AM

I never thought of that! We don't have grapefruit knives--I always peel it and eat it like an orange (after peeling off that tough membrane on each section). My favorite knives are some straight blade high carbon steel knives that I sharpen every so often on a stone. I agree with the earlier suggestion about wrapping the unwanted knives in a stiff sleeve of newspaper and taping it shut. Mark it clearly and hand it off to the thrift shop folks.

Sounds like you've gotten a toehold on the declutter process--kitchen cabinets can provide almost endless entertainment and a strong element of nostalgia. I have a couple of stacks of my mother's old booklet-style cookbooks on the dining room table. In the last couple of weeks I've had visitors who sat and looked through them and would burst out with some particularly unappetizing or truly remarkable food combination (last night Moonglow found a recipe for a celery stick appetizer that called for a can of Dinty Moore sausages (I thought they only made canned stew), pureed, 1 cup of sauerkraut juice, and I can't remember the third ingredient. Cheese? Anyway, it was ground up and piped into the celery and laid out for a snack. Yuck! But what fun to get to that Yuck, sitting around the kitchen table looking at 40 and 50 year old and older cookbooks. Maybe instead of an eBay fate, these need their own shelf in the kitchen, and can come out as ice breakers during social gatherings?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 11:38 AM

Piles. I like piles or rather I like to make piles. Now that I have a little free time on my hands, I decided to tackle the bathroom. Oh, the big stuff is clean, sink, toilet and tub but there are these wonderfully deep shelves that RidgePlucker built for me. They are great for storing stuff but the problem is, I have been piling stuff there while running to get ready for work, yoga, kayaking, WITO, etc. and I have forgotten what is there, not to mention it has gotten rather dusty. Okay. It had to work for awhile but today I took care of it. It looks SO much better and I feel so much better having completed it instead of looking at it every time I go into the bathroom. I also cleaned out our medicine cabinet. I threw out 24 (YIKES! Yes, I know!!!) boxes of expired meds, many of them either new or barely used (we don't like to use lots of meds here, only when really necessary). I ended up with a ton more room in the cabinet, only 4 boxes of remaining meds (mostly cold meds) and a few bottles of Advil/Tylenol that kind of thing. Ahhhhh, yes. It looks and feels SO much better. De-cluttering feels GREAT!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 01:07 PM

When I had my bathroom remodeled a few years ago, I deliberately did not install a medicine cabinet. I have a shelf for the toothpaste/brush & floss only. Any other meds go in my nightstand. And the bonus, there's nothing for nosy visitors to snoop in. Ha-ha.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 01:29 PM

Grapefruit peeling-- best way to get the rind-lining off is to open up the peeled grapefruit with your fingers, making two halves. Peel each section out of the rind-liner. It's much easier to get at it from that angle.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 02:30 PM

((((maeve))))
nursery battle

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 04:16 PM

Grapefruit knives are bent so that you can slip it around the edge of a halved fruit, making it easy to lift it out for eating and it avoids that unfortunate squirting when a spoon is inserted. One never eats grapefruit with ones fingers.

I never did get around to that other cupboard today. Went to work and was exhausted when I got home.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 06:40 PM

Thanks, Susan. It is a battle.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 07:24 PM

Well, I finally tackled the china cabinet today. Unfortunately, the china cabinet won. I have a whole cabinet full of glassware Fostoria Chintz . Some of it started out as wedding presents to my parents, but I have been adding to the collection ever since. I don't want to part with it, because I use it for company (holiday parties, etc). But right now, I can't because it's so crowded that, if I take anything out, I'm afraid I won't be able to get it back in. I took out the non-Chintz stuff, and it filled up my diningroom table.

Conclusion: I must buy an additional china cabinet/hutch/dresser thing. I have space in the diningroom, and there's a nice second-hand furniture dealer here in town. I'll go shopping over the weekend.

If I can get one of the bookcases out of the livingroom, it won't look so crowded.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:09 PM

I know it is. But look who comes out on top. :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:31 PM

Liz, I can't think of the last time I saw someone eat grapefruit that fussy way. I remember doing that when we were kids and it seemed silly then. In my teens I was well down the path of a hardened grapefruit abuser, boldly and blatantly peeling and sectioning them.

Maryanne, I could use a china cabinet also, but I don't have room for one now. Maybe some day. I do have built in shelves in the living room and right before the burglary (Feb. 2005) I was all set to have a glass company come in and put up sliding doors over the shelves so I could use them for display and keep out a lot of the dust. That money got used for deductibles instead.

Everything got done early today, pets fed, etc. because we had a little false alarm emergency (a trip to the ER with a kid who felt much better by the time we got there, so we came home.) I have work to do for work, but I think I'll also go sort the cardboard boxes run amok in my eBay room. And I have some t-shirts to list that one of the cats slept up against for days or weeks before I realized it. Masking tape then a trip through the wash and keep those out of her reach. (I'm so sick of cleaning up cat barf, cat hair, cat pee and cat litter--does anyone want two cats? I'm spoiled now, having outside dogs who take care of everything outside!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 08:46 PM

Do the dogs scoop their own poop?**bg** (Try changing to Feline Pine litter. Cats like it better AND it never makes a mess and is easy to change. As for barfing...put good-sized rocks in their food dish so they cannot gobble their food down too fast and make sure they get greens to keep their system ship-shape. If you don't want hairballs...comb them everyday and/or give them a tiny bit of oil with their food or get a supplement from the vet.)

I think I am about to start going through the boxes in our bedroom closet. I can do that and watch Antiques Roadshow.

Maryanne, that's beautiful glass. I, too, could use a china hutch, but no room as Maggie says. Maybe as I clear out and if I could find one to fit a corner.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 09:47 PM

Some of those china cupboards are works of art in themselves. Though the eye is caught by the big Victorian types, I think I'd be happiest with the simple straight lines of a nice Mission oak china cabinet. (My great aunts had three lawyer's glass front bookshelves, and I got one of them, that I have used like a china cupboard. Right now it is in my bedroom with a variety of collectible items in it.)

Kat, the yard is large and this time of year the dog doo dries up so fast that it isn't a smell problem. I go around the yard about once a week with a bucket and a trowel to collect it and toss it in the compost heap at the back of the yard.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 10:10 PM

Oh, I was just teasing a little..sticking up for cats everywhere.:-) The dog doo does the same thing here, esp. when it gets up to 95 like today!

One box emptied and another gone through to consolidate with one more from the closet tonight!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 12:48 AM

It's funny--tonight I had the pit bull in to check out her summer skin allergy and drop an antihistamine pill down her throat. She managed to spit it out the first try. I wonder why she bothers? This is the same dog that will race around to the front yard to see if the pesky neighbor's cat has used the garden like a litter box so she can scarf down cat poop. The poop tastes better than the pill?

I've kept my kitchen counter clear for a couple of days, that is progress in itself, but I decided I needed a token (at least) bit of work on the storage spaces.

I took the beaucoups cloth shopping bags and backpacks down from the top shelf in the hall coat closet (not a good place to keep them because they all fall down on you when you pull one out). I also rearranged two other closets--I took a box of holiday stuff from the lowest (waist-high) shelf in the hall closet (jackets only in there, on a low rack) and moved it to the top shelf in my office closet. The resulting space at waist level in the hall is where the bags and packs are, easy to reach. And what is on the top shelf in the hall?

Games. We don't use them often but you can see two neatly stack rows of games, all ready to get out without dumping the others. We may forget they're there, but we tend to forget them anyway. I got rid of a lot of them a couple of months ago, keeping just those we play.

The games had been on a sturdy Mexican pine shelf in the living room. This bookcase is strong enough to hold a four-foot long row of LPs with no sagging. The upper row had the games, but now it will hold my CDs. I need to make a riser for the back row so I can see all of the names when I go looking for something and so they use the height of the shelf better. This means I can move out the little six-shelf CD cabinet that didn't really look very good and was kind of small. It might be sold at the garage sale, it might be re-used. Hard to say right now.

It probably didn't take as long to do all of this as it took to describe it. :-/

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 05:24 AM

Dog poo on compost for gardening is not really a good diiea. The bacteria are different and it's mostly animal products involved. Although blood and bone is good for gardens, fermented dog or cat poop is not. Stick to horse or cow.

:TS typing witha amiograine

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 07:26 AM

Wow, all of you have been so busy! Way to go, everyone. The Fostoria glass is gorgeous, Mary Ann. That sort of glassware is one of the few things I don't collect, although I think a lot of it is really pretty. John and I have a few pieces of "depression glass" and Carnival glass that we each inherited, but there is so much to learn about glassware, and so many different patterns, etc., that I am chicken to get into it. Doesn't keep me from wanting to, though!

Kitchen counters and the back bathroom are next...I'll have to enlist John to help straighten the pantry, so he'll know where everything is and won't be complaining that he can't find anything if I rearrange it!

SRS, that's a beautiful Mission china cabinet. That sort of furniture is what I would love to furnish the whole house with, if we could only afford it. There's a place I stayed once in Kansas City that was Arts and Crafts period and furnished appropriately--it was simply breath-taking.

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 07:36 AM

I have a lot of glassware to dispose of, but I don't think my head could take all thoat highpitched chinking rihgt now.

Remind me later....

TLS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 08:24 AM

Let's see --

Found out yesterday that a friend will take my Time-Life photography books and a few other photography books -- but I can't transfer them until Saturday. (Last fall he took some miscellaneous camera culch off my hands -- and gave me a Weston Master II light meter.

Also got rid of several videotapes and two full tubes of toothpaste that I discovered I have an allergy to some ingredient hidden in them.

Physical therapy was painful yesterday -- not so much the exercises on the machines, but the therapist stretching the arm. Not just me -- the weather was changing so my shoulder felt as if it were encased in a very tight elastic girdle and that layers of muscle would "stick" as they pulled away from each other. Barometric pressure settled down for awhile later, so the discomfort went away. Nowhere near the weather-related pain of this past winter.

Came home and started rearranging the tape/CD player and the tapes (and some CDs) in my office. Got rid of the old self-destructing tape holder, too. De-accessioned the old tape player and it made its way to the car, but that stuff won't go away until probably Saturday morning.

Discovered (in the guest room closet) some clothes that will be more appropriate for my new job than at previous ones. Sometimes it's good to hang on to things for a few years and not be totally ruthless.

With my new schedule, I think I'll be able to work on some of the paper pollution here around the computer before I head in to work. At least, that's my plan!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 09:37 AM

This morning I took the handful of little notes by the phone and stuck to the fridge and entered the information in the spiral notebook I'm keeping for this stuff. Tossed the little scraps of paper. Yesss!

Liz, my organic guy insists that its an old wives' tale to think that dog or cat poop is different than any other kind. In the compost, it all breaks down. I've been dropping the poo in there for years, with no harmful effects. There is a lot of other stuff going in as well, leaves, dirt, weeds, grass. It gets thoroughly mixed and broken down.

I have lots of fancy crystal glasses and depression glass, inherited from a great aunt's home--about which I know very little. Much of it is still packed away, but I've gradually pulled some out to put on display on shelves in the living room and some on top of the kitchen cabinets, tipped up against the wall so it can be seen from below. A friend flew back to Connecticut to help me pack up some of the family stuff, and we actually decided to pack a trunk of depression glass as an investment--I didn't really care for it but I could sell it. I guess I should poke around to see where it got to. (And who knows, I'll probably like it now.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 11:15 AM

Some time when you have nothing better to do (ha-ha), check out Great Lakes Depression Glass Club

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 11:48 AM

Oh, you wicked woman! Placing such a tempting site link in a decluttering thread!

Thanks! :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 01:52 PM

One more distraction....Carnival Glass with over 1100 patterns identified!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 02:29 PM

Wow! Just what I need-- another distraction. But it's beautiful. I could spend all afternoon in there.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 03:10 PM

Oh, what the heck--this is the place I've been researching some platters I have from my mother's second hand buffet. The pattern is simple, but if you look around this site you'll see that they have a LOT of patterns to choose from.

Now we need to get our noses out of the "what I'd put in my new old china cupboard" wish list discussion and find more clutter to offload! (I found a box of beanie babies that still have the tags. They were bought as part of a gag that was never sent. They're in a bag to go in the weekend garage sale across the street.)

;-D

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 07:21 PM

I am no expert but I would absolutely never have dog or cat poop in compost to be used for vegetable growing. I would dig holes under a fir tree or somewhere that there weren't vegetables..roses maybe? I remain unconvinced it is totally inert and there wouldn't be worms etc. that survived. Plus I personally find it disgusting, but that is my personal preference. mg

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 07:29 PM

Re: compost. In theory you don't want manure from carnivores.

But then again, look at all the Third World countries that have been using "night soil" on their crops for thousands of years.

I use our (very mixed) compost on flower beds. I buy composted cow manure for my deck pots with veggies. (Nope, don't have a large vegetable garden.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 08:14 PM

The primary reason why you don't want manure from carnivores is parasites, which are a BIG problem in Third World countries that have been using night soil on their crops for thousands of years. And then of course there's the stink ...

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 08:29 PM

Maggie, that is a beautiful pattern and looks SO familiar to me!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 09:40 PM

Maire Aine and Katlaughing--you are cruel! The Carnival glass is gorgeous! And the depression glass site is such fun to look at I could spend all evening in there. It's almost as good as being at the show. I even spotted some of my favorite pottery: Hull, Hall, and a Watt mixing bowl hidden on one of the shelves. I really like the ruby glass, and the indigo. NO! BAD GIRL! you will NOT collect glass!!

SRS, thank you for the link to Reproductions, I finally found a photo of an old plate John inherited from his mom. I've been looking in the shops for several years and was beginning to think it was a Fig Newton of my imagination--but nope, there it was. Cool!

Now, back to the blasted kitchen counters. Sure wish I had some of those vaseline glass cannisters...

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 11:27 PM

They are replacement pieces, not reproductions. I suspect they buy every speck of china they can find, then stock it according to type. I wonder if they have professional estate shoppers or garage sale folks?

Re compost, my last word on it in this thread, but at the Dirt Doctor site their most experience composter says:

You will always get conflicting information on this one. The question is easily misinterpreted by our common use of English.

"Can" you put dog poop in the pile? Yes you "can." It is physically possible to put poop in a pile.

"May" you put dog poop in the pile? Actually, yes you "may" but most people will give the other answer. I will go on to caution you that if you are not getting heat from your pile, then I would not compost the poop. If you can get a hot pile and keep it hot for a couple weeks at a time, then you are an expert enough composter to handle a little dog poop. OR, if you have tons of leaves and you keep the pile relatively moist, then you can probably bury the poop deep in the pile and it will decompose nicely before the leaves do.

Personally I leave my dog's poop on the grass and the flies, pill bugs, and microbes take care of it in 4 days, max (summer time). In the winter the poop lasts about a week but then disappears. With my new dog she's trained to poop back by the compost pile, so no problem on my grass anymore. One nice thing about a Chow-chow is they don't poop anywhere close to where they play or live. They get as far away as they can. In my case that's back by the compost pile.

You will continue to get conflicting info on this question. 99.99% of all the articles written on composting say not to compost meat or the droppings from meat eating animals. Well, don't say anything to Mother Nature but she's been composting meat and meat eater droppings for several billion years. Apparently these article writers missed the event. So everyone who takes these beginner-level articles to be gospel will tell you that you cannot compost meat or carnivore droppings. I have composted several squirrels, several rats, and my golden retriever. Our commercial composters out at Garden-Ville composted over 100 head of cattle, horses, or deer last year. It can be done no matter what anyone else tells you. But again, this is not something beginner composters should be doing.
_________________
David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum

If there weren't a better way to recycle it, you could "declutter" by putting all of your shredded paper on your compost pile. Also your kitchen scraps. I have a very large yard and I start a new compost pile each year. My compost fits the "high volume and enough water" category, but I often times will torque it up to generate some heat. It takes me probably two years to get back to an earlier pile to spread around, so by then even the slowest compost pile has broken down to a fine dirt look and a forest floor smell (the desirable characteristics in compost).

This all dovetails with the decluttering and recycling that are important. I don't change out flowers every season like you see at the commercial property around town. I tend to save seeds, winter over plants (mulching is a great way to keep things alive from one year to the next) and when I do discard a plant, it goes in the compost. I spend a lot of time digging up stuff in the yard every year so I create some very large compost piles, filled with weeds and dirt on the roots. My mix doesn't strain the recommended formula of 80 percent organic matter and 20 percent animal manure.

On a separate note, it will be interesting if this decluttering we're all working on ends leads one or more of us to finally go ahead and get that fine china cabinet to display the good stuff. With a "less is more" approach, we will have winnowed our collections down to the few really high quality pieces that merit the Mission oak look. ;-)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 02:40 AM

It's bookshelves I'm lacking, not china cabinets.. .in fact, it looks very much as if the pine dresser in the dining room is going to have to be de-cluttered and have books put in part of it, just to get rid of the accumulated piles where there is no more room...

Of course, if I could swap the sitting room dresser for a bookshelf, that would solve the problem, but then, where do we put a) the stuff from the dresser and b) the dresser?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 11:21 AM

Do you need the stuff in the dresser? That's the question to ask yourself first. Is the dresser the most efficient place to store it?

I've been moving virtual clutter off of my work desk this morning. It doesn't make it any less troublesome just because it's in cyberspace.

I'm not tossing my newspapers in the recycle bin for now, I'm preparing to put it down under mulch in a modified-no-till approach to weed control in a new garden. If I need more paper I'll do a reverse recycle move and go pull some papers out of the bin behind City Hall.

I was looking through a magazine with ideas for painting houses and landscaping. I picked it up last fall before making the big move to put the new roof on the house then paint. I found some lovely photos of a patio that I'd like to mimic in my back yard, so I've pulled those pages out of the magazine and recycled the rest. Finding the photos is the easiest part of the job. This week I simply have to get back to eBay. Gas and food are getting high, meaning I have less cash for those discretionary things like gardening or crafts. I bought a bulk bag of bread flour at Sam's Club yesterday (25 pounds will last a couple of months here) to save a few dollars; I filled a bin and the rest went in the freezer (I also keep bulk cat food in there). As the garden progresses, if we get some produce along with the foliage, I'll freeze a lot of it also. I'm also planning to do some canning this year, a friend has the setup and I'll go over and have him walk me through it. My mom used to can all of the time when I was a kid. Belt tightening seems to go with decluttering. My cleared off pantry shelves are where the canned goods will go.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 12:40 PM

All great ideas, SRS. My only gardening efforts are herbs and tomatoes, but we have a great local farm market only a mile away-- almost all of the produce grown within the county, and several organic vendors. I sent off an email to a friend who's connected with a bunch of folks that do "urban farming", to find out of there are any other markets around the area. I'd rather buy from local farmers, than try to grow it myself. I just don't have enough time to do it right, and without a helper, it's just too much.

I've pretty much cut bread out of my diet, because I'm trying to limit carbs. I'll only buy a few whole-grain dinner rolls occasionally, so my portion size is limited. But I do can, esp. peaches. Last summer I made corn relish. And this fall (I even blocked out time on my calendar), I plan to make Apple-Ginger Chutney. I'm on my last jar from my 2004 batch.

Last night, I did 2 loads of laundry & put that away. Also tidied up my bedroom. Tonight's goal is the linen closet!

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 01:30 PM

We plan to buy a dehydrator this year to dry peaches, apricots, and cherries, maybe even a few apples. I hope to also freeze some corn. Did that one year with my daughter. I found it and dehydrating easier than canning.:-)

My pot tomatoes are doing nicely.

I think I will do some cyber-decluttering, too. My bookmarks need to be categorised!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 09:21 PM

I'm doing the bank, the bills and the filing. I bloody hate filing.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 09:27 PM

The linen closet is done! Towels & sheets are my weakness. I don't buy a lot of clothes for myself, but I have the best-dressed bed in town. Last fall I bought a new mattress for myself, and most of the bedclothes don't fit because it's too thick. I've got 6 sets going to charity. The towels are all sorted by patterns and colors and there is space for the extra tissue rolls & kleenex boxes. And the guest-room linens have a little area all their own.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 01:59 AM

Used cotton bed sheet sets sell remarkably well at thrift stores, and go for some respectable prices.

I have a lot of extra towels from my Dad's house. He lived at the beach so had so many extras for when he had company and low tide. :) They're folded neatly in the backs of several cupboards, and it seems like you can always use towels for something (I wonder if I have "42"?). A little Hitchhiker (BBC, not Showtime) moment there. . .

Finished some virtual decluttering this evening, and worked late enough that I can take time off tomorrow afternoon. I'll take a vacation day on Friday and help with a garage sale across the street, so those Thursday afternoon hours will be spent identifying garage sale stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 07:58 AM

Managed to enlist JiK to help declutter three (count 'em!) kitchen cabinets, throw out old spices, and get rid of unnecessary jars, bottles and miscellaneous containers. I got his "permission" to limit the number of coffee cans (only the metal ones) and jars we're required to keep. Dumped a BUNCH of old coffee cups (no way do we need 40 coffee cups for the two of us, and I certainly don't foresee that many people coming to visit all at once!). Cleared a good portion of the kitchen counters by consolidating and moving things to storage elsewhere. Cleaned the outside of the microwave, inside to be done tomorrow.

Still have the tops of the cupboards to clear off. There's a little railed shelf up there that goes clear across all the counters, and of course it's full of cups and miscellaneous. Some of them are keepsakes, but most are just "stuff." Out with them!

John put the 48 cans of cat food away and did a load of dishes.

I'd almost forgotten that the kitchen was one of the things I really really liked about this house when we bought it. It's looking better all the time, although I've now got to get into the bottom cupboards and get some more "stuff" off the counters. And YAY for John in turning loose of some of the "stuff"--it's a lot harder for him than it is for me, I think, since I really enjoy tossing things out and making flat surfaces look new.

In between the kitchen cupboards, I think I'll try to clear off my computer desk--one more time--so things will be findable on it for at least a week or two.

And yes, Liz, I can relate to needing more bookcases. But I also need more walls to put them on, as all the ones we have are full (walls AND bookcases, I mean). Now those may be a bit harder for me to turn loose of; I do like my books.

But you know, this is really kinda fun when you can see the progress...

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: LilyFestre
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 12:36 PM

Cleaned out one corner of the kitchen today that has been neglected for some time and got rid of a huge amount of stuff!!! I also started hoeing out the mudroom which has turned into a catch all kind of place. I won't get it all done today, in fact, I've done as much as I'm going to (with that) today...but it feels good to get it started! Yeah!

Michelle

PS. Lin, I need more walls for more bookcases too!!!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 04:29 PM

((((maeve))))
nursery battle

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:37 PM

Is there more to this nursery battle than has been spoken of here? (I'll take my answer off the air, as they say on public radio)

I didn't get any decluttering done today because I was out running around and over at my office. This evening I've been thinking my way through what I'll take over to Pearlie's for her garage sale early tomorrow. I have a table to use and a bunch of possible items. I won't fool with taking clothes over, but I have a couple of old televisions that work fine but will need a cable soon. A file cabinet, some toys (lots of toys, if I find some that are completely assembled so I know I'm selling the whole thing. It bugs me to find a bit later that should be gone with it.) Mugs, cups, kitchen gadgets, I can take a steady stream of stuff over. I'll set up my tea stuff this evening so I can brew a pot and head out the door early. It goes for two days, so what I don't get out there tomorrow, I can round up tomorrow evening and start again Saturday.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 12:02 AM

Well, I did a kind of virtual de-cluttering the past two days. I have had a note on my desk for weeks that said to get my website redone and do another, separate one. I cheated and used startlogic's prefab sitebuilder thingie, but so far I am pleased with the look. I still have work to do on my main site, katlafrance.com, but I feel better about what I have up now than what I did and I was able to combine the other one, so I needn't do it right this moment. Anyway, it's a work in progress, but I've done enough I feel I can mark it off my list and make a new one!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 12:23 PM

Stilly and all: We have a nursery stocked with the basics and many special books, clothes, handmade toys, linens, etc. selected for newborns through age ten or so. For private and painful reasons it must now be emptied and turned into a guest room/work room. Everything in there was carefully chosen over a period of twenty years and more.

A few special things can be kept; most must go. I can hardly make myself go in never mind handle everything and decide about it. That is the battle of which Susan speaks. I hoped that my naming the task here I could better carry it out. This should be the last public mention of it. Thanks ;)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 06:50 PM

We all have spaces that are special challenges. Good luck!

Garage sale Day One is over; turns out they didn't put an ad it the paper, so we're getting strictly local traffic. Nevertheless, I moved a couple of televisions, a folding kennel, and lots of small things today. I'll poke around and take over new things for tomorrow's conclusion. My daughter is helping a friend run a different garage sale, so she stopped by and picked up things from her bedroom to take over. We discussed what makes for good garage sale things--there are some toys of hers that probably mean more to me than to her (because of who gave them to her though she may not remember them) but most of those can go with no problem. She also took some clothes she outgrew. I would like to make it clear to the kids why I'm doing this so maybe they won't feel obligated to hold onto all of my stuff if they don't need it. It is also my hope that I will have cleared out a lot of the clutter before it reaches that point!

A neighbor died this week and the visitation is tonight, with the funeral tomorrow. I'll be in the yard keeping an eye on their house (across the street and up a couple) and there are neighbors who will actually sit on the porch while the family is away. It's such a sad time, and then you have to worry about predators hoping the home is empty while everyone is at the funeral home. I'm seeing a lot of the neighbors this weekend!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jun 08 - 05:28 PM

I didn't make a lot at this garage sale, maybe $100, but I did get rid of quite a few things that were occupying space. I only bought one thing, something I've thought about repurchasing for years after the divorce ($4 from the other neighbor at the sale). A used blender will do just fine for the few frozen drinks, but mostly for hummus and peanut butter. And I have a place to store it.

Interesting stories came up this time. I had picked up an attractive rocking chair at the curb in someone's trash last year. It cosmetically was messed up, needed a good finish and it looked like someone scraped their putty knife on the edge of the seat, and some of the spools/spindles needed glue. I sold it for two whole dollars at a garage sale last fall. Today a guy came by and reminded me "I bought that rocker from you," and proceeded to tell me how over the winter he worked on it now and then, sanding, clearing off the putty, filling in a few places that needed it, sanding, regluing the spindles. His girlfriend had bugged him that he was nuts to pick up that ugly chair, but after he painted the repaired chair with an attractive pastel green enamel and put it on his porch, she wants him to give it to her. "It's going to be out there on the porch for a long time!" This time he bought a box of dominoes, because he has an elderly neighbor who comes over to visit, and he thinks this might be a game he used to play. Sounds like a really nice guy.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jun 08 - 06:52 PM

How kewl about the chair, SRS. We did a major thing in the living room. We had a haphazard, horizontal array of video equipment: tv, dvd recorder and player, dvd player, and VHS player, as well as surround sound system, all sprawled out on a narrow table, in front of the front windows with a cat basket on top for the darlings to sun themselves. And a 500 CD changer sitting off to the side; wires everywhere! I hated the whole thing.

Today, we took down a few books on another wall, put the tv on one of the shelves, the dvd recorder/player beside it, with the sound system next to those. The CD changer went below on a smaller table. The unused DVD player and VHS player went to storage. I had had the CD changer on an old-fashioned phonograph stand with LPs in the slots below. For ages I have wanted to use it for its intended purpose. Today we moved it over the the new "media wall" under the books and put an old suitcase phonograph on top. So, now when Morgan wants to listen to my old 45s and dance, we have the room and have the phonograph already set up and ready to go. It feels great!

The only thing we haven't solved is where to put his plastic bin of toys along with his smaller bin of crafts supplies, and one other bin of his. There's a corner it could all go in, but then I don't think he'd use it as much, though he hasn't much lately anyway because it's been buried under...I don't want him to feel we've kicked him out of the living room, but we've got to do something with it! For now, it is also under the books, under the new media stuff.

Ah, well, it was a major change, involving Rog doing all of the moving and wiring up. He even had to drill a hole through to our bedroom to split the cable for the tv so we wouldn't have a cable snaking across the front room. Once I get it swept and the books put up which we took down, I will be much happier with it all.

Tomorrow we tackle my caravan. It has had stuff pitched in it, will-he, nill-he, for storage, for the past year or two. We are probably going to need it for some of my other sisters' stuff which may be coming for a storage/visit, so we're going to organise our own stuff, finally. That is going to feel good, too!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 12:41 AM

Yay all, for the good work! Maeve, I'm hopeful the space will get easier to work with as you go through it. I also have a difficult room to clear...been sort of working on it for about 5 years.

Went through a sideboard in the so-called "living" room last night, rearranged the games and puzzles stored in it and pitched a few we never use. Discovered that someone must have been angry the last time we put the Monopoly game away, as the pieces were simply dumped in the box and the lid slammed down! So I straightened that up, and fixed the bottom shelf so Monopoly can lay flat instead of leaking parts all over the bottom of the sideboard. Discovered a 1000 piece puzzle we haven't even put together yet--it's still unopened. So I think I'll lay it out on the dining table for people to put together. We tend to leave them out and put a few pieces in place as we wander by doing other things. Not sure how that will work this time with all the cats--Vinnie in particular loves to play with stuff like this...we'll see.

Need to go through the old trunk I use for a coffee table, too. I've completely forgotten what's stored in there, but it's obviously been there too long. Then if I can get JiK to help, I may rearrange the furniture in the front room and see if I can make it more welcoming...

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 12:44 AM

I've been busy the rest of the day, away from the computer, and mostly away from decluttering. Spent the amount of the proceeds in a necessary trip to the Victoria's Secret store in the local mall (Semi-Annual clearance this week, anyone who is interested). Moonglow (36DD) needed some architectural support, so to speak, and VS has brought talented engineers and craftsmen to the task.

The clothes left from the garage sale are in the back of my pickup, forgot to get them out this afternoon, and this evening the June bugs were so thick around the side door that I didn't want to go back and forth through such a dense collection of iodiotic bouncing and swooping bugs. The toads can't keep up right now.

Tomorrow, tomorrow . . .

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 10:20 AM

I excavated the dining room table yesterday. Vast tracts of open tabletop available for doing 1000 piece jigsaws on. I love jigsaw puzzles.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 01:00 PM

Ooooh, Liz! Good girl! And Lin, sideboards being cleared are true progress. Hold JunK's feet to the fire and get that living room moved around. Kat, I have been reconfiguring some of my media also. Last night I stopped by the Container store and picked up an $18 expanding shoe rack (see if this works) that I've tested out. I put it together and fitted it into a long shelf where I want to put my CDs. It's a little to tall/wide at the top to fit into the upper shelf (the supports won't quite let me straighten it out) and on the bottom it looks funny--the smaller Cd cases need to be above. So I'm going to measure this and take a coping saw and cut off the bottom inch of each leg. Happily, these come with rubber feet that slip over the legs, so once it is shortened I'll slide on the rubber tips and won't scratch the shelf.

A side note: when we were at the Container Store we went looking for one of their display areas where they have books, CDs, etc. to borrow to test on the shoe rack. The clerk who asked if we needed help tagged along, because they're always interested in new ways customers find to use their products. This was a new one! I didn't want to buy a bunch of expensive risers or individual compartment things for this shelf, I wanted something to display the disks that has a variable size and a simple plan. I think this will work well.

Before I do this, though, I must reorganize and sort the stuff that didn't sell at the garage sale. I'll either put it in eBay or put it in the back of the pickup to take to Goodwill this afternoon.

It's getting hot but the June bugs aren't out now. The heat really is preferable to pesky June bugs in your hair and down your neck.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 07:23 PM

Interesting, Maggie. That's one reason I have the 500 CD changer. It is an easy and compact way to store them AND I never have to take them out and they are free of dust.:-) It's like a juke box in that when I enter their title, etc. I can categorise and number them, so I can play all of one category, mix them up, etc. I really like it. Then Rog tells me I could put ALL of those (not 500 yet!) on an Ipod! I like my player and I got rid of all of the cases. I alphabetised the inserts in an index card box.

We took Morgan for a professional photo-shoot this morning which was a lot of fun. When we got home, I picked up some more leftovers from yesterday's do in the living room. About noon, we went out to my caravan and started mucking it out! It has been like an albatross hanging round our necks. Stuff was tossed in there when we redid our bedroom and whenever I asked Rog to "put this in storage." "Where is this and such?" "I don't know! Probably in that mess in the trailer!" have been frequent bouts of "conversation" about it. :-)

I am really proud of what we did today. It was hot and we were both tired, but we took out a bunch of empty boxes (saved for "just in case"), two tvs, various other bits and pieces AND made a good sized yard sale pile on the bed. We only brought two bins inside for me to go through. There are two more, half-full out there for me to go through later, plus our holiday decorations and that's it. More than half of it, up front where there is clear floor space, is empty and ready for my sisters' stuff.:-)

My dishes are still soaking and there's dust all over, but it feels good to have done a major mucking and not worry about the day to day chores!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 01:05 AM

Prolific weekend, all around! I have been moving donation and eBay stuff between various surfaces in the dining area and finally decided to redo some shelves in the corner and evict this extra stuff. There is a large quarter-round table top on top of an L-shaped set of shelves (something my Dad designed and had built for his house. It wasn't built in, the buyers didn't want it, so I loaded it up with everything else when I emptied his house). I think it's about time to unload it, but for now I took the stuff off of the quarter-round and then took just that top away, and moved shelves in the L-shaped cabinets. I've put appliances in there. I'm getting rid of about 2/3 of my place mats; the ones I don't use because though they were cute they're a pain to have to run through the washer and they show food easily. I'll hold onto the vinyl ones.

Moved some boxes and an antique trunk in the sun room and got the rest of the garage sale stuff out of the truck. Cleaned up the new blender, ordered online a couple of extra rubber gaskets (this one looks like it is the original and the blender is at least 15 years old). I made batches of garlic pepper tea and garlic tea, both for organic gardening. Also made a batch of peanut butter for my son. A bag of roasted salted peanuts is a little too salty, but we'll live with it this time. The point was to see how it is made. We can use it to make peanut butter cookies and not add any extra salt.

Kat, I did notice when you mentioned that CD changer. I've liked the idea of them, but I have CD players all over the house, and I think I'd end up taking stuff out of it all of the time. I have two players that have 5-CD changers and I fill them with different types of albums then set it on "scramble." It's always an interesting mix and no commercials. :) This helps when I'm working on something I when I don't want distractions.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 01:08 AM

Ah, our house is, ah, compact and so something on in the living room is easily heard anywhere, plus we have a good speaker system which, theoretically, could be spread out.:-)

I think I am giving up on ebay. Nothing ever seems to sell for much for me.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 11:57 AM

It does take research, and strategy and learning that some outcomes just aren't going to get any better. There are some things I don't try to sell any more either. People keep telling me to try Craig's List. Have you looked at that one?

Still moving around leftover garage sale items. I've kicked a path into the area where my table and scale and packing materials are for eBay, so I will go ahead with that this week. eBay is a good backup in the garage sale world--there were some folks out early on Saturday who clearly hit garage sales and hope to cow people into practically giving away their items. In particular, there were couple of women were pawing through the jeans (in mint condition--of course they were interested) but acted insulted when I told them $5 a pair. "Vamanos!" was pronounced as they trounced down the driveway. They didn't want the jeans for themselves, they most certainly sell them again so of course they will act that way hoping you'll ask less. Marking them a little higher means the person who buys them actually wants them and is getting a bargain compared to the new price of $40 or higher (on my son's out-grown jeans). If not, eBay. I've sold a lot of my kids' clothes there.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 04:09 PM

Consolidated a number of areas-worth of clutter to one spot where they can be sorted. Went through/sorted/stored several boxes of VHS tapes (now that we have a new wide-screen TV to see them on). These two categories cleared significant LR real estate, which I dusted (for all the good it will do).

Banished a really un-comfy chair from the DR and replaced it with a really-comfy one from a storage area.

De-cluttered freezer space. Sorted and stored giant mayo and other condiment containers in the spare fridge, revealing a giant jar of olives waiting to be broken down to smaller jars (done).

Used a spot prepared earlier for dog-medicating to medicate a dog's ears-- it worked! (One of the dogs has really droopy ears that collect goo.) Comfy chair to sit in front of dog, shelf for items next to it, good light to see what I'm doing, no problem with stinky meds smell getting into main house. Same spot makes a good place to stash the laundry hamper for sorting onto the washer, which I am on my way now to load up.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 04:47 PM

Craigs List, here, hasn't really caught on, yet. It seems to have on the eastern slope, denver, Boulder, etc. I tried the classifieds with no calls.

I cannot figure out ebay; the books and autographed LPs I think will go, don't or go for a pittance. I'm thinking yard sale might be easier and more gratifying, but maybe I am too much of an optimist!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 04:56 PM

Speaking of stinky stuff--I bought a pound and a half of peeled garlic at the Asian market last week, and over the weekend I made my organic gardening teas. The rest of the garlic I put in the blender with a little water and I chopped it up and poured the paste into a lined pie pan in the freezer. I figure I can break off a chunk next time I need more garlic pepper tea to spray aphids in the garden.

As it is getting hotter (all week we're expected to have high temperatures and stagnant air) I'll do more eBay stuff. I'll plan to kick start it with several items, in several categories. In July there will begin to be a lot of serious back-to-school clothes traffic, so I'll hold onto the jeans until then. I haven't done books for a while, I'll revisit them.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 06:48 PM

I just moved the piles in the living room so I could pull out some other stuff for my friend's yardsale. Found some stuff, too, that I forgot I had. Put back and consolidated the stuff that will be sold (eBay, Craig's List and a guy who buys old magazines). I still have to inventory the lead type (which I may sell separately) and the vulcanizer and rubberstamp-making tackle. That includes the Rubbersmith plates and matrices. Probably Craig's List for that -- not something that can be shipped economically.

The living room, despite being a holding area, looks a LOT better! Even some more floor space.

Most of the ephemera is still in the guest room -- prints, movie posters, etc. Would love to find someone who wants the lot on the movie (some video) posters. I've had some luck with books on eBay -- modern firsts with dust jacket, etc. (Made a killing on Auntie Mame.)

Washed almost all my long sleeved shirts yesterday. Now I should go upstairs, put them on hangers and get them into the guest room closet for the summer. (Definitely no room left in the bedroom!)

Will take an armload of recent magazines to the hospital ER & Express Care on Thursday on my way between physical therapy and work.

Posted some stuff on Freecycle today, too.

I'm feeling pretty accomplished. (Can even SEE a little of what I've done.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 07:06 PM

People sell lead type on eBay, arranged by the font. I have a printers tray with a whole set and have been meaning to arrange some and list it. For that, you pack it up and ship it in the one-price priority mail box--you get a bargain when you're shipping lead.

Some of them sell it for folks who want the font, and the little pieces are bundled as loose lead, to be melted for fishing lures, etc.

I'm looking for jobs for a bored 16-year-old. I think we'll work on a brick patio out back. I got started a while ago, but it grew over with lemon balm that escaped from a pot. I have done some research and will pay more attention this time, and have him help me. Another thing I can have him do is research some of the eBay items I have. I'd like him to find a job, he'd like to find a job, but we can't afford him to have a driver's license and don't have a vehicle for him to drive, so it has to be fairly close by. I have several ideas, but meanwhile, I'll let him see how a few of these things around the house work. (He left a note on the bathroom door with his observation that the toilet was running because the rubber flapper was old and crusty. He shut the door so he didn't have to listen to it. I found the replacement I'd bought a few weeks ago and changed it, but we'll head over to Home Depot for another and I'll let him do that repair in the other bathroom.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 07:51 PM

I decluttered my wallet and purse today. It's amazing how much stuff ends up in my bags and even MORE amazing how much they can HOLD!!!


:) Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 08:15 PM

Oh, and I decluttered about 160 GB of hard drives in the last 24 hours.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 11:41 PM

I'm looking at musical instruments. We have quite a few that no one plays, no one knows how to play, and are occupying space. Sacrilege, I know, at Mudcat, but it is time to move along at least one mountain dulcimer and maybe the hammered (student) dulcimer. I've written to a friend for information about the maker of the two mountain dulcimers my Dad bought years ago. He always got good instruments. I have a daughter in college, struggling to pay for the next semester, so it seems silly to leave these collecting dust on top of the piano (which is staying but needs extensive restoration).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: freda underhill
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 06:43 AM

gave away a pair of walking shoes and took 12 books to the second hand bookshop on the weekend, came away with three children's books.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 11:46 AM

freda, is your living room still looking fresh and uncluttered, as you described in the last couple of months?

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 06:17 PM

I have concluded that I need a clothes line. There are any number of places where I can put one, but I have to decide the anchor points. It's silly to be running the dryer in all of this heat!

I'm closer to eBay operations again. I cleared off some of the table where I work, and I have a good dark blue sheet that is a great background for many of my items. A friend has decided that if he lists just one eBay item a day he'll generate a steady amount to help pay a bill or two. I could use that--everything is going up around here EXCEPT my salary.

Michelle, I did something similar recently and now wear only a small fanny pack when I go out, but it isn't perfect. I may have to make my own to get exactly the size and style I want. (Then I could make extras and sell them on eBay. . . )

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 11:34 PM

I've asked Rog to put in a clothesline for me this summer. I love the way things smell when they've dried outside and it does save on utilities.

I started out with good intentions this morning, but was waylaid. So, this evening, I finally got to putting some stuff away which was on my desk, then opened a bin with my mom's stuff in it. Managed to put a few things away in the filing cabinet, scanned some old photos and articles, and emailed same to family members. Once I get them all scanned in, I'll probably put all of the paper in the filing cabinet, then store the photos or send them out to the original posers.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: freda underhill
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 05:42 AM

no srs, thanks for asking - it's been good until a week ago - since then it's been accumulating washing (need to fold and put away) magazines (gave away yesterday and other randome objects. aaaaggghh! but you've given me a good reason to tackle it!

freda

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 06:29 AM

I did de-clutter the greenhouse yesterday, potting up divided perennials that have been waiting patiently, potting on seedlings, and then got labels on everything before moving 'em out to farm stand and recovery/holding benches. The big veggie garden is orderly as well, with row upon row of tomato and potato plants in shades of green and blue-green, numerous corn transplants, lettuce, peas, and the rest. Roses are coming into bloom in the various gardens and the shrub hedge by the road. Such beautiful blossoms- one is a named rugosa from my dad's garden, with flowers of an impossibly tender, translucent, pink- and such fragrance, and again the greens and blue-greens of the foliage.

I painted the new gate (metal full size headboard with rising sun design) periwinkle blue with the sun a warm yellow. We'll mount a sturdy post beside the opening for the hardware for latching the gate.

The stand is open today, so I'll plant beans and start moving the old compost pile to make way for the grapes to go in. I can stay close to the stand while getting those tasks underway.

Maybe if I look at the rooms inside as a series of gardens...Hmmm.

Have a fruitful day!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 10:22 AM

P. Allen somebody on PBS does "garden rooms" (I don't catch his program very often). It's a cute idea. I'm considering how to break up the space in my back yard while not confining the dogs too much, but more on that if I come up with an answer.

Must burn some gas today, heading to the office and a couple of appointments there in town. I can swing by the recycle place on my way and unload what has become a fair buildup of plastic, glass, and cardboard.

Poking through the eBay table area last night I found several things I've done some research on but never got around to listing. It's time to tidy that table by finishing those descriptions and listing them, and I think also tidy my eBay computer files. If it is long gone, I can dump the descriptions and photos.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 04:24 PM

Your gate sounds lovely, maeve!

Micro-de-cluttering today: to heck with ebay for selling books! I ahve just taken teh plunge and listed 8 books on Amazon, for starters. I have a whole library cart/truck filled with ones which will go on there as I have time to list them. If they don't sell on there, at least it won't have cost me anything. I found a couple which I may still try out on ebay as they are rare, but that hasn't seemed to mean anything on there, so who knows!**bg**

Also shredded some old papers of my mom's which were duplicates.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 04:30 PM

Brushes off hands and leans back in computer chair at the university library

I think the foundation of this building might be creaking tonight when they haul the recycling out of our office. I got rid of (I'm guessing) at least a couple of hundred pounds of paper. I had boxes from the print shop of old versions of publications, and I finally pulled them out from under my desk and along the wall and gave them the heave-ho. I also cleared out old files in my desk drawer (since I telecommute I haven't referenced those files in literally years.) I shredded a lot of stuff as well, from back when they had us use the SS# for id.

Feels good, to get this place a bit cleared out also!

I did this to kill time, my office computer is scanning and downloading some humongous update. If I don't let this finish now, it'll be even slower next time I come in.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 10:20 PM

Kovel's sent this out in their email letter, today. It's a George Carlin quote:

"That's all you need in life, a little place for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. That's what your house is, it's a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff. Sometimes you gotta move, gotta get a bigger house. Why? No room for your stuff anymore. You've gotta move all your stuff, and maybe put some of your stuff in storage. Imagine that there's a whole industry based on keeping an eye on your stuff."

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 10:51 PM

One of radio programs I listen to played that bit yesterday. It is perfect for this little group of un-stuffers, isn't it?

What is the Kovel's email letter like? Is it helpful? Do you use a subscription web site for pricing, or do they still put out a book?

I've been treading water lately, going into the garden more so doing small de-clutter things, but I need to move some eBay merchandise. Kovel's would probably be a help.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 11:02 PM

I think their new book just came out. I'll forward you the latest email "Kovels' Komments." I just got it, so haven't really been able to evaluate it. I had tried a sample subscription to their hard copy newsletter, but it's too involved for me right now.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 01:04 AM

It arrived, thank you! I've used Kovel's books over the years and found it very useful not only to determine value but for the basic act of identifying objects.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 09:27 AM

200 :)

I plan to make a big eBay push today.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 10:23 AM

Just a note of thanks for the opportunity for anonymous discussion of my health issues up to this point, as I awaited some details about it that made anonymity desirable. Now that I have those details I'm "ready" to talk more openly.

~S~ (Doin' fine)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 10:58 AM

Hi, folks. Did anybody see the article in today's New York Times? You might have to register to read it, but it's free now. "The Tyranny of the Heirloom" really strikes home-- that's the way I sometimes feel about my diningroom set. But now I feel better about getting rid of (donating) my sofabed out of the livingroom. I don't need it, now that I have a real guestroom.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maeve
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 11:43 AM

Susan- I'm delighted that you have more of the information you needed. Thanks for coming to us.

I've cleared out a pile of magazines for recycling, taken care of some greenhouse items, and washed our temporarily-house-chicken.

All the jobs we'd planned for today must wait, so I'm clearing a little bit here, a little bit there, while keeping a close eye on our little hen, drying in her pen outside the window.

I've got to reclaim the kitchen, and cook some rhubarb sauce to can.

Our new gate makes me smile.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 11:45 AM

Our new gate makes me smile.

THERE's a diagnostic tool for us all-- when you look at your does it make you smile, or does it make you growl? (or whatever)

:~)

Maeve, I'm going to the post office today. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 12:59 PM

maeve, can you post a photo of your gate? There is a Mudcat Gardeners group at Google I set up so we can put our photos in one place where they are easy to compare and discuss.

Moving around more indoors today, as it continues to stay hot out. At noon I'll make a run over to a couple of places for eBay boxes and some sand for the yard. I have a project for my son to work on (we're going to take up some bricks I put down several years ago and redo that area, hoping to make a more level platform for this extension of the patio.) I have lots of rocks and bricks around that are leftover from other things and were here when we moved in. I really should organize them, and I'd like to build a couple of well-drained rocky mounds for the back yard, down where we don't water, so I could grow a natural-looking patch of agave. This is recycling yard stuff, not de-cluttering, but hopefully the outcome will be pleasing to the eye. The sand and rocks are early morning projects.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 01:19 PM

I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow, and I have a list ready to go. If it doesn't rain to much, I need to pull weeds. I have SO many tree seedlings sprouting in my yard this year... way more than usual. Anybody else notice this?

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 05:06 PM

Just listed 7 more books on Amazon AND I am sending one out to a pal at paperbackswap. Yeah, yeah, I know I will be getting two more in to that one, BUT I will add them to my shelf there, when I am done reading them, and they will go out the door, again!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 12:22 AM

My eBay stack is growing, and I'll start posting them tomorrow. This evening I've been photographing and describing. I like to start auctions so they tend to end during the week nights in early evening hours or on the weekend during the day or evening.

I did a head-first dive into the big L-shaped lower kitchen cupboard and rooted out a "Mr. Tea" brewer (like a coffeemaker for loose tea) and a Nordic Ware "Tender Cooker" (a microwave pressure cooker) to sell and some good Pyrex that I've put in an easier cupboard to reach and use. I'd rather store food in glass than plastic, now that I'm learning more about plastic.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 01:17 PM

SRS, I also like using glass instead of plastic for storage. I have some FireKing refrigerator containers that I use often. They wash up better with soap and water, and they don't stain or keep the odor of the previous contents.

I've had a brief relapse on the diningroom table clutter, but that has been remedied now and it's clear again. Whew. Close call there.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: GUEST,WYS at Church
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 04:59 PM

Dug out puder corner today, dug out VHS corner further aND ADDED A DUST SKIRT TO KEEP 'EM FREER FROM DOG DUST, damn capslock!, did a whole lot of other mini-sorts leading to piles that soon can be taken to their destination rooms to be stowed. One chairful of "later" stuff is next. The Closet need to be sorted out before it gets too out of order....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 01:57 AM

Okay, it took a little while, but I got another item listed on eBay.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 02:37 PM

Poking along today on the eBay front, but after I get another item listed I'll do some furniture moving around the house. That always makes me feel good!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 04:38 PM

Well...we spent two hours this morning with two truckloads, two mini-van loads, and two Blazer backend loads, emptying my sisters' storage space and dumping it all in my driveway, for the moment. I hope they can come down and go through it themselves, but it would cost about $250 in gas and they are broke, so it's not likely. I know of two schoolteachers who have said they'd love to have the over 30 years of teaching aids, books, crafts, lesson plans, BB designs, etc., which are there, so I will be calling them pronto. They were about to lose it all, so I guess under tarps here is better than not, though I don't think there is anything of much value. We brought a few things inside, including a suitcase, wind-up 78 phonograph and a parlour banjo. Rog, bless him, says he'll help me organise it when it's not so hot outside.

My inside house is not going to get much done for a few days, I think.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 08:10 PM

I weeded the "herb garden" this afternoon, right around 6pm when the mosquitoes are at their hungriest. Oh, well. It looks much better. Now I can actually find the herbs. I've come to the conclusion that the outside needs more work than the inside, so that'll be my priority for the next week or so.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 08:11 PM

My name is Linn and I'm addicted to clutter.

Sigh.

Today I sort of backslid. I stopped at a yard sale on the way to work -- and bought yet another atlas. (For two bucks -- nice one, too.)

I'm a sucker for atlases. And maps. I need another atlas like a cat needs wings. Sigh. But I just couldn't pass it up. And if I find another globe for under five bucks, I'm sure I'll end up bringing it home with me. My house is the legendary burial ground of globes of the world.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 08:18 PM

Linn, maps and my globe were very important to me when I was growing up. I cannot believe I don't have a globe these days, but that is the sorry truth. I still have a few maps, but no wall space to display them.:-< I love both maps and globes!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 08 - 10:26 PM

Guest from sanity, we're not talking about sing-song poetry on this thread. You need to try opening a new browser window and reposting your remarks on the other thread. That is necessary sometimes.

My kitchen and dining room have definitely "backslid." It's because I emptied out the Hoosier Kitchen (aka Kitchen Queen) and am deciding what goes and what stays. It's all on the dining room table and counter until then.

I'm going to move several things out of the dining room this evening (they'll sit in the living room, not an improvement, but a chance to see the dining room and kitchen looking better for a little while. The trouble is, I have too much furniture but I haven't deciding what has to go. It's so hard!

I'm ready to list a dulcimer on eBay this evening. That'll help with only a little clutter but might help with the cash flow problem!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 01:09 AM

I started it at a ridiculously low price and put some great photos up. Accurate description, not effusive, but clear as to the quality of this instrument. It has two watchers and it hasn't been listed for an hour yet--that's a good sign (I hope!)

Kitchen is still a mess. At least I washed most of the dishes. I had some carrots that needed to be used so I made some carrot salad (you know--grind them, add mayo and raisins). Very good--but I did generate more dishes. They'll wait till morning.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 11:31 AM

Rolls up sleeves (figuratively speaking--it's too hot around here for sleeves) and heads for the kitchen. . .

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 04:30 PM

We got started on sorting the boxes in the driveway, this morning. As I look around my house, I feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment at all of the stuff I haven't yet got rid of or found places for. I am determined my kids will NOT have to sort through stuff when I am gone! At least not unimportant stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 04:56 PM

Absolutely, Kat! I'm also feeling that overwhelmed sensation--pull everything out to move and sort and you have a huge mess of clutter!

HOWEVER, I had one of those marvelous Aha! moments this afternoon, creeping on since yesterday. (Don't you just love those?)

This month's Martha Stewart Living had been rather disappointing, it didn't seem to provide much in the way of useful ideas. Who has the money and time and fancy patio or Long Island yard for her elaborate family picnics, after all? But something kept nagging at me. There was a photo of a distressed pie safe (they refer to it as an armoire, but you can see the hammered tin pattern inside the left open door) in this photo*. Anyway, I have a Kitchen Queen that has been filled with stuff that I don't use--but it sits next to the big dining room table. Aha! When I have company over we always pull out extra silverware, plastic picnic plates, serving stuff like platters, tins for cookies, cups and mugs, wine glasses, etc. This isn't the everyday stuff, but I am working to empty out the stuff I don't use in the KQ and put in it the extra stuff right there for big meals! I keep my cookbooks in one of the upper cabinets and some wine glasses in another. This is shaping up. I moved some of the kitchen gadgets to one cabinet of my Dad's that I am keeping in the kitchen, and I need to put other extra kitchen gadgets in a garage sale.

All of this opens a couple of other possibilities, and I thought I'd poll the group: Now that I've taken a lot of stuff out of the big L-shaped cupboard (and put some in the KQ), what ->should<- I keep under there? And as a bonus question, what do you keep in that stupid little cabinet over your fridge that you can't reach unless you're on a step stool and you empty off the top of the fridge before you can even open it? I took a couple of platters out of it for the kitchen queen, and I wonder if I should even bother to put anything back up there.

So, the house is a mess, but it is going somewhere and by this evening should be looking good. I'll post a photo if I get the KQ in order.

Kat, keep the tarp handy and if you get too bogged down, chuck stuff back under the tarp. You're in charge, don't let the clutter creep up on you!

Maryanne, my yard has characteristics a lot like yours--it needs work, and there are times I say phuck it and just go outside and dig around and get it out of my system. :)

SRS

*If it doesn't work, go to , go to the magazines tab, and look at the contents of the July 2008 Living issue. In the table of contents, look for Departments/Entertaining, and click on "Set for Summer."

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 04:59 PM

Oops. Right door, not left, in the pie safe. Did I tell you I'm ambidextrous? Makes it difficult to tell them apart on the fly.

I had a P.S.--the dulcimer is attracting attention, watchers, and bids. I have some cups and saucers to list soon, thanks again to the information last month from Charmion to describe them.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 06:27 PM

Moderate thread creep: I thought you might have use for a chuckle about now, so here's a laugh on me. I will be turning fifty-ten tomorrow, but I can't stand the word "sixty". Furthermore, my hair is almost completely white, which I also don't like. So, since I was taking a 3-day weekend, I decided to color it. Bad move! Instead of "auburn" which I expected, it came out bright orange. I wore a baseball cap all day Friday and Saturday. This morning I realized that I have a meeting on Tuesday with the guy I hope to be working for in a few month (not an interview, just a meeting), and I couldn't go in there with "Bozo the Clown" hair. So I went to the drugstore and found a nice "ash brown" color and applied that, but only for half the recommended time. The results were better than I could have hoped for-- it's still a little red-ish, but toned down nicely. I even actually like it. Anyway, no more experiments for a while. Back to de-cluttering.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 07:56 PM

Cleared out a bunch of weekly papers and inserts this morning that have been building up for a couple weeks. Gotta keep up on those (and dispose of 'em right away) or they become really intimidating.

Took a pile o' stuff over to my retired friend with the every weekend yard sale -- managed to dig out the fancy oil lamp with the blue/green globes and get it there without breaking it. And the canoe-shaped shelf unit -- nice, but I have no place for it.

But I came back from there with a bag of blouses and a lovely sweater vest. Every time I manage to get rid of cubic footage, seems I bring some home with me!

Still trying to work towards the two boxes (in different parts of the house) that have the circa 1950s magazines in them -- I'd like to call the guy who buys old magazines and convert them to cash.

Missed the Nottingham Farmer's Market, though, by about 10 minutes. Last Sunday I bought the most exquisite strawberries I've ever tasted (right up there with the ones my sister and I bought at a farmstand just south of Half Moon Bay on our way to Monterey). Knew I was going to miss the market, though, so stopped at the farm stand on the other side of Nottingham and got some. They're very good, but not quite like those from the other grower last week. Don't have to worry about bringing strawberries home, though -- they disappear almost immediately (and don't even contribute significantly to the cubic inches around my waist and hips).

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 08:25 PM

Thanks, Maggie. The tarps are to cover my sisters' stuff and I HOPE I won't need them for very long!:-)

MaryAnne...when you said you covered auburn with an ash colour, I thought you were going to say it turned green! That's what happened to a friend of mine years ago, something about the two, red and ash, that made green. Luckily it was near Halloween, so she was able to deal with it. (We were quite young.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 11:31 PM

I cleared off enough of the dining room table so we could eat tonight, and the table is pointed in a different direction than before, but there is an amazing amount of stuff in that room that needs to come out. How could I have held on to all of that for so long? And there are so many gadgets (my own, not my father's!) that are still in boxes because I never use them. If they're a pain to clean, I never use them more than once or twice. So they have to go. Tomorrow morning I'll take a box of gadgets out to the garage, along with at least one set of wooden kitchen shelves (they don't really fit). Looks like I'm going to have to do a garage sale of my own after all. The neighbor's event last weekend was just scratching the surface. This time, I'll put it in the paper myself. And I need to get back to donations again, I've slacked off there.

Up to now, I look around here and see that this decluttering is still cherry picking. The easy stuff. It's getting out the things that are in the way that are durable and family related are what I have to work on. Next month. Real sorting and discarding, to the bone.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 03:52 AM

Haven't had any energy or ambition to speak of for the last week. Nothing wrong, just that it's hot here and I'm feeling blah.

I did get another sewing project out of the way last night, so have made minor progress there.

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 06:18 AM

I feel the same Lin... a couple of health issues have surfaced and frankly the world can go swing in the breeze til I know what my traitor insides are doing to me.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 03:51 PM

I have a gallon jar of sun tea brewing out on the driveway and my university has just announced that next week offices going to go to a four-day work week (10 hours a day--something I do too often on my own anyway and don't get overtime for). I'm in! Three day weekends sound absolutely wonderful.

After I finish today's 8-hour day I'm going to move a few things around in the garage in order to move those shelves from the kitchen outside. I've surveyed some of the little tables and stands around the house and am going to rearrange some of them. Hmmmm. I've just had a thought about where those kitchen shelves could go in the house--and in turn move out some different shelves in my office. . . always playing with this Chinese puzzle.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 04:15 PM

Removed an unused spare printer from the wire-maze next to the computer and LO AND BEHOLD, there was an outlet strip behind it all which ran a lamp I'd thought was plugged in, elsewhere, in a totally inaccessible spot, that I've wanted to remove for a long time-- and was thus able to yank the lamp, TOO. Then I reallocated the outlet strip to hold a bunch of unwieldy transformers that had been cluttering up an extension cord and eating up a lot of UPS space, and yanked THAT, so now I have a nice small lamp with a nice down-pointing shade for the DR table, where Hardi sits to do bills, etc., and a nice long, dark-colored extension cord for it that can be run safely and invisibly to power our table; the DR is an extremely light-challenged room. It's pine-paneled, which absorbs light, and has no overhead fixture, so this lamp will join the 7 other table lamps and 5-bulbed floor lamp already in there. (I kid you not.) We only eat in there for "special" occasions, but it IS nice to see Hardi's great cooking when he treats me and gets out the silver, etc.

And TWO empty slots on the UPS.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 04:37 PM

I measured the longest of the shelves--they won't fit without fiddling with other furniture in the room, so I'm not going to do it.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 07:57 PM

Found some more stuff for my friend's weekly yardsale. And found some stuff for my up the hill neighbor who is doing a commercial garden this year and has a farm stand.

Since no one wanted it on Freecycle, tomorrow morning I'll put out the folding training bench at the head of the driveway with a "FREE" sign on it.

Stacked the boxes and bales of a magazine I used to sell for on the cellar steps. Next step is getting them upstairs and GONE (shredded for mulch, whatever).

Today was my day off and it started out with my 8:30 physical therapy session. Stopped by my hairstylists hoping to get a hair cut but she wasn't open (will call her tomorrow and see if she's got new summer hours -- and figure out when I CAN schedule a hair cut!). But then to the post office and got my sister's birthday present shipped off.

Tom and I are working opposite hours again this week, which is, well, strange, not to mention lonely at supper time. For the rest of the week we only see each other for a few minutes in the morning.

I just got more or less caught up on emails to friends telling them I got a job. And that, as with most things, took way more time than I'd anticipated.

Weeded the pots of parsley, strawberries, borage and sage on the deck, too, and reminded my up the hill neighbor to come get our spare Webber grill.

Oh, and this morning I took a nap. I just reached a point where I couldn't keep my eyes open, despite having a good night's sleep. (PT taking too much out of me?!?) I don't usually nap and when I do, I generally don't nap well. But this turned out to be a good nap. (Must have needed it.)

Gotta go call my mother since I haven't talked to her for two weeks.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 10:17 PM

A power nap is something that can make the day go a lot better. If you were thinking ahead to what you had to do today, maybe your brain requested nap time to sort it out. For real! If I'm writing a paper or working on something where I'm concentrating, and have a sudden urge for a nap, I don't resist it, and I usually get up 15 minutes later (with a timer) refreshed and having solved a problem.

The problem solved this evening, without a nap, was to 1) move old lumber out of the garage to the curb (trash was today, so there are three days for someone to pick it up or the city to complain) 2) rearrange the garage a bit and 3) move two cabinets with shelves out into the newly cleared space. They'll go in a garage sale soon. Cross my heart--it will happen.

The kitchen and dining area are cluttered again, from stuff that was in those cabinets, but there is open wall space, and I can see a bright light at the end of this tunnel.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, a new thread tomorrow,
As our junk is carried away.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 09:49 AM

Liz, me too. Hope you're feeling better.

Lin

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering - June - part 3
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 08 - 12:47 PM

We've got a new month going, Lin! Don't lose track of us!