BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Nov 08 - 01:26 AM

Had a great boost this evening watching the election results. I didn't wash a dish or de-clutter a thing. I sipped a glass of sparkling wine and toasted the new President.

I have done a little de-cluttering in the last 24 hours, though. I've enjoyed the opportunity to help out a little behind the scenes at Mudcat--one thread only, but it is nice to be able to pitch in to help sort out some of the networking that was necessary when Mudcatters learned of the death of an old friend.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: mouldy
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 01:26 PM

She's just described my kitchen!

Got some stuff transferred into the new wardrobe this afternoon, but the downstairs cupboard won't be done until this time next week, as we decided to put louvre doors on it, and Peter's had to order them. He said it would be better to leave off building the frame until we get the doors, just to make sure things fit. at least I am starting to see the floor in the small bedroom again!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 01:10 PM

Yeah, freda!!!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 12:21 PM

HOT TIP

I discovered today that there is a perfection of "how much stuff to have," for each of us I think, where it works like this.

You've had a crazy-busy [insert time frame for your situation], and you have neither emptied nor reloaded the dishwasher. You didn't put away the clean clothes, nor load the washing machine with the pile of dirty ones. Dirty dishes from the snack you had just before you crashed (the last 4 nights in a row) are all over the LR, kitchen, everywhere-- along with other crap you unloaded from the car. Get the picture?

But because you have JUST as much of it ALL as you NEED, you find what you need (clean) before you run out of stuff, and before you can put it all away properly you have worn it, eaten off it, etc., obviating the need to have put it away at all.

Then when things calm down you just wash the dirty stuff and THEN put it all away, nice.


The trick is having enough and no more, and balance in your life that allows for the catch-up between crazy-busy cycles. For me the linchpin is the laundry-- I MUST WASH THE CLOTHES, even if they never do get folded, so I can keep putting on fresh/appropriate stuff for the next round of the day.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 09:44 AM

Here here! or Hear Hear! whatever!

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: freda underhill
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 08:31 AM

spent the evening de-cluttering AND mending .. but hope to wake up to the biggest declutter of all.....











bye bye George!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 12:51 AM

I offloaded produce, picked up two of Sam's Club great rotisserie chickens for dinner, swung by my ex's house to pick up my son--and he was in a lot of abdominal pain. Ended up putting the chickens in that fridge and taking son to ER (a trip to my house was out of the way). The pain passed (this happened once before) and I think it is, to put it delicately, not enough roughage in his diet. Imagine that occasional really painful shifting in the gut--fast moving material behind slow moving--you get the drift--lasting for several hours.

However, it cleared up before we got in to the doctor, so we left (after three hours of waiting). But I was hoping someone would see us while it was happening to confirm my diagnosis. An apple a day--at least!

I'll pick up the birds tomorrow and we'll reheat for dinner and have great leftovers. I can kick back and enjoy the election returns without having to cook dinner.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 02:28 PM

MAG, it's difficult to avoid that state once a kitten gets to be a certain age. We had a stray who had the same thing happen when we took her in to be spayed. There was no way we were going to go through the whole have kittens/give them away route. This cat was so lucky to find a home herself, she was a stray out in the apartment parking log. (Now, several years later as a fat fat fat calico, she's on a strict diet, trying to take a few pounds off, and it is beginning to work, but it isn't easy!)

I'm taking extra garden produce over to the office this afternoon, if I can get out of the house. A bucket full of eggplants for a few of my "regulars," and some carrots for the friend who, when I asked if he wanted an eggplant said "well, I guess you can steam just about any vegetable, right?" I'll save the second-tier veggies for good cooks, and let this friend deal with carrots and onions. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 01:11 PM

This just in-- SO COOL. I Freecycle less and less these days, but sometimes I get a "nudge" to look into particular requests and so I just found a GREAT fit-- like the chainlink I surprisingly got that I needed SO badly. I think we just FCed Hardi's used road bike to exactly the right person, and a hockey fan at that-- in other words, another potential FRIEND not related to church stuff, and someone Hardi can cycle with when we are in his area. We hadn't found the good spots for cycling there, yet.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 01:01 PM

declutter one kitten to the vet; I think she is preggers

Our SPCA had a policy that if you bring in a momcat with all babies, they'll place the babies and give you a spay certificate for the mom. They just needed to see the full teats to be sure the kittens were all there and not a hoaxy fraud to get a free spay. You might look into that in your area and let her bear them if you know the whole litter will go where it needs to go. Kittens are so much more adoptable than adult cats, so it offers a little more hopeful outcome. Or you can let her bear them and just surrender them to the shelter, if it's a tad late to abort them.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: MAG
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 11:54 AM

I forgot to measure the gasket, SRS -- sorry, sorry; I promise I will do it tomorrow.

With help, I decluttered yard trash until the trash can was full. I decluttered most of the dishes out of the sink. I decluttered most of that box of shat on clothes through the wash machine; they actually smell OK, with the help of odormute.

I wish I could declutter to wherever my cell phone is hiding. I need to declutter my desk to the point I can find the cord to my digital camera.

I think I need to declutter one kitten to the vet; I think she is preggers -- just what I was trying to avoid. I hope none of you have strong feelings about aborting a cat.

I have been using my new SAD light for two days. Wow! I see spots after a half hour. I'm supposed to use it in the morning, but I don't know if that is before or after it gets light. Today is a gray rainy day, and after my half hour, it looked so dark in here I ran around and turned on all the lamps.

I hope to declutter the knot out of my neck at the physical therapists' this afternoon.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 09:23 AM

If I had decluttered more, better, sooner, more ruthlessly-- I would not now be sitting in a pile of STUFF that accumulated over the crazy-busy weekend just ended. But in the middle of that weekend I
"saw" where a whole corner full of kids' books is going to go, plus the benchy shelf they sit on that I NEED to use at church for our music binders. I hope I didn't declut all the shipping boxes I saved....

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 08:56 AM

Ya gotta do little nice things for yourself (and for other people) so you don't slit your wrists.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: mouldy
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 04:19 AM

Peter (the man who "does") is coming this morning to start building me a cupboard around my gas boiler, which will also have storage under for some stuff. If he will finish off my wardrobe for me before he starts, I can start to de-clutter the small bedroom at last.

Today will be a bit of a trial, as I have a storming headache. I will go stick a 4Head gel patch on, and take some strong painkillers shortly. Hopefully the tidying up will take my mind off it!

Have decided to cut down the younger apple tree in the garden - the kids grew it from a pip, and it does fruit, giving very crisp eaters/cookers, which are quite small if not thinned out. It's too high for me to do that, and so most of the apples are fairly useless or unreachable, given my neck and shoulder problems. It is also going to grow too big for the garden, as it is not grafted onto any dwarfing rootstock.

I will try and carve some of the apples from it to make little heads, and will keep them as stock, if they work.
Now I just need a willing bloke to come and fell it!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 10:01 PM

Having discovered voles or mice of some small roundish sort are living in the front yard compost pile, I let the dogs have a go at de-cluttering it this evening. They smelled all of the little paths and were kind of hard on the garden, but when I got them to the compost they dug and snorted and climbed and had a great time, though they didn't catch anything. But these two served notice--move out, or we'll dig you out! We'll try it again tomorrow. ;)

I'm so proud of myself for my inexpensive little fixes around here. The toilet runs no more and the microwave lights up again. All of those smoke detector batteries were replaced and the units tested. And the piece de resistance: I reorganized all of the cables that plug into the various players and television in the front room. Somehow things got out of order after I turned off the Dish Network. I finally realized that the television programed to tune in to channel 3 was the only thing missing. My HD digital converter box now plugs into the VCR, and the VCR, the DVD, and the Dish DVR (I can't record with it now, but I can watch the stuff on the hard drive) plug into the RF box and that plugs into the TV. If it sounds tangled, it was.

The kitchen is a bit messy after dinner, but I'll clear up before I head to bed.

Oh--I've also been laying my Secret Santa/Santee groundwork!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 08:40 PM

Goodonya, Linn, and you, too, maeve!

I cleared off my desk, again...clearing the decks of all distractions except the cats...I'll write better that way.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maeve
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 12:50 PM

Sounds like a busy and fruitful time for you, Linn. How encouraging it is that not only can you wear those clothes you like so much but also be able to treat yourself to a meal out and to a walk on the beach!

"Moving, moving, moving, keep those dogies moving...Rawhide!"

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 12:10 PM

Books for library sale in boxes by the door. Will check a few more shelves to see if there's anything else I can donate without re-reading.

I'll get them in the car to deliver on Tuesday -- my Tuesday (day off) rounds are 1-VOTE!!!, 2-Drop off books for library sale, 3-Get teeth cleaned at dentist, 4-Have a spinach & feta calzone at a place I haven't been able to stop at for almost 2 years, 5-Walk on the beach!!!

My boss is going to be working at the Bangor, ME store for the week, so the rest of MY week will be nutzoid. On Thursday I open at JCPenney Optical, then later in the afternoon, head to Sears Optical to close there at 8:00. Loooong day. (Then open at Sears the next morning.)

One good thing about the job is I'm actually WEARING some of the clothes I stubbornly (frugally) refused to de-clutter over the years. I just knew I'd need them again!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: maeve
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 11:39 AM

Go, you, Charmoin :)

My True Love cut down a long plywood table so it will fit in the kitchen when I need a worksurface, yet will fold up and be stowed out of the way when I don't. He's also continuing to winterize and stabilize the exterior of this old house of ours. We have changed most of the clocks.

I've been sorting and putting away the various and sundry department in the kitchen, painting a child's easel and a lightweight child's chalkboard with several coats of chalkboard (blackboard) paint. The easel will become a signboard for the farmstand and for yard sales, while the little chalkboard will be fastened to the fridge with magnets for use as a grocery and To Do list.

When I sit here to check on email and such I have gradually made my through many of the files of correspondence, newspaper articles, and other treasures from my dad's estate. Today I was able to reduce the day's pile from eight files to one. I'll need to reduce and organize his records more thoroughly when time and tears allow, but some treasures tucked into the files make it a task of discovery more than lamentation.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Charmion
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 11:09 AM

New safety feature in the house: non-skid matting under three rugs in high-traffic areas.

Replaced expensive but non-operational central vacuum cleaner system (miles and miles of heavy hose) with equally expensive but thoroughly guaranteed canister vacuum cleaner (has HEPA filter and is actually not millstone heavy). Central vac listed on local for-sale website for parts.

Replaced three infuriatingly ineffectual lamps with much brighter ones from IKEA -- cheap, too. Rejects are handsome, if dim, so they will go on the White Elephant table at the up-coming church bazaar.

Turned back the clocks before going to bed -- first time I've managed that in about 20 years.

Actually arrived at church on time.

Go, me.

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 09:12 AM

Liz, one of the items I was looking for yesterday was a box for various sizes and shapes of recipes. I found one at the Container Store, a Swedish plastic box of some kind with lots of rivets, but that will hold this stuff and can be cleaned up if need be. My mom's old thick cardboard file boxes (with a black and gray patterned print, a standard kind of office file from the 1950s or 60s) is pretty grungy from exposure to kitchen splashes over the years.

I turned off the toilet tank water last night and let the insides air-dry. This morning I put in the new seat (with silicone gel) and will soon turn on the water in a small but important bathroom moment of victory--when I can stop listening to the tank give the rush of water refilling the top inch or so every few minutes. Night and day. Drives you nuts after a while and doesn't help the water bill.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 07:57 PM

I could have another bash at clearing some of the junk out of this room, but there are some apples in the kitchen that need making into pie....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 08 - 12:59 PM

I've been contemplating how to clear out some little pockets of paper in the kitchen. Most of them are phone lists and recipes. To house the recipes I pulled out a catalog box of my mother's that she put 3 x 5 recipe cards and folded magazine in. I thought about shoving mine in the back of it, or emptying out her old clippings and starting fresh, but I started reading them . . . wow!

She didn't cook all of these things when I was a kid, and some of the recipes are early multi-cultural adaptations that I have better and probably more authentic versions of now. But it dawns on me that an evening of cooking a few of Mom's recipes from this box would be a lot of fun. So I'm setting that box aside and instead I'll get myself a three-ring binder and some pages that hold different sized files (like photo pages) and stick my various printouts and cards in it.

I'm going to fix the dripping flapper in my back bathroom today, and if I get my act together, I'm going to put in the post for my martin house for next spring. My plan is to continue working on things that are less expensive or that I have the parts for already (I have the bird house, the post, and the concrete).

I wish I was writing a book.

SRS

Subject: BS: De-cluttering November; sustain momentum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 10:20 PM

October is past (almost) and we're entering the re-cluttering time of year.

Will we be able to resist the holiday trappings that encroach on flat surfaces, will we be able to identify the traditional objects that we actually never, ever use, but have likewise never gotten around to redistributing through the family or community or to the wider collecting world? What can we recycle?

My holidays will be different this year. Credit cards are out. Gifts will be consumable or eminently practical. Recycling is a viable option, especially of family things that can be redistributed.

My goal is to not lose ground on the work I've done this year. And I'll continue to list things on eBay to move out more of the rest of it.

How long will it take to get ready for the Thanksgiving meal, and what kind of shape do you want your house to be in for the occasion? Will you have family and friends over? Will you be able to host the meal in a completely cleared up house?

Let's keep moving forward. Kat, keep writing, but drop us a line when you can. Maybe we'll inspire you.

SRS