BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 05:46 PM

Oh, I also watered my houseplants this morning. Phew!

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 03:35 PM

Someone please de-clutter my driving schedule! My son is taking a morning class this week and next (mornings), he's started a new job (part time, training afternoons this week) and on Tuesday evenings he has guitar lessons. I feel like a regular taxi service.

Since he's at work now for a few hours I can do some baking. I had a couple of bags of ripe bananas here (Albertson's is great for those--99 cents for a bag that probably has five pounds at least in it) so I made a huge batch of bread. Barely enough room in the oven, and one in the convection oven. I'll have three large loaves and (I think) five small ones. Most will go in the freezer and will be for quick breakfasts this summer with all of our coming and going.

I'll do dishes later.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 03:45 PM

Mmmmmmmmm   I can almost smell that banana bread from here!!!

Not much de-cluttering going on around here lately. I'm been dragging and today I found out why...I have caught myself a full blown summer cold. Sneezing. Tired. Sore Throat. I did clean out my magazine basket (and all daily chores are complete). That yard sale of ours is coming up quick and I really need to get on it....but not today. I'm going back to bed.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maire-aine
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 03:48 PM

Mostly I'm working thru a list of things I need to do before Thursday. I mowed the back grass & I'll do the front tomorrow. I brought 2 25-pound bags of cat litter upstairs, since I won't be able to lift anything heavy for a while. I'll give the bedroom a more-thorough than usually cleaning tomorrow, and put clean sheets on the bed. I bought a few extra groceries, since I don't know when I'll be allowed to drive.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 09:05 PM

I edited wrong. _Driving_ in the mornings. Mornings in the mornings is more than I need. :)

Take care of yourselves, de-clutterers!

My sink is heaped with pans and bowls. It'll take a while to work through all of that baking gear. I pulled out all of the stops, mixed the batter in a huge steel bowl I sometimes used to use for making yeast bread (several loaves). It works equally well for soda bread. Had big bowls of mashed fruit and beaten eggs and flour and butter all around. Just like on the TV when they make great things. I just don't have a cleanup crew here to come in behind and take care of that mess.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: JennieG
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 08:15 AM

We have started the big clean-out....amazing how much collects after living in a house for 22 years. Baby steps still, but it's surprising how much better it looks already! Today we sorted out our CDs, neither of us had any idea we had so many - when they were in piles all over the house it was easy to forget how many were there -

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: MAG
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 02:57 PM

Cleaning out unused CDs -- now there's a thought.

I'll wait until some music (folk) group I know is having a rummage sale.

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 07:30 PM

I've been organizing my CDs--they look so nice on shelving where I can see them all and actually FIND what I'm looking for! Go figure!

It's nearly time to organize my canning stuff and defrost my big freezer. I'm defrosting instead of shopping for new, I'll put some packages in my side-by-side freezer, but I don't want to have to make elaborate arrangements to move food into coolers.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 09:30 PM

My ex decluttered our backyard, yesterday. He came over and took two old metal lawn chairs and a gun safe which I'd told him he could have 2-3 months ago. Yippee!

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 09 - 11:18 AM

I've reached the time of year where it is so hot out that I have to get up early to do any yard work or dog walking. And I have worked to create a look in the yard so when one sits inside and looks out the view is attractive. Native plants that can survive the heat, or beautiful plants that are close to the house where I use soaker hoses around the foundation. I'll have to de-clutter the sun room so I can sit in there and look out at the vegetable garden and the potted plants around the door.

The sun room will be a major job. It has accumulated a lot of stuff during the winter and spring months.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maire-aine
Date: 25 Jun 09 - 01:58 PM

I'm back home, and the doctor said the cataract surgery went well. My eye aches a bit. Tylenol is the only thing I can take, and it is the only thing I don't have, but I'll live. I can't drive or ride my bike to the drugstore & it's too hot outside to walk. But it's not too bad, & I've got something to take before bed. I'll see the doctor at his office tomorrow.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jun 09 - 02:16 PM

Some drugstores might still deliver. It's a small order, but if you explain, maybe they'll make a trip for you?

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 09 - 03:18 PM

Yes, we have one drug store which does deliveries, no matter how small, with no charge. Or, maybe a friend? Good that the surgery went well.

After half of June being relatively coolish in the low 80s and 60s at night, we got up to 96 yesterday and it's almost 90, today. So, I hear ya about doing things in the early morning then staying in, SRS. I managed to do that this morning; planted the marigolds and pansies my brother brought over. I've had trouble getting everything watered every day because my O2 line doesn't reach everywhere, Morgan isn't here for part of the week, and Rog forgets. So the pansies were very droopy from missing one day only of water. They were still alive, though not much, this morning. I hope I got them planted in time to save.

I feel better enough that I have a small declutter list: organise books to give to library or pet thrift store, clear off the library table and rearrange the jewellery supplies on it, plus fold up Morgan's little table, move in some bookshelves from daughter and organise those shelves. My office will look much nicer when I get that done. With Morgan not over so much, it just makes sense to reclaim some of that space. He's still got a whole corner plus in the living room and will still have a spot in the office, plus he's got his own drawer in my desk.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 09 - 11:40 AM

It has been a long strange week and I need to do some catching up, including de-cluttering this weekend. I'll start with clearing my desk of forms from donations. They need to be filled out (amount of donation, and attach my description with photos) and filed.

103 today.

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 11:25 AM

Lots of little stuff on my list and it's hot out, so I'll do some of this in the house stuff today and think about mowing this evening.

First up: computer stuff. Cleaning a few files and printouts of stuff I need to finish and file. Some blog work. Processing photos. The house needs work also, so when I need to rest my eyes from computing I'll go clean house. (My son had a huge buildup of spider webs and dead bugs under his dresser when I looked yesterday. I think this means everything in his room needs to be moved and needs a good sweep out.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 07:04 PM

I filled three empty pots with pansies, dianthus, and wishbone flowers this afternoon, so our front step and picnic table look better, decluttered.

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jun 09 - 09:05 PM

Some paper off of the computer desk, a few seeds put in a front bed to fill gaps (where another sort didn't come up), and I've picked a few tomatoes. :) BLTs tomorrow when Moonglow comes down for a visit.

I hung up some laundry, did some work in the kitchen, and wrote some for the blog (the Woman of Many Parts one). More garden stuff.

We're going over to get new phones tomorrow. It's tempting to move up the next step to the smart phone. It's $30 more a month on our family plan, but it adds up to enough during the year that it amounts to a payment on several things. We'll probably stick with the regular plan and get new traditional phones. Since I'm on the computer all day it would be silly to add one more networked device. I'd have to interrupt my computer work to play with the phone. :-/

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 09 - 12:25 AM

Sorted some old bills, shredded and filed papers. A small step, but it is nice to get some of the paper out of the way.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jun 09 - 11:03 AM

Dishes out of the way, bread made, fresh ripe garden tomatoes ready to go for our official summer food--BLT!

I have a bunch of recycling stuff to load into the pickup, and a stash of newspaper to take out to the garage that I'll use for putting under mulch for weed control or for no-till gardening. I'm tired of tripping over the box in the house.

I'm caught up on the paper work on Goodwill donations, but my level of donations is way down this year. I have stuff to take so I'll photograph it and maybe take it over this afternoon.
SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maire-aine
Date: 28 Jun 09 - 11:58 PM

Lately I've been taking it easy on Sundays. Just church in the morning, and an occasional meeting in the afternoon.

But I rounded up all of my canning jars (I think I've got 36 quart jars) and they've lined up on the diningroom table to be washed. I'll most likely need to get new lids-- I wouldn't want to ruin everything with lids that won't hold a seal because they're too old. I'm planning to do chili sauce, tomatoes, and peaches.

I found out that the church is having a rummage sale the last weekend in August, so I'll pass along some "valuable treasures" to them.

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 12:36 AM

You don't re-use the flat part of the lid, do you? I was told those always have to be replaced, should only be used once, for the reason you state.

I've picked up a bunch of half-pint jars. Some of the things I cook don't need a lot of whatever it is that was canned, so I'm going small on some. I have pint jars also, but nothing larger. I'm keeping a close eye on the grapes across the road; they're beautiful green things right now. Last year we picked starting in mid-July, and I think it will be the same this year. Mustang grape jelly is marvelous.

I'm learning a new cell phone; Moonglow and I both picked up new ones as we extend our phone plan. Did a lot of comparing and didn't find anything that would give us a better price on the aspects of this plan we want. These phones do more stuff--and this LG takes huge photos compared to the last one. I don't expect it is a great lens, but at least with this one I can take out the SD card and put them in the computer if I want. It takes them much faster than the old one, and I finally learned not only how to send picture mail, but how to mail them to myself. All of this while trying to stay within the plan and not incur data charges.

I have another really hectic week coming up, then a week when the kids go to see their grandmother. Peace and quiet, one hopes!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 11:18 AM

No, I don't re-use the lids (the flat part), but do re-use the rings (that hold the lids in place) until they get dirty & corroded. But I've got a lot of very old (but never used) lids, and I'm concerned that they might not create a good seal if the "rubber" is old.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 11:42 AM

I see! Yes, I agree. I have boxes of newer ones because I just started canning, but that makes good sense. Also, fresh pectin for jelly and jam, according to my friend who has been teaching me canning. If it is more than a year old, use it for salad dressing, he says.

I am de-cluttering my diet, should probably report in on the accountability thread. I've cut down to one canned soft drink a day, the rest of the time I'm mostly drinking water, after my morning cuppa tea. And I'm not making the full pot. I'm gradually cutting out the amount of caffeine, and I'm reducing the amount of artifical sweetner (splenda, saccharine) I drink. I've lost a few pounds, mostly from drinking enough water that I'm not retaining water. I still have plenty of weight to loose, but I thought I'd start be simplifying the stuff I'm eating and drinking.

I'll be dropping off recycling today, clearing some space in the sun room. Nothing major, I have a lot of work to catch up on at the office after all of last week's driving around.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 02:27 PM

Haven't posted for 2 weeks because I've done nothing for 2 weeks... literally!

And there's another 2 weeks enforced doing nothing to come. I may make it to clearing a drawer out, but that'll be it.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 02:47 PM

I hope all is well and you're enjoying this time as a slacker! ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 04:01 PM

When is a clutter not a clutter? When it's well stored, and when you are thrilled to be able to find it easily and put it back into use.


Case in point (flunk)-- my mom's almost-antique waffle iron. I BET I put it in a cool, dry place the day we moved into this house in 1994. In plain sight. Where I could not SEE it until yesterday.... because I did not label the box that I'd stowed safely in a lower kitchen cabinet. Out it comes, and the crappy new one goes in the camper, forthwith!

Case in point (pass)-- The CPU tower that still does some things VERY well which we replaced when we mistakenly thought it had died, which is right where it will end up being used-- a handy storage shelf in the home office upstairs-- now that a friend is donating a monitor to go with the already-donated printer up there that I have been running off laptops that will be better used elsewhere. Especially if I can figure out how to make its internet wireless (I think Hardi has to buy me another wireless card). Aw heck I'll let HIM figure it out, the dear. (He doesn't have strokebrain!)


A drawer we dedicated in the kitchen is working well-- all the portability-accessories for digital tools. Where is the "XYZ"??? It's probably in there-- and it IS! Where does THIS "XYZ" go? In there; I bet it will fit and it DOES! Right where I will look for it NEXT time!


Another crashing success-- the new sheet of plywood ripped to 16" x 76" shelves to stretch across the pretty XL milkcrates that used to be linen storage at the foot of the MudDorm beds. They're still in the Dorm, but now they support the shelves. The shelves replace a twin bed that used to sit right over the least-well-supported section of floor. We gave away the cheap twin mattress, and turned the box spring into a headboard for our kingbed which also creates a little shelf for cell phones, etc. There is a twin-sized bedroll up there to roll ouit onto the box spring if we get a real crowd-- it's made from quilted furniture pads left over from a past move.

The 92-billion little bags of clean linens and stuff sent upstairs the last 6 months are all unpacked neatly onto the new shelves, with a top shelf left over for display of pretty personal items and decor. The scrap-ends of the plywood went under the extra-wide bedrisers we got cheap, and a whole LOT of ugly but needed stuff went under the beds in easy-to-pull-out boxes turned into drawers (love the dust ruffle!).

This leaves an empty corner for.... a recliner (camp chair and thrift shop ottoman)! I can SEE all my pretty thrift-shop linens. I can look, and know which ones are surplus, which are just right, and which sizes need more added as I come across them. The linens I just don't like anymore-- they'll go back to the thrift shop! :~)

The box of gospel CDs I lent a band member just came back from the house where THEY had been buried, and I found an extension cord for the CD player up there-- cool music reviewing on a hot or humid day.

The new AC up there has an automatic feature that turns on the AC ahead of time for us on hot days. The Dorm is so well insulated that it would have to be scorching enough for us to have to sleep up there for that AC to turn on the compressor and fan. Instant gratification on a hot day, instead of having to go up there and turn it on and pray that it works quickly.

The LR rugs are just dead enough now to go up to cover the still-bare portions of the stained plank floor not worth sanding. As soon as a big enough rug comes up on Freecycle we'll make the switch.


Have you ever noticed the human tendency to turn any living space into a 1-room-cabin equivalent? (Getting ready for our nursing home rooms, maybe?)

~S~


PS to MAIRE-ANNE-- the hankie thing you started for me caught on so big I have to order them online in 24-packs now!

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: LilyFestre
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 05:42 PM

Today I de-cluttered a drawer full of adoption paperwork. There were several things required of this packet and it finally all is here (some certified copies of things needed to be sent for)!!! All parts of the requested package were sent out today!!

YAY! One step closer!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maeve
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 05:53 PM

Good for you, Michelle!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 06:20 PM

Oh, my. Who knew??? Un-intended consequences, but I'm glad to know the originals found good use.

I took some stuff to the recycling drop-off center earlier, then made a few stops. It keeps looking like it will rain any minute. Probably as soon as I go back out.

My black raspberries are starting to go from pink to dark red, but they're not quite ready yet. They need few more days. I checked with my doctor, and he said it's okay for me to eat the berries, in spite of the diverticulosis. Yippee.

And in case there are too many to eat, I resurrected my old Donvier icecream freezer thing from the basement. Everything looks good, the freezer part seems solid with no leaks, so I can try making fruit sorbet. I found 20+ recipe clippings in the bottom of the box.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jun 09 - 09:25 PM

That sounds wonderful! I love raspberries (I grew up in Washington State, where I think about 99% of the commercial raspberries come from these days).

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: MAG
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 02:28 PM

I took a bag of stuff over to St. Vinnie's but they told me they are backed up and not taking anything right now.

It has to be all the families that are moving and dumping whatever off there.

Someone on freecycle is asking for canning jars; if they want glass mayo jars and tomato sauce jars they are going. I'm waiting to hear.

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 03:25 PM

The used monitor a friend donated is a FLAT PANEL!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Midsummer De-Clutterbugs are here! 2009
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 03:43 PM

I gave a friend a flat panel that seemed to have some problems for the job I needed it for (resolution), but it still worked okay otherwise. Later I learned it was operator error and he has a perfectly good panel, though it wasn't in sync with my second one and now I have a pair that work better as a desktop. They are so nice after working with those hefty CRT monitors, aren't they?

For the minor investment of $10 a month extra on my bill I added a friend onto my phone family plan and now he will be back in the real world with a working phone and all of the applications that go with it. I don't have a web plan, so he'll turn off the things that cost extra, but those are still available for any of us (my daughter is also in the plan) to use in case of urgent need or emergency. Like being lost in the middle of nowhere on a dark night--by all means fire up the phone and use the GPS and map to find your way out again. This phone should help him de-clutter some of the confusion in his life, and I'm glad to be able to do a favor that has such meaning and actually wasn't difficult at all to set up. We talked it over, and asked the phone guy a lot of questions, to be sure we all understood what we were doing. And since it is the last day of the month and they have a few extra perks to make the month sales figures look good, he didn't have a rebate or cost, the phone was free. I paid $50 (after rebate) for the same phone as my upgrade on Sunday.

Nothing much will get done until the weekend, and I am thinking of taking a day or two off next week. The kids are going on vacation and chances are they'll need a little help getting everything ready to go.

SRS