BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!

Subject: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 06:49 PM

OK... it's nearly Feb 1st in the UK, so I'm starting this one off a bit differently.

Your task this month, should you choose to accept it, is to remove/recycle/repair/replace/restore/revamp the area around your computer. Yes... the bits you can see in front of you, those bits you can reach by stretching out your arms and rotating and those other bits under the table that you otherwise wouldn't think about.

Good luck guys... and let's be careful out there!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 07:24 PM

I'm reminded of the preacher who said, "Keep the faith, brethren! Yes, you put the money in the collection plate and you can keep the faith!"

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: maeve
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 08:22 PM

Oh goody; Rapaire is going to give us all money. That should keep us motivated (hee hehehe hee.)

Good challenge, Liz.
maeve

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 03:33 AM

I'm ahead of the game on the computer cleanup, Liz, I moved and dusted and cleared and repaired this desk and machine for most of January after the crash on Dec. 26. But I'll make a point of keeping it clear.

I am considering repositioning the computer desk because I get a stiff neck when I watch the television. The reason for this setup is a broken tile on the floor--it cracked with the settling of the house and part of it popped out. My computer chair was getting stuck and I couldn't chip the rest of the tile out to replace it. So I turned the desk around to avoid that gap. Hence the shift in television watching and the stiff neck. I have to figure out how to fix that tile.

Today I decided to clean in general since I have been clearing the room where my late kitty spent a lot of time (tile floors and a plastic under the bedspread meant the vomit did less damage.) That room is being set up for human inhabitants again. I moved out the litter box and have been sweeping up what got tracked around. The litter box has been in a couple of different rooms on this end of the house, so while sweeping those places I decided I needed to sweep then mop then scrub and wash whole rooms. The master bath is finished.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 08:11 AM

We have a 3 bedroom home, two bedrooms of those rooms are finished. One is a bedroom and the other has been a bedroom and is now my office/library. The third bedroom has never been finished. No sheet rock on the walls, nothing on the floor but plywood. We have been using it as cold storage for our potatoes (couple hundred pounds from this summer). It has also been a room to store things, old construction stuff, windows, racks of out of season clothing, furniture....basically my point is that this room was FULL. It had one outlet and that was it. In the last week, this room has been emptied, cleaned and wired for more outlets and a thermostat. There are 10 sheets of 4 x 8 sheet rock ready to go up, already carried upstairs into the room.
    I've also been busy in the mudroom, cleaning and painting the walls. This required taking everything off metal shelving and reorganizing....just a few short sentences to describe a multi-day event.
    Then I moved all the furniture in the living room and painted the walls. In the hallway, I took everything off our 2 seven-foot bookcases, gave them a good cleaning, removed 79 books and priced them for our annual yard sale, repaired 3 of the shelves and reorganized that!
    Our bedroom closet now contains only clothes that fit us (got rid of 5 more bags of too big things....RidgePlucker had to get rid of some things too).
    So...I haven't been posting but I'm keeping busy and downsizing in some major ways. What is all of this stuff? Where did it come from? Why do I need to keep it? ARG.

Michelle who is enjoying the progress and work of it all.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 08:22 AM

Good to hear the work progresses... I would love to swap out some of our small shelves for bigger ones, but I don't think Manitas would approve... he seems to like the small, pointless bookshelves blocking the window...

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: maire-aine
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 09:10 AM

My laptop & printer are temporarily set up in my bedroom until the painting is done, so there isn't too much around them to tidy up. I'm still boxing up breakable stuff in the livingroom.

M

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: MAG
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 10:39 AM

The area around my 'puter is one of the messiest in my house.

This is a challebge indeed.

I need to get the rest of this den into some kind of order so I'll have room to work.

Bags of med stuff, stray papers, you name it.

mid-40's temperature predicted today, so I want to do more yard clean up -- keep that trash can filled. I pay a lot for the service; gotta get my money's worth.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 10:59 AM

2 bags of rubbish gone and I can't see where from (alright, the majority of the non-recycleables came from Limpit's room), but I can see the calendar now... and close the door.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 11:14 AM

Decluttered some bulky cardboard saved for the purpose to insulate/darken several rooms' windows. One project 6 months overdue at least.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 11:34 AM

Hey, getting anything out of Limpit's room is cause for celebration! Try to avoid letting her take new stuff in at the same rate.

These are certainly vigorous reports! I wish you could bottle some of that efficiency (I detect one clue from LilyF--doing the work and reporting back occasionally gets more done than writing about it every day. . .)

I enjoyed how shiny the bathroom was this morning. I'll work on the dressing room today, and the adjoining closet. That could get to be big, an explosion of clothes. I'll take them out of the closet and arrange them by size and color, and see what I have to work with. I don't enjoy trying on clothes, but I suppose I should do that also.

It's too beautiful outside to not spend some time out there, but I won't project how much I might get done. Too much stuff on my "to do" list to get done today.

Yesterday I did a little strategic shopping. I'd been using saucers to set an oil can and for cooking spoons, but I don't have enough saucers from my dinnerware to do that without having to stop and wash them before I use them on the table. So I picked up a couple of cheap crystal pieces, a little plate and a bowl (I think they're actually intended to put candles on) to leave near the stove. They'll look lovely when not in use. I have some old pieces, crystal from my great aunt's estate, but most of the flat pieces that size are ashtrays, and I don't like the look of using ash trays next to the stove, even if they are clean and are antiques.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:14 PM

Just as well, a splash of hot oil in the wrong place on an antique crystal tray - ash or otherwise - might cause it to crack and break. Seen it happen to a perfectly lovely cut glass bowl. It was between the cooker and the serving counter where kitchen paper had been laid out to receive the banana fritters that were to be served in it, a small splash of hot oil and it cracked from stem to stern as it were....

If it weren't for the space restriction by my stove top, I'd have an oval pyrex plate there for that very purpose. It goes under a gravy boat but being oval, it would fit in the small space by the stove, if it weren't for the wretched George Foreman grill in the way.

Not a lot of real progress today... but I have decluttered Limpit's MP3 of all the music she didn't want and I'm pleased to relate that it was the pop music that went, not the folkie stuff!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Will Fly
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:44 PM

Oh dear - I use my laptop on my knee, so the bits in front of me, the bits that I can reach are ... well, better not go there. But if I can find a way of decluttering this area, then I will do so.

Doesn't seem easy.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 02:24 PM

I'm going to try to send out the Christmas presents.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Pistachio
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 03:16 PM

I've helped my daughter as she departs our address for her new home. Having had a mad 8 - 10 weeks assisting with the complete redecoration and transformation of her 3 bed' terraced house in Hull, moving hell, highwater and various goods and chattels it is the start of a new era. .. and less arguments!
I've found all the local recycling depots and the DIY stores - Verity is just 10 miles from here - and I'm amazed at the amount of time I have 'found' to help her on her way and am delighted with the end result. I do wonder how long it will take her to unpack (and learn not use the 'floordrobe') but I'm happy she's got her TV licence and is now legal and comfortable to spend the night there, with the companionship of TV.

My husband is away this week so maybe I'll be able to progress the movement of my son and his posessions up to the vacated attic room so finally I can get the 'spare'(office) room back and move all our office and its' equipment into my sons current room - then there WILL be space by the computer and I'll not need to keep a filing cabinet in my bedroom or a photocopier on my landing and maybe I can have a clear space in my bedroom? Phew!
Just wondering about redecorating some of the spaces as I reveal them? Oh, progress - and projects... wish me luck.
If you can do it then I'm sure I can too. ...NB must order a new shed for the garden and clear (throw) out what's been in the conservatory for far too long. Don't worry I'll be recycling all that I possibly can,. Better get started.... and I'd better get back to the accounts and outstanding office chores too.
Happy February H.x

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 05:15 PM

I need to find all of my mom's old black and white photos which are packed away somewhere. They got moved when my dau. and grandson moved in and moved out and I haven't been able to find them since. So...today I talked Rog into going out to the shed to look through the bins there. Ugh...mouse droppings, but at least only on the outside of the bins. So, 20 bins or so later, nada, BUT we did find about two bins worth to bring in the house to use or sell. Then we moved to the cargo van also serving as a storage shed. No pix but more lost and found and to sell, so I've some work cut out for me in the coming week, getting stuff photographed and listed. And, I still need to find those pix. I want to use one of them for the cover of my new book.

As to decluttering, this was a HUGE effort on Rog's part and now we have more stuff to sell, give away, etc. plus we identified MORE that we need to go through and get rid of. He keeps stating the obvious, i.e. we need to get out there and go through and get rid of a bunch of stuff. Now, he knows just what it will take and why I cannot do it alone. Maybe he'll finally take some time off.

Otherwise, I have loaded three new books to my biblio bookstore and more to do this week. That will help to declutter my desk and office, though I need to figure out something besides a box to hold my inventory. Oh, and we found scads more books in the shed to be sold when we get low or have the time! Sheesh!

One neat thing, Banjo Bonnie had sent me a beautiful cat mama statue with two baby kittens wrapped in a blanket years ago, actually eleven years ago because it was just after my twin grandsons were born and the cat has red hair. Anyway, I had not been able to find it since we moved here seven years ago. Today, we found her!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 05:28 PM

It is not the mess around my pc that is vexing me. It is the mess inside. I need to make more folders, need to use better naming conventions for documents and files. I need to delete, delete, delete from my Outlook inbox and sub folders.

Nope... sorry.... I can't do it. SO much Mudcat and so little time.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: MAG
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 07:34 PM

d ]k]]bage can ful up to the tippy top, and still more brambles to go.

I discover I'm still mad at the neighbot who whacked down a huge honeysuckle awhile back (which he insisted was mine impinging on his property; I know it has been straddling the old fence since I moved in) and smashed most of the back of my yard. grrr! He didn't even offer to help clean up the mess which smashed several bushes, giving rise to the brambles.

Fortunately my other neighbors are nice.

His MaCain/Palin yard sign confirmed my opinion he is a high-handed jerk.

grrr!

OK, OK, look forward, not back.

Got through one box of clothes, sorting out what I can wear, whatis too big and can go into the yard sale pile.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 07:34 PM

Been going through issues of American Film and other film magazines from the '80s -- I think I've got someone who wants to buy them.

Last week I quickly sorted through the paperback cookbooks on the bottom shelf of the kitchen bookcase -- culled most of them. They're going to a friend who is obsessed with cookbooks. So are the ones culled from the rest of the shelf today. As a matter of fact, I was too busy today sorting through the pile of catalogs, etcet etcet that have been building up beside my chair at the table to take stuff over to her. But I threw out most of the pile! (That means, I guess, that I'm making progress.)

Just Freecycled a flour sifter...it's a small step, but I suggested to Tom that when this 2 week project at the test factory is over, he concentrate on eliminating everything he doesn't use or need from the kitchen area. I'd REALLY like to get the clutter off the countertops, but I can't do it without his input or it would probably end in tears (or divorce).

I think he's a little perturbed with me for bagging as much stuff for trash as I did today -- he'll have to schlep in up the loooooooong icy driveway to the road for collection on Wednesday.

Just because I haven't been posting lately doesn't mean I haven't been de-cluttering!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: MAG
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 08:37 PM

I actually kept going and went through several more boxes of stuff, looking for size 20 pants (fruitlessly -- what did I do, go straight from size 14 to size 22??)

Another small basket of stuff into recycling, and a bunch more gardening stuff into a box.

I haven't been able to do seedlings since my cat took over the gardening window -- he thought the extra dirt was exclusively for his bebefit. And the box was fine.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 12:27 AM

Wow! Such great stuff people have to report today! And new de-clutterers! Kat, what a great outcome, finding stuff to sell. But do keep looking for that photo, it will bug you until it turns up.

MAG, I'm sorry you have a neighbor like that. There's an old guy up the street who is the nastiest piece of work, at least, he is when his wife isn't there. He lives next door to a charming family with a dog who always loves to see me walk my dogs. He knows I have treats in my fanny pack and so barks when we pass because we stop and give him a treat. I was out walking the dogs yesterday and kept looking for Benji, but this guy was out in his driveway and got real aggressive, shouting at me about my dogs and "what are you looking at?" It didn't do to remind him I've been walking past his house for years (and have been exposed to his rudeness before) or that we were looking for Benji. I finally just told him he was an old putz, a real piece of work, and after he shouted not to let my dogs near his yard I assured him that I'd be sure to throw dog poop on his lawn if they made any available. What an old turd. The neighbors know about this Jekyll and Hyde behavior. He would never say a word if his wife was home.

Anyway. I should have started this comment with a sneeze--I've been working in my closet and there is some dust back there under things that haven't been moved in ages. I ran by Lowe's and Home Depot for several things, including clear plastic storage containers. I can't afford to discard good clothes now because I can't fit into them now--if I lose 20 pounds I'll still love to wear these clothes. A while back I got rid of the iffy stuff, these are nice clothes. I've put all of one size pants and shorts in each container, and put a card inside that I can read through the plastic that tells me what size and type of item are in there. Each box goes out of the way on the upper shelf. Pants are finished and I also finished sweaters. It is winter, but I don't wear all of these down here. Some I save for travel to colder climates, so I'm packing those in a clear box. The rest will go on shelves.

I just started shoes. I have a quite few, though I did de-clutter a lot a year ago. It isn't a good sign if they can mildew in the closet--one box of them wasn't in great shape, old ones I never wear, so I tossed them. I'll make sure there is better ventilation.

My plan in the closet is to arrange things so I have a few outfits ready to go. I was flipping channels the other day (we had two snow days or I'd never have seen it) and there was an organizer on Rachel Ray (I thought she just cooked?). She made a point of arranging several outfits ready to go, complete with accessories like jewelry and belts, etc. I won't go that far, but I'll have things arranged by type, color, and fabric so I can mix and match a number of standard tops and pants or skirts for some nice looks.

I've vacuummed and if I were really diligent I'd go ahead and finish tiling the floor. The bedroom is done but the dressing room needs cut tiles along the outer edges and I haven't tiled the closet yet. It will look so much better when I finish.

I never make plans for tax return money because if I do something else comes along and costs more than it should have and I can't follow through with my original plan without going into debt. I'm sure I'm not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. I'm trying to say it in a font so light that the appliances and vehicle don't catch wind that it is tax time.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 01:06 AM

Looks like I'll have an enforced day off today... 6" of snow, still falling and the wind is getting up.... the UK isn't ready for this weather!

Today's project should be clearing the dining room then. A while back the shelf in the kitchen that holds the cookbooks fell down (minimal water damage as only half a dozen fell in the sink), and I've not had the opportunity to fix it yet. Today could be that day.

So.. all the cook books are in the dining room, along with the Christmas decorations which need to go into the loft. That's today's job. Clearing the computer area is going to have to wait because if Manitas can't get to work, he can work from home up here.

But first, I'll have a little play in the snow... :D

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 01:21 AM

I'm going to bed late and you're up early. Have a great snow day, Liz! We're both staring at cookbook shelves. I picked up some brackets and a board to put one up, but I'm not happy with how it will look in the place I'm putting it, so will go back to the drawing board before I put any holes in the wall.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: freda underhill
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 01:31 AM

Yesterday I went through a shelf in the kitchen cupboard that has creams, headache pills, medicines and various lotions it in. I chucked out a whole lot of things that were out of date or almost used up, and organised the ones that were left (medical of the left, cosmetic on the right).

That was a small but satisfying start to the beginning of this decluttering month!

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 12:44 PM

So far I evicted some unused handbags, shoes, tops, and pants from the closet. It isn't organized in an end-use fashion yet. I have the current season tops in most of the eye-level and lower shelves, shirts, skirts and pants are hanging. I put the plastic bins on the very top shelves, but some years back I put in a row of shelves under the top ones that run all around the closet a couple of inches above the upper hanging rods. Those have a few inches of space and will be for folded garments like shorts and I should take all of my cardigans off of hangers and place them folded on the shelves.

I still need to cull some shirts, I need to iron a bunch of things so they're actually ready to wear and not just occupying space (because when they're wrinkled I don't wear them, and I don't always have time to iron when I'm dressing.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 03:52 PM

Failed again... but I did manage to get Limpit to declutter a whole heap of videos she doesn't watch... they'll go to the Charity shops later in the week.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 03:57 PM

Went through one bin we brought in AND FOUND PRO PHOTOS I'd had taken of all of the rabbit-centric jewellery I made for a client in WY. Whoo-Hoo!! I'd been wondering where those were for the past seven years!!! Now, I can put more examples on my website!

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: MAG
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 03:59 PM

I discover rit works to go through some of the crap on my table/desk while I'm waiting for 'puter to open ... just now I got though about 1/4 of it. amazing how long some of those papers had been sitting there. Straight into recycling.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: maire-aine
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 08:03 PM

Well, I'm still boxing things up to get ready for the painters. I never realized how much stuff I have around the house. A lot of it is just plain junk, but I don't want to throw it out. Most of it is not worth trying to re-sell. Once the painting is done, and I put the stuff back, whatever is left over will go to the thrift shop or the first church rummage sale that comes along.

M

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 12:10 AM

The closet is looking better. Not completely finished, but much better. I'll do a little ironing tonight also.

My bathroom looks great still, and I'll enjoy a hot bath later. Too bad my kitty who always came to sit on the edge of the tub (sometimes draping her tail into the water) for a visit isn't here. :-( She loved to "groom" anyone who had wet hair. I can't tell you how many times I found one or the other of my kids curled up on a bed after a bath when they had laid down so she could nuzzle their damp hair. I'd find them asleep and that cat still nudging their heads.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: GUEST,MAG at work
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 12:42 PM

Little things you miss about the cat will keep hitting you for awhile, SRS. thinsg she used to do she's not there to do anymore, little accomodations you made for her.

Be gentle with yourself; the grieving process just takes time.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 04:44 PM

Seems a good time to post again a link to this interesting little video: The Story of Stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 09:48 PM

I love that video, Maggie, thanks. I wish more people would "get" it.

Morgan came over and helped me move some stuff around. We moved a tall boy that was my dad's from the office to the bedroom. Moved a small table which I use for my meditation sanctum into the office corner and Morgan moved his little one in next to it. (I will use it more if it is in here, which I've determined I need to do!) He was so cute, as soon as we set them up, we had to light the incense and candles and do our "thing."

We moved the library truck out into the hall for the moment. It will go where the treadmill is when I get it out of the dining room area. Also able to move a chair from the sanctum out to the kitchen table as I can use my office chair on rollers for the meditation corner now.

Emptied the top of my mom's sewing cabinet as my dau. is taking it and also two prints which I have on the wall right now. Her husband is on notice, he's to come take them.:-)

Also did some laundry, sweeping, and listed a Booksellers' Preview Edition of a cat autobiography on ebay. So far, I've had about 45 lookers at the glass piece, but no watchers or bids. Maybe at the last minute.

I don't think I posted what Morgan and I did, yesterday. We had to go to the bead store in downtown GJ, so we also went by the Sally Army and dropped off a load of stuff which has been in our car for over a year. It had all been in the back of our mini-van, out of the way. 2-3 bags of clothing, sheets, and linen, a printer which works, coats, and a set of music books. They were just like the ones my mom used to have, in fact they may have been her copies. I can't remember. Anyway, they are something I never would have thought I would give away, but with no piano they really weren't getting used. So, it felt perfectly okay and right to be passing them on!

I am starting in on the low point of my yearly cycle, a good time to release, empty out and await the high point and new beginnings/changes after my birthday. It feels so good.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 12:30 AM

Kat, for someone who claims to be "low on energy," you've been quite active. If you make yourself a "to do" list and cross things off (including the everyday stuff you always do) I think you'll see you've been quite busy. Success breeds success.

I worked in the closet some more. Since I've removed a lot I can now see everything I have. There is a soft throw rug on the floor in there (concrete is cold under bare feet), and one under my computer desk (so feet don't get cold on the tile) and a couple of small rugs from the back doorway that the dogs muddied with footprints. They're all in the laundry, and I'll completely vacuum and mop the closet floor before I put it back in again. Next comes the dressing room.

This evening I had a brainstorm for kitchen arrangement. It started with reversing the base of my phone and hanging it up on the wall, clearing space on top of the baker's rack. I then moved some small appliances and shuffled some extra glass storage bowls and baking dishes between a cupboard and rack and end up with the top shelf empty. I moved Mom's old cookbooks from the front room and Julia Child is back where she belongs!

I rarely watch Oprah, but a teaser today got my attention for a topic on saving money. One of the women interviewed has turned off all of the appliances to save big on her electric bill (I think it was everything with a ready light or a clock). A unused toaster isn't going to use any power, but the microwave with the clock will. I have been thinking for a long time that I'm tired of all of these little green and red lights around the house. I rearranged a power strip in the kitchen so the microwave now needs to be powered up before use. I have a clock on the wall, and one on the stove, I don't also need a microwave clock. This weekend I'll see about setting a few more power strips where I can easily turn off the equipment (I'm thinking television, VCR, DVD, converter box--the question is, does it all need to be reprogrammed? I may need to leave a couple of things on to save time setting things up for recording, etc.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 12:39 AM

I guess I do, come to think of it...have more energy, I mean.:-) And, I do make lists, sometimes I don't list all of the small, usual things I do, but I do value them as time well-spent.

Sounds as though you've found some neat solutions to cookbook display, etc.

What kind of savings did she have, did she say?

We have a windup wall clock which I keep going through old-fashioned "wind-up" power and microwave and stove ones in the kitchen, plus a clock radio, there and in the bedroom. I think the microwave insists on being reprogrammed every time it loses power, but I could unplug the clock radios and let them run on battery at night, but then again, I might forget to plug them back and run the batteries down.I'll have to think about this, more. I think we'd lose programming on the tv/dvd/sound system things, too. I put the computer on "hibernate" if I am going to be away from it for more than a few minutes throughout the day and at night. Now, you've got me thinking.

When I am able, I may get one of these: Click Here. I like the idea of it running on solar, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 12:49 AM

Her bill went way down, but of course, there could be seasonal things also. She started in March (cold) and kept track until June or July (warmer, but maybe not needing A/C where she was--I forget where that was). The first bill was around $200? The last one was something over $60. I can't believe it was all appliance ready lights, but I know if you turn off your computer completely, etc, there is a savings. I have, in my office, the computer, printer, scanner, modem, router (my son would riot if those were off when he wanted them--clearly they'd need to be on a circuit he could turn on without getting everything else), a entertainment system (CD, radio, LP), a television, a converter box for the television. It adds up.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 03:10 AM

It seems impossible to buy a piece of electrical equipment these days that does not have an illuminated display or some memory function that requires power 24/7, or has an off button that doesn't put it on 'standby' complete with light to show it's ready to go 'on' in a flick. I recently bought a digital radio/CD player. Does that need a permanent display? It has no recording facility, neither is it an alarm clock but it does brighten my kitchen at night and makes a pretty purple glow with the red light that shows the boiler is on...

We're just all too used to having equipment ready and waiting without even the touch of a button... what could you possibly do in those extra 2 mins that a computer startup from scratch takes, over the energy used in leaving it on standby?

There should be more individually switched extension sockets (4 sockets, 4 switches) available... we have 3 in our house and they aren't enough.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Penny S.
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 04:08 AM

Decluttering has now become a different thing - I am in the process of buying a new home, which has rooms for clutter! And a bigger garage, I think. I'll need to up the process before moving. It's got a place for the stuff I keep in the loft but can't get at. Hooray.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: freda underhill
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 06:05 AM

Tonight I've had a wonderful declutter of...




my email. and lots of joyful exploring at the same time.

re my house, there are a few cracks here and there, and my granddaughter noted a tiny spider in my room. but as Mr Cohen sang last week ... There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in...

This saturday I'm having a session at my place, this ensuring a further beautifying of my space during the day!

have been scrubbing out the inner spaces of my being with flower remedies - aahh. now THAT's a declutter :-)

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: mouldy
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 03:44 PM

I eventually put all the clothes etc back into my wardrobes and drawers a couple of days ago, chased out all the dust too, and so far so good - it's a lovely place to be. I also put some lighter curtains up, which adds to it.
I have been in contact with a structural surveyor today, and hopefully he will be coming on Friday to have a look at my damp kitchen. I may have to get the floor covering off and out tomorrow, snow permitting. I had intended to do it soon, but he's in my area on Friday, and it will need to come up so he can get a proper look at the floor. I just hope that he doesn't find anything too dreadful that needs doing!

I had another Bowen treatment on my back this afternoon, and spent most of the time ruminating about what I could remove from the garden.

I am determined that this house will go on sale this year, credit crunch or not!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 03:54 PM

Good for you, Andrea!

Penny, good news! Congrats!

I asked my Rog about the savings with the small appliances. Remember he is chief engineer at a tv station...they have humongous utility bills. He says the few small things we have would not make much difference in our bill. I think you're right, Maggie, about that woman's testing. I haven't done anything different and our bill is going down, monthly, as we hit warmer weather.:-) Still, I'd prefer using less regardless.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: MAG
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 09:00 PM

One box of craft stuff I found is going back to the teacher I got it from, originally. She doesn't want it, but says she knows someone who does.

Two other boxes of stuff can go to the sorority who do crafts at my job; they are doing scrapcraft in April for Earth Day.

I found more size 24s which go into my yard sale.

(Where ARE those 18s?)

I found a pair of black jeans on sale for $8, size 18, and they are a nice brand, so I went ahead and got them.

Trash pickup tomorrow; can't wait to get out there and fill it up again.

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 11:19 PM

Penny S., Here is something you should watch. ;-)

Mouldy, our (Mudcat) Janie had a big dig for lots of her plants when she moved from a house she had lived in for years, and Bobert moved hundreds of plants when he went from West Virginia to Virginia. Good luck!

I was out and around campus today, not much time at home. I attended a special event (I always try to latch onto at least one "big idea" with this kind of special speaker program, and I was able to do that) that I'll turn it into an article for the next library newsletter.

My kitchen is cleaned up this evening and that's about as much as I'll get done for today. My hands are dry (cracked) and I need to use a good lotion (and rubber gloves) if I'm going to keep up this work. By the weekend I'll have finished the floor in the bedroom closet and I'll hopefully finish my taxes. These are the current and on-going things I've been working on.

I'm bushed (and it has nothing to do with Dubya moving back to Dallas!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 12:25 AM

LMAO, thanks for the link, SRS!

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: mouldy
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 04:27 AM

Ah, but the removing from the garden will be the stuff I DON'T want! I'm going to try and pot any other stuff as far as possible.
Anyway, with the way of the world at the moment, I could still be here 3 years hence!

...and the surveyor is coming around midday tomorrow.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 12:04 PM

"That's all your house is, a pile of stuff with a cover on it." Great stuff! They played this clip on the Mark Twain awards last night, where George Carlin was the recipient. How much better would it have been if it wasn't a 90-minute eulogy, but a fun-loving roast of the living performer. He was great.

Yesterday I was on campus all day, covering a speaker at a technology event. Beforehand I took time to drop a bug in the ear of one of the Office of IT guys about my huge crash. He knows I have the skills to keep this system up and running, and that I uninstalled it properly. It will at least have them paying more attention to that software. But I also described a problem I've had with my video card (dual head--so I can run two separate monitors as an enlarged desktop, they're a large work surface, not a clone like you might use at an information desk when the person on the other side of the desk sees the same thing you're looking at.) I realized as he spoke that I probably had competing chipsets (one on the motherboard, the other on the video card installed on the back). I sat down this morning when I was fresh (I don't try to fix things like this in the evening when I'm tired). I also had a fuzzy monitor on one side.

I think I've fixed it. It took several tries and some pretty absurd appearance along the way, but right now it is lovely. I saved this setup with a name that is clear so if I have to go back and fix it later I can click on it and that should put everything the way it belongs.

De-cluttering my computer virtual desktop--a very worthwhile task!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 12:47 PM

Wish I could de-clutter the snot from my sinuses... not a happy bunny and it's taken me all day to muster up energy just to answer my emails.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Penny S.
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 02:04 PM

I'll have to pick that up at my sister's, or maybe at school tomorrow - if open. If it's shut I probably won't be at my sister's either. No broadband - will get it when I am at the new place.

Liz, have you tried inhaling? Vicks, or Olbas, or what I grew up with, Friar's Balsam? Or just the steam?

Penny

Heck, I just thought of something I needed to declutter before I wrote the above, and have forgotten it.

Oh yes, years back I "rescued" some geological specimens found under the stage at school when it was demolished. The labels clearly identified them as the property of the local grammar school. I had them in my classroom for years, using them occasionally as the curriculum allowed, until the Head demanded I got rid of them. On leaving school, I offered them back to the grammar - no takers.

I can't be doing with trashing that sort of thing. Every collection is a small bit of damage which cannot be replaced - in a way, worse than collecting flowers - if common ones. A bit of a problem.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 02:40 PM

Maybe you can find a taker in a freecycle environment, or list them for a nominal price on eBay and see if a collector wants them for the price of shipping and packaging. What kind of rocks or minerals are they?

Usual chores today, but I need to soon get back to my eBay activities. For space and for ca$h both. Things have gotten piled up in there and need some tidying. The delay has been due to not having the html editor and some of the programs in place for preparing auctions. Now the programs are in place but they're so radically different than the previous versions that I'm struggling with the learning curve right now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: February Declutter - keep the faith!
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 04:23 PM

Sort of virtual and physical decluttering. I've scanned in all of the photos I have of my jewellery, mostly rabbit-themes for one particular client, AND have started a new membership and album at My Opera for StonePeople Designs. I wish I had separate pix for them all. I do have a sheet of thumbnails. I think I'll take it in for prints and then scan those in. Anyway, this is something which has been on my mind for a LONG time so it feels good!