Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 11:30 AM

Lol, C. I've been making THAT kinda trip for 4 years with an OPEN trailer! ;-)

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Apr 18 - 09:34 AM

Oh, Susan, how well I remember truck-packing day, and then driving across Ontario with a load that I thought I had tied down in a sufficiently seaman-like fashion. I was wrong; for hours and hours of highway travel, I listened to the handcart slam back and forth from wheel-well to wheel-well. At least it wasn't a box of wine ... going tinkle, smash, tinkle, dribble ...

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 11:23 PM

Difficult to believe we're at the end of April already, since spring seems to have barely gotten off the ground temperature-wise. Allergy season is in full swing though, and everyone around me is feeling it.
I was home today working on some paperwork between naps. The only decluttering I managed was a bag down at the curb for trash tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 08:28 PM

PA PACKATHON 2018

We picked up the truck this aftn. It's built for shorter, spryer folks than I, but getting it a day early will allow me to rig a step I can pull up after getting in. I'll add a rope to the one I use for our very tall bed.

Hardi is boxing our treasure chest which sits on my dresser, and is about to muscle the dresser downstairs.

Tomorrow afternoon we load, using the upcycled baling twine I reassembled one nervous afternoon to keep my hands busy to tie it down inside the truck. In the morning I'll get an Rx for strep throat. :-( Friday I depart, to meet son/DIL to share driving. Unloading is scheduled for Sunday, with weeks of UNPACKATHON to follow.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Apr 18 - 09:54 AM

The big IKEA cabinet has left the building! Along with a straight chair (pleasing, but also unnecessary) and a nice, clean, step-on garbage container, also excess to requirements. I am more than pleased. The basement TV-and-reading room has breathing space for the first time since the beginning of the kitchen renovation. Now, all it needs is a paint job, but that will damned well have to wait for another infusion of money.

Two guys from the church arrived with a flat-bed trailer and within about 15 minutes the job was done without so much as a chip out of the fresh paint in the front hall.

Floating on a wave of accomplishment, we cleaned a winter's worth of debris off the deck and the front porch. Stratford is a house-proud town, and we don't want the neighbours to think we're slobs.

The church variety sale -- destination of the above-mentioned cabinet and many large boxes of doohickeys -- starts tomorrow. Himself and I have been conscripted to guard the doors and the booths with the most-thieved items; apparently this major fund-raiser attracts le tout Stratford, including some of our lighter-fingered fellow citizens. Himself asked me what I would do if I caught a shoplifter; I replied that I would embarrass the hell out of her. The parish verger, our boss for this gig, opined that fear of public humiliation is by far the most effective security method available to us.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 10:20 PM

Thanks, Acme.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 10:01 PM

Fixed Susan's typos, too bad I'm not there to help Dorothy with the printer. Dorothy, I've been reading about the various payment apps out there - take your time in choosing one if that is the direction you're going. Some are more secure than others. For those times you have questions you can send email through mudcat - maggie at [this site] dot org will reach me - and I'll see if I can help.

I have a lot to do over the next couple of days, but when my time is free I'm going to repackage a couple of my current eBay listings and formulate some new, smaller ones. The process involves photography, finding the best box and packing materials, and listing them. I sometimes list things in larger lots - less per piece to get them all out of the way at once. If that doesn't work, then I go back to fewer in smaller boxes.

Watching PBS last night - polar bears catching beluga whales - wow. I don't have cable, but I do have NetFlix, something I think my son (on my account in a distant city) uses more than I do. There are a couple of disks around here that have to go back. I go in spurts as a viewer of movies or television programs. These days there is so much available via over-the-air television. I have disks of films as my backup, but more and more they're also saved as mp4 files and I can watch them on the computer, phone, or tablet.

Wow. I found this just now but I had started it last night and evidently reduced the browser window without sending. Decluttering browser windows. :)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 11:47 AM

PA PACKATHON "ENOUGH!!!" EDITION

For too many reasons to specify, I canceled the all-day PA dental in favor of following up in Ohio, and going scootering today with the dog. And a romantic dinner with DH, later.

After several morning packaging adjustments, the 14 (!!!) creche figures are packaged for transit-- half of them wrongly packaged; but all are numbered for identification and I took pix as I packed to remind me of heights-- some are kneeling. A new numbering will occur when they are unwrapped, by category.

The truck rental dude left me a message this AM pressuring us to get the truck even EARLIER tmrw. NOPE! Cannot juggle further!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: mg
Date: 24 Apr 18 - 09:36 AM

Coming back from trip to ireland. Planned careffully but still too much. Fell off bus in seattle and hurt my bottom. Jacket was boggest problem. Have goretex bjt so cold and clammy brought my london fog, warm but not waterproof. Have not had good jacket.combo for seventeen years. Somewhere there is a good lined.absolutely waterprlof jacket and no layering is not the answer. bottom line..take half as much and a bar.of.soap.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Apr 18 - 05:31 PM

Beaver:
An hour on the phone with a nice tech support person determined that the printer is not working. I am thinking this over while I managed to do the income tax return, find to my shock that I had to go to the Credit Union to pay - cheques are obsolete!

Gorgeous day and melting well! I can get into studio easily - after negotiating a few feet of snow and ice, and into the tool shed so I might be able to fix kiln! The main woodpile is still inaccessible but I still have sufficient wood, thanks to Larry! The impending rain will probably clear the remaining ice. I was able to weed the east strawberry bed!!

Accomplishing the income tax required about 150 grams of dark chocolate; it certainly assisted brain function - seriously! I am not losing any weight but not gaining either. I am slowly rebuilding some strength after the long winter.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Apr 18 - 10:55 AM

PA PACKATHON 2018

April 23 - 26-- last work week, and GO! :-)

Truck pickup is Weds evening with Hardi driving it from the pickup locay an hour away-- I'll set up the cabin for my particular disabilities and practice drive it Thursday. Thursday night Hardi and helper load the truck. I leave Friday morning.

I'll meet son and DIL Saturday morning halfway to Ohio at a frequently-used motel/restaurant. From there I'll probably leave the truck to them, and proceed ahead of them with their car and my dog, to prep house and garage for a smooth unload of the barrage of boxes and furniture, hopefully with a few daytime hours of housemate's help-- he just started an evening job.

The truck will arrive at the house sometime Saturday aftn/night, for Sunday unloading from 8AM til 2:30PM. Helpers are confirmed.

Remaining to package are a set of 3/4 size Christmas creche figures I'm restoring with the expert help of an Ohio community theater group's crew. My prep for encasing them will result in many trips up and down the warm, sunny ramp to fetch them individually, bringing one fragile, 1950's-decoupaged figure at a time to the just-cleared DR table Hardi's ready to disassemble for transit, where all the cushioning/packaging supplies are-- and the 2nd huge box they'll travel in, just like the huge box of framed items.

The creche figures' garage spot is designated, and their restoration plan is in place: polyurethane fronts and black-green exterior paint for the backs, plus artwork by theater artists. We'll dispay them in Ohio for one or two seasons, and then they'll go back into their protective packaging for delivery to a designated churchyard (in keeping with the donating family's direction).

Our site layout will be per young neighbor Camryn's eye and muscle-- he designed a superb garden bed last fall-- against a stretch of privacy fence as a backdrop. On that fence, I can just screw a few 2 x 4's to suggest a stable-roof. It's so windy there; some of the tableaux will screw right to the fence via cleats on their backs. (There's electricity there for lights, and I can already see the whole tableaux.) There will be pictures, to travel with the set to their next home and for me to frame for us.

Only a very few other items remain to be gathered for loading. A large dresser needs to come downstairs; the china cabinet and DR table need to be disassembled; a rug needs to be rolled and tied. The weather is forecast to be warm and dry most of this week, and I suspect Hardi will roll that rug this evening.

Tomorrow is all-day dental.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 11:05 PM

Beaver:

Sometimes I wish Maggie were here! Tonight it was the two hours spent fruitlessly trying to print something; even with a cord connecting printer and computer I kept getting a message that the printer was offline and something about a WSP button on a router. What router? what button? I could not bring myself to phone son - either one. I will try Epson tomorrow. I just want to vote on Whidbey!

SLOWLY, the snow and ice is melting. Yesterday I managed to get into the studio and water the plants. Today I tried to put up the "umbrella" clothes dryer but could not get it to go up because its hole is full of ice and it was too high for me to reach. The main wood pile is still not accessible but it it has been warmish so I am managing to stay warm. Up to 13C tomorrow! Then rainlater in the week should clear the decks - and make the yard a lake!

Today's best laugh: "With any luck, I'll leave this house feet first." I said that back in - well, when I moved into the house in PA, how many moves ago?! as for the five coffee makers!!! I suppose if we do airbnb at the new house we will need such an object: I welcome advice on one that will be fool proof for myself and guests. Something environmentally suitable. And how to keep coffee that will stay drinkable! The last time I made a cup of coffee - about 20 years ago - the recipient poured it out on the ground!

So, very carefully moving bits of ice and snow has utilized my energy, and three loads of laundry! I have oregano and parsley babies started and two forgotten-what they were- flower seeds started. Surprise!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 06:49 PM

Feels a long while since I last thought of Tupperware. I remember Pip/mum and Tupperware parties late 60s/ early 70s in a small North Wales village.

I think this one has gone whereas Tupperware still exists but there was also (probably just UK and maybe door to door sales and a different product range including brushes) Betterware then. Some of the stuff lasted ages. I don’t know if there are any Tupperware boxes still here but the peeler I mentioned a few posts below is Betterware and bought heaven knows when.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:45 PM

Good job on the weight loss, Michelle! I also did that kind of clear out of food containers you describe; after discarding the Tupperware I also settled on the Rubbermaid set (red top, clear bases) that stack well and don't leak. And when I'm taking soup or wet stuff, I also use a glass jar with a good lid, usually a canning jar. In my work backpack side pocket I have a small (~1/4 cup) Rubbermaid container with a few Brazil nuts in it (the nut mix I buy has an inordinate amount of Brazil nuts). As I walk around outside at work some of the squirrels are accustomed to panhandling and when I pull out that plastic and rattle it they come running!

This is Earth Day and you'd think one of those hazardous chemical waste collection sites would be set up, but I haven't found any. So it sits on a shelf at the back of the garage and waits.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:19 PM

This morning I cleaned out the lunch container cupboard which was a mish mash collection of Rubbermaid and Ziploc containers. We found that the Rubbermaid (Heavier Rubbermaid) does not leak....all the others do with the exception of Tupperware but even then....

Anyway, it ALL went in the trash. I cleaned the wood inside the cupboard and filled it with new, non-leaking containers and also more containers in the size that we both prefer in our lunches (the square ones stack nicely in my lunch bag).

I use canning jars quite often to tote my lunch that has any chance of being a wet leaky mess....works out just fine, especially since we have reusable lids.

I have been repacking meat this morning too and filling our freezers.

Later I will be packing my lunches up for most of the week as it proved to be most helpful for last week which was busy with work, an evening presentation I had to do at one of the larger high schools in the area and one day was spent volunteering with my coworkers at the food bank. Busy. Busy. Busy and happily enjoyed.

I am down 4 pounds this week! YAY!

Have a great week everybody!

Michelle

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 01:05 PM

Our council collects the recyclable paper, plastic, etc. and general household waste on alternate weeks but you have to make other arrangements for things that don’t fit those categories.
Regarding your hazardous waste, I wasn't sure of the situation here on that. It looks as if I could dispose of that sort of thing at the recycle centres but would have to wait for a “special domestic hazardous waste day” to do so, the next one being in September.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 18 - 11:38 AM

I have a year round creek in my back yard and a pump to use to move the water to use in the yard, but an urban creek is probably polluted, so I've never gotten around to using that pump. And yes, there is fracking in this area. No wells that I know of to be impacted in this urban setting, but that doesn't mean the groundwater and surface sources aren't impacted.

A run to the recycle bin is due (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass); since the weekend is a busy time for neighbors the bins will be full so I probably need to wait till Tuesday (after the bins are emptied). Jon, I separate out the electrical devices for an e-waste disposal service (this stuff goes there along with batteries, discs, cassettes, etc.) I compost yard waste, and don't put out trash often. I have some stuff that needs to go to a hazardous waste pickup (I've been organic for years but there are a few bottles from the old days that need disposal). That's difficult, city and county jurisdictions have different rules about where you can leave this stuff. My village doesn't pay into the county disposal plan so I have to watch for a general community collection event.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 03:09 PM

Go Jon!

Today was possibly our last water-fetch from the spring in Ulysses. Frankly it just hasn't been fun to fetch water since Cherry Flats closed due to fracking, and signs of fracking were evident as we neared our destination. But we got eight 7-gallon cubes of springwater, which we started cutting w/50% fracked faucet water during this last year.

We did it together, and Newbie-dog got a few minutes to smell dead things. The water may last till we leave PA, or Hardi may get up there to visit one last time; or we might fetch a wee bit in the fall... weather makes it crazier each year-- AND we's OLD! ;-)

The good thing-- no freeze anticipated here, so no rush to carry all that water into the house! And a day off of packing!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 12:49 PM

I have some heavy duty black plastic trays that came from a local bottling plant (a friend had them in his greenhouse and I inherited them when I bought the greenhouse). I have marked in red wax marker on the sides what seeds I started in the assembled clay pots in each tray, and I also use these markers around the house. Who knows where the black and red one I use came from, but I'm about to increase my supply with a small box of Dixon china markers in other colors. Five more of them will be a lifetime supply. I date lids of jars going into the freezer, I write on plastic canisters then put tape over the impromptu labels.

I had three small red lasoda potatoes that were liberally sprouting so they're now in the garden; I usually plant them in January or February, but I'm curious to see what happens. They're in well-worked soft soil so if they do produce they should do it easily. There is no point planting potatoes if you're not going to work the soil, you don't get the tubers in a hard small space. It's a gentle rain today and I'm hoping this inspires the seeds in pots on the bench to burst forth.

Since it's raining I'll work in the house. eBay, video production, laundry, sewing. I'm making this a fasting day (500 calories) so I won't tempt myself with much cooking.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 08:53 AM

This year’s efforts follow on in part from having the heating revamped last year, me doing the bulk of the cooking and even a comment in the cats thread here…

Bathroom, Washbasin: fitted thermostatic mixer valve for hot tap, extended lever taps, click clack waste, paper roll dispenser, redone silicon sealant. Bath: fitted new waste and overflow, thermostatic bar bath/shower mixer. Other: tidy up grouting in tiles. To do: redo silicon sealant for bath (I don’t fancy that job), tidy up around toilet and old pipework, probably change bath mixer tap – I think the idea is right but I think trying a cheap one was a mistake for what we want.

Kitchen. Clear out of most pots and pans, replacing a couple with new ones – we have a better selection now and it is less cluttered, fit spice rack on cupboard door, fill gap left by old boiler with shelving unit under work top, replace cupboard hinges with soft close ones. To do: try to find bit of vinyl to patch floor where boiler extended beyond kitchen units, fit new curtain, try to better organise cupboards. Possibles, new tap, shelving on remaining bit of wall I could use.

Shed. We lost storage in the airing cupboard with the heating changes. I added new shelving in the shed last year but I think even with a sort out, we will still be short so I think I need to find some mobile shelving.

Other: Dispose of accumulation of junk. I’m not on clear the best way but probably some combination of mini skip hire, trips to recycle centre and council collection. Matters would be easier if everything could go in a skip but electrical items are a problem there.

–
Oh and on the cooking, I got myself a few (cooks, paring, bread and super slicer) Wusthof knives. It seemed like a good idea but I’ve barely used them. Pip doesn’t like sharp knives in the kitchen so they are stored in a roll in a cupboard in my room. For say the qty of veg I need to do for the 3 of us and considering getting the knives out, I just reach for the trusty old bread knife (like this one – it’s got different serrations to other bread knives I’ve seen). That and a veg peeler get me through most things.

–
Garden. This year’s mowing already started. Tomatoes, peppers and aubergine in pots on windowsills. Some other seeds in propagator. Visiting brother and family cleared a load of leaves at front of house.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 18 - 12:34 AM

Patty, will you be passing through North Texas (DFW) at any time? Let me know, I'd love to have you stop by. This is a good time of year to spend in TX, especially if you're looking for good temperatures. Tornadoes, well, they kind of come with the temperatures (thunderstorms).

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: pattyClink
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 10:30 PM

Wow, lots of stuff getting done! Remember not to bite off more garden than you can chew come dog days of August ;-)

I plodded along with the storage units, until they are now shelved and organized and condensed, with a little purging and donating done. Was able to empty one completely and cease paying rental on it, yay!

And got the SUV completely emptied and cleaned inside and out. Also, reorganizing contents, and paring back what I travel with, so it can be used more often as a group expedition vehicle and not a jampacked cargo ship.

I need to put 'clean out the car' on the agenda monthly or at least quarterly, it feels so good when it's done, kind of like a fresh haircut or a tooth cleaning.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 07:58 PM

I planted four pots of squash (a mix of zucchini and yellow bent neck squash) into the garden today, followed by watering with Bt and a topping of home-chipped mulch (branches from the yard run through my electric chipper). I was going to try to inject Bt into the stems but they're too small, so those I tried I hope I didn't damage. I'll do the injecting as they get larger and the lower stems turn woody. These were started from seed on the outside potting table; I'll fill the clay pots with more soil and start something else. I'm waiting for tomatoes, okra, and poblano peppers to start sprouting. There are small springs of Swiss chard and the basil is starting to pop up. The squash I planted today (two per pot) saved me about $10 so far.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 07:37 PM

I did designate the germination stuff go straight to its kitchen destination, and I do have a packet of seeds in my purse, with time to snag topsoil etc for the big nursery pots in the Ohio garage. And I'll definitely buy flats of annuals to display with those seeds, in the patio.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 06:14 PM

I went into the move last year in the full and urgent hope that it's our last. With any luck, I'll leave this house feet first.

Susan points out that she's missing a gardening season. That happened to us last year, along with most of the preserving season. I managed to crank out a load of chutney in late September, when I had finally unearthed the canner and enough Mason jars. The move, including selling the Ottawa house and settling in here (plus the renovation), ate most of my waking life for eighteen months.

Now that the worst parts of the house have been renovated, repaired and repainted, I find that I'm willing to live with the aubergine purple in the bedroom and its en-suite bathroom for a while longer, if only to avoid unloading the bedroom bookcases. The greyish mauve on three walls of the bedroom is even harder to take, but in some lights it's close to a Farrow & Ball colour called Mouse Fur, which kinda takes the curse off it. The baby-shit brown in the basement is bad, and the holes in the plaster make it worse, but enough pictures and bookcases do a great deal to ameliorate the situation. It would help if I could bring myself to call that colour something euphemistic -- "old gold" perhaps.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, the civil service paperwork required to get me paid for the book project has finally reached critical mass. I signed the formal Letter of Offer yesterday, only seven weeks after the original start date, and I'll get back to work on the manuscript on Monday. The author is incommunicado for two weeks while he marks papers (he's a history professor), so I have time to get a chapter ready to thump onto his desk as soon as he breaks cover.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 01:01 PM

Yes, Acme, disruptive moves are what I grew up with and have experienced since. I like very much that despite our age, we're moving into our first *owned* home and doing it our way. It's great being able to designate where things pass now and after WE pass. I'm also grateful to have the physical and mental stamina to do this BUT I'm equally pleased knowing that it's the last one I'll have to manage/oversee, and I'm missing a gardening season! :-(

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 11:16 AM

Years ago I got one of those free Gevalia coffeemakers and that is still my only automated coffee making apparatus. I have a French press (that also works for tea) and when you get into tea that's where my duplication occurs. Years ago my brother sent a boxed coffeemaker for xmas, and we don't drink coffee so I set the unopened box on a shelf. Literally years later I opened it to find the box had been used to ship a large handmade teapot (that now sits on top of my kitchen cabinets collecting dust). I have a porcelain pot I use when I make a pot for several people, and I have a small glass single serving Pyrex pot with a steel strainer. Mostly what I have are all sorts of tea strainers, balls, spoons, shapes, and baskets for brewing tea. Over time I've given away duplicate tea strainers (many of them came from my father's house, but I already had several of my own). Now that the topic has come up, perhaps I should address these duplicates (or at least put them all in one place).

Susan, we've watched this from the sidelines for months, understanding what you're doing. That plan of gradually moving makes perfect sense when you have the luxury of managing it at your own pace. Too often when someone has to move everything gets packed and sorted out at the other end. As Charmion has been illustrating (and how I have done it a couple of times.) We'll have to see if Dorothy can wrangle R into letting her manage their move in such a way. If I ever get to a point of moving back to my home state I would like to think that I've offloaded a lot of extras before the move - that's where I am now. And not leaving all of this stuff for my kids to sort through wherever it ends up.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 09:56 AM

I think Himself might be getting into the less-accumulation headspace. Last night he actually volunteered to de-accession a coffee pot. I reeled.

Mind you, that would leave us with five different kinds of coffee-making technology.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Apr 18 - 06:47 AM

Acme, the final move is yet to be scheduled when Harding sets a retirement date. This interim load has been scheduled for approx May 1 for some time, and a major focus of it is gathering fragiles for the installation of decor and artwork; that's better done while I can access the walls (before furniture blocks them).

The whole 8 weeks or so I've been in PA, we've been getting ready for this truck trip. It's a one-way rental, so my DIL has left me a car in Ohio to use till Hardi joins me for vacation with the next open-trailer-load of furniture. Therefore, the truck is also going to carry the antiques best NOT carried on an open trailer.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 10:37 PM

I congratulated myself on not picking up anything (because there was nothing I needed) at a Goodwill store I happened to pass this afternoon. If I were interested in antique porcelain saucers I'd have hit the jackpot, but selling small antique saucers isn't a business I want to get into. This is the closest Goodwill to an older section of town, so I imagine this was left from a garage sale or estate clear-out.

Family members know I visit thrift stores so I have a list in my head of items they want me to look for. I found a second old small pressure cooker for my ex who wants the heavy weight pans because they hold heat well for making candy (in particular, his annual peanut brittle he makes at a friend's house, though he tells me this year he and the kids are bringing them to my house over the holidays to experiment making cashew brittle). I told him they'd better be sure to bring plenty of sugar, I don't have that much here now that I'm not cooking as much and I haven't canned anything in a while.

Susan, when is the truck part of the move going to happen? I had the impression that despite all of the packing it was months off. I guess I misread somewhere. Do you have to bring it back round-trip, or will you leave it in Ohio?

Dorothy, careful with the ice and firewood! One broken ankle is sufficient. A friend of mine had surgery a few weeks ago on a broken ankle and is using one of those wheeled supports to kneel on and keep her ankle up. Even those are hazardous and she's had a couple of falls off of it.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 07:52 PM

Beaver: So glad to be back where I can look out at the hills and trees! And the 15 inches of snow covering the entire yard and deck, ice covered snow that I have not had the energy to move. Fortunately, the small pile of wood neighbour Larry put outside the back door months ago is reachable and will get me through a couple days until things thaw some. The main woodpile is about 20 feet away - 20 feet of ice-covered snow. I could do it if necessary but am thankful not to need to risk back and shoulders.…

Hoping the weather Report is correct and the weekend thaw will melt much of the snow, Today, I have merely put things away, sorted a pile of papers, found more maps for the map organizing folders, looked at organizing trips back and forth, and read. Heavy weather does not fill me with energy. Plants in house are fine. Those in Studio are “unreachable”! Snow flurries all day and dripping ice cycles… Hope for tomorrow: more energy and warmer – 5C.or more!

Watching a 24 inch shelf of ice, with ice cycles, that is hanging off the studio roof! Expect it will crash down to the ice below with a resounding crash. Hopefully not in the middle of the night!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 07:46 PM

PA PACKATHON:

The project is nearing completion, and good thing too-- Penske wants us to pick up the truck a day early (free).

This evening after supper we made two pallet stacks of boxes, including the giant box of framed art, the banker's boxes, 4 more I packed today, and the two dresser-mirrors I married into one mutually-reinforcing package deal. The portacrib also went out. Over the weekend, the burrito-stuffed china cabinet, last boxes will go out, and my summer church amp will come home to go south. Tuesday is dentist (2 hours drive each way), and Weds. we pick up the truck. Loading is Thursday, and departure is Friday.

If we get a chance and hit the jackpot on helpers, we'll swap out a fridge to send south, too. And make one last trip to the spring, for recreation, weather permitting!

Tonight we nest and rest!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Apr 18 - 10:24 AM

Yes, Acme, the Wedgwood is beautiful, in a very Edwardian way. It's a bright green with a molded pattern of grape leaves and fruit -- très, très art nouveau. Here's a link to the relevant page on Replacements.com: Green Glaze by Wedgwood

The set comprises a wide, low-sided serving bowl (designated "11-inch salad serving bowl" for $179 on Replacements), an 8-ounce jug, a 24-ounce jug, and ten "6 3/8-inch coupe cereal" bowls. I'll bet there were originally a dozen bowls, but two fell victim to time and circumstance.

Because the decoration is raised, they aren't practical for frequent use; the pattern is not uncommon, and pieces turn up at junque shops with chips and glaze-worn-off white spots. I imagine that my mother-in-law thought the same; hence, they're still with us.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 18 - 08:33 PM

Today I cleaned my office, starting by bending, cracking, and pulling the little slider casings off of 3 dozen old 3.5" floppy disks. I kept three, the oldest (from 1996-97) in case one of the offices on campus runs another contest for the oldest files found saved. I think it should apply to more than paper. The rest went into an e-waste bin. I also brought some books home and I can see a spot from here where they will go in the bookshelves.

I found a handful of audio books at a library branch I don't visit very often so I can reload my supply of books for my drive time each day. Virtual books don't take any space so are a great bargain in this decluttering household. I'm not really enjoying the one I started listening to this week; I'll give it another day of listening before I decide to bail on it or not.

The garden will get my attention because we have rain coming in a couple of days, and on that rainy day I'll work on stuff in the house. I'm down to 15 listings on eBay (happily a few sold) and I'll list at least five more since I've decided to try to keep 20 minimum going at a time. I think this will always be just a hobby that makes a little money on the side, but I have a lot of stuff to offload via this hobby so I have to keep going. It's still better than all the trouble of doing a garage sale.

Charmion, is that Wedgwood fruit set attractive? There's nothing wrong with having a few beautiful pieces around just because of their charismatic looks. I have a shallow cabinet behind two sliding mirrored closet doors in my sun room where I store a lot of the family crystal. If one side or the other is left open I invariably find myself smiling at the beautiful pieces when they come into view as I pass through the room.

Hungry dogs want to go for a walk then have their dinner. Same for me. It's nice when Spring finally gets here and the days are long enough and warm enough to enjoy after I get home from work.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Apr 18 - 11:27 AM

Although I often look at the china cabinets with a fiercely critical eye these days, I found myself unable to part with the green Wedgwood majolica fruit set that we inherited from Himself's mother. No, I have never used it, and there really isn't room for it in the dining-room, but I felt a real pang when I started packing it up.

So I parked the box on a shelf in the basement storage area known to us as the Glory Hole. It can stay there for a while, maybe years. At this point, I don't care; we don't NEED to get rid of it, and we don't need the space it takes up for something more important, so it can stay. Maybe one of the younger generation will show an inclination for fine crockery some day. I can wait.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Apr 18 - 07:29 PM

DONE but honestly it's just a first sorting. It's all in banker's boxes as wanted... but the categories could really be sorted out further on a fine spring day. So instead of going INTO anything, or into the house, it's all going up over the garage door in Ohio for easy access.... until the arrival of music books planned to go there pushes me to go back thru the boxes to re-sort by program. And one lacks a lid-- a spare one of which is in Ohio.

The incentive is: program interest in Ohio for the program whose original materials are scattered thru put the boxes. Possibly paid interest.

The review, as all the programs passed before my eyes and mind-- priceless, what I learned about my own working process. Lot to reflect upon!

The most FUN memory in these 11 boxes was Hardi and me, 26 or so years ago, moving me out of the office where so much of this paper came from. It didn't feel quite so heavy to us then, but 11 boxes of copy paper at 5lbs/ream... THAT is heavy lifting! ;-)

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Apr 18 - 05:10 PM

Oops... that last lift. Can't finish until med kick in. One big box to go is 1/2 done and Hardi is hauling out recyclable paper to clear front door access. This will make it possible to haul OUT the finished boxes. Tonight. Myself. Maybe!

Ow!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Apr 18 - 12:02 PM

PA PACKATHON, ARCHIVES EDITION

I've posted before about my no-filing/archive mgmt system. Today it is fulfilled.

TBTG all 11 archive boxes (circa 1982 - 2000+) were accurately labeled, so next steps were to place a tray table for further re-labeling (and water!), and start confirming/purging contents.

In gathering supplies to do this, I found the missing pantry and file cabinet! :-) (And I found more leaf bags upstairs, yay!)

After the first energy-burst: Three of 11 boxes now = recycle. One = keep, of ofc supplies/communication planners. One = keep, mixed files: fph; church strat plan; homeschooling org; more. One = all LL journals I'd been missing that failed to surface the last time my archived professional library was transported.

One Goodwill box started.

There's room in all of the above for more in their category. Apparently now my mind organizes by category, not date or organization, for what is probably my last career.

Five of the 11 boxes are left to explore/sort/purge. Based on how much of the first six I explored are being kept, I'll meet the day's goal.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Apr 18 - 09:47 AM

PA PACKATHON, SOMEBODY'S MOVING EDITION

Yesterday, Hardi brought down most of the portacrib components and one of our big amps, and brought 11 of my workproduct archives into the LR packing zone. This morning before coming downstairs, I gathered the rest of the portacrib parts and set them ready to come down, including the 2 custom boxes that elevate the mattress up to where I can reach in.

I came down to find the weekend-emptied pantry "missing". Can't find it! It's too big to hide, at 7' tall, but I don't see it on either porch.... :-o

My project today:

Transform 11 full boxes into:
. Resources for current AR work that will fit into the tall file cabinet I'm taking, in banker's boxes already on hand (for easy grabbing)
. A very few mementos
. Boxes we can use for moving
. Recycled paper/cardboard

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 16 Apr 18 - 04:58 PM

Montreal:

City is being decluttered of a sheet of ice but expecting a new one tonight. Hope to be able to go back to Beaver on Weds. I am cocooning until then!

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 18 - 10:23 PM

(It feels SO GOOD to have gotten all of the above out of my head and written down! Even if I just use it to remind ME of what I decided-- I've been holding all that in short term memory PLUS where each item goes, unpacked, in the house. Too much!!!)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Apr 18 - 09:39 PM

I finished mulching the garden paths and a few bedding plants are now in the ground. I've put a few more seeds in starter pots on the potting bench.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 18 - 02:46 PM

OH UNPACKATHON DREAMS FROM PA:

It all started running itself in my head once I'd asked housemate Tyler to take the lawn chairs out to the yard...

The following is an unedited paste of a message to my wonderful, matriarch-in-training DIL, who agreed to be my stunt double:

GARAGE LAYOUT FOR TRUCK UNLOADING

Jaclyn, this is so important. Can I put you in charge of putting labeled boxes in the right garage areas to make it possible for me to get/deal with each box on my own in succeding weeks of unpacking?

FOUR CORNERS:

Corner by door into patio-- BR and K boxes, tarped over (roof leaks)

Art Corner by fenced area behind BR's-- Framed art (LR decor boxes on top of adjoining green tool shelf); lightweight wooden wall shelves on top (one on truck and one in LR).

Furniture corner-- Scooters; armoire behind scooters on window wall. Garden stuff can go into (or stacked on tarped-top of) armoire.

LL Corner where weight bench was-- LL Boxes under corner desk, white cubbies with bases stacked on desk; file cabinet, and archive boxes or LL boxes in/stacked on file cabinet.

Walker-- trunk of Saturn.

Dog crate-- backseat of Saturn? Blanket/tarp underneath, in case dog carsick.

Tin roofing-- beside garage behind privacy fence.

Tall pantry-- Garage, beside stove. Hanging closet now there: to middle of garage for me to sort/relocate.

Round dining table/chairs-- LR to replace card table, or leave in garage.

Flat Xmas figures and portacrib-- Garage rafters, in sight.

Misc gardening crap-- garden wall of garage. Tomato cages can go beside garage behind privacy fence if necessary. Lawn mower can be hanged if necessary-- hooks would prob be needed-- we do not use bcuz lawn svc.

Tools-- portable bench, garage. Hand tools, K sideboard.

Lumber-- Lumber corner of garage if possible. Pressure treated 2x6's beside garage if necessary.

Scalloped-edge table-- LR; replaces narrower wicker lamp table. Wicker table to Tyler (loan), or garage rafters.

Farm bell: Garage where it won't need moved to park-- heavy!!! Cardboard or plastic under it pls.Thanks-- Tyler is prepping those spaces and I'll check boxes as we load to be sure they're routed right. All the Fragile also have Up arrows to prevent crushing. One or two are marked DJ for you guys, so you'll want to watch for those.

Boxed/disassembled white bookcase-- Garage (center or LL corner), for Tyler to assemble later. (A DRY area.)

***

The idea is to fill the corners to my height first, then extend from there into the center of the garage as needed. That way I can start in the center of the garage as I unpack 1 box at a time, so I can park the Saturn in there as soon as feasible.

There is an easy chair in the garage now that can be moved as needed but has to stay in there-- it's one of my emergency break chairs and goes anywhere on the driver's side of the parked car; on the brown rug would be OK, or in the middle of the garage for Tyler and me to deal with later.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Apr 18 - 09:32 AM

PA PACKATHON, BEST HUSBAND EDITION

Awake knowing how to secure the glass China cabinet shelves, which occupied my wake time in the night several times...

Mortited/packed the Teddy Bears print in the 27.5" Uncle Buck pizza box, then saw that Hardi had somehow snuck my dresser mirror downstairs-- THANK YOU HONEY! So I can wrap and stow that in GigundaBox, reinforce that box's corners, with Hardi, later, and BOOM!

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Apr 18 - 10:14 PM

PA PACKATHON, WEEKEND EDITION

No more weekends off-- coming down to the wire now.

Hardi worked on moving pantry goods into the hutch, and I assessed the 'wayback' prospects while looking for my circa-1972 Boston art. Nope, but found my very old Teddy Bears Picnic poster, and other items, such as central PA relief maps, which I added to the box of framed items. Hardi cut me a plywood base to decoupage the Picnic piece, which I'll pack in the 27"-pizza box. I assembled a few boxes, and used one to hold two smaller ones both going to the same destination. A handful of posters went to Goodwill.

~S~

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 18 - 06:14 PM

I've finished playing musical radios. I have a small one on the bedside table in the guest room now, the big clunky boom box in there will go probably on eBay; I have one centrally located in the bedroom/dressing area instead of having one in each room. While I was out making rounds today I found another high-end Goodwill store in what I think was an old post office building in an area I don't go through often (but I can, I just don't think of it). Found a small and inexpensive cross-cut shredder so the others (as usual) will go on eBay. I picked up a library item I'd requested delivered to my branch, and since I was over near another branch I don't see often I stopped in there and found a couple of audio books. I may eventually join Audible to listen to some of the books that are gaps in the city library collection (especially if I'm trying to listen to them in the right order.)

I picked up another batch of mulch, but the weather has been so contrary, today is cool and very windy, making it difficult to work on the garden (I usually end up with something in my eye in weather like this if I try it.)

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Apr 18 - 03:44 PM

Montreal:
"April 13 and I just switched one of the heat pump units over to A/C. That's depressing." Yep, it sure is! Friends posted pics of the snow in Bancroft this am and Geri is getting it in southern Quebec now. In 2010 we had a dusting on 8 May! Oh well!

I was planning to go to Beaver on Monday - weather permitting.

Gone: box of pic frames, huge hoodie, big bag to thrift shop, nice piece of fabric - took it to Geri to cheer up her LR and she deemed it a future cushion cover. Also gave her an extra lamp shade, moved one to mill for repairs and brought a better one to house; it will be be gone as soon as a better replacement is found.

Went to laundromat, twice, and now R has a good supply of clean clothes. Dishes are done.

Drove past "new house", delighted in "SOLD" sign! Interested in seeing what plants are coming up - none yet! Even though we cannot move until November, I started exploring the new territory - library, shops for fav products, walking trails I might use now that walking is easier, best routes.

R admitted, this am, that he/the business has bought another building. Two hours away??? in a direction we never go??? He will move machinery from a more expensive city location down there - greatly de-clutter expenses! And perhaps cull some in the process? "Part of my master plan." I hope see it next month - if it stops snowing. It comes with 14 acres - down close to Vermont. But I thought he was going to sell ALL those machines in a few years! Oh well. Then he went off to take a load to the scrap yard!

Until he moves the black cabinet and some other things from in front of the bookcase, I am stuck. Until warmer weather when I can sort out the mill stuff, and we can take a load of books to beaver.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Apr 18 - 10:39 PM

April 13 and I just switched one of the heat pump units over to A/C. That's depressing.

I had a lovely visit with friends at their home after work, and like me they have a mature garden with lots of iris and lilies that come back every year. But they have a larger variety of iris and lilies and other flowers that I've tried in the past and didn't manage to get established. Despite the "declutter" aspects of this thread, I hereby declare that I want to clutter my gardens with more flowers. Actually, I have an iris she would like, so I think we'll soon exchange some roots/rhizomes after the blooms are gone.

Now comes the tug-o-war between work in the house and work in the yard. Until it gets really hot out there, the garden tends to win.

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Apr 18 - 06:13 PM

PA PACKATHON, OLD LAY MINISTRIES EDITION

It's been decided to move the hutch in October on the trailer, and use it temporarily for canned and dry goods we'll be clearing from the pantry I'm taking.

The brown bookshelf in the weight room has been emptied. A whole box of small/rural church dev materials goes to the Bishop because she's visiting the parish this wknd and can distribute it further. Three bins/boxes of audiotapes (including my Gospel music set) were stored for my September purging. A boot box of CD's was boxed for sort/purge/burn/donate in Ohio.

A book bag of books remains to sort/purge/keep in September. A book boxful of recyclables remains to be separated into the bins tomorrow. A few items went to trash.

A nonfunctional shelf-stereo was sent to electronics recycling, and the speakers went into the Goodwill bag-- the 4th or 5th BIG bag now-- which we're dropping off tonight.

We worked well on all this in tandem, spending an intense hour and a half. The shelf will replace the pantry after I head south.

~S~

---

Duplicate paste of message removed for clarity's sake. ---mudelf

Subject: RE: Declutter & Fitness - Clearing Out the House
From: LilyFestre
Date: 13 Apr 18 - 04:55 PM

Another Sit & Sew planned for this weekend with friends. I will be shopping in my sewing room for a project to work on. :) Little by little and step by step, that room is emptying out.

Today it is a beautiful 79 degrees outside and I have the windows open for fresh air and am enjoying all the birds who are singing. There is nothing quite like the first true days of spring to make me feel like cleaning house.

Michelle