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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Aug 10, 2015 22:14:40 GMT -5
Diane - please don't worry about it - I didn't notice at all. That's great you got 2 garbage cans that will fit perfectly. I wish you much success, I hope that it is easier than you thought it would be. I think just about anything "can" be done in baby steps. I finally put one screw in the wall for the drapes I am putting up. One down, 3 to go. Then 4 more. But one is ok for today.
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Post by angela on Aug 10, 2015 22:39:13 GMT -5
1rarebeautifuldove! That is really fantastic letting go of those notebooks. Good job on that under the sink job dtesposito. It does sound do-able but there is always an end point. I'm impressed buttercup with your van cleaning. Boy, I wish I had that on my list sometime in the near future. But my cleaning energy is needed elsewhere right now. I am still making slow but steady progress on the book boxes in the Doom Room. Went through the 2nd and last box of vintage magazines from my Great Aunt and decided to release all but one. I started looking through notebooks that were from my late friend's estate, notes on machine knitting. I got too confused and only released a few papers and handwritten class notes.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Aug 11, 2015 9:54:32 GMT -5
angela - I haven't quite done that yet. I looked in one of them and it was writings from when I was contemplating writing my Grandmother's biography. I looked through another one and found 4 pieces of paper to release. Found a page from Hospice about grief and taking care of yourself and expecting that there will be peaks and valleys through out the period of grieving. And that it's OK to take naps. I like that idea.
I'm just trying to find things I can release. I pick things up, I put them down. I did find 2 things I can throw away. I walked around the living room and family room just now and found 3 things I could donate. I put 3 things away.
I might be able to condense them. I might be able to just put that stack on hold for now... And find something else. Perhaps as long as I just keep finding one, two or three things at a time I will eventually get there.
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Post by dtesposito on Aug 11, 2015 19:24:13 GMT -5
Went through the 2nd and last box of vintage magazines from my Great Aunt and decided to release all but one.Very impressive Angela! I'm just trying to find things I can release. I pick things up, I put them down.Vyaspigeon, maybe you're at the stage where you have to start thinking in terms of how much storage space you have for particular items? Once you get rid of all the obvious things, your tendency will be to say "I'll keep it" if you just ask "should I keep this or get rid of it". But, if you look at your home and say "I have one cabinet that I'm willing to devote to item X, now, which are the best of item X to fit in the cabinet, the rest of that category has to go because there's no more room" there are fewer individual decisions to make. It's hard to do it that way, but if you think about it, it's the only way to keep your home looking neat. There is no magic way to produce more space, you have to fit your possessions into the storage space that you have, and then the excess will either be visible and cluttery looking, or will have to go. I think just about anything "can" be done in baby steps. I can do this job in baby steps but once I take everything out from under there, it will be sitting in the kitchen in a pile until I finish, so I guess I'm thinking that baby steps will mean looking at a pile of stuff for several days. That wouldn't have bothered me at all once upon a time, now the idea really bothers me--which is good in a way, but it's bad if it prevents me from doing any cleaning because I don't want to take things out from where I'm cleaning. So I'm trying to do what I can up to the actual cleaning part in baby steps--I did find some things to throw away from under there, and it already looks neater because I collected all the rags and have them in one of the garbage cans I bought. Maybe I could clean half of the space under there at a time...that would help. I do also want to cut a piece of some kind of board to put over the hole under there--measuring for that could be a baby step too. In a bizarre twist, I got an urge to start cleaning one of the two sets of blinds that still have to be done in the DR today! Turns out I didn't have enough daylight hours left, but that was weird. I planned to put those 2 blinds on my fall challenge, but if I can't make myself do anything else I should certainly jump on that job when I actually feel like doing it! There's such a visual difference between the one clean set and two dirty sets that it's very noticeable, that's why it's on my mind. Diane
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Post by dtesposito on Aug 13, 2015 12:49:34 GMT -5
I have finished cleaning under the sink! I decided not to worry about boarding up the hole for now--in taking a close look at it, it would be a lot of work. There are two pipes running through it, and the shut-off valve handle actually extends into the hole, so I couldn't put one piece of flat board over it anyway.
The hardest part was washing out all the dusty, dirty buckets--I did that in the yard this morning using the building hose.
I couldn't clean the back wall because it has plastic tile on it that's very fragile, if I press too hard on them they fall off the wall. But, I cleaned the side surfaces, I wiped down the dusty pipes, and washed the floor. There are now 2 plastic garbage cans and two stacks of clean buckets under there--that's it--what a huge difference! I'm very pleased with how it looks.
Diane
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Post by dtesposito on Aug 13, 2015 12:54:01 GMT -5
SUNPORCH
Get rid of two bins I have by the windows. Get something that looks a little nicer than the bin in front of the loveseat.
LIVING ROOM
Main desk has two paper holders on it that look a little messy
I have a pile of books on one bookshelf that are going to the little libraries, it's gotten too tall and looks silly DONE There are two bags of CDs, one behind the desk, one in plain view under a small stand, that are extras that I can't decide what to do with
My bird supply basket is overflowing DONE Get rid of book bin by the fireplace. Replace the two boxes that form part of the steps up the little table next to my computer My computer desk has a holder on the side for paperwork that is in progress. It usually has too much stuff in it and looks messy and overflows
ENTRYWAY
Look through and get rid of 2 shopping bags on the closet door DONE
One bookshelf has books put in every which way and looks messy DONE
Purge/organize glove basket on table DONE
HALLWAY
Completely redo "books to be read next" table. DONE One of the book cases has books going every which way and needs to be straightened up
DINING ROOM
Move dollhouse? Partially purge two book baskets which hold books I'm keeping and waiting to put away in the correct place. Figure out what to do with junk in corner: 2 large framed prints, and behind them, a pumpkin decoration, a shopping bag full of...I think, shopping bags? a large pot that I'm not sure I'm going to keep, and my exercise mat Some of my book storage boxes are leaning to the side and look really bad
Take trunk down to storage unit DONE--out to alley
KITCHEN
Replace storage milk crate with something that looks better
Total purge, cleaning and reorganizing of under sink area, including finding storage containers that fit there DONE
BATHROOM
Replace shower caddy thing hanging over the sink Replace CD player? Or remove rust?
PANTRY
Figure out something better for the food shelves than what I have now
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Post by angela on Aug 13, 2015 13:56:26 GMT -5
Wow look at those big DONE tasks dtesposito, congratulations! I am especially impressed with the under the sink clean out. You pushed through and did it, no piles or bins sitting in the floor making you anxious. ___________ Sorry I didn't check in yesterday. Town errand day and really didn't do much on my challenges except some necessary paperwork to participate in a sale at the end of September. I got a lady that wants the vintage magazines that I posted free on Craiglist so I'll meet her tonight and hand them over. I've been paging through some of them and while they're quaint, I have little interest in any of the actual patterns. So away they go, I hope to be enjoyed by another crocheter, knitter, crafter. I'm not sure yet what I will work on today, several things tugging at my attention.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Aug 13, 2015 23:47:19 GMT -5
dtesposito I think you're right about where I'm at. That it is time to start thinking in terms of space. I appreciate your advice. I'm glad that you got the under the sink job done!!! That's wonderful! I'm really glad that you posted the list of all the things you've gotten done on your list! That's wonderful! What the best part is to me is that your mindset about things being in order is changing. Where perhaps several months, a year ago, it wouldn't have bothered you to have things out that you had to "step around" now it does. That's wonderfully encouraging to me! Something totally great to look forward to! Also, that oh wow those really need to be cleaned, about the blinds, that's wonderful too! I think so much of this is a battle in our minds as well as with the physical stuff, so it's really great to see that in time, I'll be a lot less "tolerant" of messes and dirty dishes and things being out of their homes! on your to do list! angela good job on the errands! I know for me errands seem to take the better part of the day. Maybe because I try to do all of them on one day. I get little else done on errand day too. But errands need to be done too so - for that and for finding a home for the vintage magazines. I'm glad you found a home for them so easily. I have been chipping away at the stuff I have. I was able to fill 8 large garbage bags and get them out to the curb for pick up, clean out the fridge at least part way, I got rid of a lot of the paper that was cluttering up the kitchen. I put a basket in there for the newspapers and other papers, but my mom puts everything else in there BUT the newspaper that she reads. Yes it is her, I don't read the paper. She gets it twice a week. I also got rid of the junk mail that was sitting on the counters too. And brought the mail in. Mostly junk mail. Then I decided, today was good day to get rid of those bras of Gram's that mom thought I would like and put in my drawer. I figured I'd wait until she was out of town for vacation then get rid of them, so today was that day. Why she thought I'd really want them is beyond me. I find it quite comical. Anyway, they are gone. Along with some other things that had had much better days. I still have to line the drawers in the new dressers then I can get my socks and underwear out of her room. By using the papers as filler in my "game" (I need low hanging fruit to keep me moving), I was able to desqualor the kitchen of them, along with other items from around the house. I started another garbage bag. The nice part was I kept "needing" more low hanging fruit, so now I have all of that paper out of the kitchen. With very little "effort" on my part or thinking too much about it. I also got quite a few things off the one table top I have that is so full of stuff that if you take one thing off, there is a risk of other things falling down on the floor. I made a valley in that mountain. (It's amazing to me how many things I can find if I can add some easy stuff to it to get a sticker as a reward.) Yesterday I played my little game, 124 times - which equals 124 -248 real items that I found to get rid of and then today I played it only 74 times. So now that table looks a whole lot better. The mountain of clutter that was in front of the treadmill desk with computer only has a handful of items there, it's definitely not a mountain anymore. I didn't even realize how much that one has improved. The best part is that I can tell that my life is going to change for the better as I get my house in order. Things are already happening. Like getting a video of V that his mom made for me. I watched it about 100 times. He waves to me, after he plays with the dog. It was a wonderful surprise. He doesn't say much, but he always keeps his word. That's the first video I have received of him. I am believing that something wonderful is about to happen.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Aug 14, 2015 17:51:16 GMT -5
I surprised myself today. I guess I have gotten into the habit of desqualoring. I come by squalor honestly. My mom isn't the most organized person and her mom had hidden squalor. That said. When I stopped by my mom and my shop (I stopped working there when I got the job as pianist - which is good because mom and I don't do well together 24 - 7) anyway. I began to desqualor. I spent 1 1/2 hours grabbing low hanging fruit in the form of old catalogs and some other stuff that I could quickly use to help me in my endeavors at home. I found three or four things to donate (books and a pottery piece). You can't even tell that I grabbed a 2' + stack of catalogs out of one corner but that's ok. I was really pleased with myself. The funny part is that if she had "told" me to, I would have resented it. But because it was MY CHOICE, I did it quickly and easily and happily.
I also took a baby step and joined a gym. I didn't stay because I had bought a couple plants at Walmart - the little crepe myrtles were about the same price as I had paid before $3.50 when I bought them at the special crepe myrtle sale 10 years ago. So I bought them, Indian Hawthorne, shrimp plants and potting soil so I can propagate my own. I bought about 4 of the crepe myrtles. But the guy said that it's ok, it's like when you sign up for school, you just go in and get your paperwork the first time. I feel really good about myself.
Now to unload the car...
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Post by Carrie on Aug 14, 2015 20:39:41 GMT -5
Well, it's the 14th now and I'm just joining this thread, but that still gives me a couple of weeks to get something done. There are 2 things I'd like to do. #1 lose 5 pounds #2 finish cleaning out my dreaded porch Porch is filled with boxes of JUNK and spilled boxes of STUFF and OLD EMPTY cardboard boxes and also usable, good stuff that I will want to keep. I want to get everything sorted so that I have at least gotten rid of what I want to throw away or donate to the swap shop. Going through the stuff I'm keeping and finding homes for that may take some more time. Here is the proverbial "before" pic:
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Post by dtesposito on Aug 14, 2015 21:42:58 GMT -5
while they're quaint, I have little interest in any of the actual patterns. Angela, this is great--acknowledging that we like the thing, but that we don't have to actually own it, taking up space in our home! I've been trying to do that with books--it's an interesting topic, and if I was going to live another 100 years maybe I'd have time to read it, but it's not compelling enough for me to read any time soon, so I don't need to keep it. Vyaspigeon, it sounds like you're making a lot of progress. Things really do get easier as time goes on, as long as you're trying and practicing the stuff you learn here. I ignored the dirt on my blinds for 17 years and now I notice it every day--that's a miracle. Of course, it will be even more of a miracle when I actually clean the next set of blinds! But now I know it'll happen, instead of being this vague "some day I should...." and then forget about it for another 17 years. Carrie, good to see you here, better late than never, you can do a lot in 2 weeks! And we'll continue these challenges so you can join the next one too! Good luck on your porch, before you go out there, tell yourself to be ruthless in getting rid of things--if they've been sitting on your porch for a while you're probably not going to use them--set them free and regain the space--think how nice the porch will look when you're done. I didn't do anything for the challenge today--but I stopped several times and admired how it looks under the sink! In fact, I was thinking that now the top of the sink looks dusty and messy and I'll have to tackle that soon too. Funny how one clean area makes the rest look worse--I don't know if that's good or bad! (Okay, it's good, but sometimes I miss being blissfully unaware of the dirt...) Diane
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Post by sue5000 on Aug 14, 2015 22:04:07 GMT -5
Carrie, that looks like a nice roomy porch! And cleaning it up looks very doable. What is your plan? I can picture it as a cozy room to sit and relax with a book. Do you have a lamp, a small table and chair(s) you can put out there? Maybe a plant or two? Mine has a couch, a big easy chair, a small table with a radio on it, and a pole lamp. I'd like to add a couple plants and a small bookcase. Maybe another small table.
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Post by 1rarebeautifuldove on Aug 14, 2015 23:06:14 GMT -5
Carrie to the Challenge! I think that porch does look very doable! I totally agree with sue5000 - that's a great porch!!! (by the way - sue5000 - your porch sounds heavenly! What's the view of - a backyard with little birds? a peaceful neighborhood park or street? Your porch sounds totally inviting!) Carrie - I think Milne and his Winnie the Pooh are wonderful! I have been listening to it in Russian as I read my book. I have spent many hours reading that book with Winnie, Rabbit, Eeyore and Christopher Robin. It is the funniest book I have ever read. I haven't finished it so don't tell me the ending!!! I'm only in the beginning third of the book. I think my favorite story in there so far is Eeyore's birthday - when Pooh brings him an empty honey container because he ate the honey on the way there and Piglet brings a broken balloon because it got popped, but Eeyore doesn't care because now it fits into the honey pot. Or at least that's how they tell the tale in Russia cartoons. Which does follow the book pretty well. dtesposito - Thank you for the encouragement. You should be admiring your lovely clean under the sink area! I totally understand " missing being blissfully unaware of the dirt. " Now that I am aware of how bad my house looked, I have to keep working on it. Which is a good thing, I think. What I have to be really careful of though is: BALANCE. Not just focusing on the house at the exclusion of other things that are important in my life. I have to make time to do other things. Make sure I get ALL the big rocks in the jar so to speak, not just one. I heard something very interesting today - because I didn't create me, I CANNOT improve me or CHANGE me. BUT I CAN CHANGE how I see myself. So I am learning now to SEE me from a different perspective, as valuable, worth treating very well, someone who takes good care of herself because she knows her worth and has to train others by her example, and as someone who likes to exercise, move and go to the gym, even if I have to take it easy and can only use the machines for 2 minutes. I am hoping that foam rolling will help my shoulder to heal and my posture to improve. I heard that a messy car is a sign of low self-esteem. I can say that since I cleaned the front seat, I have kept it for the most part clutter free. (clutter does not include items waiting in the car to go to the thrift stores.) It's funny how surprised I am each time, if it takes more than a day or two, to remember that the car is clean. I am reminded when the donations leave. Still working on the back seat.
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Post by Carrie on Aug 15, 2015 21:01:34 GMT -5
Sue5000 I have a table out there and a book shelf right now that can be cleaned up and used. I do have a futon that I can put out there and I might put my treadmill out there to free up room in my back bedroom. But it will need the carpeting pulled up and replaced before I can put anything out there.
My plan is to just go at it, armed with trash bags and empty NEW boxes to put "keeping it" things into that can get sorted later.
vayaspigeon, Thanks for the encouragement. It seems more doable in that picture than it does in real life, but I guess it is doable. Just very difficult to decide sometimes what to do with something that isn't obvious trash.
I love A.A. Milne too! His poetry is one of my inspirations for the children's poetry that I write. My mother read us ALL his books when we were little, over and over again! My favorite is "Now We Are Six", a book of adorable poems for little ones.
Onward and Upward, I'm going to be working on the porch tomorrow!! Will check back in.
dtesposito you're doing fantastic! you're inspiring me!
Everyone keep up the great work!
Carrie
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Post by angela on Aug 15, 2015 22:41:27 GMT -5
Hi 1rarebeautifuldove. I love that you are working on changing your self-view. I hope that foam roller works too. Carrie, that porch looks really good and do-able. It isn't stuffed, just cluttered. I hope you will find PLENTY that isn't a keeper. That room looks like it would be an amazing space to work out in. dtesposito, it sounds like you have reset your dirt and clutter blindness meter to very low! That is a good place to be even though it does compel you to clean more than you used to! I am still going through my books, craft books, very slow going! Today I looked through the two boxes of sewing and quilting books and videos. I'm releasing most of it, keeping a small stack of Belle Armour magazines, a couple of embroidery books and a couple of books on needle tatting. Found my 3 in 1 color tool which made me happy. I think I am going to try to sell the book, magazines, and videos I am releasing as a lot on Craigslist, maybe two, one of garment sewing resources, the other of the quilting books.
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