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Archive through January 04, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2004 Nov. - 2005 Jan.: Home and Garden (ARCHIVES): TVCH's Home & Life Organization (ARCHIVES): Archive through January 04, 2005 users admin

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Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 9:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
FlyLady is offering some really good sounding New Year's Eve snack recipes. I think I will whip up a couple...maybe even today!

Biloxibelle
Member

12-21-2001

Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 8:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Dropping in to say hi. I'm still around and yes I'm a bit off track myself. Christmas was great. I have taken on some big projects it seems that one project breeds another one LOL. I cleaned my 14 y/o sons room it was a major clean out darn near required HazMat to come in.

Christmas is still out and up. I think I will start taking it apart tomorrow. We have been invited to a New Year party but I'm just not big on New Years parties. I will offer to babysit or be a designated driver if I'm needed.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Friday, December 31, 2004 - 11:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Friday, December 31, 2004 - 11:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
hi
Dipo, the Salvation Army is always a good place to donate to. You may also want to check with your local soup kitchens, service clubs, youth clubs, seniors homes, etc. whether they could use holiday decorations for next year.
Vee, I am so glad you made room for dsis' post-Christmas shopping. Just think, now you can start shopping for next year and already have plenty of wrapping choices.LOL
Catfat, some day I'd like a dil like yours, too. Having to ask takes all the enjoyment out of sitting back and letting others do, doesn't it? Glad you could relax, too and think "kiss my grits!" about the imperfections that come with holidays.
Landi, time to introduce the mess makers to your journal lists, me thinks. If you start them now, they should have it down pat by year's end - 2005, that is.
Yep, Mamie, I actually do have someone who actually makes beds, too - me! I swear, in 2 decades + I have not been able to get the point across that feather pillows and duvets need to be fluffed to last. Arghhhhh! But I do try to make at least my own when one of them roams the corridors. Fluffing a king size duvet vigorously on your own just isn't in the cards.
Biloxi, those projects really do breed like rabbits, don't they? Just don't let them overwhelm you. That's what makes us give up often sooner rather than later. Babysteps, remember? If it doesn't get done this round, there is always next month and the one after and so on....
Traditionally, we leave our tree up until the 7th, but I am not sure it will make it that far this year. Exhale a big sigh and you can hear pine needles trickling onto the floor. Not looking forward to finding those in the dust pan and vacuum cleaner for the next few months. Those little buggers are the best hiders I have ever known.

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 2:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm starting to be back! Various clients have needed a lot more than usual for this time of year and a nasty thing called a "narrative budget" which the client wanted help in writing and producing, only the budget they're working from isn't in the categories they now want has been particularly nasty. To keep my heavy workload from overtaking me and to keep my flying on schedule even though it's Christmas I've had to cut back heavily on my playground time, aka visiting in my favorite internet groups <G> But the narrative is done, the other projects are nearly done, so I can venture out from under my rock a little.

Can I catch up here a bit?

What to do with extra wrapping stuff: You probably know what groups in your town have Christmas parties for homeless children, families, etc. They almost always do gifts and they need a lot of wrapping supplies but they'll not want to spend the money they're given on that; money should go for the food/toys they'll give out. You might ask one of them if they'll take the wrap stuff now, for next year.

Trees: Ours was fine this year until it fell over, creating a hot spot the likes of which I hope not to see again soon. Never had this happen and it's hard to not believe that somehow it's tied to the 4 yo grandchild that was spending the night on the night it fell over--he's the "lively" type and the tree was fine when we went to bed; flat on the floor (with water everywhere) when I got up--to see why the television was on at 6 in the morning. He says he never left the bedroom . . . hmm...<G> We righted the tree and it's been ok since, but it hasn't been adequately watered since the fall and since trash day is Friday, we took it down on the Thursday after Christmas. Usually we leave it up longer. We always put one of those tree sacks around the base and by pulling it up before we haul the tree out, most of the needles and plastic "snow" (the little plastic shreddies that come in little bags that I love to throw on the tree) go out in the bag, not on the rug. It wasn't too messy this year.

Beds: since I started flying I've started making. I confess to falling into the "we're just going to unmake it later" camp (hiding head in shame). <G> It is nice to crawl into a made bed! I've also started spraying the Fabreze with the allergen control around in the bedroom and vacuuming afterward as directed; my DH who is bothered by allergies believes that his is better since I've been doing this for about a month--or he's just very nice and encouraging of my effort. Who knows!

Good tricks I've learned recently:
New Swiffer tool: I got one of those Swiffer floor vacuums that uses the fiber pad (or a Viva paper towel which seems to work as well) but also has a light-weight vacuum. It is terrific on our hardwood-floor dining room where my Roomba can do an excellent job but what's needed everyday is a quick sweeping up of toast crumbs under the table and there's no future in having Roomba do the whole room just for a few crumbs. The little vacuum is fast and thorough. Well worth thirty bucks, for me, at least.

2. Places to donate: I went through my craft room bookshelves and wanted to do something with the pile of old weaving magazines and weaving books that I'll never use again--the books are the ones I bought when I was a beginner and I know that stuff now; I'll keep the more intricate ones. In the magazines, if I liked the pattern, I've already photocopied it as the magazine is very inconvenient if you're trying to thread a pattern from a diagram. I went online and found a Yahoo weaving group and joined it just long enough to post a "free magazines and books for postage costs" and within an hour I had two takers. I boxed up and sent the items and the postage checks are already in my possession. Besides, one of the recipients sent me some of her home-sheared goat angora to spin which is a terrific gift to get. The Salvation Army wouldn't know what to do with books/magazines like that and knowing that someone, somewhere, would want them made me reluctant to throw them into the trash. There's a Yahoo group for almost every interest so if you'd feel more willing to get rid of something if you knew it could have a good home, you might try this approach. It worked when I wanted to get rid of a lot of Liberty Falls houses too.

3. Something good comes from stumbling in on a public television pledge drive: as I was channel-surfing today after the Rose Parade I caught a home-organization guru doing his stuff; the "gift" that the station is giving this year for large pledges is a copy of his home organization tips book with the video. The demo of the moment was a way to store things in less space. It was like those expensive bags you buy to hook up to your vacuum, but all he was using was a plain trash bag, a small vacuum and some rubber bands. The light-bulb went on in my little head and within a half hour all of our bulky ski clothes and heavy jackets/coats that we only use for skiing and which have been taking up a good 15 inches of rod space in the closet had been sealed flat into garbage bags and back on the rod where they now take up not even 5 inches of space. Clutter-reduction without having to get rid of any clutter! I highly recommend this simple process for storing bulky stuff.

Everyone's healthy here, the rain may have finally stopped....Life is good . . .

(Thanks for reading; I'll shut up now!)

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 8:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
No need to "shut up" because you provided a bonanza of wonderful information, Spinner! Gee, it's so good to have you back, even if it's in the interim, from your busy work schedule. I hope you won't be that crazily busy for awhile again; we miss you when you are that out straight.

Wanted to comment on a couple of things you mentioned. What a wonderful idea to donate wrapping paper to a club that offers wrap for free...even if I store it until next Christmas, I can at least gift it then. I know the kids right here at our local elementary school need gift wrapping for a book gift project that they do every year. Yippee! Why hadn't I thought of that!

The fact is that wrapping paper has a definite shelf life and it isn't as long as we try to make it at our home. At least, we have talked the family into not saving every scrap from the packages...it used to take up an entire afternoon of cutting and scrimping...ackkkkk!

Sounds as if you have a very normal energetic little grandson there! This is one of those stories that will grow fonder as the years go by...I'm sure that you've already had a laugh or two. But I am sorry that it meant your losing the tree sooner than you would've otherwise.

Love the bed being made daily...some days I just whip the comforter over the top of the pillows, but most days it just must be properly made...no one ever sees my space except for me, but I have learned to think of myself as worthy of a beautifully made bed.

Excellent idea about the Yahoo group as well...imagine that it would work for decorating mags, too, although I usually haul those to the library where they have a table to share magazines...one just takes what s/he wants. I take some myself.

We purchased those bags that folks suck the air from and they really are space savers for extra pillows, blankets, etc. I get the sense here that you came up with your own system, which would be much cheaper; however, the plastic on the "real" bags is a thicker ply and may hold up longer/better.

Glad to hear that all are healthy, that the rain stopped...I was hoping that Nancy would be able to enjoy the Rose Bowl Parade without an umbrella...and that life is good.

We aren't taking down the Christmas things until the 7th as we celebrate Epiphany Day. After that, we are packing everything except the village away. We haven't left the village out all winter before, but I think that it will warm up the living room through Jan. and Feb. Hope so! Winter days can be so bleak and winter nights are long. ( I’m giving credit for this idea to Resortgirl.)

Now I must shut up! Happy fluttering to you all...it's someone else's turn now...Laurie? Lumbele? Biloxi? Landi? Anyone?

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 8:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Like you, Vee, we used to wait until Epiphany Day to take everything down but nowadays we go to MacWorld in San Francisco each year (and then off to visit our son & family who live up that way) which begins before Epiphany and we don't want to come home in mid-Jan to a tree that needs taken down. We leave the creche stuff up though.

We'll see how long the bags last; if the idea proves to be a good one and the bags are the weakest link, I'd be happy to spring for the purchased ones.

We're already enjoying the grandson story--I'm negotiable on when the tree would come down and we'll probably never know if he really had anything to do with it. Certainly nobody's upset about it. But if I'd known for sure he couldn't have had anything to do with it I'd have looked harder to see what the problem was; the way it is, I'm not sure we'll ever trust that tree stand again!

Hoping to hear more from all of you soon...I've always picked up such good ideas here.

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 9:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Spinner, I just found that yahoo group - its called freecycle Found the home page with information...

Freecycle


quote:

The worldwide (!) Freecycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by a local volunteer moderator (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your city by clicking on the region on the right. It will generate a automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for your local group and send you an response with instructions on how it works.




There are 2,000 cities, I thought I'd have to join the Chicago group, and discovered someone set up a page right here in my home town!! Its really an interesting concept!

Oh, and Spinner, thanks for the tip on the fabreeze. I've been upset ever since that Oprah repeat of the dust mites, knowing my son does suffer from dust mites (who doesnt) allergies, and I havent vacuumed his bed in a long time! (he doesnt like the mattress wraps)

So I am guilty, and thought not to make a new year's resolution, but I resolved to try and make a path to my bed... dh was inspired I bought him 2 boxes to put his camping stuff in...

Its a start. Thanks for being here...

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 9:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh and the freecycle works that you have to offer something for free, post it, someone that needs/wants it posts, then you make arrangements for them to pick it up (we have a community center, and church down the block from us, some people leave it on the porch) once you 'prove' you are legit, than you are able to grab or post wanted for free stuff (like specific clothes, aquariums etc)

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 9:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I use freecycle here in Ontario. It is a wonderful site, I have offered and received various items.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 11:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great to see you again, Spinner. Hope you'll be able to join us more often, time permitting. Loved the grandson story and am glad you were able to muster a good sense of haha.
When I was growing up we had real candles on the tree. Never had the slightest accident, but the candles were only lit for shorter periods of time and always strictly supervised.
To safeguard against occasional "rambunctious" knee-high company my Dad would tie the tree to a nail in the corner of the living room.
Taking today off before getting back into the groove again. It is astonishing how the household holds up with "flying" even when you skip a day or two.
My project for January (may need February for it, too) is the computer room. It used to be DH's sole domain, but now that I have a computer, too he has to share, poor fella. His idea of "cleaned up" and mine are two very different animals, so I may have an occasional fight on my hands.
Question to everyone!
Should we continue the computer clean-up thread? If so, what are your ideas for "chores"? Also, I think there are quite a few of us with very little computer savvy here at TVCH. Yes, there is the computer help thread - thank heavens, but I for one, would love a thread with tips those savvy guys don't even consider because it is second nature to them, but news to me (never read any user manuals until I absolutely have to either). Like using the windows key and "m" for a straight line to the desktop. Can't tell you how often I sighed because I had to drop all the open windows into the tray for that task. Learning a trick like that each week would be great. Wonder what all those F-keys are for, too.LOL

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 12:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I would love the computer idea, Lum. I should post all the stuff I got rid of on the old computer before my switch.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 2:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yep, Vee, you should.LOL Show us what all is on our computers unnecessarily.
Ok, everyone, if you have learned something handy, but not too complicated, that makes navigating your computer friend easier, post it here, please and give us computer dummies a bit of a leg-up.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Sunday, January 02, 2005 - 8:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Posted this evening by Twinkie in the Right Now thread...love it!
c

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yeah, I saw that, too, Jmm. What a way to tell your guests "like it or lump it at my house"! Gotta find me some of those.LOL

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Okay, it's official, I'm confused...where is Jmm? And what did she say?

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 12:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh heck, Vee, I must have been jumping around the board too much and somehow thought Jmm left above post. I knew it was too early to post.LOL

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 5:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL. Yeesh it is good to be back.

Our tree will stay up until January 7, since I have my own methods and means for handling this.
decoratedtree

Actually, since the tree is a bubble tube, we'll just be putting away the decorations and removing the garland. The tube will be up all year. This is the decorated tree at night--we love watching the bubbles:
bubbles


I have been really busy pulling things together. I have my bookshelves up (and my latest order from LeMelange is on them as well)
bookcase


More importantly, for me, I got the craft shelves up.
artshelves

Now the task of sorting and organizing begins. But, since I am still working on some crafts to send out to some folks who liked things I made for the holidays, I plan to go slowly. The plan is to fill the baskets with the items in the boxes. I hate boxes and want them to go away.

I do know the apartment is looking good, tho. This is the public area room(s) view from the front door
LVTK

and the view from the hallway.
Side


The main thing is in reminding myself that I am not healthy and I must go slowly. It took me time, but I am now able to not beat myself up so quickly.

In reading through the archives, it looks like everyone has been pretty busy. I have completely updated the Winter Holidays (Nov. 01 through Feb. 01) section of my Household Notebook. I set up a listing of each holiday we observe along with the food and activities that are a part of it. I also inventoried the decorations that I have and the items I would like to obtain.

I'm still working on other things, but I just keep reminding myself to take things 15 minutes at a time. I have a FlyLady cling in each room. My plan is to write up what needs to be done in each room under the cling and that way DH can help out more.

We seem to be on a more even keel. I have started getting my Effexor XR for free--part of the low income, no insurance patient PR that Weyth created--so I am no longer missing any of my 150mg doses.

Tomorrow I'll be tackling one of the hardest repair jobs around here--fixing the platform of the bed. My fingers are crossed that I bought the right stuff!

I'm still decluttering. I now fully love tossing stuff for other people to be blessed by. I've pretty much have supplied a church thrift store with its opening inventory, which alternately pleased and depressed me. But, I still have more to clear out--and then freedom reigns.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 6:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Great to see your post, Laurie! My, you have been a busy gal and thanks for the photos, too. I love your new shelves so that must mean that you really do. So many possibilities for organizing. Take care fixing the bed platform; looking forward to hearing more from you in the coming days. Wonderful to have you home again!

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 6:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks, Vee, for the welcome back.

I have been as busy as this stupid dis-ease will allow. I am fighting the Fibro for all I am worth, however.

My next major investment? Bookends! But all things come in time.

I will take care while dealing with the bed...and thanks again for the welcome home.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 7:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Still waters and all that. Geesh, you have been going at it, girl. Glad to see I am not the only basket nut around here. Never can resist a basket sale, whether I need them or not. It really isn't my fault, honest. They just keep coming up with new ideas.

Glad you were able to find that even keel, and that you realise 15 mins at a time is enough. Wish you wouldn't have to fight that darn fibro so much though, but yippee for the free drugs.

hWhen you tackle that bed, make sure Potshot is the one holding the nails, ok?

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 7:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lum, the problem with that is Potshot isn't the most... how shall we put it... skillful.

Besides, we're using screws.

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 8:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lucky Potshot then.

Spinner
Member

10-27-2003

Monday, January 03, 2005 - 10:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Laurie's back! Whoo-hoo! <G> What you've been able to do so far looks good, based on the pictures.

Re the freecycle site--nope; I didn't go that route. Since I had weaving/spinning books to get rid of this time, I searched in Yahoo's groups for a weaver group, joined it, and posted my offer. Then as soon as the items were spoken for I switched to no-mail so as to not clutter up my inbox for that e-mail address any more than it already is. I'll glance at their message board for a bit; see if it's something I'd enjoy, but I'll probably just "unjoin" because I really don't have time for another group.

For the Liberty Falls stuff, I easily found the Yahoo Liberty Falls group. Somebody was at my door within 2 days to collect up the boxes of stuff; I put a "must be able to pick up in the Los Angeles area by this weekend" on that one. Once I decide to get rid of something, I want it out of the house now. NOW! <VBG>

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, January 04, 2005 - 1:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm about to go on a decluttering mission. Probably start next week when the kids are back in school rather than dealing with it while they are home.

Today we were going through our closet and found a ton of clothes we never wear. Got me to thinking it's time to dig all of the clothes out and start to sort them into keep, give away, and throw out piles. I've also got some boxes Santa stuffed in there to hide the evidence, lol. We have two shelves at the top of the closet that are pretty cluttered and I have no clue what's even up there!

Once I'm done with our closet, I'll move onto the one in the living room. I'm pretty sure there are coats, jackets, sweaters, and shoes that the kids have outgrown that can be thrown out or given away.

The last one is the closet and cabinets in the laundry room. For so long thats been my junk closet, anything that has no place else in the house, goes there and it's getting out of control. I've got plenty of space there for craft stuff, and even space for hanging up clothes but I have to clean it out before I can organize anything.

I did the kids closets before Christmas. The linen closet and a utility closet in the hall I'm pretty obssessive about. They have to stay neat and organized or I can't find anything.

Spinner, I'm the same way. Once I decide it needs to go, I want it gone now. But I also know if I start while the kids are home it will turn into a bigger mess so it's easier to wait a week, which will drive me nuts. LOL, I'm going to have to keep reminding myself they can't see the boxes that are in my closet to keep me from trying to attempt to do it this week!