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Archive through August 31, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Jun. ~ Aug.: Home and Garden ARCHIVES: TVCH's Home & Life Organization (ARCHIVES): Archive through August 31, 2005 users admin

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Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Friday, August 12, 2005 - 6:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
HM, glad that your vacation was a good one even if you were in a tent. How wonderful that you had the chance to do some reading, too. Now that's what a vacation is all about. Do you need a vacation to recover from your vacation?

Lum and Lk will not be surprised to hear this... given that they know that one can't declutter for others...my parents were not pleased.

My mother said that she was pleased using that very word, in fact, but she failed to let her voice know it. She called a day or so ago.

Also, and you can see this in the photo, she didn't like the placement of the table because she can't reach the gaslight above it easily. Oh well! I don't know what they are going to do with that table since they are the ones who brought in another smaller table. That long table was built by my mother's father so it can't be tossed over the banking onto a bonfire the way I have suggested. :>

Lk, you know what I am going to say, don't you? Babysteps, babysteps, little by little and step by step. How's the A/C? Staying on?

Lum, are you back on your cleaning schedule now that the prairie breezes are blowing again?



Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Monday, August 15, 2005 - 2:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
So far the AC is still on. Of course, that the fire department had to be called to make it so, is rather disturbing.

I'm sticking to baby steps. Slow and sure wins the race. Yesterday we had to remove the trellis and the planters from the front door area--they broke the conformity of the complex. The disadvantage now is that no one can find us, since there is only one set of numbers on each building, instead of on two sides.

I'm spending today going through stuff from the small bathroom; most of the stuff is either tossable or office supplies I've been looking for since we moved in here. For now, I'll put them in a basket and put them with my desk.

I'm also replanting and transplanting plants--I'm hoping that they'll be settled enough for the move. I figure that we'll water them well, and then plastic bag them for the trip.

On Thursday, Heather's coming over again to help me out. We made some progress yesterday, but we'll make more with Bill gone this coming weekend. I will admit, though, that I am really scared of being alone for the first time in awhile. The worst case scenarios keep running through my mind--what if I fall? What if I have to evacuate with both cats? etc. etc. I know that it's silly, but, hey there ya are.

Anyway, back to work. Hope everyone is doing well.
myicon

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Friday, August 19, 2005 - 5:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Himself is gone for the weekend. My plan is to get quite a bit done--since I no longer have to be quiet while he is sleeping.

I had a horrible day at the doctor this week, and ended up disappointing both DH and the doctor due to my reaction to getting a lecture about my weight gain and my failure to lose weight this month due to my staying in bed in pain. Gee, he's my doctor, maybe he could do something about the pain????

Starting Monday (actually, I technically started Thursday, but with DH gone I won't be leaving the house to exercise), I'll be trying harder to exercise.

Anyway, this weekend is going to be a decluttering and paperwork extravaganza. I'll be walking over to the store later for some drinkables and dollar bills (I cut a deal with my young neighbor to haul trashbags for me for $1 each--he's trying to earn money for something special for school--and I already have 2 big black garbage bags ready for him.)

It looks like our move will initially ::sigh:: be into an apartment. The one in the lead does have a better layout than this one, and I'll actually have a closet for all of my art supplies in the dining room, and I'm taking the small closet in the master bedroom to make it floor-to-ceiling shelves for my books. DH will get the other room for his office, but it WILL be better organized this time around. Here's the picture:
newapt

I'm actually pretty excited about it--knowing that THIS place would be big enough if I had a place for everything, I know that the new place will be perfect--and mom has worked out a way that we'd be able to save about $100/month.

I started submitting requests for estimates for moves. I put down December as the move month, but everyone seems to read it as AUGUST. Sigh. The best bid so far is $1443 for door-to-door, with them disassembling some furniture and carrying everything down the stairs. Once I confirm that that amount is for December, I'll probably commit with them.

Anyway, time to get started around here. I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it, since he gets back late Sunday night.
myicon

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Sunday, August 21, 2005 - 12:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, I found ONE sure-fire way to make sure I declutter!

As I pack up and decide what to keep and what to sell, I am inputing what I am keeping into the Insurance Information Institute database.

As I am doing this, it becomes quite clear to me whether or not something is worth putting into the database. I also figure that if I am too lazy to type it in, then I definitely am not attached to it enough to keep it.

I finally heard the decluttering rule of thumb from Clean Sweep (a program I like, up until the end of the yard sale; if Bill and I were both keeping something important to us, regardless of how the other person feels about it, NO ONE has the right to say that it can't be kept because that person didn't win the competition--grr!!!!): for every four items you keep, get rid of one item.

Then, of course, after you are decluttered, the rule remains one thing in, one thing out. For example, today I dropped the Crockpot on my foot and the floor and it broke into several pieces. Out it went, in came a new one (which meant a trip out that I didn't want to take).

So far today, I've gotten rid of four BBBs. I've also put together a lot of garage sale items (mostly books right now) but I can see other items that will be going too.

Slow and steady wins the race...
myicon

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 6:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Keep your fingers crossed....my mom is applying for a loan tomorrow for a mobile home for us. If she gets it, we will have an incredible place to live!

myicon

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 7:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Would you still have to wait until December or could you make the move this fall? That would be just great!

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 10:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Bill is teaching in October, November, and December, so we'll be holding off until mid-December.

But, if we can get this place, then we will have so little to move, it will cost under $1,000.

I cannot wait to get out of this place, tho, so I'll be working even harder at getting this stuff sorted and eliminated.

myicon

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 10:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We have a new place to live!!! It's a 16' by 80', 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1998 mobile.

It comes FULLY furnished (and from what we were described, very tastefully) and includes everything currently in the mobile: furniture, washer and dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, dishes, silverware, cleaning supplies, even 2 rolls of toilet paper!

The master bedroom has burgandy carpet (the rest of the mobile is carpeted in a pretty forest green) with oak furniture. There's a queen-sized bed, nightstands, armoire, and 5' long dresser (with built-in his-and-her jewelry cases) and a television.

The master bath has a walk-in shower and a whirlpool, sunken tub.

The living room has a pull-out sleeping couch, matching recliner, a leather-look recliner, coffee table, lights, entertainment center, and a larger TV. There's also a forest mural on one of the walls.

The kitchen has white wallboard with little blue flowers on it. There's also a skylight over the sink and stove. (It gives off such good light, they thought a light was on.)

There's a dining area with a nice table and chairs.

The hall bath is a standard bath.

The two front bedrooms are roughly 8x10, and one (mine!!!) has a skylight.

There is also a shed, complete with lawnmower and weedwhacker.

There is a large screened-in porch.

And the going price for this gem? Less than $15,000, as the man just doesn't want to pay for both the mobile, his home, and his mother's assisted living facility. Across the main highway is a Meijers, and to the West is a giant State Park.

It also means that the only things that we have to move are my art supplies, books, and stuff, Bill's office, our clothes, and our personal items. ALL of our other stuff can definitely be sold!

Let the organizing blitz begin!!!

myicon

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 10:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wonderful news, Laurie! How cool is that? A state park next door, too? Amazing...good luck with the blitz!!

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 11:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks, Vee. We're just going to be getting rid of of a lot since we won't need it.

Major clean out coming!
myicon

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 11:17 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
So is the only criterion now whether you love it? You won't be needing a lot from the sounds of things... That would actually be quite difficult for me... I never can decide if I "love it" enough to keep it.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 11:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
it's always easy for me. if it is longaberger, i love it. if it isn't, out it goes! HA! i just got a new one last night from ebay - an umbrella basket, now the umbrellas and my pony have a place right next to the front door. my family doesn't quite know what to do about organization, i'm working on them though.

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
And it looks like this? C

Hope you got a wonderful price...the first one I looked at was $200. I thought that if it's a Longaberger, it had to be expensive...especially for something tall enough to be named "an umbrella basket." The only Longaberger I have is my kitchen utensils basket, which I doooo love now that you mention it. Ha!

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
yep, that's the one! you're gonna die when i tell you the price i paid! $49.99! i have 'em all over my house, and i've never paid full price for any of 'em!

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
That's an excellent price...you did very well. I think I paid that for mine and it's only 8.5 inches tall.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
i have approximately 40 baskets in different uses all over the house. i'll have to start taking pics i guess!

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yay for pictures!

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 2:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I love baskets--and I never find Longaberger inexpensive. On the other hand, I haven't checked eBay and when I checked there for my Corelle, I found it way cheaper than at the store. I use basket to hold all of craft and art supplies. Every time I watch Mission Organization and the clutter buster uses baskets, I salivate. I just found out about what were called "book baskets," about the size of a trade-sized paperback so that books can be sorted by genre and be ripped, etc. and no one sees them until the basket is pulled down. If I could find those, I'd be keeping more of my fiction that I like to reread...

Yes, Vee, the only criteria now is whether or not I love the item enough that I can't live without it in my life and I love it SOOO much that I am willing to enter it into the database. I see a lot of books GONE. I see a lot of furniture GONE. I see a lot of items GONE.

I really see this as a chance to clear out my life's clutter and truly get rid of it. And I will seize that opportunity with BOTH hands.
myicon

Puppylov3
Member

01-26-2004

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 5:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
congrats on the new digs lk!!

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 7:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lk, I am so pleased for you. Yay for the mum for getting the new digs for you!!!
What an opportunity to let go of things, eh? Do you have pics of the new place's furnishings, so you can decide whether you'd rather have your own or the new stuff?
You must be very anxious to get going, but do remember the effects of doing too much at any one time. If you work yourself into soreness, nothing will get done.
Speaking of baskets... dh steers me away from any displays in stores, because I have plenty in the house as well. It's so much easier to dust when you only have to lift a basket, rather than all the little individual 'deposits'. It also looks much neater. My mother insists I am on a "basket kick". Some day I am going to find an airline that permits large German shopping baskets as carry-on.LOL I have 2 smaller ones, but they really are just for a bread and milk run. Not enough room for much more.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 8:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Puppy: Thank you! We're happy.

Lum: We'd rather have the "new" stuff mostly. Our current furniture is so mismatched and old (15 years old?) that we were planning on buying new stuff. This way, if we decide to, we're still not sitting on the floor until we can do it.

I love baskets for the ease of dusting--hence my gleam of interest at the idea of "book baskets." They also look much pretty on the shelf, and, if I want to work with candle making, then I just grab that basket.

Mom went over and took pictures of the outside. I can't wait to see them!

I'll be honest: I am just so excited to have A ROOM OF MY OWN!!!!!! And, amusingly, my shelves, chifferobe, and the changing table that I'll be using as an additional work space all are a matching white.

I want to pick up a toaster oven for crafts, and the changing table will be great for holding the various appliances (candle melter, toaster oven, clay pasta machine, double boiler, single burner, etc.) I use.

(The changing table has never been used for its intended purpose. It was initially used in our old office to hold the printer and fax machine on top, and office supplies on the shelves and behind the door was the different filing categories and the shredder. In the apartment, we've used it in the bedroom to hold the TV, and electronics on top, video tapes in the cubby, and DH's steins on the shelves.)

As soon as I get pictures, I'll post them.
myicon

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Thursday, August 25, 2005 - 6:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, I got 4 pictures today. I'm not going to post them, since they were photocopied, and then faxed. I will, soon, receive the originals.

What I can make out is that the front bedroom has a bay window. I love bay windows. It is ALSO the room that has the skylight. So I truly scored. Vampire "Light is Evil" Bill shudders at the thought.

The porch isn't screened, but does have an awning, so screening it will be a piece of cake. I'm also going to put in latticework, so we can plant lilacs next fall. It'll be sparse this summer, but that will give us time to determine sun patterns and I can figure out how to best land- and hard-scape ratio for the best advantage of the trailer.

The trailer itself has a peaked roof--the better to prevent snow from piling up. The shed looks like a barn-shaped one.

Eight days until closing.
myicon

Citruscitygal
Member

08-07-2003

Friday, August 26, 2005 - 5:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LK- I, too, am so happy for you and all the positive changes coming with the move. I'm looking forward to pictures. Is December still the date for the move, or has it been moved up?

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Friday, August 26, 2005 - 5:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Nope, still looking at pulling out of Vegas on either the Monday the 12th or Tuesday the 13th, depending on whether we have to be physically here for the moving truck, or if we can have a friend here instead.

We need to arrange for a charity clean out of anything we're not taking on Monday and then the moving truck to come on the 13th. (I figure NOT having them come at the same time would be best.) I'm not sure about having the truck come on Monday, as I don't want to accidentally move something....but that may change. During the remainder of the week, a good friend is going to come over and do a move-out cleaning, take pictures, and turn in our keys for us. At that point, she'll call me, and we'll shut-off the power.

I would love to have it happen earlier, but no chance of that.
myicon

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 10:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hi everyone! I hope all's well!

LK-closing is almost here for you! good luck! I hope all's going well with the packing. LOL at your "vampire light is evil Bill"! My teen daughter is the same! She's not a goth type kid either, she just wants her room so dark!