Making do with less
Comments
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Love this thread! So far I have cleaned out my pantry (YIKES! A year of being flat on my back - what is some of this stuff?!? And the expiration dates?!?) Cleaned some kitchen cabinets, got rid of half my cookbooks, sorted several piles of paperwork in the den and its just the beginning. I was feeling like a prisoner in the cluttered den - just those couple of piles gone makes a huge difference! Don't know if I'm on a roll, but I'm trying! Oh yeah - our dishwasher needed to be repaired last week, so we cleaned out under the sink and put down new paper. NICE!!
Had to laugh - I also have a drawer full of slips of all different colors and lengths. Slips! When is the last time I wore a slip - probably about 8 years! That will be my next project. -
UGH!!! Just lost my post because my da&* computer froze up!!! I hate that!!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that Ive enjoyed all your posts and am SO glad I am not alone.
Im having a surgical biopsy in a few weeks (mammo found some calcifications keep your fingers crossed) and am taking a few days off from work. LINEN CLOSET look out, here I come!!! Did I tell you ladies I have 4 shower curtains in there??? I only have one bathroom that has a tub!! I really like all of them. What to do, what to do. DH is also taking a few days off and I convinced him to go thru some of his clothes that are littering our spare room. I swear that man has more clothes then I do.
I cleaned my junk drawer in the kitchen when I was going thru chemo. But my other cabinets- now that is a different story. Please tell me I am not the only lady out there that has WAY to many drinking glasses!! I swear there are some way in the back that we havent used in years. I have 3 shelves full and its just DH & me, I have no kids!!! Its just insane.
I was watching a What not to Wear show once and they had a girl on that took all her grandmothers slips and used them as tops!!! Maybe you gals can find a vintage clothing store that would buy them. You never know.
I thought it would be fun to started posting a cleaning tip of the week. Believe me, I am by no means Mrs. Clean but I thought it would be a fun idea so here goes the first one - you know those scrunchy things we use on our bodies in the shower? Well I found that they work great on cleaning grout. So whenever my tile starts looking a little gross I clean it before I actually start washing. And yes, I have another one for my body!! LOL. I buy mine at the dollar store and they last awhile.
Keep posting ladies, you inspire me!!!
Valerie -
I have become addicted to the cleaning shows. Two of my favorites are Clean House on TLC with Niecey Nash. That lady can sure pull some wise cracks and I love their designer. I wish he would come decorate my house.
The other show is on BBC called How Clean is Your House with two older British ladies who go around and shame citizens of the UK. And let me tell you, they find some really interesting houses. I like this show because they give alot of good cleaning tips and most are organic, safe for you and safe for the environment.
One tip they showed this week is using a grapefruit half with table salt piled on the grapefruit to scour the tub. The citric acid from the grapefruit cuts through the soap scum and grease and the salt acts as a disinfectant and mild abrasive that won't scratch the tub. Pretty cool and no harsh chemicals. The tubs were gleaming when they were finished. -
Got most of the house done. My family thinks I'm nuts. Now if I could just get them to do the same thing with their stuff.
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Always Hope - I love the show with the 2 British woman as well. What they do to those houses is amazing. I think they should go back in 2 months, not 2 weeks. It would be interesting to see what the places look like after all THAT time.
I never saw the other show and I watch TLC more then the regular channels. When is it on?
Happy Sunday everyone, I'm off to clean!!
Valerie -
I got to cleaning out my fibbermcgee kitchen draw yesterday, you know, the one where you throw everything until you can't open it anymore. So that got me thinking in my sleep (where I often seem to think best) about the origin of the name. Do any or you remember the 1950's Fibber McGee and Molly radio show? Here's a link to listen to a clip:
Premier Collections:
Fibber McGee and Molly - The Lost Episodes, Volume 1
Liner notes written by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.
Premier Collections:
Fibber McGee and Molly - The Lost Episodes, Volume 1
Liner notes written by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:MLq...cgee%27s+closet,+poem&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=safari
Tender -
Oh, cannot forget to tell you all if you want a clean tip that white vinegar mixed half and half with hot water does the BEST job of cleaning tile grout, including tile floors. My kitchen floor is beige-y with light grout and it was getting really groady looking before my hairdresser told me about the vinegar trick. It brought the light color right back!!! The commercial cleaners didn't even come close, and I mean things like Spic'n'Span and Mr.Clean, etc. Simple can be best. Environmentally friendly, too. And cheap.
In poking around my junk I came to realize that so much of what I have a hard time getting rid of is stuff given to me, otherwise known as PRESENTS. So, in order to avoid future conundrums of this sort, I am asking you to brainstorm to come up with suitable hints for family and friends who routinely gift us with unwanted items (electric apple peelers and the like) to just give us CONSUMABLE stuff, like special treat food and drink (a yearly bottle of Bailey's would be nice), event tickets, meals out, etc. How do we do that without offending? Sigh.
You outta be able to come up with some good ideas. I'm counting on you!
Tina -
OMG, do I ever. Vaguely of course as I was pretty little. But, definitely affirmative!
Spoolies, too!
Do you remember "I Remember Mama?"
Tina -
I just love this thread!!!!!!!
Check this out: My son who id (27 yrs old) is living with me trying to get on his feet after a divorce.....(total different story)....but anyway, he was listening to a local country radio station and they were playing this game to win tickets to some concert.....they had 30 seconds to pull out stuff from the sofa and if they found x-amount of items on the radio stations list they won tickets.....well, he and his friend decided to try it....
Here is what he found in the sofa:
1) puzzles pieces
2) two bath towels
3) coins
4) hair barretts
5) the finger nail decals that I lost
6) a comb
7) granddaughters barbie doll
8) grandsons hot wheel car
9) wadded up paper
10) THE FINGER NAIL POLISH I LOST AND COULDNT FIND
Mind you, they found all this crap in 30 seconds!!!!!! NOW IM AFRAID TO OPEN THE HIDE-A-BED PART OF THE SOFA!!!!!!
I guess the key to this lesson is:
While you are de-crafying your home, dont forget to look in those types of places too.......
It is SOOOOOOOOOO never ending!!!!!! after the sofa thing I thought about my cupboards in the bathroom....wow, what an experience that was, but hey...I did my week chore!!!!! I through out stuff from the back of the cupboard that I didnt even remember having!!!!!!
Now on to cleaning the bathroom with the suggestions you ladies posted....will let you know if those things really work or not ...
Oh and Tina, ya I know most of that polish is un-usable, but thanks for the hint .....I will have you know that drawer is next on my list of "decrapifying" events ....
Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday weekend!
Hugs
Jule -
As far as a hint to loved ones about gifts, my late MIL had the best idea: She simply said: from here on out, I am old enough that I have purchased all I will ever want or need so please only give me what I can either taste, smell, hear, or wear.
I think that about covers it. And we did. You can then clarify it with chocolate and mention brands, or Bailey's or what ever! -
The only way I can clean out closets, pantrys, storage, or drawers is to completely empty them and only put back the things I want to keep.
Anything left over has to GO!
I read that if you are doing a whole room, with clothing and such, to have 3 big boxes marked : 1) NO 2)YES 3)Maybe and everything had to go into a box as soon as it was touched. At the end, the maybe box was then gone thru and emptied into either of the other 2 and the no box was removed. It helps to have someone with you to make decisions.
I did this with my daughter, at her request, and we did her whole house in a long weekend. It was amazing! -
Valerie, I was mistaken. The Clean House show is on the STYLE network not TLC. I just finished watching it.
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I've been following this thread off and on and love the term "crapaholic" or was it "crapoholic"??
On my last day off, I got rid of two whole trashbins of stuff from the house and garage. My dilemma is this: I have painting tools --- brushes, roller cages, rollers, trays, sponges, old sheets I use as drop cloths and some nice real drop cloths. I for sure will keep the good drop cloths but I debate about all the rollers and cages! I don't think I will be painting anytime soon but I hate to see junk.
I also have my daughter's stroller and her Pack 'n Play. I keep saving it in case I know someone who gets pregnant that I want to give it to and I know if I sell it, I just won't get enough money to even be happy about.
My problem is clothes.....keep hoping I can can fit in pre-cancer clothes! This arimidex body is a size bigger!! -
I read a book few years ago by Larry Ashlett "Clutter's Last Stand." He was very funny; talked about the philosophy of decluttering. I've often posted 'freebies' on Craigslist; it makes me happy to know other people can use things that I no longer use.
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I'm finally reading through this thread and want to encourage anyone who's waffling on whether it's worth decluttering or not. I subscribed to the flylady list years ago when I was newly separated. Her routines really helped me get through some difficult times. She also had some amazing and moving testimonials as part of her subscriber list. Very uplifting.
I think it was flylady who suggests this for the fling test:
do I love it?
do I need it?
do I use it?
If the answer to all three is no, then toss.
I have a home office that drags me down, and it's been very difficult for me to get it under control. Two weeks ago, I decided to go for the gusto. I've cleared out everything but the furniture, my computer, printer, phone and lamps. I call this the 'fine tooth comb' method. All this is at the expense of my living room, however, but all that comes back into the office will be things that are current.
It often feels like I'm trying to get a heavy, giant ball to move, but I'm determined to break the inertia. -
dalycity, I read that book! A good one.
Dotti, great idea. Surely there are more??? My DH's best friend always gives me stuff at Christmas and I just turn it around and donate it to charity. A shame as he probably spends over a hundred dollars on it.
Jule, you had me laughing at your buried treasure. Think how embarassing it would have been if you had had the carpet/furniture cleaners in and THEY had found it. IT HAPPENED TO ME!!! Now, I vac the sofas at least once a month...........
Today I am going to throw out a lovely, black shift dress with tiny, embroidered pink and silver flowers, bought at least five years ago for my father's funeral. It was pretty expensive. It's sure to be suitable for another event. Actually, I think I wore it to someone's daughter's wedding later that year. Guess what? It's been hanging in my closet ever since. Whom am I kidding? OUT it goes even if it did cost a lot.
Oh, and those size 4 silk bikini panties that have been lingering hopefully in the lingerie drawer for the past 20 years. You know where THEY are going.
Tina -
I did it this weekend! I'm finishing up my room tonight. My son's van is about half full of stuff for goodwill. I put stuff out by the road with "free" on it. My one son helped me go through my minibarn and we ended up with 3 empty storage totes from getting rid of stuff. Now if i could only get my husband to clean his desk and my sons to clean their rooms. I think I'll offer to help, and then out of fear I'll actually help, they'll do it themselves.
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You will not believe this! Yesterday's Martha Stewart Newsletter (Sept. 6) is all about organizing and getting rid of stuff!
If you go to marthastewart.com and click on community, you will see in the left navigation a link to Newsletter. Sign up and get the issue. There's even an article something to the effect of "100 reasons to get rid of it."
My own hint for today is re-selling books on amazon.com. Books are one of my major weaknesses. I've had lots of luck re-selling things like home dec books and crafts books on amazon, getting back most of what I paid for them. Not bad!
I hope this post doesn't appear in the large size default font. If it does, please excuse me; it won't happen again.
Keep on trashin' and have a great weekend.
Tina
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I've been taking my used books to my local library here. The ones they can't use they put into a book sale each year and the money helps them buy new books and make improvements.
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Oh ladies, Ive been a bad girl this week
....I havent thrown out a single thing....not that Ive gotten much housekeeping done this week either though!!!!
Although I did bug bomb my house yesterday while I was at work...the night before I woke about 2 a.m. feeling something crawling on me....it was a big, black spider!!!! Yuk, I swear to god it was as big as a quarter!!! anyway, I couldnt sleep in my bed again so moved to the sofa for the rest of the night/morning...set off bug bombs as I was going out the door for work yesterday....spent the evening cleaning up the mess from that, but guess what, NO MORE SPIDERS!!!!.....guess in away I did clean, just didnt throw anything out
...I do have plans to start on the spare bedroom/computer room first thing tomarrow morning so wish me well ladies, it might be a few days before I come out again!!!!!...
Hugs
Jule
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Do those bug bombs really work??? I have spiders like crazy here too. I try to keep vacuuming up the webs and egg sacs when I find them but they keep finding a way in apparently. How hard is it to clean up after you use a bug bomb?
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Love this thread - it "keeps me on keepin on" as they say. I have so many hidden areas (closets, drawers etc.) to de-crapify that I think I'll be at it for a long time. Then there's the basement and the garage . . . oh my!!! I come here for inspiration - and I get it.
Good cleaning,
Pat
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Just curious . . . does anyone know why the word Edit stays in my post??? I'm sure it's something I did wrong but not sure and I didn't want to edit it - sooooooooooo??????
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Pat, its so you can edit your post if you want. You're the only one who can see it. I see it on mine as well. The 'edit' button was at the top right on the old format but its down below your post on this one.
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Kelly - you might donate your stroller and Pack n' Play to a women and children's shelter. A lot of times they have to leave home with nothing and you can help them and get a write off.
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Jasmine:
Thanks so much . . . I was kinda wondering if I was the only one seeing the Edit Button - and sure enough that was the case. Thanks again and I'm sure there will be more questions as we get acquainted with the new format, right???
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AlwaysHope.....
I usually bug bomb the house, basement and attic twice a year as the critters seem to find a way in no matter what....
I was in treatment this past spring so never got around to do it and have been doing as you have....sucking up their little homes...heck I vac them up too if I see them...but enough is enough.....I dont mind them too awfully bad, but I DO MIND them on me and in my bed!!!!!!!
Its not hard to clean up after at all, but I always re-wash all the dishes and such in cupboards and wipe down all the counters, dust, vacumn and, such as I have always figured there has to be residue left over from that stuff.....the side of the box tells you how many square feet it covers so you will need to know close to that for your home...you also have to remove any animals you have and unplugg/cover fish tanks and such.
They really do help alot....
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Hi Ladies - I was not a good girl this week either. Work just about did me in and knowing that I have several days off this coming week made me not do ANYTHING this week. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
My tips for the week are:
I read somewhere that when you have something in your hand put it exactly where it belongs the first time. In other words, handle it once. For instance, when you get the mail - go thfough it right away and toss what you don't need and put the rest (bill's etc) wherever it is you use it. The rule is - handle it once.
My BFF told me this one - she uses that jet dry stuff you buy for your dishwasher and uses it on all the glass in her house. She says it works great. I'm going to buy some today and let you know. With 2 big dogs in here I need something that does the job.
Anyone know what I can do with luggage I'm not using anymore?? Its taking up valuable space in my closet.
I love the thread, keep the ideas coming.
Valerie (livesstrong)
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Hi Valerie
Why does it not surprise me that we would have the "bad girl" syndrome the same week
!!!!!I do the "handle it once" thing and it really works...a friend told me about it a few years ago. If its in my hand I put it away where it belongs when Im done with it....Actually thinking about it now, my friend must have told me that a really long time ago because Ive been doing it for years...Its one of my pet peeves!!!!! I HATE it when someone uses something then leaves it laying around, then it REALLY gets me riled when they stomp around whinning about not being able to find it!!!!!!
This is an example of how I taught my ex to pick up his socks:
He was horrible about leaving them lying on the floor next to the recliner EVERYDAY, I got tired of picking them up so after awhile of my complaining at him with no end in site, I started throwing them away...mind you this took some time as the goofy man had a sock fetish I swear!!!!! After about 3 wks of throwing them out everyday he finally started looking for a pair to wear one morning and ask where all his socks were.....All I said as I was going out the door to work was "Hmmmm, where'd ya leave them?"...when I got home that night he said he looked everywhere and could only find one pair......I told him that my kids are grown and gone so I have NO intention of picking up after him and the rule in my house with the kids was "If I find it where it doesnt belong its mine to do with as I please"....dirty socks were not on my list to hide in the closet like I did with the kids toys so I threw them out.......you should have seen the look on his face
.....Moral to the story???? I NEVER picked up another pair of his dirty socks, and it worked for alot of other things too...he was scared to death to leave anything laying around in fear that I would "throw it out".Hmmm the luggage one I will have to think about for a bit....
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!!
Hugs, Jule
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Ladies, you MUST congratulate me! I went to the HUGE Brimfield Flea Market yesterday and only bought one thing that I actually need! Oh, the temptation was great. Was actually fondling a pretty Depression glass tidbit bowl for only $3.00! but put it back down and left it in my dust.
I knew I would have to answer to all of you if I brought it home. LOLRe: luggage. Why not a battered woman shelter? Those ladies don't have a pot to p in and might appreciate someplace to stash their "new" stuff whenever they move on to other quarters.
I love the "handle it once" thought; it's a hard one for me but I keep trying.
Have a good week.
Tina
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