BarredBuff
El Presidente de Pollo
A few years ago, I went through and created albums of my sister and I for Christmas presents. It was a big hit.
Organizing and decluttering the homestead
- Thread starter Beekissed
- Start date
baymule
Sustainability Master
I like your picture idea!
- Thread starter
- #213
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
sumi
Rest in Peace 1980-2020
@Beekissed I saw that quote the other day and I love it!
baymule
Sustainability Master
I am working on shelving in the middle bedroom closet for my canned goods and big pots. I have 2 towers up and they are partially loaded up. I still have some finishing touches, but already it is a relief to have this done.
- Thread starter
- #216
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Feels good, huh? I still walk through our pantry/mud room with much pleasure when I see all my big pots and clunky countertop appliances on a high shelf, all lined up in a row and out of the way, but still within my reach. Leaves my other shelves with more space for more stuff that needed a home.
- Thread starter
- #217
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Have started the winter time decluttering season and am loving the feeling of letting things go. Started on the living room book shelf, a huge former entertainment center currently doing duty as a bookshelf instead.
We cleaned off all the books, sorted them into piles of similar color so we could identify if we had duplicates...and there were many. Then we weeded out those that we never really read or were a poor read. Hauled a large tote and large laundry basket filled with books back to Good Will.
This week I started on my room, in preparation for a room makeover project. Removed two 32 gal. trash bags stuffed full with clothing, shoes and other misc. objects. Had previously removed a whole garbage bag of shoes~mine and the grandgirl's shoes but mostly theirs they had grown out of.
Removed three large totes and one large basket of pictures from the closet, sorted out the basket and almost one of the totes this past Sat. Sorted the pics into piles designated for the children involved so they can finally have their childhood memories readily available within their own family. Still have two totes and the remnants of the first one left to sort and disperse.
Removed a chest of drawers I had been using for the girl's clothing and will now keep their clothing here to a minimum that will fit into individual bins or baskets, one for each child. These will be placed into a free standing rack in the corner of the closet that will have tilted shelving so the baskets turn into pick bins, easily accessed by all.
I'm turning this room width closet into added space for placing the head of my twin sized bed, changing the storage capabilities of the rest of the space in the closet to include additional shelving.
I'm extending the faux window seat in the bay window there until it's an actual seat, with storage underneath. This will be the seating in the room, to take the place of a platform rocker currently serving that role.
Increasing storage, streamlining and decreasing items to be stored, and freeing up room space is the goal. I'm also painting the walls and window seat to increase the interest of the room.
Here's a neat little vid I found of a study on clutter in America....
We cleaned off all the books, sorted them into piles of similar color so we could identify if we had duplicates...and there were many. Then we weeded out those that we never really read or were a poor read. Hauled a large tote and large laundry basket filled with books back to Good Will.
This week I started on my room, in preparation for a room makeover project. Removed two 32 gal. trash bags stuffed full with clothing, shoes and other misc. objects. Had previously removed a whole garbage bag of shoes~mine and the grandgirl's shoes but mostly theirs they had grown out of.
Removed three large totes and one large basket of pictures from the closet, sorted out the basket and almost one of the totes this past Sat. Sorted the pics into piles designated for the children involved so they can finally have their childhood memories readily available within their own family. Still have two totes and the remnants of the first one left to sort and disperse.
Removed a chest of drawers I had been using for the girl's clothing and will now keep their clothing here to a minimum that will fit into individual bins or baskets, one for each child. These will be placed into a free standing rack in the corner of the closet that will have tilted shelving so the baskets turn into pick bins, easily accessed by all.
I'm turning this room width closet into added space for placing the head of my twin sized bed, changing the storage capabilities of the rest of the space in the closet to include additional shelving.
I'm extending the faux window seat in the bay window there until it's an actual seat, with storage underneath. This will be the seating in the room, to take the place of a platform rocker currently serving that role.
Increasing storage, streamlining and decreasing items to be stored, and freeing up room space is the goal. I'm also painting the walls and window seat to increase the interest of the room.
Here's a neat little vid I found of a study on clutter in America....
tortoise
Wild Hare
How funny @Beekissed - I just lost my patience and started back into decluttering/maintenance over here too. How strange to be so in sync. I did my first massive purge in December 3 years ago. It lasted 6 - 8 weeks. Most of the things I organized then are still in place.
This year I'm editing my kitchen and hobbies further. I'm finally facing the reality of my musculoskeletal health (or lack of) and removing hobbies which create too much strain and adapting others. I've been unable to do holiday baking and decorating as planned so a Kitchenaid mixer was top of the list, and an automatic stapler next. My most recent flare was triggered by using a stapler. :facepalm: Anyway, facing reality and adjusting my hobbies / craft stash, kitchen utensils, and everything else will help. And there was a mouse in my kitchen so I gutted everything, washed everything, so much work! But my kitchen is clean, organized, decluttered and the mouse hasn't dared return (yet).
I ordered replacement parts for various household items - including robot sweeper since sweeping is so not happening (because those chronic hand grip/tendon problems.) Finally found an organizer tray to fit an odd-sized drawer and they were 75% off or so, perfect. Lots of little things coming together.
Hubby organized the basement, thank heavens.
I need to edit my kids' wardrobes. They've changed sizes a bit and I haven't pulled the old things out yet.
Hobbies will be the emotional part. I've already given up SO many hobbies.
But really, I'm looking at a health outlook of limiting and choosing wisely or becoming unable to do *anything* with my hands. :shudder: Pretty sure piano needs to be removed from my life. That's shocking considering my parents were both piano teachers, dad is a piano technician, they still have a piano sales showroom, and I've inherited my grandmother's grand piano (which my mother learned to play on). oh my, so much emotional baggage. All that, plus I was "the talented one" but never could make anything of myself between my parent's internal conflict prevented me from taking lessons and then a strong of continuous hand/wrist/finger/thumb injuries that started 20 years ago. I also played flute, but had to stop because of the hand issue plus I had jaw pain (one side of my jaw subluxates, super un-fun) and shoulder pain (bursitis! also superbly-unfun). Now there's hope I can play flute again with pretty extreme modifications to the flute, so I am clinging to that and starting to purge piano music. Unfortunately, I'm physically unable to make the adaptive flute keys at the moment. :facepalm: whatever, just the way it is. I also have to give up crochet, but I hope I will be able to knit still after I get some finger ring splints to keep my joints from hyperextending. I learned a new adaptive pencil grip that seems promising, so I will have to see if I can draw with it. My African Violets are fairly easy on my hands, so that stays unchanged for now. I need to go through my crafting studio and sort hobbies and supplies by how demanding they are on my hands. I'm going to have to send wool out for processing, I'm sure it will be too much for me to handle. I might just sell the wool and be done with it for a couple years.
I will have more info to work from next week. Doctor appointment to deal with all these pain issues....
This year I'm editing my kitchen and hobbies further. I'm finally facing the reality of my musculoskeletal health (or lack of) and removing hobbies which create too much strain and adapting others. I've been unable to do holiday baking and decorating as planned so a Kitchenaid mixer was top of the list, and an automatic stapler next. My most recent flare was triggered by using a stapler. :facepalm: Anyway, facing reality and adjusting my hobbies / craft stash, kitchen utensils, and everything else will help. And there was a mouse in my kitchen so I gutted everything, washed everything, so much work! But my kitchen is clean, organized, decluttered and the mouse hasn't dared return (yet).
I ordered replacement parts for various household items - including robot sweeper since sweeping is so not happening (because those chronic hand grip/tendon problems.) Finally found an organizer tray to fit an odd-sized drawer and they were 75% off or so, perfect. Lots of little things coming together.
Hubby organized the basement, thank heavens.
I need to edit my kids' wardrobes. They've changed sizes a bit and I haven't pulled the old things out yet.
Hobbies will be the emotional part. I've already given up SO many hobbies.
But really, I'm looking at a health outlook of limiting and choosing wisely or becoming unable to do *anything* with my hands. :shudder: Pretty sure piano needs to be removed from my life. That's shocking considering my parents were both piano teachers, dad is a piano technician, they still have a piano sales showroom, and I've inherited my grandmother's grand piano (which my mother learned to play on). oh my, so much emotional baggage. All that, plus I was "the talented one" but never could make anything of myself between my parent's internal conflict prevented me from taking lessons and then a strong of continuous hand/wrist/finger/thumb injuries that started 20 years ago. I also played flute, but had to stop because of the hand issue plus I had jaw pain (one side of my jaw subluxates, super un-fun) and shoulder pain (bursitis! also superbly-unfun). Now there's hope I can play flute again with pretty extreme modifications to the flute, so I am clinging to that and starting to purge piano music. Unfortunately, I'm physically unable to make the adaptive flute keys at the moment. :facepalm: whatever, just the way it is. I also have to give up crochet, but I hope I will be able to knit still after I get some finger ring splints to keep my joints from hyperextending. I learned a new adaptive pencil grip that seems promising, so I will have to see if I can draw with it. My African Violets are fairly easy on my hands, so that stays unchanged for now. I need to go through my crafting studio and sort hobbies and supplies by how demanding they are on my hands. I'm going to have to send wool out for processing, I'm sure it will be too much for me to handle. I might just sell the wool and be done with it for a couple years.I will have more info to work from next week. Doctor appointment to deal with all these pain issues....
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
While I am sure it is very emotional for you, we both know it is what is best. Mentally you will be more settled once those things are gone. Hopefully other hobbies will be able to be adjusted to help you handle them.
How's the dog working with the training? Still in a positive mode? She's a lovely animal.
My challenge is to finally tackle all the things moved here when mom's house was emptied and sold. Been 2 years and I NEED to empty those rooms upstairs. I did sell some items this week and since my work is slack this time of year, that was a welcome bit of $$. More to go and I may get to three rooms to be able to be used again. It's a long term thing...looks like Spring may find them back in shape. Don't use that part of the house much but, would like to set my sewing up in one again, others for guest rooms, as before. Would like to get back into more clothes making again.
How's the dog working with the training? Still in a positive mode? She's a lovely animal.
My challenge is to finally tackle all the things moved here when mom's house was emptied and sold. Been 2 years and I NEED to empty those rooms upstairs. I did sell some items this week and since my work is slack this time of year, that was a welcome bit of $$. More to go and I may get to three rooms to be able to be used again. It's a long term thing...looks like Spring may find them back in shape. Don't use that part of the house much but, would like to set my sewing up in one again, others for guest rooms, as before. Would like to get back into more clothes making again.
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Ahhhhh Tortoise...good that you're facing up to the reality of your situation - but also sad to turn loose of so much at the same time. Hope the doc can have a bit of good news for you...
