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Post by michelle on Sept 14, 2020 3:21:19 GMT
We are a group working to declutter our spaces. Please feel free to share your goals, projects, ideas, revelations or challenges facing you as you work toward your own goals. Also feel free to copy and paste this intro, use our "CLUTTERBUSTERS" Title for the day to start the thread if you don't see it started. Good luck Clutterbusting!!
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Post by michelle on Sept 14, 2020 3:22:13 GMT
Sunday:
Another bad smoke day so I worked in the house on the piled up chores caused from working on the EMP items.
Accomplished:
- I boogied the MBR nightstands. That helped. - Decluttered some small rugs and got more items into the back of my car to take to the donation center probably on Wednesday. - Got my Amazon orders placed - Put away all the Hummingbird feeding items such as jars, feeders etc - Cleaned the tall chairs in the K. Also the general area around them. Yikes! - Cleaned two dog water containers and their plastic things they sit on, filled them up - Got sidetracked: This wasn't on my list. Moved furniture around in three rooms which caused a gigantic reorganization and cleaning marathon. This took a very long time but was worth it! - Took the stacked up trash to the trash containers. This afternoon the smoke dissapated somewhat so I was able to spend time outside. - Put the touch up paint in the garage where it belongs. - Picked up DH from his golf trip. - Spent time watching the Facebook updates about the fire near us. We are going to have another wind event Monday and Tuesday which won't be nearly as severe as the one that........... - Filled up the bird bath numerous times for the wildfire displaced birds to enjoy. - Kept cleaning anything that I noticed needed it as I went along.
Tomorrow may be a good air quality day, or at least it will be bearable. If so I will be back outside working on getting rid of the A-Bomb bushes. I am 5/10ths done. Just need to do five more then I can move onto the next project. These bushes are big.
I am committed to getting things done. I will not waiver. I will not quit. I can, I can, I know I can....
Onward>>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 14, 2020 18:52:13 GMT
Good Morning,
I was MIA, I may have forgotten to mention I was preparing to go to cabin with DD and a friend of hers. Meeting my cousin and girlfriend there as well, DH was already there. Needless to say, Friday was spent running like a chicken doing a wide variety of essential and non essential nonsense. Bottom line, trip was fun, smoke was bad, food was good, went out once, I was prepared with other food, yay, things went smoothly, we enjoyed our time.
You have been making the most of your time I see (having read through the last few days posts this morning). You are my idol!!! You always get a lot done regardless what is going on and it always impresses me! I never thought of posting an "evacuated" sign which would indeed help fire fighters not waste time wondering or looking for people! Good work! I hope that fire stays away and NO WIND!!! You're amazing!
Craft:
-I got the two puzzles that were completed posted for sale on Etsy and two sets of sleigh ornaments being sold as a set of three. -I will post the two original Christmas Mosaic Pieces today as well. This will allow me put away the photo set up situation in entry way.
Home: Things are not good here and must change. I must get our main living areas under control again so that things are pleasant, organized and do not create stress. This is number one. It is my goal to have the following areas under control by Wednesday evening if not sooner.
-reclaim kitchen, then keep under control moving forward, this includes the carp building up, paper, junk on island and desk area -reclaim dining area, then keep under control moving forward -reclaim entryway, then keep under control, this includes addressing paper I set out there from den area that needs put away properly, recycled or shredded -reclaim Master Bedroom, this means making bed, putting laundry away keep under control moving forward.
Above is the short term plan, I'm formulating a longer, more detailed plan that will focus on areas, by room, closet, storage areas to thin, declutter in anticipation of our move next fall. I will start taking steps now so it is not chaos later! More will follow on this situation.
I hope your day is off to good beginning.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Sept 15, 2020 2:51:44 GMT
Monday:
I was able to work outside on the A-Bomb bushes today. Managed to get two basically removed. This ended up being 10 big contractor bags for the branches and about the same number for the needles/dirt. The work is very labor intensive and I keep not being able to count how many I have to do. Not too sure why since they are quite large and easy to spot. Now I finally figured out there are 11 so at this point 7 have been removed making me 7/11ths done. Hopefully, smoke permitting, I will be able to get 2 more done tomorrow. These take about five hours of nonstop work to get all chopped up etc and then hauled to the hole.
Also got my hand watering done of the pine trees. Tonight when I was watering on the right side of the house I got my shovel and worked on the water troughs for 4 of them. There is some kind of dog digging frenzy that also goes along with this watering.
Watched the evening face book updates about the fire. This takes about an hour every night.
Z, Glad you had a good time. I agree about staying on top of the house. Mine got away from me also due to working outside on the EMP. I will have to finish up EMP before I can really stay on top of the inside situation.
Onward>>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 15, 2020 20:57:09 GMT
Good AFternoon,
What type of bushes are the A-Bomb bushes? Are they a type of Juniper? Wow, they take a long time. Any chance of just pulling them out of ground with a tractor? Realizing of course, they would still need to be dismembered etc. in order to haul away. You are doing great. YOur subconcious mind is not letting you process how much is left to do allowing you to proceed. lol.
Yesterday TaDas: -trashes out -laundry rebooted x3 -all toilets cleaned -MB bed made -unpacked bag and put away -unpacked cooler and foodbags, put away food, drained cooler, put away back in garage -cleared dining room table of all carp, camera boxes, computer boxes, still containing contents. I put these on the lower shelf of the sofa table, because they fit their nicely, and it was the best spot for them. This is DH's stuff. But at least it's not spilling out from behind curtains and all over the table. -from dining room table, put away art supplies, paper plates from table,unwrapped a large box containing computer boxes froma computer that was to be returned (DH adn DD were in charge of this) but it never happened and now it's too late, all of that got broke down and trashed. -reclaimed "normal" food prep are counters of kitchen and swept it -swept the laundry room, including fixing the cat mat -cooked a dinner -took several largish items from entry way floor area, small stadium chair, foot stretcher, and put on shelves in garage -took all photographed puzzle box lids, puzzles back to craft room -consolidated packing materials I might need, to craft room, kept possible boxes, broke down more boxes, recycled from entry way.
Craft: -sketched "Lord a Leaping" for 12 day of Christmas Card.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Sept 16, 2020 0:17:42 GMT
Z, You got so much accomplished!!! Who knows what kind of bushes those are--they are about six feet tall and four feet wide and look fantastic on the outside but do in fact have the dead insides etc. DH could tell me what kind they are since he has an App on his phone but best to leave him alone since he is now going along with this plan. Finally as more and more of what I predicted is coming true he is able to see that the house burning down might inconvenience him. This is very pleasant for me since living with someone opposed to what I know in my heart is right has been difficult.
Tuesday: Accomplishments inside the house rather than outside due to toxic amounts of smoke in me this morning when I woke up, Gasp:
- More cleaning and dusting in the LR - Got the big office copier and 2 cartridges moved from the house to the office in town - Used my glue gun for mending the edge of a decorative rug - Also used it to do a couple of craft projects to be used in the house. They turned out great. - Used the letters and numbers from the mail box job to fix my two signs on the gates about the number and kind of pets I have so if ever the Animal Control needs to rescue them they have that info. - Started going through my Paper Tiger pile and did the item right then as opposed to re-piling. But then I got totally overwhelmed and confused so I made a list of it all by category and will work on it some everyday until I have all items completed. I think I will all it my DING! List (Do It Now Girl). - Reviewed the print out about good and bad plants for this area. Found out that two kinds I have are OK—a type of shrub and butterfly bushes. - Made copies of invoices etc from the home improvement invoice book that DH took to work and then brought back. So now I have the company names and numbers of repairmen we have used in the past. - Something great! I found the invoice for when we had all the windows and sliders replaced. Called the company to see about having my slider with the defunct doggie door replaced and found out that I can get a replacement part from another source. So I just have to get it and then they will send a repairman (free of charge) to put it in. Such a cost savings for me!!!
Z, Your organizational list was fascinating!!! Great job!
Onward>>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 16, 2020 4:58:34 GMT
Good work again today MIchelle! Hooray on the doggie door situation as well, woo hoo!
Hammm...today. I'm low on TaDas for today.
-put away all the photography from entry way, it is down to the paper now in the entryway -got DD up for class -laundry rebooted x1 -took care of online signing of a couple different things
Craft: -got the 9 Ladies Dancing, one lady though -did the piper piping, he is plump and actually a Pipe and Tabur guy, and will have a little dog (Jack RUssle type) jumping up to him. All is left is the drummer drumming or a drum. I would have liked to just do a pipe for the piper piping but it's so small and boring looking it would not suffice, but I think the piper came out okay. One thing I'm struggling with a bit is there is difference graphically between all the birds and then when I had to do the people. As all of these images will be reduced in size , black and white, further to fit on the card, it might might not matter as they will be smaller. They will all have same border detailing which ties them together. I will have to do cleaned up versions, tracing against the window, finalize what will be black and get those parts colored in and what will be red. I will use my colored pencils on some copies at home first once I get the finalized cleaned up base drawings done which will help. Then these will ultimately be photocopied reduced in black and white only, and I will hand paint the red parts with red ink. The copies will be made on a sand flecked, off white card stock, it is slightly more rustic looking than just off white, and goes great with kraft brown envelopes or red. I hope these come out okay, we'll see, something I always wanted to try doing, I will see it through! The idea is to only have bits and pieces to paint on each card with the red. So the color scheme is black, red and that burlap type colored paper...but not that brown. Should be cute. Thanks for listening.
Z
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Post by michelle on Sept 17, 2020 2:59:41 GMT
Wednesday: Good day for me. Accomplishments: - Recycle bin to the street - Cleaned the inside of the K fridge. It was the worst, by far, than it has ever been. Now it looks great! - Then I tried to order the doggie door flap for the slider but ran into problems which took a long time to not get resolved. So I headed outside and got rid of--DRUMROLL XXXXXX Two of the A - Bomb bushes. Now I am 9/11ths complete. Possibly I can finish up on Friday. The quad repairman showed up to say he can't work on my quad for a couple of weeks. Strange but true.... I mean the part about coming to tell me he can't do anything and taking 40 minutes to do so. DH showed up and started discussing his quad. I had purposely set the appointment for when DH wasn't there but the guy showed up almost two hours late. I am trying to dodge having to take care of something that is DH's responsibility editing..... My quad is running OK I just want it fixed before winter comes.
That was about it for me.
Z, Wow, you are really becoming an expert! I loved your description of your crafting!!!
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 17, 2020 17:30:51 GMT
Good Morning, - You are the A-Bomb Squad!! Great job! That is so weird about the repair guy. Maybe he was just in the neighborhood?? Good work on the fridge. Mine is a little nuts right now. - Today TaDas: -made the bed -unloaded DW, reloaded -washed, rinsed sinkful hand wash, was a lot, a lot of containers from fridge -rolled up DD's recent poster purchases, put back in box, put in her room, cleaned up her pile of carp on family room table -not so nice morning, TT, editing
Yesterday:
Craft:
Wood Cut Ornaments:
I split the tip of a tree top while drilling the hole for the hanger. This prompted trip to craft store to get three more pieces of the 24" length soft wood, 1/4 inch thick used for these. I wanted two and one extra for mishaps. I'd standardized/reduced a bit the ornament shapes I'd cut last year so they are all approximately 4" tall, 3 " wide. I can get 8 ornaments to a board, two sets of 4. I have them grouped in sets of 4 and will sell that way. I have the "fun" shapes which are, mitten, tree, bird, sweater. Then I have the "Classic" set which is ball, bell, long cycle, short/fat cycle. These will have a base coat of red, blue, maybe black, with warm white NOrdic/Scandinavian design, flowers, dots. I may even do a vintage bright green or pink set for people that have that that kind of color scheme on on their trees. It's a thing, someone might like it. I'm listing these in groups of 4 because I would rather have a larger sale, $24-28, one shipping cost. Some people will list one ornament for $15.00 that includes free shipping so they are charging $10.00 for because it costs at least $3.00 - $6.00 for shipping depending on size of box, if the ornament is flat, or if it's embellished with something raised . I think $6.00-$8.00 is more reasonable for the coast of the ornament and hopefully with set of 4 and one shipping cost people will see the value in this. I don't want to have to use an envelope and pay shipping to sell one ornament at a time. I don't know if this mistake or not. I will try to get base coat of paint on these today.
12 Days of Christmas: -worked on the border design I think I have what I like. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to do these. If I can make a physical master, with paper, they can be photocopied. I have a border I like. I still need to do the drum.
HOme: -emptied some conatiners from fridge -thawed spaghetti sauce from freezer, used up cheeses, made baked spaghetti, DHs's request -boiled eggs, made deviled eggs for snacks
Z
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Post by michelle on Sept 18, 2020 2:33:54 GMT
Z, The wood cut ornaments sound so cute! Your abilities to do these crafting projects are very impressive as I know the work you have gone into to get this knowledge!!!
Today I took Buttercup for the rest of her shots. It was cool enough to do some shopping so I got that done. Put everything away, got in bed and went to sleep. Took the dogs for a walk and that was about it for me. I will probably go to town again tomorrow to finish up my errands.
Hope you are having a relaxing evening!
Onward>>>>>
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Post by michelle on Sept 19, 2020 0:51:41 GMT
Friday:
Today was practically an instant replay of yesterday. I drove to town, did my errands and then came home to put everything away. There was lots to do but I managed to get it all done.
The last of the A-Bomb bushes are on the agenda for tomorrow as long as the smoke is bearable.
Hope you had a great day!!!
Onward>>>>>
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Post by michelle on Sept 20, 2020 3:55:11 GMT
Saturday: Fantastic day for me! I finished the removal of the 11 Atomic Bomb Shrubs. Hooray!!! DH was such a help with the tail end of this project. So now 27 shrubs and bushes have been removed form the yard that were dangerous if wildfire embers or wildfire came near. They cannot explode now! I am no sissy when it comes to hard work but this was extremely labor intensive nonstop for hours on end. I had to cut off so many branches and then many of them had to be cut some more. I used my cordless shears otherwise I would not have been able to do this. Then I had to bag them and they were very prickly Ouch! and haul them to the hole. Also all of the zillions (I am under exaggerating) of needles had to be raked up along with the dirt since those needles cannot be picked up after a point without taking the dirt with them. Those had to be bagged and hauled off too. Who would have imagined that all that mess of dead material was inside and on the ground of those really pretty bushes. What's more I don't have to clean up underneath them two or three times a season. I wasn't doing this anyway but I am glad that it can't become part of my EMP maintenance work now. This also took standing up to DH and not waivering and going ahead when I was met with opposition. It was wonderful though when opinion changed to see how they all really did need to be removed. I am really proud of myself about all of this!
Tomorrow I want to do whatever I feel like doing but I will go out and rake, rake, rake up pine needles--big ones though if the air quality is as good as it was today.
I am definitely doing my happy dance!!!
Onward>>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 20, 2020 5:52:12 GMT
Good Evening,
Hoorah, hoorah, sis boom bah!!!! On your perseverance on the EMP, A-BOmb Bush removal clean up! YOu have done amazing work. THis has taken you all Summer working steadily and persistently! You have every reason to feel proud of yourself and your accomplishments in this area. It's really impressive. I don't think you'd mentioned they were also prickly! You are a EMP Super Star!!!! 27...wow. And I know you're not exaggerating. Some of what I removed was so minimal compared to what you describe with these bushes. Way to go!!!
I feel a little guilty here because I feel I've been very lazy with home projects I'm supposed to be taking care of because I've been crafting. But I'll post anyway.
Craft: -I got the base coast on the six sets (4 in each set) wood ornaments cut. 4 sets I painted red base coat on and two sets I did a minty green color and a pink color. Then I went to the craft store and got this really fine irredescant (sp) glitter. On the pink/green ornaments, these colors represeant like the vintage shiny bright pink/green type color on old ornaments, I did the Nordic/Scandinavian simple flowers and dot designs. Then I poured glossy sealer into a little cup and mixed the glitter into it and coated the pink and green ornaments with that. Sooooooo cute!!!!! The shapes, the colors, then with the glitter, darling!!! Now I don't think I'll use that glitter anything else really, because to me, it just goes with the look/color of what people would want who'd buy this colo ornament to begin with. If they have that kind of tree, it's all about the sparkle IMO and they'd not want a matte looking wood thing as part of it. OF course, I say all this, but who knows if anyone will actually buy them. Also I took one to craft store to get different hanging ribbon (jute twine would not do) I was looking at silver but the lady at the fabric counter showed me an irredescant (sp) one, like the clitter, OMG, double cute! THe ladies thought the ornaments were adorable.
Etsy: Did I mention someone I don't know bought a bird puzzle on Thursday? THis is how I package these to mail. I cut open a brown paper lunch sack and I wrap the blocks together like a present and tie with black/white bakers twine or jute twine in bow on top. I use two strips of the sack paper also to go around the key card set, except in strips, two different ways, but like a present, so those stay together. Key cards on bottom, blocks on top, then a piece of packing foam or small bubble wrap, then the box lid.. This way the blocks cannot clunck around in shipping, I also roll a little foam and tuck between the sides of box and blocks. My idea is so when the buyer opens it, it's like opening a present in a present...sort of. THen plastic bag the box itself with all inside, foam around that and tape it, so it cannot come apart in shipping, then pad the box with packing material/paper.
12 Days of christmas: -all designs traced into the colored border except the drum. I tried to do a drum today, it was difficult, not good. I will have to try again.
Returns: -crafting...I did return a bunch of of stuff to craft store of new idea I wanted to try because I felt like I was getting too scattered right now. I already have a supply of things I can work on here and don't need to be doing new projects. I still need to finish the 4 more Christmas Puzzles asap, and do these wood cut ornaments. Then I might do a couple more quilt piece ornaments and some Christmas coasters from things that I already have prepped and ready to go. ALso I'm going to return some of the HObby Lobby things I got a little while ago, for same reason as above. Plus, these 12 day of Christmas Cards are also quite a project/challenge and I'd like to get these done and that is enough fun for the next couple of months.
Home/Cabin: -took care of errands to HD for DH as he wanted to repaint and repair some stair steps that go form the asphalt driveway to the porch of the cabin. I thought I had good match but it's a little light, but it's okay for the steps as they are not actually attached to the porch itself. So for the porch we'll need to darken it. -keeping kitchen clean, ran the DW, picked up DD's "school room"
THat's all for now.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Sept 21, 2020 3:16:53 GMT
Z, Those glittered ornaments do sound so cute!!! This is a great idea for the packaging! I get what you are saying about feeling guilty. Mostly I will feel totally overwhelmed at all that needs to be done. If I am frantically working on the yard then the inside chores or paper tiger shores are piling up multiplying like rabbits. I did get the most of it written down but must do the yard chores while I can breathe out there. Right now the smoke is almost nonexistent. Back to my rant, I decided to just do the best I can do. But for sure it is not good enough. However, my yard work is just like your crafting. I cannot wait to escape to where not much is going on but raking, chopping on and on. I definitely need to get a grip on something. LOL Thanks for reading this. Today I raked on the left side of the house. This took about four hours and I got five big contractor bags full of pine needles. This was a current EMP project. Tomorrow after I get back from the vet chore I will do the right side of the house which is a lot smaller but has a very bizarre number of hoses everywhere, drip system lines, and also some strange things the landscaper put in which makes raking difficult. Sometimes I think editing.......
Some really good news about the wildfire near us. Hooray for that!
Onward>>>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Sept 21, 2020 15:35:19 GMT
Good Morning,
Wow, that is a lot of pine needles!!! Yes, our "jobs" can be an escape of sorts to things going on about us.
I need to update my streaks. I'm good with the weighing and the eating but activity, mainly due to smoke, has dropped off. Holding steady at 25 pounds lost though, thanks to the "P" so this is good.
Craft: -got a drum sketch done, it will work, but then realized I'd traced it off center onto my bordered paper, after I'd inked and colored it. That's okay though, h, so it can be redone on a new sheet as I'd made a few extra copies for mistakes, just annoying. -cut the rest of my wood pieces out, someone wanted four of those, which I'm donating, because they want give to sponsors for a charity run.
Home: -I'm canceling our cleaning lady. I'm bummed about this, I'll just have to role play being the cleaner once every two weeks. It's too difficult with all three of use here every day. -yesterday cleaned of the guest bath vanity, (DD really makes a mess in there, there is no dealing with her right now, but I did leave her a note to stop doing one thing that makes a disgusting mess of the sink), cleaned sinks, mirror, organized her makeup caddy, put jewelry back in her room. She's in there right now, dramatically opening/closing drawer after drawer after drawer, which is the "quit touching my stuff" signal. Well, put your stuff away, then wont' touch your stuff. The drawers have been opened and closed probably 30 plus times now, ridiculous. There is more, I am editing, I just need to focus on my own stuff, it is very hard, I am despised.
-took care of complicated phone call, and order process, I will need more help with order process and have e-mailed that company. THe cleaner was understanding thankfully. It probably helps I've paid her for everytime I've canceled with her, short notice!
I'm not going to post "todos" Maybe I will post back with some TaDa's later.
Hope your day is off to a good start.
Z.
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